"The emperor is dead, and he has no heir."
Upon hearing this news, Wang Linchi was sowhat curious. The Dajing Dynasty had seen its fair share of absurd emperors. This one wasn’t the most outrageous; he was rely fond of pleasure—the rather extravagant type, of course. After all, he was the emperor; it would be problematic if he wasn’t extravagant in his indulgences.
"What’s truly interesting is that the new emperor who succeeded to the throne has started discussing ceremonial rites."
"It can’t be another Emperor Zhu Houcong, obsessed with longevity..." Wang Linchi made a sarcastic remark.
The topic of the ceremonial rites was, naturally, to determine the new emperor’s legitimate parentage. He had ascended the throne as a Vassal King through fraternal succession. This ant his biological father could not be recognized as his imperial father. To establish orthodoxy and signify the principle of a younger brother succeeding an elder, he was required to be posthumously adopted by the late emperor’s father. However, this new emperor was unwilling. Why should he change his own father for no reason? He was already the emperor; how could he let them change who his father was?
So the dispute began.
However, this matter had little to do with Wang Linchi. His days were fulfilling: attending classes and sotis slacking off, studying after class, and occasionally stumbling upon fortuitous opportunities. It was just that the opportunities he encountered were rather ordinary; so far, none could compare to the *Bright Heart Treasure Mirror*. This introductory book was likely one of Bai Changsheng’s Golden Fingers, capable of maximally developing his dual bone ridians. In Wang Linchi’s hands, it was truly a pearl gathering dust.
Over these days, he had considered selling it for so other introductory literature or useful items, but there simply wasn’t a suitable opportunity or target. The Great Families in Zhenhai City were no pushovers either. If he tried to trade with them, given their shrewdness, Wang Linchi would be exploited so thoroughly—unless he resorted to force—that not even scraps would remain, a certain loss for him. And they would manage to do it openly, under a veneer of righteousness.
Speaking of which, Old Li hasn’t shown up for so ti. He wouldn’t have run off again, would he? Wang Linchi suddenly recalled.
Wang Linchi suspected Old Li might be part of the Imperial Guards, an organization with functions similar to the Embroidered Guards. They were special personnel within the entire Dajing Dynasty, which was why he could change identities so easily. He’s definitely a Spirit Master, and one with an official rank at that—at least a Scholar.
He guessed this because, after the second month, the household protection tax had vanished, a change that even implicated a large number of Officials in Zhenhai City. Imprisonnts and beheadings were nurous; only confiscation of property and extermination of families were avoided. This stirred quite a controversy.
So, it was quite possible that Old Li had suddenly disappeared. Either he went sowhere else to work, or he died on duty. The job still carried considerable danger. Its purview wasn’t limited to Officials; it likely extended to the Great Families as well. If a Great Family turned ruthless, they might very well kill such an agent. Moreover, these Great Families had deep and tangled roots; acting against them without sufficient leverage could easily trigger a widespread backlash.
The Cheng Family in Baihe County was a case in point. The county magistrate dared to suppress them harshly, even to the brink of ruin, but didn’t dare to truly annihilate them. The Cheng Family could decline and fall on its own, but it could not be wiped out by the Court. This seed to be so kind of unwritten rule. It was likely an understanding that the Court ruled "with the Great Families." Of course, this wasn’t so strict as to forbid killing mbers of Great Families entirely. If public resentnt and anger beca too great, those deserving death would be killed. If a family acted too excessively, other Great Families wouldn’t dare to protest much.
"Whatever, he’s just a casual acquaintance anyway." Wang Linchi mused for a mont. Whether Old Li is around or not doesn’t really matter much to .
At Origin Flow Academy, he had access to all sorts of information. The enrollnt fee of a thousand taels of silver was not sothing an ordinary person could afford. Therefore, those who could enroll and be in the sa class as Wang Linchi were, at the very least, wealthy. News like the emperor’s death was sothing Wang Linchi had also heard through these channels.
Wang Linchi felt sowhat fortunate. It’s a good thing I didn’t rely on showcasing my aptitude to enter the Academy back then. Otherwise, I might have been summoned to the Capital and gotten embroiled in this whole ceremonial rites affair, which would have been very unpleasant.
Thinking about it, if Old Li was transferred, perhaps the emperor needed him, one of his Imperial Guards.
After all, they are the emperor’s sharp blades.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
A sudden knock ca from the door. Wang Linchi felt a bit helpless. The World Energy Level is too low, and with the protective isolation of this ’human skin,’ my Thought Field can’t extend very far. Even projecting it out of my body is difficult. So, for external perception, I can only rely on my five senses.
"Coming! Who is it?" Wang Linchi called out as he went to open the door. He initially thought it might be Old Li. When he opened it, however, he saw Jin Cheng, who sat next to him in class.
