Chapter 120

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

The one Zhao Qie'an spoke of without preamble, without naming names — it could only ever be that one person.

Shaowei didn't need to verify it either; she asked at once, "You have a lead on her?!"

Alive or dead?!

This sentence, Shaowei couldn't bring herself to ask immediately, only stared fixedly at Zhao Qie'an.

Earlier, Zhao Qie'an had heard from the Embroidered Uniform Guard that Chi Yang took away Jiang Fu's "corpse," telling the Emperor in secret that this person was a nation-ruining evil spirit, and the corpse needed to be brought back to Chi Yang's Sect's treasure land to suppress her soul spirit.

On Chi Yang's return to the capital, he did indeed pass by his sect's location, staying briefly for several days. But when Zhao Qie'an and Mo Li entered the capital, they had already gone to investigate; the so-called suppressed object was still just that one empty coffin.

The house servants and Shaowei both guessed that if Jiang Fu was alive, Chi Yang would surely hide her in the nearest and most easily controlled place — most likely right in the capital city.

In the month-plus since entering the capital, Zhao Qie'an had never stopped secretly probing and investigating Xian Tai Gong and the Immortal Master's Mansion, but had gained nothing all along.

Until today, the man he had arranged to keep watch near the Immortal Master's Mansion in the city came rushing to report:

"Half a day ago, a carriage drove out from the Immortal Master's Mansion's back door, escorted by several dozen men — nearly the full complement of guards in the mansion, showing extreme importance. Judging by the depth of the wheel ruts, there was only one person inside, and not a burly man."

Shaowei's eyes had already gone wide, her voice still fairly calm: "You suspect the person inside the carriage is her?"

"Can't help but suspect." As Zhao Qie'an spoke, he raised his right hand, showing the object in his hand: "The tracker pursued for ten li and found this in the grass that carriage rolled over."

The waning moon like a broken bow, only the faintest glimmer — but Shaowei's eyesight was extraordinary, and she recognized at a glance that it was a woman's shoe, the style Jiang Fu wore the day she vanished.

Everything from that day chewed over and over, every detail burned into embers and fused into flesh and blood.

Her mind was already in an uproar, yet her mouth had to question: "Shoes like this aren't rare; how can you determine they're hers?"

"I brought these shoes to her." Zhao Qie'an said: "Though also bought from the commandery, I once embroidered this inside the shoe."

Shaowei snatched it over to examine; the house servant's needlework wasn't bad, but limited to mending — the embroidered pattern was as crude as his handwriting, only a round object in red thread visible, pressed right against a prickly, explosively fuzzy thing.

Shaowei couldn't make sense of it, urgently seeking confirmation: "What did you embroider? Are you sure it's not a copy?"

Zhao Qie'an's voice was hoarse: "One moon, one star — implying the star accompanies the moon, forever unchanging."

Shaowei couldn't be bothered to wrestle with this clumsy implication the person herself might not even understand.

Right now she only clutched that shoe stained with dark bloodstains, forcing herself to stay as calm as possible: "Even if this is her thing, how can you conclude the person in the carriage is definitely her?"

"Can't conclude." Zhao Qie'an answered honestly: "But can't help thinking more."

This honesty wasn't just his thought alone.

Shaowei gripped that old shoe, and without realizing her strength grew; the sensation of a heartbeat traveled to her fingers, as if she were clutching a living thing with a pulse.

Yes, can't help thinking more.

Even though reason told her this clue appearing suddenly at such a juncture was clearly a trap laid by Chi Yang, meant to probe her, lure her in...

But a voice in her heart said: what if Chi Yang detected that Huali's true form was aimed at him, and so took advantage of her being tied down by the Third Day of the Third Month Grand Sacrifice to choose this moment to transfer Jiang Fu away?

Moreover, Chi Yang mobilized several dozen guards — for him that's no small number — perhaps he anticipated the opponent wouldn't easily take the bait, so he turned the tables, using this sliver of darkness under the lamp to truly take Jiang Fu away just like that?

Even if these chaotic thoughts had only a one-in-ten-thousand possibility, how could she pretend not to see them?

The shoe was still the shoe from when she vanished, the bloodstains already dark, but surely it was her blood; if she was alive, Chi Yang would never treat her well — she must have been unable to change clothes for a long time, bearing heavy injuries, who knows how much suffering she endured; she was never someone good at enduring hardship...

Some suffering Shaowei could bear herself without feeling miserable or wronged, but imagining that suffering on Jiang Fu made it unbearably painful.

Can't help suspecting, can't help overthinking, can't help but look — all these "can't helps" stem from the same pain: unable to accept the price of possibly missing her forever because of her own "wishful thinking."

