Chapter 33

He had to pay a slave trader for the money he earned, in exchange for a bowl of gruel that even a dog wouldn't touch. If he didn't earn any money, he wouldn't even have food to eat, and his legs were almost broken.

Those were the most bitter, darkest, and loneliest times for Zhou Yanqing, and few people knew about them.

Those who had heard the rumors only believed that he had lived in the black market and that he was extremely vicious. No one knew how a seven or eight-year-old child could survive in such a vicious place.

“He learned one thing very early on: how to read other people’s expressions,” Lin Niang said, her voice tinged with heartache. “Sometimes he doesn’t want to do something, but he doesn’t have the courage. In the end, he’s still just a child.”

Si Yanmo listened and seemed to understand Zhou Yanqing somewhat.

She was pampered in her childhood, doted on by her parents and spoiled by everyone around her. From a young age, she could say whatever she wanted and do whatever she wanted without any interference.

But Zhou Yanqing was different; she was forced to make a living at a very young age.

Living under someone else's roof is already difficult enough; how can one have the courage to speak freely or do whatever one wants?

Now that he is the King of Qin, he must carefully hope for the people's love and respect, and wish that every step he takes is the right one.

Even so, people still say that he is not worthy of this position because of his status.

When Si Yanmo seriously considered all of this from Zhou Yanqing's perspective for the first time, she realized that he seemed to be having a much harder time than she was.

He helped me time and time again, and even covered for me in Ning Qingzi's matter. He has already done so much for me.

Si Yanmo knew she shouldn't ask Zhou Yanqing for anything more.

She smiled at Lin Niang and said, "I understand."

She shouldn't force him to do what she wants to do.

Lin Niang raised a hand and poked her little head, "My silly girl, what do you understand?"

"Shouldn't I have forced him to think the same way I do?" Si Yanmo was bewildered.

Lin Niang chuckled: "Silly boy, you yourself said he's not a heartless person. He's just like you, he just doesn't have the courage to do it."

"Then he doesn't have to do it, I'll do it."

“You are the subject, and he is the ruler. How can a subject make decisions for the ruler?” Lin Niang said. “As a subject, your job is to let him make the decision.”

"Didn't you say he didn't have the courage to do it? How can I make him decide?"

"Because he cares about you."

"Huh?" Si Yanmo was caught off guard by Lin Niang's words and tried to explain, "I, he, we're not..."

Lin Niang, however, had an expression that seemed to see through everything. "The day you fell ill, he cried and stayed by your side for seven days without leaving your side."

He cried?

Si Yanmo had guessed from the witch doctor's words that Zhou Yanqing had probably been watching over her all along, but she knew nothing about what Lin Niang was saying.

"I've never seen him care so much for any other woman, except for his mother," Lin Niang said with a smile. "He can't possibly treat you like his mother, can he?"

Si Yanmo felt her heart beating a little fast.

What? At most, Zhou Yanqing and I are just... friends!

Lin Niang must have misunderstood!

Definitely!!!

She dared not speak again, but her flushed face did not escape Lin Niang's notice.

Lin Niang smiled mysteriously: "Alright, it's getting dark. If you don't want to go back for the next couple of days, you can stay here with me."

She stood up and walked out of the room, then closed the door for Si Yanmo.

Si Yanmo was deeply troubled by those two sentences and almost unconsciously climbed into bed. Before falling asleep, her mind was still filled with Lin Niang's words, "He cares about you."

He only did it because he held his life in his hands, or because he considered him a friend and didn't want him to die!

Anyway, there was definitely no other meaning; it was all just Lin Niang talking nonsense!

Si Yanmo shook her head, and after convincing herself, her heartbeat calmed down, and she quickly fell asleep.

Outside, the night was pitch black, and a bright moon hung on the treetop. Zhou Yanqing stood under the tree and saw Lin Niang come out, so he quickly went forward.

After leaving the Digu Temple, he sent someone to inquire where Si Yanmo had gone. He was relieved to learn that she was with Lin Niang.

"She's fine, don't worry," Lin Niang said with a smile.

This young couple! They both think of each other, but they're both so stubborn.

Zhou Yanqing thanked Lin Niang, hesitated, opened his mouth but said nothing.

Lin Niang understood, "Let her stay here with me for the next couple of days. You two, calm down!"

"...That shamanistic ritual?"

“She will go. You should also think carefully about what she said today.” Lin Niang looked at him, her eyes filled with a deeper meaning. “Zhou Yanqing, you are the King of Qin, the king of the human race on this land. Do you understand what I mean?”

She deliberately emphasized the word "human race," stopping short of a point, and then turned back to Cloud Pavilion.

Zhou Yanqing boarded the carriage to return to the Prince of Qin's residence, with Si Yanmo's words and Lin Niang's words still echoing in his ears.

He understood what the two meant, but whenever the same thought popped into his head, the scene from back then and his master's words would unconsciously appear in his mind.

Fourteen-year-old Zhou Yanqing would occasionally stroll around the market outside the Prince of Qin's mansion.

His favorite place to go was a chestnut vendor. His chestnuts were so fragrant and sweet that he couldn't resist buying a bag every time he passed by.

The uncle's slightly chubby, kind-smiling older sister often helps out.

Once, he heard his uncle say that his sister had reached a certain age, found a good family, and would be getting married soon.

The uncle's eyes always shone with joy when he talked about these things, and he was happy for the uncle as well.

But just a few days after that, at the ceremony for the new shaman, he saw that sister again.

