The candlelight in the east chamber was bright. On the tall-legged tea table in the corner sat a lifelike golden beast, from whose mouth delicate sandalwood smoke wafted.
Xu Qi’an lifted the curtain with his hand and stepped into the inner room. He sat down at the table and said earnestly,
“National Teacher, today’s battle was extraordinarily draining. I was worried about you, so I specially came to check on you.”
As he spoke, he admired the woman sitting cross-legged on the bed. Her outer robe had already been removed, revealing a fresh, silk undergarment.
A jade belt, a finger wide, was tied around her waist, accentuating her slender midriff. Paired with her high, full bosom, this instantly displayed the woman’s most graceful curves and proportions.
Men always struggled to resist a woman with a full bosom and a slender waist.
All the more so when the aloof beauty on the bed also possessed a round, shapely, and elastic derrière.
Luo Yuheng said mildly,
“Did you have to choose the dead of night for this?”
If not at night, should we indulge in debauchery in broad daylight… Xu Qi’an grumbled inwardly, then replied with a serious expression,
“Speaking of which, since first stepping into the martial world, we have dual cultivated twice now.”
A cycle lasted seven days.
On hearing this, the exquisitely carved features of Luo Yuheng changed slightly. She said coldly,
“Dual cultivation is a transaction between us. There’s no need to dwell on it. Outside such times, we should maintain the same distance as always. Do not let what happens during our transaction disturb your state of mind.”
That’s just washing your hands of me once it’s done. If I were the one to say such a thing, I’d be damned as a complete scoundrel… Xu Qi’an had more or less expected this attitude from the National Teacher.
The day he went to Lingbao Temple to find her, he had wanted her to back him up in Xunzhou, but ended up running into that foolish woman, Mu Nanzhi, showing off at Lingbao Temple…
Xu Qi’an knew full well that the National Teacher would not be favourably disposed towards him. She had come to Xunzhou today putting the bigger picture first, and Xu Qi’an appreciated this. The National Teacher and Her Majesty were the most rational and broad-minded fish in his pond.
“Of course, of course. The National Teacher is the Daoist Leader of the Human Sect and a heroine among women, quite unlike ordinary women. But what I want to say is…”
He paused, then said, “When will the next dual cultivation session be? Hm, National Teacher, please don’t misunderstand. You know that though Heilian has been eradicated and Daoist Jinlian can now recover his cultivation and return to the second rank, there are still Agaruka and Baidi, two first-rank existences in Yunzhou. There’s still a huge gap between the sides, and that’s not even counting Xu Pingfeng in Qingzhou and Yunzhou.”
As a freshly advanced second-rank martial artist, Xu Qi’an could use the power of the masses and various means to match forces with al-Asura. If he went all out, he could even break one of Agaruka Bodhisattva’s Dharma Aspects.
So, as for Xu Pingfeng at the peak of the second rank, if he made use of the power of the masses to boost his strength to reach the threshold of the first rank, it would certainly not be a problem.
Xu Qi’an turned his cup over, took a sip of cold water, and said,
“That’s why, National Teacher, when you can ascend to the first rank is absolutely crucial.”
Luo Yuheng nodded, agreeing with his point. Amongst the beyond-mortal experts on the Great Feng’s side, no one except her could possibly advance to the first rank in the short term.
“And when is the National Teacher’s next bout of karmic fire…?” Xu Qi’an probed.
“In half a month!” Luo Yuheng replied coolly.
Half a month, eh? So it’s no longer a monthly occurrence. She’s gradually gaining the ability to suppress the karmic fire and delay its onset. Xu Qi’an judged inwardly, and asked again,
“National Teacher, there is one more thing I don’t understand.”
Luo Yuheng gave a non-committal “Mmm” to indicate that he should speak plainly.
“I remember that the core purpose of dual cultivation is to pacify the karmic fire, so that when you cross your tribulation in the future, you can focus solely on resisting the heavenly tribulation, without worrying about the karmic fire burning your body and leading to the annihilation of your Dao.”
Luo Yuheng nodded minutely.
Xu Qi’an asked again,
“So in other words, it’s not actually necessary to wait until the karmic fire backlashes to perform dual cultivation?”
Luo Yuheng looked at him coldly.
“What are you trying to say?”
Xu Qi’an rubbed his hands together excitedly.
“I’m applying for overtime!”
It would be even better if I could get the benefits of 9961…
Before he had finished speaking, Luo Yuheng slashed at him with her sword. She didn’t quite understand the term “overtime,” but seeing Xu Qi’an making faces and hearing his tone, she immediately understood what he wanted to do.
