Scripture of Days Past

Chapter 64: Storytelling

Over the past few days, Chu Qiguang had become familiar with Hao Yongtai’s servants. He was quite popular among them as he was very generous with his bribes.

He gestured for the servant to sit, then asked him about the recent state of the Hao Clan.

”Our clan leader has been very short-tempered lately and quick to anger,” the servant said with a sigh, shaking his head. ”I presume it must have something to do with the land reforms.”

Chu Qiguang nodded. The most authoritative figure in the Hao Clan was Hao Yongtai and Hao Yongnian’s father, who was a compiler at the Imperial Hanlin Academy, while his brother was currently serving as the leader of the Hao Clan.

After chatting a while longer, the servant took his leave.

It seems the conflict between the major clans of Azure Sun County and the county magistrate is growing more intense. The county magistrate wants to remeasure the land, which means the major clans must return their land to the county office. Naturally, this is something they’re unwilling to do.

Under normal circumstances, this would turn into a long and drawn-out conflict. However, according to Qiao Zhi, the current grand secretary of the grand secretariat is set to retire within a month or two. Once Wu Siqi of the Wu Clan takes over, the situation will likely be resolved quickly.

As the night deepened, Chu Qiguang suddenly heard a scratching sound coming from deep within the library.

What’s that sound? Are there rats in here? Or perhaps a stray cat?

Chu Qiguang was about to ignore it and continue reading when he suddenly heard something cutting through the air behind him. He reacted at once, stepping aside to dodge.

Turning around, he saw a fair-skinned young girl glaring at him as she yelled, ”Who are you? How dare you trespass on our clan’s private library!”

”This is a misunderstanding!” Chu Qiguang hurriedly explained. ”Young Master Hao Yongtai gave me permission to access this place.”

The girl remained skeptical, and she was only convinced after Chu Qiguang called for the servant outside to come in and vouch for him.

After learning that Chu Qiguang was a friend of Hao Yongtai’s, the girl’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she apologized, ”I’m sorry, I didn’t know my brother brought you here. Usually, no one comes to the library.”

Looking at the fair-skinned young woman standing before him, Chu Qiguang recalled something he had learned from the Hao Clan’s servants.

This must be Hao Yongtai and Hao Yongnian’s younger sister, Hao Xiangtong. Now that I think about it, I saw her at Hao Yongnian’s funeral.

Chu Qiguang graciously accepted her apology, and the two introduced themselves.

Hao Xiangtong instructed the servant not to tell anyone else that she had come here, then she dismissed him. She turned back to Chu Qiguang, her eyes filled with curiosity as she asked, ”So you’re the one who found the fox fiend that killed Hao Yongnian?”

Chu Qiguang nodded. Hao Xiangtong immediately began asking him about the details of the case, looking very excited and intrigued. Her lack of grief when Hao Yongnian was mentioned made it clear that they hadn’t been close. According to the servants, they had different mothers, so this wasn’t surprising.

Chu Qiguang walked her through the entire process of solving the case. Even after hearing everything, she still looked eager to hear more.

”I wish I had been there to see you solve the case! Have you investigated any other cases before?”

Chu Qiguang paused for a moment, recalling something that Qiao Zhi had once told him.

According to Qiao Zhi, neither Hao Yongnian nor Hao Yongtai had been set to make much out of themselves. However, Hao Xiangtong had an exceptional future ahead of her.

Due to the relatively high investment-to-reward ratio of cultivating martial arts, that was the preferred path for the noble and wealthy, while cultivation of Dao arts was rarely pursued. Men had many natural physical advantages over women, making them more suited to martial arts cultivation. As a result, men generally held a higher social status.

That said, women were naturally more attentive and patient, giving them greater potential in Dao arts cultivation than men. According to Qiao Zhi, Hao Xiangtong was an exceptional Dao arts cultivation prodigy, but her life would ultimately be marred by tragedy.

Hao Xiangtong was not only born into a wealthy clan, but she also stood out among her peers in appearance. In the future, a marriage would be arranged between her and the heir-apparent of the Wu Clan.

However, only a few years after their marriage, she would be captured by the northern wolf race and taken to the northwestern grasslands, where she would be forced to become a concubine of the emperor of the Great Qian Empire. During her fierce resistance, she would be severely injured and stripped of her martial arts cultivation base.

Alone in the Great Qian Empire and surrounded by enemies who constantly mocked and humiliated her, she didn’t surrender, even in the depths of despair. Instead, she secretly continued cultivating the Immortal Dao art Name and Principle.

According to Qiao Zhi, both Name and Principle and Elixir of Undying of the Immortal Dao were among the twenty-five orthodox arts, while the Immortal Dao was the first human religion to spread Dao arts to the northern fiends.

With incredible resolve, Hao Xiangtong endured immense pressure and humiliation. After twenty years of arduous cultivation, she finally reached the Dao Comprehension state. Then she killed the emperor of the Great Qian Empire before going on a rampage through the imperial palace. She slew the empress and all of the emperor’s concubines, then killed over a hundred guards and eunuchs before finally dying at the hands of the Great Qian Empire’s most powerful cultivators.

However, for now, Hao Xiangtong was still just an innocent girl who was completely unaware of the cruel hand that fate had dealt her.

”Have you solved any other cases?” Hao Xiangtong asked again. ”Tell me about them.”

Chu Qiguang was pulled out of his thoughts by her request. He felt a trace of annoyance at being interrupted in his reading, but he decided to indulge her.

Given her potential, she’s worth at least a thousand Chen Gangs. It’s worth investing a little time and effort in her.

With that in mind, he put on a warm smile. ”It seems like you’re very interested in the investigations carried out by the county office, Young Mistress Hao.”

”I am,” Hao Xiangtong replied with a nod. ”I’ve always loved stories.”

”In that case, I think I have one that you’ll enjoy,” Chu Qiguang said.

Whenever Hao Xiangtong was bored, she would come to the library to look for stories and novels to read. Her parents were worried that she was spending too much time reading, so they had forbidden her from visiting the library. As a result, she was forced to sneak in through the window whenever she felt the urge to read.

Hao Xiangtong’s eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded eagerly. ”What kind of story is it?”

Drawing inspiration from her future, Chu Qiguang began, ”There are legends of a small nation called the Great Tang Empire far, far away. Martial arts do not exist in the Great Tang Empire, so Dao arts are the only feasible path for aspiring cultivators. Our story begins with the young mistress of the Wu Clan, Wu Zetian, whose engagement has just been broken by her fiancè’s clan...”

Hao Xiangtong listened intently as Wu Zetian struck back at those who wronged her, only to be punished for her defiance and sent to clean the ancestral hall. There, she stumbled upon an evil dragon fruit...

Compared to Earth, this world felt like a cultural wasteland. Hao Xiangtong had never heard a story this vivid and engaging before. It also helped that Chu Qiguang was an excellent storyteller. There was something about his presence that made it easy for her to get drawn into his story.

She listened, enraptured, as Wu Zetian became a powerful Dao artist, and her heart was brimming with excitement for what was to come.

However, right as Wu Zetian was about to take revenge on the man who had broken off their engagement and his mistress, Chu Qiguang suddenly stood up and said, ”It’s getting late. I should head home.”

”You can’t leave now!” Hao Xiangtong cried, grabbing his arm. ”You have to tell me what happens next!”

”I can’t finish the whole story in one day,” Chu Qiguang replied. ”The story has to be told in parts. They’re called chapters.”