The Song Dynasty was the king for thirteen years before he knew that he was Tianlong.

Chapter 393 Encountering Obstacles
"You're back?" Zhao Ti looked out the window, puzzled.

Just a few breaths later, the sound of clothes rustling through the air came from outside, and then Zhuge Qingqing appeared as fast as lightning, leaping in.

“Miss Zhuge…” Zhao Ti glanced at her, only to see Zhuge Qingqing’s face as cold as frost, staring blankly at him.

He remembered the crow's words and made no mention of the veil. He smiled bitterly and said, "You promised to let me go home. Why did you leave alone just now? I don't need you to see me off. Just take me down from this thirteen-story tower and I'll walk back by myself."

Zhuge Qingqing remained silent for a long time before suddenly pointing her finger and asking, "You, do you know anything?"

Zhao Ti's heart skipped a beat: "Where did Miss Zhuge get these seemingly random words? What do you know?"

Zhuge Qingqing withdrew her finger, her face devoid of color, which only made her appear more like a beautiful jade, her eyes sparkling with intelligence.

"Since you are on good terms with Luo Fu, you must know about the affairs of aristocratic families and some of their rules, right?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti hurriedly shook his head: "Miss Zhuge is joking. Miss Luofu and I only met for the first time at yesterday's poetry gathering. How could we be on good terms? Besides, I come from a commoner family, not even a poor one. How would I know about the affairs of aristocratic families?"

"You only met Luo Fu yesterday?" Zhuge Qingqing asked with surprise.

“That’s right. I had only heard of Miss Luo Fu before, but I didn’t know her personally. I only met her after I received the invitation to the Yujiang Poetry Gathering and went to the painted boat,” Zhao Ti said.

"Since it's our first meeting, why... why did you write 'The Ballad of Luo Fu' for her?" Zhuge Qingqing frowned, a hint of anger appearing on her face.

Zhao Ti said, "We make friends through poetry, there's no need for so many formalities. It's just about composing poems and expressing our feelings."

Zhuge Qingqing said indignantly, "But why did you have to write such a good poem?"

Zhao Ti paused slightly, then blinked: "This is also the first time I've met Miss Zhuge, and I even wrote the 'Green Song' for her..."

“How can that be the same?” Zhuge Qingqing said, then thought for a moment, “Does the young master really not know about the affairs of aristocratic families?”

Zhao Ti shook his head: "What is there to hide? I am just an ordinary student of the state school and a commoner of Yuzhou. How would I know the rules of the powerful and wealthy families?"

Zhuge Qingqing's voice softened: "Young master, I was rude just now, please forgive me."

Zhao Ti felt a sense of relief: "Miss, can you take me down the tower now?"

Zhuge Qingqing said, "Of course, I will escort you home, young master."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti shook his head: "I can walk back myself, there's no need for you to trouble yourself, young lady."

Zhuge Qingqing looked at him, her eyes sparkling: "Young master... do you dislike my daughter's arrogant behavior of wielding a sword, kidnapping people and demanding poems, and that's why you don't want me to see you off?"

Zhao Ti's heart skipped a beat again. He said, "How could I think that way? Miss Zhuge is a beauty of unparalleled grace and chivalrous spirit. We scholars are envious of her, so how could we not like her? I was just afraid of taking up your time, so I didn't want to trouble you."

Zhuge Qingqing said, "Young Master Zhao is being too polite. It is clearly I who have delayed your time. How could I not take you home? If you are late for your studies tomorrow, it will be entirely my fault."

After she finished speaking, she suddenly reached out and pulled Zhao Ti. Zhao Ti felt his body lighten and flew towards the window.

He hurriedly said, "Miss Zhuge, you..."

At that moment, a crow's voice echoed in his mind: "Don't be afraid, I will secretly follow and protect you. This little girl doesn't seem to want to hurt you."

Zhao Ti felt the wind whistling past his ears. After landing from the tower, Zhuge Qingqing flew forward and was out of the temple wall in the blink of an eye.

"Where does Young Master Zhao live?" she asked after a slight pause.

Zhao Ti really didn't want to say it, but seeing the current situation, he couldn't stay silent, so he had no choice but to say, "Xinghua Lane, Chunyu Street, South City..."

"Alright!" Zhuge Qingqing responded, then used her lightness skill to fly towards the south city.

After a while, they crossed the Yujiang River and ran for a short while longer before entering Chunyu Street.

At this moment, Zhuge Qingqing slowed her pace and whispered, "I have a favor to ask of Young Master Zhao."

Zhao Ti thought to himself, "I am the fish on the chopping block, and you are the knife and the butcher. What more could I ask for?"

"Please speak, Miss Zhuge."

Arriving at the entrance of Xinghua Lane, Zhuge Qingqing stopped and looked at Zhao Ti with her beautiful eyes: "I hope you will not tell anyone about what happened in the tower last night."

Zhao Ti nodded: "I will not say that. As for writing the Qingqing Song for Miss Zhuge, if anyone asks, I can't just give an excuse. I'll just point to a bright and convenient place."

