Chapter 149

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Shaowei had a keen sense of smell and was also skilled at sniffing out and distinguishing each person's unique manner; Liu Qi's question made Shaowei feel it was unlike his usual words and bearing.

Seeing her staring at him, Liu Qi explained: "Just a casual question, curiosity only."

The words were spoken like that, yet his gaze still waited for her answer.

It was known before that she held no bad impression of Liu Cheng, and Liu Cheng was indeed not someone who easily left a bad impression; he was handsome in appearance, harmless in temperament, he possessed much, yet none of it came from his own active striving or scheming, and in every way he greatly resembled his mother, Rui Hou.

Liu Qi had never once meaninglessly compared himself with Liu Cheng, until today in the palace he heard Shaowei say "can see each other every day" — this was certainly Liu Cheng monopolizing favor, but what about her? In their interactions, how did she view Liu Cheng?

Thinking back now, Liu Qi suddenly felt Liu Cheng was like a harmless, innocent mirror, reflecting back his own scheming and hypocrisy; even last year on Yundang Mountain when he intercepted and rescued her, he had an ulterior motive, wanting to recruit a talented person like her for his own use. Over these years, he had employed such tactics of granting favors to demand repayment endlessly.

When in Wuling Commandery, she also knew his intentions, so she treated him with much wariness; along this journey, from him publicly stripping as bait to shoot Huang Jie, to the various matters after entering the capital, she had clearly seen all his scheming disguises and his not-upright, not-clean posture of survival.

Exposing his base side to her so early had actually become the thing he regretted most right now.

Besides this regret, there was now an indescribable anxiety and unease — in the unseen shrine grounds, what had Liu Cheng said to her? Had the two formed some tacit understanding or bond? Had she, newly entering the mortal world, also finally seen his many flaws through that clean, dust-free Liu Cheng?

Only he himself knew how solemnly he was waiting for her answer at this moment, yet she said: "Don't mention it."

The tea bowl had already been set down; Shaowei furrowed her brows, both elbows pressing on her crossed knees, her straight back now slightly bowed, like a spotted tiger grabbed by the scruff of its neck, only barely holding back from bristling, but her teeth inevitably clenched, one cheek bulging hard.

Just these three words, just this one demeanor, Liu Qi instantly cast his inexplicable emotions to the Nine Heavens to wait, and hurriedly asked her: "What's wrong?"

"You ask what's wrong." Shaowei poured out the emotions she had suppressed for a long time in one go: "I was just forced to agree to be this family's running dog; a few days later, Rui Huanghou hinted I must show some loyalty, so today I had to bark like a dog before the Emperor to help her and Liu Cheng return to the palace."

"This matter was just going with the flow, but calling out still required careful thought; absolutely could not let the Emperor see my intentions. I am merely a pawn in their eyes; they naturally won't care about my safety or life and death, yet I must care and be responsible in all ways, every step must be considered again and again — truly not only must I be a running dog for others, but I must also secretly be this running dog in the cracks, and who knows when a great calamity might befall me, how can this not make one vexed and hateful? Where would I still care what kind of people they are?"

She spoke to the end, a pair of eyes glaring at the questioning Liu Qi.

Liu Qi seemed to return to his senses in an instant, hurriedly saying: "Blame me for a moment of confused thoughts, asking such superfluous nonsense, don't be angry."

Then subconsciously soothing and dissolving her emotions: "Just a temporary predicament; such days of being controlled by others certainly won't last too long, I guarantee it to you."

"What are you randomly guaranteeing?" Shaowei widened her eyes: "This matter is trouble I climbed into myself, not something you caused; we each have our own matters to handle, how could I have the reason to blame everything on you?"

His subconsciously blurted guarantee seemed to provoke her independence and self-reliance again; Liu Qi was somewhat flustered, but his mind mostly returned to place, and he still chose to speak his true heart: "You and I are allied in cooperation; mutual support is only right and proper. Independence is truly precious, but self-isolation is unfair to oneself."

That previous collision in Taiqing Pavilion, he had secretly reflected for a long time; he had already realized that mistaken arrogance and pride, but this time he did not simply cater to her thoughts, instead saying:

"My words just now were mistaken; I should not have used the word 'guarantee'. You naturally need not rely on me for everything, yet you also need not avoid using me for everything. Knowing people and employing them well will not diminish your prestige; this way, you are both brave and wise, and will only surpass your former self."

