Chapter Fourteen
Page (1/3)
The mountain path was densely wooded, unlike the perilous peaks of Jiuling Mountain. This spring was much like those of previous years; wildflowers were scarce on the ground. Due to frequent droughts in recent years, by winter farmers would use those wild grasses to fill their stomachs, so naturally no flowers would bloom the following year. The entire nation depended on the riverbanks to produce some grain. With tens of millions of people across the land, ordinary farmers hardly got to eat. Disaster relief came monthly from the treasury, but behind closed doors, the officials were ruthless—they did not eat the grain themselves. Relief grain was distributed on schedule, yet the entire year’s supply could be swept away in a single night.
It was still two hours before noon when Lin He arrived at Lingma Village. Most houses there were made of earth and wood, with only a few having courtyards. The village trees were all withered; it was rare to see any green foliage. Wild grasses were even harder to find.
As noon approached, able-bodied men were pulling their oxen into the fields to plow. It had rained every night recently, turning the dirt roads into muddy quagmires. Lin He’s cloth shoes were soaked from splashing through puddles, making each step uncomfortable. On his back he carried a hidden sword—though not heavy, the tight clothes made it quite uncomfortable.
Walking along the village paths, Lin He noticed only children and women remained in the village. The playful children, seeing a strange man pass through, swarmed around him, forcing him to stop.
Looking at the crowd of children, Lin He was momentarily at a loss. Some were bald, others had small braids tied atop their heads, and a few had tufts of hair in front—mostly boys. They surrounded Lin He as if he were a villain.
The boy with the braid demanded, “Where are you going?”
A bald boy asked, “Are you one of those bad officials?”
The boy with the tuft of hair said, “We’re the ones who fight bad guys!”
Lin He couldn’t help but chuckle and crouched down.
“Brave warriors who fight villains, could you tell me how to get to Jiulong Town?”
The children looked at one another. The braided boy seemed to have the highest authority.
“Are you really an official?” the braided boy suddenly asked sternly.
Lin He patted his head.
“Brother grew up in a village just like you.”
The braided boy shrugged off his hand.
“I don’t believe you. Then tell me, who’s the worst person in the town?”
Lin He had no idea and could only reply vaguely, “The worst must be a big bad guy!”
The braided boy said nothing but glanced at his friends before declaring, “That’s right! The biggest villain in Jiulong Town is Wu Guantian, the big bad guy!”
The boy’s words both relieved and delighted Lin He.
Seeing he was no stranger, the children all pointed down the same road.
“If you see him, big brother, you must come back and tell us,” the braided boy urged.
The bald boy added, “Big brother will surely tell us!”
Lin He forced a smile. “You all head back first. I’ll come back after I’ve dealt with the bad guy.”
He stood to leave, but the braided boy grabbed his sleeve, earnest now.
“Big brother, you must defeat the big bad guy. My father was stabbed to death by him!”
Lin He crouched down again and straightened the boy’s ragged clothes.
“Don’t worry, little brother. I’ve been sent to avenge your father. Promise me you’ll listen to your mother, okay?”
“My mother was taken by him!” the boy said resolutely.
Lin He felt a pang of compassion for these children. Compared to them, he realized he was not the one truly suffering. Standing, he looked at them and said, “Rest assured! Big brother will bring you justice and defeat the big bad guy!”
Page (2/3)
The children leapt up in celebration, singing as they danced.
“Big brother~ Big brother~ fight the bad guy~ fight the bad guy~ Wu Guantian~ truly evil~ steals oxen~ beats people~ no reason~ no reason~ big bad guy~ big bad guy~ Wu Guantian!”
The children’s songs and dances sent Lin He off.
Walking alone on the country road, Lin He increasingly understood what his mother had told him: the strong wield power, while the weak hold only fate. Growing up in the forest, sheltered by his parents, now gone, Lin He keenly sensed the harshness of this world.
The city of Mancheng was famed as “the city of red mansions seen for ten miles.” It was the most prosperous city in the nation. They said one could never afford to drink all the wine or eat all the delicacies here, no matter the wealth.
The Yuxiang Flower Pavilion was the most famous pleasure house in Mancheng. It boasted “three thousand beauties,” each a national treasure. Even the emperor was said to seek beauties here. Resplendent and magnificent, the pavilion was always filled with illustrious guests from noble families, adorned in dazzling gold and jade, boasting of their wealth—some wielding mountains of gold, others commanding thousands.
The illustrious scholar Huang Gao, one of the “Four Literary Families,” once wrote of it:
Desires divine at Yuxiang Flower, a wild life spent at the Jade Pavilion;
Gathering countless worldly blessings, enjoying mortal pleasures a hundredfold.
It drew countless powerful and wealthy figures from across the land.
