#27 - Mo Chi, who is this kid?
Wu Kingdom, Imperial Capital.
Above the most central area of the Imperial Capital, a golden dragon coiled.
This dragon seemed tireless, constantly shuttling back and forth through the clouds.
The dragon had no physical form, but was formed from the gathered luck of mountains and rivers.
Below the dragon was the Wu Kingdom's Imperial Palace.
Inside the Imperial Study.
A man in a dragon robe was reviewing memorials.
Behind this middle-aged man stood a dignified and beautiful woman.
The woman wore a white strapless dress, its delicate lace highlighting her fair legs, long and slender, perfectly outlining her exquisite curves.
Her ankles were bare, her tender feet touching the ground, each toe distinct like grains of rice swollen with water, her soft soles caressing the floor, as if lifting them would leave a charming footprint in the air.
A strand of hair inadvertently brushed across her face, and she touched her lips, pulling away the clinging strand, the place where the hair had passed still faintly fragrant.
Her eyes were like autumn waves, full of deep affection, every smile and frown exuding grace and charm, the innocence of a maiden and the elegant charm of a married woman seemingly natural to her.
Without extra adornment, her dark hair was coiled up, refined and elegant, strands falling naturally, brushing past her ears.
On her fair, rosy left ear, a phoenix-shaped hairpin could be faintly seen, the light flickering, but her face always carried a faint smile.
This woman was the current Empress of the Wu Kingdom, ranked ninety-third on the Red Beauty List—Xiao Ke.
"Alas."
The Wu Emperor sighed heavily as he reviewed the memorials.
"Why does Your Majesty sigh?" Xiao Ke asked softly, her eyes fluttering.
"How can I not sigh?"
The Wu Emperor put down the memorials and rubbed his eyes.
"Those barbarians in the Northern Wilderness constantly harass the borders, daily battles never cease, and the people live in misery.
The Demonic Cult in the west is constantly infiltrating our country to preach, and now all four regions of my Wu Dynasty have strongholds of those Demonic Cults, which cannot be eradicated.
If it were just that, the Demonic Cults in the Western Regions would be countered by Buddhism, and those Demonic Cults are leaderless, a disorganized rabble.
But yesterday, the governor of Xiliang Prefecture sent a letter saying that a Green Lotus Saintess has appeared in the Western Regions Demonic Cult!
Furthermore, the various sects within my Wu Dynasty are disobedient and unruly. They seem obedient, but in reality, they don't take my Wu Dynasty seriously at all.
The Qi Kingdom has also produced a child prodigy who can compose poems in seven steps, has a photographic memory, and is born with literary talent...
How can I not worry about this?"
"Your Majesty overthinks things."
Xiao Ke gently massaged the Wu Emperor's shoulders, smiling.
"The Northern Wilderness is guarded by General Chen, who has won consecutive battles, striking fear into the hearts of the Northern Wilderness barbarians.
The so-called Green Lotus Saintess of the Western Regions Demonic Cult is only seven years old and hasn't even entered the Azure Cloud Rankings.
The sects of the Wu Dynasty do not obey orders, but do the sects of other dynasties obey? Those immortal cultivation sects are all the same, Your Majesty is troubled, and so are they.
As for the Qi Kingdom producing a child prodigy, what does it matter?
Now, the Xu family has produced an Xu Xuenuo, who entered the Cave Realm at the age of five, unprecedented, and the whole world knows it.
Furthermore, the Qin family has produced a Qin Qingwan, a congenital saint, who has been accepted as a disciple by the National Teacher.
Isn't this Heaven's blessing upon our Wu Kingdom?"
Hearing the Empress's comforting words, the Wu Emperor's brow relaxed slightly, but he was still somewhat worried: "That's what you say, but Ke'er, we call those fellows in the Northern Wilderness barbarians, do you know what the Qi Kingdom calls us? Also barbarians!
My Wu Kingdom was established through martial prowess, and in their eyes, we are just barbarians who only know how to wield swords and spears.
There are a total of three thousand teachers and students in the White Deer Academy.
The Qi Kingdom has five hundred teachers and students in the White Deer Academy.
And what about us? To this day, we have only produced three...
Our literary style is weak, and we are always ridiculed, and no one will recognize us."
"Your Majesty is truly anxious." Xiao Ke shook her head. "The Wu Kingdom has only been established for two hundred and fifty-five years, while the Qi Kingdom has been established for a thousand years. Our Wu Kingdom will surely surpass them in the future."
"I'm just afraid of being left further and further behind..." The Wu Emperor smiled. "Speaking of which, your younger brother didn't become an official and became a teacher instead. I don't know how well he's teaching."
Xiao Ke covered her mouth and chuckled, her face quite proud: "Mo Chi, he—"
"Your Majesty..." Just as the Empress was halfway through her sentence, Eunuch Wei walked in, "Mr. Xiao requests an audience."
"Oh, as soon as we mention him, he comes." The Wu Emperor laughed, "Quickly, let him in."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Eunuch Wei quickly withdrew.
Soon after, Xiao Mo Chi walked into the Imperial Study, cupping his hands in a bow: "Commoner Xiao Mo Chi greets Your Majesty."
"Still a commoner." The Wu Emperor said to the Empress with a smile, "Ke'er, listen to him. Isn't it that this kid won't take office and wants to be a commoner?"
Xiao Ke pursed her lips slightly and did not respond.
"Rise." The Wu Emperor looked at Xiao Mo Chi, increasingly appreciating him. "Speak, what wind has blown our great talent Xiao over here?"
Xiao Mo Chi straightened up and smiled: "Your Majesty instructed Mo Chi to report for duty seven days after the academy opened, so Mo Chi has come."
"Oh, right, that's true." The Wu Emperor remembered. "Then, our Wu Kingdom's number one talent, what have you gained from teaching those ignorant children for seven days?"
Xiao Mo Chi: "Among the academy, even the worst child can already recite five poems from the Book of Songs."
"..." The Wu Emperor was speechless. You're a student from the White Deer Academy, teaching children, and you're so proud that they can recite five poems?
"Is there more?" Xiao Ke looked at His Majesty's expression and asked.
"Returning to Your Majesty the Empress, there are two students whom Mo Chi finds very surprising." Xiao Mo Chi cupped his hands.
"Oh? Which pampered young master of a wealthy family has caught your attention? Tell me about it." The Wu Emperor became interested.
"One is the third young master of the Xu family—Xu Pangda. Pangda is only five years old, but he is extremely hardworking. Although his talent is not the highest, that tenacity is very rare."
The Wu Emperor stroked his chin: "The other child you care about, is he the most talented in the academy?"
Xiao Mo Chi nodded: "Yes, before, a swan mistakenly entered the academy, and Mo Chi asked the children to write poems about the swan. This is the poem written by that little friend."
Xiao Mo Chi presented a blank sheet of paper, and Xiao Ke stepped forward to take the paper and hand it to the Wu Emperor.
The Wu Emperor unfolded it and his eyes suddenly lit up, and he couldn't help but read it out: "Goose, goose, goose, cranes its neck and sings to the sky. White feathers float on green water, red webs stir clear waves."
After reading it, the Wu Emperor paused slightly.
Xiao Ke, who was beside him, had even more sparkling eyes. Such a poem should not be written by a child, but the childlike innocence revealed in the poem should be written by a child.
The Wu Emperor closed the paper and said seriously: "Mo Chi, who is this child?"
Xiao Mo Chi cupped his hands: "This child is the son of Xu Zhishi of the Xu State Residence—the son of the Fifth Consort, Xu Ming."
