T/N: This chapter was translated by Elysian Pit. I DO NOT own the translation and all credit goes to the original translator. I’ve picked up this novel to continue from where the previous translator left. Thank you ❤️❤️
Jian Xingzhi’s voice seemed to carry some kind of magic power. Qin Wanwan felt sleepy when she heard it, and shortly, she fell asleep again.
The next day, Qin Wanwan took the chance to run out early in the morning while Jian Xingzhi was still meditating. As soon as she ran out, she met Bai Suiyou. When he saw Qin Wanwan, he greeted her, “Miss Li, where are you going?”
“Ah, Fellow Daoist Bai,” Qin Wanwan halted her steps and said hello to him. She then pointed outside, “I plan to search for a job. Does Fellow Daoist Bai know where to find a job for a mortal?”
“Perhaps Miss Li can go to Wanshifang on East Street to have a look? I heard that as long as there is money, there is nothing impossible there.”
“That’s great,” Qin Wanwan cheered up.
“I’ll be right there!”
“I also happen to be going to East Street to rent a horse,” Bai Suiyou invited, “How about we go there together?”
“Okay!”
Just like that, Qin Wanwan walked to East Street with Bai Suiyou.
Bai Suiyou knew Xunxian Town well and was full of wit. Along the way, he introduced Qin Wanwan to various food specialties in the town. The two quickly became familiar with each other. Bai Suiyou inquired Qin Wanwan as to why she wanted to go to Wanshifang, “Is Miss Li planning to find a job for Gentleman Zhang?”
“That’s right.”
“Miss doesn’t plan to go together with Gentleman Zhang?”
“To tell you the truth,” Qin Wanwan looked distressed. “He is infatuated with me and has been following me around. Right now, I just want to settle him down and let him have a stable life. After all, I am a cultivator. I feel guilty and ashamed for bringing him, a mortal, to brave the wind and dew*.”
[T/N: 风餐露宿 – fēng cān lù sù. Sleep and eat in the open air/wilderness. Stand exposure, deprivation, and hunger; Go through the rigors of living in the wilderness.]
“Miss Li is considerate.”
Bai Suiyou expressed his understanding, “The road of cultivation is difficult and dangerous. Gentleman Zhang appears to be a delicate beauty, It must be hard for him to endure such hardships.”
“So, you think so too?” Qin Wanwan was quick to respond, “That is why I thought of finding a job for him. I can only rest at ease to leave him behind when I can guarantee he can live a stable life.”
“I understand.”
Bai Suiyou seemed to understand Qin Wanwan very well. Seeing Bai Suiyou share the same thought as her, Qin Wanwan probed, “So, in a while, can Fellow Daoist Bai lend me some money?”
Bai Suiyou paused. Qin Wanwan looked at him with a bitter smile, “My Qiankun bag is with Zhang San. I will pay you back when it’s all wrapped up!”
“Oh,” Bai Suiyou responded. He nodded immediately, “It’s only a small matter, Miss doesn’t need to worry much about it.”
Qin Wanwan beamed up when she heard Bai Suiyou was willing to lend her money. Then, she remembered, “Where is your Old Master?”
“Old Master has returned to Guicheng after catching up with me last night.”
Bai Suiyou smiled, “If Miss wishes to, I can take you to meet him in the future.”
Qin Wanwan nodded. She glanced at Bai Suiyou behind her and smiled. “Alright.”
The two went to Wanshifang together. Qin Wanwan then explained her request to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper turned his head and waved his hand at the cabinet. The cabinet opened and a scroll floated down to his hand, “The steward of the granary in Hongdou Town, Xiangsi State. The price is ten spirit stones. Miss, what do you think of this job?”
“Is the job stable?”
This was what Qin Wanwan cared about most. All in all, she wouldn’t starve Jian Zhiyan to death.
“Stable.”
The shopkeeper laughed. “Xiangsi State is a good place. It also has reached a peaceful and prosperous age. The salary given for this job comes from the State’s Imperial Court, so it is very stable.”
