The first appearance of anomalies attracted the attention of the dragon
I almost ran away from the street.
The gaze on my back followed me like a shadow, and even when I blended into the crowd and made many detours, the feeling of being locked in by an invisible object lingered. Until I rushed back to the dilapidated guest room, bolted the door tightly, and leaned against the cold door, my heart still pounding wildly.
Gongsun Sheng!
It’s definitely him!
That iconic Taoist robe, that aloof temperament, as if everything around him is just ants and dust, there is no other person in the Water Margin world who can match him except Ruyunlong.
It's over, Barbie Q is gone.
I crouched down, my head in my hands, a wail rising in my heart. I'd dodged him so many times, why had I run into him at this time, in this place, and in this way? "Ambush from Ten Sides"? Why should I play something else, a piece full of murderous intent and cunning? Doesn't this clearly tell the divination-savvy cultivator—there's something wrong with this woman, no ordinary musician?
Could he have seen through my origins? Could he have figured out that I was a "person from another world"? In this world where gods, ghosts, and sorcery are real, concepts like possession and demonic possession are not just idle speculation. Would he simply eliminate me as a demon?
Fear coiled around my heart like icy vines. For the first time, my perception of the dangers of the Water Margin world was so concretely projected onto a real person who could potentially pose a fatal threat to me.
For the next two days, I was like a frightened bird, afraid to go out and perform on the streets. With the copper coins and small change I earned that day, I bought some durable food and hid in my room at the inn, replaying the story in my mind over and over again.
It's the Zhenghe era now. The original owner's memory of the exact year is hazy, but based on the impending robbery of the "birthday gift," I infer that the time is very close. Chao Gai, Wu Yong, Liu Tang, the three Ruan brothers, and others are probably intensively planning at this moment. Gongsun Sheng's appearance in Yuncheng is self-evident—he is a key figure in the "Seven Stars Gathering," offering a plan to seize the birthday gift and participate in the operation!
Yuncheng County, where I am located, is the center of the storm that is about to hit!
We must leave here as soon as possible! Before the Birthday Gift Incident breaks out, we must leave Shandong as far as possible, whether we go south or west. In short, we cannot stay in this troubled place.
Having made up my mind, I felt a little more at ease. As long as I stayed away from the main plot and these "celebrities," I should be able to survive. As for Gongsun Sheng... maybe he just happened to pass by that day, drawn by the sound of my pipa, a moment of curiosity. A figure like him, shouldering the mission of "Heavenly Secret Star" and having important things to do, how could he keep paying attention to a small-time shrimp like me?
Yes, that must be it. After consoling myself for a while, I decided to go to the street to buy some supplies for the journey and set off early tomorrow morning.
The market in Yuncheng County seemed busier than in recent days, but there was also a subtle sense of impending tension. In taverns and teahouses, people chatted, their discussion focused on the renowned "timely rain" known as Song Jiang, the Yasi, and the recently increased patrols in the county. I ducked my head, half-hiding my face with a coarse cloth turban, and scurried through the crowds, buying rations, a water bladder, and a pair of more durable shoes.
Just as I was squatting in front of a small stall choosing straw sandals, the conversation between the two men next to me pierced my ears like an icicle.
"...Have you heard? Things have been a bit uneasy near Huangnigang in the north recently." A man with a rough voice said in a low voice.
Another thinner man chimed in, "That's right! A few days ago, a caravan passed by and said they saw a few suspicious-looking men wandering around nearby. They didn't look like good people. The one leading them seemed to be a monk with untied hair, and his eyes were very fierce!"
"Alas, this world... I heard that's the route that the birthday gift from Liang Zhongshu of Daming Prefecture to Cai Taishi of Tokyo must take. I hope nothing goes wrong."
"Hush! Be careful with your words! Do you think you and I can discuss this? Be careful with your words!"
My movements froze.
A monk? A suspicious-looking man?
