He changed Tiwat

Even if there was a mole who had been pouring salt water onto the dam for the past few days, it wouldn't have damaged the concrete like this; it must have been soaked in seawater. Besides, who in Liyue understands chemistry like him, a transmigrator, and knows to use salt to corrode his concrete? Concrete is a completely new invention in this world, okay?

How could I, a descendant of the Salt God, be tricked by someone using salt?

Han Fulai grew increasingly fearful as he thought about it. If it weren't for Ahe's ice wall that isolated the flood and gave him the opportunity to discover the problem, he probably would have thought it was fate if the Guiliyuan Dam had really breached. He never imagined that someone was actually tampering with things behind the scenes...

He discovered that there really was a conspiracy behind this—and considering Ningguang's previous attitude, his unease grew even stronger.

At this moment, Shen He, who had been maintaining the ice wall, suddenly let out a heavy groan, changed the hand seals, and the chilling aura emanating from the Calamity-Suppressing Spear became even more intense.

Although the embankment was noisy, Han Fulai still keenly noticed Shen He's change. After all, he had just been thanking Ahe in his heart and his eyes were looking in Shen He's direction.

Seeing Shen He suddenly change his magic technique, Han Fulai knew that things might have changed and hurriedly rushed to Shen He's side.

"Ah He, what happened?"

When Shen He heard Han Fulai ask, he turned his head slightly, a hint of doubt on his face: "Part of the ice wall melted just now."

Keqing woke up.

She lay on the bed, blinked, and looked around. She was all alone in the tent.

Then she raised one arm and clenched her fist.

Well, although my strength hasn't fully recovered, I'm much better than before.

She slept for almost the entire day.

Her head was still a little dizzy, but that was probably because she had slept for too long. There was no time for her to lie down and relax now, as she still needed to lead the flood control work at the Guiliyuan levee.

Once she regains her senses, Keqing always prioritizes work above all else.

Ke Qing lifted the thin blanket covering her and sat up, immediately feeling a bit cold—she was wearing nothing on her upper body except a tube top, which was just covering her chest like a blanket and slipped off as soon as she stood up.

However, her clothes, both inner and outer, were neatly placed next to her pillow, with her God's Eye pressed on top of them.

It seems someone took care of her while she was unconscious, and might have even helped change her clothes. It must have been little Qiqi, Ke Qing concluded to herself.

Qiqi is so small and doesn't seem very strong, so taking care of her will probably be quite strenuous. Besides, this little girl has a terrible memory; she might forget what she was supposed to do halfway through. She still can't even remember her own name, always calling her "Cat Head," "Cat Head." Maybe this time, Dr. Bai told Qiqi to wipe her sweat, and Qiqi forgot to change her clothes.

Thinking about changing clothes, Ke Qing's face flushed again—she hadn't forgotten that dream from before.

Normally, people forget what they do in their dreams upon waking, at most remembering only one or two fragments. But Ke Qing's memory of that dream was vivid, as clear as if it had happened in reality...

After all, they did something so daring, it's normal for it to leave a deep impression.

The only downside is that I lost to Shen He even in my dream, and it seems that I was knocked unconscious by Shen He at the end of the dream... Hmph, dreams are fake, and losing in a dream doesn't count as losing. They've been bullying me... What's so great about being big? I'm not small either!

Ke Qing pinched the braid at the side of her neck, her face showing both embarrassment and annoyance, mixed with a hint of relief.

Thank goodness it was just a dream, otherwise my image would have been completely ruined...

Hmm, speaking of which, Shen He in the dream is actually quite bold. What if she showed that to her in real life? Shen He is Yue Haiting's secretary and assistant, isn't she?

...This is detrimental to Yue Haiting's conduct, I...I'll deduct his salary!

Ke Qing thought of the bitter face on Han Fulai's face when he mentioned the mortgage he was carrying, and felt a sense of relief. A mental victory is a victory too!

She turned her head, ready to pick up her clothes and change, when she suddenly saw a towel.

While she was asleep, the towel seemed to have been lying under her the whole time, as if it had been left behind after someone had wiped her back.

How could Qiqi be so careless... Wait a minute!

