Chapter 19: The Treasure Carriage Blocks the Way

Da Jin transformed into a golden, chubby cat of ordinary size, following Su Xi step by step.

When Su Xi was reunited with her family for a meal, he lay on a chair to the side, quiet and still; he accepted whatever food or drink he was offered, behaving with such obedience and sensibility.

Su Mu picked out the fattest of the freshly cooked braised pigeons and gave it to Da Jin, "Taste my cooking. It was hard work for you to bring Xi-niuer here all this way."

"Thank you, Su Furen, your cooking is the best in the world," Da Jin said as soon as he opened his mouth.

Su Mu blushed instantly, "You flatter me, Immortal Cat Master."

"Just call him Da Jin. Mother, guess how old he is?" Su Xi peeled open a green zongzi; it was her favorite osmanthus and white glutinous rice, and the translucent grains were flecked with golden osmanthus, looking just like sprinkled gold—extremely tempting.

Su Mu thought of the majestic and imposing appearance of Da Jin's true form, "Eighty years old?"

Su Zhangqing said, "Immortals live forever, so this Immortal Cat Master must be the same, right, Sister?"

Su Xi looked at Su Zhangqing, who was three parts similar to her and possessed a handsome, jade-like appearance, and nodded with a smile, "That's right, for inner sect disciples, even Daoist acolytes start at a hundred years old."

"Inner sect disciples... I've heard that in those immortal cultivation sects, there is a world of difference between inner sect and outer sect disciples, is that true?" Su Zhangqing asked.

"I'm not too sure, because I have always been in the inner sect." Ever since she returned to the sect from Mo Yu with Rong Shou, she had been in the back mountain. Even her appointment as Young Sect Master and the ceremony to pay respects to the heavens and the sect ancestors were held simply in the back mountain.

"Isn't Sister an outer sect disciple?" Su Zhangqing asked.

"Don't ask nonsense." Su Fu hurriedly raised his hand and struck him; outer sect disciples could also be doing chores in the inner sect...

Da Jin raised his head, his large, golden cat eyes curiously peering at Su Fu.

Su Xi was also a bit bewildered, "When did I become an outer sect disciple?"

"A good meal can't even plug your mouth." Su Mu gave Su Zhangqing a large steamed bun, "Hurry up and eat, and once you're done, go finish setting up the red decorations on the roof; the people delivering the wedding clothes will be here later."

Speaking of wedding clothes, Su Mu grew anxious again, pulling Su Xi up to look her over, "Xi-niuer has grown a head taller, so the clothes Mother estimated and made won't fit anymore. Let's go to the embroidery workshop to buy clothes."

"Mm, Brother is getting married tomorrow, and this Dao Robe of mine isn't appropriate either. Shall we go now?" Su Xi also wanted to go shopping; when she was little, she loved following behind Su Mu.

Su Fu instructed Su Mu, "Go to the best Hua Rong Embroidery Workshop, buy the best clothes, and get the head ornaments and jewelry while you're at it."

"As if you needed to tell me. Let's go, Xi-niuer." Su Mu took Su Xi and hurried out.

Su Zhangqing took the bun out of his mouth and asked Da Jin, "Immortal Cat Master, how old are you?"

"Three years shy of a thousand." Da Jin continued to eat the braised pigeon, "The Young Sect Master has never been to the outer sect since she entered the sect; her status in the South Dao Sect is second only to the Sect Master."

The Su father and son looked at each other, dumbfounded... Sweeping floors in the outer sect? No! It's the Young Sect Master!!!

Isn't this gap a bit too large?

Su Xi sat in the carriage and lifted the window curtain.

She looked at the streets, which were wider than in her memories, and the bustling passersby, and the children running and playing in the alleys; their faces were clean and their clothes were neat.

"Mother, it seems the current ruler is a wise and benevolent monarch." Su Xi lowered the curtain.