Jin Cheng was a young man from a wealthy family. However, his abilities were diocre. Consequently, his parents had sent him to take the Spirit Master exam, hoping he could either maintain the family fortune or at least secure a better life for himself. If he passed, he would not only bring honor to his family but also ensure his own lifelong comfort.
"Brother Jin? What brings you here?" Wang Linchi asked.
"What else could it be? I had a fight with my dad at ho, so I ca over to crash at your place for a few days," Jin Cheng said with a carefree air, walking straight into Wang Linchi’s room.
Though his abilities were lacking, he had a rather bold and uninhibited personality, unconcerned with trivialities. The two of them got along quite well.
"I rember you usually go to Brother Feng’s place when this happens. Why co to mine this ti?" Wang Linchi asked curiously.
Because Jin Cheng’s grades were poor, his parents often scolded him. Afterward, he would run off to a classmate’s house for the night. The Brother Feng Wang Linchi ntioned was his companion in suffering, although Feng was slightly better than Jin Cheng, managing to get B grades more often.
Grades were divided into three levels: A, B, and C. A ant excellent, B ant pass, and C ant fail. To pass the assessnt and qualify for the Elentary Learning Examination, one needed at least a B. Wang Linchi consistently achieved this level, always just eting the required score. He was unremarkable in class, and his grades were similarly average—neither conspicuous nor poor. Therefore, in the eyes of the lecturers, Wang Linchi was the type of student who would certainly pass the assessnt and participate in the Elentary Learning Examination, but whose chances of becoming a Spirit Master were minimal.
"Well, Brother Feng got scolded at ho too," Jin Cheng said, looking a bit awkward.
They had both failed the latest test. So, Jin Cheng figured he might as well go to Wang Linchi’s. Even if Wang Linchi failed, it wouldn’t be a big deal for him. His household register only has his na on it, so there’s no one to scold him.
"So, you ca to my place to take refuge and cool off, huh?" Wang Linchi thought. This guy is nothing if not straightforward.
Wang Linchi naturally didn’t try to persuade him to "study hard and improve every day." Jin Cheng wasn’t new to Origin Flow Academy; this was already his fourth year. He was just coasting.
Actually, that’s fine too, Wang Linchi mused. At least he doesn’t have to worry about being a disappointnt to his father.
"Well, I had nowhere else to go," Jin Cheng admitted honestly.
He wasn’t skilled in studies or business, but he had one redeeming quality: he followed instructions. His father had told him which classmates he could associate with and which he should avoid. Wang Linchi was in the "can associate with" category, which was why Jin Cheng had sought him out.
"Alright then. Have you eaten? If not, I can whip up a bowl of Yangchun noodles for you," Wang Linchi offered.
"That’d be great!" Jin Cheng didn’t hesitate. "At ho, I was too busy getting scolded to eat a bite of that big al. Then I went to Brother Feng’s place, and listening to him get an earful, I was both starving and antsy. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore, gulped down a cup of tea, and rushed over here. My stomach is completely empty and rumbling like crazy."
Wang Linchi was speechless. He casually prepared a bowl of noodles and sprinkled so chopped scallions on top.
Jin Cheng was starving. He scooped up a large mouthful of noodles and practically slurped them down as if drinking, completely unafraid of the heat. After just a few mouthfuls, his spirits visibly lifted.
"Phew! I finally feel alive again. Your Yangchun noodles are really sothing else!" Jin Cheng exclaid, exhaling deeply. After quickly washing the bowl, he slumped into a chair without any pretense of decorum. If he had a cigarette right now, he’d probably feel as blissful as an immortal.
"On my way here, I spent a bit of money and snagged this thing—a hundred taels of silver it cost ! Consider it paynt for the noodles," Jin Cheng said, dragging a large stone in from outside.
"Wait a minute. You had a hundred taels of silver? You could’ve had a feast at a restaurant, yet you ca here to scrounge a bowl of plain noodles from ?" Wang Linchi was torn between laughter and exasperation. He glanced at the object: "Besides, this is just a rock, isn’t it? How could it possibly be worth a hundred taels?"
"Heh, you don’t get it, do you? Ever heard of jade stones?" Jin Cheng clearly wasn’t bothered about the hundred taels; he was acting more on impulse. He continued, "A priceless piece of jade could be cut from this! I’m giving you a chance to beco a wealthy man."
"Alright, just put it aside. Forget about the chance to beco rich; I think it’s more practical to keep it as a stool." Wang Linchi instantly understood. It seems I’ve inadvertently intercepted soone else’s fated opportunity, and Jin Cheng has deliberately delivered it to .
Ever since absorbing Bai Changsheng’s complete innate fortune, Wang Linchi’s Destiny had developed to the point where it could occasionally cause fated opportunities to be delivered right to him. However, this effect was limited; he couldn’t just get whatever he wished for. The value of these opportunities also varied greatly, and the probability of them appearing was relatively small.
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