After returning to his small courtyard, Xu Qi An changed out of his uniform and took a bath. Just as he put on his casual clothes, he saw Old Zhang, the gatekeeper, push open the door.
“Young Master, guests have arrived. The master is calling for you,” Old Zhang announced loudly, stroking his goatee.
“I understand. Close the courtyard gate and come in,” Xu Qi An responded.
Old Zhang was stunned for a moment, then showed signs of wariness.
*Weren’t we supposed to go to the main house? He’s not leaving and wants to close the door and have me come inside. What is he planning?*
Old Zhang ignored the request and quietly retreated from the small courtyard.
He still remembered the incident when a servant was called into the bathroom and mysteriously fainted.
Xu Qi An walked out of the house to find Old Zhang had already left.
He had wanted to grab Old Zhang to climb over the wall, saving him from having to take the long way back.
Leaping over the high wall, he headed towards the front hall. His second uncle sending someone to call him meant that the guest who had come to the mansion was likely related to him.
Arriving at the front hall, a figure in a yellow dress came into view – it was Chu Caiwei, whom he hadn’t seen in a while.
She wore a light yellow long dress, her hair puffed up.
A small deerskin pouch hung at her waist, along with an octagonal feng shui compass. Her apricot eyes were clear and bright.
“Why have you come to my home?” Xu Qi An asked in surprise.
Chu Caiwei sat in the main seat, with Second Uncle accompanying her. She was slowly eating from a large package of exquisite pastries from Guiyue Tower, taking a sip of tea to wash down the food before speaking:
“If you don’t go to the Celestial Inspection Bureau soon, Senior Brother Song will be the one coming next time.”
Xu Qi An suddenly realized that he indeed hadn’t fulfilled his promise yet.
Zhou Li’s matter had been resolved, but he still hadn’t delivered the promised periodic table of elements to the Celestial Inspection Bureau.
Mainly because he had been focused on whether Vice Minister Zhou would be ousted, and then he was called to the Night Watchmen’s office for public punishment.
Subsequently, he became an honorable Bronze-level Constable, beginning his day-and-night inverted corporate slave life.
He had forgotten about the Celestial Inspection Bureau matter. Xu Qi An swore to the heavens that it wasn’t because he had gotten used to freeloading.
“Another day, I’ll go another day,” Xu Qi An said.
“You haven’t prepared anything, have you?” Chu Caiwei questioned suspiciously.
“Of course, I’ve prepared something.”
Chu Caiwei’s big Maybelline eyes flashed with clarity: “You’re lying.”
“…”
“Senior Brother Song said that since you’ve delayed for so long, you need to repay with interest. Some of the alchemy knowledge you wrote in the blue book is quite profound, and the Celestial Inspection Bureau’s alchemists can’t quite grasp it at the moment,” Chu Caiwei said as she ate a piece of pastry.
“It’s the end of the year, and Senior Brother Song hopes you can go to the Celestial Inspection Bureau to give a lecture to the sixth-rank alchemists and the mages below the sixth rank.”
“Alright!” Xu Qi An nodded, acknowledging that repaying debts was only proper. “But I need half an hour to prepare.”
Chu Caiwei beamed with joy: “I’ll supervise you.”
After speaking, in high spirits, she turned to Xu Lingyin, who was standing nearby with eyes gleaming with desire, and said, “Little sister, do you want to eat some of the big sister’s pastries?”
Xu Lingyin pecked at her head.
“Then I’ll give you a little bit.” Chu Caiwei bounced along, her skirt fluttering as she followed Xu Qi An.
This child had been coveting her pastries with wolfish ambition. Chu Caiwei originally didn’t want to give her any, but since Xu Qi An had agreed so readily, she was in a good mood. Besides, such a small child couldn’t eat much anyway.
The two came to Xu Qi An’s small courtyard. Chu Caiwei leaned against the door, lifting one leg and peering into the kitchen.
“That day you said you’d make something delicious for me.”
“…Next time,” Xu Qi An thought to himself, *You still remember that?*
Chu Caiwei became unhappy, puffing up her cheeks. Her already sweet and cute oval face became like a small steamed bun, very adorable.
*Whether she’s the Chief Inspector’s disciple or not doesn’t matter… I can handle this girl…* Xu Qi An was somewhat stunned.
Among the beauties he had seen, each had their characteristics: the voluptuous and charming aunt, the pure and elegant younger sister, the outwardly refined but inwardly flirtatious courtesan. But Chu Caiwei was the cutest and sweetest girl.
“When I make a low-cost version of chicken essence, I’ll cook noodles for you,” Xu Qi An said.
Half an hour later, Xu Qi An finished writing his notes and returned to the main house’s front hall with the big-eyed beauty.
Xu Lingyin was sitting in the chair Chu Caiwei had occupied earlier, her short legs dangling listlessly in the air, her little belly round and full.
“…” Chu Caiwei slowly opened her mouth wide, staring at the empty table.
*Where are my pastries? Where are the pastries I bought for two taels of silver?*
*Where is that big package of pastries?!*
Tears glistened in Chu Caiwei’s eyes.
“Thank you, big sister. The pastries were delicious,” Xu Lingyin burped, thanking her very politely.
The big-eyed beauty swallowed her bitterness, glaring hatefully at the little round belly, following Xu Qi An out with a face full of grievance.
The sound of horse hooves clip-clopped. Xu Qi An turned his head to look at Chu Caiwei bouncing on horseback, her pink cheeks puffed out.
“Aren’t you ashamed? Getting so upset just because my little sister ate some of your pastries,” Xu Qi An mocked.
