Li Xuan blinked, then took the copied script into his hands: "Please convey my thanks to His Highness for his generous gift."
Xi Huaien bowed deeply once more: "This is my own expression of gratitude. If Earl Jingan hadn’t enlightened , I don’t know what would have happened to --"
While these two were talking, Zhang Yue and Peng Fulai had already exited Chengtian gate.
Zhang Yue looked back regretfully: "Why is that guy so misdirected? The girls in the brothels are so much better."
"You are not a fish, so how can you know the joy of a fish?" Peng Fulai shook his head: "I’m just worried that he’ll capsize one day, and then it will affect innocent bystanders. Just thinking about Princess Changle, Heavenly Master Xue, and Xiaowei Jiang, it gives nightmares every day."
At that mont, Peng Fulai’s brows furrowed as he looked forward where a group of fully armored knights were rushing towards them. The man leading them stared at Zhang Yue.
"Are you Li Xuan?"
Zhang Yue’s expression turned stern, he beca cautious and asked coldly, "Who are you all? What are you trying to do outside the Chengtian Gate? I am Li Xuan’s—"
He wanted to say ’I am Li Xuan’s brother’, but before he could finish, white fog shot towards them from the other side.
Zhang Yue and Peng Fulai were alert imdiately. But before they had a chance to react, their vision went dark and they started to lose consciousness.
Zhang Yue’s resistance was slightly stronger. Before he was completely under, he vaguely heard people discussing beside him.
"It should be him, right? He’s at the fifth house level, tall and handso-- "
"You have to be careful! This is a distinguished guest of the duke. Even the said Li Xuan who had killed Li Zhetian, even if he is only at the fifth house level, he is not to be underestimated."
Then Zhang Yue couldn’t hear anything else, and his vision went completely dark.
Back inside Chengtian Gate, Li Xuan had just finished sending off Xi Huaien. He watched the eunuch’s retreating figure and said thoughtfully: "Yan Zhenqing’s Proclamation Scroll? This crown prince is very interesting."
"How so?" Luo Yan inquired, not understanding: "I know Yan Zhenqing was a renowned scholar and calligrapher of Tang Dynasty, so what is interesting about it?"
Then she saw Li Xuan unfolding the copy of the proclamation and placing it before her.
At first glance, Luo Yan saw ’Decree: The Crown Prince is at the root of the country, and the teacher is its ntor. If you want to secure the root, you must first start with the faculty. Who can guide if not the loyal and virtuous ones? Yan Zhenqing, Shangshu of the Ministry of Official Personnel, Lu Guoduke, and the National Duke of Lu County was appointed as the Ritual Envoy.
He leads and practices virtue, heads the four branches of learning; his moral conduct is exemplary in the four branches, his imnse contribution to learning sets the standard for future generations--’
The rest of the long-winded text continued until it ends with ’he may be allowed to act as the Shaoshi of the Crown Prince, continue as the Ritual Envoy, as well as keep his official rank and hereditary title.’
Yue Qianqian explained: "This is the Proclamation Scroll that Yan Zhenqing wrote when he was made the Shaoshi of the Crown Prince. Kou Pingzhong was the pri minister of the forr Zhao Empire, credited for supporting and preserving the position of the crown prince."
"I see." Luo Yan understood. "This is to win you over, right?"
"That seems to be the idea." Li Xuan put the scroll away without hesitation, thinking that the Proclamation Scroll was imposing and would make a good replacent for the folded fan.
The folding fan inscribed with "The Song of Integrity" was good, but it was the sa as the original copy. Besides, scholars used folding fans to show off, so it would be a waste to keep it in the battle armor’s box.
Anxious, he rushed outside Chengtian Gate next. By the ti he reached there, he couldn’t see Zhang Yue or Peng Fulai. He shook his head, thinking the two of them certainly had so perverse streak.
Then he stopped thinking about it and headed towards the eastern gate of Chang’an.
Li Xuan had heard that within Beijing, the best restaurants were concentrated in the larger Shiyong Lane, smaller Shiyong Lane, and Nanxun Lane areas which were also the residences for high-ranking officials and court nobles.
The estate bestowed to him, Earl Jingan’s mansion, was also located in Nanxun Lane. This area was close to the Zhanshi Governnt, the Hanlin Academy, and the six ministries Yans, making it a favourite gathering place for literati.