That's not right! In the original novel, the seven stars who stole the birthday gift were Chao Gai, Wu Yong, Gongsun Sheng, Liu Tang, the three Ruan brothers, and Bai Sheng. Where did the Tou Tuo come from?!
My mind raced. In Water Margin, the monks dressed up... Besides Wu Song's brief appearance as a monk, the more famous one is...
A name flashed through my mind like lightning - Cast Iron Buddha Cui Daocheng!
No, the timeline seems a bit confusing. Cui Daocheng and Qiu Xiaoyi were involved in the evil deeds at Waguan Temple, and they have nothing to do with the birthday gift. Moreover, from this description, it seems more like a gang of bandits who wanted to rob each other, or simply got the news and wanted to take action first!
The plot has deviated!
Was it because my arrival had a butterfly effect? Or was it a hidden thread not detailed in the original novel?
My heart sank. If there really was another group coveting the birthday gift, then Chao Gai and his group's plans would likely be disrupted, and there might even be a direct conflict, with unpredictable consequences! Would Gongsun Sheng and his group be in danger?
As soon as the thought arose, I forcefully suppressed it. Bu Luanyin, wake up! What business does their safety have on you? Gongsun Sheng possesses profound Taoist skills, Wu Yong possesses a wealth of cunning strategies, and Chao Gai, Liu Tang, and the three Ruan brothers are all exceptionally skilled warriors. Do you, a weak woman who can barely even lift a finger, need to worry about them? Your primary priority right now is to protect yourself!
I forced myself to calm down, paid the money, picked up my new straw sandals, and stood up to leave.
However, just as I turned around, I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure sitting by the window on the second floor of the teahouse across the street.
The blue cloth Taoist robe is calm and elegant.
If it’s not Gongsun Sheng, who else could it be?
He sat there alone, a cup of tea in front of him, his eyes seemingly fixed on the bustling crowd downstairs, yet seemingly lost in thought, nothing at all. His calm, detached demeanor contrasted sharply with the tense atmosphere permeating the building.
He was indeed still in Yuncheng! Moreover, he seemed to be... observing something.
My heart skipped a beat again, and I quickly lowered my head, quickened my pace, and tried to blend into the crowd and slip away.
"Please stay, young lady."
A calm and clear voice, not loud, but clearly penetrated the noise of the street and sounded directly in my ear.
My whole body froze, and my feet seemed to be nailed to the spot.
This voice...is him!
He noticed me! He called me!
Should I run or not? Can I escape? In front of him, any struggle I make is probably in vain.
I took a deep breath, forced myself to turn around, raised my head and looked towards the second floor of the teahouse.
Gongsun Sheng's gaze was already on me. It remained calm, like a bottomless, cold pond, revealing neither emotion nor intention. But with him watching me like this, I felt like I was being seen through from the inside out, all my secrets exposed.
He raised his hand slightly and made a "please" gesture towards the empty seat opposite him.
The posture is casual, but carries an unquestionable meaning.
It’s over, what is coming has finally come.
I gritted my teeth. A blessing in disguise, not a curse. If it's a curse, it's inevitable. Since I can't avoid it, I'll just face it. At least, it's in broad daylight, in full view of everyone. He's a cultivator, so he wouldn't do anything to me out there, would he?
With a bit of luck and great trepidation, I moved my legs, which felt like they were filled with lead, step by step into the teahouse, went up to the second floor, and came to his table.
"Sit down." He said simply.
I sat down as I was told, my hands tightly clutching the cloth bag (which contained all my belongings and the supplies I had just bought), my fingertips turning slightly white from the strain. I lowered my head, not daring to meet his gaze, like a prisoner awaiting trial.
For a long time, he didn't say anything, just picked up the teacup and took a sip.
The air seemed to freeze, and every second became extremely long and painful.
"Were you the one playing music on the street corner that day?" he finally spoke, his voice calm and composed.
"...Yes." I answered in a dry voice.
"What's the title of the song?"
