A Small Favor

Li Huowang sat on the bench, silently watching the Squadron Commander Cao. Cao was offering incense to the prison god on the wall, performing a formal bow.

By all logic, burning incense and worshipping Buddha didn’t seem like the style of the military class. But Li Huowang knew very little about them. Perhaps the military officers of Great Liang had their own unique traditions.

After finishing his incense offering, Commander Cao returned to stand before Li Huowang and the Chief Recorder. He glanced casually at the copper coin mask on Li Huowang’s face, then asked, “Eunuch, you rarely visit such an unlucky place. There must be a reason, am I right?”

“Heh heh, Commander Cao, you’re a man of direct words. So I won’t beat around the bush either. This is Brother Erjiu. Someone in his family has been invaded by killing intent. I imagine a small matter like this is well within your abilities, isn’t it?”

When Li Huowang saw Commander Cao nodding with a cheerful smile, his heart tightened. The man’s reaction was not what he had expected. He made it sound as if an invasion of killing intent was something utterly trivial.

Li Huowang immediately reached for the gourd at his waist and dumped out all the lifespan pellets inside. “Commander Cao, a small token of respect. It’s hardly worth mentioning.”

To his surprise, the other man did not take them. Instead, he pushed the lifespan pellets back. “Ah, now you’re treating me like an outsider, Erjiu. While our departments are different, we both serve the same Great Liang, don’t we?”

Hearing this, the Chief Recorder grinned widely and asked amiably, “So, Commander Cao, this small favor…”

The Chief Recorder’s words were quickly cut off by Commander Cao. “In principle, I, Cao, really ought to help. But…”

Half an hour later, the Chief Recorder and Li Huowang walked out of the prison, their expressions somewhat grim.

The Chief Recorder spat viciously at the slowly closing gate. “What kind of person is that! Asking us to do him a favor first for such a trifling matter! Might as well take down the bi'an plaque from your gate and hang a pixiu in its place! All take and no give!”

Li Huowang reached out and stopped him. “Forget it, Chief Recorder. Since we need something from them, doing them a small favor in return is only fair.”

“That’s true, but…” The Chief Recorder clapped his hands together in frustration. “Ah, it’s all my fault for being useless! I went and found you someone like this.”

Although Li Huowang knew that the Chief Recorder’s display was probably eighty percent an act, the man was very good at it.

“It’s fine. A small favor. I’ll handle it.” Li Huowang hadn’t expected to get help for free in the first place.

If all he had to do was escort a single prisoner to get Bai Lingmiao back to normal, then this trade was far too good to pass up.

“Ah, my apologies. Truly, my apologies.” The Chief Recorder’s face was full of shame as he offered repeated apologies.

“Chief Recorder, say no more. Let’s head back. You’re making me feel bad instead. But if you really feel that sorry, then regarding this escort mission—if you know anything about it, I’d appreciate you sharing a bit.”

Suddenly taking on a job from the Great Liang military without asking someone in the know first… it did make him feel uneasy.

“That’s fine. What Old Cao said was true. It’s just a small matter. As long as you don’t plan on pursuing an official career, it won’t affect you much.”

“Official career?” Li Huowang was now genuinely curious. Just who was the military making him escort?

The two sedan chairs arrived one after the other at the back gate of the small courtyard. To express his gratitude, Li Huowang insisted that the Chief Recorder come inside for some tea.

The Chief Recorder agreed with a beaming smile. But just as he sat down in the main hall, a single sentence from Li Huowang froze the smile on his face. “Chief Recorder, are you really leaving? Won’t you reconsider?”

Li Huowang didn’t see why this couldn’t be discussed. And if he didn’t get it clear now… what if, after the man left and Tuoba Danqing was dead, he had no one left to turn to?

The Chief Recorder let out a long, quiet sigh and slowly set down his teacup. “You know what we went through last time. Besides, I’ve reached the age of knowing fate. It’s time for me to rest. Besides, there are people waiting for me at home. From now on, this world belongs to you young folks~”

He then clasped his hands together and bowed humbly toward the northeast corner. “Speaking of which, I have no idea what His Majesty is planning. I dare not ask, and I dare not listen. After much thought, I’ve decided that keeping my life is the most important thing.”

Li Huowang frowned slightly and took a sip of tea. From what the Chief Recorder was implying, it seemed things were going to be turbulent in the capital from now on.

He would have to tread carefully to avoid getting dragged into it. Whatever was happening up top had nothing to do with him.

His goal was only one: find Beifeng and obtain the method to undo the Heart-Element hallucinations.

As if sensing Li Huowang’s concerns, the Chief Recorder reached into his robe and produced an even more refined token. He slid it across the table with one finger pressing on the edge. The token bore the character Gengqi.

Li Huowang picked it up and examined it closely, a flicker of surprise passing through his mind. “Have I been promoted again? And jumping straight past Xin Shi to Gengqi?”

At that moment, the Chief Recorder began to explain slowly, “Erjiu, this is the highest rank I can transfer to you. Any higher, and I wouldn’t have the authority anymore.”

“After I leave, you can take this token directly to the Revenue Department and find the Supervisory Heavenly Office to take on jobs. It won’t hinder your plans for revenge.”

“At the Gengqi rank, other Chief Recorders can’t order you around. You can choose your own jobs. And any ordinary runner—as long as he’s unoccupied—you can command as you see fit.”

Li Huowang stared at the token in his hand without speaking. If giving him a house was repaying a favor, then adding this… it meant he would now owe the Chief Recorder a favor.

“Chief Recorder, showing me such kindness… I hardly know how…” The Chief Recorder waved his hand, stopping Li Huowang from continuing.

“Erjiu, you’re a man of great ability. Far more capable than my Erniu. If you rise to prominence in the future, just don’t forget about me, that’s all.”

The Chief Recorder finished speaking with a smile, brushed some non-existent dust from his robes, solemnly bowed once to the seated Li Huowang, and walked toward the back gate without looking back.

Li Huowang sat alone in the empty hall, silent. He stared blankly at the token in his hand.

Suddenly, he stood up and walked toward the inner room. He remembered that the other man had said he’d left him a few small things in the house.

The things the Chief Recorder had left were very conspicuous. Li Huowang found them quickly. But their weight was anything but small—it was his rotted-wood Ruyi!

Sensing someone approach, the dried tongue of the Heart-Element twitched slightly.

With a deeply conflicted expression, Li Huowang slowly ran his fingers over the tongue, and over the coffin nails that pinned the tongue to the Ruyi.

The value of this object was extraordinary. And the Chief Recorder had left it for him without a second thought.

He didn’t know what the other man had guessed about him. But one thing was certain: he’d guessed wrong.

Under the cover of pitch-black night, the Chief Recorder hurried alone to the entrance of a small courtyard house. When he opened the door, a brand-new carriage was already waiting.

Hearing the sound, a gray-haired woman leaned out from inside the carriage and asked the Chief Recorder, “Brother, how did it go?”

The Chief Recorder nimbly jumped onto the carriage and urged the horses toward the northern part of the city. “That kid from the Ao-Jing Sect has arrived in the capital. I’ve done everything I promised him. And I’ve given him quite a bit extra besides. The favor is more than repaid. We can leave cleanly now.”

“Really? That’s wonderful! Brother, we can go home!” A pure, almost girlish joy lit up the old woman’s face. Clearly, she had been very well protected.

She reached into the carriage, pulled out a flatbread, broke off a small piece, and pushed it to the Chief Recorder’s lips. “Brother, why were you so cautious with that Ao-Jing kid? Waiting for him for so long?”