Ya She

Chapter 54 Zi Chenpei

After finishing reading the chapters of "Mengying Hill," Fusu finally calmed down a little. He forced himself to detach himself from the world in the book and looked around at his surroundings. He then realized that the conversation deep inside the bookshelf had stopped and was now completely silent.

Secretly blaming himself for being so wavering in his resolve, Fusu quickly put the book "Nine Hills" back on the shelf and strode towards the back of the shelf, only to find at the end that he saw a person dressed in white sitting on the ground.

The man was absentmindedly flipping through the book in his hands when he heard Fusu's footsteps. Before Fusu could ask any questions, he called out, "Bi Zhi has gone to get something. Young Master, you can wait here for a while. If you are worried, I will have Diancang take you to him."

As if it had heard the roll call, a snow-white ball of fur squeezed in through the crack in the window. Its fur was incredibly fluffy, making it look plump and round. It was quite remarkable that it managed to squeeze in through such a narrow window crack.

A Pomeranian? Fusu looked closer and realized that this fluffy little ball of fur wasn't an ordinary pet dog, but a white fox. It had a tuft of blue fur between its eyebrows, which made it less alluring than a typical fox, and more endearingly cute—no wonder it was called Diancang. It held something in its mouth and obediently wagged its tail, offering it to the white-clad man.

Two tails? Fusu was sure he wasn't seeing things. This... could it be a nine-tailed fox cub?

As a guest, he naturally couldn't ask questions casually, and chasing after Bi Zhi would be beneath his dignity. Since Bi Zhi had gone to such lengths to prevent him from following, he must have his reasons. Fu Su silently kept this in mind, planning to ask about it later when the opportunity arose.

Seeing this, Fusu no longer stood on ceremony. He took off his leather shoes and sat cross-legged elegantly opposite the man in white. Seeing the man in white take a jade pendant from the little fox Diancang, Fusu didn't examine it closely. Instead, he politely avoided looking at it and casually picked up a scroll from the side to pass the time.

The man in white glanced at his hands, a hint of surprise flashing across his somewhat thin face, and sighed, "Actually, you are the one most suited to stay in Tianguangxu."

Fusu's movements as he turned the pages of the book froze for a moment. With Bi Zhi not by his side, he surprisingly relaxed a bit.

Bi Zhi knew that his body and soul were experiencing rejection, but he never expected that the rejection would come so quickly. They originally thought that God had given him at least two or three more years.

Fusu looked at the lividity that had appeared on the back of his hand with a wry smile.

At first, these spots were dark red, but now they have gradually deepened in color, turning into a dark purplish-red. Fusu, having worked as a surgeon for a year—and a fairly elite one at that—knew that the lividity on his body had now become cloud-like, then would become streaks, and finally spread into patches. His limbs would begin to feel stiff, then rigid, and finally… until they slowly decomposed…

Although his soul inhabited this body, it did not stop the body from becoming a corpse, even though his soul's presence made the process extremely slow. But even though it was slow, this terrifying process was still going on, and it became exceptionally cruel due to the delay in time.

He could clearly understand what it meant to die slowly.

Sometimes, Fusu would even fantasize that he might still be conscious when he turned into a pile of rotting flesh, or even become a somewhat handsome skeleton.

He had considered telling his boss about the changes in him, but even a fool could tell that Bi Zhi would take off his crimson dragon robe and put it on him. Did he really want to watch Bi Zhi suffer the same things he had gone through?

It's better to say nothing at all. After all, he's already gone, and all this time has been stolen. He should be content.

But... when he saw the baby today, he suddenly felt that there was still a possibility that allowed him to continue living.

Should we stay in Tianguangxu?

Fusu could no longer bear to look at the book in his hands.

Seeing his reaction, the white-robed man opposite him weighed the jade pendant in his hand and smiled shrewdly, his cunning almost as pronounced as the little fox beside him. He asked with a laugh, "How about it? If you intend to stay in Tianguang Market, then we can make a deal. Use your token to see five hundred books in this study, choose any you like! Five hundred books! Not a bad deal, right?"

"What a huge loss." Fusu was not a man who could be easily fooled, especially since Bi Zhi had warned him before entering Tianguangxu that he should keep the Qin Banliang safe and not give it to anyone.

