Chapter 152: Some Ordinary Matters

Inside the house, Wang Li, wrapped in a quilt, was having a dream that was both wondrous and absurd.

In his dream, Wang Li was sometimes an observer, sometimes a participant, experiencing a period spanning decades and witnessing an extraordinary story.

The dream featured ghosts, gods, demons, and immortals, as well as earthly landscapes and terrifying underworlds, shifting between beautiful reveries and nightmares.

Normally, even if an ordinary person came into contact with a medium imbued with spiritual energy, it would have no effect. This is partly because their spiritual strength is weak, but more critically, their spiritual energy is dispersed and they lack the spiritual power or magic to activate it.

However, Ji Yuan, as the practitioner, made some adjustments, naturally allowing Wang Li to perceive the information simply by touching the paper. Ordinary people's minds are not strong enough to process too much information at once, so they instinctively enter a sleep state to digest it in the form of dreams.

Ji Yuan had learned this from the "Tongming Scroll" long ago; it wasn't a special dream-altering technique he had employed, as he hadn't yet mastered such methods. Of course, he controlled the intensity well, ensuring Wang Li wouldn't suffer any discomfort.

This process would not have any negative impact on Wang Li himself, as the information was not forced upon him and the method was gentle. The only potential issue was Wang Li's memory; if it were poor, he might forget some key details before he had a chance to write them down after waking.

Ji Yuan's ability to imbue objects with spiritual energy was still new to him, far from perfected. As he was using ordinary paper as a medium, the spiritual essence would dissipate after a single activation.

Yet, this was also a matter of fate, specifically for this storyteller. If Wang Li were to forget everything, the story of the White Deer's Fate would still be known by Ji Yuan, and thus would not be lost; however, Ji Yuan would then no longer seek out Wang Li.

After standing outside the courtyard for a while, Ji Yuan listened to Wang Li's steady breathing in deep sleep within the house. In the alley, some children excitedly ran up to the courtyard gate and knocked.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

"Xiao Dong, we're going to pick up firecrackers! Are you coming?"

Three children shouted from outside.

"Yes, yes, yes! I'm coming, I'm coming! Wait for me, I'll be right there!"

The excited voice of a boy came from the courtyard, and he rushed out, still munching on a steamed bun.

"Wear your scarf so you don't catch a cold!"

The boy's mother followed him out, wrapped a cotton scarf around her son, and only then let him go.

All four children met up outside the courtyard, and with giggles and laughter, they quickly darted out of the alley and ran off.

Firecrackers were a rare commodity, usually set off only by wealthy families during festivals. However, not every firecracker in a string would explode; some would be ejected when others detonated.

These unexploded firecrackers, like pearls scattered by the tide, were treasures to the children. During the New Year holidays, many children would search everywhere for places where firecrackers had been set off, digging for the unpopped ones.

Watching the children depart with their laughter, Ji Yuan was also infected by the joyful atmosphere. He left with a smile, recalling that he seemed to have done similar things in his own childhood.

When he returned to Yongning Street, his illusion spell naturally dissipated, and Ji Yuan walked along the street like an ordinary person.

Although he was heading back to the Chu Manor's library, there was no rush. While he maintained a normal routine, going without sleep for ten to fifteen days wouldn't affect him.

The Azure Vine Sword hovered silently behind him. It had remained quiet since it had swept away the clear air last night. As an immortal sword imbued with the essence of intertwined azure vines, the spirit of the New Year held special significance for it, which was why Ji Yuan had allowed it to ascend into the sky the previous night.

"Om..."

At that moment, the immortal sword behind him vibrated with a subtle hum. Ji Yuan turned his head to look.

"Awake?"

"Om..."

The Azure Vine Sword responded with another gentle hum. Though its blade remained unmoving and sheathed behind Ji Yuan, an imperceptible sword intent swept in all directions, ensuring that no anomalies could hide within the immortal sword's aura.

Following the main thoroughfare of Yongning Street led straight towards the Imperial City. The further he walked, the wealthier the residences became, with large estates and grand mansions starting to appear.

This area was also a primary "battleground" for some children.

"We were here first! You go pick over there, no one's there!"

"Nonsense! We were just picking here; you clearly just arrived!"

Two groups of children were bickering near a mansion. One moment they were at daggers drawn, the next moment the conflict fizzled out, and the two groups united, heading together to the entrances of other mansions.

"Let me see how many you've found! Wow, you have over a dozen!"

"I have twenty! I only have seven..."

"Let's set them off together later!"

As Ji Yuan passed by, there were more than just one or two groups of such children, eagerly rummaging around, their fingers red from the cold, trying to gather their treasures before the gatekeepers and servants swept the entrances clean.

Many gatekeepers would come out with brooms and shoo the children away, not necessarily because they were mean, but because it was their duty.

Ji Yuan walked until he reached the Chu Manor. Across the street was a steamed bun shop he frequently visited, and he planned to buy some buns before heading to the library.

The gatekeeper of the Chu Manor was an old man, past fifty. At that moment, he was leaning against the main gate, propping himself with a broom, watching two children in padded floral jackets search for firecrackers, and smilingly asked them,

"How many have you found?"

