Fei Tang felt his throat tighten at the word "hanging to death." It wasn't surprising that people constantly spoke of "difficult times" as soon as they entered the region—this world truly made one feel uneasy. While he was glad he wasn't a native of the region, he also expressed his sympathy freely: "When will this world finally be at peace?" Li Jinao shook his head: "It's difficult. Since I witnessed unusual celestial phenomena twenty years ago, I've known this unrest would last well beyond a century." Ding Liu immediately asked: "What kind of phenomena were these?" Among the group, she was the only one under twenty, and she hadn't expected to be treated as if it were natural to question—she asked with confidence. Li Jinao snorted: "You're just young. Even you, and all of you—back then, either you hadn't been born yet or you were just learning to walk. Plus, it was strictly forbidden to mention it. Hmph. How could the official records hold up against the people's whispers?" Fei Tang grew even more eager: "What exactly were these phenomena?" He had a strong intuition that it wouldn't be something as simple as a total solar eclipse or a super Li Jin'ao said slowly, "The sun appears in the Southern Dipper." Fei Tang said, "Huh?" He could understand things related to Qin and Han bricks and tiles, and household utensils, but when it came to astronomy, he was completely lost. Li Jin'ao had to rephrase it in simpler terms: "That means, during the daytime, the seven stars of the Southern Dipper appear in the sky—sun appears in the Southern Dipper!" Even with this clear explanation, the expected scene of astonishment didn't materialize. To Fei Tang, the Southern Dipper was just the Southern Dipper—nothing particularly familiar or exciting. Gao Shen hesitated slightly: "I heard..." Everyone turned to him. Gao Shen's face flushed. He was naturally reserved, always preferring action over words—doing rather than speaking, fighting rather than discussing. Over time, one might say he was economical with his words, or, less kindly, socially anxious. Especially in crowded gatherings, he remained as silent as a person who wasn't there at all. Five of us traveling together. Every time I see others chatting effortlessly and in sync, I feel envious. Occasionally, I manage to contribute a few words, but I always fall short of the mark—my remarks are quickly forgotten. Now, suddenly, I’ve become the center of attention, and I feel utterly uncomfortable. “I’m the grandson of someone…” He didn’t know how to introduce his grandfather—such a well-rounded, down-to-earth figure from the countryside. His home was filled with all sorts of traditional items: a Daoist robe and a peach-wood sword, a Buddhist robe and a wooden fish mallet, a red-and-yellow scroll with a compass—invited to drive away evil spirits, conduct weddings and funerals, even to help pigs give birth. He had grown up with his grandfather until he was nine years old, often assisting him. So, he simply skipped that part: “My grandfather once taught me that ‘the Northern Dipper governs death, while the Southern Dipper governs life.’ Though the seven stars of the Northern Dipper are often seen as inauspicious, the seven stars of the Southern Dipper are truly auspicious.” Li Jinao chuckled: “Whether it’s good or bad depends on the "Ding Liu furrowed her brow: 'No, actually... My uncle, no one ever told me about it.' Li Jin'ao spoke with a clear pride: 'You wouldn't know, of course—look at you, not exactly descended from the scholars of the Way of the Masters. As the saying goes, "even a lean camel is greater than a horse," we practitioners of the Way of the Masters know more. Take the matter of Emperor Wu's efforts to seal off the Jade Gate Pass—don't I need to explain that?' Chang Dong nodded: 'Yes, everyone knows.' This thanks to the widespread adoption of the old-style records during our time in the remote village. 