Valle del Hombre Salvaje de Qingshan

Capítulo 36

“I’ve heard this place is quite unusual,” the person who spoke first quickly shook their head. “They say that’s standing behind it.” With that, they pointed slightly east, and everyone immediately fell silent. They had originally intended to leave quickly, but after a brief pause, they couldn’t resist the alluring gaze of the girl at the door. Their legs, as if obeying their will, carried them straight to the gate.

The owner of the Chunfeng Ruyi Pavilion was currently in a private room on the second floor. Unaccustomed to sitting at tables and chairs, she was perched by the half-open window, holding an ivory wine pot carved with the Three Friends of Winter, pouring herself a drink. Her light green silk robe was wrinkled, and she was already slightly drunk. With a slight sway, the ribbon binding her hair, along with a few strands, drifted out the window. If it weren't for the sudden commotion downstairs, her posture would have been quite worrying; one might think she might fall out the window at any moment due to her drunkenness.

"Who's shouting outside?" The waiter had already run upstairs and knocked on the door. The door was ajar, and after receiving permission, he quickly pushed it open and came in. As soon as he looked up, he saw the boss sitting by the window casually turning his head. His eyes, which were clearly filled with drunkenness, became clear and bright in the blink of an eye. The waiter was startled and hurriedly whispered, "It's the third son of Lord Liu from the Ministry of Revenue. He's become infatuated with the girl Qingxi who plays the zither, and he's been loitering in our brothel these past few days. Today, I don't know what happened, but his wife and several concubines came over and wanted to beat up Qingxi. They were stopped by the guards, and now they're about to smash things downstairs." "It's so lively, it's worth going out to see." The shopkeeper nodded and casually tossed the ivory pot aside. The waiter felt a pang of heartache, his eyelids twitching. Such a fine pot was rare; even if it wasn't worth a thousand taels of silver, it was still worth a hundred or so. It was likely broken after falling like that. Just as he was staring intently at the pot, he heard the shopkeeper, who had already taken two or three steps, say, "Hurry up and lead the way!" He quickly looked away and ran ahead. Actually, he had seen it: the pot spun several times in the air before landing steadily on the table in the center of the room with a clang, not a single drop of the remaining half-pot of wine spilling.

The first floor of Chunfeng Ruyi Building is an open hall that can accommodate dozens of tables of guests at the same time. There is a zither platform in the middle of the hall. Each table is only provided with zither, chess, calligraphy and painting, as well as writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstones, or light tea, desserts and fresh fruit. It is a place for appreciating tea and listening to zither. At this moment, a dozen young women are gathered around the zither platform, glaring angrily at a group of burly guards. A young man next to them is forcefully pulling at the young noblewoman who is the leader. On the zither platform, a beautiful woman stands in the center holding a zither, seemingly ignoring what is happening below.

"What kind of show is this? I've never seen one before." The boss stood on a few steps, gently waving a folding fan. Half of his face was in the shadow of the stairs. His voice wasn't loud, but it easily drowned out the noise in the hall.

"Are you the owner here?" The young lady abruptly shook off her husband's hand, walked over in a few steps, and pointed her finger at the owner's nose. "You run such a filthy place, bringing in these seductive women who bewitch their husbands so much that they don't even come home. Aren't you afraid I'll report you to the authorities and have your place investigated?"

“Madam, you’re speaking up for yourself,” the shopkeeper said, fanning himself as if the hall was too stuffy. A slight smile appeared on his lips. “My musicians aren’t just women; I have quite a few handsome men too. If you feel you’re being taken advantage of, please have a seat. I’ll have a male musician play a piece just for you.”

"You!" The young noblewoman's face flushed red, her fingers trembling slightly with anger. Seeing a teapot on the table beside her, she grabbed it and was about to smash it at the shop owner's hateful smiling face.

"Don't throw it away!" The shopkeeper said nervously as he rushed down the stairs, using his fan to hold the teapot in place. "Madam, do you know that if you break anything in our shop, you have to pay for it at the original price? Even slightly inferior quality is unacceptable. This teapot is called Phoenix. Madam, do you know how it was made?"

