Chapter 93:
Day-to-Day

 

“THERE WILL BE GREAT CHANGES to the current jianghu. If you wish to return to Xuandu Mountain, it’s better to do so later than sooner.”

Yan Wushi’s words stopped Shen Qiao in his tracks.

He was taken aback for a moment. Then he asked, “How did you know that I wanted to go to Xuandu Mountain?”

Yan Wushi chuckled. “A-Qiao, all your thoughts are written upon your face. I know you like I know myself—how could I fail to tell?”

Shen Qiao didn’t realize that Yan Wushi was messing around with him again. Instead, he believed that Yan Wushi’s eyes were sharp enough to see right through his thoughts. Even if he found the man’s behavior disagreeable, this ability alone was valuable enough that he wanted to learn from Yan Wushi, hoping to patch his own weakness. He earnestly consulted him: “I really can’t bring myself to call you that, and even if I do, it’d only bring you brief amusement. How does that help you? I’m indeed inferior to you when it comes to judging matters and people, so I sincerely request an explanation, Sect Leader Yan. I’m willing to offer other things in return.”

Yan Wushi was all smiles. “Very well then. But you must remember that you owe me.”

Shen Qiao thought for a while, then nodded. “As long as you don’t ask me to do anything criminal or inhumane. Nor will I betray righteousness.”

“In my opinion,” said Yan Wushi, “murder helps humanity—it eliminates scourges on the world who are wastes of space, hence it’s not inhumane at all. So why are you so reluctant?”

Shen Qiao furrowed his brows. “If you insist on using such twisted arguments, just pretend I never asked anything.”

He was about to leave, but Yan Wushi stopped him and said with a smile, “All right, all right, I was only joking with you. My venerable self will never ask you to do anything you consider criminal or inhumane. Surely that’s fine?”

Their current relationship was a terribly tricky one. They couldn’t be called enemies, but neither did they interact in the way expected of normal friends. At least Zhao Chiying and Yue Kunchi would never use such a tone when speaking with Shen Qiao.

He didn’t even find the words intimate or provocative—no such suggestive descriptors came to mind. He only thought that Yan Wushi had always been this way, erratic and mercurial, always doing as he pleased. He was used to it now, so it no longer mattered. “Then please grace me with your insights, Sect Leader Yan,” he said.

Seeing that he’d gotten all he could, Yan Wushi decided to let things go. “Do you know of Han Feng?”

Shen Qiao said, “The Han Feng who was once one of the Three Nobles of Qi with Mu Tipo? I remember that his daughter is an external disciple of Bixia Sect. I met her once in Yecheng. But as I was still blind then, I don’t know what she looks like.”

Yan Wushi laughed. “True, I’d almost forgotten. My A-Qiao was born so handsome, it’s not surprising that she fell for you. She even took the chance to strike up a conversation, right?”

Shen Qiao was perplexed. “Why are you mentioning her all of a sudden? Just because she has ties with Bixia Sect? Is that why you came here?”

“It is,” said Yan Wushi, “but not entirely. I had three reasons for coming to Bixia Sect, and she was but one of them—in fact, she’s the least important one. Han Feng followed Gao Wei and surrendered to the Zhou Dynasty, but Han Eying is much more loyal than her father—she insists that Gao Zhao should take the throne, and she wishes to restore the country. Given her relationship with Bixia Sect, it’s highly likely she’ll arrive here to request help from her sect, to have them join her campaign to revive Qi.”

“Bixia Sect took severe losses after their tragedy,” Shen Qiao pointed out. “Even if they wanted to help, they’d lack the strength. Furthermore, Sect Leader Zhao is determined to keep her sect away from the power struggles of the secular world. If Han Eying did come, she probably wouldn’t agree to such a request.”

Yan Wushi disagreed. “Deep down, you too know very well that being in the thick of things can prevent some people from seeing clearly. You should look for an opportunity to clarify this matter with Zhao Chiying. If Qi wishes for revival, they’ll need support from the Göktürks. Bixia Sect is a small sect—if they overestimate themselves and collude with the Göktürks, fate will not be kind to them.”

