Recap
The young man looked at him and said calmly: “Yao house, surnamed Chai, Chai Shuxin.”
Lao Si was startled, then smiled and said: “It turns out that you are the young master of the Yao house, whom I have admired for a long time. I am lucky to have a fight with you today, I am delighted that our fates crossed each other’s paths.”
“This one is from General Mu’s Mansion, under the Tianshuan* sect, Mu Gesheng.”——
___
Anping felt that if he was really dreaming, he would probably have been so shocked that he rolled out of bed in reality.
He shouldn’t have heard wrongly. This person’s name is Mu Gesheng? The Mu Gesheng he knew?
He had noticed that Lao Si looked familiar to him before, but he didn’t pay much attention to it. The boy was about thirteen or fourteen years old, and the Mu Gesheng he knew had repeated three years of school and was at least in his early twenties.
The two may have similar facial features, but their temperaments are really different. Anping looked at the young man under the moonlight in front of him, his eyes bright and filled with untamed energy. How did this person become a money-grubbing charlatan?
Okay, he has the same stinginess.
Silver light flashed, and the two fought. The bright moon reflected on the still pond rippled, and water splashed everywhere.
Mu Gesheng and Chai Shuxin’s skills seemed to be on par with each other. A pond of water was stirred into a storm by the two of them. Anping noticed it, and it took him a while to realize that no one from the Chai Mansion came to take care of such a big commotion. This household’s sleep quality is also very good, right?
Mu Gesheng then expressed his question, “We are making so much noise, no one will flame you for disturbing everyone’s sleep next morning, right?”
“The nine-fold corridor of Chai Mansion is impenetrable even to ghosts and gods.” Chai Shuxin said coldly: “Within this corridor, there is no way in or out, so no sound can leak out.”
Upon hearing this, Mu Gesheng took out a pile of copper coins and threw it towards the lakeside promenade, “What about this?”
The copper coins passed through the walls, making a loud crackling sound, and half of the corridor suddenly collapsed.
“Okay, now it’s an 8-fold corridor.” Mu Gesheng clapped his hands, “The sound insulation effect will inevitably be weakened. It is not a gentlemanly behavior to disturb others so late at night. I heard that Mr. Chai has always upheld this spirit. Are you sure you want to continue?”
Anping was shocked by this act of demolishing a house after just a disagreement. Chai Shuxin was stunned at first, and then became angry: “Tiansuan sect’s disciples’ forty-nine mountain ghosts floral money has been passed down through millennia. Yet you used it to smash the wall?”
Anping held his forehead, brother, I don’t think that was the main point. What you should be concerned about is not Mu Gesheng’s money, but your house.
“A priceless treasure, sure. But I’m happy.” Mu Gesheng seemed quite generous at the moment, “This is called throwing money to buy peace.”
Chai Shuxin flicked his long sleeves, as if he felt that he had nothing to say to this man anymore. The silver needles fell like heavy rain, but Mu Gesheng refused to meet him face to face again, so he turned around and ran away.
A moment later there was another loud noise, and another room collapsed.
The two of them fought from late at night until dawn, one running and the other chasing. In just a few hours, Mu Gesheng demolished a total of three corridors and nine rooms. Lao Er, who came to pick him up in the morning, looked at the bare door lintel of Chai Mansion and asked, “Where did the esteemed mansion’s door go?”
“Good morning.” The servant boy bent down, “Young Master Mu smashed it with money.”
“Nonsense.” Lao Er said without thinking, “Lao Si is not that generous.”
Servant boy: “…”
Lao Er was led all the way through the door and stopped in front of a small building, which was the medicine room from yesterday. Pushing the door open and walking in, he saw Mu Gesheng lying on the couch applying medicine, with his whole body wrapped into half a rice dumpling, “Hey, Lao Er, good morning.” This man didn’t mind the pain. He was covered in bruises and still had a playful smile on his face, “I’m hungry. Is that wonton restaurant in the east gate open?”
“I sent him here for treatment.” Lao Er paused and looked at the servant boy beside him, “Does your esteemed mansion beat someone up again?”
“Eh, no, no, don’t put him on the spot.” Mu Gesheng bit the bandage and said vaguely: “I had a fight with someone, are you worried? Then treat me to a meal.”
“Good job.” Lao Er said simply, “You deserve a good beating.”
