Unintended Immortality

A few more days passed in Changjing. The shop sign seemed to have some effect, as there were a few visitors these days, but not many deals were made.

Some people saw that Song You was young and assumed he was like those fortune-telling charlatans who recently appeared on the streets, taking advantage of the situation to deceive people.

After all, there were always students who suddenly felt dazed and mentally confused due to various reasons, and believed they were possessed by spirits or haunted by ghosts. The recent unrest in Changjing had also provided an opportunity for such tricks to thrive.

A few did invite Song You over.

However, Song You only took on jobs of exorcizing evil spirits and demons. Many people believed they were possessed by evil, haunted by ghosts, or thought they were being harmed by demons, but in reality, it was either their own minds playing tricks on them or other people stirring up trouble.

Other folk fortune tellers might put on a show and still get paid, but Song You refused to do so. He spoke only the truth. To deal with psychological issues, he would suggest to the family members to find ways to calm the patient’s mind. For physical ailments, he would advise them to see a doctor. For cases where someone was causing trouble, he would hint at it subtly.

Sometimes he earned a bit of money, sometimes he didn't. Still, there was a modest income coming in.

Meanwhile, the weather gradually warmed up. They spent every day basking in the sun or going for walks, so they didn’t notice the change in weather. By the time he noticed, it was already warm enough to wear just a single layer of clothing at home without feeling cold.

This weather was perfect for listening to storytelling. There was a teahouse across the street that had storytelling sessions every afternoon.

Song You felt that the storytellers at the teahouse were not as good as those in the theater, and their tales were often fragmented and disjointed, while the price was also higher. Thus, he often went to the theater to listen instead. However, this teahouse was so close to the rented small building that it was very tempting—it was just across the street, only a few steps away.

He went over, ordered a cup of tea, and sat down. The storyteller had not yet arrived, but he could hear the chatter and discussions of the other patrons in the teahouse.

At the next table, there were four or five well-dressed people, including a person from the west. This was a testament to the openness and inclusiveness of Changjing.

It seemed they had arranged to meet here for tea. They gathered together, cupped their hands in thanks to the one treating them, then sat down and ordered the teas they liked. Some chose brewed tea, others powdered tea. The person from the west was particular; he even specifically called for a tea expert to serve him, suggesting he was a regular customer.

Before the tea was served, someone spoke with great seriousness, “I heard there was a big commotion near the west gate last night. Many people were woken up from their sleep by the noise. There were shouts of killing and even roars from some demon. Quite a few people were so frightened they didn't dare sleep the whole night!”

“I heard about it.”

“What happened?”

The man said, “News came out this morning that they found the man-eating demon from before hiding in the Eastern District. The imperial guards and master from Tianhai Temple fought it in the Eastern District. No one knows the extent of the damage, but it seems the demon couldn't stand against the imperial guards and the master from Tianhai Temple.

“It fled from the Eastern District all the way to the Western District. Tsk, tsk... They say, at the end, there was a crack at the city gate. According to rumors, the demon actually slipped through that crack.”

The other person said, “And they still couldn't catch it?”

“Judging by the noise, they deployed quite a lot of troops!”

“That sounds terrifying.”

“But what I heard was a little different.”

“Oh? What did you hear?”

“I have a merchant friend who lives nearby. He's a brave man. When he heard the commotion at night, he opened the window to peek. He said it wasn't the master from Tianhai Temple fighting the demon—it was a few golden, glowing gods! They looked a lot like the ones inside the City God Temple!” ŗ

“If that’s true, then it’s a good thing. The City God has finally manifested.”

“But even if the City God did manifest, the demon was still not captured, right?”

“True enough...”

The group looked at each other, both fearful and excited.

Looking closely at their expressions, they were afraid of being harmed by the demon. Yet, they were thrilled by the idea that they might have been living right on the demon’s escape route last night, and were just in time to open a window and see what happened.

Perhaps they were even imagining themselves transforming into some kind of unrivaled hero, effortlessly subduing the demon and becoming famous, earning the admiration of all.

“Well, at least they found its whereabouts, even if they couldn't catch it or kill it on the spot. It wasn't a waste of all these days of searching.”

“But who knows when the curfew will be lifted!”

“Yes, yes...”

“This curfew is wearing people out.”

They then began to discuss a certain courtesan from a brothel. Song You withdrew his gaze and sipped his tea.

However, after a while of talking about the courtesan, they switched to the market prices of spices and silk, and then back to various trivial matters in the city.

“I heard something else.”

“What is it?”

“It's also about the City God Temple.”

“What happened?”

“You probably remember that the previous temple attendant of the City God Temple was greedy, only allowing people to buy incense from him and forbidding them to bring their own. I heard that a few days ago, the temple attendant was replaced, and those old men who used to force people to buy incense at the base of the temple have all disappeared. No one knows what happened.”

“Perhaps the City God has opened his eyes!”

“Most likely...”

After that, they continued to drink tea and chat leisurely, clearly enjoying themselves. It was evident they had deep bonds and were at ease in each other's company.

Song You turned his head to look outside. The sunlight was bright and strong, making one instinctively squint.

A large lacquered cart slowly passed along the street, carrying many passengers. It was a shared ride. There were smaller horse-drawn carriages with a small drum on top that would beat once for every li they traveled. Many young servants were seen running through the streets, carrying food containers or bowls of rice.

