The sun rises.
After a night of sailing, the plains have transformed into continuous mountains. The mountains are not steep; they are gentle. The reeds on the shore have disappeared, replaced by continuous forests. Mist pervades, and the scenery on both sides is indistinct, creating an ethereal atmosphere.
Inside the cabin, Lord Wang sits in a red robe, eating silently, unchanged from yesterday. Chen Xuanze inexplicably feels that something is off with Lord Wang but can't pinpoint what it is. After finishing the meal, Lord Wang and Old Master Lv don't let the others continue practicing swords and spears. Instead, they have four people stand at the bow of the ship to stretch their muscles with simple poses like stretching, kicking legs, and standing on one leg.
After Lord Wang and Old Master Lv return to the cabin, Chen Xuanze quietly asks Chen Qianqian beside him, "Qianqian, did you make Lord Wang angry while practicing swords with Qingxuan?" "No, Lord Wang is very satisfied with Qingxuan's talent and even praised him. We just stood there practicing cutting and chopping, nothing else." Chen Xuanze nods. It's not Chen Qianqian and Wang Qingxuan who offended Lord Wang; there must be something else going on.
The boat continues its journey. Inside the cabin, Old Master Lv, who has finished cleaning the bowls and chopsticks, sighs and says, "Qingzhi, why not talk to me? You've been stuck at the fourth rank for so long; it's because of this unresolved issue. Otherwise, you wouldn't have reached the third rank only now." Lord Wang sits there, unchanged in expression, radiating a sense of guilt. He slowly shakes his head and says, "Uncle Lv, I can't let it go. Eighteen years ago, before I entered the capital, on this Tian Shui, there was a hidden dragon and a rampant snake, causing the boat to capsize and people to die. I was lucky, saved by a fishing boat. But then..." At this point, Lord Wang's eyes turn red, and he pauses before continuing, "The couple on that boat had a seven or eight-year-old girl. Tian Shui's fishing boats worship the Dragon King, and the rule is not to save those who fall into the water. When I was in the water, I heard clearly. The little girl cried desperately, and the boatman finally took pity on me. After I got on the boat, the little girl served me a bowl of clear porridge, and after eating, the boatman sent me ashore." Tears roll down Lord Wang's cheeks. "Not long after I got ashore, the little girl kept waving to me from the stern. Then, then, the hidden dragon and snake swallowed the entire boat in one gulp. I could only watch from the shore, watching the terrified eyes of that girl, watching the despair of the couple! For eighteen years, even though I've reached the third rank, I still can't seek revenge for that family. I remember clearly, that family was not wealthy. The little girl saw me shivering and gave me her own lunch. For the grace of saving my life, for the grace of clear porridge, when can I, Wang Qingzhi, repay it? How can I repay it?" Old Master Lv sighs deeply and says, "Ah, the hidden dragon and snake are concealed in Tian Shui, born with the art of concealment. Even the Grand Commander can't do anything about it when they appear. Don't think too much about it; let's go, let's go fishing and calm your mind."
The four people, who have finished stretching, see Lord Wang and Old Master Lv coming out of the cabin. Old Master Lv holds six fishing rods. Lord Wang has now regained his composure and says to the four, "No need to practice in the morning; we're going fishing. No martial arts allowed." Old Master Lv hands out the fishing rods to the four.
Chen Xuanze thought, not allowing the use of martial arts is good. It's hard to say how good Lord Wang and Old Master Lv are at fishing, and with the other three not using martial arts, it's uncertain how many fish they can catch.
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The black-covered boat sails extremely fast, making it not an easy task to catch fish. As expected, Chen Qianqian and Wang Qingxuan sit there wasting fish bait in the crazy waves. To Chen Xuanze's surprise, the bald guy who once claimed he couldn't fish is now hooking fish one by one as if there were people underwater putting fish on his hook. Wang Qingxuan's mouth twitches as he watches; this bald guy, didn't he say he couldn't fish? So, he's been pretending not to know for so many years? Doesn't the Buddha say that monks shouldn't tell lies? He forgot that before the Three Burials took a vow of silence, both their masters were present, and there was no need to fish. After the Three Burials took the vow of silence, he never spoke again. So, it's not considered lying. With Lord Wang here, Wang Qingxuan can't say anything. Otherwise, he'd have to arrange nine big bags for the bald guy and let him reach the First Rank Bodhisattva Realm before his cultivation. Just when Wang Qingxuan was itching with anger, Lord Wang said, "Chen Xuanze, come, create a poem on this Tian Shui."
Feeling uncomfortable and unable to concentrate on fishing, Lord Wang is trying to find a way to relieve his frustration. Chen Xuanze pondered for a moment and then spoke: "Have you not seen the water of the great river, coming from the sky, flowing to the sea and never returning? Have you not seen the bright mirror in the high hall, lamenting the white hair, turning from morning silk to evening snow? In life, one should enjoy happiness to the fullest, not let a golden cup be empty against the moon. With innate talent, I am bound to be useful; even if a thousand gold pieces are scattered, they will return."
He stopped abruptly. Lord Wang listened uncomfortably. It's like a big fish biting the hook, the float sinking to the bottom, and when you pull up the rod, not only is there no fish, but the hook has been bitten off. "Is that all?" Chen Xuanze awkwardly nodded. He can't continue, or he'll have to drink heavily later. If he says something like Tang Village's Chen family, a little girl from the Tang Dynasty, and makes up a whole story about the Tang Dynasty, how can he explain it? If he goes on making up nonsense like last time, talking about a Great Tang Dynasty, Lord Wang will definitely hang him on a hook and throw him into Tian Shui to feed the turtles. He doesn't want to go on, but Lord Wang has no intention of letting him off: "Think harder. If you can't come up with something..." The sentence is left unfinished, creating a vast silence with a clear threat. Chen Xuanze has no choice but to toughen up and continue. Pretending to think for a while, he said, "Lord, I've thought of a few more lines. Would you like to hear them?" Lord Wang nods slightly. Clearing his throat, Chen Xuanze continues, facing the surging Tian Shui: "With innate talent, I am bound to be useful; even if a thousand gold pieces are scattered, they will return. Cooking lamb and slaughtering cows are for joy; one must drink three hundred cups. Chen Qianqian, Wang Qingxuan, let's drink, don't stop the cups. I sing a song for you; please lend me your ears. Gold and jade are not enough to be precious in feasts; I just hope to stay drunk and never wake up. In ancient times, the wise and noble were all lonely; only the drinkers left their names. In the past, King Chu feasted in Ping Le, with ten thousand cups of unrestrained joy. Why talk about a shortage of money, just go buy it for me, and we'll drink together to dispel the sorrows of all ages."
Fortunately, his mind is quick, and he included Chen Qianqian and Wang Qingxuan but not the Three Burials; this shameless monk doesn't deserve it. As for King Chu, he was the ruler of the fallen Great Chu. The founding emperor of the Da Liang spared him, granting him the title of King Chu and keeping him in the capital. This King Chu is also an interesting character. Since the restoration of the country is impossible, the skinny calf Yan Zhengjun from Qingfeng Academy sold off Great Chu thoroughly. Since that's the case, Zhao Laoshi didn't kill him; he must take care of his food and lodging. At least he was at the same level as Laobao before. Can't the treatment be worse now?