Chu Caiwei twisted her waist: “I was saving them to eat while listening to your lecture.”
Xu Qi An thought for a moment: “It’s just pastries. I’ll buy them for you. How much could they cost?”
Chu Caiwei smiled: “Two taels of silver.”
“Let’s not keep Senior Brother Song waiting. Giddy up, giddy up…”
*Horse, you better start running fast.*
Chu Caiwei rolled her eyes and laughed as she spurred her horse to catch up.
…
Celestial Inspection Bureau.
As soon as Xu Qi An stepped into the Star-Observing Tower, he was warmly welcomed by the white-robed mages. He went straight up to the seventh floor, where he met the alchemists led by Song Qin.
“You’ve finally come. If you didn’t come soon, I was going to go to your mansion myself,” Song Qin stared at him with two dark circles under his eyes, looking like he had overindulged.
He was very dissatisfied with Xu Qi An’s delay.
He had violated his principle of being “upright and honest” to do bad things for Xu Qi An but waited and waited without any result.
“I’ve been quite busy lately,” Xu Qi An pulled out the notes from his bosom. “But I’m here now, aren’t I? How’s Senior Brother Song’s grafting research going lately?”
“Plant grafting has to wait until next spring. My main research direction is animals. Wait a moment…” Song Qin got excited talking about this and hurried away. A moment later, he returned with a draft.
“This is my recent grafting concept. I heard you joined the Night Watchmen, help me find a death row prisoner.”
Xu Qi An took a look. It was a centaur, and the drawing was quite good.
He cupped his hands towards Song Qin: “We’ll discuss this later. I’m here to fulfill my promise now.”
Xu Qi An didn’t want to be killed by the Chief Inspector with one slap.
“Senior Brother Song’s alchemy has gone astray… I need to use my profound chemistry knowledge to straighten him out.”
The teaching location was chosen to be the Great Hall on the seventh floor.
The white-robed mages brought tables and sat properly like students. From the ninth rank to the sixth rank, there were a total of forty-six people, not including the white-robed mages currently away.
Xu Qi An knew that what they craved was his theoretical knowledge of chemistry. In terms of practical skills, any sixth-rank alchemist could easily outperform him.
“I have a feeling that after this lecture, my status in the Celestial Inspection Bureau will rise again. When I copy poems to please the great Confucian scholars of the Cloud Deer Academy and firmly grasp Dad Wei’s thigh, will I be able to walk sideways in the capital shortly?”
Xu Qi An’s heart suddenly became fired up.
With the support of these three forces, as long as he didn’t do anything treasonous, he would be as stable as an old dog.
*Second Brother, your big brother still loves you. I’ve already paved the way for your path to becoming Prime Minister. Yet you’re so stingy that you won’t even give your big brother a promise.*
Xu Qi An swept his gaze over the white-robed mages: “Everyone, what do you know about alchemy? Before we start the class, let’s talk about alchemy.”
…
Two luxurious carriages drove up and stopped outside the Star-Observing Tower.
Yang Yan, acting as the coachman, jumped down from the carriage, took out a small wooden stool, and welcomed Governor Wei out of the carriage.
Nangong Qianrou, with her effeminate temperament, followed out of the carriage.
From the other carriage made of golden silk nanmu wood, a woman in a gorgeous long dress stepped out. She had a tall figure, exquisite features, cold eyes, and a fair face, like a peerless beauty who stood aloof from the world.
As the breeze blew, her walking posture could only be appreciated but not described.
“Princess!” Governor Wei bowed respectfully.
His two adopted sons also bowed.
“Is Governor Wei also here to see the Chief Inspector?” the Imperial Princess smiled lightly, her brows unable to conceal her noble bearing.
“Yes,” Governor Wei sighed. “Saltpeter mines have been discovered in Taikang County, but they’ve been completely mined out, presumably by remnants of the Myriad Beasts Kingdom. I suspect there are still beast-men hiding in the capital and want to ask the Chief Inspector to open his heavenly eye to search out these evil spirits.”
As for the information about the Earth Sect and the fragments of the Earth Book, Governor Wei didn’t plan to tell the Imperial Princess.
A skilled schemer lays out his plans subtly and doesn’t reveal his trump cards prematurely.
But just the news about the remnants of the Myriad Beasts Kingdom made the Imperial Princess’s expression serious, adding a touch of authority to her cold beauty.
“And the Imperial Princess?” Governor Wei asked.
“I’m here to see Caiwei,” the Imperial Princess answered. She seemed to ask casually, “Does Governor Wei think the death of Marquis Pingyuan is related to the beast-men?”
Governor Wei shook his head: “Marquis Pingyuan has no connection with the beast-men. He doesn’t have that value.”
The two parties entered the Star-Observing Tower together, surprised to find it empty inside, with no one coming to greet them.
The second and third floors were the same.
The Imperial Princess frowned: “What has happened in the Celestial Inspection Bureau?”
Governor Wei pondered silently.
They continued to climb, and on the fifth floor, they finally saw a busy white-robed mage.
Seeing Governor Wei and the Imperial Princess, that white-robed mage unhurriedly came over to pay his respects.
The Imperial Princess asked, “Since entering the tower, this princess has only seen you. What has happened in the Celestial Inspection Bureau?”
The white-robed mage, upon hearing this, complained: “I don’t want to see the Imperial Princess either… ah no, I mean I also want to go to the seventh floor, but I haven’t finished my work. My senior brothers won’t let me go. It’s infuriating, they’re simply inhuman.”
After venting, he explained: “Young Master Xu is giving a lecture on the seventh floor, imparting alchemy knowledge. All my senior brothers have gone to listen.”