Unintended Immortality-Chapter 488: Encountering Soldiers Capturing Foxes

Breakfast was bird’s nest stewed with rock sugar[1], once again a sweet dish favored by Lady Calico.

The Xu family seemed to have figured out the little girl’s fondness for sweets. This bowl of bird’s nest soup was particularly heavy on sugar, with a single red date, two goji berries, and three silver ear fungus petals floating atop as decoration. The faint fragrance resembled that of snow pear tea—clearly, much thought had gone into its preparation.

The little girl drank with a serious expression, unable to stop.

Meanwhile, Song You remained unhurried as he asked the elderly patriarch, “Was last night's ghost-slaying successful?”

“It’s all thanks to your guidance. At first, we were frightened and clumsy. But once we started fighting, we realized it wasn’t all that different from dealing with humans.” The old man held his bowl as he spoke. “Of course, without your powerful talismans, I doubt we would have succeeded.”

“In fact, the common folk have many traditional methods for warding off, seeing, and combating ghosts. These techniques may not rely on talismans, but they are effective. Many are passed down among folk experts—you can always seek them out.”

“I tried a few of them last night,” the elderly master admitted humbly. “I had gathered different methods from various sources, but I wasn’t sure which would work and which wouldn’t. So, I used them all.”

“And now you know which ones worked.”

“Indeed...”

“And what of the old woman?”

“...”

The elderly man fell silent for a moment before answering, “I did not give the order to have her killed.”

“Oh?”

Song You’s interest was piqued. After a brief thought, he asked, “Because she can cure the Xu family’s inherited chest pain?”

“It is exactly so.” The old man sighed as he answered. “Firstly, though that old crone is insatiably greedy and vicious in her ways, she has not actually taken any lives within the estate. Secondly, the chronic chest pain that has plagued my Xu family for generations can indeed only be cured by her.

“Thirdly, I have long since seen through her—while she may be aggressive and avaricious, in the end, she is nothing more than a bully who preys on the weak while fearing the strong. In truth, she lacks much courage.

“Last night, after giving her a lesson, I made an agreement with her: from now on, our family will once again set up a memorial tablet for her in the household and make offerings to her on the fifteenth of every month, so that she may protect us from the affliction of chest pain.”

“You truly have great courage, Patriarch.”

Hearing this, Song You couldn't help but smile.

Initially, he had only wanted the Xu family to stop fearing these supernatural beings. As long as they no longer feared them, they would be better prepared to handle any future encounters with spirits or demons. If word of this spread throughout Fuyou County, it might even encourage the people of the city and the surrounding counties to stop blindly fearing such entities and instead develop a bit more bravery.

What he hadn't expected was that on the very first day, they would already dare to negotiate directly with a ghost.

That did take a certain kind of boldness.

“Ghosts are ghosts in the end, and they walk a different path than humans,” Song You said. “Patriarch, you are well aware of this, so I will not say more on the matter. Just be sure to act with caution and careful thought.”

He paused briefly before continuing, “I have already spoken to Minor Official Xu just now. Since the matter in your estate is now resolved, we must continue our journey. This afternoon, we will be taking our leave. Thank you for your hospitality.”

The old man was taken aback upon hearing this.

Naturally, he made every effort to persuade them to stay, speaking with deep emotion and eloquence, his words both heartfelt and compelling. However, the Daoist was resolute in his decision and would not change his mind.

***

The midday banquet was lively and bustling.

Song You and Lady Calico were both invited to the main table, with the Xu family even arranging a high-backed stool specifically for Lady Calico.

The dishes on the table were nothing short of lavish.

Chicken, duck, fish, and meat, along with rare delicacies from the mountains and the sea—creatures that flew in the sky, ran on the ground, swam in the water, and even those that grew beneath the earth—all could be found on this grand table. Not only were the ingredients rich and precious, but the culinary craftsmanship was also exquisite.

Among them were several particularly special dishes.

At the very center of the table sat three grand dishes: a whole steamed pig’s face and an entire boiled sheep’s head—symbols of the Xu family’s status and prestige. Given the high price of sheep in Yuzhou, this also showcased the Xu family's wealth.

Additionally, there was a large white ceramic pot with golden glaze, containing a high-quality old hen and a coiled snake, simmered together with rare medicinal herbs and mushrooms, giving off an incredibly fragrant aroma.

Near Song You and the young girl, three plates of local specialty dishes had been specially arranged.

One was simply boiled—on the plate, several whole creatures had been chopped into neat, bite-sized pieces, complete with heads and tails intact. Beside it was a small dish of soy sauce for dipping.

Another was smoked—dark and charred, resembling cured meat.

The last one had been roasted to a crisp—golden on the outside and tender within.

“...”

Song You turned his head and silently stared at the young girl.

The young girl also remained silent, turning her head to meet his gaze.

“Thank you, Mr. Song! On behalf of everyone in the Xu estate, I offer you this toast!”

“...”

Only then did Song You withdraw his gaze.

The young girl, imitating him, also withdrew hers.

The banquet quickly began.

Needless to say, Lady Calico's first move with her chopsticks was to reach for her staple food while simultaneously turning her head to stare at the Daoist.

Song You ignored her and refused to meet her gaze.

In Yuzhou, people enjoyed eating snake and rat meat—here, consuming rat meat was nothing unusual. Though under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t appear on the Xu family's banquet table, now that it had been served, the Xu family members casually picked at it with their chopsticks, treating it like any other meat.

Each time this happened, Lady Calico would turn her head and fix her stare on her Daoist, as if trying to convey something through her eyes.

