Infinite Professions

Chapter 377 - 197: Huang Hex (Part 2)

Chen Chuan furrowed his brows, "Song External Official?"

"Indeed, it is the Patriarch of the Song Family, the elder brother of County Captain Song!"

The Assistant Official said solemnly, "Originally the village head of Little Huang Village, due to his meritorious governance of Little Huang Village and financial support to the Government Office for mountain opening and road construction, Lü Wenxuan and Lord Lu recommended him for appointment as Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and Land Affairs of Qinghe County, holding a Junior Seventh Grade Official Position."

"..."

Chen Chuan was silent for a moment and then inquired, "Was this Yellow Crane Tower funded by him?"

The Assistant Official nodded, "Yes!"

"Then let’s go take a look."

Upon hearing this, Chen Chuan said nothing more, directly allowing the Assistant Official to lead the way.

The Assistant Official led him forward, and after a short while, they saw a tower standing by the water, towering above the surroundings.

This place was even more crowded, mostly with literati and scholars, gentlemen and ladies, but also many villagers.

The literati entered the tower, gentlemen and ladies strolled by the river, while common villagers watched the spectacle outside.

Chen Chuan squinted his eyes, "It seems the cost of this tower was not low."

"Indeed, not low."

The Assistant Official nodded, "But if someone possesses extraordinary talent and answers the challenges within the tower, they may enter even if they are penniless, as Yellow Crane Tower offers free hospitality."

"Oh?"

Chen Chuan raised his brows, "Is there such a thing?"

The Assistant Official laughed, "How could I dare deceive?"

"Then let’s go take a look!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Chuan said nothing more and stepped forward.

Stepping forward, before entering the tower, he saw a long queue to the side, mostly consisting of villagers in simple attire.

The Assistant Official explained from the side, "Most of the tower’s challenges are simple; even ordinary villagers might solve them, hence attracting many villagers."

Chen Chuan nodded, "If solved, can one enter the tower to dine?"

"Not exactly dine."

The Assistant Official chuckled, "Just a small cup of wine and some snacks, but most villagers prefer to exchange it for prize money. Though only a dozen or twenty coins, it is enough to bring joy."

"Oh?"

Chen Chuan raised his brows, turning his gaze to the side, landing on a honest-looking young man, who was scratching his head over a piece of paper. He immediately stepped forward, "Young man, is that the challenge from Yellow Crane Tower in your hand?"

"Yes, it is!"

The young man, honest and truthful, nodded.

Chen Chuan chuckled amicably, "May I take a look?"

"It’s okay..."

The young man hesitated for a moment, but eventually handed the paper over to him.

Chen Chuan took a look, seeing the black and white script on paper, the challenge posed.

"Now there are pheasants and rabbits in the same cage, with thirty-five heads above and ninety-four feet below. How many of each?"

"It’s actually a mathematical challenge?"

Chen Chuan furrowed his brows, looking at the Assistant Official beside him.

The Assistant Official smiled, "The Yellow Crane Tower challenges are of various kinds, including basic literary challenges, mathematical challenges, agricultural challenges, industrial challenges, and more."

"..."

Hearing this, Chen Chuan furrowed his brows tightly, but said nothing further, turning his gaze back to the honest young man, "Thank you, young brother. In return, I’ll solve this for you: with the heads above and feet below, using heads divided by feet and feet divided by heads, it is twenty-three pheasants and twelve rabbits..."

"Who asked for your solution!?"

Before the words finished, he was interrupted, as the young man angrily snatched the paper back from his hand, "How can cheating be allowed? I painstakingly lined up, now I have to queue again, hmph!"

Saying this, he ignored him and quickly returned to the queue with the paper tucked away.

"This..."

Chen Chuan was taken aback, amazed, turning his head to look at the Assistant Official.

The Assistant Official helplessly smiled, "Although Yellow Crane Tower’s challenges aren’t an imperial examination, others solving for them is not allowed. Sir, your good intentions backfired."

Chen Chuan, "..."

Chen Chuan remained silent, the aides furrowed their brows, looking at their surroundings, "With so many people and no oversight, how can they know who solves it for themselves?"

"Three feet above one’s head are Divine Beings!"

The Assistant Official shook his head, "Villagers hold reverence in their hearts and dare not cross the line lightly, lest they offend the Divine Beings, violate laws, and gain nothing!"

"..."

"..."

Both remained silent for a moment until finally Chen Chuan redirected his gaze, "Let’s go upstairs first."

Upon finishing, he stepped inside.

The first floor was lively, bustling with people, and noisy, with a large gathering of villagers.

Arriving at the second floor, one finally found some tranquility, not only were there fewer people, but also some scholars and noble ladies.

In this manner, reaching the eighth floor, it was already a realm of quiet.

Though calm, it was not deserted, most did not make a noise or had entered private rooms.

After all, those who could ascend to this eighth floor were either talented or wealthy, and generally not so uncouth.

Of course, when emotions ran deep, there were quite a few passionate individuals who drank wine and sang loudly, pointing out the mountains and rivers, expressing their opinions with vigor.

