Ya She

Chapter 72 Jacquard

【one】

Caiwei thought she would live an ordinary life.

She would work in the palace for many, many years, personally witnessing her master's wedding, embroidering the most exquisite auspicious robes for him, and watching him live a happy life with many children and grandchildren. That would be enough for her. She would slowly become an old nanny and eventually leave this world alone.

As a result, even such a simple wish is a luxury.

"Autumn cloud gauze is delicate and easily broken, so handle it with utmost care."

“Those three-colored brocades are precious; they are not properly stored like this. They should be placed in a camphor wood box…”

"Huh? This is... the First Emperor's crown and robes? This was newly made last year, and the First Emperor never wore it. There's no damage, so it doesn't need repair..."

"You're planning to trim it? Are you planning to alter it to be smaller? But you shouldn't start here; you should start from the shoulders..."

Caiwei walked through the weaving room as usual, until she realized that no matter what she told the weavers, no one paid any attention. She stood in the weaving room, looking around blankly.

Yes, she is dead.

He was killed by Zhao Gao, the official in charge of the Imperial Seal, who used a needle from the Weaver Girl's needle.

For some reason, she still wanders the world, unseen by anyone. But Caiwei has a vague feeling that her time is running out.

She shouldn't linger here any longer. She wonders if her lord has received the banner and robe she sewed for him, whether he's wearing it, and if wearing it has helped heal the bruises on his body...

Yes, she needs to go to the Gan residence to see her Minister again.

Before leaving the weaving room, Caiwei couldn't help but look back one last time.

It was the height of summer, and the windows on all four sides of the weaving room were wide open, letting in sunlight that made the entire room exceptionally bright and the silks and satins on the shelves look particularly lustrous.

The Weaver Girls gathered before Caiwei, who was originally in charge, and began to analyze how to modify the First Emperor's crown and robes. But without Caiwei's final decision, all the Weaver Girls were like headless flies, and no one was willing to make a decision or formulate a plan.

After all, who would dare to take responsibility without absolute certainty? Caiwei's word was law. She had been the chief weaving workshop director for many years, so long that everyone had become accustomed to obeying her orders and completing the tasks she assigned, without thinking for themselves anymore.

Caiwei wasn't worried about them, because in this environment, someone would always stand out and take her place at the head of the weaving room.

Her gaze fell on the First Emperor's crown and robes.

Before killing her, Zhao Gao claimed that the First Emperor had already died. Logically, the heir to the throne should have been the eldest son, Fusu.

However, Fusu was of similar height to the First Emperor, so even if the eldest son hastily ascended the throne, he would only need to wear two more inner garments under his official robes without any alterations.

During this eastern tour, the First Emperor was accompanied only by his most beloved youngest son, Huhai. Huhai was rather short and thin…

Caiwei was flustered by this thought and, without caring about the situation in the weaving room, turned and left.

No way, how could that be? The eldest son, Fusu, is the rightful heir to the Qin Empire. This is a fact that the court has tacitly accepted for many years.

Caiwei walked along the corridor outside the weaving room, her pace gradually quickening.

No, she must be overthinking it. No matter how rebellious Prince Huhai is, he couldn't possibly harbor any ambition to usurp the throne. However, the image of Zhao Gao's determined face flashed through her mind, and Caiwei lifted her skirt and couldn't help but run. No, the Grand Minister is the future Prime Minister; he will lead Qin to a brighter future…

At first, Caiwei would still remember to avoid pedestrians and run along the road, but she noticed that she was running faster than usual, and her body was lighter than before, and she did not feel tired at all.

After accidentally passing through a wall in one of her attempts to dodge, Caiwei looked at her translucent hands with surprise and disbelief.

She realized for the first time that she had left this world. Yes, she was dead.

In the blink of an eye, she was no longer in Xianyang Palace, but in the study of the High Minister at the Gan residence in Shengping Lane. Just as she had been a few days earlier, thick curtains hung over the windows, letting in no light.
Only the bronze goose-foot lamp in the corner of the room emitted a dim light. By this light, one could vaguely see a thick stack of silk books on a table, and a shadowy figure sitting behind them.

"Shangqing..." Upon seeing that person, Caiwei couldn't help but feel a warmth welling up from the bottom of her heart, and a smile spread across her face. She reflexively lowered her head immediately, hiding the admiration in her eyes, and bowed respectfully.

However, her call went unanswered this time.

Caiwei was heartbroken. Holding back the tears welling in her eyes, she mustered her courage and raised her head. The lamplight still flickered, and the room was silent.

Caiwei silently watched the figure, unabashedly tracing the other's outline with her gaze.

Suddenly realizing that she was dead and that no one could see her gave Caiwei a strange sense of relief.

She let herself take a couple more steps forward, getting a little closer to her esteemed minister.