Fusu put down the book in his hand, propped his elegant chin up with his long fingers, and stared at the white-clad man opposite him, his previously carefully restrained aristocratic aura fully unleashed. Although the lividity on the back of his hand and the few burn scars peeking out from his bangs looked somewhat horrifying, there was an indescribable beauty in his imperfections, which unexpectedly drew people's attention.

The man in white smiled and shook his head. He didn't expect to persuade the other party with just a few words, but seeing Fusu like this, he could only marvel that he was indeed the eldest prince of the Qin Dynasty who was willing to serve him to the death.

Fusu had no intention of continuing the topic. His gaze shifted to the jade pendant being caressed in the white-robed man's hand. He narrowed his eyes and asked, "Is that a Zichen pendant? Could it be something this fox stole? Is it also a token for entering and leaving Tianguangxu?"

Diancang seemed dissatisfied with Fusu's use of the word "steal," and bared its teeth fiercely at him. However, this fierce expression, when made with its silly face, looked more like it was trying to be cute.

"A token? Oh, no, this isn't a token, it's just an ordinary jade pendant." The man in white smiled dismissively and casually tossed the Zichen pendant to Diancang.

Seeing that the owner didn't value or care much about what he had brought back, Diancang turned around and jumped onto the windowsill with the Zichen pendant in his mouth, squeezing out with difficulty through the narrow window crack.

"This is a keepsake? How did it get like this?" Madam Shi clutched her chest, her delicate brows furrowed as she stared at the tangled mess of thread on the table. She could still vaguely make out what it originally was from the marks on it. "This is... a love knot?"

"Madam has a keen eye," Guo Fengxiao praised hastily, pressing Tang Yuan's head down to make him look repentant, and scolding, "It's all because the child is ignorant and accidentally untied this love knot. Fortunately, it wasn't broken. I've asked many people, and they all praise Madam's craftsmanship. Madam, please see if it can be put back together?"

Tang Yuan rolled his eyes, but couldn't find a way to argue. After all, it was only right that he took the blame for the little white snake; otherwise, he really couldn't explain how his little darling had managed to untangle such a complicated love knot.

Looking at Tang Yuan, who was bowing his head in apology, Madam Shi's already gentle gaze became even more tender.

Guo Fengxiao knew immediately that he had made the right bet. Tianguangxu lacked nothing, except children. Everyone knew about Lady Shi's background; before being offered to King Fuchai of Wu as a concubine, she must have drunk an infertility drug to prevent women from having children and developing other desires. Therefore, during her twenty years in Wu, Xi Shi was unable to bear King Fuchai a single child. After retiring with Fan Li, she was unable to produce an heir for her beloved, which became a deep sorrow for Lady Shi.

In Tianguangxu, children are few and far between, and a well-behaved, cute, and fair-skinned little boy like Tang Yuan is even rarer. Therefore, Guo Fengxiao brought Tang Yuan to pay his respects without hesitation because he had this in mind.

As expected, Madam Shi fell for this act. Meeting Tang Yuanru's admiring gaze, she picked up the dirty colored rope and patiently untangled the messy rope bit by bit. She carefully examined the bends, protrusions, and indentations on it from one end to the other. After looking at it for a while, she slowly closed her eyes, as if sketching out the knots in her mind.

Guo Fengxiao and Tang Yuan stood holding their breath, neither daring to make a sound to disturb her. Fortunately, Madam Shi opened her eyes again after only the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. She smiled and asked someone to fetch a basin of clean water, carefully washing the colorful rope and also washing her dirty hands.

As if to ease Tang Yuan's tension, Madam Shi chatted with him casually while washing her hands. Tang Yuan had always liked pretty older women, so he naturally answered all his questions. When Madam Shi learned that Tang Yuan had no parents and had relied on his master since childhood, a look of tenderness appeared on her beautiful face, and her shimmering eyes sparkled with captivating brilliance.

