Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

This past month has been incredibly unlucky for the officialdom of the capital.

In the past, people went to court to clock in and get by; now, going to court feels as solemn as going to a grave.

No one knew who the thin scholar in the scarlet robe standing at the end of the line had taken a dislike to today.

Gu Xiang was a very dedicated and responsible official.

His mouth, which used to be used only to curse chicken-stealing weasels at the village entrance, is now on a different level. He's been ordered to curse in the streets, unleashing his full power.

Today I'm criticizing the Ministry of Works for shoddy construction of the bridge; tomorrow I'll criticize the Minister of Revenue for having a concubine wearing Shu brocade that violates regulations; and the day after tomorrow I'll criticize the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review for dozing off during a trial.

The key point is that his arguments were all logical and well-founded; I don't know where this idiot got all these rumors from.

Actually, the source of the information was very simple; it all came from Su Qing's group of cronies.

There's nothing else in the capital, but stray cats and dogs, and rats on the roof beams are everywhere.

Su Qing could just grab a few and ask around, and she could find out exactly which family's parent wet the bed the night before.

Night falls at Zuixianju.

Gu Xiang was slumped over the table, his grip on the pen so tight it was almost dripping wet.

A stack of drafts was piled on the table, and a pile of scrap paper was scattered on the floor.

"Miss Su, what do you think of this phrase? Isn't 'occupying a position without doing anything' too mild? How about changing it to 'occupying a position without doing anything'?" Gu Xiang, with dark circles under his eyes, looked at Su Qing with an eager expression.

Su Qing was lying on the soft couch applying a face mask—which was actually just a few slices of cucumber.

She rolled over and yawned lazily.

"Lord Gu, that's a memorial to the throne, meant for the Emperor, not something written for the village elder." Su Qing took the cucumber slice off her face, put it in her mouth, and chewed it. "To put it more elegantly, it would be 'Those who hold office but fail to fulfill their duties are better off going back to grow sweet potatoes.'"

Gu Xiang's eyes lit up, and he immediately wrote: "Wonderful! Sister Su is truly talented!"

Su Qing rolled her eyes.

This idiot, he got sold out and still has to help the seller count the money.

After finishing the memorial, Gu Xiang checked it three times before carefully blowing the ink dry, folding it neatly, and putting it into the sleeve of his official robe.

After doing all this, he stretched and his stomach growled at just the right moment.

"Are you hungry?" Su Qing pointed to the food box on the table. "I had the waiter bring over some osmanthus cakes earlier, and I saved two pieces for you."

Gu Xiang chuckled, grabbed a piece of osmanthus cake and stuffed it into his mouth, his cheeks bulging out like a hamster hoarding grain.

"Miss Su, you should have some too." Gu Xiang handed over the remaining piece.

"I'm not eating, I'm afraid of gaining weight." Su Qing waved her hand dismissively. "Go to sleep, you have to get up early tomorrow to scold people."

Gu Xiang nodded, swallowed the pastry in a few bites, washed up quickly, and went to sleep.

He was exhausted this past month, having to deal with both open and covert attacks in the court, write memorials, and constantly guard against the Second Prince's gang's underhanded tactics.

Soon after, snoring began.

Su Qing looked at Gu Xiang's unguarded sleeping face and shook her head.

That idiot is just lucky to have met me.

Anyone else would have been devoured by those old foxes in Shen Du long ago, leaving not even bones.

A sudden gust of cold wind swept in from outside the window.

Su Qing's eyes narrowed, and with a flick of her finger, an invisible barrier instantly enveloped Gu Xiang's bed.

A paper crane, flapping its wings, crookedly squeezed in through the crack in the window.

It landed on the table, and the painted eyes turned around, staring at Su Qing.

Immediately afterwards, the paper crane opened and closed its beak, emitting a clear and cold female voice. The voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable air of authority.

"At the Star-Picking Pavilion, warm wine awaits you."

Su Qing raised an eyebrow.

It's time to come.

For the past month, the Imperial Preceptor's residence has been as quiet as a graveyard.

Su Qing initially thought the old hag was plotting something wicked, but it turned out she just wanted to treat everyone to drinks.

"I'm not going," Su Qing said to the paper crane. "I want to sleep."

The paper crane froze for a moment, seemingly not expecting to be rejected so decisively.

It was silent for a moment, then spoke again: "About the Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart."

