Fang Jie didn't hear Li Xiaozong's mutterings, nor did he bother to guess what Li Xiaozong was thinking about from the Eagle-Releasing Pavilion thirty miles away. Strangely enough, he didn't feel much hatred towards Li Xiaozong. Although, if it weren't for good luck, he would have died a few nights ago due to Li Xiaozong's scheme.
Not from those who had been hunting him all along, but from assassins Li Xiaozong used to protect himself.
If Fang Jie had the strength of a ninth-rank cultivator, he would have beaten Li Xiaozong into a pulp without hesitation. Just like Du Hongxian had beaten Li Xiaozong into a pig's head without hesitation at the Yunji Shop.
Quietly emerging from the back gate of the General's Mansion, Fang Jie could still hear the shouts of the crowd gathered outside the front gate, petitioning. This touched him. Although his actions in Fan Gu over the past three years had been driven by selfish motives, they had ultimately benefited over two thousand people in the city. Not all people are cold-hearted; sometimes, he felt a warmth in his heart.
His original intention was to leave quietly, just as he had quietly entered the city years ago, without saying a word to the people.
But the moment he stepped out of the general's mansion, he suddenly wondered if leaving like this would be too cruel. Even if the villagers were only lamenting the loss of a great source of income, their desire to keep him was genuine.
A carriage was parked outside the back gate. Big Dog squatted listlessly, drawing on the remaining snow. The old cripple, who spent his days hiding in the red-sleeved pavilion, sat in the carriage, sipping wine with a blissful expression, as if the cheapest Northwest liquor in his gourd was a heavenly delicacy.
When Fang Jie approached, Big Dog had just finished drawing.
He casually tossed the wooden stick aside, looking at the pattern on the snow with a slightly smug expression. It's extremely difficult to create a meaningful image in snow, as any attempt to draw will result in thick, coarse lines. However, the painting by Big Dog possessed a remarkable depth of feeling; Fang Jie glanced at it and couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow... lewd!"
This seemingly apathetic fellow had drawn a nude woman on the ground.
"A lewd person naturally sees only lewdness."
The big dog said somewhat discontentedly, "A virgin's body is the purest. Snowflakes falling from the sky are the purest. I paint a pure picture on pure snow, and my heart is also pure. Why is that lewd in your eyes? You've been blinded by the filth of the world, so you can't see its purity."
Fang Jie was taken aback, looking at the big dog incredulously: "Ever since you entered the Red Sleeve Pavilion, you haven't even been able to speak human language. It seems someone like you is better locked up."
The old cripple snorted coldly: "I don't have time to waste with you two talking nonsense here. Are you leaving or not? If not, I'll leave first."
Fang Jie had a completely different attitude towards the old cripple. He stuck his butt out onto the carriage, grinning, "Old sir, everyone calls you Master Luo, so I'll also call you Master Luo."
"Spit it out!"
Pfft!
A soft sound.
The old cripple stared wide-eyed at Fang Jie, then shrank further into the carriage. "You little brat, trying to get close to me just to fart like that?"
"It's a coincidence, really a coincidence."
Fang Jie smiled awkwardly, opening the carriage a crack to let the smell out. "I ate a bit too much this morning. In the General's mansion, I was putting on a show of power with Li Xiaozong, so naturally I couldn't let out a fart easily, right? I held it in, but once I got outside, I just couldn't hold it in anymore. A man has to fight for his pride, right?"
"That's a nice thing to say. A young man can lose anything, but he can't lose his spirit."
The old cripple smiled at Fang Jie, a rare occurrence, and handed him his wine gourd. "Want a sip?"
Fang Jie took the gourd without hesitation, laboriously lifting the heavy gourd and taking a large gulp. The wine felt like a fire burning down his throat. He grimaced, his expression showing pain. The old cripple nodded, his gaze softening considerably as he looked at Fang Jie.
"Why is this wine so spicy?"
Fang Jie blew on it, finding some wind in his mouth to make it more palatable.
"The Northwest liquor sold in Fanggu City isn't authentic enough; it's too bland. So I soaked a lot of chili peppers and flamingo root in it. That makes it more satisfying. You didn't know the details and just chugged it down; you're lucky you didn't throw up. But you're straightforward, lad, which suits my taste."
