He glanced at his cousin, who had no expression on his face.

"Thank you for your kindness, but I am afraid I cannot accept. Although I studied when I was young, I have neglected my studies in recent years as I have been practicing martial arts." Xu Qi'an was unsure of the situation and dared not agree.

"It's alright, studying is a lifelong pursuit. It's never too late." Li Mubai chuckled as he stroked his goatee.

Xu Qi'an was shocked by their kindness.

After thinking for a moment, he had an idea and looked at his cousin again with a smile. "You're right, learning has no end. I do have some talent for studying, and I am grateful that you both have noticed. If I were to go to the academy, I would definitely surpass Xu Xinnian."

Xu Xinnian snorted arrogantly and said, "The teachers and Mr. Li were impressed with your poetry, such as 'Seeing Yang Gong off at the Mianyang Pavilion in Qingzhou'."

Xu Qi'an understood their intentions after a moment of contemplation.

This was indeed a shortcut to fame. Just look at Wang Lun, who licked Li Bai's boots and became famous for all eternity.

It seems that being a "licking dog" is also a skill.

Ancient licking dogs licked their friends and became famous for all eternity.

Modern licking dogs lick goddesses and end up with nothing.

The road to success in the academy was difficult, and without becoming a high-ranking official, one could not be recorded in history. This was where Xu Qi'an's poetry came in handy.

Xu Qi'an felt a bit resentful, as he believed that they should have accepted him as a disciple based on his talent and character, not just his poetry.

But the two scholars remained unfazed.

Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment and said, "Thank you for your kindness. I have been inspired recently and have written some good poems. After I finish this matter, I will visit the academy and pay my respects to both of you."

Li Mubai breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

If they were to compete for disciples, Xu Xinnian had a better chance due to his relationship with Xu Qi'an.

Xu Qi'an's words were eloquent.

"In that case, we will wait for you at the academy," Zhang Shen said, looking at Xu Xinnian. "As for you, Xu Xinnian, cultivating oneself comes before cultivating one's abilities. You have been stuck in the same place for a year now. Go home and copy the Analects of Confucius three hundred times. Bring it to me in ten days."Xu Xinnian was thunderstruck.

"I can take a step of thirty zhang." Zhang Shen turned around and disappeared with one step.

Li Mubai showed off intentionally, drawing a circle around himself with his toes, then looked at Xu Qi'an and said in a deep voice, "Within three inches of me, I do not belong to this place, but to the city gate."

After speaking, he suddenly disappeared.

Xu Qi'an widened his eyes in amazement!

"Cijiu, what realm are these two great scholars in?"

Xu Xinnian had not yet recovered from the despair of reading the three hundred passages from the saints, and Xu Er Shu said, "According to Nian'er, they are fifth-rank Confucian scholars: Virtue."

He enthusiastically shared what he had seen outside the city with his nephew.

As long as I boast enough, there is nothing I can't do in the world? Xu Qi'an was shocked again.

Xu Xinnian let out a sigh of relief and looked at Xu Da Lang, who was playing tricks on himself, and said unkindly, "The Virtue realm can regulate a person's behavior and conduct and manipulate others with words."

"The most core ability of this realm is to have a preliminary grasp of the truth of 'words follow the law', which can to some extent manipulate the laws of things. Therefore, it also has another name, 'disrupting the law with words'."

"Of course, the means of two great scholars like them cannot be achieved by ordinary Virtue realm."

The two warriors listened with great interest. Xu Er Shu regretfully said, "All major systems have their own miracles, only warriors are good at being brave and ruthless."

So they are rough... Proud Confucian scholar Xu Xinnian thought that both of the rough people were higher in seniority than himself, so he had sufficient reason to use force, and did not say this sentence.

Then he found that his cousin was staring at him.

"Er Lang..."

"Um?"

"I treat you well on weekdays."

"Before big brother says this, please touch your conscience."

"Big brother has a request."

"Say it."

"Someday, when you reach the Virtue realm, I need a promise from you."

"Say it."

"Er Lang needs to say to me: Where is big brother's Diaochan? Oh, big brother's carved jade is hanging on his waist."

"You are despicable!" Xu Er Lang left in a huff.

Xu Pingzhi, after hearing his nephew's words, fell into thought.

...

Xu Qi'an was going to the Heavenly Observer's Bureau, Xu Pingzhi and his son went to the Changle County Ya, and Xu Er Shu instructed his daughter to wait in the side hall of the Changle County Ya before leaving.

Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the "[pawread.c𝘰m]"

For the first time, Xu Qi'an came to the Heavenly Observer's Bureau, the tallest building in the capital, and clicked his tongue, looking around with great interest.

"Have you been to the Heavenly Observer's Bureau before?" Song Qing asked.

"This is my first time."

"But you don't seem surprised." Song Qing saw the words 'ordinary and unremarkable' in Xu Qi'an's eyes.

Anyone who sees the Heavenly Observer's Bureau for the first time will feel that it is a magnificent miracle.Its foundation was twice the height of ordinary houses, its pillars were several times thicker than the dragon pillars in the imperial palace, and its bricks were taller than a person...

It cost one-third of the annual tax revenue of the Great Feng Dynasty in terms of manpower, material resources, and financial resources.

What made the people of the Celestial Observatory most proud was that the height of the Star Observation Tower was unparalleled in the world, and no one in the world could build a taller building than it.

The alchemists of the Celestial Observatory and the Ministry of Works worked together to design and build it, which took 12 years and was unique in the world.

"Because I've seen tall buildings before..." Xu Qi'an smiled and said, "My second uncle often said that I have a calm temperament since childhood, and I don't change my expression even when the mountain collapses in front of me. Maybe that's my talent."

Song Qing's eyes lit up and he said excitedly, "Only with this calm temperament can you be worthy of planning with me."

Xu Qi'an looked at the other party's dark circles and felt that he might have said something wrong.

He met Chu Caiwei, whom he had a chance encounter with before, on the seventh floor of the Star Observation Tower. She was wearing a light yellow dress and sitting at a desk with a variety of food on it.

Steamed lamb, steamed bear paw, steamed deer tail, roasted duck, roasted young chicken, roasted goose... Xu Qi'an thought of this meme.

"Why did you cause trouble again?" Chu Caiwei glanced at the little catcher who had a chance encounter with her, and mumbled a greeting with puffy cheeks.

"Weren't you at the Star Observation Tower before?" Xu Qi'an had already learned about the incident from Song Qing.

"I went to chat with the Princess Chang." Chu Caiwei said.

Xu Qi'an happened to be hungry, so he sat down at the table in a very familiar way and reached for a chicken leg.

Snap...

Chu Caiwei slapped away his pig's trotters with her small hand, and her big apricot eyes were full of vigilance, "Haven't you eaten yet?"

"Um."

"Song senior brother, take him back and bring him back after he finishes eating."

...I seem to see what Xu Lingyin will look like when she grows up! Xu Qi'an choked on a piece of meat, not knowing whether to spit it out or not.

"Why did you fight with someone surnamed Zhou?" Chu Caiwei suddenly asked while eating.

"I was taking my sister shopping, and Zhou took a fancy to her looks."

"Is your sister pretty?"

"Not much different from you."

"Then she must be as beautiful as a fairy, not like a mortal."

Xu Qi'an looked up at her, and the sunlight shone through the wall's pores, highlighting her beautiful and healthy complexion.

Her eyes were big and round, clear and bright, like stars. Xu Qi'an rarely saw such eyes with a touch of two-dimensional flavor.

This appearance is a match made in heaven with my past life...

"The tax case has ended. Do you know who tampered with your uncle's tax money?" Chu Caiwei sucked her fingers.

Xu Qi'an shook his head, "I'm just a little catcher."Chu Caiwei looked up and glanced at Xu Qi'an, then lowered her head to take a bite of the crispy roasted duck skin. "The one who embezzled the tax silver is Qianhu Lu Congzhi of the Imperial Sword Guard, and there's also Zheng Xin, the Chief of the Ministry of Revenue."

"So?" Xu Qi'an raised an eyebrow.

"I heard that Zhou Xianping, the Deputy Minister of Revenue, is their backer."

"!!!"

Damn it... Xu Qi'an couldn't help but want to curse.

As if an electric current had passed through his brain, he suddenly understood many things.

So, after hearing my name, the one surnamed Zhou was determined to kill me because I had cracked the tax silver case and ruined his father's big plan.

He wanted to strike back.

No, maybe what happened today was already planned by him... Zhou Xianping's mansion is in the inner city, far away from here. Why did the one surnamed Zhou happen to wander near the Xu Mansion?

Unless he deliberately lingered near the Xu Mansion... The one surnamed Zhou had investigated me, so how could he not know what Lingyue looks like... Flirting with a virtuous lady is just an act, his real purpose is to find trouble and use this as an excuse to kill me.

Xu Qi'an felt a cold snake crawling behind him, and a trace of chill rose in his heart.