Ke Qing suddenly remembered.

After Han Fulai helped her wipe her back in her "dream," she seemed to pull his hand and ask him to wipe her front. During the tugging and pulling, the towel seemed to fall off.

—Han Fulai dared not continue helping Keqing change her clothes under Shen He's watchful eye. He quickly helped Keqing lie down, covered her with a blanket, put her clothes and other things by her pillow, and then left.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle, I naturally forgot about the towel that had fallen from my hand.

So that wasn't a dream?

It's not a dream!?

So I really, really did those things? I did those things to him personally? And right in front of Shen He...?

Steam began to rise from Keqing's head.

How can I ever face anyone again? This is what they call "social death," right?

Ke Qing pulled the blanket over her face, wanting only to sleep some more and hope that she would wake up to find that it was all a dream.

She held her breath under the covers for about a minute before suddenly realizing that now was not the time to dwell on such things.

She collapsed, so Han Fulai took over the flood control work in Guiliyuan.

The fact that Shen He was summoned shows that the problem is very serious and that we must rely on Shen He's strength.

What time is it now? Has the flood peak arrived yet? While others are risking their lives to fight the flood and rescue people, is she lying in bed rolling around, worrying about her personal pride?

She listened intently and indeed heard the sounds of soldiers running and shouting outside the tent, suggesting that something was wrong in the camp as well.

We don't have time to let her lie here and agonize over this.

She is not one of those heroines in romance novels whose minds are only filled with love. She is Keqing, the Jade Balance Star of Liyue, and she has her country and people to protect.

Keqing quickly changed her clothes, tied her Eye of God behind her neck, and then stood up and walked out of the tent.

She is still the same dashing and spirited Ke Qing from Yuheng Star.

Chapter 392 Sleepless Nights for You [4k]

Let's go back a little earlier.

Shen He told Han Fulai that the ice wall showed signs of melting, and Han Fulai's expression immediately became serious.

To cast this spell, Shen He not only needed to accumulate power for several hours, but also mixed his own immortal power and the power of the Salt God. At that time, his power was almost completely drained. After paying such a high price, the ice wall should be quite solid. How could it melt so easily?

With rock as its skeleton and ice as its flesh, it is in a sense equivalent to "reinforced concrete," and its strength is theoretically much higher than that of the current Guiliyuan Dam.

Although it is summer now and the temperature is high, with the continued support of Shenhe, the natural melting will not be so fast.

—But what if the melting of the ice wall is related to salt?

Students who have received compulsory education generally know that sprinkling salt on ice can accelerate its melting. This is because the freezing point of salt solution is lower than that of water, which is also why seawater does not freeze easily.

If the Biyue River had indeed turned into saltwater like the sea, it would certainly accelerate the melting of the ice walls.

...That may not be the case. Han Fulai quickly thought of another suspicious point—this ice wall was not an ordinary block of ice.

This is an ice wall maintained by magic. Even if it were really submerged in the Cloud Sea, it wouldn't melt in a few tens of minutes. Back when Shen He was chasing Ba Che, she created an ice prison in the sea. Even the seawater summoned by Ba Che couldn't melt her ice wall.

Han Fulai quickly asked, "Where did the ice wall melt?"

Shen He frowned and gestured with his eyes to the Azure River in front of him. "Underwater, the foundations of several ice walls are melting, and I am using magic to maintain their regeneration."

It wasn't the river water after all.

Han Fulai nodded. If the melting of the ice wall was caused by increased salt content in the water, it wouldn't be a problem of just a few points; the entire ice wall would be melting at an accelerated rate.

Moreover, he and his soldiers had gone into the water several times in recent days to plug the leaks in the dike. If the water became salty, someone would eventually notice.

Ultimately, turning a rushing freshwater river into saltwater would require dumping tons of salt into it. Even if all of Liyue's salt fields were thrown into the Azure River, it might not work. It would probably require the resurrection of the Salt Goddess Heuria to make it possible.

However, targeted destruction would be much simpler; for example, he himself could use the power of the Salt God to drill a hole in the ice wall.

In other words, something is lurking beneath the floodwaters, brazenly and secretly damaging the dikes of Guili Plain under the cover of the raging river!

