Li Qingxian stepped out of the carriage and called out, "Excuse me, Eunuch. Are you from the Internal Factory?"
As Li Qingxian emerged in his Senior Seventh Grade Qi Fortune Official’s Uniform, Eunuch Mao was taken aback. He answered with a puzzled look, "No."
"Then you are from the Ritual Department?" Li Qingxian asked again.
"No."
"Are you from the Imperial Stables?"
"No."
"Are you permitted in the Imperial Study?"
"I am not." Eunuch Mao grew even more confused.
"Do you serve the Empress Dowager?"
"No."
"Do you serve the Empress?"
"No."
"Then you should hurry on home. Stop making a fool of yourself in the middle of the street," Li Qingxian said with a sincere expression.
Eunuch Mao froze. Songg Yunjing smiled as he looked at Li Qingxian.
The two guards behind Songg Yunjing stared at Li Qingxian in astonishment.
"Quite the youngster," the eunuch sneered. "Now that I’m down on my luck, even every stray cat and dog dares to take a bite."
Li Qingxian sneered back. "A so-called Fourth-Grade Expert, throwing a tantrum and cursing like a shrew in front of the Capital Governor—and you have the nerve to call yourself a tiger? You’re nothing but a mangy dog. Go on, then. Bite me."
The two guards had a sudden realization. ’The young man was giving the eunuch a taste of his own medicine. Didn’t Eunuch Mao just throw a fit before a Third-Grade Official, banking on his own lower status? Now someone with an even lower Grade Level has shown up. Let’s see who can out-shameless the other.’
Eunuch Mao’s expression darkened. He glanced at Songg Yunjing, then turned back to Li Qingxian and snapped impatiently, "Where did this stray come from? Scram!"
Li Qingxian just smiled, took out his Night Guard token and an Internal Factory access token from his Qiankun Bracelet, and hung them on either side of his belt.
Eunuch Mao’s eyelids twitched violently.
"Eunuch, it’s getting late. Time to go home for dinner," Li Qingxian said.
Eunuch Mao glanced at everyone present. Then, as if he’d come to a decision, he gritted his teeth, manipulated his True Essence, and lunged toward Li Qingxian, raising his right hand.
"A little reward from me!"
Songg Yunjing narrowed his eyes slightly and raised his right hand.
The two guards thought, ’This is bad. Eunuch Mao attacking Li Qingxian is just a pretense; forcing Songg Yunjing to act is his true goal.’
"Who gave you the nerve!"
With a sharp cry from a woman, the carriage exploded. A young woman in white levitated in midair, her skirt and long hair fluttering around her.
A streak of blue-black lightning tore through the night sky, severing Eunuch Mao’s wrist. The surging power knocked him back several steps.
"Who dares harm an official of the Imperial Court? You... Fairy Qingcheng?" Eunuch Mao cried out in pain, clutching his right wrist with his left. He was about to fly into a rage, but he froze completely when he got a clear look at the figure in white.
The day the Empress Dowager had held this woman’s hand while seated on the Phoenix Chair, he had been in the distance, attending to the princes and ministers.
Those eyes, which looked upon all living beings with indifference, were even colder today.
"Get lost!" Jiangg Youfei commanded. The Cyan Thunder Ancient Sword flew back to her, thrumming with crackling, sizzling thunder, poised to strike again.
Eunuch Mao recalled that this woman had once shattered the Demon Sect’s Cyan Cloud, becoming a Third-Grade Cyan Cloud Champion Scholar. He also remembered how she had stormed Prince Yuann’s Mansion and grievously wounded a Third-Grade Tributor. Her methods were utterly unlike those of a scholar such as Songg Yunjing. He glanced at his severed wrist, shot a venomous glare at Li Qingxian, picked up his severed hand, and turned to leave.
Jiangg Youfei slowly descended to the ground, her skirt and long hair settling around her.
Li Qingxian smiled. "Uncle Songg, this is my senior sister, Jiangg Youfei. Sister Youfei, this is Uncle Songg Yunjing, a good friend of Uncle Zhou’s."
"The original author of *Touching Dragon Gate*?" Jiangg Youfei asked.
"I have heard much of you, Fairy Qingcheng. Your reputation truly doesn’t do you justice. No wonder Chunfeng praises you so often. As for *Touching Dragon Gate*, that was Qingxian’s work. I wouldn’t dare take the credit," Songg Yunjing said with a smiling nod.
Jiangg Youfei nodded.
Songg Yunjing added, "I was accosted by an unsavory character today, and I am indebted to both Qingxian and Fairy Qingcheng for your help. My humble home is just down the street. Would you allow me to host a banquet as a token of my gratitude?"
