In the heart of the capital, nestled within a forgotten alley, lay a humble abode. Cao Gengxin, Keeper of Records, produced a tarnished key and unlocked the gate. A small courtyard revealed itself, choked with dust and fallen leaves, the air thick with the scent of decay—evidence of a long-abandoned dwelling.

This was the first time Cao Gengxin had ever crossed the threshold, having previously only glanced at the gate. A secret missive had instructed the then Supervising Official Cao that upon the succession of a new Grand Diviner of Great Li, he should open the gate and convene a council. The letter neglected to mention the purpose of the meeting or the identities of those to be summoned. The sender had only granted Cao Gengxin a title unburdened by the Imperial payroll and absent from the court rolls. Within the courtyard was a small well. Cao Gengxin peered into its depths, finding no sign of bodies, nor any gateway to a Dragon Palace of the Land. There was no ill omen, no promise of fortune, and certainly no hint of romance. He tossed a pebble down; it splashed reassuringly. He drew water, retrieved a broom and dustpan from the shed, and began to sweep the courtyard. The main house and the side chambers were barren, utterly destitute.

His tasks completed, Cao Gengxin sat by the well, drawing from a gleaming, purple gourd that hung at his waist. He uncorked the vessel and took a deep draught of Long Spring Brew, a gift from the Imperial Palace.

Adorning the main house door were faded couplets. Years of wind, rain, and sun had bleached the red paper, rendering the characters as indecipherable as ancient runes upon a weathered stone. The first half of the top verse was lost to time.

“_…Without divine inspiration, repeating what others say._”

“_Heaven will mourn the loss of learning, the way to truth rests in us, opening a book brings benefit, here learning dwells._”

After a few cups of wine, Cao Gengxin gave up on completing the couplet. He returned the gourd to his waist and drew forth a jade tablet inscribed with the characters “Earthly Branch” in ancient script.

Following the letter’s exacting instructions, he infused the tablet with spiritual energy, tracing the strokes of the characters as if writing them anew.

Soon, two groups arrived at the courtyard. Cao Gengxin maintained a composed demeanor, channeling the air of a mountain sage he had envisioned beforehand. He could not falter. But when his eyes fell upon Zhou Haijing amidst the group, a flicker of disquiet crossed his face. His uncle, Cao Ping, before departing for the Sunken Ferry of the Savage Lands, had summoned Cao Gengxin to his study, requesting the long-unmarried man to settle down and produce an heir. Should Cao Ping return to find his nephew still unburdened by such matters, he would surely suffer a whipping. Cao Gengxin had used the esteemed Zhou Haijing as an excuse, and his uncle had taken him at his word.

Within the courtyard, no official rank mattered.

Cao Gengxin remained seated, offering no greeting to the Imperial Prince Song Xu.

Yuan Huajing, heir of the Pillar-State Yuan, asked, “Cao Gengxin, how came you to possess this tablet?” For among the lineage of the Earthly Branch, to see this token was to see Cui Chan himself.

Yu Yu, scion of the Pillar-State Yu, smiled. “A brief holding, soon to be returned to Master Chen. Would that not be considered returning an object to its rightful owner?”

Cao Gengxin chuckled. “That remains to be seen. Can a mere Attendant of the Ministry of Personnel truly govern the Twelve of you? Surely, your worth exceeds such a pittance.”

A gathering of prodigies, the air shimmering with otherworldly power.

There was Yuan Huajing, a Sword Cultivator of the Nascent Soul realm; the Imperial Prince Song Xu, a Sword Cultivator of the Golden Core realm; Han Zhoujin, a female Formation Master from the Azure Pool of the Divine Canon Sect; Yu Yu, a Military Strategist of the Yu clan; Ge Ling, a recorder of the capital; the sand śrāmaṇera Hojue; Sui Lin, a Qi cultivator; Lu Hui, a scholar; Gai Yan, a Ghoul cultivator; Gou Cun, a youth of monstrous origins; Ku Shou, a handspringer; and Zhou Haijing, a simple martial artist and grandmaster from a fishing village.

Cao Gengxin recognized most of the Twelve.

Moments later, a figure in azure robes appeared in the alley, his knuckles rapping lightly upon the gate. He entered the courtyard, followed by Xiao Mo, who quietly closed the gate behind them.

Cao Gengxin rose, smiling. “Master Chen, I did not expect to see you again so soon.”

Chen Ping’an brushed dust from his sleeves, the scent of wine fading on the breeze. He chuckled. “I dared not be discourteous, having just brought Liu Xu and the others to the Calamus River Tavern. However, upon uttering your name, the cost doubled, and we were forbidden to leave. When I offered to forgo settling the bill, they seized us, insistent upon collecting a portion of your debt. Such is your reputation in the Capital.”

