Journey to the West: Starting from the Imperial Horse Stable

Venus's residence is not among the most magnificent and spiritually rich palaces in Heaven, but rather nestled deep within the relatively tranquil "Star-Gazing Garden." The garden is mostly occupied by quiet civil officials, so it is less noisy and more peaceful with books and stars.

The mansion itself is not very grand; it is just an exquisite three-courtyard complex.

At this moment, the courtyard gate was half-closed, and the area in front of it was deserted, without even a celestial attendant on duty. The flowers and plants in the courtyard seemed to have lost some of their care, showing a kind of casual growth, even a slightly neglected charm. A few withered yellow leaves fell on the bluestone path, and no one swept them away.

Under the eaves in front of the main hall, there was a simple bamboo table and two rattan chairs. Venus sat in one of the rattan chairs.

He appeared to be a lean and vigorous old man with white hair and beard, a kind face, and a smiling expression. However, at this moment, a faint, lingering weariness and detachment seemed to shroud his eyes.

He didn't sip tea or gaze at the stars as usual, nor did he peruse any books. He simply sat quietly in his chair, wearing a worn-out moon-white robe. Unconsciously, he stroked a warm, smooth jade pendant in his hand, his gaze somewhat vacant as it fell upon a slightly messy cluster of tuberoses in the courtyard. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the sparse clouds, casting a lonely shadow on him.

This was the scene that greeted Bai Jian as he stepped into the somewhat desolate courtyard. He couldn't help but sigh slightly, a complex mix of sorrow welling up inside him.

Once upon a time, as a close advisor to the Jade Emperor and a third-rank star deity, the teacher held a highly respected position. Although he did not form factions or seize power, he was still visited by a constant stream of celestial officials and clerks who came to seek his guidance or simply to curry favor. When did he become so deserted?

It all stemmed from the rebellion of the demon monkey Sun Wukong against the Heavenly Court.

Although everyone with eyes could see that the Jade Emperor had approved the policy of granting amnesty, and that the appointment of the official title of "弼马温" (Bima Wen) was a result of the Martial Star Lord and others making things difficult, things went wrong and the Heavenly Court lost face. Someone had to share the responsibility and bear the pressure.

Thus, Venus, who initially proposed and implemented the appeasement, became one of the most readily available scapegoats. Although not explicitly demoted, the emperor's favor had clearly waned, and his former close friends naturally distanced themselves.

"This imperial court is truly a difficult place to navigate," Bai Jian thought to himself. "Even someone of my teacher's rank and seniority, once he loses power and his support, will find his door deserted and his carriages scarce in the blink of an eye. The fickleness of human nature applies to both immortals and mortals."

He composed himself, straightened his robes, stepped forward slowly, and bowed respectfully: "Student Bai Jian greets teacher."

Venus seemed to snap out of her reverie, turning to look at Bai Jian with her usual gentle smile, though a hint of melancholy lingered in it: "It's Bai Jian. No need for formalities, please sit down."

He pointed to the rattan chair opposite him, then picked up the small jade teapot on the small table and poured a cup of tea for Bai Jian. "Try it. It's the Wuyin Maofeng tea that I got a few days ago. It's quite refreshing."

Bai Jian thanked him, sat down opposite him, picked up his teacup, first observed its color, then smelled its aroma, and then took a small sip, praising, "The tea soup is clear, the aroma is subtle, and the aftertaste is long; it is indeed a fine tea. Teacher, your taste is beyond my reach."

Venus smiled, picked up his own cup of tea, which had long since gone cold, and took a sip. He asked casually, "I heard you were causing quite a stir with those Dewdrops in Xuanzhu Village the other day? How's it going? Any progress?"

Bai Jian put down his teacup, a perfectly timed smile appearing on his face, and said, "Thank you for your concern, Teacher. I am rather dull-witted, and I have tried many times without success. However, I recently came across a method, and after a little experimentation, I managed to sell some today."

"Oh? Some were sold? Excellent." Venus nodded, his tone calm and devoid of much emotion. "Selling them is a good start. I think I heard a few days ago that this matter even alarmed the Ministry of Rites?"

Bai Jian's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected that although his teacher seemed to be secluded, he was still well aware of what was happening outside. He nodded and said, "That's true. It was my subordinates who were negligent in their duties, and the Department of Ceremonial Affairs found a pretext to question them."

Venus gave a soft "hmm," his gaze falling on the tea leaves floating in the teacup. "The Department of Ceremonies belongs to the Wenchang Hall, and the star lord above it is Wenqu. He and I used to have some acquaintance. This action is merely a show for others. Given my current situation, it's not surprising that someone has to step forward to draw a line and show that they are acting impartially."

Bai Jian sensed a hint of desolation in his teacher's words that was hard to completely conceal, and felt even worse.

The God of Literature and his teacher used to be quite close, but now...

He tentatively asked, "Teacher, what about Wenquxingjun...?"

"It's alright." Venus waved her hand, interrupting him. Her smile remained gentle, but it seemed somewhat distant. "That's just how human relationships are. He's just going with the flow, putting on an act. Hmm, no need to worry about it."

Even so, a sense of loneliness, a feeling of being subtly abandoned by former "friends," permeated the desolate courtyard.

Bai Jian knew that any words of comfort would be futile at this moment. He remembered the true purpose of his visit.

Taibai Jinxing seemed unwilling to discuss these troublesome matters further, and instead asked, "How many of your flowers did you sell today? A few dozen, that's a good start, a good omen. These few dozen flowers probably don't even amount to a hundred spirit stones, right? The fact that you came all this way today must mean... it wasn't just to tell me this, was it?"

He looked at Bai Jian with gentle yet profound eyes, as if he could see through people's hearts.

Bai Jian knew that his teacher had misunderstood, thinking that he had only sold a few dozen ordinary Dewdrops with meager income and that he might have come for something else or to report.

He took a deep breath, sat up straight, met his teacher's gaze, and said in a calm but clear tone, "Teacher, I have come today to report something. As for the Dewdrop Flower... I did not just sell a few dozen ordinary flowers today."

He paused, and under the slightly questioning gaze of Venus, slowly uttered the number that moved even this seasoned star lord: "Today, I sold a total of eighty-three bouquets of Dewdrop Blossoms. However, the income was not less than one hundred spirit stones."

He looked at Venus's slightly widened eyes and announced the astonishing number word by word: "Today alone, this item alone yielded a net income of 8,652 spirit stones."

"Clatter".

With a soft thud, the jade pendant that Venus had been caressing slipped from his hand and fell onto the small table.

The gentleness and loneliness on his face froze instantly, and for the first time, his usually smiling eyes revealed an undisguised astonishment.

These wildflowers covering the mountains and fields can fetch this price?