Chapter 773: The Spare Tire's Anger

Jiang Luofu frowned slightly. "What kind of look is that?"

"A look of admiration, haha," Zu An chuckled awkwardly.

"Hmph, if our relationship wasn't fairly good, I wouldn't have been so polite just now when you looked at me like that," Jiang Luofu said coldly.

Zu An felt a bit dejected. "Sister, you didn't get angry when those students were talking about you on the road just now, so why are you angry at me now?"

Jiang Luofu glared at him. "Those people were simply admiring beauty and just talking. You, on the other hand, want to take practical action."

Zu An was speechless.

"You can tell that?"

"Your gaze was wrong," Jiang Luofu snorted, then walked on ahead. Zu An gave a wry smile and quickly followed.

As they walked up the mountain, seeing the increasingly serene scenery around them, Zu An couldn't help but exclaim, "Lord Libationer certainly has refined taste. Every plant and tree around here seems to subtly follow a pattern, yet upon closer inspection, it's so natural that it leaves no trace of being arranged."

Jiang Luofu's expression softened slightly. "This place is called Dong'e Yu Peak, the highest peak in Yuquan Mountain. It was personally chosen by the Libationer as his secluded cultivation retreat. Every plant and tree here was arranged by him in his youth, and it subtly resonates with the academy's guardian formation..."

They chatted all the way, and before they knew it, they had reached the mountaintop. Zu An also noticed the beautiful lotus pond and couldn't help but lean closer for a better look. The lush green lotus leaves in the pond were refreshing, instantly dispelling the fatigue from climbing the mountain. The colorful lotus flowers blooming above were the finishing touch, making anyone who saw them instinctively want to pick one and play with it in their hands.

"I advise you not to think about picking a flower," Jiang Luofu seemed to read his mind and quickly warned. "Many years ago, Eleventh Junior Brother picked a lotus flower and was whipped by our teacher all the way from the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain; his cries of agony echoed throughout the entire academy."

Zu An's heart trembled, and he quickly withdrew his hand. "Am I the kind of person to spoil the scenery? I was just feeling a certain insight from looking at these lotuses."

"What insight?" Jiang Luofu, not easily fooled, immediately asked.

"'They emerge from the mud unblemished, and are washed by clear ripples without appearing demonic,'" Zu An thought to himself, 'Good thing I had nine years of compulsory education; otherwise, this woman would have really stumped me.'

At this moment, in the courtyard nestled in the distant pine forest, an old man let out a soft exclamation.

The elegantly dressed woman sitting opposite him looked somewhat surprised. "Lord Libationer, is something wrong?"

The old man smiled. "Nothing, it's just been a long time since I heard such touching words."

These two were, naturally, Chen Si, the Libationer, and Princess Consort Bi Linglong.

Seeing that he had no intention of elaborating, the Princess Consort wisely did not press further, instead resuming their previous topic. "Regarding this upcoming Crown Prince Examination, does the Libationer have any guidance for us?"

The Libationer said calmly, "Princess Consort should be aware that I have always refrained from participating in court disputes."

The Princess Consort looked forlorn. "The Crown Prince was harmed by villains since childhood, causing his intellect to be impaired. Such an examination is unfair from the start, which is why I shamelessly came to seek your guidance, Lord Libationer."

"Harmed by villains..." The Libationer smiled and said, "Princess Consort, you needn't worry. Although the Crown Prince may seem a bit slow-witted now, he is deeply blessed and will naturally turn misfortune into good fortune."

Naturally, the Princess Consort was not satisfied with his ambiguous statement. She had heard such platitudes countless times in the Eastern Palace. Unfortunately, no matter how she pressed him, the Libationer merely smiled without speaking. She sighed inwardly, knowing he was unwilling to interfere in the conflict between the Emperor and Prince Qi, and could only reluctantly take her leave.

Meanwhile, by the lotus pond, Jiang Luofu heard Zu An's two lines of poetry. A trace of surprise appeared in her eyes. "I didn't expect you to have a bit of literary talent. If Third Senior Brother met you, he would surely consider you a kindred spirit."

