Translator: Myuu Editor: Myuu
There were only three servants in Sun Bingchen’s residence — an old man, an old woman, and a servant girl.
The old man’s surname was Li, and he was married to the old woman while the servant girl’s surname was Xu. The three of them were refugees who had met Sun Bingchen earlier in the year and were offered shelter, so they stayed by his side and became his servants.
Sun Bingchen lived a very disciplined and simple lifestyle. Therefore, even upon his return, there was no feast. After a simple meal and giving out a few orders, all of them retired to their own rooms.
Since it was Yan Liqiang’s first time at Sun Bingchen’s residence, he was given one of the side rooms to sleep in for the night.
That night, after Yan Liqiang completed his evening regime and cultivation in the room alone, he tossed and turned, finding it difficult to fall asleep. This strange city, the strange environment, and the dangerous encounters he met along the way had Yan Liqiang worried about his future for the very first time, because he was aware that his current position and cultivation were as insignificant as dust in a place like the Imperial Capital. In dangerous situations, he might just be wiped off from the surface of the planet without a trace of his shadow left if he wasn’t careful enough.
Constantly striving to become stronger was the only way to determine one’s destiny!
Staring at the not quite new mosquito net on the bed and listening to the rain hitting the roof tiles, Yan Liqiang’s gaze became determined as he secretly made a decision. He was going to request a leave of absence from Sun Bingchen within the next two days. He would find a place somewhere around the Imperial Capital to improve his strength and various aspects of his cultivation for a certain amount of time, and try to at least progress into a Supreme Martial Warrior. He would develop his archery into the Fourth Heavenly Layer, and the Golden Bell Shield technique into the First Heavenly Layer. That would at least give him a more decent foundation. Otherwise, a fifteen-year-old youth who had just progressed into a Martial Warrior would be nothing in a place like the Imperial Capital. He definitely wouldn’t be able to make it far just by relying on his wits and stroke of luck without any solid cultivation and strength.
Unlike soldiers, personal bodyguards of high-ranking imperial court officials like Sun Bingchen had a bit more freedom. Although personal bodyguards had military ranks, they were more like helpers or aides hired by high-ranking officials of the imperial court like Sun Bingchen. Hence, they weren’t bound by strict rules. Personal attendants requesting a leave of absence to cultivate was very commonplace, because it was common for martial practitioners to cultivate in seclusion. Yan Liqiang recalled that Sun Bingchen had a personal attendant whom he had never seen before. According to Liang Yijie, that personal attendant had requested for a year’s leave to return to his sect and cultivate in seclusion.
Yan Liqiang only felt more at ease after making such a decision. He entered the Heavenly Realm and spent another day there. After coming back to his senses again, only then did he fall into a peaceful slumber.
Early the next morning, Yan Liqiang got out of the bed before the sky even turned bright. After washing up and completing his morning regime, he had a simple breakfast with Liang Yijie and Sun Bingchen together before he rode with Liang Yijie and escorted Sun Bingchen into the palace.
Sun Bingchen sat in a horse carriage. The coachman was old servant Li from the residence.
It was sunny today. The main streets of the Imperial Capital were already bustling with activity early in the morning. The crowds were lively and the traffic on street was endless. Yan Liqiang rode on his rhinodrake steed behind the carriage. He was looking around in curiosity while listening to Liang Yijie explain the streets and buildings in the city to him.
…
“This is Shunyi Store, which carries rare items from all parts of the nation…”
…
“If you continue down this street, you will reach the Thousand Immortals Platform. That place has one of the most magnificent landscapes in the Imperial Capital. The culinary delicacies around that area are also the best within the Imperial Capital…”
……
“The Provincial Military Governor’s Office is on that side. It is responsible for public security and criminal justice in the Imperial Capital. However, influential figures gather like clouds here. Anyone here might just be related to a high official of the imperial court, or is a relative of the Emperor. Therefore, the Provincial Military Governor from the Imperial Capital has a really tough job. If you don’t care enough, you’ll be criticized by the citizens. If you care too much, you might offend someone. That’s why it’s very rare for any Provincial Military Governor to be able to work for more than a decade in the Imperial Capital… ”
……
It was rare for Yan Liqiang to have a walking map beside him. While Liang Yijie explained, Yan Liqiang also kept his words in mind.
“After passing this street, the most famous Weiyang Street in the Imperial Capital is just up ahead. The four famous courtesans of the Imperial Capital are from the four major entertainment quarters of Weiyang Street…” Liang Yijie pointed to the road and told Yan Liqiang this when they went past a junction.
