In the dark night, the cold wind blew, and the lotus flowers in the pond swayed, like a surging sea of fire, beautiful and enchanting.

Xu Qi'an silently took a deep breath and smelled the fragrant scent.

"Yunzhou has many mountains, but it is not as desolate and filled with miasma as the southern border. The mountains here are rich in herbs and resources." The hermit Zi Yang looked at the lotus flowers in the pond and continued, "Yunzhou also has fertile farmland and abundant water resources. Although the annual grain production is not as high as the regions of Yuzhou and Zhangzhou, which are known as the granaries of the Great Feng, it is still enough to feed the people of two provinces."

... It sounds like Yunzhou is a hilly region. Xu Qi'an nodded in realization.

Among the five continents, hills are the most fertile and resource-rich. In his previous life, the so-called land of fish and rice was in the hills of Jiangnan.

Yuzhou and Zhangzhou, the two granaries of the Great Feng, are located on plains, while the southern border is a mountainous region with very little arable land.

Zi Yang said in a deep voice, "Yunzhou also has a geographical advantage. It is close to the South Sea, so there is no need to worry about being attacked from both sides. If worse comes to worst, we can even set sail."

"The conflict between the God of Witchcraft Sect and the Great Feng has been escalating at the border. If they want to create internal chaos and distract the Great Feng, choosing Yunzhou is a wise move."

After hearing this, why do I feel like this trip to Yunzhou is a journey to annihilation? Ah, I shouldn't speak without thinking... I shouldn't speak without thinking...

"Don't worry," as if seeing through Xu Qi'an's concerns, Zi Yang smiled and said, "Although the Great Feng is facing serious problems, it is still relatively stable. The authority of the court is still intact.

"Even if the God of Witchcraft Sect is plotting something in Yunzhou, they can only hide in the shadows and won't act openly. During this period of free time, I have trained a few falcons. I will give you one when you return. If there is an emergency in Yunzhou, you can use the falcon to send messages. It's faster than using the postal route."

Even if it's faster, it will still take several days for a round trip... Indeed, the world without a cellphone lacks a sense of security. It would be great if everyone had a piece of the Book Fragment... Xu Qi'an expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Teacher, for your kindness."

After a pause, he asked, "What should I do when I arrive in Yunzhou?"

"Just focus on solving cases and protect Zhang Xingying. As for socializing in the officialdom, you don't need to worry about it." Zi Yang smiled and said, "Since Wei Yuan appointed Zhang Xingying as the governor, she must not be an ordinary person."

Xu Qi'an nodded.

After discussing the important matters, Zi Yang pondered for a moment and said, "I often exchange letters with Jin Yan. He often mentions you in his letters. You can also be considered as a student of Yunlu Academy... I heard that the academy has been full of vitality in recent months?"

Who is Jin Yan? Oh, it's Erlang's teacher, the Great Scholar Zhang Shen... Because he wasn't used to using courtesy names, it took Xu Qi'an a few seconds to realize who "Jin Yan" was.

What does Zi Yang mean by this... Did Yunlu Academy not tell him the truth? Or does he know that it was me who did it and is hinting at me, but there is no need for such hints... Maybe the exchange of letters cannot be kept secret, so the Great Scholars of Yunlu Academy only mentioned it in their letters without revealing the truth?

He pondered and said, "It seems that this matter has been classified as top secret by the academy. The Yunlu Academy is still sealed off, and no one is allowed to enter."

Thinking of this, Xu Qi'an couldn't help but think of the Yasheng who pointed at a deer and called it a horse. He was truly a great man because he always stood behind his wife.

Zi Yang nodded slightly and didn't ask any further.

On the contrary, Xu Qi'an had some questions to ask this Great Scholar. After thinking for a moment, he decided to ask the first question:

"Teacher, a while ago, because of the Sangbo case, I challenged the Night Reading and read historical books. I found that before the Prime Minister of our lineage destroyed Buddhism, he shouted the slogan 'Buddhism will not be destroyed, the world will become Buddha.' Later, that Prime Minister advanced to the Life Establishment Realm. I think that even if Buddhism has its flaws, it is still a legitimate and orthodox sect. Buddhism will not be destroyed, the world will become Buddha... Is this too extreme?"

