Chapter 337: Lady Calico Can Also Exorcize Demons

“The guest has left?”

Heroine Wu poked half her body out from the doorway.

Inside, the Daoist had just finished washing the dishes and emerged from the back room. The little girl was wiping the table with a cloth. Being short, with small hands and a wide table, she had to lean her entire little body across the table, one hand holding the cloth and the other propping herself up, to cover the entire surface.

Hearing Heroine Wu's voice, both the Daoist and the little girl paused their actions and turned to look at the half-visible figure at the doorway.

Only then did Heroine Wu step out from behind the wall.

The little girl froze in her table-wiping pose, her head turned and staring intently at Heroine Wu. Her gaze dropped to Heroine Wu's hands, noting she wasn’t holding a book, and she breathed a sigh of relief. But her expression quickly shifted to one of anticipation as she asked eagerly, “Are you here to ask me for guidance?”

“Nope.”

“Then is someone requesting for me to exorcise demons and vanquish evil!?”

“How’d you know? I was just coming to tell you, but I saw you were entertaining a guest and decided to come back later.”

“...!”

The little girl’s expression immediately became serious, her grip on the cloth tightening as she turned to stare unblinkingly at Heroine Wu.

However, Heroine Wu shifted her gaze away from the little girl and instead looked at the Daoist.

“Who was that just now?” she asked.

“General Chen Ziyi,” the Daoist replied.

“Ah, the newly titled Marquis of Wuan, the undefeated general of legend,” Heroine Wu said, clicking her tongue and shaking her head. Though she had long since stopped working intelligence for the princess, her instincts seemed harder to shake. “How many warriors dream of either entering the Dao through martial arts like Shu Yifan, or achieving unmatched victory on the battlefield like General Chen Ziyi?”

“And what about you, Heroine?”

“I’m a woman, and if not for the blood feud in my family, I might never have achieved this level of martial skill, even if I practiced. Naturally, I have no interest in joining the military or earning merit on the battlefield,” Heroine Wu said. “Still, I know he’s an extraordinary figure. There are countless warriors who revere him. My friend in the Wude Division holds him in high esteem.”

“I see.”

“I’ve heard people say that the northern garrison under his command could sweep across Great Yan. Is that true?”

“I’m no expert in military formations, but the north has seen years of warfare. The northern garrison accounts for nearly half of Great Yan’s forces, and they’re all seasoned soldiers...” The Daoist gave his honest assessment.

“Truly remarkable,” Heroine Wu said, clicking her tongue in admiration.

The little girl, however, continued to stare at her fixedly.

Heroine Wu, evidently more intrigued by General Chen Ziyi’s story, soon added, “It’s a pity he has no rebellious intent and nearly came to Changjing alone. If he had ambitions of rebellion, he would be even more impressive. In today’s Great Yan, rebellion isn’t easy, but for someone like him, it wouldn’t be that difficult either.

“With his power, if he rebelled—even if he didn’t succeed, he’d still be a force to be reckoned with. But now, he’s left in Changjing, his fate subject to the whims of the emperor and the civil officials.”

“You have sharp insights, Heroine,” the Daoist said as he dried his hands, offering a polite compliment.

Heroine Wu was right about one thing: rebellion for someone of General Chen’s stature wouldn’t be as difficult as one might think, even if it wouldn’t be simple either.

The northern garrison was not only vast and exceptionally elite, but it also effectively controlled several northern provinces, making it the largest military power in Great Yan. Historically, unless an emperor retained the army that won the nation’s throne as a central guard or imperial force, it was rare for any imperial guards to match the strength of the border armies, let alone an army like the northern garrison.

If the northern garrison harbored rebellion and swept south, even if the court recalled troops from the western frontier, they might not be able to stop them.

However, Great Yan was currently at the height of its golden age. It was a land where nations came to pay tribute and foreigners dreamed of living. The economy thrived, and both commoners and soldiers held a strong sense of pride and belonging to Great Yan.

Their loyalty to the empire made them naturally protective of it, unwilling to see it destroyed by their own hands. Even with General Chen’s immense prestige, it was uncertain whether the entire army would follow him if he raised a rebellion.

However, in these times, with information so limited, it was easy for soldiers and officers to be misled. With a proper excuse and careful manipulation, perhaps rebellion might seem more plausible.

And excuses were all too easy to fabricate these days.

Lady Calico, meanwhile, was internally beside herself with impatience. Though, her face remained serious, her brows furrowing tighter and tighter. Seeing the adults engrossed in their conversation, she didn’t dare interrupt and could only anxiously wait, turning her head back and forth between Heroine Wu and the Daoist as they spoke.

She watched Heroine Wu when she talked, then the Daoist when it was his turn. She agonized over why they were talking for so long.

“If the north were to fall into chaos, it would likely spell a great catastrophe for the entire empire. Countless lives would be lost, and Great Yan would descend from its peak into decline—perhaps in just a single night. Out of nearly 200 million citizens, who knows how many would perish,” the Daoist said.

“Now that you put it that way, it makes me think it’s even more remarkable that he harbors no rebellious intent,” Heroine Wu replied.

“Perhaps...” Song You murmured, reflecting on what he knew about General Chen.

Throughout history, those who wielded great power often owed their rise to luck and coincidence. Some had stumbled through their early paths in a haze, only to find clarity and purpose once they gained momentum. One misstep, and they might never have risen to power at all. Even heroes and legends were often products of their times.

