Chapter 313: with translation of chapter title

As the saying goes, birds die for food, and people die for food.

However, Du Shanü considered her own situation somewhat special—

Even if they were birds, those under her command would surely be diligent, hardworking little birds!

Who could rest under her eyelids... oh no, meaning not work?

Everyone has to work!

Everyone must be seized and put to work!

Du Shanü's expression softened, the smile at the corner of her lips could be described as making one feel like basking in spring sunshine—warm, moving, and full of gentle warmth...

Of course, the premise is that one must absolutely avoid meeting her gaze.

The moment eyes meet, anyone can see that her smile is like that of a little fox.

Du Shanü looked at the somewhat flustered Xuan Feixing before her and said with a smile:

"If you need anything before you leave, just go ask Chen Weifang for it. By the way, I saw you earlier staring intently at the courtyard outside... what are you doing?"

Du Shanü had merely asked casually, but these words landing in the ears of the person before her turned into another discussion—

What are you doing?

Naturally, it was because he feared someone might gain the Witch Ancestor's favor before him, so he specially swapped shifts with another listener-official, having already endured a night of anxiety here, frightened and fearful, dreading to hear any untoward sound.

Therefore, when Fusuanzi went out this morning, he naturally had to stare intently at that person's clothing!

Of course, Xuan Feixing dared not say that.

He thought it over, picking from his impressions of Fusuanzi a reason that was easier to accept, and replied respectfully:

"... I saw that this person was enveloped in a faint, drifting, flowing 'qi'."

Upon hearing this, Shi Potian was startled.

Du Shanü froze for a moment, somewhat unable to believe it, and said:

"You can also see it?"

No, no, no, that's not how to put it.

Since Fusuanzi has the ability, and she knows Xuan Feixing's family has a heritage, Fusuanzi can cultivate the Dao, Xuan Feixing can cultivate the arts—this is indeed quite normal.

However, what vexes Du Shanü is—

How can Fusuanzi see it, Xuan Feixing see it, but she cannot?!

Others have it, she does not—this is utterly fatal for a strong-willed person!

Xuan Feixing clearly paused for a moment at Du Shanü's "also," then, as if finally realizing something, he spoke slowly, weighing each word:

"Your Highness the Princess originally came to seek him for divination? Actually... I can also perform divination with milfoil."

The so-called milfoil is actually a stem bearing white downy hairs.

It is said to live for several hundred years, and it does not die in winter, unlike other grasses that are forced to wither and flourish year after year.

Legend has it that Fuxi once used milfoil to draw hexagrams for divination, predating methods like plum blossom numerology and the six lines using copper coins and stones by who knows how many hundreds or thousands of years.

In the most orthodox ancient divination, the "forty-nine hexagrams" originally corresponded to using forty-nine stalks of milfoil to cast lots, in order to inquire into the Great Derivation of Heaven.

Nowadays, with the world changing and spiritual energy withering, milfoil rarely grows.

Apart from the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, places where one can see the milfoil symbolizing the divine herb are already scarce, and finding someone who practices the ancient method of divination is even harder...

However, quite coincidentally.

His Witch lineage naturally makes him highly sensitive to anything imbued with spiritual energy.

If Fusuanzi could use the opportunity of divination to draw near the Witch Ancestor and spend a beautiful night with her...

Why can't he?

Xuan Feixing lowered his eyes, his expression flawless, giving no hint of anything.

Du Shanü also started in surprise, then became somewhat composed, and for a moment even forgot to have Xuan Feixing pursue Fusuanzi:

"Alright, then can you divine now?"

Xuan Feixing truly hadn't expected this method to actually work.

His heart jumped, his tongue pressed against his teeth, and he almost blurted out an agreement.

However, fortunately his will was firm; the words reached his lips, but he ended up swallowing them:

"... If I may reply to Your Highness, milfoil must not be left too long between being plucked and casting the hexagram; if you truly wish to divine, you may have to wait a while while I go fetch fresh milfoil."

"I am willing to obey Your Highness's words, follow Fusuanzi for a period of time, and upon returning, bring some milfoil back to divine for you."

Perhaps because he rarely felt a hint of guilt, Xuan Feixing's words this time were unusually lengthy.

Du Shanü had originally thought of just making a casual request, but seeing Xuan Feixing's earlier reluctance to leave finally fade, and hearing him say he would go seek milfoil, she also did not press further, only saying:

"Alright, then I'll wait for you to return before we continue."

"By the way, I intend to visit Liu Ji in the dungeon today; I've heard he's looked like a dead pig these past few days, unable to speak, and your poison seems extremely potent—do you have an antidote? Otherwise, if he keeps lying there, there's naturally nothing to see."

"By the way, by the way, remember to leave some diluted poison for me before you go; otherwise, you'll just walk off with your poison jar, patting your backside, and who knows—I might have to use some bewitching drug later..."

Du Shanü chatted on aimlessly, and once she started speaking, she found it hard to stop.

But she didn't realize that, after her ramble, the person opposite actually remembered just five big characters—

【I will wait for your return】

The new Witch Ancestor said she would wait for his return.

He just knew, he just knew.

Having suffered so many years before, the heavenly Dao will surely compensate him afterward...

And indeed, it is so now.

When he returns this time, whatever Fusuanzi can do, he can also do.

He can also sleep with her!

Everything is fine.

There's just one minor problem—

That is, he indeed can find the milfoil, but he cannot do divination...

Among the Wu Tribe, all kinds of schools are studied, but he formerly only researched poisons, so regarding divination he could only know a rough idea from his parents, and indeed he's not very clear about it.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have voluntarily offered to travel with Fucuzi.

He doesn't understand divination, but it's fine as long as someone does.

Since Fucuzi has verified that his path will earn the Wu Ancestor's favor, if he follows Fucuzi's methods, it will surely work.

Xuan Feixing still left in the end.

Du Shanü watched his retreating figure, sighing—who knows how many sighs this morning:

"...... I was saying there are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens."

"With our patched-together resources, scraping east and west, we can actually scrape together some talent."

Although it's often said that the subordinates are a pair of misshapen melons and cracked dates, sometimes upon reflection, nothing is so——

Chinu and Chen Weifang have consistently been capable and diligent ministers.

Chunri Jian and Ouyang: the former has money and ability, the latter is inseparable from An Nan, and together they can be considered to bring their own resources.

Yu Baobao's thoughts are pure; although A Chou says he doesn't want to leave Yu Baobao and still refuses to work, his skills are indeed extremely formidable.

Among the people she previously met, even Leitie, whose appearance is the worst, is a clang-clang craftsman; if it weren't for him guarding the workshop day in and day out, continuously producing weapons for her, she would have no good days to speak of.

Chinu also watched Xuan Feixing leave; he has always been jealous, looking at other men as if his eyes weren't eyes and his nose weren't nose, muttering softly:

"Such a coincidence...... who knows if it's not an excuse to deliberately get close to you!"

Du Shanü was amused by that mutter, pinched her good slave's waist, and then laughed:

"Come, let's have breakfast. Later we'll go see Liu Ji...... ask him if he's willing to be granted a marquisate and appointed minister in the future."

?? Xuan Feixing: How bold one can be, how vast one's holdings...... those who seize the opportunity first enjoy the favor!