Ever since she realized her admiration for Lord Shangqing and forced herself to sever her feelings over the years, Caiwei always thoughtfully kept a suitable distance from him, neither too close nor too far.

She wouldn't be too far away to hear the High Minister's instructions, nor too close to make him uncomfortable. But now it's different; the High Minister can't see her, so she can indulge herself one last time.

Caiwei couldn't help but take another step forward. When she finally saw the expression on the Minister's face hidden in the darkness by the dim light of the bronze goose-foot lamp, she couldn't help but gasp.

The handsome young man sat listlessly on the bamboo mat, his eyes vacant and unfocused.

Caiwei had watched her High Minister grow up with all her heart and soul, so she knew him better than anyone. He must have heard some shocking news to have caused him to lose his composure like this.

What happened?

However, no matter how Caiwei called out or questioned him, her lord Shangqing would no longer give her any response.

On the table before the young high-ranking official, a winding incense stick burned before a stone carving of a lion. Amidst the rising smoke, Caiwei felt her figure growing fainter; her time was running out.

Although the high-ranking official did not move, Caiwei could still see the purple bruises on his wrist that he could not hide.

Caiwei glanced around the study and noticed that in the corner, some of the clothes she had sent to the high-ranking official were neatly piled up, including the banners and robes that she had entrusted to the Weaver Girl to deliver.

As expected, the high-ranking official did not notice the wonder of this garment.

Caiwei tried everything she could to get the young high-ranking official's attention, but to no avail.

In the end, all she could do was drag her fading form, curl up, and lie on the banner-patterned robe she had sewn, hoping for a miracle.

She was so tired... Although she could no longer feel the pain and itching of chilblains on her fingers, a deep weariness welled up inside her. She was leaving, wasn't she...?

Where will she go after leaving? Will she be able to see her parents again...? But that's a problem... Her parents have been gone for too long, so long that she might not even recognize them if she saw them...

In a daze, Caiwei sensed the young high-ranking official starting to burn the silk scrolls on the table—scrolls he had poured his heart and soul into writing. Caiwei wanted to stop him, but she didn't even have the strength to open her eyes.

Suddenly, it seemed as if another person had entered the room, advising the high-ranking official. And why did it sound so much like the voice of the eldest son, Fusu?

No way... Wasn't the eldest prince Fusu in the northern frontier? Could it be that he learned of the First Emperor's death and rushed back to Xianyang overnight?

So tired... It's good that the eldest young master is back. Can she finally put her mind at ease about Lord Shangqing? Huh? That voice, is that Young Master Ying?
Why did you order the high-ranking official to flee? And why are there sounds of the Tiger Warriors again?

...Huh? The High Minister is going to hold a funeral for the First Emperor and needs to change into mourning clothes?

Caiwei gathered her last bit of strength, opened her eyes, and saw the High Minister taking off his green robe, preparing to put on mourning clothes.

She hadn't misheard; the eldest son, Fusu, was there too! Ah! It seemed the eldest son could even see her!
Caiwei no longer had the strength to speak, and she had no time to think about why the eldest son, Fusu, could see her. She desperately pointed to the banner-adorned robe beneath her.

It is unknown what method the eldest son, Fusu, used to get the high-ranking official's attention to this banner robe, and why he wore it under his mourning clothes.

That's great, that's wonderful.

In this way, this robe can take her place and continue to protect Lord Shangqing... Caiwei smiled as she watched her figure dissipate into the air.

I wonder if I'll have the chance to sew clothes for the High Minister again in my next life...

【two】

Caiwei later learned that this was not the end of her life, but the beginning of a long period of torment.

The weariness she felt in the high-ranking official's study was not because her soul was about to disappear, but because someone was calling to her.

That person was Zhao Gao, the official in charge of the Imperial Seals.

It's funny to think about it. He was the one who killed her casually, and he was also the one who summoned her afterward.

It is said that the First Emperor was furious because he felt the new emperor's crown and robes were unsuitable after trying them on. Since there were no weavers in the weaving workshop to take over, Zhao Gao summoned her and placed her in the body of Tu Chuling, making her continue to work as a weaver in the dungeon, altering crowns and robes.

Caiwei had considered fighting back.

However, Zhao Gao threatened her with the safety of the high-ranking official and revealed some information to her, letting her know that the one who would inherit the throne was indeed the young prince Huhai, and that the eldest prince Fusu had already committed suicide in the northern frontier.

Caiwei recalled seeing the figure of the eldest son, Fusu, in the study of the high-ranking official. No wonder he could see her.

So, he was already dead...

Caiwei simply did not believe that the eldest son, Fusu, would commit suicide, and she could guess how dark the conspiracy behind the word "suicide" was.