Xu Qi'an didn't know the difference between Buddhism in this world and Buddhism in his previous life. This world doesn't have a Buddha, only a Buddha.

But no matter what, Buddhism shouldn't be considered a cult.

"I don't know about this matter, either," Zi Yang said.

If you don't know, then how do you know it's a secret? Xu Qi'an held back his sarcasm.

Zi Yang chuckled, "The dean knows."

Xu Qi'an's second question was why there was a statue of a Confucian saint in the Ji Abyss in the southern border, but he dismissed the idea of asking. As someone in the capital, Xu Qi'an shouldn't know about the statue of a Confucian saint in the Ji Abyss, even if he used the excuse of "I have a friend."

It's impossible for the Nightwatcher's office to know about this matter.

...

Back at the post station, Xu Qi'an took a cold shower and then sat in meditation in his room, practicing his visualization technique.

Qingzhou was adjacent to Yunzhou, and from this place, with a fast horse, it would take three to five days to reach Yunzhou. Even if they considered Zhang Xingying's weak physical condition, it would still take about a week to reach the border of Qingzhou.

"This is a good opportunity to break through to the Divine Refinement Realm. It's just ten days without sleep. When I was still an ordinary person, I once achieved the achievement of staying up for 72 hours in an internet cafe..."

The next day, Yang Gong, the Provincial Governor, gathered stonemasons and engraved four lines of poetry on the warning steles in front of the courtyards of various government offices in Qingzhou.

From the Qingzhou Prefect to the ordinary officials, they could see these four lines of poetry every time they entered or left the government office.

"What does it say?"

"You eat and receive your salary, the people's fat and oil. The lower class is easy to oppress, but it is difficult to deceive the heavens."

"Such a good poem! I haven't read many books, but I can say one thing: Wow, it's really well-written. It must have been written by our Provincial Governor. He is truly an upright official of the Great Feng."

"It wasn't written by the Provincial Governor, it was written by someone named Xu Qi'an. Oh, there are three small characters next to it: Student Yang Gong. Oh, it's the student of our Provincial Governor."

This poem was written by Xu Qi'an, so it must have been written by him. But Zi Yang had a sneaky move. He had someone carve three small characters, "Student Yang Gong," next to Xu Qi'an's name.

If the three Great Scholars of Yunlu Academy were present, they would vomit blood and roar: Shameless old thief, how dare you take credit for this?

Many honest officials were greatly impressed by this poem. They silently remembered Xu Qi'an's name, the literary prodigy who was said to be the shining light of poetry and prose in the Great Feng for the past two hundred years.

What was even more astonishing was that he was not a scholar, but a Nightwatcher.

But whether it was the officials of Qingzhou or the scholars, they admired Xu Qi'an's literary talent and the spirit he expressed in his poems. The brothel girls in the official brothel sector were filled with excitement and anticipation when they heard this news. They wished they could burn incense and pray for the great talent Xu to favor them and leave behind a few lines of poetry.

They were even willing to offer themselves to him.

...

Outside Qingzhou City.

Zi Yang, accompanied by a group of high-ranking officials from Qingzhou, personally saw off the governor's team as they left the city.

"After this parting, I don't know when we will meet again. Take care, Teacher." Xu Qi'an bowed as a disciple.

Zi Yang nodded slightly, feeling a bit emotional. He had just accepted a student, and before he could warm up to him, he had to leave.

"On this trip to Yunzhou, focus on handling cases and protect Zhang Xingying. As for socializing in the officialdom, you don't need to worry about it," Yang Gong said in a deep voice.

To protect the people of the world... Xu Qi'an repeated silently in his heart.

...

A few days later, at the border of Qingzhou, at the post station.

At two o'clock in the morning, after finishing his meditation and visualization, Xu Qi'an, who hadn't slept for seven days, walked out of his room with a candle in hand.

It was late at night, and the inside of the post station was quiet. He followed the corridor to the end and then went downstairs along the stairs.

In the lobby, a lamp burned silently on the counter, and the postman was sleeping soundly with drool flowing from the corner of his mouth.

The official post station was open 24 hours a day. Some officials would stay overnight due to urgent official business, so you never knew when someone would be staying at the station.

Knock, knock...

Xu Qi'an lightly tapped the counter twice, making a dull sound.

The postman woke up, wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, and stood up, saying, "Sir, what can I do for you?"

