Chapter 86

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In which there’s a fun (?) carriage ride.

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From Shengyin City to Wuyun City, if they hurried, it’d require only seven days.

Towards the fact that the letter was written by a different person, everyone more or less had some thoughts about it and so weren’t too anxious to hurry along the way. Instead, they first sent a portion of people to Wuyun City to probe some information while also taking the chance to send a letter to the influential family there.

After the Hua family suffered that massacre, the family that replaced them was the Sheng family.

The Sheng family had originally lived in Wuyun City, and they were even somewhat related to the Hua family, so after what happened to the Hua family, the Sheng family then slowly expanded in influence. And because of the prior disastrous example of the Hua family, the Sheng family felt some lingering fear towards Jianghu and gradually made moves intending to distance themselves from that world. Now, some of their younger generations had already become government officials, and these youths generally maintained a neutral attitude towards Jianghu.

But the family was, when all was said and done, still part of Jianghu, and the old family head still had many friends, though the most interaction he usually had with them was a greeting or two during the holidays. He had completely not imagined that such an important matter of Jianghu could involve the family.

So when he received the news, the Sheng Patriarch’s vision immediately went black, and he almost took a fall.

He had lived through that experience with the Hua family.

That such a prestigious and influential family could disappear overnight had let him come to the deep realization of how truly frightening the experts of the martial arts circles were. To this day, he still had those same lingering fears, and so upon hearing that those experts were coming here, his face turned pale, fearing that a fight would break out.

The Sheng family head also furrowed his brows deeply.

Recently, Fengxian Manor, Lingjian Pavilion, and the other sects of the righteous faction were investigating the degenerate who had burrowed into their righteous faction. This matter had not simply disturbed Shaolin and Wudang, but even the demonic faction’s Wuwang Temple and Demonic Sect were participating. Matters had become so big that it wouldn’t be too much to say that it had become known to everyone. Although the Sheng family did not take much interest in the affairs of Jianghu, they still paid attention to certain major upheavals, with the most recent being that the Alliance Leader’s house had been burned. It just went to show how truly big things had gotten.

The Sheng family head knew that this matter had started from the time when the Lantern-Extinguishing Poison reappeared in Jianghu, and then later there was even the appearance of Pursued Until Scattered. Now, those people had actually turned to their Wuyun City. It really made people unable to help but overthink.

He asked, “Could it be that there were people who survived from the Hua family?”

“How could that be?” The Sheng Patriarch said, “Your mother was cousin[1] to the Hua family. When that matter happened that year, it wasn’t only the righteous faction, but we also followed along to search for a very long while. If there had been any survivors, I would’ve long taken them back home.”

The Sheng family head said, “Dad, think about the matter this time. What if that year the person had some other motives, and didn’t want to be exposed, so he stayed hidden for twenty years before coming back to take revenge?”

The Sheng Patriarch startled. “That is also…”

If that’s truly the case, then their Sheng family inevitably couldn’t simply watch from the sidelines.

What he feared was that this was someone purposely placing matters onto the Hua family, in an attempt to obscure the facts.

While they were on tenterhooks, the righteous faction party had conversely already set out, going towards Wuyun City neither too slow nor too fast.

As usual, Ye You was sitting in the same carriage as his Senior Brother, holding his Senior Brother’s book and slowly flipping through it.

Wenren Heng was sitting alongside watching him, occasionally exchanging a few words, while also teasing this disaster a bit. Seeing him take the initiative to offer himself, Wenren Heng cheerfully pulled this person into an embrace.

The two originally thought that they could continue to stay like this during the whole journey. Unfortunately, when they stopped to rest midway, they saw the carriage curtains being pulled open and Xie Junming and Elder Baili, with one in front and the other behind, both stepping on, indicating that the two wanted to sit in the same carriage as them.

Ye You faintly sighed. “Temple Master Xie, Sect Master Ye, you two have matters to discuss?”

Xie Junming said, “No.”

Elder Baili said, “We were simply bored.”

One was Wuwang Temple’s Temple Master, while the other was the Demonic Sect’s Sect Master. Everyone knew that these two people had always done as they pleased, and none of those nearby who heard this exchange thought that there was anything strange about it, though if the two had been changed to Pavilion Master Ding and Manor Lord Wei, then within ten people, eight would have never believed it.

Xie Junming was also clear on this point, so he had no misgivings at all.

He even unhurriedly added a few more words, “Why don’t I have someone bring over some mahjong and we can play a few rounds?”

Ye You reminded, “Once we leave the official roads, it’ll become bumpy. The tiles will fall off.”