Caiwei had no intention of sewing any imperial robes for that Qin Ershi. But even if she disregarded the safety of the high-ranking official, she believed that if she resisted, the official in charge of the imperial seal would still have a hundred ways to force her to submit, and it would be even more unbearable for her.

Under the other person's amused gaze, she had no choice.

Tu Chuling's body wasn't very good at first. Not to mention delicate actions like needlework, even simple actions like sitting or standing took her a long time to get used to.

Fortunately, the matter of the Imperial Seal Controller was probably busy with official duties, and he only checked on her occasionally at the beginning, but later it was as if he had simply forgotten about her.
She was as if she didn't appear for many days.

Fortunately, Tu Chuling's body doesn't need food or water, otherwise she would have starved to death.

The emperor's crown and robes before her no longer seemed important. Bored, after getting used to her new body, she altered the size of the emperor's crown and robes, and even added many hidden patterns because she was so bored.

Caiwei had considered escaping, but the basement that trapped her must have been made of a special material, so she couldn't walk through the walls like before.

There is no sun or moon underground, so time is unknown. Perhaps a long time has passed, or perhaps only a month or so, when Zhao Gao, the official in charge of the Imperial Seal, finally appeared before her and tossed her a familiar-looking deep robe.

It was she who sewed the banner robe for more than three years.

The dungeon was dimly lit. Caiwei quietly touched it with her hand, feeling the stitches under her fingertips. She confirmed that this was not the pieced-together banner robe she had given to the high-ranking official, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

However, when Caiwei touched the gash from the sword cut, she was stunned. This robe was taken from the ink banner bestowed upon Yu the Great by Emperor Shun in ancient times; the fabric was sturdy and durable. When it was originally cut, the sharpest sword in the world, the Yue King's sword, was used.

I don't know who it was, or what kind of weapon they used, to be able to pierce through the banner and the deep robe. And the location of this gap... should be in the chest and abdomen area.

Then, recalling that this robe, originally intended to be presented to the First Emperor, had been worn by Zhao Gao, Caiwei couldn't help but scan Zhao Gao's body with her gaze. Unfortunately, the dungeon lights were too dim, and she couldn't see anything, only confirming that there was nothing unusual about his walking and standing.

Zhao Gao's request was simple: help him sew this banner robe. He then took out the Weaver Girl's Needle and placed it on the table.

Caiwei stared at the Weaver's Needle, which shone with a cold, silvery light, and didn't reach out for a long time.

She knew this Weaver Girl needle all too well; for the past three years, she had almost never let it out of her hand, not even once a night. But it was this very needle that took her life.

The wound on my forehead began to throb faintly.

She felt that she really couldn't pick up the Weaver's Needle again.

Zhao Gao didn't urge her; he simply said, "Come back in seven days to collect it," and then turned and left. Caiwei stared at the Weaver Girl's Needle for a long time before finally reaching out her hand.

Yes, objects themselves are innocent.

The guilty party is Zhao Gao, who killed her with this Weaver Girl Needle.

She quickly sewed up the tear in the banner robe, and Zhao Gao returned not long after.

He not only took the banner robe, but also brought a piece of unfinished cloth, several skeins of silk, and a loom.

Has Zhao Gao gone mad? Making her sew clothes is one thing, but he's also planning to make her weave cloth?

Forget weaving, at least get her a state-of-the-art slant loom! This slant loom made of a few horizontal bars is obsolete, isn't it?

Zhao Gao didn't say much, just left the cloth, silk, and loom behind.

Caiwei absolutely refused to admit that she was just bored, which was why she started picking up a loom to study how to weave cloth.

The saddle loom is the oldest type of weaving machine. One end of the warp beam is tied to the waist, and the weaver sits on the ground, stretches out his legs to press against the other end of the warp beam to tighten the fabric. The human body replaces the machine frame, so the saddle loom is also called the waist loom.

The principle of the waist loom wasn't difficult; the skillful Caiwei figured it out after a few tries. However, she needed to continue working on the fabric she hadn't finished weaving, so she spent a long time researching it.

She had certainly seen this kind of silk fabric before; this was Luo.

Since its inception, silk fabrics have produced all sorts of different types of cloth. But the most fundamental difference between these cloths lies in the different weaving methods.

Plain weave fabrics, such as silk and brocade, are the earliest and simplest type of fabrics formed by the alternating interlacing of warp and weft threads. Fabrics with a surface where the warp and weft threads interlace at a certain angle to create a diagonal weave are more complex, such as damask, satin, and silk. Later, satin fabrics appeared, where the warp or weft threads interlace at fewer points, forming diagonal lines that are not continuous but rather regularly spaced to create patterns, such as brocade and satin.

The silk fabrics woven using the above three weaving methods range from simple to complex. The warp threads are fixed and do not shift left or right, while the weft threads shuttle between the warp threads, which are arranged in parallel.

