Translator: pucari
Editors: elliot and luca

[Chapter 34 - Cuisine of Xi Nan] I want to go on a trip to Jade Coffin Mountain

"No matter what, after seven days, I must see a Qian Hui Huan." Sai Pan An"s tone brooked no discussion.

Nan Mo Ye crossed his arms, muttering while squatting on the chair.

"Does this elder have any more questions?" Sai Pan An asked.

Nan Mo Ye said: "To create the Qian Hui Huan, I still lack a tool."

Sai Pan NA frowned: "Lack a tool?"

Nan Mo Ye blurted anyhow: "w.a.n.g Yue." (1)

Sai Pan An, as expected, didn"t understand: "What kind of item is w.a.n.g Yue?"

"This, I cannot say." Nan Mo Ye said mysteriously. "The mysteries of heaven can"t be revealed."

Sai Pan An suppressed his temper: "Where can this thing be found?"

Nan Mo Ye said: "Simply release me and let me go out."

Sai Pan An shook his head as expected: "No."

"There"s no way then." Nan Mo Ye shook his head over and over, "Without w.a.n.g Yue, Qian Hui Huan can"t be created, it"s no use even if you kill me."

"Eat this medicine." Sai Pan An thought for a moment, and took out a small porcelain bottle.

"Ha ya!" Nan Mo Ye almost jumped up from the chair. After travelling through Jianghu for so many years, he has also seen quite a few underhanded ways to poison someone, but even then he hadn"t met with such a direct way, to let him eat it once it"s taken out! Is he taking him for an idiot?

Sai Pan An said: "If this elder is determined to not let someone follow you, then this is the only way you can leave."

Nan Mo Ye tried asking: "This is a ginseng and deer antlers pill?"

Sai Pan said: "It"s a five poison pellet."

Nan Mo Ye: "........"

"After eating this medicine, it will only take effect after three days." Sai Pan An said, "If this elder can return in time, I will naturally offer the antidote up with both hands, it"s win-win for everyone."

"I"m not taking it, not taking it." Nan Mo Ye closed his mouth tightly.

Sai Pan An grabbed his throat with a single hand, forced his mouth open, and stuffed the pill inside.

Nan Mo Ye coughed with all his might.

Sai Pan An said coldly: "I ask for this elder to not take offence."

Nan Mo Ye, tears weaving down his face: If I don"t take offence then I would have seen a ghost, after this, I"m going to destroy your entire family.

Sai Pan An said: "This elder can leave now."

Nan Mo Ye wasn"t happy: "Not giving me some money?"

Sai Pan An paused, and took out a silver ingot.

Nan Mo Ye said: "Not enough."

Sai Pan An added one more.

Nan Mo Ye stated his price: "At least a thousand taels."

Sai Pan An"s expression froze.

Nan Mo Ye continued: "In gold."

Sai Pan An"s veins were visibly throbbing: "Compared to the elder of past years, you have truly changed as a person."

"People will always change." Nan Mo Ye wiped his nose, "With no sons or daughters, I have to h.o.a.rd some money for old age."

Sai Pan An threw a pile of banknotes in front of him.

That"s right, or else he would have come for nothing. Nan Mo Ye folded the banknotes up neatly and put it into his sleeves then left the inn.

After crossing countless alleys, Duan Bai Yue was waiting under a tree, with Duan Yao squatting beside him.

"Teacher!" Duan Yao stood up, and cheerfully skipped over.

"Not bad, you can recognize teacher even with a disguise." Nan Mo Ye took out the banknotes and pa.s.sed to him, "Take this to buy sweets."

"Many thanks, teacher." Duan Yao took it elatedly.

"Don"t tell me that after extorting for so long, you only extorted a few banknotes." Duan Bai Yue said.

Nan Mo Ye complained: "So long?" Clearly not an hour had pa.s.sed.

Duan Yao took his arm quickly: "Not being able to see teacher, the pa.s.sing of a day is like a year."

Nan Mo Ye’s eyes lit up, beaming with joy.

Duan Bai Yue said: "And so?"

"He is possibly Qiu Ji from that time." Nan Mo Ye replied.

"Qiu Ji? Teacher is talking about the one who had a final battle with Lan Yi Zhan at that time, the Qiu Ji who killed him?" Duan Bai Yue frowned.

