Временные трудности / Temporary hardships: Глава 25

Chapter 25, in which the hero unexpectedly recalls his village past

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:15

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Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:15

"Wow," Xing said enthusiastically, raising his head. The capital city looked magnificent from up high but from below, it looked even more majestic and grandiose, with all the brightly colored tiled roofs, colorful stone sidewalks, tall multi-story pagodas, and mighty walls that seemed to reach the heavens.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:17

In order not to disturb the guards, he did not fly up on the Sun Lark and landed directly in the Jade Palace. He landed an hour's walk from the city and walked, as he was supposed to. He looked like a real traveler now, with his leather robes covered in road dust and the open mouth of a hillbilly who was entering the city for the first time.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:25

"What, lad, have you never seen such a thing?" The old guard said good-naturedly, noticing his goofy look.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:27

"Aha! I'm looking at it and thinking. If these houses are so tall, why aren't they falling?"

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:27

"That's not for me to ask," the guard laughed. "Ask the various scientists from the Academy. I've been living here as long as I have, and I still can't get used to it."

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:28

"I know! I guessed it!" Xing said, causing the guard to give him a surprised look.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:28

"Well?" The man asked.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:34

"By the grace of the Emperor!" Xing replied in a tone as if he was explaining obvious things to a child.

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:28

"That's right!" laughed the guard. "Hail to the Emperor!"

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:35

"Glory to the Son of Heaven!" Xing immediately replied.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:34

"What's your hurry, lad?" The guard asked.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:35

"To the palace!" Xing didn't deny it.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:36

"And what makes you think they'll let you in?"

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:37

"Well, I was invited!" he explained.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:37

The guardsman measured Xing from head to toe, scratched his helmet, and, tapping lightly on the sidewalk with his spear, asked:

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:38

"Tell me, lad, what's your name?"

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:38

"Xing Duo!" Xing stuck out his chest.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:39

"Duo?" The guard widened his eyes and suddenly laughed. "Well, I could have guessed it myself! You're as big as a bear! A real Duo!"

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 16:39

Xing was surprised at this but waved his hand. Perhaps the guards had been alerted to his arrival, and Grandpa was just being weird.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 17:02

After listening to the instructions on how to get to the palace, Xing nodded gratefully, received an approving clap on the shoulder from the guard, and headed away.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 17:03

Every citizen of the Empire had the right to address the Emperor. Of course, not to him personally. No one could dare to do such sacrilege, but it was easy to come to the palace and make a request to one of the many officials. Few fools would abuse this privilege. Only the most desperate came to the palace because if the request was recognized as petty or insignificant, the petitioner would be punished. So the stone slabs leading to the majestic palace were almost empty. Here and there were lone figures in the robes of officials, and the soldiers of the imperial guards were frozen in immovable statues, ready at any moment to break out of their seats and punish violators.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 17:05

At the entrance of the palace, in the most honorable and important place, the Emperor's Jade Guards, the elite of the elite, warriors of the master rank, were lined up. The qi of one of them seemed very familiar to Xing.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 17:06

"Bokin, you old swamp tadpole!" Xing exclaimed. "Is that you? I didn't expect to find you here!"

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:29

Bokin remained where he was, not even moving, only the movements of his eyes showed that he could see Xing and was not a sophisticated statue on par with the huge jade tigers near the entrance.

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:30

"Who's messing around here?" A deep, booming voice was heard. An elderly guardsman wearing particularly rich armor and a luxurious mustache came out of the palace gate.

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:30

"I guess it's me!" Xing waved his hand. "I met an old acquaintance!"

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:31

"And what is your name?" The guardsman asked.

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:31

"Xing Duo!"

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:31

"We weren't expecting you, Mr. Duo, for another month. But I could have guessed that you would arrive sooner. Guardsman Yufeng Duo, at ease! You are forbidden to leave your duty station, but you are allowed to speak. Five dozen breaths, no more, is all I can allow."

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:32

"Yufeng?" Xing was surprised. "Ah yes, I left before you got an adult name. Well, that's not bad!"

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:32

"Xing, you won't believe it! We all said it was you, but no one believed us! They nodded and agreed, saying, "You're doing the right thing not to reveal the secrets of such a great man!"

Camrad_RIP 29.02.24 в 09:49

"Bokin, I mean Yufeng, what are you talking about?"

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:33

"That you're not Feng anymore, you're Xing! And that we used to tease you about being a general because your head wasn't right!"

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:35

Xing realized Yufeng was about to waste his precious time on such incoherent nonsense, so he quickly steered the conversation back to normal.

Camrad_RIP 29.02.24 в 09:50

"You'd better tell me how our people are doing, how's Duojia?"

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:36

"We all worked hard! Practicing like you told us to! And as you can see, I was accepted into the Jade Guard! Because I've become strong too!"

