Chapter 11 First Visit to the Imperial Capital
Tantai Xuan, a mysterious woman who combined beauty and wisdom, had flown away, leaving behind endless legends in Tantai City, and Chen Nan stood in the plaza despondent.
"Why ...... did you do that to me?" Immortal and mortal use separated, he looked at the sky and sighed. Chen Nan followed behind Chu Yue and the Little Princess and walked into Tantai City's City Lord's Mansion in a muddle.
Looking at his disoriented appearance, the little princess screamed in dissatisfaction, "Scum are you still not a man, I've said that I'll find someone to help you recover your power after returning to the imperial capital, why do you still look dead, humph, stinking thief and cheapskate!"
"Yu'er shall not be rude to Duke Chen." Chu Yue said with concern, "Is Mr. Chen too tired from the journey? Otherwise, let's stop here for two days."
Chen Nan shook his head blankly and said, "We'd better hurry up and get on the road."
"That's fine, return to the Imperial Capital a little earlier, and recover your powers for Mr. Chen a little earlier."
Chen Nan left the thousand year old city of Tantai in a daze, and for the next two days it was as if he had lost his soul, his eyes were empty without a trace of vigor.
It wasn't until three days later when a thunderclap rang in his ears that he came back to his senses as if he had been enlightened, the sky was rolling with dark clouds, the ink waves were churning, dozens and hundreds of golden snakes were scurrying between the clouds, and a rumbling thunderclap resembled a twilight drum and morning bell echoing in his heart.
In an instant, Chen Nan has a hint of realization, time flies, the years pass, faded forever faded, and then impossible to turn back, the existence of still exists, only the existence of the real. People can not always live in the past, only to grasp the present, only to be able to not regret the past ......
At this time, his body has long been dried up the true qi suddenly like a dead tree spring general reappear vitality, weak true qi like silkworm chrysalis general in his body free. Slowly, the subtle true qi gradually grow up, in his body endless, flowing non-stop, such as a trickle, like a light breeze.
Originally by the little princess to the power of the first moment back to the beginning, and through the internal vision to see the true qi in his body is more pure than before, that silk color light yellow, dull and colorless special true qi no longer appeared, completely disappeared from his body. It was only after a long time that Chen Nan's excitement slowly calmed down, not only had his power recovered as before, but his mind was also bright, sweeping away the previous haze.
Heavy rain poured down, a curtain of water between heaven and earth, Chu Yue and her group were temporarily trapped in a small town, where five hundred cavalrymen had bagged all the inns in the town.
The little princess was happy like a little angel, jumping and jumping, not at all like the little devil with a deep heart from earlier.
"Oh, great, it's raining, so cool."
She cheered while greeting Chu Yue, saying, "Sister don't hide in the house, quickly come out, look how cool this is."
Chu Yue walked into the rain, the dense rain did not fall on her body, it slid aside three inches away from her body surface, and the invisible Body Protecting True Qi blocked the rain out.
Chen Nan's heart was shocked, secretly wondering, before he had sensed the aura of a cultivator in Chu Yue's body, but at this moment she was exuding the true qi of a profound martial artist.
"Could it be that she is practicing cultivation with a martial arts body?"
Chu Yue caught the little princess's arm in the rain and pulled her towards the house, "Look at what you yourself have become now, do you still have a little bit of the princess's feng yi? Just like an unattended little wild child, by the father and mother know not scold you to death ......"
"Hehehe ......" Chen Nan stood in front of the window and couldn't help but laugh.
It so happened that at this time the little princess turned back and saw his smile, she said angrily, "Stinking thief, scum how dare you laugh at me, see how I can clean you up ......"
The bratty little princess was reluctantly pulled into the room by Chu Yue.
After midnight, the clouds closed in and the rain dispersed, all the music was silent, and the watery night sky was bright with starlight.
Chen Nan stood quietly in front of the window, feeling the tranquility of the night.
"There may not be a rainbow after the storm, but there will definitely be will be hope and light. Tantai Xuan you have actually stepped into the realm of the Immortal Dao, the heavens have really treated me well, there will be a day when I will break through the void with my martial arts, you wait for me ......"
