Zhao Fan noticed that Xiao Shunzi’s hands, resting on his knees, had begun to tremble slightly. Something seemed to be moving faintly at his fingertips.
It wasn’t the wind. The doors and windows were shut tight; there was no breeze. It was Xiao Shunzi’s own qi circulating.
A little while later, Xiao Shunzi suddenly opened his eyes.
His eyes were red—not from crying, but from the rush of qi and blood.
He looked at Zhao Fan, his lips moving. His voice had even changed. “Your Highness… I can feel qi.”
“What kind of qi?”
“Internal energy. The internal breath described in the book. I… I can feel it, starting from my dantian and flowing along my meridians. It’s faint, but it’s definitely there. Your Highness, you have given me a new life. I will repay you, even at the cost of my life.”
Zhao Fan was delighted, too.
It worked.
In less than half an hour, an ordinary young eunuch who had known nothing had become a martial artist with internal energy.
Zhao Fan didn’t know how quickly other people cultivated, but he knew Xiao Shunzi’s speed was definitely not slow.
At the same time, he was well aware that this wasn’t entirely due to Xiao Shunzi’s talent. More of the credit went to the power of the secret manual itself.
The opening of the 《Sunflower Manual》 stated that this cultivation technique was designed specifically for eunuchs. Their meridians followed a different course from ordinary people’s, making it highly efficient and quick to master.
Now it seemed those words weren’t an exaggeration.
Zhao Fan stood up. “Don’t rush to practice moves yet. First, build up your internal energy.”
“Yes, Your Highness!” Xiao Shunzi’s voice was several notches louder than before.
Zhao Fan left the main hall and stood beneath the covered walkway, thinking for a while.
Twenty-one. There were twenty-one eunuchs in the prince’s residence. Xiao Shunzi was one; that left twenty.
How many of those twenty were informants planted by someone else?
Five? Ten? Fifteen? He wasn’t sure, but he didn’t care, either.
Because once they practiced the 《Sunflower Manual》, they would all be his people.
One hundred percent loyal. That was what the System had said, and he believed the System.
Zhao Fan turned and returned to the main hall.
He said to Xiao Shunzi, “Go call every eunuch in the residence to the front courtyard. Don’t leave a single one out, including Steward Wang.”
Xiao Shunzi paused, but didn’t ask anything. He set down the book and ran out.
In less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, all twenty-one men were standing in neat rows in the front courtyard. At the very front was Steward Wang, who had just been there.
The eunuchs behind him came in all shapes and sizes, but when they stood together, they were uniformly meek and deferential.
Zhao Fan stood on the steps, looking down at them.
Steward Wang bowed slightly. “Your Highness, everyone is here. What are your orders?”
Zhao Fan didn’t answer right away. He told Xiao Shunzi to stand guard by the courtyard gate, then said,
“I’ve called you here today to announce something. Starting today, every one of you will practice martial arts.”
At his words, the courtyard fell silent for a moment.
The eunuchs exchanged glances. A few of the bolder ones even started whispering to one another, though quietly.
After all, according to the rules, when an imperial prince like Zhao Fan was speaking, servants like them could be beaten to death on the spot for speaking loudly without permission.
So what if Zhao Fan was an unfavored imperial prince? An unfavored imperial prince was still an imperial prince.
Wang Demao was also taken aback.
Then he smiled—the standard smile of an old steward faced with his master’s fanciful idea, respectful yet tinged with helplessness.
“Your Highness must be joking. We’re all useless fellows. How could we possibly practice martial arts?”
Zhao Fan didn’t respond. He couldn’t be bothered to explain, so he took out the 《Sunflower Manual》 and waved it in front of Wang Demao.
“This cultivation technique was made specifically for people like you. Steward Wang, can you read?”
“A few characters.”
“Good.”
Zhao Fan handed him the book. “Read it first, then teach it to them.”
Wang Demao took the book and opened it to the first page.
He kept his expression under control, but Zhao Fan had been watching his face closely and still caught the brief narrowing of his pupils. It wasn’t surprise; it was recognition.
After all, he was a steward assigned from the Imperial Household Department—not an ordinary man.
“Your Highness!”
Wang Demao looked up, his voice tense. “This cultivation technique…?”
Zhao Fan cut him off. “Don’t ask where it came from. Starting today, all of you will practice in this courtyard. You can leave once you’ve successfully completed Qi Induction.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over every face present.
“Until you’ve succeeded, no one is allowed to take a single step out of this courtyard. You’ll eat, drink, and relieve yourselves here.”
The courtyard erupted at once.
“Your Highness, this isn’t proper!”
“We still have duties to attend to!”
“Who will take care of the residence?”
Zhao Fan didn’t answer. He only glanced at Xiao Shunzi.
Understanding, Xiao Shunzi went to the courtyard gate, shut both wooden doors, then sat on the threshold with his back against them.
His meaning was clear: if you want to leave, you’ll have to step over me.
The noise in the courtyard gradually died down. The eunuchs exchanged glances; some shrank back, while others quietly took half a step away.
Only then did Zhao Fan speak. “I make the rules here. You spoke out of turn just now. By law, I could have punished you on the spot. But I’m merciful, so I’ll give you until tomorrow morning. Anyone who hasn’t succeeded by then will receive thirty strokes.”
With that, he turned and left.
What was there to see in a bunch of people practicing martial arts?
He didn’t want them to think he was keeping an eye on them.
Let them practice by themselves and work it out on their own. Once they truly felt that qi, there would be no need for him to say much more.
Back in the main hall, Zhao Fan sat down and opened the 《Nine Yang Divine Skill》.
Outside help was still outside help. He had to establish his own strength first.
Fortunately, although his predecessor had been unfavored and hadn’t been particularly diligent in his studies, he had learned the basics of acupoints and meridian theory, so reading the 《Nine Yang Manual》 wasn’t too difficult.
But the 《Nine Yang Manual》 didn’t seem like something one could master overnight. Zhao Fan followed the cultivation path and tried to sense it for a while.
He found his qi sense almost instantly, but when he tried to circulate the technique, he encountered an obstacle: his meridians weren’t clear.
Or rather, if he wanted to successfully complete Qi Induction, he would have to gradually work at opening up his obstructed meridians.
It was a long process, but since there was hope, he couldn’t give up.
After dinner and washing up, Zhao Fan began cultivating on his bed.
As for the eunuchs in the front courtyard, he didn’t need to worry about them at all.
The System had said so, and it couldn’t be wrong.
In other words, no matter who had planted these eunuchs, or what their purpose in coming to the prince’s residence had been, from the moment they mastered the 《Sunflower Manual》, they would all be his people.
The question was, when would they master it? Xiao Shunzi had taken less than half an hour. What about the others?
He had gathered all the eunuchs in the front courtyard to practice. Were there informants among the guards, too?
His actions must have been reported by now. But there was nothing he could do about it. Let them report it.
His strength was limited for now, and he couldn’t afford to overthink things.