Ya She

Chapter 53 Tianguangxu

Fusu felt that this night was very strange.

First, following the directions of the Luoshu Nine Stars Compass, the boss and I arrived at a dark ghost market. Then, we were given a Qin Banliang coin covered in verdigris, and instantly we were transported to another world.

Even though the boss had informed him of the unusual situation at Tian Guang Xu beforehand and he was somewhat prepared, he was still taken aback when he saw the bizarre and surreal scene with his own eyes.

People from different dynasties, dressed in all sorts of costumes, strolled through a market. It was simply... an eyesore!

Fusu, after all, was a seasoned prince of the Qin Dynasty who had seen his share of grand occasions. He simply rubbed his temples and regained his composure. Actually, after a while, it wasn't so bad, but the deep robes of the Qin Empire were still the most beautiful, like that person who had just walked by… wait? Isn't that…

Just as Fusu was about to chase after him, his arm was grabbed, and then he heard the boss whisper in his ear, "Don't go, he won't recognize you now."

Fusu paused, touching the half of his cheek hidden by his overly long bangs. The uneven texture of his fingertips instantly snapped him back to reality. He carefully withdrew his hand, tucking it into his wide sleeve, and gave a self-deprecating smile. Yes, he had changed bodies; how could the other person possibly recognize him? However, seeing the shopkeeper hiding in the shadows of the eaves, Fusu asked, puzzled, "What? Why are you hiding? Didn't you run a 'Silent Inn' in Tian Guang Market? Hasn't he seen you here before? And I've never seen you two at odds before?"

The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, a rare occurrence. Seeing that Fusu wouldn't give up until he got an answer, he could only sigh and say, "I switched his token, which is why he's been stuck here and can't get out. I can't explain the reason to him, if he sees me..." The shopkeeper didn't finish his sentence, but it certainly wasn't going to be a pleasant meeting.

The protagonist they were discussing was named Ying, Qin Shi Huang's nephew and Fusu's cousin. Because historical records about his background are extremely scarce, some scholars speculate that he was Huhai's elder brother, while others even suggest he was Fusu's son. However, given Ying's age, how could Fusu possibly have such an old son? The idea of ​​him being Huhai's elder brother is even more implausible. To ensure his smooth ascension to the throne, Huhai killed seventeen of his brothers, including Fusu. How could he have spared any of them? How could he have allowed Ying to remain in Xianyang, and even given him the opportunity to offer advice?
The commentary on the biography of Li Si quotes Xu Guang as saying, "One version says, 'He summoned Ying, the disciple of Qin Shi Huang, and bestowed upon him the imperial seal.'" The "disciple Ying" in this commentary refers to "Ying, the son of Qin Shi Huang's younger brother." Qin Shi Huang's only brothers were Cheng Ju and two sons born to his mother Zhao Ji and Lao Ai; the latter two were killed by Qin Shi Huang himself. Ying was Cheng Ju's son. When Cheng Ju rebelled against Qin and surrendered to Zhao, he did not take Ying with him; at that time, Ying was still an infant and did not even have a proper name. According to the *Shiming* (释名), "A person is called Ying when they are first born." His attendants arbitrarily named him "Ying," so his name was not the "Zi Ying" (子婴) that later generations believed.

Such a contemptible name also implies Ying's awkward status in the Qin state. Although he had a noble bloodline, he existed like an invisible person. Therefore, apart from the description of him surrendering to Liu Bang and presenting the imperial seal and military tally at the end, there is no other mention of him in the official history.

Fusu, having read history books, naturally knew that Ying had succeeded Huhai as emperor, serving only for forty-six days, and that Ying was subsequently killed by Xiang Yu. The shopkeeper's refusal to give Ying the token from Tianguangxu was clearly out of reluctance to let him face such a cruel reality.

"Although we can't meet or explain, at least he's still alive..." The boss's expression was hidden in the darkness, making it impossible to see clearly, but his words were tinged with melancholy.

Fusu touched his hand hidden in his sleeve, lowered his head and remained silent for a while before raising his head again and casually changing the subject with a smile: "Where are we going? Standing here is too conspicuous. If Ying comes back in a while, I won't help you get rid of him."

“…This way.” The shopkeeper was speechless for a moment before emerging from the shadows and leading Fusu to the other end of the market.

Although Ying's figure was only glimpsed briefly, Fusu's heart was still filled with turmoil. He had thought he could accept the fact that the Qin Dynasty had been destroyed for over two thousand years, but in reality, he still harbored resentment. In the instant he brushed past Ying, memories of the past surged forth in his mind like a floodgate being opened.

