In Type-Moon, people create a magic family lineage

Chapter 116 Heaven Hears the People's Plea, the Spirit of the Prime Minister and the Reencounter with Fujiwara Kyoko

[A simple line of text, twelve characters—easy to say, but naturally not easy to do.]

But after a night of thinking, you quickly came up with a solution.

[You believe that in this era, your thoughts can condense into phantoms, and your body can exert the mystique of contracts originating from the divine through the meridians. Then, using your body as a conduit—could you also try to condense others' thoughts and ideas about you into phantoms?]

[It's not about using your own thoughts, but about using other people's thoughts and ideas about you.]

You quickly completed the verification, confirming that it is indeed feasible.

After all, while you may not be known to everyone in Yamato today, at least from Dazaifu in Kyushu to Heian-kyo, there are quite a few people who know you.

When people discuss it, they'll think of you.

You can then make use of this 'thought'.

Of course, thoughts can be biased. Only good thoughts that express goodwill towards you can solidify into the 'phantom spirit' you desire, which can help you think and accelerate your thinking. Malice can only create evil spirits for killing, but cannot improve your essence.

Therefore, you need a good reputation, not a bad one.

Therefore, after the verification was completed, the next 'path' became crystal clear.

You need to make your fame bigger and spread it wider; you need to take root in the minds of more people.

Perhaps when your fame surpasses that of Abe no Seimei

Your goal can then be achieved.

【…】

In this era where demons roam freely, natural disasters and man-made calamities occur frequently, but overall it remains relatively stable and peaceful, there are generally only three ways to gain widespread fame and renown.

The first is like Abe no Seimei, who used his own power to intimidate all demons and monsters in the world. His fame was so great that many people simply pasted the five-star Kikyo seal invented by Seimei in their homes. Even though the Kikyo seal had not been consecrated by a monk and had no mystery, it could still make some weak demons dare not move. It was so powerful that just the name of the seal could make many great demons back down.

However, this was only possible because Seimei possessed the ability to do so, combined with his fifty years of accumulated experience.

Lu Kang could not achieve this level of skill in a short time.

The second point is similar to the first.

That means becoming an official, ruling the world, like the current regent.

This is still a route that is extremely difficult to achieve in less than twenty or thirty years, and in the process, the reward may not necessarily be a 'good reputation'.

Lu Kang ultimately chose the third option without hesitation.

He was renowned for his talent, and his fame was unparalleled throughout the world.

Although he was not good at poetry, he could write lyrics, essays, and policy proposals.

Although he actually has no talent in this area.

He is what is called a 'practical talent'.

But relying on the accumulation of two lifetimes, a perspective spanning over 150 years, and knowledge from later generations.

This is actually not difficult.

If we can't be unique, then let a hundred flowers bloom.

One cannot truly achieve something unmatched by others with a single style.

Then let's give him the title of 'all-rounder'.

To achieve overtaking on the entire track!

...

The Heian period of Yamato was an era that was not safe but maintained overall social stability. After the Asuka and Nara periods, which were marked by occasional upheavals, the country had achieved a comprehensive Tang-style structure and reached its population peak, which was in stark contrast to the previous period and also formed a huge gap with the later period of feudal lords.

During this period, Yamato reached its peak in many fields, and its achievements in the cultural field were particularly remarkable.

This includes the Six Poet Immortals of the Pre-Heian Period, Sugawara no Michizane, who was regarded as a god of culture in the Middle Heian Period, and the Three Great Talented Women of the Post-Heian Period.

During the Heian period, influenced by the works of literati from the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty, the culture of mono no aware (the pathos of things) prevailed. Poetry, lyrics, and songs were often predominantly melancholic, with occasional moments of passion but not particularly prominent.

It wasn't until Sugawara no Hajime, known as the "greatest genius of the Heian period" and who boasted of being the "greatest scholar in the land," emerged, that the prevailing sentiment of mono no aware (the pathos of things) was reversed, and the complex and generous spirit of the "late Heian period" was forged.

—On Heian Literature (by Ikeda Kamekami)

...

In the days that followed, you resumed your 9-to-5 routine.

