Yun Yichu bit his lower lip. “Legend has it that the Artifact Spirit Pawnshop specializes in helping relics, or the owners of relics, fulfill all manner of wishes.”
Then he kowtowed several more times, each one striking the floor audibly. “So long as you are willing to help me, miss, I will agree to any payment.”
Changming ignored him and sat back down in her chair.
“But if you wish to achieve your goal, you must pay an equal price.”
“Since you know what business my pawnshop deals in, you must also know the rules.”
“Have you decided what you will pawn to me?”
Yun Yichu knelt on the floor, head lowered, teeth clenched. “If you will help my Yun family drive out evil and avert calamity, this humble student is willing to offer ten years of his mortal lifespan to pawn to you.”
After hearing this, Changming shook her head. “Most of the guests who have come to me in the past were passing ghosts, artifact spirits, or else certain demons.”
“For the sake of fulfilling a wish, what does lifespan count for?”
The Golden Boy picked up an inkstick and began grinding ink; the Jade Maiden spread out a sheet of xuan paper.
When her fingertip brushed across the paper, lines of writing appeared.
“However, this is my first time seeing a living person like you.”
“Since this is fate, it is not as if I cannot do a losing transaction.”
Hearing this, Yun Yichu let out a long breath and kowtowed several more times. “This humble student thanks you for your great kindness, miss.”
Changming smiled with pursed lips and pointed to a spot for him to affix his mark.
“This is a spiritual contract. Once signed, both parties will be bound by fate.”
“I will fulfill your wish, and you will pawn your lifespan to me.”
Yun Yichu did not hesitate. He took up the brush, dipped it in ink, and signed his name.
Changming reminded him, “Once this agreement is made, it cannot be broken. Otherwise, you will suffer the backlash of reincarnation.”
“Have you thought it through?”
Yun Yichu nodded. “I spent so much effort to reach this place precisely for this matter. This humble student will never regret it.”
Changming looked at him and waved her hand, setting out a chessboard. “Young Master is truly sincere.”
“In that case, how about accompanying me for another game of chess?”
Yun Yichu raised his brows slightly.
“Rest assured. It is only a game; victory or defeat does not matter.”
Only after Changming said this did he feel at ease.
He sat across from Changming and placed down a black stone.
The Golden Boy and Jade Maiden lit a stick of sandalwood incense in the censer.
“I truly am curious what sort of wish could make Young Master willing to offer ten years of his lifespan in exchange.”
Yun Yichu glanced at Changming. “This time, I wish for you to descend the mountain, miss, and help me burn a Six-Zi Copper Coin.”
“And, if possible, to do so in front of the Yun family’s clansmen.”
Changming took a sip of tea. “That does not sound like anything difficult.”
“But what is so special about this Six-Zi Copper Coin?”
“That you would go to such lengths.”
Yun Yichu sighed.
“This matter must be traced back to my grandfather’s generation.”
“One year, there was a flood, and a piece of gold and a copper coin were washed out from the rear mountain.”
“My grandfather happened to be chopping firewood on the rear mountain and picked up that copper coin.”
“There were six ‘zi’ characters on the coin, so Grandfather named it the Six-Zi Copper Coin.”
Hearing this, Changming took over and began speaking. “This Six-Zi Copper Coin can speak human words and knows matters of the future.”
“It calculated the location of the gold vein within the rear mountain and gave the Yun family its lifeline and foundation.”
Yun Yichu was greatly shocked. “Miss, how did you know?”
Changming laughed lightly. “I merely guessed. Are ghost stories not all told this way?”
Yun Yichu frowned. “The matter is more or less as you imagined, miss, but there are also many differences.”
“Some days ago, Grandfather became gravely ill and bedridden.”
“I do not know who kept spreading rumors that the gold vein which brought the Yun family its fortune was connected to the Six-Zi Copper Coin in the manor.”
“For a time, fathers and sons were estranged, brothers turned against one another.”
“It caused a terrible disturbance.”
