STOTTD |Strange Tales of the Tang Dynasty/Strange Tales of the Tang Dynasty Chapter 5

Chapter 5

A slight twitch crossed his thin eyelids. Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) suddenly realized that, at this moment, the doubts piling up in his heart were far greater than his disgust.

He had known A Ke (A Ke) for a long time, and he knew very well that under that fairy-like, jade-colored skin was a cold and ruthless heart.

Normally, she was so proud that she looked at people with her nostrils, disdained dealings with fellow disciples whose cultivation was low, never cared about other people’s feelings, and never concerned herself with the reason the demons and evil spirits were causing trouble. So why was she acting so strangely again and again today?

Especially those light tea-colored eyes, they had not only lost their overbearing arrogance, but also gained a hint of clever, mischievous wit.

He did not believe in that bullshit amnesia.

Taking his gaze back, Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) said coldly, “No need to see me off anymore.”

“Okay!”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) let out a breath of relief and turned to run off.

He stood in place for a moment, and only after he could no longer see the girl’s figure did he turn around and return the way he came.

The door of the quiet room was open. Seeing him come back after leaving, Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master) was not surprised, as if he had already expected it.

Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) knelt and sat on the cushion beside him, then asked in a low voice, “Did daoist master notice that Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) was very different from before today?”

“Shen Shaoqing (Shen Shaoqing) has something to say, just speak freely.”

He was silent for a moment, then said, “Will sealing the Fox King suffer backlash?”

“Sealing any demon can cause backlash, it is just that the Fox King has cultivated for a thousand years, so it is too dangerous, and the chance of suffering backlash is greater.”

“Could backlash cause a drastic change in personality?”

“…That is hard to say,” Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master) stroked his beard, “It might, or it might not.”

“Is there a flawless illusion-face technique?”

Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master) looked over at him indifferently, as if seeing through what he was thinking, “No, all arts leave traces.”

“Did Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) ever mention her amnesia to daoist master?”

“She did not,” Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master) said, “but there are signs to follow.”

“daoist master believes this explanation?”

Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master) smiled and asked in return, “Why wouldn’t I believe it?”

Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) slightly lowered his head, “Shen understands.”

From top to bottom, everyone in Taiqing Daoist Temple was lying. He had asked for so long, and it had all been for nothing.

He did not want to stay any longer. Rising to his feet and saluting, he was just about to take his leave when he heard daoist master say, “Shen Shaoqing (Shen Shaoqing) is wondering why poor daoist did not stop my disciple from getting handsy just now, yes.”

Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) turned his head to look at him, as if waiting for him to continue.

“Even if I say it, Shen Shaoqing (Shen Shaoqing) will not believe it.”

Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master) said slowly, “Today, as soon as poor daoist entered the quiet room, I discovered that the fate bond on Shen Shaoqing (Shen Shaoqing)’s left ring finger had already appeared.”

He only said half a sentence at a time, but Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) still understood the implication.

“What daoist master means is that the other end of the red thread is tied to Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun)’s hand?”

After speaking, he denied this guess on his own.

“That is impossible!”

Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master) said meaningfully, “This is a marriage fate ordained by heaven. Others are not allowed to interfere, poor daoist can only say this much.”

“There is one thing Shen cannot understand,” Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) said, “If the other end of the fate bond is really on Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun)’s hand, why is it only showing itself now?”

“When fate has not yet arrived, the fate bond does not appear.” Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master) said, “Marriage encounters, whether a step earlier or a step later, will both bring changes.”

Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) gave a cold laugh. In those black and white, clearly distinct eyes, there was nothing but disdain. Though he did not say a word, his stance was already made perfectly clear.

This marriage fate, better not have it.

＊

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) wandered around everywhere. When she reached Yingxian Pavilion, she saw a few incense visitors in the hall lining up to wait for Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) to interpret lots, so she leaned against a pillar and waited for a bit.

After all the incense visitors had left, she grabbed Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) by the back collar and said with narrowed eyes and a smile, “Junior brother, come back to my room with me, I have something to ask you.”

Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) raised his face to look at her, looking somewhat unwilling. “Senior sister, can’t you ask here?”

“No.”

“…If I can’t answer, will I be punished?”

“No.”

Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) let out a breath of relief and walked ahead to lead the way. “That’s good.”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) followed behind him and asked casually, “There are still incense visitors this late?”

