Comprehending a cultivation method left behind from ancient times, with no telling how many years separating it from the present, was no easy task. Shi Yi Ming had studied it for a lifetime and still would not have dared claim he had understood it correctly or completely. Fu Xi Yan and Pei Yuan Jin knew less about martial cultivation than he had, so their progress was extremely slow.
And because Shi Yi Ming had practiced the Artifact Path, Fu Xi Yan had originally gone into the research prepared to abandon martial cultivation and switch paths if necessary. Yet the deeper he looked, the more it seemed that was not what the method required at all.
“Mirror Master Shi chose the Artifact Path because of the Heaven-and-Earth Mirror as a treasure, not because of the cultivation method itself, right?”
The Heaven Mirror’s cultivation method was actually much closer to a martial inheritance.
Pei Yuan Jin said, “My father once said that if Mirror Master Shi had not lacked experience when he first began studying the Heaven Mirror’s method and entered the Artifact Path as a result, his achievements in martial cultivation would have been even greater.”
Fu Xi Yan said, “Chief Steward Jing follows the Artifact Path, right?”
“Mm.”
Fu Xi Yan felt slightly regretful. He really wished he could launch his idol straight into Golden Core in one breath.
“At the highest level, martial cultivation turns all things into one’s own power, while the Artifact Path turns artifacts into all things. There’s still some overlap between them. Maybe if we keep thinking about this long enough, we’ll accidentally work out the Artifact Path’s upgrade route too. The Puppet Path can just go die on its own.”
With that thought, Fu Xi Yan threw himself back into studying the cultivation method with renewed energy. During the entire period, he and Pei Yuan Jin emerged from seclusion only once, to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival with the Fu family, Aunt Qin, and Aunt Hong.
The saying went that every festival made one miss one’s family twice as much. This year, however, Fu Xi Yan could actually spend the festival at home, which left him extremely content. He worried that Pei Yuan Jin might miss his own family and was preparing to comfort him, but Pei Yuan Jin merely said he was used to it.
“Ever since I can remember, Father has often entered seclusion. Sometimes for himself, sometimes to accompany the elders.” Pei Yuan Jin paused. “They’ve traveled very far down a road of trial and error.”
After his initial speechlessness at learning the truth, Fu Xi Yan had gradually calmed down. Looking at things objectively now, he could not help admiring the determination of the martial artists of this age. Without any systematic education, they had still reached peak Foundation Establishment. What kind of wisdom and perseverance did that require?
Fu Xi Yan said, “If they hadn’t kept trying, perhaps even the Heaven-and-Earth Mirror would already have disappeared into history.”
Pei Yuan Jin said, “If these things were left behind by immortals, then immortals truly existed. I only wonder where they went after ascending.”
On that subject, Fu Xi Yan had plenty to say.
“That mainly depends on the setting.”
Fu Xi Yan began telling him stories where the protagonist struggled desperately to ascend, only to discover that ascension merely placed them at the bottom of a brand-new power ladder and forced them to start over from scratch. Then there were stories where ascension transformed one’s power after baptism by the stars until a single punch could explode a planet and one stomp could shake a galaxy.
In short, he crammed every possible fictional setting into Pei Yuan Jin’s head, lest another opportunity like the Earth Mirror appear in the future and Pei Yuan Jin miss it because his imagination was insufficient.
＊
The month they had agreed on passed in the blink of an eye, and the wedding day quickly arrived.
On the night before his departure, the entire Fu household bustled around Fu Xi Yan. Pei Yuan Jin had already been forcibly “invited” several days earlier to the temporary residence Aunt Qin and Aunt Hong had rented across the street. Left to fight alone, Fu Xi Yan hid in Fu Chen Xing’s room, only for Madam Fu to arrive with a group of people and drag him out.
Fu Chen Xing’s little body stood firmly in front of the space beneath the bed. “Mother, Fourth Brother isn’t hiding in there.”
Fu Xi Yan, currently hiding beneath the bed: “…” Little Fifth, this isn’t “There are no three hundred taels of silver buried here.” This is basically “Wang Er next door definitely didn’t steal them!”
