Chapter 658: Making a Name for Himself

The maidservants placed trays, their translucent, glistening fish flesh blooming like the night-blooming cereus, and the various jiao silk hemlines beneath their skirts were undeniably eye-catching.

Liang Qu hadn't expected to appear in such a setting.

Fortunately, the hot pot's steam obscured his expression; after the initial awkwardness, the tense atmosphere gradually faded.

The saying "crystalline skin, sheer crimson silk, snowy flesh, fragrant and buttery" revealed a world far less conservative than imagined.

Eat! Eat!

Eat more, look less!

【Pot Master: Liang Qu】

【Refined Refined Ze Ling: Water Wang Yuan (Purple) (Fusion Rate: 3.1%)】

【Water Marsh Essence: 7,200】

Before the copper pot.

Smoke and fire rolled thickly.

Liang Qu focused intently, head down, devouring the meat.

The meat on the plate was definitely precious fish.

With his growing strength and status, Liang Qu now attended many banquets far from ordinary; most feasts featured a steamed precious fish, yielding essence ranging from dozens to over a hundred, but this meal was unquestionably the most lavish he had ever eaten!

In just moments, he had absorbed no less than three thousand water marsh essence!

The wolf smoke had entered the tiger hunt, its essence fully depleted—perfect timing for replenishment.

And as the Holy Emperor said, eating heartily, shedding one's outer garments, truly eased three-tenths of one's restraint.

Naturally.

The Holy Emperor, in particular, had no airs, with exceptional conversational skill.

He opened the gathering simply, exchanged a few jests, then moved straight to the present state—discussing age, recent circumstances, like a spring breeze.

Liang Qu answered whatever he was asked.

Lan Lan Jicai stirred the sauce with his chopsticks, his gaze sweeping, murmuring in wonder.

There was no taboo.

Imperial maidservants came in two types: one, ordinary palace maids, doing menial labor with low status; the other, daughters of officials or noble families, well-traveled, cultured, often serving imperial princes or imperial consorts, and sometimes chosen as concubines or betrothed to royal or ministerial sons.

If an alliance with a foreign tribe was to be arranged, they would also be selected and recognized as the Holy Emperor's adopted daughters.

The women before him were undoubtedly the latter type.

Liang Xiao's avoidance was too deliberate—naive and easily startled.

As they chatted on.

The Holy Emperor suddenly said: "I observe your primordial yang remains intact—good. You have patience. Have you a beloved woman?"

Liang Qu paused briefly to think.

"Sort of."

Sort of?

Lan Lan Jicai poked a meatball with his chopsticks, frowning: "You brat, either you do or you don't—what's this 'sort of'?"

The Holy Emperor guessed: "The Dragon Girl?"

Liang Qu was startled: "How did Your Majesty know?"

"I ascended the Moon Gazing Tower and saw a tall woman on a boat—beautiful, yet such height is not typical of ordinary women."

Lan Lan Jicai suddenly understood: "You mean Long Long Eying? Indeed beautiful—quite natural."

Liang Qu scratched his head.

"Yes, her. Perhaps my self-cultivation isn't strong enough, or my cultivation realm too low—when she appears before me, I still feel instinctive urges."

"You're a man—urges are normal. That's liking!"

Lan Lan Jicai spoke with certainty.

"…."

The Holy Emperor nodded: "To be charmed by beauty is human nature—what does self-cultivation have to do with it? Yuan Yuan Yuwen's flirtatious ways are unacceptable, but neither should you overly restrain yourself. Let things unfold naturally. If you can wed the Dragon Girl, it would benefit Great Shun—I shall personally arrange the marriage."

Lan Lan Jicai frowned: "What? She doesn't like you? That can't be—you're handsome and cultivated."

"It's not about liking or not. We're like superior and subordinate—I speak, she acts."

Long Long Eying's temperament was calm, her expressions rare.

Liang Qu cultivated the "Wan Sheng Bao Yuan" scripture, emphasizing self-discipline, never seeing anything wrong—maintaining primordial yang also benefited cultivation before the Master realm.

Bang!

Lan Lan Jicai slammed the table.

"Spend money on her! Women fall for this—after dinner, I'll take you to the Heavenly Fleet Guild's headquarters in the capital, pick a master craftsman, and have him forge you a fine set of jewelry!"

"Impossible! How vulgar!" The Holy Emperor shook his head, "Though buried and useless, still it rises nightly, piercing the heavens…"

"Your Majesty, you're always in the palace—you don't know the outside market. Sigh, you don't understand the current situation—girls today are terribly pragmatic…"

"Customs are a matter of great consequence. I observe the realm—Brother Lan, you fixate on one corner. You avoid brothels, so your perception naturally differs."

"Peering through a tube at a leopard…"

"Blind men touching an elephant!"

The Holy Emperor and Lan Lan Jicai began arguing.

The chief eunuch opened his mouth but held back.

Lan Lan Jicai frequented brothels; the Holy Emperor… which of his concubines was ever courted?

After a long pause, the chief eunuch realized he had no standing to offer advice and chose silence.

Originally, this meal, a casual chat, should have ended in less than an hour.

Yet a minor dispute dragged it to midnight—both still brimmed with enthusiasm.

The participant, Liang Qu, thought both were utterly unreliable—he let one ear in, the other out, leaning back uncomfortably in his chair.

【Pot Master: Liang Qu】

【Water Marsh Essence: 66,400】

Awesome!

During the meal, the chief eunuch noticed Liang Qu favored fish meat and ordered the imperial kitchen to keep serving—never stopping.

Thus, one hot pot yielded over sixty-six thousand essence!

