Chapter 30: The Secret Chamber

Chen Pingan was familiar with that look. It was exactly how he used to look at Liu Xianyang when he was a child. Back then, Liu Xianyang was the king of the kids in Apricot Blossom Lane and Mud Jug Lane. Catching snakes, birds, and fish, there seemed to be nothing Liu Xianyang couldn't do. Later, some of the peers who used to follow behind Liu Xianyang also went to the dragon kiln as apprentices, and more scattered into various grocery stores in the town as shop assistants, or helped relatives manage accounts. As Song Jixin said, only the most useless people would till the fields, and in the end, only Chen Pingan remained with Liu Xianyang.

Chen Pingan threaded the three stone slab fish he was giving to the girl together with several dogtail grasses, passing them through the gills, and handed them to her. She took the string of fish, weighed them, and felt they were a bit light, not enough for a dish of green pepper fried fish. She tilted her head and glanced at the small stream puddle, full of anticipation. Chen Pingan understood and said apologetically, "The fish I catch next, I need to make soup for my friend to nourish his body, so I can't give them to you."

The girl pointed to the open package not far away, indicating that she could trade the pastries for fish. Chen Pingan shook his head and smiled, "No, the pastries are delicious and can fill your stomach, but they're not as nourishing as fish soup."

The girl nodded, not forcing the issue, and silently sat back down, carefully placing the fish at her feet, then continued her "sit and eat mountain empty" endeavor.

Although Chen Pingan was curious about her identity, he didn't ask too much. Judging by her dress, she didn't seem like a young lady from Fortune Street or Peach Leaf Lane, but rather like his next-door neighbor, Zhigui, delicate and quiet. Chen Pingan suddenly worried that she might have stolen something from her home. The rules in those big houses were very strict. Liu Xianyang and Song Jixin always liked to say the opposite, except on this matter. However, Liu Xianyang's version was terrifying, saying that if a maidservant in those high-walled houses had the wrong posture, she would be beaten and have her legs broken by the housekeeper, whose eyes were as sharp as a snake-catching eagle, and thrown outside the wall to wait for death. Song Jixin said that Liu Xianyang was exaggerating, it wasn't that exaggerated, but the maidservants and grannies in the wealthy families did walk like cats, making no sound at all. At that time, Liu Xianyang caught a glimpse of the maid Zhigui secretly laughing and immediately became furious, scolding Song Jixin for quacking like a goose, could his goose talk?

Chen Pingan finally caught seven or eight stone slab fish, the bamboo basket shaking as they bumped against it. The pale-faced boy knew he was almost at his limit. The spring water was cold, the kind that seeped into your bones. Most importantly, his injured left hand couldn't take it. After his last time ashore, Chen Pingan quickly jumped off the green rock cliff and into the bushes by the stream, making a rustling sound. After a while, he pulled out three or four kinds of grass, many roots with soil, and held a large handful in his palm. He picked up an ordinary stone, returned to the rock cliff, found a natural pothole the size of a palm, wiped it clean, and began to gently pound the herbs. Soon, they turned into a green paste, the juice emitting the unique fragrance of springtime riverside weeds.

With his back to the girl, Chen Pingan took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and began to unravel the cotton cloth on his left hand. Sweat quickly oozed from his forehead, instantly covering the cold stream water that had slipped from his hair. The bloody wound, although better than before when the white bone was visible, was still shocking. Chen Pingan hadn't expected his left hand to touch the stream water when he came, so he hadn't prepared cotton strips. Before, his mind was full of the two things: snake gallstones could make money and catching fish to make soup. Only now did he realize he had made a big mistake. The boy was a little dazed when suddenly a palm appeared before his eyes, holding several dry, clean strips of cloth. It turned out that the girl in green had torn off a section of her sleeve at some point. Chen Pingan smiled wryly, not bothering to be polite with the girl, and after applying the herbal medicine to the wound in his palm, he brought it close to his mouth, bit one end with his teeth, and pulled it tight with his right hand, wrapping it around the back of his hand twice and tying a knot. His series of movements were orderly, like a butterfly circling a branch, dazzling the onlookers.

After the bandage was complete, Chen Pingan slowly raised his right arm to wipe the sweat from his face, both arms trembling uncontrollably.

The girl in green, squatting nearby, gave Chen Pingan a thumbs up, her face full of admiration.

Chen Pingan pointed to his eyes and said with a wry smile, "Actually, it hurt so much that tears came out."

The girl turned her head and glanced at the large bamboo basket and green bamboo fish basket that the boy had woven himself, looking puzzled.

Chen Pingan looked embarrassed, "Those stones can make money, and catching fish is also important."

