Gu Lan thought about the initial concerns when he first ca to the capital.
The old man in front of him had experienced three dynasties, and there should be few things on the official road that he didn't know.
Zhang Qingwei combed his white beard and frowned, "Hmm! Young friend, what you're talking about sounds like cheating in the imperial examination?"
"Uh... yes, exactly cheating!"
"What? Who dares to be so bold!"
Zhang Qingwei said, "Our Emperor attaches great importance to the strictness of the imperial examination. If it is discovered, it will inevitably result in the extermination of three generations!"
"This... a friend asked to inquire, haha..."
Gu Lan felt embarrassed. Indeed, it was important to first find out who that person was. If one day the matter was exposed, and the female Emperor ca knocking, it would be good to pull that guy out to take the bla. After all, he genuinely didn't know!
"I see."
Zhang Qingwei's expression eased, and he thought for a mont before saying, "To help soone cheat and keep it hidden from the Supervisory Office, it must be an official of the fourth rank or higher."
"Fourth rank is enough?"
Gu Lan was startled. The search range seed too broad.
"Do you think the fourth rank is small?"
Zhang Qingwei rolled his eyes, "Even if you really pass the imperial examination, enter the Hanlin Academy, and endure for more than half of your life, you can only reach the fourth rank. So people spend their entire lives and can only reach the third rank."
"How about leveraging Great Chancellor Sima's connections? Can it be faster?"
Gu Lan contemplated and smiled.
"That guy is a clean official; you can't rely on him!"
Zhang Qingwei chuckled.
"What about relying on you?"
"What do you an by that? In your eyes, am I not..."
"Besides chess manuals and poetry, I also have so rhythmical prose, all of high quality!"
"Cough... then I can only help you reach the fifth rank when you enter the court!"
Zhang Qingwei blushed. Although he didn't want to admit it, he did envy Gu Lan's literary talent, which was a natural gift.
He had studied his whole life and couldn't compare to Gu Lan's casually written works, which brought greater insights.
In order to promote literary developnt in the world, it should be forgivable for the emperor to turn a blind eye...
"Just kidding, I don't want to be an official!"
Gu Lan sat in the chair prepared for him in the pavilion, looking carefree.
Zhang Qingwei nodded, "It's also good not to be an official; there's less trouble... Shall we play another ga? I've finished reading your chess manual!"
"Sure, as you wish!"
Watching the confident old man, Gu Lan smiled.
The two of them set up the black and white battlefield again.
In the afternoon, Gu Lan won eight gas in a row against Zhang Qingwei.
During this ti, he gradually realized that it might not be easy to investigate the big figure who helped him use the backdoor. Moreover, it was better if even the parties involved didn't know about it. Otherwise, there would be the risk of extermination for both parties if it were exposed.
Gu Lan initially suspected Zhang Qingwei.
However, a month ago, Zhang Qingwei didn't even know about Gu Lan's existence, and given the old man's character of not letting go once he had a lead, it was impossible.
"To be continued..."
Gu Lan withdrew his thoughts, and his gaze gradually beca clear. Snap! A move was made, concluding the ninth ga.
"Lost again!"
Zhang Qingwei was quite frustrated. If not for the sake of face, he would have wanted to invite the female Emperor or Grand Tutor Su Hua to play chess with Gu Lan in the palace, wanting to see where Gu Lan's limits truly lay!
Could it be that he was really a natural chess genius?
"Let's play again. Failure is the mother of success; Master, you should understand this principle."
Gu Lan smiled, mixed the chessboard, and once again took the pieces to engage in a rematch.
"This is almost ancestral..."
Zhang Qingwei's ntality was a bit shaky. Fortunately, his lifelong passion for chess was hanging on; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to play so poorly yet still enjoy it.
"Master, where is your hotown?"
Gu Lan chatted casually with him, thinking that this might relieve his distress.
"Shuzhou. I studied there in my early years. Later, after entering the King Realm through literary pursuits, I ca to the Jing Nation and beca friends with the late emperor."
Zhang Qingwei said, "That's it, I was deceived into the palace to help take care of the children, and half a lifeti has passed!"
"You're taking advantage of the situation."
Gu Lan teased, "It seems that the resources of the Jing Nation have been quite generous to you. Achieving immortality through literary pursuits is not solely reliant on talent."
"Haha! There are resources and opportunities!"
Zhang Qingwei furrowed his brows and made a move, then suddenly slapped his forehead, saying, "Speaking of opportunities, I almost forgot a big thing!"
"What is it?"
"Wait a mont, young friend!"
Zhang Qingwei searched his sleeve and pulled out a piece of jade, shining brightly with inscriptions.
"This is called Spirit Communication Jade, an immortal-level jade along with Spirit Extinguishing Jade and Spirit Masking Jade. It has the function of sensing the changes in the aura between heaven and earth."
"Just yesterday, it transmitted a piece of news."
"Regarding the opening of the Heaven Mountain Secret Realm in Shuzhou, it seems to be happening within the next few days!"
Heaven Mountain Secret Realm in Shuzhou.
Gu Lan heard this na and was not unfamiliar with it. In the original work, it was a secret realm introduced from the beginning, rumored to contain ancient legacies and unparalleled opportunities.
Moreover, Shuzhou was a sacred place for literary pursuits, making it highly likely that there would be sothing beneficial for his system.
"Will there be any restrictions on this kind of secret realm?"
Gu Lan asked thoughtfully, hoping it wouldn't be like those novels from his past life, where one couldn't enter if their cultivation exceeded a certain level, or they would be suppressed to the sa realm.
"There is an age limit."
Zhang Qingwei's eyes lit up.
"However, young friend, you are just right for it!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Lan's heart stirred.
The age limit restriction made things much easier.
With his cultivation and speed, he could certainly pack up all the high-level resources inside without anyone noticing.
Then, he could quietly leave.
Gu Lan, with a calm deanor, contemplated this while casually playing chess.
At this mont, Zhang Qingwei squinted at the chessboard, burst into laughter, and quickly made a move to exploit a weakness, saying, "Hahaha, a wise man has a thousand thoughts, and finally, this old man has won a ga against you!"
"Oh, Master has made progress, congratulations!"
Gu Lan said with a smile. In fact, he had deliberately let Zhang Qingwei win this ga. Since the old man had shared such a significant opportunity with him, treating him like an ally, how could Gu Lan have the heart to let him lose all ten gas?
"Well, all thanks to young friend's chess manual!"
Zhang Qingwei perhaps knew that Gu Lan had let him win, but he didn't expose it and chuckled while stroking his graying beard.
...
Gu Residence, during dinner.
The family of six, masters and servants, didn't separate at the dining table. Laughter and joy filled the main hall.
After finishing his al, Gu Lan wiped his mouth and smiled, "Today, I won another bet from Master and received so news... It's said that a precious place in Shuzhou will open the day after tomorrow. At that ti, Tan'er and Zhongren can go explore."
Lin Tan'er, worthy of being the Fate's Heavenly Maiden, didn't invest much effort into cultivation normally. Most of her ti was spent repaying debts. Now, she had reached the Great Perfection of the Nature Realm, enough to overlook cultivators of the sa age. So, it was ti for her to go out and seek her own opportunities. Lin Tan'er nodded obediently.
Zhongren, excited at the prospect of going out to play, asked, "Brother Gu, are you coming with us?"
"I'll just see you off. Matters of cultivators, I won't interfere..."
Gu Lan's lips curled up in a slight smile. His gaze shifted to Mu Yuyan, who was serving him food. After a mont of hesitation, he asked, "By the way, Madam, have you felt any changes in your body these days?"
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