Chapter 373: Small Errand

Li Huowang sat on the bench, silently watching Commander Cao light incense and bow to the Prison God on the wall. Logically, burning incense and worshipping Buddha didn't seem like the custom of a military household. However, he knew little about them, so perhaps the military families of Great Liang were unique.

After offering the incense, Commander Cao returned to Li Huowang and Ji Xiang. He glanced nonchalantly at the copper coin mask on Li Huowang's face and asked, "Eunuch, it's rare for you to visit such an inauspicious place. I presume you have something important to discuss?"

"Hehe, Commander Cao, you're direct, so I won't beat around the bush. This is Brother Erjiu. Someone in his family has been afflicted by malevolent energy. I'm sure this minor issue is easy for you to handle, isn't it?"

When Li Huowang saw Commander Cao nodding with a smile, his heart immediately tightened. The commander's reaction was unexpected, as if being afflicted by malevolent energy was a very trivial matter.

Li Huowang immediately pulled out the gourd from his waist and poured out all the Longevity Pills inside. "Commander Cao, this small token of respect is nothing."

Unexpectedly, the other party didn't take them and pushed the Longevity Pills back. "Oh, you shouldn't treat me, Cao, as an outsider. Although our departments are different, we all serve the Great Liang nation."

Hearing this, Ji Xiang's mouth spread into a smile as he asked, "So, Commander Cao, this small favor will—"

Ji Xiang's words were quickly interrupted by Commander Cao. "Normally, I, Cao, should help, but..."

Half an hour later, Ji Xiang and Li Huowang emerged from the prison with somewhat grim expressions.

Ji Xiang fiercely spat at the gradually closing gate. "What kind of people are they? They won't lift a finger for such a small matter unless we do them a favor first! Instead of displaying a symbol of justice on their gate, they should just hang one representing wealth and greed!"

Li Huowang reached out and stopped him. "Forget it, Lord Ji Xiang. Since we're asking them for a favor, it's only right that we help them a little."

"That's true, but..." Ji Xiang clapped his hands in vexation. "Ah, it's all my fault for being useless and finding you such a place."

Although Li Huowang knew Ji Xiang's display was mostly an act, the latter certainly played the part well.

"It's fine, it's just a small favor. I'll help." Li Huowang hadn't expected them to help him for free when he came here. If escorting a single prisoner could lead to Bai Lingmiao's recovery, then the deal was incredibly worthwhile.

"Ah, I'm truly sorry, truly sorry." Ji Xiang apologized profusely, his face filled with shame.

"Lord Ji Xiang, please stop. Let's head back. Your apologies are making me feel uncomfortable. If you truly feel bad, then regarding this escort mission, if you know anything, please tell me." Taking on a sudden task from the Great Liang military without asking someone familiar about it made him feel truly uncertain.

"Oh, that's fine. Old Man Cao was right; it's just a minor matter. As long as you don't pursue an official career in the future, it won't affect you much."

"Official career?" Li Huowang was curious now. Who exactly was the military asking him to escort?

Two sedan chairs arrived one after another at the back gate of the small courtyard. To express his gratitude, Li Huowang insisted that Ji Xiang come in for tea. Ji Xiang agreed with a smile. However, as he sat in the main hall, a single sentence from Li Huowang froze the smile on his face. "Lord Ji Xiang, are you really leaving? Are you not going to reconsider?"

Li Huowang didn't think there was anything unspeakable about this. Moreover, if he didn't clarify things now, and Ji Xiang left and Tuoba Danqing also died, who would he turn to next?

Ji Xiang let out a long sigh and slowly set down his tea. "You know what we went through last time. Plus, I've reached the age of fifty this year, and it's time to rest. Besides, there are people waiting for me at home. From now on, it will be the world of you young people."

He then clasped his hands together and bowed humbly towards the northeast corner. "Honestly, I don't know what the Emperor is up to, and I don't dare to ask or listen. After much thought, preserving my life is the most important thing."

Li Huowang, with slightly furrowed brows, picked up his tea and took a sip. From Ji Xiang's words, it seemed the capital might not be peaceful in the future. He probably needed to be extra careful later to avoid getting entangled. Whatever happened at the top was none of his concern. His sole purpose was to find Beifeng and obtain the method from him to dispel the heart-element illusion.

As if knowing Li Huowang's concerns, Ji Xiang reached into his robe and slowly pushed a more exquisite waist token towards him, pressing one side with his finger. The token was inscribed with "Geng Qi."

Li Huowang reached out, took it, and examined it carefully, a trace of surprise in his heart. "I've been promoted again? And I skipped over Xin Shi directly to Geng Qi."

At this point, Ji Xiang explained softly, "Erjiu, this is the highest I can promote you. Any higher, and it's beyond my authority."

"After I'm gone, you can take this token directly to the Ministry of Revenue and find the Imperial Astrologers to take on assignments. It won't hinder your great revenge plan."

"Once you're at Geng Qi, other Ji Xiangs can't order you around, and you can choose your own tasks. Furthermore, you can command any ordinary subordinate, as long as they're not occupied."

Li Huowang looked at the waist token in his hand without speaking. If giving him a house was returning a favor, then with this item, the tables had turned, and he now owed Ji Xiang a favor.

"Lord Ji Xiang, your generosity truly makes me..." Ji Xiang waved his hand, stopping Li Huowang from continuing.

"Erjiu, you are a person of great capability. You're more capable than my Erniu. If you rise to prominence in the future, just don't forget our family."

Ji Xiang finished speaking with a smile, patted imaginary dust from his clothes, and then solemnly bowed to the seated Li Huowang before turning and walking towards the back door without looking back.

Li Huowang sat alone in the empty main hall, silent, staring blankly at the waist token in his hand. Suddenly, he stood up and walked into the house. He remembered that Ji Xiang had previously mentioned leaving some small items for him inside.

The items Ji Xiang left were very conspicuous, and Li Huowang quickly found them. But their weight was far from small—it was his Ruyi Scepter of Decayed Wood! Sensing his presence, the heart-element's withered tongue twitched slightly.

Li Huowang, with a very complex expression, slowly ran his finger over the tongue and the coffin nail that pinned it to the Ruyi Scepter. The value of this item was extraordinary, yet Ji Xiang had left it for him without a word. He didn't know what Ji Xiang had guessed him to be, but the only thing he was sure of was that Ji Xiang must have guessed wrong.

Under the cover of the dark night, the hurried Ji Xiang arrived alone at the gate of a small courtyard. When he opened the door, a brand new carriage had been waiting for a long time. Hearing the movement, a gray-haired woman poked her head out of the carriage and asked Ji Xiang, "Brother, how did it go?"

Ji Xiang nimbly leaped onto the carriage and drove it towards the north of the city. "That boy from the Mazdakian cult has come to the capital. I've fulfilled all my promises to him, and I've even given him many things. The favor has been repaid with interest; we can leave now without any worries."

"Really? That's wonderful! Brother, we can go home now!" The old woman's face showed a childlike, pure joy, clearly indicating she had been very well protected. She reached into the carriage, pulled out a flatbread, broke off a small piece, and offered it to Ji Xiang's mouth. "Brother, why were you so cautious with that Mazdakian boy? You waited for him for so long."