“How much is the salary per month?”
“Ten taels of silver, two kilos of rice, and two bolts of sackcloths. Some of the best charcoal will be given in the winter. In addition, there are other compensations during festivals and celebrations.”
“How about the residence?”
“It will be provided, of course.”
“What about the working hours?”
“No more than four hours a day, with ten days off each month. If there is a festival or celebrations, then it will follow the arrangement of the imperial court. The work is leisurely. Except when making a record for things going in and out of the warehouse, most of the time is free. You can even read books.”
“I……”
Qin Wanwan stuffed the sentence, ‘Can I apply for it?’ back into her throat. She quickly remembered that she was looking for a job for ‘Jian Zhiyan’, not for herself.
Her mood turned sour for a while. Compared to working to be a Great Female Lead, she preferred this kind of work. The state provided her with a house, rice, and stable work with no more than eight hours a day, plus ten days off a month.
When the shopkeeper saw that she was silent, he hesitated, “Miss? Should I search for another one?”
“No need.” Qin Wanwan, who was dripping with envy, turned to Bai Suiyou. “What does Fellow Daoist Bai think of this job?”
“I think, it’s pretty good.”
Bai Suiyou took out ten spirit stones and put them on the table.
The shopkeeper immediately laughed and took out a box, “The letter of introduction, the letter of appointment, the official seal, and the employment manual and job description are all in it. It’s a pleasure to do business with you, I look forward to your next visit.”
Qin Wanwan accepted the box. Then, she and Bai Suiyou searched for a tavern outside and sat down.
Qin Wanwan read the content in the box with concentration.
According to the manual, Wanshifang had made proper arrangements.
‘Jian Zhiyan’ only needed to arrive at the place arranged by Wanshifang and get on the carriage. Save for that part, everything else had been arranged by Wanshifang.
Now, the only question left was, how to make ‘Jian Zhiyan’ leave willingly?
“About that,” Bai Suiyou passed an idea to Qin Wanwan, “Wait for a while, when we go to catch the Illusion Ants, I will rent two horses. You tell him that there are not enough horses and let him wait in the inn. Take back your Qiankun Bag and then let’s leave together. Also, leave him a letter that he shouldn’t wait for you. When he sees the letter, he will give up. He is a mortal and has no other place to go. By that time, he can only choose to go to Xiangsi State to take the job offer.”
“Your plan is good,”
Qin Wanwan approved, “Then, let’s go with it.”
The two finished their planning, and went to the store to buy a brush and ink. They discussed together how to write a ‘breakup letter’ containing rich feelings. When Qin Wanwan read it after she was done writing, even she herself was moved.
Satisfied with the letter, she put it in the peach blossom envelope she had bought and shoved it on her sleeve before returning to the inn with ease.
Back at the inn, Jian Xingzhi was still meditating. Qin Wanwan carefully stuffed the letter into the quilt. At that time, she heard Jian Xingzhi speak from behind her, “Are you not going to catch the Illusion Ants? If you don’t plan to catch them, how about catching Qian Liu instead?”
“Soon.”
Qin Wanwan swiftly replied. She coughed lightly, “But I’m afraid it’s too dangerous for you to accompany me catching the Illusion Ants. Why don’t you just stay in the inn?”
“No,” Jian Xingzhi opened his eyes and got up from the couch. “I’ll go with you.”
“Oh.”
Qin Wanwan complied and led Jian Xingzhi downstairs. When they arrived at the door, they saw that Bai Suiyou had prepared two horses.
When Qin Wanwan saw Bai Suiyou, she signaled at him with her eyes. Bai Suiyou stepped forward, “Brother Zhang, Miss Li.”
“Let’s go.” Jian Xingzhi went to one of the horses.
Qin Wanwan grabbed his arm, “Hold up.”
“Ah, about that, Brother Zhang.”
Bai Suiyou stopped in front of Jian Xingzhi, “It’s dangerous there. How about you don’t go with us?”
“Li Si will protect me.”
