Chapter 224: Chapter 153: One Finger Decides Life and Death
「Late February.」
「Shuzhou.」
「Yunliu Temple, on General Mountain.」
It was clearly noon, yet a gray cloud hovered over Yunliu Temple. A foul stench permeated the air, an indescribable smell of rotting corpses.
The "raven swarm attack" from a month ago felt like it had just happened, and the monks of Yunliu Temple were still shaken by it.
Inside the courtyard, several young monks were sweeping. In addition to the courtyard full of fallen leaves, there were also swaths of black raven feathers carpeting the grounds, adding a somber atmosphere to the centuries-old temple.
First, they had endured a great fire that burned the mountain, and then the raven swarm attack. A few elderly monks sat on the stone steps by the gate, vividly recounting the perils of that day.
The statue of General Xie Yunliu in front of the main hall, which had stood firm through a century of wind and rain, had been mostly destroyed during the Crow Fosterer’s attack. It was now covered with a black cloth, a temporary measure to shield it from the elements.
A cold gust of wind blew, lifting the black cloth that covered the equestrian statue of the General. A monk sweeping the courtyard was about to go and fix it when he happened to notice that the center of the damaged statue’s base was hollow.
The curious monk tossed his broom aside and leaned in close to the opening, peering into the hole with the help of the faint light.
"Huh? What’s this?"
The monk was surprised to discover a pair of small, stone tombstones hidden inside the base of the General’s statue.
Next to the tombstones was a pile of clothing and accessories, long since turned moldy.
"A cenotaph?"
It was clearly a pair of cenotaphs.
’But why would cenotaphs be hidden inside the General’s statue?’
The monk put his palms together, silently asking for forgiveness. He didn’t let his curiosity disturb the peace of the deceased. He decided to report the matter to Master Dengdeng and find craftsmen from the city as soon as possible to pick an auspicious day to begin rebuilding the General’s statue.
The monk continued sweeping, not dwelling on the matter.
But as he swept, a doubt he couldn’t shake crept into his mind.
If the cenotaphs hidden in the General’s statue belonged to the legendary and renowned General Xie Yunliu, that would have made sense.
But the names on the cenotaphs were those of two strangers.
—"Gongsun Mo and Xie Luohe."
...
...
「Imperial City.」
The weather was pleasant and sunny. It was the cusp of late winter and early spring, and a gentle, fine rain had washed away the harshness of the cold.
On the streets of the Imperial City, many old memorial arches had been given a fresh coat of red paint, and the walls of the Imperial Palace were being reapplied with gold leaf.
Not far from the southern main gate, the city’s skilled craftsmen were working feverishly to construct a high platform and corridor. Under the supervision of the Ministry of Industry, they were making final preparations for the upcoming Ancestor Worship Ceremony on the third day of the third month.
"Master Yan, over here! Come take a look!"
A foreman politely called out to Yan Jiji. Although Yan Jiji was not under the Ministry of Industry’s jurisdiction, being an external craftsman, the foreman didn’t dare show the slightest disrespect. Yan Jiji’s reputation as the number one craftsman, along with the backing of the Zheng Clan, warranted such treatment.
The foreman called out three times before Yan Jiji seemed to snap out of a daze. He walked over with his hammer, looking preoccupied and absent-minded.
"Master Yan, are you not feeling well today? Why don’t you head home early and get some rest? We can’t have you collapsing at this critical time," another craftsman, also from the Zheng Clan, asked with concern.
"Heh, not at all, not at all. I’m fine!" Yan Jiji forced a smile onto his dark face. Composing himself, he took a plumb bob from his waist and carefully checked the level of the platform.
’Master Zheng, oh, Master Zheng... the Zheng family line is passed down to a single heir each generation. It absolutely cannot end with you!’
Yan Jiji thought to himself.
...
"Whoa~"
A distinctive carriage stopped in front of the Zheng Family Mansion.
The driver was Qing Shisan.
Qing Shisan was still in his scruffy Wandering attire. He tied the reins to one side, opened an oil-paper umbrella, and said with a smile toward the carriage, "We’re here. Mr. Situ, please alight."
"Much obliged, hehe."
The curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged man in plain blue clothes stepped out of the carriage. He had narrow eyes, a handlebar mustache, and a kind smile that made him seem approachable.
"I must say, I am quite curious. The Zheng Clan is not lacking in Odd People and experts, yet you have a difficult case that requires my assistance. Please don’t misunderstand—the reason I’ve agreed to help is not for the paltry thousand taels of gold, but simply to save a life."
Upon hearing this, Qing Shisan repeatedly praised the doctor’s magnanimity, but the corner of his eye twitched. ’Your doorman certainly didn’t have this attitude two days ago,’ he thought wryly.
Hiding the worry on his brow, Qing Shisan made a "please" gesture and said with a smile, "The Zheng Clan’s Second Lady is frail and often ill. She recently caught a cold and hasn’t recovered, and her condition is worsening by the day. As the saying goes, the more capable one is, the more they are called upon. The few experts in our family... well, their medical skills are a world away from yours, Divine Doctor Situ. They could hardly be called Odd People or experts. When it’s time for a true Divine Doctor to act, we must rely on you."
