Uncle Lu Nan/ Xiao Yuzhe finds his Energy type

The Princess had sent him away, Guo Li lead Xiao Yuzhe out of the main hall and brought him to the guest house. She instructed Xiao Yuzhe to prepare for the next morning, telling him tomorrow the Official of the Nations Records and Education would be visiting to investigate Xiao Yuzhe's energy type so the princess knew the best path for Xiao Yuzhe to take in his skills and cultivation.

Xiao Yuzhe nodded, then promptly went to bed. The next morning when Xiao Yuzhe woke up he went straight back to practicing the Falcons Strikes the Eagles Claw, by the time midday had approached Xiao Yuzhe began to hear several footsteps in the distance. He guessed this was the official so he quickly put the halberd on the weapons rack and stood at the gates ready to review the guest. This time he didn't feel like repeating the incident with the switch.

At that moment the princess had just appeared from the main hall. Followed by her closest servant Guo Li. When she saw Xiao Yuzhe already standing there waiting for the official she smiled then stood next to him and said.

"If your going to be my bodyguard you'll need to understand the importance of presentation. The clothes you chose are good but from now on when greeting guests you must stand behind me on the opposite side of Guo Li."

Xiao Yuzhe's cheeks grew a little red from embarrassment then he nodded and thanked the princess for her instruction, then took his place as she had directed him too. Both Zhao Mei and Guo Li looked at each other and giggled.

Once Xiao Yuzhe took his place behind the princess the other servants started to stand in two lines facing each other before the gate in order to properly greet the official.

In this moment Xiao Yuzhe remembered that in high class settings with officials and nobles that even if the smallest gestures of respect are neglected or forgotten it can have long lasting and devastating effects, especially for someone of the Royal family such as the princess. This made him feel a little less embarrassed about the incident with the switch when the princess had arrived. It truly was a constant case of the old proverb:

A single sentence can destroy a kingdom

Two of the servants went to open the gates, then a man dressed in fairly fine garments stepped forward and announced.

" Now presenting the Imperial Official, Head of the bureau of National Records and Education, Lu Nan."

At that moment the princess and Guo Li had both bowed, as well as all the other servants. Naturally Xiao Yuzhe followed in suit. Then the princess said a loud.

"We graciously welcome Senior Official Lu Nan."

Then the princess raised her head and four servants carrying a booth walked through the gates and set it down. After that an elderly man with a long and neat white beard had walked out of the booth wearing his Court Official garments.

Xiao Yuzhe started thinking, there must be more to this visit than just checking my energy type, after all in the eyes of a high ranking official I am nothing more than a lucky beggar not worth his time.

Little did Xiao Yuzhe know, Lu Nan was a very kind hearted and magnanimous official who was known for always caring for the common people more than any official matter of the courts. He had also known the princess Zhao Mei since she was a little girl and always favored her over her older sisters who fairly arrogant and mean spirited towards the common people. Any chance he was given to help Zhao Mei beat her older sisters he took as he understood their positions as examples for the whole nation. Zhao Mei had cared for Lu Nan deeply and had called him Uncle since she was little.

Lu Nan after he stepped out of the booth called out.

"Where is my favorite niece?"

After hearing this Zhao Mei had relaxed from the formalities and ran over to Lu Nan then grabbed him by the arm and said.

"Uncle Lu, I've missed you where have you been?"

Zhao Mei s show of affection had made her look far different from the calm and composed figure Xiao Yuzhe had seen her as before. In this he had seen her in a new light, one of a more carefree innocence. Lu Nan responded.

"The Imperial Courts keep your Uncle very busy, let's head inside the main hall and we can catch up there. Where is the young man you told me about in your letter?"

Zhao Mei waved at Xiao Yuzhe to come over. When he had made it over to them he bowed respectfully and said.

"Greetings Senior Official Lu, my name is Xiao Yuzhe, I humble myself in your presence."

Xiao Yuzhe started to kowtow to show respect but Lu Nan had stopped him before he could get to his knees and said.

"No need for such formalities, I would much prefer a more casual conduct while I'm here."