Su Qing narrowed her eyes, a dangerous glint flashing in them.

She stood up, casually draped an outer robe over her shoulders, and glanced back at the sleeping Gu Xiang.

"Keep an eye on the house," Su Qing said to the air.

The shadows in the corner stirred, and several large rats emerged, bowed to Su Qing, and then scattered around the room to keep watch.

Su Qing pushed open the window, her figure flickered, and she transformed into a streak of red light, instantly disappearing into the night.

……

Deep within the imperial palace stands the Star-Picking Tower.

This is the tallest building in the capital city; it is said that you can reach out and pluck the stars from the sky.

The rooftop was a huge terrace with no shelter on any side, and the wind was so strong that it made clothes flutter loudly.

There is a pond in the center of the terrace, in which several golden-red koi are kept.

A figure dressed in a black robe was sitting by the pond, holding a handful of fish food and scattering it into the water little by little.

Su Qing landed on the terrace and, without any ceremony, went straight to sit down opposite the person.

"You're calling me to feed the fish in the middle of the night?" Su Qing glanced at the koi in the pond. "These fish look pretty plump; they should be good braised."

The man in black robes paused, then turned his head.

The iconic bronze mask is gone.

What was revealed was a face so pale it was almost transparent.

She was beautiful, eerily beautiful, with slightly upturned eyes that gave her a natural allure, yet were suppressed by her lifeless gaze.

This was the first time Su Qing had seen the Imperial Preceptor's true face.

"The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox truly lives up to its name." The Imperial Advisor's voice was very soft, as if afraid of disturbing the fish in the pond. "This seductive... alluring charm is etched into its very bones."

Su Qing wasn't annoyed. She reached into the fish food bowl in the Grand Preceptor's hand, grabbed a handful, and threw one into her mouth.

"That's right, unlike some people who are clearly demons but insist on pretending to be saints." Su Qing chewed on fish food—which turned out to be roasted beans, and tasted alright. "So, what do you want? If you want to fight, I'm all for it. If you want to take someone away, well, that depends on how strong your teeth are."

The Imperial Advisor ignored Su Qing's provocation. She looked at the koi carp fighting for food in the pond with a somewhat unfocused gaze.

"What do you think of that scholar?" the Imperial Advisor suddenly asked.

"Stupid, dull, poor, and obsessed with saving face." Su Qing curled her lip. "Besides being honest, he's good for nothing."

"Honest and sincere..." The Grand Preceptor repeated these words, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips. "Yes, the most precious thing in this world is this honest and sincere heart."

Su Qing frowned.

Why is this old hag acting so strangely?

"Don't play games with me." Su Qing patted the crumbs off her hands. "Since you know he's incredibly shrewd, why didn't you take action? Don't tell me you've become a vegetarian. You almost couldn't resist that day at the examination hall."

The Imperial Advisor turned his head, his vertical pupils fixed on Su Qing.

"What I want is not a stone."

Su Qing was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

The Imperial Advisor pointed to his chest: "The Seven-Aperture Exquisite Heart is a supreme treasure of heaven and earth. If it is forcibly extracted, one will die upon leaving the body and turn into a stubborn stone, which is useless except as an ornament."

Su Qing's heart skipped a beat.

Is that even a claim?

That lousy system didn't say anything about it.

"So?" Su Qing asked.

"Only a heart that is willingly given is alive and complete." The Grand Preceptor's voice became somewhat hoarse. "Three hundred years ago, a monk gave his heart to that white fox, helping her to become an immortal. That was because he loved her, loved her to the core, and was willing to die for her."

Su Qing understood.

"So you're trying to play the 'raising a pet' game?" Su Qing looked at him like he was a pervert. "You want Gu Xiang to fall in love with you and then willingly give you his heart? You've got the wrong idea. That idiot may be slow, but he still has normal taste. At your age, you're too old to be my grandmother."

The Imperial Advisor was not angry; instead, he smiled.

"It's not that you've fallen in love with me." The Imperial Advisor looked at Su Qing, his eyes becoming somewhat meaningful. "It's that I've fallen in love with you."

Su Qing suddenly stood up, his demonic aura surging, and the phantom images of nine tails behind him appeared and disappeared.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't be nervous." The Imperial Advisor waved his hand, gesturing for Su Qing to sit down. "I'm just stating a fact. You should understand better than I do the way that scholar looked at you. He was risking his life for you, fighting against the world for you. His righteous spirit awakened because he wanted to protect you."

