Chapter 24: Miss Tantai

Chapter 24: Miss Tantai

City God, also known as the God of the City or the Lord of the City, was one of the important deities widely revered in the Daoist community, serving as the guardian deity of cities and towns. It was embodied by eminent heroes and officials who had contributed to the welfare of the local populace.

Jade Capital was also a city, so it had its own City God Temple in Taiqing Square. The temple enshrined the Second-Generation Grand Master of the Daoist Order. Although this Grand Master did not hold office for long and was not as prominent as the Holy Xuan or the Third-Generation Grand Master, during his tenure, he improved the layout of Jade Capital based on the foundation laid by the Holy Xuan.

Therefore, he was regarded as the guardian deity of Jade Capital and received offerings of incense.

Land was precious in Jade Capital, so even the residences of fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist masters were just small two-story buildings. Ordinary Daoist priests and Daoist believers could not afford to host elaborate ceremonies or accommodate numerous guests.

Moreover, many people were orphans without parents or relatives. Thus, over time, it became a custom for weddings to be held at the City God Temple. That way, the newlywed couple could pay respects to the deity, who represented an elder. Since many people were orphans without parents or relatives, it was customary for wedding organizers to invite passersby to witness the ceremony to make it livelier.

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu happened to receive an invitation to witness a wedding. Generally, invited guests would not refuse and would instead offer their blessings.

Qi Xuansu took the wedding invitation first and congratulated the person.

Zhang Yuelu also accepted the invitation and smiled slightly. “I wish the newlyweds a happy marriage for a lifetime.”

The smile on the female disciple's face brightened as she invited them to the City God Temple and continued to invite other passersby.

Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu exchanged a glance and walked toward the City God Temple together.

The City God Temple had three spacious halls, grand architecture, and magnificent eaves, making it the most impressive temple in the Jade Capital. There were couplets on the pillars at the entrance.

The upper couplet read, “Snow rides the wind’s might, claiming the fields for but a few days.”

The lower couplet read, “Clouds ride the rain’s momentum, veiling the heavens and earth for only a short while.”

The City God Temple was brilliantly lit at this time, with the entire main hall shining brightly, resembling a palace in the sky.

Earlier, when they were in the shop, Zhang Yuelu had her back to Qi Xuansu. After leaving the shop, it was dark until they arrived under the lights of the City God Temple, allowing Qi Xuansu to see Zhang Yuelu’s face clearly.

In the dim light, under the glow of the lamp, Zhang Yuelu’s face was rosy and cheerful, which only added to her charm.

Zhang Yuelu’s naturally attractive face left Qi Xuansu somewhat amazed, though not to the extent of astonishment.

At the same time, Zhang Yuelu also got a clear look at Qi Xuansu’s face. Visitt novelbin(.)co/m for the latest updates

In all fairness, Qi Xuansu was decent-looking himself, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He even looked mature for his age due to his experience, which chipped away at his youthful na?veté, making him stand out from his peers.

Zhang Yuelu’s first impression of Qi Xuansu was not bad at all.

Qi Xuansu smiled faintly. “My name is Qi Xuansu. It means two conflicting forces clashing and leading to two different paths.”

Qi Xuansu was taken aback, then he shook his head. “I speak the truth.”

Zhang Yuelu smiled gently. “Thank you for the praise, then.”

Qi Xuansu asked again, “Miss Tantai, from your tone, it seems like many people flatter you often.”

Zhang Yuelu chuckled. “From a man, not so much, but indeed, I do get flattered a lot when it comes to matters of fame and gain.”

Qi Xuansu nodded in understanding. “It’s not surprising, since the world revolves around gain. It seems that you are either of high status or from a prominent family, Miss Tantai.”

“I’m not of high status, nor am I from a prominent family. Social interactions can get tiresome, but it’s inevitable.” Zhang Yuelu shook her head, showing no signs of arrogance.

Qi Xuansu felt this deeply. Just earlier, he was flattering a fourth-rank Jijiu Daoist master for a spot in Tiangang Hall.

As for Miss Tantai, Qi Xuansu could not help but doubt her words. He figured that she must be from a prominent family.

Although many in the Daoist community were orphans, not all were. Many came from the major families that existed even before the rise of the Holy Xuan. Even the Holy Xuan himself hailed from one of these families, the Li family of Beihai.

The Zhang family of the Zhengyi Sect, also known as the Zhang family of Shangqing Prefecture, was one of the three major families in the world. Another major family was the royal family, also known as the Qin family of Dragon City. The third major family was the direct descendants of Confucius.

The Zhang family of Shangqing Prefecture and the Li family of Beihai were often referred to as the Southern Zhangs and the Northern Lis in the Daoist community. These two families had a long history of cooperation and rivalry, being both old friends and rivals.

Naturally, the children of these prominent families were not orphans.

As Zhang Yuelu and Qi Xuansu conversed quietly, the wedding ceremony came to an end. The newlyweds invited all the guests to proceed to the Phoenix Tower, not far from the City God Temple, to attend the banquet. It was a gesture of gratitude to those who had come to witness the ceremony.

The Phoenix Tower was quite famous in the Jade Capital. Its name meant luck and celebrations, and it was conveniently situated diagonally opposite the City God Temple. Thus, it attracted countless couples to hold their wedding reception there. After the wedding ceremony, banquets were often held in the Phoenix Tower, so its business was thriving.

The Phoenix Tower had four floors and occupied a vast area, far surpassing ordinary taverns. The first floor was a hall for casual diners, where Daoist believers skilled in music were hired to perform. The second floor consisted of small private rooms, while the third floor had larger private rooms. The fourth floor housed the most luxurious private rooms.

The banquet for the newlyweds was arranged on the third floor, which came at a price of approximately two Taiping coins per table, excluding the cost of alcohol.

As the guests arrived on the third floor, the woman in charge of reception made a mistake and assumed that Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu were a married couple. Thus, they were seated together. There was no ill will between them, so naturally, they didn't refuse.

After being seated, a waiter came over to ask the guests what they would like to drink, besides the essential Nu Er Hong[1] for the banquet.

Zhang Yuelu surprised everyone by asking the waiter, “Do you have shaojiu[2]?”

1. Popular Chinese yellow rice wine served at weddings. ☜

2. Strong and colorless distilled liquor, also known as baijiu. ☜