Read Novel Full Chapter 64: This Seat Will Tell You a Story
Chapter 64: This Seat Will Tell You a Story
Mo Ran looked in the direction of the voice and saw the answer suddenly appear, stumbling down the stone steps of the government office.
It was a child of about three or four years old, holding a small bamboo whirligig as he skipped towards Young Master Chu. He wore a simple little outfit with a jade pendant, a talisman for good fortune, and a red silk amulet hanging from his chest. He was like a miniature version of his junior brother.
"…" Mo Ran now understood why those cavalrymen had been whispering to each other.
He couldn't help muttering, "Junior Brother, you and our Master both come from Lin'an, and our Master also has the surname Chu. Could it be that the Chu family from two hundred years ago is your ancestral family? Are the two of you distant relatives…? I think that's highly likely."
Chu Wanning didn't say anything, but he too stared at the pair.
He had never known his origins, and his memories from childhood were hazy.
Could this Young Master Chu really be one of his ancestors...
Just as he was pondering this, it was Mo Ran's turn in line.
Young Master Chu lifted his gaze, about to hand Mo Ran a talisman, but when he saw an unfamiliar face, he was slightly taken aback. Then he smiled warmly. "A stranger, newly arrived here?"
His voice was deep and refined, a stark contrast to Chu Wanning's cold and stern tone.
"Ahh... Yes, yes."
Suddenly, there was someone who looked so much like his master speaking to him in such a friendly manner. Mo Ran didn't know how to react; he felt at a loss.
The young master of the Taishou family smiled slightly. "My name is Chu Xun. May I ask for your esteemed surname, sir?"
"I, I have the surname Mo. My name is Mo Ran."
"Where did Young Master Mo come from to reach Linan?"
"V-Very far away, in Shu... Shu Province." Even though Young Master Chu Xun had a gentle demeanor, Mo Ran still felt as if this man could see right through him.
Chu Xun was slightly taken aback, then smiled politely. "Indeed, quite a distance." He paused and lowered his gaze a few inches, noticing Chu Wanning standing nearby. A hint of surprise flickered across his refined face.
"This must be..."
"I am Xia Sini," Chu Wanning replied.
Mo Ran brought him closer and patted his head with a dry laugh. "This is my younger brother."
He doesn't resemble me but you.
Perhaps due to the imminent battle and the urgency of the situation, Chu Xun didn't have time for further contemplation. Or maybe because he was just a character in an illusion, it was difficult for him to react strongly to matters outside this illusion. Anyway, he frowned, took a longer look at Chu Wanning, then handed them each a finished talisman with both hands.
"As guests who've come from afar, and considering the current suffering of the people, please accept these two talismans. If you have no other plans, why not stay in the city for a couple more days?"
Mo Ran said, "I've heard about your plan, Sir, to lead the citizens to Putuo? What do these talismans do?"
"These are Soul Extinguishing Talismans," Chu Xun explained. "Wearing one can conceal the aura of a living person."
Mo Ran immediately understood. "Ah, I get it now. By sealing the aura of a living being, ghosts won't be able to tell whether we're alive or dead. So even if we walk right past a vengeful ghost, they'll be confused and unsure how to react."
Chu Xun smiled. "Exactly so."
Seeing that Chu Xun was busy, Mo Ran didn't think it appropriate to ask more questions. Thus, he thanked Mister Chu Xun and led his junior apprentice brother aside.
They sat by the wall, and Mo Ran turned his face to see his junior apprentice brother lost in thought, holding the talisman. He asked, "What are you thinking about?"
"I was considering that it truly was an effective method," Chu Wanning mused quietly. "But I wonder why they didn't end up leaving."
"Didn't the book mention why?"
Chu Wanning replied, "Two hundred years ago, the calamity is most thoroughly recorded in the Lin'an Annotation. But even then, it only fills a few lines."
Mo Ran asked, "What did the book say?"
"The city of Lin'an was besieged, and the situation inside was unknown. When the rebellion's forces broke through, they found corpses strewn along the roads, with nine out of ten homes empty. The governor's office and seven hundred and forty households were wiped out."
"..." Mo Ran said, "It didn't say how they died?"
