[Chapter 40 - Found] You people aren’t that important

“Around ten years ago, the people of Chao Ya once went to the palace . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “Does Leader Jing know what was it for?”

Jing Liu Tian shook his head: “I’d like to hear the details . ” 

“This king doesn’t know either, but I have heard that when they left, the Chao Ya tribe asked for not a small amount of gold and precious stones from Emperor Chu . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “If the island was full of gold, why would they bother about these items?”

Jing Liu Tian said: “Greed is endless . ” 

“It’s hard to say whether it’s greed as of now, but the actions of people always have areas of reasonableness and unreasonableness . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “If the tribe of Chao Ya truly had a mountain of gold, then a single box, lesser or more, wouldn’t make much of a difference . Going to the palace from faraway places to a.s.sist Emperor Chu, and it was just to bring back two boxes of gold that they could have done without . Would it have been better to not ask for anything, and obtain a reputation of n.o.ble and unquestionable integrity, to make it easier to ask for favors in the future . ” 

Jing Liu Tian frowned: “What this king means is, the brother of this humble one is lying?” 

“This is said by Leader Jing yourself . ” Duan Bai Yue smiled, “This king is only making a guess, as for whether it’s the truth or a lie, I’m afraid only Leader Jing can determine it yourself . ” 

Jing Liu Tian turned pensive .

“How is Yu Shu as a person?” Duan Bai Yu poured himself a cup of wine .  

“Not good, but not bad either . Among the officials of this Great Chu, most of them are probably like him . ” Jing liu Tian said, “A little greed, but no great evil; will collude with the local scholar to arrange some shady deals that cannot see the light of the day, but will also fix roads, construct bridges, solve cases and give grain to the commoners . ”

“What about that group of Chao Ya people?” Duan Bai Yue asked, “Where have they gone?”

Jing Liu Tian said: “Initially Yu Shu said that this group of people practices black magic, and must be eradicated . House of Fei Luan is a place of its word . We notified quite a few people from Jiang Hu, even the dangerous people, and yet there was no one who have gone to the authorities to take the reward . Recently, there isn’t even any news; they have probably escaped . ” 

“Escaped to where?” Duan Bai Yue asked, “To the south or the north?”

“To the north . ” Jing Liu Tian replied, “As for Yu Shu"s cause of death, it’s still hard to say now . But it shouldn’t be the personal doings of the Chao Ya people . Other than using the sound of sirens to confuse people, the skills of their martial arts are not high . The wound on Yu Shu’s throat was very deep . He was silenced with one move; the time he met with harm was in the afternoon; the servant patrolling the courtyard only manage to see a flash of a silhouette, then the concubine started screaming . When they broke in and entered, Yu Shu was already dead in his chair . ”

“There was a concubine in the study?” Duan Bai yue rubbed his chin .  

“She’s a woman brought from a brothel in the capital, her name is Cui Gu . ” Jing liu Tian said, “There isn’t much to her, her looks are also average, but her voice is mellow and stirring; it was also because of this that Yu Shu paid for her ransom . ”

“With your status, there should be no problem in getting involved with the investigation . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “Could you help this king ask that concubine a few questions?”

“Of course . ” Jing Liu Tian nodded .

Before the two of them could finish the jar of wine, a servant came forward and reported, saying that someone was asking for an audience, claiming that the young master of his household got into trouble .

“Young master?” Jing Liu Tian looked at Duan Bai Yue .  

After coming out of the room, they saw that the person was Duan Nian, as expected .  

“What happened?” Duan Bai Yue frowned, “Why is there only you, where’s Yao-er?”

“Replying to master, young master ran away with someone . ” Duan Nian was gasping for breath .  

Duan Bai Yue: “ . . . . . . . . ” 

Ran away with someone?

“When night fell, young master wanted to eat fresh river fish, so we went to look for a restaurant . ” Duan Nian said, “Coincidentally, we met people from Sun-Moon Hamlet there . Young master was talking very amicably with them . When this servant paid the bill and returned, they have already disappeared . ” He asked the waiter, who only said that they left the city, so Duan Nian got a horse and chased for ten miles, but didn’t see anyone, and left without a choice, could only return first to report the incident .