Fang Jie reached for a water jug from the driver, Big Dog, and drank more than half of it before feeling a bit better. "Master Luo, what is this flamingo root?"
"Flamingo grows in the frigid north, in the Hundred Thousand Mountains where the Northern Liao people live. Things from this extremely cold place are actually very hot in nature. It's good for soups and drinks. Northern Liao men especially..." I like to use this thing to make wine and drink it. After one sip, my body immediately warms up. Compared with Fangu, the Shiwanshan Mountains in Northern Liao are really extremely cold. The century-old trees on the Shiwanshan Mountains are only as tall as one person, and the trees that are thousands of years old are barely mature. You will know how cold it is when you think about it. "
"This fire grass is an indispensable thing for men in the Northern Liao region."
"Don't women use it?"
"No need."
"Why?"
"The biggest advantage of this thing is not to keep away the cold."
The old lame man chuckled, showing his yellow teeth: "It's aphrodisiac!"
Fang Jie smiled nonchalantly, not knowing what to say. This old man looks to be at least sixty years old. I didn't expect him to have such a hobby...
...
...
Returning to Hongxiuzhao, he also didn't dare to go through the front door. The number of people gathered in front was no less than that outside the gate of the General's Mansion. Almost all the people in Fangu City came out. Except for the elderly and children who could not walk around, the outside of Jinyuanfang, Hongxiu Tower, and the gate of the General's Mansion was filled with water.
They were still quite a distance away, and the old cripple seemed impatient. He casually grabbed Fang Jie by the belt and leaped out of the carriage. Fang Jie felt a gust of wind hit his face, and when he opened his eyes again, he was already in the backyard of the Red Sleeve Pavilion. The backyard wasn't large, and there was no way to grow flowers or grass. However, Aunt Xi had specifically instructed that the snow in the yard not be disturbed, only cleared for paths. It looked quite serene, and because of the cold weather, the snow probably wouldn't melt completely for a month.
The old cripple, familiar with the area, led Fang Jie forward. Passing the door of a room, they heard a soft recitation, the voice gentle yet extremely pleasant. Fang Jie listened intently but couldn't make out what was being read. The old cripple smiled and said, "This is Miss Xi's boudoir. You're being so sneaky at the door; be careful she doesn't hit you."
Fang Jie said, "Everyone knows Miss Xi is gentle and kind; how could she possibly hit someone?" No sooner had he finished speaking than a small pebble flew out of the open window. Before Fang Jie could even laugh and remark on how off-target it was—how could a pebble flying out of a window possibly hit someone at the door?—the pebble struck a pillar in the corridor, bounced off, and landed squarely on Fang Jie's forehead. It was unclear whether it was bad luck or the pebble's precise aim.
Hit on the forehead, Fang Jie cried out in pain and immediately crouched down. The old cripple chuckled and continued walking. Fang Jie dared not linger any longer and quickly followed the old cripple.
"Miss Xi certainly has a clever method."
Fang Jie rubbed his forehead, annoyed. "Right on the brow, no doubt about it."
The old cripple chuckled. "Ever since Hongxiu Zhao came to Fangu City, I don't know how many lecherous men have tried to sneak a peek at Miss Xi's face. If I were to actually attack them, I'd beat them half to death, but Miss Xi is merciful; she just uses this stone-throwing method to scare them away one by one."
Fang Jie couldn't help but offer a resounding compliment: "Truly a bodhisattva's heart."
Just as he finished speaking, another stone flew out of Xi Zhuxin's window. This time, it didn't bounce; it struck Fang Jie directly in the back of his knee. Fang Jie cried out in pain and knelt down on one knee. The old cripple reached out and pulled him up, sighing, "I was just about to remind you, but you were too slow. If Miss Xi hadn't known you, that pebble wouldn't have hit your leg... She despises the Western Regions Great Snow Mountain Buddhist sect the most. What kind of compassion does she have? Isn't she just asking for trouble?"
Fang Jie rubbed his leg and limped along, saying, "I'll remember, I'll remember."
The old cripple smiled and shook his head, saying as he walked, "The Red Sleeve Pavilion doesn't really have many rules. Just remember two things."
"What?"
