Knowing the Face but Not the Heart

"Draw even a single line of an incantation incorrectly, and the entire talisman is ruined." "You mean Lu Yao drew it wrong and that's why it didn't take effect?" He Lingchuan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "For something intended as a trump card to save his life, no matter how reckless he was, he shouldn't have been so careless, should he?" "I have heard of Lu Yao's reputation. Known as the Cannibal General, he came from crude, outlaw beginnings." Li Qingge smiled faintly. "Still, you are right. The brushwork on this talisman is practiced and meticulous, displaying years of mastery. It should not be something Lu Yao could produce." "This is just an ordinary talisman, depicting a Wind-Calming Technique..." Li Qingge stopped mid-sentence. She picked up the talisman paper and held it close to the brazier to examine it against the glow. She brought it closer and closer. He Lingchuan thought she was about to toss the paper into the fire and was about to speak when the talisman caught fire with a soft whoosh. "Hey!" If you can't figure it out, there's no need to burn it! That's rations for my divine bone! He Lingchuan moved to snatch it back, but Li Qingge clamped a hand firmly down on his arm. "Be patient!" Her tone was resolute and stern, a stark contrast to her previous gentleness. The flames burned out in a matter of moments. Miraculously, the talisman paper remained intact and undamaged, though the air was now tainted with the acrid scent of smoke. "As I thought." Li Qingge turned the talisman toward him. "Look again." He Lingchuan stared intently. It still appeared to be red writing on black paper, but the strokes and patterns seemed somewhat different now. "This is its true form?" Li Qingge did not answer immediately. She smoothed it flat on the table once more, studying it closely. "I have only ever seen this kind of talisman mentioned in ancient texts. I never expected to see an actual specimen today." Her expression turned solemn. "This is a God-Entreating Incantation." "What does it do?" "To use one's own body as a vessel, entreating a god to descend and manifest supreme divine power." So when Lu Yao swallowed the talisman back then, he wasn't trying to save himself or flee—he intended to summon a deity down from above to unleash an ultimate strike and slaughter all his enemies? He had no intention of surviving; he wanted people dragged down to the grave with him. Lu Yao truly lived up to his reputation as a ferocious outlaw. "How is that different from divine descent?" "You have heard of divine descent as well?" Li Qingge glanced at him. "A divine descent requires long, meticulous preparations beforehand. The god will descend into a predesignated vessel capable of bearing its power. The God-Entreating Incantation, on the other hand, is an impromptu entreaty, and the sacrificial vessel offered might not even meet the god's standards." "Can one entreat any god?" "Of course not," Li Qingge said with a smile. "Gods do not appreciate being slighted. The talisman crafter must pray and communicate beforehand—in other words, make prior arrangements—requesting that the deity descend should trouble arise. Thus, every completed talisman corresponds to a specific deity." "Then which god does this one correspond to?" "That is unknown. The correspondence exists in the unseen realm; it is not shown on the talisman," Li Qingge said softly. "I have heard that the price of divine descent is immense, to say nothing of a God-Entreating Incantation like this. When someone must resort to it, they are either cornered with no way out or at the end of their tether. Therefore, the tribute is paid to the god in advance, and when the mortal swallows the talisman, it calls upon the deity to appear and aid them. When Lu Yao swallowed the talisman and not a single god answered, no wonder he was so astonished." Understood. It was like a check meant to be cashed when the time came—except Lu Yao's check bounced. A god actually breaking its word—Lu Yao's despair and confusion could easily be imagined. After grasping this, a wave of lingering dread washed over He Lingchuan. "Good thing the god didn't give a damn about him. Otherwise, none of us present would have survived?" "More or less." Li Qingge poured herself a fresh cup of hot tea. "I have never witnessed a god descend, so I cannot speak to its full might. But if it was meant to be used as a trump card, its power could hardly be weak. I suspect this was not crafted by Lu Yao either; it likely came from the hand of Hong Xiangqian." Hong Xiangqian held the title of Holy Master, so being able to communicate with celestial gods wouldn't be surprising, would it? "Why didn't the god come?" If Hong Xiangqian had crafted this talisman, it ought to have been reliable. Moreover, the price would have been paid in advance by Hong Xiangqian, leaving Lu Yao to simply use it. "That is hard to say." Li Qingge pondered for a long while. "Perhaps the talisman itself still had flaws; after all, there are no standard texts to cross-reference for secret arts of this kind. Or perhaps the god looked down on Lu Yao and couldn't be bothered to exert power on his behalf—Hong Xiangqian was already dead, after all, and in principle this talisman was a pact between Hong Xiangqian and the deity. Or perhaps... the god was occupied and couldn't attend in person?" "In any case, it comes back to that same truth—" She pushed the talisman forward, her smile blooming like a flower. "Young Master He truly is blessed with good fortune. To stumble into luck that is one in ten thousand like this..." "It seems I should go back and have a good drink to calm my nerves." He Lingchuan tucked the talisman away, thanked Li Qingge, and took his leave. The Marquis of Songyang watched his retreating figure, lost in thought. A short while later, Li Fubo came to pay his respects, having just brushed past He Lingchuan on the road here. The Marquis of Songyang discussed with him adjustments to the saber-planting method. Since the saber's nature was remarkably active, the duration of the planting might be shortened to within ten days. Once official matters were settled, Li Qingge asked Li Fubo, "You have been at He Lingchuan's side for seven or eight days now. What do you make of him?" Li Fubo thought it over. "Aside from a preference for cultivation and martial training, he is no different from the typical scion of a wealthy family. He is somewhat brash and straightforward, and he spends money lavishly, which is why people in the army don't dislike