Chapter 15 - Looking Bad

Meanwhile, in the nine heavens, another person also used a shrub to hide. It was just that this person wasn't crouching inside the shrub like Jing Yi, but instead squatting behind it, peeking through the branches. It was a man, normally described as dignified, who was even favorably looked upon by a lot of women. Well, that might not be the case anymore, if they saw him like that …

That man was the fate's scribe, Shun Tao, and at this moment, his eyes were glued to a group of young gods in a courtyard. The shrub, behind which he hid, stood a little way from the entrance, so that he could monitor nearly every nook and cranny of the place.

Slowly, he examined the gods one by one. Some of them held books, others practiced an instrument and at the far corner were even some fighting with swords. At those with books in their hands, his gaze lingered a little longer, but most of his attention was caught by three younglings, who sat at a table each and were either writing or monitoring something themselves.

It has to be one of them, thought Shun Tao. Reading was something, that could improve the abilities of a future fate's scribe, but someone able to mess with the crown prince's fate this accurately shouldn't be at merely this level.

Monitoring how a fate unfurled and practicing your writing were advanced skills for a fate's scribe. So one of those three should be the one, he was searching for.

Shun Tao craned his neck, but of course he couldn't see anything from such a distance. What to do? He couldn't just stroll over, if he wanted to find out. Maybe he could send someone? But that wouldn't be as reliable as he himself taking a look. Was there an artifact, that could be used?

The scribe's palace didn't have anything, but he might be able to borrow something from another palace. But that should be a last resort. People would pose too many questions, if he asked for something like that. No, it was still better to first send someone over to have a look in his stead. He might glimpse a clue from this, so that he wouldn't need to borrow an artifact. And if he couldn't, it still wouldn't be too late to borrow one. Now, all he needed was someone to take a look for him …

So, at this moment, the dignified fate's scribe Shun Tao, in his long silk robe, with his hair tied up with a fashionable crown on top, squatted behind a shrub like a thief, and twisted from one side to the other, craning his neck.

Watching from behind, this looked quite … queer.

And of course, as luck would have it, just at this moment, two people walked down the path outside the walls, looked through the gate and happened to see this scene. The two men halted and watched a moment longer.

"Isn't that … fate's scribe, Shun Tao?", asked one of them. The other nodded, unsure of what else to say. "I'd like to know, what exactly he is doing there." The other nodded again and the two men made their way over.

Their shadows loomed over Shun Tao, who only now noticed them. With a bad feeling in his gut, he slowly turned around, still remaining in his squat. The first thing to enter his eyes, was a bright yellow robe.

Shun Tao gulped. How many people are there in the nine heavens, who wear bright yellow robes?

The answer is quite easy. Even a three-year-old could probably tell you: Exactly one.

And who is this person, who wears such robes?

The answer to that is even easier, since that person is known by all: Tianjun Rong Su. The incumbent heavenly sovereign.

"Your … Your Majesty." Shun Tao gulped again, slowly lifting his head. He didn't even spare a glance at the man next to Tianjun Rong Su, instead focusing all his attention on that serious face.

Oh no, it's over. That was his first thought at seeing the heavenly sovereign's facial expression. He knows.

Shun Tao lightly coughed and stood up from his squat, switching into a proper bow. Cold sweat grazed his brow. "Fate's scribe, Shun Tao, greets His Majesty, Tianjun."

"Mn." The heavenly sovereign motioned for him to get up, then nodded towards the courtyard. "Fate's scribe, what are you doing here?" He didn't mention the shrub. Well, he was the heavenly sovereign. Even if he wanted to laugh, he couldn't with all those people around …

"I …" Shun Tao's gaze wavered. "I am looking … for … new recruits."

"New recruits? Does the scribe's palace lack people?"

"Er … no, Your Majesty. We are currently not lacking anyone. I just … Well, I thought it would be better to have a look now, if there should be need in the future."

Tianjun Rong Su nodded. "That is quite commendable." He exchanged a glance with the man beside him. Both were asking themselves the same question, but the heavenly sovereign couldn't pose it.

"Then …", interjected the other man, who was none other than the god of war, Qiang Yan. "Why were you …" He searched for a harmless way to formulate his question. "Why were you doing it like this?"

"Er … I … of course, I can't be seen. I have to monitor them, while they feel themselves to be undisturbed. Only like that, I can bring to light, how they'll work in the future. They'd certainly only show me their good side, if they knew I was here."

The heavenly sovereign nodded. That was indeed a good idea. Just that the implementation was a little … unsightly. Considering Shun Tao's good intentions, the heavenly sovereign decided to let the incident go by the board.

"Speaking of your work: How is our son faring in the mortal realm?" His gaze grew a little softer, speaking of his precious son.