Shen Qiao was confused. “Sect Leader Zhao has never seemed like someone so foolish to me. You seem to hold some heavy prejudices against her—has she wronged you before?”

Yan Wushi didn’t answer his question and instead changed the subject. “Yuwen Yun elevated that bald donkey Xueting, but he also promoted Hehuan Sect, who are completely unrelated; he’s undermining everyone, as emperors do, to maintain a balance of power. He believes that this will make it easier to exert control, but none of them are fools. Whether it’s Xueting or Hehuan Sect, they can see through his plans, and they’ll take this opportunity to aggressively shore up their influence.”

“Is this why you said that the current jianghu will experience great changes soon?” Shen Qiao was deep in thought. “Huanyue Sect has moved from open operations to covert ones. While it’s good to lie low and bide your time, if Hehuan Sect jumps to expand their influence, they’ll inevitably clash with you. Aren’t you worried about the losses Huanyue Sect might suffer if they do?”

Yan Wushi smiled, completely carefree. “Foolish A-Qiao. Now that they have Yuwen Yun’s support, they’re like the high sun at noon. What’s wrong with letting them bite and tear at each other? Why should I hop out and give them a free excuse to unite against me? As they expand their influence, they certainly won’t let a goldmine like Xuandu Mountain escape. But that shidi of yours, he’s so proud and arrogant that he’d never take it lying down, so conflict will be inevitable. That’s why I said there’s no need to hurry back to Xuandu Mountain.”

He paused before continuing, “Duan Wenyang allied with various forces to kill me. He even coordinated all sorts of offenses to have a father and son destroy one another. Do you understand why?”

Shen Qiao nodded. “The Göktürks don’t want to see a powerful, united north, so Yuwen Yong has to die. And you, who support Yuwen Yong, naturally must also die.”

Yan Wushi smiled. “Indeed, the time you spent in the secular world hasn’t gone to waste. However, you were much cuter when you’d just awoken and couldn’t remember anything, as transparent as glazed snow, and oh so trusting…”

Shen Qiao’s face went dark. “That’s only because I was more gullible then. You liked that, didn’t you?”

“A-Qiao truly understands me so well!” said Yan Wushi with satisfaction.

This man was beyond shameless. Shen Qiao desperately wished to turn around and leave, but he couldn’t bear to just yet. Yan Wushi had said quite a bit just now, and though Shen Qiao himself had already figured out a fair amount, once the other man had spoken, it was as if the scattered weiqi pieces had suddenly realigned themselves—like brushing away clouds to reveal the moon or the tides receding to expose the rocks.

“What you’re saying, then,” said Shen Qiao, “is that the most worrisome enemy is neither Xueting nor Hehuan Sect but the Göktürks?”

“This move from Duan Wenyang was set in motion since the day he entered the capital to see Empress Ashina,” said Yan Wushi. “Perhaps it was even earlier. And the gold lotus ring he demanded from Su Wei’s mother when he arrived at the Su residence too—that was no ordinary ring.”

“That’s right,” said Shen Qiao. “Madam Qin and Duan Wenyang both said so, that it was a keepsake.”

“I’ve been dispatching people to investigate this entire time,” said Yan Wushi, “but I only received the answer a few days back. That ring is indeed a keepsake, but it’s no ordinary keepsake. Rather, it’s proof that Hulugu’s defeated all the martial experts of the Khaganate—a symbol of his status. It can be used to mobilize some twenty-odd martial arts masters from all over the Eastern and Western Khaganate. The Göktürks occupy a vast territory, so these experts are usually scattered all over. Even the Khagan himself might have trouble summoning them. But this keepsake can do just that, and with half the effort.”

“From what I know, Duan Wenyang is a first-rate martial artist,” said Shen Qiao, “but they say he has Han blood, so his status within the Khaganate is not very high. I doubt that the keepsake alone would be enough to win the Göktürks’ trust…”

Shen Qiao jolted. “Unless—Hulugu is still alive?”