Elio’s Notes: “There are no three hundred taels of silver buried here” is a Chinese saying about exposing one’s own secret through an overly obvious denial. Its traditional punch line involves a neighbor named Wang Er leaving an equally suspicious notice insisting he did not steal the silver.
Sure enough, Madam Fu had one of the concubines gently pick Fu Chen Xing up and move him aside. Then she addressed the space beneath the bed. “Fourth, you’re leaving tomorrow. Why are you acting coy like some bashful young girl? Come out.”
Still lying on the floor, Fu Xi Yan negotiated with her. “Mother, I’m still a man. Facial threading really is unnecessary.”
Madam Fu said, “Don’t worry. I already told the woman helping us. We won’t thread your face.”
Fu Xi Yan poked his head out from beneath the bed. “Truly? Then what about powder and rouge…?”
“I’ll have her make it look as natural as possible.” Madam Fu’s concessions clearly had boundaries.
Fu Xi Yan thought about it and reluctantly accepted. In his previous life, plenty of male celebrities wore light makeup when acting or attending events. It was his wedding day. Who would not want to look their best?
He crawled out from under the bed, dusted off his clothes, and was about to follow Madam Fu outside when Fu Chen Xing struggled down from the concubine’s arms and grabbed his sleeve. “Fourth Brother, tomorrow you’re going to become someone else’s sister-in-law?”
Fu Xi Yan: “…No.” Pei Yuan Jin had no younger siblings.
Fu Chen Xing relaxed slightly, then asked in a small voice, “Will you still be my brother?”
“I’ll always be your brother.”
“Then when are you going to play shuttlecock with me?”
Fu Xi Yan: “…” Admit it, young man. What you need isn’t a brother. You need a remotely controlled automatic shuttlecock launcher.
＊
The Governor of Hubei’s family, the Heaven-and-Earth Mirror, and the Immortal Treasury Palace were joining through marriage!
This was not merely a major event in Jiangcheng. It was a major event in the jianghu. Many martial artists who knew perfectly well they would never receive an invitation to Mount Fujun from the Immortal Treasury Palace hurried to Jiangcheng anyway, hoping to catch a glimpse of the two grooms and offer their congratulations.
On the wedding day, the streets around the Fu residence were almost blocked solid. Fortunately, Fu Fu and Pei Yuan Jin had anticipated this. Ordinary townspeople who had come simply to watch were persuaded away by constables at the first opportunity, while jianghu guests were stopped by the Immortal Treasury Palace and allowed through only if they carried invitations.
The residence Aunt Qin and Aunt Hong had temporarily rented stood far too close to the Fu home. Leaving one gate only to immediately enter the other lacked any sense of ceremony. So, at the two women’s insistence, Pei Yuan Jin mounted a tall horse and led the bridal sedan on a circuit through the nearby streets first.
The inns and restaurants along the route were already packed. The spectacle was no less lively than the parade of a newly crowned top scholar in the imperial examinations.
Many young women and married women alike saw Pei Yuan Jin’s handsome face and upright figure and could not resist tossing handkerchiefs and flowering branches toward him. Before anything could reach him, however, members of the Hidden Dragon Unit “confiscated” every item and returned warning looks for good measure.
Only then did the women remember that this young man, handsome enough to make the sunlight itself seem dimmer, was the heir to the mighty Immortal Treasury Palace. They immediately regretted their boldness, and apologies rose one after another.
Everyone else watching: “…”
“Long live the Immortal Treasury Palace! Young Master Pei is accomplished at such a young age! Mirror Master Fu and Young Master Pei are a match made by Heaven!”
No one knew which drunk person had shouted first. The street went silent for one instant, then some strange valve seemed to open and blessings and praises erupted from every direction.
“May you have a hundred years of happiness together!”
“May husband and wife live in perfect harmony!”
“May you walk hand in hand until old age!”
“May you soon have a noble son!” One abrupt thunderous shout crushed every other voice and sent the whole street into laughter.
Pei Yuan Jin: “…”
Fortunately, the street was not very long. Circling once did not take much time. By the time Pei Yuan Jin returned, the entrance to the Fu residence was already bustling. Most of the guests who would attend the ceremony had arrived and were lining up to enter.