Camrad_RIP 29.02.24 в 09:55

"Mom and Dad? Brothers? Sisters?"

Camrad_RIP 29.02.24 в 09:55

"Everything's fine! Aimin married Master Yi! When I joined the service, they already had two children! And your mother had another son! And your brothers got married! Who wouldn't want to marry a daughter to a rich man like you? They came from other villages too, willing to tolerate even a bamboo stick, but no way! Oh, wait, you know about it, you haven't left yet! So we got married and had kids! I haven't been home for a long time, maybe their kids have already mastered the chi! When I get permission, I want to go home! Duojia's girls are the prettiest! They're pretty here at the palace too, but ours..."

Camrad_RIP 29.02.24 в 09:56

"Guardsman Yufeng Duo, your time is up, you are back on duty!" The commander said sternly.

Camrad_RIP 29.02.24 в 09:57

Yuifeng stretched out and froze again as a motionless statue. Xing clapped him on the shoulder and followed the commander.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 17:07

They walked through endless corridors paved with polished stone, went through galleries and gardens with fruit trees and fountains, and then stopped outside a chamber with carved red and gold doors.

Camrad_RIP 24.02.24 в 17:09

"Even though you arrived early, Mr. Xing Duo," said the commander, "we are almost ready. Of course, it will take some time. You can rest for now. I'll have the servants fill the bathtub. I'll come back for you in two or three medium cycles."

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:37

Xing walked into the luxurious room, kicked off his shoes, and stretched out on the bed without undressing. He was in no hurry, and whatever the capital had in store for him, he was ready. He had made his own life in Akhribad and Mogao, but only here, in the palace, he suddenly felt as if he had returned to his old life when he was Han Nao and had not yet met the dastardly teacher.

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:38

There was a knock and two maids entered the room, and after receiving permission, they began to prepare the bath. The palace had an intricate system of hot and cold water pipes, but Xing didn't wait for the bathtub to fill up but created the Water Element by drawing moisture from the air and heating it with the Fire Element. After dispersing the giggling maids, he undressed and climbed into the bathtub. There were a lot of herbal concoctions and bubble bath products on the shelf, but Xing didn't use any of them. He just took out a few of his elixirs from his bracelet and poured them into the hot water. For the rest of the time, he simply enjoyed quiet cultivation in the hot water letting the water qi and medicinal power of the elixirs flow through him.

Camrad_RIP 29.02.24 в 10:25

When the knock on the door sounded, Xing was already ready. He put on his salamander suit and cleaned the dust with qi, rather than changing into the palace robes. Xing was not being taken away by the commander of the guards but by an unknown official, which Xing found natural and self-evident after some thought. The official led him into one of the courtyards and pointed to a palanquin. Xing didn't like this mode of transportation, but he didn't resist and climbed in. The official sat down opposite. The eight stretcher-bearers, who had a Qi adept, hoisted the palanquin on their shoulders and sprinted forward at a fast, well-coordinated pace, somehow managing to do so without the slightest sway. Xing peered through the carved windows but saw nothing of interest. All around the palanquin were specks of unfamiliar qi, both ordinary people and adepts, and one master; through the gaps in the carvings, he could see the walls of buildings, alleys, and parks. Xing had nothing to talk about with the official, for he would not answer a direct question as to where they were going, but would only say that Xing would see. Xing was tempted to reach behind his back for a chain or leap outside to break a suitable bamboo stick, but it was not a good idea to educate the officials in the Emperor's palace.

Camrad_RIP 29.02.24 в 10:28

Finally, the path ended, and the palanquin stopped at a huge building, Xing could only see a high white wall. Behind the wall, one could feel the qi of many, dozens and dozens of thousands of people with no internal energy, except for a handful of adepts and a couple of masters.

Camrad_RIP 28.02.24 в 14:39

"I wish you good luck!" said the official and pointed to a passage in the wall, a corridor that reminded Xing of the entrances to the mines of Akhribad. He shrugged and headed inside. The passage was long and straight, with no windows or branches, and ended in a heavy iron-clad metal door, unexpectedly reminiscent of the doors in Ahribad's main tower. Xing pulled the ring and stepped inside.

Camrad_RIP 29.02.24 в 10:29

The Qi of a thousand people that he had sensed a moment earlier disappeared as if cut off by an invisible barrier. But Xing's consciousness was flooded by the radiance of three bright spots of energy, the strongest he had ever encountered. He stepped out and looked around. The bright rays of the afternoon sun illuminated a huge arena covered in white sand. Many people were sitting in the stands, separated from the arena by powerful protective talismans, with some sectors dominated by nobles and others by ordinary citizens.

Camrad_RIP 29.02.24 в 08:03