Gu Qingyan returned to the academy with a calm expression.

His classmates were whispering among themselves. When they saw him return, they quickly asked, “Brother Gu, did you see that group with the black armbands?”

Gu Qingyan nodded. “I happened to run into them. They just drove me out immediately.”

“Good thing they only kicked you out. With how fierce they looked, if they laid a hand on you, that’d be a beating for nothing. Brother Gu, your luck is pretty good.”

“I heard they’re from the Imperial City Division—really arrogant.”

“But what’s the Imperial City Division doing here instead of staying in the mountains investigating cases?”

“They went straight to the archives. No idea what they’re looking for.”

Gu Qingyan didn’t hear anything useful from the chatter. His classmates were gossiping, but all of it was trivial.

Before long, Instructor Sun arrived.

“There’s an incident at the county academy. You’re all dismissed for ten days. Pack your things and go home—return after ten days.”

The students were all stunned.

Usually, even during holidays and festivals, they only got at most three days off. Now they were suddenly being given ten days?

Gu Qingyan quickly asked, “Sir, what exactly happened?”

“Don’t ask. Go home. Mid-Autumn Festival is coming anyway—spend time with your families.”

He didn’t wait for their shocked reactions and left in a hurry.

The students looked at one another, confused, but could only start packing.

“This is just too overbearing. They come in and we’re immediately kicked out.”

But they only dared to complain in private—no one would dare speak up. These were Imperial City Division officials, with ranks higher than even the county magistrate.

Gu Qingyan packed up his things and carried his bag home.

As soon as the students left, the gates of the county academy were shut behind them.

Gu Qingyan resisted the urge to open the system while walking.

“Brother, why are you home so early?” Gu Shuyan immediately noticed when he reached the gate.

Gu Qingyan explained, “The teacher had something urgent. He gave us ten days off early.”

“That’s great! Now we can properly celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.” The little girl was quite pleased.

Gu Qingyan smiled. “I’m tired from all the running around. I’m going to rest for a while. If Mother or Qingqing asks, let them know for me.”

After getting his sister’s response, Gu Qingyan rushed into his room.

He leaned back onto the bed and opened the book Seeking King Huai’s Tomb.

“King Huai withdrew from the mortal world and entered Wuling Mountain to study Daoist arts. He received secret teachings from an immortal and attained the Dao, gaining the ability to command spirits and ghosts.”

“After achieving enlightenment, King Huai disdained worldly power and prestige. He secluded himself deep in the mountains to further cultivate the Dao, seeking immortality and divine abilities.”

“In the end, he ascended, leaving behind the King Huai Jade Seal. With it, one can command ghosts and perform miracles.”

Gu Qingyan’s expression was that of a subway grandpa reading a phone meme.

What is this? A supernatural fantasy novel?

Who the hell was this King Huai, ascending into immortality? Why not just say he became immortal and unkillable?

Gu Qingyan, having grown up in a world grounded in science, absolutely didn’t believe in immortality. Records like this were always the result of exaggeration and artistic license by later generations.

He flipped through the book from beginning to end twice.

Despite its title, Seeking King Huai’s Tomb, it had nothing to do with actually seeking a tomb. Instead, it recorded King Huai’s life, filled with elaborate tales of the supernatural.

Gu Qingyan came to his own conclusion:

A long, long time ago, a man named King Huai was really good at pretending to be mystical and supernatural. He knew a few tricks and fooled a lot of people.

Afraid of being exposed, he’d hide in the mountains every time he pulled off a scam, avoiding detection by keeping his appearances limited.

When he was about to die, he disappeared completely, making sure no one ever found his body.

He left a letter behind, claiming to have left a jade seal that could command spirits.

Judging by the way the Taiping Cult and the Imperial City Division treated this matter, plenty of people actually believed it—really thought this jade seal could summon ghosts.

“This is textbook lunacy,” Gu Qingyan commented.

The Chi Tiger Seal had ended up in his hands. Ever since escaping the bandit den, he’d gotten into the habit of fiddling with it.

Whenever he had nothing to do, he’d play with it. It was getting smoother and more comfortable to hold.

After holding it for so long, the Chi Tiger Seal was now slightly warm to the touch.

“You agree too, right?” Gu Qingyan muttered, “A bunch of lunatics—just for a legend, they’ve killed so many people. If ghosts really existed, these people would all deserve to rot in the eighteenth level of hell.”

“Ugh, too bad this little world is sealed. Otherwise, Ox-Head and Horse-Face could help drag them down to meet King Huai.”

Compared to the cult full of superstitious fanatics, Gu Qingyan trusted Ox-Head and Horse-Face more. As far as he was concerned, there were no real spirits or deities in this sealed world.