It often gave people a sense of fleeting, dreamlike unreality.

In this city, where one could take a public carriage, ride a distance-measuring drum cart, rent a horse, or even have meals delivered to their door, having a bit of spare money meant they could enjoy life like these people nearby. On a nice day, they could gather with three or five friends and find a spot to sit and drink tea. They could chat, bask in the sun, enjoy the tea, and savor their friendship.

But if they had no money… Then they would be the ones providing this leisure for others.

Finally, the storyteller arrived.

This storyteller was slightly plump and smiled cheerfully. He began with, “I've heard a few stories in the past two days, and I will share them with everyone.”

This was the difference between a storyteller in a teahouse and one in a theater. The storyteller in the teahouse told fragmented stories, for the primary purpose of the patrons was to drink tea, chat, and socialize with friends. A storyteller in the teahouse shared amusing little stories and recent rumors, which was fitting and tested their access to information.

On the other hand, people who went to the theater truly went to listen to storytelling, where the storyteller often recited long sagas, which demanded a deeper storytelling skill.

As soon as the storyteller began, the noise below gradually quieted down, and everyone turned their attention to the plump storyteller.

The storyteller snapped his folding fan with a smile and said, “The first piece of news is that General Chen Ziyi has been summoned back to the capital. He might arrive in the capital in a few days. As for the source of this news, it comes directly from General Chen Ziyi's household, told by his own parents.”

“Why was General Chen suddenly summoned back to the capital?”

“That, I do not know.”

The Great Yan Empire had always been an open society, and public discussions about state affairs were common. But as a storyteller who made a living this way, he naturally couldn't speak his mind or speak as freely as the general public.

The audience below began to discuss among themselves.

Some speculated that the emperor had intentions of waging war in the north again. Others thought that General Chen Ziyi might be about to receive another promotion or be granted a new title.

There were also those who believed that Chen Ziyi's achievements in the Battle of Lanshui a few years ago, his repeated victories against the northern nomads and his success in quelling the southern indigenous rebellion two years ago had made his merits and reputation too great, and he might now be facing suppression.

To Song You, it all felt like listening to history. But this history was happening right around him.

Just then, a cat suddenly darted out in front of him.

The waiter of the teahouse immediately shouted, “Where did this stray cat come from? Get out, get out...”

The cat turned its head to look at him, then turned to look at Song You, and finally looked toward the entrance diagonally across from them.

Someone was standing at the doorway, examining the shop sign.

“…” Song You glanced at the remaining half-bowl of tea in front of him, feeling a bit regretful. He had originally planned to rely on it to linger here all afternoon. But now, he could only pick it up and finish it in one gulp.

He got up and walked out of the teahouse.

“You've been observing this place for a while. Are you troubled by some evil spirit and want someone to drive it away?” Song You asked slowly as he walked to the entrance.

“Are you the owner of this shop?” The man turned his head. He was a thin, middle-aged man, dressed like the steward of a wealthy family.

“I am.”

“What does this sign about 'rodent extermination' mean?”

“…” Song You glanced down at the calico cat at his feet, and the cat just happened to look up at him, puzzled. The cat then sat up a bit more properly.

The Daoist cupped his hands together and said, “I have a method to exterminate rats. If your home is plagued with stubborn rats that are hard to eliminate, I am at your service.”

“What method?”

“The cat by my side is excellent at catching rats.”

“A cat?” The man glanced at the calico cat beside him and immediately looked disappointed, waving his hand repeatedly. “If an ordinary cat could catch those rats, would I need to ask for your help?”

Just as he finished speaking, he noticed that the cat beside him suddenly raised its head and stared at him with bright, wide eyes.

The man was momentarily stunned.

“Don't be so hasty,” Song You said to him. “Since I dare to make such a claim, it means my cat is far from ordinary. If you don't believe me, we can settle the payment based on the number of rats caught.”

“My master's residence indeed has a rat problem lately, but those rats are all fat and strong. I'm afraid even smaller cats would struggle to catch a single one. They are also very cunning. We've tried everything but managed to catch only one or two. The household has been unsettled for a while now,” the man replied. “Are you really confident? Don't try to fool me!”

“Of course, I'm confident.”

“What if you fail to catch any?”

“I won't take a single wen.”

“But how will I know you caught them?”

“My cat is clever. It will place the caught rats at your doorstep, and we can settle the payment then...” Song You said, then noticed the cat raise its head again, prompting him to add, “However, my cat might take away one or two of the rats.”

“Is that true?”

“Of course.”

“How extraordinary...” Seeing his confidence, the man believed him a little, assuming the cat was well-trained and might actually have a knack for catching rats.

“Alright then...” The man furrowed his brow, thinking further. “If your cat catches only a few, it won't make much difference. There are at least twenty or thirty rats in my master's residence. If you only catch one or two, don't bother asking me for money.”

He continued, “If you catch more than five, I'll pay you two wen per rat. If you manage to catch ten or more, I'll acknowledge your expertise and pay five wen per rat. If you can catch twenty to thirty rats and clear them out, my master is generous, and I'm not a miser. As long as we can have peace at night, I'll pay you ten wen per rat, how about that?”

“Deal!” Song You agreed enthusiastically, then smiled.

When he first hung the shop sign, it was just a casual idea. He hadn't expected that Lady Calico would actually get a job catching rats, and with such generous pay.

He looked down, and the cat seemed the happiest of all!