"You flatter me, you flatter me!" Situ Yong clasped his hands in return, his eyebrows relaxing. Qing Shisan’s pleasantries had clearly pleased him.
In the reception hall.
Several of the family’s women were waiting anxiously.
A faint whistle sounded. Yue Yan’s ears twitched, and she quickly said, "Situ Yong is here!"
With that, she was about to enter the inner chamber to make some preparations.
Just then, Zizi grabbed the rushing Yue Yan. "Sister Xi’er, are you sure Situ Yong won’t be suspicious?"
"We don’t have time to worry about that now," Yue Yan said in a low voice.
"What about Ye Weiyang...?"
Yue Yan had just recently returned from Shuzhou and hadn’t even had a few days’ rest before learning of Zheng Xiu’s critical illness.
Yue Yan thought of the "great upheaval" in Ye Weiyang half a month ago. She bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I’m only a Constellation in Ye Weiyang, so I can’t get more precise information. But the sight of all those Ravens falling from the sky at once half a month ago leads me to believe something major happened within Ye Weiyang. Furthermore, more than half of the Night Guards in the Imperial City were dispatched south overnight. There must be other urgent matters inside Ye Weiyang right now. I don’t think they’ll have the time to pay attention to the Zheng Family’s internal affairs."
At this moment, Jing Xuemei, the calmest among them, nodded slightly. "The master’s well-being is what’s important."
"Wait, I’m going to change my clothes."
Yue Yan was still in her Ye Weiyang uniform and felt uncomfortable. She hurried into the inner chamber to change.
Only after changing back into her Tailor persona did she feel like herself again.
Soon, Situ Yong followed Qing Shisan through a long corridor and arrived at the Zheng Family’s reception hall.
The hall was spacious. Several of the family’s women had been waiting there for a long time.
A cup of hot tea was served. In the center of the reception hall stood a long table, and behind it, a magnificent screen embroidered with a "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" motif.
"Please."
Qing Shisan gestured for Situ Yong to sit in front of the screen.
"Oh?"
Seeing this, a glint flashed in Situ Yong’s narrowed eyes, and his smile widened. But he didn’t ask any questions. He chuckled, sat down in the sandalwood chair, picked up the hot tea, lifted the lid to blow on it, and took a sip.
"Good tea."
Situ Yong put down the teacup, looked at Qing Shisan, and asked with a smile, "May I be so bold as to ask, is the person in the Zheng Family suffering from a cold truly the Zheng Clan’s Second Lady?"
Qing Shisan’s smile didn’t waver. "Another five hundred taels of gold."
Situ Yong nodded in understanding. "So that’s how it is."
The women closed the hall doors, presented several plates of exquisite pastries, and then retreated behind the screen.
A flicker of light passed through Situ Yong’s eyes.
Qing Shisan explained, "Sir, please don’t misunderstand. We’ve heard of Mr. Situ’s ability, ’One Finger Decides Life and Death,’ and we also know of the long-lost ’Golden Thread Pulse Diagnosis.’ Our Second Lady is an innocent maiden who has not yet married. We must be mindful of the propriety between men and women. We hope Mr. Situ will understand."
Situ Yong said, "Since we are all people of the same world, I’ll be blunt. You should know my rules: I treat illnesses, I do not dispel Magic. If your Second Lady has been afflicted by a Miracle Technique, you should be looking for a Spirit Binder from Ye Weiyang, not me."
Qing Shisan’s expression darkened.
Situ Yong nodded. "It seems you already have. No wonder, no wonder, no wonder."
Qing Shisan remained silent.
His silence was an admission.
They had indeed asked for help before.
Bi Shui, the "Tiger Wolf" Spirit Binder from Ye Weiyang, had once been invited to a reunion dinner at the Zheng Family’s home and maintained a good relationship with them.
Bi Shui had stated plainly that she was powerless to help.
And so, that was why they had invited Situ Yong to intervene today.
Situ Yong asked no more questions.
Take the money, do the job. That was the rule, and his professional code.
"Sir, if you please!"
A delicate cry came from behind the screen. Yue Yan spread her fingers, bent her middle finger, and a thin, straight thread shot out from a gap in the screen.
"Hehe!"
Situ Yong waved his hand casually and easily caught the thread, which was barely visible to the naked eye. He draped it over his left wrist, then extended the index finger of his right hand, lightly tapping the end of the thread as he closed his eyes.
Yue Yan’s ten fingers flickered continuously. The other end of the thin thread passed through the reception hall, across the courtyard, through walls, and deep into a secret passage, finally reaching a hidden dungeon where it deftly wrapped itself once around the wrist of Zheng Xiu, who was sitting motionless in the depths of the cell.
SNAP!
Yue Yan pulled with both hands, and the entire length of the thread instantly went taut.
A series of faint pulses traveled along the thread. Situ Yong’s expression changed several times in quick succession: from surprise and doubt, to shock, and finally, to anger.
He shot to his feet, slammed his hand on the table, and roared, "Hey! I, Situ Yong, have no quarrel with the Zheng Family! How dare you use a dead man to make a fool of me!"
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