Das Grab von Qin Shi Huang

Kapitel 7

"Jealous?" Anya asked thoughtfully. "Xia Qing was indeed jealous... But don't you think the one who was truly jealous was me?"

"I think so too." Anya seemed to hear someone whispering in her ear in the quiet moonlight. She didn't dare turn around, only letting out a low shiver down her spine. Then she pulled her collar tighter and disappeared into the murky darkness.

Book One: The Seven Deadly Sins - Pride: The Ageless Beauty (Part 1)

Yongxi will never grow old.

—Epigraph

If it weren't for that foolish bet, Yan Wuyue would never have imagined that she would do something so stupid.

The scorching sun beat down relentlessly, threatening to shrivele and shred anyone writhing on the ground. Although it was early autumn in September, the merciless heat of late summer still relentlessly baked people's skin. Yan Wuyue stared suspiciously at the tightly locked door. A tattered piece of paper was pasted beside the door, bearing a star chart and the words "Proficient in astrology and tarot." Yes, this was the address Gao Juan had provided. But was it really as Gao Juan claimed, that a powerful astrologer lived here?

In recent years, with the gradual influx of Western influence, constellations and the astrological practices behind them have become increasingly popular, especially among students, who have seen a proliferation of things like horoscope readings and daily horoscopes. Due to strong demand from students, even the campus BBS has created a special section called "Constellation Stories" to discuss constellations and some basic astrological knowledge. Recently, coinciding with the campus October Cultural Festival, the "Constellation Stories" section is preparing a series of constellation popularization activities, ideally including an introductory astrology lecture, according to the moderator, Lonely Ox. However, the three moderators have been pondering for a long time: who should be the speaker? Most of them are only at a beginner level in astrology, far from being qualified to teach. Just as they were racking their brains, one of the moderators, Yan Wuyue, suddenly received a video chat request.

The person on the video call was Gao Juan, a fellow villager of hers. After exchanging pleasantries for a long time, Gao Juan excitedly told her that a new astrologer had recently appeared in the city, whose predictions were incredibly accurate. "Thanks to his advice, I finally had the courage to confess my feelings to XX!" Gao Juan chattered on and on, her happiness overflowing. "I can't be happier now!"

Yan Wuyue was skeptical. She told the other two moderators about it, and sure enough, their reactions were lukewarm. As university students of the post-80s generation, they instinctively harbored skepticism towards society, unaware that deep down they held an almost blind worship for higher education. If this astrologer had the prestigious title of "Member of the American Astronomical Society" and possessed a Master's degree in Astrology from the University of Arkansas, their attitude would surely have been completely different, wouldn't it? As time passed, Lonely Cow grew increasingly anxious. Yan Wuyue then suggested "trying anything as a last resort," but this was once again met with unanimous resistance.

"What if he's a charlatan? Those street fortune tellers might not even know as much as you or I do. If we invite them, wouldn't that just tarnish our image? Besides, what are we supposed to write on the posters? How are we supposed to advertise it? Just write 'Lecturer: A street astrologer'?!" The moderator started nagging and criticizing her for a while.

Yan Wuyue couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. "What's all the fuss about? I was just trying to help because I saw you were really helpless!" She became angrier as she spoke. "You're really biting the hand that feeds you! If you're so capable, go up and give your own speech, then I'll be impressed! You're helpless, and you call yourself a man!"

Lonely Ox was truly anxious this time. "What? You look down on me? Why can't I tell stories? I guarantee I can tell stories better than those fortune tellers!"

"Fine! You said it!" Yan Wuyue wouldn't back down an inch. "I want to see who's better, you or that fortune teller!"

It was this impulsive decision that forced her to stand outside the "living, breathing astrology shop" at 666 Frozen Street at midday in September. She arrived at an inopportune time; the shop was locked, and it seemed the owner wasn't home.

Unwilling to have made a wasted trip, she stared at the wooden door for a long time, then, as if suddenly making up her mind, a sly smile appeared on her lips. She slipped into the alley next to it and searched for a while. As she expected, the back side of the street was full of storefronts with their backyards, each enclosed by a cement wall. But seeing the shards of glass sticking up high on the walls, their white teeth gleaming coldly like those of a guarded dog, Yan Wuyue couldn't help but hesitate. She slowly strolled over, casually surveying the heavily guarded courtyards in the area, hoping to find some loophole. At that moment, her eyes suddenly lit up.