Tian Guangxu... How could there be such a magical place? It has attracted people from many historical timelines to gather here, just like a straight line that should be straight but whose points all intersect.

The shopkeeper didn't say anything more along the way. He pulled out a hat from somewhere, put it on, and pulled the brim down to carefully cover most of his face. Fusu stared at him for a while before shaking his head with a helpless smile.

Perhaps it's not just Ying who can't meet; maybe the owner of the shop in Tian Guang Xu offended a lot of people, which is why the Silent Shop couldn't stay open.
Thinking this, Fusu's depressed mood miraculously improved, and he followed the shopkeeper into a shop. Because Tianguang Market was in darkness, Fusu couldn't see the name on the shop's signboard clearly. However, after entering, he noticed that the shelves were filled with various books and classics by the soft light from a few luminous pearls placed inside, so it should be a bookstore.

That's why the store didn't light candles like other shops and stalls, for fear that water or fire might accidentally destroy the books.

There were still some people in the shop, and people kept coming in to exchange their books for new ones, or simply to exchange other items for books. Some people couldn't even wait and sat down on the floor to read by the faint light of the luminous pearl.

The shop owner didn't linger in the lobby, leading Fusu directly into the inner room. The shop manager didn't stop them, not even glancing up, and the engrossed readers paid no attention. Walking along the corridor, Fusu saw rooms filled with books, more people inside than outside. The doors of these rooms were arranged according to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, presumably reflecting the books' organization within. A strong musty smell permeated the entire shop, but mixed with the fragrance of ink and paper, it unexpectedly calmed the mind, even making one's footsteps lighter. The only sound was the rustling of pages turning.

Fusu was also a bibliophile. Back when he was the eldest prince of the Qin Dynasty, he was always engrossed in books, keeping his attendants busy carrying them. After being reborn in modern times, he initially struggled to adapt to simplified Chinese characters and the left-to-right horizontal reading order. He even had Huhai buy him many Taiwanese editions. Now, seeing so many ancient books, he couldn't help but become somewhat distracted.

Hearing the boss's light chuckle, Fu Su frowned slightly. He suspected that the boss had brought him here on purpose. If he was left here to read, wouldn't he have no idea what the boss was up to? So Fu Su said nothing and focused his attention, following behind the boss.

They walked to the end of the corridor. The room was not closed, and the owner, without any politeness, pushed open the rotten door and went straight in.

It was a large room, filled with bookshelves like a library, and countless luminous pearls hung from the beams, illuminating every corner. Fusu wanted to follow the owner further inside, but perhaps because the light was much brighter than in the outer room, his gaze casually swept over the bookshelves, and he stopped in shock.

It's one thing that Hua Tuo's *Qing Nang Shu* was burned! It's one thing that the complete *Huangdi Neijing* was burned! But there's also the long-lost *Huangdi Waijing*! The *Huangdi Neijing*, with only eighteen volumes, is already hailed as the progenitor of medicine, so the *Huangdi Waijing*… Fusu held his breath, carefully counting the books on the shelf. Exactly thirty-seven volumes, the legendary lost volumes! Not a single one was missing!

Fusu had loved medicine since childhood. He had only collected sixteen volumes of the "Huangdi Waijing" back then, but he never expected to see the complete set here today! After taking a few deep breaths, Fusu started walking forward again, but his gaze seemed to be glued to the bookshelf.

The "Seven Classics" recorded in the Book of Han, which coexisted with the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic, including the "Bian Que Inner Classic," the "Bian Que Outer Classic," the "Bai Shi Inner Classic," the "Bai Shi Outer Classic," and the "Side Chapters," are all present!

After a moment of stunned silence, Fu Su composed himself and didn't reach for the bookshelf. Voices drifted from deeper within the bookshelf; it sounded like the owner was talking to a stranger. Fu Su forced himself to look away and continued walking forward.

However, the further he went, the more alarmed he became. After the medical books came numerous military treatises. *Sun Tzu's Art of War*, *Wu Zi*, *Sima Fa*, *Six Secret Teachings*, *Wei Liao Zi*, *Three Strategies*… Looking at these familiar titles, Fusu's steps slowed. Beyond the military treatises were various lost ancient books. Fusu had read some of them in person, and even memorized some, but he knew that these ancient books had all vanished in the flames of war or the passage of time, leaving only fragments or a single title.

His heart was pounding harder and harder, and when he saw the title of the book "Guicang", he finally stopped in his tracks again.

