In the center of the table sat a five-compartment copper pot, bubbling with Sichuan spicy oil, a milky triple-seafood broth, a medicinal herb brew, a cold-pot fish base, and a delicate chrysanthemum broth. Mu Gesheng fished out a piece of tripe with his chopsticks; the spice stained his lips a vivid red. "Living abroad made my palate as bland as a bird's tongue. Only Second Brother’s cooking is truly exquisite. It wasn’t in vain that I spent every waking moment pining for this specific bite."
At a separate small side table laden with raw meats, vegetables, and various kitchenware, Song Wentong stood wrapped in an apron, expertly slicing mutton. "If you don't finish every damn scrap, I’ll make you swallow the table too."
"Easy, easy. Even if you butchered a whole elephant right now, Old Third and I could clear it out for you."
"Back when Old Fifth first took human form, his appetite spiked so much we nearly ate the Ginkgo Study into bankruptcy," Wu Zixu said, shaking his head with a smile. "The original reason Second Brother opened this shop was because Old Fifth was too much of a glutton. The scraps from the small kitchen every day were enough to make several more giant pots of food. To avoid waste, *Ye Shui Zhu Hua* was born."
"When I left, the kid only came up to my waist," Mu Gesheng gestured with his hand. "Second Brother wrote saying he’d been taken back by the Zhu family. Any news lately? How is he faring?"
"He sent a letter a few days ago saying the Zhu family’s food is terrible and he’s grown thin from hunger," Wu Zixu laughed. "The boy is eagerly waiting for your return. What are your plans?"
"I’m not the one who cooks; you should ask Second Brother that," Mu Gesheng said around a mouthful of chopsticks, his voice muffled. "If Old Fifth starts throwing a tantrum in his letters, Second Brother might just pack up his Crimson-Licking Blade and go cook for him personally."
"The Zhu family lives in seclusion. The only one who could summon the Star Constellation is..." Wu Zixu hadn't finished when Song Wentong slammed his knife into the cutting board with a loud *thwack* and served a plate of mutton. "Eat."
"Right, right. Thank you for your hard work." Mu Gesheng smilingly poured him a cup of wine. "Let’s eat, let’s eat."
The meal lasted over two hours. The three friends, reunited after a long separation, talked of everything under the sun. "First I went to Germany, then transferred to the Soviet Union, and spent my final year traveling through Europe..." Mu Gesheng gestured tipsily. "Guess what? The English... they recite Shakespeare even in bed!"
Song Wentong roared with laughter. "What, did you get a taste of the local flavor then?"
"Hardly. I followed the heart but stayed within the bounds of propriety; I know my limits," Mu Gesheng waved a hand. "I heard it from some classmates in the drama club back at Cambridge. We were rowing on the River Cam, and a Chinese student brought a violin—he could actually play the melodies of *Xipi Liushui* on it."
"I sang a bit of *The Butterfly Lovers*, and a girl asked me what it was about," Mu Gesheng laughed. "I told her it was about Romeo and Juliet turning into butterflies after they died."
"Marvelous—" Wu Zixu, caught up in the wine-induced spirit, struck a note and began to sing softly: "Before the study door, the plum blossoms bloom; today I see my brother off to his home."
"Sometimes gathering, sometimes parting; flowers bloom and fall, then bud again."
Mu Gesheng picked up the refrain, tapping his cup in rhythm: "Since there is a parting, there must be a reunion."
"A pair of drunks," Song Wentong muttered, shaking his head as he rose to clear the dishes. "The man just got back, and already you're rushing to sing *The Eighteen Send-offs*."
After the meal, Mu Gesheng stood to take his leave. "I’m going to find Xiao Fengzi to get some robes tailored. Second Brother, remember to set a few more tables tonight for a proper celebration. Invite everyone."
"Get lost," Song Wentong waved him off. "Ye Shui Zhu Hua is closing to the public tonight for your banquet. You won't go hungry."
Mu Gesheng left, rubbing his stomach. Wu Zixu watched his retreating back and said, "Old Fourth is probably heading back there."
"Homesick and cowardly. He came to us first to drink for liquid courage. Pathetic," Song Wentong scoffed, then frowned. "Why did you bring those things up at the table?"
"I spoke the truth. Old Fourth knows it, and so do you," Wu Zixu sighed. "When the Zhu family handed the Star Constellation over to the Master’s care, it was nominally to enroll him in the Ginkgo Study. But everyone knows the Zhu family was entrusting him to the Heavenly Calculator."
"Before the Master passed away, he made it very clear in front of the Seven Houses: the position of Heavenly Calculator was to be inherited by Old Fourth. Those forty-nine Mountain Ghost coins—whether he likes it or not, he has to take them."