In the eastern part of the Tian Yuan Continent, which was also the original Immortal Illusion Continent zone, after countless beacon wars, there were a number of great powers and a hundred countries. However, three of the big countries accounted for three quarters of the entire eastern territory, the three countries were Chu in the west, Bay Moon Country in the north, and Anping Country in the southeast. The three big countries did not border each other and were separated by countless small countries, but the vast majority of the small countries were subsidiaries of the three superpowers. The Chu Kingdom, Moon Worshiping Kingdom, and Anping Kingdom were three kingdoms with equal strengths, and they had been at peace with each other for over a decade, with no major wars breaking out.
Chu is located in the west, and the western border, its capital has become one of the hub cities connecting the east and west main road, the east and west merchants to and from here, the flow of passengers endless, prosperous trade and commerce to make the city of Pingyang prosperous and incomparable. The population of the city is not less than one million, weekdays traffic, the country's materials from a steady stream of a large canal transportation set here.
Chu Yue, Chen Nan and his entourage arrived outside the capital of Chu ten days later, looking at the Pingyang City wall, it is like a continuous Great Wall, magnificent, majestic. A city building dotted on it was grand in scale and magnificent in image.
As he got closer and closer to Pingyang City, Chen Nan's heart became more and more shocked, the capital city of Chu was many times more majestic than the tallest and most magnificent Huaxia City that he had seen ten thousand years ago.
The wall of Pingyang City was sixteen meters high and twelve meters wide at the top. The wall was clad in green bricks, thick, solid, majestic and deep. The city gate is built on the city tower, archery tower, gate building, towering over the sky, majestic, majestic. Outside the city wall there is a moat forty meters wide and ten meters deep, and in the moat, the blue waves are rippling and the flying boats are dotted.
Chen Nan was deeply shocked by that grandeur of the Chu capital city.
"Hey, scum back in your soul, never seen Pingyang City, haven't you read about it from a book yet? Oh, I forgot, you guy is uneducated and has never read a book at all. Alas, you stinking thief is really ......" The little princess deliberately made a look of hatred.
Along the way Chen Nan suffered from the little princess taunts, he can only use the spiritual victory method to comfort himself: little girl, I now do not and you general knowledge, wait for one day you then fall in my hands ......
Chu Yue amusedly looked at the human child's sister, holding her small hand and said, "Yu'er ......"
"Know-it-all, sis-sis!" The little princess pulled in a long trailing sound, and then mumbled in a faintly inaudible voice, "Always protecting him, this guy isn't just able to pull off the Houyi Bow, but he's still not caught by me. Hmph, sooner or later I want him to look good."
Chu Yue gave her a blank look and tapped her forehead with her hand, saying, "You!"
Within Pingyang City, there were endless traffic and pedestrians, and stores lined both sides of the road, a prosperous scene.
Chu emperor has long been reported, not only the eldest daughter of the west tour back to the dynasty, but also secretly ran away from home the little princess to find back, at the moment exceptionally happy, sent people out of the city to meet.
When the welcoming men and horses arrived, Chu Yue and his party had already entered the city, but at this time the little princess was gone. Chu Yue was startled, thought this naughty sister slipped away again, she is secretly anxious, the little princess from not far away from the side of the road emerged.
She only saw three skewers of lamb kebabs in her left hand, two skewers of ice candy gourds in her right hand, and half of a shredded chicken roll in her mouth, and behind her chased two snack bar owners.
"Little girl, the lamb skewers haven't been paid for yet."
"Little girl you can't rob my ice candy gourd ah."
"Sister ...... give money." The little princess chewed something in her mouth and was slurred.
Chu Yue felt angry and funny, really can't do anything with this sister, the officials who came out from the imperial city to greet them also couldn't help but be intimidated by the little princess's usual "magic power", they all turned their heads to the side.
The two snack bar owners saw a large number of royal guards appearing in front of them, and were immediately dumbfounded, not bothering to ask for money, they turned around and dug into the crowd. Chu Yue instructed one of his men to take the money and follow.
The five hundred iron horsemen and the large number of royal guards that greeted them from the imperial city protected the two princesses as they slowly marched towards the imperial city, Chen Nan was treated as a guest by Chu Yue, allowing him to follow closely behind her and the little princess.
