The next day, Yao Guangxiao arrived at the entrance of the Luo residence and greeted the doorman with a Buddhist salutation.
"This humble monk, Dao Yan, delivered a visiting card yesterday and has come specifically to pay respects to Master Luo today."
"Great Master Dao Yan, please come in. Master has instructed that you be invited in immediately upon your arrival."
Dao Yan was led by the servant to the backyard, where Rosen was sitting by the lake, fishing.
"Master is over there, Great Master, please."
"Thank you."
Dao Yan walked towards Rosen: "Amitabha, this humble monk, Dao Yan, greets benefactor."
Rosen turned his head and smiled in response: "Great Master, do you mind sitting here?"
Dao Yan smiled and sat on a nearby stone.
At the same time, he observed Rosen. Rosen looked younger than expected, with distinct facial features and a benevolent gaze.
However, Dao Yan knew that Rosen's martial arts were extremely profound; thirty to fifty people might not even be able to subdue him.
"Great Master, what brings you here?"
"Two things. First, to see Mr. Rosen."
"And what did you see?"
"Nothing. Mr. Rosen's facial features are like rootless duckweed; I cannot see his past, nor his future."
People's facial features in the World were varied and strange, and Dao Yan was not surprised by some that could not be discerned.
"Oh? Great Master also understands the art of physiognomy?"
"A minor Dao, not worth mentioning."
"In my early years, I once traveled through mountains and rivers in all directions, hoping to find a True Immortal and become his disciple."
"And did you find one?"
"I did. In Kunlun Mountain, I did see some Great Masters, but those so-called Great Masters were merely hypocritical villains who deceived the World for fame. I did, however, befriend some of the younger generation from that Sect and learned a few skills from them."
"No wonder Mr. Rosen's martial arts are so exceptional. So he obtained the Legacy of the Kunlun Yuan Yi Sect."
"Does Great Master also know about that Kunlun?"
"Of course, I do. My esteemed master once also found that Kunlun Yuan Yi Sect. He originally wanted to exchange pointers with the Yuan Yi Sect, but who knew he would be regarded as a heterodox path, and a group of Daoists jointly attacked my esteemed master."
"So, Great Master is also a member of the Xuanmen?"
"Although this humble monk is a member of the Xuanmen, I have only learned a smattering of it, incomparable to Mr. Rosen."
"Every foot has its strength, every inch its weakness. Great Master, there is no need to belittle yourself."
"May I ask what Cursed Technique Mr. Rosen specializes in?"
"I specialize in the Cursed Technique of killing. It's not me boasting, but if I were to unleash my full power, a hundred people wouldn't be able to stop me."
"This humble monk naturally believes you," Yao Guangxiao said with a smile.
"Great Master previously said you came for two things. May I ask what the other matter is?"
"It's that Your Highness, the Crown Prince, feels that Your Highness, the King of Han, has been neglected in his upbringing, so he wishes to ask Mr. Rosen to help discipline him more."
"Haha..." Rosen immediately understood: "Zhu Gaoxu has had enough lessons already; too much is as bad as too little. However, I, Rosen, do have some businesses that I am willing to cooperate with Your Highness, the Crown Prince, on."
"What business?"
"Glazed tiles," Rosen said: "If Your Highness, the Crown Prince, allows me, Rosen, to use his name, a monthly income of ten to twenty thousand taels can still be guaranteed."
Yao Guangxiao nodded: "Thank you, Mr. Rosen, for your generosity."
Yao Guangxiao then fumbled in his monk's robe and pulled out a classic text, "Cao Tang Shu."
"I came unprepared with any gifts for this visit. This is some of my humble monk's research and summaries on military formations, physiognomy, and geomancy. Please, Mr. Rosen, do not despise it."
Rosen solemnly accepted the "Cao Tang Shu" and cupped his hands, saying: "Thank you."
He then also took out a classic text, which contained the Chakra refining method, and also a Cultivation method for Reverse Cursed Technique, considering it a reciprocal gift.
"Great Master, these are some of my Cultivation insights. If you have time in the future, we can often visit each other."
The Twenty-Four Qi Refining Incantation that Rosen obtained from Wuke was a Kunlun Cultivation Technique, and he could not spread it in this World without Wuke's consent.
Yao Guangxiao should also have some Xuanmen methods. Rosen had already seen those magic users in the West.
Apart from those from Kunlun, Yao Guangxiao was the first Xuanmen practitioner from the Central Plains he had encountered.
However, what Yao Guangxiao excelled in was Xuan Shu (mystical arts), not Xuan Fa (mystical laws).
In the Xuanmen, there is a saying of three thousand Dao Laws and three hundred and sixty Cursed Techniques. The three thousand Dao Laws are considered the Righteous Path of the Xuanmen, while things like divination, fortune-telling, physiognomy, and character analysis are classified as heterodox paths, belonging to the three hundred and sixty Cursed Techniques.
Of course, within the Xuanmen, there is no such thing as a clear distinction between good and evil, as seen in novels.
In this era, powerful Xuanmen factions were capable of forming Sect forces, banding together for warmth, and proclaiming themselves the Righteous Path, just like Kunlun Yuan Yi.
And the three hundred and sixty Cursed Techniques were practiced by those who wandered the streets or attached themselves to high officials and nobles, like Yao Guangxiao, for example.
In the following days, Yao Guangxiao frequently came to Rosen to discuss Xuanmen Cursed Techniques.
Yao Guangxiao was quite interested in Reverse Cursed Technique, but the Chakra system was an entirely new Cultivation system, so Yao Guangxiao found it particularly difficult to explore.
In the eighth year of Yongle, the construction of Shuntian Prefecture was completed.
In the same year, Zhu Di ordered the capital to be moved. This grand relocation took a full two years to complete.
Yao Guangxiao, on the other hand, resigned from his position as Crown Prince's Junior Tutor and retired to Xiangguang Temple outside Shuntian Prefecture.
Rosen also took the opportunity to move to Shuntian Prefecture; Zhu Di could not allow him to leave his sight.
Time had now reached the twelfth year of Yongle, and Zhu Di once again embarked on an expedition to the grasslands.
In Rosen's view, Zhu Di's long-distance campaigns were meaningless, purely a waste of manpower and resources.
His strategic direction was wrong; his goal was to eliminate the Northern Yuan remnants, but the crisis in the Central Plains was never just the Northern Yuan remnants, but the entire grassland.
Zhu Di either had to eradicate the roots of these grassland nomads, killing everyone he saw, until blood flowed like rivers and heads rolled, until the grassland became a no-man's-land.
Or he should establish protectorates, preparing for long-term rule.
Instead of fighting a battle, killing a few insignificant people, and leaving with no gains whatsoever.
At least if Rosen were the commander, he would definitely gather all the grassland tribes, then establish new cities, seize all their warhorses, cattle, and sheep, forcing them to rely solely on supplies from the Central Plains, destroying their beliefs, and compelling them to learn Confucian culture.
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