Sunshine Boy Li Qingxian

He pointed a finger above the disk, and a foot-long Light-Shadow Brass Pillar, as thick as a thumb, grew upward from it.

Then, the Light-Shadow Brass Pillar sprayed brass threads all around, which rapidly interwove into three layers of Light-Shadow Brass Disks, each larger than the one below it.

Beneath each light-shadow disk hung a ring of Red-Curse Yellow Talismans, more than ten in each ring, each about the size of two pressed-together fingers.

These translucent yellow talismans slowly rotated. A moment later, one talisman solidified.

Zhou Chunfeng opened his mouth and transmitted his voice.

After he spoke, the talisman ignited, transforming into a Scarlet Bird that flew into the sky and vanished.

Ministry of Revenue Street.

After chatting with Duan Heng for quite some time, Li Qingxian checked the time and saw that Luo Jing was still deep in thought. He snorted coldly to himself.

"Lord Luo, it's getting late. If you aren't willing to work with us Night Guards, I'll find someone else." As he spoke, Li Qingxian patted the kraft paper bag before him.

Luo Jing raised his head to glance at Li Qingxian, then looked elsewhere without uttering a word.

Duan Heng grew anxious at the side. "Lord Divine Son, you can't let such a good opportunity slip away! This is Mr. Gangfeng's son. One spit, one nail—his word is ironclad. If he says you can make money, then you can definitely make money. If he says you have hope of reaching the Middle Three Ranks, then you will surely enter the Middle Three Ranks!"

Luo Jing remained unmoved.

Li Qingxian smiled, lifted a foot, and headed toward the Ministry of Revenue. "It has been my fortune to meet you both today. Even if we cannot work together, goodwill remains. If there's a chance later, we can drink together. My treat. Farewell!"

Before Li Qingxian could take a third step, Duan Heng grabbed his sleeve and turned to glare at Luo Jing. "Brother Jing, haven't you always gone on and on about entering the Middle Three Ranks? The opportunity is right in front of you—how can you just let it slip away for nothing? It makes no sense at all!"

Luo Jing did not know whether to laugh or cry. "You really have sold me out completely... Fine. Li Qingxian, is this truly Lord Zhou Chunfeng's intention?"

"Go ask around the Outer District's North Twelfth Ward. When has Sunshine Boy Li Qingxian ever told a lie?" Li Qingxian said solemnly.

Luo Jing looked doubtful and pointed at the Deer-and-Crane Jade Pendant at Li Qingxian's waist. "Where did this come from?"

"It's a family heirloom jade pendant from my mother's side. She said it could ward off evil." Li Qingxian said.

"And besides that?"

Li Qingxian lowered his head and thought for a moment before slowly saying, "My maternal grandfather left it to my mother. My grandfather was a Destiny Arts Master. This pendant is probably connected to Destiny Arts Masters."

"Indeed. This resembles something from the Fate Measuring Sect. It is nothing unusual among Destiny Arts Masters, but among ordinary folk, it is still considered a treasure."

"I do know a little about Fate Arts." Li Qingxian said.

"Anyone can study Fate Arts, but it is easy to learn and hard to master, with an exceedingly high threshold." Luo Jing turned to glance at the black carriage, then continued, "I have long admired Lord Zhou. As long as Lord Zhou gives the word, I will certainly make this cooperation happen."

Li Qingxian pondered for a moment. "Uncle Zhou wants to temper me, so he intends for me to take full responsibility for this matter. But I did not expect Pang Mingjing to set his sights on me the moment I left home. He is with the Finance Office, and his relationship with our Divine Capital Office is poor. It looks like he intends to use me to make things difficult for Uncle Zhou. As long as you safely escort me to the Night Guard Yamen and I meet Uncle Zhou, we can formally discuss the matter."

Duan Heng said quietly, "He's already calling him Uncle Zhou, so their relationship can't be wrong. Lord Li and Lord Zhou both have fine official reputations. The two of them must be close."

Luo Jing swept Duan Heng with a cold glance. Duan Heng's expression stiffened, and he took half a step back before lowering his head.

"Pang Mingjing is Principal Seventh Rank, while I am merely Principal Eighth Rank. I fear I may be unequal to the task." Luo Jing stared into Li Qingxian's eyes.