If Hulugu was still alive, he was the only one who’d have the right to use that keepsake to assemble the twenty-odd Göktürk masters.

But if this were the case, then things had just become much more thorny and complicated.

Two decades ago, Qi Fengge had dueled Hulugu and eked out a small victory, forcing him to swear to stay out of the Central Plains for twenty years. Now, the time limit was up, and Shen Qiao’s shizun had already passed on. If Hulugu were still alive, his martial ability could only have soared even higher. With the Göktürks’ current movements, if Hulugu again entered the Central Plains, it would definitely not be for simple sparring and reminiscence. Once that happened, who could stop him?

“It isn’t impossible,” said Yan Wushi. “However, as there’s no evidence yet, you need not worry about it.”

Shen Qiao pulled himself out of his worried thoughts. “Before, you said that you had three reasons for staying at Bixia Sect. Just now you told me one of them; what are the other two?”

Yan Wushi gave a slight smile. “The second, naturally, is you.”

“…Then, the third?”

“The third is also you.”

Shen Qiao’s mouth twitched. “This humble Daoist has neither the virtue nor ability. I’m unworthy of such regard from Sect Leader Yan.”

“But you do possess both virtue and ability,” said Yan Wushi with a smile. “Since that’s the case, of course you’re worthy of my regard. And aside from those matters, there’s also your beauty—you’re practically perfect beyond reproach.”

At this moment, Fan Yuanbai walked over and greeted them. “Sect Leader Yan, Daoist Master Shen, our sect leader has some words for you. Because we didn’t expect the arrival of honored guests, we didn’t have time to make proper preparations before. But today we’ve specially thrown a banquet, and we ask you to grant us the honor of attending.”

Yan Wushi grabbed Shen Qiao’s hand without waiting for his answer. “Sect Leader Zhao is too courteous. We will respectfully honor her wishes.”

Shen Qiao was unable to pull his hand back. “…You act like I’m not going. What are you doing, Sect Leader Yan?”

“A-Qiao, have you never heard of ‘walking arm in arm?’”

“That’s reserved only for the closest of friends!”

Yan Wushi looked dismayed. “Are we not the closest of friends?”

“…This humble Daoist possesses no such sentiments.”

“This venerable one saved your life beneath Banbu Peak. Doesn’t that count as a gargantuan favor?”

“…It does.”

“I resolutely put my life on the line to lure away Sang Jingxing, back outside the capital of Feng Province. Were you really not the slightest bit moved?”

“…I was, but don’t forget, I’ve saved you several times as well.”

“Aren’t I right, then? How many people in this world have shared as many life-and-death experiences as we have? Don’t you feel extremely honored to have someone as charming as my venerable self as your friend?”

“Can I say no?” asked Shen Qiao.

“No,” said Yan Wushi.

So Shen Qiao said nothing.

Fan Yuanbai watched, dumbfounded. To think that Sect Leader Yan shares such a close relationship with Daoist Master Shen—no wonder Daoist Master Shen brought him up the mountain as a guest, he thought. That means even the pointers Sect Leader Yan gave on our martial arts were certainly for Daoist Master Shen’s sake. Some of our shidi were unhappy, thinking that he was deliberately picking a fight with us, but they really shouldn’t be. When I head back, I must tell them off.

Because Shen Qiao had a moral character, Fan Yuanbei assumed that Yan Wushi, too, must have held good intentions, but this was nothing more than a beautiful misunderstanding. If Shen Qiao had heard his thoughts, he’d definitely have told him that Yan Wushi was indeed deliberately picking a fight.

The three of them arrived at the Flower Hall, where the preparations for the banquet had long since been completed. Zhao Chiying had ordered everything—she’d specially had a chef from an inn at the foot of the mountain purchase the ingredients, then ascend the mountain to cook here. Naturally, the quality and taste of the food was higher than anything the disciples of Bixia Sect could make.

Bixia Sect had very few disciples left, just enough to fill one table. Zhao Chiying stood up and offered a toast with a cup of wine, welcoming Yan Wushi’s visit and hoping that he wouldn’t mind the spartan state of the sect.

