Chapter 8: Rumors Of Demons And Ghosts
Evading the fleeing crowds, Hong Yuan and his four companions slipped into the bushes, using the cover of night to silently cross the houses in front.
However, only the row of houses close to the manor remained intact, seemingly renovated to facilitate living. The further out one went, the more desolate and dilapidated it became.
Broken mud walls and roof tiles, large sections had collapsed, with gravel and broken stones scattered everywhere.
Hidden by wild grass and trees, mottled green stone paths could be vaguely discerned, stretching in all directions, speaking of the past bustling atmosphere of this place.
Passing a stone wall that had largely collapsed, the inside was even more a heap of ruins, and of considerable size. It seemed there should have been a workshop here before. Hong Yuan could still sense a faint, lingering peculiar smell.
He mused for a moment; it was the smell of tung oil.
The group walked for nearly a mile by moonlight, hearing the sound of surging water, rushing and gurgling. A great river surged ahead, turbulent and unending. Confirming that no enemies were pursuing them from behind, except for Qin Fuzi, who had been carried by the man in black and had completely lost consciousness, all four breathed a sigh of relief.
“Wutong Town!” Yang Lie finally turned, looking back at the place where the flames burned, answering Hong Yuan’s earlier question.
Hong Yuan was slightly taken aback, a little confused. Yang Lie chuckled, “Brother Hong is still young, it’s normal you haven’t heard of this place.”
The group didn’t stop their pace. Hong Yuan followed the Wu-surnamed man and the man in black, walking towards the riverbank while listening to Yang Lie’s explanation.
Wutong Town is located about twenty li southeast of Qingxu County Town, cradled by mountains and water. This water is the Jade Belt River, which flows through dozens of prefectures and counties across the state.
The surrounding mountains and wilds of this town are densely planted with oil tung trees. Most of the townspeople make a living by processing tung oil, setting up numerous oil refining workshops. Because the tung oil they refined was high in yield and good in quality, it attracted a large number of merchants to purchase it. At its peak, it almost monopolized seventy percent of the tung oil trade in Linjiang Prefecture.
Wutong Town, consequently, prospered.
However, good times did not last. More than a decade ago, a drastic change suddenly occurred in this town. Rumors circulated about internal power struggles and disputes over spoils. Some said it was a plague, banditry… Even more rumors suggested demonic activity. In any case, within half a year, the prosperous town fell into disrepair. The townspeople abandoned their family fortunes and fled in haste, scattering in all directions.
Even after the government intervened and moved people in several times, trying to restart oil refining, the residents never stayed long. The relocated households would flee one after another. Even with soldiers pressing them with knives, they would outwardly comply at the time, but later would rather flee into the mountains and become savages.
Over time, the town was completely abandoned, and even the government had to reluctantly withdraw. The rumors about this town, however, became increasingly fantastical, gradually leading to the designation of ‘Ghost Town’.
Hong Yuan suddenly understood.
He was only eighteen years old in this body, so it was not surprising he hadn’t heard of Wutong Town. However, the moniker ‘Ghost Town’ was vividly etched in his memory. When he was a child and misbehaved or refused to study, his father would threaten him, saying that if he didn’t behave, he would be taken to the Ghost Town by demons.
“Are there truly such things as demons and ghosts in this world?” Hong Yuan asked curiously.
“The world is vast, and there are all sorts of wonders.” The Wu-surnamed man walked briskly, answering casually, “When I was in the army, I also heard some strange stories, but they were mostly hearsay and couldn’t be verified. If there really are those demons and ghosts, I would truly like to see them.”
He placed his hand on his hilt, appearing full of fighting spirit and eager to try.
“May I ask your esteemed name and this… elder’s name?” Hong Yuan cupped his hands, glancing hesitantly at the man in black. The latter was wearing a mask, clearly unwilling to reveal his identity, but judging by his voice, he was not young.
“Esteemed sir is too kind. My surname is Wu, and I am Wu Duxiong.”
Wu Duxiong suddenly stopped, a proud smile blooming on his normally stern face, his eyes sparkling. “My late father spent money to find an old scholar to give me this name, and I am very pleased with it.”
He chuckled, raising his eyebrows to look at the man in black, “Old Yang’s name pales in comparison. Old Yang, stop being a mute. I’m asking you, why aren’t you answering? And why are you still wearing that mask at this hour? Are you some young lady from a noble family? Ashamed to show your face?”
The man in black, ‘Old Yang’, shot him an annoyed glare. He casually pulled down his mask, revealing a square-faced, bearded face with a bronze complexion, around fifty years old. He nodded to Hong Yuan, “I am Yang Erhu.”
“Greetings, Senior Yang.” Hong Yuan bowed solemnly again, saying, “Thank you to both seniors and Brother Yang for your rescue. Without your help, I fear I would not have made it out of that Demon’s Den tonight.”