The moment the groom appeared, the atmosphere rose to a new height. Greetings sounded everywhere. Pei Yuan Jin set aside his usual coldness and returned every salute with a smile, bathing the guests in a rare spring breeze until everyone praised the Young Master for his refined manners.
Aunt Qin and Aunt Hong quietly breathed sighs of relief.
Traditionally, the bride should have been carried out by an older brother, but Fu Xi Yan refused. “If my feet can’t touch the ground, I can just fly out.”
…
On a wedding day, was it remotely appropriate for the bride to fly out under his own power?!
To avoid frightening the guests, Madam Fu ultimately compromised. She had servants retrieve a length of brilliant red satin from storage and spread it over the ground so Fu Xi Yan could walk across it.
A red carpet? That he could do.
Fu Xi Yan immediately became enthusiastic.
Surrounded by guests, Pei Yuan Jin had already reached the courtyard outside Fu Xi Yan’s rooms.
An autumn wind rose and wrinkled the red satin. A group of servants hurried forward to pull it flat. Amid the resulting commotion, Fu Xi Yan slowly stepped outside.
Beneath a cloudless sky, the vivid red wedding robes framed a face that combined the utmost masculine handsomeness with the utmost feminine beauty. He seemed to carry his own light, dazzling enough to make people unable to look away.
The instant he appeared, everything around him seemed to dim, blur, and retreat into the distance.
Within the strange silence came the sudden sound of someone swallowing. At any ordinary time, no one would have noticed, but the courtyard was simply too quiet. Everyone had softened even their breathing, afraid of startling away the beauty who seemed to have walked out of a dream.
The person who had swallowed was even more nervous than the rest. Before anyone could glare, he had already lowered his head in shame.
Pei Yuan Jin repeated silently to himself that today was a joyous day and that he could not allow irrelevant people to ruin his mood. Only then did he barely manage to maintain the smile at the corners of his mouth.
Fu Xi Yan, completely unaware of the destructive force of his own face, marched across the “red carpet” with heroic confidence. He stopped beside Pei Yuan Jin and took the other end of the red silk ribbon.
Looking at the sedan, he felt slightly awkward and asked quietly, “Can’t I ride a horse?”
“No.” Pei Yuan Jin coldly surveyed the crowd, whose eyes were still staring straight at Fu Xi Yan. It’s already this bad inside the estate. If he goes outside like this, what then?
Fu Xi Yan pouted.
Pei Yuan Jin had no choice but to soften his voice. “We didn’t prepare for it. There’s no horse arranged for you.”
They were not deliberately whispering, so the exchange still reached the people nearby. Immediately, one tactless fool shouted, “I have a horse! He can ride mine!”
The moment the words left his mouth, the friend beside him yanked hard on his clothes.
The fool ignored him. “It’s a fine horse, brought down from the northern lands. A thousand li in a day is no problem. I only brushed it yesterday. It’s very clean!”
Seeing Pei Yuan Jin’s expression grow darker by the second, Fu Xi Yan struggled not to laugh and tugged on him. “Aren’t you going to thank him?”
Pei Yuan Jin: “…”
When Pei Yuan Jin refused to move, Fu Xi Yan smiled toward the fool himself. “Thank you, but I think I’ll ride in the sedan after all.”
The young man stared blankly at his face, feeling as though even his bones had softened under that smile. He stammered, “N-no need to thank me. This humble student is Zhan Hong, and I remain unmarried…”
His friend saw the Crimson Dragon King glowing faintly red in Pei Yuan Jin’s hair and turned green with terror. He hurriedly clapped a hand over Zhan Hong’s mouth and dragged him backward. The people around them joined in, working together to bury him in the crowd.
Under the Crimson Dragon King’s silent threat, everyone else finally recovered from their trance and began loudly smoothing things over. “Seeing truly surpasses hearing! Who could have expected the Fu family’s Fourth Young Master to be so naturally… beautiful… so handsome and imposing!”
“There were even rumors that Mirror Master Fu was enormously fat. What nonsense! If someone like Mirror Master Fu can be called fat, then the rest of us must all be bloated monsters with hideous faces!”