'The Emperor always seeks the will of heaven. It's said that Emperor Wu himself consulted the oracles, hoping to ascertain whether the sealing of the Jade Gate Pass might encounter any setbacks. His method, known as "the Oracle of Turtle Shells," uses the shells of ancient turtles—living for thousands of years—crafted into divination tools. Inside each shell are strands of ashen grass, and a scroll inscribed with characters is laid out on the ground. When the shells are shaken, the ashen grass falls, but a few strands remain upright, standing "They said the divination revealed five characters: 'NanDou Po YuMen.'" Fei Tang listened intently, "Isn't that complete? What's the point of sealing anything anymore if it's already broken?" Li Jinao gave him a withering look, "Don't you know what the Emperor knows? It seems they've cast two more divinations." The second divination revealed the great destiny of YuMen Pass, known as 'Westward Beyond YuMen.' Fortunately, the final divination provided a solution that settled Han Wu's mind. As for the exact method of resolution, Li Jinao still didn't know—it was still just the same old saying: "If I knew, I'd have taken the iron-wheeled carriage long ago." Chang Dong asked, "Has there ever been a phenomenon like 'the sun appearing at NanDou' before?" Li Jinao smiled with a deep sense of reserve, "Of course there has. If there hadn't been, how could I say this turmoil would last at least a hundred years? This is well-documented. The last time was…" He furrowed his brows, "How many years ago, exactly?" A thousand... more than a thousand, perhaps twelve or three hundred years ago...” Fei Tang quickly subtracted the years from the Common Era and then gestured with his mouth to the others. Tang Dynasty. —— It wasn’t quite dawn yet, so those who wanted to sleep continued to do so. Li Jinao felt a bit hesitant and lingered, unwilling to go back; Chang Dong didn’t mind much either, as the room was spacious and accommodating one more person and one chicken wasn’t an issue. But once he lay down again, he couldn’t fall asleep. He found himself repeatedly thinking about Ye Liuxi: when the scorpion mark appeared on her eyelids, she had been struck; when she was hung by the rope, she had also been struck. So—was she a member of the Yulin Guard, or someone from the Scorpion faction? Ye Liuxi herself couldn’t settle either. She listened carefully to the sounds in the room, waiting until Ding Liu and the others were fully asleep, then finally couldn’t bear it anymore. She got up quietly, moved to Chang Dong’s side, and gently patted his shoulder. Chang Dong sat up. He knew she must have wanted to talk to him, but there simply Ye Liuxi wasn't daunted. She walked to the corner of the room, opened the wardrobe door, and then waved at him. It truly took her imagination to make something so straightforward feel like a secret romance. Chang Dong hesitated before approaching. The watch face was luminescent, and with just a soft, diffused glow, he bent down to enter. Ye Liuxi carefully closed the wardrobe door. The wardrobe was not tall, and Chang Dong had no idea how to position himself—so he sighed, "Can't we talk about this tomorrow morning?" "No, I'm feeling suffocated—don't you feel the same?" Then why not talk now? She too was trying to find a comfortable stance. With the wardrobe not fully open, the two of them were squeezed into the same narrow space, moving in the dark, bumping and pressing against each other—everything felt chaotic. Chang Dong couldn't help but say, "Just stay still a moment." He leaned back against the wardrobe wall, slowly settled down, and then pulled her to sit beside him. As soon as they settled, he took a deep, long breath and felt the world finally quiet. The cabinet was a bit narrow. Ye Liu leaned against the wall, speaking softly, almost murmuring into his ear: "Li Jin'ao mentioned all these things... do you think I'm one of the two types?" Chang Dong paused thoughtfully: "It's hard to say. You have a bold, rugged air—on first glance, you seem more like a Scorpion's person. But if the Yulin Guard is also known for being assertive and domineering, then calling you a Yulin Guard wouldn't be out of place." "Yet, there's also the case of a Scorpion's person being hanged—could I be the undercover agent?" It feels like a complete, coherent story: a Yulin Guard officer sent to work undercover within the Scorpion's ranks, gradually rising to a junior leadership position, only to eventually leak and be hanged as a warning. Or perhaps, originally a Scorpion's junior leader, she was persuaded by the Yulin Guard, and the Scorpion faction, in anger, hanged her as a means of sending a message. Chang Dong added: "Given your personality, would you be suited as an undercover agent?" "How come I'm so different from the norm? Everyone thinks someone like me wouldn't be the undercover agent—yet I am. Besides, I've been experiencing memory loss. Maybe before that, I was cold and gloomy, the very