Guo Fengxiao felt increasingly uneasy as he listened. With Tang Yuan's background, if Madam Shi took a liking to him and wanted to keep him by her side as her son, this kid wouldn't be able to leave Tianguangxu even if he had the token!
Feeling Guo Fengxiao nudging him from behind with his fan, Tang Yuan initially didn't understand what he meant. However, being extremely clever, he quickly figured it out after a few quick glances at Madam Shi's affectionate gaze. Seeing Madam Shi lost in thought while holding the cleaned colorful rope, he seized the opportunity to pounce on her lap, his inner monologue screaming: "Wow! I've snagged the leg of one of China's Four Beauties! So soft and fragrant! This life is worth it!!" Guo Fengxiao immediately opened his fan to cover his face. Damn it, bringing this brat along was a complete mistake! He could already foresee being thrown out of Tian Guang Xu by the enraged Xu Master.

Madam Shi was startled and almost cried out, but then she saw the child in her arms stumble and fall. She quickly reached out to steady his arm, and the child's soft, fragile body made her momentarily lost in thought. If she had children…

Just then, Tang Yuan looked up, his expression one of near tears, and pleaded timidly, "Auntie, I want to go home quickly! If Master can't find me, he'll definitely be worried!" He was lying; his master had actually already abandoned him. However, Tang Yuan wasn't too worried about his master. He probably threw him out because he thought he'd be a burden. Even if his eldest brother was incredibly cool and domineering, he'd been sealed away by their master thousands of years ago; this time, he was definitely just asking for trouble.

Looking into Tang Yuan's clear, bright eyes, Madam Shi felt a pang of guilt and couldn't help but touch the top of his head. Although she found the boy's short hair odd, it felt surprisingly comfortable to touch. A gentle smile played on her lips as she earnestly promised, "Don't worry, I'll do my best to get you home."

Tang Yuan was satisfied with the promise and nestled in Madam Shi's arms with a smug look as she braided the knots. He even turned back and winked at the dumbfounded Guo Fengxiao.

Envy, jealousy, and hatred, young man!
"You mean, Helian didn't confess who his accomplices were?" Lu Zigang and Yue Fu walked out of the enforcement office, returning from the dark and gloomy prison to the bustling market, their mood couldn't improve. Lu Zigang let out a soft sigh, moved his stiff limbs, and asked, "So where do we go now? Do you have any leads? Where do we go to arrest them?"

“Unfortunately, I have no leads. Many people in Tianguang Market don’t have fixed homes because they don’t need to sleep,” Yue Fu said after a moment’s thought. “However, we can wait and see.”

"Wait for the rabbit to run into the tree stump?" Lu Zigang raised an eyebrow. "So you mean we can wait for them to walk right into our trap at the exit?"

“But it’s not that simple.” Yue Fu pointed to two directions of the market. “At each end of Tian Guang Xu, there is a gate. To leave Tian Guang Xu, simply choose either end and throw the token in your hand into the bronze urn under the gate. If the token is correct, you can leave Tian Guang Xu. If you throw in something else, it will not be taken back, but will be forever swallowed up in that bronze urn.”

"So, perhaps Helian's accomplices have already left Tianguangxu? Or, if we rush to the archway now, should we choose one of the archways on the left or right?" Lu Zigang turned to look at Yue Fu beside him, his eyes filled with doubt.

Despite such stares, Yue Fu remained upright and stated truthfully, "At the moment the incident occurred, I instructed two of my men to keep an eye on the left and right archways respectively. It's good that there's been no news yet. However, people's hearts are unpredictable. Brother Lu, you'd better choose one of the archways and go check it out yourself."

"Oh, then this one on the right will do." Lu Zigang casually chose one and was about to walk away. But seeing that Yue Fu didn't seem to be following, he turned back and asked in surprise, "Aren't you coming with me? I don't have much fighting ability on my own."

“No, I will go with you. But… did you just choose the right side so casually?” Yue Fu was a little stunned. He thought Lu Zigang would at least consider it, but he didn’t expect him to make the decision without hesitation.

"Anyway, it's either the left or the right, success or failure, it's all a 50/50 chance. Even if I think about it and hesitate, it's still a 50/50 chance, so why waste time?" Lu Zigang shrugged, not thinking it was a particularly difficult decision.

