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墨書 Inktalez
As the saying goes, "The master leads you to the door, but the 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, and left with a remark, "You must comprehend it yourself," before disappearing from sight.
Ye Chen furrowed his brow as he looked at the acupoint chart that felt particularly awkward to him. He took the book to a corner, grinding herbs while flipping through its pages to study.
By the time evening came for rest, he had roughly finished reading the book. He could understand what it was generally about, but many of the concepts 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 dismal.
However, there were benefits to reading. On one of the pages, he found specific descriptions regarding Tian Qian and Kun Ze.
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 fragrance of Xin Xiang. The scent of Xin Xiang is random and mostly related to one's constitution. Those with a robust constitution like Tian Qian and Kun Ze typically have natural aromas.
He remembered his own scent was Haitang Fragrance, which he had learned from Xiao Feng when asked; he hadn't even noticed it himself. Xiao Feng was Tian Qian, but he didn't know what Xiao Feng's Xin Xiang smelled like.
To others, Xin Xiang is an extremely private matter; however, for Ye Chen, it had turned into a guessing game in his mind as he pondered one after another.
Lost in thought, Ye Chen speculated about Xiao Feng, Lou Yu, Fu Gui, and Wang Xiangzi before finally considering Pei Guanjing.
"What does he smell like?" Ye Chen pursed his lips and fell into contemplation.
The night grew deep, and the candlelight flickered dimly within the room. The slender figure of the young boy appeared small and fragile against the wavering light, casting shadows on one side of the tent. That thin silhouette resembled a beautiful figure holding a fan from an offering screen in Shu from years past—imbued with a sense of solitude and beauty.
When Pei Guanjing lifted the white curtain at the door, this was the scene that greeted him.
The herb grinder beneath his feet continued to move gently as Ye Chen's thoughts drifted far away until a cool voice called out to him, snapping him back to reality.
"Aren't you going to rest?"
Ye Chen suddenly raised his head, putting down the "Extraordinary Meridians and Eight Vessels" he had been reading, 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 consultation 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 book in his hands and gazed in the direction Ye Chen had gone, his eyes reflecting a tumultuous depth that was hard to decipher.
Pei Guanjing did not bathe every day but rather every few days. Naturally, Ye Chen could only take a hot bath when Pei Guanjing needed one.
Ye Chen had to fetch water from a nearby river to fill the bathing tub and then boil it. Although he didn't need to bring the water to a full boil, it still took quite some time. With his small frame, it took him half an hour to fill the tub with water from multiple 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 from Pei Guanjing's own Xin Xiang. It was an intense pine fragrance that seemed to emanate from a cold jade-like essence resting on 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 considered 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 learned this during that night when he secretly 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 of 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 had also pondered why Ye Chen possessed such a valuable bottle of Hidden Fragrance Pill. The most likely explanation was that Xiao Feng had given his own bottle to Ye Chen.
Without Zhong Yong's identity as cover, Xiao Feng's presence among common folk would soon be discovered.
The number of Tian Qian and Kun Ze in any given region was limited; local officials had registered them after their initial differentiation. A sudden appearance of a Tian Qian like Xiao Feng would be akin to a ghost exposed in broad daylight—visible and doomed.
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 furrow his brow involuntarily, 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 begun to differentiate, 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 them even realizing it. It is akin to a unique imprint being stamped onto a pristine sheet of paper; over time, this imprint will leave the Kun Ze with an invisible brand.
A Kun Ze marked in this way often develops an indescribable dependency on that Tian Qian, even becoming addicted.
This method is commonly employed among noble families to cultivate their concubines. They use this approach to firmly control the Kun Ze in their grasp. Such actions have always been looked down upon by society.
Pei Guanjing's expression gradually deepened and became complex. He slowly closed his eyes, the image of his adoptive father appearing in his mind along with their grand yet thorny plan.
Now, for the sake of his adoptive father and that ambitious plan filled with obstacles, 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, perhaps that would be the most prudent choice at this moment.
Pei Guanjing took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes, a glimmer of determination flashing within them.
In this chaotic world, to achieve his ultimate goal, it seemed that some matters had become beyond his control.
Ye Chen, I am sorry.
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