Chapter 65: Scheming To Kill For Wealth, Martial World Experience
Afterward, Chen Shun’an asked a few more questions.
Scholar Ma explained them all clearly and patiently.
Not studying Eight-legged Essays, but specializing in the Martial Strategy Dao Scripture for the Imperial Examination;
The barrier that existed between the Sacred Dynasty’s common people and scholars, influencing and altering their perceptions;
Unaware right in front of one’s eyes, something related only to the heart and Fortune Telling called Immortal Fate…
The Sacred Dynasty’s waters run too deep!
Scholar Ma scooped up a handful of lake water, washed his face, breathed in the fresh air, and said,
“Brother Shun An is surprisingly interested in Fortune Telling. I have a book《 Three Lives Compendium》 there, written by Scholar Wan, a great master of Fortune Telling from the Previous Dynasty.
It is almost the peak of Four Pillars Eight Characters theory, and it has my annotations… When we get back, take it and have a look.”
Chen Shun’an quickly cupped his hands: “Then many thanks to Brother Ma!”
Scholar Ma asked: “Though the Lotus Pond is full of beautiful lotus flowers, Brother Shun An isn’t having us two old men row a boat just to admire them, is he?”
Chen Shun’an chuckled speechlessly and quickly recounted the events at the river goods shop, along with his desires and requests.
He merely omitted the divinity ability of Closeness to Water Spirits, replacing it with ambiguous terms like ‘special feeling’ and ‘instinctive premonition.’
Scholar Ma, who had been listless, perked up immediately upon hearing this, his two mustaches twitching upward.
“A Golden Scaled Perch that likes listening to scriptures? You want me to read here to lure it out?”
The next moment, Scholar Ma shook his head like a rattle drum and said,
“No! As Brother Shun An described, this fish is clearly favored by Heaven and Earth, having obtained an Opportunity. Even insects and plants should not be harmed, let alone a Monster?”
Chen Shun’an said: “Brother Ma has only seen the first layer, not the second.”
“Oh? What do you mean?”
“This Golden Scaled Perch is in cahoots with the Silver Fish at the river goods shop, tricking people together. Over time, they will inevitably be discovered, leading to certain death, and even the river goods shop Shopkeeper may not escape!”
Chen Shun’an said solemnly,
“If we catch the Golden Scaled Perch now, we can not only knock the mountain to shake the tiger, warning that Silver Fish and the Shopkeeper, but also resolve the Golden Scaled Perch’s deadly calamity in advance!
Moreover, I have no intention of taking its life; instead, I’ll give it to Zhang Mansion as a Birthday Gift and raise it in the central courtyard.
Since ancient times, there has been the saying ‘Orchids and cassia become fragrant in the company of gentlemen, bright pearls shine when meeting discerning eyes.’ With the Golden Scaled Perch nurtured by the noble aura of Zhang Mansion, over time, who knows, it might have another encounter, better than struggling in the muddy Turbid Water for food?”
Scholar Ma listened, his face showing contemplation. For the moment, he really couldn’t find words to refute Chen Shun’an.
Brother Shun An’s words seemed reasonable at first, but why did they feel like sophistry?
“If Brother Ma is willing to help, Chen Mou is willing to cover Brother Ma’s food, Ink Brush, Paste Fire expenses for the next two months.”
“Deal!”
Scholar Ma’s eyes lit up, and he immediately agreed.
Heaven have mercy, the renowned Scholar Ma, with vast learning and once called a child prodigy in his youth, had fallen to the point of not having enough to eat.
Even though he recently took on a job translating national books, it only paid the most basic writing fee.
“Then I’ll trouble Brother Ma to stay here alone. That Golden Scaled Perch is quite vigilant; if I stay here, it probably won’t bite. I’ll hide on the shore. If you see a Grass Carp spitting bubbles appear by the boat, take that as the signal…”
Chen Shun’an gave a couple more instructions, then leaped into the air, his toes lightly touching a Lotus Seed Pod.
The Lotus Seed Pod nodded, dew splashing, and with a few borrowings of force, he flew to the shore dozens of feet away.
His figure flickered a few times and then completely disappeared.
Scholar Ma was unconcerned and couldn’t tell the level of Chen Shun’an’s Lightness Skill cultivation.
