Chapter Two: The Sorcerer, Young Master

As expected, in front of the small house, which was nestled among the trees and separated from the small island by a wooden floating bridge of less than 40 meters, were parked seven or eight extremely luxurious carriages

Gazing at the veiled Ji Si who was approaching slowly, and then at the one hundred jin of millet, serving as currency, that Uncle Li was carrying in, the old shaman Huang, who was around sixty years old and had a gaunt, yellowish face, raised his expression and calmly said: "You seek me, but what is it that you desire?"

Chen Shijiu glanced at the horizon and wondered, "The sun has not yet set, so why have these lowly people returned? The earth dragon is still nowhere to be seen. Such laziness cannot be considered respectful to the divine."

Ji Si is the master of Li Shu, Sun Fu, and the three of them, at this time, the distinction between master and servant is clear. Upon hearing Ji Si's unfriendly tone, none of them dared to persist. After listening to a few more explanations from Ji Si, although they still did not fully believe her in their hearts, they could not argue against her and had no choice but to comply

Ji Si nodded

As soon as these few maidservants appeared, a loud thud was heard; the young man standing behind Chen Shijiu accidentally stepped on a stone and fell to the ground.

The sorcerer's attention was still focused on the bag of corn that served as currency, and he casually glanced at Ji Si, repeating in a somewhat ambiguous Luoyang accent: "What do you seek?"

At that moment, the young and handsome Su Shisanlang exclaimed, "Why are there still visitors?"

It is unknown how long they had been in a daze, but Su Shisanlang was the first to awaken. He joyfully exclaimed: "It is him! That is Xie Shiba Lang Xie Lang from the Xie family of Chenjun! Lord Li once said, among the talented individuals of the world, Xie is the most outstanding. Apart from Xie Lang, no one possesses such grace!"

The old man Huang's face suddenly darkened, and he glared with his yellowish eyes at Ji Si, disregarding the short sword at his neck, and shouted angrily: "You little girl, how dare you threaten me?"

Ji Si stared at him for a while and simply said: "Go to the shaman's house! As for the rest, I have my own plans."

At this moment, the villagers who had originally been busy constructing an earthen dragon for the mountain god's temple returned. Two to three hundred villagers, some wielding hoes and others leading oxen, walked back while chattering and making a commotion, instantly bringing life to the once quiet mountain village

Ji Si smiled and said, "It seems that the witch understands. In that case, let us discuss what we should do next."

At this moment, Xuan Chen said again: "That area has at least 100,000 acres of land and thousands of villagers. If a flood really occurs, these lives cannot be saved." He smiled at Ji Si and said: "If the lady is truly worried, we can avoid staying in the village and instead stay outside for the time being, observing the situation before making a decision"

In that moment, she made a decision, and strangely, as her resolve solidified, the anxiety that had been gripping her heart also inexplicably subsided.

Ji Si cast a glance at Sun Fu and the others, then stepped forward to sit down opposite the shaman. At the same time, Uncle Li and another person stood by the door and window, carefully closing them.

Before long, several individuals found their way to the most renowned shaman in the area. In contrast to the thatched cottages of ordinary commoners, the two-story wooden building owned by this shaman appeared much more luxurious and grand.

Ji Si said: "The shaman may choose not to agree, but since I have entered, it is unreasonable to leave empty-handed. If the shaman truly refuses, then I will inevitably have to take the shaman's life. I see that the beams of the shaman's house are quite good; if I were to hang the shaman from them and use the shaman's blood to write the words 'I observed the celestial phenomena at night, predicting that there will be heavy rain for half a month in Qing Shan County... I leak the secrets of heaven, and the demons kill me...' it seems that I would still achieve my purpose!" I see that the beams of the shaman's house are quite good; if I were to hang the shaman from them and use the shaman's blood to write the words 'I observed the celestial phenomena at night, predicting that there will be heavy rain for half a month in Qing Shan County... I leak the secrets of heaven, and the demons kill me...' it seems that I would still achieve my purpose!

Even though Chen Shijiu prided himself on being from a prestigious family and believed that his own influence far surpassed that of many noble clans, at this moment, he was also taken aback. Staring blankly at those carriages for a while, Chen Shijiu said: "There are no family crests on these carriages, so I do not know what kind of individuals are inside."

Among the seven or eight members of the noble families, the more they spoke, the more excited they became. Having met Xie Lang, their interest in visiting Lu Ziyou had already waned.

As everyone held their breath, a young man dressed in white slowly walked out

As soon as the villager's voice fell, countless villagers and village women emerged from their thatched houses. Amidst the rising and falling inquiries, the villager once again raised his voice and shouted, "Attention everyone! With the autumn harvest approaching, we cannot allow the heavy rain to wash away our rice. While we still have four days of clear weather, everyone should put aside their trivial matters and gather to harvest the grain. At the same time, each household should allocate a bit of effort to repair the dikes and block any leaks to prevent the heavy rain from turning into a flood!" With the autumn harvest approaching, we cannot allow the heavy rain to wash away our rice. While we still have four days of clear weather, everyone should put aside their trivial matters and gather to harvest the grain. At the same time, each household should allocate a bit of effort to repair the dikes and block any leaks to prevent the heavy rain from turning into a flood!

Everyone followed his gaze.

As soon as Ji Si's words fell, the old man Huang burst into a hearty laugh, exposing his yellowed teeth, and exclaimed: "Preposterous! Such preposterous words! Surely the young lady is joking, isn't she?"

However, in his embarrassing state, none of his companions noticed him, as they were all captivated by the four maidservants, including Chen Shijiu, who prided himself on his charm.

