The two exchanged a glance, both understanding each other's meaning: as disciples of Mount Shu, even if their skills were lacking, they had no reason to fear those ruffians and thugs from that day. Yet, not only had they been shoved with soup and extorted for money that night, but they had also been obsequiously apologetic. Fengling Ferry was already very close to Mount Shu, and the Mount Shu sect was renowned throughout the martial arts world, let alone being so close. Even if they were hesitant to act due to their status as monks, simply displaying the name of the Mount Shu sect would be enough to scare away those ruffians without a fight. Why should they swallow their anger to this extent? Moreover, how could that short, fat man have tolerated such a harsh attitude towards Luo Heng that night at the moor?
Mo Xi thought to himself: I've never heard of a Taoist priest descending the mountain to disguise himself as a merchant. These two were so restrained that night; there must be something fishy going on. And that short, fat man, "Weight Cart," was so fearless. After Luo Heng questioned him, he even brazenly wore the jade pendant on his waist. Clearly, this man was not one to keep a low profile. That night at the inn, the two only sought to avoid trouble; their actions must be extraordinary, even trying to conceal their identities as disciples of Mount Shu.
The three held their breath and waited. Finally, a small monkey darted up to "the weight" and "the straw," looking up at them curiously. Mo Xi gave Mu Fengting a wink. Mu Fengting nodded and flicked a pine cone he had been holding at the monkey's forehead, hitting it squarely. The monkey seemed to be in pain, rubbing its head with its left hand and waving its right hand at "the straw" and "the weight" right in front of it. Mo Xi gave Mu Fengting an approving look; a perfect strike, a successful frame-up.
The little monkey squeaked, expressing its strong dissatisfaction. Suddenly, a larger female monkey rushed up, grabbed the little monkey behind her, and swung her long arm to throw a stone at the two of them.
"Weighted Weight" was also quite skilled, and he lightly stepped back to dodge. Unexpectedly, the mother monkey, seeing her revenge thwarted, angrily circled in place. Several other monkeys nearby had already gathered around. At this moment, Mu Fengting struck again, this time hitting the mother monkey's knee with a small pebble the size of a soybean. Hitting a joint is the most painful, and she indeed grimaced in pain, instantly becoming furious, screeching loudly, presumably calling to her companions.
A moment later, several monkeys approached and surrounded the "weight" and the "wheat stalk." Two of the strongest monkeys suddenly pounced, one snatching the jade pendant from the "weight" and waving it defiantly in front of him. Seeing this, Mo Xi thought to himself: Yes!
The other monkey was even more ruthless, directly ripping off the tall, thin man's belt. The tall, thin man let out a strange cry, utterly embarrassed and disheveled. To avoid further embarrassment, he could only quickly pull up his pants. Several Taoist priests nearby also witnessed the commotion, but merely chuckled and did not step forward to help. Perhaps they had seen it many times before, or perhaps they knew that monkeys were not to be trifled with.
Mu Fengting glanced at Mo Xi beside him, surprised to find her calm and even a slight smile playing on her lips. Slightly taken aback, he quickly turned away to continue observing the situation.
The two monkeys, one fat and one thin, remained calm, knowing the monkey troop was not to be trifled with, and simply retreated without retaliating. After successfully striking their target, the two monkeys let out a few triumphant cries and quickly ran back to their mother, as if boasting of their achievement or volunteering to act as bodyguards. The mother monkey cried out a few more times, then crouched down, letting the baby monkey climb onto her back, and led the way into the forest. The other monkeys scattered upon seeing this.
Monkeys generally don't actively fight to the death with humans; they'll just steal something, retaliate, and tease them.
The two Taoist priests finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Weight Cart" angrily flicked his sleeves twice and said, "Being robbed by a monkey is really bad luck."
"Wheat Stalk" said, "Forget it, why bother arguing with a beast? That thing might not even be a lucky charm, so it's fine if it's lost."
"Weight Weight" kept cursing and swearing, while "Wheat Stalk" kept trying to persuade him. The two gradually walked away.
Mo Xi and Mu Fengting had already used their lightness skills to follow the monkey that had snatched the jade pendant into the forest. The two chased it straight into the depths of the woods.
