Qingshan Wild Man Valley

Chapter 21

Xu Yi used to be quite remarkable. His original surname was Wang, and he was from Qingcheng. He came from a tea-farming background.

Eleven years ago, in the fourth year of the Chunhua era, Xu Yi said, "I am disgusted by the inequality between the rich and the poor, and now I will equalize it for you." This statement was significant, as it implied the gathering of a crowd to recruit soldiers and launch a rebellion.

The uprising was not small in scale, and it shook Bianliang (Kaifeng), the capital of the Eastern Capital. Chengdu Prefecture was abolished, and the imperial court sent troops to suppress it. Xu Yi, as the initiator and the soul of the uprising, was shot in the forehead by an arrow from the inspector of Xichuan in the twelfth month of that year. The arrow did not kill him, but instead made him suddenly see the light in his eyes. He jumped up and killed the inspector of Xichuan.

Xu Yi later disappeared, but when he reappeared, he had changed his appearance and became the successor of the renowned physician who "cherished life like gold."

In fact, his reappearance and widespread fame brought him unpredictable risks. After his disappearance, the rebel army, led by his brother-in-law Li Shun, continued to fight the imperial court to the death. However, the people cannot fight against the officials, and that peasant uprising, which lasted for three years and spanned the entire province of Sichuan, ultimately ended in failure. But with remnants still remaining and bandits still to be eradicated, if Xu Yi's true identity were to be revealed, no one could guarantee what kind of uproar it would cause in the court, among the common people, and even in the martial arts world.

I listened, stunned. Yan Chaohong continued, saying that a few days ago, Xu Yi's wife died. Xu Yi was devastated and his spirit was broken; he was on the verge of death. Yan Chaohong was eager for Xu Yi to die, as long as it wasn't because of the Apricot Yellow Banner Order, so he could retire peacefully and honorably.

"How can this person be so heartless!" Mingming shook his head and sighed bitterly. "I've also figured out Mingming's identity now. Mingming's adoptive father is the steward of Yan Chaohong's father's stronghold, so Mingming naturally considers himself a servant. In front of Yan Chaohong, he calls him 'Young Master' all the time. This time, I'm accompanying Yan Chaohong on business, partly to clean up his messes, and partly to keep an eye on their Liangshan stronghold's most precious Young Master Yan, making sure he doesn't offend any taboos in the martial arts world and get killed."

Yan Chaohong made a big hole in the roof of Xu Yi's house, and I, the sister-in-law who had no one to take me in, peeked inside.

The room was brightly lit, and a little girl knelt before a bed with hanging curtains. "Godfather...!" the little girl cried. "Godfather, please don't do this... Jinwan is so scared of you. You can't abandon Jinwan, Godfather... Godfather... look at me, look at me..."

"The young lady's crying is so heart-wrenching," I commented as I watched.

Mingming agreed, saying, "It's truly lamentable."

Yan Chaohong suddenly reached out to draw their attention to himself. "Someone's here," he said nervously. Before he could finish speaking, a series of hurried footsteps sounded, followed by an old man shouting, "Young Master Zhuang, you'd better go back quickly! My wife has asked me not to see you. Don't make things difficult for me!"

The man called "Third Young Master Zhuang" walked further and further away, and suddenly pushed open the door in front of Xu Yi's room: "Xu Jinwan, you come out here!"

“How many times have they come?” Yan Chaohong sighed, then suddenly realized, “There are still people here!”

“You all stay here and keep watch,” Yan Chaohong said with a sinister smile as she turned around. “I’m going to meet that stunning beauty.”

After saying that, he flew away, leaving me and Xu Xiaoming alone in the middle of the night, with no one around, sitting on the roof of Xu Yi's house to stargaze.

"Mingming," I asked the taciturn man beside me, whose face clearly wore an expression of honesty and integrity, "how old are you?"

"Yes!" Xu Xiaoming immediately lowered his head. "Young lady Qingshan, I will be twenty-four next month."

"About the same as me."

"Sister-in-law Qingshan...?"

"So what do you usually do for entertainment?"

