Shao Yanzhe suddenly recalled what Uncle Li had said earlier and immediately understood.
Could these people truly believe that the deaths of those scholars at Wenyuan Academy were caused by this black cat?
“You’ve been so wronged!” Shao Yanzhe looked at the black cat with sympathy.
What wrong could the cat have possibly done? It merely passed by the academy!
Noticing his gaze, the already alert black cat arched its back. Its heterochromatic eyes gleamed with ferocity and wariness as it bared its sharp teeth, emitting low growls from its throat as if warning him.
‘Stupid human, stay away from me!’
Shao Yanzhe paid no mind to the black cat’s threatening display. He had once cared for a stray black cat that initially been highly wary of him and even scratched him. But after spending more time together, their relationship gradually improved.
He had considered adopting that black cat, but it preferred the wild, so the adoption never materialized.
Thinking back now, he was glad he hadn’t adopted that black cat. Now that he was dead, that cat could continue living well.
As Shao Yanzhe watched the black cat, a flicker of nostalgia passed through his eyes, his gaze softening.
The black cat, noticing his expression, visibly paused and tilted its head slightly while staring at him, seemingly puzzled by his gaze.
Seizing this opportunity, Shao Yanzhe slowly approached and took a fried small fish from a paper package in his robe, gradually bringing it near the cat’s mouth.
The black cat started, its eyes darting between Shao Yanzhe and the fried fish, alternating between baring its teeth and relaxing. Only when the fried fish was placed on the ground before it and Shao Yanzhe stepped back did it approach the fish, devouring it in two or three bites.
Licking its lips, the cat’s gaze toward Shao Yanzhe became less hostile.
‘Hmph! I’ll let you off for the fried fish!’
Seeing the cat’s reaction, Shao Yanzhe laughed. He crouched down and waved a few more fried fish at it.
“There are more fried fish here! Do you want them? Come, these are all for you!”
The black cat’s eyes followed the swaying fried fish as it recalled the lingering taste in its mouth, slowly drawing closer.
Watching the black cat lowering its head to eat the fried fish, Shao Yanzhe admired its glossy black fur but ultimately resisted the urge to pet it.
After giving all the fried fish to the black cat, he stood up.
“Alright, I really don’t have any left.” He showed the empty paper package to the black cat.
The black cat glanced at the empty package, disappointment flashing in its feline eyes.
‘Human, you may withdraw!’
It meowed at Shao Yanzhe, swished its tail, turned and walked away. Reaching the corner of the wall, it leaped onto the wall in a few effortless bounds.
Perched on the wall, it licked the fur around its mouth and lazily lay down, occasionally swishing its tail, completely ignoring Shao Yanzhe who remained standing below.
Shao Yanzhe wasn’t surprised by this behavior and merely chuckled softly before turning to leave.
As his figure grew smaller in the distance, the black cat lying on the wall stood up and stretched thoroughly. Its heterochromatic eyes narrowed slightly as it gazed in the direction Shao Yanzhe had departed. The shadow beneath its feet seemed to squirm momentarily.
Noticing this, the black cat bared its teeth at the shadow, which immediately stilled.
Only then did it withdraw its gaze with satisfaction, casting one last look in the direction Shao Yanzhe had departed before its figure abruptly vanished from the top of the wall, leaving only a few leaves drifting down with the wind.
Pedestrians who witnessed the black cat’s disappearance quickened their steps to leave, while nearby street vendors rapidly packed their belongings and vacated the area. The once bustling street instantly turned desolate.
Meanwhile, Shao Yanzhe arrived at a bookshop. He had just learned from the original host’s memories that all the silver taels he’d saved were earned by transcribing books at this very shop.
Currently penniless, he couldn’t possibly go without spending any money for the next half month. He intended to continue transcribing books at the shop to earn some income and improve his living conditions.
“Boss Zhang, long time no see! May your business prosper!” Shao Yanzhe approached the bookstore owner with a cheerful demeanor.
The shopkeeper, who had been writing with a brush, paused and looked up at Shao Yanzhe, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
“So it’s Young Master Shao. It has been a while. I thought…” He left his sentence unfinished, abruptly changing the subject. “Anyway, have you come to make purchases or continue transcription work?”
Shao Yanzhe didn’t probe into Boss Zhang’s unfinished words, surmising the man probably assumed he was among the deceased scholars from Wenyuan Academy. This assumption wasn’t unreasonable – had he not transmigrated, the original host would indeed be dead.
“I’d like to continue transcribing books. Does the shop still require my services?”
As he spoke, Shao Yanzhe scanned the interior and found only two or three scholars reading books. Upon closer inspection, he recognized them as students from Wenyuan Academy, though the original host hadn’t been acquainted with them.
This sparse patronage made him worry whether the bookstore still needed transcription services with so few customers.
“Of course we do! Please wait a moment while I fetch the writing materials.”
After Boss Zhang went into the back room to retrieve the items, Shao Yanzhe waited at the counter.
Soon the shopkeeper returned carrying a scroll of xuan paper in one arm and a bamboo basket in the other, placing them on the counter.
“These are the books needing transcription, and here are the brushes, ink, and paper. You’ll be paid at the previous rates once you deliver the completed work.”
Shao Yanzhe examined the books and found them all to be standard texts for scholars, which posed no difficulty for him.
The original host’s transcription rates had been quite decent. For instance, transcribing the Three Character Classic (approximately 1,200 characters) with materials provided by the shop would earn him 70 copper coins per copy.
