Chu Cai Wei received the summons and immediately left the palace, riding on horseback with the guards to Lingbao Temple. She passed through the gardens and ancestral halls of the Human Sect, arriving at a small courtyard deep within the Taoist temple.
“Miss Chu, please,” said an elderly eunuch in a python robe standing at the courtyard gate, smiling and gesturing for her to enter.
Chu Cai Wei responded with a soft “Mm” and walked gracefully through the courtyard, entering the meditation room with her skirt swaying gently.
Inside, Emperor Yuan Jing and Luo Yu Heng sat across from each other at a tea table. On the table was a Taoist classic, an incense burner with thin wisps of smoke rising.
Chu Cai Wei glanced around, disappointed to see no delicious pastries on the table. She withdrew her gaze and bowed, “Greetings to Your Majesty and the National Preceptor.”
Emperor Yuan Jing examined the junior disciple of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau’s white-robed Spirit Masters. Her almond eyes were large and bright, her face round and sweet, a cheerful young woman who could unconsciously make others happy.
“The Supervising Censor sent you to see Us. What for?”
“It’s like this: Third Senior Brother Yang Qian Huan accidentally went into Qi Deviation while practicing yesterday. Second Senior Brother isn’t in the capital, and Senior Brother Song and I aren’t skilled in combat…”
Before she could finish, Emperor Yuan Jing frowned and interrupted, his voice deep, “What? Yang Qian Huan went into Qi Deviation while practicing?”
The old emperor felt a surge of alarm as if it was raining on a leaky roof.
Luo Yu Heng raised an eyebrow, her captivating eyes fixed on Chu Cai Wei. This didn’t seem like the Supervising Censor’s style.
Chu Cai Wei calmly continued, “Therefore, Teacher Supervising Censor sent me to ask Your Majesty to borrow a person to represent the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in the contest against those Western Region monks.”
Borrow a person?!
The calculating Emperor Yuan Jing didn’t agree immediately. He pondered for a moment, unable to think of who it might be, then frowned and asked:
“Who does the Supervising Censor want?”
“The Night Watchman, Silver Gong Xu Qi An,” Chu Cai Wei said clearly.
The meditation room suddenly fell silent.
After a long while, the old emperor asked in an uncertain tone, “Xu Qi An, the Silver Gong Xu Qi An?”
“Yes, the Xu Qi An who’s excellent at solving cases and died once after returning from Yun Province,” Chu Cai Wei said sweetly.
Emperor Yuan Jing waved his hand, “Of course, We know it’s him. We mean, why Xu Qi An?”
This female disciple of the Supervising Censor was a bit too simple-minded. When speaking with her, one had to be very clear and explicit for her to understand.
Chu Cai Wei shook her head honestly: “I don’t know.”
… Emperor Yuan Jing exhaled and waved his hand: “We understand. You may go now.”
“Alright.”
Chu Cai Wei left with light steps. She planned to go to Princess Huai Qing’s De Xin Garden for tea and pastries and to share what she had learned.
After Chu Cai Wei left, Emperor Yuan Jing held his teacup, pondering for a long time before asking in a heavy tone, “National Preceptor, what do you think?”
“While Xu Qi An’s talent is indeed not bad, as a mere martial artist, he has no chance of winning against the Buddhist delegation in a contest of magic,” Luo Yu Heng said. Her delicate features were solemn, and when expressionless, she looked like a carved jade goddess.
“However, the Cosmic Board is the Supervising Censor’s magical tool. He certainly wouldn’t lend it out. Perhaps there’s another reason behind this.”
Emperor Yuan Jing sighed, “Enough, enough. Let’s not worry about him. That old man is too cunning; We can never see through him. We have other matters to attend to, so We’ll return to the palace first.”
The person Emperor Yuan Jing disliked the most was the Supervising Censor. In all of Great Feng, he looked down upon all officials, both civil and military. Even with Luo Yu Heng, the leader of the Human Sect, he addressed her as a fellow Taoist, treating her as an equal.
Only the Supervising Censor was someone he truly had to look up to. Emperor Yuan Jing couldn’t see through him at all.
For an emperor holding supreme power, this was an extremely uncomfortable situation.
Sitting in his palanquin, Emperor Yuan Jing ordered, “Summon Xu Qi An to the palace to see Us.”
…
“His Majesty wants to see me?”
Xu Qi An received the news while he was watching the commotion outside the Star-Observing Tower, observing the monks led by Arhat Du E among the crowd.
“Yes, the palace guards are waiting at the office. Hurry, Sir Xu,” urged the Bronze Gong delivering the message.
If I’m late, my entire year’s salary might be deducted… Without another word, Xu Qi An mounted his mare, slapped its small rump, and hurried back to the office.
