Jiang Yuechu's Origins

Xu Changfeng said nothing more. He merely walked on, slowly vanishing into the curtain of rain.

Jiang Yuechu watched his receding figure, countless thoughts churning in her heart.

Since she could be appointed Vanguard Commandant, the matter of a Core-Formation Great Demon at Jade Gate Pass had likely been confirmed.

Vanguard Camp commandant.

Put bluntly, it meant trading one's life for a future.

But she did not care.

Fortune was sought amid danger.

To her, the more dangerous a place was, the more Dao Cultivation it offered, and the faster her strength would rise.

By transferring her away from the troubled ground of Liangzhou Prefecture and sending her to Jade Gate Pass, Xu Changfeng had allowed her to avoid Baosha Temple's sharp edge while also letting her temper herself on the battlefield.

Killing two birds with one arrow.

Whether this had been Wei He's intention or Xu Changfeng's, she would remember this favor.

A Demon Suppression Office commandant was a seventh-rank post.

The monthly stipend was forty taels of silver, twenty shi of rice, and eighty jin of meat.

Beyond that, there was also a substantial promotion bonus.

Of course, none of that was the most important part.

Most importantly, a commandant could command a hundred men.

That meant Jiang Yuechu could now be considered the chief officer of her own territory.

At that thought, Jiang Yuechu could not help feeling emotional.

Damn it.

This was too fast!

She had not even collected her first month's pay, yet she had already risen two ranks in a row.

If this sort of fortune had happened in her previous life, even novels would not dare write it this way.

"The future looks promising..."

The rain was still falling.

The long street paved with bluestone had been washed spotless by the rain, reflecting the dim lead-gray sky.

Xu Changfeng walked ahead while the man behind him held an umbrella over him. The two stepped through puddles, neither hurried nor slow.

There were few people on the street. Occasionally, a peddler carrying a shoulder pole would appear, but upon seeing the pair, he would only steer far away, not daring to approach.

"In the blink of an eye, I have already been in Longyou for seven years." Xu Changfeng looked at Liangzhou City shrouded by rain and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

Seven years ago, he had been eighteen, dressed in fresh finery and riding a spirited horse, plunging headlong into this northwestern land where wind and sand filled the sky.

He had thought that with his abilities, he would surely be able to carve out a bright and clear heaven and earth in this land overrun by demons.

But now, heaven and earth had yet to brighten, while he himself was trapped within this four-sided city.

"My lord."

The man holding the umbrella behind him hesitated for a moment before speaking. "The household sent another letter a few days ago. The master and madam... both miss you greatly. They asked whether you will return to the capital this New Year's Eve."

"Return to the capital..."

Xu Changfeng's steps paused.

"But so many people are watching me now. If I leave, I fear they will not be able to sleep peacefully."

"Tell me..." Xu Changfeng suddenly spoke blankly, as though asking him, yet also asking himself. "Do I still have a chance to return?"

"..."

The man did not dare answer.

If this master truly developed the thought of returning to the capital, never mind whether Capital Headquarters would agree—General Wei He would likely be the first to personally hold him down.

The reason was simple.

The Demon Suppression Office was desperately short of people.

Especially in a bitterly cold place like Longyou, where demons were everywhere and there was little profit to be had.

Which of those young masters from great clans in the capital was not sharpening their heads to burrow into prosperous places like Jiangnan? Who would be willing to come to this godforsaken place and deal with demons and monsters every day?

Yet once one entered the Demon Suppression Office, ordinary people were one thing. For a genius like Xu Changfeng, upon whom such high hopes were placed, many matters were no longer his to decide.

Having enjoyed so many privileges from the start, he was bound to shoulder responsibilities. One must plan one's duties from one's position, walk one's path, and bear one's responsibilities.

The Demon Suppression Office supported him and paid him its stipend; if, when it came time to shoulder his responsibilities, he complained that he could not help himself, that would truly be hateful.

Perhaps not expecting any answer from the man behind him, Xu Changfeng shook his head and suddenly asked, "Tell me, was it inappropriate for me to promote her to commandant?"

The umbrella-holder was called Zhou Daniu. He had followed Xu Changfeng for many years, from the capital to Longyou. Nominally, he was a personal guard, but in truth, he was more like a steward.

Hearing this, he froze, somewhat baffled, but still answered honestly. "My lord, Miss Jiang has indeed made quite a few contributions, and her strength is not bad. But her seniority is still shallow. She is a woman, and the descendant of a convicted minister besides. To suddenly promote her to commandant like this, I fear... there will inevitably be those unconvinced."

He paused, then added, "Even in the capital, this subordinate has seen the children of many high-ranking nobles sent to various offices to gild themselves, yet none rose through the ranks at such a speed."

That was already putting it very tactfully.

It was more than merely inevitable that people would be unconvinced—it was simply shocking beyond belief.

From a Subordinate Ninth Rank Demon-Suppression Guard to a seventh-rank commandant, even if an ordinary person had earned sufficient merit, they could forget about it without three to five years.

And Jiang Yuechu? How long had it been, even counting it all up?

Her first month's salary had probably not even been paid yet.

