Meister der Mehrdeutigkeit

Kapitel 93

Extra: Happy Spring is Coming [Part 2]

The next day, Huai Ren stood in the open space in the village, looking at the large group of children sitting on the ground in front of him, and felt at a loss.

Thinking back to when he once commanded an army of ten thousand men on the battlefield, and challenged masters of the martial arts world single-handedly... But now, it all seems like a passing cloud. At this moment, is there anything more troublesome than these kids?

“Uh…” He paused, “Repeat after me… The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. Nameless, it is the origin of heaven and earth; named, it is the mother of all things…”

The children looked at him blankly.

"Hero, what is this?" Qi Xiu asked, sitting cross-legged in front of him and reaching out her hand.

“The Tao Te Ching…” he began, in response.

"...Is there anything simpler?" Qi Xiu asked.

“This is the simplest…” he said calmly.

Qi Xiu frowned. "Wow, hero, are you deliberately getting revenge on me?"

He turned his head, looked at Xiao Xiao who was playing by herself, and said, "Xiao Xiao, the Tao that can be told..."

The little boy grabbed a handful of mud, playing and reciting: "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name. Nameless, it is the origin of heaven and earth; named, it is the mother of all things. Therefore, always without desire, one can observe its mystery; always with desire, one can observe its manifestations. These two arise from the same source but have different names; they are both called profound. Profound and yet more profound, the gateway to all mysteries..."

Qi Xiu was speechless.

He smiled faintly, a hint of smugness in his expression.

After a while, the children, who had been sitting quietly, started playing and making a ruckus.

"Are you courting death?!" Qi Xiu stood up and roared, "Everyone sit down properly! Anyone who disobeys will be punished..."

"Auntie, Ah Heng didn't come at all! If anyone should be punished, he should be punished first!" A child stood up and spoke righteously.

Qi Xiu frowned. "That little brat! Everyone, let's go find him!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the children scattered in a flash, looking for her everywhere.

"Miss Qi, are you deliberately getting revenge on me?" Huai Ren asked with a smile, mimicking Qi Xiu's tone.

Qi Xiu turned around, looked at him, and then pointed to the side with a serious expression, saying, "Xiao Xiao went after her too..."

He was slightly startled and turned his head. Sure enough, he saw Xiao Xiao waving her arms and running happily. He glanced at Qi Xiu, said nothing more, and chased after her.

Qi Xiu chuckled, "Everything has its counter..."

...

...This is a dividing line to show how much fun Xiaoxiao and her master are having chasing each other = =+...

About three miles outside the cave, there was a stream, its banks lined with blooming wintersweet, dotted with snowflakes. Qi Heng stood by the stream, tossing small stones into it.

Suddenly, someone grabbed him from behind. He was startled, and then heard a soft voice behind him, "Gotcha!"

He turned his head and saw Xiaoxiao looking excited, hugging his waist and refusing to let go.

"Xiao Xiao..." Huai Ren finally caught up. Seeing the situation in front of him, he sighed heavily, took a few steps forward, and said, "Stop messing around and let go quickly."

Little Xiao laughed happily, "I caught it!"

"I know, you caught him. Let go now," Huai Ren said helplessly.

Xiao Xiao laughed and let go, then turned around and hugged Huai Ren's leg, "Gotcha!"

Huai Ren froze. "Xiao Xiao, let go..."

The little one smiled to herself and held her tightly.

Huai Ren was both amused and exasperated; with the baby in his arms, he could barely move. He had no choice but to bend down and pick the little one up.

Seeing this, Qi Heng frowned deeply. He turned around angrily, preparing to leave.

"Where are you going?" Huai Ren called out to him.

"None of your business!" Qi Heng turned around and shouted at him.

“I’m not concerned about you…” Huai Ren smiled, looking at the little one in his arms, “I just want to know in advance where I can find this child next time.”

Qi Heng was speechless after being refuted. After a long while, he gritted his teeth and said, "You are not a person from Xiufeng at all, so why are you still here!"

“It was your aunt who asked me to stay and teach,” Huai Ren replied calmly.

"Teaching?" Qi Heng shouted, "What's the use of studying!"

"You don't want to study?" Huai Ren said. "Then, do you want to become a bandit?"

"Xiufeng Village is a den of bandits. So what if we're bandits? Are bandits ashamed to be out in the light?!" Qi Heng retorted angrily.

"With your abilities? Who can you rob?" Huai Ren said with a hint of disdain.

Upon hearing this, Qi Heng was filled with rage and charged forward, shouting.

Holding Xiao Xiao, Huai Ren's hands were naturally tied, but he still wore a smile. He dodged Qi Heng's attack, raised his leg, and pressed it against Qi Heng's shoulder, applying slight pressure.

Qi Heng felt a weight on his shoulders and had no choice but to kneel down. He gritted his teeth, glaring defiantly at Huai Ren.

“Children should study diligently,” Huai Ren said.

"I don't want to study! I want to practice martial arts! I want revenge!" Qi Heng shouted.

"Revenge?" Huai Ren asked, puzzled.