The Shangsi Festival Grand Sacrifice is undoubtedly crucial, but isn't everything done to find her?

If instead she misses her because of it, how can she ever forgive herself?

Shaowei's voice stiff as she asked: "Which direction did that carriage go?"

"West of Chang'an."

Precisely the opposite direction from Changling east of Chang'an City.

Shaowei's legs heavy, she strode several steps, but was stopped by a house servant catching up, one hand pressing down half her shoulder, the other hand taking the old shoe from her grasp.

"I'll go after it, you stay." The house servant said: "You and I, one in the open, one in the dark, acting separately — your plan unchanged, complete the Grand Sacrifice first, let Mo Li and Dou Shiyi coordinate with you."

The Dou Shiyi in his mouth was the Zhu Xi of those ten guards Liu Qi sent.

Just borrowed people after all; tacit coordination and flexibility naturally still not as good as him, but no better way at this point.

As for why it had to be him to give chase? Though he'd also mustered some manpower now, they weren't yet fully seasoned, capabilities far from able to hold their own — if it wasn't him personally going, he couldn't set this child's heart at ease.

The house servant lifted his foot and left; Shaowei chased a few steps, forcing herself to stop.

The house servant looked back, gazing at the girl's silhouette in the gloom, a trace of relief in his eyes.

At a time like this, standing still takes more courage than running forward wildly.

Thought a bit, the house servant still decided to nag a little: "I didn't hide this from you — one, afraid you'd lose your temper later; two, afraid it'd hinder your timely judgment of the situation — Chi Yang is bound to be suspicious of Huali now, you must be even more careful; and since I've gone, you mustn't be distracted."

Shaowei clenched her fist and nodded, repeating in her heart: be careful, don't be distracted.

She said: "Zhao Shu, you be careful too."

"Mm." Zhao Qie'an replied briefly, neutralizing his earlier nagging, turned and vanished.

Shaowei still stood in place, her mood like tangled hemp set ablaze.

Chi Yang's scheme this time — both yin and yang. Yin in mocking and disturbing the heart; yang in knowing he's disturbing the heart yet still being unavoidably disturbed.

Though the house servant went in her place, it was still another kind of falling for the trap — luring the tiger from the mountain, weakening her helpers.

Shaowei hated even more right now that she had too few usable chips in hand; if she had her own solid faction and enough sharp, numerous manpower, that carriage could have been pinned down and besieged the moment it left the Immortal Master's Mansion — let him scheme yin or yang, one blade breaks it all, and the truth would be known.

When it comes down to it, still too weak and small.

And such frustration and self-pity, throwing her own ranks into disarray—how was that not falling for the enemy's scheme to attack her heart?

Shaowei strode back, returned to her quarters, took out a silver needle, and simply pricked herself twice, forcing herself into sleep.

Poor sleep made her temper more irritable and more prone to foolishness; she was never a calm person to begin with, and adding fuel to the fire would only make it worse.

Several days passed like this, the house slaves still not knowing when they could return, and only one day remained until the Shangsi Festival Grand Sacrifice.

On the second day of the third month, the day before the Grand Sacrifice, the witches were to follow the Nuo Ritual, enter the Changling palace chambers, and drive away evil spirits.

The collapse of Changling was regarded as an evil spirit at work; since there would be a ceremony tomorrow, today they would drive out all the hidden evil spirits from every place, awaiting the grand sacrifice tomorrow night to cast spells and drive them away and kill them.

Nearly eighty witches arrived before the majestic entrance of Changling, lining up in a row, with Shaowei standing right in the center.

Yu Si Wu had not yet arrived, and the ranks were not fully formed; a Wu Nu came a step late, hurriedly joining from the rear, and just happened to come to Shaowei's right side.

Shaowei turned her head slightly to look, but the expression beneath the mask froze for a moment.

All who performed the Nuo Ritual to drive away evil had to wear Nuo masks and hold ritual objects; this Wu Nu was no exception. She wore a mask covering her face, her figure tall and well-proportioned; at first glance, she actually bore some resemblance to Jiang Fu.

And because of the mask blocking her, Shaowei now only faintly smelled a faint fragrance on the other person that also bore some resemblance to Jiang Fu.

There were at least a thousand witches in the Shen Ci; Shaowei had never come into contact with this person before, and now she almost wanted to tear off the other's mask on the spot.

Shaowei told herself that it was not her.

It was only that the figure and fragrance were similar; the demeanor could not be imitated, merely bringing a slight illusion thanks to the mask's cover.