After meeting with the guards waiting at the office, Xu Qi An entered the imperial palace, silently passing through the east gate to arrive at the imperial study.
Six thick red pillars supported the high dome. Behind the large desk covered in yellow silk, no one was present.
Xu Qi An waited in the silent imperial study for a quarter of an hour. Emperor Yuan Jing, wearing a Taoist robe with his black hair tied up with a Taoist hairpin, arrived leisurely. Instead of sitting on his dragon throne, he stood in front of Xu Qi An, squinting as he examined him.
… This gaze seemed a bit like a father-in-law looking at his son-in-law, with a mix of scrutiny, confusion, and a hint of unfriendliness!
Emperor Yuan Jing stopped in front of him and said to the submissive-looking Silver Gong, “Have you heard about the contest between the Supervising Censor and Du E?”
“In reply to Your Majesty, I just saw it on the imperial edict,” Xu Qi An respectfully answered.
“Contests of magic usually involve both literary and martial aspects. Du E and the Supervising Censor are both rare masters in the world and won’t personally take action. This is often a matter for disciples.”
This was understandable. The big shots would sit back and give directions while the disciples charged into battle… But what did this have to do with him?
As he was pondering this, Emperor Yuan Jing said calmly, “The Supervising Censor just asked Us to borrow someone, and he chose you to compete!”
“…?”
Xu Qi An suddenly raised his head, looking at Emperor Yuan Jing in astonishment.
Emperor Yuan Jing stared at him: “What do you think?”
Supervising Censor, you old schemer, what are you up to? Knowing that Shen Shu is inside me, you’re still sending me right in front of the Buddhist delegation… Xu Qi An immediately said, “This humble official’s abilities are limited and knowledge shallow. I fear I am not up to the task. Please allow me to refuse, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Yuan Jing snorted, “Since the Supervising Censor has decided, he naturally won’t change his mind. We didn’t summon you to hear you say these things. We want to tell you that this contest concerns Great Feng’s reputation. You must do everything in your power to win.”
How do you expect me to win?
Xu Qi An’s face remained expressionless as he cupped his hands: “This humble official obeys the imperial edict.”
…
Lingbao Temple.
Not long after Emperor Yuan Jing left, a woman wearing layered, complex white robes, adorned with ornate jewelry and her face covered by a silk veil, entered Lingbao Temple under the protection of a guard detail.
Without needing to be announced, she went straight to the depths of the Taoist temple and sat down in a pavilion.
By the pond next to the pavilion, the stunningly beautiful female National Preceptor Luo Yu Heng sat cross-legged in midair.
The veiled woman picked up a small stone and quietly threw it at Luo Yu Heng. When the stone was within three feet of Luo Yu Heng, it was deflected by an energy barrier and accurately hit the veiled woman’s forehead.
She cried out “Ouch!” and crouched down, holding her forehead, complaining, “So what if you’re a Tier 2 expert? Does being a Tier 2 expert mean you can bully people at will?”
Luo Yu Heng opened her eyes and said helplessly, “What are you doing here? Don’t disturb my cultivation if there’s nothing important.”
The veiled woman lifted her skirt and came to the edge of the pond, saying excitedly, “The Buddhist delegation is going to have a contest with the Supervising Censor. There’ll be a spectacle to watch tomorrow.”
“Then go watch it.”
“Of course, I want to watch, but Emperor Yuan Jing won’t let me leave the royal mansion. I can only change my appearance and sneak out to watch. But I want to observe up close,” the veiled woman grumbled.
“You can disguise yourself and have someone take you in,” Luo Yu Heng said with a smile.
“After I disguise myself, no one will recognize me. How can anyone take me in?” she said irritably. Seeming to feel deflated, she changed the subject, saying:
“Let me tell you, that Xu Qi An is annoying. I’ve encountered him several times. He’s simply a frivolous scoundrel.”
“Given your beauty, isn’t that normal?” Luo Yu Heng replied.
“See? You’re not even talking to me sincerely. You’re speaking without thinking… How could I possibly show my true face? If I did, that scoundrel would fall in love with me on the spot.
“I changed my appearance. After disguising myself, although I look ordinary on the outside, my demeanor and charm are still exceptional…”
Luo Yu Heng impatiently interrupted, “If your demeanor and charm are exceptional, isn’t it reasonable for him to flirt with you?”
She was momentarily speechless, stunned for a moment…
“Forget it!” The veiled woman angrily turned away.
She would never admit that her disguised self was just an ordinary woman of mediocre appearance.
And yet, for such a woman, that Xu Qi An still showed strong interest. This man was simply an indiscriminate scoundrel.