“It was just a coincidence. We had our own plans and didn’t intend to save anyone. You don’t need to thank me; if you want to thank someone, thank heaven!” Wu Duxiong shook his head.
Seeing Hong Yuan about to speak, he waved his hand and smiled, “Alright, a man of action shouldn’t be so indecisive. You don’t need to call us seniors. I find you quite likable, for one, you have the courage to act, and two, despite your young age, your skills are truly not weak. Of course…”
“Most importantly, you look not just similar to me when I was young, but practically identical.”
Hong Yuan opened his mouth, but ultimately remained silent.
Yang Lie glanced at Hong Yuan’s graceful demeanor and then at Wu Duxiong’s long, narrow face, and couldn’t help but think, “As the saying goes, people don’t know their own ugliness, horses don’t know the length of their faces. I’ve truly seen it now.”
He almost burst out laughing, quickly lowered his head, and forced himself to hold it in.
With a “snap,” a large hand flicked out, hitting his head hard. Yang Lie looked up to see Wu Duxiong leaning in, his eyes sharp, “What were you going to say?”
“Nothing!”
“Then keep it to yourself.”
Wu Duxiong then flicked Yang Lie’s forehead, making the latter grin in pain. Yang Erhu, on the other side, suddenly grumbled, “He wanted to say, people don’t know their own ugliness, horses don’t know the length of their faces.”
“Hmm?”
Wu Duxiong raised his sword-like eyebrows, his gaze unfriendly.
Yang Erhu didn’t even look at him, just continued walking with his head down, “If you want to fight me, I will fight back.”
“Let’s spar when we get back home,” Wu Duxiong proposed.
Yang Erhu’s body paused slightly, then he slowly nodded, “Alright. It has indeed been some years since my fellow disciples and I have sparred. Let me see your progress.”
Hong Yuan watched with a smile. Wu Duxiong then turned back to him and asked, “Where is your home, young man?”
Before Hong Yuan could reply, he continued on his own, “No matter where you live, you can’t go back. I just don’t know if you have any family left. If you do, it might be a bit troublesome.”
“Brother Hong truly cannot go back.” Yang Lie chuckled, “Your good brother signed that so-called ‘Immortal-Mortal Contract’ for you, which is essentially a deed of indenture. He also made you press your imprint on it. Once you go home, as long as that fat pig remembers, he doesn’t even need to act himself; just take the contract to the yamen, and the government will have to come and arrest you.”
Hong Yuan’s eyes turned cold.
He thought again of that Huang fatty with his honest face, his former classmate and friend. This debt must be repaid, whether it was for him to vent his anger or to resolve the karma for the original host, he had to make a trip to the Huang family.
However, the Huang family held considerable influence within Qingxu County. To make a move against them would require careful planning, at least requiring a deeper understanding of this world and a stronger personal strength.
“My home is in Qingxu County Town. My elders have all passed away. My father was a scholar. Before he died, he accumulated some family fortune, fields, and a courtyard house with two entrances…”
Hong Yuan didn’t need to be so detailed, but he vaguely guessed Wu Duxiong’s thoughts and thus explained his background more clearly. He was also a forthright gentleman, with nothing he couldn’t say.
“My father passed away a few years ago. At that time, I was a student at the academy, and my skills were passable, so I was able to preserve my family assets. After the Imperial Court abolished the Imperial Examination, there were no more scholars. Other covetous eyes were easier to deal with, but then the yamen runners came to demand taxes and labor, and even wanted to collect arrears for several previous years…”
He sighed, “Ultimately, I had to dissipate my family fortune to preserve myself. Now, the only remaining property in the county town is two tiled houses on Stone Slab Alley… I do have an uncle, but my father had cut ties with him during his lifetime…”
Hong Yuan didn’t reveal everything.
His uncle did indeed have a poor relationship with his father. His father was a scholar, while his uncle was obsessed with martial practice. As a scholar, he naturally looked down on his uncle’s lack of education.
His uncle was often away. In the limited memories he had, his uncle’s visits home always ended in a big argument with his father, parting on bad terms.
However, after the cancellation of the Imperial Examination, Hong Yuan ‘only’ paid all his land, family fortune, and the two-entrance house, and was finally left with two tiled houses to live in. In reality, his mysterious uncle had exerted his influence behind the scenes.
After all, the original host was just a frail scholar, not the brand new cheating player he was now. Without someone protecting him, he would have been reduced to bones long ago.
Not to mention anything else, his excellent appearance was the greatest sin.
Hong Yuan remembered one time he was almost ambushed and put into a sack. The next morning, several thugs with broken limbs lay bleeding in the alley, begging for mercy when they saw him.
By noon, his uncle arrived with over a dozen strong men and stood at his doorstep. His uncle went inside and stayed with him for an hour, left some silver, and then departed.
