【Nine: Where are you?】
Xu Qian stared at the mirror's surface, stunned. The mirror could talk? Was it a self-aware artifact?
What did "Nine" mean — was the mirror called Nine?
No. If it were the mirror's own spiritual consciousness, it wouldn't ask "where are you." After all, you and I sleep in the same bed. We're literally bedmates every night.
Xu Qian stared at the mirror and fell deep into thought.
He was mulling over four questions:
One — what kind of artifact was this mirror? Beyond storing objects, could it also receive messages?
Two — was this a message? If so, who sent it?
Three — who was the old Daoist priest? Why had he given the mirror to him?
Four — should he respond?
Out of caution, Xu Qian adopted the philosophy of "if I pretend it didn't happen, it doesn't exist." He quietly put the mirror away, planning not to respond.
Besides, he had no idea how to respond.
He went to the courtyard, plunged his head into the water vat, dried off with a towel, and left.
He'd already joined the Night Watchmen, but his official start date was the day after tomorrow. The headquarters needed time to prepare his uniform and gong.
It was still early — two quarter-hours past noon.
Xu Qian first stopped by the Changle County Yamen to inform his colleagues and Magistrate Zhu that he'd become a Night Watchman.
Magistrate Zhu had already received word — the Night Watchmen had come to collect Xu Qian's household registration ahead of time.
They agreed to dine together that evening — part farewell feast, part celebration of his promotion.
The venue was naturally the Dawn Moon Restaurant near the yamen. Official socializing called for the grand bordello.
Before that, Xu Qian planned to visit the pleasure house, listen to music, and sort out lunch.
...
The farewell feast began at the Shen hour and stretched until a quarter past the You hour.
Over the course of the meal, Magistrate Zhu sighed: "Ningyan, you're a product of my Changle County Yamen. Becoming a Night Watchman is a blessing for all of Changle. I always had high hopes for you..."
He paused, raised his cup, and drained it.
*If I can keep climbing... Magistrate Zhu might be my first truly reliable contact in officialdom...* Xu Qian caught the sentiment and drank as well.
When the feast ended, none of the yamen's constables left. The madam summoned a group of youthful, beautiful women and paraded them into the private room for the officials to choose from.
*Decent-looking, I suppose. In my past life, this would be a lineup of young models at a club...* Xu Qian shook his head. After tasting the sweetness of a beauty like Fuxiang, ordinary women didn't quite appeal anymore.
After settling Magistrate Zhu and his constable colleagues, Xu Qian left the Dawn Moon Restaurant and headed home.
Arriving at his courtyard gate, he found the lock had been opened. Candlelight glowed from within.
*Second Uncle came by?*
Xu Qian pushed open the gate and entered.
In the dusk candlelight, a young woman in a plain skirt sat at the table, one hand propping up her forehead, her delicate head nodding off.
Xu Qian immediately glanced at the cabinet by the bed — no signs of it having been opened. He relaxed slightly.
*Maybe I should consider keeping my diary in English.*
He walked over and gently woke Xu Lingyue.
"Where did big brother go..." Xu Lingyue opened her eyes, her beautiful gaze confused for a moment before flooding with joy.
Her pointed, melon-seed face in the candlelight looked like warm, flawless jade. Her eyes sparkled.
"My little sister is so beautiful," Xu Qian remarked.
Xu Lingyue ducked her head shyly, a heart-stopping blush spreading across her cheeks.
She said softly: "Big brother didn't come home for dinner. Dad said big brother must have gone to a bordello."
*Second Uncle really... gets me!*
Xu Qian said: "No, no — just normal socializing. I went to the Night Watchman headquarters, so I treated my colleagues to dinner."
Though Second Uncle's guess wasn't unreasonable. A martial artist who'd finally broken through to Qi Refinement after being stuck for a decade or two would naturally want to... let off steam.
"Big brother's been drinking... Since you've already eaten, I'll head back. There's still food warming in the kitchen." Xu Lingyue believed his explanation and smiled, looking relieved.
Xu Qian felt a touch of warmth. In this family, apart from Second Uncle, this little sister cared about him the most.
"Mm... It's dark now, and walking at night isn't safe. I'll walk you back."