The princess was fairly pleased with Xiao Yuzhe's display of respect. In reality she had no idea how he would act since he came from a humble background of being a beggar, the polar opposite of Zhao Mei's luxurious and formal background.

Soon after Lu Nan and Zhao Mei started to make their way to the main hall for a feast, Xiao Yuzhe and Guo Li followed behind them as the princess had instructed earlier.

When they made it to the main hall everyone was properly seated, naturally Lu Nan was given the seat of honor and Xiao Yuzhe and Guo Li were directed to sit down with them. Xiao Yuzhe could tell from Guo Li's reaction that this was not a regular occurrence.

Lu Nan and Zhao Mei began catching each other up on world events while the servants brought out food and wine. after a few bowls of wine Xiao Yuzhe began to ask Lu Nan a couple questions of proper etiquette and he started to explain how he was from a humble background and lived as a beggar before the princess had saved his life. Lu Nan was pleased to hear this and was more than willing to teach Xiao Yuzhe the ways of proper etiquette, Zhao Mei and Guo Li would giggle every now and then at Xiao Yuzhe's minor mistakes as he was taught how to properly bow and make toasts, before they all knew it the day had passed and night had come, Lu Nan and Xiao Yuzhe were fairly drunk by this point with Lu Nan telling stories of his youth and Xiao Yuzhe listening intently and toasting a drink to almost every sentence. Lu Nan even began to call Xiao Yuzhe nephew and later they both tried to hit the local town together drunk but when they reached the courtyard Xiao Yuzhe stumbled and fell into the pond, everyone present couldn't help but laugh and few servants helped him up and lead both Lu Nan and Xiao Yuzhe to bed to sleep off their drunkenness.

Zhao Mei and Guo Li had stayed up a little bit longer talking about the unexpected friendship between Li Nan and Xiao Yuzhe and how Lu Nan even started calling Xiao Yuzhe nephew, then they both went to bed for the night.

The next morning when Zhao Mei woke up to her surprise Lu Nan and Xiao Yuzhe were already up play Xiangqi in the court yard and discussing their different philosphies on proper conduct for officials. In Xiao Yuzhe's past life he had spent a lot of time in isolation reading different philosphies and structures of government, but in his past life these studies really amounted to nothing more than a personal hobby and he was very happy to be able to make use of this knowledge with a high ranking official in this new world he was in. One thing that both Lu Nan and Xiao Yuzhe both agreed upon and talked about the most was that the job of an official is to serve his people.

Zhao Mei was stunned when hearing their conversation, she could only wonder where a beggar could have become so well versed in the structure of politics and philosophy. Just then Lu Nan saw Zhao Mei and said

" Niece Zhao Mei, where did you find this Xiao Yuzhe? If you ever lose need of him let me know, I would love to have a man of his talents working for me in the Bureau of National Records and Education."

Xiao Yuzhe quickly responded.

"Uncle Lu, I am a young man of a humble background. It would be an honor to work under your prestigious Bureau, but the third princess had saved my life and in my heart my loyalty will always stay with her "

This response pleased both Lu Nan and Zhao Mei. It took Xiao Yuzhe only one night of learning proper etiquette to execute it flawlessly. Zhao Mei also recognized Xiao Yuzhe as a loyal and useful hidden talent, even if he turned out to not become the strongest warrior.

"Alright, enough idle chatter, let's get to business to see what type of energy this young Xiao Yuzhe has."

Lu Nan then called to one of his servants to bring out two objects, one was an altar with a dais on top, the other was stone ball. The servant paced these in the center of the courtyard. Lu Nan then taught Xiao Yuzhe a mantra for opening up his energy and told him to sit on the dais.

Xiao Yuzhe did exactly as he was instructed, when he started to repeat the mantra he felt a a certain tingly warmth coming from his core and his chest. Small streaks of gold and white light started appear out of Xiao Yuzhe's chest then circle around him, then they all come together and formed a golden and white dragon that flew into the stone ball and an inscription emerged.

This inscription had shocked everyone present, and changed the way everyone had viewed Xiao Yuzhe in an instant. The inscription said:

The heavens alone can turn beggars into kings, and kings into beggars. In this life you all shall see ...