The imperial city of Chu Capital was majestic, solemn and imposing, emanating the aura of an emperor.
After entering the imperial city, Chu Yue said to Chen Nan, "Duke Chen, in a moment, my father may want to receive you, so wait here patiently and don't trespass, understand?"
"Yes, straw man knows." Chen Nan didn't really know too much about the courtesy of the Chu Kingdom's monarchs and ministers, and had always spoken to Chu Yue in the tone of a normal person, and was more or less a little apprehensive at this time after entering the Imperial City.
Chu Yue laughed: "You don't need to be nervous, I didn't say it, my Chu country for those with outstanding talent are treated as a national scholar, even when facing the king also don't need to perform a big salute, how to do it before, how to do it now, don't need to be formal."
Chen Nan let out a long breath, if he has to see a slightly bigger official like others have to kowtow and salute, annoyed to death.
At this time, the little princess had already disappeared inside the palace in a puff of smoke, Chu Yue smiled and also turned to leave.
When Chu Yue came to the harem, see the little princess is leaning on the empress's arms chirping about something, the emperor of the empire face with a faint smile sitting on the opposite side.
Chu Yue went forward to meet the salute after sitting on the side, Chu emperor Chu Han in all the children's favorite is the little princess Chu Yu, the most relied on is the big princess Chu Yue and the second imperial son Chu Wenfeng. Seeing the eldest daughter not only completed the western patrol mission, but also the youngest daughter back, he was exceptionally happy.
The little princess spoke at great length, telling the thrilling encounters along the way in colorful detail, listening to the Empress of Chu followed by nervousness.
After she finished speaking, the Chu Emperor said in a deep voice, "I didn't expect this Ren Jian to be so bold, and even dared to raise an evil intent at my Chu border, if it wasn't for the fact that I didn't want to disrupt the continent's calmness for many years, and trap the dawns in the midst of deep flames, I would have to send a conquest against the Moon Worshipping Kingdom."
Chu Yue said, "Father's concern is very true, should not be a moment of anger and make a big fuss, moreover, Ren Jian did not get half a point of advantage, his men suffered heavy losses, and he himself was seriously injured to escape in a mess."
Chu Han nodded his head and said, "Let's write down this account for the Moon Worshipping Kingdom first." And then he said: "By the way, the whole process how seems to have a person called Chen Nan involved ah, Yu'er you say vague, in the end what is going on ah?"
Chu Yu changed the topic and said, "Father you are so nice, even for me, you want to conquer the Moon Worshipping Kingdom."
Chu Han made a stern face and said, "Hmph, you left the palace without a word this time, you don't know how worried we are, what do you think I should punish you for?"
"Huh? I already begged you not to punish me when I first came back, didn't you promise? No, Father is the king of a country, the king has no words, you can't go back on your word." Saying that, the little princess wrapped around the empress's neck again and delicately said, "Mother ......"
"Well, are so big and still tired of people, your father is talking to you to play, but you promise that next time never happen similar things, or do not say your father does not promise you, is that I will never forgive you."
"Oh, I knew that Mother is the best." Saying that, she gave the Empress a kiss on the cheek.
"You child ......"
The little princess turned to face Chu Han and laughed, "Father, look, this is the Fiery Immortal Lotus that I picked for you after thousands of difficulties and dangers." Saying that, she opened the jade box that held the Fiery Immortal Lotus, and the room was suddenly filled with a fresh fragrance.
The Chu Emperor originally did not intend to punish her, seeing that she was able to come back safely, he was too happy to do so, and just now was only intentionally scaring her. At this time, seeing her elfin and quirky appearance, first coaxed the Empress to finish, and then came to please him, at that moment, his face revealed a smile, the color of doting overflowed.
"You little naughty ......" said Chu Han, pinched her pink and smooth little face, and then turned his head and said to Chu Yue, "Yue'er, can there be any abnormality in the west?"
"No, those cultivators from various countries all entered the Falling Wind Mountain Range and did not stop at our Chu Realm, it seems that they are all going for the legendary Qilin, and no one is harboring ill intentions towards my Chu Realm's borders."
