Chapter Five

On a sunny day, the sunlight gave the statues of the gods in the Digu Temple a golden glow.

Si Yanmo and Zhou Yanqing were surrounded by a crowd, with three bottles of sake placed in front of them.

"The fragrance of peaches and plums fills the air, the newlyweds are just beginning to grow up; let us not forget the kindness shown to us, and repay the kindness of our elders."

The priest, holding a three-feathered fan symbolizing a newlywed couple, swept it across the couple.

According to the marriage customs of the Great Southern Region, the two should have married in the ancestral hall of Qin, and the groom's parents should have been present in the hall to witness the marriage.

The two of them are now getting married at the Digu Temple, which is the closest temple to the palace. The people sitting in the high hall are Si Jianwen and Zhao Shuyun, not Zhou Yanqing's parents.

"Where are the King of Qin's parents? Are they unable to arrive in time?"

A maid serving Heytea couldn't help but ask the palace maid next to her.

"I heard that the King of Qin never saw his parents when he was a child, and was later adopted by the previous King of Qin after joining the army. Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to get married here at the Digu Temple instead of returning to the ancestral hall in Qin."

The other party explained.

Upon hearing this, the maid shook her head, her expression revealing deep sympathy.

"It seems that the King of Qin was also a pitiful person."

As Zhou Yanqing toasted with Si Yanmo, she looked at Si Jianwen and Zhao Shuyun in front of her, her eyes darkened, and the smile on her lips was filled with bitterness.

No one will come, none of them will come...

Si Yanmo didn't notice the sorrow in the man's eyes. All she could think about was how to survive the wedding ceremony after it ended, given how unpredictable this man was.

Her thoughts were racing, and she didn't hear the priest's words, "Perform the circumcision." She blankly let the man opposite her take her hand.

When she came to her senses, she saw the man holding a gleaming dagger, about to slash at her palm.

A bloodstain instantly appeared on that fair, jade-like hand, and bright red blood dripped down the stain into the wine glass below.

All of this happened so fast that Si Yanmo didn't even have time to cry out in pain before she saw the other person cut his own palm and drip blood into the wine glass.

Their blood intertwined and mingled in the wine.

"Deeply in love, bound by blood, enduring affection, and with generations to come!"

What a load of rubbish!

It hurts so much!

——

As dusk fell, people in the courtyard clinked glasses and toasted each other, the sound of their glasses clashing constantly filling the air.

Meanwhile, the Princess Qin, who was the talk of the entire Southern Capital, was pitifully wrapping the wounds left from her circumcision with white cloth on her wedding bed.

"You bastard, you cut me so deep! It hurts so much!"

Si Yanmo blew on her little hands tenderly.

She has been afraid of pain since she was a child. Even a small dog bumping into her would cause her pain for a long time, and her wounds healed more slowly than those of ordinary people.

I never expected that this wedding ceremony would include circumcision and bloodletting!

That bastard Zhou Yanqing was definitely trying to intimidate her again; the wound was exceptionally deep, and it still hurts.

Outside, Zhou Yanqing heard her words, but a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"My lord, this..."

The guard Chen Wu stood beside him, unsure whether he should push open the door.

The person inside, oblivious to everything, continued cursing: "A cursed star! He really is a cursed star. Why did I have to say anything? Let him fend for himself! Feeling sorry for a man, he'll be unlucky for eight lifetimes!"

This princess really dares to say anything!

Chen Wu felt ashamed, watching his master's smile freeze on his face, and felt the air around him grow cold.

With a "bang," the door was pushed open.

Si Yanmo was startled and almost touched her wound.

Zhou Yanqing, dressed in wedding attire and holding a long sword, strode in and slowly approached.

Chen Wu, being perceptive, quietly closed the door behind him.

Your Highness, may you have good fortune!

"Just now, I think I heard someone cursing me. I wonder if my lady heard it?"

Those eyes, like those of a hungry wolf, stared at her, as if they could see right through her.

Si Yanmo immediately pretended that nothing had happened, "No, I didn't hear that!"

"Is that so?" Upon hearing this, the man leaned forward and slowly pushed her down onto the bed, saying slyly, "Then I must have misheard."

He raised his hand, tracing the woman's features almost imperceptibly, his fingers finally landing on the beauty mark under her eye, a playful look in his eyes: "Since that's the case, it's getting late, perhaps..."

This guy wouldn't be thinking of...

Seeing Zhou Yanqing's other hand reach for her waist, as if to undress her, Si Yanmo was so frightened that she immediately closed her eyes, flailed her arms wildly, and shouted, "Zhou Yanqing, you lecherous scoundrel!"

When she opened her eyes again, Zhou Yanqing was already sitting on the pear wood chair next to her, dressed neatly, as if nothing had just happened.

"Oh, what's wrong? You're not pretending anymore? You were putting on a very good act during the wedding ceremony!"

Seeing the man raise his eyebrows smugly, she realized that she had been tricked by him.

"His Highness the King of Qin is truly naive!"

Si Yanmo chuckled.

"Your Highness has gone through all sorts of hardships, even ceding territory to Nandu, just to be bound to me. It's not because of the rumors that you fell in love with me at first sight and were heartbroken, is it?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yanqing suddenly felt like teasing her, "Then what do you think I'm doing this for?"

The beautiful woman in front of him curled her lip, a knowing look on her face: "Isn't it all about that divination from before? You want to kill me to silence me..."

Just as Zhou Yanqing was about to explain, realizing the woman had misunderstood, she heard her say, "But you can't kill me. I... can save you."

