Chapter 16
Xiangcheng Quandu is located in the central region, with regular seasons. Unlike the northern border, which is covered in snow and freezing cold all year round, or Yancheng, which is covered in sand and unbearably hot.
When Hera chose the site for the Temple of Marion, she was drawn to its climate and mountains.
This place is not far from the hot spring stream; to be precise, it completely surrounds the hot spring stream.
The name "Xiangcheng" originates from the fact that farmers here cultivate laurel trees on a large scale for their livelihood. Laurel trees are excellent timber, which can be used in medicine, and the petals can also be made into food.
Every year in July and August, the entire capital city is filled with the fragrance of osmanthus.
The city of springs is named so because this land is dominated by warm water geothermal fields, where numerous small springs converge to form large springs. It also boasts the most springs in the entire world.
The locals named it simply and directly, combining two distinctive features, hence the name "Fragrant City and Spring Capital".
Wherever the twelve chief deities build a temple, that place will receive their protection; this is a subconscious belief among the people.
Hera didn't have the energy to govern a capital city, so she adopted an election system instead of the hereditary system of other gods, where one family held absolute power and was worshipped.
The core principle is "the capable rise, the average step aside, and the mediocre are demoted."
Elections are held every three years. If a candidate is popular with the people, he or she can be re-elected. Regardless of age or gender, only ability matters.
The capital city was well-governed, prosperous, and peaceful.
As soon as Li Jia and Winslow appeared in the capital, Li Jia was attracted by the city's lively atmosphere.
This place is not much different from modern society; it's like a primitive version of a large market.
The streets are lined with small vendors.
The bamboo baskets were packed together, filled with green vegetables glistening with morning dew. The bright green cucumbers were covered with fine fuzz, and the purple eggplants shone brightly.
The vendor draped a towel over his shoulder and shouted in a voice as loud as a copper bell hanging from the eaves: "Local cucumbers, only one copper coin a pound, or your money back!"
Fresh steaks dangled on iron hooks in front of the butcher shop, their red and white marbling glistening. The butcher brandished his gleaming knife, chopping open the bone with a clang, splattering oil onto his linen apron.
Li Jia continued walking inside; none of the raw food interested her.
As the sun gradually climbed higher until it hung completely in the sky, a fragrance made her stop in her tracks.
The sesame bagels in the oil pan emitted plumes of white steam, swirling together in the air above the market, sweet and cloying, embodying the purest desires of humankind.
It's appetite.
She looked at Winslow, who understood immediately: "Take whatever you want, I have plenty of money."
Being on the rich list really makes a difference; in no time, Li Jia's hands were laden with delicious treats: cinnamon mille-feuille, milk pudding, grilled meat skewers...
She also put a few donuts in her bag, intending to take them back for Doreen to try, since gods don't need to eat anyway.
Passing by the blacksmith shop, Li Jia had an idea. She asked Winslow for a few gold coins, whispered a few words to the blacksmith, and the blacksmith, hearing her request, thought it was simple enough. He paid the deposit and waited to pick it up in a few days.
Winslow asked her what she had bought, and Li Jia stammered, saying that she had bought some tools for hunting birds because she was playing around.
After buying some more sketchbooks, Li Jia felt a little sleepy and wanted to go back to the palace to rest. Winslow checked the time and it was getting late, so she asked Li Jia to wait for her at the city gate while she went to relieve herself.
Li Jia licked the sugar biscuit twice, then squatted on the ground, bored, waiting for Winslow to return.
"My dear lady, you look so troubled. May I tell your fortune?"
An old woman, dressed in tattered clothes and with her eyes covered, appeared before Li Jia from nowhere, holding tarot cards.
She is an astrologer.
Li Jia felt sorry for him; it seems that no matter the era, there are always people who make a living by begging and fortune telling.
He then took out the last gold coin from his pocket and put it in the old woman's hand. The old woman was stunned for a few seconds, looking bewildered.
The old woman laid out the tarot cards in a row, had Li Jia draw one from them, and told her the star sign.
"The griffin weeps blood, the snake and the dog carry blades; to save one person, one sacrifices oneself."
Li Jia obediently read the star pattern aloud and asked, "Grandma, what does this mean?"
Although Li Jia didn't understand what it meant, she recognized the character "亡" (wáng), which means death.
The old woman shook her head, her withered fingers tracing the divination marks: "Miss, you do not belong here. The stars are in a life-and-death struggle, and your fate is entangled with hers. It is all just a mirage, a destiny that will not end well."
"who is she?"
Li Jia's heart sank into an icy abyss. She stared at the old woman, her voice as soft as a spider's thread in the wind.
How could the old woman know that she didn't belong here?
"She has been imprisoned by her since the day she was born. Anyone who gets close will be burned to ashes. Your soul has a spirit that could have lived a long and healthy life. Do what you should do and leave. Don't get entangled in this hellish trap..."
The old woman sighed, "Miss, cherish your life."
"Pah, pah, pah! You can fool her, but you dare to come to my territory and cause trouble."
Winslow happened to return and overheard the conversation between the old woman and Li Jia. Enraged, he snatched the cards from Li Jia's hand, threw them on the ground, and pulled Li Jia around to leave.
"The celestial phenomena are irreversible, unless... unless someone is willing to exchange their life for another and sever this cause and effect." The old woman's words lingered in Li Jia's ears like a ghost, refusing to dissipate for a long time.