"House of Flying Daggers." I answered honestly. There was no point in lying to such a person.
"'Ten Sides of Ambush'..." He repeated in a low voice, as if savoring the name. "The song is profound and full of murderous energy. It's not something an ordinary musician could master, nor is it the sound that should accompany today's peaceful world."
He raised his eyes, his gaze like lightning, piercing straight at me: "Where did you learn this song?"
Here it comes! The core issue!
My mind raced. Fabricate a lineage? Claim it was a family tradition? No, that lie would be exposed in front of him. Admit it was a "voice from the heavens"? That would be even more dangerous!
In a flash, I suddenly thought of a statement that might be able to explain it, but would not immediately be regarded as a monster.
I took a deep breath and tried to sound calm. "To answer the Taoist priest's question, this song... was not passed down from my master, nor is it a family tradition. It was... it was something I came up with in a dream a while ago when I was seriously ill and in a daze."
"What you got in a dream?" Gongsun Sheng's eyebrows moved slightly.
"Yes," I continued, half-truthful and half-truthful, "In my dream, I saw an ancient battlefield, wrathful cavalry, shouts of war, heroes at their wit's end, and mournful songs... After waking, these melodies lingered in my mind, and I unconsciously recorded and played them. I have no idea where they came from, but I just feel... the music came from my heart, perhaps it was a hallucination during my illness."
I attributed everything to "dreams" and "hallucinations during illness." In this superstitious age, claims of being sent in dreams or divine inspiration are easier to accept than simply claiming to be a time traveler...right?
Gongsun Sheng looked at me quietly, his deep eyes seeming to reflect the subtlest fluctuations in a person's heart. He didn't immediately refute it, nor did he express belief.
Just when my scalp was tingling from his gaze and I was about to collapse, he suddenly changed the subject, his tone still calm: "Do you know that something big is going to happen here soon?"
My heart skipped a beat. He really was after the birthday gift!
Should I say I know or not? If I say I know, how do I explain it? If I say I don't know, will he believe me?
Weighing the pros and cons, I chose the safest option and said cautiously, "I've heard a little bit. There are some rumors going around in the market about... Huangnigang and the birthday gift. It seems that besides the Taoist priests... there's another group plotting against them."
I was deliberately vague and pointed out "another group of people", which not only showed that I was not completely ignorant, but also hinted that the source of my information was street rumors, and implicitly classified him and Chao Gai and others as the same group of "Taoist priests".
Gongsun Sheng's expression finally showed a slight change, a very faint understanding similar to "as expected".
"Oh? What else did you hear?" he asked, his tone devoid of emotion.
"I heard... a monk-like figure led the group, accompanied by several fierce men..." I shared the limited information I had heard, then added, "I feel like something bad might happen here, and it's not a good place to stay for long. I'm planning to leave Yuncheng tomorrow and head south."
This is my way of expressing my attitude: I know nothing, I don’t want to get involved, I will leave immediately and will not get in the way.
Gongsun Sheng listened and fell silent for a moment. His fingers unconsciously tapped the rough wooden tabletop, producing a rhythmic, tapping sound, each one striking at my heartstrings.
"Leaving... is the wise thing to do." He finally spoke again, his voice neither approving nor disapproving. "Turbulence is brewing here, and it's not something a weak woman like you can get involved in."
His words were a tacit admission that something big was about to happen, and a tacit admission of his involvement. At the same time, it was also a kind of... tacit approval of my plan to "leave"?
I felt a little relieved.
However, his next words made my heart jump again.
"However," he changed the subject, his eyes becoming sharp again, "you can teach me extraordinary music in your dreams, and you can also discern the key points from the rumors in the market... Bu Luanyin, are you really just an ordinary wandering musician?"
He called out my name!
He investigated me!
Although the original owner had been performing in Yuncheng County for a few days and left his name, it was not difficult to find out, but being specially investigated by someone like him meant that it was extremely unusual and dangerous.
