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Ruyi Cosmetic Shop
Regarding Mu Xi, Li Yan seemed unwilling to say much. For instance, he didn't mention the medicinal soup that Mu Xi had brought earlier. However, Xing Ruyi knew in her heart that Mu Xi was a key figure in all of this.
When she came out of Li Yan's room, the color had completely darkened. The Relay Station only had a few scattered torches lit, flickering in the cold winter wind. Snowflakes fell from the sky, hanging down gently. Xing Ruyi looked up and found that the night was as thick as a lump of ink.
On the corridor in front of the door, something yellow caught her eye. She focused and realized it was a talisman, useless against monsters but very effective against Evil Spirits.
Hearing footsteps behind her, Xing Ruyi tightened her cloak and turned halfway to ask, "How is General Li?"
"He’s asleep! In all the time I've known him, this is the first time I've seen him talk so much," Chang Tai said as he closed the door and glanced up. "I used to think he was different. Whenever I saw him before, he always had a cold expression on his face, whether in work or in life, giving people a sense of being kept at arm's length."
"Then why did you become friends with the General?"
"Perhaps it’s due to his experiences? Before I met him, I had heard quite a bit about him—his surname, his forbearance, his resistance against fate, and his fearlessness on the battlefield. These things spark curiosity and admiration. At least in my eyes, he has always been a true hero. So even though he appears indifferent and rarely speaks, it doesn’t seem inappropriate; it feels like Li Yan is just meant to be this way."
"What do you usually talk about with the General?"
"He tells me about things on the battlefield, while I share details about capturing criminals in daily life. Occasionally we discuss court matters, but it's always very subtle. We became friends because our views and conclusions align on many issues."
"I see!" Xing Ruyi said as she turned around. "Brother Chang is from the Yamen; although this place cannot compare to Rouge Shop, some regulations should be similar. Brother Chang, do you know what the Night Watchman's patrol route looks like?"
"I have never been involved in such matters, but the Night Watchman must follow a fixed route during their patrols and must also file a report at the Government Office beforehand. If the Night Watchman were to patrol according to their own whims every day, not only would it confuse the citizens, but if an emergency arose suddenly, it would also be difficult for people at the Government Office to respond quickly."
"The Fox Demon thinks it should be like that; just like the soldiers patrolling the city must arrive at certain places at specific times. So according to Brother Chang, is this Relay Station a necessary stop for the Night Watchman?"
"Absolutely! The Night Watchman must patrol major roads and secondary roads within towns, as well as densely populated areas and places filled with shops. This serves two purposes: to remind everyone to prevent fire and theft and to use the sound of their patrols to intimidate certain night prowlers so they think twice before committing any wrongdoing.
Earlier in the room, you heard Li Yan mention that this Relay Station at Yun Family Gathering was originally established by an old friend of his father—his former father-in-law—after settling here. Since this old father-in-law had some royal background as well, when he was around, this Relay Station was quite lively; besides officials and scouts passing through to relay messages, some merchants would also choose to stay here. Therefore, this place is also essential for the Night Watchman's patrols—not only do they have to come here, but they also need to stay for a while."
"The Night Watchman's routine is simply patrolling; they leave home when the sun sets and return when it rises. During that time, only nighttime belongs to them. Given that they walk these night routes often, they inevitably encounter some strange occurrences. Thus, when selecting Night Watchmen, the court will also ask scholars for their opinions. The chosen individuals are either those with extremely yang fates or those with extremely yin fates."
Extreme Yang Being typically causes ordinary Evil Spirits to actively avoid it, and they would never provoke it unless they were feeling particularly reckless and seeking excitement.
Extreme Yin Being, due to its Yin nature in the Eight Characters, is often regarded as one of their own by Evil Spirits, which means they do not provoke it. A Niu's uncle belongs to this latter category.
“If we follow what Fox Demon suggests, this Night Watchman should not have encountered any issues.”
“Indeed, it shouldn’t!” Xing Ruyi glanced sideways at the talisman on the porch: “I suspect that the strange occurrences in the Watchman's House are related to a Copper Mirror. This Copper Mirror was most likely a gift from the previous owner of this Relay Station, specifically General Li Yan's former Father-in-law, to his son-in-law, known as the Heart-Guarding Mirror. Within that Copper Mirror, there is an Evil Spirit that has neither face nor skin, and this Evil Spirit is very likely the ill-fated fiancée of General Li Yan, who met an untimely death.”
“Are you suggesting that there is a connection between the two?”