The girl looked confused, but still didn't say anything, her eyes somewhat vacant, staring blankly at the sparkling stream water.

The gurgling stream water caressed the stones that emerged from the water, making a rustling sound.

At that moment, the starry sky was dazzling, the world was desolate, and there seemed to be only a young boy and girl in the world.

Chen Pingan's body gradually calmed down. His previously rapid breathing began to slow down unconsciously, turning into a long, continuous rhythm.

It was like a mountain torrent erupting in a stream, turning into a stream withering in spring and autumn.

This subtle change went unnoticed by the boy himself, natural and effortless.

Chen Pingan knew that he couldn't be exposed to the cold spring wind for too long while wet, and he had to quickly return to town to change his clothes. The boy naturally didn't understand the health and disease theories in medical books, but having spent his life fearing illness the most, he had developed a keen intuition for the changing seasons and his body's adaptation. So he quickly put on his straw sandals, tied the fish basket around his waist, carried the bamboo basket on his back, waved to the girl in green, and smiled, "I'm leaving, you should go home early too."

As Chen Pingan walked down the rock cliff, he couldn't help but turn his head and remind her, "The water on the covered bridge is especially deep, be careful not to slip. When you go home, it's best to stick to the side of the rice paddies, even if you fall, being covered in mud is better than falling into the stream..."

As Chen Pingan spoke, he suddenly realized that his words were a bit inauspicious, sounding like bad luck, like the kind of cursed nonsense that Gu Can's mother in Mud Jug Lane was best at. Chen Pingan quickly shut his mouth, stopped nagging, and quickened his pace, running north towards the town.

The bamboo basket was heavy.

But the boy in straw sandals was especially happy.

After untying the almost dead knot in his heart, Chen Pingan felt for the first time that he wanted to live well, really well.

For example, he needed to have money!To afford Spring Festival couplets with a unique ink fragrance, painted door gods, and meat buns from Granny Mao's shop. Best to buy a cow, and raise a brood of chickens like Song Jixin next door…

The girl in green was still diligently "excavating," her expression serious and focused. Each time she picked up a new pastry, it was as if she were facing a mortal enemy.

Just as she was grappling with a peach blossom cake, her body suddenly stiffened. Realizing the gravity of the situation, she didn't flee, but instead opened her mouth wide and swallowed most of the cake whole. Then, she clapped her hands, and sat there resigned to her fate.

Unbeknownst to her, a man had appeared. He wasn't tall, but gave off a sense of sturdy dependability. Yet, one wouldn't mistake him for a mere farmer, for the man's gaze was too piercing, making it difficult to meet his eyes.

The man looked at the remaining scraps of the floral-patterned parcel, a helpless expression on his face. He wanted to scold her, but couldn't bring himself to. Silently watching his daughter's stubborn demeanor of accepting punishment for her wrongdoing, his heart ached even more, as if he were the one who had erred.

The man longed to say something to ease the tension, like, "Daughter, if you're hungry, just eat at the thatched cottage by the sword furnace. After you're done, Dad will go to town tomorrow to buy you more."

But the words caught in his throat. The inherently reserved man couldn't bring himself to speak, as if each word weighed a thousand pounds, suppressing his tongue. He simply didn't know how to comfort his daughter.

At that moment, the man felt inferior to that straw-sandal-wearing boy. At least his daughter didn't seem so nervous around him.

The girl in green suddenly raised her head and asked, "Dad, why didn't you accept him as a disciple back then?"

Her initiating the conversation was a great relief to the man.

Although the man kept a straight face, he sat down beside his daughter and explained, "That child's innate temperament is quite good, but his bone structure is too poor. Even if Dad accepted him, he would quickly be outstripped by his fellow disciples. No matter how hard he tried, he could only watch the gap widen. We don't need another 'Senior Brother Liu' situation, so what's the point?"

The girl in green's face clouded over. It was unclear whether it was because she had heard the name "Senior Brother Liu," or because of the straw-sandal-wearing boy's near miss.

The man hesitated, but decided not to hide the truth, lest she go astray or disrupt the Saint's plans. "Furthermore, this boy is too ordinary. In the town, that makes him seem rather special. Xiu'er, you probably don't know, but this child's natal porcelain was shattered long ago, so he's like a wandering ghost, unblessed by ancestral protection. At the same time, all sorts of subtle strange occurrences will happen around him. That's why Song Jixin and that woman chose to be his neighbors. Otherwise, would Song Jixin, with his status, be unable to afford to live on Fortune and Prosperity Street? Obviously not."

The girl pondered the matter seriously. "Dad, are you saying he's kind of like bait?"

The man patted her head. "More or less."

