The great ship cleaved through the deep-blue sea, waves churning into fine white foam on either side of the hull.
The salty, damp sea wind poured into the cabin, lifting the corners of the nautical chart on the table.
“Compared with the map of the northern territories bestowed by the Divine Lady, this sea chart is truly far too crude. If we intend to train a naval force in the future, we’ll certainly have to redraw it.”
Shen Yu rolled the chart back up. When he raised his eyes, he happened to meet Lu Sui’s gaze.
“Fuyan, you don’t look well.” Lu Sui’s tone held a trace of concern. “The sea air is heavy with dampness. Can your constitution withstand it?”
Originally, he could have handled the task of delivering military supplies to the Zhenbei Army alone. But they had borrowed a ship from the Fan family in Liaodong, and the head of the Fan family had taken a liking to Shen Yu and wanted him as a live-in son-in-law. As a result, Shen Yu had been forced to find another way out. He made a deal with Young Master Fan, agreeing to help her find the sweetheart who had left without a word.
Shen Yu lifted the teacup beside him and took a sip.
The tea had been specially blended by Lin Xun. It had nourishing and restorative properties, and Shen Yu quite liked drinking it.
A moment later, he set down the cup. “Bu Yan, my illness has improved considerably. Dr. Lin said that as long as I worry and lose my temper less, and keep my body and mind at ease, I should be able to live a few more years.”
Hearing this, Lu Sui’s brows remained furrowed. “You know perfectly well that Dr. Lin told you to worry less, yet you spend all day thinking about one thing or another. You truly don’t take your own life seriously.”
He and Shen Yu had known each other since childhood. They had studied at the Imperial College, where he, Shen Yu, and Pei Du had even eaten and lived together.
Because they had grown up together, Lu Sui could read the fine details hidden in even the most casual of Shen Yu’s actions.
For example, when Shen Yu had just set down his teacup, his knuckles had turned faintly white, as though he had needed to exert some force to steady his wrist.
That alone was enough to prove that Shen Yu’s condition was nowhere near as good as he claimed.
Shen Yu looked at Lu Sui. “Bu Yan, of course I also want to follow Dr. Lin’s advice and worry and lose my temper less.”
He paused, then continued, “I can still manage the ‘lose my temper less’ part. But as for ‘worry less’… forgive me, but that is beyond my power.”
Lu Sui let out a sigh and said helplessly, “If it were anyone else, they would have gone home to recuperate long ago. But you’re the only one who keeps taking every task upon yourself. You were born with a life of toil…”
Shen Yu changed the subject, interrupting his rambling. “What do you think of the situation in Wuling Prefecture?”
“General Shen and Zirang both mentioned in their letters that Wuling Prefecture has been ravaged by war and famine, with corpses littering the roads.” Lu Sui considered his words before continuing. “The Divine Lady will be staying in Wuling City. Perhaps she has seen the people suffering and taken pity on them, intending to protect the people of Wuling Prefecture and help them through this crisis.”
“The Divine Lady has always had the common people in her heart.” Shen Yu’s voice suddenly softened. “I only wonder whether interfering in the mortal world’s causes and effects time and again will eventually bring serious consequences upon her.”
He had never forgotten what Luo Daoqing had said about Nuwa mending the heavens. The matter had nearly become an illness of the heart for him.
Lu Sui shook his head at Shen Yu. “How could we mere mortals ever hope to comprehend the affairs of the gods?”
“Bu Yan, there are already ten thousand Zhenbei soldiers stationed in Wuling City. Why don’t we split up after reaching Wuling Prefecture? Young Master Fan and I will go to Wuling City to help her find her missing sweetheart. You and my younger sister, A-Ying, can reclaim the other cities in Wuling Prefecture.”
Shen Yu lowered his lashes, his voice cool and detached.
“Wuling Prefecture is famous throughout the realm for its illusions. The people have devoted all their thoughts to studying illusion techniques and neglected farming. Over time, they grew accustomed to earning money by performing illusions, then using it to buy food.”
