Chapter 349: The Fox Knows How to Have Fun

“Daoist priest, when will spring begin?”

The cat’s voice broke the Daoist’s reverie. He looked down and met her amber-like eyes, clear and bright.

“In a little over a month.”

“A little over a month!”

“What’s wrong?”

“We’ll be leaving Changjing again, won’t we?”

“Yes.”

“That means we won’t see her anymore, will we?” The calico cat turned her head to glance outside, clearly referring to the departing Heroine Wu. “Just like Sir Shu from before.”

“Perhaps it will be many years before we meet again.”

“I see...”

“Do you find it hard to part with her?”

“Hmm...” The cat tilted her head up to stare at him. Her eyes were stunning, filled with curiosity and thought, yet still pure.

After a moment, she said, “I just think she isn’t too bright. Without me, it might take her a long time to learn her letters properly. But I also think she’s impressive—she might learn very quickly.”

“Are you worried she might unknowingly surpass you?”

“...”

The cat stared blankly at him. She wanted to refute him, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, she just kept staring at him, dazed.

“This,” the Daoist said to her, “is what we call ‘becoming attached.’”

“Is this what ‘becoming attached’ means?”

“It’s one form of it, called ‘missing someone.’”

“Hmm?”

“Lady Calico, you might not know this, but there are countless forms of becoming attached. Some are easy to notice—we recognize them immediately. Others are deeply hidden and take a long time to realize,” the Daoist explained calmly to the cat in front of him.

Seeing her thoughtful expression, he quickly added, “But if you don't want to be surpassed by your former student the next time you meet after many years, it would be wise to put more effort into your studies.”

“You’re right...” The cat nodded instinctively, pondering deeply, but soon asked with confusion, “Is a prince just the emperor’s son?”

“Yes.”

“Then why would he kill someone who helped us?”

“Human affairs are complex and difficult to explain,” Song You replied after a brief silence. “The human world has its own rules, and those rules are currently like this.”

“That’s so unreasonable!”

“Lady Calico, you’re fair and reasonable,” Song You agreed, humoring her. “But this is an ailment of the times. Small solutions are useless, and big ones are troublesome and take a very long time. For now, let us visit another part of the human world.”

“Where are we going in the spring?”

“To the south.”

“The south.”

“Heading south means going to Fengzhou. Fengzhou has Mount Ye. Who knows what the emperor and the State Preceptor are plotting there?” Song You said calmly. “That is another part of the human world, and yet it lies beyond the human world.”

“Beyond the human world...” The cat repeated his words, then lay down motionless, staring at him intently.

The Daoist also sat still, as if he had entered meditation.

There were more ghosts in the world now. It seemed to foreshadow the coming of the underworld.

The ghost city of Mount Ye was undoubtedly tied to more than just the State Preceptor. The emperor's ambition was to become the ruler of the underworld, the ghost emperor beneath the earth. But gods and humans were not the same.

While this emperor might be an extraordinary sovereign in the human realm, becoming a ghost emperor—detached from humanity and unwilling to abdicate—was a different matter entirely. For divine beings, virtue was more important than capability.

Moreover, Song You still wasn’t sure whether the decades-long northern war, which only ended a few years ago, was related to this. If the human emperor sacrificed millions of lives in the north to hasten the creation of the underworld and his rise as ghost emperor, how could such a ruler be fit for the title?

Song You had many more questions.

In any case, he would need to visit Mount Ye to find the answers.

There was no need to rush, though. Such matters, even accelerated by the efforts of the State Preceptor and the emperor, were unfolding over decades. Normally, this kind of transformation would take centuries.

***

Several days passed.

During these days, Heroine Wu did not return. It was unclear whether she had found Doctor Cai. Meanwhile, the authorities came again to request Lady Calico’s help. She was asked to catch ghosts outside the city, earning another reward.

It happened to coincide with the winter solstice.