“You are wrong about this.” Mu Gesheng said proudly: “The little doctor was injured more seriously than me. He was dug out from the rubble just now. He was hit hard. I’m afraid he is in worse shape than me.”
“Little doctor?” Lao Er raised his eyebrows, “Who did you hit?”
“Guess?”
“Your mother…you didn’t hit Chai Shuxin, did you?”
The window opened with a bang, and a burst of laughter came, which startled the birds outside the corridor and they flew away.
“Hahahahahahaha, you didn’t see the look on that little doctor’s face at that time!” Mu Gesheng slapped the table and laughed wildly, “It’s as cold as the twelfth lunar month, hahahahahaha, that person is so funny!”
“Fight if you want but why did you tear down someone’s house?” The Lao Er, sitting opposite, snorted coldly: “Useless.”
“Our skills are on par with each other. If we fight seriously, the victor can only be decided in a fast match, not one that was as dragged out as this.” Mu Gesheng laughed and staggered, “Of course I’ll win if it was anytime but now, the little doctor is from the Chai clan Yao house. Although the Yao house is not a martial arts house, the art of controlling needles cannot be easily defended. I only have seventeen mountain ghost floral coins in my hand, but he has hundreds or even thousands of silver needles in his sleeves. Isn’t it just looking for death in a head-on confrontation? I have to use different ways to distract him.”
“To win in a dishonest way is without honor.”
“He was the one who chased me and wanted to beat me up when I’m injured and clearly disadvantaged. He is without honor.” Mu Gesheng fell on the couch, “Never mind, none of us got anything out of this anyway. But this little doctor is quite interesting. If I have a chance in the future, I will come and play with him again next time.”
“You demolished half of the Chai Mansion, do you still think there’s a next time?”
“There are no roads in this world that lead to a dead end. The worst I can do is to do some fortune-telling before coming in to see which is the best entrance to use.” Mu Gesheng took out a copper coin and tossed it around in his hand, “By the way, Lao Er, if you fight with the little doctor, how many moves can he use?”
“No need for a knife, within twenty moves.”
“That’s great!” Mu Gesheng slapped his thigh, “Next time come with me, he won’t dare to fight me!”
“Dream on.” Lao Er refused simply and concisely, “I won’t fight.”
“Ah?” Mu Gesheng was stunned and said curiously: “This is a rare opportunity. There are actually people in this world that you, Song Wentong, don’t dare to hit?”
“He is from the Yao house, and the disciples from the seven houses are prohibited from infighting.”
“Don’t try to instill in me your Mo house’s teachings right now. Why don’t I see you so filled with this spirit of unity when you chase me and beat me up?”
“That’s because you deserve a beating.” Song Wentong said: “You know Chai Shuxin’s identity, right?”
“I know, one of the seven houses. Chai clan Yao house. He is the head of the Chai clan, and he is also the current scion of the Divine Acupuncture. He is in charge of the Yao house, one of the prominent houses.”
Song Wentong snorted coldly when he heard this: “There are seven Schools of Thoughts, six houses that have existed in this world for a long time. Tian house’s Ways of the Heaven, Xian house’s Ways of the Immortal Being, Zhu house’s Ways of the Stars, Yao house’s Divine Acupuncture, Yin Yang house’s Impermanence teachings, and Mo house’s Mo Philosophical teachings. Among them, the Chai clan has the most outstanding medical skills. Three thousand years ago, the Chai clan became the master of medicine. Since then, all the heads of the Chai clans have all had the position as one of the seven houses’ leaders. Even if Sir sees him, he will also need to address him as “Spiritual scion”. And you just went and beat said person up, do you really think Sir won’t punish you?”
“You’re talking way too much, I get your point. You just want to say that he has a great background. Seven houses yada yada, there are only two who fool around with me every day.” Mu Gesheng said without hesitation: “Besides, aren’t you, the great Mo scion, also always punished by his Master? Are you scared?”
“I can win Chai Shuxin in a duel and I’m not afraid of being punished by my master.” Song Wentong said, “But in the entire Ginkgo Study, no one except you will provoke him.”
“Why?”
“It’s a small matter to overthrow the king, but it’s a big deal to hurt the Yao house. If you don’t want to lead a hard life in the future, don’t mess with the people who can save your life.” Song Wentong slapped Mu Gesheng on the head, “How many times have you recovered from the gates of hell? One life, who the hell do you think has the ability to save you from the brink of death?”
