Chương 70: Chapter 68

I sit processing her words for a moment, trying to find the logical sense behind such a lack of precaution in a world where knowledge is apparently so valuable. Deception in formations, in enchantments, even in the technique Lianhua learned from that strange tablet, which was single-use. But here, according to her, they don't need it.

"What exactly do you mean by it not being necessary, or rather, that you don't care to?" I ask, adjusting my posture in the chair and sitting up a little straighter.

"Why would talisman masters forgo a protection that the other two disciplines consider essential?" Master Mu regards me with an expression that borders on the maternal, though tinged with that intellectual superiority that only age can bestow. And I recognize it because I myself have worn it on occasion in the past, when speaking with a particularly promising student.

"It's simply because of the fundamental difference between talisman crafting and the other two arts", she replies calmly.

"You see, child, in formation creation, if someone tries to copy a design and makes a mistake, the only thing they lose is the ink used to draw it. And the ink, which is the same ink we use, is not a particularly expensive or rare resource. Any halfway decent Alchemist's apprentice can produce it without too much trouble." She pauses briefly, allowing her words to settle in my mind before continuing.

"In enchantment inscription, the practice is certainly more difficult, since it must be performed on already finished objects", she goes on.

"However, it's perfectly possible to purchase cheap, low-quality products in bulk to practice on. It's true that the Qi from the enchantments will eventually destroy them because the material won't be able to withstand the strain, but the initial cost is manageable for someone determined."

Here Master Mu falls silent again and, with a fluid motion of her sleeve, produces what appear to be two blank rectangular sheets of paper, setting them delicately on the table beside the heavy volumes she pulled from her sleeve earlier.

"As for talismans, the first thing you must understand is that there are two types of base material. The first is this one", she tells me, pointing at one of the papers with the tip of her closed fan.

"It's made from the hides of spirit beasts. Its organic nature allows it to retain the Qi necessary for the talisman to be effective. But given that talismans are single-use, and that those same hides are needed to make quality armor, gloves, or boots, to name just a few examples, using spirit beast leather for this is considered an absolute waste. Talisman makers who choose that route are universally despised by the tanners and artisans who use that material for their own work."

Her fan then shifts to the second sheet of paper, which seems to have a slightly more refined texture.

"Then there's this other type, created from a special paper whose manufacturing formula is a secret kept under lock and key by Talisman Masters and a chosen few within the guilds", and here I see Master Mu's smile widen, taking on an almost predatory edge.

"Something you need to understand is that the great peculiarity of attempting to create talismans, unlike the other disciplines, is that if you fail a single stroke, the paper is destroyed instantly, as though the talisman had activated", she tells me, maintaining her smile.

"That's why we don't care if someone tries to learn on their own, since they have only two options. Either they buy the special paper from us, in which case the more they practice and fail, the more money we make… or they use spirit beast hides, which are far more costly and will attract the attention of certain sectors of society that won't look upon them kindly."

She falls silent after those words and simply watches me, savoring the effect of what she's said, while I sit staring at the two blank sheets of paper, feeling a mixture of admiration and unease, because it's a nearly perfect monopoly. By not protecting their designs with false runes, they encourage enthusiasts to try on their own, since what Master Mu hasn't said aloud but what becomes obvious upon analysis is that it's extremely profitable for the guilds that independent practitioners exist.

And all because those amateurs will likely only manage to create low-level talismans, which floods the market with basic products and frees the guilds from much of the burden of manufacturing them. And yet the guild still takes its cut, because every one of those homemade talismans had to be written on paper the guilds themselves sell. It's a win-win system where the house always profits.

"I see", I say at last with a sigh, realizing that the world of cultivation is, in many respects, every bit as ruthless as, or even more so than, the corporate market of my previous life. Master Mu nods with satisfaction, giving a sharp tap of the fan against her other hand.

"I expected no less of you, child", she tells me.

"And now that we've gotten this small, tiresome lesson about the differences between the disciplines out of the way, even if we did tack on another lesson about business along the way, it's time to begin with what truly matters, the runes specific to talismans." She points with her fan at one of the books resting on the table and, without any physical contact whatsoever, the volume rises into the air and floats over to settle on the desk in front of me, opening to the first page with mechanical precision.

And as the book moves by means of that accursed telekinesis, I make myself a promise that one day I, too, will be able to do that. The steam from the hot water already drawn hangs in the air of the room, but my attention is far from the ambient temperature. I'm sitting with my back as straight as my muscles allow, propped against cushions, and contemplating the flow of the Qi stream.

With my mental hands I carry out the routine of drawing in the specks of Qi, guiding them toward my skin to absorb them with a naturalness that grows more evident with every session, without this time holding any back to sustain Qi as I usually do. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. While the Qi circulates, my mind takes advantage of the automaticity of the process to review yesterday's intensive lesson with Master Mu.

She taught me that, beyond the common runes used in formations, each discipline possesses its own hermetic lexicon. If the basic runes are the nouns and verbs of this universal language, the runes specific to talismans function as adverbs and adjectives, they are the ones that nuance, direct, and give final intent to the flow of Qi on the paper. It's a crude comparison, I tell myself, but it's the best way my linguist's mind has of cataloguing this new knowledge by relating it to something I already know.

I also feel a pang of relief at recalling that my Blessing did not activate during the lesson, which spared me from having to explain to Master Mu why I suddenly fell into a deep trance upon seeing unfamiliar characters. And it's a necessary advantage, the way she was looking at me yesterday, as though she had found an archaeological treasure she wished to possess exclusively, warns me that I should be cautious about what I reveal.

Suddenly, the sensation in my body changes and I feel I'm standing before a wall that is finally giving way. The Tempering of Bones and Tendons is about to complete, so I quickly focus and begin gathering Qi at a frantic pace, making full use of the advantage of my seven mental hands. And then it happens.