"Yes!" Xu Xiaoming lowered his head again. "Young Master Qingshan, when I have nothing to do, I will learn to cook a few Hunan dishes from my godfather. Young Master likes to eat them."

I nodded. "Good man."

Xu Xiaoming lowered his head even further, "But now my godfather is gone..." His voice was a little hoarse, and he stopped halfway through his sentence.

"It's alright." I cautiously patted the shoulder of this man I wasn't very familiar with. "A parent outliving their child isn't necessarily a tragedy, is it?"

“Yes…” Xu Xiaoming lowered his head, and after a long while, he finally managed to utter this single word in a low, melancholic tone.

I don't know why, but now I get itchy when I see people with their heads down and eyes drooping. When did I develop this bad habit? Xu Xiaoming kept his head down, and I just kept looking at him and thinking how cute he was. So cute, so cute, I felt like my mouth was about to water.

"Besides cooking, what other hobbies do you have?" I decided to cater to his interests and talk to him about them, so that he would feel that I was a good woman who understood him and was very intelligent.

"Reading Buddhist scriptures." Xu Xiaoming's hair was illuminated by the moonlight, his face was slightly lowered and hidden in the light, and the smooth and natural contours of his cheeks made people's minds wander.

“Buddhist scriptures are wonderful.” I agreed without thinking, taking a flattering approach. “It’s amazing what you don’t know until you hear it—I’m actually a Buddhist too. You didn’t realize, did you? We share the same faith and have similar interests!”

"Really?" Mingming looked up, a joy in his eyes that didn't quite match his deep voice. "You also believe in the six realms of reincarnation and the universal salvation of Buddhism?"

"Of course!"

"Of course what?" Yan Chaohong flew back, raising an eyebrow at me and Xu Xiaoming. "I accidentally kicked that beauty Xiao Chenchen, and she probably won't be able to get out of bed for ten days or half a month!"

"Ignore him!" I waved my hand and turned to the honest Mingming again. "You know, I'm a devout Buddhist, it's just..." I glanced down at my bright red seasonal dress. Why would I wear this for no reason? It's not like I'm having a wedding. "Yeah..." I smiled at Xu Xiaoming. "I just happened to be dressed a bit more flamboyantly today. I don't usually dress like this. I really am a Buddhist."

Mingming shook her head. "Buddha said that all things are empty, and outward appearances and clothing are all illusions. It doesn't matter."

"Are you talking about Buddha?" Yan Chaohong seized the opportunity to lean in and interject, then asked me, "What? You believe in Buddha too? Then let me ask you, did you just decide to believe, or have you believed since you were a child—hey, slow down," Yan Chaohong pointed to the sky, "in the name of Buddha."

I glared at Yan Chaohong, “...both.”

"What?" Yan Chaohong raised an eyebrow. "I didn't hear you clearly. What did you say?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," I whispered into Yan Chaohong's ear, "I have—everything!"

"Someone's going to die!" Yan Chaohong immediately covered my mouth. "We're protecting you secretly, what are you yelling about in the middle of the night?!"

"You're the one who asked me what to say!" I pouted.

“Young Master Qingshan,” Mingming’s voice was low and made people feel very comfortable, “I suppose you have read many Buddhist scriptures in your daily life,” he asked seriously, “so in your experience of practicing Buddhism, what part do you feel most deeply about and which part has had the most profound impact on you?”

"During the process of practicing Buddhism..." I pondered, "what have you experienced most deeply?"

Mingming nodded.

"What influenced me the most?"

Mingming nodded again.

"Um...that..." Actually, I wanted to say that we Chinese don't believe in Buddhism. There are more atheists among us Chinese. We don't talk about Buddhist principles; we only talk about ethics... But, Mingming is looking at me. I really regret that Zhejiang remade "Journey to the West." Why didn't I take a closer look? Maybe I could have even come up with some Buddhist teachings. So I decided that if Gao Xixi remade "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," I would definitely go see it if I could catch it. "Um..." Mingming is waiting for me. I can't give up. I slowly calmed down and thought about it. "Well, the one who influenced me the most, I think, is...the Buddha."

