Chapter Thirty-Two
She was completely out of control; memories of her past life flooded back like a tidal wave. She felt utterly heartbroken, and her clenched fists trembled.
She knew better than anyone that the ritual was a lie.
With tears streaming down her face, she spoke slowly and deliberately to the man before her: "If Digu only responds when his followers kill their own people for him, then he is unworthy to be called a god, and he should not be worshipped!"
"Si Yanmo!" Zhou Yanqing interrupted her sharply, grabbing her wrist and whispering a reminder, "This is the Digu Temple!"
He was truly terrified of this woman. How dare she repeatedly commit such rebellious acts and utter such blasphemous words at the Digu Temple?
Si Yanmo, however, was determined to tear apart these absurd and laughable pretenses. "Then let me ask you, why hasn't a bolt of lightning struck me down to kill me?"
Her gaze sharpened. "Either he's not real..."
"Si Yanmo!" Zhou Yanqing tried to stop her from continuing.
"Or perhaps he agrees with me. Those greedy people have repeatedly harmed their compatriots in his name and manipulated divine pronouncements time and time again. They are the ones who truly deserve to die!"
These uttered, immoral words nearly overwhelmed Zhou Yanqing, leaving him stunned and speechless.
These were words he had never heard before in his nineteen years of life.
In this world, everyone believes in gods and in Digu, believing that whatever Digu says is true. Ordinary people especially have unwavering faith in the words of diviners and soothsayers.
Really? Or not?
No one will bother to investigate further.
Because God cannot be questioned.
Those who can communicate with the gods, such as diviners and soothsayers, cannot be questioned.
He once held his master's hand and asked, "Why?"
What was Master's answer again?
A gentle breeze swept by, ruffling the woman's hair.
Beneath Si Yanmo's red-rimmed eyes, the beauty mark under her eye seemed even more prominent.
She knew she was being too emotional, after all, Zhou Yanqing was only trying to help her.
She composed herself slightly, her tone softening as she said to him, "In short, I can't use people as sacrifices. I'm begging you, please help me. Only you can help me now."
Zhou Yanqing stared at the girl's beauty mark, but the image of his master standing in front of him many years ago flashed through his mind.
He followed his master as if possessed and gave the answer: "The divination and sorcery ceremony has always involved human sacrifices to consult the gods."
"Has it always been like this?"
Si Yanmo repeated his words in disbelief and took a few steps back.
She seemed not to recognize the person in front of her.
She had thought he would understand her, since he had previously shared her deep hatred for Ning He's actions. But now he was uttering words just as terrible as Wei Jingzhong's.
What's wrong with him?
Si Yanmo called his name blankly, wanting to say something to him, but after opening her mouth, she couldn't say anything.
Tears streamed down her face, and despite wearing thick clothes, she still felt cold.
She turned and strode away from the Digu Temple.
Zhou Yanqing wanted to chase after him, but for some reason, she felt a heavy weight on her legs and couldn't take a single step.
It was nearly dusk, and the setting sun painted the distant sky a fiery red, yet it evoked a sense of desolation. The streets were bustling with people, mostly heading home, all in the opposite direction from Si Yanmo.
Tears continued to stream down Si Yanmo's face uncontrollably. She ignored them and continued walking aimlessly forward.
She didn't know how long she had walked when she suddenly heard a familiar voice, and a pale purple figure blocked her path.
"Oh dear, my little beauty, why are you crying?"
It's Lin Niang.
"What's wrong? Did that brat bully you?"
She grabbed Si Yanmo with one hand and took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears with the other, saying with heartache, "You've only just recovered, and he dares to bully you. I think he's tired of living! Come, tell Lin Niang what happened? I'll teach him a lesson for you."
Si Yanmo didn't know what to say, so she let Lin Niang pull her along.
She didn't know how Lin Niang took her away; she only knew that when she came to her senses, she was already sitting in a side room of Yun Jian Xuan.
Lin Niang cooked her a bowl of sweet porridge, which she obediently picked up and drank.
"That's right, if you're in a bad mood, eat something sweet." Seeing that she had eaten and her spirits had finally improved, Lin Niang asked, "Tell Lin Niang, what's wrong?"
Si Yanmo looked at her, hesitated for a moment, and then told her about the argument she had with Zhou Yanqing that afternoon.
Finally, she smiled helplessly, "Master, do you also think I'm being unreasonable?"
Lin Niang smiled and shook her head upon hearing this, her tone carrying a hint of approval: "You really are just like me when I was young."
When she first met Si Yanmo, she felt that this girl was very much like her when she was young, and her eyes also revealed a stubbornness that was different from ordinary people. It was as if no matter what it was, as long as she wanted it, she would definitely get it.
She took Si Yanmo's hand and asked with a smile, "Do you know why I left Bu Yuan back then?"
"Zhou Yanqing told me it was because you weren't chosen as Grand Tutor back then."