"Oh, that's good. But the shocking appearance of the divine beast Qilin in the Falling Wind Mountain Range is indeed an extraordinary thing ah, could it be that there really is a saint about to appear?"
Chu Yue laughed, "The most wise sage is still not you, Father Emperor, you should not worry about that."
Chu Han laughed: "You this girl, how is it that you are as oily as your sister, in fact, I am not very worried, our Chu Kingdom has been at peace in recent years, so I don't think anything will happen."
"By the way, Father, on this trip to the Western Realm, I discovered a wunderkind. Well, technically it's my sister's credit, it was my sister who discovered and captured this person."
"Oh, what kind of person?"
The little princess snatched, "It's a scum, a stinking thief, uneducated, can't even write."
Looking at Chu Yu's anxious look, Chu Yue couldn't help but laugh. The little princess was shy and angry, saying, "Sister, you're not allowed to say ......"
"Haha ......" the Emperor and Empress laughed at the same time, it was rare for them to see the elfin little princess look so shy and annoyed.
"What's going on with Yue'er?" The Empress asked.
Chu Yue said, "Can Yu'er say?"
Seeing the Emperor and Empress' faces of hope and curiosity, the little princess deflated and said, "Say it."
Chu Yue told Cinnan's matter as it was, and the Emperor and Empress began with their faces flushed with anger before they couldn't help but reveal a look of shock.
Finally after listening, Chu Han said to Chu Yu, "No wonder this little naughty boy of yours has flickered in his words, so there are still these things ah. According to what he did really deserve to die ten thousand times, it's just a pity that he's this talented ......"
The Empress also said, "This person really counts as a wizard, as long as the descent bow is in hand, it is equivalent to a supreme expert. However, his words and actions really deserve to die ten thousand times over."
Chu Han said, "Yu'er you have truly grown up, in that situation, you were still able to think of him as a talent and leave him alive. You have matured, I really don't need to worry about you in the future."
Chu Yu beamed her little mouth and said, "I had already grown up, but I now really, really regret that I didn't kill him in the first place."
Chu Han pondered for a moment and said, "Leave him behind."
Chu Yue also said, "I think we should also keep him, after all, talents are rare."
The Empress said, "Then make sure to seal his mouth and not let him say anything nonsense."
Chu Yue said, "Through my observations over the past few days, I have found that he is not the type of person who speaks out of turn, he should understand his situation."
The Empress said, "That's good."
Chen Nan had waited outside for half a day and had not seen any news, his heart was more or less apprehensive, not realizing that he had already made a turn at the ghost gate. While he was anxious, a palace maid came over to his side and whispered, "Are you Prince Chen?"
"Yes."
The palace maid said, "The Grand Princess ordered me to bring you into the palace, and at the same time, she wanted me to tell you that you don't need to be nervous, and that when you see His Majesty the Emperor later, your words only need to be respectful."
"Okay, I'll remember."
Chen Nan was nervous because he had once blasphemed the little princess and was deeply afraid that the emperor would blame him, after hearing the words of the palace maid, he let out a long breath.
Inside the imperial palace, the red walls and yellow tiles, carved beams and painted buildings were brilliant. A temple building, high and low, spectacular and majestic.
The Emperor of Chu had summoned him in his study, and after glancing at the tall and majestic old man in front of him, Chen Nan dropped to both knees and bowed in salute, "My humble servant has met His Majesty the Emperor."
"Flatten yourself."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Chen Nan stood aside with his head hanging down.
Chu Han's face sank like water as he coldly said, "You once spoke and acted rudely to my youngest daughter, is this true?"
Chen Nan's face instantly saw sweat, said, "Yes, the grass people were momentarily confused."
Chu Han said morosely, "Can you realize that your words and actions should have been damned ten thousand times already."
Now the cold sweat on Chen Nan's body soaked his underwear.
"However, the Grand Princess painstakingly pleaded for you, saying that your family lives in the mountains and doesn't understand etiquette, and asked me to forgive you. I didn't want to spare you, but Yu'er also pleaded for you, saying that you're a talented person and that you can make up for your mistakes in the future. Because of these, I did not kill you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your forgiveness."