In the middle of the cement wall, the verdant shadow of a bamboo fence swayed out on its own!

She rushed over quickly, and found that the yard of that family was indeed different from the others. They had brazenly built a fence with green bamboo. Not only that, she tried to push it, and the green bamboo gate opened with a "creak", making it exceptionally bright in the sultry afternoon.

"Is anyone home?" Yan Wuyue called out tentatively. For some reason, she inexplicably felt that this unusual back door must belong to the "flesh-and-blood astrology shop." Her feet trod on the damp, soft soil as she carefully made her way through the lush grass in the backyard—surely those unassuming blades of grass would burst into vibrant blossoms in spring? —She headed towards the steps.

As usual, the back door of the room was unlocked. Yan Wuyue pulled open the screen door and was immediately hit by a blast of cool air, a tingling sensation that made her involuntarily sneeze. It wasn't the cold air from the air conditioner, she told herself; it had a unique, fresh scent, like the first drop of dew on a grassy field after rain, gently enveloping her like mist or smoke.

Since she'd already trespassed, she might as well go all out. She strolled forward, feeling an unusual coolness throughout the house—not just ordinary coolness, but the damp, musty air of a long-stale basement, a chilling, earthy atmosphere permeating the entire room. Her hand touched a huge brass lock; the thick handle gripped the door knocker tightly, and strangely, the lock was open. Curious, she twisted the lock and gently pushed—

Inside the dark house, dozens or even hundreds of people sat indistinctly. The moment she pushed open the door, she felt as if all those hundreds of heads turned towards her, and all those hundreds of eyes stared at her! Even if Yan Wuyue was brave, that jolt still terrified her! She hurriedly turned on the light.

The hallucination vanished. Now, before her eyes, there were no people at all, but rather a room full of dolls, each dressed beautifully and sitting upright on either side of the room. However, what was somewhat eerie was that the heads of the dolls were indeed facing her, and their eyes were indeed staring blankly at her.

"What are they? Just dolls." Yan Wuyue casually touched a doll beside her; its skin was cool to the touch. The dolls were exquisitely crafted, their expressions incredibly lifelike, especially their eyes, each like pools of autumn water, sending chills down one's spine. Their clothes were also of very high quality, making them all appear quite valuable. Yan Wuyue's interest was piqued. After careful comparison, she was astonished to discover that there were at least fifty or sixty dolls in the room, each expressionless, yet easily distinguishable. In other words, no two dolls had a similar face; each one was strikingly similar to a human face, and moreover, the face of an absolutely stunning beauty!

Book One: Pride (The Ageless Beauty) (Part Two)

Yan Wuyue suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. For some reason, she suddenly got goosebumps all over her body and just wanted to run away immediately, but she couldn't move... She looked closely and saw a doll reaching out and grabbing her!

"Help..." It was clearly a girl's moaning voice.

Yan Wuyue was startled. She tried to pry open the doll's hand, but it was gripped extremely tightly. The girl's voice was even louder, as clear as if it were right next to her ear.

"Please, save us..." the doll pleaded desperately.

Since she couldn't break free, Yan Wuyue simply plopped down. She was naturally bold and curious, with a primal interest in the strange and unusual. "Tell me, what exactly happened?" she asked. "Tell me everything."

The doll paused for a moment, and from the sudden change in the color of her eyes, it was clear she was paying attention to the movements outside. Then, she lowered her voice and said resentfully:

"The astrologer here is a demon!"

"He's a lecherous man who uses the guise of 'astrology' to roam the streets, kidnapping any pretty woman he sees and turning her into a doll..." The doll's voice gradually became agitated and choked with sobs. "We are all innocent women he abducted. Ever since he turned us into these inhuman, ghostly beings, we've been humiliated and toyed with by him every day, unable to live or die... I still have my parents at home. Since I disappeared, they must be worried day and night, heartbroken and constantly weeping. I'm lucky I was spared; those dolls at the front," Yan Wuyue felt her gaze seem to shift forward, "have been tormented by him for so many years... Please! Save us!"

A surge of heat rushed to Yan Wuyue's head; she could hardly believe her ears. "You mean, this astrologer can turn people into puppets?"

“You’re right!” the doll sobbed. “Please have pity on us, Miss!”

"But..." Yan Wuyue was in a state of confusion and didn't know where to begin. "How did he do it? You can still talk and seem to be alive... Your bodies have turned into puppets, yet you still move like real people. I don't understand how that astrologer did it?"

