Some were old Holy Decrees, others were pieces of calligraphy gifted by the Emperor. All, without exception, were stamped with the Jade Seal of the Realm.
Li Qingxian looked them over one by one and smiled. "Uncle Zhou, you’re truly incredible. I’ve only managed it twice. Once, I got something stamped with the ’Ten Perfect Heavenly Graces’ and ’Vast Fortune Treasure.’ Another time, it was the ’Imperial Decree Treasure,’ used for conferring titles on those at or below the Sixth Grade. But look at all your Jade Seal Inscriptions! Besides those two, you have a dazzling variety. There’s the ’Emperor’s Treasure,’ the ’Emperor’s Traveling Treasure,’ the ’Treasure of Revering Heaven and Diligently Serving the People,’ the ’Imperial Decree Treasure,’ the ’Treasure of Destiny and Virtue,’ the ’Treasure of the Classics and Annals,’ the ’Treasure of the Imperial Patrol’... It seems you’ve gotten almost every kind possible."
"The Emperor’s grace is boundless," Zhou Chunfeng said.
Li Qingxian glanced around and lowered his voice. "Is there any way to get ahold of ’Daqi’s Mandate Treasure’ and the ’Emperor’s Celestial Mandate Treasure’? If not, then what about inscriptions from the ’Heir of the Daqi’s Imperial Seal,’ the ’Emperor’s Treasure,’ or the ’Emperor’s Venerable and Beloved Treasure’?"
"Do you just spend all day thinking up new ways to get yourself killed?" Zhou Chunfeng was exasperated.
Zhou Henn had been around them long enough to pick things up, and he knew the purpose of those five great Jade Seals. One represented the legitimacy of the Daqi Dynasty, another represented the Emperor acting on the Mandate of Heaven, a third was for installing the Crown Prince, a fourth was for sacrificial rites, and the last was reserved for matters concerning the Emperor’s elders, the Empress, or a few other specific individuals.
Li Qingxian chuckled. "The others are hard to come by, but the ’Heir of the Daqi’s Imperial Seal’... isn’t it possible some of those are floating around out there? After all, this dynasty has seen three Crown Princes, and the previous one had two."
"You really want one?" Zhou Chunfeng asked with a sigh of resignation.
Li Qingxian nodded. "You’re not a Fate Master, so you don’t understand the ins and outs of it. The Emperor’s Seal, regardless of its legitimacy, contains immense Qi Fortune. Absorbing it haphazardly would certainly cause problems, but it can be converted into Fate Skill Power. Great Fate Masters crave these Great Jade Seals. Otherwise, why do you think the Celestial Fate Sect is always begging the Emperor for various Holy Decrees?"
Zhou Chunfeng thought for a moment. "Selling such things carelessly would be a major taboo. However, some officials do have a penchant for collecting them. They do it under the guise of ’basking in imperial grace,’ so no one can really object. How about this: when I have a moment, I’ll ask some colleagues and friends for a few pieces for you. As for an inscription from a Great Jade Seal, the chances are slim. But... not impossible."
Li Qingxian’s eyes brightened. "Are there some circulating among the public?"
"After all," Zhou Chunfeng said, staring intently into Li Qingxian’s eyes, "the palace and the Royal Mansions do have fires from time to time."
Li Qingxian nodded eagerly. The eunuchs often pulled this stunt: stealing and selling items, and if an investigation ever started, they would set a fire to destroy the evidence.
"Can you point me in the right direction when you have a moment?"
"You don’t need me for that," Zhou Chunfeng said. "Go ask Jingg Guan or Eunuch Fei. They’ll lay it all out for you, clear as day."
"There won’t be any trouble, will there?"
"You’re doing it to ’bask in imperial grace’ and show your ’admiration for the Emperor.’ What trouble could there be? If anyone gets into trouble, it’ll be the eunuchs. Besides, you won’t be buying from them directly. You’ll be hunting for treasures from their buyers down the line," Zhou Chunfeng said.
"Understood," Li Qingxian said. "I’ll figure out a way to get my hands on some soon."
"You could also try scrounging around the public markets," Zhou Chunfeng added. "Even Fate Masters can’t possibly keep an eye on every antique stall and curiosity shop all the time."
"Alright. I’ll have Brother Han help me search. He’s well-connected," Li Qingxian said.
Zhou Chunfeng frowned slightly, then his expression relaxed. "I’ve looked into Han Anbo. The man came up from the streets and has dealings with people from all walks of life. He may have his own agenda, but his conduct is solid and he’s proven himself to be reliable. He’s trustworthy. Still, don’t entrust everything to one person."
"Don’t worry, Uncle Zhou. I know what I’m doing."
"Besides Duke Lu’s Seal and impressions from the great Jade Seals, what else do you need for this operation?"
"Once I have the Internal Factory Director’s Seal, the rest will be simple."
