The Company

Chapter 54: Zichen Jade Pendant

After reading the chapter "Mengying's Mound," Fusu finally calmed down slightly, forcing himself to detach from the world within the book. When he surveyed his surroundings, he noticed the deep recesses of the bookshelves had fallen silent, with no trace of the earlier conversation.

Chastising himself for his lack of resolve, Fusu quickly returned the "Nine Mounds" to its distant spot on the shelf and strode toward the depths of the bookshelves. At the far end, he found only one person, draped in white robes, sitting on the floor.

The man was distractedly flipping through a scroll in his hands. Hearing Fusu's footsteps, he spoke up without waiting for a question: "Bi Zhi has gone to fetch something. You may wait here, Young Master. If you're uneasy, I can have Diancang take you to him."

As if summoned by its name, a snowy-white ball squeezed through a crack in the window. Its fur was incredibly fluffy, making it look plump and round—quite a feat, given how narrow the window gap was.

A Pomeranian? Fusu looked closer and realized this furry ball was no ordinary pet dog but a white fox. A tuft of blue fur on its forehead lent it less of a fox's innate allure and more of an amusing charm—no wonder it was named Diancang. Clenched in its mouth was some object, which it obediently delivered to the white-robed man while wagging two tails.

Two tails? Fusu was certain he wasn't seeing things. Could this be a young nine-tailed fox?

As a guest, it wasn't his place to pry, and chasing after Bi Zhi would be beneath his dignity. Since Bi Zhi had gone to such lengths to keep him from following, there must be a reason. Fusu quietly filed the matter away for future inquiry.

Seeing no reason to stand on ceremony, Fusu removed his leather shoes and gracefully sat cross-legged opposite the white-robed man. He noticed the man take a jade pendant from the little fox Diancang but politely averted his gaze without examining it closely. Instead, he picked up a nearby scroll to pass the time.

The white-robed man, however, glanced at Fusu's hands, a flicker of surprise crossing his gaunt face. He sighed and remarked, "Truth be told, you are the most suited to remain in the Sky Light Market."

Fusu's page-turning hand stilled for a moment. With Bi Zhi absent, he found himself unusually relaxed.

Bi Zhi knew about the rejection between his body and soul but had never anticipated it would progress so rapidly. They had assumed heaven would grant him at least two or three more years.

Fusu smiled bitterly at the liver spots emerging on the back of his hand.

Initially, these spots had been dark red, but they were gradually deepening into a murky purplish-red. Having once been an elite surgeon for a year, Fusu recognized that his liver spots were now cloud-like. Soon, they would become streaked, then spread into patches. His limbs would begin to feel sluggish, then stiffen, and eventually... slowly decay...Although his soul had taken residence in this body, it still couldn't halt the corpse-like transformation of the physical form. While the presence of his soul made this process extremely slow, the terrifying progression continued relentlessly, made even more cruel by its drawn-out nature.

He could clearly experience what it meant to die slowly.

Sometimes, Fusu even imagined that he might still retain consciousness when reduced to rotting flesh, or even become a somewhat handsome skeleton.

It wasn't that he hadn't considered telling the Boss about the changes in his body, but even a fool would know that Bi Zhi would take off his own Red Dragon Robe and give it to him. How could he bear to watch Bi Zhi suffer everything he had endured?

It was better to say nothing. After all, he was already deceased - this extra time was stolen, and he should be grateful for it.

Yet... when he saw Ying today, he suddenly felt there might be another possibility for him to continue living.

Remain in the Sky Light Market?

Fusu could no longer focus on the scroll in his hands.

The white-robed man opposite him, noticing his reaction, weighed the jade pendant in his hand and smiled with a merchant's cunning, his shrewdness matching that of the little fox beside him. "What do you think?" he asked with a laugh. "If you decide to stay in the Sky Light Market, we could make a deal. Exchange your token for the privilege of reading any five hundred books from this study! Five hundred books! Not a bad deal, is it?"

"Terrible deal," Fusu retorted. He wasn't the kind of man to be easily deceived, especially since Bi Zhi had warned him before entering the Sky Light Market to keep the Qin Banliang coin safe and never give it to anyone.

