Using the moonlight, Jiang Fuding sat cross-legged at the top of the city wall with a pot of wine, drinking slowly. This young man with a hidden identity had once been young and arrogant. In such a large Great Peace City, among his peers, he despised the two sons of General Gu Jiantang for being too rigid. He despised the Fourth Imperial Son for his reputation but lack of ambition. He despised the First Imperial Son Zhao Wu for being vulgar. He despised the children of the officials for being useless. In the end, he only got along well with the illegitimate son of the previous emperor, Zhao Kai. Before Zhao Kai returned to the capital from Shangyin Academy, and before he died at the Iron Gate Pass of the Western Regions, the two got drunk. One said he would do great service for the Zhao Kai of Li Yang, the other said with a smile that the country was his and the jianghu was his. In the future, if he helped Zhao Kai sit on the dragon throne, how about he, Jiang Fuding, be conferred the title of King of Freedom?
Jiang Fuding gazed at the bright moonlight on the sea and was in a daze. In terms of status and family background, Zhao Kai was the son of the emperor and the disciple of Yang Taisui. He, Jiang Fuding, was not weak. He was the son of the Imperial Tutor of Li Yang. While he had completely concealed his identity and did not have the surname Yuan with that man in order to deal with the endless assassinations, which of the people at the top of Great Peace City dared to underestimate him? The youngest son of the former Minister of Revenue Wang Xionggui, the current leader of the Four Young Masters of Jing, had a conflict with him in his early years. In the end, he had come to kowtow and admit his wrongs that night. When he, Jiang Fuding, was young, he said he wanted to practice the blade. That man who spoke ambiguously asked for Gu Jiantang's blade manual for him. At the time, Gu Jiantang, who was still the Minister of War at the time, even taught him the Thunder Heart. That man even took out the Soldier of Crossing the River from the Inner Treasury. In those decades, no less than 20 martial grandmasters had taught him moves. Among them was Liu Hao of the Great Celestial Phenomenon Realm of Great Celestial Phenomenon!
Since this was the case, how could he, Jiang Fuding, lose to that Xu?
Jiang Fuding threw the wine pot into the sea and shouted, "How can I accept this? How can I admit defeat?!"
Jiang Fuding gasped for breath and took out a book from his bosom, as if he wanted to throw it away like the wine jug. However, he raised his arm and in the end, did not throw it away.
This book was his father's real legacy.
The man whose real name was not known was once the well-deserved Emperor's Preceptor of Liyang, the most intelligent strategist of the Liyang Dynasty. His opponents were Xun Ping, Huang Longshi, Xu Xiao, Zhao Bing, the Prince of Yan Chi, and the "Spring of Eternal Hui" led by Zhang Julu.
Jiang Fuding muttered, "Father, you have never lost, so how can I compare to you?"
Jiang Fuding slowly retracted his hand as he looked at the yellowed book with a stupefied expression. The title of the book was written in meticulous script. It was a very strange name, "Night Sailing Ship". Jiang Fuding knew the reason because that man once mentioned that among all the knowledge in the world, night sailing was the most difficult to deal with. At the beginning of the book, there was an absurd story about people from the three sects of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. The four of them were sailing on the sea together with an old boatman. The Confucian said that the study of saving the people was awe-inspiring and righteous. The Taoist said that the method of immortality was incomparably mysterious. The monk said that the profound Buddhism was like a fairy scattering flowers. The more the boatman listened, the more frightened he became. He was so scared that he almost threw away the bamboo wormwood in his hand. Later, the more he listened, the more sleepy he became. In the end, he accidentally threw away the bamboo wormwood, causing the four of them to be unable to return to the shore.
This book was personally given to Jiang Fuding by Yuan Benxi when he brought Song Keli out of the capital to travel north and south of the Great Jiang. He only said that the stories in the book were merely hearsay stories from the countryside. They were like scribbles, hardly worthy of being refined. It was purely the work of an old teacher who was bored to death. Other than flipping a few pages for his son to read, there was no other use for it.
There were more than 200,000 words in this book, so every page was densely packed. Jiang Fuding could totally imagine the scene without any grandeur. A slightly reclusive old man was on duty in the Hanlin Academy under the identity of Yuan Pu. He had a bottle of cheap and good wine, a plate of fragrant peanuts, and a purple brush that was as sharp as a knife. He sat alone and drank. His strokes were very slow, and his strokes were very small. Every time he wrote something he was satisfied with, he would take a sip of the wine …
Jiang Fuding carefully put the book back into his arms and lay back. He looked at the bright moon above his head. "When I was young, you told me that heaven and earth gave birth to me as a man. If I win, I'll be a hero. If I lose, I'll be a hero. If I die, I'll be a ghost."
Jiang Fuding closed his eyes and said bitterly, "But when you saw me for the last time, you said that it was enough for me to live well."
After a long silence, the most reclusive young man in the Martial Emperor City fell into a deep sleep.