"First, it's best not to mention the Buddhist sect in front of Madam Xi and Miss Xi. Second, Madam Xi is the head of the Red Sleeve Pavilion; what she says goes, and you can't disobey her. But everyone knows Madam Xi loves Miss Xi the most, so the second rule also needs an additional clause... except for Miss Xi."
"Why do I feel like I'm being sold into slavery?"
Fang Jie laughed self-deprecatingly. "No, no, no..."
The old cripple explained earnestly, "Selling yourself into slavery means you can't redeem yourself. You're different. Once you've paid back that ten thousand taels of silver, no one will stop you. Even if you don't want to leave, I'm afraid Xijia will have someone beat you out with sticks."
"Why do I feel so wronged?"
Fang Jie frowned. "It's like someone stuffed a silver note into my pocket and suddenly became my creditor? This silver wasn't something I borrowed, so how did I become a debtor?"
He walked in front, Fang Jie behind.
An old man and a young boy, two cripples.
...
"Since you've already decided to leave, then don't delay... Although we're not in a rush, since Fang Jie is heading to the Martial Arts Academy, he can't miss the exam. Fan Gu City hasn't produced anyone qualified to take the exam in decades; it's a rare find. The servants have been packing these past few days, and we should be able to leave by the day after tomorrow at the latest. After all, the Red Sleeve Pavilion is mostly filled with women, and we can't let Master Luo handle the security alone... Fang Jie, since you're staying, you have to take some responsibility."
Even sitting quietly in her chair, Aunt Xi exuded an air of wealth and privilege.
"I might not pass... but I'll do my best along the way, doing whatever I can."
Fang Jie replied politely.
"I might not pass?"
Hearing this, Aunt Xi's expression changed slightly. She put down her teacup and said in an unhappy tone, "Since you're going to take the exam, how can you be so lacking in confidence? If you don't even have the confidence to enter the Martial Arts Academy, then why bother taking it? As a man, you should naturally have the courage and responsibility. You say this because you're afraid; you're already scared before even fighting. It's infuriating!"
"Uh..."
Fang Jie smiled awkwardly, "I understand everyone's criticism; I'll try my best."
"Even if you don't like hearing it, I still have to say it. Although the gates of the Martial Arts Academy are tightly closed, since Emperor Taizu of the Sui Dynasty ordered the construction of this academy, many people with even worse backgrounds than you have entered it and emerged as outstanding figures. In the eleventh year of Jianwu during the reign of Emperor Taizong, the Martial Arts Academy produced a prodigy who excelled in all nine subjects. After graduation, Emperor Taizong directly appointed him as the Eagle-Winged General, stationed in the Northwest. Since leading troops..." He fought over three hundred battles, large and small, without ever suffering a defeat. This man, too, came from a humble background and was an orphan, yet he built a family of his own!
"You're talking about Li Xiao?"
"That's right, the Li family of Longyou. Unlike other aristocratic families in the court, this family is relatively new. Fortunately, the Li family later produced several exceptionally talented individuals; otherwise, they might have been suppressed and wiped out by other aristocratic families. The father of Li Yuanshan, the Right General of the Valiant Guard, officially made the Li family a first-rate family. In less than a century, the Li family has achieved such success… Ultimately, it's because the Sui Dynasty has the Martial Arts Academy."
Aunt Xi said earnestly, "Without the Martial Arts Academy, Li Xiao would just be a frozen skeleton by the roadside! I know you're very smart; you should understand what I mean."
The old cripple sitting to the side, drinking, frowned slightly and couldn't help but glance at Aunt Xi. Aunt Xi seemed to sense this and nodded slightly to the old cripple. After Fang Jie left, the old cripple couldn't help but ask, "You seem to value Fang Jie exceptionally much?"
"He's no ordinary person; it's hard to look down on him...that's why I said a few words. I've been too bored lately...it's been a while since I've done this kind of thing with the young people, and it's quite interesting to think about."
"No ordinary person, indeed. A cultivation waste with absolutely no potential, unable even to change his minor golden core state, is still outstanding even among wastes."
The old cripple smiled, got up, and left.
Aunt Xi watched the old cripple's departing figure and smiled slightly, her fingers lightly tapping on her knee. A hint of pride flickered between her brows, as if she was pleased that she had discovered something others hadn't.