Chapter 15: In this turbulent world, can the game of immortality reveal the truth behind people's words?

A pair of withered hands parted the branches, revealing Wang Po's cloudy eyes. She peered around for a while before sneaking into the temple. This place was strange; there wasn't a soul in sight. The two children she had seen earlier were gone, and the music had stopped playing.

Could he have left? Granny Wang looked around suspiciously. She had been selling velvet flowers on Yun Street when she overheard the clever boy from Baifeng Tower talking to a young boy. He said there was another fairy temple on the mountain, where wishes made there were even more effective than those made by the Fengshui Fairy. Granny Wang thought of her missing son and figured that whether it was true or not, she should try it anyway, so she secretly followed him.

To her surprise, the two children darted around like rabbits, and she, an old woman, couldn't find them even after walking for a long time. She was anxiously pacing back and forth on the road when she suddenly heard a melodious tune. She thought to herself that this was a divine guidance, and sure enough, she found them by following the sound of the music.

Upon entering the temple and seeing the statue of the deity, which truly resembled a fairy descending to earth, Granny Wang excitedly bowed down, muttering, "Immortal above, please guide me to find my son."

Xiao Jingze and Ming Ying stood behind her. Ming Ying asked, "Who is this old lady?"

Ah Gou and Ah Hu squatted obediently under the tree, each holding a leaf in their hands. Ah Gou raised his hand and said, "She's Granny Wang, who sells velvet flowers. She has a son who seems to be a monk."

Granny Wang's words were incoherent, but Mingying understood them after listening for a while. Her son had worked for the Shen family and died unexpectedly a few months ago. The Shen family sent his belongings and a pension, but she firmly believed that her son was still alive. The Shen family did not believe her, and the Fengshui Immortal did not respond to her prayers. So she had no choice but to ask people in Yun Street every day if they had seen her child.

Mingying frowned: "Working for the Shen family?"

Xiao Jingze twirled a folding fan in his hand and said expressionlessly, "There are often some shady businesses among aristocratic families. The cost of training cultivators is high. If ordinary people cannot afford it, they will form a contract with an aristocratic family and then work for the family wholeheartedly. Ordinary cultivators are usually used as waste materials and it is common for them to be killed by cultivators of a higher level. Her son should be that unlucky guy who was used as waste material."

Mingying pursed her lips: "The Ming family has never done anything like this before."

"Ha, you Ming family..."

Xiao Jingze twitched the corner of his mouth: "The number of cultivators in various families now is far less than in the past, and besides you, the goddess, does the Ming family have anyone who is not a cultivator? With such a fortune, many people have already suspected that you have some unknown evil magic."

Mingying heard this for the first time and turned to look at him: "Of course not. If I were, how could I be a mere mortal?"

"So later some people speculated that you, this mortal goddess, were the backlash from the Ming family's many years of defying the heavens."

“The Ming family is not what you think, and I think it’s good to be an ordinary person.”

Xiao Jingze scoffed lightly: "If everything is so good, then you think the Shen family is good too?"

Mingying was silent for a moment, then looked at Granny Wang in the temple. Granny Wang wiped her eyes and walked away unsteadily. As she passed the two of them, Mingying instinctively reached out to help her up, but Xiao Jingze stopped her. He snapped his fingers with his other hand, and the isolation array moved away from under the tree.

When Granny Wang went outside, she saw the two little children sitting there. She was startled and patted her chest, panting heavily: "Oh dear, this old woman can't take a fright! What are you doing?"

Reluctantly, Agou tucked the leaf into his pocket, muttering a curse under his breath, and then grinned as he took her arm, saying, "Grandma Wang, Ahu and I got lost again while playing hide-and-seek. Let's go back together."

Mingying watched the three figures as they walked away, then turned and tugged at Xiao Jingze's sleeve: "I think we should still ask her why she thinks her son is still alive."

Xiao Jingze met her gaze, the two standing very close. He stared into her clear, bright eyes: "If there were evidence, no one would believe her. They probably just can't accept it and don't believe it right now. The people who should be asked are the Shen family. With so many strange things happening in Huaijiang, is the Shen family really innocent and completely unaware?"

Mingying paused for a moment, then said, "I understand. I will investigate this matter."