Li Qingxian gave Songg Yunjing a look that was the equivalent of a thumbs-up. ’The older the ginger, the spicier the flavor.’
Jiangg Youfei frowned slightly. Just as she was about to refuse, a woman’s soft call came from ahead. "My lord, I heard someone was blocking your way?"
A dignified middle-aged woman was walking quickly toward them, holding up her pale blue floral dress with both hands while two maids supported her by the arms.
Though crow’s feet were visible at the corners of Madam Songg’s eyes, they couldn’t hide the charm and beauty in her features.
Songg Yunjing hurried forward to meet her, taking her by the arms and recounting what had just happened with a smile.
"So it was Qingxian and Fairy Qingcheng who helped my husband." Madam Songg strode over, taking Jiangg Youfei by the arm. "Since you’re Qingxian’s senior sister and you’ve helped my husband, if I were to just let you leave, everyone in the Divine Capital would say our Songg Family doesn’t know the first thing about hospitality. Youfei, I’ll take the liberty as an elder and insist—for Qingxian’s sake, you absolutely must come and sit with us today."
Faced with such a passionate woman, Jiangg Youfei was at a loss for what to do and looked toward Li Qingxian.
Li Qingxian laughed. "Uncle and Auntie are practically family. Besides, didn’t you just say you wanted to stop by for a cup of tea since we were in the neighborhood? You even picked out these flowers for Auntie yourself."
As he spoke, Li Qingxian raised his hands, presenting a pot of orchids and a pot of jasmine. The fragrance of the jasmine flowers filled the air.
"This jasmine is a truly exquisite choice. Now I have even more reason to thank you! Come, Auntie will make her special fish-mince soup for you today." Without another word, Madam Songg began pulling Jiangg Youfei forward, not taking no for an answer.
"Let’s go, Sister Youfei," Li Qingxian said.
Jiangg Youfei sighed internally, but her expression remained placid and cool as she allowed Madam Songg to lead her away.
Li Qingxian and Songg Yunjing followed behind, walking side by side. "Uncle Songg," Li Qingxian said, "where’s Brother Songg?"
"He’s probably caught up with friends again and will be back later. He’s going to be very busy for the next few days," Songg Yunjing said, his gaze fixed ahead.
"You don’t seem worried."
"What good would worrying do? A young man must walk his own path," Songg Yunjing replied with a faint smile.
"It’s rare to meet someone as open-minded as you."
"The matter of the punitive expedition, has it been decided?"
"The Ministry of Justice hasn’t responded yet. I’m afraid there’s no room for negotiation," said Li Qingxian.
"When you encounter a problem, think it through. Think it all the way to its root," Songg Yunjing advised.
"Understood," Li Qingxian said.
The four of them entered the Songg Residence. It was an ordinary two-courtyard home, simple, elegant, and quiet, filled with an abundance of flowers and plants.
Madam Songg bustled about making arrangements, then pulled Jiangg Youfei aside for some small talk before leaving to prepare the meal.
The three of them sat in the main hall, drinking tea and chatting idly.
"That Eunuch Mao was part of the Western Depot, after all. He’ll likely cause trouble for you in the future. You must be careful," Songg Yunjing said, setting down his teacup.
"Don’t worry. I took a deliberate look at his Qi Fortune. It’s on the verge of collapse. He’s bound to face a great calamity soon."
"The workings of Qi Fortune may be subject to fate, but a person’s destiny can be changed."
"You’re right. We Fate Masters use the destinies of mortals to glimpse the principles of the heavens. If we only believed in Celestial Fate and not in the power of mortals to change their own, there would be no such thing as a Fate Master," Li Qingxian said.
Songg Yunjing nodded.
"Still, something about this is strange," Li Qingxian mused. "Even if you are new to the Capital City with an unsteady footing, it makes no sense for a Fourth-Grade Inner Official to lose his composure so completely. Why did he seek you out?"
Songg Yunjing sighed. "It’s an old affair concerning the Rong Mansion. The Ministry of Justice arrested an illegitimate son from the mansion, but they can’t hold him for too long. Eventually, he must be sent to the Divine Capital Prefecture Magistrate’s Office for questioning. Eunuch Mao came to me, hoping I would solidify the charges and ensure the boy is ruined forever."
"Wang Buku?"
"Oh? You know him?"
"We’ve met a couple of times. He seems like a good person."
"Though I have no connection to the Rong Mansion, I cannot simply pass judgment without cause, so I refused him. Eunuch Mao knew his request was improper, which is why he resorted to such an unorthodox tactic. Who would have guessed he’d run into you—someone even more unorthodox," Songg Yunjing said with a laugh.