Just as dawn broke, the morning air still carried the previous night’s chill. The street outside the Xu residence was damp, with dew thoroughly soaking the bluestone slabs.
Farmers carrying fresh vegetables and fruits passed by, and seeing the crowd gathered outside the Xu residence, they went over to see what the commotion was about.
“What’s going on? Who are these three, and why are they hanging outside Bronze Gong Xu’s mansion?”
The farmer, who often sold vegetables in this area, was startled.
“Can’t you see? It’s written clearly on the right—Heaven Sect’s Holy Son Li Lingsu.”
“A fickle man—probably abandoned someone after leading them on, and Bronze Gong Xu punished him.”
“Who are the other two? ‘Unworthy disciple’? I didn’t know Bronze Gong Xu had disciples.”
“Whether he has disciples or not doesn’t matter—can’t you see it says ‘unworthy disciple’?”
Hearing the endless chatter from nearby, Miao Youfang angrily said: “Why do I have to hang here with you two degenerates?”
Their meridians and primordial spirits had been sealed, and they’d been poisoned with a toxin that made their bodies weak and limp. They could only hang there, enduring the humiliation.
Li Lingsu sighed: “You should be grateful. One of you is hooded, and the other’s name isn’t written—that dog Xu preserved some face for you two.
“Ah, indeed, just as I despise that dog, he despises me. Like repels like, without a doubt. Oh? Brother Yang, why aren’t you speaking?”
Yang Qianhuan didn’t respond.
Brother Yang is someone who cares about face; he can’t take this blow… Li Lingsu thought to himself.
At this moment, a commoner pointed at Yang Qianhuan and said: “This fellow’s wearing a hood, but from his clothes, he looks like an astrologer from the Bureau of Astronomy. Wonder what his name is.”
Someone nearby suggested: “Let’s knock his hood off and see.”
“No, don’t do that…” Yang Qianhuan, who had been silent until now, suddenly raised his voice.
Then, after a brief pause, he said solemnly: “Grasping the moon and plucking stars, I am who I am and won’t change my name—I am Sun Xuanji of the Bureau of Astronomy!”
Sun Xuanji? Great Dafu’s number one spendthrift… the watching crowd silently noted.
…
Inside the Xu residence, in the inner hall.
Aunt rose early in the morning. With Lu’e’s assistance, she dressed and groomed herself before heading to the inner hall for breakfast.
Walking through the corridor, she heard the distant thumping of wood being hammered—servants were up early repairing buildings. The Xu residence had expanded, buying several neighboring houses, and now its grounds rivaled those of noble mansions.
On both sides of the corridor were meticulously maintained flower beds.
Entering the inner hall, Aunt glanced around and saw only Lina and Lingyin sitting at the round table, fully focused on attacking mountains of steamed buns, fried dough sticks, meat buns, and a large bucket of soy milk.
Their appetite has increased again; these two eat enough for twenty people… Even though the Xu family was now wealthy and prosperous, Aunt, accustomed to running a thrifty household, still felt heartache at the sight.
Second Uncle Xu had already left for his duties.
After sitting down and taking a few sips of soy milk, Aunt asked: “Why haven’t Lingyu and Sister arrived yet? Lu’e, go check on them.”
As for the newlywed couple, she had never expected the princess to pay respects with tea—there was no such custom.
Although the princess had fewer privileges in the Xu household because of her nephew, the princess was still a princess, and her Aunt believed in ruling the household with a light touch.
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but recall Wang Simu’s thoughts that the monkey had revealed yesterday.
This future daughter-in-law harbored such criticism of her.
Aunt had been so angry she could barely sleep last night.
Lu’e turned and left, returning shortly with small steps to report: “The Young Miss says she’s unwell and won’t come out for breakfast. She asked this servant to bring the meal to her room. Madam Mu said the same.”
“Hmph, if they won’t come out, then they shouldn’t eat at all.” Aunt put down her chopsticks with a clatter, took a breath, then picked them up again and said: “Lu’e, take their meals to them.”
Lingyu is so deep and full of criticism; Wang Simu thinks so poorly of me; and my sworn sister has feelings for Ningyan. Though many women fancy him, and I as his aunt have grown used to it, but how old is Sister? If she got together with Ningyan, wouldn’t she have to call me ‘Aunt’? Preposterous! Fortunately, her looks are ordinary, and Ningyan surely won’t be interested.
Though slow to catch on, Aunt wasn’t a fool. She rubbed her temples in frustration.
What a mess this all is!
…
At the Constabulary Office.
At the majestic tower with upturned eaves and observation decks on each level, two birds perched on the railing, chirping away, their black eyes reflecting the steady figure in blue robes.
He was leisurely drinking tea.
Thump, thump, thump… Among the footsteps climbing the tower, Nangong Qianrou entered the tea room.
The two birds on the railing startled and took flight, disappearing into the azure sky.
“When you can control your killing aura, you’ll have hope of reaching the third rank.”
Wei Yuan opened a teacup and poured some of the premium tea that Xu Ningyan had gifted him, gesturing for Nangong Qianrou to sit.
Nangong Qianrou had long reached the peak of fourth rank, but transcendence seemed far out of reach.
“Foster Father, I just heard something,” Nangong Qianrou took a sip of tea, her expression showing rare amusement. “It’s related to yesterday’s wedding chamber festivities. Foster Father truly has divine foresight.”
Divine foresight? Wei Yuan looked at her, maintaining his composure and usual gentle smile.
Nangong Qianrou said softly: “After we left, that group swarmed the bridal chamber, planning to cause a scene.”
Wei Yuan nodded: “As expected. Yang Qianhuan and Li Lingsu seem to extremely ‘hate’ Ningyan, but Xu Ningyan isn’t one to be trifled with either. However…”
However, his little tricks only work on others.