"Don't listen to that old woman's nonsense. She's just out to swindle young people like you. If she were really that accurate, how come she can't predict her own fate? She'd probably tell everyone she's going to have a bloody disaster," Winslow said irritably.
Li Jia nodded, telling Winslow not to be angry.
After all, she had already died once, so life and death were just that—life was better than death. If she could live, that was fine, but if she really had to die, there was nothing she could do.
She was just a nobody, how could she dare to defy fate?
This old woman must have mistaken me for someone else; she doesn't have that kind of ability.
It was already afternoon when they returned to the palace. When Li Jia came in, Doreen was resting to the side, while Hera was still reading the Book of Fate.
Li Jia took two donuts she had bought out of her small backpack and stuffed them into Doreen's hand.
Doreen was a little embarrassed, but she still smiled shyly and accepted it, saying thank you.
Li Jia thought Doreen was a very reliable person. She didn't mean Winslow was unreliable. The two of them were different, one extroverted and the other introverted, but Doreen was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. She got things done without saying a word.
Winslow is warm-hearted both inside and out, and easy to get along with, but his success rate is not high.
This might be what complementarity is all about: sharing joys and sorrows, and of course, sharing delicious food with everyone, which fosters team camaraderie.
They all work in the same company; one is a kindred spirit, and the other is decisive and efficient.
This is probably what they mean by "three cobblers are equal to one Zhuge Liang".
Li Jia bought a total of four donuts: two sugar-frosted donuts and two osmanthus-flavored donuts.
Li Jia gave one to Doreen as well, and carefully put the rest into her small schoolbag, planning to have a late-night snack when she got home.
Winslow was so full at the market that he kept burping, so he skipped dinner.
As for the gods.
Gods don't need to eat.
This way, I don't have to go back and cook.
After Hera finished dealing with the fate scroll, night had fallen. Li Jia and Winslow were dozing off in a corner, exhausted and sleepy after playing wildly outside all day.
Hera looked at the two people sleeping in such a mess and felt a headache coming on.
This increases the workload.
Doreen carried the two girls onto the peacock-shaped open-top chariot. They fell asleep soundly and didn't move, nestled quietly in Hera's arms.
Hera pinched Li Jia's round, bulging belly, and, with the sweet smell of food still lingering on her body, couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Is it really that fun to be out having fun?
Doreen stood behind Hera with a look of utter disbelief.
Could it be that Winslow was telling the truth?
Since Li Jia arrived, the God has laughed more times than in the past thousand years.
A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea; it's hard to fathom.
Back at the hot springs, before Doreen could say anything, the two disappeared. Doreen had no choice but to carry Winslow back to her palace.
"See? I told you the truth, didn't I?"
Halfway there, Winslow tugged at Doreen's hair ribbon and said smugly.
Doreen wore her hair in a ponytail today, secured with a black and gold patterned hairband.
The dark embroidery is crooked and uneven.
The quality is poor, like something a novice would produce.
This was a gift from Winslow to her many years ago.
"Why do you always like to wear the same one? Didn't I give you many different colors? You can wear them interchangeably."
Doreen's hair was very long, already past her waist. As a swordswoman, it would be very inconvenient for her to have her hair down.
Winslow thought Doreen looked beautiful with long hair and didn't want her to lose her beauty just because she became a swordsman.
So they sewed her many different styles and colors of hairbands so she could tie all sorts of braids.
This was Winslow's only skill in needlework.
Practice makes perfect; after sewing for so many years, I should have improved a bit.
"No change."
Two cold words.
Winslow pursed his lips. Fine, don't change it then.
"So you already knew I was pretending to be asleep?" The hand holding Doreen's hairband swayed back and forth, showing no intention of getting off her.
Doreen didn't speak, but hugged her tighter, slowed her pace, and slowly walked towards the palace.
He's such a blockhead.
Seeing that she wasn't responding, Winslow muttered to himself:
"This is creating opportunities for the two of them. I've said it before, His Majesty definitely has something going on with Li Jia."
"If I didn't pretend to be asleep, His Majesty would be so embarrassed."
"His Majesty has never eaten breakfast before, let alone sent me an imperial edict late at night, telling me what food to prepare for the next day. And the ancestral tablet even agreed to let me set out the food in the main hall."
"Pfft, pfft, pfft. In the past, not to mention food, even a fly couldn't get into the main hall. His Majesty's germaphobia was terrifying."
"Besides, think about it, how far is Hot Spring Valley from Xiangcheng Quandu? Is it really necessary to drive a war chariot there?"
"Hmph, don't pretend I didn't see it. You drove around the wheat field three times before you got to Xiangcheng Quandu."
“Normally His Majesty can reach the Temple of Marriage with a simple Shadow Cloak, so why bother with all this trouble? Isn’t it just to show her the majestic chariot and how prestigious it is to be her attendant?”
"…………"
Winslow rambled on and on, reminding Doreen of the chattering parrot butler in Artemis's mansion.
A little bird that loves to worry.
When they arrived at the entrance to Winslow’s palace, Doreen opened the door and gently set her down.
"Do you think what I said makes a lot of sense?" Winslow loosened her hairband, stood firmly on the ground, and analyzed the situation logically, actively seeking the approval of the person next to her.
Doreen glanced at her and then hummed in agreement.
Get some rest.
"Remember to wipe your drool."
Before Winslow could react, the door slammed shut.
Winslow was so angry that he stomped his feet in the room.
Draw a few more circles to curse that clueless blockhead.
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