Chapter 312: Answering the Pine‑Child

Until Fúcùzi finished speaking, they stumbled out, slamming the door......

Du Shanü still didn't understand what this little Daoist was saying.

She could only barely sense that the other party seemed to have some unspeakable secret.

Du Shanü thought and thought, then suddenly turned her head to look at her good slave slave, and said weakly:

"That brat couldn't have somehow gained some fortune while cultivating last night, could he?"

After all, that's how it always plays out in storybooks.

The protagonist happens to obtain a priceless treasure—maybe a ring, maybe a jade pendant, or perhaps outright a system that speaks in a child's voice, every word for the host's benefit.

The old man inside the ring advises the protagonist on cultivation techniques, while the jade pendant gives the protagonist a place with a spiritual spring.

The system constantly produces various seeds, fertilizers, and tools, and also tells the protagonist to pick up whatever worthless junk by the roadside; in just three to five years they rise to prominence, enter high society, their business thrives, they often become rich enough to rival a nation, with three to five million taels in their coffers.

As for whether those seeds are completely beyond the era, whether they can be planted, whether they'll destroy the original land and ecology, how long it would take to gather the strength of an entire dynasty to amass those three to five million taels, and if the wealth doesn't circulate to the common folk, will the finances fall into imbalance......

That's not something the protagonist ought to worry about.

The protagonist just needs to follow the system, walk through life according to a set template; as long as onlookers find it satisfying, that's enough.

However, however.

In fact, how could anything be that simple?

Du Shanü had once heard a story——

The opening tells of the greatest martial artist in the jianghu growing old, with rumors spreading that in his youth he had obtained some supreme martial arts manual, which allowed him to dominate the martial world.

The entire martial world was shaken, exhausting manpower and resources as various factions vied for that manual, wanting to obtain it.

In the end, people died in waves, blood flowing like a river.

However, when that little booklet fell into the hands of the last person still standing, that person was overjoyed—but upon taking a closer look, they discovered a few large characters written on it: 【Dingmao year, ninth day of the ninth month, passing through a wild village to rest, chanced upon the host's hospitality, I graciously gifted the host's child thirteen exercises for health】.

In this world, there are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens.

Under heaven, anything that can give rise to consciousness will surely have its own thoughts.

What ring, jade pendant, system......

Actually, they're all just excuses of fate used to manipulate that protagonist.

The protagonist can naturally make use of this east wind.

However, if one borrows this east wind yet still feels smug, thinking everything is deserved, that is the utmost foolishness.

Chinu stood by, laughing, and said:

"Never mind whether it's fortune or not; everyone has their own secrets......"

"If he won't say it, could we possibly force it out of him?"

Each individual has their own fortune, and also their own secrets.

Fúcùzi is certainly no exception.

Du Shanü would indeed be curious, but it's not that she must investigate until everything is crystal clear.

Du Shanü merely......

Merely......

She felt somewhat worried.

She still doesn't know that the little Daoist is doing this for her and her unborn child.

Yet when Du Shanü speaks, she still can't hide a hint of worry:

"I just thought Fúcùzi was speaking to us two, and I worry that the foolish little Daoist might be deceived while trying to figure that out......"

Exactly, deceived.

The so-called 'supreme martial arts manual' is actually just a little booklet casually left behind by a passing nameless traveler.

How could that Fúcùzi, who obviously gained some 'opportunity' last night, know that the 'opportunity' he received is merely this world's 【bait】 for him?

How could Fúcùzi not fear that, by following that opportunity to the end, in others' eyes he is merely a thin volume entitled 【Answering the Pine‑Child's Question】?

He says things like "let's think of another way," which sounds quite formidable......

Of course, in her and others' eyes, it is indeed quite formidable.

However, what Du Shanü fears is that, after painstakingly seeking that opportunity to the end, in the eyes of the lofty 'immortals', he is merely a little child lingering under the pine on the path to immortality.

Immortal and child are naturally incomparable.

Therefore, whatever the child says or does is only within a single thought of the immortal.

If the immortal feels like toying with him, they might toss him some opportunities just to see how far he can go up the mountain.

But if the immortal feels disgust, he might very well turn into a few unnamed patches of mire on that path.

Everything one could expect is in the storybook, after all it's just a storybook.

Placed before readers, the storybook naturally won't spell out every scheme and malice behind it.

Whether it's good‑natured teasing or some ulterior motive......

Let alone the parties involved, who may never know it in a lifetime; even outsiders sometimes can't see it clearly.

"Since he's about to leave, we might as well send someone to help him."

Du Shanü let out a light sigh, stepped steadily outward:

"Although I don't know exactly what he intends to do, seeing his reckless demeanor, having someone by his side would make things steadier."

He is the one who constantly addresses her as 'female lord', often stares at her with bright eyes, and has schemed for her benefit.

Isn't Fúcùzi just wanting some face?

What a big deal!

Having a few people follow him means they won't have to rely solely on their own legs running east and west; later they can report where he is, so they won't be like before, not seeing him for half a year, taking several months to return, saying how he's been in An Nan......

Chinu, who never opposes the Wife Master's words, readily agreed in obedience to show she would take care of the arrangements.

However, who would have thought he'd also be obedient for just this moment?

The two entered the corridor, and Chinu, seeing the scene before them clearly, couldn't help but narrow their eyes.

Not far down the corridor stood a young man whose robe was lightly stained with morning dew; his appearance was plain, his brows and eyes gloomy, gazing toward somewhere, as if lost in thought.

Chinu's eyes shifted, and a bad idea:

"...... Why not let Xuan Feixing come along?"

"If others go, they might cause a big commotion and attract attention, but if it's him, one person is enough to protect Fusuzhi."

Du Shanü hadn't expected her own obedient slave to propose such an idea; she opened her mouth to say something, then slapped her forehead, and indeed felt it was a good idea—

After all, the other party doesn't want to get involved in big things like leading troops into battle, so doing small things like 'guarding' on the side should also be fine, right?

Moreover, she had seen Xuan Feixing's skills before!

No matter what big undertaking Fusuzhi has this time, bringing Xuan Feixing and the Xuan family's biochemical weapon—oh wait, I mean poison jar—should be enough!

Du Shanü's eyes lit up, she smiled and waved to Xuan Feixing not far away:

"Feixing—come."

Xuan Feixing startled awake, abruptly withdrawing his gaze that had been seeing off Fusuzhi's departure, saw it was Du Shanü, and immediately became solemn.

He lowered his head and approached, then stood a few steps below Du Shanü on the steps, and said respectfully:

Princess

His voice was low and hoarse, as if he hadn't slept all night, and Du Shanü didn't mind, only smiling as she said:

"... I see you have some free time; could you help me with something?"

"I know you don't want to take on big responsibility, but this time rest assured, I won't count your wages, so you won't be doing big stuff!"

Chinu: "......"

Xuan Feixing: "......?"

Is that what you meant?

How does it sound kind of weird?

?? 【Answering the boy under the pine tree】: Adapted from Jia Dao's poem 'Seeking the Hermit but Not Meeting Him', 【Asking the boy under the pine tree, he said my master went to gather herbs; he is only somewhere in this mountain, where the clouds are deep and unknown.】, used here, only as an allusion~

? Actually Shasha could guess that this place is also really amazing, really amazing!