The next evening, you arrived at Fu Xuan's private study as promised, your fabricated identity as "Jiang Xuan" serving you well.

Pushing the door open, a faint, calming scent of aged sandalwood and old scrolls wafted over. The study was larger than you expected, far more personal than her imposing office. Bookshelves lined all four walls from floor to ceiling, crammed with ancient texts, star charts, and jade slips. The only light came from the soft, ambient glow of a suspended star chart and a single, warm lamp on her desk.

Fu Xuan was standing in front of the massive, holographic star chart, her back to you. You paused, taking in the sight.

Today, she wasn't wearing her usual Master Diviner robes or the elaborate, heavy headpiece. She was in a simple, light pink casual outfit, her long hair unbound and falling softly down her back. It made her look less like an imposing general and more like a young, thoughtful scholar. She seemed almost... approachable.

"You're here. Come over and look at this," she said, her voice softer without the acoustics of the grand commission hall. She didn't turn around, her focus entirely on the flowing data of the star chart.

You walked over to her side, the scent of her perfume mixing with the sandalwood. "This is the Luofu's Star Chart," she began, her tone shifting into that of a focused teacher. "To divine accurately, one must first understand the celestial phenomena, the flow of destiny's currents."

She spoke very earnestly, tracing the complex, intersecting lines of light with her slender finger. As she explained a particularly intricate conjunction, you leaned in, feigning a deeper look.

"Look here," she pointed to a complex combination, "This alignment indicates a potential shift in the Abundance's..."

You followed her finger, letting your own brush against hers as if by accident.

Both of you froze.

Her hand was cool to the touch. You felt her inhale sharply, a tiny, almost imperceptible reaction. A faint pink blush crept up her neck, visible even in the dim light, but she didn't pull her hand away.

"...Did you understand?" she asked, her voice strained, pretending nothing had happened.

"I think I get it," you replied, your tone perfectly earnest, pulling your hand back slowly. You had confirmed what you suspected: beneath the armor of the Master Diviner was still a woman, one who was clearly not accustomed to such casual, personal contact.

After the discussion, the way Fu Xuan looked at you had changed. There was something new mixed in with her professional assessment—a slight, flustered uncertainty.

"It's getting late," she cleared her throat, turning away from the chart to create distance. "Let's stop here for today."

As you were about to leave, she called out, "Wait. Take this book." She handed you an ancient, thread-bound text. "It's my early insights on the Matrix of Prescience, some personal notes. They shouldn't be shared, but... perhaps it will help you."

You took the book, your fingertips inevitably brushing against her hand again. This time, she visibly trembled and pulled her hand back quickly.

"Thank you, Master Diviner. I will not disappoint your expectations," you said, bowing with just the right amount of gratitude.

You left her study, a small, internal smile on your face. This was a significant sign of trust. The first thread was set.

For the next month, you came to Fu Xuan's study almost every night.

Ostensibly, it was to learn. You would ask probing questions about divination theory, and she, enjoying the rare presence of a student who could seemingly keep up with her intellect, would explain. The atmosphere between you became increasingly subtle. You learned her habits—which tea she preferred when working late (a bitter, black leaf, sweetened with a single cube of rock sugar), the way she would unconsciously rub her temples when she was stressed, the slight, almost invisible frown she got when Qingque's name was mentioned in relation to missed work.

These sessions became less about the stars and more about a quiet, intellectual intimacy.

"You're a fast learner, Jiang Xuan," she commented one night, impressed. "Your grasp of the fundamentals is... surprisingly solid for someone from the Yaoqing."

"I only have a wise teacher," you'd replied smoothly, which had earned you another one of those rare, fleeting blushes.

Finally, the day of the Divination Convention arrived. The main hall of the Divination Commission was packed. Diviners from all the Xianzhou ships had gathered, their jade abacuses clicking, holographic screens displaying complex, shifting hexagrams.

You advanced easily through each round. Your fabricated identity as a "talented diviner from the Yaoqing" was bolstered by your cautious use of your own intelligence. You didn't dominate; you simply won, each victory looking like a hard-fought, narrow success. Soon, you made it to the finals.