"Master, please understand," I said calmly, a cold sweat breaking out on my back. "My family has fallen on hard times, and I'm all alone. My pipa skills are my only support, and I've been wandering around trying to survive. As for the music I heard in my dream and the rumors I heard in the market, it was just a coincidence. My instinct for survival made me pay extra attention. I don't deserve Master's suspicion that I'm an anomaly."
I directly pointed out the word "odd number" and retreated to advance. In front of a smart person like him, playing dumb and pretending to be stupid would only make me lose face.
When Gongsun Sheng heard this, the corners of his mouth seemed to curl up in a very faint and barely noticeable arc, which disappeared in a flash.
"Survival instinct... not bad," he commented calmly, but he didn't delve into my background. Instead, he said, "Your pipa has the power to disturb fate. Be careful, and don't play that 'tone of the future' so easily."
He stood up and put a few copper coins on the table as payment for the tea.
“Remember, only by staying within your means can you achieve long-term success.”
After saying that, he no longer looked at me. He waved his whisk, and his green Taoist robe fluttered. He turned around and went downstairs, and his figure quickly disappeared at the stairs.
I sat there alone, and after a long time, I felt my stiff limbs slowly regain consciousness.
He left.
He didn't make things difficult for me, nor did he delve into my "dream".
But he left behind warnings – “disturb destiny,” “voice of the future,” and “keep within bounds.”
He had indeed noticed something unusual about me! Although he couldn't know for sure that I was a time traveler, he, with his spiritual perception as a Taoist, sensed my music and my existence, which in itself was a "variable," an "anomaly" that could affect my predetermined destiny!
His final warning was a reminder, but also an ultimatum. If I left quietly, stopped interfering, and stopped showing any signs of abnormality, he might pretend he hadn't noticed my "accident." But if I continued to "disturb fate"...
The consequences are unimaginable.
I grabbed the cloth bag on the table, hurried downstairs, and rushed back to the inn.
We must leave now! We can't wait until tomorrow!
Gongsun Sheng's appearance and his warning were like a sword of Damocles hanging over their heads. No one knew whether he would change his mind, and no one knew what Yuncheng County would become in the next second.
I packed my meager luggage as quickly as possible, which consisted of just a few changes of clothes, the remaining dry food, a water bag, and the pipa wrapped tightly in cloth.
After settling the room fee, I left the inn where I had only stayed for a few days without looking back and walked out of the Yuncheng County gate.
It was already afternoon and the sun was setting.
I stood at the fork in the road, looked back at the city that was about to be hit by a huge wave, and felt mixed emotions.
I am still in shock and terrified.
But there is also a trace of inexplicable... unwillingness.
His aloof demeanor, as if he had everything under control, his calm yet condescending warning... were like a thorn, piercing deep into the soul of a person from the modern era who advocates equality and autonomy.
Be law-abiding?
Why?
Just because I am weak, because I am an "oddity", I have to keep a low profile, stay far away, and watch the familiar tragedies unfold without being able to make a voice of my own?
I know the trajectory of history, I know who are the heroes and who are the tragedies, I know the endings of many people... This knowledge itself is a heavy burden. Now, with the appearance and warning of Gongsun Sheng, this burden has become more specific and acute.
I touched the pipa in my arms.
House of Flying Daggers…The Sound of the Future…
He said my music could disturb fate.
What if... I'm just saying what if, I'm not so "law-abiding"?
This idea is like a weed; once it sprouts, it is difficult to stop.
I shook my head, temporarily suppressing this dangerous thought. Now is not the time to think about these things, saving my life is the most important thing.
I identified the direction and chose a road heading south.
My original plan was to stay away from Shandong, a troubled place. But I had no clear destination. The world was vast, but for a single woman, where could I truly find a place to settle down?
After walking for over an hour, it gradually darkened. Even though early summer nights come slowly, the stillness and unknownness of the wilderness still filled me with dread. I had to find a place to stay for the night.
