“Come with me!”
Xu Qi’an hadn’t noticed the change in his sister’s emotions. Even if he had, he wouldn’t have taken it to heart.
He led Xu Yuanshuang and Xu Yuanhuai through the main gates of the Xu residence, across the front courtyard and along the covered corridor, heading straight for the rear court where the women of the family lived.
In the spacious inner hall, apart from Xu Pingzhi who was on duty, the whole family was there.
Xu Erlang had originally meant to go to Hanlin Academy as well, but because Xu Qi’an had said yesterday that he would bring his younger brother and sister back to the manor this morning, Erlang had taken leave and stayed at home, intending to meet his cousins.
In the two seats of honour sat Auntie and his birth mother.
On the guest seats by Auntie’s side sat Xu Xinnian, Xu Lingyue, and Mu Nanzhi.
The guest seats by Ji Baiqing’s side were completely empty, with no one seated there for the moment.
When she saw Xu Qi’an leading in the elder branch’s sister and brother, Auntie pressed her lips together and forced herself not to roll her eyes.
She had only allowed these two little brats into the residence for the sake of her nephew and elder sister-in-law.
Ever since Xu Lingyue had stirred things up last time, Auntie had held quite a grudge against the Xu Yuanhuai and Xu Yuanshuang siblings.
Xu Xinnian and Xu Lingyue were both deep schemers, and neither showed anything on their faces.
“Mum!”
Having really seen her mother, Xu Yuanshuang grew somewhat excited.
The tension in Xu Yuanhuai’s expression eased slightly.
As Ji Baiqing looked at her children finally reunited, her eyes reddened and she revealed a smile mixed with bitterness and joy.
“Come and greet your Auntie.”
She had always regarded herself as a “guest”, and treated Auntie as the mistress of the Xu household. She handled the boundaries perfectly, never making herself disliked, nor leaving anyone anything to criticise.
Of course, Auntie couldn’t understand such subtle manoeuvring. She simply instinctively felt that her elder sister-in-law was still as gentle and considerate as in those days, as soothing to be around as a spring breeze.
“Yuanshuang greets Auntie!”
Xu Yuanshuang greeted her obediently, a smile blossoming on her cool and pretty face.
“Greetings, Auntie.”
Xu Yuanhuai’s greeting sounded much stiffer.
“Mhm.”
Auntie gave a slight nod and responded lightly.
She had originally wanted to say a few cutting words and establish her authority, but seeing elder sister-in-law’s tearful look, her heart softened again.
Ji Baiqing immediately said:
“You’ll stay in the manor from now on. Your big brother has already arranged your lodgings. Mum will take you there.”
Xu Erlang frowned and turned his head to glance at Xu Lingyue.
Xu Lingyue rose with a smile and, while stepping forward to greet Xu Yuanshuang, said:
“There’s no need to trouble Auntie. For little matters like these, it’s better to let Lingyue handle them.”
As she spoke, Xu Lingyue had already taken Xu Yuanshuang’s hand, her smile warm and friendly.
“Sister Yuanshuang, I’ve long heard of you by name. Now that I’ve finally met you, you truly are extraordinary. And little brother Yuanhuai, what a fine young man. Just as Big Brother said, your talent is exceptional.”
Xu Xinnian shook his head with a smile.
“Lingyue, we’re family, so don’t say such formal things. You never step beyond the inner quarters, so where would this ‘long heard of you by name’ come from?”
Xu Lingyue turned back and said with mock reproach:
“Second Brother, you’re mocking me.
“Big Brother told us, didn’t he? Sister Yuanshuang is an Arcanist, and little brother Yuanhuai is a martial artist. Just from testing their skills a little in Yongzhou, they nearly made Big Brother suffer a huge loss. Big Brother is a rare prodigy, and now a first rank martial artist.
“So tell me, Second Brother, are Sister Yuanshuang and little brother Yuanhuai not worthy of one ‘I’ve long heard of you by name’ from your younger sister?”
Hearing this, Xu Xinnian nodded.
“They are indeed exceptionally gifted. Ah, I heard Yuanhuai is nearly fourth rank already. Shame on me, shame on me.”