Xu Changfeng turned to look at him, a trace of amusement in his eyes.

"But do you know that at the very beginning, I even suggested to Lord Wei that she be directly promoted to Langjiang?"

Zhou Daniu's hand trembled, and he nearly lost his grip on the umbrella.

What?

Langjiang?!

That was a sixth-rank official post! One who commanded an entire camp, with several commandants and nearly a thousand soldiers under them!

You really dared to promote her!

Looking at his master's face, so handsome it scarcely seemed human, countless absurd thoughts flashed through his mind.

Could it be... that Miss Jiang had some unknown connection with his lord?

He did not dare think further and hurriedly shook his head like a rattling drum.

Impossible!

His lord was not the kind of person to play favorites!

Xu Changfeng saw the strange expression on Zhou Daniu's face and naturally guessed what he was thinking, but he only smiled faintly.

"In the end, Lord Wei shared your concerns. He felt it would be too shocking, so we had to wrong her by temporarily appointing her as a commandant."

Zhou Daniu was completely dumbfounded.

So... you two had truly discussed this?

One dared to suggest it, and the other had actually considered it seriously?

Unable to hold himself back, he carefully asked, "My lord, this... why exactly is that?"

Xu Changfeng shook his head. Rainwater dripped from the edge of the umbrella and splashed onto the bluestones.

"This woman truly is outstanding."

"Her temperament, methods, and talent are all among the finest. Given time, she may not be unable to become another great general of our Demon Suppression Office."

"But none of those are the most crucial matter."

Zhou Daniu was even more confused.

That was not crucial enough?

Then what counted as crucial?

"Her identity," Xu Changfeng said calmly.

Her identity?

Zhou Daniu's mind could not quite turn around the bend.

As Xu Changfeng's personal guard, he naturally knew Jiang Yuechu's identity.

Her father, Jiang Xun, had served as Vice Minister of Rites, a high official of Subordinate Third Rank.

The post sounded far from low, but everyone knew that the Ministry of Rites was a clean, idle office for retirement, with no real power at all.

What was more, the Jiang Household was no great aristocratic clan.

Even now, that Vice Minister Jiang was still imprisoned in Capital Prison.

What special identity could the daughter of a convicted minister possibly have?

"Please enlighten me, my lord..." Zhou Daniu bowed, his face full of confusion.

Xu Changfeng stopped walking and glanced at him.

"It does no harm to tell you."

"Of course, these are merely my speculations. Lord Wei has not made anything clear to me either."

Zhou Daniu pricked up his ears, not daring to miss a single word.

"My father had some acquaintance with Jiang Xun in his early years."

Xu Changfeng slowly said, "I once heard my father mention a secret after he had drunk too much."

"Two years before Jiang Yuechu was born, Jiang Xun suffered an injury in an accident that damaged his body. He had long since... lost the ability to father children, and he even sought precious medicine from my father."

"Ah?!"

Xu Changfeng ignored his loss of composure and simply continued, "And after Jiang Yuechu was born, the late emperor promoted Jiang Xun all the way up. In barely more than a decade, he rose from an obscure minor official to the position of Vice Minister of Rites."

"Though it was only a nominal post, he had ultimately entered the center of the imperial court."

Zhou Daniu instantly understood something, and even his breathing grew hurried.

A minister unable to have children had suddenly gained a daughter.

And after this daughter was born, his official fortunes had flourished, allowing him to soar straight into the blue sky.

What that implied behind the scenes, anyone who was not a fool could guess to some extent.

"Could it be... could it be that Jiang Yuechu is... is the late emperor's..."

"Of course, that is merely my speculation."

Xu Changfeng's voice seemed somewhat distant amid the rain. "Perhaps Jiang Xun later cured his hidden ailment, or perhaps he truly possessed some unknown ability and won the late emperor's favor. That is also possible."

Zhou Daniu stammered in response, "Yes... yes..."

"You need only hear this secret. Do not spread it."

Xu Changfeng's tone grew heavier. "The new emperor has now ascended the throne. The late emperor's old affairs—say another word about them, and you will be seeking death. Between you and me, this matter ends here."

"This subordinate understands! I will let it rot in my stomach and will never say a single extra word!"

The rain seemed to have lightened somewhat.

Xu Changfeng stopped and looked back toward Demon-Calming Ward. The curtain of rain blurred his vision, and he could see nothing clearly.

"The news sent back by Heaven Division says that this Core-Formation Great Demon is no ordinary demon. It came from the Beyond-the-Pass Demon Kingdom and possesses an extraordinary bloodline."

"If she can survive at Jade Gate Pass, then in the future, she will have a place in Longyou Circuit, and even in the entire Great Tang Demon Suppression Office."

The corner of Xu Changfeng's mouth curved into an unfathomable smile. "I am quite looking forward to seeing just how far she can go."

Seeing the smile on his master's face—a smile he had not seen in a long time—Zhou Daniu's heart stirred.

Perhaps his master had promoted her for more than merely forming a good connection.

Perhaps it was because, in this young woman, he had seen the shadow of someone like himself.

The same breathtaking brilliance, the same inability to control one's own fate.