"The Buddha?!" Yan Chaohong covered her mouth and laughed, and I glared back at him with the force of a mountain-piercing warrior.

Mingming looked up at me carefully for a while before asking again, "When you study Buddhism, do you ever have any doubts? Buddhist scriptures teach that cause and effect, and the cycle of retribution, are inescapable, but in the end, good people are punished while evil people go unpunished. Have you ever doubted whether the Buddha can truly save all sentient beings and rescue people from danger?"

"Mingming..." I sighed, "Good question! It really is a good question!"

Seeing my exhausted face, Xu Xiaoming felt embarrassed and quickly added, "What I meant was that we both believe in the Buddha, but sometimes when you sincerely pray to the Buddha, you don't receive any response from him. At times like these, it's really hard not to doubt whether the Buddha truly exists in this world and whether he is always watching over all sentient beings. After all, many times, he seems so far away to me. I wonder what you think, Miss Qingshan?"

"Yes!" I nodded first.

Mingming smiled, her face full of piety and her eyes full of determination.

“But there’s something,” I said again, “that I feel it’s necessary to explain to you.”

Mingming nodded. "Go on."

"So, as I said, this Buddha... he was actually made up by Shakyamuni himself—"

"Cough!" Yan Chaohong was the first to choke.

I turned away, ignoring him, and continued to ask Mingming, "Do you believe in the gods watching over you? Taoism and Buddhism coexist, but who is more powerful, Yuanshi Tianzun or Tathagata Buddha? So religions are just something to provide emotional support when your heart is vulnerable. You can believe in them, but don't become obsessed. Like that stupid question you just asked, anyone with a brain knows that you can't expect a response when you pray to someone who doesn't exist! That person is fake, so how could you expect them to look after all living beings?"

"Cough..." Yan Chaohong choked on her own words again, "Cough cough cough cough..."

"What are you coughing for!" I turned around and glared at Yan Chaohong. "How old are you? You still choke on your own saliva?"

After Yan Chaohong finished coughing, she pointed at Xu Xiaoming, whose face had changed, and said, "I told him this before, that all gods and Buddhas are lies, but he just wouldn't believe it—by the way, we also discussed a problem last time, so I'll ask for your opinion this time."

"What's the problem?" I asked curiously.

"Young Master!" Xu Xiaoming shook his head vigorously at Yan Chaohong.

Yan Chaohong ignored him and turned to me, saying, "The question is, is it really necessary for Buddhists to observe the precept against sexual misconduct? And as a lay disciple of Shaolin Temple," she said, glancing at Xu Xiaoming's face, "marrying is fine, but what's wrong with having sex before marriage? I said it's fine, I clearly said it's not fine, so tell me, is it or not?!"

"Oh..." I nodded vigorously at Yan Chaohong, "You've finally mentioned my major!"

Searching for people on the street

I didn't see the sunrise in Chengdu. I woke up in the small house that Yan Chaohong rented. I yawned and nudged the man next to me who was lying face down, fast asleep with his bare bottom exposed. "Xiao Hong, Xiao Hong, you said you'd go to Xu Yi's house to replace Mingming when the sun was high in the sky. Now the sun is almost setting. Do you want to work Mingming to death?"

“Little Green Mountain…” Yan Chaohong followed my scent, turned over and hugged me, then pulled me into his arms and we both fell down together. “You’re not good. You were calling my name this morning, but you’re already thinking about Mingming again so soon.”

"Mingming is better than you." I pushed Yan Chaohong away, sat up straight, and put on my clothes. As for the so-called one-night stand, I remember my boyfriend had given me special permission. No, it should be that I allowed him to party to his heart's content every Friday night, and he gave me even more lenient terms in return. Let's just live like this until we break up. When we meet, we don't say anything. Who knows what happened?

Actually, my relationship with my boyfriend is already dead in name only.

Anyway, there's no loyalty to uphold anymore. I've been eating vegetarian food all winter, and the last time I fell in the arms of a man whose country I'd never even heard of. Oh well, at least there's one thing I'm sure of: I'm not ovulating right now.