Shun Tao gulped again. Here it came … "His highness …" What to do? Lie? Tell the truth? "The crown prince …" He hadn't found even the tiniest clue until now! He could beg forgiveness, but would he get it? Of course not! Everyone knew of his majesty's temper! Everyone knew how much he loved his son! A head would be rolling, if he said the truth! "He … is faring extremely well, of course." Oh heaven, had his voice quivered right now? Had the heavenly sovereign been able to tell something was up? Had he known beforehand and was just testing him?

"Ahahaha, as expected of our precious son!" Rong Su laughed and ran his hand over his beard.

He doesn't seem like … he wants to question me? Shun Tao slightly relaxed, but just at this moment, the heavenly sovereign looked up again. Shun Tao tensed again.

"That's right. It has been three days since then, that equals to three years in the mortal realm. His first trial should have passed? What is he doing right now?"

"Er …" Shun Tao slid his hand inside his sleeve, grabbing the scroll of fate with quivering fingers. He took it out, unfurled it and had a look. The words greeting him, surprised him so much, that he blurted the first ones right out. "Girls are —" He bit down on his tongue to hold himself back.

Disgusting creatures?! I've been looking at the possible recruits the whole time since morning! How did the fate go off track again?! And by this much, even?

"Girls are …?", prompted Tianjun.

Shun Tao laughed without any humor. "Girls are swarming him already. Even as a mortal, his highness just can't hide his great charm. Hahaha."

"As expected of …" The heavenly sovereign was about to praise his son again, but then remembered, what he himself had just said. "Ah, isn't he only three years old at the moment? What personal charm? What girls? Shouldn't his trial of love only happen at the later stages of his live?"

Shun Tao furled the scroll of fate again and hurriedly stuffed it into his sleeve. A lot of characters had been missing again. He couldn't risk letting the heavenly sovereign taking a look himself. "That … that is indeed true. It's just, that … you know, children. First love is something … something so defining. And his highness is such an outstanding man. I felt like … the fate didn't do him enough justice, so I … I added … a little something, you know, to … to … spice things up … a little. Your majesty."

Tianjun's eyebrows lifted. "Spice things up? For a … three-year-old?"

Shun Tao nodded solemnly. "One can never start too early."

Qiang Yan furrowed his brow. "I hope you won't mind me asking, Shun Tao, but … I'm an uncultured man and therefore can't seem to follow. Why would you do something like that?"

"That …" Shun Tao gulped. Hadn't he just made that up on the spot? Why did he have to ask? "It's like this: First love is more memorable than any one thereafter. So, I feel like using first love in addition to the already prepared love trial, might be a greater challenge for his highness. A man as outstanding as him would certainly not lose his way because of just any love trial. Even a prepared fate can't change his special character, considering it is still his immortal soul, that is experiencing this mortal life."

Tianjun nodded, satisfied with this evaluation of his son. "That is indeed true."

Qiang Yan nodded, too, but he wasn't that convinced. Was all of that really necessary? But that was Shun Tao's task, so he didn't have to understand. He would just settle for this answer.

Qiang Yan looked at the heavenly sovereign, asking through his eyes, if they should go.

Tianjun gave a curt nod, but still spoke to Shun Tao again. "Fate's scribe, if you want to have those gods monitored, have some personnel assigned to the task. There is no need to bother yourself with that."

Shun Tao nodded and bowed, when the heavenly sovereign turned to go. The two men strode away. Shun Tao heaved a sigh and took a last look at the possible recruits, before turning away himself. He wouldn't be able to achieve anything on his own here. He really needed someone else to do the task.

A little distance away, Tianjun halted and turned toward Qiang Yan. "The fate's scribe seemed a little nervous."

Qiang Yan nodded. "Well, that is to be expected, Your Majesty. He was seen in quite a … unsightly situation. He was probably afraid it would cast a slur at him."

"Mn, that might very well be the reason. We're probably just overly anxious about our son's fate."

"I could send somebody to monitor him, Your Majesty."

"Jing He would certainly not mind, but … it's his trial, after all. Even if something goes wrong, we shouldn't do something about it. There would be no reason for such a trial, if we did everything for him."

"His highness certainly wouldn't have problems passing this trial."

"We think so, too. Jing He …" He sighed. "Did we ever have any problems with this boy? It will be a good thing for him to experience those things. He's too calm. He needs to experience a little disaster." The heavenly sovereign probably wouldn't have said so, if he knew just how much of a disaster his son's mortal fate had already become …

"Mn." Qiang Yan nodded and the men continued on their way, without sending somebody down into the mortal realm.

But Tianjun Rong Su didn't discard the thought. He merely shelved it for later, when his son had weathered his first conscious trial. It certainly couldn't be wrong for a father to take a look, to make sure, if his son was doing alright. He wouldn't interfere. He would just send someone to take a look. Mn, he had to do so. He didn't want Jing He to think, that he didn't care. He cared very, very much. Actually, he still preferred sending someone right this instant …