Unintended Immortality-Chapter 486: The Foxes in the City

The night had been quiet, and the morning came without disturbance.

When Song You woke up, the cat was no longer on the bed. The room was empty, the courtyard serene, yet faint voices drifted in from outside.

Listening closely, one voice was clear and melodious, carrying a sense of innocence and purity, while the other was young, refined, and exceedingly respectful.

“When you go back to pack your things today, remember to bring the dried mouse meat that I gave you, along with your own. The people in this house don’t seem to eat mouse meat.”

“Of course. But you misunderstood. In Yuzhou, people do eat snakes and rats. Naturally, the Xu family eats rat meat as well.”

“Huh? Then why haven’t they given us any?”

“You may not know, but while the people of Yuzhou enjoy eating snakes and rats, rat meat is scarce, and snakes are difficult to catch. Generally speaking, rat meat is not considered high-quality, and common folk only eat it out of necessity. Now that you and Immortal Master Song are esteemed guests of the Xu family, even if the Xu family eats rat meat regularly, how could they dare to serve it to you two?

“Moreover, since you both come from far away, and the Xu family knows that many places outside of Yuzhou do not eat rat meat, they would be even more hesitant to offer it so easily.”

The explanation was logical and well-structured.

Yet Lady Calico only latched onto one part of it and declared, “Rat meat is top-quality meat!”

“Oh? Lady Calico, you’re fond of rat meat?”

“I eat it every single meal!”

“If that is the case, then please rest assured. Tomorrow, rat meat will certainly be served at your table. I shall make sure you see how we prepare rat meat in Yuzhou.”

“Then I must thank you!”

“By the way, does Immortal Master Song also like...”

“Don't mind him!”

“Alright, alright...”

Inside the room, Song You slowly sat up, rubbing his hair.

Outside, the conversation continued.

“When will you go back to get your things?”

“The patriarch has been kind enough to arrange for a carriage to take me. I was originally supposed to leave in the morning so that I could make a round trip before nightfall. But since I’ll be traveling by carriage, I can leave in the afternoon instead.”

The scholar paused slightly before adding, “Besides, my home is practically bare. Aside from a few changes of clothes, the dried rat meat hanging from the beam, and a few books, there isn’t much to pack.”

“Leaving in the afternoon?”

“Yes...”

“I still have a piece of dried rat meat here. Take it with you and eat it for lunch. Eat well.”

“T-This... How could I accept this?”

“Don’t worry, I have plenty of rats!”

“Then I must thank you, Lady Calico.” The scholar's voice hesitated for a moment. “This piece of meat looks like it’s of excellent quality.”

“Of course!”

Inside the room, Song You dressed and washed up at an unhurried pace. The conversation outside continued, like the morning chirping of birds—endless, yet strangely calming.

“Why do you love rat meat so much?”

“Because I naturally eat rats.”

“May I ask the origin of your name...?”

“My name...?”

“Oh, I mean, why are you called ‘Lady Calico’?”

“Because I have three colors—the most beautiful of all! There was once a group of people who found me extraordinary, so they called me ‘Lady Calico, Lady Calico!’”

“I see.”

“I see...”

“Aside from rat meat, Yuzhou’s snake meat is also exceptional—especially the dragon phoenix soup[1]. I wonder if you would like it?”

“I eat that all the time too!”

“Then how about Immortal Master Song...”

“He likes chicken!”

“Then...”

Creak.

There was the sound of a door opening as Song You pushed the door open.

Outside was a corridor. At this moment, two figures—one tall and slender, the other small and delicate—stood on opposite sides of a wooden pillar. The young man, appearing somewhat restrained and overly respectful, seemed out of place, while the little girl, who had yet to fully grow, appeared much more at ease.

One of her hands rested against the pillar, one foot planted firmly on the ground while the other swung idly through the air. She tilted her head back and looked up at him.

A swallow perched on a tree branch in the courtyard.

At the sound of the door, both the two people and the bird turned their heads simultaneously toward the entrance.

