Night fell, with dim stars and moon, and a thick fog enveloping the city.
Xu Qi’an, carrying Zhong Li on his back, looked down at the capital from high in the sky. This greatest city in the world lay quietly in the darkness.
Every twenty steps along the city wall’s horse path, there was a raised fire pile for illumination. Combined with the candlelight from the imperial palace, imperial city, and inner city, it created a rather dazzling scene.
“It’s beautiful,” Zhong Li murmured, lying on his back.
“Can’t you see such a night view from the Eight Trigrams Platform of the Astronomical Bureau?” Xu Qi’an asked with a smile.
“It’s not as beautiful there, and besides, the teacher needs to observe the stars at night, so we’re usually not allowed on the Eight Trigrams Platform at this time, except for Caiwei,” Zhong Li said regretfully.
“Why is Caiwei allowed?” Xu Qi’an asked, surprised.
“Maybe because she’s the youngest and dumbest, so the teacher especially favors her,” Zhong Li guessed.
…Are you badmouthing Caiwei? I didn’t expect you to be like this, Zhong Li. Well, but given this unlucky Fifth Junior Sister’s personality, she’s probably telling the truth… It seems Caiwei’s lack of intelligence is widely acknowledged in the Astronomical Bureau.
Thinking this, Xu Qi’an changed the subject and said softly, “In my dreams, I’ve seen a city where every night, lamps light up along the streets, winding through every corner of the city.
“In my dreams, I’ve seen a city full of towering buildings like the Star-Gazing Tower, emitting lights of various colors.
“In my dreams, I’ve seen a city where glowing carriages shuttle through the streets, the whole city dazzling and brilliant, with candlelight burning all night until dawn.”
Zhong Li listened, somewhat entranced, and murmured, “That must be a fairyland.”
Xu Qi’an didn’t answer, just smiled, his smile containing both nostalgia and melancholy.
The flying sword and paper crane didn’t land immediately but circled in the air the outer city for a moment. This was like knocking on a door, giving the mystics of the Astronomical Bureau or the experts in the capital a chance to react.
To let them know that the arrivals were not enemies, but their people.
If they had descended abruptly without warning, the experts in the capital might have reacted defensively.
The flying sword and paper crane landed in a quiet alley not far from the city gate. Everyone bowed to say goodbye. The unconscious Lina was taken away by Daoist Jinlian, who would temporarily look after her, as he was the leader of the Tiandi Society.
It was his responsibility to take on this task.
Xu Qi’an, carrying Zhong Li on his back, walked towards the guards at the city gate.
There, a graceful and shapely horse was tethered.
When he left the city with Daoist Jinlian and the others last night, he had brought the little mare along, handing her over to the patrolling Imperial Blade Guards midway, asking them to help keep her at the city gate, watched over by the gate soldiers.
“Little mare, your needleman is back.”
Xu Qi’an stroked the little mare’s neck, untied the reins, and rode back to the inner city with Zhong Li.
From the outer city gate to the Xu mansion in the inner city, it would take until midnight to walk, so riding was much faster. Xu Qi’an was glad he had the foresight to bring the horse.
Using his silver gong’s privilege to open the inner city gate, they returned to the Xu mansion late at night. Zhong Li quickly washed up and used the wooden sticks Xu Qi’an gave her to set her bones.
“I’m very sorry, it’s all my fault. You didn’t have to suffer like this,” Xu Qi’an said guiltily.
“Take me back to the Astronomical Bureau tomorrow. The teacher will heal my leg injury,” Zhong Li said, looking down and rubbing her leg. She added softly, “I need to borrow your fortune to avoid misfortune, so naturally I should give something in return. In your words, this is an equivalent exchange, the unchanging law of alchemy.”
“Junior Sister Zhong is so understanding, it’s touching… Um, Junior Sister Zhong, are you sleepy?”
Zhong Li shook her head.
Slap! Xu Qi’an put a blank book in front of her and said, “If you’re not sleepy, then help me write. I carried you back from Xiangcheng to the capital, which was very tiring. Equivalent exchange, the unchanging principle of alchemy.”
Zhong Li was stunned.
While preparing ink, Xu Qi’an urged, “Hurry up, I promised the princess I’d send her a storybook. I’ve already let her down for a day.”