Yue Fu didn't understand the concept of probability, but he could guess the meaning behind Lu Zigang's words. He gave Lu Zigang an appreciative look and accompanied him towards the archway on the right. In the normally bustling market, people automatically made way for Yue Fu in his military uniform, so walking was relatively easy. The two hadn't walked long when Lu Zigang saw the massive outline of the archway at the end of the market in the darkness.

The closer one gets to the archway, the fewer people there are in the market. Those who are content to stay in Tian Guang Market rarely venture into this peripheral area, while those with ulterior motives cannot openly display themselves. From afar, Lu Zigang saw the bronze urn beneath the archway. It was over a meter tall, but its mouth was extremely wide, like a large vat, too large for several people to encircle. However, upon closer inspection, what attracted Lu Zigang was not the exquisite and detailed patterns on the urn, but rather the fact that it was filled to the brim with water. The water was deep and dark, and because there was no wind in Tian Guang Market, it was as smooth as a mirror, exuding an indescribable eeriness.

"Don't touch it, this water will burn your skin," Yue Fu said at the right moment when Lu Zigang tried to touch the water. "At first, someone reached out to try to scoop something out of the water, and his entire arm melted away. He was in agony, and his cries echoed throughout Tianguangxu for a long time."

"So, no matter what you throw in, you can never get it back, right?" Lu Zigang asked casually. After receiving Yue Fu's affirmative answer, he took out a jade pendant from his pocket and held it in his hand, pretending to throw it into the bronze urn.

"Wait!" Yue Fu, with his sharp eyes, immediately reached out to stop him. He didn't dare get too close to Lu Zigang, fearing that the other might accidentally drop the jade pendant into the bronze urn. "Oh? Why do we need to wait?" Lu Zigang tilted his head, looking indifferent. "This Zichen pendant is carved using openwork techniques, with exquisite craftsmanship, complex layers, and unique techniques. Moreover, the dragon's head is long and narrow, its eyes are slender, its upper lip is thin and long with an upturned tip, there seems to be a thick incised line separating the dragon's neck and shoulder, the upper part of its legs seems to have flame patterns, the dragon's tail resembles a snake's tail, and it has three toes. Through the carving techniques and the characteristics of the dragon's form, it is clear that this jade pendant is a work of the Song Dynasty."

“What a coincidence! There are exactly two Zi Chen pendants, and there’s a Song Dynasty man standing right in front of me.” Lu Zigang smiled, but his eyes were devoid of warmth. “I guess it’s because when you captured Helian just now, you witnessed the exchange between him and his accomplices. You didn’t stop him, but instead took the opportunity to exchange your Zi Chen pendant with my stolen token. Brother Yue, your skills are enough to do it silently and without anyone noticing, while Helian’s accomplices probably knew it was a Zi Chen pendant and didn’t have time to think much in their haste.”

"And what's even better is that you're bartering, which doesn't violate the rules of the Heavenly Light Market. Well, you could say you've exploited a loophole."

“The Zichen pendant ensures safety. After the child turns twelve and the safety lock is removed, well-off families usually give the child a Zichen pendant to wear.” Lu Zigang rubbed the Zichen pendant in his hand a couple of times and commented, “This is a fine piece of jade. Judging from the luster, it must have been polished for at least sixty years.”

As Lu Zigang spoke, Yue Fu's expression changed repeatedly before finally regaining its composure.

"Fu'er, come here, don't be afraid."

Four-year-old Yuefu looked at the young man with wooden shackles, disheveled hair, and covered in blood, and could hardly recognize him as his once wise and mighty father.

In the bustling streets of Lin'an, tens of thousands of people spontaneously gathered, yet eerily silent, save for intermittent suppressed sobs. The accusing gazes felt like a slow, agonizing torture, putting immense pressure on the executioner pushing the young man, who lacked the courage to stop him.

Oh well, it's not like we're going to storm the execution ground anyway, so it's fine to set off a little later.

Pushed forward by his mother, Yuefu clenched his small fists and gritted his teeth as he approached the execution platform step by step. The wooden platform had been stained dark black by years of accumulated blood and exuded a nauseating smell.