“Immortal Master, you’re awake?”

The scholar surnamed Xu was clearly not skilled in social interactions—especially not with children. And even less so with a child who not only possessed supernatural abilities but also had a way of speaking and thinking that differed from ordinary people.

Seeing Song You step out, he immediately let out a breath of relief and walked toward him. “Did you sleep well last night, Immortal Master?”

“There were no disturbances in the night, so I slept very well.” Song You smiled slightly. “Though I prefer to be called 'sir'—it sounds easier on the ears.”

“It was improper of me to address you otherwise.”

“You may speak naturally.”

“Y-Yes, of course...”

The scholar still appeared somewhat stiff, lowering himself into a slight bow before speaking again. “The patriarch sent me to ask what kind of yellow paper would be best for the talismans, Immor— I mean, sir. Would hemp paper or rattan paper do? Or perhaps mulberry paper, bamboo paper, or glutinous rice paper?”

“Anything will do, even plain white paper. Whatever is easiest to obtain and of good quality in Fuyou County will suffice.”

“I will report this to the patriarch at once.” The scholar paused for a moment before continuing, “Breakfast has already been prepared for you, sir. After breakfast, would you like to stroll around the city? Perhaps purchase something? If there is anything else you require, please do not hesitate to give instructions.”

“I do wish to take a walk—to see for myself just how many supernatural occurrences plague this city of Fuyou.” Song You replied, “But I do not plan to buy anything, nor do I need a guide. I will simply wander as I please.”

“Then I shall report this to the patriarch.”

“Alright, farewell.”

“I’ll take my leave.”

With a respectful bow, the scholar departed.

Lady Calico remained where she was, still leaning against the pillar, her gaze fixed on the Daoist. Those eyes were distinctly black and white, the face fair and delicate, completely devoid of expression.

No one knew what she was thinking.

“Let’s go.”

Song You ruffled her hair.

The little girl immediately let go of the pillar and followed after him.

The Xu family’s breakfast was simple yet refined: a bowl of sweet rice wine with glutinous rice dumplings, topped with a poached egg, accompanied by a few plates of fruit and pastries. After eating, one felt warm and satisfied.

Song You politely declined the old master’s offer to send a steward to guide him or provide money for expenses. Calling for his cat and the swallow, he stepped out of the Xu manor, took a glance around, then chose a direction and started walking.

The Xu estate occupied the best location in the city—an area even more prestigious than the county office. Strolling through the nearby streets, he passed the residences of aristocrats and wealthy families—grand mansions with deep courtyards and vermillion gates. Naturally, the area was quiet and peaceful.

However, as he walked further, the sound of voices gradually emerged—shouts of people mixed with sharp, peculiar cries.

“That sounds like a fox!” Lady Calico turned back to inform her Daoist.

“It is a fox...”

The swallow flapped its wings overhead, lowering its voice to explain, “There have been many foxes in Fuyou County lately, even within the city. A lot of people hunt them for meat or sell them for money. Just now, a fox must have crawled through a dog hole into someone’s courtyard and was discovered. The household is trying to drive it out.”

“Hmm...”

Lady Calico lifted her head to glance at the bird, then quickly looked down again, staring ahead without responding.

At the end of a narrow alley before them, in the middle of the road, stood a fox with a grayish-brown coat, turning its head to stare directly at them.

Instinctively, Lady Calico slowed her steps, making them lighter, her gaze locked onto the fox. It wasn’t until her Daoist walked past her and stood behind her that she suddenly snapped back to reality—she was no longer a cat, but a small child. And besides, there was an adult accompanying her.

So, she abandoned her cautious stance and resumed walking toward the fox as if nothing had happened.

At that moment, the fox took a step forward and slipped into the alley on the other side.

Song You soon reached the spot where the fox had been standing. Turning his head in the direction it had fled, he saw that the fox had already gone some distance—but it had stopped and was looking back at him, curiosity and wariness flickering in its eyes.

“...”