“Oh…”
Zhong Li responded weakly, limping to the table to sit down. She straightened her back and took the brush Xu Qi’an handed her.
…
The next day, Xu Qi’an dressed neatly, tied on his bronze gong, hung his sword, and took Zhong Li back to her home.
Watching Zhong Li enter the Star-Gazing Tower, Xu Qi’an suddenly heard a long chant from behind:
“The sea ends where the sky becomes the shore, at the pinnacle of mystic arts, I stand supreme.”
Has Senior Brother Yang changed his catchphrase? No, saying such things at the foot of the Star-Gazing Tower, have you considered the Director’s feelings? Xu Qi’an put on an enthusiastic smile and turned to say:
“Senior Brother Yang, what can I do for you?”
“You seemed to have some problems last night. Do you need me to help deal with it?” Yang Qianhuan said softly.
Xu Qi’an felt a chill down his spine. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp as he stared at Yang Qianhuan’s back.
What did he mean by that? Was he referring to the fortune I seized in the ancient tomb yesterday? Impossible, how could Yang Qianhuan have discovered my strange fortune?
While he was still uncertain and suspicious, Yang Qianhuan stood with his hands behind his back and said, “I’m just relaying a message from the teacher. Tell me your thoughts, and I’ll go back to report.”
My thought is to beat you up!!
Xu Qi’an’s mouth twitched.
“As expected, perhaps when I returned to the capital last night, the Director saw my abnormality from the Eight Trigrams Platform. Don’t doubt it, a first-rank mystic looking down from a high place couldn’t possibly have only noticed now.
“The Director sent Senior Brother Yang to bring me a message, which means the heavenly secrets he blocked for me have already become ineffective? Is it because of the impact of the fortune I received yesterday?
“Then I should refuse, right? The Degree Calamity Arhat has gone back to the Western Regions, what reason do I have to bear the 404 technique? Every time I’ve gone to the brothel lately, my heart has been bleeding. A life without freeloading is meaningless.”
Thinking this, Xu Qi’an gave his answer: “No need, please thank the Director for me.”
He spurred his little mare and galloped away.
On the way to the yamen, as Xu Qi’an was basking in the morning sun, he suddenly saw a carriage ahead lose control. The horses pulling it seemed to have been startled and were running wild, charging recklessly.
The carriage driver was trying his best to stop them, pulling hard on the reins, but couldn’t control the horses.
The out-of-control carriage was about to crash into a young child playing by the roadside. His mother was at a nearby stall, looking at cheap jewelry.
The sudden incident caught everyone off guard. The young mother heard the cries of passersby, turned her head, and saw a carriage charging straight at her son.
She immediately let out a terrified scream.
At that moment, a young man in a night watchman’s uniform appeared like a ghost, reaching out to press his hand on the horse’s forehead.
“Neigh…”
The horse whinnied, its front legs buckling, while the young night watchman remained motionless.
“Thank you, sir, thank you so much!”
The young mother hugged her son, crying tears of joy and repeatedly bowing in gratitude.
Onlookers who witnessed this scene burst into loud cheers.
“Isn’t that Lord Xu? Isn’t he our Great Feng’s hero?”
Someone recognized him and shouted excitedly.
Hearing this, other passersby who had witnessed the dharma competition also recognized Xu Qi’an and called out, “That’s right, it’s Lord Xu, it’s Lord Xu!”
Now, even the citizens who hadn’t witnessed the dharma competition knew that this handsome silver gong who had saved someone was the hero who had shone brightly in the competition, suppressing the Buddhist sect’s arrogance.
Have I become so popular already, so beloved by the capital’s citizens… Xu Qi’an mused, cupping his hands in acknowledgment before mounting his little mare and leaving.
Behind him, the shouts of “Lord Xu” echoed for a long time.
“This feels pretty good. How does that saying go? ‘Showing off comes naturally, a masterful touch occasionally obtained’…” Xu Qi’an thought to himself.
But then, he encountered a lost child incident. To prevent the child from falling into the hands of kidnappers, he waited at the spot until the child’s family arrived, earning heartfelt thanks and praise from passersby.
Then there was an incident where an old lady fell while crossing the street, with no one to help her up. As a model youth, Xu Qi’an naturally couldn’t ignore such a situation, earning the old lady’s gratitude and bystanders’ praise.
