In the blink of an eye, two days had passed.
Magpies chirped atop the branches as Su Changqing practiced the Tyrant Blade in the courtyard.
Jin Yichuan arrived with several men and knocked on the door of Su Changqing's commander's residence.
"Great news, great news, Commander Su!"
"Could it be that you're getting married? Congratulations!" Su Changqing sheathed his blade, opened the door, and cupped his hands in greeting.
Jin Yichuan froze for a moment, then hurriedly said, "The good news is yours, Commander Su. Haha, I'm still a long way from that."
He had recently come into a windfall. The enormous pearl from that Thousand-Year Old Clam had been sold!
It was worth more than the entire Suppression Bureau's annual salaries, and he had received a share as well.
Unfortunately, his senior brother Jiaqian Jushi had come asking him for money again.
Inside Su Changqing's courtyard, the two sat before a bluestone table.
"Commander Su, after Commander Zuo broke through to the Earth Fiend Realm, his strength surpassed what it was before. Though our Suppression Bureau suffered considerable losses in the battle at Yuanlong Mountain, it also showed everyone our strength."
"Especially you. You utterly astonished the Twelve Divisions. Even Guihai Yidao asked about you."
"He cultivates the Tyrant Blade as well."
"However, he's from the Earthly Mandate Division and has little to do with us. The moment Commander Zuo awoke, he submitted a promotion request for you. From today onward, you are an official Commander, a third-rank official qualified to meet the Divine Marquis." Jin Yichuan congratulated him.
With a slight wave of his hand, an Imperial Guard beside him hurriedly brought over a jade box. Inside was a dragon-shaped waist token.
It seemed to have been stained by far too much blood. Bloody threads crisscrossed its crystal-clear surface, red as blooming flowers.
"Isn't this Commander Zuo's?" Su Changqing frowned slightly.
"He has already become the Suppression Commissioner of our Suppression Bureau. He specifically asked me to deliver this token to you."
A trace of envy appeared in Jin Yichuan's eyes.
"This is the first piece of good news. There's another one. Take a guess—it has something to do with Tai Long."
"Tai Long?" Su Changqing's heart stirred.
"Stop keeping me in suspense. I'm not keeping you for lunch."
"Tsk, tsk. Before Tai Long died, he gave our Suppression Bureau a grand gift. Guess how much that huge pearl sold for?" Jin Yichuan chuckled.
Hearing this, Su Changqing understood.
"Ten thousand taels?"
Jin Yichuan lightly waved his hand, dismissed the two Imperial Guards at his side, and looked at Su Changqing.
"A full hundred thousand taels. Three chests of gold and silver were carried into our Suppression Bureau's main hall. I was dumbfounded at the time. I'd never seen that much money in my life..."
"Who bought it?" Su Changqing asked in surprise.
Even the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade he had destroyed had been worth at most ten thousand taels. Selling it for twenty thousand would have required an opportunity, after all. It had been a blade used by Guan Gong's descendant.
"The Central King's Consort," Jin Yichuan said softly.
"This is the second piece of good news. Someone has arranged a match for you, Su Changqing. Tell me, isn't that good news?" Jin Yichuan laughed heartily.
For once, Su Changqing was stunned, which only made Jin Yichuan smile even more broadly.
"The girl is beautiful as a flower, with skin like congealed snow. Ordinary women cannot compare to her. She is the Central King's Consort's niece, named Lin Yuchan. Commander Zuo is acting as your matchmaker in this matter. Go meet her another day."
Jin Yichuan talked until his mouth was dry. He picked up his teacup and was about to drink when Su Changqing forcibly snatched it away.
"Since when did I need someone to arrange a match for me?" Su Changqing stared at him.
"Little Guan Gong Su Changqing of the Suppression Bureau risked his life to save Commander Zuo. Everyone knows it. You saved that father and daughter of the Lin Family, and the Central King's Consort has thoroughly investigated you."
