Chapter 221

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Those two words "how contemptible" caused Zhuang Yuanzhi's mind to buzz; Tang Jia actually dared to use those two words, so he couldn't help but surmise that in the interactions with that flower fox, his own master's status was hardly optimistic.

"Truly, a bewildering soul-summoning spell must not be cast, for fear of startling away the secluded guest in the mountains, the ghost immortal in the clouds." Tang Jia then sighed in a murmur: "If one truly speaks of some witchcraft curse, it is probably something one sows upon oneself……"

He added: "This curse is not a vicious curse; if this bystander were to speak, I would rather this curse never be solved for all eternity, and that His Highness absolutely not be let off……"

"Are these human words?" Zhuang Yuanzhi glared at this accomplice before him, quite displeased: "Is the Changshi performing his duties adequately?"

The two faced each other kneeling; Tang Jia, bearing the pressure, persuaded this First Scolding God of Great Qian: "Jia's wisdom and courage naturally cannot compare to one ten-thousandth of Brother Yuan Zhi's; however, Jia has had the fortune to accompany the Sixth Prince by his side for many years, so on many matters I dare presume I see more clearly than Brother Yuan Zhi……"

"His Highness suffered trauma in his youth; nothing can make up for or retrieve it. Even with heaven-great courage and resolve, he is driven by a spirit of mutual destruction, seeking only revenge — this is insufficient to satisfy Brother Yuan Zhi's truly far-reaching schemes — to speak honestly, this is also what Jia has always been most worried about."

"But after this curse was formed, it was different; only then did this world truly have a greedy attachment, a lingering reluctance……"

Speaking here, Tang Jia's eye rims reddened slightly, genuine emotion showing; he reached out and pulled one of Zhuang Yuanzhi's hands, gripped it tightly, then patted it lightly:

"Presumably Brother Zhuang also does not wish to see a tree painstakingly raised to maturity, wildly flourishing with branches and leaves, yet unable to put down roots, unknown which day it will come crashing down, simply dying there for you and me to watch?"

Zhuang Yuanzhi listened with complex feelings, his expression indescribable, yet he also truly understood just what genuine weight lay in that sentence "must have her constantly looking back to save him."

He then heard Tang Jia say in an almost superstitious tone: "Even without this layer of connection to His Highness, this person Ling Shu Jun cannot be fathomed with ordinary eyes, and must not be alarmed or provoked — Brother Yuan Zhi's time back in the capital has been short; the subtleties within, Jia will slowly explain later."

"This is a fortunate matter; Elder Brother need not be troubled." Tang Jia then said with certainty: "Once Elder Brother has sufficient understanding, you will naturally also truly respect and submit in admiration…… Speaking of acting boldly and ruthlessly, Ling Shu Jun, because her nature is too natural, often surpasses even His Highness."

Tang Jia gave a slight knowing smile: "Surely very much to Brother Yuan Zhi's liking and aspirations."

Zhuang Yuanzhi was rarely at a loss for words.

Before he left today he was still a perfectly conventional person, with zero psychological preparation for the fact that he would henceforth have to serve two masters.

Although his appetite is vigorous, this is simply too greedy — two domineering lords like young dragons and tigers……

Zhuang Yuanzhi withdrew his hand, stroked his beard, calmed his mood; on one hand feeling his stomach couldn't hold so many people, on the other hand his heart couldn't help but secretly surge, only feeling the road ahead was overly full of shifting winds and clouds, surging and bustling.

"However this is still merely our wishful thinking……" Tang Jia sighed softly: "Ling Shu Jun disdains to cast the curse, and His Highness still worries day and night, gains and losses unknown; who knows if he can follow her for long."

Zhuang Yuanzhi was startled once more; it stirred his wavering thoughts, yet told him the other party might not accept with a smile? What arrogant cruel punishment is this? And is it not another kind of curse-casting?

Seeing Lord Zhuang fall silent in a rare manner, clearly having taken it to heart, Tang Jia — having avoided a scolding — breathed a sigh of relief.