“Under all Heaven, only Young Master Pei standing beside Mirror Master Fu could truly deserve to be called one of a pair of jade beauties.”
After exhausting every compliment they knew, the crowd finally managed to make the Crimson Dragon King’s glow fade.
Fu Xi Yan entered the bridal sedan, and the procession left the Fu residence to begin another circuit.
Word of Fu Xi Yan’s beauty spread rapidly from guest to guest. The streets grew even more crowded. Countless people shouted “Mirror Master Fu!” toward the sedan, hoping for one glimpse of the legendary beauty said to shame flowers and outshine the moon.
When the sedan remained silent, some quick-thinking hero suddenly shouted, “Mirror Master Fu, I want to take you as my master!”
The silent sedan finally answered, unable to endure any longer. “Respectfully declined.”
The crowd burst into laughter.
Someone else shouted, “I want to join the Heaven-and-Earth Mirror!”
That somehow started an increasingly strange trend. Before long, half the street was shouting and crying about wanting to join the Heaven-and-Earth Mirror. Fu Xi Yan secretly lifted one corner of the curtain to look outside and happened to see Lu Qing among the crowd, enthusiastically joining in.
Whether he had changed clothes specifically for the wedding or simply no longer needed to dress like a beggar to experience the hardships of the people after advancing to Martial King, Lu Qing now looked neat and refreshed. He stood there waving at Fu Xi Yan while chanting along, “Join the Heaven-and-Earth Mirror! Join the Heaven-and-Earth Mirror!”
A group of people stood behind him. Judging from their clothing, they were probably all from the Immortal Treasury Palace.
Fu Xi Yan: “…” You’re supporting me like this is some cult summoning ritual. I’m truly grateful.
He became excited and lifted the curtain a little too far, revealing most of his face and stunning another group of onlookers. Suddenly someone shouted emotionally, “Mirror Master Fu, if things don’t work out with Pei Yuan Jin, come back to Jiangcheng! We’ll always…”
Before he could finish, the top of his futou was sliced cleanly away. The man turned deathly pale and nearly collapsed.
“Enough, enough, enough…” His companions grabbed him from every direction, some even covering his mouth.
“It’s a wedding day! Don’t say unlucky things!”
“That’s terrible luck. Hurry, spit three times!”
Pei Yuan Jin glared coldly at the group. Only after the procession turned a corner and they disappeared from view did he look away, quietly squeeze the horse’s flanks, and speed up.
The sedan completed its circuit and stopped across from the Fu residence. Pei Yuan Jin led Fu Xi Yan through the rented residence to complete the symbolic ritual of the groom receiving the bridal sedan, after which the entire procession immediately returned to the Fu residence.
The Fu family had prepared a wedding hall of their own.
Fu Xi Yan and Pei Yuan Jin would formally bow and marry here, then perform the rites again after reaching the Immortal Treasury Palace. Plenty of long-distance marriages in Fu Xi Yan’s previous life had held ceremonies twice anyway.
Fu Xi Yan proposed it. Pei Yuan Jin agreed.
Although everyone in the Immortal Treasury Palace called Fu Xi Yan the Young Madam, and the Fu family also treated this wedding as Fu Xi Yan “marrying out” rather than “taking a spouse,” that was only because this world had no established precedent for marriage between two men. When designing the ceremony, everyone inevitably borrowed older customs simply because it was convenient.
Fu Xi Yan’s unconventional proposal therefore received unanimous support.
Fu Fu watched the pair of jade beauties bow before him, grinning so broadly that his eyes nearly disappeared.
After the ceremony, Madam Fu felt faintly jealous. “You weren’t this happy when Li An got married.”
Fu Fu replied in a low voice, “That was in Haojing. So many princes and nobles were watching. I couldn’t behave too improperly.” Here in Jiangcheng, he was the highest-ranking local official. There was no need to read anyone else’s face. If he wanted to grin, he could grin.
Madam Fu had only spoken casually, but she found herself agreeing. “Jiangcheng is indeed more relaxed than Haojing, though there’s no shortage of work here either. After Xi Yan comes Xia Qing, and then Dong Wen. You need to pay attention to his marriage too.” She had already chosen several candidates and even shown them to Concubine Qian, but Fu Fu still needed to approve the final choice.