“Brother Liang, don’t the famous courtesans work in pleasure quarters? Why in the entertainment quarters too?” Yan Liqiang curiously asked.
“There are also women from the pleasure quarters in the Imperial Capital. But since they’re called the ‘famous courtesans’, why would they work in pleasure quarters where people can just easily pay for their services? Of course the famous courtesans would be in the entertainment quarters where they are rarely seen by unrelated people, and they only perform on stage when the entertainment quarters are open. The last time I went to watch Feng Shishi’s guqin performance, and it indeed has a distinctive quality that will resonate in your ears for three days…” Liang Yijie said as the expression on his face showed that he was reliving the experience. “Let’s wait till you are free, I shall take you there to listen to it once. You definitely won’t regret it!”
After listening to Liang Yijie, Yan Liqiang finally understood and suddenly realized that the so-called famous courtesans, whom Liang Yijie referred to, were more or less like those celebrities in his previous life. However, since there were no professions like actors or singers in this world, all women who performed the arts and served people were all regarded as ‘courtesans’. In reality, the meaning behind ‘courtesan’ wasn’t as derogatory as it was in his previous world.
Yan Liqiang already knew that this world lacked entertainment when he was in Pingxi City. Therefore, any performance that can be performed on stage, whether it is performed or sung, would attract a high number of high-ranking officials, noblemen, and fans who had time and money to spend. That was probably how famous courtesans were born.
“Oh yes, Brother Liang, is Lord Sun going to the palace today to attend the court?”
“Today is the 19th. There’s no need to attend the court because court is only held once a month, on the first day of every month.”
Yan Liqiang was dumbfounded for a moment. He must have watched too many television dramas in his previous life to think that the officials entered the palace to attend the court every day. Upon hearing Liang Yijie’s words, Yan Liqiang rubbed his face in embarrassment. “Ahem ahem, I see. I thought Lord Sun was going to the palace to attend a court…”
Liang Yijie looked left and right, then suddenly lowered his voice and spoke with a slightly grave expression on his face, “His opinion wouldn’t mean much even if he were to attend the court. The six parts of the Imperial Capital are pretty much controlled by the Grand Chancellor. He also oversees the central cabinet and the imperial court. Topics discussed in the court are all things that the Grand Chancellor wishes to discuss. Whatever the Grand Chancellor says counts as the final say. Due to this reason, Lord Sun has always feigned sickness to avoid attending the court over these two years…”
“What the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over…” Yan Liqiang sighed.
“That’s pretty much it…”
“Has Brother Liang seen His Majesty before then? I wonder what kind of person His Majesty is?”
Liang Yijie pondered for a moment. “I guess His Majesty can be considered a benevolent ruler…”
“Ahem, ahem…”
Liang Yijie seemed to have something else to say, but he heard two coughs from Sun Bingchen in the carriage. Yan Liqiang and Liang Yijie exchanged looks and smiled at each other, then dropped the subject.
Half an hour later, the carriage stopped at the square outside a magnificent royal palace. The square was covered with white jade and was decorated with dragons. Guards clad in armor were seen standing around. Sun Bingchen got off the carriage when they arrived. After giving some instructions to Yan Liqiang and Liang Yijie, he smoothened out his Second Grade High Official [1] uniform. Led by another guard, he stepped onto the arch bridge, crossed the moat in the square, and walked through the tall, dark red palace doors.
There was a parking lot for carriages next to the square. The parking lot was bigger than a soccer field, so it could accommodate several hundred carriages without any issues. There were a few rows of houses next to the parking lot, which were the servant quarters. They were resting and waiting areas for guards of high-ranking officials like Yan Liqiang and Liang Yijie. To put it simply, they were like tearooms.
Sun Bingchen entered the palace to have an audience with the Emperor. Although they were Sun Bingchen’s guards, both Yan Liqiang and Liang Yijie didn’t have the privilege to enter the palace. Hence, they could only wait at the servant quarters.
When Liang Yijie led Yan Liqiang into the servant quarters, there were already quite a number of guards in their uniforms, chatting with each other over tea while they waited.
“Why, if it isn’t Guard Liang who serves Lord Sun! I heard you ran into The Banes of Heaven and Earth in Hui Provincial City! Not only did you lose the person you should have been watching over, but you also were nearly ended by their hands, hahahaha…!”
The moment they stepped into the servant quarters and before Yan Liqiang could even take a good look around the place, an ear-piercing voice traveled into Yan Liqiang’s ears.