Xu Ningyan was raised by his hand, and that boy’s intentions were crystal clear to him. He certainly wouldn’t fall for such schemes.
Wei Yuan kept these thoughts to himself; he was always a reserved intellectual.
Nangong Qianrou raised an eyebrow: “That’s exactly it.
“During last night’s festivities, Xu Ningyan brought a monkey demon who had supposedly mastered the Buddhist mind-reading technique to an extremely profound level, able to see through people’s hearts, with even transcendent experts unable to escape…”
Nangong Qianrou detailed the previous night’s events to Wei Yuan.
Wei Yuan maintained his smile and composure, but his heart grew heavier as he listened.
After finishing, Nangong Qianrou expressed her complete admiration: “Foster Father, did you already know Xu Ningyan had a backup plan, so you led us away from the Xu residence, that place of trouble, right after the feast?”
Able to read minds, with even transcendent experts unable to escape… Wei Yuan felt a chill inside while maintaining his smile.
Such composure made Nangong Qianrou even more certain of her guess.
“How did you find out about this?” Wei Yuan asked.
“Xu Qi’an’s two followers were talking about it. It’s already spread throughout the office,” Nangong Qianrou answered.
Wei Yuan made a sound of acknowledgment: “Go attend to your duties.”
After Nangong Qianrou left, Wei Yuan let out a light breath, finished his tea with lingering trepidation, and then heard the “thump thump” of footsteps coming up the stairs again.
This time, it was a eunuch in python-patterned robes.
“This servant greets Lord Wei.”
After paying his respects, the eunuch said: “This morning, His Majesty had people capture two white apes in the Southern Park and commanded this servant to inform Lord Wei that monkey brain will be served at lunch in the palace.”
The Southern Park was the royal hunting ground.
To anger Huai Qing to this extent… Wei Yuan slowly nodded: “Very well!”
…
At the Bureau of Astronomy.
Guardian Yuan lay prone by the window, vigilantly watching the civilians coming and going below.
“That person has been lingering outside the Star-Watching Tower for quite a while.”
Guardian Yuan turned his head to look at Sun Xuanji.
Then, as if answering his question, he spoke Sun Xuanji’s thoughts: “That’s a peddler, of course, he’s lingering.”
Guardian Yuan nodded and continued to vigilantly observe the outside world’s every movement.
A moment later, he turned to Sun Xuanji again: “I keep feeling assassins are lying in wait everywhere outside the Star-Watching Tower.”
Sun Xuanji shook his head.
“With me and Xu Ningyan protecting you, no one will assassinate you.” Guardian Yuan spoke Sun Xuanji’s thoughts, but this didn’t give him any sense of security.
“What about the astrologers inside the Star-Watching Tower?” Guardian Yuan asked.
He had offended the Supervisor’s third disciple Yang Qianhuan and fourth disciple Song Qing.
“Stay in my room and don’t go out, don’t eat anything the tower’s astrologers give you.” Guardian Yuan finished reciting, then nodded slightly: “Good! This is more prudent.”
He peered outside the window again and said uncertainly: “Really, no one will assassinate me?”
“No!” Sun Xuanji silently expressed his thoughts.
At this moment, there came a knock at the door, and Guardian Yuan instantly became alert, as if facing a great enemy.
Sun Xuanji waved his sleeve, opening the door.
It was Song Qing, holding a notice in his hand.
He looked at Guardian Yuan with pity and said: “Today, someone has been posting notices all over the city, offering a bounty for the ape demon by Sun Xuanji’s side—one thousand taels for each limb, three thousand taels for the tongue, and ten thousand taels for the monkey brain.”
… Guardian Yuan froze in place, like a lifeless paper monkey.
He stared blankly at Sun Xuanji, his thick lips trembling: “Boss, I want to go back to the Southern Frontier!”
…
Early morning, Night Princess woke to find herself in an unfamiliar room.
She first checked her dress, which was intact, but then felt a burning, swollen sensation in her bottom.
“Did Her Majesty get spanked by Lord Xu?” Night Princess muttered to herself.
Her Majesty must have caused trouble at Xu Bronze Gong’s wedding last night. I’d better forget about this… She turned over, adjusted to a comfortable position, and closed her eyes again.
…
“Someone put a bounty on Guardian Yuan’s dog life… no, monkey life?”
When Xu Qi’an received Sun Xuanji’s “paper crane” message, his first reaction wasn’t anger, but rather—I’ll take it!
“The whole monkey is worth seventeen thousand taels. Isn’t that too much of an investment? It’s tempting me.”
He inwardly complained while analyzing the “mastermind” behind the bounty notice.
“To be able to quietly post bounty notices everywhere shows some capability. From a financial perspective, Huai Qing is highly likely. Then there’s my dear Xu Lingyu, who manages the Xu family accounts—she’s an undoubted little rich lady.
“One of the people who suffered the worst social death last night. Of course, if the bounty notice is just revenge to scare Guardian Yuan, then most of the people at last night’s wedding chamber festivities are suspects. Guardian Yuan has offended too many people.
“Poor Guardian Yuan.”
Xu Qi’an put down the paper crane and turned to look at Lin’an sleeping on the couch, shaking his head.
After Lin’an unlocks more positions, he can try teaching her the dual cultivation method.
Cultivation not only extends life but also increases endurance.
Xu Qi’an put on his robe and went to the outer chamber, where he saw two palace maids setting up breakfast. They had dark circles under their eyes, seemingly having not slept well last night.
Seeing Xu Qi’an emerge, there was some fear in their eyes.
Poor Your Highness… the palace maids muttered inwardly.