Preparing for War

The Temple of Literature's council chamber.

Compared with the strict seating arrangements of the previous two councils, this one was fairly informal. People could sit wherever they liked; there was no head seat or lowliest place. Those with private friendships, ties stretching back generations, or longstanding bonds tended to sit together. The Sage of Ritual was absent, as were the Venerable Sage and the Sage of Literature. Everyone, even the Temple of Literature's Grand Libationers, Academy Vice Directors, and Academy Headmasters, felt a little more at ease.

A Liang dropped onto the floor, braced himself with both hands, stretched out his legs, and let out a long breath.

Jingsheng Xiping had already prepared low tables and green bamboo mats. Each table held the Four Treasures of the Study and a platter of immortal fruit: a few immortal dates from an Immortal Mansion on the ancient Xianxia Road, their skins patterned like drifting sunset clouds; several golden apricots from Jingwei Guan, a Daoist temple on the Central Divine Continent; and green peaches planted beside Wancui Pavilion by an old ancestor of Qunyu Yunfu. There were also plums and water chestnuts from various cave heavens and paradises. There was not much of any one thing, but the colorful spread looked festive. A Liang picked up a green peach and bit into it. Its exquisite taste made him narrow his eyes in bliss. Sure enough, these things tasted better ripe.

When he visited Qunyu Yunfu years ago, no one at Wancui Pavilion had told him whether the peaches were ripe. Fully ripe green peaches weren't bright red anyway, so A Liang had picked a whole pouchful. He had business to attend to and left in a hurry without telling Qunyu Yunfu. Once down the mountain, the peaches nearly soured the teeth out of