There seemed to be an abandoned earthen kiln ahead, or perhaps a dilapidated mountain temple? It was vague and unclear.
I quickened my pace, wanting to get there before dark, so that I could at least have a place to shelter from the wind and rain (or maybe not).
However, just as I approached the dark shadow, a suppressed quarreling sound drifted over on the wind.
"...Brother, is the news reliable? Will that group really take this route?"
"No doubt about it! They've succeeded, and since they don't dare take the main road, they'll definitely take this small path! We'll ambush them here and catch them off guard!"
"But... I heard there's a Taoist priest in that group who knows some magic, and he's pretty powerful!"
"What are you afraid of? We have Big Brother Pig Iron Buddha here! No matter what Taoist priests and monks they are, we'll kill them all! If we rob the birthday gift, we won't have to worry about food and drink for the rest of our lives!"
Cast iron Buddha!
It was them! Choi Do-sung and his gang!
They're actually lying in ambush here! From the looks of it, they're planning to wait for Chao Gai, Gongsun Sheng, and the others to succeed, then rob them and kill them halfway!
My heart instantly rose to my throat.
what to do?
Go around? It's getting dark, and I don't know the way in the wilderness. It's even more dangerous to walk around randomly.
Turn back? Return to Yuncheng? That would be a trap.
I held my breath and carefully moved backwards using the weeds as cover, trying to get away from this dangerous area first.
However, misfortunes never come singly. I accidentally stepped on a dead branch and broke it with a soft "crack".
"who?!"
A loud shout came from the direction of the ruined temple.
Immediately afterwards, several dark shadows rushed out of the ruined temple like ghosts, and after a few leaps and bounds, they approached where I was hiding.
It’s over!
I've been discovered!
As I watched those ferocious-looking men rushing towards me with shining steel knives in their hands, my mind went blank and I could almost smell the breath of death.
At this critical moment——
Suddenly, a strange wind blew up out of nowhere, blowing sand and rocks into the air, blinding the men's eyes.
Then, I felt a tightening around my waist, and a gentle but irresistible force wrapped around me. The scenery in front of me quickly retreated, and the wind whistled in my ears.
When I came to my senses, I found myself behind a small mound about a hundred meters away from the dilapidated temple.
Standing beside him was the Taoist priest in green robe who had returned.
Gongsun Sheng!
His expression remained calm, but his eyes were a little colder than before as he stared towards the ruined temple. The men were still rubbing their eyes in the wind and sand, cursing.
"Didn't I tell you to leave?" He turned his head, his gaze fixed on my terrified face, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of...helplessness. "Why did you get involved here?"
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. The fear of surviving the disaster and the complex emotions of being saved by him mixed together, leaving me at a loss for words.
How did he get here? Was he just passing by? Or... had he been following me secretly?
The thought gives me chills.
"I... I just wanted to find a place to stay for the night..." I explained in a trembling voice, filled with grievance and fear, "I didn't know they were here..."
Gongsun Sheng looked at my pale face, then glanced at the pipa I was holding tightly in my arms, and was silent for a moment.
"It's not advisable to stay here for long." He finally said calmly, "Follow me closely."
After saying that, he turned around and walked in another direction different from the ruined temple and Yuncheng.
The pace was not fast, but it had a peculiar rhythm, as if blending into the surrounding environment.
I was stunned for a moment, looking at his back, then turned back to look in the direction of the dilapidated temple where the cursing was still coming from, gritted my teeth, and quickly followed him.
At this moment, I seem to have no choice but to follow this "Ruyunlong" who just saved my life but is also unfathomable and extremely dangerous.
As the night deepened, two figures, one blue and one gray, walked silently forward on the wilderness path, one in front and one behind.
My originally planned escape route was completely disrupted because of this unexpected encounter and the appearance of Gongsun Sheng.
The strings of fate seemed to have quietly deviated from their original track and slowly unfolded in an unknown direction since I plucked the song "Ambush from All Sides" on the street corner of Yuncheng.
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