The vermilion carriage slowly came to a stop, and Pei Su and the young woman alighted.
Before the towering gates of the mansion, a middle-aged man in purple official robes, his face lit up with joy, hurried forward. He had a stalwart build and an imposing, dignified air, but what drew even more attention was the empty sleeve of his right arm.
"Your Highness!"
He called out excitedly. Behind him, a large retinue of prominent clan elders and high-ranking provincial officials followed suit.
The Inspector of Bingzhou, the Commandant, the Colonel, the Adjutant—every one of them was a great personage the common folk might never see in their entire lives.
But at this moment, they all wore the most fawning smiles of their lives, gazing eagerly at the young man alighting from the carriage.
"My father asked me to send his greetings to Lord Liu," Pei Su said with a smile, offering a bow.
"I am grateful for the Marquis's concern. All is well with me!" Liu Gongyun quickly helped Pei Su up. "Your Highness, there is no need for such formality. Just call me Uncle Liu!"
"Uncle Liu."
"Excellent! Excellent!"
This incredibly imposing and ruthless provincial governor was now clapping his hands and laughing joyfully like a kindly old uncle.
The many high officials behind him were so shocked their eyelids twitched.
"You two, come and pay your respects to His Highness!"
Liu Gongyun turned, his brows furrowed. A young man and woman behind him took two steps forward and bowed with clasped hands to Pei Su.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Both were dressed in fine clothes and had an extraordinary air, especially the young woman. Her pleated skirt of colorful silk and magnificent sash accentuated the noble beauty of her radiant face. Her eyes, limpid as autumn waters, gazed at Pei Su, seeming to brim with emotion.
"Heh, my son and daughter have been impolite. I hope Your Highness will not take offense."
Although Liu Gongyun had one wife and four concubines, he had only this one son and one daughter. The young man was named Liu Yun, and the young woman was Liu Zhi, and both were considered the most handsome and talented of their generation in all of Bingzhou.
Pei Su had heard of them on his journey and gave them a gentle nod. But as he withdrew his gaze, he paused for a moment.
Behind Liu Zhi stood five guards in black armor. Clad in protective gear and fitted attire, they all had resolute expressions and long blades at their waists, presumably her personal guards tasked with her safety.
Among the great clans of the Great Jin, it was not uncommon for young ladies to be unskilled in cultivation. To ensure their safety when they went out, they were usually assigned personal guards.
What caught Pei Su's attention, however, was the guard closest to Liu Zhi. He was very young, around twenty-five or twenty-six, with a cold expression and eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
At his waist hung a long blade wrapped in green ox-hide. His stance was not as rigid as the other guards, but rather casual, giving him an air of haughty arrogance.
Moreover, a faint golden vortex of qi hovered above the guard's head, unfurling layer by layer like a lotus blossom.
In the small provincial capital of Bingzhou, there was actually a person blessed with fortune hidden here?
Although it was not dense—rather faint and thin—it was still worldly fortune. Even in the Imperial Capital, where the draconic qi of the Great Jin coiled, those blessed with such fortune were rare.
Pei Su's gaze lingered for two extra breaths before he looked away, which caused the daughter of the Liu Clan to lower her head shyly, her fingers twisting the fabric of her clothes.
"This way, this way! Your Highness, please come inside and rest. We have already prepared a fine banquet for you!" With a grand wave of his hand, Liu Gongyun led everyone into the mansion.
As they walked, Pei Su took another careful look at the guard in black armor. He noticed the rough calluses on the man's fingertips and the web of his thumb, likely from years of wielding a blade.
He was, without a doubt, a master of the blade.
The reason Pei Su could see something as profound and mysterious as worldly fortune was because at the age of fourteen, he had mastered an ancient and mystical art known as [Qi Observation].
The ancient text, the *Yunmeng Classic*, states: "Qi is the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, the very meridians of the cosmos. To grasp these meridians is to know the workings of the universe. One who observes qi can peer into a person's soul and see the numbers of their fate."
By borrowing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, an observer of qi might glimpse the very source of destiny.
Such a wondrous and profound art had long been lost to the lands of Jiuzhou. Perhaps only the Pei Duke's Mansion, with its thousand-year-old lineage, still possessed a fragmented copy.
But even so, he was the only one in generations to have mastered it.
His father, Pei Jun, was hailed as a once-in-a-century martial arts genius in the Great Jin. He had reached the Dharma Form Heavenly Being realm within sixty years, a feat that shocked the world. Yet, according to Qi Guoshi, even he could not grasp the rudiments of Qi Observation after several months of trying.
Even Qi Guoshi, the esteemed scholar retained by the Pei Family, who was versed in everything from astronomy and geography to mystical arts, the five elements, and the eight trigrams, had his progress in this art utterly crushed by a junior like Pei Su.
On the day Pei Su mastered Qi Observation, Qi Guoshi had clapped him on the shoulder and said with a wry smile, "Your Highness is blessed with a brilliant mind and profound comprehension. From this day on, your cultivation of arts will be like the great roc soaring on the wind."
