Writing Books to Establish the Dao

Sharing a common interest, the two drank wine and chatted, quickly becoming close.

"Brother Zhao, you mentioned earlier that Senior Brother Bai is the son of the Commandery Governor. In that case, he should be very famous. Why do the people here not know him?"
Su Mu poured a cup of wine for Zhao Kuo, asking the doubt in his heart.

"Cough, cough... Brother Su, you might not know. This Senior Brother Bai of yours acts a bit... well, unconventionally, which is the exact opposite of the meticulous Commandery Governor Bai. To avoid affecting the image of the Governor's Estate, he uses a pseudonym outside the commandery."
Seeing Zhao Kuo hesitate, Su Mu could not help but rub his forehead and sigh.
Indeed, this was exactly the kind of thing Bai Ze would do.

"Brother Zhao, can you tell me Senior Brother Bai's real name?"
Knowing that Bai Ze was a pseudonym, Su Mu could not help but grow even more curious about his real name.

"Uh... you should ask him yourself."
Zhao Kuo hesitated slightly, scratching his head in embarrassment. Looking at the sky, he said, "By this time, Bai Ze should have finished his morning lessons. I will first take you to the Governor's Estate to find him."

"Then many thanks, Brother Zhao."
Seeing that Zhao Kuo did not answer, Su Mu did not press him, but his curiosity regarding Bai Ze's real name only grew.
Leading his black horse, Su Mu followed Zhao Kuo out of the Yivei Inn, heading toward the Governor's Estate.
Since he already knew Bai Ze's residence, Su Mu was in no hurry. With Zhao Kuo acting as a guide, he slowly appreciated the local customs.

Lingbao Commandery was located in the lower reaches of the Yu River, situated at the junction of three commanderies: Shangzhou, Yunzhou, and Zhongzhou. The Hangu Pass within its borders formed a natural barrier, making it a contested region for military strategists throughout history.
Because of this, the local folk customs were fierce, and the people were bold and straightforward. The atmosphere was much tougher than in other parts of Yunzhou, showing none of the extravagant style that a wealthy and populous commandery should have.
However, the literary atmosphere of Lingbao Commandery was by no means lacking. For instance, in the Wenhua Ward where they currently were, scholars and students could be seen everywhere, and various bookstores were a dazzling sight.
According to Zhao Kuo, because this was the final checkpoint before entering Zhongzhou, almost all the bookstores of Lingbao Commandery were concentrated here, selling the four treasures of the study and operating publishing and printing businesses.

Halfway there, Zhao Kuo, who had been talking incessantly, suddenly stopped. He signaled Su Mu and the other to wait for a moment, then walked toward a bookstore by the roadside.
Curious, Su Mu led his black horse and followed. He saw Zhao Kuo enter a bookstore named "Shangwen Bookstore" and chat with a middle-aged man who looked like the owner for a long time, before walking out with a dejected expression.

"What is it, Brother Zhao? Was there something you couldn't buy?"
Hearing this, Zhao Kuo felt embarrassed, scratched his head, and said, "It's not that I couldn't buy it, but rather that I couldn't sell it."

Su Mu glanced at the Shangwen Bookstore filled with books, then looked at Zhao Kuo with deep respect. He cupped his hands and praised, "I did not expect Brother Zhao to actually be a novelist. How disrespectful of me."
Su Mu had also written web novels on a certain website for a period of time. It was just that he truly lacked the talent, and what he wrote was tedious and uninteresting, ultimately making him a failed writer.
Now, actually meeting a writer in this alternative world, he naturally felt a sense of closeness and respect.

"Not at all, not at all. Zhao does not deserve the title of novelist. I merely write some bizarre tales that no one reads."
Hearing Su Mu's praise, Zhao Kuo could not help but feel a bit ashamed.
After all, the things he wrote had been rejected for printing by countless bookstores.

"Oh? I wonder what Brother Zhao writes about?"

"Actually, it is not entirely written by me. I merely collect some folk tales and present them in the form of stories, hoping to warn the world and guard against demons. Unfortunately, no one takes these things seriously..."
Hearing Zhao Kuo's explanation, Su Mu came to a sudden realization. However, he did not look down on him at all; instead, his respect grew.

"Brother Zhao is noble. As long as you persist, you will eventually meet your Bo Le."
Regardless of whether Zhao Kuo had compiled these independently, this aspiration alone made him worthy of Su Mu's respect.

"Su has always been very interested in these things. Would it be possible to read some of Brother Zhao's great works?"
As an old bookworm, although Su Mu could not write them himself, his ability to critique was still decent.
Seeing Su Mu hold him in such high regard, Zhao Kuo's mood clearly improved significantly. The way he looked at Su Mu was filled with appreciation, showing a strong tendency to treat him as a soulmate.

"Of course. However, I do not have them on me. I will bring them to Brother Su after I return home."

"Then I shall trouble Brother Zhao."
The two conversed joyfully, and before they knew it, they had arrived before a tall and majestic mansion.

"We have arrived."
Zhao Kuo pointed at the main gate of the Governor's Estate. Familiar with the place, he led Su Mu and the other forward. The two gatekeepers clearly knew Zhao Kuo well and quickly came forward to greet them.

"Young Master Zhao, you've come to find our young master so early?"

"Yes, I've brought two friends to find your young master. Where is he now?"

"The young master should currently be having breakfast with the master. Does the young master need this servant to lead the way for the three of you?"
One gatekeeper respectfully took the reins from Su Mu's hand, while the other bowed to lead the way for Zhao Kuo and the others.

"No need, I can go myself."
Zhao Kuo waved his hand, telling the gatekeeper to attend to his duties, and signaled Su Mu and the other to follow him.

"Brother Su, remember to stay close to me. This Governor's Estate is very easy to get lost in."
Hearing this, Su Mu grew interested. Following behind, he curiously observed the surroundings, discovering that although the decoration of the Governor's Estate was very simple, the layout was highly sophisticated.
The long corridors, pathways, pavilions, and terraces were all arranged according to a specific, unique rule. Without a guide, one would likely get trapped within and be unable to escape.
If Su Mu guessed correctly, the builder of this Governor's Estate must have been a grandmaster of formations.
After following Zhao Kuo through several turns, the three finally arrived before a grand hall.
Four guards holding long sabers stood tall before the door, their bodies straight, their gazes resolute, and their bodies faintly exuding a bloody aura, indicating they were likely from the military.
As soon as Su Mu's group approached, the gazes of these four men locked onto them in unison, their cold eyes like knives landing on the three.
From the main gate to the grand hall, during this short distance, Su Mu and the others had been "baptized" by such gazes at least ten times. Although very concealed, they were still captured by Su Mu.
Being scrutinized so clearly, Little Liuli was clearly a bit frightened, instinctively shrinking behind Su Mu.

"Brothers Wang, Ma, Zhang, and Zhao, this is your young master's fellow disciple. There is no need for such scrutiny."
Hearing Zhao Kuo's words, the four guards finally withdrew their gazes, though their eyes still occasionally drifted toward Su Mu.

"Apologies, Young Master Zhao. We are merely following protocol." The leader of the four guards apologized to Zhao Kuo, cupped his hands, and smiled. "Has Young Master Zhao come to taste wine with our young master again today?"

"No, I just happened to run into your young master's fellow disciple, so I brought them over."
Guard Wang Long came to a realization and said, "So that's how it is. Then please wait for a moment, I shall go in to report."
Saying so, the guard surnamed Wang was about to enter to report, when a roar echoed from within the room.

"Rebellious son! Are you trying to anger your father to death?!"