Nan Mo Ye nodded.

"But that"s something that happened fifty odd years ago, even if the two of them were barely twenty at that time, they should be over seventy now. And yet looking at the hands of that Sai Pan An, it is clear that he is only around twenty years old." Duan Bai Yue said.

Nan Mo Ye slapped him on the head.

Duan Bai Yue: "......"

Now what"s this for again.

"To think you came from Xi Nan manor." Nan Mo Ye sighed and sighed again, "You practically made the old master lose face."

"What teacher means is that Sai Pan An is maintaining his appearance using gu chong?" Duan Bai Yue said, "But if he is really Qiu Ji, then he should instead be a chivalrous hero of indomitable spirit; why would he use this kind of lowlife, insidious trick?" Moreover once the gu chong enters his body, it"s inevitable that his health will be destroyed somewhat. To do this just to maintain his appearance, not even the women from the demonic sects may be willing to do so.

"So rumors are exactly how the actual person is like?" Nan Mo Ye side eyed him, "Then you shouldn"t be here, and should be sitting in the throne room instead, bringing honor to your ancestors."

Duan Bai Yue was very cooperative: "What teacher says is right."

"Moreover you have already said previously, there"s gu chong in his body, it"s very possible that it"s to maintain his appearance." Nan Mo Ye continued, "When leaving just now, he even forced me to consume a five poison pill."

Duan Yao was worried: "Did teacher not hold yourself back and instead ate it without hesitation?"

Nan Mo Ye shook his head: "I didn"t, I didn"t, I acted very pitiful."

Duan Yao sighed in relief: "That"s good then." When they were at Xi Nan manor previously, whenever he was unoccupied, teacher would ate the five poison pill as if it"s candy, and no one could stop him.

Nan Mo Ye continued asking: "You have many friends in Jianghu, have you heard anyone mention whether there"s something peculiar at Jade Coffin Mountain?"

Duan Bai Yue said: "Mu Chi Lao Ren had raised this up before, and I even sent someone just to investigate it. They all said that it"s the same as usual, and doesn"t look like something had happened."

"Leaving aside the matter of whether that Sai Pan An is really Qiu Ji, the motive for him to catch Mu Chi Lao Ren is simply to create a Qian Hui Huan for him to investigate Jade Coffin Mountain." Nan Mo Ye said, "To determine if Lan Yi Zhan had already escaped or not."

"Since Lan Yi Zhan is a monster, the people who want his life are naturally as much as the carps in the river, it"s not that strange." Duan Bai Yue said, "But since Jade Coffin Mountain is still the same as always, and there are no rumors in Jianghu too, why would he suddenly feel that Lan Yi Zhan may have possibly came back from the dead, and also escaped Jade Coffin Mountain?"

Nan Mo Ye coughed twice, saying: "According to what he said, it should have something to do with Jiu Xuan Ji being plundered, that he felt that it must be the actions of Lan Yi Zhan."

Duan Bai Yue: "........."

Duan Yao: "......"

Is that so.

"Do you know what"s the most important task right now?" Nan Mo asked again.

Duan Bai Yue thought about it, and said: "Investigate further, following the clues, and also ask that Sai Pan An, why did he alone firmly insist that Lan Yi Zhan is the one who broke into Jiu Xuan Ji, what"s his motive for displaying the Feng Xin chess layout, and the connection between the Feng Xin layout and the Feng Xin from Jiu Xuan Ji."

Duan Yao became dizzy just by listening.

Nan Mo Ye instead said: "These aren"t important, the most important job right now is to quickly create a Qian Hui Huan for this teacher." He hasn"t even heard of it, much less created it; what if he"s exposed?

Duan Bai Yue: "At midnight tomorrow, I will have it sent to the inn on behalf of teacher."

Nan Mo Ye nodded, and asked Duan Yao: "Did you bring your purple toad out?"

Duan Yao replied: "I did."

"Let teacher borrow it for a few days." Nan Mo Ye rubbed his mustache, an evil look on his face.

In the palace, Chu Yuan had just finished his matters with great difficulty. Eunuch Si Xi said quickly: "Your Majesty, it"s time for dinner."

