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A talented and promising young man like him would be a great asset to any family, so before the Imperial Examination even began, Yang Yichen received invitation after invitation.
"Young Master, someone from the Wang residence has come to invite you to their tea gathering."
"Young Master, someone from Liu Residence is here. Liu Young Master invites you to the poetry meeting!"
"Young Master..."
The continuous letters made Anan knock on Yang Yichen's door from time to time.
At this moment, both of them were in a precarious situation; one misstep could lead them into a trap set by others.
"I'm unwell and resting at the inn; it's not suitable for me to go out."
Anan hesitated, "Young Master... won't this... be a bit inappropriate?" If they declined all the invitations, others would surely think their young master was arrogant and dismissive.
As if sensing Anan's thoughts, Yang Yichen pondered for a moment before speaking: "If I accept any one invitation, I will offend all the others. It's better not to accept any at all. Although they might feel uncomfortable about it, at least they won't hold too much resentment for that reason."
Anan suddenly understood; at this moment, the best stance was to remain neutral and not let anyone know his true feelings.
"You're right, Young Master. I'll go respond to them now."
For Yang Yichen's actions, those in high positions would certainly feel displeased. However, knowing that even those in high office couldn't secure an invitation for themselves would bring them some balance.
And for those in high positions, since no one had managed to invite this talented young man, they wouldn't bother quarreling with someone of a younger generation who held a lesser status in the Western Moon Kingdom.
Anan couldn't help but admire his young master's cleverness and gave him a thumbs up in praise; indeed, this was the best approach.
Later on, besides claiming he was unwell, he also had an excuse to prepare for the upcoming Imperial Examination, making it impossible for anyone to pressure him into accepting invitations.
Time passed second by second as Yang Yichen waited for the Imperial Examination, organizing the relationships and connections among several prominent families in the capital. It was essential to clarify these matters to avoid pitfalls in the future, which would be crucial for his decisions in the officialdom.
The future development and positioning of the Inorganic Gate were also important.
While Yang Yichen and Dugu Hao secretly deployed their plans, they did not reveal a single piece of information about each other.
In the inn, Yang Yichen's room was divided into two parts: an Inner Room that served as a bedroom, and an outer area with a writing desk facing a round dining table.
At this moment, Yang Yichen sat behind the writing desk, pen in hand, arranging plans for the future development of the Inorganic Gate.
Currently, the members of the Inorganic Gate were mainly concentrated in Lingjiang Province, and expanding towards the capital was a necessary process. This was a perfect opportunity.
During his time in the capital, he could personally supervise their adaptation to the local environment quickly and effectively.
A letter was successfully sent out through Anan, with a white Messenger Pigeon carrying Young Master's orders flying northward to Lingjiang Province to deliver the letter to the right person.
This type of Messenger Pigeon was specially cultivated by the Inorganic Gate for use by high-ranking members to convey the most important information.
Outside the suburbs, three men in black stared into the sky as they saw a Messenger Pigeon flapping its wings overhead. They exchanged glances and simultaneously raised their bows, squinting one eye to focus on their target above.
As they tightened their grips on the bows, they suddenly released their arrows. The arrows, tipped with hard iron heads, shot through the air like swords released from their sheaths, slicing through with fierce wind towards the Messenger Pigeon.
At that moment, the rapidly flying Messenger Pigeon noticed the incoming arrows and swiftly changed direction. In a critical moment, the arrows narrowly missed it.
It was just a fraction of a second away from being pierced through its body and losing its life.
"Wow, this creature is quite impressive!" one of the men in black couldn't help but scoff. The idea that such a creature could escape from their grasp was simply laughable.
At that moment, the three men simultaneously drew their bows again, following the Messenger Pigeon.
In just that brief moment, the Messenger Pigeon flew a considerable distance, enough to expend some of the Feather's force.
The Messenger Pigeon narrowly escaped danger; by the time the three men in black attempted a third shot, the Messenger Pigeon was already far away, beyond their reach.