As soon as the words fell, Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) stopped in his tracks, turned back to look at her, and his gaze carried confusion. “Senior sister, you…”

Seeing him with an expression that seemed to want to speak but held back, Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) coughed lightly in a pretentious manner, then very seriously started talking nonsense, “The Fox King’s demonic power is extremely strong. I forcibly sealed it and suffered backlash, and now I have lost all my memory…”

Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) suddenly understood and let out an “oh.” “Does daoist master know?”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) shook her head. “I haven’t had time to tell him yet.”

“This matter is no small thing, it would be best to report it to daoist master as soon as possible.” As he spoke, Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) turned around and continued leading the way.

Just thinking of Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master) made Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) feel faintly uneasy.

This person had strong insight, and his cultivation was unfathomable. He probably would not be so easy to fool.

She gave a soft “mm” and shifted the topic back to the incense visitors. Then she heard Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) explain, “daoist master likes quiet, and only opens to the outside world during the morning and evening lessons each day.”

“So that’s how it is.”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) nodded, then continued asking, “Then does junior brother know why Taiqing Daoist Temple helps the Ministry of Justice catch demons?”

“Every generation of temple masters in Taiqing Daoist Temple also serve as a Dali Temple Cheng, in charge of the demon and evil spirit division. Gaozu claimed his ancestral roots from Laozi, and enshrined Daoism as the state religion. As Taiqing Daoist Temple is the royal first Taiqing Daoist Temple, its temple master is granted the rank of fifth-rank daoist master, responsible for promoting Dao teachings, opening altars to give instruction, and the heavy duty of exorcising demons and evil spirits then falls on the daoist priests.”

If the temple master also serves as a Si Cheng, then isn’t Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) her immediate superior?

Thinking of how the two of them were at loggerheads, Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) secretly sighed and continued asking, “Then there should be many daoist priests, right? Why are there so few now?”

“There used to be many Daoists, so many the temple couldn’t even house them all! But there were always some who were hot-headed and impatient, and went to catch demons before their skills were polished. Some were lightly injured, some lost their lives, so there gradually became fewer and fewer. Now, the only ones holding office as Si Cheng in the Dali Temple are Senior Sister and Senior Brother Zhang Qingqing (Zhang Qingqing).”

No wonder Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) had become so hostile toward her, yet still sent people to ask her to come out and assist.

Shen Shaoqing (Shen Shaoqing) was traveling outside, and among the people in Taiqing Daoist Temple who could catch demons, only she was left. He simply had no other choice.

Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) passed through the moon gate and led her into a courtyard with a grape trellis. “Catching demons is dangerous, and even daoist priests can die from it. The Dali Temple officers are even less willing to get involved. daoist master said Taiqing Daoist Temple was short-handed, so His Majesty issued an order forcing the Jinwu Guards and the Dali Temple to assist with all their strength. The three sides catch demons together and are rewarded according to merit.”

After speaking, he pointed at the plaque hanging on the eaves with the three words “Water Cloud Hall” on it. “Senior sister, this is your room. You even wrote this plaque yourself!”

Heart outside the mortal world, body in Water Cloud Hall. A Ke (A Ke) really was wholeheartedly devoted to the Dao.

“Where is your room?” Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) asked.

“My brothers and I live in the back mountain.”

Understood, as the only female priest in Taiqing Daoist Temple, A Ke (A Ke) lived alone in a separate courtyard.

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) pushed open the door and looked around the room. She could not help being a little surprised. “The room is so big, but there is only a mat and a couch?”

Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) pointed at the small table on the mat. “Senior sister, there is also a little table.”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) lowered her eyes to look at him. “Your room is this empty too?”

“It was senior sister who said these things were useless and got in the way of cultivation, and threw them away herself.”

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin): “…”

After a pause, she asked again, “Being appointed as Si Cheng should come with a salary, right? Besides, I was also granted the title of Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) and entered the Taishi Bureau, shouldn’t I be drawing three salaries?”

“Money is an external thing. Senior sister has never cared much for it, and has never gone to collect the salary.”

“Bull…” Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) was somewhat shocked. “How is that possible? If I don’t take it, what do I eat, what do I wear, and what do I drink?”

“There is a dining hall for food, a well for water, and clothing… aside from the official robes, senior sister has always worn this Daoist robe and never wore any other clothes.”

“…”

No wonder A Ke (A Ke), despite being so young, had such deep Dao energy. So she had been living this kind of life, calm and desireless, single-mindedly pursuing the Dao.

