War

Young Master Zhu yanked Shen Shuibi straight out from behind him and had her stand before Li Qi.

"It's you!?" Once she got a proper look at Li Qi's face, she cried out in shock, even forgetting that she had previously refused to come out no matter what.

Shen Shuibi's eyes reddened!

She knew it. These Baiyue Shamans had definitely laid trap upon trap!

When she had encountered that young Lesser Shaman earlier, she should have realized that a Great Shaman would soon follow.

Now she had fallen right into their snare!

Still... fortunately, Wushen Mountain seemed, perhaps, maybe... probably not hostile.

Otherwise, as they had said, they could have simply seized her and taken her back as a sacrificial offering for divination. There would have been no need to have her lead them to Your Highness.

But...

She could not trust them so easily!

The Rabbit Demon's mind brimmed with fury. She made up her mind that she absolutely could not readily trust these Shamans. They had schemed against her once, and they surely had more wicked ideas in store!

She was Your Highness's rabbit. Everything she did had to be for Your Highness's sake. She could not listen to only one side of their story.

With that thought, Shen Shuibi glared at Li Qi and Young Master Zhu, puffing up with anger, her face full of vigilance.

As for Li Qi, he paid Shen Shuibi no mind whatsoever. Though he recognized her as that foolish, clumsy demon he had met before, Young Master Zhu still had the final say here.

So he immediately bowed. "Young Master, my task is to follow this envoy and seek an audience with Lady Luofu?"

"That is correct." Young Master Zhu nodded. "The causes and consequences should be clear to both of you. I have also told you the objective. I cannot seek out Lady Luofu in person; indeed, I must deliberately avoid her. After all, a bird startled by the bowstring should not be lightly disturbed," Young Master Zhu said.

Li Qi lowered his head beside him, watching his nose, his nose watching his heart, as though he had heard nothing.

"Your Highness is not some bird startled by the bowstring!" Shen Shuibi immediately retorted.

But Young Master Zhu could not even be bothered to respond to her.

A few words from Shen Shuibi earlier had nearly angered him to death. It was better to speak less with people who had a screw loose.

After all, Li Qi could surely infer the Great Deer Kingdom's exact situation from these clues, perhaps even... perhaps he had already guessed that there was a war, yet he kept his mouth shut and said only pleasant things. Though there was something overly flattering and insufficiently forthright about it, at least he was not infuriating.

At that thought, Young Master Zhu suddenly became a little interested.

"Li Qi," he called.

Li Qi, who had been playing dead, immediately bent over and cupped his hands. "This student is here!"

He had swiftly adjusted how he referred to himself, quite cleverly. The contrast with his behavior before playing dead was so great that it even startled Shen Shuibi.

The rabbit hopped in place, then glared viciously at Li Qi, as though blaming him for scaring her.

"There should be many major events about to unfold around the Great Deer Kingdom. Other than what you have already told me, what else have you inferred? Tell me. If you are right, I will reward you," Young Master Zhu said.

Li Qi nodded, understanding that this was a test.

Young Master Zhu had likely been watching him all along, and had already tested him on the way here. Li Qi must have passed, which was why he had shown himself, promised him benefits, and assigned him this task.

This question was likely an idea that had suddenly occurred to him. He must have thought of something particular, and had even offered a reward.

Mm... setting aside his purpose, this Young Master Zhu truly was as he had described himself—kind and pure by nature... He even gave rewards for answering questions.

Still, Li Qi immediately set his mind to work, considering what great event was worth this powerful figure specifically asking him about.

If Young Master Zhu called it a major event, it was surely truly major. But it could not be an unexpected occurrence; something like the emergence of heavenly treasures was impossible.

Li Qi would have had no way of knowing about such things, so there would have been no point in asking him.

Therefore, there had to be signs—some major event among the common folk that he might know of, perhaps had even unwittingly taken part in... and this event had to be related to the conflict between the Tang Kingdom and Wushen Mountain.

What kind of major event could that be?

There would not be many. Of events requiring the participation of the common people, Li Qi could foresee only two.

The great affairs of a state are only sacrifice and war!

Sacrifice had nothing to do with the former Li Qi, and it was also the Shamans' business. The greatest ritual Li Qi had participated in was the River Opening ceremony. Clearly, something like that did not count as any major event in Young Master Zhu's eyes.

Then... only war remained.

Military affairs, warfare—those were the sort of things that counted as major events.

And if it was connected to him...

Li Qi pondered within his mind and quickly thought of a clue.

Lu Shan, Shan Dazhuang! That Mighty Gang leader had said that he was a deserter from the Song Kingdom! (See Chapter 12.)

The Song Kingdom bordered the Great Deer Kingdom, and farther north, it was quite possible that it bordered the Tang Kingdom as well. Moreover, Shan Dazhuang had said that he fled only because the Tang Kingdom had attacked the Song Kingdom.

The answer was thus ready to leap from the page. Li Qi immediately replied, "I would guess that what you mean, Young Master, is the war between the Tang Kingdom and the Song Kingdom?"

"Correct." Young Master Zhu nodded in satisfaction. "With such quick wits, I need not worry that you will suffer a loss on your journey to see Lady Luofu."

"However, you were able to guess it because you received clues and hints from the Mighty Gang. Now think again: why did I find the Mighty Gang?"

Li Qi had thought of this together with the previous answer, so he did not hesitate. "I fear... Young Master had intended from the start to make the Mighty Gang into sacrificial victims?"

"No, no. A sacrifice is something precious in ritual and cannot be used carelessly. How could a mere Song Kingdom soldier deserve the word 'sacrifice'? As a Shaman, you must also watch your wording in the future. Ritual is the way of communicating with Heaven, Earth, ghosts, and gods; it must not be treated lightly," Young Master Zhu reminded him.

Yet he understood Li Qi's meaning, so he continued, "But your guess is correct. A Song Kingdom deserter chose to abandon his state and flee from his friends when facing the Tang Kingdom's attack. This crime deserves execution. Yet before executing him, I could also use him to draw out the people of the Outer Dao whom I needed."

As Young Master Zhu spoke, he glanced at Li Qi.

Li Qi immediately lowered his head and cupped his hands.

Sure enough, Young Master Zhu said his nature was kind and pure, but he had never said he would not kill people or scheme against them...

He had better be more cautious around this new employer of his.

"Enough. Let us not discuss this. Since you have answered correctly again, I will give you something to offer you a little more protection on the road." As he spoke, Young Master Zhu took a willow branch from his sleeve.

He said, "You are setting out on a long journey to find Lady Luofu. It is inconvenient for me to travel with you, so I will give you a section of willow branch to see you off."

Li Qi could not very well ask what it was, but he knew of the custom of breaking off willow branches to see someone off. Besides, this was the reward for answering correctly, so he did not decline. He stepped forward to accept the willow branch, thanked him, then continued playing dead and said no more.

"I have tested you several times, and you passed every one. The task is now entrusted to you. Work hard." Young Master Zhu patted Li Qi on the shoulder, then vanished from the spot.

Shen Shuibi and Li Qi were left staring wide-eyed at each other.