Back in Wuling Commandery, it was indeed he who invited this Lord Zhuang to visit the Commandery Prince's Mansion, but at that time his original intention was merely to consult on matters of instructing the Sixth Prince……

Yet how could he have dared imagine that after that meeting, this lord refused the visit on the surface, flicked his sleeves and left; but behind the scenes he directly broke in, brazenly took over household affairs, secretly and busily acted as the Southern steward, becoming his unseen secret colleague, and later came to surpass him, complaining he wasn't enterprising and steadfast enough, often sending letters to instruct him.

Early autumn last year in Wuling Commandery, that invitation card originally brought a teacher to instruct himself.

The instructing teacher frowned and stroked his beard; the student Tang Jia asked in a low voice: "Speaking of which…… why has that young lord also come to this dangerous place, the capital?"

Ask one sentence and get a retort: "Since he is a young lord, his actions naturally follow his own heart entirely; how would I know why? It is merely obeying orders and doing my utmost to arrange his escort and protection."

Tang Jia swallowed his frustration in silence, but Zhuang Yuanzhi then urged him to speak: "Regarding the matter of that flower fox, tell me in detail once more……"

The moonlight outside the window stood in for Tang Jia's silence; beneath the roof tiles covered by moonlight, the indoor bamboo curtain was rolled up; the youth who had just removed his cloak, revealing a gray-white Daoist robe, smiled and approached: "Si Retreating!"

The bamboo curtain fell behind him; Liu Qi revealed a smile: "Cong Nan."

Two people carrying too much; every reunion is incomparably precious. The two sat facing each other by candlelight drinking tea; Liu Qi asked: "Why return to Chang'an?"

"After you left Wuling Commandery, I kept thinking……" Ling Congnan's demeanor was still indifferent and gentle, but his eyes held shame: "As an elder brother, I cannot persuade you to let go, yet I also cannot be at ease letting you face danger alone."

He looked at Liu Qi: "Si Retreating, my strength is weak; true, I cannot help you much, but whether life or death, you and I should face it together."

Four eyes met for a moment; Liu Qi smiled, his tone also relaxed: "Good; only Chang'an is not as free as the South; one can only hide away the days, inevitably constrained."

"You stake life and death, yet still worry whether I am at ease." Ling Congnan also smiled: "Coincidentally, these years I have long been used to hiding away the days; suddenly being free in the Southern lands, I am instead very unaccustomed."

Finished speaking, both laughed.

Ling Congnan looked at the youth before him with relaxed brows and eyes, and couldn't help saying: "Along this journey, I heard many things; Si Retreating, I originally worried you would surely not be well at this moment, never expected you are instead much brighter than when you left Wuling Commandery."

Speaking here, Ling Congnan said: "If Yu'er were also here, this would count as complete…… Si Retreating, Yu'er's whereabouts are also a knot in my heart; the subsequent matter of finding her, let me handle it."

Liu Qi nodded, and said somewhat absentmindedly: "Recently I occasionally dream of Yu'er…… in the dream she tells me, no need to fear not recognizing each other upon meeting; she left a mark."

Though a dream, it is also an extremely hard-to-grasp bond; Ling Congnan couldn't help asking: "What mark?"

Liu Qi's voice was gentle: "She said her brows and eyes are half like her father, half like her mother; even if others don't recognize her at first glance, I will surely be able to recognize her."

Brows and eyes are the agreed mark.

Ling Congnan had great talent for calligraphy and painting; hearing this he immediately sought brush and ink, and based on the memory of his brother and sister-in-law's appearances, tried to depict a pair of childish brows and eyes on silk — he painted a full five or six sheets.

Liu Qi looked and looked, picked up the one he thought most alike, imagining what that little girl should look like at this time. When night deepened and he left, he tucked this fistful of silk into his sleeve.

Ling Congnan stood on the stone steps, watching Liu Qi depart.

The servant went to prepare hot water for bathing; Ling Congnan returned to the chamber, looking at the brush and ink still not put away on the desk, hesitated a moment, then ultimately sat cross-legged, lifted the brush, and wrote six concise characters on a strip of silk: 【Already returned to capital, do not worry.】

He set down the brush; to the side were the remaining few sheets of childish brows-and-eyes paintings; the ink-wash painted eyes, under the lamplight, seemed to truly have spirit, jumping and moving.

At that same moment, accompanied by a startled cry, eyes opened; the little girl sat up abruptly from a nightmare.

