Jiang Daqian made a living through forgery, never failed, but did not expect to have his plans thwarted by a meddlesome Colorful Performance Master.
After the Capital City Sea Arrest Warrant was issued, Jiang Daqian fled along the waterways to Jin Sect, changed his name and disappeared for a while, then resumed his old profession.
However, before he could bask in his success for long, the Government Office discovered his whereabouts and captured him, throwing him into prison.
According to the Yong Dynasty laws, apart from important items like gold and silver seals, forgery of other objects was not a capital crime; otherwise, everyone selling antique paintings and calligraphy on Flower and Bird Street would be executed!
But Jiang Daqian was different; his forgeries were too realistic, implicating too many nobles and wealthy merchants, so even if not a capital crime, it ultimately became one.
If you can make the fake look real, then by killing you, these fake goods become real ones.
And so, Jiang Daqian was escorted into the death row.
He, a master of forgery, never having failed, would one day be implicated by a meddlesome person like this.
Wang the Half-Immortal did not know Jiang Daqian, but Jiang Daqian knew him.
Someone performing the undead art in a lively bridge area; Jiang Daqian found it hard not to remember.
In the death row, the more Jiang Daqian thought, the angrier and more hateful he became. Since you caused me this plight, you should not expect any peace either!
"Sir! I want to report and expose. I want to repent by making amends through my contribution!"
The official heard, thinking there was an accomplice? This was serious!
The Sea Arrest Warrant was reissued, and cold iron manacles and shackles fell upon Wang the Half-Immortal's body.
"Ah?"
Wang the Half-Immortal was like a half-grown child just fallen asleep, dragged up, forcibly awakened, dazed-eyed, yet before regaining full consciousness, was escorted to Jin Sect for interrogation.
Face to face with Jiang Daqian, Wang the Half-Immortal looked somewhat unfamiliar.
After all, it was half a year since they last met; Jiang Daqian had gone through much hardship, later suffering in prison. It would be strange if Wang the Half-Immortal recognized him at a glance.
The Prefect of Jin Sect had the two face each other and testify simultaneously; Wang the Half-Immortal was confused: "Sir, I've always been a law-abiding citizen. How could I be his accomplice? I don't even recognize his face!"
The Prefect, upon hearing, slammed the gavel fiercely, questioning Jiang Daqian: "In the courtroom, slandering innocent people is not allowed. If this official discovers you falsely accuse decent folk, you will be beaten to death, slave!"
Jiang Daqian argued rationally: "Everything I say is true. That Wang the Half-Immortal uses street performances to cover his identity, actually seeking suitable buyers, connecting deals with me..."
Jiang Daqian made a reasonable and factual case, claiming Wang the Half-Immortal was indeed his accomplice, responsible for gathering materials for forgery and pretending to be a buyer of counterfeit goods, meanwhile Jiang himself would create the counterfeit, the two working in tandem to succeed repeatedly.
Wang the Half-Immortal exclaimed in anger: "I don't even know you, much less a scammer. How can you falsely accuse me!"
Jiang Daqian exclaimed in mockery: "Falsely accuse you? Since we are strangers, how would I recognize you? Given the situation, you might as well confess, perhaps we brothers could argue for leniency."
"Brother, don't blame me. Initially, I would never betray you, but the crime was too great, so to save my own life, I had to confess about you, seeking amends for a chance at life…"
"You're fabricating lies! Sir, betrayal is not a capital crime. He may deceive others, but why would he forcibly implicate others to survive? This man is full of nonsense, I implore sir to discern clearly."
The Prefect, hearing this, became promptly annoyed. He had already consigned Jiang Daqian to death row, yet Wang the Half-Immortal ignorantly implied errors in his judgment. Isn't this stepping further than one should?
"Audacious rogue! How dare you spew nonsense in court!"
Wang the Half-Immortal thought the Prefect referred to Jiang Daqian, feeling jubilant.
However, next moment, the Prefect commanded, "Guards! Clamp Wang Tianqiao!"
And what a mess it was; Wang the Half-Immortal was left dumbfounded. How come from interrogation it led to his fingers being clamped?
Where did this arise from?
Under torture, Wang the Half-Immortal succumbed to forced confessions, yet even upon being escorted to execution grounds he hadn't connected everything to the forgery exposure outside the pawnshop half a year ago.
He usually loved meddling into others' affairs, encountering numerous varied folks like grains of sand; to a fake painting seller, he casually said the painting was fake, indeed offhand remarks, never taking them to heart, how could he remember clearly?
On the execution ground, Wang the Half-Immortal and Jiang Daqian were both escorted together.
Wang the Half-Immortal observing the executioner with his Ghost Head Saber, knew escaping death today was hopeless.
His heart sank to despair, couldn't help but ask Jiang Daqian: "At this point, it's better you explain clearly, what grievance did I have with you, that you framed me like this?"
"Tell me so I can die in peace, otherwise holding resentment in my heart, even in death I cannot be tranquil!"
Jiang Daqian with an expressionless face recounted the incident of someone's meddling outside the pawnshop long ago; Wang the Half-Immortal listening felt blank, his mind had a buzzing noise for quite a while without coming back to senses.
Female Half-Immortal's words echoed like a demonic chant in his ears, Wang the Half-Immortal filled with regret in the moment!
When the Ghost Head Saber fell, Wang the Half-Immortal's grievance turned out to be even stronger than when ignorant of the truth.
His death was unduly suffocating!
He merely offhandedly said a phrase, meddled into a small matter, how did this result in beheading?
Before dying, Jiang Daqian added a finishing phrase:
"Aren't you supposed to perform the beheading-undying trick, this time it should actually be useful..."
Wang the Half-Immortal's trick was fake, how could he truly be unaffected by beheading? Even with the desire to deceive now, he'd need the ropes undone, tools to perform the undead art to produce the effect.
But now hands and feet bound, even if possessing heavenly secrets, couldn't fool the heavens.
The blade fell, two round heads like sliced watermelon descended, crimson blood instantaneously spread into a puddle.
The two adversaries, failing to reconcile in life, were indistinguishable in death.
Xu Qing, witnessing Wang the Half-Immortal's humiliating demise, couldn't find proper words for him.
The Female Half-Immortal's words were crystal clear, told you not to meddle that day, why didn't you heed?
Old saying goes, sweep only before your own door, don't concern yourself with frost on others' tiles; another phrase says others gaze at flowers without involving your eyes; others remain busy without implicating your feet.
Since ancient times, selling antiques, paintings, calligraphy has always been half true half false, indeed common occurrences, known secrets, you disrupted others' plans akin to having your trick of beheading revealed, if you were them, wouldn't you be upset?
After expelling the unsatisfied spirit of Wang the Half-Immortal, Xu Qing gained a skill for beheading-undying art.
This magic was not a fraudulent trick, but indeed could allow surviving beheading.
Xu Qing gestured and chanted, just halfway through the incantation he felt as if his head wanted to float away.
That eerie feeling like swinging on a cliff, Xu Qing dared not complete the incantation, his Undying Bone wasn't forged yet, should the head spell completed and returning spell failed later, who could he reason with?
Contemplating the newly obtained magic, Xu Qing realized why the ghostly Wang the Half-Immortal would persistently hold onto his head.
The head was the only weakness of headless ghosts, if fallen, snatched away by dogs, or being kicked away like a ball, the ghost would lose all magical power, barely able to 'live' for long.
Xu Qing pondered, considering teaching this underworld magic to a seamstress, thinking she might appreciate it.
After all, ladies loved decorating themselves; if she could remove her head while styling her hair, it would surely be more convenient than hanging it on the neck.