Chapter 113

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Shaowei was just about to change clothes and go out when she heard a burst of footsteps coming from outside.

Her movement stalled for a moment; Shaowei stuffed the clothes she had taken out back into the chest, listening carefully to those footsteps. She only heard the sound draw nearer, and soon it stopped right outside her door.

The door was knocked upon. Shaowei hesitated for a moment whether to pretend she was already asleep, but the lamp was still lit, so she could not bluff her way through.

Drawing the bolt, she opened the door. Shaowei saw Yu Si Wu blocking the doorway with a full five Wu Nu. In the night, this formation looked quite formidable at first glance. Shaowei asked their purpose. Yu Si Wu said with a straight face: "You should change your residence."

Ever since Shaowei returned to the Shen Ci, Yu Si Wu had not stopped for a moment. She hadn't even managed to eat her late meal, busy arranging matters related to the fox. After daily affairs were adjusted, she asked who the fox was currently living with.

Learning that both of this fox's roommates had gone to the Taiyi Shu, and she now temporarily occupied a house alone, Yu Si Wu thought for a while, still felt it was not enough, and personally led people to clear out a separate small courtyard. This small courtyard was adjacent to the Back Hall of the Divine Shrine, usually few people set foot there, ensuring the fox's daily peace and quiet.

Yu Si Wu deeply knew that for a Jiang Shen Zhe, the two words "peace and quiet" were especially important. A clear mind and focused heart could better achieve enlightenment, further communicating with spirits.

Moreover, some things had to be guarded against. Currently, the fox's residence had houses crowded against houses, new and old Wu Zhe mixed together, hearts hidden behind bellies. Some perpetually frustrated Wu Zhe might one day snap and harm someone, or secretly poison — all had precedent.

Although the fox's nature was somewhat arrogant, just like a real civet cat, she looked imposing and proud, but at bottom was just a little kitten, her face written all over with ignorance of worldly affairs and youthful gullibility. If she were schemed against, it would be the loss of the entire Shen Ci.

For such a fox, it was still more suitable to keep her alone in a single nest.

At Yu Si Wu's command, those Wu Nu began moving Shaowei's nest and belongings.

Being able to live alone, secretly sneaking out would also be more convenient. Shaowei harbored her own schemes, so she did not rashly raise the demand to live alone, fearing to reveal a clue. She never expected Yu Si Wu would proactively fulfill it for her right now.

Shaowei couldn't help but ponder. Conditions she had not put to Yu Si Wu, Yu Si Wu still satisfied on her own. Ultimately, it was because she had passed the Emperor's test. From this it could be seen: in all matters, no need to seek from below; as long as one obtains approval from above, everything below comes unsought — truly saving worry and effort.

Shaowei felt she had gained another layer of understanding of power; one could say her scheming grew deeper by the day. But Yu Si Wu's mood was exactly the opposite. She frowned and asked: "What are you raising these for?"

At the foot of the bed, one box and one cage. In the box, a spider shrank into a ball timidly, weak and helpless. In the cage, a black snake raised half its body, flicking its tongue, fierce and vigilant. And before the box and cage, a yellow-white bird stood with head held high, wings spread wide, possessing quite the air of one bird guarding a pass against ten thousand.

Shaowei answered frankly: those were things her former roommates had left in her care.

Yu Si Wu immediately wanted to have them thrown away: "Beware of losing your ambition to playthings!"

Although a bowl-sized spider and a pitch-black venomous snake hardly looked like playthings, the situation of Southern people was just this kind of situation.

Shaowei stepped forward to block as well, righteous and awe-inspiring: "How can one who breaks faith with people gain the trust of heaven and earth?"

Moreover, she had accepted the food money the spider girl and A Yan left for them; this also involved financial transactions.

However, Shaowei rarely had time to personally tend to them. The snake caught mice on its own, and had also tried to catch birds — but with Shaowei using her imposing might to establish Zhan Zhan's authority, the black snake had now become quite able to accept its proper place.

As the Dang Jia, Zhan Zhan was also very responsible. Recently she often caught insects to feed the snake and spider, and thus her prestige grew heavier.

Shaowei insisted. Yu Si Wu could only compromise, and comforted herself: communicating with living beings might also help increase spiritual Qi... forget it, who told her to have the ability to Jiang Shen.