“The trouble caused by the Night Watchman should be merely an accident. As for the cause of this accident, it probably relates to his greed. However, that Copper Mirror did not just appear in this Yun Family Gathering for no reason. While the actions of an Evil Spirit can be terrifying, they are not without limitations. Take the Evil Spirit in the Watchman's House, for instance; she hides within the Copper Mirror. On ordinary days, she can only act through that mirror. If she stays away for too long or goes too far, she will deplete her own Yin Qi. At that point, if she were to harm others, she would struggle to protect herself. A moment's carelessness could lead to her demise.
To give a simple example, consider a haunted house. A house becomes haunted because it is occupied by an evil spirit, bringing disaster or even death to all who reside there. However, such haunted houses are rare; perhaps only one exists among hundreds of villages. We must ask ourselves: if the Evil Spirit in this haunted house is so powerful, why does it only stay within the house and not go out to harm others? The answer is simple: because that house is both her source of nourishment and her prison.”
“From this, we can infer that the Copper Mirror is also where the fiancée of the General is confined?”
“Exactly! That Copper Mirror serves as both her home and her cage. Therefore, wherever she appears, that Copper Mirror must also be present. Conversely, she will only manifest when that Copper Mirror appears. Brother Chang, did you not notice that the incidents at the Watchman's House coincided precisely with when the General arrived with Lady Mu Xi? If I am correct, that Copper Mirror originally came along with General Li Yan's entourage; however, for some unknown reason, it ended up outside the Relay Station, where it was picked up by the Night Watchman, leading to all sorts of events at the Watchman's House.”
After finishing her explanation, Xing Ruyi pointed at the talisman on the porch: “Brother Chang, you have always been observant; you should have noticed all these various talismans posted here.”
Chang Tai nodded: “But these things all look like identical scribbles to me; I can't understand what they are for at all. When I first came out, I thought I would ask you about their purpose. If there’s unrest in this Relay Station, I might as well stay behind and keep an eye on things.”
“Even if you stay behind to keep watch, if something really happens in this Relay Station, you won’t be able to help much.” Xing Ruyi teased while making a face at him to ease any potential awkwardness from his words.
“I don’t know much about these talismans either; I only learned some knowledge about them when I was forced by a fox at the Rouge Shop. Coincidentally, both Yin Yuan and Li Mao are interested in this topic as well, so I’ve picked up some recognition and writing skills regarding them. The talisman on this pillar is one of those. This talisman is called the Killing Ghost Talisman, also known as the Evil Spirit Talisman, specifically used to subdue Evil Spirits. There’s also a corresponding incantation called the Exorcism Spell.”
With that, Xing Ruyi walked into the courtyard and stood before the on-duty Official, smiling as she asked him: “Big brother, do you know how to recite the Exorcism Spell?”
The Official nodded.
"Can you read it for the Fox Demon?"
"Yuan Taiyi, Jing Si Zhu Bing. Protect the land and preserve the essence of life. Embroidered Skirt, wearing the green scarf correctly. Azure Dragon on the left, White Tiger as the guest on the right. Admiring the Dragon Sword, Five Blessings Chapter... Yellow Dragon descends, Imperial Longevity's Expectation. Jingxiao Cave Chapter, dispelling demons without fail. Urgent as the law commands."
The Official recited it word for word, and Xing Ruyi listened intently without missing a single word.
"That's right, the Exorcism Spell that the Fox Demon heard before seems to be recited like this as well. Thank you, big brother. However, the Fox Demon still has one question in mind." Xing Ruyi first bowed and then, noticing the Official's slightly anxious expression, asked again, "Is this Exorcism Spell something everyone can recite? Who taught you this incantation? Was it General's Wife?"
"Why would you think it was General's Wife?" The Official replied, glancing up at the second floor.
Xing Ruyi knew that General's Wife Mu Xi lived alone on the second floor. At this moment, the lights were still on upstairs; with Mu Xi's abilities, she must have heard every word of their conversation. Clearly, the Official had thought of this too, which was why he looked uneasy and instinctively glanced up at the second floor.
Seeing this, Xing Ruyi lowered her voice and leaned in closer, asking, "Are you an old hand from the General's Residence? Don't worry; my questions were also for your General's safety. Even if General's Wife hears them, she won't blame you. Besides, these questions aren't anything serious."
"But these incantations were not taught to us by General's Wife," the Official replied softly. "Really not! General's Wife has always stayed by the General's side; she neither knows nor cares about matters outside of him. This spell was taught to us by a fortune-telling Taoist on the street. When we discussed it with General's Wife, she only took a glance and silently agreed. As long as it's for the General's good and can alleviate his condition in any way, she is willing to try anything."
As soon as the Official finished speaking, Xing Ruyi heard some movement from upstairs. She looked up just in time to see Mu Xi pushing open the window, her beautiful yet slightly cold eyes gazing at her.
Their eyes met; Mu Xi's lips curled up slightly. "Ruyi, would you like to hear a story from me?"
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