A Pawn's Passage

Interlocking arms while sharing a drink was a wedding tradition. Linking arms was just the first step. The second step was for each person to drink half the cup, then exchange cups and finish the remaining halves together. The third step was to toss the cups to the ground. If one lands face up and the other face down, it was a sign of great fortune, as it symbolized harmony.

Qi Xuansu did not know these steps. After linking arms with Zhang Yuelu, he downed his drink, completely unaware that there were second and third steps in this custom. But even if he had known, he likely would have stopped at the first step anyway.

Having lived in restraint for so long, Qi Xuansu felt unaccustomed to crossing certain boundaries. Besides, Zhang Yuelu was conservative enough that she would never allow anything excessive. This alone already counted as an exception.

After that, they simply drank as usual, enough to feel slightly tipsy.

Qi Xuansu relaxed slightly, no longer sitting upright and formal. Holding his cup in his right hand, he leaned back on his left arm. His right leg was bent, and his left leg was stretched out.

“From the golden cup we drink together, yet the white blade shows no mercy.” Qi Xuansu murmured as he gazed at the moon.

Zhang Yuelu feigned anger. “Do you think I’d drink with you today and draw my sword to kill you tomorrow?”

Qi Xuansu turned back toward her, smiling with drunken amusement. “That’ll be easy to achieve. All I need to do is sleep with a random woman. According to our agreement, you’ll have to draw your sword and kill me.”

Zhang Yuelu shook her head. “You’re drunk.”

“Drunk? I feel like we’re just getting started!” Qi Xuansu drained the remaining wine in his cup.

Zhang Yuelu, who usually enjoyed drinking, set her cup aside.

After finishing the wine, Qi Xuansu staggered to his feet and headed indoors. “Which one’s your room? Let me see. I won’t look at Zhang Yuyue’s room, since I’m not familiar with that lady.”

Zhang Yuelu wanted to laugh. She then guided him to her room. “This way.”

The curtains to Zhang Yuelu’s room were open. Moonlight streamed through the carved window lattices, casting a pattern of interwoven light and shadow across the floor.

It was clear she had not lived here for some time, since the room remained basic.

There was a small bed, a dressing table, a wardrobe, a desk, and a chair. Aside from the room’s original furnishings, there were almost no decorations. After all, when Zhang Yuelu first arrived in Jade Capital, she had been strapped for money and had to count every Taiping coin she spent.

Qi Xuansu seemed to see a stubborn young girl, leaving early in the morning and returning at dusk, striving forward with relentless effort.

Of course, back then, he was nowhere near Zhang Yuelu’s level. Just as Madam Qi had said, he had been foolish and clueless.

Though it was impolite, Qi Xuansu—emboldened by the wine—walked over to the wardrobe and opened it.

Unexpectedly, it still held many garments—everyday robes and dresses in green, white, and blue. There were even more uniforms and headpieces for every rank from seventh to second. There were also some undergarments. Qi Xuansu did not look closely and simply shut the wardrobe door.

Qi Xuansu thought to himself, All of this is real. But what about me? I don’t have parents. Even the master I once knew turned out to be fake...

He kept telling himself not to sink into such emotions. Was something so trivial really worth dwelling on? He had to steel himself and let it pass like the wind.

But he could not stop himself from wondering how much of his time with his master had been genuine. That Corpse Liberation Immortal named Qi Haoran had disguised himself or created an incarnation to be his master, so were their memories together nothing more than a carefully rehearsed play repeated countless times? What about Madam Qi?

Qi Xuansu did not dare think further. He felt mentally exhausted.

With the wine taking effect, he wanted nothing more than sleep. Qi Xuansu lay down fully clothed on Zhang Yuelu’s small bed, letting the fragmented moonlight fall across his face.

Zhang Yuelu entered silently, sat by the bedside, and gazed at Qi Xuansu’s closed eyes, gently brushing her hand across his face.

That touch was cool against his cheek, so he felt slightly ticklish.

Qi Xuansu caught her hand and then shifted inward slightly, making room beside him.

After a moment’s hesitation, Zhang Yuelu, also fully clothed, lay down beside Qi Xuansu.

The couple simply lay side by side on the bed, doing nothing at all.

Qi Xuansu finally fell asleep. He had not slept for a long time. This time, he did not dream again, nor did he return to the Lingshan Paradise.

Regardless of whether Qi Haoran had ever been real, Zhang Yuelu certainly was.

When Qi Xuansu woke the next morning, he found that Zhang Yuelu was already gone.

He sat up and looked around. The quiet moonlit night was gone, replaced by bright daylight filling the room.

Qi Xuansu got out of bed and left Zhang Yuelu’s room. After looking around, he discovered a situation that was both heartwarming and terrifying—Zhang Yuelu was in the kitchen, cooking.

Unpleasant memories surged into his mind.

“You’re awake!” Zhang Yuelu sounded excited as she walked over carrying a bowl of lotus seed porridge. At least this time, it was not lotus seed cake. Though it still fell short of being a proper lotus seed soup, it was an improvement compared to last time, albeit a small one.

Qi Xuansu cleared his throat and said, “I’m not hungry. There’s no need to go to so much trouble.”

