Poet Immortal, Poet Sage, Duke of the State!

Chen Chang'an looked at Qing Shuang, touched his nose, and said, "I only have one bed here. It's not very convenient for you to stay here, is it?"

Qing Shuang waved her hand dismissively, saying, "People of the martial world don't care about such formalities. I'll just sleep on the floor. We martial artists are used to sleeping on the floor anyway, I don't mind."

"You'll sleep on the floor." Chen Chang'an's lips twitched. "You're a guest, and the daughter of the Zhenyuan General's family. If word gets out that you're allowed to sleep on the floor, won't your grandfather tear this whole courtyard down?"

Qing Shuang waved her hand and said, "It's alright, I won't tell him."

Chen Chang'an looked at her, and finally sighed helplessly, saying, "You sleep in the bed, I'll sleep on the floor..."

After all, Qing Shuang was going to teach him the Xiao family's unique martial arts, and no matter how skilled she was, she was still a girl. Chen Chang'an couldn't bring himself to sleep on the bed while the girl slept on the floor.

"Gurgle...gurgle..."

A sound suddenly came from the quiet courtyard.

Qing Shuang blushed and said, "I...I'm hungry..."

Chen Chang'an didn't say anything and walked into the kitchen without looking back.

Qing Shuang leaned over the kitchen doorway, watching longingly.

Soon, a simple bowl of clear soup noodles was served. Qing Shuang took the bowl and buried her head in her food, quickly finishing the noodles and even drinking the soup clean.

After finishing her meal, she put the empty bowl on the table, let out a satisfied burp, and leaned back contentedly on the stone bench.

After eating and drinking my fill, sleepiness returned.

After Chen Chang'an finished cleaning up the dishes, he came out of the kitchen and saw Qing Shuang lying on the stone table, her cheeks slightly bulging from the edge of the table, and one hand resting on the edge of an empty bowl.

He stood there for a while and watched. After the little girl fell asleep, all the arrogance in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a gentleness that a young girl should have.

Chen Chang'an shook his head slightly, walked over, bent down, put one hand under her knees and the other hand around her back, and gently lifted her up.

Qing Shuang was lighter than she looked, probably because she had practiced martial arts for many years and didn't have any excess fat on her body.

She mumbled something in her sleep, leaned against his shoulder, and drifted off to sleep again.

Chen Chang'an carried her into the room, carefully placed her on the bed, and pulled the blanket over her.

Qing Shuang turned over, pulled the blanket closer to her chest, and a smile appeared on her lips as if she had thought of something.

Chen Chang'an stood by the bed, glanced at her, shook his head slightly, turned around and walked to the wardrobe. He took out a thicker coat, folded it, and spread it on the floor against the wall. This would be his bed for the night.

He will buy new mats and bedding tomorrow morning.

Silent all night.

The next morning, Chen Chang'an went out to buy new bedding. When he returned, he saw that Qing Shuang had already gotten up and was practicing her martial arts in the yard.

Chen Chang'an was no stranger to her palm technique.

There are two methods for cultivating internal energy: dynamic and static.

Chen Chang'an is currently at the stage of stillness cultivation, and can only cultivate through meditation. Once he can freely control his internal energy, he will be able to integrate his internal energy into his movements, just like Qing Shuang, and practice his skills while walking, sitting, or lying down.

After Qing Shuang finished her stance, she beckoned to Chen Chang'an and said, "Come here, I'll teach you the essentials of the Rock-Splitting Palm now."

Chen Chang'an strode over, and Qing Shuang picked up a blue brick from the corner of the wall, saying, "There are three key points to the Stone-Splitting Palm: infuse your inner energy into your palm, let the heel of your palm strike first, and unleash your power at the moment of exhalation..."

Her hand fell, and the blue brick broke in two.

Qing Shuang threw the broken bricks on the ground, clapped her hands, and said, "These three key points seem simple, but to fully master them requires a lot of practice..."

Chen Chang'an followed her example, picked up a blue brick and placed it in front of him, took a deep breath, and tried to guide the wisp of internal energy in his dantian to his right palm.

The internal energy traveled along the meridians and quickly gathered at the base of the palm.

The next moment, Chen Chang'an's palm suddenly fell.

"Snapped!"

Although the brick was not broken, a shallow crack appeared on its surface.

Looking at the crack, Qing Shuang's eyes widened, and she looked at Chen Chang'an as if he were a monster.

It took her three whole days to find the feeling of exhaling.

As for Young Master Shen, he had already grasped the basics after hearing her explain it only once.

What kind of heaven-defying comprehension is this?

Chen Chang'an looked down at his palm, then at the crack, and asked, "Do I consider this a beginner's level?"

Qing Shuang was deeply hurt. She pouted and said irritably, "I don't want to talk anymore. You can practice by yourself!"

Over the next few days, Qing Shuang settled down in the small courtyard in the south of the city with a clear conscience.

During the day, Chen Chang'an practiced martial arts and cooked, while she guided him from the side and occasionally demonstrated a few moves herself. Under her dedicated teaching, Chen Chang'an made rapid progress.

Although he couldn't yet break bricks with a flick of his wrist, that was only because his internal energy wasn't strong enough; he had already mastered all the techniques and essentials.

At night, Chen Chang'an slept on the floor while Qing Shuang slept on the bed; both of them slept peacefully, one on the floor and one on the floor.

Chen Chang'an took some time to visit the workshop outside the city, where the first batch of floral water had been completed.

He and Qing Shuang chose an auspicious day, and the shop would officially open five days later.

In a small courtyard in the south of the city, the two lived a leisurely life.

Outside the small courtyard, things were far from peaceful.

Ever since the competition at Wangyue Tower that day, the road in front of General Zhenyuan's mansion has been blocked by carriages and sedan chairs every day.

The literary figures and talented scholars of the capital came again and again, but they never got to discuss poetry with the most talented woman in the capital, let alone see her face.

Over time, people gradually accepted this fact.

This newly crowned top female scholar in the capital is not like the usual literati who are keen on socializing and socializing, nor does she like to show her face in public.

She was clearly so talented; every poem and lyric she wrote was worthy of being passed down through the ages, and her couplets were unmatched. Yet, she never took the initiative to show off. Both times she did so, it was only because she was forced into it.

The first time was when the envoy from the Yan Kingdom provoked them, and the entire court was at a loss. She stepped forward and turned the tide.

The second time was when the Yaoguang Poetry Society came to challenge her, insulting her family, which is why she accepted the challenge.

Such a talented woman, ironically, commands even greater respect.

"True talents disdain spending their days composing poems about nature and arguing with others."

"This is the true spirit of a scholar."

"Those so-called talented men and women should all learn from Miss Qing Shuang..."

"Only someone like that could write such insightful sentences..."

……

In a small courtyard in the south of the city, Chen Chang'an was practicing the Stone-Splitting Palm.

Qing Shuang, the most talented woman in the capital, praised by everyone, was bored out of her mind and squatted on the ground writing and drawing with a twig.

At one point, she suddenly looked up and asked Chen Chang'an, "Young Master Shen, how do you write the second and fourth characters of 'an old horse in its stall'?"