Why do I have so many masters?

Li Qidao could hardly ever stay idle by himself inside the house. Zhou Fengyue, the top Chief Minister of Great Qin, surely could not pretend to be sick every day, taking leave from his duties at the Imperial Court to join him for drinks. The temperature in Heaven Capital City at this time was still somewhat cool, but that would change after a few more days.

Although it was located in the north, the temperature in Heaven Capital City during the summer months was just as intense as the scorching heat of the south.

In his lifetime, he had traveled many places. In the south, the heat was suffocating enough to kill a man, clothes would never dry, while in the north, the heat would seemingly squeeze out the last bit of moisture in your throat, causing immense irritation in one's heart.

Dressed as a Scholar, Li Qidao always carried a bamboo umbrella with him, rain or shine, its handle worn smooth. In the northern part of the Capital City, where nearly half of the area was occupied by high-ranking officials and nobility, every residence was surrounded by high walls and grand courtyards.

Li Qidao weighed the bamboo umbrella in his hand, itching to strike down into each of those courtyards, especially when passing by the Tai Chi Palace every day. Seeing the mountain pavilions towering in the distance and hearing the faint noise of the crowd, his urge grew even stronger.

He truly wished he could barge in with his sword, grab that old fool by the collar and curse him to his face, beat him until he was bruised and swollen, unable to take care of himself. In the entire Heaven Capital City, only the Duke of the State Mansion near the Imperial City seemed pleasing to the eye; even the white-haired old man guarding the gate looked more spirited than most.

After wandering aimlessly for half an hour, he saw a dusty horse-drawn carriage parked in front of the city's official posthouse.

The Heaven Capital City was vast. It was impossible for officials to live in inns like the people of Jianghu. There were eighteen posthouses of various sizes in the Heaven Capital City to accommodate travelling officials. This place was the highest-grade one, and it was usually full of occupants.

But today, one could see only that dusty carriage, making the grand posthouse in this lively and bustling area seem oddly desolate and quiet as if it were possible to net sparrows at the gates.

A burly man with a sword on his back came out, followed by an old man with white hair and beard. The man in front had a tall stature and wore a brocade military robe with a tiger pattern, exuding an extraordinary bearing.

The old man behind him, however, was definitely not so admirable, looking no different from the inconspicuous carriage. He wore a simple gray robe, his white hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, a few stray hairs sticking out, and he looked unkempt, like a poor Scholar from some mountain village who taught children in exchange for a few coins for wine.

Since ancient times, Noble Clans have been established, and although the current dynasty had imperial examinations, only those from Noble Clan backgrounds were able to attain official positions. Otherwise, they were no more than clerks.

Those of humble origins who made it to the role of an advisor in the Royal Mansion were already considering it a great honor for their ancestors. Most were just civil servants beside a County Official, not on the official registrar and without any rank. Their monthly pay was provided by the officials they served - they would share in their glory or downfall.

Thus, such destitute and dejected old Scholars as seen before were not uncommon, sustaining their lives by teaching young children to read and write.

The big man's brow furrowed slightly as if he were somewhat helpless as he said,

"Old Master, please don't make a scene. It's been fifteen years since you last came to the Capital City, and there are countless eyes surreptitiously watching you."

"After you beat up that Doctor a few days ago, the Imperial Censorate secretaries have sharpened their ink and brushes, just waiting to catch you making a mistake to write it down."

The old man in the gray robe scoffed and said,

"When I beat him up back then, which of those pests dared to make a peep? I'd like to see which of those youngsters dares to put pen to paper today. If they dare, I will lead the old brothers from Divine Martial Mansion to slaughter over there and see if my knife can still chop off a couple of ounces of their flesh."

The strong man was helpless.

He looked around and saw not a single servant nearby. Considering the elderly man's status as a Pillar of the State in Great Qin, having fought alongside the current Emperor on the battlefield years ago and only recently returned to the Capital after a fifteen-year absence, this situation should not have occurred.

However, no one could have expected that this esteemed elder would, at a time when he had the silent support of the Civil Officials in the court thanks to the Doctor from the Wen Family, beat Wen Hong in front of all the Civil and Military Officials to the point where he could barely get up, his Purple Gold Jade Belt covered in blood.

Then, leaning on the coiling dragon column, he spat out a mouthful of phlegm and shouted out in satisfaction before turning around and walking out of the Tai Chi Palace.

This kind of rampant behavior had almost instantly offended the entire body of Civil Officials in the Capital City, and the remains of the Six Kingdoms had always disliked the Divine Martial Mansion.

As for the other officials, almost all of them came from Noble Clans all over Qin, and they similarly empathized with the disaster that had befallen the Wen Family, naturally disliking the elder's arrogant actions.

And for the common Scholars who wished to find a connection, it was natural that they would not seek to curry favor with this elder in such times.

The strong man sighed internally, feeling that the elder's plight was truly undeserved as he protected and escorted the old man out the door, assisting him towards the carriage when suddenly he sensed something unusual.

He looked up sharply, and across the street, he saw a Scholar with gray hair, wearing a blue robe. Oddly enough on this rainless day, he was carrying a green bamboo umbrella, his eyes deep and his aura profound, yet there was also a palpable explosive tension that set the strong man's heart trembling.