After this, Xu Qi’an realized something was off: “Why is it that wherever I go, I end up showing off? This isn’t scientific. After helping the old lady cross the street, am I supposed to help Miss Qiu beat up Li Fu next?”
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he indeed saw a disheveled woman rush out from the street side, crying.
A man chased after her, raising his hand to strike, angrily shouting:
“I’ll beat you to death, you shameless woman! I’ll beat you to death, you shameless woman! I’m writing a divorce letter right now…”
This isn’t right… Xu Qi’an turned his horse around, slapped the little mare’s rump, and galloped towards the Astronomical Bureau.
On the way, he calmed down and thought about it, coming up with a relatively reasonable guess.
Originally, the strange fortune within him was slowly awakening as his cultivation improved, a gradual process. Thus, the external manifestation was picking up silver coins, from one qian to five qian…
Now, having seized the fortune from the Imperial Jade Seal, it was like forcing a plant to grow, and the fortune had gone out of control.
“Zhong Li is plagued by misfortune, always having to guard against sudden accidents. And I’m surrounded by fortune, so I have to constantly guard against sudden show-off incidents… This isn’t a good thing. Moreover, I’m not sure if these accidental events would have happened anyway, or if they’re deliberately occurring because of my presence, to let me show off (gain prestige)?”
Thinking of this, Xu Qi’an self-mockingly thought: In the future, I could write a book called ‘I Didn’t Mean to Show Off’.
Riding hard back to the Astronomical Bureau, before he could dismount, he heard a long chant from behind:
“The great roc rises with the wind in a day, soaring straight up ninety thousand li. Holding the bright moon and plucking stars, in this world there’s none like me.”
As the echoes faded, a purple jade flew in front of Xu Qi’an, hovering in the air.
Yang Qianhuan said: “The teacher asked me to give this to you. He said you’d have some small troubles, and this jade pendant can solve them.”
Can this jade pendant block my fortune? Taking the jade pendant and examining it, Xu Qi’an saw it was shaped like a round disc, about the size of Xu Lingyin’s palm, smooth to the touch… Xu Qi’an sincerely admired:
“The Director is truly a divine person. He knew I would come back.”
Hearing this, Yang Qianhuan shook his head: “No, he gave it to me earlier.”
“?”
Xu Qi’an’s expression froze on his face: “Then why didn’t you give it to me earlier?”
Yang Qianhuan said matter-of-factly: “The most important things naturally should be saved for last. Just as heroes always appear at the critical moment.”
I can’t take it anymore. Director, please help me beat this guy to death… Xu Qi’an cursed Yang Qianhuan’s ancestors a hundred times in his heart, then rode away with a black face.
…
At Dexin Garden.
Xu Qi’an and Princess Huaiqing sat facing each other, holding hot tea. The steam wafted over his handsome face as Xu Qi’an said:
“I hear Your Highness has read through all the history books, with talent no less than men.”
Huaiqing crossed her hands over her lower abdomen, sitting straight-backed, and coolly asked:
“No less than men?”
Those clear, beautiful eyes like autumn waters scrutinized Xu Qi’an for a few seconds.
“This humble official’s description was not appropriate. No less than the top scholars,” Xu Qi’an smiled.
Huaiqing didn’t speak further. She extended her jade-like hand from her wide sleeve, lifted her teacup, and took a sip before saying: “What do you wish to ask?”
Talking to smart people is so easy… Xu Qi’an said: “Does Your Highness know of the Great Liang Dynasty?”
The exploration of the ancient tomb outside Xiangcheng was an internal mission of the Tiandi Society. As Wei Yuan’s mole planted within the Tiandi Society, Xu Qi’an should naturally report this matter to his superiors. However, due to the matter of the Imperial Jade Seal’s fortune, he planned to conceal it.
“There were three dynasties named ‘Great Liang.’ The earliest was about 3,000 years ago. The most recent was after Great Feng was established, when remnants of the previous dynasty, supported by the Shaman Religion, established a short-lived Great Liang. It was destroyed by the Founding Emperor after eighteen years.”
Huaiqing answered without thinking.
“Is there an even earlier one?” Xu Qi’an frowned.
Huaiqing shook her head.