A despicable person.
“Do you know who will be representing the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in the contest against the Buddhist delegation tomorrow?” Luo Yu Heng suddenly said.
The veiled woman perked up her ears.
“Xu Qi An,” Luo Yu Heng didn’t keep her in suspense.
“Hm?”
The veiled woman suddenly turned around, her beautiful eyes wide: “Him? Representing the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?”
Luo Yu Heng nodded.
The veiled woman immediately became somewhat angry, sitting there with her hands on her hips: “Has our great Great Feng run out of capable people? To let a brat represent the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in a contest.”
She fumed for a while, then seeing Luo Yu Heng resume her meditation, she quieted down as well.
Sitting there, her eyes kept moving, thinking about who knows what.
…
At the Tower of Righteousness, Xu Qi An held a cup of tea and relayed the information he had learned at the palace to Wei Yuan. Wei Yuan, unconcerned, said, “Just do your best.”
“I’ll be punished by His Majesty if I lose, right?” Xu Qi An said worriedly.
Wei Yuan smiled and said, “Don’t worry, perhaps tomorrow’s contest won’t be as difficult as you imagine.”
Xu Qi An’s eyes lit up: “Lord Wei, do you know some inside information?”
Wei Yuan glanced at him: “Use your brain!”
The grand eunuch hinted, “What are the stakes for the contest?”
“The Diamond Sutra and the Cosmic Board.”
“The Cosmic Board is the Supervising Censor’s magical tool, unique in the world. If you lose the contest, you’ll just be punished by His Majesty, but he will lose a priceless treasure. If he wasn’t confident, would the Supervising Censor ask His Majesty to borrow you?”
Am I really that impressive? How come I didn’t know… Xu Qi An muttered to himself.
…
That evening, he told his family about representing the Imperial Astronomical Bureau in the contest against the Buddhist delegation, saying, “If you want to join the excitement, you can use my badge to enter the area reserved for the Night Watchmen’s Office.”
Xu Ping Zhi frowned deeply: “Is it dangerous?”
“It’s just a contest, it shouldn’t be… dangerous,” Xu Qi An wasn’t too sure either, as he didn’t know the details of tomorrow’s contest.
“Oh, we can enter and watch?” Aunt seemed carefree, saying happily.
“I want to go too, I want to go too…”
Xu Ling Yin raised her little hand during a pause in her eating.
“You want to go watch the excitement too?” Xu Qi An was a bit surprised; his silly sister rarely spoke while eating.
“There must be good food where there’s excitement,” Xu Ling Yin said with conviction. This was a life philosophy she had concluded in her brief six years of life.
“Why did the Supervising Censor choose Big Brother?”
The family’s only scholar and intellectual representative, Xu Ci Jiu, frowned, realizing things weren’t so simple.
To his little brother’s confusion, Xu Qi An could only helplessly say, “Who can know what the Supervising Censor is thinking? Do you know? Because I don’t.”
The little brother shook his head, indicating that even with his supreme intelligence, he couldn’t fathom the Supervising Censor’s thoughts.
After dinner, Xu Qi An meditated to cultivate his spirit. Once he reached a fairly good state, he stopped meditating, planning to have a good sleep to be fully prepared for tomorrow’s battle.
“It seems avoiding the entertainment district these past few days was the right choice. A man must know how to conserve his energy.”
He closed his eyes, about to enter dreamland when the familiar heart palpitation came.
He had to take out the Book of Earth fragment, light a candle, and check the message.
[Four: Tomorrow is the contest between the Supervising Censor and Du E. I heard some surprising news from the National Preceptor.]
[What news?]
The members of the Tian Di Society all asked.
Only Xu Qi An’s face changed drastically, thinking, “Shut up, shut up!”
Chu Yuan Jin used his finger as a pen and wrote: [The Imperial Astronomical Bureau chose Silver Gong Xu Qi An to face the challenge.]
After sending this message, Chu Yuan Jin expected to see the “group members'” shocked reactions and their opinions, but there was no feedback at all.
“?”
Chu Yuan Jin frowned slightly. Did they already know?
[Two: What’s up with this Number Four, deliberately keeping us in suspense?]
[Six: Number Four doesn’t seem like that kind of person. Maybe something urgent came up.]
Number Four had something urgent come up… Haha, thank heavens, my situation wasn’t revealed. Otherwise, if Number Two heard I wasn’t dead, she would have exposed my identity in the group chat right away… Xu Qi An felt relieved.
At this moment, he saw a message from Daoist Jin Lian on the mirror surface: [Nine: I’ve temporarily blocked them all, including Number Four.]
The Daoist blocked Number Four?!