"Give me a few envelopes and some writing paper. I need to write some letters." Xu Qi'an made a request.

The postman immediately took out a piece of writing paper and an envelope from the cabinet, but Xu Qi'an shook his head, "Not enough."

"How many do you need?"

"Seven envelopes, and as much writing paper as possible."

It was the first time the postman had seen someone write seven letters at once. He muttered something silently and obediently handed over seven envelopes and writing paper.

Taking the envelopes and writing paper, Xu Qi'an turned and went upstairs back to his room.

He placed the envelopes on the desk and took out the red lotus petals from the jade mirror, pressing five petals onto five envelopes. Then he unfolded the paper, placed a paperweight on it, and prepared to write the letters.

The first letter.

"Princess Huai Qing:

"When writing this letter, I have arrived at the border of Qingzhou and will soon enter Yunzhou. Before leaving the capital, I wanted to discuss with Your Highness and hear Your Highness's opinions.

"But I didn't expect to offend Your Highness unknowingly, causing Your Highness to be so heartless and refuse to see me.

"When passing through Yuzhou, I uncovered a corruption case... From this case, it can be seen that the God of Witchcraft Sect has been eroding the court for a long time and secretly cultivating many spies. As the saying goes, a thousand-mile dike collapses because of an ant hole. We must be on guard. I hope Your Highness can persuade His Majesty to govern diligently and restore the order of the court.

"By the way, there is a flower called the red lotus in Qingzhou, which blooms in the depths of winter. The red lotus is upright and untainted, washed by clear water without becoming a demon. It is straight and unbranched, both internally and externally, and its fragrance is pure and far-reaching. It can be admired from a distance but not touched.

"This reminds me of Your Highness. I apologize, I know that this statement is disrespectful to Your Highness. Your Highness is extraordinary, and I have never seen anyone like you. You are like the red lotus, upright and untainted, washed by clear water without becoming a demon.

"I have picked a petal of the lotus flower and will send it to Your Highness along with this letter to express my feelings."

The second letter.

"Princess Lin'an:

"The long night is like a thousand autumns, and not seeing you for half a month makes me miss you greatly.

"The journey to Yunzhou is not lonely. Many interesting and bizarre things have happened along the way. It turns out that there are water ghosts in the canal. One night, a Tiger Guard climbed onto the deck and heard his deceased mother calling him, so he jumped into the water as if possessed.

"The water ghost grabbed his ankle tightly, trying to drag him into the river. Fortunately, I noticed it in time and jumped into the water without hesitation. I fought with the water ghost for three hundred rounds, creating turbulent waves, before finally saving the poor Tiger Guard.

"On the way from Qingzhou to Yunzhou, we passed through a village where a strange incident occurred. After a woman died, her corpse wandered around the room day and night, growing sharp white teeth and dark green nails. She would bite anyone she saw...

"Fortunately, I passed by and immediately realized that the woman's corpse must have a cause for its transformation. After a thorough investigation, the truth was revealed. It turned out that the husband of that family had an affair with a widow at the entrance of the village and wanted to divorce his wife and marry her. His wife refused, so he cruelly killed her.

"The wife died with resentment, and her ghost did not disperse, which caused her corpse to transform.

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"By the way, there is a flower called the red lotus in Qingzhou, which is as enchanting as you. It always reminds me of the stunning beauty of Your Highness in a red dress.

"It is just like you, so charming and graceful. When a gust of wind blows, it shyly lowers its head. In my heart, I can't help but say: the most gentle when it lowers its head, like a lotus flower that cannot withstand the cool breeze."

The third letter.

"Miss Chu Caiwei:

"A day without seeing you feels like three autumns. Counting the days, we haven't seen each other for half a month. How is the chicken essence refining going? Have you successfully advanced to become an alchemist?

"There is a delicacy in Yuzhou called Huangya Cai Wei Ham. Ham is a unique delicacy in the south and is hard to find in the north.

"The method is also very simple. Peel off the outer skin of the good ham and remove the fat, leaving only the meat. First, simmer the skin in chicken broth until it becomes tender, then simmer the meat until it becomes tender. Add the heart of the yellow sprout vegetable, cut into sections about two inches long, and add honey, rice wine, and water. Simmer for half a day. It tastes sweet and fresh, and the meat and vegetables are both tender. The roots and hearts of the vegetables remain intact. The soup is also delicious.

