Chapter 14

Chapter 14

These past few days, all the "unnecessary people" in Xianyou Palace had been sent to the periphery, leaving Liuyun Hall utterly empty.

After his words fell, Jiang Yuxun's voice echoed repeatedly in the hall...

The front hall was unlit, shrouded in twilight.

Jiang Yuxun could barely make out Ying Changchuan's expression, only faintly hearing a soft chuckle from him: "My loyal subject is indeed a paragon of fidelity and integrity, truly righteous and upright."

Fidelity and integrity...!

This familiar phrase once again reminded Jiang Yuxun of the scene from the palace banquet that day.

Ying Changchuan, always bringing up the worst possible topics, must be doing this on purpose!

What's his next step? To persecute the loyal and good, perhaps?

"His Majesty is too kind with his praise," Jiang Yuxun immediately denied.

Worried about being asked further questions, the young man quickly steeled himself, stepping forward to hand the urgent report to Ying Changchuan.

He immediately began to report on the progress of the disaster relief without pause.

It was only after the Emperor began to carefully read the letter that Jiang Yuxun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He bowed to Ying Changchuan, ready to leave the hall.

Just then, Ying Changchuan suddenly spoke, seemingly casually, "The day after tomorrow, at the hour of Si, the Listening Sky Pavilion will perform a soul-calming ritual by the Yi River."

Jiang Yuxun, already at the doorway, paused in his steps.

The Great Zhou Dynasty strictly forbade witchcraft and sacrificial rites, but in less stringent times, the Listening Sky Pavilion was allowed to conduct rituals for the dead.

...Why is Ying Changchuan telling me this?

The night breeze stirred the alarmed bells on the eaves, creating a crisp ringing sound.

Jiang Yuxun's confusion lasted less than a second.

——Wait! Is he hinting that I should disrupt the ritual?

-

Two days later, by the banks of the Yi River.

The river had completely receded, and the villagers from both banks had all left the estate.

In the nearest villages to the river, aside from the poultry and livestock that had been taken away for proper care, there were also ox carts filled with water parked at the entrances, along with several large pots boiling something.

A child, unable to contain his curiosity, approached and asked, "Sir, what’s boiling in the pot?"

The soldier stationed there proudly lifted the lid for a peek, "These are pots and pans collected from your homes. Lord Jiang instructed to boil them for the duration of an incense stick to ensure cleanliness."

A few more children gathered around, "Why do you need to boil these things?"

"The floodwater may carry disease. This helps reduce the risk of infection," the soldier explained with a smile, surrounded by the children. "See that ox cart over there?" He gestured toward it.

"We see it, we see it!" the children nodded excitedly.

The soldier was thoroughly convinced by Jiang Yuxun, remembering his words exactly, "Lord Jiang said that the wells in low-lying areas need to be cleaned, dredged, rinsed, and left to settle for a while before use. That’s why he specifically arranged for these ox carts to bring water from other places."

The well beside the ox cart was carefully fenced off with a hedge.

As he spoke, more and more people gathered around.

Not just children, nearly half the village was there, listening intently to the soldier's explanation in stunned silence.

—Unlike the children, the adults, having witnessed their homes destroyed, had faces filled with confusion and numbness.

After the soldier finished speaking, a hush fell over the entrance of the village.

Only the sound of the wind rustling through the treetops remained, whispering in their ears.

Time passed, though no one knew how long.

An elderly woman with white temples suddenly covered her face and burst into tears, wailing for her "parents."

Her reaction startled her son: "Mother, what's wrong?"

Another old woman shook her head and sighed, "Your mother was born in the previous dynasty, originally from another county. It was because of a flood in her childhood that she fled here... If the court had taken action back then, her parents wouldn’t have died on the way while fleeing..."

Having said this, she too quietly wiped away her tears.

For ordinary people, such upheavals and displacements are the same in times of peace or chaos.

The small village, adjacent to the Yi River, was almost completely leveled by the flood.

Although they narrowly escaped disaster, the people still felt uncertain and devoid of hope on their journey.

Until now, the ox cart and the boiling pots and pans at the village entrance silently assured them: this time, they were not abandoned, nor did they have to leave their homes to become refugees!

"Clang—"

Suddenly, a bell tolled from the banks of the Yi River.

Someone in the crowd began to speak:

"The soul-calming ritual of the Listening Heaven Platform is starting."