Xu Yuanshuang froze awkwardly where she stood, not knowing what expression she ought to make for a moment.
Xu Yuanhuai lowered his head slightly, feeling even more ashamed.
This had torn open, bare and naked, the matter of them once going against Xu Qi’an.
In the past, they had followed Ji Xuan and the others in dealing with Xu Qi’an. Now Yunzhou was gone, and they had come here to seek shelter… Anyone with any pride at all would feel so awkward and ashamed they’d want the ground to swallow them whole.
Ji Baiqing’s face turned awkward, and she forced a smile.
“Yuanshuang and Yuanhuai were ignorant. They truly did many wrong things before.”
Xu Lingyue said softly:
“As long as they’ve apologised.”
Mu Nanzhi held the fox cub in her arms and watched with relish.
She could naturally tell that Xu Lingyue was giving the little beast’s younger brother and sister a display of authority. While enjoying the spectacle, she also felt a bit puzzled. In her memory, Xu Lingyue shouldn’t have been this forceful.
Mm, Erlang must’ve taught her. Scholars are best at intrigue and scheming…U Mu Nanzhi reached her conclusion.
Xu Qi’an swept a glance over Xu Yuanshuang and Xu Yuanhuai, whose faces had suddenly flushed red, and gave them a way out.
“You two should go and have a bath first, and change into clean clothes.”
Xu Lingyue cast Big Brother a bitter glance and picked up the thread.
“I’ll take them.”
Xu Yuanshuang and Xu Yuanhuai had been arranged to stay in a neighbouring annex, not together with them.
How could Ji Baiqing let Xu Lingyue keep bullying her children, so she hurriedly said:
“No need, I’ll take them there.”
Then she said to Xu Qi’an:
“Ningyan, come to mum’s… come to my place for supper. I’ll cook you a few Yunzhou dishes.”
She wanted to become closer to her eldest legitimate son, yet also didn’t dare approach him, caught in that contradiction.
Mainly because Xu Qi’an had never once called her “Mum”.
So she didn’t dare refer to herself as such.
Xu Qi’an nodded.
“Alright.”
Watching his birth mother leave with his younger brother and sister, Xu Qi’an turned to his little brother and said:
“Come to the study. I’ve something to discuss.”
The two brothers came to Xu Qi’an’s study. After shutting the door, Xu Qi’an said:
“Tomorrow, write a memorial and ask whether Her Majesty wants to appoint another Jianzheng. The Jianzheng’s disciples are competing for the position.”
He briefly recounted the “struggle” among Yang Qianhuan and the others.
Xu Xinnian stroked his chin.
“I’ve suddenly got an idea. The Ministry of Revenue is currently worrying over the casualty payment for the fallen soldiers of the shaman clans. Why not have the Sitianjian pay the silver? Tell them whoever pays more, Her Majesty will favour for the post.
“Of course, favouring them just means favouring them. It doesn’t mean they’ll definitely be appointed Jianzheng.”
After all, the Sitianjian had money.
So this is about fleecing the Sitianjian… Xu Qi’an thought it over and felt it was a good idea.
“Just as well. I’ll be making a trip to the Southern Marches soon to bring Lingyin back. I can deliver the compensation myself.”
After discussing business, Xu Qi’an let out a “heh”.
“There’ll be plenty of excitement to watch in future. My birth mother definitely isn’t some energy-efficient lamp. Right now her mind isn’t on household infighting, she’s only thinking about mending things with me. Once she’s settled into life in Xu Manor…
“The fight between her and sister Lingyue will be especially interesting. Oh, right, Wang Simu isn’t a dim lamp either. Once you two are married, tsk tsk, in future I won’t even need to go to the goulan to listen to music. Just watching the women of this family fight it out will be entertaining enough to savour for ages.
“Now that’s more like a great household. If even household strife can’t get going, what kind of noble family is that?
“In the old days, it was a case of no tiger on the mountain, so Auntie the monkey became king.”
Xu Xinnian gave a sarcastic laugh.
