The Literary Heart That Was Stolen and Replaced (Part 1)

Wait...

Her three taels of silver?

Shen Tang's mind raced, coupled with her usual wild imagination, countless guesses flooded her thoughts.

Could she be the legendary Chosen One?

This was, after all, a world where science was debunked and the unscientific was scientific. But then she thought about her own hellish start, lacking even the basic benefits of a transmigator and having her home stolen, she couldn't help but shake her head and chide herself for overthinking.

Chosen One, indeed...

She was just a jinxed unlucky ghost.

"Is there some story behind this?" Shen Tang tried her best to make her tone sound less narcissistic, but the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl up as she asked Chu Yao, "Does the person who gives three taels of silver have to be me, or could it be anyone, as long as it's three taels of silver?"

Chu Yao's answer surprised her.

He said, "I don't know."

Chu Yao's unexpected reply made Shen Tang's head pop with a big question mark, her voice rising slightly, "You don't know???"

"It's a long story... I'm not entirely sure myself."

Shen Tang: "... I have time to listen to you tell it slowly."

Just like Qi Shan, trying to end the topic with "It's a long story," leaving her dying of curiosity.

"Young Master Wu, you're really curious?"

Shen Tang honestly admitted, "Very curious!"

"Then this matter goes all the way back to the year I started my education..."

Chu Yao adopted a storytelling posture, ready to narrate, but Shen Tang wasn't one to listen quietly. As soon as he began, she asked, "The year you started your education? What happened then?"

Although Chu Yao didn't like to keep people in suspense as much as Qi Shan, the timeline of the story was being stretched too far back. No wonder he said it was a long story.

"Nothing much happened that year."

Shen Tang: "..."

The silence behind him made Chu Yao chuckle. He could picture the speechless expression of the young man on the mule's back without even turning around.

Chu Yao said lightly, "It was the year I started learning to read and write that I sensed the Qi of heaven and earth, and condensed my Literary Heart in the same year."

Shen Tang asked again, "What rank was your Literary Heart?"

Chu Yao replied, "Second-rank, upper-middle."

Shen Tang gasped at the words, "That high???"

Qi Shan, who was so arrogant, was only sixth-rank, middle-lower.

A second-rank, upper-middle Literary Heart was second only to the first-rank, upper-upper! A first-rank, upper-upper Literary Heart was also known as the Sage Rank, and it was a theoretical rank, only attainable by feudal lords possessing the National Seal. Therefore, a second-rank, upper-middle Literary Heart was the highest rank an ordinary person could possess.

Possessing a second-rank, upper-middle Literary Heart was no different than holding a royal flush. How did Chu Yao end up in his current predicament?

It was truly inconceivable.

Hearing Shen Tang's undisguised astonishment, Chu Yao's tone turned somber, "Is it high? It is quite high... but if I could choose, I'd rather it be lower, perhaps fourth-rank, fifth-rank, or even ninth-rank, lower-lower. Possessing this Literary Heart has been more of a curse than a blessing to me."

Shen Tang asked in confusion, "But isn't that a sign of good talent?"

Why would anyone wish for less talent?

Chu Yao gave a wry smile, "Young Master Wu, didn't the teacher who tutored you tell you that the rank of a scholar's Literary Heart doesn't represent everything?"

"Yuan Liang did say that, but I thought it was just his personal opinion and didn't represent the common consensus..."

She hadn't expected Chu Yao to have the same idea as Qi Shan.

Could this be a consensus among experts?

"What is 'common consensus'? Some obscure Word Spirit?"

Chu Yao's focus was as scattered as Shen Tang's. Based on the context, he understood "common consensus" to mean something akin to "the masses" or "ordinary folks," but he had indeed never heard the term.

Shen Tang paused, stumbling over her words, "I don't know... I just said it. But that's not the point."

It really wasn't the point.

