After Cui Yunqi left, only Chen Xu and Feng Yuanbai were left in the inn room.

County Magistrate Feng stayed, as he still had things to say to Chen Xu.

Once the door was closed again, and the room fell back into silence, Feng Yuanbai immediately said, "Xu zhi, when will you also give me a poem?"

Before Chen Xu could respond, Feng Yuanbai consoled himself, "Forget it, art always requires a gifted hand; how could it come by demand? Alas."

He sighed, looking wistfully at Chen Xu.

Chen Xu looked back, but before long, Feng Yuanbai laughed aloud, finally breaking the melancholic atmosphere of the moment.

This County Magistrate could be quite mischievous at times.

Chen Xu chuckled as well.

He had a thought, and poured some spirit wine for Feng Yuanbai, saying: "Feng brother, it seems you still have things to entrust me with.

Perfect, a fine phrase needs to be accompanied by fine wine, come, let's have another drink together."

The two sat across from each other again, and this time Feng Yuanbai did not hesitate to compliment, "Good wine! It truly has an extraordinary charm. Xu zhi, if you were to sell this wine outside, it would be more precious than gold."

[Like +500].

Excellent, this is precisely the praise I wanted from Feng brother.

As expected from an Advanced Scholar, a few more praises could match the spread of two paragraphs of 'Artificial Beast' for a day or two.

In recent days, the likes that 'Artificial Beast' has brought to Chen Xu have decreased, yielding only about three to four hundred daily.

After some time, it might decrease even more. Chen Xu was already considering gifting spirit wine and other items to his close mentors and friends.

But gift-giving requires consideration, and can't be done blindly.

For instance, giving more fine wine when Master Wu is about to leave would be very appropriate and expected.

As for now, Chen Xu said with a smile, "I named this wine Drunken Spirit, if Feng brother likes it, be sure to take a jug home later."

Seeing Feng Yuanbai about to decline, Chen Xu quickly said, "Feng brother, don't refuse, surely we can't even share a jug of wine between us?"

Saying this, Feng Yuanbai instantly laughed and said, "In that case, I humbly accept. It truly is good wine. I might even gain some spiritual insight drinking a cup daily after returning."

[Like +300].

What a pity, even County Magistrate Feng's likes have a limit; even with consuming spirit wine, there is still a decline.

Of course, one should not be too greedy.

Whether it's [500] likes or [300], Chen Xu gladly accepted them all.

After exchanging a few words, Feng Yuanbai brought up the main topic.

He started startlingly, "Xu zhi, Wei Tang is dead."

Wei Tang?

The Wei Family descendant whose foundation was cut off by a ghost during the Ghost Market outing.

Chen Xu immediately reacted, asking, "Wei Tang is dead; what about Wang Ji now?"

Feng Yuanbai sipped the spirit wine lightly and said, "Wang Ji was sent to practice cultivation in the ancestral home of the Wang family in Yunheng County. It is said he's being detained in the family temple. He's not dead, but he broke both his legs."

These few short words clearly outlined quite a turbulent event.

No wonder Feng Yuanbai previously mentioned that Yunjiang Prefecture would surely face turmoil.

Yet, this turmoil seems not to affect most people.

Chen Xu pondered silently; Feng Yuanbai continued, "Several members of the Wei clan were accused of forcibly taking women, occupying good land, beating actors to death, and driving decent families to ruin days ago.

The victims sued several members of the Wei family to the County Government; I have accepted the case."

Chen Xu asked, "Was this the work of the Wang Family?"

"It's hard to say; the Wang Family hasn't shown themselves." Feng Yuanbai chuckled, saying, "But a case is a case, and as a County Magistrate, though I might be a bit incompetent.

Yet since it is a real case, with solid evidence. I should naturally judge according to the law and seek justice for the people!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xu immediately admired, "Feng brother, you are truly noble and admirable."