Twenty thousand essence plus 0.1, another 0.3 fusion rate gained.

Imperial Kitchen, amazing!

Group banquets are great.

More group banquets.

Before arriving, Liang Qu had imagined many scenarios.

Perhaps the monarch's heart is unfathomable, or one must tremble in awe—but when faced with reality, it was still unexpected.

It was just eating.

Like ordinary commoners—drinking tea with their mouths, eating meat with their mouths, enjoying chatter, occasionally gossiping, deeply interested in ministers' romantic affairs.

Too bad.

In the end, Lan Lan Jicai and the Holy Emperor never reached agreement—not quite a bitter parting, but certainly mutual dislike.

The chief eunuch hurried forward to mediate, ending the farce.

"Your Majesty, it's late. Grandmaster Liang just broke through—he should return to consolidate. You too should rest early. Tomorrow, summon the Minister of Personnel to finalize the rewards."

"Reasonable. Tonight ends here."

The banquet ended.

The eunuch Li who had escorted Liang Qu here personally saw him and Lan Lan Jicai off.

"Grandmaster Liang, such achievements merit a mansion from His Majesty. But as a newcomer, nothing is yet arranged—have you found lodging? If not, I'll arrange it; if yes, I'll send someone to escort you there."

"Yes, it should be General Xu Xu Wenzhu's official residence."

"Lord Marquis Guanying?"

"Yes."

As they left the palace, Lan Lan Jicai slung an arm around Liang Qu's shoulder, twirling his goatee: "Kid, those jiao silks—you got any more?"

"Does Master Lan want some?"

"Do you have any?"

"There should be a shop in the capital belonging to the Xu family of Huangzhou. Ask there—I'm the one who recommended you, they'll give you priority."

"Heh, you're sharp. If you need anything, come to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau—I'm skilled in feng shui, divination, treasure hunting, exploration."

"I should be thanking Master Lan for seeing me off."

Liang Qu wasn't foolish.

Lan Lan Jicai's remarks at the banquet alone were far beyond those of an ordinary minister.

To joke freely with a superior isn't because the superior is kind—it's because Lan Lan Jicai has ability, is a trusted confidant.

Cultivating good relations is always right.

"Since you have free time, want me to take you to buy jewelry? The Heavenly Fleet Guild in the capital has five floors, stays open twenty-four hours, especially near the holidays—nothing like Pingyang Prefecture."

"Forget it."

Liang Qu politely declined the offer.

"You brat, fine then."

Outside the palace.

Cold wind rushed violently into his robes, scattering the incense scent clinging to Liang Qu.

A luxurious carriage had long been waiting outside the palace; an old man leapt down from its front.

"Eunuch Li!"

"Master Qin?"

"This humble one is Qin Qin Hongwei!" the old man bowed, "By order of General Xu, I've come to escort Master Liang back to the mansion."

"Perfect, Master Liang, the household steward of the Xu family—just step into the carriage."

"Thank you, Master Qin."

"After you, my lord."

Creaking—

The carriage wheels rolled over flagstones, gradually moving farther away.

Liang Qu lifted the curtain; eyes from all directions converged upon him.

Arriving in the capital at dusk, dining with the Emperor, departing at midnight—just these three acts were like throwing a boulder into a calm lake; even the splashing waves could drench a man completely.

No need to say.

Quite exhilarating!

Liang Qu exhaled warm breath, his pupils reflecting orange light.

The winter in the imperial capital was far colder than Pingyang; though not quite freezing droplets into ice, it was nearly as severe—a basin of water left outdoors would freeze into thick ice within minutes.

Yet as midnight neared, the painted boats along the river burned through the night, and countless shops lining the long street remained open.

"The splendor of the great city…" Liang Qu lowered the curtain. "Master Qin, what does General Xu like? It's my first visit—I'm unsure what gift to bring."

"Nonsense, no need," Qin Qin Hongwei flicked his whip. "General Xu and your master, Master Yang Xu, treat each other as brothers—so you're family. The general already instructed me: your arrival itself is the gift. Absolutely no stopping to waste money on presents along the way."

"Hahaha, then I'll take you at your word?"

"Would this old man deceive you?"

Xu Fu.

Lanterns glowed brightly through the night.

With the introduction of Cao Shixiong Yang Xu, Liang Qu paid formal visits to General Xu and Duke Xu.

General Xu Xu Wenzhu had a handsome face, wore a black headdress and wide sleeves, and sported short, inch-long whiskers—he appeared refined and open-minded. Duke Xu had a square face, thick eyebrows, broad shoulders, and carried great authority.

The Duke's mansion and the Xu mansion were not the same place, yet that night both men gathered together, lavishing praise—but due to the hour, they exchanged little, agreeing to host a banquet the next day before parting ways.

With the elders gone, the atmosphere instantly relaxed.

Senior brothers and sisters gathered around him in a circle.

"So, what's the Emperor like?"

"What gifts did His Majesty bestow? Did he grant you a hereditary barony?"

"What rank did you get promoted to? Did you receive a mansion? How many beautiful maids?"

Liang Qu shook his head to each question.

"Tonight was merely a shared banquet. The specific rewards must go through official procedures—we'll know tomorrow."

"Nothing at all?"

"Sleep, sleep."

Learning there were no rewards, everyone dispersed in a burst of chatter.

Back to the room.

Long Long Eying lay sprawled on the Luo Han bed, quietly reading; moonlight bathed her, making her entire figure glow like polished jade.

"Elder?"

"Nothing."

Midnight.

Liang Qu rested his hands behind his head, gazing at the bright moon on the horizon, feeling a quiet peace.

"I've finally made something of myself."

(End of Chapter)