The *Zhou Li* (Rites of Zhou), in its section on the Spring Official, states: "The Grand Diviner is in charge of the three methods of divination: the first is *Lianshan*, the second is *Guicang*, and the third is *Zhouyi*. Each has eight basic hexagrams and sixty-four sub-hexagrams." The *Lianshan* of the Xia Dynasty, the *Guicang* of the Shang Dynasty, and the *Zhouyi* of the Zhou Dynasty are collectively known as the Three Divinations, representing three distinct methods of divination. While the *Zhouyi* still exists, the *Lianshan* and *Guicang* have been lost to time.

Fusu recalled a report he had seen before. Although the manuscript of the Gui Cang had been unearthed in modern times, many of the characters were incomplete, after all, it had been buried in the ground for more than two thousand years.

Sure enough, next to the *Guicang*, Fusu also discovered the *Lianshan*. Although he wasn't particularly interested in divination, Fusu felt a deep respect for the person who owned this study. These ancient books were all clean and elegant classics, all copied in the same handwriting. If the content was indeed accurate, it meant that the person who copied them had truly read extensively.

After walking a few more steps, there were some books written by Fusu during the more than two thousand years of blank period in his life. Fusu was not very interested in them, but when he saw "Nine Hills", he couldn't help but stop again. This time, he was no longer reserved. After making sure his hands were clean, he directly reached out and took the book in his hands to read it.

This is the "Nine Hills"! It's the oldest book in legend!
The books from the time of Emperor Yu were called "Qiu," and the records of the Nine Provinces were called the "Nine Qiu." "Qiu" means "to gather," signifying that everything in the Nine Provinces—its produce, its climate, and its natural environment—was gathered in this book. The Qiu of Tao Tang, the Qiu of You Shu De, the Qiu of Meng Ying, the Qiu of Hei Bai, the Qiu of Chi Wang, the Qiu of Can Wei, the Qiu of Wu Fu, the Qiu of Shen Min…

Fusu finally lost himself in the world, no longer hearing the sounds around him, and became immersed in those mysterious characters.

Deep within the bookshelf, the owner and a young man sat cross-legged. Above their heads, a mahogany dragon was carved and coiled, its claws outstretched and lifelike. Yet, its head drooped as if in submission, and between its sharp teeth was a large luminous pearl, illuminating the area as if it were daytime.

The man was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, thin, with a spotless white robe draped over his shoulders, surrounded by piles of tattered ancient books and scrolls. On the desk before him lay the Four Treasures of the Study (writing brush, ink stick, inkstone, and paper), and a half-finished page of manuscript paper; he was clearly the owner of this study. He was looking down at the scroll in his hands, and without looking up, he asked with a smile, "Finally found it?"

The shopkeeper understood the question and nodded with a smile, while also listening intently to the footsteps coming from the bookshelf. "Tsk, coming from the Kan-shaped bookshelf. Medical books, military books, the Book of Changes… you certainly know him well." The man in white also twitched his ears. "But it's good that you remember where the books are arranged. Look, he's stopped. Are you looking at the *Three Tombs*, *Five Classics*, *Eight Cords*, or *Nine Hills*?"

"It should be 'Nine Hills'." The boss raised his eyebrows. In fact, to use a more fashionable term, "Nine Hills" is the oldest fantasy novel. His eldest son really couldn't resist it.

"He likes reading this so much, why don't you write it down for him to see?" The man in white studied the incomplete words on the scroll in his hand, made some annotations on it with a brush, and then looked up.

The man in white was much thinner than average, his cheekbones protruding slightly, making his features appear even more defined. His face was handsome, described in historical records as having "a face like a beautiful woman," but even that couldn't mask his unkempt appearance. His long hair, neglected for grooming, was loosely tied back, and unshaven stubble clung to his cheeks, giving him a disheveled look. Yet, his sharp eyes were impossible to ignore.

"Zifang, are you trying to trick me into talking?" The boss brushed the dust off his clothes, his tone casual, but his smile became increasingly meaningful.

“That’s right, I was just trying to get information out of you.” Zhang Zifang tapped the desk with his scroll and grinned mischievously. “Who told you to have the Luoshu Nine Stars Compass and a jar of Qin Banliang that you can frequently enter and leave Tianguangxu? I don’t dare to go out yet, for fear that I will never be able to find the entrance to Tianguangxu again.”