Luo, on the other hand, was completely different.

The warp threads of gauze are not parallel but intertwined, and the weft threads pass through the intertwined warp threads. This weaving method is called gauze.

Because of the intertwining of the warp threads, the warp and weft threads of this fabric are relatively sparse, with large, regular openings, resembling a net, hence the name "Luo" (罗). Luo is also very light and thin, making it suitable for use as summer clothing or curtains.

Although the terms "silk and satin" are put together, in reality, according to the difficulty of weaving, silk is the most precious.

Traditional gauze is woven using a two-warp twisting method, where two warp threads are intertwined. The unfinished piece of fabric in Caiwei's hands, however, is four-warp gauze. Each group of four warp threads is twisted together with adjacent groups on either side, creating a complex and varied pattern that follows a specific arrangement. Even more astonishingly, this black four-warp gauze fabric is adorned with red silk threads—it's the legendary most difficult fabric to weave—jacquard gauze!

As the head of the weaving workshop, Caiwei was certainly not only skilled in needlework. Although she wasn't responsible for weaving or dyeing, she had done those processes herself. In particular, with the recent opening of the Brocade Bureau in the palace, she had seen the most advanced slant looms and jacquard looms, and understood their basic principles.

Bored in the dungeon, Caiwei found some discarded wooden sticks in the corner, disassembled them into several sewing needles, and tried to continue weaving the jacquard fabric on her own.

At first, it was naturally a terrible sight, but fortunately, these few skeins of silk were extremely resilient and could withstand Caiwei weaving and unraveling them repeatedly. This reminded Caiwei of the quality of the silk thread used in the Jingqi Shenyi (a type of traditional Chinese dress), which she found very familiar.

This jacquard fabric, I hope it doesn't have any additional benefits?
Unfortunately, she is currently just a wandering soul possessing Tu Chuling, and cannot perceive anything further.

When Zhao Gao returned, he cleared up Caiwei's doubts. Perhaps because he wasn't afraid that the deceased Caiwei posed any threat to him, Zhao Gao explained in unusual detail.

It turned out that these few clumps of silk were indeed leftover materials from the ancient production of black banners. Because they shared the same origin as the banner robe, Zhao Gao wanted her to try weaving jacquard silk and then use the jacquard silk to make another upper garment to reinforce the banner robe.

Caiwei deduced that the person in charge of the talisman was probably someone who had been stabbed before and was taking precautions to prevent a repeat of the incident. However, Caiwei also indicated that she could weave jacquard silk, but she would need a suitable loom. Besides, these silks...

The amount of material is simply not enough to knit a shirt; it's probably barely enough to knit a crotch.

The so-called "crotch" refers to the area between the chest and back, without sleeves or a skirt, which is commonly known as a vest. It is just right to protect the chest, abdomen, and back.

Zhao Gao listened without comment and turned to leave. Not long after, he sent someone to deliver the most advanced oblique loom and jacquard loom, but did not send anyone to Caiwei.

Caiwei initially immersed herself in studying how to weave jacquard gauze. From picking up the silk threads, soaking the silk, twisting the silk, drawing the pattern, threading the heddles, drawing the pattern, to weaving on the loom, there were nearly thirty steps in a series, each of which required meticulous operation. Moreover, the key to weaving gauze lies in threading the heddles; the warp threads must be crossed and then passed through the heddle holes. Crossing and threading the heddles requires great care and patience.

Fortunately, she had no shortage of time. She was impervious to hunger and thirst, unaffected by heat or cold, and needed no sleep. It's likely that the official in charge of the seal didn't assign anyone to work around her, probably because he was afraid she would frighten others…

Once the jacquard weaving process became a mechanical action, Caiwei couldn't help but start thinking about other things. Her gaze softened as she watched the jacquard slowly being woven into a pattern in her hands.

Luo is the name of a high-ranking official.

Many people believe that this character means all-encompassing, and even when the eldest son bestowed a name upon the high minister, he chose the character "毕之" with this meaning.

But in reality, the name of the Grand Minister was given to him by his mother, Lady Wang. Luo is the most exquisite and intricate silk fabric in the world.

Although the Gan family had fallen on hard times, Madam Wang cherished her son, naming him Luo and treasuring him like a precious gem. Caiwei recalled the lingering affection in the eyes of the high-ranking official as he touched the newly made silk robe and spoke of this matter; that look remained with her for the rest of her life.
memorable.

That's good, she chose to be the Weaver Girl back then, otherwise the High Minister would never have said these things to her.

I wonder... how is the High Minister now? The eldest son, Fusu, was framed and killed. The High Minister must be devastated. What will become of him now...?

The official in charge of the Imperial Seal was very tight-lipped; no matter how she tried to get information out of him, he wouldn't reveal anything about the High Minister's recent situation. However, the lack of news was, in a way, good news.