And using human sacrifices? They’re nothing but beasts.

Gu Qingyan had a good rant, but suddenly something flashed through his mind.

He looked down at the Chi Tiger Seal and narrowed his eyes. “They’re going to so much trouble to find King Huai’s tomb and the jade seal. If they don’t find it, they’ll just keep looking—and cause even more chaos.”

“I have to find a way to make them give up completely.”

But how exactly to make that happen, he hadn’t figured out yet.

“Yan-ge’er, don’t sleep too long or you won’t be able to sleep tonight,” Aunt Liu called from outside.

Since he couldn’t figure it out, Gu Qingyan got up.

“Forget it, I won’t sleep.”

When he walked into the courtyard, he saw Aunt Liu and the others preparing a lot of things.

“What are you doing?”

Aunt Liu smiled. “Mid-Autumn Festival is coming up soon. I figured since we’ve got free time, we might as well make some mooncakes. We can enjoy them ourselves or give some out as gifts.”

Gu Shuyan exclaimed excitedly, “Godmother is amazing—she can even make mooncakes!”

“You just watch and learn. You’ll pick it up soon enough, and then you can make them yourselves. Homemade ones are cleaner anyway,” said Mama Liu with a smile.

“Making mooncakes?”

Gu Qingyan immediately perked up. “Let me help too.”

He rolled up his sleeves, ready to join in.

Mama Liu quickly stopped him. “You don’t know how to do this. Just sit and watch.”

“I’ll learn quickly,” Gu Qingyan insisted.

Mama Liu was helpless. She gave him a ball of dough to play with and said, “Then go play with that on the side.”

Gu Qingyan was speechless. She was treating him like a child.

The two sisters couldn’t help but giggle.

Gu Wangqing asked with a smile, “Brother, what kind of filling do you like? I’ll make more of those.”

“I like red bean paste,” Gu Qingyan replied, completely focused on kneading the dough. It was actually kind of fun.

“I like it too! Brother, we have the same taste,” said Gu Shuyan cheerfully.

Gu Wangqing exposed her immediately. “There isn’t a filling you don’t like. You like red bean, green bean, kidney bean…”

“Are we only making sweet ones? How about making some savory ones to try something new?” Gu Qingyan suggested.

Mama Liu opened a basket. “Already prepared—salted egg yolk ones. You like these too.”

Gu Qingyan looked inside. The egg yolks were golden and glossy—visibly delicious.

After kneading the dough for a while, Gu Qingyan finally admitted he had no talent for making mooncakes.

The sisters could easily shape the dough with their small hands, stuffing the filling in neatly and wrapping it perfectly.

Gu Qingyan, on the other hand, ended up with misshapen lumps, with the filling always leaking out.

He rubbed his nose, set down his dough ball, and figured that even if he baked it, it would probably just turn into a sticky cake—everything had already melded together.

After some thought, Gu Qingyan went inside and brought out the dried fruits Pei Xuan had given them. “We can add some of these. They’re sweet too, and will definitely taste great.”

“Then peel some for me. I’ll put them in later,” Mama Liu agreed.

Dried fruits were rarely used in mooncakes because they were expensive and people didn’t like to waste them.

Gu Qingyan finally found a task that suited him—sitting to the side peeling dried fruits.

“Third Sister, try one and see if it’s sweet,” he said, popping a dried lychee into her mouth.

Gu Shuyan’s eyes curved like crescent moons. “It’s really sweet.”

“Second Sister, you try one too.” Gu Qingyan shared the love, even giving one to Mama Liu.

Mama Liu praised, “These lychees and longans are big and sweet—much better than the ones from the general store.”

“Big Brother Pei must’ve picked them out carefully. It’s a shame he lives so far away—he won’t get to taste the mooncakes I made myself,” Gu Qingyan said with a laugh.

Gu Shuyan teased, “Good thing he didn’t. Otherwise, he might be wondering, ‘What on earth did Brother Yan send me? It looks so weird!’”

“Oh really? Mocking your own brother?” Gu Qingyan grinned and stuffed another piece into her mouth. “That’s your punishment—eat another one!”

Mama Liu watched the scene with a smile. She thought to herself that leaving the Li family had been a good thing. Meiling Village might be poorer, but at least there was warmth and affection here.

She had never seen Young Master Yan act so childishly before.

It was Gu Qingyan’s first time watching someone make mooncakes, and he hadn’t realized there were so many steps involved.

The Gu family originally didn’t even have an oven—Mama Liu had gotten someone to build one after she arrived.