Seeing her staring at him without speaking, the youth added: "If you dislike this reasoning, you may simply treat it as temporary use, and need not go so far as to acknowledge it."

Eyes meeting, Shaowei fell silent.

She thought, she was not someone who couldn't distinguish good from bad; the person before her also had his own thoughts; he chose to tell her the worldly principles he found practical, taking her self-respect into account, not to persuade her, not seeking her agreement, merely sharing his way of the hunt, not wanting her to self-isolate due to excessive pride.

Seeing her still not speaking, Liu Qi asked again: "What do you think? If you feel it's wrong, just say so."

"Nothing wrong." Shaowei's tightly furrowed brows had already relaxed, her voice also turning languid: "Rest assured, I didn't think to isolate myself... wasn't it just that I entrusted you to help me find someone? But as for matters between me and the Empress and them, it's still best you don't interfere, to avoid inviting new trouble; for now I can still cope, if I need you, I'll call you then."

Seeing she didn't bristle, Liu Qi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and also felt she had grown; a hint of a smile couldn't help but appear in his eyes, and he nodded at her: "Good."

And Shaowei seeing him with such a good temper, her shoulders instead silently drooped a little, she lowered her brows and eyes, somewhat dejectedly saying: "Recently my temperament cultivation is worse by the day; even during static sitting I cannot calm my mind well. Just now you only asked a sentence, my tone was truly bad, but it wasn't directed at you..."

Liu Qi was surprised by her explanation, but the smile in his eyes faded, and he said: "It's not that your temperament cultivation is bad; it's that you're too exhausted and tense."

Speaking, he passed over the topmost peach: "Eat a peach."

Shaowei slightly lifted her eyes to glance, and bluntly said: "Won't eat; touched by the scene, eating would make me more tired, more tense, temper worse."

Liu Qi let out a helpless "ah", his hand instantly withdrawing; those fresh peaches he sent that day... he had cleverly thought she would miss the scent of Taoxi Township, never expecting to cause her a bout of sorrow.

Seeing her displeased, clearly even a glance had touched her by the scene, Liu Qi hurriedly took that whole plate of peaches down to the table bottom, placing them where she couldn't see.

When withdrawing his hand, he curled his right hand into a loose fist, mysteriously showing it to her: "This thing, you will surely be delighted to see."

Shaowei was drawn in, for a moment craning her neck to stare fixedly, only to see him slowly open his hand, a thing suddenly jumping out in his palm, emitting a "zzz—" sound, flapping wings and flying up while calling.

Shaowei started, hastily leaning back to dodge; it was a katydid; she wasn't afraid of cicada insects, the fright was because she was completely unprepared; instantly realizing she had been tricked, Shaowei reached out to strike that mischievous hand, "pa" a sound, Liu Qi took a hit before withdrawing his hand, his mouth laughing out loud, both hands propped behind his side.

"You still dare laugh!"

Shaowei grew more annoyed, both hands grabbing a round green jade melon and smashing it at him; Liu Qi hurriedly reached out to catch and embrace it.

Not waiting for Shaowei to make another move, he twisted with both hands, very easily and cleanly snapping the whole melon into two halves, passing one half over, smiling: "Eat this; green melon only produces saliva, not sentiment."

Moonlight poured down, reflecting the green melon's flesh and juice ever more crystal bright; the youth's clean, slender fingers held the melon rind, pushing it forward a bit more.

Shaowei had already reacted to his intent of releasing the katydid to tease and scare her; at this moment accepting the melon, she thus ceased hostilities.

The two sat cross-legged under the moon eating melon.

A Ya, holding hot tea in her hand yet already standing dazed for a good while, ultimately did not rush forward, but retreated two steps, handing the teapot to Deng Hu.

She believed she understood the Commandery Prince; she had seen his coldness and decisiveness these years; yet witnessing that scuffle just now aimed at comforting, she only then knew: even one who has experienced such great suffering and hardship would still not ignore or belittle another person's small sorrows.

She thought, the Commandery Prince lied; that green melon does not only produce saliva, it also produces sentiment.

