Chapter 38

Zhang Yulin still hadn't caught on. "What second disaster?"

"A snow calamity," Lin Yu said.

Jiangnan, a place that might not see snow once in a decade, had now been buried under heavy snowfall for five straight days—even the rivers had frozen solid. If the snow stopped within the next couple of days, the county records would simply note an unprecedented blizzard that year.

That would be normal enough, just a matter of probability. But what if this was a calamity, and the snow simply never stopped?

Zhang Yulin's brow twitched. Only now did she grasp the gravity of the situation, and a flicker of panic crept into her voice. "N-No way, right? Snow in winter is perfectly normal. It's just heavier this year, but it can't be that bad."

Even as she spoke, Zhang Yulin bit her lip, uncertainty and dread clouding her eyes.

"When will this snow ever stop..."

Lin Yu shook her head. The stove crackled away, filling the room with unusual warmth, yet Lin Yu felt nothing but bone-deep cold.

Hu Sheng continued to mutter, "Disaster... disaster is coming..."

Yu Jia pushed the door open with warm water and a towel. The moment he stepped inside, he sensed something unusually oppressive in the air, but neither Lin Yu nor Zhang Yulin so much as glanced at him.

He carried the water to the bedside and finally saw the grave look on Lin Yu's face. Hu Sheng on the bed looked no better than a corpse; even after all this time, not a trace of life had returned to his features.

Seeing that neither woman spoke and the atmosphere was so heavy, Yu Jia ventured, "Is he... dead?"

Zhang Yulin kicked him square in the leg. "Shut up! You'd better pray he's fine!"

Their top priority now was to bring Hu Sheng back and confirm which calamity he was talking about. If this snow really was a divine disaster, they were utterly screwed!

Under ordinary circumstances, it might not have been so dire, but this calamity had chosen the one year when fortunes were upside down, counterfeit coins ran rampant, and people were starving.

The poor always suffered most in winter.

Lin Yu dipped the towel in warm water and gently wiped Hu Sheng's skin. Suddenly she called out, "Imperial Preceptor?"

Whenever Lin Yu needed something, she'd use formal titles to soften her request. But Yu Jia didn't catch on and answered blankly, "At your service."

Lin Yu gave an enigmatic smile. "You know astrology, don't you?"

"I know a bit..." He glanced at Hu Sheng on the bed and trailed off.

Astrology was a required course for cultivators, and the Cultivation Academy had always offered it as a basic class. But most people only learned the fundamentals—enough to read the sky, nothing more.

Ever since Hu Sheng had been struck by divine punishment, cultivators had practically abandoned divination practices like astrology.

Lin Yu said, "I'd like to trouble you to read the heavens."

Yu Jia: ?

Puzzled, he asked anyway, "What should I look for?"

...

Out in the snowfield.

Fu Ming's blade slit the last rebel's throat, hot blood splattering onto the hem of his robe. He flicked the fabric, a hint of barely perceptible displeasure crossing his face.

The ground ahead was littered with scattered corpses slumped in the snow. Fu Ming sheathed Qingxian and said casually to the Golden Guard behind him, "Clean this up."

"Search again for any leftover stolen goods."

Fu Ming surveyed the blood. Those who should die were dead, those who should be judged were judged. With this, the counterfeit gold and silver case had finally come to a close.

"Your Majesty, the Xianzun sent you a letter." A Mingzhao Guard came to report.

Without so much as raising an eyelid, Fu Ming walked on. "Burn it."

The guard hesitated. "But... the Xianzun said the letter is of utmost importance and should be shown to the Divine Maiden as well..."

Fu Ming stopped mid-step and turned. "Bring it, then."

The guard presented the letter, and Fu Ming took it without opening it. He had little interest in its contents.

Fu Ming asked, "How is the Xianzun these days?"

The guard replied, "Not well, by the look of it. His hair has gone completely white."

Fu Ming curved his lips. "Seems it's time to find a new Xianzun. You may go."

