Chapter Thirty-Three: Seeking to Craft the Yang-Restoring Talisman

Lang Jiuchuan returned to her quarters after leaving the residence of the Cui family, only to nearly get into a brawl with Jiangche. The reason was simple: the creature talked too much.

"The urgent matter at hand," Jiangche grumbled, gesturing irritably toward the listless body on the bed, "is not how to leave this Marquis's estate, but how to figure out a way to repair this decaying corpse of yours."

Lang Jiuchuan retorted, "Repairing this broken vessel requires opportunity. If I am trapped in these inner chambers, staring at this tiny patch of sky every day, what can I hope to achieve? You should know that in the seven days since I took over this body, I have not stepped foot outside, save for the funeral procession that took me out of the estate and the city. Even if someone were on the brink of death, I would have no way to reach them. If I don't leave now, when will I?"

That was indeed a problem. Jiangche also realized that a woman’s movements were always less convenient than a man’s.

However, Jiangche soon scoffed, "So what if you're a woman? With the two of us, are we really going to be trapped by this small patch of sky? If we can't go out in the open, can't we just wear a disguise?"

Lang Jiuchuan glanced at it, satisfied. That was the most sensible thing the creature had said all day.

"Leaving aside the question of departure for a moment, this body is indeed a nuisance. I have considered it—relying on illusion spells to maintain a normal appearance before others is too draining. I have a talisman known as the 'Return to Yang.' Used properly, it will make me appear as a living, breathing person. Go find the materials needed to craft it."

Jiangche pointed at itself. "Are you ordering me to run errands? Why should I?"

Lang Jiuchuan lowered her face and sneered. "Because we share the same body. For the sake of your benefit, my benefit, and everyone’s benefit, we must cooperate. What, do you expect me to do all the work while you sit back and reap the rewards? Did you come up with that clever idea with your cat brain?"

Jiangche: "!"

That wasn't right. If it didn't help, wouldn't she be forced to work even harder to keep this corpse going? It realized she had dug a trap specifically to catch an errand runner, and it had jumped in headfirst. Realizing this, Jiangche’s fur stood on end, feeling a sense of self-loathing for its own stupidity.

It held its breath and snapped, "A person should have a broader perspective. Don't be so petty."

"Your perspective is so broad that you call everyone 'Daddy' when you meet them!"

A lethal strike. Jiangche was so provoked that it bared its sharp, pointed fangs at her. Lang Jiuchuan began to toy with her jade-boned talisman brush.

"Come on, who’s afraid of whom?"

Jiangche: "..."

The human and the tiger stared each other down, and eventually, Jiangche conceded.

"Fine. Tell me, what do you need?" Its voice was dejected, as if its fangs had been pulled, losing its usual ferocity.

A flicker of amusement crossed Lang Jiuchuan’s eyes. She pulled the creature toward her and scratched the back of its neck. "Don't feel as though you are submitting to my tyranny—though that is the truth. Just keep in mind that when this body is healthy, you will be well-nourished too. You are doing this for yourself, so there is nothing to be bothered about."

Jiangche felt somewhat mollified, though it still felt like something was off. She had managed to play both the villain and the savior perfectly, a classic case of wielding the stick and the carrot. However, Lang Jiuchuan was right on one count: this was for its own sake. Let’s do it!

Jiangche rubbed its paws together, oblivious to the fact that it looked like a cat being petted, its tiger eyes squinting in satisfaction.

Lang Jiuchuan continued, "To make it last longer, ordinary talismans will fail in three days. I need to make a better one. I need premium yellow paper, incense ash from before a Buddha statue, high-grade cinnabar, and water from a snowy spring on a mountain peak. If there is no snow spring, snow-melt water from the petals of an Astilbe flower will do."

Jiangche was confused. "You need all that to draw a talisman? What is an Astilbe?"

"It is a cold-resistant flower and also a medicinal herb, used to treat colds, coughs, and body aches. As for why I need these—ordinary talismans only require cinnabar, but incense ash from before a Buddha, having been offered day and night and imbued with the wishes of thousands, is an excellent ward against evil..."

"A ward against evil? Are you planning to commit suicide?" Jiangche interrupted without thinking.

She was essentially a soul possessing a corpse. To those who considered themselves righteous followers of the Buddha or the Tao, she was a malevolent spirit. And she dared to use a ward against evil on herself?

"Since it is both a ward against evil and a restorative, what I truly need is its power of intent. I intend to use this ash, the snow-melt water, and other ingredients to craft a 'Return to Yang' medicinal talisman."

Jiangche pondered the talisman. It realized this woman wasn't just playing around; she actually knew her stuff.

"What about the medicinal herbs? Are they not needed?"

"The Marquis's estate surely has herbs," Lang Jiuchuan mused. She added, "You are the King of Beasts. If you can find high-grade ginseng or the like in the deep mountains, that would be for the best."

"Fine. Leave it to me." Jiangche had no more to say. After asking a few more questions, its consciousness left the estate. Since they were now bound, the most important part of its essence was kept within her spiritual center. The rest could move freely, and if it encountered trouble outside, it had a retreat path to have her save it, or at worst, it could just survive in hiding.

Once Jiangche had left, Lang Jiuchuan called for Jianlan to bring ink and paper. After some deliberation, she wrote down the names of several medicinal herbs.

Jianlan served her carefully. Seeing Lang Jiuchuan stop, she stole a glance at the paper and froze, overcome with admiration.

"My lady, your calligraphy is truly beautiful."

On the snow-white rice paper, the ink was forceful and deep, the strokes vigorous and majestic, filled with a bold spirit. Jianlan was literate, and upon seeing that the characters were names of medicinal herbs, she asked, "My lady, you have written a prescription. What is it for?"

Lang Jiuchuan glanced over. When Jianlan met her gaze, she shuddered, stepped back, bowed her head, and said timidly, "This servant spoke out of turn."

"It is not quite a prescription." Lang Jiuchuan stared at the words on the paper, lost in thought.

She was merely curious whether the knowledge she possessed was a remnant of the original owner's subconscious, or if it had been hers all along. And this handwriting—was it the intent of her own soul? If so, who had taught her these skills? Who had guided her hand, stroke by stroke, to write in such a vigorous, pine-like style?

Lang Jiuchuan shook her head. Once the ink had dried, she handed the paper to Jianlan. "I need these herbs. The estate can provide them, can it not?"

Jianlan took the paper and replied, "My lady, you are a young mistress of our second branch. Naturally, you can have them."

Lang Jiuchuan raised an arched brow and asked, "Do you truly believe I am a young mistress of the second branch? Even the Madam does not acknowledge me. If even her own mother does not recognize her, who would truly respect her as a young mistress from the heart?"

"This servant does!" Jianlan replied without hesitation.

"Are you pitying me?"

Jianlan’s expression changed, and she wanted to argue, but Lang Jiuchuan added, "Then again, who wouldn't find someone like me pitiful?"

Regardless of the truth, as the legitimate daughter of the second branch, she should have been pampered and well-fed. Yet, having lost her father and been cast aside by her mother, she had been exiled to a farm since childhood. Who wouldn't sigh and call her pitiful?

Lang Jiuchuan did not dwell on self-pity with Jianlan. Thinking of the pulse she had felt while massaging Lady Cui's Neiguan point, she changed the subject. "This heart ailment of the Madam’s—how long has she had it?"