The divine sword struck Xu Qi’an’s shoulder with a ‘ding’, throwing up a shower of sparks. The lampshade in the room fluttered, and the greenery shook.
“Is the National Teacher getting shy?”
Xu Qi’an darted over to the side of the bed with a flash and put his arm around Luo Yuheng’s waist, grinning.
“Let go!”
Luo Yuheng’s willow brows rose in anger, and she snapped,
“Have I been too lenient with you? Is that why you’re getting more and more impudent?”
The divine sword poked “ding ding ding” at Xu Qi’an’s back, just like a maid using her little fists to batter a rogue trying to take liberties with her mistress.
If you didn’t want to dual cultivate, why did you stay in Xunzhou? You could’ve returned to the capital that day. If you don’t want to dual cultivate, why light candles late at night as a hint? And the incense in the burner, that sandalwood’s mixed with a little aphrodisiac powder. If you didn’t want to, would you really find it fun just to inhale that…?
“National Teacher…” Xu Qi’an muttered softly, saying only those sweet nothings that pacified women.
He couldn’t expose Luo Yuheng, so he simply said nice things, making it appear as if he was succumbing to lust, rather than the National Teacher deliberately wanting to dual cultivate.
Otherwise, she’d have exploded on the spot and genuinely kicked him out.
A proud noblewoman like Luo Yuheng responded best to that “half-push, half-pull” technique.
Cajoling her, Xu Qi’an deftly undid Luo Yuheng’s belt and lowered his head to kiss her neck.
“Let go!”
Luo Yuheng pushed against his chest with one hand and pressed down on his hand at her waist with the other, glaring at him.
“When my karmic fire backlashes, I will come to you myself. Get up! We have limited patience.”
The divine sword emitted a sky-piercing Sword Intent.
Xu Qi’an held her tightly and grinned,
“Just let us be joined together, if I could die for love with the National Teacher, I’d have no regrets.”
Saying this, he pushed Luo Yuheng down onto the bed.
“Get up!”
“No!”
“Xu Qi’an, do you have a death wish?”
“Mm.”
”…”
After a moment’s struggle, Luo Yuheng’s ample chest heaved as she pouted slightly, turning her face aside and saying coldly:
“Just this once!”
The divine sword fell to the ground with a clang, and the lifted bedcurtain dropped down, cutting off the view inside.
The east chamber fell silent, broken only by the faint rustling sounds of undressing.
After a while, the drooping bedcurtain rippled, and robes, skirts, and undergarments tumbled out.
A while after that, the low-hanging curtain began to shake, and the wooden-framed bed began its nocturnal solo in the quiet night.
………..
Capital, five in the morning.
This was the third court assembly since the eldest princess had ascended the throne.
The capital officials had originally thought that with the new monarch ascending, she would surely demonstrate her diligence and govern diligently, so they expected to have morning court every day for a long while.
That was what Yuanjing in his day, as well as Yongxing who had recently abdicated, had both done.
But Huaiqing did not. She displayed great confidence and poise, and did not use such means to show her diligence.
At today’s court assembly, the officials entered through the Meridian Gate at the sound of drums and bells, crossed the Jinshui Bridge, and either stood on the steps or the court, or entered the Jinluan Hall.
Among the gathered dignitaries, there were quite a few unfamiliar faces.
In addition to those promoted in the recent purge of the court, there were also the first batch of provincial bigshots who had come to the capital to submit their reports.
After the situation in the capital stabilised, Huaiqing issued the order for the Administrators, Commanders, and a number of other high-ranking officials from each province to come to the capital to submit their reports (for ideological work).
Now, the first batch of officials had arrived in the capital.
They had waited anxiously in the courier station for three days, and had not been granted an audience with the Emperor. It was rather awkward, because before seeing the Emperor, they were not permitted to have private dealings with the capital officials.
Only yesterday did they finally receive the notice to attend court.
Suppressing their resentment and anxiety, these officials who had returned to the capital to submit their reports followed the others into the Jinluan Hall.
“Your Majesty, the Spring Sacrifice is drawing near. Your servant sent people to inspect the situation of the peasants in all the provinces, and have discovered that land annexation has become severe. Even though spring is returning, even if the refugees wished to return to their villages to till the land, there are no fields left for them to work.”
The Minister of Revenue stepped forward.