The guard withdrew and soon vanished into the heavy snow. The snowfield had been cleared, the dismembered corpses dragged away, and the blood-stained snow shoveled off along with them.

Fresh snow quickly filled the gaps, as if nothing had ever happened here.

Fu Ming looked up at the sky. Snowflakes drifted everywhere like willow catkins, dotting the vast gray heavens. He reached out a hand, and a single snowflake landed in his warm palm, melting into a puddle of bloody water.

Fu Ming's hands were always stained with the blood of different people. Slaughter seemed to cling to him like an endless curse.

He rubbed his fingers as the snow melted in his palm, then walked off into the wind and snow.

...

Hu Sheng didn't wake until deep into the night. When he opened his eyes, the room was crowded with people, all staring at him with urgent eyes.

Instinctively, he bolted upright in bed, scrambling back against the wall and hugging his knees. Fear flickered in his gaze.

Clutching the blanket, he pointed at the unfamiliar faces before him. "Who are you people?! Stay back!"

His shout sent everyone stumbling backward. Lin Yu noticed that the finger he held aloft was trembling.

She cautiously stepped forward, moving closer. Hu Sheng cried out in alarm, "You—don't come near!"

Lin Yu closed in and grabbed his flailing hand, holding it still. She whispered softly, "Uncle Hu, it's me, Jiyue. Take a look at me."

Lin Jiyue had been Lin Yu's name in her youth. Ji—the ceasing of rain. Lin Yu hadn't spoken that name in years, and saying it now felt like a lifetime ago.

At the familiar name, Hu Sheng froze. He murmured, "Jiyue?"

"Yes, Uncle Hu, it's me." Lin Yu held his hand and, in the same motion, pressed her fingers to his pulse. Lowering her lashes, she signaled to those behind her.

Zhang Yulin immediately pulled Yu Jia out to fetch the medicine.

Seeing an old acquaintance, Hu Sheng's emotions gradually steadied. His eyes swept over Lin Yu's appearance—the woman before him was a far cry from the child in his memory, and he scarcely dared to recognize her.

Hu Sheng still cowered in the corner of the bed, his back pressed against the wall. Yu Jia entered with the medicine, Zhang Yulin trailing behind him, warily sizing up Hu Sheng.

After downing a bowl of medicine, Hu Sheng finally calmed, though he still looked skittish. The room fell into silence.

Then Yu Jia walked over to Lin Yu, and she instantly felt a sense of dread. She glanced outside—the sky was pitch black, with a few scattered stars twinkling in the distance.

Earlier, Lin Yu had asked Yu Jia when the snow would stop.

She looked at him now, and sure enough, Yu Jia shook his head. He said quietly, "My skills are shallow. I cannot read the heavens' will."

Lin Yu pressed her lips together and said nothing. Unexpectedly, Hu Sheng caught the faint exchange. The weathered face that had seen so much finally showed a shift in expression.

Hu Sheng looked up at Yu Jia. "You study astrology too?"

Yu Jia started. "Yes."

Hu Sheng set down the medicine bowl. "Who was your master?"

Yu Jia answered honestly, "I've had quite a few masters..." He didn't know where to begin, since he changed masters every two years and had attended various Cultivation Academies across the Yu Kingdom.

Lin Yu added, "He's the Imperial Preceptor of the Yu Kingdom."

Hu Sheng's eyes lit up. He threw off the blanket and sat up on the edge of the bed, as if all his strength had returned at once.

Yu Jia was startled by the sudden movement. "May I ask what you wish to consult me about?"

Hu Sheng waved Lin Yu and Zhang Yulin away. "Jiyue, take this young lady outside. Your uncle has something to discuss with the Imperial Preceptor."

Lin Yu said nothing and left with Zhang Yulin.

Zhang Yulin pressed her ear to the door, straining to hear what was said inside, but not a single sound leaked through the crack.

Lin Yu tugged her away. "Come on, stop eavesdropping."