"There are several delicious dishes in Qingzhou. Let me introduce them one by one...

"By the way, there is a flower called the red lotus in Qingzhou. This flower is lively and vibrant. When it sways in the wind, it looks like a beautiful smiling face. It reminds me of Miss Chu Caiwei.

"You are such a carefree girl, innocent and lively, with a pair of clear and bright eyes that make people forget the world."

The fourth letter.

"Miss Fu Xiang:

"It has been half a month since we last met, and I miss you very much. I miss your smile, your coat, and your scent (crossed out).

"It has been half a month since we last met, and I miss you very much. By now, I have arrived at the border of Qingzhou, and tomorrow I will reach Yunzhou. During this journey, my colleagues have invited me to the official brothel sector, but I refused because without you, the official brothel sector is so boring.

"I can't help but think of the time when we were together day and night, deeply in love. When we were at our most passionate, I whispered in your ear, 'I can't help but be precise.' You shyly nodded. Those were our beautiful moments.

"The journey to Yunzhou is more time-consuming and laborious than I imagined. The time we will meet again is so far away. I know you must be going crazy missing me. When you can't bear the longing, please remember to trim your nails.

"By the way, there is a flower called the red lotus in Qingzhou. This flower is as fiery as you, passionate and unforgettable."

Xu Qi'an finished writing the letters to his backup plans, dried the ink, and looked at the corrected letters with a sigh of helplessness.

This is how it is with handwriting. As you write, you make mistakes or write things you shouldn't. When he was young and wrote essays, he made these kinds of mistakes.

It doesn't matter. These are all women he knows inside and out. They won't dislike his handwriting because it's ugly.

He was quite satisfied with the content. He wrote different things for each backup plan based on their different personalities. For example, if Huai Qing liked current affairs, he wrote about cases. If Lin'an liked to hear stories, he wrote about strange incidents along the way. If Chu Caiwei was a foodie, he talked about food. As for Fu Xiang, after rolling in the sheets so many times, writing letters to her was more like flirting, which was enough.

Next, he would write letters to his family. Xu Qi'an left them for last, carefully considering his words before dipping the brush in ink.

The fifth letter.

"Sister Lingyue:

"It's great for your brother to be outside, but I do miss you a bit. From childhood to adulthood, your brother has never been away from you for more than three days. Of course, I haven't been away from Second Uncle and Aunt for more than that either.

"Are you getting used to life in the inner city? The prices of goods in the inner city are high, not like in the outer city. But don't make yourself suffer. Go out more and visit the silk shops and jewelry stores.

"When I left, I left three hundred taels of silver for Aunt, enough to cover the family's expenses for a while. Oh, Big Brother is not at home, and Second Brother is at the academy. You have to make decisions for yourself and not just listen to your foolish mother.

"If Aunt suggests that you get married again, ask her to return the three hundred taels of silver to me and return the silk and satin to me. Big Brother doesn't want to come home and find out that you're engaged.

"By the way, there is a flower called the red lotus in Qingzhou, as pure and graceful as you, gentle and beautiful."

The sixth letter.

"Aunt:

"Please take care of Lingyin, that's it!"

The seventh letter.

"Second Uncle:

"I'm doing well outside. When writing this letter, I have just arrived at the border of Qingzhou. I don't know what will happen in Yunzhou.

"Don't worry, men always have to go through some setbacks. You and my father fought on the battlefield, after all.

"I have been working hard to break through to the Divine Refinement Realm recently. I hope that when I return to the capital, you will have also successfully advanced to the Divine Refinement Realm. At that time, the Xu family will have two Divine Refinement experts, which sounds quite impressive.

"Oh, by the way, I suddenly remembered that you can't read many characters. Could it be that you didn't write a letter to bid farewell? I always thought that as a father, you would naturally be concerned about your son and would write to him to let him know that we have moved... Well, forget it. It's been half a month anyway, and I'm sure Cijiu knows where we moved to by now.

"I hope I'm just overthinking."

After finishing the letters, Xu Qi'an folded the paper and the red lotus petals and put them into the envelopes one by one.

...

PS: Please vote for this chapter. It will be about 5,000 words long. I'm begging for votes with my hands on my hips, feeling righteous and confident.