Yan Wushi left her quite a bit of face himself: he raised his own cup and said, “Sect Leader Zhao need not be so courteous. A-Qiao is soft and simple by nature. When the things and people he cares about are in question, I also can’t help but worry about them on his behalf.”

You came of your own volition, thought Shen Qiao. What does this have to do with me?

Zhao Chiying also found herself wondering, Why do these words sound so strange?

But she didn’t think too much about it and placed her cup down with a carefree smile. “Though we had a chef specially ascend the mountain to prepare this banquet, Lu cuisine is fairly different from that of Chang’an. I don’t know if it’ll suit Sect Leader Yan’s tastes. I hope you won’t mind, and feel free to eat as you wish.”

After the opening speech, everyone picked up their chopsticks and began to eat. Shen Qiao recalled the matter that Yan Wushi had brought up earlier concerning Han Eying. Since he was sitting next to Zhao Chiying at the banquet, he took the opportunity to ask her a few things.

As he expected, Zhao Chiying was astonished. “Yue-shixiong took Han Eying as his disciple while he was outside, so she only counts as an external disciple. Even I have never met her myself; there’s even less to be said about any relationship with Bixia Sect. Thank you, Daoist Master Shen, for telling me this. I’ll ask Yue-shixiong once I get back and take note of it myself.” Her tone was colored by dejection as she added, “With the way Bixia Sect is right now, though, even if she is seeking outside help, I doubt she’d pick this place.”

Shen Qiao tried to think up a solution for her. “Could you head down the mountain and recruit some talented disciples?”

“Daoxiong used to lead Xuandu Mountain,” said Zhao Chiying, “so forgive me for being forward, but may I ask how Xuandu Mountain went about recruiting disciples?”

“At the foot of Xuandu Mountain lies Xuandu Town,” Shen Qiao explained. “Though it’s small, it’s quite bustling, so every year, Xuandu Mountain would send people down the mountain to find disciples. We’d set up special areas within the town—anyone interested in entering the sect could go there to apply. When the time came, we’d accept them based on their aptitudes and dispositions.”

Zhao Chiying sighed. “I see. I was too forward with my question. Xuandu Mountain is the world’s foremost Daoist sect, so of course there’d be no dearth of disciples coming to apply of their own volition! And Daoxiong knows about Bixia Sect’s current situation as well. To be honest, there are potential disciples from farming families at the foot of the mountain who are willing to join us, but many of them are too old. Their parents see that they lack the strength for farm work, so they get sent up the mountain in search of a master. But those children are mostly of poor aptitude, and they have long passed the ideal age to begin their training in martial arts. On the other hand, those with better credentials are rarely willing to travel such long distances to Bixia Sect—they’d likely just enter another, nearer one. As time passes, the situation will only worsen.”

As the sect leader, she naturally had to take into account long-term considerations on behalf of her sect. The only thing that could support a sect was talent. Without talent, the sect would die off sooner or later.

Currently, a lack of that talent was Bixia Sect’s biggest problem. The disciples underneath Zhao Chiying and Yue Kunchi, like Fan Yuanbai and Zhou Yexue, were of only average aptitude. To put it bluntly, in the future, their martial skills would only be second or third-rate at best. It would be incredibly difficult for them to enter the ranks of first-rate experts. In the long run, Bixia Sect might meet its end in the hands of Fan Yuanbai and his ilk.

Shen Qiao could understand the pains she was undertaking. “In my view, Sect Leader Zhao, you’re still young—you need not worry so much. Perhaps given two to three years, you’ll be able to recruit some good disciples!”

Zhao Chiying gave a strained smile. “I can only continue with those thoughts in mind!”

Shen Qiao wanted to say more, but then a spoonful of soup entered his field of vision, accompanied by a tender voice: “Open your mouth.”

At Shen Qiao’s stare, Yan Wushi smiled slightly. “Don’t forget that you still owe me,” he said, his tone firm yet unruffled. “Is drinking this spoonful of soup criminal or inhumane? Or does it betray righteousness?”