"Lingyin is a genius, a rare genius. I don't want to waste such a gem."

Lina's eyes, as if hiding a blue ocean, stared carefully at Xu Lingyin, as if she was staring at a treasure.

A genius?

Xu Pingzhi and his nephew exchanged a glance and shook their heads. "My daughter has no talent, her muscles and bones are not strong, she's just full of strength."

When Xu Qi'an practiced martial arts and Xu Xinnian studied, it was Xu Pingzhi's decision. Because Xu Xinnian had no talent for martial arts, but was exceptionally intelligent. Xu Qi'an was just the opposite.

After Xu Lingyin was born, Xu Pingzhi also felt her bones and, after years of observation, was absolutely sure that his youngest daughter was not only stupid, but also had weak muscles and bones.

At least, it would be very difficult for her to pass the Jingjing Realm.

Xu Qi'an also shook his head. His eyes were sharper than his second uncle's, and if Xu Lingyin was a martial arts genius, Xu Qi'an would have already started cultivating her talent in The Great Feng.

As for studying, Xu Xinnian gave up when his younger sister was four years old. His evaluation was: scattered vision, unable to concentrate, what's the point of reading.

Xu Lingyin did not disappoint her second brother. Every teacher who taught her would be frustrated and doubt their life.

If you had to say that Little Bean had any talent, it would probably be... eating?

In response to Xu Xinnian's words, Lina retorted, "But she can eat."

"Are you kidding us?" The family looked at the little black-skinned girl from South Jiang with a sideways glance.

Surprised by the strange looks from everyone, Lina said, "Haven't you noticed that she's a genius?"

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When Xu Xinnian and the others heard this, they turned to look at Xu Lingyin, who was peeling an egg. She tapped one end of the egg on the table, then pressed her little hand on the egg and rubbed it vigorously on the table, and the eggshell fell off.

The whole process was smooth and natural.

At her age, she was indeed a genius... the family couldn't help but want to cover their faces.

Xu Qi'an coughed and gently reminded Lina not to joke around, "Eating may be a talent, but it's not something to be proud of. What can you teach her?"

"How to peel an egg in three breaths? How to eat an extra bowl of rice every day?"

Lina's healthy wheat-colored skin suddenly turned red, and she explained, "I'm not going to teach her how to eat, I'm going to teach her Gu techniques."

Xu Pingzhi's face changed, and he looked at Xu Lingyin like a copper bell, "Did you eat bugs?"

Xu Lingyin showed a look of longing and asked tentatively, "Can bugs be eaten?"

"No, bugs cannot be eaten." Xu Xinnian and Xu Ershu shook their hands in unison.

I heard that you want to teach her Gu techniques, and my first reaction was: Little Bean eats bugs?!

Xu Qi'an silently complained in his heart, and thoughtfully asked, "Are you saying she's a genius in cultivating Gu techniques?"

Lina nodded, then corrected, "To be precise, she's a genius in cultivating Li Gu. Lingyin is strong and has abundant energy and blood. In our Li Gu department, such a genius is rare, even in decades."

"Don't you find it strange that such a small child has such a big appetite?"

Isn't it because she's greedy... the Xu family thought, and then they had some understanding. According to Xu Lingyin's way of eating, if it were another child, they would have been full a long time ago, but she was still lively and energetic.

Lina suppressed her desire to eat and explained, "In our Li Gu department's cultivation method, we select a Li Gu to swallow and host in the body at a young age. In the first few years, the Li Gu will absorb the host's essence, blood, and energy. If a child's physique is not good, they will become very weak. However, because the Li Gu and the host are one, it will not drain the host, but will weaken together. This will cause congenital deficiency."

She looked at Xu Lingyin with a burning gaze as she spoke, "But she won't. She will provide an excellent incubator for the Li Gu at a young age and lay a solid foundation. Moreover, Lingyin is strong and powerful. Even without cultivating the mind, her strength far surpasses her peers. Once she receives good cultivation, she will soar to great heights."

The family looked at each other.

After thinking for a while, the aunt tentatively asked, "Will she become as good an eater as you?"

Lina shook her head, "No, she won't."

As soon as the aunt relaxed, the little black-skinned girl humbly said, "She will become an even better eater than me."

"..."