The shopkeeper stared at the scroll in Zhang Zifang's hand, pondered for a moment, and said, "Tian Guang Xu should never have existed in the first place. Even if we leave, some of our trans-dimensional memories of this place will be erased. For example, Zifang, you will remember some things here, but you will definitely not remember the scroll you once flipped through. Because back then, paper had not yet been invented."

Zhang Zifang gripped the book tighter. This wasn't the first time he'd heard such remarks, yet he still felt terrified. It was as if everything he had done was being denied, and all his hard work was as ephemeral as bubbles.

The shopkeeper looked at the expression on his face, and it slowly overlapped with the image of a long-time friend he remembered. That face, which, because of childhood hunger, could never gain weight no matter how well he ate, still felt incredibly familiar to him even after more than two thousand years. The shopkeeper added with a smile, "Although I've forgotten where I saw it or in which book, knowledge and writing are never forgotten. Some lost ancient books were once copied from memory by people in history, but they couldn't say where Tianguangxu was, so they were often mistaken for their sequels or plagiarized works, leading to many unclear and ambiguous lawsuits."

"Tch, after all that talk, you still remember the contents of the book, you're just too lazy to write it down." Zhang Zifang's hand finally relaxed completely, he placed the scroll on the desk, let out a long breath, and his expression returned to ease, even revealing a hint of mockery. "An equal exchange, I'll tell you something in return, Bi Zhi. Thanks for telling me this information, Bi Zhi. In exchange, I'll tell you some information too."

"I'm all ears." The boss was still smiling, but his eyes had become serious.

“Some time ago, the person who called a deer a horse appeared in Tianguangxu.” Zhang Zifang tapped the edge of the table with his index finger, his gaze deep. “Although I don’t know why he is still alive, the clothes he is wearing are very similar to yours now.”

The boss was stunned. Of course he knew who Zhang Zifang was talking about, but that person... his senior brother... why was he still alive?

"It's said that he left after exchanging many antiques here, but although he concealed his identity, some people still recognized him." Zhang Zifang stroked his slightly stubbled chin and sighed with a smile, "After all, he's quite famous. Tsk, what a pity, why didn't I see him? I would have made sure he could never leave Tianguangxu again."

Despite his extremely bad mood, the boss still managed a slight smile upon hearing this. Although his friend before him didn't yet possess the strategic aura and demeanor of a future high-ranking official or imperial advisor, ordinary people were no match for him. Just looking at him leisurely copying ancient books, no one would believe that he had already taken control of most of Tianguangxu.

"Forget about these unpleasant things. What did you come here to exchange for today?" Zhang Zifang's eyes lit up, and a shrewd smile appeared on his handsome face. He rubbed his hands together impatiently. "Actually, it would be best if you could exchange that Luoshu Nine Star Compass for me!"

"……dream."

Tang Yuan was a little annoyed because he had just seen his second senior brother enter that study, but this Guo fellow wouldn't let him go in no matter what!

"Still angry?" Guo Fengxiao lowered his head, looking at the little boy in his hand with his cheeks puffed out and a displeased expression. He couldn't help but laugh. "Do you really want to stay here forever? Who knows how long it will take to re-tie a love knot? And you're even dreaming of going to school? How many words do you even know?"

Tang Yuan really didn't want to talk to this kid. Was he discriminating against him because he was young? He had definitely read far more books than him! Tang Yuan rolled his big, bright eyes and looked at Guo Fengxiao with a suspicious gaze, "You hate going into that study so much, you don't actually like reading, do you?"

"How could that be?" Guo Fengxiao's lips twitched, and the folding fan in his hand waved faster. "That study is not that simple. Don't go in. Especially the owner of that study... Hmph!"

There is an inside story.

Tang Yuan pursed his lips, and seeing that Guo Fengxiao had shut his mouth and didn't want to talk anymore, he stopped asking.

Anyway, he was just a passerby. Tang Yuan grabbed the small white snake that was constantly wriggling in his pocket, just making sure it wouldn't run away. The Tian Guang Xu market was very long, stretching for miles. Tang Yuan was short, and even standing on tiptoe, he couldn't see the end of the market on either side. In this bustling market, Tang Yuan followed Guo Fengxiao and began asking for help from various people. After asking the third person with Guo Fengxiao, Tang Yuan's expression became even more suspicious.

It's normal to ask girls for help with rope braiding, but how does this Guo guy know so many girls? And they're all so pretty!
"Don't look at me like that. There are plenty of girls in Tianguang Market. After all, you can stay young forever here. Once the girls come, they don't want to leave!" Guo Fengxiao waved goodbye to a beautiful girl, winked at Tang Yuan, and commented with an air of nonchalance, waving his fan. "Especially the prettier the girl, the less willing she is to leave."