Setting down the scroll, Fusu propped his elegant jaw with slender fingers, fixing his gaze on the white-robed man while unleashing the noble aura he usually kept restrained. Though the corpse spots on his hands and the burn scars visible beneath his bangs appeared frightening, they created an unexpected, imperfect beauty that made it hard to look away.

The white-robed man shook his head with a smile. He hadn't expected to persuade him with just one sentence, but seeing Fusu like this, he could only marvel at how this was indeed the Crown Prince of Qin whom Bi Zhi had served faithfully until death.

Fusu had no desire to continue this topic. His eyes shifted to the jade pendant being fondled in the white-robed man's hand. "Is that a Zichen pendant?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. "Did that fox steal it? Is it also a token for entering and leaving the Sky Light Market?"

Dian Cang seemed displeased with Fusu's use of the word "steal," baring its teeth fiercely at him. However, the ferocious expression on its silly face looked more like cute posturing.

"Token? Oh no, this isn't a token, just an ordinary jade pendant." The white-robed man smiled dismissively and casually tossed the Zichen pendant to Dian Cang.

Seeing that its master didn't value the item it had brought back, Dian Cang didn't care much either. Clutching the Zichen pendant in its mouth, it turned and jumped onto the windowsill, squeezing out through the narrow window gap with difficulty.

"Is this the token? How did it become like this?" Madam Shi covered her chest, her delicate eyebrows furrowing as she looked at the tangled mess of threads on the table. From the remaining traces, one could vaguely guess what it originally was. "Is this... a love knot?""Madam has excellent discernment." Guo Fengxiao hurriedly praised while pressing Tang Yuan's head into a penitent posture, chiding, "It's entirely due to this child's ignorance that he accidentally unraveled the lover's knot. Fortunately, it wasn't broken. Having inquired with many, they all recommended your craftsmanship. Could you please see if it can be restored?"

Tang Yuan rolled his eyes dramatically but couldn't offer any excuse. After all, taking the blame for Little White Snake was justified—otherwise, he'd have no way to explain how his young master managed to dismantle such an intricate knot.

Madam Shi gazed at the bowing, apologetic Tang Yuan, her originally gentle eyes softening like water.

Guo Fengxiao knew immediately that his gamble had paid off. The Sky Light Market lacked nothing except children. Everyone knew Madam Shi's history: before being presented to King Fuchai of Wu as a consort, she must have been forced to drink infertility medicine, as women who bore children might develop divided loyalties. Thus, during her twenty years in Wu, she never bore the king any children. After retreating from the world with Fan Li, she remained unable to bear descendants for her beloved, which became a lasting regret.

In the Sky Light Market, children were exceedingly rare, and a well-behaved, adorable, fair-skinned boy like Tang Yuan was particularly uncommon. This was precisely why Guo Fengxiao had boldly brought him along for this visit.

Madam Shi indeed responded to this approach. Meeting Tang Yuan's adoring gaze, she picked up the soiled colored cord and patiently untangled the mess. She carefully studied the bends, ridges, and depressions from one end to the other before closing her eyes, as if reconstructing the knot's weaving pattern in her mind.

Guo Fengxiao and Tang Yuan stood breathlessly, not daring to interrupt. Fortunately, within the time it takes to drink tea, Madam Shi reopened her eyes, smiled, and called for a basin of clean water. She meticulously washed the cord and cleaned her soiled hands.

As if to ease Tang Yuan's nervousness, she chatted with him while washing her hands. Tang Yuan, who always had a soft spot for beautiful aunties, answered every question openly. When Madam Shi learned that he was orphaned and raised solely by a master, her exquisite face showed pity, her autumn-water-like eyes gleaming with captivating emotion.

But Guo Fengxiao grew increasingly uneasy. If Madam Shi took a liking to Tang Yuan given his background and decided to keep him as an adopted son, even with a token, the boy might never leave the Sky Light Market!