In fact, during that hour, they only exchanged a few casual words, then sat in silence. Hong Yuan knew that his uncle’s purpose in coming was simply to deter those who dared to reach out.
To let people know he was not alone and helpless.
His uncle had roamed the Jianghu for many years, was experienced and shrewd, and could deter both the underworld and legitimate circles in the county town. He likely had some influence, and for a short time, Hong Yuan wouldn’t have to worry about being implicated.
However, that dead fat pig looked rather insane, and couldn’t be treated as a normal person. He still needed to improve himself as quickly as possible.
Wu Duxiong nodded. His background was clean, his origins simple, no burdens, and excellent root bone. The more he looked, the more he admired him. A smile spread across his face as he said, “Since that’s the case, why don’t you come with us? I wasn’t joking when I said I found you likable. If you don’t mind, don’t call us seniors. Like that kid Yang Lie, just call us both ‘Uncle’.”
“Thank you, Uncle Wu and Uncle Yang.”
Hong Yuan seized the opportunity.
He had nowhere else to go for the time being, and both Wu Duxiong and Yang Erhu seemed knowledgeable, at least one coming from the White Scale Guard of the prefecture city. By following them, he could learn a great deal.
“Don’t mention trouble!” Wu Duxiong laughed heartily, appearing very pleased, and patted Hong Yuan’s shoulder.
As they spoke, their steps were light. In no time, they reached the banks of the Jade Belt River. In a dense forest by the river, Wu Duxiong leaped down and uncovered a black-canopied boat hidden beneath withered branches and fallen leaves.
Yang Lie quickly followed. The two of them, one on each side, their arms slightly bulging with effort, pushed the black-canopied boat into the river.
Yang Lie took an oar, stood at the bow of the boat, stabilized it, and waited until everyone had boarded. He then pushed the oar against the bank, and instantly the black-canopied boat swayed and then smoothly sailed onto the river.
Yang Erhu carried Qin Fuzi into the cabin, letting him lean against the cabin to rest. He lit an oil lamp, and in the dim yellow light, seeing that Qin Fuzi was still unconscious and occasionally murmuring in his sleep, he couldn’t help but sigh.
Wu Duxiong also entered the cabin, and from somewhere produced a pot of wine, drinking it in large gulps.
Hong Yuan consciously stood at the bow with Yang Lie, finding another oar. In his previous life, there was a river three zhang wide by his house when he was a child. At that time, bridges and roads hadn’t been built yet, and to cross the river, one had to row a boat. Now, with his enhanced body, it was even more effortless.
Splash! Splash!
The oars stirred, creating clear ripples, and the boat slowly set off.
The bright moon hung high, its radiance like silver light, making the river surface barely visible. Hong Yuan’s 【Clear Eyes and Penetrating】 talent only allowed him to see clearly a few zhang away at night; at a greater distance, it was still blurry.
Traveling by boat at night, for safety, they did not let the black-canopied boat drift too far from the bank, sailing almost alongside it. Coupled with the fact that they were going downstream, it was quite stable.
Moreover, it hardly required Hong Yuan or Yang Lie to row.
Yang Lie also mentioned that their destination was Yangquan County, which bordered Qingxu County. However, as it was night, the county town had long been closed. Therefore, they would rest for a night at a town about ten li downstream.
“That abandoned Wutong Town, Wei Zhenzhu’s den of iniquity wouldn’t have been built in a short time.”
Inside the cabin, the firelight flickered within the lampshade. Wu Duxiong and Yang Erhu were discussing Wutong Town and the so-called ‘Biwu Immortal Realm’.
“Even if she built it in three years, and enjoyed it for three years, that’s only six years.”
Wu Duxiong took a swig of wine. It went down his throat, and he closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the taste, then slowly said, “The plague, banditry, and ghost legends have been around for over a decade… but Wei Zhenzhu and her group weren’t affected. Even if there really are demons and ghosts haunting Wutong Town, they likely left at least ten years ago.”
Yang Erhu nodded, sighing, “Indeed, good people don’t live long, while calamities endure for millennia.”
His face showed a thoughtful expression again. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly said, “The row of houses outside the manor has been renovated again. Do you think Wei Zhenzhu might want to restart the tung oil workshop?”
“Tung oil trade, such a large piece of fat meat, if there’s an opportunity, she’d definitely want to try.” Wu Duxiong then smiled, “Rebuilding the workshop, and having many skilled oil refining workers. Just these simplest things, that dead fat pig can’t handle, she doesn’t have the ability.”
“She doesn’t, but the Wei family does.”