***
After entering the mansion, they found the banquet set up in the main hall. The hall was lavishly furnished, with deep red pillars and beams that spoke to the grandeur and authority of a provincial governor's residence.
Pei Su was surrounded by the high officials of Bingzhou, who flocked to him like stars around the moon, and an endless stream of praise filled his ears.
"His Highness the Heir is truly like a celestial being descended to the mortal world!"
"Such an extraordinary air, such outstanding talent! He is truly worthy of being the son of the North Guard Marquis."
"And that's not all! His Highness's looks are unparalleled in this world! What woman could see him and not lose her heart and soul?"
"..."
These provincial officials, who were usually so lofty and aloof, had now transformed into the most talkative of elders, all hoping to leave a good impression on the Heir of the Northern Marquis.
If they could form even the slightest friendship with him and have him put in a good word for them with Prime Minister Pei, it would be enough to ensure a smooth and rapid rise in their future careers!
Unfortunately for them, Pei Su had heard such compliments countless times since childhood. He could hardly avoid them whenever he dealt with court officials.
Still, his excellent upbringing as a nobleman compelled him to respond to each of them graciously, which delighted many of the officials. They couldn't help but think, *As expected of the renowned Heir of the Northern Marquis. He bears the most noble of worldly statuses, yet shows no trace of arrogance. Instead, he is as graceful and refined as jade.*
"Uncle Liu!" Pei Su said, a smile in his eyes as he looked at Liu Gongyun, who was leading the way. "My father asked me to ask you... have you not practiced your archery in recent years?"
At these words, everyone's heart skipped a beat in unison, and they all fell silent as if by unspoken agreement.
Anyone who had reached their level of office was a sly old fox. They all knew that Liu Gongyun had once been a great general under the North Guard Marquis, but they would never dare mention it in his presence.
They wouldn't even utter words related to bows and arrows, and if Liu Gongyun were to visit their homes, they would hide their own bows and arrows in advance, for fear of reminding him of the past and causing him sorrow.
Why?
The reason dated back twenty years to the [Battle of Tianque Pass], a colossal battle whose scale and brutality ranked among the top three in the three-hundred-year history of the Great Jin.
The North Guard Marquis and King Chen of the Northland had deployed nearly seven hundred thousand troops at Tianque Pass. The slaughter was so immense it was said to make ghosts and gods weep, staining the land with blood for a thousand li. It was said that the Qianjiang River, which flowed through Tianque Pass, ran red for three whole months.
Under the North Guard Marquis's command were eight famously illustrious generals, of whom the people spoke in a verse: "Foe-Breaker and Far-Pacifier, Cross-Halberd and Long Wind; Sky-Holder and Cold Blade, Iron Helm and White Feather."
Lord Liu, the current Provincial Governor, was the "White Feather General" of those days. His archery was so masterful he could pierce a willow leaf from a thousand paces. He had slain three Heavenly Palace Realm experts of the same level as himself, and the mere mention of his name made the soldiers of the Chen Army turn pale with fear.
Later, however, his arm was severed by Zhao Meng, the Left Emissary of King Chen's Qing Guard. Like a hawk with a broken wing, he could no longer draw a bow.
And so, he retired from the military and returned to his hometown. On the North Guard Marquis's recommendation, he was made a provincial governor, a post he has held for eighteen years.
"Heh, if Your Highness is asking about sword practice, I do that often enough," Liu Gongyun said, drawing the longsword at his waist with his left hand and giving it a flourish.
"But as for the bow and arrow..." Liu Gongyun gave a bitter laugh. "With my right arm gone, even if I wanted to practice, my heart is no longer in it."
Pei Su smiled but said nothing. Twenty years ago, Liu Gongyun was already a Heavenly Palace Realm expert, his archery skills unparalleled in the Great Jin. Even with one arm, shooting a bow would not have been a difficult task for him.
The truth was, he had simply lost the will.
Entering the main hall, everyone took their seats according to a strict protocol. As the guest of honor, Pei Su was seated at the head of the hall, facing south. Liu Gongyun sat beside him, and their table was filled with the highest-ranking officials and commandants of Bingzhou.
It was worth noting that, whether by design or by chance, the daughter of the Liu Clan was seated on Pei Su's other side. She would occasionally raise her eyes to steal a glance at him before quickly looking down again.
"Come, come! A toast to the Heir on his arrival in Bingzhou!" someone boomed, raising his cup.
The others quickly followed suit, their faces wreathed in smiles.
Any common person witnessing this would have been dumbfounded. Were these really the same imposing officials who usually wore cold expressions for their subordinates?
Little did an outsider know, every one of them was racking their brains for a way to make a good impression on Pei Su. A visit from the Heir of the Northern Marquis was a rare opportunity in one's entire official career.
If they were lucky enough to form a connection, their careers could truly take flight. They might even be transferred to the Imperial Capital to serve as a court official!
Note 1: [Qi Observation] is one of the Ten Ancient Miraculous Techniques.
Proofreader: Peter Pan