After waking up, Fang Jie wrote several letters and gave them to the servants of the Sanjin Marquis's residence, asking them to deliver them separately. One letter was for Yu Xiao, and the other for Pei Chuxing. After all, he had promised to visit them, and he had to explain why he had broken his promise due to his coma. The third letter was very short, only containing an address, and he gave it to a servant to deliver to Xie Fuyao. Two other letters were for Zhang Kuang and Mo Xidao. Then he changed into dry clothes and left the Sanjin Marquis's residence.
As he stepped out of the room, Fang Jie was blinded by the sunlight, and it took him a while to adjust before he could open his eyes wide again. The past two days of unconsciousness hadn't been comfortable; his whole body felt wrinkled and unable to stretch out.
Just as he reached the courtyard gate, the little maid Wu Yinyu caught up from behind, swaying her already alluring waist and asking with a stern face, "Where are you going!"
Fang Jie smiled and said, "Going to relax."
"Take me with you!"
Wu Yinyu said in an unquestionable tone.
"Why? I only see men."
"I don't care who you see, but you have to take me with you!"
"Reason?"
"No reason."
"You have to take me with you no matter who you see?"
"Absolutely!"
"We're going to a brothel."
"You...shameless..."
"Are you still going or not?"
"Why wouldn't I go!"
Wu Yinyu stomped her foot, feigning nonchalance, and said, "It's just a brothel, it's not like I've never been before."
She paused, showing off her rather full breasts. Fang Jie naturally liked this behavior; he stared intently at her two budding, firm breasts, even licking his lips. Wu Yinyu blushed, instinctively taking a few steps back and crossing her arms.
"You...look again, and I'll have your eyes gouged out!"
"So scary."
Fang Jie shrugged and turned to walk out the door. Wu Yinyu gritted her teeth, watching the rogue's retreating figure, and stomped her foot to chase after him.
"Aren't you afraid I'll sell you into a brothel?"
Fang Jie said as he walked.
Wu Yinyu curled her lip and said, "Even if you had the guts, do you think you could sell yourself? You idiot, don't you know? The biggest brothels in Chang'an are all my father's properties. If you try to sell me, someone will chop you into mincemeat and throw you into the river to feed the turtles."
"Huh?"
Fang Jie's interest was piqued. "So your father is the biggest brothel madam in Chang'an. Tell me which ones he owns, and maybe I can get a discount next time I go?"
"Go to hell!"
Wu Yinyu kicked at Fang Jie, who jumped to avoid it. Frustrated, Wu Yinyu waved her fists and chased after him. Fang Jie laughed and said, "Fancy fists and vain kicks." Wu Yinyu, puffed out in anger, chased after him, her skirt billowing up, revealing her two pale legs. Fang Jie ran while turning back to laugh, and the girl, increasingly defiant, ran faster and faster. The faster she ran, the more beautiful things Fang Jie saw.
Just as he was about to leave, Fang Jie suddenly stopped, and Wu Yinyu, unable to stop in time, bumped into his back.
"I told you not to run! I told you not to run!"
The little girl, waving her fists and relentlessly pounding Fang Jie's back, completely oblivious to the approaching Marquis Sanjin and the fat, seemingly ever-present, wine-and-seduction man beside him.
"Greetings, Your Excellency."
Fang Jie, enduring the punches on his back, bowed in greeting. Wu Yidao coughed lightly. Only then did Wu Yinyu notice her father's return; her face flushed, and she stepped aside, pretending nothing had happened.
"Miss did well on the exam."
Seeing the slightly awkward atmosphere, the lecherous man chuckled and said, "Nine exams, three below average, four above average, and one excellent."
Fang Jie counted on his fingers: "One more to go?"
Wu Yinyu glared at him fiercely, and Fang Jie then remembered that Miss Wu hadn't participated in the final exam. But thinking about it, perhaps it was a wise choice for her not to participate.
He smiled awkwardly, pointing to his nose and asking, "What about me?"
Wu Yidao took out a handkerchief to wipe the fine beads of sweat from Wu Yinyu's forehead, then glanced back at Fang Jie and sneered, "Looks like you'll have to move out of my house."
"Why?"
Fang Jie asked.