“But in recent years, wars and natural disasters have continued to plague the south. Merchant ships from the north are unwilling to risk the journey south, and now the people of Wuling Prefecture cannot buy even a handful of rice at any price.”
“And food is the one thing we have in abundance.”
Lu Sui understood the implication. “You mean for me to enter the city under the guise of a grain merchant?”
Shen Yu gave a slight nod.
“That way, we can pacify Wuling Prefecture without bloodshed and present it to the Divine Lady.”
At that, Lu Sui clicked his tongue softly.
“See? What did I tell you before? A-Ying was right when she said you have too many schemes up your sleeve. She didn’t wrong you with a single word.”
Shen Yu calmly lifted his teacup and lowered his eyes to the tea leaves drifting in the water, his thoughts unknown.
“The Divine Lady saves all living things and holds up a portion of the sky for the mortal world. As believers of the Divine Lady, we should naturally give more thought to how we can ease her burdens, so that she will be less entangled in the mortal world’s causes and effects and suffer less karmic consequence.”
Lu Sui failed to notice Shen Yu’s distracted air. He merely felt that there was some truth in what Shen Yu had said.
“You need only deliver the grain and medicinal herbs to Wuling City. Leave the rest to me. Fuyan, you may rest assured.”
A determined light burned in his eyes. “Within three months, I will make the Divine Lady’s name known throughout Wuyang City and Linshui City in Wuling Prefecture…”
“Second Brother, something terrible has happened!”
Shen Ying’s anxious voice came from outside.
It was followed by a rapid barrage of knocks.
Unusually, the girl did not simply kick the door open this time.
Shen Yu and Lu Sui exchanged a glance.
Then they stood up at the same time.
When the door was pulled open, Shen Ying stood outside, her red robes snapping in the sea wind.
Without bothering to explain anything to Shen Yu and Lu Sui, she grabbed Shen Yu by the sleeve and turned to run toward the deck.
“Hurry and come with me!”
Shen Yu stumbled two steps as Shen Ying dragged him along. He did not even have time to ask what was happening before she pulled him through the passageway by the side of the ship.
By the time he finally reached the crowded deck, his chest was rising and falling slightly, and a thin sheen of sweat had appeared at his temples.
Shen Ying glanced back at him and frowned. “Second Brother, you really ought to practice your martial arts more. You’re out of breath after running only a few steps. How can you look like the child of a family of military commanders?”
Shen Yu bent over, panting.
Clearly, he had yet to recover.
Lu Sui, on the other hand, strolled up from behind at an unhurried pace and spoke up for him. “A-Ying, your second brother never had much talent for martial arts. Don’t make things difficult for him.”
“You said something terrible had happened. What is it?”
Shen Ying did not give the matter much thought. She raised a hand and pointed toward the sea.
“Look for yourselves!”
Shen Yu straightened and gazed in the direction she indicated.
Then his entire body went rigid.
At the place where sea and sky met, beyond the hazy waves, stood a magnificent array of jade towers and celestial palaces, gleaming brilliantly.
Upturned eaves and glazed tiles reflected the sunlight. Layer upon layer of buildings rose straight into the clouds, as though the Heavenly Palace had fallen into the mortal world.
Rainbow bridges stretched between the palaces, white cranes circled the roofs, and golden light poured down from the corners of the eaves. The sight was majestic and breathtaking.
“Second Brother,” Shen Ying said, “you’ve read so many books. You should know what this is, right? Is it a mirage?”
There was a hint of curiosity in her voice.
Before Shen Yu could say anything, Fan Miaozhen, who often traveled out to sea, answered with unusual certainty, “Miss Shen, that magnificent palace before us absolutely cannot be a mirage.”
“A-Ying, Young Master Fan is right.” Shen Yu gazed at the divine palace with burning intensity, his voice hoarse. “This is indeed no mirage. It is the residence of the Divine Lady.”