“Well, I haven’t cooked in a long time, so my hands were itching. Try it!” Zhang Yuelu said candidly.

Qi Xuansu tried to reject her gently. “As the legendary Zhang Yuelu admired by countless female Daoists, you should focus on your career. You can’t let Confucian ideals like tending to the household limit you. Cooking should be left to attendants, and you should devote yourself wholly to your official duties. There’s no time to waste!”

Zhang Yuelu laughed. “Cooking is just a hobby to me. Since I finally have some free time today, I figured, why not cook for you?”

What else could Qi Xuansu say? He certainly could not disappoint Zhang Yuelu’s “kind intentions.”

“Alright. Good things should be shared. Let’s eat together,” Qi Xuansu suggested.

Zhang Yuelu said regretfully, “But I only made one bowl. Since you’re the Martial Arts Practitioner in need of sustenance, you’re in luck!”

Qi Xuansu sat at the table, holding the bowl of lotus seed porridge in one hand while reluctantly scooping spoonfuls to his mouth with the other.

The taste was indescribable. He truly did not understand how Zhang Yuelu could master complex perfected methods, yet she could not make a simple lotus seed soup. He even wondered if Zhang Yuelu was pranking him. Or perhaps she was simply too innovative to follow established recipes and insisted on creating her own version.

Zhang Yuelu sat across from him, resting her chin on both hands as she quietly watched him finish the meal she cooked.

After breakfast, Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu prepared to head out separately. Zhang Yuelu still had to attend the Nine Halls Joint Council, which had been ongoing for several days already.

Qi Xuansu was exempted from participating, so he planned to meet his former superior, Sage Donghua.

The Three Deputy Grand Masters and the Three Daoist Heirs made six people with six different agendas.

Sage Cihang and the Heavenly Preceptor merely aligned in the broad direction. It was impossible for them to be united on every matter. After all, Su Yuanyi was not a Zhang and represented the interests of the Cihang lineage. As for Sage Qingwei, he had been something of a rebel within the Li family in his youth. Though he later compromised, no Li family member would believe he and the Imperial Preceptor were completely of one mind. For instance, during the Fenglin Campaign, the Imperial Preceptor repeatedly held detailed discussions with Sage Qingwei to ensure his own ideas were implemented. If their views had been identical, such efforts would have been unnecessary.

If even these two Daoist Heirs were like this, could Sage Donghua truly be an exception?

Moreover, Sage Donghua did not originate from the Elder Yao faction among the three major factions of the Quanzhen Sect. He came from the Holy Xuan faction instead.

For this very reason, Qi Xuansu believed Sage Donghua was someone he could rely on.

There were risks, of course, but everything had its risks. Qi Xuansu had progressed too smoothly in the past, which might not have been a good thing.

Qi Xuansu first contacted Sage Donghua’s secretary, Gong Jiaojun. “Brother Gong, this is Qi Xuansu. I’ve arrived in Jade Capital.”

“Brother Tian Yuan, when did you get to Jade Capital? Why didn’t you give any notice beforehand?” Gong Jiaojun responded warmly.

Instead of calling him Sage Qi or Chief Deputy Qi, Gong Jiaojun addressed him as Brother Tian Yuan, which was a sign of closeness.

While serving beside Sage Donghua, Gong Jiaojun could indeed use such a familiar form of address. But he would not remain a secretary forever. Eventually, he would be assigned elsewhere. Xie Jiaofeng was the precedent. He had been Sage Donghua’s former secretary, who had been transferred out and no longer stood near the center of power. He was so humble to Qi Xuansu, often fawning over the Chief Deputy and even willing to curry favor with Little Yin if it meant pleasing Chief Deputy Qi.

Qi Xuansu said, “I just arrived last night. Does Sage Donghua have any free time? I’d like to meet him.”

“Sage Donghua has about an hour free around noon today. I’ll put in a request for you,” Gong Jiaojun readily helped.

Qi Xuansu responded politely as well. “Thank you, Brother Gong. When you have time to visit Poluo, be sure to let me know so I can play host.”

“Of course. I’ll definitely come visit and claim a drink from you, Brother Tian Yuan,” Gong Jiaojun replied with a smile.

Soon after, Gong Jiaojun consulted Sage Donghua and returned with an answer.

Sage Donghua agreed to meet Qi Xuansu and even postponed some afternoon arrangements to make sufficient time for him.

At noon, Gong Jiaojun led Qi Xuansu to meet Sage Donghua at the latter’s private residence.

Sage Donghua was painting a splash-ink landscape. Qi Xuansu had never known he possessed such artistic talent, and it was quite impressive.

However, Qi Xuansu lacked expertise in this area. Beyond saying “amazing,” he had no further comments and did not bother pretending to understand art so as not to embarrass himself.

Sage Donghua gestured for Gong Jiaojun to leave, continuing to paint as he asked, “Coming to Jade Capital alone without prior notice doesn’t seem like your style. What happened?”

Qi Xuansu took a deep breath. “I arrived in Jade Capital last night and went straight to the Requiem Division.”

Sage Donghua asked, “What did you go there for?”

Qi Xuansu replied, “I went to open a coffin and examine a body.”

Sage Donghua’s brush froze midstroke, leaving a large blot of ink on the painting.