Some locals recognized them, exclaiming, "Isn't this the 'Little Nezha' crew that's recently become a sensation in Kyoto?"
"Hehe! I didn't expect to get to enjoy such a good show after following them all this way. I heard that since Su Yun's troupe has been stationed at the county magistrate's mansion, ordinary people can't afford to hire them to perform 'Little Nezha'."
"Isn't that right? Then let's take a good look!"
Some people complained, "Don't forget we're here to stop the sorcerer! We can't let her harm any more people. Su Yunban is from the county princess's mansion; she's definitely here to cover for this young princess!"
"What's the rush? Didn't we just say that the Princess will definitely give us an explanation? This 'Little Nezha' is a rare sight, let's watch the show first!"
troublemakers: ...
There was a large staircase in front of the Princess's residence, which was perfect for serving as a temporary stage.
The instrument group didn't hold back and immediately got to work.
Half an hour later, "Little Nezha" came to an end, and the little actors bowed and left the stage.
At this moment, the door opened, and two other young actors struggled to carry in a long, large box.
Xiao Youran also came out wearing a cloak.
Someone exclaimed, "It's that little county princess! The little demon doctor!"
"A quack doctor! A quack doctor!" someone started the commotion.
Xiao Youran gave them no chance to gain momentum, pressing her hands down to silence the entire room, and said crisply, "Everyone, today I will show you what true demonic magic is!"
After saying that, she waved to the back.
A young actor from Su Yun's troupe came up, opened the long, large box, first flipped open the lid, then opened the side facing the audience downwards to show that it was empty, and then climbed up.
Two more young actors arrived and, in front of everyone, closed both sides of the box.
Then, Xiao Youran personally picked up the two partitions placed to the side and, to everyone's horror, inserted them into the middle of the long box, dividing it into three parts.
The crowd below the stage was horrified. "No way? Murder!"
Xiao Youran stepped aside and saw the two young actors moving here and there, slowly separating the long box from the partition into three independent small boxes, which were then displayed on all four sides.
Each facade was made of partitions, and there was not a trace of blood.
The crowd had never seen such a magic trick before, and they were so astonished they could hardly believe their eyes. Their faces showed expressions of horror. "Where did the child go? Was he cut into three pieces? Good heavens!"
"Sorcery! This really is sorcery!"
"I knew this young county princess was a demonic healer! She's a monster! A child delivered by a monster is bound to be a monster too! A Japanese devil!"
Xiao Youran's lips twitched. Sure enough, no matter what they said, they always ended up talking about Xuan-ge'er.
She didn't want to say much, and just waved her hand again, just as she had rehearsed for them.
The two young actors then put the three boxes back together.
Xiao Youran circled the box for a while, seemingly still wanting more. She then pulled a large knife from the guard beside her and slowly inserted it into the gap in the box.
"You monster! You're too cruel! Cutting a person into three pieces wasn't enough, you had to whip the corpse too!"
"This is a live person being sliced up! It's terrifying!"
"Outrageous! Monster! Burn her! Burn her!"
Xiao Youran shrugged, drew his broadsword, flicked it across the clean blade, and returned it to the guard.
Although the guards by the door stood ramrod straight, a closer look revealed that their legs were trembling.
Even though they had been through thick and thin, they had never seen such a terrifying scene!
The people in the audience were also trembling.
At this moment, Xiao Youran waved her hand again, "Come together—"
As she spoke, two young actors pushed three small boxes over and put them together.
Xiao Youran smiled faintly, stepped forward, and gently pulled out the partitions.
No one understood what she was going to do.
Xiao Youran suddenly clapped her hands.
The instrumental ensemble below the stage immediately followed with two clanging sounds.
Everyone was startled by the noise.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the moment to witness a miracle has arrived!" Xiao Youran shook her cloak and said in a crisp voice, then picked up the cloak with both hands and circled around the box, as if she were performing a ritual.
The sound of copper clattered along with her footsteps, clinking and clattering softly, finally stopping with a clang the moment Xiao Youran stopped.
Everyone was completely baffled by her actions.
Xiao Youran raised her hand and clapped twice.
It was still those two young actors who stepped forward and gently pulled out the wooden pins at both ends of the long box.
Everyone held their breath; some stared intently at the long box, while others covered their eyes in fear.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please open your eyes!" Xiao Youran gave those timid people no chance to escape.
"Clang clang clang clang!" With her call, the two young actors gently pulled down the side of the box facing the audience.
"Ah—" someone screamed in fear and turned their head away, unable to look.
"Hiss—" Some of the bolder ones widened their eyes.
Then came gasps of surprise, "Ah! He's alright!"
A surprised exclamation rang out, "Ah? The child is really alive!"
"Of course! He's perfectly fine!"
Even the timid ones turned their heads back, opened their eyes, and watched as the child was helped out of the box.
He waved energetically to everyone, "Ladies and gentlemen! I'm still alive!"
Some people breathed a sigh of relief, some were astonished, and some remained silent.
Xiao You Ran walked over. "They say seeing is believing. Everyone, what are you thinking right now? I suppose you're thinking that I, this little demoness, have used my magic again, right? So, has this child who was affected by the magic also become a monster? Is he also a devil?"
She pulled the child over and spun him around 360 degrees. "Take a good look at him. He's just an ordinary child. What monsters or demons? Where do monsters and demons come from in this world?"
Someone shouted, "Then what kind of sorcery did you use? You clearly split the person into three pieces, yet the person is still alive. What else could it be but sorcery?!"
Xiao Youran asked, "Hey buddy, do you feel like you've been split into three pieces?"
The child shook his head and smiled smugly, "No!"
"He didn't even feel it being cut into three pieces. What is this if not sorcery? It is sorcery!"
Xiao Youran clapped her hands, "Come on, let me show you again!"
Soon, the two children next to them closed the long box first, and the child who had been there earlier lay down inside.
Everyone stared intently at the stage.
Then, Xiao Youran gestured for the two of them to flip down the side panel so that everyone could see what was inside.
But then...
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