Mu Gesheng froze and said in disbelief: “The person who saved me the last few times was the little doctor? Is this true?”
Song Wentong snorted coldly.
Mu Gesheng thought for a moment, “Am I finished? Is it too late to apologize now?”
“Too late.”
“What if I hold his thigh and beg him?”
“He might beat you up again.”
“Never mind, so be it. Why should I force myself to walk the plank? If I have a chance in the future, I’ll apologize to him.” Mu Gesheng didn’t insist, “Help me up.”
“You’re a coward, don’t touch me.” Song Wentong took a step back and handed over the blade in his hand, “Hold it yourself.”
“Ai, say, a person who’s loved neither by my dad nor cared for by my mum, is not even treated well by my brother in arms.” Hearing this, Mu Gesheng held the blade and sighed: “I provoked some person outside, yet I have to go all the way back to the mountains to explain myself to the master.”
“Are you done talking nonsense?”
“I haven’t finished talking yet. If you don’t want to hear, go away.” Mu Gesheng rolled his eyes, “Or get some cotton to plug your ears. When I go back to the mountain to see the Master, I’ll talk more nonsense… Hey…What are you trying to do? I’m warning you! I am a patient, you know!”
“Gag your mouth shut.”
As the saying goes, there’s always one mountain that is higher than the other; the two people’s skills are not at the same level at all. Mu Gesheng, who had been running around in Chai mansion for half a night with no one who could do anything to him, was knocked over by Song Wentong and carried out like a piece of luggage.
Song Wentong carried the man and walked all the way out of the city without slowing down.
There is a mountain outside the city, a temple on the mountain, and a study inside the temple.
The courtyard is full of ginkgo trees, with tall ancient trees and golden branches. There are two words engraved on the plaque on the red gate – Ginkgo Study.
The study looked small from the outside, but inside the door was a deep corridor. Song Wentong walked in, finally stopping in front of a waterside pavilion. He saluted through the curtain and said: “Sir, students have returned to the mountain.”
“I see you are all safe. What kind of trouble did you get into when you went down the mountain this time?” A voice filled with a smile came: “Yo, such a big luggage! Is that a local product bought from the city?”
The bamboo curtain is half rolled up, and in the waterside pavilion there is a man in white sitting by the water, with a graceful and elegant appearance, like a banished immortal.
It’s a pity that the immortal is half disabled.
Anping was shocked when he saw it. Sure enough, no one is perfect, and good-looking people all have their own imperfections. Song Wentong swore profusely, Mu Gesheng was blinded by money, Chai Shuxin was not close to anyone, and the master of Ginkgo Study in front of him looked like he was only thirty years old, but his hair was as white as snow and he was sitting in a wheelchair.
Song Wentong knelt down and saluted, “Lao Si made a mistake, so I brought him here for punishment.”
Mu Gesheng, who was tied up like a dumpling, made a vague protest.
“Alright, you guys always like to take turns telling on each other.” The master smiled, “It seems that Gesheng was caught this time. It’s rare to see you so unlucky. Tell me, what mistake did you make?”
Mu Gesheng glared at Song Wentong angrily.
Song Wentong grunted and untied the man. Mu Gesheng took out the strip of cloth from his mouth and launched a flying kick, which was blocked by the opponent’s sword.
He knelt down and changed his face quickly, pretending to be an aggrieved little daughter-in-law, “Greetings to Master.”
“Since you made a mistake, continue kneeling down.” The master smiled and said, “What did you do this time?”
It was rare for Mu Gesheng to be honest, so he knelt down and told the truth, “I know I’m wrong. Master can punish me in any way, as long as I don’t have to pay for it.”
“Oh? What if I ask you to pay for it?”
“Then this apprentice can’t do anything about it.” Mu Gesheng said honestly: “But I’ll have no choice but to steal Lao Er’s blade and pawn it.”
Before he finished speaking, Song Wentong took out the blade with a click, his face expressionless.
“…So in order to avoid the tragedy of fratricide, master, please think twice.” Mu Gesheng added the second half of the sentence in a good-natured manner.
“It’s not a good idea. Wentong’s red blade is good, but it’s not worth more than his face.” The master smiled and waved his hand, “If you have the ability to sell him to Fortified Pass Moon*, it will be a huge profit.”
