Chapter 26: Recommendation

Qin Anhe wore a moon-pale Daoist's robe, her head and face round; she wasn't tall, but she was very adorable. Looking at her carefully, she could only be fourteen or fifteen years old. For a moment, Shen Yanyi thought Chen Xun was playing a trick on her, and so her complexion darkened, and she asked, interrogating, "Chen-zhanggui, what's your meaning with this?"

Chen Xun laughed. "Shen-daren, don't judge others by their appearances. This Qin-daozhang of mine is actually incredibly skilled; not only is she proficient in fengshui, she can even call the wind and summon the rain."

Shen Yanyi let out a scoff, clearly not believing it much. Yet Qin Anhe's expression was one of having expected it from early on, and the corners of her mouth rose in a light smile; she waved her hand to indicate to Shen Yanyi to look at the teacup before her. Shen Yanyi didn't understand what she was doing at all, but she still followed her gaze and looked over. In the next moment, Shen Yanyi's pupils suddenly dilated; the tea water in the cup, which had originally already cooled down, was actually bubbling and boiling up once more, the tea leaves which had already sunk to the bottom roiling and turning with the bubbles.

Yet there wasn't a heat source anywhere around.

Shen Yanyi immediately rose slightly out of her chair in deference to Qin Anhe. "It's my eyes which couldn't recognise a pearl; I hope that Qin-daozhang-daren will be magnanimous."

"What sort of words are these, Shen-daren; I'm young, and others disbelieving me is a common occurence," Qin Anhe said with a smile, clearly not having taken this matter to heart. After all, this was her first experience of leaving her shifu's side.

Her shifu, Feng Puzhi, was a fengshui master who, for a long while, had had close dealings with Honghailou, and each of the Honghailou's storefronts' selection had to be looked over by her, and only then confirmed. Qin Anhe had been taken in by Feng Puzhi in her childhood, and for as long as she could remember, she'd studied magic. Her talent was incredibly great, such that Feng Puhe had praised her as hoping she could match the founders. And this sect of theirs was that of the master, the immortal Cheng Yuanhe, and what they practiced was the most orthodox type of magic.

These past few years, Feng Puzhi hadn't been willing to travel much, and as a result, when something came to her, she'd, in the end, always push it onto Qin Anhe to go out and deal with. Although her experience counted as abundant, having come out alone to make her way in the world, that had only started a month ago. Feng Puzhi didn't care for fame or fortune, and hadn't given her much money. When Qin Anhe had descended the mountain, she hadn't had anywhere to go, and could only seek shelter with the somewhat familiar Chen Xun.

"How's this, Shen-daren?" Chen Xun asked, raising her eyes and looking at her. "If you recommend Qin-daozhang to Bixia, not only will it resolve the great drought in Boyang, it'll also count as a meritorious contribution of yours. When the time comes, will you still fear being superseded by Xie-daren at every turn?"

"How do you—" Shen Yanyi paused, and then amended, "I've never!"

Chen Xun smiled, not saying anymore. Shen Yanyi also became aware of her own loss of composure, and hurriedly calmed herself. "This matter still requires negotiation. Business in the Ministry of Revenue is incredibly busy; I'd better go." Having finished speaking, Shen Yanyi didn't wait for the two before her to speak before leaving, her footsteps hurried, her attitude that of a posture who'd had their thoughts exposed. But it wasn't merely this; she'd only just stepped across Honghailou's threshold when she bumped into Xie Qianbing, carrying mung bean cake and preparing to return home.

Xie Qianbing, of course, didn't know of the matter that Shen Yanyi had discussed in Honghailou with Chen Xun, and merely took it as coincidence. The two had been acquainted for many years, and so she raised a smiling face, calling out a greeting from afar: "Shen-daren, how is it that you're here as well?"

Shen Yanyi's complexion was as usual, yet she wasn't willing to say much, merely nodding towards Xie Qianbing, about to pass around her and leave. Xie Qianbing's heart filled with suspicion, and she hurried after her with rapid steps. "How come you're hurrying like this?"

Shen Yanyi said, "Just now, I ate, and am somewhat tired; I'd like to return home quickly."

"How lucky that I'm going home as well; we're conveniently neighbouring; wouldn't it be better to return together?" Xie Qianbing was still cheerful, and said, "Though the food of Honghailou is delicious, it's merely too expensive. Last time I had four liang of silver, and almost caused an embarrassing scene due to not bringing enough money; after the hecticness of the moment is over, I'd really like to come again and eat—"

But the more Shen Yanyi listened, the darker her expression became, and all she could hear were Xie Qianbing's braggadocios words. In a flash, her heart became even more resentful, and she suddenly stopped. Shen Yanyi said, "I think I dropped my purse in Honghailou."