The sparrow on the same bed was woken and sat up: "Don't be afraid, it's a dream."

"A dream……" Xiao Yu panted heavily, came to her senses, and couldn't help saying: "I haven't had this dream for a very long time……"

Que'er used her sleeve to wipe the sweat from Xiao Yu's forehead, listening to Xiao Yu speak: "Que'er, I'll secretly tell you a secret……"

Xiao Yu shifted her bottom, facing Que'er directly, mysteriously: "I was born without parents or relatives, probably because I fundamentally am not human……"

Que'er blinked: "Is it Xiao Yu, is it a puppy?"

"No!" Xiao Yu said: "Before, I always secretly felt I was originally a ghost child……"

So the first time I popped out to threaten the Young Master, I claimed to be a ghost child; it truly stemmed from a kind of self-identification.

Xiao Yu stated her wild, imaginative evidence: "Since I have had memory, I have always been able to dream of scenes of the ghost prison……"

Que'er questioned rigorously: "How can you determine it's the Ghost Prison?"

"So much blood flowing, so many ghosts weeping... if it's not the Ghost Prison, what else could it be?" Xiao Yu spoke with certainty: "Perhaps I escaped from there myself, so naturally I'm a ghost child transformed!"

"But ever since Young Master picked me up, I rarely have such dreams anymore; it must be that Young Master scared those ghosts away, making them dare not approach me."

"Dreaming of it again this time must be because Young Master has been in seclusion at the shrine too long, plus the day after tomorrow is Double Ninth, so they took advantage of the opening to intrude again." Xiao Yu said this, lying down proudly and at ease, pulling the blanket up while saying: "Young Master returns tomorrow; then let Young Master teach them a good lesson!"

Que'er lay down too, but Xiao Yu had no sleepiness left, pulling her into chatter: "The day after tomorrow is also Young Master's birthday; I'll perform stick fighting for Young Master's birthday! Later you help me watch, see where my moves aren't done well..."

Therefore, before sky light even brightened, Xiao Yu climbed up to practice stick fighting, clang-clang-clatter-clatter, urging the morning sun to show itself early.

Facing the morning light, Yu Si Wu led a group of Wu Nu to the Rear Hall.

The hall doors were opened by two Wu Nu; drifting incense scent and a yellow-white bird that had somehow sneaked in to peek cleared the way ahead, only then was seen a girl in Witchcraft Attire striding briskly across the Door Threshold.

In the morning light, all the Wu Zhe bowed in salute, voices bright and uniform: "——Respectfully welcoming Tai Puzhe out of seclusion!"

Bathing in the long-missed morning light, amid these welcoming calls, Shaowei spread her arms and stretched a great lazy stretch.

Seeing this Shen Yi stretch her tendons and bones, her bearing complete, inside and out without any injury, Yu Si Wu's suspended heart finally settled.

Unlike the Wu Zhe present, only she knew the truth of Tai Puzhe's seclusion — insincere reverence for the gods, therefore seclusion for self-reflection.

But that was not Tai Puzhe's fault; it was the Son of Heaven pressing, obeying decree to deceive.

As an Attendant Shaman, she was also an accomplice; the brazier emitting blood water was due to the cinnabar powder and iron powder Tai Puzhe carried in her sleeve; the Statue weeping was because the god's eyes had tiny holes drilled, holes holding water, sealed with wax grease, which would gradually melt upon heat.

These ten days Tai Puzhe secluded in the Rear Hall, she likewise offered incense daily in the Front Hall; besides reflecting, she repeatedly prayed that if the Great Ancestor Emperor was displeased, please do not blame the wrong person; if blame must fall, blame the Son of Heaven who gave the order; blame the Son of Heaven, and you cannot blame our Tai Puzhe anymore.

Yu Si Wu utterly forgot the significance of the Shrine's existence; her loyalty and protection of the fox-spirit had reached an outrageous degree.

Now seeing the fox-spirit unharmed, she suddenly felt the Great Ancestor Emperor discerned right from wrong.

In her gaze the fox-spirit was undamaged; on the contrary, she seemed washed by immortal dew, divine light brushing over, cheeks moist eyes bright, appearance full and spirited.

The secret of this abundant Qi and blood lay in Shaowei having zero self-reflection these ten days; every day besides Breakfast, the most frequent thing she did was sleep anywhere in the spacious empty Rear Hall.