"Oh dear, it's a long story!" the doll said anxiously. "Anyway, just help us get rid of our restraints! I'll tell you the rest later."

Yan Wuyue nodded repeatedly, "What you said makes sense. Releasing you is the most important thing. As for specifics, just tell me what you want me to do, and I will do it."

The doll's eyes followed the path to the far end of the room, guiding her movements. "See that doll in the very back wearing a light red cheongsam? Not the short, stocky one, but the tall, standing one. Oh dear, you're so clumsy! So incredibly clumsy! Wrong, wrong! That's not light red, it's pale pink, pink! What's wrong with you? Are you colorblind?"

Yan Wuyue awkwardly helped up the doll she had mistaken for, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "The light was too dim, I couldn't see clearly!" she muttered to herself. "You're the one who's colorblind!" However, thinking that the doll's glass eyes were naturally not colorblind, she finally didn't say the complaint out loud.

Finally, they found the specified light red doll. The girl then commanded, "Move that doll aside. Oh, right, it's right behind her, see it?"

The doll leaned against a huge camphor wood chest, which was secured with a large, antique-looking brass padlock, but it wasn't locked. A piece of yellow paper was pasted over the padlock, covered with some scribbles that looked like gibberish.

"Uncover that paper!" the doll commanded sharply. Yan Wuyue suddenly felt that her role was ridiculous, like Tang Sanzang removing the talisman from the Five Finger Mountain to release the Monkey King. She opened the box, and a pungent smell of mothballs hit her. To her surprise, the box was dark, and she saw nothing inside.

“It’s inside,” the doll scolded her impatiently, “Why don’t you go in and find it yourself?”

Sigh, what a formidable doll. Yan Wuyue shook her head helplessly and reached her arm inside. She had thought the box wasn't deep, but her fingers couldn't reach the bottom no matter what she tried. Afraid that the doll would say something sarcastic again, she put both hands inside, but still no luck. She simply put her head inside as well, pressing her stomach against the edge of the box, and tried her best to reach down.

"There's nothing there!" she heard her own voice echoing strangely inside the box, the echo seeming to vibrate many times, rising and falling.

There's nothing there!

There's nothing there!

There's nothing there!

She tried to turn her head to look back, but found herself in complete darkness. The open mouth of the box, like the opening of a well, strangely let in a patch of white. Then, something blocked her view, and a small figure appeared on the well's edge, its face obscured in darkness. Then, with a "click," the well closed forever.

Maya was very pleased with herself; with the astrologer away, she single-handedly, with just her silver tongue, dealt with a major intruder, defended the astrologer's territory, and, moreover, was thanks to her quick wit...

She slid down to the doll that had been holding Yan Wuyue's hand; it had been a close call. If she hadn't impersonated the doll and spoken, tricking Yan Wuyue into crawling into the box, who knows what might have happened. She spat angrily at the doll.

"You heartless wretch! Mr. Xue kindly took you in, and you turned around and betrayed us, betraying us to outsiders! Dream on! Luckily, Mr. Xue dislocated your legs, because..." Her cat-eye-like golden eyes darted around, and suddenly, she grabbed a handful of needles and plunged them into the doll's upper lip, pinning it firmly to the lower lip. From where the needles pierced, a line of blood silently ran down the needles to the ground.

"Hmph, now you'll never be able to speak again." Maya looked at her work with satisfaction. The light suddenly flickered a few times, the dim light illuminating the dozens of lifeless dolls, making them appear particularly eerie. Maya seemed to hear low, pervasive groans; her eyebrows furrowed, and she shouted:

"Who dares to disobey?! Anyone who does will be punished the same as her!"

The groans vanished instantly; Maya, with a triumphant smile, left the room filled with victims. Only a multitude of dolls, sharing the same fate, remained, gazing pityingly at the executed doll, once named "Ma Yan."

Book One: The Seven Deadly Sins - Pride: The Ageless Beauty (Part Three)

The astrologer sensed something was amiss the moment he unlocked the door. It was an intuition; the familiar scent of home, long since etched in his memory, was now mixed with an unfamiliar earthy aroma—both stale and fresh, distant and familiar. There were guests, and unusual guests at that.

So he opened the door without hesitation.