“Is it really people from the Sun-Moon Hamlet?” Duan Bai Yue asked .  

Before Duan Nian could speak, Jing Liu Tian spoke up from the side: “I recently heard that first young master Shen sent some people to the Luo province . If they want to return to Sun-Moon Hamlet, they should pa.s.s by here . Moreover, Cang Nan province is the territory of the House of Fei Luan, there shouldn’t be anyone daring enough to pretend that they’re from Sun-Moon Hamlet . ”

“If this is so, then let him go . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “He will return after he has played his fill, if he hasn’t played enough then he can follow them all the way to Jiang Nan, the Shen family shouldn’t be so stingy to not set out one more set of chopsticks and one more bowl of rice . ”

Jing Liu Tian couldn’t help but laugh: “This king certainly knows how to make a good deal . ”

Duan Nian, anxious, nodded in acknowledgement of the order .

On a mountain road somewhere, a guard from Sun-Moon Hamlet was currently pointing a finger: “It’s this direction; when we entered the city on that day, we saw with our own eyes black clothed people walking up the mountain, but didn’t think too much of it . If we had known it was the Chao Ya tribe, we would have followed them . ”

“Many thanks . ” Duan Yao said, “I will go and take a look . ”

“It’s best for young master to wait for daylight . ” The guard said, “There are many dangers in this place, it’s nicknamed “nine ghosts descending the mountain”, not because there are really ghosts, but because the roads here are too muddy and wet, and there are falling stones . It’s dangerous to head into it alone at night . ”

“No matter . ” Duan Yao was stubborn, “If this drags on for another day, who knows when can they be found then . ”

Finally found a trace after so much difficulty .  

The guards of Sun-Moon Hamlet looked at each other, feeling rather helpless, but they couldn’t change his mind either, so they could only go into the mountain, keeping watch from behind -- or else if he got hurt because of this, it wouldn’t be easy to explain to Xi Nan manor .  

Chilling winds blew past the mountain gaps intermittently; if one listened hard enough, there was even a child’s cry; it really made one’s blood run cold . Seeing Duan Yao who walked forward without a care, not saying a word . The heads of the guards of Sun-Moon Hamlet all throbbed . Leaving aside the fact that this “nine ghosts descending the mountain” was vast and unbroken, one could only see black on this late at night; to find someone with just a few torches, it’s practically impossible .  

“Gu!” The purple toad called out from his arms .

The guards of Sun-Moon Hamlet: “ . . . . . . . . . . . . ”

What the h.e.l.l was that .

Duan Yao’s footsteps sped up .

“Gu gu gu!” The purple toad called cheerfully .  

A moment later, rustling noises came from both sides, and in a blink of an eye some ten snakes, in all shades of color, climbed out .  

“Don’t hurt them . ” Duan Yao turned back to instruct .

The guards of Sun-Moon Hamlet could only put back the swords that they had already drawn out .  

Small insects buzzed around above their heads, very quickly forming into a vague shape of a black dragon, and was not scared of the fires at all . The small bugs they encountered on the way all seemed as if they were woken up from a dream, and followed along fiercely .  

Seeing all those colorful insects by Duan Yao’s side, the hairs of the guards of Sun-Moon Hamlet stood on their end . Compared with this, the gu chong that Master Ye raised at the Hamlet was truly insignificant . Xi Nan manor was said to be a nest of poisonous bugs; they didn’t believe it before, but now they did .

The calls of the insects became louder and louder, and at the end, the entire mountain was in an uproar .

All of them had reached the highest stone on the mountain . Duan Yao put the purple toad into his pocket, and said: “Look around, light from fires should appear soon, be careful not to hurt them, and also be careful of the Chao Ya siren . ”

The Sun-Moon Hamlet guards nodded, then split up in all directions in search .  

“There!” Very quickly someone saw a light, it looked like a stream in the mountains .  

“Go!” Duan Yao decisively ran down the mountain .   　　