While this might seem modest, commoners in ancient times typically earned no more than 50 coins daily.
If he worked diligently, transcribing three or four books per day would net him nearly 300 coins – ample for a comfortable living.
“Very well, I’ll deliver them as soon as possible.”
“No rush. You have until the end of the month.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Boss Zhang.”
“You’re too kind, too kind!”
Collecting the materials, Shao Yanzhe bid farewell to Boss Zhang and exited the bookshop.
Not far from the shop’s entrance, a frail scholar suddenly collided with him.
The scholar appeared quite thin, yet his strength was not insignificant. Shao Yanzhe was immediately knocked back several steps, the rice paper in his hand slipping from his arm and falling to the ground, its outermost layer instantly coated with a layer of dust.
The scrolls the scholar had been clutching in his arms also fell to the ground, but he seemed unresponsive, standing rigidly in place for a good while before stiffly crouching down to pick them up.
Shao Yanzhe glanced at the frail scholar, gently brushing the dust off the rice paper, puzzled by his somewhat peculiar expression.
Just then, a faint odor of decay wafted into his nostrils, causing him to frown in discomfort.
“Here, compensation.”
Suddenly, the scholar across from him shoved a scroll into Shao Yanzhe’s arms. After uttering this brief remark, he hugged the remaining scrolls and departed.
Shao Yanzhe called out to the frail scholar several times, but there was no response, and he soon vanished into the crowd.
He looked down at the scroll in his hand, untied the binding string, and unrolled it. He discovered the paper inside was brand new, not an ancient painting, likely a work the scholar had completed not long ago, of little significant value.
Not far from him, concealed among the leaves on the wall, a pair of fierce golden and yellow eyes glared viciously at Shao Yanzhe, accompanied by a guttural, threatening growl.
But when Shao Yanzhe glanced in that direction, the creature hid itself again, avoiding his notice.
Shao Yanzhe withdrew his gaze, assuming he had misperceived something earlier. After gathering his belongings and checking the sky, he hurried back.
Fortunately, he hadn’t walked far before encountering Uncle Li, who was driving an ox-cart.
“Shao lad, come on up! I was wondering why I didn’t see you—why did you leave early?” Uncle Li, upon spotting Shao Yanzhe, glanced at the medicinal herbs in his hand and clicked his tongue in astonishment. These must have cost a fair amount of silver!
As everyone in Qingshan Village knew each other’s circumstances, Uncle Li understood that after purchasing these herbs, Shao Yanzhe likely had little money left. Since the cart was mostly empty, he decided to do a good deed and let him ride for free.
“Hey, Old Li, since when are you so generous, letting people ride for free!” A plump woman seated in the cart shot a disdainful look at Shao Yanzhe, clearly displeased with Uncle Li’s gesture.
Uncle Li immediately straightened his face. “Zhao Xiaohua, I’m not letting Shao lad ride for free. He paid for a round-trip charter when he came. By rights, I should only be carrying him, and you lot wouldn’t have a ride at all.”
At this, Zhao Xiaohua fell silent, averting her eyes as if she hadn’t heard a word.
“Shao lad, what are you standing there for? Get on the cart!” Uncle Li urged.
“Alright, thank you, Uncle Li.” Shao Yanzhe quickly expressed his gratitude.
The ox-cart moved considerably faster than walking. Shao Yanzhe occasionally glanced at the scenery along the roadside, listening to the faint, distant sound of bells, feeling utterly at ease.
By the time he returned home, the sky had completely darkened.
He placed his belongings in the study, then hastily prepared a simple meal to satisfy his hunger before returning to the study to begin his book copying.
Carrying an oil lamp into the study, as he stepped inside, the lamp in his hand suddenly flickered violently, the wick crackling with a sharp, crisp sound.
Shao Yanzhe’s shadow behind him swayed violently with the flickering of the oil lamp’s flame, like a monstrous beast baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, as if it might pounce at any moment.
He reached out to shield the flame, and as it gradually steadied, he cautiously entered the study, placing the oil lamp on the lamp stand beside the desk before beginning to peruse the books he needed to copy.
The next moment, a scroll rolled out from a pile of rice paper with a rustling sound. As it rolled, the cord binding the scroll came loose, and the rolled-up scroll unfurled by inertia, revealing the image inside.
Shao Yanzhe instinctively glanced over and saw a beautiful woman depicted in black ink lines, holding a book. She was clad in a white, gauzy dress, with a row of bookshelves filled with volumes behind her, exuding an air of refined elegance.
“I didn’t expect this painting to be so well done! I’ve made a profit!”
As he spoke, he picked up the scroll, his gaze sweeping around the room before settling on the empty wall behind the desk.
This wall had originally held a hanging painting, but the original owner had sold it for money. It was the perfect spot to hang the scroll in his hand.
After hanging it, Shao Yanzhe nodded in satisfaction, then turned and took the outermost sheet of rice paper. Dipping the brush in ink, he began to write on it.
He wasn’t copying the book but using the scrap paper to familiarize himself with the original owner’s handwriting. With the original owner’s memories, only the first few characters he wrote seemed slightly off. After writing about four or five lines, his handwriting had become eighty to ninety percent similar to the original owner’s.
Shao Yanzhe became immersed in the world of writing, completely unaware that the flame of the oil lamp on the stand was slowly shifting from its warm yellow hue to a greenish tint.
Behind him, on the scroll hanging on the wall, the woman in white—who should have been looking at the book in her hands—had now turned her eyes away from it. She was staring at his back, a sinister smile curling at the corners of her lips.