Conversely, if these troublemakers are eliminated, the dam will be safe and sound.

Knowing that someone was indeed causing trouble, Han Fulai felt at ease. He wasn't afraid of conspiracies and tricks; he had dealt with countless schemes during his time in Liyue.

The fact that they're acting so clandestinely suggests that they can't stand the light of day and aren't strong enough to destroy the dam openly. Conspirators usually "die in the light" once exposed to the public eye.

"Ah He, you stay and guard the dike. I'll go down and take a look."

Having made up his mind, Han Fulai stopped thinking about it and prepared to go down and find out what was going on.

At this moment, Shen He, contrary to his usual self, became somewhat anxious: "Don't go into the water!"

The last time Shen He seemed this anxious was a few months ago when he was injured and coughed up blood by Ba Che.

Seeing this, Han Fulai hesitated, "What's wrong?"

Shen He pursed his lips and said three words: "Unlucky."

"Unlucky? What nonsense are you talking about?" Han Fulai tilted his head.

Shen He used to care a lot about her "Lonely Star and Calamity Star" fate, thinking that she was unlucky and would bring misfortune to her relatives and friends... But Han Fulai showed her with his actions that he didn't care about these "feudal superstitions" at all. He was not afraid of any "bad luck" and even slept in the same bed with the "Lonely Star and Calamity Star".

Besides, Shen He had clearly helped him a lot. Take this ice wall dam for example; without Shen He, he would have been completely helpless. But with Shen He around, Han Fulai's status as a "celestial son-in-law" and "successor of the Emperor" was now secure. He had even been upgraded to "Han Shenjun," wasn't he? Where was the bad luck? It was clearly a blessing for her husband!

Shen He shook his head slightly and said in a low voice, "Tianshui Song is not auspicious for crossing great rivers."

Han Fulai was taken aback.

As a dabbler in Chinese classical studies with a background in Chinese literature, Shen He understood what she meant. She was referring to the sixth hexagram in the I Ching, the "Litigation Hexagram".

The upper trigram of the "Litigation Hexagram" is Qian (☰), and the lower trigram is Kan (☵).

Qian represents Heaven, gold and jade, and cold ice.

Kan represents water, ditches, and concealment.

The hexagram Shen He drew on the ice was "Qian". Her "Da Dong Mi Luo Shuang Xiao Jue" is driven by Tai Chi Bagua. "Shuang Xiao" means "cold sky" and corresponds to the Qian hexagram.

The clear river beneath her feet naturally represents "hurdle".

The trigram Qian (☰) above and Kan (☵) below, representing heaven above and water below, is known as "Heaven and Water Litigation".

He forgot that Shen He's learning of the Eight Trigrams wasn't just for fighting; she was a legitimate cultivator and could actually tell fortunes. During her years on the mountain, Shen He not only cultivated with True Lord Liu Yun Jie Feng, but also received instruction in immortal arts and martial arts from True Lord Li Shui Die Shan, True Lord Xiao Yue Zhu Yang, and True Lord Ge Chen Lang Shi, among others.

Among the Liyue Asuras, the most skilled in divination is Master Xiaoyue Zhuyang. As a direct disciple of the Emperor, Master Xiaoyue Zhuyang truly possesses the ability to "calculate on a whim," including predicting Shenhe's fate. Shenhe's master in numerology and divination is none other than Master Xiaoyue Zhuyang.

The name of the hexagram "Tianshui Song" sounds good, but in reality, it is an inauspicious hexagram.

Qian represents strength and vigor, while Kan represents danger and treacherousness. Strength and danger, vigor and danger, are mutually opposed, inevitably leading to disputes and litigation. Here, disputes and litigation refer not only to lawsuits but also to conflicts and struggles.

Qian represents heaven, which rises to higher places, while Kan represents water, which flows to lower places. This is like people each harboring selfish motives and thinking only of their own interests, making it impossible for them to unite their thoughts. Therefore, when people compete for interests, conflicts inevitably arise.

The book usually interprets the hexagram as follows: "When there are things on one's mind, everything is difficult to do. It is like two people arguing over who can go the right way. Both want to be first, and neither is willing to give way to the other."