The lecherous man smiled and said, "Because your value has increased, so the rent has to go up."
"How did I actually do on the exam?"
Fang Jie pressed. Wu Yidao ignored him and, holding Wu Yinyu's hand, said, "Although you did well on the exam, I still need to discuss something with you. This morning when I saw Master Xiao, I mentioned that he wants you to return to Yiqi Temple for quiet cultivation. I've already arranged the carriage; you can leave first thing tomorrow morning. See if you need anything and take it with you."
"Is this a discussion?"
Wu Yinyu's expression changed. She broke free from Wu Yidao's hand and quickly walked to her room. Fang Jie was startled, opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. Fatty Jiu Se Cai pulled him back, shaking his head to indicate he shouldn't interfere. Wu Yidao didn't bother with Fang Jie anymore, chasing after Wu Yinyu into the courtyard. The father and daughter, one running and the other chasing, made Fang Jie feel inexplicably envious.
"What happened?"
Fang Jie asked. The fat man, known for his philandering and greed, sighed, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly asked Fang Jie, "Isn't my young lady beautiful?"
Fang Jie nodded and said, "Although she's still in the stage of being breastfed, it's undeniable that she's very beautiful."
"His Majesty said so too."
The fat man shook his head in distress and said, "You say she's beautiful, His Majesty says she's beautiful, everyone says she's beautiful, so naturally my young lady is extremely beautiful. Just now, when I saw you and the young lady chasing and playing, a youthful energy emanated from you… uh, I mean, you two are about the same age, so it doesn't seem inappropriate. But His Majesty… is already in his forties…"
Fang Jie suddenly understood, and then his heart sank.
"I understand," he said.
The fat man sighed helplessly and said, "Now, it seems the only place where the young lady can grow up peacefully for a few more years is the Yiqi Temple on Qingle Mountain."
"And what about after a few years?"
Fang Jie asked.
"Who knows?"
The fat man shrugged and walked into the courtyard. After the fat, round figure of the lecherous man disappeared, Fang Jie realized he hadn't mentioned how he'd done on the exam. Now that the results were out, Fang Jie wasn't anxious anymore. He straightened his clothes and went out, heading towards the south of the city.
...
...
The small shop Xie Fuyao had mentioned was not far from the city gate, and Fang Jie found it after some effort. When he arrived, Xie Fuyao was already waiting for him. The table was clean, with nothing but a pot of tea. Clearly, this young master from a prestigious family knew how to respect others; Fang Jie and his companions wouldn't order without prior notice.
"What did you say was good here last time?"
Fang Jie asked after sitting down.
"Dog meat."
Xie Fuyao beckoned a waiter to refill her tea, pointing to a large iron pot steaming at the kitchen entrance of the small shop. "When I first came to Chang'an, my father took me here to eat once. Ever since then, I've never forgotten it. I always feel that no matter how many delicacies I eat, nothing compares to a big bowl of hot stewed dog meat with steamed buns."
Fang Jie wanted to say, "You're so shameless," but since their relationship wasn't that close, he swallowed his words. After talking for a while, Zhang Kuang and Mo Xidao arrived together. As soon as they entered, they asked Fang Jie how he was doing, whether his injuries had healed. Fang Jie smiled and pointed to the large iron pot, saying, "I'm strong enough to take it down myself now."
Seeing that he was alright, Zhang Kuang joked, "Are you talking about that pot?"
Because after Fang Jie was captured by that old monk that day, Xie Fuyao didn't care whether the enemy's cultivation level was high or low and chased after him directly. Therefore, Zhang Kuang and Mo Xidao's impression of him changed drastically. The brothers in the border army shared a bond of life and death, trusting each other implicitly. They were willing to befriend someone who dared to face powerful enemies for others.
"By the way, Fang Jie, we ran into your friend on our way here."
"Who?"
"Cui Lüshang."
"Ah? Where?"
Fang Jie asked quickly.
"He's probably already out of Chang'an by now. He rode out of the city alone. You probably won't catch up now. I chatted with him for a bit, mentioning your injury. He seemed quite worried about you, perhaps still troubled by being expelled from the Martial Arts Academy. After hesitating for a while, he said he wouldn't visit you. I know people from a noble family like him have pride; he probably felt it was beneath him to visit you."