A sensation of fullness courses through my bones, followed immediately by a visceral reaction in which I feel impurities being expelled from my pores in a dense mass, far more abundant than in the lighter sessions. That blackish, viscous, nauseating substance drenches me completely, clinging to my skin and thoroughly staining the cushions I'm propped against.

I open my eyes, blinking to clear my vision, and look for Lianhua, since today she's here, waiting in a corner of the bath as I asked her to, knowing this moment would come, though not knowing when, and not wanting to have to wait for her.

"Done", I say, my voice a little hoarse from the stench of the impurities covering me. Lianhua needs no further words. She approaches with the silent efficiency that defines her and begins cleaning me. Her movements are expert, the product of all the practice she's gained caring for me through my two more orthodox temperings, to put it one way. And while she removes that layer of filth, I close my eyes for a moment and, with a hope that never quite dies completely, try to move my legs. Nothing.

The immobility of my lower limbs remains absolute. But this time I'm not disappointed, since by now I expected this result. Still, the sigh that escapes my lips is inevitable, so I silently let Lianhua finish cleaning and dressing me in a fresh tunic, and once I'm settled in my wheelchair, she takes me out of the bath and into the hallway.

"Zhāohuán Wen, Guifei Xiang has asked that you go see her as soon as you can. She wishes to discuss some things with you", Lianhua tells me as she pushes the chair. My heart gives a small lurch when I hear her, and worry begins weaving conjectures in my mind, since I'm almost certain this has to do with Master Mu's visit and the private conversation she had with my mother before our lesson.

"No time like the present", I reply, trying to hide my nervousness.

"Better to go now, before my Calligraphy lesson starts." Lianhua nods and changes direction. Instead of taking me to my quarters, we head toward the section of the Pavilion where my mother resides, and there, after consulting with a handmaiden, we're told she's in the garden courtyard where she likes to be when she paints. As we enter, the scent of flowers and fresh ink greets me, and I watch my mother seated and absorbed in her painting.

"Mother, I'm told you wanted to see me", I say upon entering the courtyard. I see her set the brush on the table with an unhurried elegance and turn toward me.

"That's right, Wen. I wanted to speak with you privately", she replies. With a simple gesture of her hand, she signals the handmaidens around her to withdraw. They offer a brief bow and leave, closing the courtyard doors behind them, leaving only the two of us along with Lingxi and Lianhua, whose presences are a constant. After they leave, my mother observes me in silence for a second that feels like an eternity before she begins to speak.

"Yesterday I had a very friendly conversation with Master Mu", she starts, and her tone is dangerously calm.

"I liked her quite a bit, and I was especially interested in what she told me about your potential with runes and your aptitude for talisman crafting."

"I'm glad the conversation was to your liking and that she made a good impression", I reply with a slight sense of relief.

"However", she continues, and that word puts me on guard at once.

"I didn't call you here to talk about my chat with her, but to tell you that you've been careless." My internal alarms blare and I feel a trace of cold sweat on the back of my neck.

"What do you mean, Mother?" I ask, trying to maintain my composure.

"When you signed the agreement with Master Mu, you should have included a confidentiality clause", she explains, crossing her arms and fixing me with a gaze that is stern yet instructive.

"You should have forbidden her from revealing to anyone, not even your own mother, the true cost of your lessons." I feel the blood rush to my cheeks as my worst fears are confirmed.

"Don't get so nervous", she says, softening her expression with a smile meant to calm me.

"Ever since you bought little Xia that herbal bath from the Yao family, I knew Lianhua had brought back from the Celestial Fragment of the Sands far more than you had told me. No family would hand over their secrets for a few simple jewels, however beautiful. It was obvious the payment was something more substantial, such as spirit stones or some treasure of great utility to them." I let out a long sigh, feeling the accumulated tension deflate all at once as everything finally comes to light.

"Are you angry with me for keeping it from you?" I ask my mother directly.

"Not angry, Wen. A little disappointed, perhaps. Mostly because it seems you didn't trust me", she replies with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Mother. I trust you completely", I interrupt with urgency.

"It's just that, as I told Lianhua, even though I knew you'd find out sooner or later, I wanted it to be my secret for a while. I wanted to have something that belonged solely to me." When I say those words, I see a brief flash of emotion cross her face, a mixture of understanding and tenderness.

"I understand", she says at last.

"Even so, I haven't called you to scold you. I'm telling you this because, as you grow and begin to interact more widely, you'll have to conceal many things. And you must be vigilant about covering every angle of that concealment. You have many eyes on you, Wen, and many will rush to exploit any crack in your discretion to trip you up and gain an advantage." I listen to her words and sigh again.

I realize that my mindset, despite my previous life, has been too naive under my mother's protection, and that she is now using my mistake to introduce me, as the imperial princess I am, to the arts of courtly intrigue, something that in my former world I only ever encountered as entertainment in novels or films.

"Keeping resources hidden and maintaining a low profile is smart in your situation", she continues.

"But you need to be aware of how you use those hidden resources. One slip can lead others to discover them, and if they have cause, they'll use that information to hurt you."

"I understand what you're trying to tell me, Mother. I'll be much more careful from now on", I reply sincerely.

"And since we're on the subject, would you like to know exactly what Lianhua brought back from the Fragment?" My mother lets out a small laugh and shakes her head, lightening the mood.

"There's no need. As long as you're more cautious about where and with whom you use those things, that's enough for me", she says.

"By the way, how was your first class with Master Mu, then?" I feel an immense wave of relief at the change of subject as the excitement over what I've learned returns to shine in my eyes, and with a smile, I begin recounting my first lesson in full detail, forgetting for a moment the shadows of palace politics.