The aunt immediately vetoed, "I disagree. Master, what do you think?"

Xu Pingzhi looked at his son and nephew, seeking their opinions, "What do you think?"

Xu Qi'an commented, "Anyway, studying is not promising, and martial arts is not her thing. Why not give it a try?"

The aunt slammed the table, feeling offended, "Xu Ning'an, how can you say that? Isn't Lingyin your sister?"

It seemed that there was no need to remember old grievances in the future, as the relationship between the aunt and her son came to an end today.

Xu Lingyue whispered, "Mother, Big Brother is right."

The angry aunt was caught off guard and was betrayed by her daughter.

Xu Xinnian said, "Taking her as a disciple is fine, but there's something I want to ask you. When will she be able to graduate from Li Gu cultivation?"

Lina didn't hesitate and said, "Shortest is five years, longest is twenty years, depending on the individual's talent."

Xu Xinnian nodded, looked at Lingyin, and said, "Then, Miss Lina, can you stay in the capital for five or twenty years?"

Lina's mouth moved faster than her brain, "As long as you give me food, I can stay here forever."

"No way!"

The Xu family unanimously disagreed.

"..." The little black-skinned girl looked aggrieved, thinking that they were being stingy.

Finally, the head of the family, Xu Pingzhi, made a decision, "It's up to Lina to teach the little girl."

Xu Xinnian and Xu Qi'an looked at each other with puzzled eyes. Are they really going to let Lina stay in the capital for five or twenty years? The cost would be too high.

To this, Xu Pingzhi said with a smile, "Lingyin is just a girl, not striving to be the top martial artist in the world. It's good to learn a little, even if she can't graduate. You two have too much ambition, always striving to be the best in everything."

Xu Xinnian and Xu Qi'an had nothing to say and felt that their second uncle (father) made sense.Lina patted Xu Lingyin's head, "If you come back with me to the Southern Frontier, my father will definitely accept you as a direct disciple. In no more than ten years, you'll be able to move a mountain."

In Xu Qian's mind, a corresponding image appeared. Ten years later, the grown-up Xu Lingyin carried a huge mountain, causing an earthquake with every step, happily saying:

"Big Brother, I'm back! I brought a mountain for you, catch it!"

The Xu family has a grown-up daughter, who can move mountains and dominate the world... Xu Qian shivered.

............

Before dawn, the sky was dark blue.

An orange cat strolled elegantly through the quiet, empty streets, arriving at the gate of the Sun family.

It gracefully leaped onto the roof of a house facing the street, looked around, then jumped down and quickly ran to the gate of the Sun family.

The orange cat's throat rolled, revealing a round shape as it slowly squeezed it out.

It was a small jade mirror, which, after being spat out, did not fall to the ground, but instead floated in the air. The light on the mirror's surface flickered, revealing an unconscious young nobleman.

The orange cat opened its mouth, swallowed the jade mirror back into its belly, raised its tail, and quickly left.

After a quarter of an hour, the sleepy old gatekeeper opened the gate and saw the nobleman lying on the ground. He was startled, but after seeing the nobleman's face, he ran excitedly into the mansion.

Soon, several servants hurried over, carrying the nobleman into the mansion.

Upon hearing the news, Sun Shangshu rushed over and saw his son lying unconscious on the brocade couch, his heart instantly filled with worry.

"Master, the young master is just unconscious and not seriously injured," the old housekeeper standing by the bed said.

"What do you mean by 'not seriously injured'?" Sun Shangshu raised his eyebrows.

"Young master... was whipped dozens of times, with cuts and bruises, but fortunately they were all external injuries. After applying medicine, he's fine," the old housekeeper said, bowing his head.

"Ridiculous! Untrustworthy!" Sun Shangshu's face turned ashen, a mix of heartache and anger, but then, as if realizing something, his boiling anger suddenly dissipated.

After a moment of silence, Sun Shangshu sighed, "It's good that you're back."

............

Haohui Tower, tea room.

"Prince Yu has no desire for fame and fortune, so he was able to repay my favor. If he were still the same Prince Yu as before, he probably wouldn't have agreed so easily. As for Duke Cao, he conspired with the Northern King's deputy to plot against my Indestructible Vajra.

"I remember Wei Gong saying that the court's struggles are struggles for interests, and one must learn to compromise. So I agreed to his request."