*(关山月, I have no idea what this is at this point of translation. But I searched it up and it’s actually the name of one of Li Bai’s poems. Will be included in the footnotes if you guys are interested. But I don’t think it’s relevant here.)
Anping was speechless when he heard this. It turns out that as the saying goes, like teacher, like disciple. If the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked.
Song Wentong seemed to be used to hearing such remarks, and said with a black face, “Sir, you are joking.”
“It’s not a big deal, and Shuxin is not an unreasonable person. Just find an opportunity to talk to him.” The master waved his hand, “Gesheng, head to the Incense Hall and kneel for ten hours. After kneeling, draw a hexagram and make a divination.”
“This disciple understands.” Mu Gesheng lowered his head and accepted the punishment, “Master, what divination should I draw?”
“Calculate and figure out the time, and see when it will be the right time to apologize to the other.”
“Chai Mansion is still being repaired. Sir, aren’t you afraid that Lao Si will be beaten out with a stick?”
“That depends on whether Gesheng’s divination is accurate.” The master said with a smile: “If the divination is not accurate, he deserves to be beaten and punished.”
Midnight.
Mu Gesheng was still kneeling in the incense hall. It was said to be an incense hall, but it was not a place to worship gods or Buddhas. The walls were covered with white paper. There was a couplet on the wall opposite the door. The first couplet read “1 dollar for a brief divination” and the second couplet “5 dollars for a normal divination”.
The window opened quietly, and Song Wentong jumped in, “You haven’t finished kneeling yet?”
“Evil spirit, scram.” Mu Gesheng dozed off with his eyes squinted, “Don’t disturb this humble monk’s dream.”
“It seems you haven’t knelt enough yet.”
“Thanks to your kindness, there is still half an hour left.” Mu Gesheng stretched, “Master is very harsh in punishing people. Just a small mistake and I’m punished for ten hours straight, if it were not for this, I would have slept and woken up three times.”
“Deserved.” Song Wentong looked at the couplet on the wall, “Did you fucking write this couplet? Why didn’t Sir beat you to death?”
“It’s new, doesn’t it look impressive? This is called: to be rich, starts with one’s mindset.”
Song Wentong ignored him, “1 dollar for a small divination, 5 dollars for a normal divination, what about the detailed divination?”
“Detailed divinations don’t count.” Mu Gesheng yawned, “Say, is this how you visit people? Why didn’t you bring something to show your respect?”
“I brought it with me.” Song Wentong opened the bag on his back, and the rich aroma immediately spread out, “I specially asked someone to go down the mountain to buy them. Beef fried dumplings from the Chengdong wonton stall, tofu skin buns stuffed with bamboo shoots, and Thousand flavors’ last pan-fried duck tongue…”
“Not bad, not bad. It’s rare that you, my Lao Er, are so sensible.” Mu Gesheng looked delighted and was about to reach out for it, but Song Wentong stepped away and walked slowly to the opposite side of the room. “I didn’t bring it for you.”
“What?”
“I’ll eat standing up,” the other party said, picking up a bun. “While you kneel and watch.”
“…Song Wentong.” Mu Gesheng said in a pleasant tone, “Fuck you.”
___
(明月出天山，苍茫云海间。
Bright moon comes up from Mount Tian.
It goes in and out of a boundless sea of clouds.
长风几万里，吹度玉门关。
Strong wind sweeps over ten thousand miles.
It blows across Jade Door Pass at borderland.
汉下白登道，胡窥青海湾。
Han troops are sent to the road toward Mount Baideng.
Hu soldiers have their eyes on Green Sea Bay.
由来征战地，不见有人还。
Historically of all people in conquest missions,
I haven’t seen any of them who have returned.
戍客望边邑，思归多苦颜。
Soldiers on guard looking at borderland city,
are showing their homesickness on their faces.
高楼当此夜，叹息未应闲。
Upstairs at the high tower on this one night,
The sighing from loved ones has not stopped.)
- Translated by alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam from Zhihu (https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/457105693#:~:text=%E6%98%8E%E6%9C%88%E5%87%BA%E5%A4%A9%E5%B1%B1%EF%BC%8C%E8%8B%8D%E8%8C%AB%E4%BA%91%E6%B5%B7,comes%20up%20from%20Mount%20Tian. )
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