The young noblewoman was startled by the shopkeeper's actions. Holding the porcelain in her hand, she was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to throw it or not. She glared angrily at him, but then she saw the shopkeeper's bright, clear eyes in the candlelight, his elegant eyebrows, and his gentle yet dazzling smile. She felt a tremor in her heart, and her anger dissipated. Her tone softened as she said, "I don't care how you fired it."

“If you don’t break it, Madam, you won’t need to know,” the shopkeeper shook his head, took the pot from the lady’s hand, and held it up to the light for everyone to see. Under the lamplight, a phoenix pattern appeared on the originally snow-white body of the white porcelain. “This pot is called ‘Huang’ (凰), meaning the phoenix rising from the ashes. Legend has it that in the past, porcelain makers often failed to fire their wares, and the delivery date was fast approaching. If they couldn’t deliver, they would have to pay a large sum of money, which they couldn’t afford. Finally, the porcelain maker’s wife sacrificed herself by entering the kiln, and only then was the porcelain successfully fired,” the shopkeeper said calmly. “This porcelain is an antique from over a hundred years ago. It’s said to be the only one of its kind in the world. Whether it was actually fired in this way, I’m not entirely sure. However, according to our shop’s rules, if you break this pot, Madam, you must ask your husband to fire another one just like it. Then, you’ll inevitably have to enter the kiln yourself. So, what do you say, should you break the pot or not?”

"How dare you!" The young lady suddenly realized what was happening. She was about to yell again, but when she saw the half-smile on the boss's face, her anger dissipated. She looked back at her husband, whose face was already turning green with rage. She knew that if she made a scene again today, things would get out of hand. As her husband tried to pull her away, she shook him off and left.

Once the troublemakers dispersed, a handsome young man carried a zither upstairs, the guests who had been hiding returned to their seats, and the owner also turned and went upstairs.

The same private room had been occupied by an exceptionally beautiful young woman.

"Lianyun? What are you doing up here?" the boss asked with a frown as soon as he entered the private room.

“Brother Mo, I heard some trouble ahead and came to check on you because I was worried,” the girl was Murong Lianyun. She had been staying here since she was brought to the capital by the Eastern Depot several months ago. At this moment, she said with worry in her eyes, “Why do we have to do this kind of business? It just makes people look down on us for no reason.”

"With so much money to be made, who would look down on us?" Mo Xibei said dismissively.

"I just feel sorry for those girls." Murong Lianyun's eyes reddened when she saw Mo Xibei's indifferent expression, and she lowered her head slightly.

“Silly girl, I didn’t make them do anything. I just had those who could play the piano and sing play the piano and sing, and those who couldn’t stand at the door as vases, just like the other employees, to earn money. What’s there to pity them for?” Mo Xibei sighed. She bought these young girls from human traffickers and provided them with normal jobs, which was better than them falling into prostitution. Why couldn’t Lian Yun think about the problem from a different perspective?

“You always have a point, I can’t argue with you,” Lian Yun gave up. These days, she felt increasingly unable to understand Mo Xibei, the man she had once considered her ideal. Now, even though they were together day and night, she only felt that the distance between them was growing further and further. That day, when the Eastern Depot took the map, she thought she could finally stay away from the turmoil. Unexpectedly, those people, fearing that she had a backup or had already discovered the map's secrets, actually harbored murderous intent. She didn’t know what Mo Xibei had said to those people, but in the end, he managed to secure a place under house arrest in the capital. Yes, no matter how magnificent the Spring Breeze Pavilion was, in her eyes, it was a cage, a cage where they didn’t know how long they would be confined.

She just couldn't understand why Mo Xibei was so interested in this cage, and even started a business with it. He not only hired chefs from other restaurants at high wages, but also created all sorts of fancy things to transform a row of dilapidated buildings into the den of iniquity it is today. She only knew that she was increasingly afraid to go out, because she felt out of place with the outside world.