But: "What is this again?"

Yu Si Wu picked up the bamboo basket covered with cloth, rummaged through it, and discovered inside half a roast chicken, half a pig elbow, and some snacks.

Shaowei snatched it back in one grab: "I specially saved this to eat at night!"

Yu Si Wu felt a headache in her heart. What a huge appetite, yet what little promise... forget it, who told her to have the ability to Jiang Shen.

Too lazy to inquire further, Yu Si Wu waved her hand, ordering people to take everything away.

After such a round of fuss, by the time they were settled in the new residence, the night was already very deep. Shaowei, who hadn't been able to rest for a moment the whole day, finally yawned. Going out tonight was obviously impossible now.

Yet Yu Si Wu still did not leave.

Those Wu Nu went to guard outside. Yu Si Wu asked in a low voice inside the room that yawning fox: "What did His Majesty ask you today? How did you respond?"

His Majesty's suspicion is deep, and he holds prejudice against Wu Zhe. By rights, a single successful prophecy is not enough to make His Majesty completely change his attitude.

And the fox has a few parts of unpolished mountain wildness. This is a good thing and a bad thing. Good in that this aura makes her look very "true"; bad in that words and deeds easily lose propriety.

Today His Majesty summoned her; there must be many probes and weighings. This absolutely cannot be smoothly escaped by luck alone. There must be some other inside story...

Shaowei, weary and not wanting to speak much, only uttered one brief sentence.

The next moment, the Wu Nu guarding outside the door heard Yu Si Wu let out a sharp scream from inside the room.

The Wu Nu exchanged surprised glances. Yu Si Wu had always been steady as an old well, but recently she was in high spirits, her whole person seemed to have become younger.

"What did you say..." Yu Si Wu lowered her voice, staring dead at that little Wu sitting cross-legged on the bed: "You actually claimed to His Majesty that this summer the capital will suffer a great drought? Rain has been so abundant lately. A matter months away — how can you assert it! Weather changes unpredictably. Do you know even the Taishi Ling and the Red Yang Immortal Master cannot predict sunshine and rain months ahead? You..."

Shaowei thought to herself: only when others lack what I have can I gain a foothold.

On the surface she said: "It was Taizu who said it, not me."

Yu Si Wu's expression changed. She felt this might not be the fox's desperate, improvised excuse for survival before the Emperor. She asked word by word: "Truly not lying?"

Shaowei remained calm and composed: "How would Taizu lie?"

Yu Si Wu stared at Shaowei for a good long while, before squeezing out a sentence: "You are truly audacious..."

Even the great Wu Shen of old, upon glimpsing omens given by ghosts and spirits, would not necessarily dare to reveal them all. This little Wu is truly without scruples. Two prophecies, both staking her life. One gamble just ended and she turned around to open another. Every game is a life-and-death game.

Truly, extraordinary people do extraordinary things; the more different, the more exceptional... Yu Si Wu's thoughts were tangled, her heart rising and falling. She only felt she too was bound tight to this gambling table, heart trembling with fear yet surging with excitement.

And that little Wu yawned twice in a row, eyes glistening with tears, saying: "I am truly exhausted. I must sleep."

Minds not connecting, Yu Si Wu could only leave.

Shaowei fell asleep head-down, sleeping until nearly dawn.

From this day on, Shaowei's days in the Shen Ci began to change. Wherever she went, she would be watched. And sweeping duties no longer needed to be done. Yu Si Wu specially permitted her to enter the Shen Dian to serve the incense of ghosts and spirits. For a Wu Zhe, this is supreme glory.

Food also changed. Jiang Shen consumes both mental and physical strength. Yu Si Wu specially had people watch over the fox's meals — not only abundant, but also ensuring no poison.

Rarely passing a relaxed day, it actually gave Shaowei much leisure to think about her next moves. She could not just do nothing and wait for the summer drought to arrive. Before that, she also absolutely could not stop her steps.

This day her body got rest, but her brain spun nonstop. By the time dusk came and she returned to her residence to eat, the mentally exhausted Shaowei's expression had become somewhat dull. Halfway through this dull late meal, Yu Si Wu sought her out again.