Fu Fu said, “We still have to consider Dong Wen’s own wishes. It’s a pity Fourth’s wedding came together too quickly. There wasn’t enough time to notify him.”
Madam Fu said, “We’re going to the Immortal Treasury Palace anyway. We can stop and visit him on the way. Concubine Qian has been talking about it for ages. If the academy is on break, we can even bring him with us.”
Concubine Qian, standing nearby, quickly agreed. “That would be wonderful. Then the whole family could be together.”
“Hmph.”
Madam Fu said, “The weather is getting colder. Have a few new outfits made for Dong Wen.”
“Hmph!”
Concubine Qian said, “All right. We might as well have some made for Li An, Xi Yan, Xia Qing, and Chen Xing too.”
“Hmph…”
Madam Fu’s head began to ache from the noise. She finally turned toward the “hmphing monster” beside her. “If there’s something wrong with your nose, go see a physician. Stop disturbing everyone else.”
Fu Fu said unhappily, “You all get to reunite as one family while leaving me here alone.” What kind of “family reunion” did not include the head of the household?!
Madam Fu said, “Then why don’t you resign from office and come with us?”
Fu Fu rubbed his thigh and sighed. “I’m afraid His Majesty doesn’t have time to concern himself with a small matter like mine right now.”
Ever since Emperor Jianhong had encountered a venomous snake at the Altar of Heaven several months earlier and fallen seriously ill, the situation in Haojing had become subtly strange. First the Ministry of Revenue suspended funding for Luoyang. Then the Third Prince fell ill as well.
For a time, rumors that Emperor Jianhong had regretted the move and no longer wanted to relocate the capital spread everywhere.
Based on Fu Fu’s understanding of Emperor Jianhong, that possibility was unlikely.
The emperor had planned the relocation for a long time. It was also the final step in suppressing the great clans and consolidating central power. He would not abandon it halfway. This move might instead be bait meant to lure out the last people who still opposed relocating the capital.
But after several previous rounds of purges, anyone still standing was no ordinary figure. Getting them to take the bait would not be easy. In any case, Fu Fu now governed Jiangcheng, far from Haojing. He could comfortably sit back and watch the drama unfold.
“How much property has our family bought in Luoyang?” he asked.
Madam Fu said, “Several parcels of land outside the city and two shops inside. Even that took considerable effort. If you think it isn’t enough, I can look for more opportunities.”
Fu Fu waved a hand. “The waters in Luoyang are deep. Better for us to watch the fire from the opposite bank.”
Madam Fu felt the same. “Yes. There’s little advantage to entering Luoyang now, and it’s easy to offend people. Not long ago, someone carelessly offended a merchant surnamed Jin. Who would have guessed the man had such powerful backing that the Third Prince himself intervened and had the prefect issue a warning?”
Fu Fu’s heart stirred. “Surnamed Jin?”
Ever since Fu Xi Yan confessed the truth of his birth, Fu Fu had become unusually sensitive to that surname. But Jin Yuan Xiu had changed both her name and identity when she hid inside Count Yongfeng’s Estate. She had been cautious even as an inconspicuous concubine in his rear courtyard. Would she really become more conspicuous after turning into an agent of the royal house?
It did not make sense.
Still, during a lull in the banquet, Fu Fu found an opportunity to tell Fu Xi Yan what he had heard.
Fu Xi Yan had already drunk quite a bit. Stubbornly refusing to use true qi to force the alcohol from his body, he was beginning to feel it. It took him a moment to process Fu Fu’s words. “Probably coincidence.”
Fu Fu said, “Let’s hope so.”
Fu Xi Yan’s parentage was complicated enough. There was no room left for the Northern Zhou emperor to wedge himself into it too.
＊
The wedding feast lasted until dark. Pei Yuan Jin finally used the bridal chamber as an excuse to drag Fu Xi Yan away. It was not that he was unbearably eager to enter the chamber. He simply could not tolerate any more socializing.
