Early the next morning, before Monkey had even decided when or how to assume his new post, a skyship was already moored beside the floating stone outside the Imperial Horse Bureau. From the ship disembarked two Heavenly officials—one civil, one martial—accompanied by roughly fifty Skyward Legionnaires clad in golden armor.
The civil official appeared to be around forty or fifty years old, wearing a black gauze cap and a white official robe. He was so thin that a gust of wind might carry him off, and he walked with the utmost caution.
The martial official was also about forty or fifty, but broad-shouldered and barrel-chested, towering at least a head taller than Monkey. Clad in golden chain-mail armor, he cut an imposing figure.
The moment the two set foot on the grounds of the Imperial Horse Bureau, Clara Frost—who had been watching in a daze nearby—was summoned over for questioning.
Inside Monkey’s room, Belle quietly slid open the window a crack to peer at the skyship outside, then turned and asked, “Who do you think they are?”
“They’re from the Immortal Peach Orchard, come to escort me to my new post.” Monkey lounged half-upright, squinting as he stifled a long yawn. “The civil official is Warden Joel Chow, the martial one is Captain Carl Chang.”
Belle asked, “How do you know?”
Monkey fiddled with the bamboo slip in his hand and replied offhandedly, “That ‘senior’ from yesterday told me. I also know Warden Joel Chow has served in the Immortal Peach Orchard for ten years—about 3,600 mortal years—making him a veteran there. As for Captain Carl Chang, he was transferred from South Heaven Gate not long ago, already at the Spirit-Transformation Stage. Unfortunately, he had no military achievements and couldn’t rise in the ranks, but he’d saved up plenty of Gold Essence. So, he spent some to buy connections and got himself transferred to the Immortal Peach Orchard as Captain. It looks like a demotion, but it’s actually a promotion. With the Steward post vacant before, the orchard was run by these two, and they made quite a profit from it.”
He tutted, sighing, “That Gold Essence was well spent—three hundred pieces bought me all this information.”
Before Monkey could finish speaking, Clara Frost’s knock sounded at the door.
Through the door, Mona Frost spoke softly: "Sir, the people from the Immortal Peach Orchard are here. They say they're waiting to escort you to your new post—they're respectfully waiting in the main hall."
"Let them wait," Monkey drawled. "Just tell them... tell them I'm not awake yet. Have them wait in the hall for now. Brew them some tea, keep them company. If they don't want to wait, they can go back and come again tomorrow."
Mona Frost hesitated briefly, bowed, and replied, "Yes, sir," before turning to leave.
After Mona Frost left, Windchime leaned against Monkey and asked in a low voice, "Didn't you say our most important task right now is to buy time? Won't this just offend them for no reason?"
Monkey glanced at Windchime and said coolly, "It's not that I want to offend them—I've already offended them. Besides, I still haven't decided how to take up my post."
"You still haven't decided how to take up your post?"
Monkey reached up and scratched his ear, speaking languidly, "The Jade Emperor wants to set me up, that's obvious. But Heaven has its rules, and Lord Lao already spoke up. He issued the edict himself—if he tries to come at me openly, it won't look right. After all, he doesn't want anyone to catch him out. So now, he's trying to find my weak spot, a good excuse to make an example of me and revoke the edict. That way, their campaign against Blossom Mountain will be perfectly justified."
"But if we do nothing, won't that leave them with no excuse to target us?"
Monkey laughed, "If only it were that simple. The Immortal Peach Orchard is a pit of fire—they're not here to escort me to my post, they're here to throw me into the fire."
Windchime thought for a long time, then shook her head. "I don't get it. Didn't that person say yesterday that the Steward post was a cushy job?"