In the afternoon, Cabinet Elder Liu led Rong Chen Zi to inspect the site where he planned to build his residence. His original intention was naturally to bring his youngest daughter along, leaving Ye Tian and the great He Bang behind at Liu Mansion. However, Ye Tian had some knowledge of feng shui and geomancy, and she was nearly inseparable from Rong Chen Zi, so of course she would follow along.
The great He Bang had been struck by Rong Chen Zi and was still sulking. Besides, looking at feng shui didn’t come with anything good to eat, so she was not at all inclined to go. Had Rong Chen Zi been the sweet-talking sort and charmed her with honeyed words, she might have gone along with him — but he was a man of the cloth, and the foremost disciple of the Purple Heart Daozhang of Wuliang Grotto. From youth he had been held in high regard by all quarters, which had shaped in him a manner that was composed and dignified.
Over the years, as his standing had grown ever more revered and his disciples ever more numerous, he had always carried himself as a teacher and elder — measured and proper in conduct and speech, serious and methodical in demeanor. How could such a man possibly be the sort to coax and sweet-talk anyone? What was more, he was a righteous gentleman through and through, one who prized virtue above all and discerned right from wrong with clarity. Master Jiaye was a Buddhist — though arrogant, he harbored no true malice — so how could one simply humiliate him at will?
And so not only did Rong Chen Zi refrain from coaxing He Bang, he lectured her at great length instead. He Bang grew all the more irritated and naturally refused even more firmly to go anywhere with him.
Left with no choice, Rong Chen Zi could only give Cabinet Elder Liu a series of careful instructions. Cabinet Elder Liu agreed to everything with great deference and ordered the kitchen to send food to He Bang’s room in an unending stream, with no interruption allowed. Only then did Rong Chen Zi set his mind at ease — so long as the food kept coming, she would never wander off on her own.
The moment Cabinet Elder Liu departed with Rong Chen Zi, a crowd of people gathered in He Bang’s quarters. They were, naturally, Cabinet Elder Liu’s concubines. As the former imperial tutor, Old Cabinet Elder Liu’s concubines were all splendidly dressed, with no shortage of items personally bestowed by the Son of Heaven himself.
The Sixteenth Concubine presented a pair of jade ruyi scepters, their surfaces smooth and lustrous — clearly palace treasures at a glance: “My dear elder sister… if you have any recipes for skin nourishment and beauty, might you share one or two?”
He Bang was busy eating and had no time to pay her attention. Precious jewels and ornaments of every kind were heaped around her in a great pile. Just as the commotion reached its peak, Madam Liu walked in. She was somewhere past fifty, her beauty beginning to fade, with deep furrows across her brow — yet her bearing and manner carried the commanding presence of a household mistress. Sure enough, the moment she appeared, the concubines, however reluctant, all bowed and withdrew.
Cabinet Elder Liu had spent many years navigating officialdom, and Madam Liu had seen plenty of the world herself. Her expression was placid, yet her voice carried an imposing air: “You are young and lovely as a flower — yet to follow a man of the cloth in such an ambiguous manner, surely you must carry some tale of hardship and suffering?”
He Bang was eating a cassia cake and didn’t quite follow: “What do you mean?”
Madam Liu extended her slightly plump right hand, her wrist laden with gold and jade bracelets, each one of excellent quality: “Though our master has retired from court, he retains many old connections and former students in the capital, and no shortage of young men of outstanding talent. With your appearance and bearing, even if… you are no longer an untouched maiden, a single word from our master could secure you a match with a top-ranked imperial examination graduate. That is no difficult matter at all.” She watched He Bang’s expression closely and slowly continued, “Rong Zhiguan may be admirable, but in the end he is a man of the cloth and cannot offer you any recognized status. How could that compare to such a fine match as this?”
He Bang began to understand: “You mean that as long as I leave Rong Chen Zi, Cabinet Elder Liu will find me an official for a husband?”
Madam Liu’s face lit up with delight: “Exactly! And this official’s rank will certainly not be low, and his appearance will be fine as well. Most importantly, our master can guarantee that he will take you as his proper wife. Once you marry into such a family, you will be the wife of an official!”
“Trade the old Daoist for a government man?” He Bang clamped a crystal pear cake between her lips. “Not trading.”
Madam Liu’s expression shifted slightly: “Or we could offer you ten thousand taels of gold. As long as you leave Rong Chen Zi, the Liu family can guarantee you a life of wealth and comfort.”
The great He Bang shook her head without a moment’s hesitation: “Not trading.”
She took a bite of the pear cake, thinking to herself — gold can’t be chewed, so what’s the use of it? Official men are chewable, certainly, but they definitely wouldn’t taste as good as Rong Chen Zi…
The warmth in Madam Liu’s eyes slowly vanished: “In that case, this old woman takes her leave.”
Later, when Cabinet Elder Liu praised the great He Bang to Rong Chen Zi for treating gold and silver like dung, Zhiguan was still congratulating himself — thank goodness Madam Liu hadn’t thought to offer their household chef in the exchange…
After Madam Liu departed, the great He Bang was eating away merrily in her room when someone knocked at the door. Too lazy to answer it, she let them knock for nearly a quarter of an hour. The visitor, unable to bear it any longer, pushed the door open themselves: “Amitabha,” the visitor pressed their palms together in greeting — it was none other than Master Jiaye, who came straight to the point, “Though you carry a demon’s body, you cultivate the righteous path. Why must you persist in clinging to Rong Zhiguan?”
From this speech, it seemed he had already divined He Bang’s origins and background. He Bang, however, paid it no mind: “Great monk, state your purpose directly.”