Even Yuan Huajing cast a sidelong glance at Cao Gengxin.

Lu Hui and Ku Shou, who had suffered greatly at the hands of Master Chen, nearly gave Cao Gengxin a thumbs-up.

Such audacity, to deceive Master Chen!

Lu Hui had been pierced by dozens of invisible blades via Chen Ping’an’s “Bloom,” a technique both fist and sword. The female ghost Gai Yan fared no better, being shattered by a sword move of “Half Moon”.

Only Zhou Haijing, a recent arrival, remained ignorant of the gravity of the situation. Sensing the tension in the air, she wondered why these talented warriors were now like mice before a cat.

Cao Gengxin feigned distress. “Does retribution arrive so swiftly?”

Chen Ping’an explained, “Xiao Mo noted your sudden convergence, a curiosity that drew me hither. If Cao Gengxin has summoned you, then I have no part in it.”

Cao Gengxin hurriedly interjected. “You are integral. Master Cui instructed me to speak openly before you all.”

Gou Cun, eager to please, fetched a long bench for Master Chen to sit upon.

But Gai Yan snatched it and placed it near Chen Ping’an.

Gai Yan had been deeply moved by Chen Ping’an’s words at the Ministry of War, and in response, she was willing to let Chen Ping’an sit with her.

As Gai Yan placed the bench, the youth in yellow hat and green shoes smiled at her, a smile she returned.

She knew him as Master Chen’s loyal attendant, one who accompanied him to the Imperial Palace to meet the Dowager Empress.

Chen Ping’an thanked her and took a seat. “Speak, I am listening.”

Cao Gengxin began. “Two instructions. First, for Yuan Huajing and the others: those bearing tokens will henceforth be under my command, not that of the new Grand Diviner. Second, for Master Chen. The name was absent from Master Cui’s letter…I must repeat it verbatim: ‘You possess insufficient darkness of heart and ferocity of hand to wield these individuals. Like swords in their sheaths, their edges will dull, leaving them as tasteless and disposable as gristle.'”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “My esteemed colleague believes me incapable. And you are more suited?”

Cao Gengxin was temporarily struck dumb. A difficult question indeed.

Yu Yu’s eyes gleamed. “Here it comes, here it comes! Place your bets! I wager Master Chen will strike Cao Gengxin down, with at least a blow or a jab.”

Gai Yan eagerly agreed. “No money this time. Let’s wager Long Spring Wine from the palace.”

Chen Ping’an reached out his hand. “The letter, if you please. Before the Calamus River affair, I trusted the Supervising Official Cao, now not so much.”

Cao Gengxin lamented, “Master Cui specifically instructed that the letter be destroyed after reading. It offers no proof to present to Master Chen.”

Chen Ping’an countered, “Then a simpler demonstration. How will you prove yourself possessed of sufficient darkness of heart and ferocity of hand?”

Cao Gengxin regarded the Twelve of the Earthly Branch and then the man seated upon the bench. He uncorked his gourd. “Before uttering truths, may I imbibe a draught to steel my nerves?”

Chen Ping’an crossed one leg over the other and extended his hand. “Feel free.”

Cao Gengxin drained his gourd, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He raised his head, smiling. “Had I entered this courtyard sooner, Yuan Huajing and his fellows would now adorn the gates of imperial cities, and the doorways of ancestral halls south of the Treasure Bottle Continent. The heads of emperors and the corpses of mountain lords, doubled to a total of twenty-four.”

“And before returning to Great Li, a warning would be left for the courts and celestial abodes. If these calamitous tidings ever appear within the pages of any gazette, or if blame is misdirected toward some northern dynasty, in return, the dragon throne of that court and the master’s seat on the mountain will remain forever vacant, the one who sits there, never to be seated ever again.”

Silence fell within the courtyard.

Cao Gengxin glanced at the worn shoes beneath the azure robes, one foot grounded, the other hovering in the air.

“To seek righteousness through unrighteous means is easy. To seek unrighteousness through righteous means is difficult.”

Having spoken these words, Cao Gengxin took another long swig. “Throughout the realms, to measure unrighteousness through unrighteousness is nothing less than divinely righteous. Would Master Chen agree?”

Yu Yu gasped, pumping her fist in the air.

Cao Gengxin’s penultimate statement resonated with her.

Chen Ping’an nodded. “Apart from the exceptions, the notion is correct.”

Cao Gengxin sighed, seeming surprised by the answer. “Full of wisdom, yet devoid of reason.”