Your opponent was supposed to be a famously talented diviner from the Xianzhou Jade Palace, but a message arrived just before the match: the Jade Palace's delegate had come down with a sudden, debilitating case of food poisoning and had forfeited.

"How unfortunate," Fu Xuan announced from the judge's seat, though her eyes held a flicker of suspicion.

You, of course, knew that the "food poisoning" was thanks to a small, untraceable packet of laxatives you had an informant slip into his morning tea. It was crude, but effective.

"In that case, as per convention rules, the next-highest-ranking diviner from the host ship will take their place," Fu Xuan declared. She scanned the roster, and her face tightened in annoyance. "...Qingque."

A collective groan came from the Divination Commission's seating area.

"Oh, how did this happen? I just wanted some prize money for participating..." Qingque stood on the field with a completely helpless expression, her Celestial Jade tiles held limply in her hand. She looked at you with an expression that clearly said, 'Let's get this over with, I'll lose fast so I can go slack off.'

The match began. Qingque, wanting to lose quickly, made an intentionally "bad" opening move, discarding a valuable tile.

Perfect, you thought. You also made an "error," discarding a tile that seemed logical but quietly broke a potential combination.

Huh? Qingque looked at your discard, puzzled. That was... not a good move. 'Is this guy a beginner? Oh well, easier for me.'

The match continued. It quickly devolved into a comedy of errors. Qingque would intentionally "fail" a calculation, only for you to "accidentally" make a larger, more obvious miscalculation that negated hers.

"Senior Qingque is truly profound," you'd say with a serious face. "That move seemed simple, but it has disrupted my entire flow."

"You... you too!" Qingque stammered, sweating. 'Why is he so bad at this?! I'm trying to lose here!'

She tried to discard a winning tile, but by sheer luck, your previous "mistake" made her "mistake" form an entirely different, albeit weaker, winning hand.

You, in turn, tried to make a wrong prediction, but an unexpected variable in the Matrix (which you had secretly nudged earlier) actually made your "wrong" prediction... correct.

The crowd was baffled. "Are these two... rookies?"

"I don't understand their match at all. It's like watching two beginners stumble into a win..."

"Time's up!" the referee finally announced, looking as confused as everyone else. He reviewed the final, convoluted scores. "Due to... ahem... a critical calculation error by Diviner Jiang Xuan on the final turn, the winner is... Qingque of the Luofu's Divination Commission!"

The entire venue erupted in an uproar of disbelief.

Qingque stood dumbfounded. She... won? She actually won? Her face went pale with a horror far greater than if she had lost.

"Wait!" she quickly ran to you as the judges confirmed the result. "Why did you do that? That last mistake was so obvious! Even a rookie wouldn't... Why did you let me win?!"

You smiled, your voice low enough for only her to hear. "Senior Qingque, your talent with the tiles, your intuitive grasp of probability... it shouldn't be buried. A champion's title suits you."

"But... but I just want to quietly slack off!" Qingque was almost in tears, her voice cracking. "If I win, Fu Xuan will definitely give me more responsibilities! My slacking days are over! Waaah!"

After the chaotic awards ceremony, Fu Xuan called you both to her office. Qingque was slumped in a chair, clutching her championship trophy as if it were a death sentence.

"Although the process was... unexpected," Fu Xuan said, giving you a very long, meaningful look, "the result is not bad. Qingque, since you have this strength, you should take on more responsibilities. Starting tomorrow, you will assist in collating the data from the Sector of Remote Sensing."

Qingque's face instantly fell, all color draining from it as she whimpered.

"As for Jiang Xuan..." Fu Xuan turned to you, dismissing the miserable Qingque. "It's a shame your performance was off at the last moment. But making it to the finals is already very good."

She had clearly seen through your little trick but, for her own reasons, didn't expose it. You chuckled inwardly. This was merely a side show.

"Alright," Fu Xuan said, standing up and walking over to you. "This Seat is going to reward you two."