When awake if bored, either rummaging through boxes and cabinets to explore, or chasing and pouncing on beams with Zhan Zhan, or picking up Ritual Spear and Bronze Staff to use as sticks for practice; day after day passing time like this, it counted as a period of rest and recuperation.

This time locking herself up for ten days, in exchange for the Yellow River flood being managed in time, and also Liang Guo's war prospects greatly increasing, Shan Gu Ji Jin indirectly much safer, Shaowei's mood was naturally good.

The Jinyin hunt succeeded, and not long after the autumn hunt, she would conduct another hunt she had long agreed upon with herself; for now she still needed to wait patiently.

The most pressing matter right now was to go home.

Shaowei walked in large strides toward the Stone Steps; when only three steps remained, she leaned slightly, gave a light leap, and cleared three stone steps at once, landing steadily in the brilliant morning light, hem and hair bun flying up.

The next day changing into new clothes, topped with a hair bun jointly styled by Jiang Fu and Mother, Shaowei lifted her skirt with both hands, revealing new Tiger Shoes embroidered with Embroidery Thread tigers, once more leaping lightly; the even more flowing skirt and hair ribbons swept a clear colorful light in the morning breeze; Shaowei steadily leapt over the hall's front Stone Steps, stepping into the splendid morning light of her birthday.

Ninth month Double Ninth is Heavenly Machine's birthday; this matter is not a secret in the Capital.

Congratulatory gifts from all sides piled the front courtyard; however, the always-do-as-she-pleases Heavenly Machine Witch God did not wish to receive guests, only setting a family banquet; no outsiders seen at the banquet.

But there is one exception.

House servants were ordered early to wait at the Back Door, bringing that hidden guest over.

The youth guest removed the cloak concealing his appearance, revealing a blue-gold robe, tall straight figure, handsome refined face, and a faint fresh bitter scent like pine surrounding him.

The Two People walked side by side; the house servant didn't dare turn to look closely, only concluding in his heart that this young man had deliberately dressed up before attending the banquet; his apertures were fully open, his intentions utterly transparent.

The house servant led him all the way to the courtyard; Liu Qi unexpectedly encountered a gaze; Jiang Fu, Feng Zhu, Lu Hou and wife, Qing Wu and her parents were all there; the flower-and-plant-filled courtyard was packed full; laughter stopped; all gazes gathered, looking at the newcomer.

As a Son of the Imperial Family, since childhood wherever he went there were countless gazes; but this time it was completely different; Liu Qi knew deeply that this gaze carried extraordinary Significance.

Never-before-experienced tension and awkwardness, ever deeper guilty conscience and unease; Liu Qi clasped hands to salute all elders; arms not yet lowered, he was grabbed by the fast-approaching Shaowei, who led him before Jiang Fu and the others, explaining: "I invited him; he also came to celebrate my birthday!"

Jiang Fu laughed "oh"; Feng Zhu smiled slightly and nodded, gaze not leaving Liu Qi; Lu Hou slowly stroked his beard, expression unreadable; Qing Wu quietly explained the other's identity to her displaced Mother and Father, and promptly covered Mother's mouth about to cry out.

Lu Hou urged everyone to take seats; Liu Qi found no chance to speak alone with Shaowei; seeing her so rarely joyful and lively, thinking this was her first perfect birthday in life, his heart shrank back, planning to wait until after today to tell his own matter.

However, the banquet had just dispersed when Shaowei grabbed him again, bypassing Lu Hou and the others still talking, taking him alone to find Jiang Fu to examine his leg injury.

Jiang Fu had drunk wine, leaning against the Pillar smilingly enjoying the breeze; tipsy gaze turned to the youth's pair of long legs: "Kid, you really want me to look?"

Finishing speaking, he turned and left leisurely, leaving this long corridor to those who needed it.

Shaowei thought Jiang Fu was drunk, just raising her foot to pull him back, when her wrist was suddenly grabbed in panic.

Shaowei turned back, but saw on Liu Qi's face a nervous expression never seen before, as if the sky was falling, yet also as if facing an abyss; he forced out a flustered smile, seemingly to soothe her: "Shaowei, you listen to me..."

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