Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 28 A King Should Die in Three Days

"This is fine. Come pick me up in seven days."

That night, Xu Xuan returned to his small courtyard on the edge of Qiantang County and made an appointment with the academy's groom.

Zhao Hu also parted ways at this time.

"Mr. Xu, are you really not going to stay at Fenglai Tower or on a pleasure boat for the night? This courtyard has probably been uninhabited for a while now."

Despite his repeated refusals, the other party already regarded Xu Xuan as a master of criminal law, and naturally treated him with utmost respect, daring not to show the slightest contempt or negligence.

"No need. Scholars pursue a simple life with just a bowl of rice and a gourd of water. Having a roof over their heads is already a blessing."

".I see."

That was too pretentious; he certainly didn't believe it. The county magistrate, lacking the education to handle the situation, could only agree to meet again the next morning.

Watching Zhao Hu leave, Xu Xuan sighed with regret.

"Alas, the pleasure boat cannot be approached lightly."

If we were to ask who in the entire Qiantang County had the best lifestyle, it would undoubtedly be Master Xu.

Although obtaining one's destined cultivation method is a matter of luck, the immense karmic consequences cannot be ignored.

Wait until you have some real leverage before you start criticizing.

He turned around, pushed open the still creaking wooden door, and walked in naturally.

This old house has undergone some changes.

By the moonlight, one could see the more dilapidated blue bricks, the saplings sprouting new buds, the water tanks that held some rainwater, and the barren open ground with hardly any wild grass.

It is obvious that although blood contains rich nutrients, it is too salty and causes the soil to stick together after being poured in, which affects the ventilation and aeration of the root system.

It seems that much knowledge can only be verified through practice.

With a wave of my hand, a gentle breeze blew down from the sky, wandering through every corner of the room through the cracks, carrying away all the dust.

It's simply the instinct of those who have entered the Dao to manipulate the primordial energy of heaven and earth.

Xu Xuan nodded in satisfaction, feeling a sense of accomplishment at times like this, as if he were a cultivator.

After a quick wash, I went to bed.

Meanwhile, at the county government office, Zhao Hu was reporting on the day's itinerary.

From Master Li's complaints to his daytime inspection of the scene outside the city, he recounted every detail.

"Instructor Xu is very knowledgeable about criminal law. He can even find a child's shoes based on the slightest clues. It is said that he learned the techniques from books such as 'Collected Cases of Injustice Rectified' and 'Doubts.'"

This statement made Song Youde very concerned.

Chongqi Academy, Sheng Yuanfu, criminal law, representative, case handling.

Hmm... It seems Professor Sheng didn't just randomly choose someone to deliver the message. Could it be a disciple?

I didn't realize Xu Hanwen was so capable.

He had already obtained the other party's information by the afternoon, since the household registration was in Qiantang and the scholar was considered a celebrity.

After investigation, it was discovered that the other party was a teacher at Jintian Academy just over a month ago, which immediately put them at ease.

Unexpectedly, he changed his identity just over a month later.

Magistrate Song's opinion of Xu Xuan was elevated once again.

This person is either exceptionally talented or possesses some clever methods for advancement.

"In that case, you should follow Instructor Xu closely tomorrow and report anything that happens."

"Yes."

The next day, Zhao Hu arrived early outside Xu Xuan's residence, and the two met up and headed towards the yamen.

Some case file details need to be reviewed, and similar cases need to be compared.

This morning will most likely be the same routine: Xu Xuan drinking tea outside the archives while the county magistrate recites the documents back and forth.

At this moment
"Those who speak value words, those who act value change, those who make tools value images, and those who divine value divination."

"Is the young master looking for something?"

An old man dressed in hemp clothing and carrying a long staff stood in front of the two.

The old man's hair was half gray and half white, his face was covered with wrinkles, and his body was somewhat hunched.

But his voice was still strong, and he shouted it out from several feet away. Zhao Hu frowned, a cold glint flashing in his narrow eyes. He was wearing official robes, and this fortune teller wasn't blind. What audacity!

They simply didn't act rashly; generally, it's best to avoid offending fortune tellers.

The old man, with a forced smile, took out a handful of yarrow stalks and extended them over.

"It only costs five coins per time. If you do the math, you won't lose out."

The price is quite cheap, definitely below market price, even an ordinary family can afford one.

"Those who speak value words? Is the old man reading the Book of Changes?"

"Understood."

The old man stroked his beard with a hint of pride, as if to say, "Young man, you have good taste, so hurry up and calculate it."

"No, I don't have the money."

Xu Xuan calmly spoke out on the bustling street.

The fortune teller's face froze. "You're dressed so respectably, how can you be so shameless?"

Zhao Hu was a perceptive man and wouldn't say something pointless like offering five coins for Instructor Xu at this time.

It's obvious they just don't want to calculate.

"Young master, please don't misunderstand. My divination is unusual. Those who are destined to receive it will only need five coins, while those who are not will not receive five gold coins."

"Look, this century-old yarrow, also known as thousand-leaf yarrow, has the ability to communicate with the spirit world; it moves without wind when it encounters someone with a predestined connection."

"I have wasted half my life, all for the sake of Huifuyuan."

His tone was quite mysterious, and he rambled on and on about things that made it hard to keep up.

I have to say, this old guy has something special; his packaging skills are quite impressive.

It's not comparable to anything like making an ironclad prediction.

Even Zhao Huming, who knew that all ten fortune tellers were adept at reading people, became a little curious.

“Then I won’t even pay five coins, but that would mean severing all ties.”

Only Xu Xuan remained unmoved by reason, and what followed was bound to be some bloodshed or disaster, or financial loss to avoid the calamity.

This kind of trick doesn't even qualify for a talk show.

The old man's body went numb.

In the relatively simple ancient society, encountering a scholar with a strong sense of vigilance against fraud was like hitting a brick wall.

The malice within me was churning, yet why was it so difficult to obtain even a wisp of breath?

Suppressing the urge to kill the person in front of him, he could only awkwardly proceed to the next step.

"To be honest, I dared not approach you from afar when I saw your aura surging, but just now I cast a divination. It says you will die in three days!"

“I possess a minor skill; give me ten gold pieces, and I will perform a ritual to avert the calamity.”

His body suddenly straightened, his words turned cold, and his mouth seemed to judge life and death.

Trying to scare me?
"Life and death are already decided; how can magic undo the devastation?"

With a single glance from Xu Xuan, Zhao Hu produced an iron ruler, and the old man immediately became more discreet.

He doesn't follow the path of physical strength; the iron ruler could really kill him, so he can only continue to pretend.

"Treasure this tip, don't regret it!"

Just as he sighed and turned around, he lost his footing and the yarrow stalks in his hand fell to the ground.

The old man immediately bent down to pick it up, but the two people beside him showed no respect for the elderly or care for the young, had no intention of helping, and were even preparing to leave.

Just then, a gust of wind blew by, and a yarrow stalk was lifted up and floated down towards the instep of Xu Xuan.

The old man's hand followed.

Then, Xu Xuan reacted extremely quickly, taking three steps in two, and instantly moved a full zhang away.

"Grandpa, take your time picking them up."

After saying that, he left the place with Zhao Hu.

(End of this chapter)