"There were no records. At the time, Lin'an was under siege, and very few people survived. Later, a few survivors were rescued by the Feathered, but the Feathered generally don't involve themselves in mortal affairs. Their thoughts and considerations differ from those of ordinary humans. To them, the truth wasn't important; even if they knew, they would have no reason to tell the world."
Chu Wanning paused before continuing, "However, since they were leaving in two days, we'll soon find out what really happened. Let's walk around some more, perhaps we can discover some clues."
The two stowed away their Soul Extinguishing Charms and were about to leave when they heard footsteps. Immediately after, Chu Wanning's sleeve was tugged on.
"Little brother."
Chu Wanning turned around to find the young master who bore a striking resemblance to himself. The little lad was exceptionally young, his voice still laced with the softness of infancy as he said, "Big brother, my father mentioned that you have no place to stay here. If it doesn't trouble you, you're welcome to spend the night at our home."
"Well..."
Chu Wanning and Mo Ran gazed at each other, their eyes locking in an unspoken understanding.
Mo Ran inquired, "Is it convenient? Your father is already so occupied."
"No problem at all," the little one replied with an endearing smile. "Our home is already filled with people who have nowhere else to go. We all live together. With Father around, there's nothing to fear at night. No ghosts."
Though his speech was still somewhat disjointed, his sincerity and warmth tugged at one's heartstrings.
Mo Ran said, "Alright then, we'll be bothering you at your place tonight. Thank you, little brother."
"Hehe, no need to thank me, no need to thank me."
Watching the boy skip away, Mo Ran tugged on Chu Wanning's hand and said, "Hey, let me say something seriously."
"I know what you're going to say, so just shut up."
"Ha ha ha. You know again?" Mo Ran chuckled, ruffling Chu Wanning's hair. "When we get back to the mountain, I really have to ask our Master about this. The two of you resemble each other, one like a big brother and the other like a little one. If you told me you weren't related to Governor Chu, I wouldn't believe it."
Chu Wanning: "...So what if we're related?"
"Huh?"
Chu Wanning glanced indifferently at the father and son beneath the tree, then said calmly, "It was all two hundred years ago anyway. They're both dead."
With that, he turned and left.
Mo Ran stood there for a moment before hurrying after him, muttering as he walked, "Hey, you little one, why do you have such a heavy aura at your young age? If someone's dead, they're still an ancestor, right? If it were me, I'd definitely build them a shrine, carve a nine-foot-tall golden statue to venerate, with fragrant incense and jewels adorning it, ensuring the offerings never cease. I'd be counting on my ancestors to look out for me... Hey hey, don't walk so fast."
As they walked through the city, they saw every household collecting straw and weaving scarecrows.
Upon inquiry, they learned that this was also something Young Master Chu Xun had instructed the citizens to do. Regardless of their age, each resident was required to have a corresponding scarecrow, containing paper wrapped in their own blood. These were called "false puppets."
The logic was similar to how, if a river deity demanded human heads, people would make buns stuffed with meat and throw them into the river as offerings to appease the deity.
One must know that some spirits, due to their origins, lack sharp intellect. They could easily be deceived by simple illusions; for instance, the previous ghost conductor Chu Wanning and Mo Ran had encountered was a dullard, incredibly gullible.
From this perspective, Chu Xun had at least made two layers of preparation for the citizens. The first was the Soul Extinguishing Talismans, ensuring they would remain undetected by ghosts during their evacuation.
The second was the straw dummies, as once the ghosts realized the sudden disappearance of the entire city's population, they would become extremely agitated. These dummies would serve as distractions, temporarily calming the spirits and buying time for the mass migration.
However, this only deepened Mo Ran and Chu Wanning's suspicions.
Why, despite Chu Xun's meticulous planning, did everything still fall apart?
With these questions weighing on their minds, they returned to the Governor's Mansion. It was already dark by then. Many who lived in remote areas refused to return home, instead bringing their families to spend the night within the Upper Clear Barrier.
The mansion gates remained open all night, with the same white-robed guards patrolling as they had seen during the day.
By the time Mo Ran and Chu Wanning arrived, there were no more available rooms. Every corner was packed with people, with three or four households huddled together in each chamber, leaving no space to spare.
Eventually, the duo had no choice but to settle down in a corridor. There were no bedding available, so Mo Ran asked the guards for some straw, which he used to create a makeshift bed on the ground before gently placing Chu Wanning on it.
"I apologize for having you sleep here today."