Bathed in the morning light, Jiang Fuding finally opened his eyes and sat up. He said softly, "I've made up my mind. The world can forget a hundred or a thousand Jiang Fuding, but they can't forget Yuan Benxi!"
Jiang Fuding stood up again and murmured with tears in his eyes, "Father … I'll settle the score with Zhao Zhuan and Li Yang for you. I'll help Zhao Zhu sit on the dragon throne … I … I miss you very much."
"Xu, if you're lucky enough to survive, we'll meet in the imperial court …"
Right at this moment, a little boy carrying a small bamboo basket ran up the city wall. His clothes might be shabby, but he was rather neat and tidy. When he didn't speak, his clean little face had a solemn expression that other children of the same age didn't have. When the little boy saw that familiar slender figure, he steadied his breathing and recuperated before shouting, "Jiang Fuding!"
It was said that Wang Xianzhi's disciples, Yu Groom and Lin Ya, loved to go to that little place for breakfast. A seven or eight-year-old child's horizons were naturally higher. The child had a skinny dog and would walk the dog around the city when he had nothing to do. It was as though he was a general patrolling his territory. After Jiang Fuding arrived at the Martial Emperor City, there was no one to help him take care of his life. Especially after Lin Ya left the Eastern Sea, she was very particular about everything. Therefore, she would casually settle her breakfast at that bun shop. Every time, she would spend 20 copper coins to buy a small basket of thin and juicy buns. As time passed, she became familiar with the little boy who collected the money. She would occasionally tease this little boy who was very rigid in everything he did and said. Jiang Fuding was also puzzled. How did such an easy-going couple raise such a strange child who was filled with the aura of an old scholar?
The child who followed This Old Man and Lin Ya with the surname Gou passed the basket of buns to Jiang Fuding and said seriously, "20 copper coins. Put it down first. If you forget, I will remind you."
Jiang Fuding said helplessly, "Gou Don't care. It's only 20 copper coins. I won't forget you."
The little boy stared and said, "My surname is Gou, and my name is Youfang! I took it from the saint's scriptures. 'When one's parents are around, one should not travel far. There must be a method to travel.' "
Jiang Fuding, who had been quiet in the Eastern Sea for a long time, only showed some of the demeanor of the capital city's top notch clan when he met this interesting child. He smiled and said, "You don't even know who your parents are. Why do you need to 'have a method'? In my opinion, that green-clothed girl who grew up with you, the nickname she gave you is more suitable. Gou Don't care, Gou Don't care, it's easier to call you that. "
The child put on a stern face and said, "Don't say indecent things."
Jiang Fuding laughed and said, "What does a little kid know about etiquette? Back then, the scholar who told me about etiquette was Duke Yansheng of the Zhang Family."
The child frowned. "I don't know if that teacher is learned or not, but I know that his students did not learn well."
Jiang Fuding, who was being teased and lectured by a child, was not angry. He sat on the city wall and opened the slightly cool bamboo basket. He gently picked up a small and exquisite bun with two fingers and threw it into his mouth. His mouth was full of fragrance and endless aftertaste.
In the past, in Great Peace City, he had eaten so many delicacies that were called the best in the world that he could not remember the taste. Now, it was these small meat buns that were only two copper coins each. If he did not eat a basket of them each day, he would not be able to forget them.
Jiang Fuding smacked his lips and ate six or seven buns in one go. Then he seemed to remember something of the past. He chuckled and said, "It rained heavily in Great Peace City. Many fish drowned."
Gou Youfang sighed and said softly, "It's not funny."
Jiang Fuding lowered his head and looked at the buns in the basket. He said emotionally, "That's right. People eat dirt once, and dirt eats people once."
The child did not say anything. After all, he was so young and should not have such feelings.
Jiang Fuding suddenly turned his head and looked at the child standing beside him. He smiled and said, "After second grade Master, entering the Vajra Realm depends on perseverance. Finger Xuan depends on talent and comprehension. If you want to have the phenomenon of heaven and earth, you have to rely on your innate talent. As for becoming a land immortal, it depends on that illusory fate. Gou Youfang, do you want to practice martial arts? "
The child shook his head without hesitation and said, "No."
Jiang Fuding said in shock, "In this Martial Emperor City, you interact with people of the underworld every day. You don't want to practice martial arts?"
The child said softly, "I heard that practicing martial arts is a bottomless pit. No amount of money can fill it. I have no money."
Jiang Fuding suddenly looked at the last bun in the basket in a daze. He asked in surprise, "Gou Youfang, I remember that I have already eaten ten buns. Why is there one more today?"
The child said calmly, "Grandpa said that you people of the underworld need to train your body. Therefore, you need to eat more. I asked grandpa for one more. I can only ask for one more. Otherwise, this basket of buns will be a loss. It is not easy for grandpa to earn money."
Jiang Fuding did not know whether to laugh or cry. Then, he smiled gently. He seemed to be reluctant to eat the eleventh bun immediately.
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