Song You pressed his lips together but paid no attention to the fox. Neither did he follow in its direction; instead, he chose the opposite path.

As soon as he stepped out of the alley, he entered the bustling marketplace.

It was morning, the liveliest time of the day.

Vendors and laborers filled the streets, people coming and going. Some were shouting to sell steamed cakes, mantou and candied hawthorn skewers, others were loudly scolding beggars and foxes. Some whispered as they inquired about goods and prices.

And some were chasing foxes through the marketplace.

“Stop right there!”

“Ruff! Ruff! Ruff!”

“Help block the way!”

The commotion quickly spread in Song You’s direction.

He promptly stepped aside to the edge of the street.

Lady Calico had been full of curiosity, craning her neck to watch. But catching a glimpse of her Daoist's reaction, she froze for a moment, then immediately mimicked him, stepping aside as well.

Four or five foxes dashed by at incredible speed, darting under people’s legs and rolling beneath carts. Some even leaped over vegetable stalls, scattering produce into the air.

Three hunting dogs followed closely behind, relentless in pursuit.

Further back were uniformed officers carrying tools for capturing foxes, also in hot pursuit.

The foxes were nimble and fast, but ultimately, the trained hunting dogs had the advantage. Before long, one of the slower foxes was caught—the hound lunged, sinking its teeth into the fox’s tail. The fox immediately lost its balance and tumbled to the ground, where the dog quickly pinned it down.

The officers arrived shortly after, moving with practiced skill.

One of them carried a long pole with a loop at the end. With a precise motion, he slipped the loop around the fox’s neck.

The moment it tightened, the fox let out a high-pitched cry, struggling desperately but unable to escape.

“Aaaah... Aaaah...”

The sound was eerily similar to a child’s wail.

Another officer quickly caught up, carrying a burlap sack. With ease, he grabbed the captured fox, stuffed it into the bag, and just like that, a perfectly intact fox was taken.

Meanwhile, the hunting dogs continued the chase.

“Are there so many foxes here now that even the authorities have to step in to catch them?” Song You watched the scene unfold.

“Sir, you may not be aware, but this year, the foxes have become a full-blown infestation. It’s somewhat better now, but just a few days ago, so many foxes had gathered in the marketplace that even the city guards and officers, with nothing better to do, joined in the hunt.”

The voice belonged to a man dressed in luxurious clothing. Having overheard Song You’s words, he took it upon himself to explain.

“Where did all these foxes come from?”

“From the mountains. Strange occurrences happen every year, but this year, they seem especially frequent. I fear something bad is about to happen to this region...”

“I see.”

Song You withdrew his gaze and continued walking forward.

Truly, this was an age of prosperity.

If this were the declining years of a dynasty, let alone so many strange incidents happening at once—even just two or three occurring together—people would already be whispering that the empire’s mandate was fading and that chaos was on the horizon.

They might even invent supernatural omens if there weren’t enough real ones.

But now, even with all these bizarre happenings gathered in one place, the locals merely assumed that disaster was looming over their county—not once considering whether the entire realm might be on the verge of turmoil.

He wandered aimlessly, strolling through different parts of the city.

He saw poor folk capturing foxes to sell for drinking money. He saw wealthy men chasing foxes with hunting dogs for sport. He saw foxes sneaking around to steal meat, enraging butchers who cursed endlessly.

Dogs chased foxes, foxes chased cats. He even overheard that in the western part of the city, foxes had begun gathering in large groups, showing no fear of humans, and that city officials planned to send soldiers to clear them out tomorrow.

All of this made Fuyou County feel unusually chaotic.

But Lady Calico was absolutely delighted. So many small animals dashing past her—she could barely resist reaching out to swat at them.

Her only regret, perhaps, was that she hadn’t come out in her cat form today.

Being in human form somewhat limited her abilities.

1. Lung fung soup (龍鳳湯; pinyin: lóng fèng tāng) is a thick seafood or gou rou soup made with lemon, chili peppers, chicken, snake, and Chinese vegetables. ☜

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