[But in addition to the daily 'check-in' inside the Onmyoryo (Yin-Yang Bureau), you also have a daily itinerary of going to the Heian-gu Palace with Abe no Seimei.]

[You are now a diviner before the Emperor, just like Abe no Seimei. Although your official rank is far lower than Abe no Seimei's, your influence and the weight of your words are incomparable. You have the power to speak directly to the Emperor. Although you have nothing to say to the young and inexperienced Emperor Enyo, I do not recommend taking this opportunity to showcase yourself—especially in terms of culture such as poetry, prose, and strategies.]

The various allusions you casually recited amazed Emperor Enryaku with your erudition, and your occasional discussions of poetry also drew high praise from Regent Fujiwara, who remarked that you possessed the "style of Bai Juyi"—you know, Bai Juyi refers to Bai Juyi, the most revered Tang Dynasty poet of the Heian period.

You accepted the praise with a smile.

But your subsequent display of versatility while maintaining a top-tier level surprised them again and again.

Gradually, what should have been the "imperial divination audience" led by Abe no Seimei turned into a discussion of poetry and philosophy, and a wide range of topics about the world, with you taking the lead.

[Abe no Seimei also quietly retreated behind the scenes, pleased to see this happen.]

Driven by certain individuals with ulterior motives, your remarks in the palace were leaked and became known to countless high-ranking officials and nobles.

People talk about your background, about your lineage as a descendant of Sugawara no Michizane, the "god of learning".

People say that even if Sugawara no Michizane were alive, he wouldn't have your talent and ability.

[At this time, you were not yet six years old, but you were already a favorite in the palace.]

The name 'Peacock Prince' has once again become a hot topic after a long period of silence.

Some have compared you to Cao Zhi, a figure from the Three Kingdoms period of China, saying that you possess unparalleled talent in the entire country.

[Reporting to the Emperor and conveying the people's sentiments]

Soon, your fame spread to even the commoners near Heian-kyo.

Some of your poems are so catchy that even young children can learn to recite and sing them.

You have gained many well-intentioned and positive 'ideas'.

[You have condensed the primordial spirit of thought, pure and flawless, without any impurities, without any physical form, and without any self-awareness; it merely serves as an aid to you, accelerating your thinking and computational power.]

[You named it 'Spirit of the Prime Minister,' meaning to assist the Grand Chancellor—it is currently still illusory, and a single entity is too weak to significantly enhance your mental calculation power. However, based on it, you will continuously condense more 'Spirits of the Prime Minister,' until finally, when the stack is at its highest, it merges into yourself—transforming the false into the real, and the illusory into the actual.]

In addition to this, you have also received a lot of slander and malice.

You condense them into 'evil spirits' and control them outside yourself.

Time flies.

You will soon turn seven, and will continue to enter and leave the palace as usual.

[This is the same route you take every day, the place where you first got 'lost' on your way to Heian-gu Shrine, and the place where you met Fujiwara no Kaori—one of the three great female poets of later generations, Murasaki Shikibu.]

Then you saw a young girl standing on the bridge.

She was staring blankly at the withered lotus leaves and roots, lost in thought.

Chapter 117 A Girl's Thoughts, the Prototype of a Tale

Fujiwara Kaori was six years old at the time.

This age would be considered just the age for children to start kindergarten or preschool, and even in an era where the average age is not high, it would still be considered incredibly immature. However, while most children are still playing and being mischievous, she, born into a privileged family, had already become obsessed with literature, enjoying reading all kinds of books, poems, songs, essays, and novels, and often tried to create her own works.

Although she was young, her creative level could not be very high. However, she was able to use some basic vocabulary and rhymes without making mistakes. In the eyes of others, she was already a rare genius.

In the past, she has received many such praises from others.

however.

Everything changed after that 'Peacock Prince' came to Kyoto six months ago.

The adults no longer paid attention to her as a talented woman, but were more interested in the descendant of the god of learning.

Although the elders in the family still praised her, the thing people fear most in life is comparison.

They are about the same age.

Similar backgrounds.

One who was already able to enter the inner circle and converse eloquently with the Emperor and Regent, and whose works have been passed down through generations despite his young age.