"You said your name was Chen Mo, then Ye Ronghuo. Your story changed before and after. When the people from the Central King's Mansion mentioned it before Commander Zuo, it was so funny that I nearly laughed myself to—"
Jin Yichuan burst into laughter.
The two Imperial Guards outside silently stood watch, listening to the laughter within.
Jin Yichuan was not usually so talkative. Only before someone of the same rank would he act like this.
"Don't be unwilling. The Central King has only one wife, the Central King's Consort. They have no children, and Lin Yuchan is their own niece, dearly beloved by them. She has already been granted the title of Princess Yuchan. If this match works out, you will become the Imperial Son-in-Law of a County Princess."
"Then I'll have to address you as Lord Imperial Son-in-Law."
Jin Yichuan looked at Su Changqing and smiled.
Before long, Jin Yichuan departed. They had agreed that the two would meet for a matchmaking date at Full Moon Tower in three days.
Su Changqing stood alone where he was, his brows faintly furrowed.
"This will ruin everything I've worked for. A tiny deviation can lead to a thousand-mile error. I'll meet her once and put an end to this."
He absolutely could not become some Imperial Son-in-Law. That would be walking straight into a pit of fire.
Su Changqing still remembered the matter of A Chinese Ghost Story.
Deep within the imperial palace, the darkness was quiet and secluded. Beside an artificial rockery, Li Lianying lounged in a grand chair dressed in red robes, his eyes cold and sinister.
Beside him stood the Jade-Faced Eunuch, whose eyes were feminine and whose face was as fine as jade.
"Yu Huatian, I told you to kill that troublesome brat that day, but you didn't. Now he has grown into a force to be reckoned with. Even the Central King wants to take him as a son-in-law."
"If he becomes an Imperial Son-in-Law, won't I have to bow when I see him?"
Who could have known that Su Changqing had once saved Lin Yuchan and left such a deep impression on her?
She had even persuaded the Central King to buy the Thousand-Year Old Clam's pearl at such a high price.
The Central King was not short of money. What rare treasures had he not seen before? What was this?
The Jade-Faced Eunuch's eyes shifted as he gently shook his head. "Eunuch Li, it won't happen. Director Cao will not allow this to succeed."
"Besides, how could the Central King's Consort possibly permit someone of Su Changqing's lowly status?" Yu Huatian said softly.
"I can say with certainty that this will not work out!"
"Ji Xingyue cannot be touched for now. I need to find a pretext to kill this brat. Otherwise, he'll keep obstructing my sight like a fly." Li Lianying's gaze turned cold.
What Little Guan Gong nonsense? Before him, even a dragon had to keep its head down!
"I've already had the Western Depot make preparations. Four Eighth Level of Xiantian experts will be dispatched. The day those two meet will be the day Su Changqing dies..."
A deep chill filled Yu Huatian's eyes as he stared at the back of Li Lianying's head. He wanted to dig out the man's brains with a single claw strike.
Yet on the surface, he wore a beaming smile and respectfully cupped his hands.
Over the next three days, Su Changqing brought the Indestructible Vajra Divine Art to the entry stage of its second level.
The Eagle Claw Technique, Nianhua Finger, and Four Seasons Cloud Falling Steps had all reached great mastery.
"The Profound Heaven True Qi truly is remarkable. My aptitude was originally poor, yet now I comprehend everything at a glance. Cultivating martial arts is as easy as eating and drinking."
Clad in snow-white robes with a crimson sash at his waist, Su Changqing wore the Dragon Blood Jade at his belt as he slowly stepped out the door.
Today, he was going on a matchmaking date.
Full Moon Tower stood on Changfeng Street in Chang'an City. Su Changqing had visited it before and obtained an opportunity here.
It rose three stories high and was the largest restaurant in all of Chang'an City. It was an asset of the Central King.
Su Changqing gazed at the restaurant before calmly entering.
Inside a private room on the third floor, a woman in white had long been waiting. Her spotless white gown was embroidered with gold, her figure graceful and upright, her skin like congealed snow as she looked out the window.
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