Feeling Guo Fengxiao poke him with a fan from behind, Tang Yuan didn't initially understand. But being clever, he soon grasped the meaning after noticing Madam Shi's affectionate gaze. Seizing the moment while she stared absently at the cleaned cord, he threw himself against her lap, his inner monologue screaming: 【Holy crap! I'm hugging the thigh of one of China's Four Great Beauties! So soft and fragrant! This life is worth it!!】 Guo Fengxiao immediately covered his face with a fan. This was a disaster—bringing this mischievous child had been a mistake! He could already envision the furious market lord throwing him out of the Sky Light Market.Madam Shi was so startled she nearly cried out, but seeing the child in her arms stumble and about to fall, she quickly reached out to steady his arm. The soft, fragile frame of the child made her momentarily lost in thought. If she had a child of her own...

Just then, Tang Yuan looked up with a tearful expression and pleaded timidly, "Auntie, I want to go home quickly! If my master can't find me, he'll definitely worry!" Lies—his master had long since abandoned him. But Tang Yuan wasn't too concerned about his master; he figured he'd been tossed out because he'd only hold them back. No matter how cool, domineering, or arrogant his senior brother might be, he'd been sealed away by their master thousands of years ago. This time, it was surely just another case of asking for trouble.

Madam Shi gazed into Tang Yuan's clear, bright eyes and felt a pang of guilt. She couldn't resist patting his head. Though she found the child's short hair unusual, it felt surprisingly soft to the touch. A gentle smile curled at her lips as she earnestly promised, "Don't worry, I'll do my best to get you home."

Satisfied with this assurance, Tang Yuan shamelessly snuggled into Madam Shi's embrace to watch her weave rope knots, not forgetting to turn back and wink at the stunned Guo Fengxiao.

Eat your heart out, kid!

"You're saying Helian didn't confess who his accomplice was?" Lu Zigang and Yue Fu stepped out of the Enforcement Division's gates, returning from the dark, gloomy prison cells to the bustling market, yet their moods didn't improve. Lu Zigang let out a soft sigh, stretching his stiff limbs as he asked, "So where do we go now? Do you have any leads? Where should we start apprehending people?"

"Unfortunately, I have no leads. Many people in the Sky Light Market don't have fixed residences since there's no need for sleep," Yue Fu weighed his words carefully. "But we can wait for the rabbit by the tree stump."

"Wait for the rabbit by the tree stump?" Lu Zigang raised an eyebrow. "You mean we can wait at the exit for the culprit to walk right into our trap?"

"But it's not that simple." Yue Fu pointed toward two directions in the market. "At both ends of the Sky Light Market, there's an archway. To leave, you simply choose one end and toss your token into the bronze urn beneath the archway. If the token is genuine, you can exit the Sky Light Market. If what you throw in isn't a token, it won't be returned—it'll be forever swallowed by that bronze urn."

"So, you're saying Helian's accomplice might have already left the Sky Light Market? Or, if we rush to the archways now, we'd have to choose one of the two?" Lu Zigang turned to Yue Fu beside him, his gaze full of skepticism.

Facing such a look, Yue Fu remained straight-backed and matter-of-fact. "The moment the incident occurred, I ordered two of my subordinates to keep watch at both archways. The fact that there's no news yet is a good sign. But human hearts are hard to predict. Brother Lu, it'd be best for you to choose one side and go check it out personally."

"Oh, then I'll take the right side." Lu Zigang made a casual choice and was about to stride off when he noticed Yue Fu wasn't following. He turned back in surprise and asked, "Aren't you coming with me? I'm not exactly a fighter on my own.""No, I shall accompany you. It's just... did you choose the right side so casually?" Yue Fu was somewhat stunned. He had thought Lu Zigang would at least consider it carefully, never expecting him to make a decision without hesitation.

"After all, it's either left or right, success or failure—a fifty percent chance either way. Even if I spend time pondering, hesitating, and wavering, the probability remains fifty percent. Why waste time?" Lu Zigang shrugged, not seeing this as a particularly difficult choice.

