Ein verlorenes Vermögen kann durch

Kapitel 9

“My mother learned martial arts from a strange man on Mount Emei when she was young, but she had nothing to do with the Emei Sect.”

Lanxi was abandoned at a young age and never knew who her parents were. She was adopted by a reclusive woman on Mount Emei. She entered the martial arts world at the age of 16 and became famous before she was 18.

At this moment, there was still half a month until the martial arts tournament. Chengdu was only a little over a hundred miles away from Qingcheng Mountain, so the two of them were not in a hurry to travel. They found a small inn near Qingyang Palace and stayed there.

Last night's heavy rain refreshed the stuffy air, and a moist breeze filled the air. The leaves of the trees, washed by the rain, were even greener and shinier.

The two strolled towards Huanhua Creek. After the rain, Huanhua Creek was clear and its waters flowed gently. Green trees and flowers lined the banks, and flocks of birds flew about. The further they walked, the more lush the trees became.

At this moment, the sun had risen high in the sky, and suddenly the sound of a very peculiar musical instrument came from ahead.

Junyu recognized it as a whistle made from bamboo leaves with a "hard-headed spring." She had heard her mother play it when she was a child and had also seen her mother make simple "musical instruments" using these bamboo leaves.

The two followed the sound and found two houses deep in the woods, with red bricks and green tiles, surrounded by lush grass and wildflowers, and golden sunflowers in full bloom.

There was no one in the house; the strange sound was coming from behind the house.

Junyu walked forward gently. On the hill behind the house stood a huge sycamore tree, and next to the tree stood a cenotaph. Smoke swirled around the grave, and several offerings of dried fruit were laid out.

A woman sat in front of the grave, and the strange music was coming from her.

Sensing someone behind her, the woman turned around abruptly. She appeared to be about thirty-five or thirty-six years old. Seeing that it was two young men, she asked with a hint of anger in her voice, "What brings you two here?"

"We are tourists who stumbled upon this place by accident. We are very sorry for disturbing you," Meng Yuanjing quickly said.

The woman glared at him, then looked at Junyu, noticing that he was staring intently at the tombstone in front of the cenotaph. The tombstone bore only five simple characters: "Tomb of Lanxisi." Meng Yuanjing also saw it then; the two exchanged a glance, both feeling a chill run down their spines.

"This is private property, tourists are not welcome, please leave," the woman said sullenly.

The two had no choice but to leave quickly.

“Junyu, it’s really strange that this woman is keeping your mother’s tombstone.”

Junyu was also a little puzzled: "I wonder if it's someone with the same name."

After walking for a while, the inn where they were staying came into view. They saw a man and a woman walking towards the inn from another direction; it was Zhu Yu and Shi Lanni.

Meng Yuanjing was shocked: "Lan Ni, what are you doing here?"

When Shi Lanni saw her cousin and Junyu, she turned away in alarm and dared not answer.

Zhu Yu was also somewhat surprised to see the two of them. She gave Jun Yu a cold look and turned to leave.

Shi Lanni immediately followed.

Just as Meng Yuanjing was about to chase after his cousin to stop her, two people came out of the inn to greet him. Both of them were dressed in the attire of the Qingcheng Sect. One of them was someone Meng Yuanjing recognized; he was a senior disciple of the Qingcheng Sect.

Upon seeing Meng Yuanjing, the man immediately said, "Young Master Meng, our sect leader invites you."

"good."

Meng Yuanjing turned around and saw that his cousin had already gone far away with Zhu Yu and could no longer catch up, so he had no choice but to agree. He then looked at Junyu and asked, "Do you want to come along?"

Junyu shook his head: "I came here mainly for sightseeing. You go and hand in the Alliance Leader's Token first, and I'll wait for you here."

"Okay, I'll come back after I hand over the token."

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Chapter 13: The Thirteenth Chapter

Meng Yuanjing has already set off with the disciples of the Qingcheng Sect and is estimated to return in five days. Junyu is not in a hurry and will take this opportunity to enjoy a leisurely tour of the Chengdu border.