“The Wei family is the Wei family, and Wei Zhenzhu is Wei Zhenzhu. They cannot be conflated,” Wu Duxiong shook his head, a mocking expression on his face. “Monsters like Wei Zhenzhu have long embarrassed the Wei family in the prefecture city, which is why they’ve been unwilling to let her into the prefecture city for so many years. How could they help her?”
“Don’t forget Wei Zhenzhu’s man…” Yang Erhu pointed to the small table in the cabin where the candlelight was placed, implying something.
“That Salt and Iron Commissioner?!” Wu Duxiong’s expression also became more serious.
Zhou Wenjie, the Salt and Iron Commissioner of Linjiang Prefecture, was only an eighth-rank official in terms of his position. However, because he was dispatched directly by the state, his low rank belied his significant authority. He possessed the power to inspect the salt, iron, and tea taxes throughout Linjiang Prefecture.
The power Zhou Wenjie commanded was also terrifying. On the surface alone, he had two hundred elites in the Anti-smuggling camp and five hundred strong salt workers. In private, it was unknown how many forces he had colluded with and how many so-called ‘Jianghu heroes’ he had recruited.
Those strong men guarding Wei Zhenzhu’s manor were likely drawn from the salt workers!
“I haven’t admired many people, but I truly worship this Commissioner Zhou Wenjie.” Wu Duxiong sighed. “It is said that he was originally from a farming family. To climb up, he connected with the Wei family. Tsk! He actually stayed married to that dead fat pig for decades! How could anyone tolerate that?”
“Don’t say that. It’s said that Wei Zhenzhu was quite a beauty in her youth. Later she fell ill and only got fatter…” Yang Erhu couldn’t continue. Just thinking of that Wei Zhenzhu made his stomach churn. He couldn’t help but agree, “You’re right, that Zhou Wenjie is indeed a remarkable person, a truly great figure!”
“Besides Wei Zhenzhu, have the identities of the remaining six women been ascertained?” Wu Duxiong asked again.
Yang Erhu replied, “The identity of ‘Mysterious Lady’ has been ascertained!”
“The one who ascended to become an immortal?” Wu Duxiong chuckled.
Yang Erhu snorted, “Ascended to become an immortal? That woman is the eldest wife of the Chen family in Yuxi Town. Nearly eighty percent of Yuxi Town’s industries belong to her family. Unfortunately, Wei Zhenzhu’s group not only devours outsiders but also their own people. Once they join, they are slowly bled dry, and when they’ve eaten everything, the whole family will ascend.”
“The other women include the wives of officials, young ladies raised in seclusion by noble clans, noblewomen, and nuns from the mountains…”
Wu Duxiong listened, stunned. After a long while, he sighed, “These women know how to play.”
“It’s not that these women know how to play, it’s that the men know how to play,” Yang Erhu said.
“Our Great Yin has its own national conditions, and the prevailing customs are like this. What can be done!” Wu Duxiong sighed.
The Great Yin Dynasty had endured for nearly eight hundred years. Its rise and fall were ordinary occurrences. Whenever the dynasty entered a period of decline, a heroic ruler would emerge to turn the tide. After the nation’s reign had finally stabilized, a peculiar emperor would ascend the throne.
Three hundred years ago, Emperor Changle of the Great Yin Dynasty was capricious and often engaged in absurd and comical activities. He was not only attracted to both men and women but would also frequently summon concubines to the main hall during discussions with his ministers to “party,” allowing his ministers to observe and learn. He felt no shame but rather took pride in it.
Of course, the moral decay of the Great Yin could not be solely attributed to Emperor Changle. There had been countless peculiar emperors before him, whose outrageous actions were no less extreme.
“White Scale Guard, you probably can’t go back, right?”
“The White Scale Guard has long been infiltrated like a sieve, with countless young masters and nephews from various families embedded within. Their combat effectiveness is actually not as strong as outsiders assume. I’ve long been fed up with the constant humiliation. Having offended Wei Zhenzhu this time, I might as well roam the Jianghu and be a wandering knight; it sounds pretty good…”
“Why not come help me…”
Wu Duxiong waved his hand to interrupt, “I know what you’re going to say, but I’ve already chosen the best candidate for you…” He squinted and looked outside the cabin.
“Is this to take me as a disciple, or what…” Hong Yuan thought to himself, but he didn’t feel any aversion.
One’s position in life dictates one’s aspirations. Now, he wanted to open a breakthrough in this world through Wu Duxiong and Yang Erhu. Becoming a disciple wouldn’t be a problem.
Hong Yuan’s gaze flickered. As his thoughts moved, the word “Flying Mosquito” reappeared before his eyes.
“Blessed Land Dao Master?” Hong Yuan murmured, looking at the word “Flying Mosquito” transforming into a vortex that attracted everything. He yearned to throw himself into it, but ultimately suppressed the urge. Others were on the boat. If this vortex were to suck him in entirely, how would he explain it?
“Just a little longer…”
