CHAPTER 846: CHAPTER 509: SECOND SENIOR SISTER PAYS A VISIT

He looked at the delicious dishes with perfect color, aroma, and taste, as well as the bowl of white rice in front of him, then turned his head and said obsequiously:

"Second Senior Sister, can we start eating?"

A woman in her thirties, with an elegant gray Daoist robe, pure white sleeves, and a golden rope-like belt at her waist, carried a jade short sword across her chest.

She was precisely Yu Xiu, the second disciple of the Old Heavenly Master who had intervened during the battle at Baihua Village!

Yu Xiu sat upright and solemnly. Despite the fatigue of the journey, she remained calm and natural. Though in a bustling market, she emanated a sense of tranquility.

"Did the Master teach you to recite the ritual of gratitude to the Grain God before meals?" Yu Xiu glanced at him lightly.

The little fatty Gongshu Tianyuan laughed awkwardly, "We... we..."

Regarding these codes of conduct, he had long returned them to the Old Heavenly Master.

"Forget it, eat." Yu Xiu sighed lightly, picked up the rice bowl, and grabbed the wooden chopsticks:

"Returning to the capital today, after this meal, you return to the Heavenly Master Mansion, and I have other matters to attend to."

Gongshu Tianyuan replied perfunctorily with an "Oh," and pounced on the food like a starving ghost, devouring the rice heartily.

Jin Jian, almost collapsing from sleep, awoke with a start, his chopsticks moving so fast they almost created an illusion, eating furiously.

Compared to their crude eating manner, Yu Xiu’s movements were elegant, her demeanor calm, embodying the very essence of a refined Daoist.

After the feast.

Having each consumed five bowls of rice, Gongshu Tianyuan and Jin Jian simultaneously rubbed their bulging stomachs, slumping in their chairs contentedly, burping: "After enduring hardships, we finally had a good meal."

After the battle at Baihua Village, Zhong Pan cultivated alone, while the three of them returned to the capital to report to the Heavenly Master.

However, the three only possessed worldly realm cultivation, unable to match the Empress’s speed. They traveled hastily, with meals and lodging kept simple.

Yu Xiu slowly put down her chopsticks, wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, stacked the twelfth empty bowl beside her, and then called the startled waiter to settle the bill.

She then stood up, her slender waist swaying as she walked outside:

"I’ll go ahead and return to the Heavenly Master Mansion later."

Jin Jian: zzzZZZ...

Gongshu Tianyuan: "Where are you going, Senior Sister?"

Yu Xiu: "To meet someone."

She walked all the way to the north of the capital city, into a lane where dignitaries gathered, stopping beneath a gate inscribed with the words "Zhao Mansion."

She raised her hand to knock on the door.

"Creak."

The courtyard door opened slightly, and the old steward looked outside, puzzled and uncertain, at the unfamiliar yet extraordinary young Daoist who appeared:

"This Taoist, who are you looking for?"

Yu Xiu’s gaze was as serene as spring water: "Is this Zhao Douan’s residence?"

"Indeed, Taoist, are you looking for our young master? Do you have an appointment?"

Yu Xiu reached into her bosom with two fingers, pinched out a token, and tossed it to the old steward:

"If he is here, I’ll see him. If not, I’ll wait here."

The old steward instinctively caught the thrown token with both hands, seeing the "Heavenly Master Mansion" inscription, was slightly shocked. Upon lifting his head again, he found Yu Xiu had disappeared.

Footsteps sounded behind him.

The old steward turned around, seeing Yu Xiu with the jade short sword hanging at her waist, drifting into the Zhao family’s back residence like a wisp of smoke.

"Could she be a friend of the young master?"

...

...

Imperial Study Room.

When Xu Zhenguan put down the slender writing brush in her hand, closed the last memorial needing her personal imperial red approval, and raised her head, she found the sunlight had already tilted westward.

Summer sunlight streamed through the west window, with dust floating within the beams.

She pinched her brows, thinking that a considerable time had passed, and that guy hadn’t barged into the Imperial Study Room this afternoon.

Feeling inexplicably uncomfortable, why didn’t you come anymore?

Though her face showed no anger, her mood was certainly not good. At this moment, the Empress calmed down, reflecting on her afternoon reaction, realizing it was somewhat "inappropriate."

Not her usual style... Xu Zhenguan, Xu Zhenguan, with your temperament, how could you get upset over such trivial rumors?

Just because it’s him?

The Empress quietly drifted into thought, her mind waging a battle between two inner voices: one suggested it was time to lower her stance and offer both sides a way out.

Another voice argued against it, saying that as the supreme ruler, seeking him actively was a loss of face.

After a struggle, ultimately the voice of reason prevailed. Xu Zhenguan rose, dragging her long skirt, and walked outside.

Pushing open the door, the sun was already slanting westward, and the palace attendants in the corridor outside hurriedly saluted: "Your Majesty."

