Turning the Old Calendar

Gu Can arrived at the gates of the state capital residence. Two white jade lions, crafted by an immortal family, crouched outside with imposing majesty. Even a starving beggar who saw them would likely lose the nerve to approach the gates and beg.

Gu Can was in no hurry to knock.

Liu Chicheng and Chai Bofu had no choice but to stand in the street with him, drinking in the bitter northwest wind.

Gu Can walked up the immaculate steps and reached for the beast-head door ring. His fingers paused, his movement freezing for a moment. It was a gold-painted Jiao Tu door knocker, something only a duke's mansion could use. Gu Can sighed inwardly. They should not have overstepped like this. Even with a Peace Talisman protecting the residence, it was not a major issue; the Prefect's official residence in the state capital had likely received confidential records from the Kiln Affairs Supervision Department and therefore chosen not to make an issue of this house. Still, he needed to mention it to his mother. There was no need to be so lavish for the sake of appearances. It was too easy to invite trouble.

Gu Can knocked the door ring and stepped back. A richly dressed gatekeeper opened the door. Seeing Gu Can dressed so ordinarily, he frowned in displeasure and asked, "Which household in the city are you from? Or do you work for the government office?"

Gu Can was briefly stunned before remembering that he looked rather different now. The man was not an old hand from Qingxia Island, so it was only natural that he did not recognize him. The maidservants who had left Book Scroll Lake with his mother years ago had all progressed smoothly in cultivation and successively become Middle Five Realms Qi cultivators.