Despite her words, Yan Chaohong didn't delay her washing up or eating. I had just finished tying my hair up and was standing in the courtyard, fiddling with my teeth with toothpaste, when Yan Chaohong, looking refreshed, hugged me from behind. "Little Qingshan, I'm leaving. I've put ten taels of silver on the table. You can go out and wander around by yourself later, but be careful not to get lost. If you encounter any bad people, just say my name. Don't let my appearance fool you," Yan Chaohong grinned fiercely at my face, "I'm actually very ruthless!"

"Get lost!" I pushed Yan Chaohong away with my butt, and Yan Chaohong chuckled and left.

I tidied myself up, took a deep breath, and went out alone with the money in my pocket.

Actually, my initial goal was clear, but who knew it would turn out like this? Just like I didn't expect at first that these two people were actually assassins. They even said they worshipped Buddha and killed people with blood in five steps. Let alone saying they kill without blinking an eye, that's too lenient for them. Buddha didn't teach people to kill, at most he taught people to sacrifice themselves.

Now that I've even met assassins, there's nothing to be afraid of anymore. I'll just treat it as a dream, having traveled through time and space, and even to Earth.

However, not long after, I regretted listening to Yan Chaohong. These days, there are no police officers, and she is just a young girl out in the world, which is quite worrying.

The streets were bustling with people, and the setting sun cast long shadows. Although it was still early, I didn't expect anyone to help me if something really happened. After all, I'd encountered perverts many times before, and every time I cried for help, no one paid any attention. This time would probably be no exception.

I had a gut feeling that something was wrong behind me, so I clenched my fist and took two quick steps. Then, my vision blurred and my heart sank as a tall man's figure blocked the sunlight from my eyes.

I looked up and saw a face that seemed to be both crying and laughing. I couldn't make out the features clearly. The man grabbed my shoulders first and then pulled me into his arms.

This was a light yet passionate embrace that perfectly expressed the body's owner's manic energy.

I can say that I have never been held so comfortably in my life. Even though it was scary to be suddenly hugged like that on the street, the scary feeling and the racing heart are actually related. The man smelled a little bad, but the way he hugged me was absolutely wonderful. He seemed to be ecstatic, trembling with joy. He put his hands behind my head and stroked my hair over and over again. He was very quiet, which made me feel that the people wandering around on the street were a bit noisy.

The man released me, and only then did I remember to politely say to him, "You must have mistaken me for someone else?"

Then I stepped away from him and went around him.

When I saw his face, he wasn't bad-looking, except that his face was a little dirty and his hair was a little messy. When I looked at him for the last time, the joyful expression on his face had cooled down, and all his emotions were frozen on his face. It was really pitiful. I had mistaken him for someone else.

Then, to my surprise, after taking a few steps, the same person grabbed my arm and turned me back around.

I turned around and saw the man's lips curving into a smile, a smile he was trying very hard to give.

He smiled at me in the setting sun, his eyes slightly curved, his gaze gentle. He opened his mouth to speak, but I could only see the shape of his lips and could not hear his voice.

I don't think I've ever studied lip reading, but he spoke those words incredibly slowly, and with my amazing intelligence and imagination, I still managed to understand them.

He said, without a sound, "Your game is not fun."

I smiled and asked, "So what games do you think are fun?"

Then he truly laughed, as if some anxious and unpredictable emotion had finally dissipated. His eyes brightened, the clouds dispersed, and the sun shone brightly, casting a warm and joyful gaze upon me. He smiled as he looked at me, and this gaze stretched on and on, never tiring of it, seemingly without end.

"Is your game fun?" I asked him, and he seemed a little puzzled.

"Is it a contest of not blinking, or a contest of being a wooden doll?" I asked again.

He understood, slowly shook his head, reached out, and suddenly took my hand.

"What are you doing?!" I was startled.

He seemed startled too; his hand stopped beside mine, his fingers still in mid-air.

He looked at me with some confusion, and still asked silently, "What's wrong with you?"

"Are you mute?" I frowned, not wanting him to nod.

He nodded slowly, and the expression on his face began to change.