Chu Han's voice was no longer cold and slowed down his tone as he said, "You don't need to be afraid, if I said I forgave you, I will definitely not kill you again. Moreover, I have already heard that you are really a talented person, as long as you serve my Chu well in the future, I will never treat you poorly."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Well, in the future you don't need to be so formal, even if you see me you don't need to make a big salute, from now on you're already a member of my Chu's state soldiers, of course they are hidden state soldiers, and you can't mention the matter of you being able to pull off the Houyi Bow to anyone." Chu Han's face showed a smile, said, "Oh, Chu has a talent like you, I'm really glad ah, you don't need to be hung up on the past, work hard, in the future, I will definitely increase your rank."
Cinnan wiped a cold sweat after walking out from the palace, he sighed, "So close, almost said goodbye to this world, hu~~~" he let out a long breath. But as he walked, the more he pondered, the more he felt that something was wrong.
"Almost let this old guy shocked, slap and rub three times, this old fox first gave a messy slap, and then gave me a 'honey date' to eat. Under the combination of grace and authority, trying to get me to obediently work for him, this old fox is really well versed in the art of imperialism ah, worthy of being an old man who has been sitting on the emperor's throne for decades."
"What are you mumbling about, Duke Chen?" Chu Yue was dressed in white, beautiful and elegant.
"Oh, nothing, I'm lamenting how the palace is so big, I'm turning towards it."
"Hehe, come with me, I'll lead you out, and arrange for your accommodation on the way."
For this magnificent grand princess, Chen Nan had a good feeling in his heart, along the way Chu Yue took good care of him, letting him escape from the little princess's "clutches" from afar. Looking at Chu Yue's incomparable face and amiable smile, he respectfully said, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Chu Yue smiled and led him out of the palace, outside of the imperial city was the residence of the ministers in the court, the two of them came to a mansion that covered an extremely vast area. The tall gatehouse was imposing, flanked by mighty stone lions carved from Chinese alabaster, and the vermilion red gate had a plaque with gold characters on a red background that read, Qi Shi Mansion.
Chu Yue said: ''The people who can live here are all some strange people, each of them has some special skills. From now on, you'll be living here, at first, you're not familiar with this place, so you might be a bit unaccustomed to it, but you'll be fine after a long time."
Inside the Qi Shi Mansion was divided into countless independent small courtyards, not like the front of the mansion that had the kind of grandeur and luxury, but instead some of the flavor of returning to the basics, each small courtyard had its own unique garden scenery.
Inside those so-called strange men and women only smiled and nodded when they saw Chu Yue, and did not go forward to salute, so it can be seen that these strange men who enjoy the treatment of the national scholar's status is how honorable.
Chen Nan's small courtyard was very quiet, the west side of the garden was planted with a small piece of emerald bamboo, between the bamboo shadows, a stone table and two stone chairs were revealed. On the east side was a flower garden with a few strange stones in between.
Chen Nan asked, "Will I live here from now on? Don't you need me to do anything?"
Chu Yue laughed, "You can live here for now, in a few days, I will find someone to help you recover your power, and after that, I will find someone to teach you some profound martial arts so that you can better master the Houyi Bow."
"Oh."
"But don't run around, don't just barge into people's courtyards until you're familiar with them."
Chen Nan wondered, "What's wrong?"
Chu Yue said, "Among these people, some of them specialize in poisonous arts, so much so that the courtyard is filled with snakes, insects and poisonous grasses, and if you mistakenly enter it, you may be poisoned; some of them delve into magic, and powerful magical energies may destroy the entire courtyard at any time; and there are also others ......"
The more Chen Nan listened, the more shocked he was, what kind of messed up weirdos lived here, it was simply a terrorist organization's colony.
In the end, Chu Yue added: "There are very few guards here, but every day there are a few skilled oddballs who take turns patrolling, so it's absolutely safe here."
Chen Nan screamed in agony: It's over, the big plan to escape has gone down the drain.
After sending Chu Yue away, Chen Nan's heart was restless: that guy who plays with poison, those snakes and insects of his won't come running into my yard, right? There is also that magic destructive maniac, will not live next door to me, right?