Jian Xingzhi lifted his chin towards Qin Wanwan. Qin Wanwan blinked hard at Bai Suiyou, who immediately pretended to be bewildered, “But I didn’t expect you to go with us. I only prepared two horses and it’s inconvenient for either of us to ride together. Why don’t you wait for us in the inn?”
“That’s right, that’s right!”
Qin Wanwan quickly supported the idea, “It will be hard work for you, especially because you don’t have a horse. Just give me back the Qiankun pouch and wait for me in the inn.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
It’s alright even if he didn’t have a horse of his own.
Qin Wanwan was puzzled. Not long after, she saw Jian Xingzhi move his hand to unsheathe the sword on her waist and slashed it on the signboard of the inn.
“Stop right there!”The boss screamed and ran out of the inn. The signboard fell in response. When it was still in the air, Jian Xingzhi sliced the board swiftly with the sword. After the signboard landed, a skateboard-shaped board appeared on the ground.
The crowd was stunned. They watched Jian Xingzhi walk to the horse and tie the ‘skateboard’ behind the horse. He tilted his head and said to the shocked boss who lost his soul at the fallen signboard, “The words on your signboard are a sore to the eyes. I’ll make a better one for you later.”
With that, he crossed his hands around his chest and stood on the wooden board.
“Let’s go.”
He urged Qin Wanwan.
Qin Wanwan was speechless. She fell into contemplation as she looked at the ‘skateboard’.
A moment later, she faced Jian Xingzhi with a serious expression and read a code, “Odd change, even unchanged*.
[T/N: From 奇变偶不变符号看象限 – qí biàn ǒu bùbiàn fúhào kàn xiàngxiàn. “Odd change; Even unchanged. See the quadrant for the positive/negative.” Tips on doing trigonometry. Qin Wanwan is testing if JXZ is a modern transmigrator like her.]
Jian Xingzhi stared at her quietly. Qin Wanwan was delighted with his speechlessness and regarded it as a tacit acquiescence. She was about to open her mouth to greet her fellow countrymen when Jian Xingzhi ordered her, “Get on the horse quickly.”
Her hope was instantly shattered.
Qin Wanwan sighed and glanced at Bai Suiyou, who only gave her an encouraging gaze.
Even if they failed now, there were other opportunities!
Anyway, she had found a job for him, she could always find the opportunity to dump him.
The two let go of the matter and got on their horse. Jian Xingzhi stepped on the ‘skateboard’ with his hands crossed around his chest, strangely staying balanced above the board.
With a ‘jia’*, the horse started galloping. Jian Xingzhi stood steadily on the wooden board dragged by the horse.
[T/N: 驾 – jià. A sound to indicate “drive/move” when riding a horse.]
The person on the wooden board stood with his hands around his chest and his spine straight. The horse raised the dust and the wind rolled his hair and slapped his face. The whole person shuttled back and forth between as graceful as an immortal and as disheveled as a beggar. The scene was indescribable and left a weird taste.
The scene quickly disappeared from the crowd’s gaze.
After a long time, the boss reacted and nudged the person next to him, “Who is he?”
Everyone was at a loss. One of them hesitated, “From Daoist Bai’s words, his name seems to be Zhang San.”
“Who is Zhang San? I have never heard of him, is he some kind of a Master?”
The boss realized that he had been cheated. He knelt on the ground and wept bitterly, “My signboard was personally written by Xie Gutang, the winner of the last Sword Trial Conference. It contains Daoist Master Xie’s exquisite Sword Intent! Many people have come all the way here just to see that! That damned Zhang San smashed people’s signboards with no conscience! Daoist Master Xie, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault! I can’t protect the signboard you bestowed me! Just hope that I won’t see him again, otherwise, I will chop him to death!”
The author has something to say:
I don’t remember who mentioned ‘Bai Suishan’* in the comment area but, since then, I have a hard time typing the name ‘Bai Suiyou’ right. orz.
[T/N: 百岁山 – bǎi suì shān. Baisuishan Mineral Water (a sub-brand of Ganten) is a popular bottled mineral water.]