"...I heard that this time it’s personally presided over by the Grand Diviner."

Most of these villagers had not lost anyone and didn’t need soul-calming, but the words "Grand Diviner" carried significant weight.

Moreover, influenced by the teachings of witchcraft and sacrificial rituals for half their lives, how could they change their beliefs overnight?

Even now, many still secretly believed that the diviners might be right, that the collapse of the Yi River was due to insufficient offerings made earlier...

"Clang—" The bell tolled again.

"I won't go!" Just as everyone hesitated, a previously weeping old woman suddenly wiped her tears and stood up, briskly walking to a large iron pot, "Elders, I'll join you in adding wood and boiling water."

Another person, gritting their teeth, said, "I'm not going either. Didn’t the witch doctor say it’s enough to stay at home? If we had really listened to him, we’d be dead by now!"

"The floodwaters have just receded, there's so much to do at home, why bother watching such spectacles!"

More and more people moved towards the iron pot, either to add wood or to scoop a bowl, bustling with activity.

In the end, only about a fifth of the village’s population, still indecisive, headed towards the Yi River.

-

At the hour of Si, Jiang Yuxun rode his horse, looking towards the riverbank.

The un-repaired riverbank was still a mess of mud, and the ritual platform was erected there.

The soul-calming ceremony had already begun, with the Chief Diviner, clad in a white ceremonial robe, standing on the altar, waving ritual implements and chanting.

The river breeze made his robes flutter, and a mysterious fog, appearing from nowhere, enveloped him.

A masked shaman, half-hidden in the mist, performed the ritual dance for soul calming.

A hundred instruments joined together in a grand display, creating a scene so magnificent it seemed as if it could shake heaven and earth.

Meanwhile, people continuously tossed candied fruits downwards, inciting a scramble among the crowd.

Most of those present were devout believers.

Amidst the drum and music, a commoner finally clenched his fist, muttering to himself, "Since His Majesty's ascension, he has never conducted a grand ceremony for Xuan Tian. How can such accumulated wrath be easily appeased?"

...If only the Emperor had followed the advice of the Ting Tian Pavilion, perhaps the Yi River wouldn’t have breached its banks at all.

Why then did we need to trouble ourselves with a trip to the manor?

The sound of the xun pierced through the fog, striking the ears of the crowd.

As the music ended, the Grand Diviner finally put down his ritual implements.

One of the diviners removed his mask and approached the family of the deceased, speaking with deep sorrow, "Your son, Ge Baosheng, has returned to the spirit world. He has asked me to convey that you should no longer grieve for him."

The family, kneeling opposite him, burst into tears on the spot.

The rest of the crowd, influenced by the atmosphere, also teared up.

The Grand Diviner timely stroked his beard and sighed, then began to speak, "You needn’t—"

But before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a clear, youthful voice, "Ge Baosheng?"

The Grand Diviner instinctively turned around, his eyes widening in shock—why was Jiang Yuxun here?!

The gaze of thousands of people by the Yi River shifted towards them.

Jiang Yuxun smiled and suddenly galloped down the hillside on his horse.

He was followed by several dozen members of the Imperial Seal Inspector.

Seeing him, one of the diviners stepped forward defensively, placing the Grand Diviner behind him, "What business does Lord Jiang have here?"

Jiang Yuxun didn't answer his question but tilted his head slightly, asking, "Is the Diviner looking for Ge Baosheng?"

"Yes," the diviner said through clenched teeth, "His mother entrusted us to find his soul."

"I see..." Jiang Yuxun deliberately drew out his words, causing the Grand Diviner to suddenly have an ominous premonition.

He isn't planning to cause trouble here, is he?

Indeed!

As soon as he finished speaking, the young man looked back and called, "No need for that trouble; I've brought the person for his mother."

During this exchange, the Imperial Seal Inspector pushed forward a man covered in mud.

Seeing his mother from afar, the man immediately burst into tears, crying out, "Mother!"

The woman who was just kowtowing to the diviner instantly stood up and staggered forward: "...My son? Baosheng, how are you here?!"

The crowd immediately erupted into discussion, their voices too loud to be suppressed.

"What?"

"Wasn't Ge Baosheng supposed to be dead…"

"Is he a living person or a ghost?"

The Grand Diviner’s face turned ashen, clenching the fabric over his chest: "How, how is this possible…"

This man named Ge Baosheng was one of the villagers who had left the estate midway.