Countless insects buzzed and rushed towards the cave, and venomous snakes hissed and stuck out their forked tongues . A black clothed woman was carrying a toddler in her arms, her eyes full of panic . Several black clothed men surrounded her, torches in their hands, constantly chasing away the snakes, insects and rodents that pounced over .

“There’s too many poisonous creatures here, there’s no need to risk it . ” The woman said anxiously, “Let us just leave . ”

“Leave? The authorities outside, those brigands are still waiting to kill us . ” One of the men said angrily, “And I don’t know what kind of demonic sect this is again, using such a despicable method . Sacred aunt, there is no need to be scared, we will definitely protect you and the young child all the way to the capital to see Emperor Chu, and ask him to confer protection . ” 

The infant was alarmed, and began to cry loudly, their voice especially mournful in the darkness . The woman quickly covered her mouth, scared that it would attract their pursuers .  

Duan Yao leapt down from above, with seven, eight more Sun-Moon hamlet guards following him .  

The woman retreated two steps in panic, almost falling down on the ground .  

“Big sister, no need to be scared . ” Duan Yao said quickly, “We are not bad men . ”

“Pah! You, these evil doers who think only of money, who is it that set a bounty on us again?” A black clothed man drew his sword of the sheath .  

“I too want to know just who wants to kill you . ” Duan Yao spread out his hands, “So why don’t we return to the inn and take our time to talk?”

“These poisonous insects are gathered by you?” The man asking impatiently, “Just who are you?”

Duan Yao didn’t answer the question, and instead pointed to his back, saying: “These are men from Sun-Moon Hamlet . Sun-Moon Hamlet, you people have heard of them before right?” The one that is the most honorable and righteous in Jiang Hu .  

“You are Master Ye?” The man was in doubt .  

Duan Yao quickly shook his head: “I’m not . ” That divine physician is so ferocious, who would want to pretend to be him .  

“This young master is friend of our second young master . ” The guards of Sun-Moon Hamlet explained, “We also met him along the way, and so accompanied him into the mountain to find everyone here . Thus, these poisonous insects were our worst and only choice, and weren’t meant to cause difficulty on purpose . Not only that, regardless of the adults here, the humidity in this mountain is high, if the child were to stay for a long time, I’m afraid they would become sick . ”

“What do you want to find us for?” The man continued asking .  

Duan Yao replied: “Don’t know . ”

The man: “ . . . . . . . ”

At this moment, the child didn’t cry anymore too, looking at the surrounding people while biting on his finger .

Duan Yao said: “It’s the emperor who wants to find you . ”

“Emperor Chu?” The man was first surprised upon hearing this, but became doubtful after .  

Duan Yao said: “What am I lying to you for, I’m also helping out others, that Yu Shu from outside is already dead, and it’s not known who killed him . Even if it’s just to solve the case, someone will come and search the mountain sooner or later, are you really not leaving?”

“Yu Shu is dead?” The black robed man became jubilant .  

Duan Yao said: “Killed with one swing of a sword . Now everyone is saying that it was because he offended you . ”

“Offended us?” The black clothed man laughed in anger, “If there was really a way to kill him, then why would we be in such a sorry situation . ” 

“So are you leaving the mountain?” Duan Yao yawned, “My brother is also here, the emperor had ordered him to investigate this matter thoroughly . He’s in the city right now, and is not in cahoots with that Yu Shu . ” 

“Why should we believe you?” The woman asked sharply .

“It’s up to you to believe us or not, but if you do not, then we will just have to knock you out and bring you back . ” Duan Yao said, “Waste of energy and harms good will, if it can be avoided it would be for the best . As for the Chao Ya siren, people of Sun-Moon Hamlet have learned the way of Yue Yang(1), I’m afraid that it is useless even if you hurt your throat singing . ”

Just as he finished, someone began to hum .  

The guards of Sun-Moon Hamlet expectedly didn’t have any response, but Duan Yao quickly covered his ears instead, because it was really awful-sounding .  

In Jiang Hu, for the nei gong method which can allow one to discard one’s senses out of the body, there is only Yue Yang . The black robed Chao Ya people looked like they began to believe them more .  