"Oh?" The man became interested; he really hadn't expected such an unexpected gain. "Tell me about it."

"But you have to promise me one thing."

Zhou Yanqing sneered: "You don't even know if you can save me, yet you're already making demands. You've got some nerve."

“You’re mistaken. I’m quite timid, otherwise I would have run away from the wedding long ago.” Si Yanmo said neither humbly nor arrogantly. “Right now, I just want to find a way to satisfy both His Highness Prince Qin and me, so that we can both get what we want. Isn’t that good?”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yanqing lowered his eyes slightly in thought. The candlelight illuminated the man's face, obscuring his expression.

Finally, the man raised his eyes, and in the candlelight, their gazes met.

"Okay, go ahead."

"Let me be your oracle."

A shaman, a role that all diviners in the Great South aspire to be. Si Yanmo is no exception.

Actually, when she first learned that she was going to marry Zhou Yanqing, she was more afraid and more devastated.

He pretended to be stupid so that he wouldn't be constrained anymore.

She wanted to go out into the world, rise to a high position, and avenge her past self.

However, her marriage to Zhou Yanqing disrupted her plans, but it also gave her an opening.

Of the five southern kingdoms, only Orchid Island is a matriarchal society; the other four are predominantly male-dominated. Women are few and far between in business, and most officials are men, let alone important positions like shamans and diviners.

The Qin region was an exception among the states because of the reforms implemented by King Muren of Qin a hundred years ago, which allowed women in the Qin region to serve as officials in the court and engage in commerce outside the region, thus achieving a degree of equality between men and women.

Since Si Yanmo married into the Qin region, the obstacles to her official career were much smaller than in the Southern Capital, so she naturally wanted to seize this opportunity.

The woman's outrageous demands made Zhou Yanqing laugh. "Madam," he said, "I must remind you that divination is not simply about fortune telling..."

“I know.” Before he could finish speaking, Si Yanmo replied, “That’s why I need His Highness Prince Qin’s help.”

“I have heard that Your Highness’s shaman fled the battlefield during the war between Qin and Sak a few days ago because he was afraid of the chanting of the Sak shamans on the battlefield. He was killed by the King of Qin. You need a shaman now.”

“You’ve witnessed my abilities; I’m actually more suitable than a newcomer. Besides, if I become your shaman, you won’t need to worry about me running away.”

Zhou Yanqing shook his head, feeling that the woman in front of him was too naive.

"The sorcerer has oversimplified the position of shaman. It's not something I can accomplish with a single word. To become a shaman, one must first enter the divination academy, then pass three written tests and two martial tests, a total of five tests, and only by ranking first in all of them can one assume the position."

"You... are not ready yet."

Whether it's feasible or not is my business, but whether or not His Highness the King of Qin decides to help is his business.

Si Yanmo said smugly, "The position of shaman is not up to Your Highness to decide, but you should be able to allow a capable diviner to enter the divination academy to seek a fair chance to compete."

The woman's determination was imprinted in Zhou Yanqing's eyes and mind. For a moment, the image of Si Yanmo overlapped with that of the stubborn child from many years ago, holding a long gun that was half his height and standing in the military camp.

It made him momentarily dazed.

Zhou Yanqing remained silent for a long time before nodding under that unwavering gaze.

Now you should tell me your solution.

Si Yanmo knew he had agreed and grinned.

"Your Highness, the King of Qin, knows that I can tell fortunes, but I want to tell you that I can do more than just tell fortunes. I can see a person's past and every important event in their life."

"What's the meaning?"

"Life and death, marriage, career... most things are inescapable. And I never make a mistake."

She pursed her lips again as she spoke, "Neither of us was destined for this day, but today's events will inevitably change our destinies."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yanqing couldn't help but feel a surge of hope, her eyes brightening slightly. "I... don't have to die?"

"No, you still have to die."

"Then what did you say?" The man rolled his eyes, speechless.

“But the time and place have changed,” Si Yanmo sat down next to him, “which means we must have another way to change your fate until you survive.”

The man, however, rested his chin on his hand and raised an eyebrow at her, "And what about you? What use are you?"

"Isn't knowing whether you're alive or dead the greatest use of my knowledge?"

Why should I believe you?

Zhou Yanqing narrowed his eyes slightly and leaned forward. "According to what you're saying... my life is in your hands, and I'm supposed to help you get into the Divination Academy for no reason? It doesn't seem like a worthwhile deal."

Si Yanmo remained completely calm. "As far as I know, as the Princess Consort of Prince Qin, if you die, I will be buried with you."

"So, I'm not just saving you, I'm saving myself too. I have no reason to lie to you."

“Moreover…” she leaned forward as well, their eyes meeting sharply, “If Your Highness Qin didn’t trust me, you would have killed me long ago. But now we are in the same boat, you must trust me, and you can only trust me.”

Seeing the woman's confident demeanor, Zhou Yanqing chuckled softly, his voice carrying a hint of approval.

This was the first time a woman had ever been unafraid of him and dared to stand in front of him and bargain, making her point logically and with evidence.

He found this girl increasingly amusing.

Perhaps she really will become his shaman, his right-hand woman.

Zhou Yanqing picked up the white jade teapot on the table in front of him, filled a cup for each of them, and handed it to Si Yanmo.

"Then it will be a pleasure to cooperate, Master Mobu."

Si Yanmo knew that she had made the right move.

She took the teacup and drank with the other person.

"It's a pleasure doing business with you, Your Highness."