Book 14: Chapter 43
Interlude 2
The Central Plain had always been the preferred home for monarchs. No other place had mountains and tall city walls comparable to inside the border. No city had more monarchy ties than Changan. The result of monarch after monarch inhabiting Changan over so many ages was a city that had a unified aesthetic that stretched to every corner.
“I’m looking for someone.”
The bouncer of the gambling den on Vermillion Street grouched, “Who? How old?”
“Don’t know.”
“Can you describe them? Short, tall, fat or skinny?”
“Don’t know.”
“Man or woman? Most importantly, are they one of our frequent customers? Surely you know that.”
“Don’t know, either.”
“Then what are you even here for?“
“To look for someone.”
The pretty boy thrown out onto the street had a very approachable aura from head to toe; even the way he fell to the ground didn’t look bad. The weather was perfect, so he would’ve taken a nap right there on the ground if there wasn’t the concern of people stepping on him.
“Not here, either.” He dusted himself once he rose to his feet and then resumed his search.
His search for the important individual in question was important, but appeasing his hunger pang was even more important. As he walked, he surveyed everyone pa.s.sing by. When he and an old man holding a biscuit saw each other, they stared at each other.
The young man brightly approached the elder and, with a cupped-fist salute, expressed, “Elder, let us negotiat-”
“A resounding no!” The elder pulled his biscuit towards him. “Look at you. You’re young and capable; why would you try to fight for food with an old man? I’d even be willing to betroth my daughter to someone as handsome as you, but you are not having this biscuit!”
The young man wagged his hands. “I can let anything go but that biscuit!”
“And if I refuse?”
“You refuse? Have you no shame?!” The young man dropped to his knees. “Elder, have some pity. I have not eaten in two days…”
A girl pa.s.sing by exclaimed, “Stop! What are you doing?!”
“Begging for food.”
“Why are you trying to steal an elder’s food when you are perfectly able?”
“I have no lofty ambitions.”
Miss Qin was loved in Changan for her kindness since she was a child, not to mention her family’s wealth, as well as her father and brothers’ respected characters.
“You can work a labour job, then. How about this? Come work at my home, and I promise you will get to eat your fill.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Okay, don’t regret it afterwards.”
Qin Clan’s third daughter purchasing a new servant from the streets without a second thought was nothing new. What was strange was that a young man as handsome was willing to sell himself to a maiden he’d met for the first time without a second thought.
“Young Master.” Another young man who was only given an average appearance showed up behind the handsome one sitting on the ground eating a big biscuit. “How is the search going?”
“Fruitless,” the young man on the ground answered.
The young man standing sighed.
The young servant frowned. “What’s the problem?”
The young man shrugged. “A prodigy of Shaolin, the next leader of the martial world alliance, yet you can’t find one person?”
The young servant curled his lips. “How much did the old abbot promise you for you to spew all this irrelevant stuff for him?”
“You know better than anyone how much of a miser your abbot is. What makes you think he’d be willing to bribe me?”
“You have a point.”
“You, on the other hand, have received plenty from him. Martial world alliance leaders.h.i.+p. Think about it.”
“Don’t want to. I’d rather have a field, a cow, wife, kid and warm bed.”
“Shaolin must have their hands full with you.”
“Better than following you.” The young servant shrugged. “How was your search?”
“Successful, I suppose.”
“Where?”
“Qin Clan.”
“Qin Bohu of Qin Clan whose specialty is the twin maces?”
“His daughter, Third Mistress’ Qin clan.”
The young servant suddenly felt that reality and what he expected were incongruent.
“Why his family?”
“I heard he has a female chef who is really good at making sweet green rice b.a.l.l.s.”
The young servant bobbed his head. “That Qin Clan.”
Qin Clan’s third mistress had no qualms paying for an extra servant when he was introduced.
Although the duo had to rise early and turn in late, take a paltry salary whilst working tirelessly and virtually never had days off, they felt the lifestyle was decent as they were always slacking off. They were nowhere to be seen even once the sun was visible above. When it was time to eat, though, they were first to arrive. The steward beat them up three times daily, but they’d be perfectly fine the day after. Instead, the steward would have to buy three new whips.
One night, the young master chanced upon Qin Clan’s Miss Qin meeting Zuo Clan’s scion in secret.
“I hope you don’t tell anyone.” Miss Qin would never be able to show herself in public if a fourth person found out, but she was too kind to silence the young master.
“There is too much good to appreciate at once,” lamented the young master. “Keep it up.”
Alas, their relations.h.i.+p was eventually brought to light. Patriarch Qin had everyone privy to the relations.h.i.+p brought to the main hall. All of the servants needed to be killed to protect their clan’s reputation. The young servant was perplexed as to why he was amongst those a.s.signed the death penalty when he was clueless.
The young master shrugged. “I reckoned it would be lively today; just hang around and watch.”
Not long before the duo was meant to be executed, a fireball descended from above, setting Qin Manor ablaze. Patriarch Qin had never seen such a violent fire and such an un-human-like human being. The invader emerged from the flames and started taking lives until someone made a stand.
The young servant, wearing his usual uninterested expression, stood before the invader.
“He may look deadpan, but he is Xian Suiyue, also known as Langya. He holds first place on Seventeen Hidden Dragons.”
Patriarch Qin juddered as he pulled his chin in.
“Me? My name is Li Qingzhuo.” He cracked a pretty smile. “I’m a n.o.body.”