“Yes, and before Simu, there was also Princess Lin’an, and Luo Yuheng. It’ll be very lively indeed. Big Brother, I’m really looking forward to your wedding with Princess Lin’an. Tell me, do you think the National Teacher will come carrying a sword and cause a huge scene?”
No, there’s also Mu Nanzhi, and even more besides… The gloating look on Xu Qi’an’s face gradually disappeared. He flicked his sleeve and said:
“Sharp-tongued!
“You talentless second-to-last waste.”
Xu Xinnian had a sore spot stabbed and also flicked his sleeve with a cold snort.
In his heart he muttered: At least I’m better than Lingyin.
…
Ji Baiqing led her son and daughter to their quarters. After arranging the rooms, she ordered the servants to heat water and prepare baths for them.
“In future, don’t go over there unless there’s a reason, and don’t provoke Lingyue. You two used to be hostile to Ningyan, and she remembers. The brother and sister from the second branch are very protective of Ningyan. Xiaoru’s such a simple person, who’d have thought she’d raise such a formidable daughter.”
Ji Baiqing gave them this warning, then said:
“Yunzhou is gone, so there’s no need to bring it up again. Since Ningyan brought you back, it means the past has been wiped clean. He won’t take it to heart. From now on, live properly in the capital. He won’t treat you poorly.”
After saying that, she glanced at Xu Yuanhuai and said softly:
“Mum knows you’re capable, and that you don’t need to rely on your Big Brother, but how can drifting through the jianghu compare to this? If you want to advance bravely and diligently on the martial path, the guidance of a first rank martial artist is better than anything else. He might not be willing to accept you now, but given enough time, that bit of estrangement will fade sooner or later.
“And you too, Yuanshuang. If you want to keep walking the Arcanist path, then you can’t do without the capital, and you can’t do without the Sitianjian.”
Xu Yuanshuang said in a low voice:
“Mum, if Yuanhuai and I wanted to leave, would you come with us?”
Ji Baiqing gave a slight shake of the head.
“Mum’s been with you for nearly twenty years. From now on, Mum wants to spend more time with him. Just seeing him is enough to satisfy me.”
Xu Yuanhuai couldn’t help asking:
“Has he really advanced to first rank? What about Uncle, and Father, and Ji Xuan? How are they? Where did they flee to?”
To him, his father had been a figure like an immortal. Even if his Big Brother had become a first rank martial artist, his father wouldn’t come to harm. His father always had a way out, and would never be driven into a dead end.
And Ji Xuan had been a third rank martial artist, a beyond-mortal expert.
They might not have been able to win the war, but escaping should not have been a problem.
Ji Baiqing shook her head and sighed.
“They’re all dead.
“Ji Xuan was beheaded by Ningyan’s own hand in the capital. After the defeat, your father tried to escape, but he didn’t succeed. Ningyan killed him overseas. My big brother met the same fate.
“The clansmen are all dead too. They were wiped out by a unit of heavily armoured cavalry. Every last one of them was killed.
“Mum ought to have died as well, but I couldn’t bear to leave you, and I couldn’t bear to leave him.”
During those twenty years of confinement, any affection between her and Xu Pingfeng as husband and wife had long since vanished. Her ties to her family had broken long ago as well.
Rather than die with them, it was more important to stay alive and remain by her three children’s side.
“Dead, dead, they’re all dead…”
Xu Yuanhuai muttered blankly, standing rooted to the spot.
Not one of them had escaped. Xu Qi’an had killed them all, cleanly and completely. Even the father he had revered like a god had died at Xu Qi’an’s hands.
This wasn’t how he had imagined it. In his mind, although the Yunzhou army had lost, the core figures should have gone into hiding.
For a moment, Xu Yuanhuai found it hard to believe. How could a father so powerful possibly have died?
But his mother wouldn’t lie to him.
Only at this moment did he gain a deeper understanding of the words “first rank martial artist”.
This was a rank that had forced even his godlike father to die in bitter hatred.
He had finally grown to this point. From the death of Zhengde onwards, his father’s schemes against him had failed one after another. In the end, he could no longer control that beast, and suffered the backlash…
Xu Yuanshuang’s expression was complicated, filled with sighing regret, sorrow and helplessness.