The monkey that had snatched the jade pendant darted into a cave, emerging a moment later with its hands empty. The two dared not act rashly, lest they be surrounded by the monkeys, and thus proceeded according to plan.
Mu Fengting took out his ever-present wine flask, uncapped it, and took one last, wistful look at it before reluctantly sprinkling some on the ground to let the aroma diffuse. He then leaned the flask against a large rock. This fruit wine was homemade, much sweeter and more mellow than any elsewhere. Yesterday, when Mo Xi asked him if he had any wine, he genuinely thought she had deliberately tried to make him feel bad by suggesting it. This kind of fragrant and sweet fruit wine was a favorite among monkeys. The two of them, having made their arrangements, leaped lightly into the air and hid high in a tree, quietly waiting for the monkeys to take the bait.
Sure enough, a bold monkey soon crept over to steal a drink. Seeing him drink, other monkeys followed in twos and threes. Eventually, all the monkeys rushed in to grab a drink.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, about a dozen monkeys near the cave had drunk the wine. The first few to drink were already staggering and slipping. Then, one after another, "plop" sounds rang out as the monkeys collapsed into the snow, unconscious. It wasn't just because they were drunk; the wine also contained a small dose of a sleeping potion. Needless to say, "Mufengting" brand medicine is an essential remedy for home and travel.
After the monkeys had been mostly subdued, the two carefully made their way into the cave. The cave wasn't deep, and the light coming in from the entrance was enough to see what was inside.
Good heavens, this is a perfect hiding place for stolen goods. It has everything imaginable: snuff bottles, sachets, rouge boxes, mirrors, teacups, chopsticks…
It was Mu Fengting who spotted the bow-shaped jade pendant. The two dared not linger and left the cave. Mu Fengting retrieved the wine pouch, and the two returned together to their dwelling.
Luo Heng had been anxiously waiting for them. Seeing that the two had indeed obtained the jade pendant, he hurriedly took it with both hands, his heart pounding with emotion, making it difficult to hold it.
This jade pendant is as thin as a knife, with a translucent and even color. It is made of celadon jade and features two symmetrical dragons along the central line, both looking back at each other. The dragons' bodies are broad and dynamic, decorated with raised grain patterns. The center of the pendant is carved with cloud patterns, and there are small holes at the top and two lower corners for threading a cord.
The jade pendant is engraved with the words: "If I live, I will return; if I die, I will long for you forever."
Mo Xi knew that this line was taken from Su Wu's "Farewell to My Wife":
"We became husband and wife, our love unwavering. Joy fills this evening, a beautiful and auspicious time. The traveler, longing for his distant journey, rises to see how late the night is. The stars have all set, and now he must depart. He will be serving on the battlefield, with no hope of reunion. We hold hands in a long, joyful farewell, tears streaming down our faces. Cherish the beauty of spring, and never forget these joyful moments. If I live, I will return; if I die, I will forever yearn for you."
Luo Heng must have engraved this line because his state of mind resonated with the poem.
All three knew that this item must belong to Luo Heng's first wife. For a moment, even Mu Fengting was at a loss for words.
Luo Heng gently stroked the precious jade with the calloused pad of his thumb, worn smooth by years of military service, his heart aching. He murmured repeatedly, "If I live, I will return; if I die, I will forever long for you." Two streams of hot tears rolled down his cheeks as he hoarsely cried, "I have returned, but why did you not wait for me..." His haggard and heartbroken appearance was truly unbearable to look at.
After Mu Fengting had calmed down a bit, he said, "This matter still needs to be inquired about by Sect Leader Qu."
Mo Xi nodded inwardly. This matter had escalated to the point where there was nothing more to manage. The outcome was now entirely up to Luo Heng's fate. However, his wife was likely in grave danger.
No sooner had Mu Fengting finished speaking than Luo Heng rushed out. Mu Fengting followed him like a gust of wind. Mo Xi originally didn't want to get involved anymore, but she was already involved in this matter, and if she didn't know how things were developing, she would be put on the defensive and unable to cope, so she followed him out.