"Isn't Third Senior Brother the Drunken Sword Immortal? Why would he consider me a kindred spirit?" Zu An was curious. While he could drink, he didn't have a particular fondness for it. As for swords, he could wield one, but the man was called a Sword Immortal, so his own swordsmanship might not impress him. Of course, if it came to being mischievous, he was second to none.

Jiang Luofu explained, "Third Senior Brother has a peculiar habit: he proclaims himself a master of three excellences—poetry, wine, and sword—with poetry first, wine second, and swordsmanship third. But as those of us who know him well are aware, his poems are merely doggerel, yet he's incredibly proud of them. In our opinion, his swordsmanship should be first, wine second, and poetry... not even worth mentioning. Yet, poetry is his favorite, so if you meet him, those two lines you just recited will make him consider you a kindred spirit."

"Third Senior Brother sounds interesting, from what you describe." However, Zu An was thinking to himself, 'Tsk tsk, each of the Libationer's direct disciples seems to be a problem child. I wonder how he managed to teach them.'

"Let's go, come with me to see Teacher," Jiang Luofu beckoned to him, then walked straight towards the quiet pine forest. Along the way, Zu An couldn't help but ask, "By the way, the climate on this high mountain is cold, which isn't suitable for lotus growth, is it?"

Jiang Luofu nodded. "Back then, Teacher personally took action, setting up a formation nearby that forcibly altered the climate in that area, which is how he cultivated such a beautiful pond of lotuses." As she spoke, her voice was full of reverence; clearly, such a feat could only be described as miraculous.

Zu An asked curiously, "Then why would he spend so much time and effort cultivating lotuses in a place where they aren't suited to grow? Is it to show off his immense power?"

"Of course not," Jiang Luofu frowned. "Teacher is hardly the type to value empty reputation; this act is certainly not for showing off. We're very close to Teacher's residence now, so you should be careful with your words, lest you offend him."

Zu An glanced at the dimly visible courtyard in the pine forest and smiled slightly. "Lord Libationer is a man of such stature; why would he bother with a trivial matter concerning a young man like me? You just said that Lord Libationer isn't the type to show off his abilities. So, for him to go to such great lengths to create this lotus pond, he must be commemorating someone from the past."

In the wooden house, the Princess Consort saw that the Libationer had begun to close his eyes and rest. She sighed inwardly and bowed respectfully. "Linglong shall not disturb Lord Libationer any further. I will take my leave now."

"Princess Consort, take care." The Libationer still did not open his eyes.

The Princess Consort's brows were furrowed with worry; she had no idea what to do about the upcoming Crown Prince Examination. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly noticed the Libationer's body, not far away, tremble slightly, and then he opened his eyes. Her heart swelled with joy, thinking the Libationer had changed his mind and had something to tell her. However, the Libationer still showed no intention of speaking. His gaze was no longer the ethereal indifference he usually held, as if looking down on the mortal world, but held a different meaning. He slowly stood up and stared blankly at a painting on the wall.

The Princess Consort was greatly puzzled. What was wrong with Lord Libationer? He seemed somewhat flustered? She quickly widened her eyes, trying to see what was depicted in the painting. Unfortunately, no matter how hard she tried, she could only see mist swirling around the image, making it impossible to discern what the painting actually portrayed.

Just then, a faint, familiar voice reached her ears. She turned her head towards the window, surprised and delighted. "Zu An?" She truly hadn't expected to see him here. Hadn't she told him to rest at home? He was injured and still running around. And who was the woman next to him? Upon seeing Jiang Luofu's attire, her delicate brows furrowed. "Why is she dressed so provocatively? Is she deliberately trying to seduce men?"

Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind. This woman's distinctive attire reminded her of someone. 'Could it be that eldest daughter of the Jiang family?' She heard that this woman had originally been the top candidate for Princess Consort, but she had eloped and disappeared, forcing the imperial family to reluctantly choose someone else, which led them to pick her from the Yu family. Although she had no particular feelings for the Crown Prince, as a woman, the thought of being someone else's 'backup' filled her with immense displeasure. This woman clearly didn't want to be the Princess Consort, so why was she back in the capital now, dressed like that and seducing other women's men? Zu An wasn't much better; he already had Miss Chu, yet he fell for another woman's charms so easily.

Rage points from Bi Linglong +233 +233 +233...