The winter solstice, the longest night and shortest day of the year, held a unique significance for the people of Changjing. During this time, yin energy would flourish while yang energy was weak. Unlike most other solar terms, officials were given a holiday for the winter solstice.

Officials had three days off, and as a result, many laborers in Changjing also took a one-day holiday. Even those in grueling jobs without official breaks would often treat themselves to something nice to eat as a way to ward off the cold.

The streets were bustling that day.

In Song You's hometown, it was customary to drink lamb soup during the winter solstice. So, using the money Lady Calico had just earned, he took her to the western market, saying he would prepare a pot of lamb soup for her.

Lady Calico was a reasonable cat. She understood that spending money on meat was sensible—much better than buying something useless. Earning money by catching mice or driving away evil spirits to buy meat was not much different from hunting rabbits or catching fish for food. In fact, it was even more convenient.

However, she was puzzled as to why they had to eat lamb. Lamb was the most expensive meat.

“Lamb is a winter tonic. It wards off the cold and replenishes energy and blood. It’s perfect for winter,” the Daoist explained as they walked.

The cat, naturally inquisitive, had a dozen questions brewing in her mind. However, being a cat in a crowded place, she couldn’t voice them and had to suppress her curiosity, silently following the Daoist and watching him spend money.

She watched as the Daoist bought a few jin of lamb, two crucian carp, a small block of tofu, and searched half the western market to find some pea sprouts. He also bought a variety of spices in preparation for their departure from Changjing. Once they left the capital, acquiring spices of the same quality would be far more difficult. He bought enough to last until they reached Yangdu.

With the spices purchased, it felt incomplete without adding a jin of beef and half a chicken to the haul.

The Daoist turned back to consult the cat. Lady Calico offered no opinion, indicating her tacit approval.

After spending a considerable amount of money, the Daoist carried the goods and strolled leisurely back home with the cat in tow. Once they returned, he immediately set to work.

Lady Calico transformed into her human form, sitting obediently by the stove to tend the fire. As she fed the flames, she tilted her head to watch his movements. Whether it was pure curiosity or a subtle rebuke for spending too much money was unclear as she asked, “Why did you buy two fish to make lamb soup?”

“Ah, you don’t know. In my hometown, we always add crucian carp to lamb soup,” Song You replied with a smile, speaking to her even as he busily worked. “Do you know how to write the word 'fresh'?”

“I do.”

“How is it written?”

“Like this!”

The little girl pulled a piece of firewood she’d picked for the fire, held it in the air, and traced the strokes for him.

“Fish and lamb together form the character

fresh

[1], which is why in my hometown, we always add crucian carp to lamb soup. The fish is pan-fried, then boiled until the broth turns white, and cooked together with the lamb. The result is a soup as white as milk and incredibly delicious,” Song You explained patiently.

“Then it’s not lamb soup—it’s fish-lamb soup.”

“You’re very clever.”

“Or you could call it fresh-meat soup!”

“You’re very creative.”

“Can we add a mouse?”

“...”

“Fish is tasty, and mice are tasty too, so it must taste even better.”

“...”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“You have quite the innovative spirit.”

“Innovative spirit?”

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

“It’s a compliment.”

“Exactly!” The little girl nodded seriously, then continued adding firewood.

She gave a little blow, and with a

whoosh,

the flames in the stove roared higher.

As she fed the fire, she kept her eyes on the Daoist, watching him work.

Outside, the world was cold, but here by the stove, the fire made this small space extraordinarily warm. The limited size of the area made it feel even cozier. Lady Calico enjoyed this environment. Watching the Daoist bustling about, making various noises while chatting with her amidst the rising smoke and flames, gave her a sense of comfort.

If only I could keep tending the fire forever,

she thought.

The Daoist moved swiftly. Before long, the beef and chicken were stewing in broth, and the lamb soup was simmering.

He wiped his hands, taking a moment to pause.

When he glanced down, the little girl was looking up at him, her eyes seemingly full of vague, unspoken words.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked.

“I’m thinking that you should cook slower.”