It's not pleasant to have a man and a woman alone in a room. Even if it's not a prestigious family, it's bound to attract attention and gossip, let alone people from wealthy or powerful families.

Zhuge Qingqing's eyes flickered, and she added, "Especially... the fact that my veil was lost and that you, sir, saw my true face is something I cannot tell anyone. This is also for your sake, sir. Please remember this in your heart."

Upon hearing her mention this matter, Zhao Ti immediately became serious: "I understand. I will never tell anyone about this, so please rest assured, Miss Zhuge."

Zhuge Qingqing looked at him and suddenly smiled gently, then reached out and smoothed the wrinkles in his sleeve: "I naturally believe what you say, young master. I apologize for frightening you tonight."

Zhao Ti shook his head: "I am not a bookworm. I have read some illustrated books, historical novels, and stories of immortals and heroes. I admire them but cannot do them. I can only fantasize about them. But tonight I had a really enjoyable time. How could I be scared?"

Zhuge Qingqing was slightly curious upon hearing this: "So you have such a bold and generous spirit, young master. I was just too naive."

Zhao Ti nodded with a serious expression, hoping that the other party would leave as soon as possible. He said, "That's how it is, so Miss Zhuge, you don't need to worry about it. Now that we've arrived at your lodgings, it must have been hard work for you. Please go back and rest early, Miss Zhuge."

Zhuge Qingqing pondered for a moment upon hearing this, then suddenly said, "Since we're here, we should at least familiarize ourselves with the place."

Zhao Ti inwardly groaned. Why did he have to recognize the address? Did he have to come looking for him later if he changed his mind?
“Well… I don’t think I need to look.” Zhao Ti said thoughtfully, “My family is poor and humble, and there’s really nothing for me to see.”

"I'm not going in, I just want to see which way the door faces and recognize the entrance," Zhuge Qingqing suddenly said coquettishly, two red clouds rising on her cheeks.

Zhao Ti thought to himself, "Why are you blushing? Are you feeling guilty because you're thinking about going back on your word and coming to kill me?"
"Alright... then please, Miss Zhuge." He had no choice but to lead the way into Xinghua Lane.

Before long, they arrived at the front door of his house. Zhao Ti turned around and said, "Miss Zhuge, this is my home."

Zhuge Qingqing glanced around and saw that the apricot blossoms were in full bloom, their fragrance intoxicating. She couldn't help but say, "Although it is located in the bustling city, it is a quiet and elegant place."

Zhao Ti remained silent, only staring at her with his eyes. Zhuge Qingqing looked at him for a few more moments and then said, "Then I will leave. I hope that you will soon pass the imperial examination with flying colors, and that your name will be sung throughout the capital, your horse will gallop down the imperial street, and your name will be known throughout the world."

Zhao Ti smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words, young lady."

Zhuge Qingqing glanced at him one last time, then turned and flew away, disappearing in an instant. Zhao Ti stood in front of his house for a moment, about to go inside, when suddenly a dark object fell straight down on his shoulder, startling him.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a crow, its two large eyes staring at each other. The crow opened its mouth, and its voice rang directly in his ears: "The little girl has already gone far away."

Zhao Ti nodded and said, "Brother Ya, are you going to stay at my house?"

The crow said, "I said I would protect you during this time, so it's not good to be separated from you. I'm just afraid your family won't like me."

Zhao Ti said, "This... should be fine. Just say that I picked up Brother Crow and that he is not an ordinary bird."

The crow chuckled twice: "I won't worry about that. I'll leave once I've finished my business. You can make your own plans. But I don't think that little girl will come after you again, so you don't need to worry too much."

Zhao Ti said, "I hope so."

As he spoke, he pulled a thin bamboo strip from a crack in the wall next to him, then inserted it into the gap between the two wooden doors and slowly moved it to the side.

A few moments later, the door opened, and he went inside to re-lock the wooden door. Just then, Zhao's father came out with a lamp, and seeing the situation, his face turned ugly. He said, "Why are you back so late? It's almost dawn."

Zhao Ti said, "Father, some trouble happened at the poetry gathering, which is why I returned late."

Zhao's father asked in bewilderment, "What kind of trouble could a poetry gathering possibly produce?"

Zhao Ti said, "I wrote two good poems at the meeting, but the last one was chosen by a girl who did not attend the meeting. Then... she made a scene at the meeting and kidnapped me."

"Huh?" Zhao's father was stunned. "He took a fancy to your poem and kidnapped you? Is there no law anymore? Isn't this something that bandits who rule the mountains often do? But they usually kidnap women, how can a woman kidnap a man?"

Zhao Ti's lips twitched and he continued, "Actually, it's nothing. After I wrote the poem for that girl, she sent me back."

"Sent you back?" Father Zhao reached up and stroked his stiff beard, puzzled. "That poetry gathering was organized by the Qin family, the daughter of the Prefect of Yuzhou. What woman would be so bold as to cause trouble? She actually kidnapped someone and stole the poems. Even if she did, so what? Isn't she afraid of the Qin family, afraid of the government arresting her and declaring the poems invalid for her?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti rubbed his forehead: "This young lady, this young lady is from the Zhuge family..."