The aroma of mooncakes spread through the house. Gu Shuyan was so enchanted that she didn’t want to leave, squatting in front of the oven without caring about the heat.

As soon as the first batch was done, Mama Liu handed out three pieces—one for each child.

“Try them and see if they turned out alright. They’re still hot, so eat slowly.”

Gu Qingyan took his piece—it was hot to the touch.

He blew on it and took a bite.

The golden crust was crisp and slightly charred, while the red bean filling inside was perfectly sweet. Every bite was a delight.

He nodded eagerly. “Delicious—Mama, your skills are amazing!”

“So good! Godmother, you’re incredible!”

“Godmother, you should try one too,” the sisters chimed in, also enjoying their mooncakes.

“The rest can be kept once they’ve cooled. They’ll last for a while,” Mama Liu said, beaming.

Just as they were happily eating, someone knocked on the door—it was the village chief, carrying a package wrapped in oiled paper.

He froze when he saw what they were doing. “You made your own mooncakes?”

“Uncle, try one of my mom’s,” Gu Qingyan said naturally, handing him a piece.

The old village chief chuckled, took a bite, and praised, “Tasty! Your godmother’s really good at this. Ah, I bought these mooncakes for nothing—yours are better.”

He had come early to give them mooncakes as a holiday gift.

Mooncakes were expensive, and most families could only afford to buy one or two to share during the festival.

The old village chief cared about his nephew and worried they might forget to buy any, so he bought six pieces and brought them over.

“Thank you, Uncle. Now we can try different flavors,” Gu Qingyan said as he gratefully accepted them.

Mama Liu picked up a basket and packed ten mooncakes into it. “Uncle, take these home to enjoy. Homemade ones aren’t worth much.”

“Look at me—coming here to eat and even taking food home,” the village chief said, shaking his head with a smile.

But he didn’t refuse. He had already seen that there were still many mooncakes in the oven and more unbaked ones on the table—they had definitely made enough for their family and then some.

He felt touched by how thoughtful the children were and liked them even more.

The village chief reminded them, “There’ll be an ancestral ceremony at the ancestral hall during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Not sure if the county school will give time off—if not, you’ll have to request a day.”

Gu Qingyan quickly replied, “The county school has already given us the holiday.”

The village chief didn’t know the customs of the county school, but after hearing about it, he was reassured and reminded them to wake up early on Mid-Autumn Festival to honor their ancestors.

Once all the mooncakes were baked, Gu Qingyan did indeed take his two sisters to deliver mooncakes to the Gu family elders.

The people of Meiling Village were full of praise for the boy, and before long, the day of the Mid-Autumn ancestral rites arrived.

Gu Qingyan was woken up early.

He had stayed up all night in the system classroom and was still a bit groggy when he got up.

Gu Wangqing placed a cold towel on his face. “Brother, get up quickly, or Uncle will come knocking soon.”

“Why so early?”

“That’s how it is for ancestor worship. Mid-Autumn is already considered late—during New Year, we have to go at midnight,” Gu Wangqing explained.

Gu Qingyan had no choice but to get dressed properly and head out.

But as he stepped out the door, he sensed something was off. “Why aren’t you two coming with me?”

Madam Liu was an outsider and had no connection to the Gu family, so it was normal for her not to go. But his two sisters were also surnamed Gu—why weren’t they going?

Gu Wangqing smiled and explained, “We’re girls. Girls aren’t allowed in the ancestral hall.”

Gu Qingyan frowned and was about to say something.

But Madam Liu stepped in front of the two girls and gently pushed him forward. “Go on now, that’s the rule in Meiling Village. You’re new here—watch more, do more, and speak less.”

Gu Qingyan understood what she meant.

Even though he was part of the Gu family, as someone newly arrived, it wouldn’t be appropriate to directly challenge village traditions.

He thought to himself: there’s no rush. Once he earns his degree and title, his sisters’ status will rise accordingly. When that time comes, if they want to honor their ancestors or enter the ancestral hall, no one will be able to stop them.

“Ah, Qingyan is here—stand behind your uncle,” the village chief called out when he saw him, directing him to stand in a prominent position.

Gu Dashan stepped aside, and the surrounding people silently accepted this new arrangement as proper and unproblematic.

The ancestral hall’s main door hadn’t opened yet. Gu Qingyan looked up and saw the golden inverted triangle above.

[Meiling Village Gu Family Ancestral Hall check-in point discovered. Would you like to use 1 point to check in?]

Gu Qingyan had already noticed the ancestral hall was a check-in location, but since it was usually locked, he hadn’t acted on it yet.

Today, however, he could finally walk in with proper reason.

If only checking in would yield the Jade Seal of Prince Huai—that’s what he really wanted to see.