A Ya stood in the corridor in a trance; not long after, Deng Hu carried two plates of cut green jade melon over, calling A He to eat together.

The melon fragrance not yet dissipated, Shaowei had already left.

This time still passing by that Lianqing Guan, Shaowei liked the sound of this place's night wind copper bells ringing, once again pausing here; she hid on a dim roof, hugging her knees sitting, Zhan Zhan on her head, gazing forward, spacing out for a while.

When the black night had fully faded, the black clothes on Shaowei had also been shed, changed into green daily witchcraft attire, boarded the carriage, headed for the shrine.

This time stepping into the divine hall, Liu Cheng's kneeling figure was not seen; after Shaowei served the incense, Liu Cheng came over, but it was to bid farewell: "People from the palace have come; Imperial Uncle has permitted me and Huanghou to return to the palace; Tai Puzhe, many thanks..."

"What does Your Highness thank me for?" Shaowei calmly interrupted his dreadful words.

Liu Cheng smiled: "Many thanks to Tai Puzhe for the care during this period."

"This is my duty."

Liu Cheng likewise said no more, the smile still on his face.

Jiang Tai Zhu was now considered "one of their own," so he naturally knew of this matter as well. He had always disliked these factional connections; the more people stood beside him, the more he felt unable to breathe. But this time was different... he even rejoiced for the first time that he was the Crown Prince, for otherwise, relying on himself alone, how could he ever have been chosen by her?

This time, reflecting in the shrine, he had truly been fortunate to receive the favor of ghosts and gods.

Even thinking of the various matters upon returning to the palace, he still felt tension, yet his heart held an added thread of safe and reliable calm, no longer drifting and panicking like catkins in the wind.

Upon leaving the shrine, Liu Cheng, standing beside Empress Rui, raised his hand in farewell once more. Shaowei bowed her head and returned the salute in send-off.

The Empress and the Crown Prince boarded the carriage and departed; the confinement of twenty-odd days was thus lifted.

Empress Rui had just returned to the palace when she began managing the upcoming Fifth Month Palace Banquet.

In the fifth month, poisonous insects emerge in multitudes, a hundred harms arise together, and epidemics easily breed. Since ancient times it has been regarded as a Poison Month, an Evil Month of life-and-death struggle.

Even earlier, children born in the fifth month were called Poison Children; those born on the fifth day of the fifth month were further seen as Disaster Stars that harm their parents. In antiquity, Mengchang Jun was born on the fifth day of the fifth month and was ordered abandoned and killed by his birth father. Fortunately his mother secretly saved him. When he grew up and reappeared, Mengchang Jun instead earned his birth father's appreciation, his fame resounding among the feudal lords, and he issued an order forbidding the common people from strangling "Five-Day Children" due to rumors.

The fifth day of the fifth month customs, evolving over many years, have become an important festival for sacrificial rites to drive out poison and expel epidemics.

Moreover, the sovereign each year banquets the royal clan and high ministers, and orders East Commandery in advance to send a thousand owl birds, using their meat to make owl soup, bestowed upon ministers as a warning that ministers must strictly guard the way of loyalty and filial piety.

Therefore the Fifth Month Palace Banquet is an annual convention. However, a shaman entering the palace to exorcise evil has not occurred for many years. This year it happened, so the Emperor again summoned Huali into the palace to discuss the banquet venue together with the officials in charge of the banquet rites and sacrifices.

In recent years the palace banquet has been held at the Cangchi Gong Yuan before the Front Hall of Weiyang Palace. This time Huali proposed: since there is a Nuo Sacrifice, why not hold the banquet at Chengxiang Hall.

Chengxiang Hall is a palace site dedicated to shamanic sacrificial rites for blessings; therefore it has not been opened for large-scale use for many years.

The Taichang Temple Minister deemed Huali's proposal reasonable and fitting. On the fifth day of the fifth month, poisonous sha qi runs rampant; holding the banquet at Chengxiang Hall is more conducive to driving away evil spirits.

The Emperor also nodded. Huali then advanced the opinion: this summer a Chiba causes harm, disasters continue unabated. It shows that besides poisonous insects, the four directions surely also conceal many filthy, evil yin spirits. To ensure the banquet is absolutely foolproof, perhaps we should, three days in advance, use talismans at Chengxiang Hall to protect and purify the hall interior and exterior.