him." "Brash and straightforward?" The Marquis of Songyang smiled faintly. "Spirit artifacts choose their masters. Do you believe Zhong Shengguang's legacy saber would recognize a crude brute as its master?" Li Fubo shook his head. "This subordinate believes that when a spirit artifact chooses its master, it does not consider temperament or disposition—only fierce valor and courage." The Marquis of Songyang mused, "Then at least he possesses those four words." He Chunhua was deeply calculating, while his eldest son, He Lingchuan, was brash and straightforward. Was that truly the case? Just then, a maidservant entered to report, "Commercial reports from the northern demon kingdom branch have arrived." "Bring them in." A messenger was admitted with the letters. Li Fubo took the opportunity to take his leave. ... Since there was no way to learn anything useful from the black talisman, He Lingchuan casually fed it to the divine bone necklace before heading back to the post station. To his surprise, both He Chunhua and Madam Ying were present. The moment Madam Ying saw him, she pressed, "You spoke with the Marquis of Songyang for so long—what did the two of you talk about?" "We discussed the plan for reforging the broken blade, and I asked her to analyze an item Lu Yao left behind." He Lingchuan yawned. "The almond tea at her place was good. That's all." "What item?" He Chunhua asked. "A black talisman I picked off Lu Yao's body." He Lingchuan shrugged. "Turns out it was an incantation to entreat a god to descend and seek vengeance. He used it, but it didn't take effect. Sigh, I walked right past the gates of hell without even knowing it." "Let me see it." He Chunhua held out a hand toward him. "Gone." He Lingchuan scratched his head. "The patterns on it only showed when brought near fire, and I accidentally burned it to ash." He Chunhua gave an "Oh," seemingly unconcerned. Madam Ying, however, let out a soft sigh. "The Marquis of Songyang is quite pitiful too, becoming a widow at such a young age." "She...?" She was married before? He Lingchuan froze in surprise. Never mind. He was tired of having to ask, "Why did no one tell me?" Madam Ying, pleased by her eldest son's responsive look, continued, "Li Qingge was married at sixteen to Fan Linong, the Director of the Palace Library. It was an arranged match by her grandfather, who went to great lengths for her sake. I heard that Master Fan possessed both brilliant talent and striking looks, the youngest Director of the Palace Library since the founding of our Great Yuan, making them a match made in heaven. Alas, he lacked the fortune to enjoy the beauty's grace for long. Less than two years after they wed, he died of illness at the age of twenty-nine. Truly, heaven grew jealous of genius." The Director of the Palace Library was the head of the Palace Library department, overseeing classical texts, archives, astronomy, and the calendar. While the official rank sounded prestigious, in truth it was akin to the curator of a national library, wielding no real political power in this dynasty. It seemed the previous Marquis of Songyang understood well the perils of high office and vast power, choosing an idle husband for his granddaughter far removed from the center of political storms. He Chunhua chuckled softly. "Where did Madam hear this from?" Madam Ying cast a sidelong glance at him. "The prominent clans of Shihuan City know everything." During her time in Shihuan City, she had made plenty of friends, making her far better informed than before. "Didn't Master say that we shouldn't let a single stir in the capital slip by?" "Fan Linong was indeed talented, and he indeed died young, but it was not from illness." He Chunhua turned to instruct Housekeeper Lao Mo to attend to a task first before resuming, "He backed the wrong side during the succession struggle. When the current King ascended the throne and instituted reforms, Fan Linong poured cold water and scathing criticism upon them, asserting that the reforms were weak and ineffective, and extolling the enlightened governance of the northern demon kingdom. Later, someone reported him for sympathizing with rebels and secretly aiding insurrection, submitting evidence of his guilt. The King had his head chopped off." He asked deliberately, "Guess who reported him?" He Lingchuan looked toward Madam Ying, whose face was filled with shock. Colluding with the enemy and treason were capital offenses. If the evidence was solid, why hadn't the trial been made public, and why had Fan Linong's true cause of death been concealed under the guise of an illness? Furthermore, why was Li Qingge completely unharmed, free to manage her Songyang Mansion in peace? And why was the Fan family left untouched, free from guilt by association? The answer was all too obvious. Madam Ying hesitated before asking tentatively, "Could it be... Li Qingge?" "‘Someone secretly delivered evidence of guilt into the palace and presented it before the sovereign’—those were the exact words. I do not know for certain if it was the Marquis of Songyang. Perhaps only the King and the informant themselves know the truth." He Chunhua leaned back against the chair. "However, I heard that the Marquis of Songyang had entered the palace just two days before Fan Linong was arrested. Few people know of this; the King deliberately kept it quiet." Madam Ying pressed a hand to her chest, her voice trembling. "What a vicious, ruthless heart that woman has!" She and He Chunhua shared a blissful marriage and smooth fortunes; she could not fathom how any woman could turn in her own husband. Still, hearing this put her largely at ease. Since her husband knew the Marquis of Songyang had the heart of a viper, he would surely be on his guard against her, wouldn't he? He Lingchuan was astonished as well. Was this truly a case of knowing the face, but not the heart? At that moment, Housekeeper Lao Mo entered to report, "Master, everyone has arrived." He Chunhua straightened immediately. "Send them in." Seeing that he had official business to conduct, Madam Ying hurried out of the room. Before reaching Dunyu, He Chunhua intended to convene his subordinates for another council. This time, attendance was complete: the He family father and his two sons, Zeng Feixiong, Wu Shaoyi, Zhao Qinghe, Mozhe Jingxuan, as well as three newly promoted officers of the Auxiliary Army had all assembled. These were the core subordinates He Chunhua trusted. Before speaking, he handed each of his men a green-skinned bamboo cylinder, its opening sealed with a stopper.