It seems the official history books indeed don’t record the era of the murals… This answer was expected, but Xu Qi’an was still somewhat disappointed.
Before the Confucian school appeared, although humans had the habit of recording history, it was mostly done through murals, which were not easily preserved. A single war could destroy them completely.
The tradition of writing books as a means of recording history truly began after the Confucian school appeared. Scholars began to painstakingly compile books and histories, making it their lifelong and glorious career.
“Does Lord Xu have any other matters?” Huaiqing reminded.
“No…”
Lost in thought, Xu Qi’an shook his head subconsciously.
“No?” Huaiqing’s tone rose slightly.
“Oh, look at my memory. I promised to bring Your Highness a storybook,” Xu Qi’an slapped his forehead, took out a book from his bosom, placed it on the table, and said:
“I had some matters at home yesterday, which delayed this. Your Highness must have been anxious.”
Huaiqing didn’t even look at the book, saying coolly: “It was just a few maids who wanted to read it. How could this princess be ‘anxious’?”
“If there’s nothing else, this humble official will take his leave.”
Xu Qi’an was still thinking about his date in Lin’an Prefecture.
Women are troublesome. I don’t even have time to cultivate properly. Why keep so many fish… Thinking of Lin’an’s charming and affectionate face, Xu Qi’an felt a bit impatient.
“No need to see me out.”
After Xu Qi’an left the hall, Huaiqing stood up, lifted her skirt, and walked straight to the table. She somewhat hastily picked up the book, and flipped through it quickly, confirming its substantial content. Her clear eyes flashed with satisfaction.
…
At Lingbao Temple.
An orange cat gracefully leaped onto the wall, surveyed the quiet courtyard, and pounced down from the wall top.
It walked with its tail high, crossing the pebble-paved path to the door of the meditation room. It raised its paw and knocked on the door.
The latticed door opened automatically, and Luo Yuheng’s cool voice came out: “Why have you come to my Lingbao Temple again?”
“Alas!”
The cat sighed, vibrating the air, producing an ancient voice: “Junior Sister, it’s an emergency. My physical body is almost done for.”
“I think you quite like your current physical body,” Luo Yuheng teased.
“Junior Sister, don’t speak nonsense,” the cat said angrily, righteously stating: “People like us don’t fuss over trifles.”
“Cut the nonsense. What’s the matter?” Luo Yuheng grew impatient.
The cat’s face showed a human-like smile as it shamelessly said: “I want to ask Junior Sister for two Blood Embryo Pills.”
Luo Yuheng sighed: “I’m just a femme fatale who seduces the emperor to cultivate and disrupt the court. My pills are all made from people’s fat and sweat. Doesn’t Senior Brother fear that after eating them, the karmic fire will burn your body and you’ll die and lose your Dao?”
This stingy and grudge-holding woman… Daoist Jinlian said solemnly: “Junior Sister’s words are mistaken. Emperor Yuanjing’s desire to cultivate has nothing to do with you. If someone with evil intentions became the Imperial Preceptor, that would truly disrupt the court.
“Junior Sister took on the role of Imperial Preceptor out of concern for the world’s people, personally supervising Emperor Yuanjing. Otherwise, the court would have been in chaos long ago.”
Luo Yuheng sighed softly: “If only everyone in the world could see as clearly and understand as well as Senior Brother. You’re right. Since I’ve borrowed the dynasty’s fortune to cultivate, it’s only right that I face criticism.”
“Then, about those Blood Embryo Pills…”
“One Blood Embryo Pill for thirty-eight taels of gold. Considering our relationship as fellow disciples, I’ll waive the small change. How about sixty taels of gold?”
If this poor Daoist had that much money, why would I be asking you?!
Daoist Jinlian’s cat face froze.
After pondering for a moment, Daoist Jinlian stepped over the threshold into the meditation room. Looking at the beautiful woman sitting cross-legged on the cushion, he negotiated:
“I’ll trade information for Blood Embryo Pills.”
Luo Yuheng didn’t open her eyes. With her hands and feet pointed upward, her exquisite face like jade carving, her red lips parted slightly: “Though Senior Brother has much information, I’m not interested.”
The orange cat’s emerald eyes stared at her intently, saying: “What if it’s about Xu Qi’an?”
Luo Yuheng immediately opened her eyes.