"Wait for a while more." Chu Yuan picked up another book, not even raising his head.

Inside, eunuch Si Xi panicked inside, and looked outside again. Why hadn’t the Xi Nan King come yet? The emperor had waited till now, and if he didn’t have his meal soon, then it would be time for him to sleep.

After approximately one hour, a sudden clap of thunder could be heard from far away, seeming like the approach of a torrential rain.

Eunuch Si Xi thought to himself: Tsk, Xi Nan King probably won"t come tonight.

Chu Yuan also frowned and stood up, glancing out the window once.

"Your Majesty." Eunuch Si Xi tried asking again, "Let"s have the meal set up?"

Chu Yuan shook his head: "No need for today."

Eunuch Si Xi: "....."

What does he mean by "no need for today"? How is it that if Xi Nan King is not present, then he doesn"t even want to eat. Then if the king were to return to Yun Nan in the future, wouldn"t the emperor become thinner every three days.

Chu Yuan felt a little dizzy, and didn"t have an appet.i.te either. Thus he stood up, wanting to return to the sleeping quarters, but Duan Bai Yue had already jumped into the courtyard, drenched in water entirely.

"Ahyo, this king." Eunuch Si Xi was startled, and quickly opened the door, "Come in quickly."

"Something happened along the way, I was delayed." Duan Bai Yue wiped the water off his face.

Chu Yuan handed him a handkerchief.

"Knew that I would come?" Duan Bai Yue asked, "Didn"t see many guards around on my way here."

Chu Yuan said: "When Mu Chi Lao Ren came back today, he said that he met Duan Nian on the streets. Seems like something has happened."

"It"s a long story." Duan Bai Yue said, "Let"s return to the sleeping quarters first?"

Chu Yuan nodded, and instructed Si Xi to prepare some ginger soup, in order to avoid getting a cold.

"For a martial arts pract.i.tioner, what could this rain do to me." Duan Bai Yue laughed.

Eunuch Si Xi sighed in his heart, how could Xi Nan King not even know how to act sick? To always be this healthy, there would be no chance for someone to take care of him even if they wanted to.

Along with the piping hot ginger soup that was sent to the sleeping quarters, there was also warm water for bathing, and that the announcement that dinner was to be sent in shortly.

Eunuch Si Xi nodded with a laugh.

It was just the other servants that were all puzzled: why did the emperor remain in his sleeping chambers for the past few days, whether it be for bathing or having meals, not even stepping out the door at all?

Sounds of water travelled from behind the screen. Chu Yuan laid his upper body on the table, preoccupied with his own thoughts. When Duan Bai Yue came out, wiping his hair, and saw this appearance of his, he couldn"t hold it in and laughed: "What"s the matter, Tao Ren De came to bother you again?"

Chu Yuan raised his head, then frowned: "Go and wear your clothes."

"It"s all wet." Duan Bai Yue, wearing an inner robe, sat by his side, "Are there new ones?"

Chu Yuan paused: "Why would the palace have new clothes for you?"

Duan Bai Yue spread out his hands: "You see, I want to wear them, but there"s none at your place here."

Chu Yuan: "......."

"Tired?" Seeing that he kept lying on the table, Duan Bai Yue said, "Then simply rest early, any matters can be discussed tomorrow."

Chu Yuan said: "Dinner hasn"t been served."

"Why did you not eat again?" Duan Bai Yue frowned as expected.

Chu Yuan yawned, not wanting to move even an inch.

Duan Bai Yue sat closer to him: "Don"t go for morning court tomorrow, alright?"

Chu Yuan said: "No."

Duan Bai Yue said: "Lazily sleep the day away, and I will give you a present."

Chu Yuan said: "Don"t want it."

Duan Bai Yue grasped his hand, brought it to his mouth and kissed it lightly.

Chu Yuan said lazily: "I’ll drag you out to be beheaded."

Duan Bai Yue laughed: "If I had known, then I should have done more extreme things, or else wouldn"t I lose out?"

"You dare!" Chu Yuan finally sat up, feeling a bit hungry.

Very quickly, Si Xi then sent in dinner. However, unlike the previous times where half of the dishes were meat and the other half vegetables, Xi Nan cuisine occupied the entire table.

Duan Bai Yue was a little surprised.

