010The Way of the Princes

Shen Tang took another bite. The sourness almost caused her facial features to shift. "Although it's very sour, and the yield from a single incantation is low, but being able to eat it is good." After all, these green plums were obtained without any cost.

She planned to make more, perhaps into green plum pickles, salted plums, or green plum wine. Even if she couldn't make a big profit, she should be able to support herself. She carefully selected a large, green plum, obviously very sour, and handed it to Quishan.

"Here, would you like to try one, Mr. Quishan?" Quishan didn't immediately accept it. He first lowered his gaze to look at the green plum in her hand, then raised his eyelids to examine the self-satisfied smile on Shen Tang's face. His eyebrow twitched slightly, and there seemed to be a vein bulging on his forehead. Did this young man actually know...

After a long while, Quishan sighed and accepted it. He wiped it roughly with his sleeve and took a bite. Indeed, it was sour!

Both in texture and taste, they were identical to unripe green plums. Seeing Quishan's expression gradually losing control, Shen Tang chuckled, "If they were a bit riper, the taste should be even better. I wonder if there's an incantation that can produce wine. If there is, we could make some green plum wine, save it for the snowy winter days, and enjoy it by the lake while savoring the scenery and brewing tea. Wouldn't that be delightful?"

Quishan looked at Shen Tang with a complex expression. He sighed, "If you think it's good, then it's good. Just don't regret today's impulsive actions in the future..." Shen Tang paused in her action of gnawing on the green plum, looking puzzled. "Mr. Quishan, what do you mean by that? Is it not a good thing to be able to conjure things? Will I regret it?"

"It may be considered a good thing by others, but for you—it may not necessarily be a blessing." He looked at Shen Tang with a hint of regret in his eyes, as if she had lost a treasure without even realizing it herself. Before Shen Tang could question further, he abruptly changed the subject, "Of course, if Miss Shen doesn't have any grand ambitions and only seeks to have two meals a day and a roof over her head, then it could also be considered a good thing." 

Shen Tang continued to chew on the green plum, looking outwardly confused but inwardly furrowing her brows.

Quishan's cryptic words hinted at a deeper connection between Shen Tang's abilities and something significant. Sensing this, she cautiously asked, "Is it related to my Wenxin?" Quishan, surprised by her perceptiveness, nodded and acknowledged, "It does have some relevance."

Shen Tang adopted a posture of attentive listening, expecting Quishan to elaborate further. However, he remained uncooperative, showing no intention to delve into details. What did he mean? Was he suggesting that the imperial seal hidden by the Gong family might be somehow connected to Shen Tang? Even though Quishan himself had little interest in the imperial seal, he couldn't assume that Shen Tang shared the same indifference. To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, it was prudent for him to feign ignorance.

Most importantly, Quishan suspected that Shen Tang's Wenxin had resonated with the imperial seal, inadvertently awakening the "Way of the Feudal Lords." The relationship between Wenxin, Wudan, and the imperial seal was exceptionally unique. The imperial seal not only controlled the fate of the nation and repelled external enemies but also possessed a crucial ability known as the "Way of the Feudal Lords." Feudal lords who possessed both Wenxin and Wudan and wielded the imperial seal had the opportunity to resonate with it. Depending on their inner desires, they could randomly acquire a special ability—typically options such as "sovereignty," "populist appeal," "loyal followers," or even the ability to empower their military and civil officials with Wenxin and Wudan, thus attracting numerous talents to serve them.

Shen Tang was unsure about the "Way of the Feudal Lords," but it was undoubtedly related to "agriculture." Otherwise, how could she conjure up green plums? A feudal lord gifted in agricultural matters... just thinking about it spelled a bleak future.

However, Shen Tang didn't seem ambitious; she merely sought self-preservation, making this ability extremely suitable for her—at least she wouldn't starve. Internally, Shen Tang felt a sense of unease. She detested when people left things hanging, forcing others to guess.

"Master, I understand if you prefer not to divulge, but considering it concerns me..." Shen Tang employed a strategy of indirect inquiry. "I suspect, could it be an issue with my Wenxin? How serious is this issue... and is there a remedy?"

Quishan responded succinctly, "No." As far as he knew, each imperial seal corresponded to a feudal lord and a specific "Way of the Feudal Lords."

This innate talent requires the imperial seal as a medium to activate, except in one scenario, where it remains fixed for life. What situation is that? Death! Only death can alter it—once set, it's irreversible. As long as Shen Tang is alive, the ability granted by the imperial seal remains unchanged—a single advantage being she won't starve to death. 

However, if Shen Tang harbors ambitions, it would be disastrous. Starting off on the wrong foot, with inherent defects, she wouldn't stand a chance against other ambitious contenders. Watching Quishan's expression grow increasingly grave, Shen Tang felt the plums in her hand lose their sweetness. Could it be... her days were numbered?

For a moment, countless thoughts swirled and flashed through her mind. If it weren't for Quishan's voice pulling her back to reality, she could almost envision herself lying weakly, writing a farewell letter.

"Shen Tang, besides 'looking at plums to quench thirst', can you change into anything else?" Shen Tang shook her head, "I'm not sure, but I can try."

Quishan pulled out another scroll, pointing to a passage of words on it. "Then try this mantra," he said. 

Shen Tang leaned in to read it, murmuring, "Drawing a cake on the ground, but can't eat it?" 

"This mantra is similar to 'looking at plums to quench thirst'," Quishan explained. Since "looking at plums to quench thirst" could produce plums, perhaps this mantra could create a cake. 

Shen Tang suggested, "But both end with 'but can't eat it', how can we eat the cake we draw? It's better to simplify it to 'drawing a cake to satisfy hunger'." A cake is more filling than plums. While plums are fresh, they are too small and sour for Shen Tang's iron stomach to handle too much.

Just as she had gnawed on about twenty of them, her gums began to tingle with acidity. After trying a dozen times with no result, she felt somewhat discouraged. But then, her gaze casually swept over the densely packed notes of mantras on the scroll, and her eyes lit up. With a slight shift of her finger, she stopped at a passage of text and said, "Quishan, compared to drawing cakes, I find this passage more intriguing—'turning stones into gold, to meet the needs of escape!'"

"Turning stones into gold?" Shen Tang's hidden agenda became clear in an instant.

"Yes, turning stones into gold! How many pounds of plums and cakes can a small piece of gold buy? In terms of value, naturally, this mantra is superior. Not only that—there's also 'concealing a beauty in a golden house,' but it's unclear whether it would conjure up a 'golden house' or the 'beauty.' If it's the 'beauty,' is it male or female, beautiful or ugly..." Quishan looked at Shen Tang as if she were daydreaming like a fool. She was young, and her fantasies were quite elaborate.

"If you're not afraid of any dire consequences, you could give it a try," Quishan remarked.

Shen Tang's response was puzzled, "Huh?"

Quishan chuckled, "The value and effectiveness of mantras depend on the consumption of the mind. The stronger the mind, the greater the consumption, and the more powerful the mantra. If one forcibly uses a mantra beyond their capacity, failure is the least of their worries. At most, they'll feel weakened for a while. But if successful— it's bound to backfire on the caster. For instance, it could lead to a shortened lifespan, premature death in the prime of life, illnesses, or even death on the spot with blood flowing from every orifice. Throughout history, such tragedies have been all too common. Little Shen, don't let curiosity and greed lead you down that path."

A single plum, a piece of cake—how do their values compare to gold and silver? Everything comes at a cost.