Yu Si Wu's eyes were dark with fatigue, yet her gaze held a hidden excitement:

"The Taichang Temple just sent someone... Third Day of the Third Month Shangsi Festival, the Sizong named you to perform the Great Wu! At that time, His Majesty will most likely also attend. This one sacrifice is of utmost importance. You must prepare well! If you can..."

If she could once more invoke the deity and manifest a marvel, the shrine's prestige would be thoroughly restored!

But Yu Si Wu knew clearly that even the most outstanding Grand Wu Nu could not possibly invoke the deity every time; such divine favor is a matter of chance, not something to be sought, and one must not harbor a utilitarian heart……

Therefore she changed her words: "Remember, there must not be the slightest mistake!"

Shaowei propped her head with one hand, a steamed bun between her teeth, her mind seemingly pondering——merely avoiding mistakes, how could that be enough?

One time unit later, Shaowei changed to another spot and sat cross-legged, in the same posture, gnawing the same steamed bun.

A broken oil lamp burned in the dilapidated hall house; at a worn small table the two people sat facing each other. Shaowei nibbled a steamed bun while Mo Li stuffed roast chicken into her mouth, nodding and praising indistinctly: "Young Master……so delicious!"

A moment later, Shaowei's chewing paused; she turned her head to look outside the hall.

In the dark night, a house slave returned soundlessly. He strode into the hall, casually shutting the creaking broken door behind him, and in the same dull, muffled voice said without preamble: "Many noble families are privately discussing the matter of the shrine's prophecy; Wu Nu Hua Li's great name has already spread through Chang'an. You have just emerged from obscurity this time, and are about to soar to the heavens."

"What soar to the heavens, still far from it."

Shaowei revealed a trace of frustration, pouring out all that shock and stifling resentment not fit to tell outsiders: "……I originally thought with such an accurate, marvelous prophecy, I would surely make this Emperor who seeks immortality and asks the Dao believe in my ability, and certainly make him urgently moved! But yesterday upon entering the palace I was made to kneel from start to finish, probed in every way, leaving me extremely tense and agonized. I also noticed many Expert guards hiding in the dark corners of the great hall; had I shown the slightest flaw, or caused the Emperor the slightest displeasure, those men would surely have immediately pounced on me and killed me!"

"I originally thought after this matter I could stand firm and contend with Chi Yang, but yesterday he was clearly also in the palace, yet I couldn't even see his face……you tell me, what kind of soaring to the heavens is this?"

The house slave had already sat cross-legged beside Mo Li; now meeting the girl's eyebrows knotted like earthworms, he couldn't help but say: "Before this you had no fame or foundation, yet you managed to see the Emperor smoothly and leave the palace alive——that is already extremely rare. You should not be so impatient, nor should you be so harsh on yourself."

"Where am I blaming myself? I'm blaming them." Shaowei tossed down the steamed bun, dejectedly cupping her cheek: "It's only through this matter that I realize my previous thinking was still too simple."

"Your thinking may have been a bit simple, but what you did was extraordinarily formidable." The house slave wiped his hands, picked up half a braised pig trotter: "You even brought back this much food——already a brave hunter rarely seen in the world."

She hunted back intangible chips, and also hunted back tangible food; more importantly, her identity was that of a hunter who strikes on her own initiative, not prey pursued by others.

Shaowei rather liked the title of brave hunter; seeing the house slave and Mo Li eating with great relish, that unsatisfied negative feeling in her heart inexplicably dissipated by more than half.

Hesitating a moment, Shaowei wanted to ask the house slave whether he had found out about the matter she had entrusted him to investigate; since mentioning it that night, Shaowei had been busy with the Second Day of the Second Month plan, and had not been able to return, so had had no chance to ask.

However, yesterday in the palace she saw Lu Hou; the old man could be called spirited, so presumably all was well at home, and he would not end up depressed and scattered, departing early for the Yellow Springs as in her previous life.