Xu Lingyue didn't refuse. From his courtyard to the main Xu residence was about two to three hundred paces — a lone young woman on the road was indeed unsafe.
What she didn't expect was that Xu Qian brought her to the courtyard corner, wrapped an arm around her slender waist, and vaulted over the wall.
The instant her feet touched ground, she pushed him away in a fluster, equal parts bashful and indignant: "Big brother, how can you be so forward!"
Men and women were to be separated after age seven. She was already seventeen. What kind of brother hugged his sister like that? Holding her hand at White Deer Academy had already pushed the boundaries. The Xu household wasn't a strict scholarly family, so that was tolerable.
But just now, grabbing her waist like that — a woman's waist wasn't something you could casually hold. Horseback riding was one thing, but even then, her waist had never been held.
Xu Lingyue's legs went weak. Seeing Xu Qian standing there blankly, she stamped her foot in frustration and scurried away on rapid, tiny steps.
*She seems angry — but it feels more like flustered coyness than genuine fury...* Xu Qian sighed, reminding himself to be more careful.
In his past life, even acquaintances of opposite sexes wouldn't fuss over incidental physical contact. Strangers on the morning subway would press together so tightly they could feel each other's body heat and strength, faces flushed, brows furrowed, breathing heavily — the morning rush hour crush.
But this was a feudal age. Even with his own sister, he couldn't be too intimate. Xu Qian had been careless in this regard.
Watching Xu Lingyue's retreating figure disappear, Xu Qian vaulted back into his courtyard.
Then — the inexplicable palpitations hit again. He pulled the jade mirror from his pocket. On its pristine surface, a line of characters slowly materialized:
【Nine: Where are you?】
Xu Qian frowned. What was going on?
The message had come again and again. If he didn't resolve it, it felt like it could become a hidden danger.
Leaning against the wall, Xu Qian deliberated at length before deciding to respond.
Two reasons: First, the mirror was now his property. If he could fully understand its functions and mysteries, that could only benefit him.
It was like holding an AK-47 but using it as a walking stick.
Second, he suspected the message came from that old Daoist priest. If so, he could use this opportunity to find out why the man had gifted him the artifact.
Unknown gifts always left one uneasy.
Xu Qian tried voice input: "Heh heh, taking a bath."
The mirror's surface didn't change.
He tried another method — using his finger as a pen, writing on the mirror's face.
A miraculous thing happened. The surface displayed a line of characters: 【Three: Heh heh, taking a bath.】
Through touch, transmitting thoughts?
Did "Three" represent his mirror's number? The other party was "Nine"... Did he also have a mirror?
【Nine: Who are you?】
Xu Qian didn't answer.
The other side fell silent too. Minutes later, a new message arrived: 【Nine: Where is Senior Brother Jinlian — dead or alive? How did you obtain this mirror? Are you from the Heaven and Earth Society?!】
Senior Brother Jinlian must be the Daoist who gave me the mirror. This Nine called him "senior brother" — they were fellow disciples...
The Heaven and Earth Society — since when did another world have an anti-Qing restoration society?
Having roughly figured out the other party's identity, Xu Qian relaxed. Using his finger, he typed:
【Three: I'm not from the Heaven and Earth Society. An old Daoist gave me this mirror.】
【Nine: How do I know you're not one of them? State your name.】
Xu Qian felt the same impulse he'd get when a reader asked for his shipping address to send local specialties — instinctive resistance. He refused.
【Three: Daoist, I'm just a nobody.】
A pause.
【Nine: Where is the Daoist who gave you the mirror?】
【Three: No idea.】 Xu Qian sent the message, then waited quietly to see what the other would say.
【Nine: I am Zilian. The Daoist who gave you the mirror is my senior brother. This mirror is a treasure of our Earth Sect.
Heh. Since Senior Brother entrusted the mirror to you, you must be no ordinary person. You've surely heard of our Earth Sect's reputation.】
Xu Qian replied: 【Three: Sorry, never heard of it.】
A long silence. Then, without apparent emotion: 【Nine: The Daoist path divides into three sects — Heaven, Earth, and Man.】
So it was a Daoist... Xu Qian's spirits lifted.