On the pavilion’s third floor, rather than the usual noisy halls, private rooms were arranged. Within one such room, a round table nearly thirty feet in diameter held an array of delicacies, yet only two stools were set. Both table and stools were made of inlaid rosewood, exuding grandeur. Prince Zhong Er sat opposite, beside a woman with a pale complexion holding a jade wine bottle, seemingly awaiting someone’s arrival.
A young gentleman pushed open the door—it was Sanqing Feng. Wearing a smile, he was warmly greeted by Prince Zhong Er. The two laughed and sat together.
“A distinguished prince meeting here today—quite rare!”
“Your demeanor differs greatly from your father’s.”
“The old man pursues Daoist enlightenment; you and I only seek fame and fortune.”
Prince Zhong Er gestured to the woman to pour wine.
“The election at Baiyun Peak is in seven days. I hear your father plans to attend. What’s the reason?”
“That old fellow is intent on acquiring that technique! He hasn’t rested for decades!”
“That ‘Ten Thousand Dust Palm’ is the technique that made my ancestor famous. A century ago, it earned him the title of the world’s top martial artist. If your father truly obtains it, won’t our plans be more secure?”
Sanqing Feng laughed heartily and stood. “I know that old man well. If he gets that technique, things will become unpredictable!”
Prince Zhong Er sighed, then said, “In that case, I’ll send someone to kill that woman opportunely.”
Sanqing Feng smiled faintly. “Then we shall join forces, a win-win!”
Prince Zhong Er laughed. “I have a habit: no deal until it’s done!”
The two laughed together.
After over an hour’s journey, Lin He arrived at Jiulong City.
Known as the “City of Talents,” his teacher had told him two of the “Four Literary Families” hailed from here. Though it was the busiest time of spring, the streets still bustled with modestly dressed citizens and some wealthy nobles in colorful attire, riding horse-drawn carriages through the streets.
After over an hour of walking, Lin He’s soaked shoes chilled his feet numb. He needed to find a clothing shop to change his shoes and clothes first.
Page (3/3)
Lin He discovered many curiosities in the city: horses woven from straw, oxen made of cloth. The sugar craftsmen were especially skilled; in their hands sugar transformed into teapots, birds, rabbits, even tigers. Tea houses smelled of fragrant tea, restaurants of sizzling meat, but none rivaled the savory aroma of the braised meat shops lining the streets. Their scent alone made mouths water. Signs boasting “Century-old Braised Flavor” hung above, attracting many beggars nearby.
Lin He slowed his steps, longing for a taste. But he reminded himself not to indulge here; he needed to find his teacher first.
There were many clothing shops on the main street, but most were too grand. To avoid drawing attention to his hidden sword, he preferred a smaller shop.
He chose one with a sign: “Cotton Spinning and Cloth Selling, Garment Buying and Selling.”
Entering, the strong scent of fabric filled the air. The shop was small, the cloth plain, clothes folded rather than displayed, and the lighting dim—evidently, business was slow.
Looking around and seeing no one, Lin He called out, “Is there anyone to try on clothes here?”
A middle-aged man emerged, medium build, wearing a long gown, holding a brush and book, eyes fixed on the pages.
“Poor folks don’t buy clothes in spring nor sell in winter. I’ve stocked these fine garments for a while. If you want, I charge by weight.”
Lin He smiled faintly, “I’m here to buy a garment. Do you have shoes as well?”
Hearing he wanted clothes to wear, the man brightened and tossed aside his book and brush.
“Come, come! I have many single pieces. Let’s see what style you want!”
Lin He followed him inside. The shop had many splendid clothes, their colors and patterns markedly different from the outside garments.
“These are high-quality clothes,” the man said. “Everyone else gets theirs here. You’ll pay much less!”
Lin He examined garment after garment. They were indeed handsome, but too flashy.
“Do you have any plain, looser clothes?”
The man understood immediately. “Wait a moment, I’ll find some for you.”
He busied himself, bringing out several plain-colored gowns.
“These are the styles for martial artists. Wear one, and others will certainly respect you.”
Lin He was pleased and inclined toward these gowns. He found a grayish-brown one that fit well.
“How much for this garment?”
The man felt the fabric and hesitated. “By batch price, twenty-five copper coins.”
Lin He was taken aback. “Twenty-five copper for one garment?”
The man pointed at the cloth. “This material is hard to come by nowadays. Twenty-five copper is like a small official’s meal.”
Lin He paused. Meeting with his teacher and Xiangming was more urgent—he could afford the price. “Do you have shoes?”
“Sure! I’ll get them for you!” the man replied promptly.
Dressed anew, with the sword now comfortably sheathed on his back, Lin He felt light and nimble—his first time truly looking like a martial arts hero. He felt a strange excitement.
Exiting, he followed the shopkeeper’s directions toward the Chen Family Teahouse.