Her father had personally “created” him, given birth to him, implanted fortune into him, and paved the road for his own imperial ambitions.
But in the end, that pawn had taken his life.
The cycle of cause and effect, the workings of fate.
As an Arcanist, Xu Yuanshuang keenly understood the terror of karma.
…
Xu Lingyue came in carrying a bowl of ginseng soup. Looking left and right, she found only Xu Erlang there, and frowned.
“Where’s Big Brother?”
“He’s gone out on business.”
Xu Erlang’s gaze fell on the ginseng soup, and he sighed. “This bowl of soup definitely wasn’t made for your second brother, was it? Ah, second brother isn’t blessed with that kind of fortune.”
Xu Lingyue immediately broke into a gentle, faint smile.
“Second Brother, that’s far too distant of you. Lingyue knows you’ve been exhausting yourself, so I specially simmered ginseng soup to help you recover. Why would Big Brother need this?”
Xu Xinnian nodded.
“Leave it here?”
Watching his younger sister’s retreating figure as she carried the wooden tray away, Xu Erlang stroked his chin and snorted.
“You silly girl, checkmate.
“Whenever something good turns up, you think of Big Brother first. So who’s your blood brother, exactly?”
He lifted the ginseng soup and took a pleased sip, then immediately frowned and cursed:
“You rotten girl, were you taking a roundabout way of saying I’m physically weak?”
…
Lingbao Temple.
In the quiet chamber were two prayer mats, one occupied and one not.
Xu Qi’an sat cross-legged on one of the mats and said in a deep voice:
“After advancing to first rank, my cultivation stopped progressing. Breathing exercises are almost useless, and even dual cultivation advances only slowly.”
Luo Yuheng frowned slightly, as if in some pain. She drew in a breath before saying:
“After first rank, essence, qi and spirit become one. If you want to improve, then you must raise all three together. Of course breathing exercises have no effect, they can only temper qi.”
So this is probably why first rank martial artists had a bottleneck… Xu Qi’an’s waist muscles tightened as he kept exerting force without pause, and he said:
“Then if I do breathing exercises, meditation, and temper the body at the same time, could that break the bottleneck?”
Normally, martial artists cultivated qi through breathing and circulation techniques, but after essence, qi and spirit merged into one, breathing exercises no longer had any effect. To improve, all three had to be raised in sync.
The unity of essence, qi and spirit was the most special and most powerful aspect of a first rank martial artist, yet it had also become a shackle.
Luo Yuheng bit her lip tightly and said nothing, a flush rising on her cheeks.
“I’ve never, never heard of such a… such a cultivation method,” she said in broken intervals.
“For now, the most effective method is dual cultivation with the National Teacher.”
Xu Qi’an said with a smile, “I ask the National Teacher to take pity on me.”
“Who wants to dual cultivate with you? I said long ago that once I advanced to Earthly Immortal, there’d be nothing between us any more.”
Luo Yuheng gave a light snort.
“Yes, yes, I was indulging in wishful thinking. I only wish to come every day and listen to the National Teacher expound the Dao for an hour or two. I hope the National Teacher won’t refuse.”
Xu Qi’an went along with it readily.
Luo Yuheng gave a reserved “Mm.”
At that moment, Xu Qi’an stopped all movement, took out his Earth Book fragment from his robes, and checked the transmitted messages.
【FIVE: Xu Ningyan, can you come to the Southern Marches?】
【FOUR: Lina, don’t panic. There’s still some time before Ningyan’s wedding to Lin’an. When the banquet’s laid out, we won’t forget you.】
Chu Yuanzhen sent a teasing reply.
Luo Yuheng, who had leaned over to look at the message, suddenly darkened in expression.
He really has to bring up the one thing best left unsaid. Xu Qi’an cursed inwardly. Then he saw Lina send another message:
【Something terrible’s happened. Lingyin dreamed of the Gu God.】
Dreamed of the Gu God… Xu Qi’an’s brows rose, and his expression changed slightly.
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