Yue Fu didn't fully grasp the concept of probability, but he could infer the meaning behind Lu Zigang's words. He gave him an appreciative glance and accompanied him toward the right-side archway. In the bustling market where people jostled shoulder to shoulder, the sight of Yue Fu in military attire automatically cleared a path for them, making their journey relatively smooth. They hadn't walked long before Lu Zigang saw the massive outline of the archway at the market's end, etched against the darkness.

The closer they got to the archway, the fewer people were in the market. Those content to remain in the Sky Light Market rarely ventured to such peripheral areas, while those with ulterior motives naturally couldn't reveal themselves openly. From a distance, Lu Zigang spotted the bronze urn beneath the archway—over a meter tall but with an extremely wide mouth, resembling a large vat that several people couldn't embrace. As they drew nearer, what caught Lu Zigang's attention wasn't the intricate and delicate patterns on the urn's surface, but the fact that it was filled to the brim with water. The water was deep and murky, and due to the windless conditions of the Sky Light Market, it lay as still as a mirror, exuding an indescribable eeriness.

"Don't touch it. This water will scald your skin upon contact," Yue Fu warned just as Lu Zigang was about to reach for the water's surface. "Initially, someone reached in to retrieve something, and their entire arm dissolved. They suffered unbearably, and their agonized cries echoed through the Sky Light Market for a long time."

"So, no matter what you throw in, it can never be retrieved, right?" Lu Zigang asked casually. Upon receiving Yue Fu's confirmation, he pulled a jade pendant from his pocket and made as if to toss it into the bronze urn.

"Wait!" Yue Fu, sharp-eyed, immediately reached out to stop him. He didn't dare get too close to Lu Zigang, fearing that the slightest tremor of his hand would send the jade pendant into the bronze urn.

"Oh? Why wait?" Lu Zigang tilted his head, his expression calm. "This Zichen pendant features openwork carving, with exquisite craftsmanship, complex layers, and a unique technique. Moreover, the Dragon's head is long and narrow, its eyes slender, the upper lip thin and long with an upturned tip. There seems to be a thick incised line separating the Dragon's neck from its shoulders, flame-like patterns on the upper part of its legs, a tail resembling a snake's, and three-clawed feet. Based on the carving technique and the Dragon's morphological characteristics, it's clearly identifiable as a work from the Song Dynasty.""How could it be such a coincidence? Two Zichen pendants appearing simultaneously, and standing before me is a man from the Song dynasty." Lu Zigang curled his lips in a smile, yet his eyes remained icy. "I suspect, Brother Yue, that when you apprehended Helian earlier, you witnessed his exchange with an accomplice. Instead of intervening, you took the opportunity to swap the Zichen pendant on your person with the stolen token of mine. With your skills, you could easily accomplish this undetected, and Helian's accomplice, likely aware it was a Zichen pendant, wouldn't have had time to second-guess in the rush."

"And what's even more clever is that you engaged in a barter exchange, which doesn't technically violate the rules of the Sky Light Market. Hah, I suppose that counts as exploiting a loophole."

"The Zichen pendant safeguards peace. After removing the peace lock at age twelve, children from well-off families typically wear a Zichen pendant." Lu Zigang rubbed the Zichen pendant in his hand twice and remarked, "This is fine jade. Judging by its luster, it must have been polished for at least sixty years."

As Lu Zigang spoke, Yue Fu's expression shifted repeatedly before finally settling into calm.

"Fu'er, come, don't be afraid."

Just four years old, Yue Fu stared at the young man in wooden cuffs, disheveled and covered in blood, barely recognizing him as the once heroic and mighty father he knew.

On the bustling streets of Lin'an, thousands of people had gathered spontaneously, yet an eerie silence prevailed, punctuated only by stifled sobs. The accusatory gazes felt like a death by a thousand cuts, putting immense pressure on the executioners shoving the young man forward, who lacked the courage to stop the interaction.

Fine, it's not like they're attempting a prison break—a slight delay won't hurt.

Pushed forward a few steps by his mother, Yue Fu clenched his small fists, gritted his teeth, and slowly approached the execution platform. The wooden stage, stained deep black by years of accumulated blood, emitted a nauseating stench.