However, at this mont, it was nearing the late-night curfew, and the vast majority of restaurants and pubs were already closed. Li Xuan wandered several streets before finding a finely decorated and elegant pub near the Zhanshi Governnt, which was still brightly lit at night.
Li Xuan was like a man parched with thirst who had found a sweet rain. He instantly rushed to the top floor and picked a private seat. He then ordered a mountain of food and started to feast heavily.
"What the hell is happening?" Luo Yan was perplexed and asked in confusion, "Why has your appetite suddenly beco so huge?"
Li Xuan didn’t say a word. He only showed Luo Yan his arm, which had more golden threads than before. The latter couldn’t help but be surprised, "What on earth is that?"
"It’s the Taotie and the Wuqu Pojun."
Li Xuan spoke using cryptic language and then started devouring a leg of a spiritual turtle ferociously. This pub had a wide variety of exotic delicacies. The at of this hundred-year-old spiritual turtle was much more nourishing than regular beef and pork.
Luo Yan was taken aback, then gasped in fear. She had heard Li Xuan describe the detailed events of the battle at Xiao Mausoleum and thus knew what the ’Taotie’ and ’Wuqu Pojun’ were.
This was an immortal treasure that Emperor Tai of Jin had expended a significant amount of national resources to create, and had been nurtured in his tomb for more than 260 years.
"Right, such a treasure would not be easily destroyed."
Luo Yan glanced at Li Xuan: "You really got lucky."
Li Xuan did not continue the conversation. He wasn’t completely satiated until the third night watch was sounded in the distance. He then called the waiter: "Check, please! How much does it cost? And by the way, could you pack two roast dragon alligators for ? You still have so here, right?"
He was worried that he might get hungry late at night and decided to prepare in advance.
"Of course we do! If you just wait a mont, we will pack it up for you. Our Shanwei House has all sorts of exotic food you can think of." The waiter said with a bow and a smile, then started calculating with the abacus, "your total cos to four thousand two hundred and twenty-seven teals of patterned silver."
Li Xuan was taken aback, thinking to himself, did he really eat that much?
He touched his Sumi Ring and then his face turned odd. The rewards given to him by the Six Paths Bureau after he killed Li Zhetian were all taken by Leng Yurou to ’sponsor’. Plus, the two hundred thousand teals from the governnt were still in processing. Even Peng Fulai, his walking wallet, was not with him at this mont—
"Four Thousand two hundred and twenty-seven teals of patterned silver? How did you calculate it? Why is it so expensive?"
The waiter frowned in dissatisfaction. "Guest, our pub is Shanwei House. You can ask around in the capital city. We have always been honest and open with our prices.
Moreover, look around, the Zhanshi Governnt is to the north of us, and the Yuhezhong Bridge is to the south. Cross the bridge, then there are Six Yan, Hanlin Academy, Honglu Temple and so on. With such a pri location, a pub with slightly worse craftsmanship couldn’t possibly survive. How could the food here be cheap?"
Li Xuan looked around and thought indeed, a al at a six-star or seven-star hotel in the future world would probably cost tens of thousands.
After giving it so thought, he turned towards Luo Yan with a pleading look. "Yan, could you lend so money to pay for the al? I’ll pay you back later."
Luo Yan was already grumbling inwardly at him. At this mont, she decided to make things difficult. She looked at the Jinshui River outside and said in a playful tone, "You must be joking. I, Luo Yan, am just a small colonel of the Six Paths Bureau. It’s hard enough for to make ends et. Where could I get so much money to lend you? Besides, you said you would treat to a al as a reward."
Li Xuan gritted his teeth, then turned to Yue Qianqian with a big smile. "Qianqian, do you have any money?"
"I spent all my money buying talismans," Yue Qianqian regretted and felt anxious. After pondering for a bit, she put a ring from her hand on the table: "How about I leave this here as collateral, and we co back to settle the bill once we get the money tomorrow?"
Luo Yan took Qianqian’s ring back and gave Li Xuan a aningful glance. "Don’t take advantage of Qianqian. Didn’t think of us while you were having fun in the brothel, did you? Call your lover to pay the bill."
Li Xuan was speechless and couldn’t find any words to argue. He thought, are they getting jealous?
At this mont, soone from a group of intellectuals sitting at a nearby table chuckled, "If you can’t afford it, don’t co to Shanwei House. And to ask a woman for money to pay the bill, what a freeloader."
Li Xuan gave that person a cold glance, thinking, I’m happy being a freeloader, what’s it to you?
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