This time, however, she was thin, tied to a wooden stake, covered in wounds, and dressed in a white dress.

He watched as Wu Bu stabbed her in the chest with a knife, while her father, her soon-to-be husband, wept uncontrollably nearby, but there was nothing he could do.

He tried to step forward to stop him, but his master grabbed him.

He clenched his fist and asked his master, "Why?"

But the master said that the shamanic ceremonies always involved human sacrifices to consult the gods.

He then asked, "What can I do?"

The master said there was nothing that could be done.

He couldn't understand the compromise in his master's eyes at the time, and even though he was indignant, he still listened to his master.

Master is always right...

Now, his eyes are filled with the same sense of compromise as his master's back then.

But is this the right thing to do?

Is it possible for a master to make mistakes?

Are rules that have been followed for thousands of years or "always been this way" necessarily correct?

The voices of himself and Si Yanmo in his mind were divided into two opposing camps with his master's words, pulling his emotions like a tug-of-war.

Which side should he choose?

——

Today, the Digu Temple was shrouded in gloomy clouds, with flocks of crows circling overhead, occasionally letting out "ah ah" cries. Although it was springtime, it had a touch of autumnal desolation.

The temple was also packed with people, a dense, dark mass.

All eyes were focused on the altar beneath the statue of Emperor Gu.

The woman was covered with a white robe made of gold thread, symbolizing purity, which was worn by the "sacrificial offering" as a sign of respect for the gods.

Her frail body was hidden beneath her white robes, as if a gust of wind could break it. Her face was covered in heavy makeup, a symbol of sacrifice, obscuring her pale complexion. However, her slightly parted lips and drooping head betrayed her weakness.

The people below the stage were mostly excited by the cruel scene before them, excited that they were about to see a divine revelation.

This is one of the few times they can communicate with the God they believe in.

Even though a few people lamented the impending death of a young woman, no one spoke out.

Below the sacrificial altar, almost all the high-ranking officials of Qin sat waiting for one person to arrive, including Zhou Yanqing and Mo Wenzhong.

Mo Wenzhong looked up at the celestial phenomena. The circling of the divine bird should have been an auspicious sign, but the celestial phenomenon also subtly revealed an ominous intent.

He mumbled out two words: "Strange."

The auspicious time was approaching, but Si Yanmo still hadn't arrived.

Sitting in the audience, Wei Jingzhong straightened his sleeves, glanced at the purple figure behind him, and smiled slightly.

He spoke to Zhou Yanqing, "Your Highness, the auspicious time has arrived. Since the diviner has not come, perhaps..."

"Isn't there still half an incense stick left? What's the rush, Wei Li?" Zhou Yanqing frowned unhappily, his words clearly carrying a chill, making Wei Jingzhong dare not speak again.

Just then, a commotion arose in the crowd, and everyone turned to look back—in front of the temple gate, Si Yanmo was wearing a long black robe embroidered with red auspicious cloud patterns, her hair was piled high on her head, and Lin Niang was by her side.

She walked step by step toward the altar, and people on both sides unconsciously made way for her.

At the end of the road, she could see Zhou Yanqing sitting upright, as if the scene from their first meeting had been reversed.

She walked in, gave a slight bow to the King of Qin, but her eyes were devoid of any emotion, as if the two had never met before.

This glance made Zhou Yanqing feel uneasy, a bittersweet feeling spreading through him, but he still nodded in return.

Upon seeing Si Yanmo arrive, Wei Jingzhong's previously upturned lips froze and quickly fell silent.

He stood up, and Qi Muchen and Si Yanmo stood together behind him.

As the two stared at each other, a giwu flew past, tearing open a cold, probing gash.

Wei Jingzhong announced the start of the ceremony, and the master of ceremonies brought out the dagger used in the sacrifice.

The dagger has a silver blade and a handle engraved with auspicious patterns, making it a standard sacrificial item from the Southern Dynasties.

Before throwing the divination sticks, the two people must work together to use this dagger to cut out the heart of the sacrifice.

Si Yanmo stared at it, as if she could already see it stained with blood, just like the dagger in her past life that was stained with her own blood.

Even though she had already decided to do it, she still hesitated when faced with the girl in front of her who was about the same age as her.

She knew that if she made that cut, she might regret it for the rest of her life.

Conversely, she might regret it for the rest of her life, just like Lin Niang.

At this moment, everyone's attention was focused on her and Qi Muchen. Since they were already there, they had to do something.

Si Yanmo took a deep breath and, under Wei Jingzhong's guidance, picked up the dagger with Qi Muchen.

The girl bound to the altar was so weak that she could barely open her eyes, yet she still caught a glimpse of that cold light.

She wanted to resist, but she had no strength; only the occasional "woofing" sounds from her mouth confirmed her fear.

Si Yanmo was the same. The woman's "woo-woo" sounds were intertwined with her past life.

She unconsciously resisted the force of Qi Muchen's knife as he was about to strike.

Is this really necessary? Isn't there a way to have the best of both worlds?

She kept asking herself this question.

But she knew better than anyone that the answer was no.

She didn't dare look at the people around her. Her hand holding the dagger trembled as she tried to suppress her body's resistance with reason.

"Since we're already here, who are we putting on this show for?"

Qi Muchen's mocking voice came from beside her, and he suddenly increased the force, stabbing her hand toward the woman's heart.

Si Yanmo instinctively tried to pull him back, but it was too late.

In the nick of time, a hand gripped the blade, and crimson blood flowed down...