Si Yanmo had never looked into Lin Niang's fate and was unaware of the reasons behind it; she only remembered what Zhou Yanqing had told her.
Lin Niang chuckled and shook her head: "That's what they all think. They think I'm too competitive, and after losing to that old man, I didn't even want to stay at the divination academy anymore."
Seeing that Lin Niang was willing to talk, she stopped calculating the other person's fate and listened to Lin Niang tell her about what happened back then.
That year, the former Grand Tutor of the Imperial Academy fell seriously ill and abdicated, so he planned to select one of the three tutors and guardians at the time to succeed him.
But Wang Wu had always only wanted to be a leisurely diviner, and his limit was to teach newly admitted diviners as a mentor.
He then withdrew from the fight.
This opportunity naturally fell to Lin Niang and Mo Wenzhong.
The succession of the Grand Tutor was no easier than that of the shaman; it also required passing numerous tests.
At that time, Lin Niang and Mo Wenzhong were evenly matched, making it a difficult choice.
So the former Grand Tutor came up with a solution—to play the divination game.
However, before casting the divination sticks, a human sacrifice must be offered, just like in the divination ceremony, to request a response from Emperor Gu.
Lin Niang gave up; a woman who had been proud her whole life, she admitted defeat in front of everyone.
“Like you, I didn’t want to kill an innocent person to get that position, so I concede.” Lin Niang looked dejected, but also somewhat relieved.
“From then on, I felt I could no longer stay in the academy; it wasn’t what I had imagined.”
Si Yanmo listened, seemingly lost in thought.
When she heard Zhou Yanqing's words, for a moment she wondered if she was wrong, or if she was being too sensitive.
But Lin Niang's words told her that there were people in this world who thought the same way as her, and that they also believed that this cruel sacrificial practice should not continue.
She asked Lin Niang, "Have you... ever regretted it?"
Lin Niang paused for a moment, then said, "I regretted it."
"Why? Because you saved a life."
Lin Niang looked at her, her eyes filled with an emotion that Si Yanmo couldn't understand, "But if I become Grand Tutor, I can save more people."
Si Yanmo seemed to understand what she meant, but her face still showed confusion.
Lin Niang noticed her confusion, took her hand, and asked, "How many of the high-ranking officials in Qin, or even in the entire Southern Kingdom, do you think share our thoughts?"
Si Yanmo pondered for a moment and said, "I don't know, but..." Stubborn as Wei Jingzhong and indifferent as Zhou Yanqing, who said "it has always been this way," neither of them had the idea of abolishing human sacrifice.
“Almost none,” she said.
"So if even one person among these people has this idea and works towards it, even if they can only compromise at the time, it will be good if it can change everything in ten, twenty, or even a hundred years."
The more Lin Niang spoke, the brighter her eyes shone, as if she had returned to her spirited youth.
She saw hope in Si Yanmo.
Si Yanmo also made her realize that if a second person in the world had the same thoughts as her, then a third, a fourth, or even more would appear.
Sooner or later, this cruel reality will be changed by one pioneer after another.
Is it better to save one person and put your conscience at ease, or to save the world with repentance?
She showed Si Yanmo a fork in the road.
Si Yanmo thought she would choose the latter.
She seemed to have found some meaning in possessing this ability.
To survive, or to achieve fame and success?
Perhaps none of these are true; she is but a speck of dust in the long course of time. But when there is enough dust, it will become a mound, a fossil, or a mountain.
Even if it only paves a short path for those who come after, it will make the path easier to walk.
Lin Niang watched as her gaze grew increasingly firm, knowing that she understood her words, and smiled, "Go, you will be the shaman of Qin in the future, and you will be able to do more than you imagine."
The girl took a sip of the tea in front of her; it was slightly bitter, but the tea was clear.
Lin Niang seemed to remember something else and added, "As for that boy, he..."
“I know,” Si Yanmo said, her expression darkening slightly. “I know it’s not his fault. It’s just…”
"Don't understand?"
She nodded. "He's not a heartless person, but why..." Why would he say such cold words?
Lin Niang sighed, "He is the King of Qin, so naturally he has to consider things more than you or I. Besides..."
She paused, then continued, "Besides, don't let his fierce appearance fool you, he's just a paper tiger. I don't know if he told you, but after his mother gave birth to him, she was upset about something and didn't want to see him, leaving him all alone. The little boy suffered a lot."
Si Yanmo had seen all of these things in Zhou Yanqing's destiny chart.
Zhou Yanqing's mother had hardly seen him since he was born, and was even unwilling to breastfeed him. It was Zhang Niang, who delivered him, who took pity on the child and occasionally asked other pregnant women for some milk to raise Zhou Yanqing.
He was then trafficked to the black market to be sold as a slave, but because he was too thin and weak, no one wanted him. He was often beaten and scolded by the slave traders and forced to do deceitful things.
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