But scent is a mechanism; the moment one smells it, many old events are immediately opened up.

After Yu Si Wu arrived, accompanied by the sound of drums, the witch team moved from front to back, splitting into two rows, about to enter the Ling Palace from the left and right directions; after circling the entire Ling Palace once, the two sides would meet, completing the entire Nuo Ritual. This process of "encircling and driving out" evil spirits required at least half a day, and participating witches had to fast and abstain from water the night before.

Shaowei was originally in the center of the team; if counted by the number of names on the list, she should follow the person on the right and enter the right row.

At the moment of marching in separate rows, Shaowei lightly shifted her feet and faced the right.

That Wu Nu did not know whether she noticed Shaowei's movement, and in the next moment also faced right, following the team to the right.

But at this moment, Shaowei changed direction and suddenly followed the left row.

The Wu Nu responsible for maintaining order was about to speak out when she saw this, but was interrupted by Yu Si Wu beside her: "That is Hua Li; let her follow her heart."

Hua Li chose to actively distance herself from that shadow resembling Jiang Fu.

If one draws near and drowns in the false, one betrays and abandons the true.

Shaowei had long known that Chi Yang had extended his hand into the Shen Ci; among those earlier faint and indistinct probing gazes, most were likely his handiwork, and now this was very likely another scheme to attack her heart; avoiding it was always correct.

With the sound of bells and drums and the witches' chanting, the witches entered the dim Ling Palace one after another.

Performing the Nuo Ritual inside the tomb, besides ritual objects such as bronze bells, half of the witches also had to hold spears; the "Rites of Zhou" records: 【At a great funeral, before the coffin, reaching the tomb, entering the grave pit, strike the four corners with spears to drive away Fang Liang.】

This means that when witches enter the tomb chamber to drive away evil, they must strike the four walls with spears.

These spears were mostly made of bone or stone, polished to be rather round and blunt, of little practical use, serving only as ritual spears.

And the scope of the Nuo Ritual was only the outer palace chambers; the entrance to the inner tomb chamber where the former rulers' coffins were placed had already been blocked, and entry to offend was not allowed. Imperial Guards were stationed at many places to patrol and prevent witches from mistakenly entering places they should not tread.

Besides the patrollers and witches, craftsmen were occasionally seen working; although the Former Emperor's mausoleum had collapsed nearly a month ago, a large number of craftsmen had gathered here, and the repair work was far from finished.

Each row of tomb chambers varied in size and height, all built according to Feng Shui theories; stone beasts guarding the tomb could be seen everywhere, bronze lamps flickering with eerie light, together with the chanting of Ghost Mask witches, drum sounds, bell sounds, and the striking of ritual spears, the tomb chamber echoed with a majestic and strange atmosphere.

Wherever the witches passed, craftsmen all stopped their work, silently casting curious and reverent gazes.

Vision dim, figures indistinct, various sounds mingled, firelight flickered, and the scene was chaotic.

While performing the Nuo Ritual, Shaowei stretched her five senses to the maximum, and in such a situation, Shaowei for the first time truly realized that even though she boasted of extraordinary talent, the human mind and attention were destined to be limited; of the hundred sounds reaching her ears, she could distinguish at most half, and it was impossible to miss nothing.

She therefore became increasingly vigilant; the moment she felt a gaze lingering on her body, or a wind assaulting her, she would immediately look in that direction, but each time the result was merely her being overly suspicious and excessively vigilant.

More than an hour passed like this, and nothing happened at all.

Going further ahead, one could see another group of large and small tomb chambers storing burial stone and bronze objects appearing ahead; such tomb chambers required only two witches to enter together, just like when entering the Ling Palace, Shaowei had always walked at the rear; when she and the Wu Nu ahead were about to step into one of them, a guard outside the tomb chamber reminded them: "Witches, please watch your step."

This was a row of low tomb chambers; entering each required stepping down seven or eight steps, hence the guard's reminder.

Such a group of chambers had already been passed twice in the place they had just walked through; the height of each tomb chamber was divided into high, level, and low; this arrangement seemed to follow some pattern; the two places passed earlier were low chamber in front, low chamber in the middle; this time it was low chamber at the back, so it was now Shaowei at the rear's turn to enter the low chamber area.

Shaowei followed behind that Wu Nu, and just as she was about to step down the last step, she suddenly sensed a gust of wind assaulting from behind.

This time it should no longer be an illusion.

Shaowei took a large step forward while turning to dodge, only to see that it was indeed the guard who had spoken to remind them earlier, raising his blade to slash at her.