Huali was saved by a mysterious expert and also understands the way of alchemy; her acknowledging Daoist talismans is perfectly normal. Not contending with Immortal Arts is also something the Emperor is pleased to see.

And the previous cinnabar talismans failed to fully block the poisonous insects. Relying on talismans alone, the Emperor still found it insufficient, and naturally made the decision: "Issue Our order, summon the Immortal Master into the palace."

There were many other details needing deliberation. By the time Shaowei left Weiyang Palace, a time unit had passed. Just then she ran into Chiyang, who had been summoned into the palace, face to face.

Shaowei no longer avoided his gaze. Two lines of sight touched silently, distorting and deforming in the heat waves in the air.

Chiyang entered the hall for an audience. The Emperor put forth the idea of having him take people to Chengxiang Hall tomorrow, set up a Daoist talisman formation, and personally protect and maintain it for three days.

How can a sovereign's command be disobeyed? Chiyang agreed on the spot and said: "Please, Your Majesty, permit this poor Daoist to go first to Chengxiang Hall to scout it out."

The Emperor nodded and had a palace attendant guide the way.

When Chiyang arrived, many palace servants were already sweeping inside and outside Chengxiang Hall. Chiyang walked slowly, inspecting the hall interior and exterior. Shunzhen, holding an umbrella for him, followed the whole way.

Then Chiyang entered the Main Hall, closed his eyes, and recited Daoist arts. Shunzhen affixed the talisman papers he carried on his person to various places. The places he posted them had no discernible pattern; the palace people could not understand, only guessing they might relate to feng shui positions.

When the sky color was about to darken, Master and Disciple Chiyang left Chengxiang Hall.

Sunlight had already gathered into the western sky. Shunzhen, a step behind his master, said in a low voice: "Inside and outside this hall's palace courtyard there are no suspicious places. The bricks, tiles, walls, beams, and pillars show no suspicious new traces; it does not look like tampering has been done."

Chiyang looked at the dim twilight and said softly: "She may not necessarily do anything by hand. Perhaps she has once again 'foreseen' something unfathomable..."

In past years the banquet venue was none other than Cangchi Gong Yuan. This year poisonous insects broke through the talismans, giving the Emperor the idea of summoning a shaman into the palace to exorcise evil. Following the shaman entering to exorcise evil, the banquet venue was changed to Chengxiang Hall, and immediately afterward he was moved to accept the edict to protect Chengxiang Hall...

Step by step, this has not been without being a trap set for him.

Shunzhen, hearing his master's words, pondered again and ventured: "Chengxiang Hall has long been without maintenance and repair. Several structures show corrosion, but this disciple has examined carefully and for the time being there is no fear of collapse... However, if the banquet is packed with people, and another uncontrollable accident occurs, a mishap may not fail to arise."

Chiyang sighed: "If that is the case, it is my crime of insufficient protection."

Or perhaps not only that... A foreknowledge ability that transcends Immortal Arts — what exactly did she foresee in advance?

Sun sets and rises again. Next morning, Quan Wa and two other palace attendants came to the shrine, bringing an oral decree.

"His Majesty has this servant inform the Tai Puzhe: the Fifth Month Palace Banquet remains the same as past years, to be held at Cangchi Gong Yuan."

Shaowei's attitude startled. She asked in puzzlement: "The matter settled yesterday — does the inner official know why His Majesty made this change?"

Yu Si Wu tried to stop Huali from asking further. Since it is an "informing," there is no room for further deliberation. However that little inner official was already very cooperative and answered Huali in a low voice: "The Immortal Master yesterday went first to Chengxiang Hall to observe and sit in static sitting. After returning he went to request an audience with His Majesty..."

Shaowei asked as if seeking instruction: "What did the Immortal Master say?"

?? Good night everyone!

? Today there are four hundred more words, striving for a little more each day~

? Month end, for the ranking list I boldly ask everyone for monthly tickets!

? (Although I took leave yesterday, I've organized the entire remaining plot outline of this book. Now with the detailed outline in hand, my heart is very much at ease)