That day, she rode her horse along the northern outskirts of the city. The crystal-clear Fu River stretched out along the way, its banks blooming with wild roses. After traveling another seven or eight li, she suddenly heard a melodious zither tune. Junyu stopped. At first glance, the music was elegant and gentle, like Buddhist music. But upon closer listening, it was like spring flowers and autumn moon, stirring a mix of inexplicable excitement and melancholy within her, then like a clear mountain stream and the bright moon among the pines—breathtakingly beautiful yet indescribable. The piece was one she had never heard before.

She stood there for a while, recalling a poem Li Bai once wrote about listening to a monk from Sichuan playing the zither:

Shu monk embracing green silk

Descending from Mount Emei

wave to me

Like listening to the pines in ten thousand valleys

Guest Heart Washing Flowing Water

The lingering sound enters the frosty bell

Before I knew it, the green hills were shrouded in dusk.

Autumn clouds darken several layers

The famous Zhaojue Temple is not far ahead, but the sound of the zither did not come from the temple, but from a small hillside opposite.

Junyu followed the sound and found a huge banyan tree on the hillside, its canopy suggesting it was about a thousand years old. Beneath the banyan tree sat a young monk in white hemp robes, playing the zither alone.

The music suddenly stopped, and the monk raised his head. He was only in his early twenties, and although he wore a coarse hemp robe, he possessed an extraordinary and distinguished air. In terms of demeanor alone, among all the people Junyu had ever seen, only Young Master Nongying could compare to him.

Junyu stepped forward and bowed, saying, "I'm sorry to disturb your refined enjoyment, Master. Could this piece be the legendary 'Guangling San'?"

The monk glanced at her, his eyes suddenly shining brightly, but his voice was clear and calm: "It is indeed 'Guangling San'."

The melody of *Guangling San* was lost after Ji Kang played it for the last time at the execution ground, and although many erroneous versions have been produced over the centuries, none are authentic. Once, the young master Nongying heard a hermit playing a later section of the melody on a snowy peak in the Tianshan Mountains, but when he tried to follow the sound to visit him, the hermit had vanished without a trace. The young master Nongying, with his profound understanding of music, immediately recorded this incomplete piece. Upon returning, he conducted extensive research and concluded that it was indeed the lost *Guangling San*. Junyu heard the young monk play the latter part of the melody, which was exactly the section the young master Nongying had recorded, hence his question.

"May I ask your Dharma name, Master?"

"My name is Tuosang."

"My name is Junyu. It was an honor to hear the 'Guangling San'. This trip was truly worthwhile."

Tuosang was clearly not from Sichuan. Junyu had been to many places and could understand most of the local dialects, but he could not tell where Tuosang came from at all from his accent.

Tuosang seemed to know what she was thinking and smiled slightly: "I have been playing this piece for a long time, but no one has ever recognized it as 'Guangling San'. Now that I have just arrived in Sichuan, I have met a kindred spirit. This is rare indeed. I will play another piece to repay my kindred spirit." After speaking, he played the strings again.

This piece was completely different in style from "Guangling San". Junyu listened quietly, as if it were not the sound of a zither, but a kindred spirit gently confiding in her. After a while, she couldn't help but take out a short flute that she always carried with her, and together with the zither music, she played "Flute Under the Moon".

Tuosang's zither playing softened slightly, yet it complemented the flute playing perfectly, creating a harmonious and seamless melody. The sounds of the zither and flute echoed through the forest like a babbling brook or flowers blooming under the moon. Tuosang looked up at her for a long while, then murmured repeatedly, "White hair feels like new, a brief encounter feels like old friends."

A sharp whistling sound suddenly came from afar, followed by the sounds of fierce fighting. Tuosang remained calm, his hands still playing the piano, and Junyu stood there quietly until the piece ended.

Tuosang gave her a deep look, put away his zither, smiled slightly, and with a flicker of his body, drifted away into the distance.