Chen Ping’an rose to his feet. “Cao Gengxin, will I be informed of the Earthly Branch’s actions beforehand, and possess the right to veto them?”

Cao Gengxin answered, “Master Cui’s letter contained no such instruction.”

Chen Ping’an declared, “Then it is so.”

Cao Gengxin could only sigh once more.

He suddenly inquired, “Did Master Chen truly visit the Calamus River Tavern?”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “It was fortunate to fortify myself with wine before coming here. Now, I shall no longer hinder your affairs.”

Chen Ping’an, accompanied by his attendant, left the courtyard and disappeared into the alleyway.

Listening to the fading footsteps, Cao Gengxin slumped on the well and pulled open his collar, beginning to drink to calm his nerves.

Gou Cun approached the bench, intending to return it to its original position, but Gai Yan stopped him, asserting that it was now her task to bring it to the tavern as a treasure that would attract people to her business.

Yu Yu sat upon the steps of the main house, praising, “Cao Doubler, impressive, very impressive!”

Yu Yu, young in years but high in clan rank, had heard tales of Cao Gengxin from the older generation. She and Zhao Duanming knew that Cao Gengxin had “made his fortune” selling erotic novels and pornographic images. It was a relief when Cao Gengxin went into government service.

Cao Gengxin sighed. “The epithet is unseemly.”

Yu Yu countered, “Better than ‘Cao the Thief.'”

Indeed, the two generations of the Alley of Lingering Thoughts and the Street of the Flute had long referred to Cao Gengxin as “Cao the Thief,” a master of earning money, stirring trouble, enticing younger children to drink, and seducing older sisters.

Zhou Haijing leaned against the door of the side chamber, smiling. “Cao Gengxin, were those words spoken in truth?”

Cao Gengxin glanced briefly at the woman’s form, then quickly averted his gaze. “Even wine is sometimes false. How much more so words?”

Song Xu remarked, “Your methods leave too much to be desired. Even if we were to act with the utmost secrecy, the Lake-Gazing Academy is not blind.”

Cao Gengxin chuckled. “Merely a show for Master Chen’s benefit. I did not believe myself. Why should you?”

Zhou Haijing teased, “Cao Gengxin, you are but an attendant. How dare you speak to the Imperial Prince in such a manner?”

Cao Gengxin offered only a smile. Yet, as a leopard cannot change its spots, he took the opportunity to ogle her.

Yuan Huajing inquired, “Any further instructions, Attendant Cao?”

Cao Gengxin replied, “Return to your homes. We shall reconvene when the need arises. Since there is no more need, be gone.”

Gai Yan and her companions returned to the tavern.

Following Master Chen’s advice, Gai Yan initiated a conversation with Zhou Haijing about running the tavern.

Zhou Haijing eagerly agreed, immediately discussing a division of profits. Her opening bid was a fifty-fifty split.

Before, Gai Yan would had thrown her out but, today, she didn’t worry one bit and told Zhou Haijing about how the tavern would be operating, amazing Zhou Haijing. Zhou Haijing thought, is Gai Yan a zombie? No. Is she possessed? No. Then she must have… gotten smart all of a sudden?!

And with momentum lost, it was too hard to cut the price. Zhou Haijing lowered her ask to a 30/70 split.

Just then, the innkeeper told them that three people had come to the tavern, wishing to buy the two neighbouring houses, the “Luzhou Moon” and “Rainbow Clouds.” All they would ask of her was that they be allowed to live there for one month a year and for the remaining months the tavern would take all of the business and keep all of the money.

What fools.

Zhou Haijing asked about their names.

“Yuan Xuan, Fan Yu, Liu Wuding, and Liu Xu.”

Zhou Haijing asked, “Yuan Family? Liu clan? We have to double the price!”

But Gai Yan said, “Just sell it to them for the original price.”

Zhou Haijing roared, “Have you lost your mind?!”

Gai Yan said, “Liu Xu served in the Sword Qi Great Wall.”

Zhou Haijing just looked at Gai Yan.

Gai Yan said, “You know what? We can just split up right here and now. I’ll make my own money.”

Zhou Haijing smiled. “Okay, okay, you’re the owner, and I’m the helper. I used to think you were dumb for not knowing how to earn money.”

Gai Yan asked, “And now?”

Zhou Haijing said, “I’ll say you’re an idiot.”

Gai Yan said, “Say that again!”

Zhou Haijing grinned. “Hey, can I sit on the chair we moved from the courtyard? I wanna get some good luck.”

Gai Yan said, “You’re acting indecent!”