“What are you afraid of…” Xie Junming had still wanted to continue speaking, but at this time, he heard footsteps echo from outside the carriage. At first, it slowly came closer and closer, and then it picked up speed, rushing two steps towards them, before the carriage curtains were pulled open. Everyone looked over and discovered that it turned out to be Ding Xilai, who had probably started out hesitant just now before finally making a firm resolution.

Underneath a multitude of stares, Ding Xilai climbed up.

He had heard the rumors about Xie Junming and Ye You, and since he wanted to become sworn brothers with Sir Xiao, now that he had seen these two incredible people get on Sir Xiao’s carriage, how could he simply watch from the sidelines?

He tensed his face and bolstered his courage to walk to their sides to sit down, feeling as if he had done something tremendous, and that he had done extremely well!

Xie Junming looked at him askance, “You have business?”

Ding Xilai straightened his back and said insipidly, “…No.”

Xie Junming said, “Then why did you come up here?”

Ding Xilai said, “…To play.”

Xie Junming said, “There’s nothing for you to play with here. Get out.”

Ding Xilai instantly wanted to run, but he endured it and silently continued sitting.

Xie Junming reached out two fingers to grab his face and, with narrowed eyes, said, “Did you hear me?”

Ding Xilai was about to be frightened into tears and looked beseechingly for help at Sir Xiao. Ye You could only divert a bit of attention by asking him if he had any business. Ding Xilai said, “No, I just wanted to sit with you in the same carriage.”

At this time, everyone was luckily about to continue hurrying on the road. The scarred man pulled open the carriage curtains and asked the Sect Master if they should also go.

Wenren Heng looked at them and said, “Let’s go.”

The scarred man made a sound in agreement and began driving the carriage.

Ren Shaotian was actually sitting next to him, acting as a guard to the young master.

Ye You had just “recovered from a major illness”, so Wenren Heng had gotten a large and spacious carriage when he came. Now, even with five people seated within, it still didn’t appear crowded. It was only that the atmosphere was somewhat strange, because Xie Junming didn’t speak a single word, simply leaning against “Sect Master Ye” as he stared fixedly at Ding Xilai, smiling in an especially frightening way.

Ding Xilai couldn’t endure it. “Temple… Temple Master Xie, why do you keep looking at me?”

Xie Junming said tenderly, “I’m admiring you.”

Ding Xilai, “…”

Ren Shaotian was able to hear everything clearly from outside and so couldn’t help but open the carriage curtains slightly to take a look at his unfortunate young master. As expected, he saw the other’s face turn completely pale and immediately felt helpless. He had already long advised the young master that it’d be useless to come, and it wasn’t as if Sir Xiao and Wenren Heng were easy to handle so there was no way they’d be at a disadvantage, but to no avail, as the young master refused to listen. See, intimidated now, right?

He unconsciously directed his gaze towards Sir Xiao and upon seeing that the other party was coincidentally also looking at him, once again returned his gaze to his young master’s person. Seeing that the young master didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving, he then finally put down the curtains.

Ye You looked at Ding Xilai and asked, “Drink some tea?”

Ding Xilai finally found something to do and immediately said, “Drink!”

Ye You then poured him a cup of tea.

Ding Xilai thereupon held that cup of tea and, under Xie Junming’s gaze, silently downed it. In one sitting, he drank three to four cups before hastily calling for a stop since he now needed to use the toilet. Ye You personally saw him off the carriage and walked two steps with him to the nearby forest before asking, “Do you have something you want to say?”

Ding Xilai’s expression somewhat wavered. “…No.”

For better or worse, he was Lingjian Pavilion’s Junior Pavilion Master, and he had originally wanted to provide Sir Xiao some support, but in the end, he was scared half-to-death by Xie Junming and it was even Sir Xiao who helped resolve the situation. This was far too embarrassing, so now he couldn’t say anything.

Ye You gave him a few glances, indicating that he should hurry and do his business, before turning to look at Ren Shaotian.

Ren Shaotian said, smiling, “The young master saw Temple Master Xie and them enter so was afraid that you’d be at a disadvantage.”

Ye You was slightly startled. He hadn’t thought that this was the actual reason.

“Ah, that’s right,” Ren Shaotian asked, “How’s Sir Xiao’s injuries?”

Ye You said, “They’re already mostly recovered. In a while, you should take your young master back. Don’t let him truly offend Xie Junming.”

Ren Shaotian nodded.

Ye You gave him one final look before turning around and returning to the carriage. Before he had fully entered, he turned his head once again to look and, finding that Ren Shaotian was currently watching Ding Xilai, retrieved his gaze.

Xie Junming saw him return and asked, “Where’s the other one?”

Ye You said, “He won’t come back.”

Xie Junming was somewhat satisfied. “Tactful of him, at least.”

Ye You laughed and said, “If you want to say something, just say it. Right now’s the perfect opportunity.”