Junyu quickly took a few steps, leaping onto a large tree. On a clearing below the opposite hillside, a dozen or so men surrounded a burly Western Region monk in a yellow robe. The monk wielded a staff as thick as a bowl to meet the attack. The monk's skill was considerable, but under the combined assault of over a dozen experts, he was beginning to tire. Suddenly, a meteor hammer struck him from behind, aiming straight for his back. The monk, already entangled with three skilled swordsmen, was unable to turn and was on the verge of serious injury when, suddenly, the meteor hammer fell to the ground with a thud.

By this time, the group realized that a master was secretly helping the Western Region monk, and they immediately scattered. As soon as the Western Region monk had a chance to catch his breath, he dragged his staff and fled. He was clumsy, but his lightness skill was not weak. Five people chased after him, but after running a few steps, their legs gave way and they all fell to the ground.

The crowd rushed forward to help the injured person and found only 5 leaves on the ground.

Looking around, the trees were still and the sun was high; there wasn't a soul in sight.

Everyone was shocked. The hidden master had defeated five skilled fighters with just five leaves. The crowd dared not pursue any further and dejectedly went in the opposite direction.

Junyu could see clearly from the tree that a figure flashed by so quickly that she barely recognized him; it was vaguely Tuosang's back. Junyu was secretly shocked; this young monk actually possessed such profound skill.

The inn was nearly deserted in the morning. Junyu came down from the second floor and found several guests already having breakfast in the lobby. Among them, three men sat at a table, whispering to each other.

Junyu listened carefully, and one of the three, a middle-aged man with high cheekbones, said, "The gang leader is sure to win this gamble at Hanjing Garden today."

"Third brother!" The oldest man next to him glared at him fiercely. The man with high cheekbones dared not say anything more, and the three of them quickly got up, paid the bill, and left.

Junyu also got up and followed the three of them out.

Hanjing Garden, located 20 li east of the city, is the most famous garden in Sichuan. It flourished twenty years ago, then changed hands, and is now the stronghold of Guo Rencheng, the leader of the Sichuan Red Spear Society. Along the way, many martial arts practitioners carrying knives and swords appeared to be heading towards Hanjing Garden. Junyu followed the group at a leisurely pace; everyone seemed to be in a hurry, with little time to pay attention.

The gates of Hanjing Garden were wide open, and Junyu followed the others inside.

Inside a large, four-cornered pavilion, there was a rectangular table with a person sitting at each end. The elderly man in front, about fifty years old, was Guo Rencheng, the leader of the Sichuan Red Spear Society. Opposite him sat a large, fat man, Jiang Zhilin, who was selling Shi Lanni.

The crowd of onlookers was growing larger and larger. Guo Rencheng said in a gruff voice, "Brother Jiang, shall we begin?"

Jiang Zhilin smiled sinisterly: "Guo Piao, look carefully, this is 200,000 taels of silver notes, all hard currency from the four major money houses. One roll of dice is worth 100,000 taels."

Guo Rencheng said, "I don't have that much cash on hand."

Jiang Zhilin laughed loudly: "Guo Piao's assets are worth at least 200,000 taels of silver, and this Hanjing Garden is worth at least 500,000 taels. Let's say your bet is 700,000 taels. That's enough capital."

Guo Rencheng was furious, but he laughed loudly, "So Brother Jiang came for my Hanjing Garden. I'm afraid it won't be as you wish. Let's gamble this time." He handed over the dice, "Brother Jiang, take a good look."

Jiang Zhilin smiled and said, "You're the landlord, so you go first."

Guo Rencheng picked up the bowl and shook it. The six dice bounced and rolled in the large bowl. The dice teller lifted the lid and shouted, "Two sixes, one five, seventeen points, big!" Eighteen points was the highest possible score, and now Guo Rencheng had rolled a seventeen. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Jiang Zhilin smiled sinisterly again, raised his hand, and slightly moved his fingers. The dice clattered in the large bowl. The dice teller lifted the lid again and shouted, "Six red fours, a perfect suit!" A perfect suit was the highest possible score, and cold sweat poured down Guo Rencheng's face.