Song You continued to feign ignorance.

Naturally, given his current standing in the Xu family, since he made no move to pick up the rat meat himself, no one dared to urge him to eat it, nor did they ask why he abstained.

Lady Calico was visibly disappointed and dejected.

***

Song You had packed up his belongings and led his jujube-red horse to the front gate of the Xu estate. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

The old man personally placed items onto the horse's back—

First, a small bag of fine, hand-selected rice. Then, a small sack of flour. After that, some oil-paper-wrapped pancakes and baked goods, along with an assortment of delicate pastries. Lastly, a tray of official silver.

However, Song You only casually took two silver ingots, saying it was payment for the talismans. In any case, the money he had on him had already lasted a long time without being spent, and he had no major expenses at the moment—carrying more would just be an unnecessary burden.

“There’s an old saying: ‘One decisive strike can prevent a hundred future blows.’ Though the Xu family no longer fears spirits and demons, if you simply wait here, allowing more and more of them to gather in the city and converge upon your household, you will eventually be exhausted from constant defense.”

Before leaving, Song You gave the old man one last piece of advice.

“However, spirits and demons possess intelligence as well. If the Xu family becomes familiar with ways to deal with them, consider spreading that knowledge—if Fuyou County becomes a little more purified, so too will the Xu estate.

“If you have the capacity, you might even help cleanse the areas right outside your doorstep. Should the Xu family's reputation grow, many spirits and demons will hesitate to cause trouble here.”

“Ah! To be honest with you, sir, I was thinking the same thing!” The old man was taken aback. “Since you’ve said so as well, then there’s no need to hesitate any longer!”

“Farewell.”

Song You remained calm, his gaze sweeping past the old man and the Xu family scholar standing behind him. With a respectful cupping of his hands, he said, “You still have a funeral to hold, so please do not see us off too far.”

“Farewell! Don’t see us off too far!” The young girl mimicked her Daoist priest, bowing in the same manner. Her gaze also swept past the old man and the Xu family scholar, while she completely ignored everyone else.

Even the horse turned its head to glance at them.

“Travel safely, sir...”

The gathered crowd all bowed in unison, their voices ringing out together.

Ahead of them lay a quiet alley, long and undisturbed.

As Song You and his group reached the end of the alley, a sudden burst of firecrackers erupted from the Xu estate behind them. It was neither morning nor dusk, nor was it a festival. According to local customs, this sound was a way of informing neighbors that someone in the household had passed away.

The body that had been strung up two nights ago—only now had the Xu family begun the mourning process.

The old burying the young—what a tragedy.

“...”

Song You shook his head but did not slow his pace.

Exiting the alley, they continued westward. Changjing lay to the west, so naturally, they would leave through the western part of the city gate.

As they entered the streets, passing through the bustling marketplace, the scene remained much the same as yesterday—many people were still chasing and driving away foxes. There were also more government officials patrolling, adding to the commotion.

The farther west they went, the more foxes they encountered.

By the time they reached the western part of the city, pedestrians had nearly disappeared from the streets. Shops had closed their doors, and only a few second-story windows remained open, with people peering out cautiously.

Upon spotting a Daoist priest, a young girl, and a horse passing through the street, a devout Buddhist hurriedly called out, “Sir, why are you walking in the streets?”

“What’s wrong?”

The devout Buddhist upstairs hurriedly warned, “Sir, do you not know? Lately, the foxes in the western part of the city have become a serious problem again. They especially like to hide in these alleyways. The county magistrate believes they are an ill omen, so today he brought soldiers into the city for a large-scale extermination. He has ordered every household in these streets to stay indoors and not come out.

“Just a moment ago, there were even soldiers shooting arrows in this very area. There were two arrows still stuck in that pillar just now. The soldiers pulled them out when they left, but the holes are still there.”

“I am from out of town, so I was indeed unaware.”

“The order was only given at noon today, and they didn’t put up any public notices beforehand,” the onlooker added. “In any case, sir, you should either turn back and take a detour or quickly find a place to hide. If the soldiers chase the foxes this way, their arrows and crossbows won’t care who they hit. Even if you don’t get shot, the soldiers will surely give you an earful.”

“Understood...”

Just as Song You responded, a sudden commotion arose in the distance, growing louder as it approached.

First came a chorus of sharp fox cries—a large group of foxes was being driven forward, with hunting dogs in pursuit. Then, behind them, came soldiers on horseback, each one armed with a bow and arrows.

Song You quickly led his horse to the side of the wall.

“Swish! Swish! Swish!”

Arrows sliced through the air, striking down the foxes.

Many foxes were hit, collapsing to the ground with shrieks of pain or dying instantly. Some tried to hide in corners, thinking they could escape, only to be sniffed out by the hunting dogs and soldiers. Worse still, at the intersection ahead, another group of soldiers appeared, blocking off any escape route for the foxes.

The soldiers stopped firing their arrows but began releasing more hunting dogs and drawing their swords, closing in on the trapped foxes.

The Great Yan military prided itself on its elite soldiers—most of them trained warriors.

No matter how many foxes there were, no matter how bold they usually were, no matter how fiercely they struggled now, in the face of these soldiers, all they could do was flee helplessly, utterly incapable of resistance.

Song You watched in silence, saying nothing.

Lady Calico stood beside him, her eyes dark and clear, unblinking as she fixed her gaze in that direction. Her face was expressionless, as if she had seen such scenes countless times before.

1. Rock sugar is refined, crystalized sugar commonly used in Chinese kitchen to add shine to braised dishes or to sweeten desserts. ☜

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