definition of a typical undercover agent." Chang Dong said, "Our goals and direction have so far remained consistent—helping you is essentially helping myself." He pointed to the largest circular ring: "This is the common people within the region, like Ah He and the elderly sign-holders. They've given us a general sense of what this place is and why such a place exists." He then indicated the middle ring: "Li Jin'ao and others, being descendants of scholars and practitioners, with their own skills, form a distinct social stratum, so they know more—things like the sun appearing in the southern constellations, shadow theater caravan routes." Ye Liuxi looked at the innermost ring: "This is the core group?" Chang Dong nodded: "I believe that the secrets of the Jade Gate, such as exactly where the main gate lies, what the original solution devised by Emperor Wu was, and whether there are individuals born with exceptional talents who can pass through the gate—these things must be known by someone. They not only know them, but also ensure certain processes continue to unfold. We simply haven't yet come into contact with them." Ye Liu Xi沉吟道: "You mean 'they' refers to the scholars and the Fei Lin Guard?" Chang Dong nodded. For now, he still didn't fully understand the social landscape within the interior region, but he could confirm a few key points. It wasn't thriving or flourishing. It might still be in a state resembling a feudal society, since feudal systems are inherently enduring, stagnant, and resistant to change—without the transformative shocks of foreign cultural influences, China's imperial dynasties might have continued to linger on, barely surviving. Clearly, the interior region was a stagnant pond, and the only streams flowing into it were the subtle currents brought by the shadow theater troupe, hardly capable of creating significant waves. The scholars and the Fei Lin Guard remained in power, as they were the absolute holders of power, possessing all resources from the beginning. As long as their rule wasn't excessively harsh, their positions could remain as solid as a fortress. Ye Liu Xi said: "Xiao Yangzhou is essentially a market town. Once we arrive there, we should be able to identify the key figures involved. It's just a short distance away, yet it still feels as though things won't be that easy." Chang Dong replied, "The closer we get to the truth, the harder it becomes. Especially this truth—clearly, it has been manipulated or deliberately concealed." He remembered Ye Liuxi saying that everything was a setup, that she had simply been guided step by step forward, until now, when she could no longer claim that the moment of revelation had yet come. But at least, the veil was being peeled back, inch by inch. Ye Liuxi said, "Once we reach Xiao Yangzhou, we must be even more cautious." Chang Dong shook his head, "We've already got to be careful—didn't Li Jin'ao mention there are people with Scorpion Eyes here?" It made perfect sense for the twin brothers to first fix their gaze on Ye Liuxi and then on Li Jin'ao. Li Jin'ao carried the Hermit's card, claiming to bring the Mountain River to glory in Xiao Yangzhou—clearly a move aimed at countering the Scorpion Eyes. Yet, their iron-wheeled vehicles, not serving the Scorpion Eyes, and sharing the same table with Li Jin'ao, had already made them appear as adversaries in his eyes. The topic was stifling, and the room felt a bit stuffy. Chang Dong gently pushed the cabinet door open a crack. "Anyway..." He suddenly stopped, raising his index finger to his lips, signaling Ye Liuxi to stay quiet. Ye Liuxi blinked, then pressed down on his knee, moving as lightly as possible to peer out. The cabinet had two doors; Chang Dong had opened one, while the other side, a chicken was quietly peering, its head pressed tightly against the door, its rear end facing the two of them. Ye Liuxi sighed, as if it were all a deliberate eavesdropping. She sat back down, resting her arms on Chang Dong's knees, her hand resting on her cheek, saying, "I'm actually thinking of having some chicken." Chang Dong replied, "Indeed, chicken soup is quite good—golden yellow in color, nutritious." Ye Liuxi added, "Definitely a hen, not a rooster. Roosters are better for stir-frying—boiled alive with hot water, plucked clean, the wings and legs cut off for grilling, and the body then diced." Finally, Zhen Shan He noticed something was off, her tail twitched slightly, and