Three men were inside. One sat in the chair the astrologer usually used, while the other two stood on either side of him. All three wore black sunglasses, obscuring their eyes and most of their faces. The man in the middle was thin, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a high, hooked nose and fiery red cheeks. Seeing that the person he was waiting for had finally arrived, the man raised his voice and asked:

"Is this Mr. Xue?"

The astrologer nodded. He put down his shopping bag, which was full of fresh yogurt—it needed to be put in the refrigerator quickly. He opened the refrigerator door and casually asked, "Is there something you need? Just say it, I'm busy."

The man smiled, and a shallow dimple appeared on his rosy cheeks. He spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Mr. Xue is indeed a man of few words. To be honest, I've heard that you are one of the top astrologers. I am here on the orders of a lady to have you perform an astrological reading for her. Would you do me the honor?"

The astrologer closed the refrigerator door. "You're being too polite! Why would I turn away a customer who walks in? It's only my duty to do astrology for you, but," his tone suddenly changed, becoming dry, "you've barged into my home without permission. What kind of logic is that?!"

The man gestured to the side, and the man on his left pulled out a check from his pocket. "A deposit of ten thousand, please accept it." He stood up, put his hands behind his back, and said slowly, "My wife is a very clean and quiet person who does not wish to be disturbed by anyone. Therefore, during the time you are performing astrology for my wife, I hope you can concentrate on serving her without any distractions."

"That's easy," the astrologer thought. "Even if I calculate the birth chart, the stars, and the annual fortune, it won't take much time."

"Furthermore," the man continued, "Madam rarely leaves her home and has not ventured out for a long time. Therefore, we would like to ask you to come back with us this time. Once the astrology is complete, we will definitely arrange a private car to bring you back."

"Well..." the astrologer hesitated, "I'm afraid it's not very convenient..." Everything else was fine, but "that" absolutely had to be carried with him at all times...

Before the man could even gesture again, the astrologer felt something hard pressing against his abdomen. The man to his right was grinning menacingly, a gleaming pistol in his hand, its blue paint gleaming eerily. The man smiled silently, seemingly amused by the astrologer's expression. The astrologer sighed helplessly. "Fine," he said, "I'll reluctantly make the trip. But I need to bring something..."

"Goodness, this thing is really heavy!" the man's subordinate complained. "What exactly is in it?" The two burly men finally managed to stuff the box into the trunk of the car. The trunk lid definitely couldn't be closed, and the box was sticking out quite a bit, wobbling precariously and looking rather frightening.

The astrologer sat obediently in the back seat, his eyes covered by a black cloth, but a sly smile appeared on his lips.

"It's something you couldn't even imagine, no matter how hard you rack your brains..."

The car glided rapidly along the smooth road, without even a slight bump or vibration. After a long while, it suddenly slammed on the brakes. "Get out and eat!" the man said.

The astrologer didn't move. "I'm not hungry."

The three men ignored him. After a quick meal, the car started moving again. This time, after exiting the highway, the ride was no longer smooth but began to be bumpy. At first, there were only occasional bumps, but later the car swayed and rocked like a small boat being tossed about by a giant wave, making everyone's bones ache. Coupled with the occasional dizzying 180-degree turn, the astrologer knew they had reached the mountain road area. This also meant that their car had entered the mountains.

The car door slid open; a refreshing scent of the mountains and fields rushed in—the smell of the wind, the rice paddies, the green riverside grass, and the swaying reeds in the water. The man removed the astrologer's blindfold, and his vision suddenly opened up: a sea of green—mountains, fields, riverbanks, and houses, all lush and verdant, especially the boundless, verdant bamboo forests on the hilltops, so rich and vibrant they seemed to drip with color. And the unique mountain breeze, carrying the scent of grass, gently caressed his cheeks.

It was called a village, yet it possessed a grandeur rarely seen in ordinary rural areas. The astrologer stood before the wall of a villa with white walls and glazed tiles, the end of which seemed endless. The man simply pressed the doorbell, and the iron gate slowly opened, two servants rushing out. Only then did the man give his instructions:

"The gentleman's luggage is in the trunk. Please take it to his room."

The man led the astrologer through the main entrance, which bore a plaque reading "Fengming Lake Glazed Mansion," into the hall. They passed a massive crystal chandelier and then groped their way up a winding corridor in the dark. At a turn in the staircase, they encountered a servant who quickly lowered his head, crossed his arms, and stepped aside without uttering a word. The man opened a door and ushered the astrologer into a room.

