The Sorrowmender

Chapter 31 – Mo Shengge Seeks a Child

As Xu Qingzhou's fingertips brushed over the Book of Forgetting Worries, a shimmering light floated across its surface. Lines of text blossomed in the candlelight of the night, lush and verdant, presenting an unusual sight.

Xu Qingzhou sighed inwardly, "No cultivation, yet it's a worry of the green kind. How strange."

He stroked his chin, furrowing his brows as he scrutinized the situation.

The woman sat opposite him, curiously observing Xu Qingzhou. His actions puzzled her, leaving her deeply confused. To her, the book appeared blank, as white as paper at first glance, and upon closer inspection, it was indeed just white paper.

Yet, Xu Qingzhou's demeanor was one of deep seriousness, entirely different from before, as if he had entered a state of semi-trance.

Staring blankly at the white paper, she couldn't help but wonder.

"Could this book truly be a heavenly book without words..."

Her curiosity about Xu Qingzhou grew unconsciously more intense.

Meanwhile, Xu Qingzhou remained oblivious, continuing to read the information on the Book of Forgetting Worries.

[Name: Mo Shengge]

[Age: 35 years]

[Status: A lady, yet childless, with no cultivation.]

Personal History: A native of Linfeng, eldest daughter of the Mo family, the leading family among the three great clans of Linfeng City. Married Lin Shuo, the current city lord of Linfeng City, at the age of 18, and has been his wife for 17 years.

Well-read since childhood, she is knowledgeable, capable, and her strategies rival those of men.

A year ago, her husband Lin Shuo was ambushed during a hunt on the Western Mountain and was severely injured. Although his life was saved, he contracted a severe illness and is not expected to live past this winter solstice, even with medicinal support.

Since a year ago, all city affairs have been managed by Mo Shengge, holding great power. However, due to having no children, if Lin Shuo were to pass away, the city would fall into chaos. Though she holds power, her position is not legitimate, leading to rampant rumors.

Reason for childlessness: Lin Shuo is infertile.

Worry: Concern over maintaining power.

Desire: To conceive a child of Lin Shuo's bloodline before he passes, to continue holding power.

Solutions:

(1): Use the Nine-Turn Pill of Vigorous Might; just one will allow Lin Shuo to have a night of vigor and leave an heir, but the cost is Lin Shuo's life, consuming 2000 Merit Points.

(2): A plan with no cost: Lin Shuo has a half-brother, an illegitimate son of the former city lord, aged twenty-five. He can be sought to provide a seed, with no issue in bloodline verification. Purchasing this information requires 50 Merit Points.

Advantages: Cheap; Disadvantages: Unethical.

(3): This woman is very arrogant and has a poor attitude towards the host, which displeases me.

Moreover, she is deeply scheming and ruthless, having personally killed her own brother. It's not hard to imagine she would kill to keep her secrets.

Thus, this system suggests directly eliminating Mo Shengge, once and for all, consuming 3000 Merit Points, ensuring the host's safe retreat.

Advantages: Decisive and satisfying; Disadvantages: Will face relentless pursuit from Linfeng City, with significant side effects.

Seeing the green light for the first time and the lady's request, Xu Qingzhou felt a bit anxious, furrowing his brows.

Clearly, this was a power struggle. Helping would mean getting embroiled in Linfeng City's turmoil. Frankly, he detested the deceit and intrigue of the political arena.

Troublesome—

But when he saw the solutions, he was both amused and exasperated. The first and second options he could somewhat understand; they were reasonable, even if the first was costly and the second was cheap.

But the third option, Xu Qingzhou could only say, this system is truly ruthless and reliable; when there's a problem, it's really up for it.

However, the cost...

Firstly, 3000 Merit Points is genuinely expensive.

Secondly, if Mo Shengge were truly killed, he would surely face retaliation from Linfeng City.

Then he couldn't stay in Frostsky City anymore.

Honestly, he was reluctant to leave, reluctant to abandon the reputation he had painstakingly built in Frostsky City.

It was all built bit by bit, and leaving would mean losing everything.

He had planned to comfortably linger in Frostsky City for a few hundred years, until he became invincible, before venturing out.

But what the system said wasn't entirely unreasonable. If he used the first or second method, he couldn't guarantee he wouldn't be silenced.

Especially the first method, where Lin Shuo's seed would directly perish. If he were Mo Shengge, he would certainly keep it secret, at least until the child in her womb showed before making it public, right?

To prevent the news from leaking, what would she do?

I think in such a woman's mind, she would surely believe only the dead keep secrets.

As for the second method, well, naturally, it's the same.

So today, for the first time, Xu Qingzhou was troubled.

If he helped with this task, he could only hope Mo Shengge would be a good person, a truly good person.

Trust him, not act against him, which clearly wasn't very likely, as Mo Shengge wasn't exactly a good person.

If he didn't help and directly killed her, he could start preparing to move tomorrow.

Who knows if Linfeng City has some formidable figure in charge, or perhaps tens of thousands of troops coming together, he wouldn't stand a chance against them.

Taking risks is not advisable, not advisable.

Indeed, advancing is risky, retreating is perilous, difficult, difficult, this worry also troubles me—

Mo Shengge, who had been watching Xu Qingzhou closely, saw his expression change from dark to light, alternating between distress and worry, as if he were possessed.

Unable to resist, she called out, "Mister, Mister—"

Xu Qingzhou snapped back to reality, looking blankly at Mo Shengge, his expression still heavy.

Mo Shengge's gaze swept back and forth between the Book of Forgetting Worries and Xu Qingzhou, asking:

"Mister, have you understood my worries?"

Hearing this, Xu Qingzhou sighed, shaking his head slightly, his hand brushing over the table, dispersing the green light, as the Worry-Free Book vanished into his hand, disappearing without a trace, as if it had never appeared.

Seeing Xu Qingzhou merely sighing at her without speaking, Mo Shengge couldn't help but lower her brows, her tone also dropping a few notches.

"Mister, what do you mean by sighing? Is it that you don't know, or can't solve it? At least give me a definite answer."

Xu Qingzhou continued shaking his head, sighing:

"I know the worry, and it can be solved, but this—"

Xu Qingzhou hesitated, ultimately saying nothing.

A trace of displeasure already hung between Mo Shengge's brows, thinking Xu Qingzhou was stalling for time, deliberately delaying, so she furrowed her brows, coldly saying:

"Mister, feel free to speak directly. If you can solve it, then how? If not, don't forget what you just said."

Sensing the coldness in her words, Xu Qingzhou's heart tightened. Indeed, this woman turned her face faster than flipping a book. When useful, she was respectful, but as soon as he played coy, she harbored murderous intent.

Capricious, with a heart of a snake and scorpion, completely unrelated to her righteous and noble demeanor.

He cleared his throat, his eyes fixed on her.

"Lady Mo, are you sure you want me to say it now?" As he spoke, his gaze shifted upwards, indicating the surroundings of the ceiling, then his eyes narrowed into slits, coldly saying, "A matter of city power is not something to be taken lightly."