"That’s true. I’ll go find Duke Lu right now. And don’t worry about Hex Lei. Their own Fate Master has had an accident, so they won’t dare to go too far. If Room Leader Hex’s life is truly in danger, then worst-case scenario, we’ll just storm the Ministry of Justice again and rescue him by force," Zhou Chunfeng said.
"I’ll be waiting for your news."
Li Qingxian quietly went about collecting Life Materials, accumulating Qi Fortune Fish and Fate Grids, and preparing the Half-Life People for Zhou Chunfeng.
He had told Zhou Chunfeng he was only making fake Half-Life People, but in reality, he was creating complete ones.
「A few days later」
Li Qingxian obtained Duke Lu’s Seal and began making frequent visits to the Guard Commander’s residence, the Divine Capital Prefecture, and the Five Cities Military Department. Then, with Zhou Chunfeng and Songg Yunjing leading the way, he paid separate visits to the Ministry of Rites, the Daoist Record Department, and the Ministry of Justice—the three government offices that hated the Ministry of Justice the most.
After many days of preparation, Li Qingxian first handed the Half-Life People over to Zhou Chunfeng.
Zhou Chunfeng took it and looked. It was a tiny, two-inch-tall figure, wrapped so tightly in Yellow Talisman Paper that it looked quite crude. But when he reached out and touched it, the figure felt soft and supple, as if it were alive.
"I asked Guo Xiang about this. He said it’s no ordinary object. You’ve gone to a lot of trouble," Zhou Chunfeng said, giving Li Qingxian a long, hard look.
Li Qingxian smiled. "The Fate Measuring Sect has a few tricks up its sleeve."
Zhou Chunfeng didn’t press the matter, simply tucking the Half-Life People into an inner layer of his clothing.
"I’ll keep it safe," Zhou Chunfeng said. "Now, this Fate Skill you’re planning against the Ministry of Justice—what is it, exactly?"
Li Qingxian gave him a completely innocent smile. "I was inspired by the Five Earths Guiding Skill, and it reminded me of a Great Skill from the Fate Measuring Sect called the ’Five Dragons Sea Suppression Fate Skill’."
"Is it similar to a Daoist Sect’s Array?"
"There are some similarities."
"Casting a Great Fate Skill requires a Fourth-Grade Fate Master at minimum. Are you sure you can handle it?"
Li Qingxian laughed. "Of course I can’t. But don’t I have a Holy Decree and the Seals of high-ranking officials from various government offices? And aren’t we inviting five Senior Fifth-Grade officials to preside over it? They are the real main force of this Great Fate Skill."
"I’m still not convinced."
"You can rest easy. This is the unique thing about Fate Skills. Otherwise, how could a Great Fate Master single-handedly contend with an entire nation’s National Fortune? Let’s put it this way: my Fate Skill merely redirects the flow of Qi Fortune from several government offices and aims it at the Ministry of Justice. I won’t be on the front lines myself, and I’ve already gotten consent from all the offices involved."
"Good. Take another two days to prepare. Don’t act rashly."
"Understood."
A cold wind swept by, sending early autumn leaves fluttering to the ground.
Li Qingxian walked over the fallen leaves and entered a hidden, empty cell within the Imperial Prison Department.
A Senior Fifth-Grade Deputy Disciplinary Officer from the Patrol Bureau followed him inside.
Standing in the clean cell, Li Qingxian glanced around. With a flick of his right hand, a cushion landed on the floor. The entire cushion was covered in Yellow Talismans.
"Please, Your Excellency, take a seat and begin your Cultivation."
The Deputy Disciplinary Officer nodded, sat on the cushion, and watched Li Qingxian.
With a flurry of movements from his right hand, Li Qingxian sent a large number of miscellaneous items and Magical Artifacts flying out of his Qiankun Bracelet.
A moment later, the empty cell was completely transformed.
A large mahogany altar table now stood against the eastern wall, its surface covered with Magical Artifacts and other paraphernalia.
At the center of the altar, upon a Jade Platform, rested the Night Guard Commander’s Seal. It hovered like a single sheet of paper, swaying gently in midair.
Li Qingxian then brought out a large, pure-white porcelain basin, more than two feet in diameter and filled with clear water, and carefully placed it directly in front of the Jade Platform.
Li Qingxian took out the Yellow Talismans he had made a few days prior. There were exactly nine hundred and ninety-nine of them, separated into ten thick stacks.
Li Qingxian gave a slight bow to the refined Yellow Talismans. Then, cupping a rolled-up Holy Decree from Zhou Chunfeng in both hands, he began to sway from side to side, his eyes narrowed as he hummed the indistinct tune of a Dragon-Summoning Poem.
"Held high in the ninefold heaven, a mighty form coiled in the clouds,Each breath gathers the mists, each sigh becomes the blessed rain.One eye surveys the mortal world, the other gazes on the abyss,A turn of its body crumbles the Five Peaks, a soft hum shakes the six realms.Its throne is the highest zenith, its name renowned across land and sea..."