One of them is just starting out, quite talented, but still too immature.

These days, Xiangzi has heard the name Sugawara Hajime so many times that she's practically worn out from hearing it.

Of course, she was not annoyed by this, nor was she jealous. She was simply curious about the protagonist of these countless rumors and legends. This curiosity was similar to the feeling she had when reading those supernatural tales and legends, only more fantastical—the characters in those novels were mostly fictional, while Sugawara no Hajime was a real person, and not far from her.

Ultimately, Xiangzi's initial interest in literature was never about seeking attention or gaining popularity, but rather stemmed from her own love and appreciation for it. In the end, although her family was powerful, belonging to the Fujiwara clan that had been regent for many years, her father's position within the family was not high; he held only the position of a lower-ranking official, Shikibu Taisuke. The reason he was able to freely enter the palace was simply because he had gained the favor of Princess Masako, the wife of the deposed Emperor Reizei.

She also felt a strange sense of familiarity with the Peacock Prince, a descendant of the god of literature who, despite his family's decline, had risen to fame through his own abilities.

Especially when I think back to six months ago.

The figure of a young girl, about the same age as himself, whom he unexpectedly saw while he was in the palace and had a sudden inspiration.

She combined various rumors and guessed that it was probably Sugawara no Hajime himself.

An exorcism ceremony, held every few years, was taking place in the palace that day.

It's normal for the Peacock Prince, who has taken up a position in the Onmyodo, to arrive.

She had also heard that during the past six months, Sugawara no Hajime had frequently traveled between the Bureau of Onmyō and the Imperial Court, and often passed by this place.

So for the past six months, she has stayed here for a while every day.

However, she never saw that boy of the same age who had intrigued her again.

...

"root..."

Gazing at the empty pond after the lotus flowers had withered, the girl, still wearing her elaborate twelve-layered kimono, had her long, smooth black hair cascading down, highlighting her youthful yet delicate and lovely face. Her red eyes rippled slightly, and she suddenly spoke, moved by what she felt.

A 'song of the sorrow of a girl' is about to take shape.

"The lotus root originally resides in the mud, yet its reflection gleams gracefully in the clear water."

The phrase "mono no aware" abruptly ends.

A boy's clear, yet still somewhat childish voice drifted over.

Standing on the bridge, Xiangzi's eyes widened slightly as she looked in the direction of the sound. She saw a figure in a white robe approaching gracefully. His black hat was pulled up to gather his black hair, leaving only thick, long hair hanging down between his temples. His figure was similar to Xiangzi's, and his facial features were equally exquisite, but his temperament was more outstanding—and more confident and sunny.

"We meet again, little girl."

Lu Kang spoke calmly.

The saying goes, "To meet is to be destined."

Although you wouldn't intentionally try to run into them, now that you know they are also a historically renowned figure—the author of the famous book "The Tale of Genji"—you'd never hesitate to put on a show if you were to meet them again.

If only I could gain the 'thoughts' and 'thoughts' of this talented woman.

[This will also be of great help to you.]

[That's what you're thinking]

Upon hearing your words, the little girl opposite you paused for a moment, then, regaining her senses, parted her red lips slightly.

"I'm not some little girl."

The girl's demeanor remained serene, but her words were still somewhat stiff: "I am Fujiwara Kaori, the personal lady-in-waiting of Princess Masako."

Lu Kang was speechless.

"Then... Lady Fujiwara, greetings."

Lu Kang bent down slightly.

Fujiwara Kaori's poised and confident demeanor left her feeling inexplicably embarrassed, and she quickly said, "No... that's not what I meant..."

"What does that young girl mean?" Lu Kang asked seriously. "Please enlighten me."

"I wouldn't dare to offer any advice or guidance."

As a lady-in-waiting in the palace, although she was still very young, the girl's etiquette was still qualified and excellent. Coming back to her senses, she wore a twelve-layered kimono and bowed slightly, which was so standard that no one could find fault with her. Looking at the young boy in front of her, she immediately said, "Greetings, Dr. Sugawara of the Bureau of Onmyōryō."