"Father..." Yue Fu trembled as he called out. Though young, he could infer everything from his family's expressions and demeanor. Their household had been effectively under house arrest, his grandfather—who loved carrying him on horseback—hadn't returned in a long time, and his grandmother had fallen ill after weeping bitterly the night before, unable to rise that day. He had a premonition that this would be the last time he saw his father.

"Good boy, Father is going to join Grandfather. This belongs to the eldest grandson of the Yue family. I'd hoped to keep it a little longer, but it seems I must give it to you now." The young man smiled faintly, having long cast aside concerns of life and death, yet his heart ached at the sight of his family. He handed the Zichen pendant he'd been clutching to his toddling eldest son, his gaze shifting to his wife holding their infant less than a year old nearby, and earnestly instructed, "I don't expect my sons to become dragons; I only wish for them to live according to their own will."

Yue Fu was ruthlessly pulled away by the executioner, listening to his mother's heart-wrenching cries, watching helplessly as blood stained the sky.

He did not cry.

Instead, he lowered his head, staring at the Zichen pendant too large for his small hand to grasp fully, still smeared with his father's blood, his eyes burning with a hatred far beyond his years."So, you knew all along. That's why you didn't hesitate about which archway to choose—because as long as I followed you, it would work." Perhaps recalling childhood memories, Yue Fu's expression grew even colder.

Lu Zigang nodded with an air of profound mystery. Well, he wasn't about to tell Yue Fu that he'd acquired this Zichen pendant by trading a fruit candy with a Pomeranian at the enforcement hall while waiting idly. Oh, that Pomeranian did look a bit odd, with what appeared to be a smudge of blue stain on its forehead from who-knows-where.

Yue Fu retrieved the Zichen pendant that originally belonged to Lu Zigang from his chest and sighed deeply: "The Zichen pendant in your possession was originally worn by my grandfather, passed down to my father, and ultimately... to me."

Knowing that the grandfather and father Yue Fu referred to were the historically renowned Yue Fei and Yue Yun, Lu Zigang couldn't suppress his inner excitement. Still, he carefully concealed this excitement and calmly replied: "So, what should we do now? Should we exchange them, or not? Of course, I must objectively acknowledge that your decision carries more weight here—after all, I'm certainly no match for you in combat."

"But there's one point I must clarify." Lu Zigang waved the Zichen Pendant in his hand. "Regardless of which Zichen Pendant I hold, I will throw it into the bronze urn. This is beyond doubt."

Yue Fu clenched his right fist so tightly that veins bulged on the back of his hand. Clearly, Lu Zigang's proposal presented him with a difficult choice.

At the moment they exchanged the Zichen Pendants, he had resolved to retrieve his own pendant before leaving the Sky Light Market. He never expected this man to see through his plan so quickly. While leaving the Sky Light Market early to clear his grandfather and father's names was crucial, he had never considered sacrificing the family heirloom Zichen Pendant.

The pendant still bore traces of his father's blood, just like the hatred in his heart that had not diminished even for a single day.

Though his father's dying words had advised against following the same path or bearing the weight of national and family grudges, this was his own will. However, something this man said suddenly surfaced in his mind, giving him pause.

In any endeavor, the probability of success or failure is always fifty percent. Even with careful consideration and hesitation, it remains fifty percent. Why waste time?

So that's how it is...

It seemed he still had much to learn. "I've lost." Yue Fu stepped forward and offered his Zichen Pendant to Lu Zigang. "Let's exchange."

Lu Zigang accepted the exchange calmly. After all, the Sky Light Market operated on the principle of equivalent exchange, so he wasn't worried about Yue Fu trying any tricks at this point. As the long-lost pendant returned to his palm, Lu Zigang sentimentally traced its patterns. Since he would soon be throwing it into the bronze urn, he wanted to memorize its feel quickly. Perhaps he could even carve a replica as a keepsake after returning.

"Yue Fu." Someone called from behind. Yue Fu hurriedly tucked the Zichen Pendant into his robe before turning to greet the newly arrived Guo Fengxiao.