"The Zhuge family? Which Zhuge family..." Zhao's father asked in surprise.

“It’s the Zhuge family, one of the eight great families…” Zhao Ti sighed. “Father, I have to go to sleep now. I have school tomorrow.”

“You…” Zhao’s father stared at his retreating figure, his face twitching. “You just met the Qin family’s daughter, and now you’re involved with the Zhuge family’s daughter? You, you…”

As Zhao Ti walked, he stammered, "My child, my child doesn't want to either..."

He walked faster and faster, and Zhao's father's voice came from behind again: "What's that on your shoulder, kid? It looks like a crow."

"Ah, I found it on the road, Father, don't worry about it." Zhao Ti hurriedly slipped into his house, then closed the door and let out a long sigh...

The next morning, he groggily got out of bed, tidied himself up a bit, and went to the canteen for breakfast.

Zhao's father sat at the table, looking indignant, while Zhao's mother looked him up and down with a smile and said, "My son, I heard you've gotten to know the Zhuge family's daughter again?"

Zhao Ti glanced at his father and said, "Mother, did Father tell you? We're not really acquaintances, they just wanted a poem, so they kidnapped me from the poetry gathering, and after I finished writing the poem, they sent me back..."

Mother Zhao nodded: "My son is so talented that he has attracted the attention of daughters from two prominent families. This is truly a cause for celebration."

Upon hearing this, Zhao's father said from the side, "What's there to celebrate? These powerful families are corrupt and extravagant, controlling the court and local power. What good is it to get involved with them? I think it's best to stay away and never see them again, as if we've never met."

Zhao's mother ignored him and pondered for a moment before asking, "Is the daughter of the Zhuge family also one of the famous beauties?"

Zhao Ti scratched his head and said, "She is one of the Ten Famous Beauties, named Zhuge Qingqing."

Zhao's mother suddenly said, "My son... do you think she's beautiful?"

Zhao Ti paused for a moment, then said, "This Miss Zhuge's face is covered by a black veil, so I haven't been able to see what she looks like."

Mother Zhao laughed and said, "Didn't you see what was behind the veil?"

Zhao Ti glanced at his mother in puzzlement, wondering why his mother was so concerned about Miss Zhuge. Miss Qin didn't ask her anything, but instead asked if he had seen Miss Zhuge's true face. How strange.

He said, "I didn't see it. Miss Zhuge never took off her veil. The child doesn't know what Miss Zhuge looks like."

Zhao's mother said, "It is indeed a pity."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ti became even more suspicious. His mother's words were loaded with meaning; did she perhaps know something? But how could his mother know about the affairs of aristocratic families?
At this moment, Zhao's father slammed down his chopsticks and his gaze fell on the crow standing by the window not far away: "Why did you bring this thing back!"

Zhao's mother also looked over, and Zhao Ling'er's little face showed a look of surprise: "What a big bird! Is it an eagle?"

The crow on the windowsill seemed pleased to hear this and cawed loudly.

Father Zhao scoffed, "What eagle? This is a crow, a bird of ill omen. Why did you bring this thing back, Ti'er? Can such a bird be kept as a pet?"

Zhao Ti glanced at the crow perched on the windowsill, its gaze fixed on his father with a hint of hostility, and hurriedly said, "Father, this bird is no ordinary bird. It is quite intelligent. Look at its size; it is much larger than its kind, making it a different species. Moreover, you don't need to feed it anything. Just give it temporary shelter, and it will find its own food and water. After a while... it might just leave on its own."

Looking at the crow, Zhao's mother said, "This crow is indeed unusual. It is so big, with red eyes and golden claws. I have never seen anything like it before. I'm afraid it is some kind of rare and exotic species. Don't worry about it. If my son likes to keep it, then keep it. It doesn't need to go hungry. When there is fish, shrimp and meat, feed it to it. We are not short of such things at home."

Upon hearing this, Zhao's father became angry, lowered his head, and began to shovel into his porridge without saying a word.

After Zhao Ti finished eating, he went back to his room to get his study box and went to school. When the crows saw him leave, they spread their wings and flew high into the sky, quietly protecting him from above.

After a while, they arrived at the state school and saw Mo Xun looking around in front of the gate. Upon seeing him, Mo Xun hurriedly came to greet him.

Zhao Ti learned from his account that after Zhuge Qingqing escorted him home last night, she made a special appearance at the Yujiang River to tell him that she had taken him home before leaving again, which is why the others stopped looking for him.

Then, as they entered the school, the crows in the sky flew away and disappeared, only returning when school was over.

Day after day, seven days passed in the blink of an eye. That evening, after dinner, Zhao Ti returned to his room to read. He saw a crow fly in through the window, a gust of cold wind closed the window, and then the crow looked at him and said, "I have encountered obstacles in my business in Yuzhou. Can you help me, my brother?"

Zhao Ti asked in surprise, "Brother Ya, what obstacle have you encountered that you need my help?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a ripple suddenly appeared before his eyes, as if the light on the mirror had been scattered and lost, and then it suddenly went dark, only to light up again in a moment.

Zhao Ti took a deep breath, slowly opened his eyes, and returned from that world.

(End of this chapter)