Xu Qian held the tea and sat in the well-lit tea room, turning his head to look at Wei Yuan, who was basking in the sun on the lookout tower.

"Indeed, you have intelligence, but your temperament is hard to change, not suitable for the court," Wei Yuan nodded.

"Mainly because of Wei Gong's good teaching," Xu Qian said modestly.

Wei Yuan smiled, placed his hands on the railing, and looked at the beautiful scenery for a long time before asking, "You've been running around investigating the exam fraud case, hardly staying at the yamen. It's been hard work."

"But I've also learned a lot," Xu Qian responded, taking a sip of tea.

Wei Yuan chuckled, "You've grasped my point."

Xu Bai Piao was taken aback for a moment, feeling a sense of foreboding. "Hard work?"

Wei Yuan shook his head without turning around, and said in a gentle tone, "Hardly stayed at the yamen."

"........"

Wei Yuan continued, "So, your monthly salary for this month is gone."

Xu Qian's eyes glazed over, staring blankly at Wei Yuan's back, with a mournful look on his face. "Wei Gong, my salary for this month is already gone."

"Is that so?" Wei Yuan was taken aback, then nodded slowly. "Then next month's is gone too."

"???"

Did I do something to upset him...? Smart Xu Bai Piao didn't dwell on the topic. Never argue with your leader, it's just asking for trouble.

"Wei Gong, how did the Northern King's deputy return to the capital?"

"The situation in the north is tense, and they lack supplies. He came back for money," Wei Yuan said.

"What kind of person is the Northern King?"

"A domineering man."

Domineering people often don't listen to reason, and because of the prince's status, they can ignore the rules to a certain extent... Xu Qian judged in his heart.

After bidding farewell to Wei Yuan, he mounted his mare and, with a heavy bag on the saddle, galloped towards the Huai Prince's Mansion.

Now, he had to fulfill his promise and find the Northern King's deputy.

"It's strange. Chu Xianglong asked me to go to the Northern King's Mansion after the matter was settled. This means that during his time back in the capital, he didn't stay at his own home, but at the Northern King's Mansion.

"At least, he spent most of his time at the Northern King's Mansion. And the Northern King is at the border, with only one concubine at home..."

From the Northern King's perspective, it was impossible for him to let his younger brother and the widowed concubine live under the same roof.

But Chu Xianglong did just that, openly and unapologetically. This meant that Chu Xianglong was acting on the Northern King's orders.

Why did the Northern King do this?

His trust in the deputy must be far greater than in the concubine...

..............

Huai Prince's Mansion, outer hall.

A veiled woman in a gorgeous palace dress sat on the table, playing with tea sets.

In the hall, Chu Xianglong, clad in armor and a sword at his waist, stood tall, his gaze sharp as he stared at the princess, saying in a deep voice:

"I heard from the guards that the princess has disappeared without reason twice?"

The veiled woman ignored him, lowering her head to fiddle with the tea set, her movements gentle and graceful.

"How did the princess deceive the guards? And how did she deceive the Bureau of Heavenly Masters' sorcerers? Who have you met recently, and what have you encountered?"

"Annoying!"

The veiled woman frowned lightly, her voice cold, "Are you questioning me?"

"I dare not!" Chu Xianglong bowed his head, saying lightly, "This time I returned to the capital, besides asking His Majesty for military funds, it's to take the princess to the north and meet with the prince. You should be prepared."

After a pause, he raised his head, staring into the woman's bright and beautiful eyes, and said in a deep voice, "During this time, I will be staying at the mansion. If the princess wants to go out, I will accompany her the whole way."

The veiled woman remained silent.At that moment, a guard stepped into the hall and, with a fist in palm salute, said, "General Chu, Xu Qi'an of the Silver Gongs requests an audience."

Chu Xianglong nodded, glanced at the princess consort, then cupped his fist in the other hand and bowed, retreating from the great hall.

Xu Qi'an, what is he doing at the prince's mansion... The masked woman lowered her head, her eyes shifting cunningly, her thoughts inscrutable.

...

PS: I need to work on a detailed outline. Half of the second volume is written, and while I have the general outline for the other half, I haven't worked out the details. If there's no update before midnight, then there won't be one.