The two figures engaged in combat within the courtyard showed no signs of relenting.
Yu Yang found this somewhat surprising.
She knew the Shizi possessed exceptional martial skills.
Yet Sikong Shi proved no less capable.
After brief contemplation, she quietly made her way to the kitchen.
Inside, a charcoal stove still glowed with residual heat, likely used by Su Yingqian for preparing medicinal decoctions.
She silently produced two blank sheets of yellow talisman paper, retrieved a charcoal pencil, drew two “Sacrifice” symbols, and tossed them into the stove.
Then she murmured the incantation she’d pieced together from a roadside Taoist manual the previous night: “Three Pure Ones above, Sikong Shi beyond the gate has bid me make this sacrifice. Heavenly Spirit, Earthly Spirit, all celestial beings heed my command. Sun and moon, stars illuminate the universe; mountains, rivers protect all living beings. With this yellow paper I worship the deities, praying blessings descend to the mortal realm. Drive away evil, dispel malign forces, ensure peace and safety; fortune, prosperity, longevity, joy fill the human world. Balance yin and yang in accordance with heavenly law; good and evil receive their due retribution. Urgently, urgently, as decreed by law, may the gods protect all actions.”
“Aaaah—glug glug glug…”
A strangled cry accompanied by splashing water erupted.
Yu Yang rushed out of the kitchen.
There she saw Xie Chi standing atop the wall, head bowed, completely motionless.
She approached and climbed onto the wall.
In the neighboring courtyard, someone was headfirst in the lotus pond barrel placed against the wall.
The man’s legs flailed helplessly in the air.
Gurgling sounds emerged continuously.
Fortunately, this courtyard appeared abandoned and likely uninhabited.
Though the water in that barrel had probably been stagnant for who knows how long—it had turned green with algae.
Sitting on the wall, Yu Yang looked up at Xie Chi and asked with ‘curiosity’: “How did he end up in there?”
Xie Chi hesitated before replying: “It seems… he twisted his ankle and plunged headfirst into it.”
Yu Yang appeared ‘shocked’.
“That… unfortunate?”
Xie Chi nodded, yet smiled.
“Perhaps fate isn’t kind to him.”
Sikong Shi struggled out of the barrel, coughing violently and expelling copious amounts of water upon emergence.
Soaked through, with green duckweed clinging to his hair, he stared incredulously at the wall barely taller than a person.
“Xie Chi! Did you sabotage me!”
Xie Chi said: “Embarrassing.”
Sikong Shi gritted his teeth. He was embarrassed—profoundly embarrassed! To lose his footing on a simple wall—this revealed fundamentally inadequate training that required complete relearning!
Xie Chi crouched down and said with a laugh: “Come over here to talk.”
“Why should I listen to you?”
“Fine, we’ll talk like this then,” Xie Chi gave a slight nod. “Are you jealous the National Preceptor said I have good fortune, so you came to steal my ghost and claim my merits?”
“Jealous? I qualified for the Celestial Guard—why would I envy your fortune? That’s bullshit! I came to…” Sikong Shi looked up and saw Xie Chi silhouetted against the bright moon, imposing and mysterious, which only fueled his anger. “Who gave you the right to speak to me like this!”
Xie Chi said nonchalantly: “Didn’t I invite you over?”
Sikong Shi vaulted over the wall.
Xie Chi sighed: “Still ended up following my suggestion.”
Sikong Shi nearly twisted his ankle again.
Glaring viciously at Xie Chi, he turned to leave the courtyard.
“Qiu Hua, I’m going back to change clothes…”
As the words left his mouth, he froze and turned back to look at Yu Yang sitting on the wall. “I haven’t settled accounts with you yet, kid… Release my comrade now!”
Yu Yang met Sikong Shi’s gaze, her expression utterly calm.
After a moment, she couldn’t suppress a yawn.
She was genuinely tired—both sleepy and exhausted.
The courtyard fell silent.
Sikong Shi’s eyes gradually widened. “You’re looking down on me! You…”
Xie Chi said: “If you want your man back, devise an exchange method.”
As Sikong Shi prepared to retort,
Xie Chi added mildly: “Or shall we fight again?”
Sikong Shi gritted his teeth.
He flung his sleeve, splattering water everywhere.
Then he turned and strode away.
“Bastard Xie Chi, just you wait.”
Yu Yang silently chanted: “Heavens above, earth below…”
“Caw—caw—”
Two crows flew past.
Splat.
Another splat.
Everyone simultaneously turned to look at the rigid Sikong Shi.
Gao Tuo wriggled like a maggot on the ground, shifting to the side.
Sikong Shi reached up in disbelief, and upon feeling the sticky substance on his head, he exclaimed: “Damn you—”
Today was truly the epitome of misfortune!!
“Heh.” Xie Chi let out a light laugh.
Sikong Shi turned around, murderous intent radiating from him.
Xie Chi raised an eyebrow slightly.
Sikong Shi clenched his fists and ran off.
Only when the figure disappeared did Xie Chi jump down from the wall and say to Yu Yang: “Let’s go, back home.”
Having enjoyed the spectacle, Yu Yang felt quite satisfied.
She hummed in agreement and followed him off the wall. “Wait a moment, Shixiong.”
She walked into the room and called out: “Brother Yingqian.”
Soon after, Su Yingqian opened the door.
His eyes were slightly swollen, and as he looked at Yu Yang, his gaze seemed somewhat dazed.
Yu Yang said: “I’m rather tired and need to head back first. Should I arrange for someone to escort you and Jiao Guniang back?”
Su Yingqian shook his head.
“This is our home, the courtyard where A Yin and I will live after we marry.”
He glanced at the paper-cut ‘Double Happiness’ character pasted on the main hall’s wall.
For a moment, it was as if he could see the woman picking up the paper-cut and smiling at him.
“Brother Yingqian, look!”
He smiled, then snapped back to reality and said: “A Yan, why don’t you go back with Qi… the Shizi to rest and come help me again tomorrow?”
Yu Yang nodded.
“Alright.”
She walked back to the courtyard and said to the shadow guard: “Leave two behind. The neighboring courtyard is empty—settle there for now and keep an eye on Young Master Su. Mo Ying, go to Magistrate Su and inform him that his son is safe. Just say the details will be explained by Young Master Su when he returns tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
After making the arrangements, Yu Yang finally walked over to Xie Chi.
She glanced at Gao Tuo. “Shixiong, what about him?”
Gao Tuo’s eyes lit up. “Shizi, I’m not here to compete with you—I arrived first!”
Xie Chi said: “Isn’t the Xi Wei position in the southeast? What are you doing in the southwest?”
Gao Tuo immediately fell silent.
He stammered: “It’s… it’s the Junwang. The Junwang said he wanted to be in the southwest.”
“Lu Huaice?” Xie Chi raised an eyebrow.
Gao Tuo hummed in affirmation. “The Junwang was appointed as Xi Wei commander. He was supposed to go to the southeast, but he refused. He sent a letter to the Emperor saying he wanted to stay in the southwest to search.”
Xie Chi: “…”
Though he didn’t look at Yu Yang.
She inexplicably felt as if Xie Chi had glanced at her.
Yu Yang: “How about locking him up with that fellow surnamed Qiu?”
Gao Tuo’s eyes widened.
“Shizi, the Junwang won’t come to exchange for me—I haven’t even appeared before him yet…”
Xie Chi said: “We’ll discuss it tomorrow.”
He looked at Yu Yang. “Let’s go back.”