Daily life of a cultivation judge

Chapter 544 Meeting with the wily old foxes (1)

Yang Qing's heartbeat pounded faster and harder when the distance between him and the courtyard of the Judicial Review Committee closed. He could feel his body grow hotter and his neck had an itchy sensation start to develop that slowly spread to his scalp.

Countless thoughts, scenarios, and hypotheticals went through his mind as the list got narrower the closer he got to the courtyard.

By the time he was just at the entrance to the courtyard, a smile of defeat appeared on his face, as he pushed open the bamboo pole door to the rustic quaint courtyard.

After coming up with countless reasons why the old judges of the Judicial Review Committee would want to see him, of the reasons he came up with, there was only one reason that seemed to make sense and check all the boxes. 

Of the worst possible scenarios he could get, it was pretty up there considering it was something that he had avoided like a poisonous miasma ever since he got into the Order and decided to be a judge.

"Hao Da, did you curse me.." he thought as he recalled the last conversation he had with Hao Da after the decimation of the Ice Emerald Sect.

Once inside the courtyard, the scene was pretty much the same as always, with three old men enjoying the comfort of their homes doing their hobbies.

Jia Bohai and Jiang Chen were playing go while Long Enlai was still working on his bonzai plant but unlike before there was another person with them. It was the female elder with light purple hair and a purple gem on her forehead and a genial calming aura to her. She had been one of the Judicial Committee Members present when they were deliberating on the fate of the Ice Emerald Sect. Her name was Xi Si.

"Greetings senior, junior Yang Qing presents himself.." Yang Qing said as he respectfully cupped his fists in greeting.

"Would you like some tea and dumplings, dear?" asked Xi Si with the same gentle grandmotherly welcoming demeanor.

"I would dare not refuse the hospitality.." Yang Qing humbly said as he took a seat next to the rectangular table that was next to Xi Si.

While it seemed like he had accepted the offer out of deference or respect, in the real sense, only known to him, his accepting the tea and dumplings was his way of exploiting as many benefits as he could from them if they were about to do what he thought they were about to do. He had every intention to profit and take everything he could get from them to try and minimize the loss he was about to suffer.

Yang Qing's eyes lit up when he bit into the hot dumpling. It was soft to the touch, like taking a bite out of the clouds, however, immediately after penetrating the first soft layer, an explosive symphony of different flavors coming from the different herbs, spices, and meats immediately combined in his tongue.

Yang Qing was gobsmacked as his eyes widened. This had to be the best dumpling he had ever come across, and there were about fourteen of them, piping hot waiting for him.

He looked at Xi Si with an emotional and thankful look that also seemed to have a question in it and the question was, where did the dumplings come from?

"I made them myself.." Xi Si gently said seemingly reading in between the lines.

The response shocked Yang Qing since he didn't exactly expect a retired judge to be such an exquisite cook. But then again, when he thought about it, it sort of made sense. 

Most of the members of the Judicial Review Committee were mostly retired judges and other than extenuating circumstances that required their input, they barely had anything to do all day. It was why they were playing go all the time, or trimming a bonsai plant which seemed a little too high-maintenance from the amount of trimming it got. 

So other than cultivating, what did these seniors do? it was obvious, that they indulged in their hobbies, and maybe the senior before he liked to cook, and if she did...

Yang Qing's self-serving gears immediately started spinning at high speed which was further agitated by Long Enlai's statement which supported his guess.

"Looks like Xi Si's dumplings have enslaved another victim. Do you ever wish you started chef alchemy earlier instead of being a judge?" asked Long Enlai as he came to take a seat next to them while taking one dumpling for himself which drew a grievous look from Yang Qing that he quickly masked.

"Not really. Doing it now is better. The environment and the state suit me better for it now, back then, I am afraid I would not have enjoyed it as I do now.." Xi Si said as she poured him a cup of tea.

"That is true.." Jia Bohai said with a nostalgic sigh as he and Jiang Chen came over and took a few dumplings for themselves which made Yang Qing feel like vomiting blood. In his mind from the moment he was offered those dumplings, they were all his.

Why are they all having a go at my dumplings? couldn't they just continue what they were doing? I just can't enjoy nice things to myself...

"I'll give you more to take back.." Xi Si said with a light chuckle when she saw Yang Qing's mild spasms that he was trying to mask.

Yang Qing's eyes immediately lit up as he said,

"Thank you senior Xi Si. These dumplings are fit for an immortal feast festival, and for a nobody like me to have a taste, is a blessing for a thousand lifetimes.."

Yang Qing's bootlicking persona immediately took over when the opportune moment presented itself.

"Quite the talker.." Xi Si said with a smile.

Internally Yang Qing was dancing shamelessly in mad joy, the smile to him was a stamp that his bootlicking had succeeded, and now all that was left was to capitalize on it.

"I think I will have to be a regular visitor here, but I need to come up with a legitimate reason for doing so. Though wily old foxes like them will definitely see through it and discover my true motives. I can't shamelessly be direct about it. Sometimes, I wish I had Feng Xin's shamelessness when it came to these matters..." Yang Qing thought with a sigh.