"Father..." Yue Fu called out, his voice trembling. Although he was young, he could deduce everything from his family's expressions and attitudes. His family was essentially under house arrest in the mansion. His grandfather, who always loved to carry him on horseback, hadn't returned in a long time. Last night, his grandmother cried bitterly and fell ill, unable to get out of bed even today. He had a premonition that today would be the last time he saw his father.

"My dear, Father is going to join Grandpa. This belongs to the eldest grandson of your wife's family. Father originally wanted to stay a little longer, but unexpectedly, I have to give it to you." The young man smiled slightly. He had long since disregarded life and death, yet he still felt a pang of sorrow when he saw his family. He handed the Zichen Pendant, which he had been clutching, to his eldest son, who was still learning to walk. His eyes, however, were fixed on his wife, who was holding their infant son who was not even a year old, and he earnestly instructed her, "I don't want my son to become a dragon among men. I only want my son to live according to his own wishes."

Yue Fu was mercilessly pulled away by the executioner, listening to his mother's heart-wrenching cries and watching helplessly as blood filled the sky.

He didn't cry.

Instead, he lowered his head, looking at the Zichen Pendant that he could barely clench with one small hand, which still bore traces of his father's blood, and his eyes were filled with a deep-seated hatred that was beyond his years.

"So, you knew all along. That's why you didn't hesitate to choose which archway to pick, because as long as I was with you, it was fine." Perhaps because he recalled his childhood memories, Yue Fu's expression turned even colder.

Lu Zigang nodded inscrutably. Well, he wouldn't tell Yue Fu that he'd gotten the Zichen Pendant from a Pomeranian in exchange for a piece of candy while he was bored waiting in the Enforcement Office lobby. Oh, that Pomeranian did look a bit odd; it had some bluish smudge on its brow somewhere.

Yue Fu took out the Zi Chen pendant that originally belonged to Lu Zigang from his bosom and sighed in a deep voice: "The Zi Chen pendant in your hand was worn by my grandfather back then, passed down to my father, and finally... passed down to me."

Knowing that the grandfather and father Yue Fu mentioned were the famous Yue Fei and Yue Yun from history books, Lu Zigang couldn't hide his excitement. However, he carefully hid his excitement in his heart and calmly said, "So, what do we do now? Should we exchange them, or not? Of course, I must objectively admit that your decision is more important now, since I can't beat you anyway."

“However, there is one thing I must make clear.” Lu Zigang shook the Zichen pendant in his hand. “No matter which Zichen pendant I have, I will throw it into the bronze urn. There is no doubt about that.”

Yue Fu clenched his right fist so tightly that the veins on the back of his hand bulged out, clearly finding Lu Zigang's proposal difficult for him to decide.

The moment he exchanged the Zi Chen pendant, he thought that he must find his own Zi Chen pendant before leaving Tian Guang Xu. He just didn't expect that this person would see through him so quickly. Although it was very important to leave Tian Guang Xu and clear his grandfather and father's name as soon as possible, he never thought of sacrificing his ancestral Zi Chen pendant.

His father's bloodstains still remained on it, just like the hatred in his heart, which had not faded even for a day.

Although his father's dying words disapproved of him repeating the same mistakes or carrying the burden of national and familial hatred on his shoulders, this was his wish. However, a sentence spoken by this person suddenly came to his mind, making him pause in surprise.

No matter what you do, it's either success or failure, it's a 50/50 chance. Even if you think it over and hesitate, the chance is still 50/50, so why waste your time?

So that's how it is?
It seems he still has a lot to learn... "I lost." Yue Fu stepped forward and handed the Zichen Pendant in his hand to Lu Zigang. "Let's exchange."

Lu Zigang readily agreed to the exchange. After all, the Tian Guang Market had a rule of equivalent exchange, so he wasn't afraid that Yue Fu might pull some dirty tricks at a time like this. The Zi Chen Pendant, which he had lost and then regained, fell into his palm. Lu Zigang stroked the patterns on it with emotion. It would be thrown into the bronze urn soon, so he wanted to touch it a few more times. Maybe he could even carve a fake one as a souvenir when he got back.

"Yuefu." Someone called him from behind. Yuefu quickly put the Zichen pendant in his hand into his bosom before turning around to greet Guo Fengxiao, who had just arrived.