The words reached Shaowei's lips; she was just about to ask casually, but coincidentally the house slave spoke first, eating as he said: "The Emperor employs people; besides requiring ability, he must also feel at ease with them, therefore many probes and observations are inevitable……"

"I know." Shaowei could only receive his words first, saying: "Prescribe the right medicine for the illness——I've learned this. The books say: one without eyes cannot be shown the five colors, one without ears cannot be told the five notes——since I must win the Emperor's heart, I naturally must show him what he needs. He wants longevity and a stable realm; I pretend to be an auspicious omen that can assist him. Yesterday I already strove to make myself sound and look more auspicious."

She was originally a resentful ghost brimming with grievance; now playing an auspicious omen, it could be said she is sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall.

The house slave also felt this qualified as enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens; all those shocks and dangers need not be reviewed again. He wanted to lecture, but feared it would only increase her rebellious heart, so he could only resort to his old trick, asking indirectly first: "Why did you think to impersonate Taizu?"

This is not only risky but also shortens one's lifespan; however I myself once stole Taizu's tribute items, so let it be at that.

Shaowei: "Since it's his own grave that's about to collapse, him personally making a sound——isn't that more reasonable?"

Behind the absurd act lies considerably down-to-earth consideration.

The house slave silently nodded, then asked: "Then how did you know Taizu's mausoleum was about to collapse?"

Shaowei: "I calculated it."

The house slave honestly expressed doubt: "……Impossible."

After all, even Chi Yang couldn't calculate it; how much could she have learned following Jiang Fu?

But Shaowei calmly countered: "Why impossible?"

The house slave conceded defeat: "Alright, it's also possible. After all, she is the person Jiang Fu chose; she ought to have some extraordinary qualities that cannot be spoken of."

And this matter——calculating it doesn't mean being able to do it; it further requires planning and courage. Every step must not go wrong; she indeed completed it very well.

But he couldn't praise further; this child doesn't lack arrogance; praising further would easily make her lose her head.

Shaowei's "I calculated it" was only half true.

Since resolving to enter the capital and perpetrate a fraud, Shaowei scraped through her previous life's memories in her mind almost daily. But in the last two years of her lifespan, she had stayed at the Feng Family's Zhuangzi, her person also dazed and muddled, not too actively paying attention to outside affairs——Shaowei in the dream hated that she couldn't drill back into her previous life, violently shake awake that self who didn't ask about affairs, and sternly urge: dead eyes, hurry up and look; dead brain, hurry up and remember!

The memories she painstakingly scraped out were mostly major events she had passively experienced; she couldn't even recall clearly which specific year they occurred, for instance the exact time of Changling's collapse——

Memory could not give a precise judgment, but the present world can gradually deduce and eliminate. At least Changling hasn't collapsed yet, which is enough to show it will be this year or next. And she still remembers Changling's collapse was due to continuous spring rain……Shaowei cannot learn those invisible, intangible fate and Qi mechanisms, but she has learned arrays and star observation very well.

She judged through star phenomena that after the Second Day of the Second Month there would be continuous rain.

And on the day of the Second Day of the Second Month festival, Shaowei saw the Qi phenomenon change greatly; like Chi Yang, she also deduced at that time that there would be a change in the East, thoroughly confirming that Changling's collapse was imminent, therefore deciding to act when Liu Cheng lit the lamps.

Four parts previous life memory, three parts deduction, three parts true ability learned from Jiang Fu——these constituted a full ten parts of rigorous fraud technique.

As for the summer drought, she was a firsthand experiencer. Carefully excavating memory, at that time the servants at the Zhuangzi had secretly discussed that the Changling collapse had triggered the drought; these two matters have a mutually correlated memory relationship, and can serve as mutually corroborating evidence.

Recently Shaowei is still devoted to scraping memories, accumulating for her fraud technique.

And at this moment, the house slave produced a pot of wine, pouring himself a large bowl: "Haven't drunk wine for a long time; today let's take it as a celebration."

The wine fumes assaulted the nose; Shaowei slightly wrinkled her face. She had once secretly tasted Jiang Fu's wine; going down the throat it felt as if a hundred or so little soldiers holding torches, blades, and swords fought their way from her throat all the way to the depths of her spleen and stomach.

Seeing the house slave gulp down half a bowl, Shaowei finally opened her mouth: "Zhao Shu, last time I entrusted you to investigate the Lu Hou Mansion matter……do you remember?"

?? Good night everyone!

? (Shaowei's accommodation upgraded from a standard room to a courtyard house)