No one expected that three exceptionally skilled and strong men could fail to intercept a single Messenger Pigeon, allowing it to escape. It was a tremendous humiliation.
Indeed, this pure white Messenger Pigeon was the Kid released by Yang Yichen to deliver a message. The special Messenger Pigeons trained by Inorganic Gate, while not invincible, possessed a degree of intelligence, allowing them to make adjustments based on the situation, as demonstrated earlier.
It was precisely because people often underestimated these so-called animals that they faced failure, as did these three men in black.
A moment later, the three men appeared at a dilapidated mansion. Upon seeing the youth standing by the window, they immediately knelt on one knee. "Master, we are incompetent; we let that Messenger Pigeon escape!"
Indeed, it had escaped—how could an animal slip through their grasp?
"Heh heh..." The Black-Clad Youth let out a cold laugh. "You are indeed quite useless."
The three men lowered their heads in shame; failing to accomplish such a task left them with no face to meet their master.
What reason did they have to argue? Who would have thought that an animal could evade Feather and escape so easily?
While underestimating them was one aspect, wasn't the creature's extraordinary nature also a reason?
However, the master would not listen to any explanations; he only cared about results, not the process.
"Go and accept your punishment!"
"Yes, Master!" The three men in black made no argument, straightened their backs, and immediately rose to head to the punishment hall.
The Black-Haired Boy gently pinched a green leaf from the window, his thin lips moved slightly as he slowly spoke, "I really have my eyes on you! Hehe!"
The deep voice that emerged from his throat made one involuntarily shiver.
The boy was none other than Dugu Hao. After the battle at the border, the Western Moon Emperor finally recognized his son's abilities and began to promote him. In just a few months, he had already gained some power in the court, enough to threaten the Crown Prince's faction.
Therefore, for future long-term plans, he had to develop his own influence as quickly as possible. Some matters were not about whether one wanted to compete or not; they were about having to compete. Otherwise, what awaited him would be disaster. No Sovereign would allow an existence as powerful as themselves; even if there was one, they would do everything possible to eliminate them before they grew stronger.
He understood that the struggle between him and the Crown Prince was a fight to the death, with no possibility of retreat.
Especially after choosing to reveal his strength, there was no way he could give up. Yang Yichen was a talent he held in high regard, but he had many doubts about this seemingly ordinary boy.
Why did he possess such strange weapons? When one did not know how they worked, they might think of them as mere scrap metal.
But once you learned how to use them, their power was immense—far beyond imagination.
At this moment, Yang Yichen had no idea who was watching him. However, he had a target of suspicion in mind and had already considered him as a potential choice months ago. As for how things would ultimately unfold? That would only be determined after they truly met face-to-face.
Nevertheless, he believed his suspicions were correct; that kind of kingly aura was beyond ordinary people. A royal eagle would always spread its wings and soar rather than be confined to one area.
This is what is meant by emperors and generals; even without absolute certainty, there is still about eighty or ninety percent confidence.
"You all go and secretly protect this Yang Scholar; make sure he does not suffer any harm."
"Yes, Master, rest assured!"
Yang Yichen thought this way, knowing that the other party shared the same sentiment; naturally, they wanted to collaborate with someone capable rather than find a liability.
In the capital, where currents of intrigue flowed unseen, Liu Qingxi, far away thousands of miles, could not imagine the situation. After all, he did not possess the influence of Yang Yichen and lacked the advanced communication technology of modern times. His understanding of the capital's circumstances relied solely on snippets from Yang Yichen's letters.
"Uncle Zhang, make sure everyone does their work meticulously, especially the pillars in the water."
Regarding the support pillars for Flowing Villa, Liu Qingxi had already made detailed arrangements after measuring them and returning home.
Members of the Construction Team, who had undergone special training and had previously completed many similar tasks, were now adept at handling new challenges.
"Don't worry, I'll personally supervise it. By the way, there have been quite a few orders recently; we might be short-handed. After all, we can't neglect the ordinary villages below. The locals trust the Ten Li Pu brand and look up to you as their leader."