“Alright.”

“You’re not going to ask why?”

“Because I was once your age, and I liked tending fires too,” the Daoist replied with a smile. “When I was little, I used to ask my master every day whether she planned to bathe, because if she did, she’d need a big pot of hot water, and I’d get to keep the fire going for a long time. Unfortunately, she was lazy.”

Lady Calico listened and couldn’t help but feel as though nothing could be hidden from him.

“You seem really smart!”

“Only slightly less so than you, Lady Calico.”

“But...” Lady Calico blinked a few times, her curiosity sparking again. “We’re already having fish-lamb soup, which is enough to fill us up. Why did you buy a chicken?”

“It won’t spoil in the winter, and we can enjoy a few more good meals.”

“But you’re planning to visit the fox in a few days and ask her something, and you’ll have to buy a chicken for that too. That means we’ll buy two chickens in just a few days.”

To Lady Calico, buying two chickens in such a short time didn’t seem like a proper way to live.

“You make a good point...” The Daoist lowered his gaze and looked at the little girl.

The little girl stared back at him, unflinching. The two seemed to come to an unspoken agreement.

Not long after, the lamb soup was ready. The Daoist added salt, tasted it, and transferred it into a clay pot. He then retrieved the braised chicken and beef from another pot and placed them into a basket that had been given to him as a bonus on his first day back in the capital when he packed food from Yunchun Restaurant.

With the larger figure carrying the clay pot and the smaller one holding the basket, they stepped outside and headed briskly toward Hexian Pavilion.

The day was cold, with snow faintly drifting from the sky. Despite this, the streets were bustling, and as the Daoist and the little girl passed by, the wafting aroma of their food turned many heads.

The Daoist walked quickly, and the little girl moved her legs in rapid succession to keep up.

Hexian Pavilion was even more crowded.

Because the winter solstice was a holiday for officials in Great Yan, the most powerful and refined individuals in the city were free today, and many came to visit Lady Wanjiang, who was gravely ill.

As Song You approached the entrance, he saw that the tower was packed with high-ranking officials and nobles. They had set aside their formal robes, freshly groomed themselves, and donned the attire of scholars to avoid appearing ostentatious.

Each carried gifts, ranging from rare medicinal herbs and expensive elixirs to exotic fruits and vegetables imported from distant lands. Their efforts were meticulous.

Worry and urgency were etched on many of their faces.

“I heard Lady Wanjiang’s health has worsened again...”

“Indeed. The last time I heard her play the

guqin

was at the start of winter. I happened to catch a fragment of her music from downstairs, and the lingering melody stayed with me for a month—I couldn’t even enjoy the taste of meat. It felt as though I had heard celestial music. I even bragged to my colleagues about the experience. Sigh, I just hope that performance doesn’t end up being her final one.”

“It’s been so long since I last heard Lady Wanjiang’s

guqin

. I truly miss those days of drinking wine while listening to her play. Back then, it felt so ordinary. Now, looking back, it was nothing less than paradise on earth.”

“Is Lady Wanjiang still refusing guests?”

“I saw her a few days ago. Her face was pale as paper, and her coughing was severe. She couldn’t even walk without the support of her maids.”

“Truly, the heavens are jealous of her talent...”

“I had some fine white mushrooms sent from the north by a classmate who joined the army, hoping the servants at Hexian Pavilion can pass them along to Lady Wanjiang.”

“I went to great lengths to have pomegranates brought in from Fengzhou. I’ve heard that Lady Wanjiang abstains from meat and only enjoys fruits and vegetables. Sigh, I just wish for her speedy recovery. Without her guqin, even the skies of Changjing feel dimmer.”

As the Daoist and the little girl approached the door, they couldn’t help but pause, listening to the voices.

The little girl tilted her head, her face full of confusion.

If her hands weren’t occupied with the clay pot, she would likely already be scratching her head.

1. The word fresh is made out of the characters 鱼, which means fish, and 羊, which means lamb. ☜