At this moment, a villager's loud shout was heard, "Attention everyone! Elder Huang has said that there will be continuous heavy rain in Qingshan County for the next half month! Attention everyone! Elder Huang has said that there will be continuous heavy rain in Qingshan County for the next half month"

As soon as the name "Xie Lang" was mentioned, a buzz of excitement arose. Chen Shijiu's eyes lit up as he said: "Is he really Xie Lang? No wonder, no wonder.

Ji Si took a deep breath and said decisively: "Let’s go! We are heading to the most famous shaman in the area!"

Then, the carriage began to move, majestically passing by Chen Shijiu and the others, and gradually departing.

In this era, people have great faith in ghosts and deities, which is why shamanic practices are extremely prevalent. Almost every county town has various shamans, some renowned and others not as well-known. These shamans serve the purpose of providing divination and feng shui consultations, as well as leading rituals to honor the spirits. Some shamans even hold the position of physicians. To be more precise, the most remarkable divine physicians of this time, such as Tao Hongjing and Ge Hong, are all skilled in shamanic practices. Moreover, due to their presence, the arts of alchemy and the beliefs in deities and spirits have become even more deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people.

Uncle Li took out twenty catties of chestnuts to clear the way, after which the disciples of the shaman and his wife and children retreated, making space for these few distant guests

As soon as the sound of the piano emerged, Chen Shijiu and the others all widened their eyes in unison

She calmed herself and carefully reviewed the sounds and images she had faintly perceived from the illusion, thinking: No! That is not merely an illusion!

As the sound of the zither began, it abruptly ceased, clearly indicating that the person had merely plucked a few strings at random. Then, voices could be heard coming from within the room

As soon as he finished speaking, a sound of "zheng—" was heard, as Sun Fu drew the short sword from his sleeve and placed it against the old man's neck

These four maidservants, each adorned in light silk garments, each possessing a beauty akin to a painting, truly embody unparalleled grace. Such women, should even one appear in any place, would undoubtedly cause an uproar; yet here, four have appeared at once, and their status is merely that of someone else's attendants

At the age of thirty-five, Chen Shijiu, with his fair complexion, sighed and said: "I wonder what Lu Ziyou is thinking. Since he likes this place, why does the Lu family of Jingzhou allow these commoners to farm and cultivate it themselves? Why not turn this area into their own estate?"

No wonder people say that Xie Lang is charming; even in such a remote and impoverished place, he carries with him four stunningly beautiful maidens, truly more charming than others

These individuals come from families with a rich literary heritage, having been immersed in the sea of books and the mountains of music for hundreds of years, generation after generation. Such a background ensures that even if they possess no formal education, their discernment and perception are exceptional. It is precisely because of this exceptional nature that, with just a few notes from the qin played in their home, they become entranced and their spirits are captivated.

In the entire Qingshan County, the scenery of Luoshui Village is renowned for its beauty. This small village is surrounded on the left by a lake that resembles a jade belt, crystal clear to the bottom. In the middle of the lake, there is a picturesque island where flocks of birds gather. Therefore, the residents of Luoshui Village are accustomed to the presence of noble families.

The voice was not loud, and after a short while, with a creaking sound, the door opened, and one by one, tall and imposing guards stepped out.

The young man who had been following him with great deference immediately laughed and said, "Who truly understands the thoughts of such distinguished individuals?" At that time, the Jin dynasty had fallen, and the world was ruled by the humble Liu family. Although there was a prevailing atmosphere of simplicity, true scholars were few; instead, there were increasingly more false scholars and idle young masters who took pride in their family backgrounds and occupied positions without merit.

Have you ever seen what kind of beautiful maid Xie Lang refers to? The beauty of this world, the ordinary men and women, are not worthy to be mentioned in the same breath as her

As soon as his voice fell, a melodious sound of the piano floated out from the small room

In Luoshui Village

Hearing Ji Si's request, the three were taken aback, exchanging glances. The eldest among them, Uncle Li, cautiously spoke up: "My lady, are you serious? This is not a matter to be taken lightly. Whether it concerns the lives of over a thousand commoners or predicting natural disasters, these are significant issues that could alarm the officials of the state. We cannot afford such responsibility!" In an instant, he added: "Moreover, my lady, as you have seen, there are nobles in Luoshui Village. If we disturb them without a reasonable explanation, it could lead to serious consequences!"

The crowd kept turning back to see them off as they departed

Upon hearing this, the old man turned pale. In his eyes, which were fixed on Ji Si, fear finally emerged.

The constant warfare in the southern regions has made the rarity and value of horses well-known throughout the world. The vehicles before us are all drawn by horses, and they are all of the finest breeds, which can indeed be described as extravagant beyond measure

As the procession of the ox cart entered the village in a grand manner, the villagers, though respectfully bowed their heads and stood still to welcome it, even the children quietly waited by the roadside without making a noise or following, which seemed a bit overly courteous.

Su Shisan suddenly realized that those four maidservants were nothing extraordinary. It turned out that what truly captivates and mesmerizes in this world is not the exquisite features, but the unparalleled grace and demeanor.

The young man in white exuded a radiant aura as he stepped out of the wooden cabin. His gaze casually swept over Chen Shijiu and the others, and wherever his eyes landed, including on Chen Shijiu, they instinctively lowered their heads in greeting

In front, Ji Si spoke earnestly, "Of course it is not a joke"

After the departure of ten guards, the next to leave were four maids

Ji cast a glance at Sun Fu, who stood behind the old man Huang, then turned her gaze to Huang and said solemnly: "The villagers of Luoshui Village are repairing the mountain dragon for the land god. I hope the shaman can inform them that for the next half month, Qing Shan County will experience continuous heavy rain"

The young man in white slightly nodded in greeting towards them and stepped forward to approach the foremost carriage