“Let’s go . ” Duan Yao said, “Dawn should arrive soon and something bad may happen again . ” 

Seeing that they were still hesitating, a guard of Sun-Moon Hamlet could only say: “Have at least one person follow us, it’s fine to fetch the remaining people after the truth is ascertained . ” 

“I will follow you . ” The woman pa.s.sed the child in her arms to one of the black robed men .  

“Sacred aunt . ” The man tried to dissuade her, “How could I allow sacred aunt to risk her life, let me, Ah Si, follow them . ”

“Then it’s you, no need to fight over this . ” Duan Yao said, “Once all misgivings are cleared, the rest can then simply enter the city . ”

The woman nodded, some doubt in her eyes, but she was also at her wits’ end: “That"s fine too . ”

“Let’s go . ” Duan Yao leapt onto the mountain road, patting dust off himself and walking away . The man called Ah Si also followed at the back . The guards of Sun-Moon Hamlet stayed with the rest of the Chao Ya people, waiting in the cave .  

Duan Yao didn’t say anything the entire way, and didn’t like these people much either -- maybe because they had been pursued by people for a long time, so they were all exceedingly vigilant, looking at everyone with a menacing look in their eyes . Even the woman was the same, with a sinister look in her eyes . As an outsider, he of course had no qualifications to say more, but he was also lazy to communicate with him, only wanting to quickly bring these people to his older brother .  

There were very few people in the city, and Duan Yao’s qing gong was also good . Very quickly, he brought him back to the inn .  

Ah Si hit the wall with a fist, vicious intent lingering in his look towards Duan Yao .  

Duan Yao was even more certain that there was something wrong with this group of people -- with such poor qing gong, he brought him back kindly, and was given a face of great humiliation instead; their minds were truly not functioning well .  

Duan Bai Yue heard the sounds, and got up to open the door .  

A burden slid off of Duan Yao’s shoulders:”Quickly, bring the person you want into the room . ”

Duan Bai Yue: “ . . . . . . . . . . . . ”

Ah Si looked at him guardedly .  

This accursed look again…Duan Yao turned and walked towards his own room, this doesn’t concern himself, it was best to wash up and sleep early .  

Duan Bai Yue lifted him up by the collar: “Not going to explain?”

“What is there to explain, isn’t it obvious . ” Duan Yao said, “This is the Chao Ya people that you wanted to find, the guards of Sun-Moon Hamlet and I found them in the mountains, they don’t trust me, and were willing to only send one person to follow me back first . The rest of them are all in the mountains, around ten men, one woman, and a child in her arms . ” 

Duan Bai Yue couldn’t help but laugh: “You sure do things quickly . ” 

“Of course, you think everyone is like you, only knowing to profit by working with that owner of the House of Fei Luan . ” Duan Yao stretched his waist .

Ah Si’s expression had already changed and drew out his sword: “You are with that Jing Liu Tian?”

Duan Yao: “ . . . . . . ”

“We can’t be considered to be working together, but we definitely have drank together before . ” Duan Bai Yue answered .

“Pei, don’t think that we don’t know that Jing Liu Tian . He’s the person who put the bounty on us, you are all not good . ” Ah Si kicked over the neatly stacked incense burners along the corridor that were going to be switched, and swung his sword towards a door -- luckily, there was no one staying inside, or else they would have peed in fright .

Duan Yao sighed at the scene; if he wanted to cut something, then he should have cut his elder brother, what are you doing cutting down doors for, are you taking advantage that the door can’t retaliate, or is your eyesight not too good .  

“It was said that the Chao Ya people were removed from society . Now it looks like it’s best that people go out and travel about, at least they won’t seem sheltered . ”

Duan Bai Yue shook his head, “The reason why the owner of House of Fei Luan wants to kill you is because someone spent a large amount of money to buy the lives of Chao Ya people from House of Fei Luan . And the reason why I drank with Master Jing was to also find out the cause, so that I can extract you out from this maelstrom . Nevermind that you aren’t thankful, you don’t even understand what the House of Fei Luan is, yet you are shouting about here, don’t you feel embarra.s.sed?” 

Ah Si said fiercely: “If you have something to say, say it properly, don’t talk bulls.h.i.t and insult my people!” 

