I Cultivate in a Government Office

The fragrant scent of incense curled through the hall of Anxiang Pavilion. Zhou Moxuan stood with his hands clasped behind his back before a screen depicting the Night Banquet Painting. Four people stood behind him, two of whom were particularly conspicuous: one was composed and aloof, while the other wore a perpetual, unsettling smile.

The young man with the unsettling smile lowered his voice. "Senior Brother Zhou, those three from Xuanyue are in the private room, Tingxin Pavilion."

The corner of his mouth twisted into a cold smirk. "Senior Brother," he asked, "shall I go take a look?"

Zhou Moxuan’s gaze remained on the screen’s painting. He gave an almost imperceptible nod.

The sharp glint in the young man’s eyes instantly vanished, replaced by a fawning, cheerful grin. He stepped onto the polished black jade tiles, and his figure quickly disappeared into the shadows of the inner corridor.

The aloof, composed man offered a reminder. "Moxuan, no matter how you look at it, Xuanyue is its own lineage. Furthermore, that Yang Wenqing is a regional official. If word of how we’re acting gets out..."

Zhou Moxuan finally tore his gaze from the screen, interrupting him. "Martial Uncle, respect isn’t given, it’s earned. If the Xuanyue Lineage has to swallow its pride over a trifle like this, then they aren’t worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as my Bibo Prefecture."

After he spoke, he led the remaining two people toward the inner corridor. His martial uncle watched his back, let out a heavy sigh, and could only follow.

Internal competition within Bibo Prefecture is fierce; failure is not an option. When Zhou Moxuan’s master learned that the Xuanyue Lineage would also be participating in the upcoming grand competition, he had given him a strict order: defeat Yang Wenqing, no matter what.

And Zhou Moxuan was the type of person who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. If his opponent were anyone else, he might have already found a way to prevent them from even participating in the grand competition.

Meanwhile, inside Tingxin Pavilion, a cozy warmth filled the air. The aroma of hundred-year-old Bilan Spring wine mingled with the crisp scent of plum blossoms. On a screen of light projected by Magic, images of various beautiful women were displayed in rotation—some alluring, some innocent, some sultry.

Tang Yuan pointed to the image of a dancer in red gossamer on the screen and smiled at Yang Wenqing and Gao Zhen beside him. "Junior Brother Yang, Junior Brother Gao, what do you two think of this one? She’s performing the Sogdian Whirl. You won’t see that just anywhere."

Gao Zhen’s gaze was momentarily captivated by the graceful, rapidly whirling figure on the screen. Yang Wenqing, meanwhile, held his wine cup with a faint smile, his eyes following Tang Yuan’s gesture with the kind of unspoken appreciation shared between men.

Lanxin, standing in attendance, softly interjected at the perfect moment. "This is Miss Jinghong. She is a master of dance, particularly the Sogdian Whirl and the sword dance. She’s astonishingly flexible."

Just as Tang Yuan was about to speak...

"KNOCK, KNOCK."

Two knocks sounded at the door, shattering the room’s cozy and intimate atmosphere.

Lanxin looked to Tang Yuan. He frowned but nodded. Gao Zhen retracted his gaze, looking silently toward the door. Yang Wenqing set down his wine cup.

Lanxin walked to the door and asked softly through it, "To which honored guest do we owe the pleasure? May I help you?"

Silence hung outside for a moment, then a young, hard-edged voice pierced the door panel. "Bibo Prefecture. Shen Zui. Open the door, and be quick about it."

The moment the words "Bibo Prefecture" reached their ears, Tang Yuan’s expression instantly darkened. Gao Zhen’s back straightened almost imperceptibly. Yang Wenqing’s eyelids lifted slightly, his gaze landing on the carved wooden door.

Lanxin was clearly stunned as well, instinctively glancing back at Tang Yuan.

Tang Yuan’s expression was frosty, but it was quickly replaced by a smile as he nodded.

Only then did Lanxin pull the door open.

At the doorway, Shen Zui stood clad in a sapphire-blue brocade robe, his posture radiating a deliberate insolence. His gaze fell on Tang Yuan in the host’s seat, then swept over to Yang Wenqing with an expression of undisguised scrutiny and a trace of contempt.

He completely ignored Lanxin, addressing Tang Yuan directly and pulling his lips into a cold, faint smile. "Steward Tang, sorry for the intrusion."

Before Tang Yuan could respond, he casually jutted his chin toward the interior of the room and said, "My Senior Brother Zhou, Zhou Moxuan, wants to use Tingxin Pavilion now. You lot..." His gaze swept across the three men. "Pack up your things and move somewhere else."

As his words faded, a dead silence fell over the private room, broken only by the soft GURGLE of the wine jug on the small red-clay stove.

Tang Yuan’s expression had turned completely grim.

Shen Zui completely ignored Tang Yuan’s expression, a mocking look appearing on his face. He then took a twenty-yuan silver coin from his robes and, without a glance, casually tossed it onto the thick, plush carpet just inside the door.

THUNK.

The silver coin landed not far from Lanxin’s feet, spun twice on the soft carpet, then came to a stop.

Shen Zui’s voice rang out right after. "So you don’t have to leave empty-handed. Here’s twenty yuan. Enough for you to go to a street-side tea stall and drink till dawn. Take the money and clear out. Now. Immediately. Right this second."

Upon hearing this, Lanxin lowered her head and silently retreated to one side.

Shen Zui’s words were like a dagger of ice, piercing the room’s harmonious atmosphere. He was humiliating Tang Yuan and the others for their affiliation with the Xuanyue Lineage.

Tang Yuan abruptly shot to his feet, a smile still fixed on his face. Gao Zhen also rose. Being a tall man, his standing up instantly created an invisible sense of pressure.

Yang Wenqing, however, was considering this Shen Zui and the Zhou Moxuan he had just mentioned, while Lan Ying shouted in his Spirit Sea, ’This guy is begging for a beating.’

Tang Yuan’s thoughts raced. ’If I were alone, facing such a deliberate provocation from Zhou Moxuan of Bibo Prefecture, I might have weighed the pros and cons and avoided a direct confrontation.’

’But today is different. The man sitting beside me is Yang Wenqing, the newly appointed True Disciple of the Xuanyue Lineage. I’m not just representing myself, but the very honor of our sect in this place.’

’To take even one step back wouldn’t be my, Tang Yuan’s, personal disgrace, but the disgrace of the entire Xuanyue Lineage!’

As soon as this thought formed, all his hesitation vanished.

At the doorway, Shen Zui had just tossed the silver coin and was waiting to see their reaction. The sneer on his face had not yet fully formed when his vision suddenly blurred.