In an instant, many thoughts flashed through Shaowei's mind: Had Chi Yang's people made a move? To kill her? To further probe her? Or was it the Emperor's order, wanting to examine whether she possessed martial arts?

So many thoughts left her hesitant and unable to strike back immediately; as Shaowei retreated to dodge, that guard with agile skills closed in instantly; the companion Wu Nu let out a cry of alarm, suddenly grabbed Shaowei, and protected her behind herself.

The Wu Nu's shoulder was slashed by the guard's blade; she stifled a groan of pain, but still protected Shaowei as she retreated.

The incident happened very suddenly; within only a few breaths, the Wu Nu's cry could not penetrate the chaotic drum and spear sounds; Shaowei was startled; she knew Yu Si Wu had issued strict orders that everyone in the Shen Ci must protect and look after her, but she did not expect that this unfamiliar Wu Nu would actually block a blade for her in the panic...

Amid the chaos, Shaowei pulled the Wu Nu back to retreat and dodge, and took the lead in shouting loudly: "Someone come! An assassin is disturbing the Nuo Ritual!"

Her external skills were not rashly revealed, but this shout was extremely piercing; the tomb chambers were all connected, and there must be other patrolling guards nearby; hearing Shaowei shout again, the guard whose strike had failed seemed unwilling to risk delay and chose to escape.

Taking advantage of this gap, the injured Wu Nu supported herself against the wall with her other hand and moved away with difficulty, supporting her injured body.

The light was too dim; Shaowei could not see her specific injuries; judging by her appearance, she was obviously badly injured; as she walked toward her, she asked: "How are you? Don't be afraid! Someone is coming!"

"I'm fine... Hua Li, only you must not come to harm..." The Wu Nu leaned against the wall, breathing unevenly: "Tomorrow is the Shangsi Festival, you still have to..."

Just two steps away, as Shaowei was about to approach the Wu Nu, a sensation of weightlessness suddenly appeared; several newly laid stone bricks beneath her feet suddenly split apart; Shaowei suddenly came to her senses, but it was too late.

No matter how good her skills or how fast her reactions, at this moment the only thing she could do was try her best to adjust her falling posture, so as not to be smashed to pieces.

Besides that, Shaowei swung the ritual spear in her hand forcefully upward, trying to hook onto the gap between the stone bricks; however, only a moment's difference, the stone bricks quickly closed, and Shaowei fell rapidly.

With a "thud," the person above and the person below fell to the ground together; the injured Wu Nu threw herself down on her own, crawled toward the chamber door, and shouted in panic to those rushing over: "There is an evil thing! There is an evil thing that injures people! I saw it!"

The place where Shaowei fell was the lower tomb chamber, enough to block all sounds from above; in the darkness, Shaowei had just used the stone spear to support herself up, raised her head to look toward the place she fell; not having time to carefully distinguish the position, trying to think about the possibility of climbing up and prying open the floor bricks, suddenly a strange sound reached her ears, accompanied by a flash of cold light; mechanism arrows flew out from both the front and the right side!

She waved her spear to block; Shaowei retreated quickly; however, the mechanisms were connected, one link after another; Shaowei was soon forced to retreat dozens of steps; the arrow rain and poison needles enough to wipe out a whole group of tomb robbers had not yet stopped; above her head, suspended stones accompanied by sand and earth suddenly fell.

Shaowei judged by her hearing and retreated quickly again; the suspended stones fell to the ground, forming a thick stone wall, completely blocking Shaowei's possibility of returning the way she came.

Shaowei knew well that once this automatically triggered suspended stone mechanism fell, it could not be reset.

This also meant that even if someone discovered signs of her fall and came down to find her, it would be of no use; moreover, ascertaining the truth required time, and the air here faintly emitted a strange smell, most likely some kind of poison smoke; she must leave as quickly as possible.

To survive, she could only grope her way forward.

Yet in the pitch-blackness, every step forward might bring death.

As the poison smoke dispersed, the other attacks temporarily ceased; Shaowei, grazed by arrows in several places, stood still, promptly sealing several acupoints, and used this brief "calm" to swiftly think and discern.

The mechanism that caused her fall must have been Chiyang's handiwork; only he had the authority, on the pretext of arranging and adjusting feng shui, to bring people into the mausoleum chamber and rig these tricks.

And her most fatal mistake lay in the guilt she felt toward the Wu Nu who had blocked a blade for her; she blamed herself for not counterattacking out of selfishness, which had caused the other's injury, so when the offending guard left, she let down her guard for a moment.

Killing intent is easy to guard against; goodwill is hard to push away at the first moment.