"Then I can accompany you to go fetch it?"

"I won't inconvenience Xie-daren; official business is the most important; you'd better hurry and deal with it for the best." Shen Yanyi spoke coldly, and turned, heading towards Honghailou with rapid steps. Xie Qianbing finally heard the disaffection in her words; although she was still suspicious, she didn't chase after her either. She merely waited for Shen Yanyi's retreating figure to disappear in her field of vision, and only then continued towards her residence.

---

Jiang Changbai gazed fixedly at the fourteen or fifteen year old youth before her, her brows furrowed tightly. "You're saying, she can call rain?"

"Replying to Bixia, that's correct," Shen Yanyi said, nodding slightly, not daring to look directly at Jiang Changbai. There was calming incense burning in the censer, meant to sharpen the attention, but Jiang Changbai's mind was still disturbed. The drought in Boyand had yet to abate by now, and the reports from the prefectural magistrate said that, in places, refugees had already emerged. If it didn't rain for longer, there wouldn't be a single grain to be reaped; it was as if, now, she could only place her hopes on the method of calling rain.

But the person before her, she was far too young.

For Qin Anhe, this was a common occurrence; her gaze fell on the cup of tea on Jiang Changbai's desk, and she thought of using the same old tricks again. She hadn't imagined that she'd only just raised her hand, when it was knocked down harshly. "Impudence!"

Qin Anhe followed this voice and raised her head to look, and saw Song Juguang's dark, overcast face, standing before her, and she was pressing her hand down harshly with the folding fan in her own. Around Song Juguang, an imposing aura burst forth in a flash, such that even an old fox, shrewd and perceptive, would startle.

But Qin Anhe wasn't afraid. Not only was she not afraid, she inexplicably felt that Song Juguang's figure exuded a familiar presence. But she knew clearly that she herself had never before met Song Juguang.

"This distinguished person is?" Qin Anhe asked, raising her head; just then, when she'd walked in, she hadn't seen Song Juguang's figure at all.

"You don't need to know who I am," Song Juguang said coldly, "but what you need to know is that that is the current Emperor of the Great Li; there is no place for your impudence before the Emperor."

Qin Anhe didn't let out a sound, raising her eyes to meet Song Juguang's gaze squarely. In a flash, the atmosphere in the hall became somewhat tense, and in the end, it was Shen Yanyi who couldn't bear to see it, and rose to smooth things over. "Wangjun, please quell your anger; Xiao Qin-daozhang has followed her shifu in studying, and doens't much understand the rules of the court."

Song Juguang appeared to be truly angry, and turned her head to glare at Shen Yanyi. "The person was recommended by you, so naturally the rules ought to have been taught by you."

Shen Yanyi hurriedly nodded and acknowledged her mistake, but there was no one who saw, in the shadows, her expression became a degree darker and shaded. But Song Juguang's next words caused everyone there to all be shocked; she said, "Bixia, this minister can see that this Qin-daozhang still has some true talent; it would be best to send her to go try. Without using the imperial title to call for rain, even if it fails, it won't count as a loss."

"I won't fail," Qin Anhe said; she was used to being indulged by others; how could she accept being scorned by Song Juguang like this? Her words were spoken almost subconsciously. But as soon as she'd spoken, she realised that Song Juguang's fan, pressing against her wrist, became even heavier. Qin Anhe became even more surly, and furtively exerted herself against Song Juguang; but humans, in the end, were always weak, and in after a few breaths, Qin Anhe felt that her wrist was about to break.

Jiang Changbai's expression was still calm, but her heart had sunk a bit. Since Song Juguang had said so, she couldn't say something more to oppose her, and only nodded. "Then we'll follow A Guang's words; Shen Yanyi, take her to go find Xie Qianbing, and have her arrange it."

Only after stepping out of the hall did Qin Anhe have the time to inspect her own wrist; under the scorching sun, the red mark on her wrist was incredibly garish.

But once the two had both gone far away, Song Juguang still stood where she had before. Jiang Changbai, not understanding, asked, "Did you know what that child was about to do just then?"

Song Juguang nodded, and turned, walking over before Jiang Changbai. The folding fan held in her hand lightly tapped against the teacup, the wood and porcelain letting out a light sound as they collided, and she smiled lightly. "It's just that she knows some simple tricks."

Jiang Changbai raised her brows; she didn't ask any further, but lowered her head, continuing to read through the memorials. She was reading intently, and didn't take note of the water within the cup that Song Juguang had just lightly struck, which had originally cooled down, had actually started to bubble and boil.

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