Chen Chuan, talented and wealthy, made his way through solving riddles, found it exactly as the Assistant Official had said, there were all sorts of questions, not limited to the literature of sages, even covering various miscellaneous studies, and even clever tricks and minor skills. Some questions he couldn’t solve, so he had to switch questions to answer.

In this manner, arriving at the eighth floor, he found no queue to join, only various question boards written along the corridor beams, and poems and lyrics left behind.

The Assistant Official nearby timely remarked: "This eighth floor hosts questions that are difficult to solve, but if one cannot fathom them, one can propose new questions; if the keeper of Yellow Crane Tower cannot answer, one is likewise treated free, or by composing a poem on the theme of the Yellow Crane, if the literary Qi is ample, the treatment is the same as solving the question."

Saying that, he gestured around: "These poems and verses on the walls are left by gifted individuals from various places over the years."

"Oh?"

Chen Chuan was intrigued, stepped forward to look at the walls, and indeed, the poems and compositions were all famous works.

Among them, one poem stood out the most.

The people of old have ridden the Yellow Crane away.

This place is left with only the Yellow Crane Tower.

The yellow crane departs without return.

The white clouds float idly for a thousand years.

The trees in Hanyang are vividly visible under the sunny sky.

The Parrot Island is lush with abundant grass.

At dusk, where is my hometown?

The misty waves on the river provoke sorrow.

"Great poem!"

Chen Chuan tapped his folding fan, his eyes filled with admiration, eagerly looking at the signature, but finding nothing.

"This..."

Chen Chuan furrowed his brows, immediately turned his gaze to the Assistant Official: "Who left this poem?"

The Assistant Official smiled: "This humble one does not know."

"How can you not know?"

Chen Chuan frowned: "This poem can be termed an eternal masterpiece; only a great figure can achieve it, how come even the name is not left?"

"This gentleman might not know."

As soon as the words dropped, a white-clothed scholar beside lightly chuckled: "This poem, known as Yellow Crane Tower, was composed nine years ago, on the first anniversary of the Mountain God’s birth, also when this tower opened, proposed by a middle-aged scholar. It is said that after finishing this poem, a yellow crane came, and that scholar walked on the waves, stepping into the void, rode it and left, whereabouts unknown, leaving no name, hence this poem is famous but without owner."

Chen Chuan was stunned, his expression disconcerted, then he came back to his senses: "Such a thing actually occurred?"

The white-clothed scholar lightly laughed: "It is said thousands witnessed, but unfortunately I did not have the fate to see the divine figure’s demeanor."

"Divine Being?"

Chen Chuan’s eyes condensed: "How can you conclude it was a Divine Being?"

"If not Divine Being, how could one walk on air and ride away on a crane?"

The white-clothed scholar said with a smile: "Actually everyone knows that middle-aged scholar was none other but Little Yellow Mountain God, Lord Boyu, a divine incarnation, descended to the mortal realm, composed this poem, named the Yellow Crane, marvelous indeed!"

Saying this, he drank another cup, began to shake his head and sway.

"..."

Chen Chuan fell into silence, and the aide beside him was also voiceless.

Divine Being descending to the mortal realm!

Such events are not uncommon, stories of divine incarnations descending to the mortal realm, playing in the dust, are found everywhere, even some romantic tales spread, like King Xiang dreaming of the Goddess, Mother Liu carrying a dragon fetus, divine beings interacting, bringing forth True Dragons.

These rumors, some true some false, behind them lies the intertwining of divine beings, Yin and Yang irregularities, and Great Powers making moves, all kinds of competitions for dragons across the world.

But there is one point without exception, being able to use such means, daring to do such things, at worst at worst is a Fourth to Sixth Grade True God, even True God is barely qualified, a Great God fits better.

This Little Yellow Mountain God, only a Seventh Grade, also did such things?

Frankly speaking, it’s overstepping!

But still the saying goes, catch the adulterer in the act, catch the thief with the loot.

Whether true or false, no one can say, without evidence, how can you say he overstepped?

Just a rumor, if you take it seriously, then throughout the states and offices, counties and places so many myths and ghost stories, even more exaggerated ones exist, can you question these crimes?

Thus, the two could only remain silent.

Instead, the white-clothed scholar spoke more excitedly: "Huangshan Divine Monarch loves literature and admires martial arts, which is widely known, besides that, he enjoys craftsmanship, adept with marvelous hands, mastered various techniques, proficient in all arts, truly a scholar who astonishes the ages!"

"Indeed!"

The people at the same table also yearned: "It is said that on the Mountain God’s birthday every year, Huangshan Divine Monarch incarnates to the mortal realm, observes various sacrifices, if there is someone outstanding, surely gains his favor, enters dreams at night, bestows them with Divine Art and Marvelous Method, scholars of the Literary Sacrifice, warriors of the Martial Sacrifice, physicians of the Medical Sacrifice, craftsmen of the Craft Sacrifice, farmers of the Agricultural Sacrifice compete for top ranks, not merely for mundane rewards, but for the impartation of divine methods!"

Chen Chuan: "..."