Caiwei pondered that if she could escape in the future and find the High Minister, she could stay by his side... This dream supported her until she finished weaving the jacquard vest.

after that……

Later, she was used as a substitute by Zhao Gao and was forever suppressed in the Shadow Tower.

【Three】

Caiwei walked briskly through the passageway of Yingfan Tower, unable to resist touching the greenish-blue cloth strip on her forehead.

The wound on her forehead, though centuries old, had long since lost its pain. But the agony and despair of being stabbed to death remained a haunting nightmare. Today, for the first time, someone had healed her wounds. Even a simple act of tying a strip of cloth around her neck felt like a balm to her wounds, bringing warmth to her heart.

What a kind-hearted young man...

A hint of guilt flashed across Caiwei's beautiful face, but her eyes quickly hardened.

Although she felt sorry for that naive young man who had taken her place and been trapped in the tower, there was something she wanted to confirm, something that had troubled her for far too long, and she had to find out.

Perhaps this is something even Zhao Gao didn't realize: as Zhao Gao's double, despite being a lowly Tu Chuling, she still had an indescribable spiritual connection with him.

She has been in the Shadow Tower for at least a thousand years. Although her senses are weak in the tower, she can still faintly sense Zhao Gao's presence.

After all these years, is that person still alive?
Especially lately, that feeling has become increasingly intense, like... like that person waking up from a deep sleep...

Caiwei wanted revenge; she dreamed of it all the time.

Although she didn't know what to do, she wanted to confirm whether that devil was still alive in this world.

Perhaps because she was not burdened with sin, after running through the passageways of the Shadow Tower for a while, she felt the sunlight shining on her.

It had been a very long time since she had seen the sunlight, and the scorching, dazzling light made Caiwei unable to open her eyes for a moment.

Wow! This young lady's Hanfu is so beautiful! Which shop made it?

"Yes, yes! This is a deep robe from the Qin and Han dynasties, isn't it? And it's not brand new; this kind of aged look actually gives it a rustic and pure beauty!"

"Wow, this girl is so pretty! Did we arrange to take photos at the scenic spot? Why isn't anyone taking pictures of her? Should we go up and flirt with her?"

"Hey? A young man in ancient costume is walking towards the young lady. Do they know each other?" "Probably. The young man handed the young lady a small wooden box. Wow, even the props are so beautiful!"
"Are you sure this isn't a TV drama?"

……

After Caiwei adjusted to the strong sunlight, she saw two girls wearing strange short skirts not far away, but she couldn't understand their conversation and didn't pay much attention to it.

Because she saw someone she hadn't seen in a long time.

This is... Sun Shuo, right? Isn't this the young master Hu Hai's attendant? Wasn't he killed by the young master a long time ago?

He's actually still alive?

Sun Shuo walked strangely, like a wooden figure. Caiwei watched as he handed her a wooden box, which clicked open towards her.

A black rectangular piece of jade lay quietly inside the box.

【Four】

At the summit of Cloud Elephant Tomb stands a massive stone tombstone, soaring straight into the clouds. Ying strained to look up at this seemingly endless tombstone, filled with awe.

The tombstone was inscribed with countless tiny characters, each the size of a needlepoint, in varying shades. Upon closer inspection, Ying discovered that they were the names of antiques.

These names likely represent tens of thousands of antiques buried in the Cloud Elephant Tomb.

The infant's gaze swept over the uneven names, initially not wanting to look too closely, but suddenly his eyes widened. On this tombstone, some of the antique names appeared significantly lighter in color than the majority, and the infant...
The one staring at them happened to be named Hei Tangjun. Ying felt this was no coincidence.

They were originally three people walking together towards the mountaintop, but now he's all alone.

Ying had a vague premonition that the owners of these increasingly faint names on the tombstone must have either left this place or remained here forever.

He saw Shang Jue's name among the names with the deepest strokes. But he didn't see him or Yu Jinbu within his field of vision.

I don't know the name of the young man with the strange ornament on his nose; he seemed to say he was a doctor. That doctor, he knows Aro…

I really want to know if Aro is more relaxed and happy now.

Now that A'Luo is no longer burdened with the responsibility of assisting Fusu in governing the Qin Dynasty, can he finally do what he wants? That's wonderful.

Even though she hadn't read any history books, Ying didn't believe that the Qin Dynasty would truly last for ten thousand generations as the First Emperor wished.

However, Aro took his glass bead and kept avoiding him, probably because he wanted him to stay in Tianguangxu.

In other words, if he left Tianguangxu and returned to the Qin Dynasty, he would encounter danger. A'Luo's decision to keep him in Tianguangxu was definitely because he wanted him to survive.

The baby silently looked up at the huge tombstone in front of him.