"I have eleven; he has nearly twenty!"

"Very impressive! Here, I have some sweets. How about you help me sweep up the firecracker remnants, and I'll give them to you?"

"Okay, okay! You're not allowed to trick us!"

The two children eagerly took the broom and dustpan from the old man and began sweeping enthusiastically. Sweeping was naturally not difficult for children from common households.

Ji Yuan paused to watch as well. He had seen this old man from the Chu family several times. He wasn't really a gatekeeper but more like a steward, active throughout the Chu household, sometimes doing odd jobs, sometimes giving instructions, and highly trusted by the family.

In the mundane world, this person was quite remarkable; despite his seemingly frail, aged appearance, he possessed impressive martial arts skills.

Ji Yuan was also considered a master of martial arts in this era, so his assessment of "impressive" carried considerable weight.

Seeing a refined gentleman standing by with a smile, the old gatekeeper also slightly cupped his hands towards Ji Yuan, acknowledging him with a New Year's greeting to a stranger.

Ji Yuan politely returned the gesture. After the two children finished sweeping and received their sweets, he then departed and walked towards the steamed bun shop.

Less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Ji Yuan had already appeared on the third floor of the Chu Manor's library in the back courtyard.

The third floor of this library had few bookshelves, along with two desks and chairs. The remaining space was largely unadorned, appearing empty, yet during autumn and summer, with the two side doors of the third floor opened, it would be a perfectly airy and comfortable environment.

As expected of a wealthy family's library, one of the bookshelves on the third floor neatly held a complete set of the Four Treasures of the Study, all of which were of the highest quality—brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.

Ji Yuan sat at one of the desks, eating pickled vegetable buns while perusing a six-volume set of "General Records of One Hundred Prefectures" that he had retrieved from the second floor.

The Great Zhen Dynasty encompassed thirteen provinces and nearly a hundred prefectures across its vast territory. This set of books broadly described the famous sights and customs of various prefectures. Although compiled seventy or eighty years ago, it remained vivid, interesting, and valuable for reference.

Before he finished his fifth pickled vegetable bun, Ji Yuan heard voices gradually approaching the library. After listening intently, he remained still on the third floor, continuing to eat and read, while someone below had already opened the library's main door.

"Brother Chu, I heard that auspicious signs descended upon Prince Jin's residence last night. Is that true?"

"Even you know about this?"

"How could I not know? I even heard that Prince Wu smashed his cup this morning!"

"Oh my, you dare to speak such things."

"Well, I'm only saying this in front of you, Brother Chu! Anyway, is the matter concerning Prince Jin's residence true?"

The two young men below were deep in lively conversation. One was dressed in a light green padded cotton jacket with a fur scarf, while the other wore a dark brocade robe. Accompanying them was the elder who had earlier been acting as the gatekeeper.

Hearing the other young man's repeated curious inquiries, the young master of the Chu Manor spoke truthfully.

"Hehe, my father was also invited to Prince Jin's residence last night. Everyone in the Prince's household witnessed those auspicious signs with their own eyes, and what's more..."

At this point, the young master of the Chu family instinctively lowered his voice.

"And the Emperor even summoned the divine being to appear. I heard a white mist manifested, but the divine being ultimately did not come."

These two sentences made Ji Yuan on the third floor pause in surprise. He hadn't realized that someone from the Chu Manor had also been at Prince Jin's residence last night.

As if just realizing why they were there, the young master of the Chu family asked the old man,

"Uncle Xu, where is that set of 'Treatise on One Hundred Birds' that my father had someone copy from Prince Jin's residence? I want to show it to my esteemed brother."

"Oh, it's on the second floor. I'll go get it for you, young master."

After responding, the old man quickly shuffled up to the second floor, skillfully found a bookshelf, and pulled out a box containing the hard-bound volumes of "Treatise on One Hundred Birds."

Just as he was about to go downstairs, his nose twitched.

"Hmm?"

This questioning hum was very low, yet it made Ji Yuan on the third floor freeze instantly. He looked at the pickled vegetable bun in his hand.

'A miscalculation, a grave miscalculation!'

Indeed, just a few breaths later, the old man agilely scaled the steps to the third floor, the entire process silent.

Upon reaching the third floor, the old man looked around, sniffed carefully, and frowned. He opened the attic door, walked along the balcony, but saw no one.

He then simply climbed onto the attic roof like a monkey scaling a tree, landing softly on the snowy surface.

He scanned carefully, noting that the snow on the roof was perfectly undisturbed, with no footprints other than his own. He then peered over the cantilevered eaves of the floors below and found no tracks in the snow there either.

'Could I have been imagining things?'

As the old man pondered, the young master of the Chu family called out from downstairs.

"Uncle Xu, did you find it?"

The old man quickly climbed back into the attic and called down the stairs.

"Found it, found it! Coming right down!"

Once the old man had left, Ji Yuan emerged from the shadow of a bookshelf and returned to his seat at the desk.

'This old man is quite sharp! And Master Yin, it seems his reputation is already spreading.'