Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
As the saying goes, "Master leads you to the door, but cultivation relies on oneself."
Pei Guanjing only uttered the words "Heavenly Mandate" before leaving Ye Chen to ponder. Shortly after, a wounded soldier leaning on a cane appeared at the entrance. Pei Guanjing waved his sleeve, turned to leave, and casually tossed out the phrase, "You must comprehend it yourself," before disappearing from sight.
Ye Chen furrowed his brow, staring at the acupoint chart that felt particularly awkward in his hands. He took the book to a corner, grinding herbs while flipping through its pages.
By the time evening came for rest, he had managed to read through the book. He could roughly understand its content; however, many of the concepts were merely points of knowledge that required rote memorization. He truly admired those ancient scholars; they were like warriors of literature. Just thinking about having to memorize so much in the future made him feel despondent.
Nevertheless, there were benefits to reading. On one of the pages, he found specific descriptions regarding Tian Qian and Kun Ze's Xin Xiang.
The book stated that Tian Qian experiences a period of agitation while Kun Ze has a Rain Dew Period; during these times, both emit scents of Xin Xiang that are a hundred times stronger than usual. Moreover, during their initial differentiation, they also release a strong aroma of Xin Xiang. The scent of Xin Xiang is random and largely related to one's constitution. For those with a robust constitution like Tian Qian and Kun Ze, their Xin Xiang tends to be natural fragrances.
He recalled that his own scent was Haitang Fragrance, something Xiao Feng mentioned when he asked about it; he hadn't even noticed it himself. Xiao Feng was Tian Qian, but he had no idea what Xiao Feng's Xin Xiang smelled like.
To others, Xin Xiang was an extremely private matter; yet for Ye Chen, it had turned into a guessing game in his mind as he pondered one after another.
Lost in thought, Ye Chen guessed through Xiao Feng, Lou Yu, Fu Gui, and Wang Xiangzi before finally arriving at Pei Guanjing.
"What scent does he have?" Ye Chen pursed his lips, deep in contemplation.
The night grew late, and the candlelight flickered dimly within the room. The slender figure of the youth appeared small and fragile, swaying with the candlelight against one side of the tent. That thin silhouette resembled a beautiful figure holding a fan from an offering screen once worshipped in Shu, exuding a sense of solitude and beauty.
When Pei Guanjing lifted the white curtain at the door, this was the scene he beheld.
The herb grinder beneath his feet continued to move gently as Ye Chen's thoughts drifted far away. It wasn't until a cool voice called out that he suddenly snapped back to reality.
"Are you not going to rest?"
Ye Chen suddenly lifted his head, putting down the book he was reading, "Extraordinary Meridians and Eight Vessels," and quickly said, "I'll be right back, Master."
After tidying up the items in the Medicine Hall, Ye Chen turned to Pei Guanjing, who was still organizing the daily patient records, and asked, "Master, do you need me to boil water today?"
"Yes."
Upon receiving Pei Guanjing's response, Ye Chen turned and left the Medicine Hall.
Pei Guanjing set down the booklet in his hands and gazed in the direction where Ye Chen had gone, his eyes reflecting a tumultuous depth that was hard to decipher.
Pei Guanjing did not bathe every day; instead, he washed every few days. Naturally, Ye Chen could only take a hot bath when Pei Guanjing needed it.
Ye Chen had to fetch water from the nearby river in multiple trips to fill the bathtub and then boil it. Although he didn't need to bring the water to a full boil, it still took considerable time. With Ye Chen's small frame, it took him half an hour to fill the bathtub with water from round trips. However, he didn't mind this tedious task; after all, he valued cleanliness.
The water after Pei Guanjing's bath had an indescribable scent. He hadn’t understood it before, but after reading that book today, he began to grasp some of it.
The scent in the water did not come from the wooden tub itself but rather from Pei Guanjing's own Xin Xiang. It was a strong aroma of pine wood, reminiscent of a cold jade essence that seemed to emanate from deep within an iceberg, subtly exuding a refreshing chill—unique and unforgettable.
When Pei Guanjing initially decided to let Ye Chen sleep in the same tent with him, he had contemplated many factors. The primary reason was his desire to keep Ye Chen's identity as Kun Ze hidden from others.
As for why Ye Chen did not emit any Xin Xiang himself, Pei Guanjing had already discovered this during that secretive night when he checked Ye Chen's pulse. It was because Ye Chen had taken the Hidden Fragrance Pill that Pei Guanjing had refined only a hundred bottles each year while in the capital. This pill could suppress one's Xin Xiang fluctuations, allowing one to blend into a crowd without being noticed.
Pei Guanjing also pondered how Ye Chen came into possession of such a valuable bottle of Hidden Fragrance Pill. The most likely scenario was that Xiao Feng had given his own bottle to Ye Chen.
Without the cover of Zhong Yong's identity, Xiao Feng's presence among common folk would soon be exposed.
The number of Tian Qian and Kun Ze in any given region was limited; local authorities had registered them after their initial differentiation. A sudden appearance of a Tian Qian like Xiao Feng would be akin to a ghost exposed under broad daylight—certain death upon exposure.
Pei Guanjing stood quietly in place, his gaze fixed on the direction Ye Chen had departed, not moving for a long time. However, the thought of the increasingly strong scent of pine emanating from Ye Chen made him unconsciously furrow his brow, stirring a wave of contemplation within him.
A Kun Ze that has long been influenced by the Xin Xiang of Tian Qian, especially one that has just undergone differentiation, finds itself in a particularly unique situation.
As time passes, the Xin Xiang of the Kun Ze will be subtly marked by the Xin Xiang of Tian Qian without their awareness. It is akin to a unique imprint being stamped on a sheet of pristine paper; this mark accumulates over time, making the Kun Ze seem as if it has been branded with an invisible scar.
A Kun Ze marked in this way often develops an indescribable dependence on that Tian Qian, even becoming addicted.
This practice is commonly employed among noble families to cultivate their prized possessions. They use this method to keep the Kun Ze firmly under their control. Such actions have always been looked down upon by society.
Pei Guanjing's expression gradually became deep and complex. He slowly closed his eyes, the image of his adoptive father and their grand scheme surfacing in his mind.
Now, for the sake of his adoptive father and that grand yet thorny plan, he had to weigh the pros and cons.
Ye Chen was merely an inconsequential Kun Ze; if he could manipulate Ye Chen to gain the support of King Huai'an and facilitate the smooth progress of their plan, that might indeed be the most prudent choice at present.
Pei Guanjing took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes, a glint of determination flashing within them.
In this chaotic world, to achieve his ultimate goal, some matters seemed to have become beyond his control.
Ye Chen, I’m sorry.
Comment 0 Comment Count