Not only dynasties, but everything has its day of extinction, and human life is even shorter. He will eventually die.

Living such a vain life in the Heavenly Light Ruins, if it were Aro's wish, he would certainly obey. But now that Aro is in danger, he cannot stand idly by, even if it means paying a heavy price.

Because it was Aro who pulled him out of the mire, and only Aro lit a lamp for him to return home. Aro's wish was his wish.

As Ying pondered, a gentle smile appeared on his handsome face.

After reaffirming her resolve, Ying was pondering how to leave the Cloud Elephant Tomb when she heard footsteps approaching from behind.

He turned his head and saw a familiar figure walking unsteadily toward the tombstone. It was the doctor he had just remembered.

That's good, he didn't get lost in the Cloud Elephant Tomb.

As the doctor approached, Ying smiled and greeted him, but received only a slight nod in response. Ying looked at the bespectacled young man, unable to describe the feeling; he clearly had no facial features...

He had changed, but he seemed different from before. "I encountered the grave keeper."

The doctor's question made Ying put aside her other thoughts, and she quickly asked, "Are there really grave keepers?" "Yes." The doctor's expression was still vague, clearly thinking about other things.

"You encountered the tomb guardian and still made it to the mountaintop alive?" Because Tang Jun had often exaggerated the situation, Ying had always thought the tomb guardian was a murderous demon. Oh, to be precise, a monster-killing demon.

"The tomb keeper was a young man. He not only showed me the way to the top of the mountain, but also gave me something to take with me." The doctor opened his hand and held a black rectangular jade block.

"This isn't..." Ying turned the jade piece over in shock. Sure enough, two characters were written in cinnabar on the back—Hu Hai. Wasn't this the Liubo chess piece he had thrown into the Yin-Yang Bronze Urn? "This tomb keeper... doesn't seem like the bad person Tang Jun said he was..."

The doctor composed himself, recalled what the tomb keeper had told him, and sighed, "He is also a pitiful man. Someone told him that as long as the names on the tombstones on the top of Yunxiang Tomb Mountain disappear, he will see the person he wants to see."

It sounds like an easy task, but now, standing at the foot of this tombstone, he feels it's a massive, unrealistic project, like Jingwei trying to fill the sea.

This tombstone, like a skyscraper in real life, is over a hundred stories high, covered with countless names, as numerous as ants.

Just as the doctor had suspected, Ying stood on tiptoe and pointed to a name that was about to disappear high up, "Look, that's Tang Jun."

Neither of them spoke again, watching as the three characters "Hei Tangjun" slowly disappeared from the tombstone, bidding farewell to this casual acquaintance at the last moment.

Originally, the doctor wanted to recall Tang Jun's appearance, but his mind was filled with countless things, and a bunch of memories that had suddenly appeared before surged up through the illusion of the longevity lock.

It's all so chaotic. What should he believe? His memories, or his illusions? "Huh?" Ying suddenly exclaimed.

The doctor followed his gaze and saw that where Tang Jun's name had disappeared, another name was slowly appearing: Liubo Chess.

Is it referring to the chess piece in his hand? The doctor looked down and suddenly noticed that at their feet, in front of the tombstone, another white rectangular jade piece had appeared.

Same shape, same size.

【Five】

Having decided to rescue their master first, the boss prepared for a while in the inner room of the Silent Shop before going with Tang Yuan to the courtyard where Zhao Gao had broken the barrier.

Zhao Gao will definitely imprison his master elsewhere, but his master may have left some clues, so we should look for them.

Tang Yuan was filled with remorse, saying he should have come back sooner.

The boss, however, harbored disapproval. If it weren't for needing Tang Yuan to lead the way, he wouldn't have wanted to bring Tang Yuan back at all. His junior apprentice was still a child and shouldn't have been involved in such a dangerous game. The boss had already decided that after taking Tang Yuan to search the courtyard and having the latter check what was different from usual, he would send him back to the Silent House.

After the familiar dizziness subsided, the boss opened his eyes, looked around at the desolate scenery, and then cautiously examined the small house in front of him.

This little house is inconspicuous, just like an ordinary brick house with white walls and red roof built by farmers in the mountains. However, because it is old, some of the paint on the roof tiles has peeled off, and the white walls are also grayish, making it look like no one has lived there for a long time.

Tang Yuan had already skillfully scaled the fence outside and sprinted into the house like a cannonball. The owner, who had initially wanted to investigate further, reluctantly pursed his lips, pushed open the dilapidated gate, and quickly followed him inside. Outside was the dead of winter, a world of ice and snow; inside were the typical furnishings of a dusty farmhouse; and in the small courtyard behind the house…

It was a warm spring day with lush green grass and blooming flowers. It was as if there was an invisible glass barrier in mid-air; the courtyard, though not large, contained artificial hills and strange rocks, a small bridge over a flowing stream, pavilions and towers—a testament to the owner's ingenuity. Even beneath the pavilion, there was a hot spring, its steam rising in wisps of mist, creating a scene of ethereal beauty.