For ordinary people unable to survive, selling their land was standard practice, which merely gave the aristocrats and great landlords an opportunity to buy land at low prices. They did not even need to coerce the peasants, there were desperate commoners who would take the initiative to sell.
The phenomenon highlighted by the Minister was the most severe problem the court faced after the harsh winter had passed.
It was a lingering after-effect of the winter disaster.
The woman dressed in the bright yellow dragon robe swept her gaze over the assembled ministers with regal authority:
“Have any of my lords good solutions?”
The various officials offered their advice, but all were tired and conventional, treating only the symptoms, not the root cause.
Since antiquity, the court had always hated the hoarding of land, but had never been able to do anything about it.
After all, those annexing the land were often the local “powers-that-be”, gentry and wealthy families, many of whom were retired officials. No one would be foolish enough to strike at themselves, and the current courtiers were of that very class.
Moreover, putting aside their own interests, the issue was indeed difficult to resolve; to force things too hard would provoke a backlash from the landlords.
Especially amid the current instability, the officials were even more hesitant and constrained.
That useless Yongxing… Huaiqing listened in silence, then said:
“We do have a few measures. My lords may listen.”
Had Yongxing used Xu Erlang’s plan back then, the problem of land annexation could have been greatly alleviated.
An incapable ruler brings disaster to the nation and its people.
Huaiqing said:
“Establish more trading posts and towns in Jianzhou and Yuuzhou, promote trade with the northern yao and barbarians, the Wanyao Kingdom of the Southern Marches, and the shaman clans, collect trade taxes from Central Plains merchants and foreign traders, and so fill the national coffers.”
The officials’ eyes brightened.
It was indeed a good plan, the Southern Marches were rich in resources: timber, medicinal herbs, game, furs, virtually inexhaustible. It was a veritable treasure land.
The northern Yao barbarians were also rich in furs, and these just happened to be the most sought-after goods in the Central Plains. Central Plains merchant caravans would flock to the trading posts to do business.
Silver would pour into the treasury.
In the past, such a proposal would not have been possible, but thanks to Silver Gong Xu’s recent alliances with the wanyao kingdom and shaman clans, there was now a solid basis for peaceful trade.
Thus, not only could the treasury be filled, but goods from the Southern Marches and the north would flow into the Central Plains, greatly easing shortages.
And with trade, there would be labour, and the people would have work and income.
While the officials weighed the pros and cons, Huaiqing continued:
“Anyone buying and selling land during wartime, off with their head! The Ministry of Revenue is to thoroughly investigate all land trades since the start of winter, anyone found guilty of buying or selling land is to be executed without mercy!”
That statement instantly pulled the officials back to reality; the reporting provincial big shots’ faces changed.
“Your Majesty, please reconsider.”
Prime Minister Qian Qingshu stepped forward, and said gravely,
“If you do this, there will inevitably be a violent backlash from the local gentry, leading to even greater chaos, the consequences would be unthinkable.”
Huaiqing nodded slightly:
“Lord Qian is correct. We have just ascended to the throne, and should not create needless bloodshed; let those who bought land sell it back to the court at the price they paid.”
At this, the officials were momentarily dumbfounded.
Then they suddenly understood the empress’s purpose in expanding the border trading posts: it was to provide the basis for reclaiming the land. The commoners had sold their land at a pittance, the court could buy it back at little expense.
A good solution, but the landlords and gentry might well refuse.
One of the reporting provincial Administrators stepped forward and said loudly,
“Your Majesty’s plan is clever, but the timing is premature.”
Citing the ongoing unrest, he rapidly expounded his reasoning.
He could not openly oppose Her Majesty and thus used the war as his best shield, a perfectly reasonable excuse.
The court simply did not yet have the ability to act on this.
Huaiqing sat high upon the throne, listening expressionlessly, and after he had finished, looked at the gathered ministers and said,
“Last night we received a message sent by artefact from Silver Gong Xu: a great victory in Xunzhou with over ten thousand enemies slain. Silver Gong Xu defeated a Beyond-rank expert from Yunzhou and beheaded the Daoist Leader of the Earth Sect in Qingzhou.”
Jinluan Hall instantly fell silent.
After several seconds, Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Hong was overjoyed and cried out,
“Heaven bless the Great Feng, heaven bless Your Majesty!”
Joy swept through the hall. The officials were greatly uplifted, looks of excitement on all their faces.
Ever since the Jianzheng’s “fall,” the court had been mired in despondency and badly needed such triumphant news to rekindle morale.
