"What, are you kicking me out?"
Qingnu narrowed her eyes at those words, clenching her fists. "You brat, just because I ate a few more of your cows! You're actually driving me away?"
"Not so."
Ying Zheng shook his head.
He looked at Qingnu and remained silent for a moment before explaining slowly, "If the Teacher continues to stay here, she will die."
At this, Qingnu paused and said nothing. Ying Zheng continued, "I do not wish for the Teacher to die, so I ask the Teacher to leave Xianyang!"
"You're—letting me go? You said it!"
Qingnu looked at Ying Zheng, confirming it once more.
Ying Zheng nodded. "Yes, I ask the Teacher to depart. There is no need to concern yourself with the matters of this world any longer!"
After Ying Zheng spoke those words, Qingnu blinked and suddenly asked, "In the camp, did you hear the words between me and Hongluan?"
"Indeed, I heard everything."
Ying Zheng nodded.
Qingnu leaned against a pillar of the Great Hall and said, "Since you heard it, you should understand that if I leave, you will die soon, and Great Qin will soon perish! Even so, are you willing?"
When she asked this, Ying Zheng remained silent and did not answer.
Seeing his silence, Qingnu gave a light chuckle and whispered, "It really is just like back then..."
"Fine, fine. It was my own overconfidence when I made that promise to your grandfather to protect you. Naturally, I will fulfill my commitment!"
With that, Qingnu waved her hand and prepared to turn and leave.
However, the moment Qingnu turned, Ying Zheng stood up abruptly.
He gazed at Qingnu and said in a deep voice, "Please leave Xianyang, Teacher! My future and the future of Great Qin are for the heavens to decide. There is no need for the Teacher to worry anymore!"
"Teacher, you are free!"
"Now... are you willing to leave?"
Qingnu stood still and looked back at Ying Zheng, her brownish-green eyes filled with an unidentifiable emotion. After a long silence, she finally clapped her hands lightly.
Hongluan burst through the doors and flew in from outside.
Qingnu raised her hand and said, "Sister Bird, pack our things. We're leaving!"
Hongluan didn't know why, but it listened to Qingnu's words.
As Qingnu walked out, Ying Zheng suddenly spoke again. "Teacher, in the future... do not make promises to others so easily."
"Stinking brat, you're in no position to lecture me!"
Qingnu waved her hand without looking back. She and Hongluan returned to the Jade Maiden Shrine to collect their belongings.
After she left, Ying Zheng stood rooted to the spot for a long time before calling Afang inside. He gazed at Afang and said slowly, "Afang, the Teacher has left."
"What? The Teacher..."
Afang's pupils shrank.
Ying Zheng did not wait for Afang to compose herself. He continued, "I want you to handle something."
Afang was stunned and asked, "What is it?"
"Some people have slandered the Teacher. I want you to take everyone who dared to slander her, seize them, and bury them alive! Furthermore, every book that mentions the Teacher is to be burned. Do not let anyone have any more news of her."
When Ying Zheng spoke these words, Afang stared at him with a shocked expression.
"Your Majesty, you..."
Ying Zheng sighed and said, "The Teacher values her promises. I give her freedom."
"From this day forward, whoever in the Qin palace dares to mention the Teacher shall be killed! Afang, see this done."
Afang took a deep breath and nodded solemnly. "Yes, Your Majesty!"
By the time the news of the burning of books and burying of scholars spread, Qingnu had already passed the Hangu Pass. She looked back toward Xianyang, pausing for a long time, and gave a soft sigh.
She dusted off her dress, looked up at Hongluan in the sky, and shouted, "Sister Bird, I'm hungry!"
"Stupid snake, all you know is eating!"
Hongluan cursed, but it still found a wild rabbit for Qingnu.
The poor wild rabbits—how many generations of their ancestors had ended up in Qingnu's stomach? Over two or three thousand years, the number of rabbits Qingnu had eaten was beyond counting.
To be eaten by a snake was their honor!
The green-clad Immortal Maiden had calculated it; by being eaten by her, these rabbits could ascend to heaven!
Watching Qingnu roast the rabbit, Hongluan asked, "Stupid snake, where are we going next?"
Qingnu stared at the fire, thought for a bit, and said, "Peixian!"
...
Peixian, Sishui Pavilion.
"Fortune telling!"
"One wild rabbit for a session, one cow for a lifetime!"
On the street of Sishui Pavilion, Qingnu wandered about holding a banner, with Hongluan perched on her shoulder.
Seeing that no one had approached her despite wandering for half the day, Qingnu could only lament the decline of public morals and the corruption of the human heart! Thinking back to when she was in the State of Qi, the line of people seeking her for fortune-telling could stretch from Yingqiu all the way to Luoyang. She wouldn't even give a reading to just anyone back then!
Now, forget people—there wasn't even a dog!
Just as she thought this, Qingnu spotted a large yellow dog crouching by the side of the road.
Her eyes lit up, and she quickly ran toward the dog.
"Big Brother Dog, want your fortune told?"
At these words, Hongluan pecked Qingnu's earlobe and scolded, "Stupid snake, that's a dog! What fortune are you telling it? Can it even answer you?"
"Birds can talk, why can't Big Brother Dog?"
As soon as Qingnu said this, Hongluan lost its temper and flapped its wings, ruthlessly rumpling her hair.
The bird rumbled while scolding, "You actually compared me to a dog? Don't even think about me catching rabbits for you to eat anymore. Go get them yourself!"
Qingnu immediately hugged her head and crouched down in defense, shouting, "Sister Bird, I was wrong..."
As the snake and bird were brawling, they saw a group of people filing out from a house not far ahead. At the doorway, an older sister-in-law was waving a spatula and cursing at the street.
"Every single time you bring so many people, Liu Ji! If you continue to be so shiftless, then don't come back!"
"Get out! All of you, get out!"
The old fellow leading the group smiled and apologized to the woman. With a wave of his hand, he led his crowd of shady friends and cronies toward Qingnu.
"Sister Bird, business is coming."
Qingnu watched Liu Ji and his group approach, her expression turning cheerful.
She shouldered her banner and intercepted Liu Ji, a faint smile on her face. "This gentleman clearly is no ordinary person. Would you like your fortune told? My prices are fair—only two wild rabbits. What do you say?"
"Hey, Big Brother, look at that dog next to her! Not bad!"
Behind Liu Ji, Fan Kuai's eyes lit up as he pointed at the large yellow dog behind Qingnu.
The yellow dog shuddered and took off running.
Liu Ji looked at Qingnu, shook his coarse cloth robes, and said, "Immortal Maiden, forget wild rabbits, I don't even have a rabbit hair! How about you give me something to eat, and I'll tell your fortune? I'm not picky, anything will do!"
Qingnu tilted her head at this.
Lu Wan looked at Qingnu from behind and whispered to Liu Ji, "Big Brother, let's just go. This looks like a swindler. What 'Immortal Maiden'? Definitely a fake."
"Lu Wan, how can you say that?"
Liu Ji coughed. He put his hands on his hips and said to Qingnu, "It's not easy for a little girl like you to be out here on your own. If you really have nowhere else to go, come find me! I am the Sishui Pavilion Head, Liu Ji. In this place, I can still be of some help!"
"Alright, that's that then! Farewell."
Rate on N.U.