Xiao Jingze said sarcastically, "How are you going to investigate? You're going to directly question your maternal grandmother and your cousin? Do you think they'll tell you the truth?"

Mingying replied seriously, "We can't judge the Shen family's rights and wrongs yet. You said that there are often shady deals among aristocratic families, but since it's a deal, it's not just known to one person. If it's known to more than one person, it will leave traces. In any case, it's more convenient for me to investigate this matter than for you."

Xiao Jingze looked at her quietly for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "Miss Ming is intolerant of any wrongdoing. Such a righteous act of sacrificing family ties is truly admirable."

Mingying shook her head, her eyelids half-closed: "All things are not simply black and white, and besides, I am not a judge. Many things outside Yunchuan are not what I have seen before. Prince Xiao has misunderstood me a lot. I grew up listening to the desires of the world, and I only wish to be someone who opens their eyes to see the world, not a wooden statue with its eyes closed."

Xiao Jingze tapped his ring with an inscrutable expression, tossed something to her, and turned his gaze aside: "If you want to ask, take this with you."

——

Mingying returned to the Shen family with a heavy heart, something was wrong with her. The old lady frowned as she looked at her: "Did that boy from the Xiao family bully you?"

Mingying shook her head, glanced up at her, then looked down at her fingers, looking as if she wanted to say something but dared not.

The old lady's expression softened slightly. She took her hand and pulled her to her side, saying, "If there's anything you can't tell your grandmother, and someone has upset Manman, your grandmother will definitely stand up for you."

Mingying's nose tingled, and her voice was very soft: "Young Master Xiao told me today that Granny Wang, who sells velvet flowers on Yun Street, has a son..."

She recounted the story in a sobbing voice, then looked up at the old lady with teary eyes: "What kind of business is the Shen family in? Wang Po's son was also a human being. Why did he die so mysteriously? Grandmother, tell me, you are not bad people, are you?"

The old lady's brows furrowed more and more, then slowly relaxed, and she tapped her forehead: "This is something your grandmother originally didn't want to tell you, but since you've asked, I naturally can't hide it from you anymore."

Mingying wiped away her tears and listened attentively.

The old lady stroked her head and looked out the window: "The Shen family has a secret trade route. The route is long and there are many bandits. They have always sent cultivators to escort it. The transport has been very smooth for many years, but there are also unexpected things. Epidemics or robberies are hard to prevent. The person you mentioned is probably among them."

Mingying gripped her sleeve tightly, and the old lady looked into her eyes and softened again: "But the Shen family has always treated them very well. They have always done fair business and paid generously. They would inform us in advance of any dangers and would never cheat, deceive, or coerce us. Even if they died unexpectedly, they would take care of their parents and children. Do you think Grandmother is a bad person?"

Mingying squeezed her cuffs, felt a sense of relief, and shook her head.

The old lady sighed: "Your grandfather was second only to the emperor in the court, and many people were watching the Shen family. If he made a wrong move, he could fall into an abyss. But business is not so simple. I am telling you this so that you will know that the struggle between aristocratic families often happens invisibly. Remember this, do not be blinded by words or deeds."

Mingying came out of the main house, wiped away her tears, and asked the maid in the courtyard, "Where is my cousin?"

Hearing a knock on the door, Shen Yichuan put down his pen, took a sip of tea, and said, "Come in."

Mingying waited outside the study for a while. After hearing the reply, she pushed open the door and called out to her cousin with a smile. Shen Yichuan looked up and saw that it was her. He smiled helplessly and said, "Why didn't Manman have the maid announce my arrival?"

"I'm here to give my cousin a surprise, so I'll have to sneak in."

She leaned over to the desk and saw a policy essay on water conservancy. Shen Yichuan let her wander around the study and poured her a cup of tea: "Manman, if there's anything you don't understand, just ask."

Mingying turned around: "You figured it out?"

Shen Yichuan smiled and shook his head: "Tell me, what's making your face all scrunched up?"

Mingying leaned closer and whispered, "Cousin, do you know Granny Wang's son?"

Shen Yichuan put down the teapot, his expression unchanged: "You mean Wang Huan, right? He used to be a guard for the Shen family's caravan. Is there a problem?"