The room was indeed lavishly decorated, but in the kind of opulence that belongs in a history museum. A bright crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating every detail of the room's furnishings. The dark oak floors were somewhat faded, the walls were covered in spots of mold, a messy, spiderweb-like pattern, and the furniture was all old-fashioned, large and impractical, not to mention the crisscrossing knife marks carved into the wood, each cut penetrating deep, a shocking sight. The windows were covered with tattered black curtains that let in light. The man pulled back the curtains, and a wave of musty smell rushed out, dust swirling wildly in the gaps in the sunlight.

The man's words were dry and unapology-free: "This is your room, Mr. Xue. Because of tomorrow's ceremony, the servants may have been too busy to clean it... I think you won't mind, will you?"

The astrologer smiled slightly. "I just want to see the lady as soon as possible," he replied.

“I’m so sorry,” the man said, plopping down on the dusty sheets. “Madam will absolutely not see you before sunrise tomorrow. Please rest here tonight.” Before the astrologer could reply, the man quickly added, “No one can disobey Madam’s orders. You are no exception.”

After the man left, the astrologer gazed at the strange room and couldn't help but smile bitterly. He walked to the window and looked down. The villa was surrounded by lush green bamboo, the bamboo grove rustling in the breeze, its shadows shimmering. The vibrant life of the plants contrasted sharply with the desolate and barren atmosphere of the room. He simply jumped onto the table, found two relatively clean books, and sat cross-legged on them. Was this how he was supposed to spend the long night? If Maya had come with him, the two of them could have chatted and laughed, and the boredom wouldn't have been so bad.

Book One: The Seven Deadly Sins - Pride: The Ageless Beauty (Part Four)

Then, his gaze was drawn to something strange. He stared intently at the large suitcase he carried with him. He remembered clearly that morning before leaving home that he had only partially closed the lock, but had personally affixed a seal to it. Now, however, the seal was gone, and instead, a large brass padlock was fastened.

He slowly walked over, pressed his head close to the box, and took a deep sniff. Yes, it was that unusual, distant yet familiar, stale yet fresh scent of earth. The smell he'd smelled at his doorstep back then—it wasn't from those three men; the source was right here!

He grasped the large lock, and saw the brass lock gradually glow red in his palm. Then, hot liquid leaked from between his fingers, the yellowish liquid hissing as it fell to the ground. The astrologer decisively opened the box and looked down. Within his field of vision, he saw a blurry, white figure, indistinctly curled up in the darkness.

He jumped down and carried her out. In his dark arms, the girl was unusually small. Her eyes were closed, and her body was curled up in a ball, clearly having been unconscious for a long time. The astrologer placed her on the dusty bed, lost in thought.

As darkness fell, the astrologer's shadow, cast by the window, stretched longer and longer across the floor, thick and heavy like ink that couldn't be dissolved. The girl stirred, then opened her eyes.

She slowly moved her eyes, surveying the room one by one. Then, her gaze settled on the window, freezing there. A man dressed entirely in black sat there, his sharply defined profile like a marble sculpture, his lines both strong and handsome. A cold, melancholic, and desolate aura permeated his surroundings. He appeared to be no more than thirty years old, yet he had a head of snow-white hair. When he noticed her gaze, he slowly turned his head, revealing green eyes.

Yan Wuyue then realized that what was even stranger was that his silver hair was only on the right side, while his left side was jet black!

That person was actually the Yin-Yang Demon Hair!

She immediately understood her situation. The pale man in front of her was none other than the so-called astrologer!

Although she was panicking, she forced herself to remain calm and asked sharply, "Who are you? Why have you kidnapped me?"

The astrologer looked at her, bewildered. "Kidnapping? Who kidnapped whom? I haven't even asked you how you ended up in my bed, and you're already accusing me of kidnapping you?"

"A bed...a bed?!" Yan Wuyue was completely confused. She only remembered that she had accidentally wandered into the "flesh-and-blood astrology hall," came to a room full of dolls, and then, following the instructions of one of the dolls, peeled off the talisman on a box. After that, she fell into the box...

“That’s right, this is where I usually sleep,” the astrologer patted the lid of the box and answered nonchalantly. “In your human terms, it’s naturally a bed, isn’t it?”

How strange, how incredibly strange! Yan Wuyue looked at the relaxed man in front of her and felt an urge to run away immediately. However, her feet seemed to be rooted to the spot, and she couldn't move them no matter what she did.