In plain terms, it means that someone is trying to trip you up, sabotage you, and frame you, and this framing could be fatal.

—In fact, it perfectly describes the situation Han Fulai is currently facing.

Shen He's statement, "It is not advisable to cross great rivers," refers to the hexagram's text, which says, "There is sincerity but caution; the middle is auspicious, but the end is inauspicious. It is advantageous to see a great man, but it is not advisable to cross great rivers."

It means that one must be honest and vigilant. Things will go smoothly in the middle, but will be very dangerous in the end. It is advantageous to become a big shot (or be appreciated by a big shot), but it is not advantageous to cross great rivers and mountains.

Shen He said "unlucky," meaning that it was unlucky for him to go into the water.

Although the flood relief efforts in Guiliyuan have been fraught with setbacks, we have managed to hold on until now. According to the divination, this is a period of "moderate good fortune," but what follows may be "ultimate misfortune."

Seeing Shen He's worried expression, Han Fulai smiled.

He reached out and touched Shen He's cheek, saying gently, "I remember you told me that the True Lord of the Moon-Cut Sun once said, 'Fate is determined by Heaven, but destiny is written by man.'"

"On your birthday, I promised you I would always be your red thread of fate. I mean what I say."

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon. The divination says 'It's auspicious to see a great man,' and your husband is a great man now. Besides, you're here to protect me, aren't you?"

Han Fulai pointed to the faintly visible talisman around him, which was the Ice Feather that Shen He had given him to suppress the mental corruption caused by the Xiao.

Shen He bit his lower lip, but in the end he let him go.

Shortly after Han Fu went down, Ningguang also came to Shen He's side. Neither of them spoke, and they both quietly looked at the water.

Shen He and Ning Guang didn't actually have much of a relationship, but surprisingly, she didn't dislike this woman standing next to her—because Ning Guang felt the same way she did at that moment.

The murky river water could not be penetrated by the gaze, nor did they intend to see through the river; they were simply waiting for someone.

Ke Qing quickly found her personal guard commander, Jing Cheng, outside.

At this moment, Jing Cheng had just finished filling a seepage point and was resting with his comrades by the newly erected fortifications. Seeing Ke Qing approach, Jing Cheng quickly stood up and bowed to her: "Lady Ke Qing, you're awake! Why are you walking around so soon after waking up? Doctor Bai said you need to rest... Ah, I'm sorry, you must be hungry now. I'll have someone prepare some food for you right away..."

As Keqing's personal guard, he should have been prepared for these duties, but when the camp was in danger before, there was a shortage of manpower, and even his personal guards were transferred to the rescue, so naturally they couldn't take care of their duties.

Ke Qing, of course, didn't care about such trivial matters. She waved her hand to interrupt Jing Cheng's rambling: "My body is all better now. Instead of all that nonsense, give me something useful to say. What's the situation now?"

These words were spoken with great authority, just like the strict workaholic he was before he fell ill, which made Jing Cheng believe that Lord Yuheng Star had indeed recovered—the holder of the Eye of God was indeed extraordinary, and his previous weakness seemed like a lie.

He quickly summarized the key points and explained the current situation of Guiliyuan to Keqing.

After she fell ill, Han Fulai took over the flood control work in Guiliyuan. The flood level rose above the historical level, various dangers appeared on the dike, Ningguang arrived, and Mingyun Town was diverted to flood... Ke Qing's face became more and more pale as she listened. She did not expect that so many major events would happen in Guiliyuan in just one day after she fell ill. She also felt that she had indeed fallen ill at the wrong time.

Originally, the pressure of these decisions should have been borne by her, the Jade Balance Star, but Han Fulai has taken on that burden for her. Although Jing Cheng is not entirely clear on the details, Ke Qing, based on her understanding of Ning Guang, can easily guess that Ning Guang's purpose in coming here is to exert pressure—although Han Fulai is representing her, the Jade Balance Star, he is not one of the Seven Stars after all. If he is forced to divert floodwaters to Mingyun Town under pressure, Ke Qing herself will definitely be held responsible.