“Moreover, if I really wanted to kill you, do I still have to talk so much nonsense?” Duan Bai Yue’s tone turned colder .  

Duan Yao was very gratified; as expected of his brother, looks like he didn’t really like this person too .  

“What do you want to find us for?” Ah Si was rendered speechless, and didn’t know how to refute him, and could only ask fiercely .  

“Bring him a broom . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “Sweep up all these ashes that were kicked over by you for no good reason, then we will start talking . ”

Duan Yao skipped down happily and ran back quickly, carrying a broom and a dustpan .

“I won’t sweep, let the staff sweep, or else what are they here for . This is an inn and not your house!” Ah Si sat on the floor, “If you wish to let the authorities kill me, then I dare you to not let me into the room!” 

“Yao-er . ” Duan Bai Yue said coldly, “Go to the magistrate, and say that we have caught someone, but had accidentally poisoned him to death . ” 

“Alright!” Duan Yao turned around and skipped down the stairs .

“Tsk . ” Ah Si’s eyes were full of disdain .

Duan Bai Yue forced open his mouth, and poured a bottle of medicine inside .  

Ah Si was as indifferent as ever .  

Duan Bai Yue dragged him into the empty room next door, and closed the door behind him .  

Ah Si smiled condescendingly: “Not going to let me sweep the floor anymore?” 

Duan Bai Yue said: “I’m only afraid that you won’t be alive to sweep . ” 

Ah Si scoffed . Just as he reached out and picked up the teapot, intending to pour a cup of tea, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach instead .

It was as if his intestines were cut by a sharp blade . Ah Si kneeled on the ground, his eyes blood red .  

“It doesn’t need long either . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “Just an hour’s time, after enduring it you will be able to meet the king of the underworld . ” 

Ah Si opened his mouth widely and panted .  

“What this king hates the most in this life are people like you, who are ignorant and yet think highly of themselves, lacking completely in manners and bearing, doesn’t know how to be grateful, and doesn’t think anything of causing trouble for others . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “If you are perceptive, now that you can still move, go outside and clean up everything, then come back for the antidote!” 

Ah Si practically crawled out .  

Duan Bai Yue shook his head; if possible, he didn’t want Chu Yuan to meet this bunch of people at all .  

After a whole ten minutes, then did Ah Si scramble in, his lips purple and cracked: “Antidote . ”

Duan Bai Yue didn’t give him any difficulty this time .  

Ah Si drank the contents of the bottle in one go, and sat on the ground panting, only recovering his breath after a long while .  

Duan Bai Yue asked: “So you can talk now?”

Ah Si’s eyes showed reluctance: “What do you want to know?”

”What happened in Chao Ya . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “And why do you have to go north to the palace . ”

“Emperor Chu knows that we met with disaster?” Ah Si asked .  

Duan Bai Yue nodded: “It’s a guess . ” 

“Everyone on the island is dead . ” Ah Si said, “There are only a few of us left . ” 

“Why?” Duan Bai Yue asked .  

Ah Si said: “The wealth . ” 

Duan Bai Yue smiled: “You still want to keep up your appearances now? Seeing your way of talking and your appearance, it doesn’t look like you have wealth . ”

Ah Si: “ . . . . . . . . ”

“The reason why Emperor Chu wants to look for you is just because of curiosity, and that he remembers that he met you people in the palace before . Upon hearing that regional authorities are pursuing the Chao Ya people, he simply just sent people out to investigate . ” Duan Bai Yue said, “I advise this sire that it’s best not to overestimate his importance, because you truly are not important . ”

Exposed once again, Ah Si’s face turned even redder .

Duan Bai yue asked: “Still don’t want to speak the truth?”

Ah Si said hatefully: “Because . . . because of fights over money . ” 

“That is more like it . ” Duan Bai Yue smiled, “Speak of everything in detail . Even if this king doesn’t like you, I can still guarantee you a smooth journey to the city; no more being homeless and miserable, and being hunted by others, it’s a very worthy deal . ”

(1) Yue Yang: 月阳心法 - the way of Yue Yang . The way of the Sun and Moon .