"So, having so many girls is one of the main reasons you don't want to leave Tianguangxu?" Tang Yuan curled his lips and glanced at him with dead fish eyes.

"Of course not! Why would I do that?" Guo Fengxiao snapped his fan shut, tapped Tang Yuan's head with the fan rib, and said solemnly, "At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the people suffered greatly. I am willing to do everything in my power to end that cruel and chaotic world. However, it is not yet time for me to go out."

Tang Yuan touched the spot where he had been knocked. It didn't hurt, but he had an inexplicable sense of unease. He had already noticed the shops they had passed; only the one they had passed earlier was a study. If Guo Fengxiao truly wanted to help the world and save lives, then studying was the best option, or perhaps mastering unparalleled martial arts. But one could defeat ten thousand men, while the other could only defeat ten at most; even a fool would know which to choose.

There is a conspiracy.

Tang Yuan clutched his pocket, but then thought that if the other party wanted to steal his token, they would have done so long ago. Why go to all this trouble? He figured that what Guo Fengxiao wanted was something he couldn't easily guess.

Thinking this, Tang Yuan followed Guo Fengxiao with peace of mind. Even if the Love Knot token couldn't be restored, Tang Yuan wasn't in a hurry. Playing around in the Heavenly Light Market for a while wouldn't hurt; time here was relatively still compared to the outside, and with the little white snake by his side, it would definitely be a guide to finding the Heavenly Light Market tokens! However, why were all the tokens in the Heavenly Light Market imbued with resentment? This…

Just as Tang Yuan had this thought, he found Guo Fengxiao leading him into a shop. Judging from the exquisite and beautiful pieces of silk hanging on the wall, it was clearly an embroidery workshop.

Guo Fengxiao was clearly a regular customer. After greeting the pretty girls in the embroidery workshop, he led Tang Yuan deeper into the workshop. The pavilions and towers along the way didn't interest Tang Yuan; after all, the courtyard he used to frequent could bloom with flowers even in the dead of winter, making the other courtyards seem ordinary in comparison. However, when they reached a warm pavilion and saw the beautiful woman inside, Tang Yuan couldn't help but stare, completely mesmerized.

This beauty actually looked to be at least thirty years old, but she resembled a lotus flower in full bloom, at the height of her beauty. Her face was only lightly powdered; any more would be too heavy, any less too light, carrying an indescribable sense of melancholy. Although she wore only a simple, plain pale purple robe, it perfectly accentuated her graceful figure. Every frown and smile on her face made one unconsciously hold their breath, afraid to offend her. Before her lay an embroidery frame, on which a landscape painting of Jiangnan was only half-finished, yet the carefree and leisurely feeling of boating on the lake was already evident.

"Madam Shi, Fengxiao has a request." In front of such a beautiful woman, even the most unserious Guo Fengxiao put away his playful expression and spoke in a softer voice.

When Madam Shi put down her embroidery needle and her gaze fell on Tang Yuan, her features, which had been slightly sorrowful, immediately softened, and her whole face suddenly radiated a captivating brilliance, making Tang Yuan think of someone from history and almost cry out in surprise.

Such looks, such age, and such a title!

Lady Shi?! Shi Yiguang?! Could she actually be Xi Shi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China?
Recalling the historical legends, after Xi Shi successfully became a female spies who brought about the downfall of the Wu Kingdom, and after retiring with her achievements, if she had not been drowned in the river, but instead retired into seclusion with Fan Li, then Fan Li would surely be in Tian Guang Xu!
Wow! Fan Li was a legendary winner in life! Although born into poverty, he excelled in politics, assisting King Goujian of Yue to become a hegemon in the Spring and Autumn Period. He was a master strategist, transforming the Yue Kingdom, which had endured hardship and bided its time, into the prosperous Wu Kingdom. After reaching the pinnacle of his power, he retired with the most beautiful woman in the land, but instead of dying peacefully, he couldn't stay idle and went into business, becoming the richest man in the land. And then, feeling he had made too much money, he gave it all away, starting all over again from scratch! He did this three times!
He was loyal to the country, wise in protecting himself, and successful in business, achieving fame throughout the world. Later generations called him "Tao Zhugong," "Sage of Commerce," and "God of Wealth"!
Tang Yuan's lips twitched twice. Thinking of the principle of equivalent exchange in the Heavenly Light Market, he figured Tang Yuan had probably guessed who the market master of the Heavenly Light Market was...

(End of this chapter)