The so-called perfect opportunity was referring to the fact that, now that they’ve stopped, they were currently some distance away from the other carriages in front, and those who had a mind to probe were naturally not on guard nearby. Xie Junming was aware of this reasoning, but just in case, he still used his internal energy to suppress his voice, “Is the person in your hands?”

Ye You said, “No.”

Xie Junming said, “Oh?”

Ye You said, “The person left himself.”

Xie Junming was quite clever and immediately understood after connecting the clues up until now. He internally thought that so as it turned out, Wei Jiangyue had lost his head after being so enraptured by Ye You that the person dared to put on a show of being a kidnapping victim and scare his own dad this much.

He asked, “What about the letter?”

Ye You said, “He arranged for someone to write that.”

Xie Junming practically wanted to give his good friend a round of applause and said in praise, “How did you buy him off?”

Ye You said, “He simply wanted to know the truth. The letter was also just to find the righteous faction something to do so as to cause a few days delay, leaving enough time for him to return.”

Xie Junming asked, “Where did he go?”

Ye You simply laughed and didn’t respond.

Xie Junming gave him a few more looks before saying, smiling, “Then let me change the question. You letting him write Sifang Fortress really wasn’t for the sake of another goal?

Ye You very honestly said, “Naturally there is another goal. From here to there, we’ll have to pass by Wanping Weir on the way.”

Xie Junming thought for a while and said, “It’s not quite on the way.”

Ye You said, “But at least we can be somewhat close to it.”

Xie Junming said, “The reason?”

Ye You said, “If my guess is right, then the white piece’s drugged men are there.”

So the so-called going to Sifang Fortress to save someone was a complete pretense, and halfway there, Ye You was planning to find an opportunity to go to Wanping Weir and directly take care of that lot of drugged men. Xie Junming immediately laughed out loud. “The white piece truly is an idiot since he so insisted on provoking you.”

Ye You smiled slightly, calmly accepting his praise.

Xie Junming went over to hold him and said, with deep emotion, “Ah-You, I really do like you more and more. Why don’t you come with me? This brother is truly willing to try it with you once.”

Wenren Heng threw the other’s hand off and pulled his Junior Brother into his embrace. “Temple Master Xie, watch your conduct. He already has someone.”

Xie Junming somewhat unhappily tsked and lazily sat back down before then suddenly tilting his head to look at Elder Baili.

Elder Baili, “…”

What kind of expression is that? You can’t be wanting to vent your anger on me again, right? Why? What did I do wrong?!

“Darling,” Xie Junming laid down on the other. “Your husband’s mood isn’t good. Give me a shoulder massage.”

Having already had countless thoughts of cutting this rascal into pieces, Elder Baili resigned himself as he began giving the other a massage. Sluggishly, he gradually became aware of precisely where he had gone wrong; he shouldn’t have gone to draw those damn lots in the first place!

For the next stretch of the journey, Ding Xilai didn’t come looking to be abused again.

Everyone continued in fits and bursts, stopping and going, and when night fell, they arrived at a small town to rest. The people of “Heaven’s Firmament” hadn’t had a moment of idleness the whole day and were still attempting to find the person, but it was unfortunate that there was no news whatsoever.

Manor Lord Wei was sitting at the inn listening to his subordinate’s report. Furrowing his brows, he was about to give some words of instruction when he heard a familiar voice echo from the outside, “My dad is here, right?”

He started slightly and hastily stood up to open the door.

Wei Jiangrou had just walked over and, upon seeing him, smiled as she threw herself over. “Dad.”

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[1] Specifically, a cousin who didn’t share the Hua name, so it was probably her mother who was part of the Hua family.

Don’t know if anyone needs this reminder (or was confused the past few times it was obliquely mentioned), since I never explicitly spelled it out, but “the Jianghu” is essentially China’s concept of an “underworld” (so the martial artists are like the mafia if you want to make a more modern analogy lmao) except more… Godfather with chivalry and all that jazz rather than the Sopranos. That’s why you’ll see the characters talk about the imperial family, government officials, etc. as if they were far removed from their lives, since the Jianghu has it’s own rules/regulations that’s largely separate from the government.

I also kind of assume that everyone knows what mahjong is, but if you don’t, wiki has a page on it. (Not to be confused with mahjong solitaire which is a complete bastardization of all that mahjong is <del>even though it’s really fun asjkrwlrw</del>.) It’s a game that can theoretically go on indefinitely (since it’s played in rounds in which points are tallied up after each round), and apparently my grandma once played for three days straight (with, I assume, at least some bathroom and eating breaks), so it is certainly A Game.

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My life is now consumed by Animal Crossing. I thought after getting terraforming, I’d just finish fixing up my island and then just play at my leisure, but no, terraforming is never done; the work is eternal.

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