Fang Jie nodded, a pang of bitterness rising in his heart as he thought of that honest and kind fellow. "He said he plans to pull some strings after he gets back, even if he can't get into the Martial Arts Academy, he'll at least get into the army. I reckon he's got that huge weight on his mind, and if he doesn't come back with a vengeance, he won't be able to get over it," Zhang Kuang said with some emotion.
"With his personality, encountering some setbacks might not be such a bad thing," Fang Jie sighed. Before entering Chang'an, he was worried about his own future, never imagining that Cui Lueshang would fail to get into the Martial Arts Academy. Now he's in, while Cui Lueshang has been expelled. This outcome is indeed unexpected, and if Fang Jie were in Cui Lueshang's shoes, he probably wouldn't feel good either.
The four of them talked about the old monk they encountered that day. Mo Xidao was convinced it was someone from the Buddhist sect. Fang Jie didn't want to lie to his friend, but he had to tell a lie. He said it was someone impersonating a Buddhist sect member trying to assassinate the Emperor, either from Eastern Chu or a remnant of the Shang Kingdom.
Mo Xidao pondered for a moment and said, "That's possible. I've been to Eastern Chu and know that while the people of Eastern Chu appear subservient to the Sui Dynasty, they are actually full of hostility. Although I haven't been to the Southern Frontier, I imagine the remnants of the Shang Kingdom feel the same way."
Fang Jie thought to himself, "If you were from Chu or Shang, and the Sui Dynasty had taken two-thirds of your home, you'd hate them too."
Fang Jie lied to Mo Xidao, but it was out of necessity. If it were purely for the court's sake, Fang Jie might have followed Mo Xidao's lead, but those two Buddhist figures involved him. For his own sake, he had to lie. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but recall the old monk's appearance.
When he unleashed that strike, the old monk seemed to understand something. Fang Jie didn't hear the words he whispered, but before losing consciousness, he saw the relieved expression on the old monk's face. Fang Jie even had the illusion that he hadn't died because the old monk had deliberately shown mercy.
But that made no sense, absolutely no sense.
Zhang Kuang remained silent for a moment, then lowered his voice and asked Fang Jie, "I heard that the imperial court might be going to wage war abroad, but I don't know where. There aren't many places left to fight. Southern Yan and Eastern Chu are barely surviving, and the annual tribute they pay to the Sui Dynasty is already overwhelming them. It seems better to keep them paying a large sum of silver every year than to conquer them. Could it be the Northern Barbarians?"
He was a border soldier in Anyuan City on the northern frontier, and had dealt with the Northern Barbarians for half his life. Naturally, he hoped the Sui Dynasty would send troops against them.
"I haven't heard of it."
Fang Jie's heart tightened. How could the news have leaked?
Xie Fuyao's expression also changed slightly. After thinking for a moment, she said, "If the imperial court really is going to wage war abroad, I'd rather not attend the Martial Arts Academy."
"Why?"
Fang Jie asked. Xie Fuyao said, "Three years at the Martial Arts Academy is not as valuable as a single battle against an enemy."
Fang Jie thought about it and realized it made sense. To rank among the top three at the Martial Arts Academy, one needed to graduate with a fifth-rank military position. If there was a war, by bribing the army, even starting as a squad leader or sergeant, as long as one had real skill and was willing to fight, someone like Xie Fuyao wouldn't have trouble rising through the ranks. After a major battle, as long as one survived, a fifth-rank military position wouldn't be difficult to obtain.
Just as Fang Jie and his companions were reflecting on Xie Fuyao's words, a young eunuch in brocade robes suddenly entered. He glanced arrogantly around the room, then immediately approached them upon noticing them.
"Young Master Fang, we've finally found you! Come quickly, follow me to Changchun Garden; His Majesty is waiting for you."
The man was Mu San, the young eunuch Fang Jie recognized.
"What's the matter that's so urgent?"
Fang Jie stood up and asked. Mu San was taken aback, and asked in surprise, "How come you don't know?"
"Know what?"
"You... are outstanding in all nine gates. You are only the second person in the history of our Great Sui Dynasty to achieve this result. You are also the first person in the past hundred years since Emperor Taizong!"