### Chapter 27: Do You Remember That Little Girl from Back Then? - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

### Chapter 27: Do You Remember That Little Girl from Back Then? You are somewhat surprised when you see Bi Gan’s petrified heart. How could a perfectly normal human heart turn into stone? Daji, however, shows no surprise, as if she had foreseen this all along. She immediately instructs her trusted sorcerer to retrieve the exquisite seven-orifice heart of Bi Gan. But just as this happens, an unexpected event occurs. From the heart’s seven openings, seven wisps of black smoke emerge. The smoke rises with the wind, transforming into a mysterious black bird. The bird circles thrice within the grand hall and then vanishes in the direction of Xiqi! Upon seeing the black bird, Bi Gan’s eyes fill with a mix of shock and melancholy. Fury erupts within him like magma bubbling to the surface of a volcano. But it is all too late now. A tree can survive without a heart, but a person cannot; without it, there is only death. Daji's eyes remain cold and unaffected by the sudden anomaly. She orders the heart to be used as a sacrificial offering to the spirits to beg for forgiveness. An unusual phenomenon accompanies the sacrifice of Bi Gan's heart. A white rainbow pierces through the sun. In the city of Chaoge, there is a wave of music and laughter, celebrating the departure of disaster. Once back, you question Daji. You ask why such a transformation occurred and mention that you have dreamed of similar scenes before. Daji, upon hearing this, shows a fleeting look of surprise, but the emotion quickly vanishes, as if she does not wish you to perceive what she conceals. "That was the essence of the black bird, always hidden within Bi Gan’s intricate heart, safeguarding the destiny of the Shang Dynasty." “This is also why Bi Gan’s heart turned to stone; only this way could he attain eternal life.” “Yet, Bi Gan was unaware.” “Now, the black bird has turned towards Xiqi. Soon, Xiqi will likely welcome a destined ruler.” Upon learning this, you are filled with confusion. You are uncertain about what Daji is hiding from you. This feeling makes you uncomfortable. In front of Daji, you feel like a child stripped bare, while she remains shrouded in mist, enigmatic and indistinct. You step forward to embrace Daji. After your last encounter, Daji seems accustomed to your embrace and relaxes her body. But this time, after six attempts, you stop on your own. Seeing your discernment, Daji refrains from knocking you unconscious, and for the first time, you manage to fall asleep holding her. Looking at the scene unraveling before him, Su Mo feels a sense of sentimentality. It seems he has finally gotten on the right track. Daji is much more challenging to win over than the romantic interest characters he simulated before. Of course, this has a lot to do with his starting position and low natural talents. The next morning, after getting up, Daji informs you that it won’t be long before chaos breaks out in Shang. She will disguise you anew, placing you with Boyi Kao to form a connection, and then you will leave Chaoge together. As for Jichang, there is another plan for him. You’re curious, not understanding why Daji is intent on disrupting the Shang Dynasty's fortune, yet doesn't plan to leave Shang, still portraying an attitude of coexistence. You voice your confusion to Daji. "Aren’t you coming with me?" "Why should I leave with you?" Daji smiles slightly and looks at you, her eyes a mix of resolution and reluctance, masterfully concealed. “What are you to me, just a slave, that you think you can make choices for me?” “The arrangements I make, you simply follow!” Upon hearing Daji's words, your heart tightens sharply. You did not expect such words from her. At the same time, a nameless fire ignites within you. What do you choose at this moment? Option 1: Argue fiercely with Daji, forcibly take her away from Chaoge to live a carefree life away from worldly troubles. Option 2: Obey Daji, disguise yourself as a criminal, and foster a bond with Boyi Kao. Option 3: Stay by Daji’s side through thick and thin, turn Boyi Kao into a meat pie and distribute it to the ministers, completely sealing off any retreat. ... Choices have appeared? Su Mo, who had been observing quietly, becomes alert, beginning to analyze each option. The first option seems positive. But considering your own capabilities, it’s a complete trap. With your current ability, taking Daji by force is simply impossible. Even if she doesn’t resist, many other unforeseen changes would arise. As for the second option, that’s not his style. Abandoning his woman here is absolutely unacceptable. Death doesn’t frighten him. Su Mo immediately discards this option. As for the third option, it’s quite safe. The downfall of a dynasty is a process that takes considerable time. First, a few years of uprisings, then a few years of peasant revolts, government suppression for a few more years, infighting among rebels, and finally a dominant force replacing the dynasty. The whole cycle would take at least a decade. There might even be a ruler who revives the dynasty, overthrowing the dominant rebels. Such a situation may entail considerable delays. After all, nobles won’t change until the blade is at their throat. As wars haven't reached them yet, they continue their festivities in the city while famine spreads outside. Even with the simulated Shang approaching its end, at the very least, there are twenty good years ahead. With this thought, Su Mo decisively opts for the third choice. You chose to stay by Daji's side, advancing and retreating together, turning Boyi Kao into a meat pie to be shared with the ministers, sealing off all retreat. You look at Daji with a gaze full of reluctance, then tightly grasp her wrist. "No, I won't leave. I want to stay with you." Daji did not expect you to make such a choice but insisted firmly. “Listen to me, you... you're just a slave. What right do you have to make choices?” Hearing the word "slave" again, your heart aches, and you swiftly step forward, placing your hands on her shoulders, looking directly at Daji. “Yes, I’m a slave, but you’re the woman of this slave!” “What man would abandon his woman and run away on his own?” Daji's eyes tremble, welling with tears as she looks at you in bewilderment. She had always believed your feelings towards her were purely physical. Never had she thought you would open your heart. Your words soften her body and her tone. "I... I don't know." Seeing Daji in this state, you immediately pull her into your arms, whispering softly into her ear. "If you don't know what the future holds, let's face it together, without parting, okay?" Upon hearing your words, Daji lets out a soft sound, neither speaking nor rejecting. After placing Daji on the bed, you finally ask the question that’s been pressing at your heart for years. "Why did you save me during the sacrificial ceremony back then?" "If it weren't for you, I'd probably have turned to dust by now." Seeing your inquiry, Daji no longer conceals anything. "Do you remember the little girl you saved by the Ji River?" (Chapter End)