Volume Two: The Wind Leaves a Trace, Chapter One: Like a Fish in Water (Part Two)

Mo Xibei did not force Murong Lianyun to accept her life. She spent her days indulging in a life of pleasure at Chunfeng Ruyi Tower, and ordered people to keep the gate connecting it to the inner quarters tightly closed. All she could offer Murong Lianyun now was a relatively safe place to live under the watchful eye of the Eastern Depot. She dared not call it a home, because she herself did not know what this place was. However, whatever it was, she just did not want it to be a cage.

On this day, Mo Xibei was in a very good mood and invited Xiu Wen, the best qin player in the Chunfeng Ruyi Pavilion, to play for her. The process of her meeting Xiu Wen was... how should I put it? It was very accidental, or very inevitable, who knows?

Xiu Wen's name was interesting. "Xiu Wen, Xiu Wen" literally means "Don't even think about asking." In Mo Xibei's words, he chose this name hoping that nothing would be asked of him, because indeed, she hadn't gotten anything out of Xiu Wen. Xiu Wen had volunteered. The day before the opening of Chunfeng Ruyi Tower, Mo Xibei had already ordered the recruitment advertisements posted on the door to be torn down because the staff was almost ready. Then he arrived. He carried a zither, wore a thin, coarse cloth robe that would tear at the slightest touch, and straw sandals. He arrived gracefully, without even asking if he was hired, and immediately demanded an advance of one thousand taels of gold for his wages.

The doorman, not wanting to question whether she was crazy, picked up a broom to chase her away. Coincidentally, Mo Xibei had gotten up half an hour earlier than usual that day and was at the door looking at the newly made plaque. Although she only saw her back, she still felt that although this person was dressed in coarse cloth, he could not hide his proud and unyielding spirit. So she took note of him and asked someone to invite him in. Mo Xibei was secretly pleased with her own judgment.

The man before her was a handsome, elegant young man in his early twenties. His every gesture revealed impeccable manners. A natural air of aloofness and refinement emanated from his features. Mo Xibei thought, "Such a man should either be living a life of wandering the martial world or holding a high position in the imperial court." He shouldn't have ended up in the brothel. But life is unpredictable. After listening to Xiu Wen's performance, she immediately took out a thousand taels of gold as an advance payment, and amidst the astonishment and envy of the crowd, she hired this exorbitantly priced musician. Xiu Wen's music, like himself, was elegant and refined, but Mo Xibei felt that what suited her best was a slightly decadent indulgence. So, as soon as Xiu Wen began to play, she stopped him. "I don't want to listen to lofty melodies or elegant tunes. Let's have something more down-to-earth today. Right, 'Drinking Song' would be perfect. It suits my mood for drinking." She said this after downing her cup.

If this were in the lobby on the first floor, and someone said this to Hugh Wen as he was about to play the piano, the response would be that Hugh Wen would turn away and not linger for even a second longer. However, at this moment and in this place, Hugh Wen didn't even frown. His fingers lightly glided across the strings, and the piano music was clear and resonant.

"Have you not seen the Yellow River's waters come from the sky, rushing to the sea never to return?"

Have you not seen the sorrow reflected in the bright mirror of the high hall, where white hair, once black as silk in the morning, has turned to snow by evening?

Enjoy life to the fullest when you're successful, don't let your golden goblet stand empty. "Heaven has endowed me with talents that will surely be put to use; though a thousand pieces of gold are spent, they will return again..."

When Mo Xibei was enjoying himself, he casually picked up his chopsticks, tapped the cups and plates in front of him, and softly recited a poem.

However, the music suddenly stopped at its climax.

Mo Xibei was slightly taken aback by this, while Xiu Wen simply stopped playing and said in a gentle voice, "This piece is only played for close friends. If you would like to stop playing any piece, please come down to the hall for a while."

"I apologize for disturbing your enjoyment, sir." Sure enough, someone outside the door replied, "People used to say that even a mistake in music could be noticed by Zhou Yu. I never imagined that your skill would surpass that of your predecessors. I paused for a moment, and your music produced a strange sound. It is truly admirable."