Chu Wanning said, "Not bad at all."
"Mm?" Mo Ran smiled. "I agree."
He sprawled beside Chu Wanning, stretching out before propping his arm behind his head and gazing up at the intricately carved wooden ceiling of the corridor.
"Ning, you have to admit that those Feathered people are quite skilled in creating dreams. Even though this dream is based on the memories of survivors, it's remarkable how detailed it is—right down to the patterns on the wooden arches."
Chu Wanning replied, "After all, the Feathered are half-divine beings. Their powers might not be at the peak, but they possess abilities beyond what ordinary humans can achieve."
"True." Mo Ran blinked, rolled over, and propped his chin on his hand as he looked at Chu Wanning. "I can't seem to fall asleep."
"..." Chu Wanning glanced at him. "Then let me tell you a story to lull you to sleep."
It had been a sarcastic remark, but to his surprise, Mo Ran had an incredibly thick skin. He chuckled and said, "Sure, sure. Little Junior Brother, tell me the story of the Seven Fairies and Dong Yong."
Chu Wanning hadn't expected him to take it seriously. He froze for a moment before turning away with a sullen expression. "You wishful thinker. You're not a child anymore; don't you feel embarrassed?"
Mo Ran chuckled. "Look here, people often yearn for what they can't have, regardless of their age. When I was young and nobody told me stories to soothe me, I would always think about how nice it would be if someone could do that for me. As time passed and no one showed up, I grew up and stopped thinking about it. But the longing remained in my heart."
Chu Wanning: "…"
"You didn't have anyone to tell you stories when you were little, did you?"
"Mm-hmm."
"Haha, so you actually don't know how to tell the story of Dong Yong and the Seventh Fairy either, right?"
Chu Wanning: "............ There's no point in discussing such lewd language."
"It's fine if you don't know, don't make excuses with words like 'lewd'. If you keep acting like this, you'll end up just like my master, becoming an incredibly boring person that nobody wants to bother with."
Angered, Chu Wanning retorted, "If they don't want to bother with me, then so be it. Goodnight."
With that, he laid down and closed his eyes.
Mo Ran laughed so hard that he rolled around, eventually rolling over to Chu Wanning's side. Gazing at his junior apprentice brother's sleeping face, with his dark, evenly long eyelashes, Mo Ran found him quite adorable. So, he reached out and pinched the other's cheek.
"Really asleep?"
"Asleep?"
"Haha." Mo Ran chuckled. "Then you sleep, and I'll tell you a story."
"You know how to tell stories?"
"Sure do, just like how you talk in your sleep."
Chu Wanning fell silent.
Mo Ran lay down beside him, both their heads resting on straw, very close together. Mo Ran laughed for a while, but when his junior disciple didn't respond, his laughter gradually softened. Still, his eyes remained curved in a warm smile as he gazed at the ceiling, occasionally inhaling the rugged scent of rice straw. His voice was tranquil and soothing.
"The story I'm going to tell you is one I made up myself. Back then, no one told me stories, so I was envious. But there was nothing I could do about it. So every day, lying in bed, I would tell stories to myself. This one is my favorite. I gave it a name: 'The Cow Grazing Grass.'"
Author's Note:
Little Scene: "Bedtime Story"
When Fei Yu tells a bedtime story, it starts like this: A long, long time ago, there was a child...
Chu Wanning began his storytelling with: "The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name. What story shall I tell? No, let me recite a scripture instead."
Xue Meng protested: "I won't listen, I won't listen! Turtle nonsense... Tch! Fine, I'll listen!"
When Xue Meng started his bedtime tale, he said: "Let me tell you, I'm a genius, topping the charts countless times since I was young. Tonight, I'll share with you how I became the champion of the 14th Mystic Realm Teenage Swordsmanship Tournament."
Shi Mo began his storytelling hesitantly: "Uh... Well, I'm not very skilled at this, and my storytelling might not be great. Please don't mind."
Ye Wangxi offered his narrative with warmth: "Want to hear a story? Alright, give me a moment to fetch a book to read aloud. Lie down first, cover yourself well, and don't catch a cold."
Mei Hanxue invited with a smile: "Storytime? Great! Senior Brother can tell you a tale about two gay tigers affectionately cuddling. I can also tell you one with a male and female tiger. Which version would you like?"