Feng Yuanbai smiled slightly, raised his cup as a gesture to Chen Xu, and said, "It's a matter of duty, what nobility? Xu zhi, I mentioned this to remind you to be wary of Wei Song."

"Wei Song?" Chen Xu remembered that Feng Yuanbai had mentioned Wei Song previously.

Apparently, a concubine's son of the Wei family, after Wei Tang's death, Wei Song was inevitably expected to rise in the Wei family.

Feng Yuanbai said, "Wei Song was originally insignificant. In this provincial exam, he just barely made it to the last spot and earned himself a Scholar title.

If he doesn't lose his head, he won't go around making enemies easily.

But when I saw him at the court last time, I felt something was off about this person.

In any case, whether you stay in the Prefecture City or go to the Prefecture School for study, keep away from him.

I am not saying you should be afraid of him, but… hehe, Xu zhi, watching the fire from the other side of the river is quite interesting indeed.

You will see; it may not be long before this person drags the entire Wei family down too."

For Feng Yuanbai to make such a conclusion, it shows just how poorly he thinks of Wei Song.

And though he was talking about Wei Song, in reality, he was referring to the struggles within aristocratic families.

The grand Wei family in Yunjiang Prefecture, after a series of seemingly chaotic disturbances, seems to be on the verge of decline.

While the previously targeted Wang family, in this wave of turmoil, instead, silently survived.

Chen Xu was contemplative.

Feng Yuanbai said, "Many upheavals in the world depend on timing and response.

Wang Xian seems inconspicuous, yet in times of turmoil, he always picks the right moment to do the most appropriate things.

I must learn his ways of doing things too.

He was willing to lower himself, personally appearing the day after the Ghost Market incident to present gifts, thanking you publicly, calming things down.

He was also ruthless enough to break his own son's legs and send him to the countryside.

Subsequently, he compensated heavily, reconciled with other families, and focused the conflict on the Wei family.

If the Wei family collapses in the future, the wealth the Wang family paid out recently will soon be replenished naturally.

Xu zhi, passing the Scholar exam may only require knowledge of disputes on paper and classic interpretations.

But the provincial exam is not at all like that.

This round in Yunjiang Prefecture, you should experience it carefully, and I'll continue to inform you of further developments.

After hearing more, with your intelligence, you'll naturally comprehend things clearly.

What advantages the aristocratic family descendants may have, will no longer be advantages for you."

Feng Yuanbai rambled on extensively, demonstrating genuine care and concern.

It could be said that even in the closest student and teacher relationships, such dialogues might not occur.

You certainly wouldn't learn these things in school.

Chen Xu was touched and silently etched Feng Yuanbai's words in his heart.

Feng Yuanbai added, "Though the provincial exam is approaching fast, with your eidetic memory and exceptional perception, I believe you can transcend conventionality and achieve good results again."

He was cheering Chen Xu on; Chen Xu quickly thanked him.

Feng Yuanbai suddenly changed the subject, asking, "Xu zhi, what is that treasure you've been carrying in your arms? May I have a look?"

He actually asked about the Mouse Demon in Chen Xu's arms!

It's no surprise; Feng Yuanbai is not blind. How could he not notice that Chen Xu was holding little Ah Shi?

Back when Chen Xu first met Ah Shi at the Market of the Earth God, Ah Shi was almost like a child of seven or eight in height.

But that was because of the strange influence of the Earth God Market, which made Chen Xu smaller.

Ah Shi wasn't actually that big.

Now, having left the Market of the Earth God, in the real world, Ah Shi is only four inches tall, a tiny little thing that Chen Xu can hold with one hand.

He carefully placed Ah Shi against his chest, feeling the smallness and fragility of the creature's body, and silently paused.

Chen Xu was asking himself, how much of Ah Shi's situation could he expose to County Magistrate Feng's inquiry?

Ah Shi could trust Chen Xu, and Chen Xu could trust Feng Yuanbai.

But Chen Xu couldn't make the decision for Ah Shi to "trust" Feng Yuanbai.

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