At first, the guests had restrained themselves out of respect for the Immortal Treasury Palace’s Young Master. But after several rounds of wine, everyone’s true colors emerged. Toast one round, fight one round, drain one jar… the methods of forcing alcohol on people became increasingly creative.
If Fu Li An had not pulled two friends over to block drinks for him, Pei Yuan Jin probably would not have lasted until nightfall before his face turned black.
Fortunately, all that toasting, fighting, and jar-draining was not wasted. By the time Pei Yuan Jin and Fu Xi Yan entered the bridal chamber, no one had enough energy left to cause trouble there.
＊
After the wedding feast, Pei Yuan Jin and Fu Xi Yan remained in Jiangcheng for another three days. Once they completed the traditional return visit to the bride’s family, they formally set out for Xingzhou to visit Fu Dong Wen, who was studying there.
The weather was mild and clear, the autumn sky high and crisp. It was excellent weather for travel.
Besides Fu Fu, who would remain behind, Lu Qing also came to see them off. He had formally been promoted to Chief Manager of the Hubei Thunder Division. The position had remained vacant for a long time before his arrival. Given Lu Qing’s qualifications, he could have been promoted years ago, but because he was close to Pei Yuan Jin, Zhao Tong Qu had continually blocked him.
Now that Lu Qing had advanced to Martial King, the promotion was entirely justified. Pei Yuan Jin simply bypassed headquarters and issued the appointment in his authority as Young Master. No one could reasonably object.
With Lu Qing stationed near the Fu family, Fu Xi Yan felt much more at ease. During the final days before departure, he also poured a great deal of motivational wisdom into Lu Qing, hoping it might help stabilize his state of mind.
Lu Qing was indeed deeply enlightened. He sighed, “All sentient beings suffer.”
Fu Xi Yan: “…”
Had he poured in too much at once and accidentally guided Lu Qing into Buddhism?
＊
They said goodbye at the city gate. Hooves kicked up dust as the procession headed north. The melancholy of parting from family and friends soon faded beneath the laughter of the many relatives traveling with them. Aunt Qin, Madam Fu, and the other women shared one carriage and quickly began exchanging interests and stories.
At their age, it was difficult to open one’s heart and make new intimate friends. Even in-laws rarely had the chance to travel together over such a distance. This journey was a rare opportunity. Both women were skilled household managers with excellent social instincts, and they soon became extremely close, talking and laughing together.
Fu Xi Yan and Pei Yuan Jin hid inside their own carriage to continue discussing the Heaven-and-Earth Mirror. After several days of research, they had begun to grasp a few principles, but actual implementation would still require experimentation.
Fu Xi Yan especially remembered that immortal-cultivation novels were filled with miraculous pills and medicines. Foundation Establishment had Foundation Establishment Pills. Forming the Golden Core had Golden Origin Pills. Forming a Nascent Soul had Nascent Soul Pills… Unfortunately, the Heaven Mirror contained an overwhelming amount of information, and every time he opened it he seemed to see something different. He had no idea whether pill formulas might appear later. If they did, Apothecary Jiang could try making them.
Just as they reached that point in the discussion, a shout came from beside the road. “Fourth Young Master Fu, safe travels!”
Fu Xi Yan was about to lift the curtain when Pei Yuan Jin leaned out first.
Several young men stood on a low hill not far away. The one cupping both hands around his mouth was unmistakably the fool who had offered Fu Xi Yan his horse on the wedding day.
Using all the strength in his body, he shouted, “The gates of Jiangcheng will always be open to you! I… we’ll be waiting for you to come back!”
Fu Xi Yan: “…” From the way he says it, you’d think his father was the highest official in Hubei.
Pei Yuan Jin extended one finger and flicked it lightly toward the hill.
A large chunk of the slope immediately collapsed. The young men shrieked in alarm. Several friends hurriedly covered the fool’s mouth while waving at the procession with exaggerated friendliness.
Pei Yuan Jin turned toward Fu Xi Yan. Fu Xi Yan was admiring himself in a mirror.
Pei Yuan Jin: “…”
The carriage wheels kept rolling forward. With a sudden bang, a palm-sized bronze mirror flew out of the carriage. Before it could even strike the ground, a streak of sword qi punched straight through it.