Chapter 702: Xie Linyuan
Qi Xuansu gave a slight cough, unsure whether to say “you flatter me” or “I’m ashamed.”
In the end, he simply said, “Master Xie, please call me by my given name.”
Generally speaking, inferiors addressed superiors or peers using courtesy names. It was not considered disrespectful for elders to address juniors by their given names. But if a non-parent elder wished to show respect to a junior, they could also use the junior’s courtesy name.
Xie Linyuan smiled and did not put on airs. “I’ll address you by your courtesy name then.”
Among all the elders Qi Xuansu had met, few addressed him by his given name. Most used his courtesy name, since they were not his parents. As for Madam Qi, she would call him “Tian Yuan” when in a good mood and “brat” or “ingrate” when she was upset with him.
Qi Xuansu hesitated briefly before saying, “Master Xie, you may call me Tian Yuan.”
“Tian Yuan, given the sensitivity of our identities, we’d best return to the capital before dawn to avoid suspicion.” Xie Linyuan suggested.
Qi Xuansu nodded in agreement, then asked, “Could the people from The Inn be lying in wait around the capital?”
“That’s unlikely,” Xie Linyuan replied. “Of The Inn’s six top figures, three were already involved. The Server was wounded by Madam Qi, and the Accountant rarely takes part in such matters. Plus, the capital is vast, with 13 gates in the four outer cities. Unless the Owner personally takes action, they don’t have enough experts to lay an ambush around the capital. Still, we’ve been delayed here for a while. If we linger further, the Innkeeper and others may abandon the search and return to the capital.”
Qi Xuansu pondered, then asked, “What about the Divine Central Guard and the Green Phoenix Guard?”
Xie Linyuan replied, “They’re all imperial agencies. The Ministry of War can’t mobilize personnel from the Ministry of Justice. Though the Green Phoenix Guard has close ties with The Inn, they’re the Emperor’s personal troops. Without an imperial decree, they likely won’t act. The Divine Central Guards are stationed at the capital’s outermost edge and operate more freely. It’s possible they might intervene. After all, The Inn’s grudge with us stems from Prince Liao. Logically, he should make a move.”