General Chen’s ascent, however, owed little to luck or coincidence. While he had benefited from circumstances—specifically, the northern frontier tribes’ massive invasion—much of his success was self-earned. Without that invasion, even his extraordinary talent might not have granted him control over such a powerful army so quickly. However, he ultimately depended on himself for his success.

At just over ten years old, he joined the army as a duelist. In his very first battle, he defeated a renowned northern general. Over the next twenty-odd years, whether in single combat or commanding troops, he never suffered a defeat.

Without him, Great Yan’s current prosperity might not exist.

There was something in General Chen’s heart—something that had driven him to this point, that made him invincible and earned him the loyalty of his soldiers and the admiration of the people. But such traits were rarely one-sided blessings. They were double-edged swords. Now, those same qualities restrained him, preventing him from taking certain actions.

Even if it meant his death.

Song You understood the purpose of General Chen’s visit today. Beyond seeking solace and venting his frustrations, there was a subtle plea for help. He didn’t want to rebel. Nor did he want to die. Perhaps he didn’t even want to relinquish his power entirely.

If General Chen were to die, the world would lose a legendary general of unparalleled merit. If the north were to rebel, Great Yan would descend into chaos, resulting in a catastrophe where casualties might be counted in the tens of millions. What was even more terrifying was that these two outcomes were not mutually exclusive—General Chen could die in Changjing, and the northern garrison might still revolt.

Fortunately, these outcomes were not inevitable.

It was also possible that neither would come to pass.

If the Emperor summoned Song You to the palace again and asked for his thoughts on General Chen, Song You would naturally be willing to assist him. Helping a legendary general would also mean helping the common people of the world.

Though it wasn’t so much “helping” as it was simply offering his honest opinions and perspectives.

“

Ah

...” The Daoist sighed deeply.

Heroine Wu let the topic drop.

But then, for some reason, she felt a pair of eyes fixed on her. Turning toward the gaze, she found a pretty yet expressionless little face staring at her intently.

“Ms. Calico, what’s the matter?” Heroine Wu asked.

Lady Calico looked at her, then at the Daoist, confirming that their conversation was finished before asking, “Who is requesting for me to exorcise demons and vanquish evil?”

“Oh, I almost forgot...”

Heroine Wu slapped her forehead, then sat down and explained in detail, “It’s outside Changjing, at Peach Blossom Village. You know, near the Peach Blossom Peaks where the Daoist and I once dealt with the ghost of the courtesan. That place is likely cursed with bad feng shui. A couple of years ago, zombies started causing trouble there again.”

“Zombies?” Lady Calico stared at her, holding the cloth in her hand.

“Yes, zombies,” Heroine Wu replied. “Apparently, it started a while ago, but at first, it wasn’t very serious. They only stole chickens or livestock to eat. The villagers reported it to the authorities, and the government sent people to investigate. But back then, the thing was very cunning.

“No one dared search for it at night, and during the day, it hid in some deep mountain grave, so the constables couldn’t find it. Later, it’s said that ghost soldiers passed through the area, and somehow, the zombie devoured both the ghost soldiers and the spirits they were escorting. After a while, it grew stronger and started eating humans.

“Now it only comes out at night, but it no longer hides when it sees people. Ordinary constables are powerless against it, and it even killed two of them recently.”

Lady Calico said, “Sounds like it’s really powerful!”

“Indeed...”

Although Heroine Wu was speaking to Lady Calico, her attitude was as serious and respectful as it had been when addressing Song You three years ago.

She explained the information she had gathered in as much detail as possible, without a hint of condescension, “This kind of malevolent creature appearing so close to the capital would normally warrant the deployment of troops to eradicate it. If the imperial guards went, no matter how fearsome the creature, even if it were immune to blades and arrows, it wouldn’t stand up to crossbows or siege weapons.

“However, while Changjing appears peaceful on the surface, last year’s turmoil hasn’t fully settled, and there are new undercurrents stirring. So no one has sent soldiers to suppress it.”

“Oh...” Lady Calico nodded as if she understood, though she really didn’t. She was merely imitating the Daoist’s demeanor from before.

“Instead, the local villagers and officials pooled money to hire people to deal with it. I heard that some reckless martial artists took the job, hoping to earn some money and establish themselves in Changjing. But the creature is already immune to blades and arrows, and ordinary fighters from the

jianghu

can’t handle it easily.

“They even hired some folk practitioners, who tried various traditional methods, but those only treated the symptoms, not the cause. When my old friend at the Wude Division told me about it, I thought of you guys—oh, I mean you, Lady Calico.”

She looked at Lady Calico as she finished her explanation.

“What do you think?”

“What do I think!”

“Will you take the job?”

“I will take it!”

“Lady Calico, you’re quite bold!”

“I have wolves, tigers, and even a Mountain God! I can also breathe fire, which is the best for burning evil creatures,” the little girl said with a solemn expression. “I’ve already destroyed many zombies before.”

“Lady Calico, you possess vast divine powers and immense magical strength...”

“...”

The little girl stood there, her face expressionless, but inside, she was thinking hard—recalling how the Daoist priest had spoken three years ago and trying to decide how she should respond now.

“So, how will I get there?”

“The government will send someone to pick you up tomorrow.”

“Got it!”

The little girl withdrew her gaze and then leaned back over the table, resuming her task of carefully wiping it down.