Of course, it was just a thought.

The Gu family had been poor farmers for eight generations—how could they possibly have something like the Jade Seal of Prince Huai?

“Just follow your uncle’s lead—do what he does. Even if you mess up, don’t worry. You’re a Gu family descendant; the ancestors won’t hold it against you,” the old village chief said, worried after seeing him blankly staring inside.

Gu Qingyan quickly nodded.

Creaaak—the ancestral hall doors finally opened.

Gu Qingyan followed his uncle inside, curiously taking in the surroundings.

While most homes in Meiling Village were made of mud and brick, the Gu family ancestral hall was built with blue bricks and large tiled roofs. Though not huge in size, the materials used were excellent. The two main doors were so heavy it took several people to push them open.

The single-courtyard ancestral hall had a fairly spacious yard. There were no intricate carvings or painted beams, but the atmosphere felt solemn and sacred.

A spirit tablet altar stood at the front, with candles and offerings already laid out beneath it.

Aside from Gu Qingyan, all the clan members present were solemn and respectful, their demeanor devout. He had no choice but to put away his curiosity and get serious.

“We, the descendants of the Gu clan, gather before the ancestral hall to pay tribute to our forebears. May the ancestors bless us so that our descendants may live in peace and prosperity, that talents may emerge in every generation. May the spirits of our ancestors watch over us always, that our family may thrive and flourish.”

“May we remember the grace of our ancestors, uphold the family teachings, bring honor to our name, and never disappoint their expectations.”

The long and solemn ritual prayer began, and Gu Qingyan could feel the sincerity behind these wishes and blessings.

He sighed inwardly. If he hadn’t intervened, the Gu family would have vanished completely within a few years.

Their ancestral graves were already spewing black smoke. Even the ancestors pounding on their coffins hadn’t been able to stop it.

“Today, the third brother’s eldest legitimate son, Gu Qingyan, returns to the family. We ask our ancestors to see him clearly and not bless the wrong person.”

Everyone felt uncomfortable at the mention of Gu Fengmian, who had worshipped the ancestors for over a decade only to turn his back on the family.

Then the village chief continued, “Qingyan, come offer incense to our ancestors so they may recognize you.”

Gu Qingyan stepped forward and raised three sticks of incense.

Clatter!

Before he could bow, one of the spirit tablets toppled over.

The tablet at the topmost row fell, knocking down the second row, setting off a domino effect.

With a series of crashes, all the ancestral tablets collapsed before Gu Qingyan even had a chance to kowtow.

“Wh-what kind of evil wind is this?”

The old village chief frowned. Maybe they hadn’t chosen the right time? Why else would the spirit tablets fall over like that?

In any case, it couldn’t possibly be Qingyan’s fault.

He was such a good kid—everyone in the village said so. Everyone treated him like a treasure. A child this filial and kind? No way the ancestors wouldn’t like him.

Quick on his feet, Gu Qingyan inserted the three incense sticks into the burner, then helped set the spirit tablets back up. He was efficient and tidy, finishing the task in no time.

“Uncle, is this good enough?”

The old village chief nodded. “Yes, they’re all in the right place. You have a good memory, Qingyan. You remembered their order in such a short time.”

“Offering incense is enough. Now that you’ve honored the ancestors in the hall, the forebears will definitely bless you.”

Gu Qingyan stepped aside to let those behind him continue presenting incense.

The ancestral tablets no longer toppled in rows like before.

Gu Qingyan looked at the ancestral hall with some confusion—something didn’t feel right.

Then he suddenly remembered: the last time he visited the ancestral tombs to pay his respects, there had been thunder in broad daylight without any rain.

Last time he kowtowed, the ancestors got struck by lightning. This time, he hadn’t even bowed yet and the tablets had already fallen over.

Could it be—the ancestors felt guilty?

That had to be it. For the past fifteen years, all those ancestors had been blind, blessing the wrong person. Now that they had realized the truth, they were too ashamed to face him, the true descendant of the Gu family.

Ah, worthy of being ancestors of the Gu family—able to admit their mistakes and improve.

Gu Qingyan grinned and thought to himself:
[Ancestors, don’t be so formal. Even though you were blind, you’re still dead—what happens among the living isn’t your fault.]

[It was your mistake to bless the wrong person before, but I’m magnanimous—I won’t hold it against you.]

[From now on, just open your eyes and pick the right person. No need to bless me, I’ve got my own cheat system. Save your blessings for my second and third sisters and the cousins.]

“Whooooosh—”

A sinister gust of wind howled past.

The old village chief furrowed his brows and scolded, “Everyone be serious—don’t mumble in your hearts. The ancestors can hear you.”