There he stood, as if absorbing all the flowing light of Heaven and Earth around him, the sky itself seeming to dim in that moment as if the next would unleash a thunderous rumble like a bolt from the blue, striking the ground.

This made his palm clench involuntarily. Then, with a sharp movement, his right hand reached for the hilt of his blade, stepping forward to shield the elder behind him.

But with just these two actions, his complexion had turned excessively pale. It was just then that the elder behind him raised his hand to pat the strong man's hand away. freёnovelkiss.com

The strong man felt as if he had suddenly awoken from a nightmarish dream, his breathing rapid, his clothes drenched with sweat. Looking forward again, he no longer saw the scholar in the blue robe, his face filled with shock and uncertainty.

The elderly Yuchi chuckled with a smile, "Ah Ye, you seem to show signs of weakness and sweating; might it be a symptom of kidney yang deficiency? Shall I send someone to fetch you some good things to bolster your health?"

The strong man's mouth twitched, and through gritted teeth he said,

"Elder!"

The old man chuckled, waving his hand dismissively, "No worries, no worries, there's no need for concern. This isn't the outside world, and the last time we encountered an assassin was in the wild mountains. Where are we now? This is the capital of our Great Qin, under the Emperor's feet!"

"Who dares to act recklessly here, seeking death?!"

The strong man fell silent for a moment but then said, "Even so, the elder should still be careful. It is well known there are many in Jianghu who are brave and fierce; their ranks are unending, and there could be those desperados with no regard for their own lives."

"It is best for the elder to be more cautious."

Li Qidao walked with his hands clasped behind his back, in high spirits.

On his return to his current lodging in Heaven Capital City, he noticed a carriage parked outside the courtyard with the large toona tree. The carriage was driven by a silent man he had not seen before, tall and imposing. The courtyard gate was already open.

A tall man with a clean-shaven, pale face and a constant smile stood at the door.

Under the great toona tree in the courtyard, with his back to Li Qidao, there was a martial-looking man dressed in ordinary clothes but with an extraordinary bearing. He had one hand behind his back and the other holding a boy of about eleven or twelve years old.

The child was cute but deliberately imitated the man beside him, affecting a solemnity beyond his years, which actually seemed quite amusing to onlookers.

The smiling man at the door had pure white eyes, seemingly without pupils. On closer inspection, it turned out that even the pupils were pure white, which looked quite eerie. Recognizing Li Qidao, he bowed respectfully.

The sincerity on the face that usually wore several masks seemed much more genuine that day.

Li Qidao's expression became serene as he nodded slightly in response.

He took his time, stepping slowly into the courtyard.

Stopping seven paces behind the martial-looking man, he saw silver strands in the once eternally youthful man's hair, and he remembered that he himself was significantly younger than Wang Tiance, and was now nearing the age of "knowing Heaven's will."

With his back to Li Qidao, the martial man sighed deeply and said,

"It has been a long time, hasn't it, General Li?"

Li Qidao remained silent for a long while, then slowly bowed to the figure before him, simply saying,

"Your subordinate Li Qidao, greets the Mansion Master."

The Divine Martial Mansion, Mansion Master.

The martial man turned around with a smile and said,

"Well said, 'greets the Mansion Master.' General Li's temperament is as stubborn and unyielding as ever. Since that's the case, today here there are no sovereigns or subjects, only the Great General of the Divine Martial Mansion and the titular Mansion Master of the Divine Martial Mansion."

"Given that, General Li, would you care to share a drink?"

His face brimmed with a smile.

Without the petulance of a child, Li Qidao readily nodded, adding,

"I just hope, Mansion Master, that your capacity for liquor has improved over these twenty years."

The man roared with laughter, replying,

"You shall not be disappointed, General. Ah Sheng, bring the wine!"

Li Sheng, the top-ranking eunuch among the thousands in the imperial court known as the 'Smiling Tiger,' had already turned to retrieve two jars of fine liquor from the carriage. He set them on the stone table and popped their clay seals. The aroma was rich and intoxicating—it felt as if the mere scent could make one drunk.

The martial man gestured towards the two jars of potent liquor on the table, his smile intoxicating as the drink, and said,

"Let's drink a cup from the Divine Martial Mansion."

Li Qidao glanced at the wine jars, chuckling,

"Don't play drunk again this time, Mansion Master."

The man paused briefly, then burst out laughing, exclaiming,

"You noticed back then? Hahaha, I thought I hid it pretty well, but it seems I was found out long ago."

"How embarrassing, how embarrassing!"

Inhaling deeply the wine's fragrance, Li Qidao commented,

"Not one Emperor of our Great Qin was a poor drinker. Your tolerance is only slightly better than Wang Tiance's half-cup. Who are you trying to fool?"

The man laughed even more heartily.

The child, observing the old man who did not seem to fear his grandfather at all, was a bit curious and sized him up. The martial man gently patted the top of the boy's head and naturally said,

"Changxing, call him Grandfather Li."

PS: Here's the second update of the day...…

Regarding Wang Tiance's appellation, it has always been Great Marshal ha...