"You were indeed on this side. Looks like the little brother's coin toss picks were pretty accurate!" Guo Fengxiao chuckled, fanning himself, his handsome face beaming with smug satisfaction. He had no choice; after all his careful planning, he had finally established a connection with Madam Shi, giving him more room to maneuver when making his next move.

"That's divination! What a waste of talent! Of course it'll be accurate for something as trivial as this!" Tang Yuan disdainfully shook off his hand, then ran over to Lu Zigang and held up the love knot she had made for him. "Uncle Lu, a very pretty auntie made this for me!"

"That's great! It just so happens that my Zichen Pendant was also found by my brother Yuefu. If all goes well, we can go home now." Lu Zigang picked up Tang Yuan so that he could also get the bronze urn.

While Lu Zigang was speaking, Yue Fu guiltily averted his gaze, but was also grateful that the other party hadn't exposed his actions. Guo Fengxiao, observing his reaction, seemed to have guessed everything; his smile deepened, and he waved his fan even faster.

Lu Zigang and Tang Yuan simultaneously threw the tokens in their hands into the bronze urn. Ripples spread across the deep water, and as soon as the ripples spread, it was as if light was shining through the water, gradually growing stronger until it enveloped them in light.

Suddenly seeing light from the absolute darkness, both of them couldn't bear it and closed their eyes. When they opened them again, they found themselves standing in the morning sunlight, surrounded by litter. Occasionally, a morning breeze would blow, swirling up a few plastic bags that danced around them.

"Hey! You two brats, where did you run off to? I couldn't get through on your phones! I've walked back and forth so many times! You bastards! I guess my eyesight is failing me now. I thought I saw the boss at the ghost market, but then he disappeared in the blink of an eye. And then you two disappeared too! I thought I'd really seen a ghost!" The curator's grumbling voice rang in my ears, sounding more real than the dreamlike scene of the Heavenly Market.

By the time dawn broke, the ghost market had already closed, leaving behind a desolate wasteland, utterly bleak in the morning light.

"It really is Tianguangxu..." Lu Zigang muttered to himself.

"I'm hungry, I want fried chicken," Tang Yuan hummed.

"Fried chicken my foot! I'm sending you home now! I'll have to have a good talk with your parents!" the curator roared.

"Please don't! Buy fried chicken first!" Tang Yuan said with a pitiful face, but secretly he was delighted, feeling that the trip was worthwhile.

In his pocket lay not only a small white snake, curled up and fast asleep, but also a newly woven Chinese knot.

According to Mrs. Shi, this Chinese knot is not an ordinary knot, but a mother-and-child knot.

This mother-child knot is also a token that allows one to enter and exit Tianguangxu.

At the same time, under the archway on the other side of Tianguangxu.

The shopkeeper took out the Qin Banliang coin from his hand, and seeing that Fusu was absent-minded, he turned his head in confusion.

Fusu was taken aback, and then took out his copper coin from his pocket. However, fearing that the shopkeeper would notice the lividity on the back of his hand, he did not raise his hand like the shopkeeper did.

"Haven't you had enough yet?" Perhaps because things went smoothly, the boss was in a good mood and joked with a smile.

Fusu forced a smile: "This is a rather interesting place."

"You haven't had enough of the books, have you? No problem, just tell me what you want to read after we leave, and I'll write it down for you from memory." The shopkeeper thought he had guessed why Fusu was reluctant to leave, and said with a smile. However, his gaze fell on the Tianguangxu market, where lights meandered in the darkness, and his smile slowly faded.

“I still have many of these Qin Banliang tokens for entering and exiting, and I also have the Luoshu Nine Stars Compass to find the entrance to the Ghost Market, but I really don’t like coming to Tianguangxu.”

"Why?"

“Because the people wandering here are all trapped beasts. To be precise…” A strange sadness flashed across the shopkeeper’s face, “to be precise, they are all just wandering souls. Although they are alive, they are already dead in a certain sense.”

Fusu remained silent for a long time, then flicked the Qin Banliang coin in his hand into the bronze urn with his finger. The coin made a soft, muffled sound and sank into the dark water.

"Let's go."

(End of this chapter)