A white shadow darted out from Tang Yuan's sleeve and jumped into the hot spring.

The boss naturally saw it too, his eyebrows twitched, and he turned his head away, pretending not to see it.

Tang Yuan paced around the courtyard, running, then walking, then shuffling, before finally collapsing breathlessly into the pavilion. Inside the pavilion lay a stack of astrology books he hadn't finished reading, and on a large star chart, scattered were fragments of tortoise shells left by his master after his divination.

The scene was familiar, but the one person I knew best was missing.

Tang Yuan pouted, suppressing the bitterness welling up in his heart, and said dejectedly with his head down, "Senior brother, I've searched everywhere, and this place is exactly the same as when I left. It seems that Master didn't have time to leave us any clues."

The owner bent down, splashed some hot spring water with his hand, ignored the fleeting white blur beneath the lotus leaves, and said indifferently, "I don't think so."

"Huh? Senior brother, what did you figure out?" Tang Yuan looked up expectantly.

The shopkeeper straightened up, took out a handkerchief to dry his fingers, and said, "Although I have never been here before, given my master's personality, this barrier is definitely not just for show."

"Decoration?" Tang Yuan didn't understand what his senior brother meant and looked around in confusion. This small courtyard didn't have...

What has changed? On the southernmost pillar of the pavilion, there are still a few marks left by his master when he measured his height, and the book "The Song of Stepping to Heaven" lying face down on the table is still on the page he last saw...

"The temperature in this courtyard should be no different from the outside." Although the boss had lost his keen sense of temperature, he had already taken out an ice bottle from his Qiankun bag.

An ice bottle was an ancient thermometer. Water was poured into the bottle, and if the water froze, it meant it was cold; if the ice melted, it meant it was warm. The Lüshi Chunqiu records: "By seeing the ice in the bottle, one can know how cold the world is and how fish and turtles hide." The Huainanzi also says: "By seeing the ice in the bottle, one can know how cold the world is."

The owner opened his palm, revealing a small ice bottle. The bottle was made of bronze, and the water inside had long been frozen solid. Even when it entered the courtyard or was placed in the hot spring, the ice inside did not melt.

Tang Yuan's eyes widened when he saw the ice bottle in the boss's hand, realizing that he had overlooked something.

Every plant and tree in the courtyard is exactly the same as it was before he left, but he still stands here wearing a down jacket. Although he feels hot, it's because he's been running around and sweating, unlike before when he would immediately take off his short sleeves and shorts when he came back.

Tang Yuan rushed down the artificial hill, squatted beside the hot spring, and reached out to touch the water. It was icy cold.

A white shadow swam over and coiled around his wrist.

Tang Yuan shivered from the cold. The little white snake wasn't afraid of the cold, but he was...

But the cold temperature made him much more awake. When he stood up again and looked at the courtyard again, he saw many flaws.

Putting aside the temperature issue, the mist on the hot spring surface is also fake, with its diffused curves appearing very stiff. Although the plants in the courtyard are lush and green, they lack a sense of vitality, like a landscape painting.

It's a feeling that's hard to describe.

Logically speaking, if Zhao Gao had imprisoned his master, there would be no reason for him to spend time and effort maintaining the beauty of the courtyard, unless he wanted them to walk into his trap.

Tang Yuan gritted his teeth, secretly cursing himself for acting impulsively upon seeing the familiar little house and rushing in without checking it first. Taking a deep breath of the cold air, Tang Yuan looked up at his seemingly reliable senior brother beside him.

Suppressing his regret, he asked, "Then what should we do?"

"This is an illusion array; just find the array's core." The shopkeeper was quite calm; he knew everything Zhao Gao knew. After all, they shared the same master.

The shopkeeper took out a small compass from his storage bag, determined the direction, confirmed the Bagua orientation, and started walking eight steps east from the entrance of the courtyard, then five steps south...

"It seems there's still a lot my master hasn't taught me..." Tang Yuan couldn't help but sigh as he watched his senior brother's dazzling series of maneuvers.

The owner finally stopped in front of a pile of Taihu stones used for landscaping, examined them for a moment, and then bent down to pick up an inconspicuous blue stone.

As if a switch had been flipped, the vibrant spring scenery around us vanished instantly, leaving only a desolate landscape.

There are no blooming flowers or verdant willows, only withered branches and fallen leaves. There are no hot springs or creeks, only a nearly dried-up, stinking ditch. There are no artificial mountains, only a small hill made of waste soil.

