Chapter 112: Little Foodie?

“Ling Zhu, what would happen if I approached the Yangtze River, crossed the Yellow River, or even defied the Emperor’s Law?”

Su Ye knew that if Granny Ling Ya had truly left this final message for him, it must have come with a warning. What would happen if he disobeyed?

“I don’t know. But you must listen to my grandmother’s words and never violate them! She was supposed to have passed away over three hundred years ago, but she peered into celestial secrets and clung to life by stealing the heavenly mandate. Seven years ago, she could no longer bear it and finally passed on. She endured all that suffering just to pass this message to those who cultivate the Emperor’s Law. That’s why she held on until now.”

Ling Zhu finished speaking, then reached out to touch a pile of white bones. Suddenly, she seemed to exhale a breath and said, “She has endured centuries of torment and is finally freed today.”

Su Ye sighed deeply, his heart heavy with indescribable feelings. He crouched down and whispered, “Let’s bury your grandmother first, then talk about everything else.”

“Mm.” Ling Zhu nodded silently. She had always been cared for by her grandmother. Although Granny was now dead, her remains still existed, and Ling Zhu had a mission—to transmit that final message, she had to keep living day by day.

But now? Suddenly, she felt as if she had lost her purpose in life. What was next? What about tomorrow? She had no mood to think about any of it, nor did she look forward to the days ahead.

In the distance, the Jiang family saw Su Ye’s signal and gathered to help.

Without much talk, they assisted in burying the bones.

Jiang Liuying looked at the pitiful Ling Zhu and softly said, “Little sister, you must be hungry. Come to our house to wash up first. I’ll find you some clean clothes to change into, then we can talk more.”

Ling Zhu glanced timidly at Jiang Liuying, then lowered her head in self-consciousness upon seeing her stunning appearance. She whispered, “No, it’s not necessary. I can wash in the river down by the village.”

Su Ye said sternly, “You should go along with the plan. Didn’t you want to guard your grandmother’s grave? Huaping Manor is quite large; just stay here for now—Master Jiang, what do you think?”

“I think it’s fine. We need hands everywhere at Huaping Manor. You can stay here for now, and if you want to leave later, you’re free to do so. You’re just a young girl—where else would you go?” Even Jiang Ziyang spoke up.

Given the recent upheavals in the Jiang family, casually taking someone in was not wise. Yet everyone saw Ling Zhu was no ordinary person, and besides, she was truly alone and helpless. Huaping Manor was vast; providing her with a single room was no trouble.

Most importantly, since this was Su Ye’s domain and he had spoken, Jiang Ziyang naturally had no objections.

Ling Zhu’s delicate body trembled as she knelt down and said, “Thank you for taking me in. Ling Zhu is deeply grateful...”

“Hey, what are you doing? Get up! That final message must be of great help to me. I’m the one who should be thanking you, so no more kneeling… Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and fed. I’ll have the kitchen warm up some food right away!”

With that, the Jiang family led Ling Zhu back to their home.

Jiang Liuying worried Ling Zhu might be shy, so she sent many servants away to give her privacy for washing. Ling Zhu did indeed have a strong, unpleasant odor.

---

Meanwhile, Su Ye and Jiang Ziyang waited quietly in the sitting room and discussed the earlier events.

Su Ye had only revealed the first part of the final message, concealing the latter phrase “a thousand deaths rather than defying the Emperor’s Law.” He did not wish to expose his secret cultivation publicly.

“Since it’s a celestial secret, you must heed it carefully and never violate it,” Jiang Ziyang warned.

Su Ye nodded but inwardly harbored a strange thought. Without the celestial secret warning, he might never have considered returning north—where his family resided—nor imagined the “Three Thousand Flames of Huang” could be reversed.

Now, he was truly tempted to try reversing it to see what consequences might follow.

After more than an hour, Xiao Die brought out a freshly washed Ling Zhu.

Her hair was cut short, once filthy and grimy now clean. She wore an ill-fitting set of clothes but looked much more presentable.

Yet she was still a fragile twelve or thirteen-year-old girl, malnourished, her face covered with strange marks and a waxy pallor that made her appear quite unpleasant.

Jiang Liuying, blunt and straightforward, immediately asked, “What’s on your face? Are you sick?”

Lowering her head, Ling Zhu whispered, “I learned celestial secrets from my grandmother, and this is the result. I wasn’t like this when I was little. Don’t worry, it’s not contagious.”

“No worries. Girls change a lot as they grow. Su Ye used to be very ugly—practically like a monkey. Now look at him, quite a proper young man. By the way, you learned celestial secrets too, right? Can you see the future? Then help me take a look.”

Ling Zhu hesitated and shook her head. “My celestial disc was shattered. I can no longer see the celestial secrets. Besides, peering into such secrets comes at a great cost.”

Su Ye interrupted, “Ignore her. Let’s eat first.”

At the mention of food, Ling Zhu moved a few steps eagerly—she was clearly starving.

Su Ye and the others had questions for Ling Zhu, so they sat down to eat together. Unexpectedly, this little girl showed no manners at the table. The bowl of plain rice in front of her was barely enough for a few spoonfuls; her small mouth was stuffed full as she mumbled:

“Delicious, mm, delicious!”

“Don’t rush. Eat the dishes too! Here, have some of mine... slow down, drink some juice.”

Ling Zhu was truly unreserved, finishing several dishes and five bowls of rice. Su Ye’s eyes nearly popped out. He hurriedly asked the kitchen to fry ten more eggs.

As they ate, Ling Zhu noticed the voices around her had fallen silent. Her cheeks flushed red, and reluctantly, she put down her bowl and whispered, “I—I’m full now...”

---

“No worries, no worries. Waste is bad. You have to finish everything here.”

“Yeah, wasting food is truly bad.”

Watching Ling Zhu’s unfamiliar way of eating, even Jiang Ziyang couldn’t help but smile wryly. They all wondered how such a small stomach could hold so much.

Finally, after Ling Zhu was full, they asked many questions—mainly about her background and the existence of the celestial secret figure.

Ling Zhu could not explain much. She only remembered being very young when Granny Ling Ya saved her, named her, raised her, and taught her some celestial counting arts. After Granny’s death, she was left alone.

As for Granny’s hometown, Ling Zhu did not know.

With no more questions to ask, Jiang Ziyang and the others ceased their inquiries and instructed the steward to arrange for Ling Zhu to stay at Huaping Manor.

After Ling Zhu was taken back to her room, the smile on Jiang Ziyang’s face gradually faded. He said quietly, “Xiao Ye, do you notice anything amiss?”

“What’s amiss?” Su Ye was slightly startled.

“I’m not sure either, but the whole business of peering into celestial secrets is too bizarre. Could she be sent by Ye Lingyun or the Illusion Sea sect? You must be very cautious.”

Jiang Ziyang warned again, seeing the surprise on Su Ye’s face. “As the saying goes, the human heart is hard to fathom, like the depths of the sea. Do you think conquering Huaping Manor means it’s all over? Ye Lingyun wants the Thunder Summoning Pearl in your hands. I’ve asked around—it’s said to be the key to finding the legendary Thunder City. He won’t give up so easily.

“This Ling Zhu’s identity is still unclear, but I don’t think she’s simple. The fact her grandmother turned to bones and sprouted crows resembles methods rumored in the southern border. I suspect she’ll seek you out soon. See if you can find out anything when she does.”

Su Ye considered it carefully and found some truth in Jiang Ziyang’s words, though a strange feeling welled up inside him.

“All right—”

That very night, just as Jiang Ziyang had predicted, Ling Zhu secretly came to find Su Ye...