"Yes! I want revenge! I want to find the murderer who killed my father! I want to avenge everyone in Xiufeng Village!" Qi Heng shouted, tears streaming down his face.

Huai Ren was silent for a moment, then moved the leg off his shoulder and asked, "Do you really want to learn martial arts?"

Qi Heng stared at him without saying a word.

Huai Ren smiled and said, "I'll make a deal with you..."

Qi Heng remained silent.

Huai Ren freed one hand, took out a small wooden box from his pocket, and handed it to Qi Heng.

Qi Heng looked at the wooden box warily.

"This box of 'Snow-Refined Silver Light' is a top-grade assassination weapon. As long as you study diligently from now on, I will teach you how to use silver needles. How about it?" Huai Ren's tone was nonchalant.

Qi Heng took the wooden box, opened it, and found countless tiny silver needles inside, gleaming with a cold, bluish light.

"You're not lying to me?" Qi Heng looked up, half believing and half doubting.

Huai Ren smiled faintly, picked up a needle, and with a flick of his wrist, shot it into the wintersweet tree. In an instant, the tree trunk trembled, and the wintersweet blossoms and snow scattered from the branches. The silver needle pierced through the trunk and stuck to the ground, faintly gleaming with a cold light.

Qi Heng was stunned. Then, he ran behind the tree, picked up the needle, and held it in his palm.

“Every day at Shen Shi (3-5 PM), I will teach you acupuncture techniques here.”

After Huai Ren finished speaking, he carried Xiao Xiao back to the village.

As soon as they entered the cave, they saw a large group of local gentry gathered together, speaking righteously and solemnly.

"Found her! This is the woman! Shameless! Selling erotic pictures outside our academy!" A local gentryman recognized Qi Xiu at a glance, pointed at her, and said.

Upon seeing this, the crowd rushed forward and angrily rebuked them, using extremely harsh language.

The women and children in the village all looked fearful, and no one dared to argue back.

"You shameless scoundrels are a cancer! Today we will drive you out of this place to protect the name of the sages!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Xiu knelt down, tears streaming down her face, and said, "No... I won't do it again. Please, gentlemen, have mercy on me, a widow and her orphan... I will apologize to the Emperor right now..."

The local gentry remained unmoved, saying, "Orphans and widows? There's always a reason why someone is pitiful. Your Xiufeng Village is a bandit gang, robbing and plundering, committing all sorts of evil deeds! You even have a history of tomb raiding! This is retribution for the wicked! Who can you blame?!"

Qi Xiu cried, "I dare not do it again... I swear to God, I will never dare to do it again. If I sell these things again, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death! Please let me go..."

Her cries were heart-wrenching, her words earnest, and her appearance utterly pitiful. The assembled gentry, mostly elderly men, were gradually moved.

"To err is human, to forgive divine. Let her off this time..."

"Alas, how can the words of a scoundrel like Robber Zhi be trusted? If we do not set the record straight today, who knows what evil deeds he might commit in the future!"

The dispute among the local gentry was irreconcilable, and after a long time, they finally settled the matter peacefully, adhering to the principles of Confucius and Mencius.

"You bandits of Xiufeng, we'll let you go this time. The villagers are kind and will keep you here, but remember to pay your land taxes and rents on time!"

After uttering some harsh words, the local gentry dispersed in small groups.

Qi Xiu stood up, dusted herself off, and wiped away her tears. "Oh no... we're still six coins short of this year's land tax..."

Qi Xiu looked up and saw Huai Ren. She remained silent for a long time, then smiled and said, "By the way, who is Dao Zhi?"

Huai Ren thought for a moment, "I don't know him."

Qi Xiu sighed, "Those old men always talk about him like they know him very well. I thought he was a celebrity, but I didn't expect you didn't know him either."

"Birds of a feather flock together," Huai Ren said.

Qi Xiu frowned. "Hero, to put it simply."

Huai Ren smiled faintly, "They really know each other well."

Qi Xiu laughed and stopped talking.

...

As night fell, Qi Xiu rushed into Huai Ren's room carrying a large pile of papers.

"Hero!!!" she cried out, "You have to help me this time!!!"

Huai Ren was writing when her shout caused his pen to slip and the writing to go astray. He looked up, slightly annoyed, and said, "Knock on the door!"

Qi Xiu said matter-of-factly, "People of the martial world don't concern themselves with such trivialities. You're not some young lad, so don't be so bothered by it!"

His pen wobbled again. He had no choice but to put down what he was doing and look up. "What do you want?"

Qi Xiu placed the pile of papers on the table and said, "I'm still six qian of silver short for this year's land rent, which is due in three days. Only you can help me!"

"Help with what?"

Qi Xiu took out three erotic picture books, "You draw ten copies of each book! I can't manage it all by myself!"

"I'm sleepy." Huai Ren turned around and prepared to go to bed.

"Hero!!! How could you be so heartless!!!" Qi Xiu went up and grabbed his arm.

"Didn't you swear a solemn oath not to sell these things anymore?"