Zhang Yulin sighed. Both women seemed to carry heavy burdens, and neither spoke for a while.

Lin Yu leaned against the railing, gazing down at the guest hall below. Snow was falling heavily outside, and the hall sat empty except for a waiter bustling about, hauling in new crates of wine.

Suddenly, the door swung open, letting in wind and snow.

Zhang Yulin recalled what Lin Yu had said to Hu Sheng earlier and tested the name. "Jiyue?"

Lin Yu answered softly, "Mm."

Zhang Yulin felt the name was familiar—she must have heard it somewhere. But she racked her brain until it ached and still couldn't remember. Her memory had never been her strong suit, so she gave up.

Lin Yu's gaze fixed on the door. A tall, graceful man in dark robes stepped inside—it was Fu Ming. Her eyes followed him as he climbed the stairs.

"But I don't like that name," Lin Yu said.

It wasn't that she disliked it—it was more that she feared it. Feared the name Lin Jiyue. That name had once brought about a catastrophe that killed her parents and left her and Lin Zhao orphans.

Zhang Yulin heard the weight behind Lin Yu's words and didn't press further. Noticing Lin Yu was distracted, she followed her gaze. Fu Ming walked through the wind and snow up to Lin Yu.

"A letter for you from the Xianzun."

Fu Ming hadn't read it. Curious, Lin Yu tore open the envelope, skimmed the contents, and casually held the paper to the candle flame nearby.

The fire licked the black-and-white letter, and the candle flared. Zhang Yulin asked, "What did the Xianzun say?"

Lin Yu crushed the ash. "Nothing much. Just urging us to hurry back and prepare for the Spring Sacrifice."

The Spring Sacrifice was a ritual held after New Year's Eve, where the people prayed for a year of favorable weather and good fortune. As the first rite of the new year, the Xianzun took it quite seriously.

Zhang Yulin nodded, losing interest.

Lin Yu asked, "How's the counterfeiting case going?"

Fu Ming replied, "All resolved. Those who sought to profit from it and attacked the imperial troops were executed. The common folk involved have been imprisoned. Once the stolen goods are tallied, they'll be destroyed."

Lin Yu said, "Don't destroy them yet. Give some to the people to help them through the winter; destroy the rest."

Fu Ming looked puzzled. "Why?"

All the confiscated goods were counterfeit. Letting fake currency circulate through the markets would be a disaster—prices would skyrocket, and the confusion with genuine imperial coin would make it even harder to clean up.

Destroying it all now, then sending people to inspect the copper coins already in circulation and swap out the fakes—that was the fastest way to end this mess.

Lin Yu said with concern, "This snow won't be stopping anytime soon."

Fu Ming asked, "Why?"

Just then, Yu Jia and Hu Sheng pushed the door open and came out. Seeing Fu Ming, Hu Sheng's expression shifted.

Like Lin Yu, Fu Ming had changed greatly over ten years, and Hu Sheng could scarcely recognize him.

Hu Sheng still remembered the day he first arrived in the Imperial City and met Fu Ming. Back then, Hu Sheng had been full of vigor and ambition—but the years had been brutal.

Hu Sheng quickly averted his gaze from Fu Ming. Picking up Lin Yu's thread, he said, "Last night, before I passed out, I was afraid I might die out there, so I already sent word to spread the news—this heavy snow is the second calamity after the wildfire."

Fu Ming's brow twitched. Watching Hu Sheng calmly utter the word "calamity," he felt a foreboding dread.

The words hit like a boulder cast into still water, ripples spreading outward. Lin Yu's pupils contracted.

"What did you say?" Lin Yu demanded.

Yu Jia looked deflated. "By now, quite a few people already know how serious this snow is..."

Just then, Zhou Yu burst in from outside, panicked. "Something's wrong! Some townsfolk heard Jiangnan was struck by divine punishment and have started offering themselves as sacrifices—immolating themselves to beg heaven for mercy! It's causing chaos out there!"