Kyoto.
When Su Ziyu returned to the capital city of Fusang in disguise once again, he noticed that the flow of people seed to have dwindled considerably.
People hurried by one after another, and even the traveling rchants had noticeably decreased. Many houses remained closed in broad daylight, as if their inhabitants had already moved away. Entering the city, he noticed so noble families seed ready to move out, and seeing Kyoto now, it was evident that many had temporarily left. However, the shrine and temple areas seed exceptionally lively, as if countless people ca every day to offer incense.
"Benefactor?..." As Su Ziyu wandered down the street, a young girl who had just co out of the shrine saw his back, hesitated briefly, and then quickly chased after him.
Huh?
Su Ziyu stopped, turned around, and upon seeing her, his expression held a trace of surprise. He smiled and said, "So it's you."
She appeared to be a girl of around fifteen or sixteen years old, precisely the one Su Ziyu had rescued on Vermilion Bird Dao that night. He rembered this young girl well because she bore a striking resemblance to an Aoi lantern, about seventy to eighty percent similar.
More importantly, under his Spiritual Vision, a peculiar white aura surrounded her, seemingly rendering ordinary spirits incapable of harming her.
"It's really you!" The girl's expression was quite cheerful, as she bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for saving that night."
Su Ziyu chuckled and said, "It was nothing."
"Are your injuries alright?"
The girl nad Fujiwara Kaoru shook her head lightly and replied, "The dicine you gave worked very well, I'm fine now."
"I've been searching for you for days, but never managed to encounter you again."
"I didn't expect to et you here today."
Su Ziyu glanced at her a few tis, felt intrigued, and asked, "Where are you staying now?"
"I'm temporarily staying at my uncle's house in Sakyo." Fujiwara Kaoru bowed again and asked, "Would you have ti to visit? I would love to host you and repay your lifesaving kindness."
Su Ziyu thought for a mont and replied, "Alright."
He was extrely curious about this girl because Fujiwara Kaoru looked remarkably similar to an Aoi lantern, and he wanted to understand what that peculiar white aura surrounding her really was.
"That's wonderful! Please follow !" Fujiwara Kaoru bowed again, delighted.
Her identity should be of a noble family.
Led by Fujiwara Kaoru, Su Ziyu arrived at a mansion in Sakyo, where the residents were all nobles and aristocrats, a place common folk would likely never approach.
"Please enter." The girl lived in a secluded courtyard.
Su Ziyu had just stepped inside and was greeted by many flowers and plants, evidently carefully maintained. This courtyard probably spanned several hundred square ters, with a small bamboo grove nearby and a pond inhabited by more than a dozen koi fish.
The girl's dwelling was quite elegant, with a vase of flowers placed by the door and a poem hanging on the guest room wall, which Su Ziyu was very familiar with.
—"In our own world of sorrowful wandering, we et, having never known each other before!"
It was Bai Juyi's "Song of the Pipa Player."
Instantly, Su Ziyu's perception of the girl in front improved significantly. At this ti in Fusang, high-ranking nobles were required to study Chinese characters and poetry. Huaxia culture had a significant impact on Fusang during this period, even recording history using Chinese characters. Later, those crooked Fusang scripts were gradually created to reduce the influence of Chinese culture on Fusang culture. However, regardless of alterations, many elents of Chinese characters remained.
"Do you also like Bai Juyi's poems?" Fujiwara Kaoru walked out holding a wooden tray, speaking softly, "In our own world of sorrowful wandering, we et, having never known each other before!"
"Bai Juyi's verses are truly beautiful!"
"It's a pity we never had the chance to see the grandeur of the flourishing Tang dynasty!"
Su Ziyu smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes. I am originally from Huaxia, so naturally, I adore them."
"Ah! So you're Tang?" Fujiwara Kaoru exclaid, covering her mouth in surprise.
Su Ziyu stood up, pacing around, discovering an adjacent small study lined with nurous books. Many of them were ancient collections of Tang poetry, predominantly Bai Juyi's works, indicating that the girl before him was evidently fond of this poet.
Huh?
Su Ziyu noticed a book on the desk and, curious, glanced at it, reading aloud: "Murasaki Shikibu?"
"Did you write this?"
Suddenly, it was as if a lightning bolt had struck through his mind.
Su Ziyu instantly recalled many things, turning around to stare at the girl before him. His gaze left her sowhat flustered and uneasy, as he slowly stated, "Fujiwara Kaoru? Murasaki Shikibu?"
"Ah? It's just a diary I wrote out of boredom." The girl seed a little uneasy, primarily because of Su Ziyu's serious expression.
Whoa!
It turned out to be her!
Su Ziyu instantly recognized the girl's identity. She was that remarkable woman who wrote "The Tale of Genji," hailed as one of the Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry in dieval Fusang, with a rather astonishing literary status.
—"Spiritual Vision!"
Su Ziyu gazed once more at the girl in front of him, indeed observing that the peculiar white aura still coiled around her body, showing signs of growing denser.
"Benefactor?" Fujiwara Kaoru questioned nervously, seemingly baffled by Su Ziyu's startled reaction after seeing her diary, which only contained ordinary day-to-day matters.
Su Ziyu shook his head, chuckled lightly, and said, "Call Su Ziyu."
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