Soon after he returned home, the Yi River breached its banks, and people witnessed him being swept away by the flood, never to be seen again.

Wiping his tears, Ge Baosheng kneeled before his mother, sobbing as he spoke, “Mother, I, I didn’t die! I held onto a wooden plank and was washed downstream by the flood... After being trapped in the water for two days, I was rescued by the officials of the Imperial Seal Inspector…”

Having said this, he turned and kowtowed three times, “I can never repay the lifesaving grace of the officials!”

Ge Baosheng was saved by the Imperial Seal Inspector?!

The riverside instantly exploded into a commotion.

On the ritual stage, both the Grand Diviner and the diviners were pale as death.

The river wind lifted the young man's long hair; Jiang Yuxun stared straight at the ritual stage.

His gaze was unwavering, like a sword piercing into people's hearts.

"Grand Diviner, since Ge Baosheng is not dead, what exactly did you communicate with just now?" Jiang Yuxun slowly smiled, "Did you mistakenly find the wrong person in the millet, or... did you not find him at all?"

His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

Indeed, if Ge Baosheng wasn't dead, what was that situation just now?

On the ritual stage, the Grand Diviner suddenly started coughing heavily.

The diviners immediately gathered around him.

The river wind dispersed the smoke around the stage, revealing the previously half-concealed Diviner and diviners, now clearly visible to everyone.

They were even in disarray, lacking their usual composure and superiority.

Below the stage, the villagers were in an uproar, arguing noisily.

"Could this man be an actor brought by Jiang Yuxun?"

"Ge Baosheng is so devout, how could he agree to act? Besides, I saw with my own eyes how he was swept away by the flood. Who would joke with their life like that?"

"...But how could the Grand Diviner be mistaken?"

Amidst the chaos by the Yi River, a diviner suddenly made his way through the crowd and approached Jiang Yuxun.

He was dressed in a light gray ceremonial robe, indicating a high rank.

"Lesser Diviner has long heard of Lord Jiang's reputation and has always wished to meet you. I did not expect to encounter you here today," the diviner's voice rose above the noisy crowd, reaching Jiang Yuxun's ears, "Unfortunately, today is not a good time for conversation. The Grand Diviner would like to invite you to visit the Listening Heaven Platform tomorrow for a brief meeting."

The young man glanced back at the Imperial Seal Inspector... so the Lesser Diviner was also nearby today.

The incident at the Yi River had become too big.

In just half a day, the story spread through the mouths of the thousands present, reaching the entire plain.

The Lesser Diviner, who usually preferred to stay behind the scenes, finally couldn't hold back any longer.

Although it was an invitation, the diviner's tone and choice of words left no room for the young man to refuse.

Having said this, he nodded and retreated back to the ritual stage.

It was well-known that Shang You, the Lesser Diviner, was the most difficult one to deal with in the Listening Heaven Platform.

After the diviner left, the Imperial Seal Inspector became alert: "Why would Shang You seek out Lord Jiang at this time?"

Jiang Yuxun tugged at the reins, "…It seems likely he wants to win me over, or extract information about the imperial court from me."

They couldn’t wait any longer to probe whether Ying Changchuan was as seriously injured as the rumors suggested.

The Imperial Seal Inspector hesitated, "Are you going then?"

"Of course, I'll go," Jiang Yuxun thought for a moment and said, "I'm in the spotlight recently. The Lesser Diviner wouldn't dare to harm me within the Listening Heaven Platform. There’s nothing to worry about."

The ritual stage was in disarray, and Jiang Yuxun had no interest in watching any longer.

Having said that, he turned his horse around.

Seeing the slightly worried expressions of the Imperial Seal Inspector's men, Jiang Yuxun smiled and said to them, "Don't worry, I know my limits, I know what to say and what not to say."

？！

Wait, has Lord Jiang always thought he was good at judging situations?

The next moment, over twenty pairs of eyes were fixed on Jiang Yuxun.

They recalled his various past remarks.

The Imperial Seal Inspector suddenly realized that they absolutely couldn’t let Jiang Yuxun meet the Lesser Diviner alone!

Author's note:

Jiang Yuxun: Understands limits, full of confidence.

In the eyes of others: Dares to say anything, a walking leak.

In the eyes of the Grand Diviner: ...Doomed by fate!

In Ying Changchuan's eyes: Loyal and upright.