Those provincial officials reporting to the capital looked at each other in astonishment.
In that moment, they suddenly understood why the Emperor had deliberately neglected them. All their dissatisfaction and wariness vanished into thin air.
Nor did they dare object any longer to the forced buyback of land. They believed that, given the Emperor’s methods and resolve, she was certainly capable of a large-scale purge of the gentry and aristocrats.
Indeed, it had now been shown that the court truly had the strength to do so.
…
After court was dismissed.
Minister Sun caught up with Prime Minister Qian Qingshu, and said emotionally,
“It almost feels as though we are back in the days of Wei Yuan.”
He meant the situation under Emperor Yuanjing. Unlike Emperor Yongxing, Yuanjing had the skill and cunning to hold the Wei Clique and Wang Clique in check.
Qian Qingshu was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said,
“No, Her Majesty’s capabilities far surpass those of Emperor Yuanjing.”
Huaiqing’s ability to handle state affairs far outstripped Emperor Yuanjing’s, Yuanjing had excelled at imperial cunning, but Huaiqing had genuine ability.
Her recent series of policies had made Qian Qingshu feel ashamed of his own incompetence.
Minister Sun laughed:
“That is a good thing.”
After a few seconds, Qian Qingshu sighed:
“Indeed, a truly wonderful thing. The fortune of the Great Feng is not yet exhausted.”
…
After daybreak, news of the victory at Xunzhou was posted on the notice boards of every government office and on the city gates.
As Liu Hong had said, it was an inspiring piece of news, which immediately dispelled any lingering malaise surrounding Huaiqing’s ascent to the throne.
Even the most stubborn and inflexible could no longer utter “A woman ascending the throne brings disaster to the nation.”
“Her Majesty truly is Heaven’s Mandated. No wonder auspicious omens descended on the day of her enthronement, and look, the war in Yongzhou has already been won. We no longer need to fear the rebels coming for the capital.”
Yongzhou was adjacent to the capital, if the Yongzhou front went ill, the people would be thrown into panic.
“Of course Her Majesty is Heaven’s Mandated, because she was chosen by Silver Gong Xu.”
“I told you so, Silver Gong Xu at Yuyang Pass drove off two hundred thousand Church of the Warlock God troops with just his sabre. The Yunzhou rebels are nothing in comparison!”
“What rank is a second rank expert? Must be powerful?”
“Of course they are, but no matter how powerful, they’re not as powerful as Silver Gong Xu. Silver Gong Xu is first rank!”
“Nonsense, that’s only one rank higher, in truth, Silver Gong Xu is already at the Emperor’s level, there’s no ranks any more.”
The news spread fast, and the marketplaces of the capital erupted in cheers.
…
Xunzhou, a grand residence.
Xu Qi’an was sleeping soundly when a familiar lurch in his heart woke him with a jolt.
He stretched his hand lazily. The Earth Book fragment flew from a pile of messy clothes and struck the low bed curtain.
Then a fair, slender hand snatched it from the air.
Luo Yuheng opened her eyes, withdrew her hand, and peered at the Earth Book fragment’s mirrored surface as if checking a mobile phone.
…Xu Qi’an could only lean closer to her, so they could read the words on the mirror together.
Luo Yuheng frowned faintly and said coolly,
“You’re squashing my hair.”
Perhaps I should give you a crew cut… Xu Qi’an grumbled inwardly, then carefully gathered her azure locks spread on the pillow.
Only then was Luo Yuheng satisfied.
【NINE: This humble Daoist has already begun to refine Heilian’s primordial spirit. Mm, now it is possible to tell you all some secrets.】
Not bad at all, Daoist Jinlian is true to his word… Xu Qi’an’s eyes lit up as he explained to his aunt,
“It’s a secret about the Earth Book fragments.”
9 to 9, 6 days a week, a (now banned) working schedule that was common in the chinese tech industry, big proponents include Jack Ma. Note that whilst you were expected to work these strenuous hours, anything past 40 hours was counted as overtime, so you would make quite a lot doing so. ↩
Comments for this chapter. You will need a GitHub account. Please follow all terms and conditions of GitHub issues and maintain etiquette in the comments. Cookies are required for this functionality.
If you want to talk with other readers about Nightwatchers (or other cultivation type books) you can join our cultivation groupreading discord server!
I also have a Kofi, which for legal reasons is definitely for supporting my digital art only (promise!): ko-fi.com/yanxin ... plus I guess server space isn't free, and I don't want to put ads/trackers... ever, so thank you if you do!