Mingying clutched her sleeve, looking mysterious: "Her son, that Wang Huan, did he die in an accident while escorting the Shen family's caravan?"

Shen Yichuan looked at her: "Manman, you already know all this? But accidents are inevitable after all. Afterwards, I sent someone to give Wang Po a sum of money as compensation, enough for her to live a life of wealth and comfort in her old age."

Mingying moved a little closer: "But, the supposedly dead Wang Huan actually appeared at Granny Wang's house last night! He grabbed Granny Wang's hand and said he was still alive, asking Granny Wang to find him and take him home."

Shen Yichuan frowned: "Absurd."

“Why is it absurd? I think it’s very likely that Wang Huan is not dead, and is just waiting for us to find him in some corner.”

“When did Manman start believing in such superstitious beliefs? The entire Shen family caravan was wiped out in the desert sands during that accident. Even if he was still alive then, he wouldn’t be alive now. Unless Wang Huan betrays his master and leaves on his own, if he has other opportunities, why hasn’t he appeared yet?”

Mingying loosened her sleeve, her heart sinking. She lowered her head and said, "But I felt so sorry for that old woman, Wang Po. She only had that one relative left, and in the end, even her remains were never found..."

Shen Yichuan sighed softly: "It is not easy for a noble family to cultivate a cultivator. If one can attain the Great Dao, it is something that ordinary people can only dream of. Wang Huansheng has spiritual roots, which is already better than you and me. Granny Wang is well-fed and clothed, which surpasses many mortals. If you think like this, who in the world is not pitiful?"

Mingying left the study, the door closing behind her. She walked to the shadow of the rocks in the courtyard, took out a magical artifact from her sleeve, and her Listening Eyes were fully open, the golden vertical pupils emitting a dim light in her palm.

She stared at it silently—Shen Yichuan was lying.

——

"What is this?"

Mingying stood outside the temple, took it and examined it carefully. The ritual object was smaller than her palm; it was a small, dark ball with a golden crack in the middle, somewhat like a marble she played with as a child.

Xiao Jingze replied briefly: "The Eye of Listening is a contraption made by referencing the Mirror of Harmony. It does not require spiritual power to activate and can discern the truth or falsehood in a person's words."

Mingying glanced at him and suddenly asked, "What is Prince Xiao's favorite color?"

"...Isn't Miss Ming a bit too naive?"

Mingying stared at the Listening Eye: "I'll test it first to see if it works. You haven't answered me yet, but it hasn't reacted at all." If it were the Heart-to-Heart Mirror, it would pounce and bite.

Xiao Jingze, whose magical artifact was being questioned for the first time, sneered, "It will only react if the words spoken are lies."

Mingying nodded to indicate that she understood. This magical artifact was a gentle and harmless mirror of harmony, and she did not require the other party to give a direct answer. She then asked, "What color does Prince Xiao like?"

Xiao Jingze's lips twitched slightly: "Golden."

Mingying looked expectantly at the magical artifact in her hand, her Listening Eyes unwavering, as if Xiao Jingze was about to tell the truth.

Xiao Jingze reached out and took it, pinching the ink bead between two fingers: "How would Miss Ming know whether my answer is true or false? Why don't I ask you instead?"

Mingying readily agreed. Xiao Jingze stared at her for a while, then smiled slightly: "Pusheng grows three feet a day, and Wansheng grows one foot a day. Pusheng grows half a foot a day, and Wansheng grows twice a foot a day. Miss Ming, how many days will it take for them to grow the same?"

"...The sixth of the thirteenth day of the second day, Young Master Xiao, can your magical artifact do arithmetic problems? Or should I ask it?"

Mingying took the Listening Eye from his hand and pondered for a moment: "Are the statues in the temple really just sketched casually, as you say?"

Their eyes met in mid-air. Mingying already had the answer in her heart, but she wasn't sure if he would reply.

Xiao Jingze paused, looked at the temple gate, and replied, "...Yes."

Mingying lowered her head, and the crack in Diting's eye suddenly widened, revealing a golden vertical pupil. Diting opened its eyes and realized that Xiao Jingze was lying.

A note from the author:

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*The arithmetic problem is from "Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art".

Take some time within the main storyline to develop their relationship. [Thumbs up]