Kang Sheng, Chapter 28

The beauty in green robes bowed respectfully to the bright moon and said, "Zhushu has a request; please, miss, you must agree." If it were her usual temperament, Mingyue would have retorted at the word "must," but now she simply waited for the woman to continue. The woman raised her eyes, and Mingyue saw three markings at her brow, shaped like the tips of long halberds. Unversed in poetry but well-acquainted with strange tales and folklore, Mingyue instantly understood the meaning of these markings.

"A Three-Ksha Demon Lord—what a rare guest," she remarked.

Zhushu bowed again and said, "Zhushu has no intention to force you, only hopes the miss will consent."

"What a claim of no intention to force. All three Ksha’s strength stands right here. How can a commoner like me possibly object? Can you claim that if I refuse, you won't drag me away?" Mingyue covered her mouth with a yawn, speaking bluntly.

Zhushu flushed, but Mingyue had already walked past her toward the exit.

Zhushu seemed anxious and reached out toward Mingyue’s shoulder. Mingyue lazily glanced back, just as Qin Shi stepped out, the soul lantern’s blue glow rippling forth and pushing Zhushu several steps away. Mingyue pursed her lips indifferently and strode out. She hadn’t expected that, when she and Qin Shi returned two hours later, Zhushu would still be waiting in the same spot.

Upon seeing Mingyue enter, Zhushu immediately knelt and bowed, saying, "I beg you to agree, miss. Zhushu acts out of necessity to save a life."

"That is your affair. What does it have to do with me?" Mingyue cast Zhushu a glance and walked past her into the room.

One day, two days… On the tenth day, Mingyue finally lost her patience and approached Zhushu, saying, "Get up."

"If you refuse, Zhushu will not rise," Zhushu replied.

Mingyue snorted, "Such an old trick, and you still use it? Let me tell you, it won’t work on me. If I don’t wish it, you could kneel here for a lifetime and I wouldn’t change my mind."

Zhushu bit her lip as expected. Mingyue continued, "But as it happens, I need a bit of your power, so you may get up. Next time you ask for help, mind your attitude. I hate being forced."

"Zhushu understands," Zhushu wiped her eyes and stood. "What does the miss require of Zhushu?"

"No rush," Mingyue waved her hand. "Let’s settle your matter first. Are you here for the Longing Charm?"

Zhushu nodded, "But not for myself."

Mingyue was surprised. She hadn’t expected Zhushu to kneel for someone else all this time. Her heart softened and she said, "Let me remind you—the Longing Charm only works if the person is truly willing. If he is unwilling, it won’t matter how hard you plead."

"Zhushu will persuade him to accept willingly. Please rest assured, miss."

Mingyue nodded, "Where is he?"

"...On the outskirts of the capital of Lu. If you worry about the journey, I can use a spell to let you arrive overnight."

Mingyue thought this sounded interesting, a chance to try the legendary magic, but then shook her head, "No, you’ll travel with us. Tell me about him along the way; if anything unexpected happens, I can improvise. This is the first time someone has requested it for another, so it’s hard to guarantee there won’t be mishaps."

Zhushu agreed.

Since the decision was made, Mingyue packed quickly. The Yi family in the south of the city wouldn’t run away; she could visit them after her return. Mingyue asked Qin Shi to hire a carriage and a driver, and the three of them left Yinzhou that night. To avoid trouble, before leaving Mingyue had Zhushu conceal her brow markings—after all, she was only a Three-Ksha; if they encountered anyone stronger, whether demon or immortal, they would not escape unscathed.

On the journey, Mingyue was in no hurry to ask about the man, instead observing Zhushu. Zhushu had a quiet nature; unless questioned, she sat silently in the corner of the carriage, fingering the obsidian bead bracelet on her wrist. After seven or eight days, the driver announced they were halfway to their destination.

During a night’s rest at an inn, Mingyue finally asked, "The one you plead for—is he a man?"

"Yes." Zhushu’s cheeks flushed faintly as she recalled something, "He’s a scholar, surnamed Kang. You may call him Scholar Kang. His ancestral home is Hejian; this year he is twenty-four. About a year ago, he went to the capital for the imperial exam. He prepared for a long time and was confident in his talent, so soon after arriving, he took his poems and essays to seek out the Assistant Chancellor. The official praised them highly, and Kang believed he would surely excel in the exams. He grew proud among the other candidates, offending many with his arrogance. He cared nothing for them, his heart set only on passing the exam and returning home in glory. But when the results were announced, he didn’t even make the last place—he ended up as nothing.

Before those he had offended could come to mock him, he was devastated and hid in a tavern, drinking himself drunk every day. Then one day, the top scorer entered the same tavern with several scholars. They demanded the champion read his winning essay, and he did so with pride. Listening from a side room, Kang realized it was the very essay he had written in the exam. With his proud nature, he couldn’t bear it and rushed out to confront the champion. The champion was speechless, but those around recognized Kang and mocked him mercilessly."

Zhushu paused. Mingyue, feeling sleepy, interjected, "Did they fight?"

Zhushu nodded. Mingyue stretched and got up to head to her room, "How dull. Perhaps we’ll talk about it again someday. I’m tired."

As Mingyue closed the door, she caught Zhushu’s lips curling into a comfortable smile.

The next morning, when Qin Shi woke Mingyue for breakfast, Zhushu was nowhere to be seen. Both Qin Shi and the driver said they hadn’t seen her. Mingyue scratched her head in puzzlement and, after breakfast, walked to the back of the inn. The inn was situated in a small town, with a lake and bamboo grove behind it—a pleasant setting that Mingyue had immediately liked the previous evening. As she approached the lake, Mingyue was stunned. The once modest bamboo grove was growing wildly, encircling the lake, drawing water from it. The new growth stretched taller and taller.

Mingyue watched this marvel for a long while before realizing that the bamboo was Zhushu’s true form.

About half an hour later, the grove receded, and Zhushu stepped out slowly. Mingyue stared at her and asked, "You’re already a Three-Ksha; advancing to Four-Ksha shouldn’t be difficult. Why entangle yourself with a mortal scholar? Have you been bewitched by those human romance tales?"

Zhushu could only smile wryly, answering gently, "I have always cultivated in a bamboo grove on the outskirts of the capital, not too near nor too far from the imperial city. There, I could absorb royal spiritual energy to speed my cultivation, yet avoid being overwhelmed and harmed by its intensity, and not affect ordinary people. So meeting him was inevitable, not as you say, due to those romance stories."