The cousins who were still kneeling got the brunt of the scolding, caught in the crossfire. They had to bow three times, loud and clear, to apologize.

For some reason, Gu Qingyan suddenly felt a little guilty.

The ritual finally ended. The village chief distributed the sacrificial offerings, and the ancestors didn’t show any signs of divine manifestation.

Gu Qingyan let out a sigh of relief and thought, See? There really are no ghosts in this world. If there were, with how clever I am, wouldn’t the ancestors have popped out to chat with me already?

Then again, he was a bit disappointed. If they did exist, with his cheat system, wouldn’t he already be flying to immortality by now?

“Yan-ge’er, here, take this. Eat the offering meat—your ancestors will bless you.” The village chief favored his big nephew and gave him the best piece of meat.

Gu Qingyan took it, sniffed, and thought it reeked of incense. Probably didn’t taste great.

But since it was a kind gesture from his uncle, of course he would bring it home to eat.

Before leaving, Gu Qingyan casually walked over to the sign-in point.

[You have successfully signed in at the Gu family ancestral hall in Meiling Village. Reward: Jade Seal.]

Wait, what? Jade Seal?!

Gu Qingyan was fired up—could it be that the ancestors really did bless him and sent him the jade seal belonging to Prince Huai?

The sign-in system did great. The ancestors did even better!

Gu Qingyan grinned so wide he couldn’t close his mouth.

“Look at this kid, so happy over a piece of meat,” the village chief said with a laugh and a shake of his head.

Gu Qingyan said loudly, “This isn’t just any meat. It’s meat blessed by the ancestors. It’ll make my wishes come true!”

Hearing that, the surrounding Gu family members all laughed.

“Yan-ge’er said it well. Of course the ancestors will bless us!”

“This year’s harvest was really good—it has to be thanks to the ancestors’ blessings.”

“Yan-ge’er, is that meat enough? If not, I’ll give you mine too.”

Gu Qingyan quickly said, “It’s enough, it’s enough. Uncles, take your own meat home. The ancestors will bless our entire village.”

Then he quickly slipped away, afraid they’d try to give him another chunk.

The village chief couldn’t help laughing. “This kid is too honest. Such a good temper, such a sincere nature. But he’s too generous—I’m really worried someone’ll take advantage of him when he’s out in the world.”

“No one dares mess with our Gu family. We won’t allow it,” the Gu clan members declared proudly.

Gu Qingyan had only been here for half a year, but he had already won over the hearts of all the elders and was firmly accepted as one of the Gu family.

Gu Dashan even pounded his chest and swore, “Anyone who wants to bully my cousin has to step over my dead body first!”

The village chief scolded angrily, “Don’t talk nonsense. Can’t you wish for something good?”

“Heh heh heh,” Gu Dashan chuckled sheepishly.

The group slowly dispersed, each returning home for their family reunion meal.

The village chief originally planned to invite Gu Qingyan to eat with him, but Gu Qingyan thought Liu Mama would feel awkward if she came, and if she stayed home alone, she’d be lonely—so he politely declined.

Carrying the meat, Gu Qingyan ran back home at full speed.

The ancestral ceremony had taken a long time, and now the sun was fully up. The smell of food wafted from every household.

The aroma from the Gu household was the richest. Yesterday, Gu Qingyan had already said the reunion dinner must be a feast, so Liu Mama was pulling out all the stops.

“Brother, you’re back. Was the ancestral hall lively?” Gu Shuyan was waiting at the door.

“Very lively. This is from Uncle,” Gu Qingyan said, lifting the piece of meat.

“Wow, so fatty! It’s fatter than the pieces we’ve gotten in past years!” Gu Wangqing came over and took it straight to the kitchen.

“We’ll stew it today. Once we eat sacrificial meat, the ancestors will bless our family.”

Gu Qingyan nodded and added, “When I kowtowed earlier, I even asked them to look after my two little sisters more. I’ll remind them again during the New Year rites so they don’t forget.”

That made the two girls burst out laughing.

Liu Mama couldn’t help saying, “Kids and their mouths… Go wash up and eat. We’re keeping it simple this morning—we’ll have the good stuff tonight.”

She couldn’t help remembering: in past years, back at the Li family, because he was a concubine’s child and physically weak, Yan-ge’er had never even been allowed to attend ancestral rites.

“Okay, I’m coming.”

Gu Qingyan was thinking about the jade seal, but seeing how everyone had waited to eat until he came back, he put the matter aside for now.

In this world, nothing is more important than a full belly.

After finishing his meal and wiping his mouth, Gu Qingyan couldn’t wait to open the system and retrieve the jade seal.