Su Qing fell silent.

She remembered Gu Xiang standing in front of her, the anti-government essay he wrote in the examination hall, and the foolish way he gave her all his remaining silver.

"So what?" Su Qing sneered. "I am a demon, and he is a human. Humans and demons are destined to be apart; this has been written to death in storybooks."

"Yes, humans and demons are different." The Imperial Advisor sighed, as if recalling some past event. "But some fools just won't believe in this superstition."

She stood up, walked to the railing, and looked down at the brightly lit capital city below.

"Su Qing, let's make a deal."

"I don't make deals with perverts," Su Qing refused decisively.

"You will agree." The Imperial Preceptor had his back to her. "I will not harm Gu Xiang in the slightest before he becomes a saint. In fact, I will use the power of the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion to help him gain a foothold in the court and help him cultivate his righteous spirit."

Su Qing frowned: "What are you after? Are you going to fatten him up before killing him?"

"The seven-aperture exquisite heart that one gains after becoming a saint is of great use, even if it is a stubborn rock." The Grand Preceptor turned around, his eyes becoming extremely cold. "I want to borrow his heart to break through the shackles of this world and go up there to take a look."

She pointed to the starry sky above.

"As for whether you can make him willingly offer his heart, that's your business, and also his tribulation." The Grand Preceptor looked at Su Qing. "You can choose to take him away now, but I guarantee that as soon as you step out of the capital, all the demons in the world will be on the move. Without my protection, he would have been devoured from the moment he was born."

Su Qing gritted her teeth.

Although Gu Xiang was able to grow up without being eaten by demons, it was because the Imperial Advisor secretly protected him.

But she was still furious that her scholar was being coveted.

It must be admitted that she was telling the truth.

Gu Xiang is now a walking piece of Tang Monk's flesh; without the National Preceptor's name to keep him in check, he would have been devoured long ago, leaving not even a trace.

"Alright." Su Qing sat back down, grabbed the wine jug on the table, and took a swig. "I'll take this deal. But let me make this clear: if I ever find you disagreeable, or if that idiot tries to kill you, I won't stop him."

The Imperial Advisor smiled but said nothing.

She sat back down by the pond and continued feeding the fish.

"Go back," the Imperial Advisor said calmly. "It's almost dawn, and Lord Gu should be going to court to scold people."

Su Qing put down the wine pot and gave the Imperial Advisor a deep look.

This woman harbors secrets deeper than the waters of this divine capital.

"I'm gone."

Su Qing vanished from the terrace in a flash.

After Su Qing left, the Imperial Advisor looked at his reflection in the water and reached out to touch his face.

"Bhikkhu..." she murmured to herself, "If you hadn't given me your heart back then, would we both have survived?"

A single tear fell into the pool, creating ripples.

……

When Su Qing returned to Zuixianju, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

Gu Xiang was still asleep, the blanket had been kicked to one side, and one leg was hanging over the edge of the bed; he was sleeping in a terrible state.

Su Qing went over and helped him cover himself with the blanket.

Looking at that slightly immature face, Su Qing felt a little irritated.

It was originally just a mission; I just wanted to use this fool's luck to find the opportunity that the main body wanted.

Why do I feel like I've gotten myself into this mess?

"Willingly..." Su Qing poked Gu Xiang's cheek, "You silly goose, how can you be so honest?"

Gu Xiang frowned in his dream and muttered, "Miss Su... roast chicken... don't steal it..."

Su Qing laughed in exasperation.

"Eat, eat, all you ever do is eat."

She sat on the edge of the bed, watching the dawn gradually break outside the window.

Since I've taken on this mess, I might as well play along with this idiot.

Anyway, I'm just idling around.

As for the future...

Su Qing touched the broken fan in her sleeve.

Anyone who wants this fool's heart should first ask the fan in her hand if it agrees.

Even that old hag won't do.

"Get up!" Su Qing slapped Gu Xiang on the bottom. "The sun's already high in the sky, Lord Gu, it's time to go see the Minister of Rites!"

Gu Xiang suddenly woke up with a start, groggily getting up: "Improve...improve whom? Oh right, the Minister of Rites! That old bastard glared at me yesterday!"

Seeing Gu Xiang frantically getting dressed, Su Qing smiled.

This woman is living off her husband, and she's doing it with quite a bit of arrogance.