"If he doesn't want them, he doesn't take them. At worst, we’ll cover for him," Song Wentong said. "Old Fourth comes from a family of generals; he might not want to deal with the Seven Houses' mess."
"You’re a lone wolf with nothing but your blade; you can talk as freely as you like," Wu Zixu said, feeling a headache coming on. "But if anything actually happens, I’m the one who has to step in and mediate."
"Third Brother has it hard. I’ll treat you to dinner tonight."
"I’m done eating," Wu Zixu waved him off. "There’s business in Fengdu; I have to head down to the underworld."
"Old Fourth just got back," Song Wentong raised an eyebrow. "Whose information is so well-informed?"
"The dead have fewer scruples than the living," Wu Zixu shook his head. "It was only a matter of time."
Mu Gesheng first found someone to take his measurements and ordered several robes. Then, he changed into a plain white long gown, washed his face and hands, and headed out of the city.
Baishui Temple, Ginkgo Study.
After the Master of the Ginkgo Study passed away, the study no longer held lectures, but it had not been repurposed. It retained its old appearance. A young monk sweeping the grounds saw Mu Gesheng and bowed, chanting a Buddhist greeting.
Mu Gesheng kowtowed three times before the water pavilion, then entered the incense hall. He knelt on a prayer mat and offered three sticks of incense.
The windows were filled with ginkgo trees, their shadows swaying. Mu Gesheng looked at the spirit tablet on the altar and spoke softly.
"Master, Gesheng has returned."
Mu Gesheng knelt for a long time, until the sun began to set. The door to the incense hall creaked open. He didn't look back, but a smile touched his lips. "I knew you would come."
A figure entered, kowtowed, offered incense, and then said, "You’ve been kneeling all afternoon."
"Now that’s a rarity," Mu Gesheng laughed. "Even you, Sanjiu, would think I’ve been kneeling too long."
Chai Shuxin knelt beside him. Four years had passed, and his expression remained cold and aloof, yet he possessed a newfound steadiness—like fallen snow washing away the sharp chill of plum blossoms. He was still dressed in white.
"I didn't see you at lunch, so I figured we’d likely meet at the study," Mu Gesheng said. "By the looks of you, do you come here often?"
"The House of Medicine is busy; I don't have much free time. I only come occasionally." Chai Shuxin bowed toward the spirit tablet. "This student has been unfilial."
"Don't you start. If someone like you is considered unfilial, then I’ve practically committed treason against the ancestors."
After a moment of silence, Chai Shuxin asked, "The Master passed away two years ago. Why did you not return?"
"I followed my Master’s orders: do not return," Mu Gesheng said. "Master commanded that I must not return for the funeral once the first seven days had passed. By the time Second Brother’s letter reached Moscow, the seven days were long gone. With Master’s skills, it’s impossible he miscalculated the dates. There’s only one possibility: the old man didn't want me to come back."
"Furthermore, the Heavenly Calculators of every generation calculate the mandate of heaven; they are destined to have their souls dissipate upon death, never entering reincarnation. The funeral was just for show. No matter how much paper money is burned, the old man won't be crossing the Naihe Bridge. Otherwise, Second Brother would have raided Fengdu long ago to bring him back to the world of the living."
"Your failure to return back then caused much speculation," Chai Shuxin said calmly. "The Master personally bequeathed the position of Heavenly Calculator to you. None of the Sages dare disobey. You have lingered abroad for two years, and the Seven Houses have waited long enough. It is time to accept the Mountain Ghost coins."
"What about my Senior Brother? He’s more promising than I am. Let him take it."
"Brother Lin entered Penglai years ago by the Master’s order, bound by a ten-year pact. He cannot leave the mountain gate within those ten years. Now that the Master has passed the position to you, according to the rules of the Heavenly Calculator lineage, he must withdraw from the sect. He is now a disciple of Penglai."
"...What kind of mess did Master leave behind?" Mu Gesheng was stunned, silent for a long while before saying, "Is he trying to drive me into a corner?"
"The news of your return has already spread. 'The tree seeks stillness, but the wind will not subside.' You cannot avoid this."
"Youthful spirit is often wasted, only the green mountains do not wait for me," Mu Gesheng sighed. "The Seven Houses... the Seventh House hasn't even appeared yet. Why is everyone in such a rush?"
"The Rakshasa is born of chaos; he is a god of slaughter who destroys heaven and earth. If the Seventh House appears, the Sages will not be able to steer the ship calmly; they will have to fight to turn the tide," Chai Shuxin said. "It has been centuries since the last Rakshasa was born. Now that the world is in turmoil, all the Houses are worried."