Zhou Haijing said, “Who was it that saw Chen Ping’an and tried to jump him from 10 miles away?”

Gai Yan’s face turned red.

Zhou Haijing whispered, “I think Chen Ping’an is still a virgin.”

Gai Yan slammed the door closed. They had much to discuss.

Leaving the alley, Chen Ping’an wandered through the Capital with Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo said, “Zhou has gone back to the mountain.”

When it came to seeing the world and sensing things, Xiao Mo was better than Bai Jing.

Chen Ping’an laughed and asked, “Did they corner her? Is she running with her tail between her legs?”

Xiao Mo said, “I don’t know the specifics.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Xiao Mo, are you going to join the ancestors? You will forever be a jise guardian?”

Xiao Mo laughed and asked, “Shouldn’t that be asked to Xie Gou?”

Chen Ping’an said, “Xie Gou has a identity from this world. It can’t bind her. I know you’re here to help, and this is a great thing, but the reason I don’t speak about it is you.”

Xiao Mo looked confused.

Chen Ping’an laughed, “If that’s how you feel, then all this is for nothing.”

“For me, it’s not that important. But for you, it will put a constraint on you.”

Chen Ping’an said, “You pure swordsmen should be able to do what you want.”

“And if there is sadness, hate, guilt, remorse, it will be like pulling a kite.”

“Once a thought starts, it’s hard to stop.”

Xiao Mo thought, “There was a man under a tree, and he was talking to Buddha. The man said the world is full of demons. The Buddha replied, ‘The world is full of lotus flowers.'”

Chen Ping’an stayed quiet for a long time.

Xiao Mo gently said, “Master?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and said, “You used Buddha, what can I say?”

Xie Gou showed up and gave them some food. “It tastes good.”

Chen Ping’an said, “Did you pay?”

Xie Gou yelled, “I forgot.”

She thought that if you said the name of the owner or grand diviner, the meal would be free.

Xie Gou gave the food.

The man said something and took her money.

After she got back, Xie Gou said, “Master, Feng said you have to go to Baichuan soon, or you will be too late!”

Chen Ping’an said, “I know. I’ll go soon.”

Chen Ping’an also said, “Tell Feng that the people want me to be Confucius. There are no objections.”

Chen Ping’an felt a little weird. Feng could not listen in the other world.

While Xie Gou was talking, she held out her hand.

Chen Ping’an gave her the money.

Xiao Mo was confused.

Xie Gou happily said, “In books, there is a saying, ‘If you give me the good news, I’ll give you the money.'”

Xiao Mo felt helpless.

You can’t accept this and Master actually gave it to you.

Xie Gou said, “Feng told me it was that person in Liji Temple. He told her after the meeting.”

Chen Ping’an smiled.

Xie Gou said, “It’s a good way to make money.”

Chen Ping’an said, “It is nothing to trouble Aunt Feng.”

Xiao Mo said, “Xie Gou, you do what you want. I don’t worry when I’m not with the master.”

Chen Ping’an was about to say something when Xie Gou stopped and said, “If something goes wrong, come and see Xiao Mo!”

Xiao Mo laughed and said, “We’re fine. Master will be fine, you can just eat sunflower seeds!”

Xie Gou was about to talk.

Chen Ping’an said, “You two are fine, but I don’t have a master’s wife, so I feel sick.”

Xie Gou knew, and said, “You’re missing Master’s wife.”

Xiao Mo smiled and nodded.

“Shut up.”

Chen Ping’an said it as he grabbed both of them.

On top of the house, Feng smiled.

Chen Ping’an did not use Wei. He came back to the mountain on a boat.

At night, Chen Ping’an drank wine with Xiao Mo on the roof, and Xie Gou bought food.

She blamed them for the high prices.

Xie Gou could not drink much. She said if she drank too much, she would…she looked at Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo started to eat the snack. He said, “Did you forget again? To prepare for the big day?”

Chen Ping’an smiled and nodded. “It’s hard to start with nothing, but it is also hard to stop. Ask me about our trip to the Capital.”

Xiao Mo asked, “Do you remember the gift they gave to you?”

Chen Ping’an remembered and laughed.

Chen Ping’an smiled.

The people gave to him, was from his teacher.

Don’t be jealous, but just think about yourself.

Chen Ping’an shook his head and forgot again, and stopped thinking about it.

Xiao Mo said nothing and举起酒杯。 Chen Ping’an touch. “The cup is a bowl.”

In the sky, the moon shined.

Chen Ping’an in his heart.

A pair of gold eyes, running on the level.

In the other world.

Chen Cong, it was me. Master, it was you.