He lowered the bamboo fish cage along the boat’s edge, shook the lake water from his hands, and only then slowly took a Thread-bound Book from his bosom.
The boat reached the lake’s center, blending with the water and sky.
Scholar Ma chanted softly,
“In the clear dawn, no one knows this coolness; sitting quietly amid flower dew, gazing at the silver pond… Wonderful, wonderful!”
……
The sun was already high.
Chen Shun’an looked around and saw a verdant pine and cypress casting a large patch of shade. With a swift leap like a hare or falcon, he flipped onto the tree and hid among the dense branches.
This Lotus Pond seemed to be a scenic spot, especially now during the flowering season, with pink lotus flowers reflecting the misty morning glow like a carpet.
Above the water, a carpet cradled the mountains; below the water, mountains supported the carpet. Truly wondrous.
However, no matter how beautiful the scene, for the shack-dwelling fishermen eking out a living in wind and rain inside and outside Jindu, they had no mind to row boats to admire flowers.
They had long picked edible Lotus Seed Pods and dug up lotus roots, then hurried to other places to scrounge for food.
Thus, this Lotus Pond was rarely visited on ordinary days, except by the young nobles from the county coming to admire flowers and go on outings.
“Hm?”
But soon after Chen Shun’an lay down, the north wind brought a rusty bloody smell.
Very strong; many people had died, and not long ago.
Chen Shun’an’s gaze sharpened. He climbed the branches to the top of the pine and cypress and looked out.
He saw several bloody corpses lying haphazardly in the dense woods, dressed like mountain folk who made a living gathering herbs and hunting.
Various goods boxes and Mountain Goods were scattered all over the ground.
Beside these corpses stood three figures of different heights, holding Broadswords, faces wrapped in Black Scarves, emanating killing intent—clearly no good sorts.
“Killing for goods?”
Chen Shun’an raised an eyebrow and glanced toward the Lotus Pond, his eyelids drooping as a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.
In these times, a murder in the wilds was far too normal.
Chen Shun’an had no intention of playing hero for now.
Unless the blood splashed onto his feet.
“These mountain folk, relying on their bit of Strength, think they can sell goods in the Black Market right away… Naive.”
“Heh heh, we’re lucky too. Empty-handed for over a month, worrying we’d have to go home to farm with no more income, and finally we meet some rookies!”
“Hm? There’s movement over there… Someone boating in the Lotus Pond?”
The three whispered briefly. One Tall and Thin Man suddenly noticed something, sank his Dantian energy, moved lightly, and crouched to the edge of the Lotus Pond.
He peered intently, shook his head, and returned to the spot.
“Just a penniless scholar out for inspiration. Books must have addled his brain, reciting under the blazing sun… Talking about no one knowing how cool it is here. Coolness doesn’t fill the belly!”
The man mocked a few sentences, eyes full of disdain.
His two companions laughed scornfully upon hearing this, shaking their heads as they packed up the boxes and Mountain Goods.
But for some reason, the three suddenly felt a chill in the woods, their necks prickling.
Yet the next moment, all the strangeness vanished, as if it had been an illusion.
Up in the pine and cypress, Chen Shun’an curved his fingers, withdrawing the unlaunched Gold Coin Dart.
“Wait, there’s a smell!”
While packing, a burly man with flared nostrils and a black gleam at the root of his nose faintly caught something, eyes alert, and suddenly turned toward Chen Shun’an’s direction.
“Dog nose?”
Chen Shun’an raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.
But he didn’t move.
What if it’s a bluff?
Seeing Chen Shun’an unyielding, the big nose took out a handful of Flying Locust Stones from his sleeve, fanned his hand, ready to throw.
Chen Shun’an shook his head, about to step forward, when suddenly he heard a whoosh from his side.
A middle-aged man with thick brows, big eyes, and ruddy complexion, looking upright, emerged from a low-lying area with a helpless expression.
He kicked off the ground, stretched, and leaped like a black bear pouncing for food, rising a few feet high to land before the three.
“Good sense of smell, actually spotting me.” The big man said in a deep, gruff voice.
On the pine and cypress, Chen Shun’an’s expression was indifferent as he withdrew his hand again.
Heh heh…
Chen Mou has rich Martial World experience and a few more years under his belt; how could he be bluffed out as easily as that big man?
Now that’s the wisdom of a true Senior!