Tang Yuan had no time to notice that the exquisite pavilion above his head had turned into a dilapidated shed on the verge of collapse. He could only stare in shock at the person who had suddenly appeared in front of him, and suddenly lost the ability to speak.

The boss clenched the blue stone in his palm, staring intently at the figure in the Taoist robe.

He had mentally prepared himself for a complex and arduous process before he could see his master again. He never expected it would simply be the breaking of an illusion...

The boss slowly walked towards the dilapidated shed.

The young man sitting with his back to him was wearing an ancient dark blue gauze Taoist robe with a cross-collar and wide sleeves, trimmed with dark blue piping around the edges. Upon closer inspection, the robe was also embroidered with the eight trigrams of the I Ching, arranged in a mysterious way.

It was the exact same outfit I remembered.

This person had long, deep black hair, which, upon closer inspection, also had a hint of dark blue. Most of the hair was loosely tied in a knot and casually held in place by three ivory hairpins, cascading down like a piece of fine silk.

That was the exact same back view as I remembered.

As the boss's footsteps drew closer, the man turned around. This young man was extremely handsome, with long eyebrows and fair skin, like a delicate and elegant ink painting. However, a hideous dark red scar between his eyebrows completely marred his appearance, a sight that evoked pity. Moreover, he kept his eyes closed, clearly indicating an eye injury and that he was blind.

It was the exact same face as I remembered.

The boss stopped in his tracks, and a flood of long-forgotten memories rushed back to him.

"Isn't the sunset beautiful?" the man asked with a smile in the sunset, his eyes bright and clear. Behind him stood the magnificent Xianyang Palace. "Would you like to enter the palace?"

……

"How have things been going lately?" The man slammed a black chess piece onto the board, making a crisp sound.

……

“‘The course of Heaven is constant; it does not exist for Yao, nor does it perish for Jie.’” The man picked up a piece of fish cake and said with a gentle smile, “Let us take it in stride.”

……

No, the boss forced himself to pull himself out of his memories. This might just be another illusion.

"Huh? Little Tangyuan is here?" Although the Taoist had been trapped for many days, he was still incredibly handsome and composed, as if he were in a palace, even in a dilapidated shed.

"Master!" Tang Yuan couldn't help but tear up.

"Tsk, you were so stubborn before, refusing to call me Master. It sounds so nice, call me a few more times!" The Taoist smiled. "Master." This time, it wasn't Tang Yuan who spoke, but the boss.

Although the Taoist priest couldn't see with his eyes tightly closed, he still turned his face in response to the sound: "Ah...you've come too..." There was an indescribable complex emotion in his tone.

The shopkeeper walked toward the dilapidated shed, still wary, but when he saw the little white snake that had been coiled around Tang Yuan's wrist rush toward the Taoist, affectionately climb onto his shoulder, and rub against his cheek, the shopkeeper put aside his suspicions.

Humans may make mistakes, but this medicinal snake, which the master has raised for many years, will never mistake a person.

"Master! Do you know how many delicious foods there are down the mountain? Let me take you there! Things like steamed buns, Lanzhou noodles..."

"Spicy crab, spicy crayfish..." Tang Yuan was still immersed in the joy of finally finding his master, chattering away as he recited the names of the dishes, drooling as he did so.

The shopkeeper had just entered the tiled shed and saw a Liubo (a board game) board placed in front of his long-absent master. On the board were several pieces, indicating it was an endgame.

Tang Yuan also noticed the Liubo game. Because the word "Liubo" has been very sensitive lately, Tang Yuan muttered, "Why does this Liubo game look so similar to the one I lost!"

He didn't stand on ceremony with his master either, and before he had even finished speaking, he reached out and picked up a white chess piece.

"The feel and weight are very similar..." Tang Yuan weighed the chess piece in his hand, flipped it over, and his little face changed.

Seeing his reaction, the shopkeeper reached out and picked up a white chess piece, saying, "Master, now that we've found you, let's leave quickly."

Although the Taoist priest kept his eyes closed, it was as if he could see. He turned to his boss and sighed deeply: "You don't understand."

"I don't understand?" the boss asked, puzzled.

"Actually, it was I who wanted to play this game..." the Taoist priest sighed deeply. The shopkeeper seemed to understand; he looked down at the chess piece in his palm, then turned it over. On the back of the piece, his name was written in cinnabar.

Gan Luo.

At this moment, the Taoist priest spoke slowly and deliberately, his thin lips slightly parted: "The game has begun."

The dilapidated shed where the three were standing suddenly disappeared, the mud under their feet turned into magnificent blue bricks, the thatched roof became carved beams and painted rafters, and the surrounding scenery transformed into an extremely splendid palace.

The boss pursed his lips. He had never imagined that he would see this palace again one day. This… was the Xianyang Palace from over two thousand years ago!
(End of this chapter)