Mo Xibei was familiar with the voice, and he simply shook his head slightly and said, "Hero Chu, you seem to have plenty of free time today, why don't you come in and sit down?"

The person outside the door was Chu Junfeng, dressed in a moon-white long robe, as neat as ever, with the same smile in his eyes as always, only his face was slightly pale, and he seemed to have lost some weight. As usual, he ignored all the guests who came to visit Mo Xibei, simply picked up his zither, and without even noticing Mo Xibei, turned and left.

"I apologize for disturbing your music." Chu Junfeng smiled, seemingly apologetic, and looked at Xiu Wen's retreating figure, saying, "This gentleman's musical skills are probably unmatched in the world. How did you manage to invite him?"

"I didn't invite him, he showed up on his own." Mo Xibei clapped his hands, and a waiter brought over another pot of good wine and a few snacks. "As for you, instead of looking for treasure, why are you so idle, coming here to kill time?"

"I did leave the capital for a few days, but I wasn't looking for treasure. I told you long ago, what I want isn't treasure, but the key," Chu Junfeng said with a wry smile. "Northwest, what can I say for you to believe me?"

“I only know that actions speak louder than words. You always try to convince me to trust you, but how can I trust you with what you’ve done?” Mo Xibei raised the ivory wine pot and slowly poured wine into a cup. This wine was a vintage osmanthus wine sent from Jiangnan. It was specially brewed and stored in the wine cellar when she first opened the fourth floor. Now, after several years, the sweetness of the osmanthus and the rich aroma of the wine had perfectly blended. Just smelling it made one feel intoxicated. Chu Junfeng seemed to be drawn in by the fragrant aroma as well. He didn’t speak, but simply raised the pot, filled a cup, and drank it down. Osmanthus wine is mild, but for some reason, after only one cup, Chu Junfeng suddenly coughed violently, his whole body trembled slightly, and his face turned even paler in an instant.

"What's wrong with you?" Mo Xibei put down his cup, stood up, and wanted to go see him.

"You drank a little too fast, it's alright." Chu Junfeng immediately reached out and stopped Mo Xibei's movements. After considering for a moment, he said, "Since Murong Songtao disappeared without a trace after being wanted by the Eastern Depot, the martial arts world has been leaderless for the past few months. Several major incidents have occurred. First, the Southern Shaolin Temple was massacred, and then several disciples from the Wudang and Emei sects were killed one after another. I have been running around for the past few months because of this."

"Oh!" Mo Xibei wasn't very interested, and just casually replied, "So what did you find out?"

"Indeed, we have made some discoveries," Chu Junfeng nodded and said, "The Southern Shaolin Temple is located on the coast. In recent years, Japanese pirates have frequently harassed the area at sea, and their pirate ships often anchor along their coast. Many lay disciples of the Southern Shaolin Temple have organized local fishermen to watch over and help each other, resisting the Japanese pirates and severely curbing their arrogance." He paused and continued, "However, the strength of the Southern Shaolin Temple alone is ultimately meager. During my investigation, I overheard that before the incident, the abbot of the Southern Shaolin Temple issued a batch of invitations, inviting disciples from other sects to come and help."

"This is a normal thing. Is there some twist in the middle?" Mo Xibei frowned, his gaze sweeping over Chu Junfeng before finally settling on his tightly clenched fist.

“The disciples of the various factions involved in this incident all received invitations to join the fight,” Chu Junfeng said. “At first, I suspected that the Japanese pirates had received the news and secretly infiltrated the Central Plains to carry out the assassination. However, I later realized that this matter was very suspicious.”

"What's so strange about it?" Mo Xibei asked involuntarily, noticing his unusual expression.

“I found the home of one of the murdered disciples of the Emei Sect, and unexpectedly discovered this in a corner of his study,” Chu Junfeng said, taking a purse from his pocket and handing it to Mo Xibei, gesturing for her to open it.

Inside the purse was a letter, mostly burned. Only the seal of the Southern Shaolin Temple was clearly visible on the letter paper. Among the few remaining numbers, the word "spy" sent chills down one's spine.