Jiang Zhilin took out another stack of silver notes and pushed them forward: "Old Guo, be quick about it, let's settle this in one go, this time we'll bet 500,000."

Guo Rencheng's face was contorted with bulging veins: "This time, you roll first." Jiang Zhilin nodded and laughed, "That'll be more straightforward." He flicked his fingers and threw the dice. Cold sweat broke out on the vendor's forehead. He lifted the bowl and shouted, "Six sixes, eighteen points and a perfect suit, a complete win!" According to the rules of dice rolling, a perfect suit of 18 points cannot be rolled any faster.

The onlookers were in an uproar, but Junyu noticed that Jiang Zhilin subtly moved his fingers each time he threw the dice, secretly channeling his inner strength, which was clearly stronger than Guo Rencheng's.

Just as the Red Spear Society members were about to rush forward, a group of people behind Jiang Zhilin stepped forward. Guo Rencheng's face turned pale, and he whispered, "Forget it, forget it, Hanjing Garden is yours."

Jiang Zhilin laughed loudly, "Old Guo, you can pack up your savings and leave now." Guo Rencheng was about to leave dejectedly when he suddenly saw a figure flash by. The seat he had just sat in was now occupied by someone. This person walked out silently from the crowd and sat down; it was a woman dressed in green and yellow. The woman was extremely petite, and it was the same woman he had seen a few days ago in front of the "Lanxi Si's Cenotaph" at Huanhua Creek.

The woman said coldly, "I'll take a gamble too."

Jiang Zhilin chuckled strangely: "I, a mere mortal, never gamble with women."

The woman said coldly, "You probably don't have a choice anymore."

Jiang Zhilin was furious, but said, "Who are you? Show me your betting stake."

The woman gave a cold laugh. "I, Shu Zhenzhen, will take this gamble with you. I have no interest in the Red Spear Society's businesses or your silver notes. I'll use these to bet on Hanjing Garden, and we'll settle the score in one go."

It turned out that this woman's name was Shu Zhenzhen. Junyu looked through the crowd and saw that she took out three items. The first item was three flawless, fist-sized red, blue, and green gemstones; the second item was a three-foot-long, crystal-clear red coral tree; and the third item was a sword manual with the four large characters "Hand in Hand Five Strings" written on the slightly yellowed Xuan paper.

The two treasures were priceless, but the sword manual she produced astonished everyone. This sword manual was actually a relic of Lan Xisi, a renowned swordswoman from 20 years ago.

Upon seeing the book "Playing the Five Strings," Junyu immediately understood that the tombstone the woman was offering was indeed her mother's cenotaph.

Jiang Zhilin's eyes lit up, and after a pause, he laughed and said, "These gems and corals alone are worth a gamble. As for the sword manual, I don't know if it's real or fake."

Shu Zhenzhen gave a cold laugh: "You'll know once you gamble."

"Alright, I'll take the bet." Jiang Zhilin laughed. "Miss Shu, who's going first this round?"

Shu Zhenzhen said, "I'll go first."

Everyone could see how powerful Jiang Zhilin's hand was when she threw out 18 points and all colors. Gamblers always sympathize with the losers, and of course, as long as the winner wasn't themselves, and seeing such a clever woman, they couldn't help but feel a chill for her.

Shu Zhenzhen picked up the dice, didn't even look at them, and casually threw them. The vendor at the dice stall lifted the bowl, his voice trembling: "Two twos, one one, five points, small." The crowd was in an uproar. Rolling dice and getting one, two, or three results in a loss, and the smallest possible result is four. Now that Shu Zhenzhen had rolled a five, it was practically a guaranteed loss.

Shu Zhenzhen remained silent, sitting there quietly. Jiang Zhilin, his face beaming with joy, gripped the dice and gently tossed them. The voice of the clapper was almost hoarse: "One, two, four."