Moreover, Shaowei had never truly suspected this companion, because subconsciously, this companion was her own choice, the choice she made to avoid that Wu Nu who resembled Jiang Fu.

Recalling now, that stranger who resembled Jiang Fu was merely a feint east strike west; or rather, no matter which side she chose to follow, a similar trap was waiting for her.

Just like that low acupoint chamber — was it truly only the one she entered that had a falling mechanism?

Fewer than eighty Wu Zhe in total, walking in two columns, fewer than forty on each side; encountering the acupoint chamber clusters, they paired up, forming at most twenty groups, and each person's order in the formation was fixed, their partners also fixed. According to the varying heights of those acupoint chambers, she would inevitably have a chance to step into a low chamber together with that companion.

This was the result of her triggering it; the traps she avoided unknowingly were unknown in number; from mechanisms to human nature, every step was one.

That Chiyang did not even show his face, merely hiding behind the scenes arranging things, sending a few people to act, and forced her into such an absolute situation.

Blame her own stupidity; she thought herself cautious enough, not daring to be distracted in the slightest, yet still she was outmatched.

Shaowei felt unreconciled and resentful; her eyes welled with self-reproaching, physiological tears.

After a moment, she raised a hand to wipe dry these useless tears, and with limited visibility, scanned the surroundings inch by inch.

Finally, the young girl's gaze, both keen and sharp, turned toward the forward direction.

Staying here meant only waiting for death.

Even if the household slaves were still there, they could not enter this place to rescue her; Mo Li and the others could not possibly find this place in a short time; she could seek help from no one; heaven and earth would not answer her with a single vengeful ghost; the only thing she could do was rely on herself.

Rely on herself to break through.

Shaowei tightly gripped the stone ge, already broken and only half remaining, in one hand; with the other she tore off the copper bell, still wearing the blue ghost mask, and walked into the pitch-blackness.

Soon, the sky color outside the black tomb also darkened into a mass of thick ink.

Shunzhen entered Chiyang's room, finished his salutations, and said in a low voice: "Master, those mechanism traces have all been cleaned up amidst the chaos."

The key to opening the mechanism lies on the wall; as long as the mechanism behind the wall bricks is destroyed, making those bricks unable to be pushed inward again, the mechanism can never be triggered or discovered again.

Chiyang was writing talismans for tomorrow's ritual altar, sitting upright behind the desk; hearing this, he only gave a light "Mm."

Shunzhen said: "That little Wu must have perished under the tomb passage mechanisms by now."

If it were an ordinary person, they would have been pulverized the instant they fell.

Chiyang shook his head slightly: "Not necessarily. The person she chose must have something extraordinary about them. Don't forget, this child nearly killed Zhu Zhi."

The pair of eyes sent over has had its identity confirmed by Zhu Zhi.

It is the child who attempted to kill Zhu Zhi, the child Shixiong raised.

Shunzhen only said: "Even when Zhu Zhi was intact, he might not have been able to break through those layers of mechanisms."

"Words are thus..." Chiyang smiled faintly: "But it doesn't matter; I have prepared other generous gifts for her."

One talisman completed, Chiyang took another blank talisman paper, and while writing softly said: "Luring her here was the only feasible method. In the dark, she is destined to be buried in the emperor's black tomb — one can see her fate is indeed extraordinary. Only if she wishes to accomplish something, she can only wait for the next life."

This child indeed possesses astonishing courage, decisive and swift; these two are indispensable traits of those who achieve great things.

Only a pity she is still too young; previously she was always hidden away by Shixiong, not having truly entered the world; no matter how clever and perceptive, it is hard to conceal childish rawness.

Most importantly, the chips in her hand are truly too few; even though she is struggling to climb upward, it is still too few.

Eliminating a threat should be done while the threat is still minuscule; his choice is correct.

"It is I who won without martial virtue." Chiyang's eyes held some pity: "But it is all for the Heavenly Way; it is the Heavenly Way that cannot tolerate her."

Shixiong was wrong; he was right.

Chiyang smiled in relief, and said to Shunzhen: "Withdraw; handle cleanly all matters that should be handled."

"Yes, Disciple takes leave."

Shunzhen bowed and withdrew to behind the door, then turned and opened the door.

The two house doors were pushed open from inside.

Yu Si Wu walked out with a deathly pale face.

Behind her inside the house, that injured Wu Nu repeated the same words: "It is an evil spirit, that evil spirit injured me first, then took away Hua Li... I only saw a mass of black shadow; it kidnapped Hua Li, and in the blink of an eye it vanished!"

?? (This is a very large chapter! Reading this way it flows better; making up a bit for yesterday's leave request; good night everyone.)