Jiaye fingered his prayer beads, his expression grave: “The flesh of an immortal has remarkable effects, that is true — but your cultivation has reached perhaps a thousand years in depth. Why would you destroy your own cultivation for the sake of mere appetite?”
He Bang narrowed her eyes: “You damn old thing — I told you to get straight to the point, yet you had to ramble on about nonsense. Are you here to subdue demons and capture monsters?”
Jiaye exhaled softly: “This humble monk also has one thing to inquire. Rong Zhiguan studied under the Purple Heart Daozhang of Wuliang Grotto and is a man of propriety and rectitude. From observing his complexion, this monk perceives that he has entered the realm of Wondrous Preservation of the True Spirit, harmonizing with the subtle and merging with the void. No matter how captivating you may be, he could never harbor improper thoughts.” A growing authority gathered in his eyes. “He has simply fallen under your charm technique — has he not?”
He Bang lowered her head and bit off half a plum blossom fragrance cake, nearly choking on it and unable to speak. Jiaye pressed forward step by step: “This monk has witnessed charm techniques before, but to entrap someone of Rong Zhiguan’s cultivation without his awareness would require no ordinary technique. Your true form is that of a river clam, and your speech carries the accent of Sichuan and Chongqing… might you perhaps be acquainted with Jiang Haoran, the Venerable Lord of the Jialing River? It is said that the Venerable Lord once…”
The great He Bang finally managed to swallow the half plum blossom fragrance cake. She took half a cup of rose drink to settle it, then brushed the cake crumbs from her hands: “Damn it all, are you ever going to stop? I’m going to find Rong Chen Zi.”
Jiaye recited the Buddha’s name again: “Female Patron…”
He Bang bounced and skipped out the door, then suddenly turned back with a bewitching smile: “Great Master, people who talk too much will fall into the Hell of Tongue-Tearing after death.”
That smile was enough to steal one’s soul. Jiaye was struck dumb by the brilliant radiance in her eyes and found himself unable to speak for quite some time.
Now, Cabinet Elder Liu claimed to have invited Rong Chen Zi to survey the feng shui of a residence — yet upon arriving at the destination, Rong Chen Zi discovered that he actually intended to open a burial ground on the mountain. This mountain was called Changgang Mountain, and the name certainly didn’t sound particularly distinguished. Yet Cabinet Elder Liu had heard from some feng shui master that a fine burial plot lay hidden somewhere on this mountain.
Being a cautious man, he naturally wished to have a distinguished Daoist such as Rong Chen Zi confirm this before he could rest easy.
Changgang Mountain was lush with green trees. Its slopes were not terribly steep, yet the terrain was rugged and difficult to traverse. Cabinet Elder Liu had also brought along his youngest daughter, a girl of just fourteen, whose given name was Qinfang — a pretty thing, with red lips and white teeth, quite lovely.
Rong Chen Zi could not fathom why she had been brought along, but as she was a lady, it would not be proper for him to ask too many questions.
At this point, the mountain path was too rough for carriages, and if they were to ascend on foot, this girl with her bound feet would find every step a trial. So he did speak up: “The waterway here flows directly into the burial site — it looks rather like an incoming water formation. However, the mountain’s energy rings and earth aura will need closer examination further up.” He gestured for Qingsu to carry the treasure bag. “Cabinet Elder Liu might as well wait here.”
Cabinet Elder Liu had ulterior motives and naturally refused, insisting on ascending together.
The party climbed for a full two hours before reaching the middle of the mountain — by which time the sky had grown dark. Cabinet Elder Liu suggested making a fire and camping for the night at a broad clearing along the slope. He had come well prepared, with food and equipment in ample supply.
As the cook fire sent wisps of smoke curling upward, Rong Chen Zi took out his compass and made a circuit of the surrounding area. Then, from below the mountain, came a voice clear as pearls and jade: “Zhiguan!”
Rong Chen Zi’s brow smoothed at once. Without another word, he followed the sound to find its source. Both Ye Tian and Cabinet Elder Liu wore displeased expressions. Only the young Liu daughter seemed unconcerned — she was after all still young, and Rong Chen Zi was many years her senior; they had never exchanged a word in private. She had simply come along this whole way in obedience to her father’s wishes.
The distance from Liu Mansion was considerable, and He Bang had used her water-escape technique twice over — she was somewhat weary. So she simply sat herself down on a piece of granite and refused to go further, waiting for Rong Chen Zi to come and carry her. Rong Chen Zi exhaled softly: “Why did you run off on your own again?… Do your feet hurt?”
This creature pouted and played at being pitiful: “Of course they hurt! You don’t even look after me!!”
Rong Chen Zi had no way with her — she was not a creature who reasoned — so he simply lifted her in his arms and carried her up the mountain. The great He Bang wrapped both hands around his neck, and still couldn’t stay quiet: “Zhiguan, my back hurts too.”
Her breath brushed across his neck. Rong Chen Zi turned his face aside: “Why would your back hurt?”
He Bang muttered: “You hit it.”
Rong Chen Zi found a spot out of sight of the others and glanced quickly at her back. Her outer robe was pulled aside, and sure enough, across that snow-pale skin lay a faint bluish bruise. His brow knitted deeply, though his words remained cold: “Serves you right for causing trouble.”
Even as he said so, the pad of his finger couldn’t help but gently rub at the bruise. The great He Bang lay quietly in his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest: “Zhiguan.”
Rong Chen Zi held soft jade and warm fragrance against him, and his voice came out gentle: “Mm?”
Her slender fingers traced circles on his chest: “Do you like me?”
“…” Rong Chen Zi turned his face slightly away. “Stop fooling around.”