The two of them quickly caught up with Luo Heng. After some persuasion, Luo Heng agreed not to act impulsively.
The reputation of Mufengting's "Muyanzhai" editorial team proved effective, and Qu Yao quickly received them.
Fearing that Luo Heng's words might be too harsh and put Qu Yao, the sect leader, in an awkward position, Mu Fengting quickly recounted the events, describing the appearance of the "weight" but omitting the part about deliberately framing the victim and getting the monkey drunk, only saying that the jade pendant was found.
After listening, Qu Yao pondered for a moment before saying, "Brother Luo, please don't be anxious. I'll call someone over and ask." He paused, then murmured, "Who doesn't have something they cherish?" As he spoke, he took out a jade pendant, shaped like a butterfly, from his pocket, and gently stroked it, as if it had touched his heart. His expression was tender and sorrowful. But after a moment, he seemed to wake up, quickly put the jade pendant back in his pocket, and cleared his throat as if to cover up his embarrassment.
Mo Xi thought to himself: The tone of his last sentence was melancholy and wistful, more like a soliloquy than a speech to us. The treasured possession he mentioned was naturally the jade pendant in his hand, shaped like a butterfly. Who would have thought that the "dignified" Sect Leader Qu also had a past of romantic escapades.
"Weightlifter" arrived quickly, and upon seeing Luo Heng in the hall, his expression immediately turned grim.
Qu Yao, abandoning his usual humility, sternly addressed "Weight Cart": "Yuanwu, Brother Luo said this jade pendant is a family heirloom, given to his wife before parting. Tell me, how did you obtain this jade pendant!" He then stared intently at Yuanwu.
Yuanwu knelt down with a thud and said, "Sect Leader, please forgive me this time. I found this jade pendant when I was doing volunteer work at the 'Jishan Hall' at the foot of the mountain. I was tempted by greed and deserve to die. When Brother Luo asked me yesterday, I was confused and afraid that telling the truth would bring shame upon the people of Shu Mountain. Please forgive me this time." After saying this, he kowtowed three times to Luo Heng.
Mo Xi and Mu Fengting exchanged bewildered glances. This man's words and actions were so contradictory. Was it because Qu Yao held such great power that he dared not act recklessly? Even if he had been arrogant before but obsequious because of Qu Yao, there was no need for him to kowtow to Luo Heng, let alone kowtow three times.
Qu Yao said solemnly, "Is your punishment of ten days of confinement acceptable?"
Yuanwu, moved to tears, said, "Thank you, Sect Leader. Thank you, Brother Luo, for your mercy."
Luo Heng was at a loss for words after seeing Yuanwu's actions. After all, while returning lost property is certainly a good thing, even if one were to embezzle what they found, it wouldn't be a major crime, especially since the person had already kowtowed and apologized.
Mo Xi thought to himself: I never imagined Qu Yao was so talented. Yuanwu is "Yuanwu," a Daoist name that perfectly captures the essence of the character. How wonderful! However, "Yuanwu" readily admitted that the jade pendant didn't belong to him and put on a repentant act, making it impossible to retaliate at all. This matter is becoming increasingly suspicious.
Having finally obtained this tiny clue, Luo Heng was far from giving up. However, having no other recourse, he knelt daily in the snow beneath the eaves of the "Bixiao Pavilion," directly opposite the three-character plaque, hoping to move Qu Yao to investigate the matter thoroughly. Luo Heng knelt from sunrise to sunset each day, and no matter how much Mu Fengting tried to persuade him, he remained steadfast, leaving Mu Fengting with no choice but to let him continue.
On this day, Qu Yao took the initiative to send someone to invite Mo Xi to see him. Mo Xi knew that there was progress in Cheng Ying's matter, and for a moment he felt a little nervous and excited.
When Mo Xi arrived at the "Azure Cloud Pavilion," she saw Luo Heng still kneeling upright in the snow. The weather was unusually fine, but the snow was blindingly white in the sunlight, making his figure appear particularly desolate. Mo Xi could only walk past silently. What right did she have to advise others? Everyone has their own obsessions; only they can save themselves.
Stepping into the hall, one finds Mufeng Pavilion there as well.