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) turned and walked out. “…The south market hasn’t closed yet, right? Is there still time to buy a writing desk back?”

“Didn’t senior sister have something to ask Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng)?”

Just after taking two steps out, Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) suddenly turned back, grabbed Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng) by the collar, and pulled him out with her. “Ask on the way.”

Kids like Chang Sheng (Chang Sheng)’s age were the easiest to fool.

After Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) treated him to a meal of roast goose and duck, she had basically found out all she needed about the original owner.

A Ke (A Ke) had extraordinary talent and an aloof temperament. She always kept to herself, had poor relations with all the junior brothers of Taiqing Daoist Temple, and was not even close with Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master), who had raised her since she was little.

Therefore, although her reputation was excellent and she held positions in both the Dali Temple and the Taishi Bureau, not a single person was on good terms with her, and she had no trusted confidants at all.

On top of that, she did not obey the control and assignments of her superiors, listened when summoned but not when ordered, and was deeply valued by the sage, so she did not get along very harmoniously with officials from either department.

In short, she was a high and cold flower with terrible popularity.

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) found it a little difficult. This person’s personality could be said to be the complete opposite of hers, the difference was huge.

No wonder after a bit of contact, Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) kept looking at her with scrutinizing eyes.

He probably noticed this point.

What should she do?

Zhou Xin (Zhou Xin) felt a vague sense of fear. This guy had become suspicious, and given how much he hated A Ke (A Ke), it was really impossible to predict what he might do.

When she passed a wine shop, an idea suddenly flashed through her mind. She thought, if you eat someone’s food, your mouth becomes soft, if you take someone’s stuff, your hand becomes soft. If I can’t beat them, then I join them, why not try to repair this terrible relationship?

The night had already deepened. The bell rang three times in succession, reminding everyone that it was now time for the on-duty officers to change shifts.

As soon as Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) left the archives, he saw the officer he had sent out to investigate A Ke (A Ke)’s whereabouts coming over with a smiling face, carrying a jug of wine.

“Smiling like that, something good happened?”

The officer raised the wine. “Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) had someone send this over, saying it was to apologize to Shaoqing.”

Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai): “…”

He turned and walked toward the main gate. “No need, send it back.”

The officer followed closely behind. “Shaoqing, this is pine-flower wine, they say it can prolong life!”

Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) thought, with her around, even ghosts can’t live long!

“Shaoqing, this is Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun)’s first time apologizing to you…” The officer’s voice grew quieter and quieter.

Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) stopped in his tracks and turned to look at him. “Did you notice that she was a little strange?”

“There is a bit… but Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) has memory damage, so being a little abnormal is understandable.”

“If she only lost her memory, how could her personality change so drastically?”

“This…” The officer scratched the back of his head. “This humble one really does not know.”

“Go check where Linghe daoist master (Linghe daoist master) picked up Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) back then.” Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) took the pine-flower wine. “Act in secret, do not let a third person know.”

“Shaoqing suspects that the current Lingyun Jun (Lingyun Jun) is fake?”

Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) did not answer, only gave him a faint glance.

The officer hurriedly lowered his head and saluted. “It was this subordinate who spoke too much, I will go check right away.”

After the man left, Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) casually tossed the pine-flower wine aside. With a crisp sound, the clear wine splashed all over the ground, and the aroma of wine spread everywhere.

“Shaoqing isn’t the one who loves fine wine the most? What’s going on today?” Shen Shaoqing had just come out of the archives and saw this scene.

Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) said, “My hand slipped, I didn’t hold it steady.”

He rode a carriage home, and by the time he arrived it was past the middle of the Hai hour. The main room had already had its lamp extinguished. He returned straight to his own room, and suddenly felt something follow him in. The temperature in the room immediately dropped, sinister and chilling, making one’s hair stand on end.

One hand gripping the hilt of his blade, he swept his gaze around warily and shouted, “Playing tricks with ghosts and gods, only a trick of cowards!”

The door opened inward from outside. The cold wind that rushed in blew out the candles in the room, scattering the bright moonlight, and the surroundings were instantly plunged into pitch black darkness, where one could not see one’s hand in front of one’s face!

A wave of coldness stabbed straight into his heart, and the hairs on his body all stood up. Shen Jibai (Shen Jibai) drew his blade and fully guarded himself as he shouted, “Come out!”