Su Mu nodded, "Ten years ago, after the current ruler ascended the throne, he began a massive cleanup. Many corrupt officials and treacherous subjects were either beheaded as a warning to others or thrown into prison and exiled to cold, bitter lands. The Xue Fu was also implicated by the rebel party at the time, and many people from top to bottom were thrown into prison.

Fortunately, Mother reacted quickly, taking your brother and escaping Xue Fu in time, returning to your grandmother's place in the mountains. Otherwise, we would have ended up in prison too, and that is no place for good people. But your father suffered; in the dead of winter, he was covered in frostbite, and since the prison wasn't clean, he almost died in there."

"Why didn't you send me a letter?" Su Xi's heart ached, and she shed tears.

Su Mu shook her head, "We couldn't tell you; we had to save whoever we could. Later, the Second Miss and Fourth Miss returned. It turned out they hadn't joined the South Dao Sect, but had instead apprenticed at the Heaven Sword Sect. Because of this immortal connection, Xue Fu was able to escape a catastrophe."

"Xue Fuyi and Xue Mengying?" Su Xi's eyes flickered slightly.

"Yes. Because Mother took your brother and ran first, your father was blamed by Lady Xue and, dragging his sick and frostbitten body, was kicked out. Later, after Mother received the news, she returned to Yun Du with your brother.

Mother used her previous savings to open a braised food shop. Business was so good that we were able to get this big house today."

Su Xi looked at the white hair at Su Mu's temples and that big house... knowing they had suffered much, "Daughter is unfilial, not knowing you had suffered such hardship..."

"Don't say that. Your father and I were so relieved that you weren't in Yun Du; it was best that you didn't suffer." Su Mu looked at Su Xi's fair and delicate face, her white wrists and slender hands, and knew she had been living very well in the South Dao Sect.

Su Xi snuggled into Su Mu's embrace, "Daughter has been in closed-door cultivation with Master; I should have returned sooner."

Su Mu patted her back, "It's all in the past. Your brother has also grown up very well these years and can stand on his own two feet. The wife he is marrying is also a good match; her family sells jade and antiques and they are business people too. She is a very good girl, you will see her tomorrow."

"Mm. By the way, I want to give my sister-in-law a gift, but I don't know what I should send." Su Xi was acting as a sister-in-law for the first time and didn't know how to prepare.

"No need to worry, Mother will arrange that for you."

As they were talking, the carriage stopped.

Su Mu thought they had arrived, so she lifted the curtain to get off.

But she saw Cui Heng outside with dozens of Imperial Guards, as well as a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon Treasure Carriage pulled by six horses.

Su Mu was stunned for a moment, unable to speak.

Su Xi followed her out of the carriage, and seeing this formation, asked, "Commander Cui, is something the matter?"

Cui Heng hurriedly said, "His Majesty requests the Young Sect Master to meet him in the carriage."

"His Majesty wants to see me?" Su Xi looked at Su Mu.

Su Mu was also very surprised, "How does His Majesty know about my Xi-niuer?"

Cui Heng said, "The Young Sect Master descended riding an auspicious beast, and His Majesty sensed it, which is why he ordered this subordinate to welcome the Young Sect Master."

Su Xi saw that it was blocking her path, and in this situation, she couldn't refuse.

"Mother, wait a moment, I will be right back."

"If anything happens, just call for Mother."

"Nothing will happen." Su Xi smiled, then stepped off the carriage.

Arriving before the treasure carriage, Su Xi saw the carriage door, engraved with a five-clawed golden dragon, open.

A young man with a fair and delicate face emerged from inside, and after quickly glancing at Su Xi, he bowed respectfully, "Young Sect Master, please."

Stepping up the jeweled jade stairs, it was like entering a luxurious and exquisite study. The scent of ink wafted toward her, giving one a sense of tranquility and elegance.

Zhou Chuchen was wearing a noble black dragon robe and was reading a letter in his hands. Hearing the sound of Su Xi's footsteps as she entered, he slowly raised his head.