Chu Yao didn't dwell on this detail either. He was more interested in the "Yuan Liang" Shen Tang mentioned, "Is that 'Yuan Liang' the young scholar I met briefly on the street earlier?"

Shen Tang: "Yes, that's him."

Chu Yao said with some admiration, "He is indeed a good teacher. Then, did he tell you about Literary Heart talent?"

Literary Heart talent?

What was that now?

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

Why were there so many of these messy things!

Although Shen Tang was confused, she still said, "Literary Heart... talent? I really don't know about that, and Yuan Liang never mentioned it. He only talked about things like the Way of the Feudal Lord... To be honest, I'm not afraid you'll laugh, but even though I have a Literary Heart, I don't understand it very well. When I occasionally asked Yuan Liang questions, he always brushed me off, either saying he'd explain later or that 'you don't need to know'..."

She seriously suspected he was just being lazy and didn't want to answer.

Chu Yao: "Brother Yuan Liang might be doing this for your own good. Knowing too much about some things will be detrimental to your future growth..."

Shen Tang, curious: "There's such a saying?"

Chu Yao: "Mm."

Shen Tang was beside herself with impatience: "...!!!"

Should she continue listening or not?

Chu Yao made the decision for her: "Literary Heart talents are specifically divided into two types: the Way of the Feudal Lord and the Way of the Scholar. From the names alone, you can tell the identities these two talents represent. The Way of the Feudal Lord, I believe your teacher has told you about it, so I won't say more. What I want to talk about is the Way of the Scholar. It's a special ability unique to a small portion of Literary Heart strategists, and it can be activated without any Word Spirits."

Shen Tang silently noted: "Does Teacher have it too?"

Chu Yao was silent for a moment: "I used to. But before I could grow, my Literary Heart was 'Stolen the Beam and Replaced the Pillar'."

Shen Tang was astonished: "Steal the Beam and Replace the Pillar?"

Interpreting it literally, isn't that...

Chu Yao smiled bitterly and shook his head, dropping a bombshell: "Yes. Didn't your teacher tell you that Literary Hearts can be stolen?"

Shen Tang: "...!!!"

Qi Shan really hadn't mentioned it.

"My second-rank high-grade Literary Heart back then was swapped just like that. In the prime of my youth, I fell into the mire overnight, with no chance of ever recovering." Chu Yao spoke indifferently, as if recounting a story unrelated to himself. He continued, "Perhaps your teacher doesn't mention the 'Way of the Scholar' for his own reasons and considerations. Because the 'Way of the Scholar' is not just a special ability, it's also a scholar's self-reflection. It's tied to who the scholar is, their personality, and what path they seek. Even a sage wouldn't want to expose such privacy to the public gaze, would they?"

Not every Literary Heart strategist would possess the Way of the Scholar, but of those who did, ninety-nine percent would choose to keep it hidden.

To not hide it would feel like being stripped of all covering garments, exposed and vulnerable, and thrown into a crowd.

Shen Tang's expression flickered for a moment.

She hadn't expected Literary Hearts could be used like this.

Her own Literary Heart wasn't of high rank, and she happened to have the talent to steal others' Literary Hearts, so she went and stole someone else's...

No wonder Old Mr. Chu said his second-rank high-grade Literary Heart was a curse rather than a blessing to him. Wasn't this exactly "a child carrying a thousand gold in a busy market"?

1. "Ordinary people" is not an idiom, but a transliteration |ω`) 2. Literary Heart Talent = Way of the Feudal Lord + Way of the Scholar. Simply put, they are special talents possessed by people of two different identities, usable without specific Word Spirits. Also, because it's related to one's personality and the like, scholars generally don't bring it up proactively or inform others; it's equivalent to a trump card. PS: For example, if you encounter someone who can "Steal the Beam and Replace the Pillar" to steal Literary Hearts, everyone would want to stay far away. Chu Yao came from a humble background and possessed an excellent Literary Heart, naturally attracting covetous eyes.