Of the Seven Houses of the Sages, six had existed continuously. The final house was that of the Rakshasa. Like the Heavenly Calculator, there was only one per generation, born only during times of great upheaval to preside over slaughter. Though they could suppress a chaotic world, they were violent and fierce. Every Rakshasa in history had been a great rebel, completely uncontrollable, and some had even turned against the other six houses. They were a variable that caused everyone a headache and filled them with dread.
*To kill the Buddha when meeting the Buddha, to kill the Ancestor when meeting the Ancestor, to kill the Arhat when meeting the Arhat, to kill parents when meeting parents, to kill kin when meeting kin—only then is liberation attained.*
"The fate of a Rakshasa can only be balanced by a Heavenly Calculator," Mu Gesheng realized. "No wonder. So that’s what’s waiting for me."
"The Seven Houses have all received word. They will gather within a few days. You should make preparations early."
"This Emperor understands. My dear minister may take his leave," Mu Gesheng stood up. "Oh, right. I heard from Xiao Fengzi that his father is being treated at your family’s clinic. Thank him for me."
"Practicing medicine to save the world is the duty of the House of Medicine." Chai Shuxin also rose and looked at Mu Gesheng. "What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing." Mu Gesheng waved a hand, smiling. "War is coming, the Seven Houses are in flux... when I think about it carefully, everything feels like a tangled mess. But now that I’m actually back, I feel like none of it matters. After all, you’re all here."
The two stood together under the veranda. Mu Gesheng looked up at the eaves. "You know, this morning Old Third and I sang *The Romance of the Western Chamber* together."
"Mm."
"I remember that winter, the first time you stayed at the study for the New Year. Old Third played the pipa, you played the Suzhou flute, and we sang all five volumes and twenty-one acts of the *Western Chamber* for an entire night."
"I thought then that it would be like that every year, that we’d keep singing like that forever. I figured when Old Fifth grew up, we’d make him play the strings."
"Who knew there wouldn't be a next time." Mu Gesheng smiled. "‘So the purple and red bloom in vain, only to be given to the broken wells and crumbling walls.’ To whom shall I sing of this beautiful scene and fine hour?"
Chai Shuxin was silent for a moment, then said, "Sing."
"Eh?"
"I’m listening."
"That won't do. I sang with Old Third all morning. If you want a show, come back early tomorrow."
"When the Seven Houses gather in a few days, you will be the successor to the Heavenly Calculator. Even if you make them bring stools to listen to you tell stories, no one will object."
"Ha! Good idea. Why don't we gather at Guan Shan Yue? Let me think what to sing—*Zhang Sheng Disturbs the Fifth Watch*?"
"..."
"Don't look so grim. Look, even Old Third can go on stage to perform now. We can't keep acting so stiff, can we? How about a game of mahjong?"
"There are only six Sages. Not enough for two tables."
"Fine. Even if the Rakshasa appears, it’s no big deal. Two tables for the Seven Houses—we’d still be one player short."
"...Stop playing around."
The two walked down the mountain together. Mu Gesheng originally wanted to invite Chai Shuxin to *Ye Shui Zhu Hua*. "The war has begun, and the House of Medicine is swamped with affairs. The elders are waiting for me at the manor to discuss business." Chai Shuxin shook his head. "Come by another day; I’ll treat you to First-Grade Pot."
"Right, I almost forgot to ask about Sister Chai," Mu Gesheng tapped his forehead. "Your letters said her health was improving. How is she lately?"
"A chronic illness cannot be uprooted overnight." Chai Shuxin’s expression relaxed slightly. "But it can be cured."
"That’s wonderful." Mu Gesheng laughed. "I’ll come by to scrounge a meal another day. Remember to leave the window open for me."
Chai Shuxin still remembered this man’s ridiculous habit of climbing through windows, but he said nothing, only shaking his head. "The formation in the Nine-Turn Corridor has been altered. Be careful when you enter."
"Don't worry, that won't stop me." Mu Gesheng waved grandly. "I’m off. If I’m any later, Second Brother and the others won't leave any food for me. Let’s catch up another day."
Before Mu Gesheng could enter the city, he saw a car parked by the side of the road. He caught sight of the license plate in the moonlight and froze.
The window rolled down halfway, and a deep male voice came from within: "Get in."
Mu Gesheng quickly opened the door and climbed in, pulling the curtain shut. "Weren't you attending the national defense meeting? Why are you back so early?"
The man in the front seat smiled and tossed him a bottle of soda. "After several years of studying abroad, I don't know if your tastes have changed."
"You could have sent a letter to ask me," Mu Gesheng caught it, sounding helpless. "Dad."
***
**Glossary**
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