The Empress acknowledged with a "Hm," glancing down at the large bouquet of flowers that had fallen to the ground, now slightly wilted from the sun. Her lips curled faintly upward, and she said:

"Where is Junior Guardian Zhao?"

A female official replied, "He should be at the Martial Arts Hall. Shall I summon him for Your Majesty?"

"No need, I am weary today and it’s just as well to go and speak with Eunuch Hai."

Xu Zhenguan, stubborn as a dead duck, refused to admit to herself that she felt her previous anger was a bit excessive, and so decided to take the initiative and apologize to him.

After taking a few steps forward, she paused again:

"Place the flowers on the ground into the study, and plant them in a vase to nurture them; do not let them go to waste."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

As they watched the Empress depart, the female officials exchanged glances and covered their mouths, snickering quietly.

As Xu Zhenguan made her way to the Martial Arts Hall, the sun sank further. When she stepped into the hall amidst the reverent greetings of the Tributors, Zhao Douan was nowhere to be seen.

"Is Mr. Zhao not here?" she raised her eyebrows.

Eunuch Hai, draped in a bright red python robe, appeared leisurely and mysteriously, smiled and said:

"He was here earlier, but someone from his house came, saying there was an urgent matter, so he had to return temporarily. He said he would return after handling it."

Gone home?

"What’s the urgent matter at his home?" the Empress inquired curiously.

Eunuch Hai folded his sleeves, indifferent: "That I do not know."

The Empress pondered for a moment, feeling uneasy. Considering that a proposal had already been made between the two families, there was no need for formality. She decided promptly and instructed, "Prepare a carriage, informally, I will go out of the palace for a visit."

A woman’s intuition told her it was necessary to visit the Zhao Residence.

...

...

When Zhao Douan rode his horse and hurriedly returned to the gate of the Zhao Mansion from the palace, he saw the old steward personally keeping watch outside the door.

Seeing him, his eyes lit up: "Dalang, you’re finally back."

The triumph of the Divine Mechanism Camp, a great commotion during the day, the Zhao Family also knew that Zhao Douan had returned victorious to report back at the palace.

"Hm. What’s the situation exactly? The house servant who went to the palace to send word was vague." Zhao Douan inquired.

The old steward explained:

"It’s a Daoist priestess from the Heavenly Master Mansion, says she’s here to see you. It seems she’s not a simple character, and when asked who she was, she wouldn’t say. She just sat in the house. The madam couldn’t ascertain her background, and didn’t dare to act rashly for fear of delaying Dalang’s matters, so she sent someone to the palace to find you."

A Daoist priestess from the Heavenly Master Mansion? It should be a priest... Zhao Douan was stunned, trying hard to recall in his mind, but couldn’t remember knowing such a person.

Among the Heavenly Master Mansion people, the only female priest he was familiar with was Jin Jian.

But clearly, it wasn’t her who came.

"I’ll go in and take a look." Zhao Douan thought for a moment and decided that it was best to meet first before deciding anything.

Stepping into the courtyard, Zhao Douan quickly arrived at the main hall used for receiving guests in the inner courtyard.

At dusk, the summer heat was stifling, and the doors and windows were open wide.

At a glance, he saw three women seated in the inner hall.

The one larger and one smaller were naturally You Jinhua and Zhao Pan.

Seeing him, the two of them turned their heads and looked over, their eyes lighting up, "Dalang (Big Brother) is back!"

Yu Xiu had noticed him earlier but opened her eyes without hurry, her gaze arriving later than everyone else’s on Zhao Douan.

Their eyes met, each conveying curiosity and scrutiny.

The battle at Baihua Village had prevented them from meeting before, so this was their first meeting.

Yu Xiu’s eyes brightened slightly, momentarily dazzled by Zhao Douan’s appearance.

But soon, her focus shifted to his level of cultivation, surprised to find that this martial artist, who had just broken through to the Worldly Realm a few days earlier, had a rather restrained aura, not appearing superficial, and moreover, subtly gave her a sense of threat.

It seemed that this "Worldly newcomer" possessed the strength to injure her.

Even if it was only at a level of minor injury, it was enough to astonish this second disciple of the Heavenly Master who had been on this path for quite some time.

Zhao Douan was similarly alarmed internally. He was certain he’d never met this Kun Dao before, but the martial artist’s intuition told him that the Daoist nun before him, looking not much older than thirty, was extremely dangerous.

This feeling was something he had experienced before in Senior Brother Qingshan, Duan Shuiliu.

"You are Zhao Douan?" Yu Xiu stood up, her voice smooth like flowing water.

Hearing it, one was almost under the illusion of not being in the Capital, but in a valley, amidst the gentle breeze.

"That would be me." Zhao Douan cupped his hands, "And you are?"

Yu Xiu calmly stated her background: "The second disciple of Heavenly Master Zhang, the ’Jade Sword’ Yu Xiu."