Changming placed down a white stone.
“So you want me to burn the Six-Zi Copper Coin in front of the Yun family’s clansmen to prove that this is merely a rumor.”
“To set people’s hearts right.”
Yun Yichu hurriedly nodded. “That is right. I thought it over for a long time. The Yun family’s chaos began with the Six-Zi Copper Coin, so it should also end with the Six-Zi Copper Coin.”
His earnest appearance made Changming find him laughable.
“But this Six-Zi Copper Coin truly does seem capable of knowing all things in the future.”
“If I recall correctly, it seems to be the relic of a great demon.”
Yun Yichu blinked. “Even if it truly can predict the future, so what?”
“So long as it harms the Yun family, it ought to be removed.”
Changming continued, “What if it could help you calculate the examination questions for the palace exam?”
“If it could, would you still act against it?”
Yun Yichu paused, then said firmly, “I would.”
“I may be mediocre, but I am no petty man. I would never seize first place through such despicable means.”
Changming propped her head up with one hand. “What an ambitious young man.”
“After listening to you for so long, it seems the rise and fall of the Yun family is very important to you?”
Changming’s words made Yun Yichu ponder for a while. “In my generation of the Yun family, there is only one male heir.”
“Since I was young, Grandfather raised me as the future family head.”
“I studied all manner of affairs.”
“To study diligently, strive for progress, and bring glory to the Yun family—this thought was planted in my heart when I was still a child.”
Changming smoothed her sleeve. “So you did not have a childhood like other children your age.”
“Nor did you have friends.”
“What you had were endless lessons and account books that could never be fully calculated.”
“You worked harder than everyone, but no one was happy.”
Changming’s words seemed to pierce straight through Yun Yichu’s heart, shocking him so much that he could not speak for a long time.
“Young man, do you hate him?”
“Hate whom?”
“Your grandfather, Yun Ruosheng.”
Hearing this, Yun Yichu’s eyes reddened considerably. He drank a mouthful of hot tea. “I do not.”
“In this generation of the Yun family, I am the only one.”
“Grandfather did this for his own reasons.”
“I do not hate him.”
“These past years, the Yun family’s business has flourished. In all he has done, not a single step was wrong.”
Changming reminded him aloud, “But for the sake of the Yun family, he ruined you and sacrificed you.”
Yun Yichu shook his head. “I am nothing more than an ant. If I can truly offer myself up for the Yun family…”
“That would be the fortune of three lifetimes.”
Changming raised her brow. “Then in that case, your relationship must be very good.”
Yun Yichu took out a jade cicada. “Mm. Although Grandfather did not let me have a childhood…”
“He gave me a great deal of love.”
“When I was young, my parents were busy with business. Only Grandfather kept me company.”
“Every time I finished my lessons, he would give me a piece of sugared pastry.”
“That was when I felt life was at its sweetest.”
“Even this jade cicada was carved by him personally after I passed the metropolitan exam.”
Hearing this, Changming paused. “Your parents never took care of you?”
Yun Yichu nodded. “The future head of the Yun family must grow up alone. That is the rule.”
“Perhaps they truly never had me in their hearts.”
“So many times, yet not once did they come to see me.”
A hundred-year snow ginseng was carried by the Golden Boy to the side of the chessboard.
Changming said, “This little thing can cure your grandfather’s illness.”
“But it requires half of the gold vein in exchange. Are you willing?”
When Yun Yichu saw it, he grew somewhat excited, but soon calmed down again.
He thought for a very long time.
“I am willing.”
Changming flicked her hand and tossed the snow ginseng to him.
A white stone fell, and the chess game was decided.
At that moment, the Echo Bell rang. Dawn was about to break.
Changming breathed out a mouthful of spiritual energy, using the sandalwood incense to guide the way and send Yun Yichu away.
As his figure grew farther and farther, she called out, “Young man, turn back and you may yet reach the shore.”
Newbie author humbly begging for book reviews. Even scolding me is fine.