"Uncle Five Grains, thank you for your reminder; this is indeed a problem. How about we continue to recruit more hands? We can expand our reach to nearby villages. What do you think?"
"Of course! The people from Ten Li Eight Villages already have fixed jobs; wouldn't that be even better?" Zhang Wuliang had no ill intentions; as his village prospered, he began considering others.
"Alright, I will personally lead our Ten Li Pu team to work in Biqi Town. We'll train the newly recruited individuals and start them off with the Earthen Houses in the village. After all, we also progressed step by step, facing significant challenges at every turn."
"Great! I'll get started right away and notify everyone." Recently, life had become increasingly busy. Village chief Zhang Wuliang had followed Liu Qingxi for so long that he could now manage things independently. He was essentially her steward, and they could discuss every detail together.
Moreover, many recent business deals were negotiated by Zhang Wuliang since one person simply couldn't handle everything alone.
Having shed his original rustic demeanor, he was now accustomed to wearing silk. Overcoming his previous accent, he could now speak fluent Mandarin.
He appeared as a mature businessman; if one were unaware of his background, anyone would assume he was a self-made merchant.
Zhang Wuliang urgently began preparations for the idea of expanding the workforce.
This time, not only was there a notice posted at the entrance of Ten Li Pu recruiting workers, but neighboring villages such as Sanhe Village and Song Family Village also put up announcements.
The capable fellows from Ten Li Pu had already joined the Construction Team. With this expansion, they felt powerless despite their willingness. However, there was no unhappiness; with so many opportunities available, it was good to leave some for others, as it would help their social connections develop more quickly in the future.
In a relatively dilapidated village, someone exclaimed, "Hey, did you hear? There's a notice at our village entrance that Ten Li Pu is expanding their team, and we can all go!"
A woman in her thirties, wearing a simple wooden hairpin, excitedly spread the news to everyone.
"What? We can go too? Are you sure you didn't misread it?" A young woman in her twenties' eyes sparkled with excitement.
"What's there to misread? I may not know how to read, but I was there when they posted the notice and heard them read it out loud," the middle-aged woman said proudly.
Suddenly, she slapped her forehead: "I'm not going to chat here any longer; I need to hurry and have my husband sign up."
With that, she rushed off, leaving a group of bewildered people behind.
"She seems serious; whether it's true or not, I'm going to give it a try. With such good conditions at Ten Li Pu, there's work all year round. If I get selected, I won't have to worry anymore."
"Yeah, let's hurry! Otherwise, the spots will be taken by others!"
In no time, the group gathered around gossiping scattered quickly, fearing they might miss out on the opportunity.
The brief and simple notice from Ten Li Pu sparked a strong reaction in the nearby area.
Those with closer relationships quickly notified each other, while those who weren't as friendly hurriedly covered up the news to prevent their rivals from finding out.
Even so, in the end, everything that should be known has been learned.
Ten Li Pu
Everywhere, there are fewer people coming to register, which has led to many outsiders coming and going in these villages.
Upon entering Ten Li Pu, everyone can feel its distinctly different atmosphere; people are cheerful and busy, striving for a better future.
Unlike those around them, who struggle to meet even their basic needs, let alone pursue a higher quality of life.
"If only we could be like the people of Ten Li Pu someday!"
People can't help but express the same sentiment.
Now, when they go out, everyone feels proud and honored to be a part of Ten Li Pu.
At the entrance of Village Chief Zhang Wuliang's home, a long line stretches across the street, around the corner, and up to the neighbor's door.
"Everyone, please don't rush. One at a time, take it slow; the more you push, the slower it gets. Don't worry; everyone will get registered."
Zhang Wuliang signaled for a certain Young Man from the village to come over and help coordinate with the relevant personnel. Otherwise, doing it alone would be exhausting and chaotic.
The noise was too loud; it seemed that the villagers from outside didn't hear him. Zhang Wuliang took a deep breath and suddenly shouted, "Everyone quiet down!"
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