"It"s all sent by your Xi Nan Manor." Chu Yuan said.

"I sent it over so that you can have a change in food, and didn"t say that the meal should just comprise of this." Duan Bai Yue said, "Xi Nan cuisine is more sour and spicy, you won"t be able to bear it."

"Is that so?" Chu Yuan scooped up a spoonful of soup.

Duan Bai Yue took back the spoon: "I have already said, it"s spicy."

"This meal won"t be eaten then?" Chu Yuan felt like laughing.

"Eat this." Duan Bai Yue fed him a spoonful of rice, "It"s sweet."

Chu Yuan swallowed it down, and said: "So you ate flowers growing up."

Duan Bai Yue: "......."

Chu Yuan said: "I want to eat something spicy, the kind that Xi Nan Manor usually eats."

Duan Bai Yue could only help him to mix a small bowl of fish, adding in spices and roasted sesame seeds: "Have only a bite."

Chu Yuan tried half a spoon of it, and his expression expectedly changed.

Duan Bai Yue put his hand by his mouth: "Spit it out."

Chu Yuan forced it down, then hugged a pot of tea and drank for a long time.

Duan Bai Yue: "....."

Chu Yuan"s complexion was very red, and perspiration beaded on his forehead.

Duan Bai Yue looked directly at him: "Will I be dragged out and beheaded again?"

Chu Yuan brought the bowl of sweet glutinous rice to himself, and said: "The rest will be left to you."

Duan Bai Yue called Si Xi over, and instructed him to serve a few milder dishes.

In the following period, Chu Yuan, holding onto his bowl, looked at Duan Bai Yue opposite him, cleanly finishing those sour and spicy dishes without a change in his expression.

......

Duan Bai Yue also doesn"t know what is there to flaunt about this, but seeing his face of wonder, he felt that...it would be no matter even if it was spicier.

If Nan Mo Ye knew of this, he would probably weep bitter tears. To have taught and raised such a childish disciple, how could he have the face to meet the old master in the grave. He practically didn"t even dare to die.

Chu Yuan inquired: "Delicious?"

Duan Bai Yue placed down his chopsticks: "Delicious."

Chu Yuan: "......."

"If it was specially prepared by you, anything would be delicious." Duan Bai Yue smiled, "It"s really quite delicious."

The mood in the room was very good. Never mind the flashes of lighting, rolling thunder and rain outside; even if it were to rain knives, the mood would still be as good.

Chu Yuan remembered something and asked: "You haven"t talked about it yet, what did Mu Chi Lao Ren meet with on the streets today?"

Duan Bai Yue said: "We were afraid of getting exposed."

Chu Yuan was puzzled: "Huh?"

Duan Bai Yue roughly talked about the incident with Sai Pan An.

Chu Yuan was conflicted: "Just because the Fen Xing was stolen, he thought that Lan Yi Zhan had returned from the dead?"

Duan Bai Yue said: "Seems like it."

Chu Yuan: "........"

But the Fen Xing was taken by us, and it really was just due to curiosity.

Duan Bai Yue said: "Although this makes one not know whether to laugh or cry, it"s not without gain either. At least we can inquire about the secret of Fen Xing."

"What kind of gain is this." Chu Yuan shook his head, "That Fen Xing originally wasn"t intended to be had, it was just a matter of the right place and right time. It"s not unexpected that people in Jianghu want to take it. Otherwise, it couldn"t be that I also want to use it to practice my martial arts, and become unrivalled in the pugilistic world?"

"But it"s only you, who could make the Fen Xing shine." Duan Bai Yue said, "Just on this alone, I must get to the bottom of this matter."

Chu Yuan was still unwilling, but he had also never thought that something he unintentionally said when he was just a boy would unexpectedly lead to such a situation.

Duan Bai Yue continued: "Alright, and one more thing, I"m afraid that we must bother Mu Chi Lao Ren to create another Qian Hui Huan. After Sai Pan An takes it, he will probably rush directly to Jade Coffin Mountain. I want to go and take a look too."

"We will not allow this." Chu Yuan frowned, "You are not part of Jianghu anyway, what are you joining in for; stay put and wait in the capital!"

(1)w.a.n.g Yue: 望月- lit. looking at the moon.

Chapter 35