"So you were on this side after all! It seems the little brother's coin toss was quite accurate!" Guo Fengxiao laughed, waving his fan, his handsome face beaming with satisfaction. After all his careful planning, he had finally connected with Madam Shi, giving him more room to maneuver in his next move.

"That was divination! Using it for this is utterly wasteful! Of course it would be accurate for such a trivial matter!" Tang Yuan shook off Guo Fengxiao's hand disdainfully and dashed to Lu Zigang's side, holding up a braided love knot. "Uncle Lu, a very pretty auntie helped me make this!"

"Excellent. Coincidentally, Brother Yue Fu here helped me recover my Zichen Pendant. If all goes well, we can return home now." Lu Zigang lifted Tang Yuan up so he could reach the bronze urn.

While Lu Zigang spoke, Yue Fu guiltily averted his gaze, though he felt grateful that the other hadn't exposed his actions. Guo Fengxiao observed his reaction and seemed to guess everything, his smile deepening as he fanned himself more rapidly.

Lu Zigang and Tang Yuan simultaneously threw their tokens into the bronze urn. Ripples spread across the dark water surface, and as they expanded, light seemed to emanate from the water - growing from faint to intense, instantly enveloping them all in brightness.Suddenly emerging from pitch darkness into light, both of them had to shut their eyes against the glare. When they reopened them, they found themselves standing in the morning sunlight, surrounded by scattered waste. Occasionally, the morning breeze would sweep by, sending a few plastic bags dancing around them.

"Hey! You two brats, where did you run off to? Your phones were unreachable! Made me walk back and forth several times! Damn it! Must be getting old and useless—thought I saw the Boss at the ghost market, but then he vanished in a blink. Next thing I knew, you two disappeared too! I really thought I'd seen ghosts!" The Curator's grumbling voice rang in their ears, feeling far more real than the dreamlike scenes of the Sky Light Market.

At the moment the dawn broke, the ghost market had long since packed up, leaving behind a desolate wasteland that looked bleak and lonely in the morning light.

"So it really is the Sky Light Market..." Lu Zigang murmured to himself.

"I'm hungry, I want fried chicken," Tang Yuan whined.

"Fried chicken, my foot! I'm sending you home right now! And I'll have a good talk with your parents!" the Curator roared.

"Please, no! Buy me fried chicken first!" Tang Yuan put on a pitiful face, though inwardly he was delighted, feeling the trip had been worthwhile.

In his pocket, not only was there a little white snake curled up fast asleep, but also a newly braided Chinese knot.

According to Madam Shi, this wasn't an ordinary knot—it was a mother-child knot.

And this mother-child knot also served as a token to enter and exit the Sky Light Market.

At the same time, under the archway on the other side of the Sky Light Market.

The Boss took out the Qin half-liang coin from his hand and, noticing Fusu's distracted expression, turned to him in confusion.

Fusu snapped out of it and pulled out his own coin from his pocket. Afraid the Boss would notice the corpse spots on the back of his hand, he didn't raise it like the Boss did.

"Had enough of this place?" Perhaps because things had gone smoothly, the Boss was in a fairly good mood and teased him with a smile.

Fusu forced a smile. "It's quite an interesting place here."

"Was it the books you couldn't get enough of? No matter, tell me what you want to read after we leave, and I'll transcribe them all for you from memory." Thinking he had guessed why Fusu was reluctant to leave, the Boss smiled. But as his gaze drifted toward the winding lights of the Sky Light Market in the darkness, his smile gradually faded.

"I have plenty of these Qin half-liang coins to use as tokens for entry and exit, and I have the Luoshu Nine Stars Compass to locate the ghost market's entrance. But I really don't like coming to the Sky Light Market."

"Why?"

"Because the people wandering here are all trapped beasts. To be precise..." A trace of inexplicable sorrow crossed the Boss's face, "To be precise, they are mere wandering spirits. Though alive, in a way, they are already dead."

Fusu fell silent for a long moment, then flicked the Qin half-liang coin in his hand into the bronze urn with his finger. The coin made a faint, muffled sound before sinking into the dark water.

"Let's go."

(End of Chapter)