Then, he smiled and said, "If we father and daughter weren't the least concerned with external objects, opportunities, and luck among all sword cultivators, I might have kept him around to see if he could bring you some benefits."

The girl in green was a little sullen, in a poor mood.

The man sighed. "Xiu'er, Dad's words are rough, but they're true. Don't be offended."

The girl in green still looked listless, unable to muster any enthusiasm.

The man thought for a moment, then pointed to the distant covered bridge that resembled a black dragon lying across the stream. "The construction of that covered bridge was a grand undertaking by the Great Li Dynasty, costing countless resources, all to suppress that unremarkable iron sword. Just imagine, three thousand years later, a masterless sword with a shattered and nearly dissipated soul, still requires a dynasty to pay such a heavy price to suppress its remaining power, just so it can rest for a moment…"

The girl mumbled an "oh," her head drooping, her eyes constantly glancing at the remaining pastry scraps. Absentmindedly, she echoed, "Impressive, very impressive."

The man was at a loss, rubbing his forehead.

Food is the most important thing.

But his wife wasn't like this. So who did their daughter take after?

The man patted his daughter's shoulder gently. "Dad's going to meet someone. You can just, eat slowly, no one's going to snatch it from you."

The girl suddenly raised her head and grabbed the man's arm. On her wrist was a crimson bracelet, shimmering with the form of a dragon with its head and tail connected.

Like a living fiery dragon coiled around the girl's wrist.

The man was gratified. "At least you have some conscience. Alright, don't worry, Dad's going to see Master Qi."

The girl released her grip, immediately grabbing the pastry and devouring it.

The man was infuriated. He had painstakingly endured until now, and finally couldn't help muttering, "Eat, eat, eat. That bastard Liu may deserve a beating, but he's not wrong. Sooner or later, you'll become a chubby, fat girl! Who will dare to marry you then! Am I going to have to snatch a son-in-law?"

The girl stopped eating, holding the pastry with both hands, tears welling up in her eyes.

The man fled in a panic, slapping himself on the face as he turned his back on his daughter.

It was always like this. So close, yet so far.

Late at night, Chen Ping'an ran all the way back to Liu Xianyang's house. As he unlocked the gate, he could hear the guy's thunderous snores.

What peace of mind.

If it were Chen Ping'an, he definitely wouldn't be able to sleep soundly tonight.

He first placed the basket and fish trap in the kitchen built in the courtyard. Then, he went to the right wing room that Liu Xianyang had cleared out for him. After quickly changing his clothes, Chen Ping'an returned to the kitchen in the courtyard and began to deal with the stone slab fish. He gutted them, cleaned them, and placed them on a clean porcelain plate, covering it with another plate to prevent snakes, rats, and insects from being attracted.

Chen Ping'an also picked out five or six of the most appealing snake gallstones from the basket and moved them to his bedroom.

He had also taken a quick glance at the long sword that Miss Ning had placed on the cabinet. It was still lying there quietly.

After doing all this, Chen Ping'an was finally able to lie down in the blanket, his body gradually warming up, but the boy's eyes were shining.

One reason was the throbbing pain in his left hand, and another was that he wasn't sleepy.

But the real reason was that Chen Ping'an knew the "unreasonableness" of those outsiders better than Liu Xianyang did.

The boy dared not fall into a deep sleep.

So Chen Ping'an stayed awake all night, constantly watching for any movement at the courtyard gate and the door to his room.As the first light of dawn touched the horizon, Chen Ping'an rose and went to the kitchen. He shouldered his carrying pole, preparing to fetch two buckets of water from the Iron Chain Well in Apricot Blossom Lane.

Still half-asleep, Liu Xianyang burrowed in his blankets, only his head visible. Hearing the faint sounds, he mumbled, "Chen Ping'an, up so early? What are you doing?"

Chen Ping'an replied with a touch of annoyance, "Fetching water!"

Liu Xianyang called out again, "If you see Zhigui, say hello for me."

Chen Ping'an ignored him, not bothering to reply.

Just as he was about to leave the small courtyard, Chen Ping'an suddenly heard Liu Xianyang say, "Chen Ping'an, if you're willing to help, I'll help you find stones in the pit later!"

Chen Ping'an grinned, "Alright then!"

Liu Xianyang rolled his eyes, shrinking his head completely under the covers, muttering, "Ungrateful fellow, knew this was the only trick that would work."

On the stone steps of the covered bridge, a middle-aged scholar sat alone, having remained there throughout the night.

As the first rays of dawn painted the sky with hues of pale blue and white, he looked up and smiled softly, "A thousand years of darkness, illuminated by a single lamp."