Xu Qi An was startled and quickly wrote: [Thank you, Daoist.]
[Nine: No need to thank me.]
No need to thank me. If we let Li Miao Zhen know about your resurrection now, when she comes to the capital, she’ll be able to focus on preparing for battle. You, this troublemaker, would be useless then.
[Nine: However, you can’t keep a fire wrapped in paper. You’re a smart person, you should understand my meaning.]
[Three: I have my plans.]
Xu Qi An planned to talk face-to-face with Li Miao Zhen, to discuss their shared experience of social death in the past. This way, Li Miao Zhen would agree to keep his identity secret.
Daoist Jin Lian, you think I’m on the second level, but actually, I’m on the fifth level.
[Three: By the way, Daoist, I seem to have met that woman who has a connection with me.]
[Nine: Hehe, you were bound to meet sooner or later. It shows your fate has arrived.]
Fate has arrived… Xu Qi An swallowed and wrote with a dejected face: [This fate you speak of, is it a proper fate? She’s old enough to be my aunt.]
That old lady’s age was probably just a few years younger than his aunt, and his aunt was 36 this year.
[Nine: I don’t think I’ve told you about the ability of that bodhi bead bracelet. Hmm, it can obscure one’s fate and change one’s appearance. Buddhism is most adept at concealing one’s fate.
[I won when discussing the Dharma with a high monk during my travels in the Western Regions, doing good deeds and accumulating virtue. That’s how I got the bracelet from him.]
I see. So if the old lady is a charming, mature beauty, I could accept that. Besides, from my past life’s experience and perspective, women in their thirties are actually at their best age… No, no, no, I can’t let my thoughts slide. Have I already accepted that we’ll have an ill-fated relationship?
It must be Daoist Jin Lian’s suggestive influence.
[Three: Daoist, what exactly does “connection” mean?]
[Nine: There are many kinds of connections. When people develop a bond with each other, that’s a connection. But a bond can be friendship, it can be a close relationship, it can be that of a benefactor, and so on.]
Phew… Xu Qi An breathed a sigh of relief.
Ending the chat, he wrapped himself in a thin cotton blanket and entered dreamland.
…
The next day, early in the morning, Xu Ping Zhi took leave and returned home to take the women of the family out. He drove the carriage to take them to the Star-Observing Tower to watch the excitement.
Xu Er Lang rode on horseback, following beside the carriage.
Just as they were leaving the small road at their doorstep, about to turn onto the main road, they saw a plain-looking woman emerge from a simple carriage parked by the roadside. She raised her hand to stop Xu Ping Zhi’s carriage.
Xu Ping Zhi frowned as he looked at the woman and asked, “Who are you?”
“Are you Xu Qi An’s second uncle?”
“Yes!”
“Going to the Star-Observing Tower?”
“Yes.”
The woman nodded and climbed onto the carriage without asking: “Take me to the Star-Observing Tower. Tell Xu Qi An that the matter of picking up my sachet is settled.”
Second Uncle Xu was originally going to push the woman off, but after hearing the latter part of her statement, his expression became somewhat strange.
It sounded like this woman had some entanglement with his nephew.
“Given Ning Yan’s status and qualifications, he shouldn’t be involved with a woman so much older than him. I must be overthinking, definitely overthinking…”
Xu Ping Zhi planned to thoroughly question Xu Ning Yan when he got home, but for now, he held his tongue.
After the old lady climbed into the carriage, she saw the voluptuous and beautiful aunt and the ethereally beautiful Ling Yue. She was visibly stunned for a moment, then remembering the extraordinarily handsome young man outside, she muttered to herself:
This whole family has good looks.
Then, she saw Xu Ling Yin, who currently had the same ordinary features as herself. She had her hair in child’s buns, sitting on the long bench with her short legs dangling.
She paid no attention to the newcomer’s arrival, focused entirely on eating the dried meat in her arms.
Aunt carefully examined the old lady and said with restraint, “Which family’s madam are you?”
The old lady showed a gentle smile: “Just an ordinary family. I wanted to go see the excitement at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau but couldn’t enter the venue. As I happen to know… Young Master Xu’s nephew, I came to take advantage of that.”
Aunt nodded. As long as this woman wasn’t involved with her husband, she didn’t care.
After chatting for a few sentences, Aunt realized that when the other woman referred to herself as being from an “ordinary family,” she was probably being modest.
This woman’s speech was elegant, her smile restrained. She was not from an ordinary family.
She must be the wife of some official who is familiar with Ning Yan… But why haven’t I seen her husband?
At this moment, the old lady looked at Xu Ling Yin and casually asked, “Is this a child from a relative’s family?”