Li Qingxian sighed. "I do not only possess a method for making strong liquor. I also have other methods of doing business. Since even a path to the Middle Three Ranks, perhaps even the Upper Three Ranks, lies before you and Lord Luo has no interest, there is nothing I can do. I can only find someone else in the Ministry of Revenue. Among the Ministry of Revenue's five great Evil Sects, someone is bound to be interested in this business. Farewell!"

Having said that, Li Qingxian lifted his foot and left.

Luo Jing stood motionless.

Duan Heng stepped forward and kept signaling with his eyes, but he did not dare say another word.

The two moved farther and farther away as Li Qingxian headed straight for the Ministry of Revenue's side gate.

"Stop!" Luo Jing said.

Li Qingxian turned a deaf ear and continued onward.

Luo Jing took a deep breath. "I agree. I will safely send you back to the Night Guard Yamen. Duan Heng, go inside and find Old Hu and the others. Bring the Divine Tablet as well."

"Brother Jing, you're the man!" Duan Heng raised a thumb, then dashed into the Ministry of Revenue's Southern Court.

Upon hearing the words "Divine Tablet," Li Qingxian stopped walking and secretly let out a breath of relief.

When the Divine Tablet appeared, one need not bow even before the sovereign. Beneath the gods, all believers were equal.

"How is my sincerity?" Luo Jing asked with a smile.

"So-so." Li Qingxian said.

Luo Jing snorted coldly. Just as he was about to speak, he calmly glanced at the black carriage again. "Now that everyone is here, let's go to the Night Guard Yamen."

Li Qingxian said, "Lord Luo's righteousness pierces gold and stone, and you have aided us in peril. I am grateful to the depths of my heart. One day, I will surely repay you handsomely."

Luo Jing was both annoyed and amused. "What use is it for an unranked Night Guard like you to flatter me? Others will only laugh at me. If your father were still alive, a single word of 'good' from him would outweigh ten thousand words from you."

"Perhaps many years from now, these words will outweigh my father's praise in the annals of history." Li Qingxian said.

Luo Jing examined Li Qingxian carefully, then smiled. "You have ambition. It was not for nothing that I saw your extraordinary bearing and, on a whim, asked you a few questions."

Li Qingxian took a deep breath but could not hold back. "Stop talking nonsense. You only spoke to me after seeing the Deer-and-Crane Jade Pendant. Did you think I couldn't tell?"

"Don't slander me. I, Luo Jing, am also a dignified sunshi... upright young man in the Ministry of Revenue." In the end, Luo Jing could not bring himself to say it.

"I believe Lord Luo is an upright young man." Li Qingxian said.

"I also believe you are a Sunshine Boy." Luo Jing said.

The two looked at each other solemnly and nodded.

"Are there nine foot-long sticks of incense in that paper bag?" Luo Jing suddenly nodded lightly toward the bag and touched the mole beside his mouth.

Li Qingxian understood in an instant. He turned toward the black carriage and cursed inwardly.

No wonder Han Anbo said propriety came first. How could one meet a god without bowing at its temple? And how could one bow at a temple without burning incense?

This Ministry of Revenue belonged to the imperial court, but it also belonged to the five great Evil Sects.

Though he had never entered the Ministry of Revenue, Li Qingxian had vaguely heard of this custom: bring incense into the Ministry of Revenue, bow to gods but not people.

If one entered the Ministry of Revenue without bringing incense to worship, at best, the Ministry of Revenue's believers would force one to buy nine foot-long sticks of incense at an exorbitant price. At worst, they would invoke the charge of blaspheming the gods and ruin one's family.

"Thank you for the reminder, Lord Luo." Li Qingxian inwardly sighed. Every one of these Ministry of Revenue officials was a seasoned hand. Luo Jing had first shown his sincerity, then done him a great favor. No matter what, Li Qingxian would have to remember this debt of gratitude.

"It's nothing. Such petty tricks are only used to trouble outsiders. They are useless against one of our own." Luo Jing said.

"By the way, you also study Fate Arts? I have achieved neither in letters nor martial arts, but I do have some small understanding of Fate Arts." Li Qingxian said.

In Great Qi, Destiny Arts Masters held a unique status.

The Veritable Records of Great Qi's Founding Ancestor explicitly recorded that the Founding Ancestor had raised his army and established the dynasty because he had received the support of the foremost Fate Arts sect, the Heaven's Mandate Sect.

To this day, the Great Qi imperial family worshipped only one sect: the Heaven's Mandate Sect.