Rey de reyes

Capítulo 9

The four servants suppressed their laughter and followed him over. Bi Feixian's bedroom was next to the study. Dai Kejian gave Xiaochi a wink, and Xiaochi stepped forward and knocked on the door, saying:

"Miss Bi—Miss Bi, are you there?"

After calling out several times without receiving a response, Xiaochi tried pushing the door open. The door opened with a click, revealing neatly folded bedding inside, but Bi Feixian was not there.

Dai Kejian frowned, and Xiaochi hurriedly called over the maid in charge of cleaning the area and asked, "Where is Miss Bi?"

The maid replied, "Miss Bi left the manor early this morning, saying she had some business to attend to and would be back in the evening, but she didn't say where she was going."

Dai Kejian pondered for a moment, then tilted his head back and snorted, "She certainly has a lot on her plate, always running off. Never mind her!" With that, he turned and left without lingering.

Where did Bi Feixian go?

She took the tortoiseshell hairpin that had been broken yesterday and went to the market again to have it appraised.

The manager of Baoxiangzhai remained as honest as ever: "This hairpin and the previous jade hairpin should be made by the same person. In my opinion, there are no more than three craftsmen in the world who can make such a skill, and I haven't heard of any master craftsman in this city who can make such a skill."

The owner of Yongrui was as shrewd as ever: "Oh, it's broken? What a pity! It can be repaired, but it's not worth much anymore... Miss, are you really not planning to sell it? I'll definitely give you more than the others."

The street vendors still suggested, "Wu Youweng of Zixu Forest should be able to tell the origin of this hairpin. If you can't find any clues elsewhere, why not try your luck with him?"

So Bi Feixian had no choice but to go into Zixu Forest again.

As dawn breaks, it is the most comfortable and pleasant time of year, the golden autumn. Sunlight shines through the gaps in the leaves, shimmering with golden halos on the ground. Walking on it feels like being in a fairyland; the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful.

Consort Bi took out a bamboo flute she had bought at the market from her slender white sleeve and began to play it as she slowly walked along the forest path. Her previous fruitless attempt had taught her that since this man called himself "The Old Man of the Unknown Forest," no one could find him unless he wanted to. Therefore, she would have to use an unconventional method to find him.

Before the song was finished, a melodious tune drifted from the east, playing in harmony with her melody and subtly guiding her towards it. Bi Feixian was secretly delighted and turned east. After about several dozen paces, she rounded a large rock, and the view suddenly opened up before her. There, she saw a babbling brook, and an old man sitting cross-legged on a rock beside it, a fishing rod under his legs, a leaf in his hand—the very man who had played the melody.

Bi Feixian put down her bamboo flute, and the old man followed suit, putting down his leaves as well. He laughed loudly, "Time flies by like an eastward flowing river, and now only the sound of 'Yi Nai' echoes through the green mountains and rivers. What a beautiful 'Yi Nai'! Girl, you play the flute very well."

"The senior was able to play a duet with me using only a leaf, and his musical talent is truly admirable."

The old man laughed heartily and praised, "You're beautiful, and you speak beautifully too! Let's get straight to the point, what brings you here?"

Bi Feixian's eyes flashed. This person was indeed Wu Youweng. She immediately bowed and said, "I have recently encountered some strange things. I heard that perhaps you, senior, can help me find the answers, so I have taken the liberty of visiting you twice."

Wu Youweng said, "What strange thing is it? Tell me about it."

Bi Feixian immediately handed over the tortoiseshell hairpin, "Does Senior know the origin of this hairpin?"

Wu Youweng took the hairpin and examined it for a long time before turning his head and asking, "So you are Bi Feixian, the first disciple of the Divine Mechanism Pavilion Master?"

Bi Feixian was taken aback, surprised but also delighted. It seemed this Wu Youweng really had some skills! "Yes."

Wu Youweng gave her a meaningful look, then suddenly reeled in his fishing rod, stood up, and said, "I know the origin of the hairpin. But—" He shook his empty fish basket and sighed, "Alas, the life of a hermit is truly boring. Besides fishing and gardening, there's nothing else to do. So boring, so very boring..."

Bi Feixian asked, puzzled, "What does Senior mean?"

“I’ve been living in seclusion for too long, so long that I’ve started to miss the bright lights and bustling city life… How about this, you come with me to the city for a stroll, and once we’ve had our fill, I’ll tell you the story of the hairpin.”

"shop?"

Wu Youweng nodded with a smile.

Most reclusive masters have eccentricities, so Bi Feixian wasn't surprised by his request and smiled, "Alright."

As the saying goes, "If you want to know about the affairs of the martial world, you must first visit a teahouse." The first place Wu Youweng asked to go was the largest teahouse in Hantian City, which even had a special name—"Tea and Meal After-dinner Pavilion".

It was early morning tea time, and the place was bustling with activity; business was booming. Wu Youweng and Bi Feixian found seats in a corner. On stage, a storyteller in a gray robe was passionately recounting his tale, while people below drank tea, cracked melon seeds, chatted, and so on... In short, only one word could describe it: lively!

This was Bi Feixian's first time visiting such a place. Amidst her curiosity, she couldn't help but feel a sense of awe: compared to the desolation and hardship of other cities, where people couldn't even afford to eat and drink, let alone have the spare money or time to enjoy tea, Hantian City was truly a paradise.

The stories told by the storyteller were quite interesting, not the usual tales told in teahouses like the legends of heroes from the Sui and Tang dynasties or tales of certain great knights, but rather some anecdotes about Elder Lu.

"Everyone knows that the biggest headache for Old Master Lu in his life was that while others wanted to have sons but couldn't, he couldn't have daughters even after praying for them, having seven sons in a row. Sigh, this guest asks, why did Old Master Lu want a daughter so much?"

A listener below laughed and blurted out, "Because he wants to marry his daughter to the city lord!"

The storyteller slapped his paper fan. "You guessed it! That's right. He wanted to marry into the city lord's family to solidify his position. Therefore, not having a daughter made him very depressed. However, what's even more depressing is that Old Feng has three daughters, each more beautiful than the last! He's very worried, thinking, what if Old Feng marries his daughter to the city lord? He thought about it for a long time and finally came up with a plan. Do you all know what it is?"

The crowd pressed for answers with curiosity, throwing coins onto the stage. The storyteller picked up the coins, building suspense before continuing, "His plan was to have his son marry the other party's daughter, so he wouldn't have to worry about Old Master Feng and the city lord forming a marriage alliance!"

The crowd below burst into laughter.

The storyteller shook his head and sighed, "It's a pity that although his wishful thinking was good, his seven sons were all useless, just like the city lord. Old Master Feng's three daughters, on the other hand, were talented and beautiful. How could they possibly look down on those good-for-nothings? So they rejected the marriage proposal, and that's how Old Master Lu and Old Master Feng became enemies."

"I see."

"No wonder the two elders are always fighting each other."

"However, I heard that Elder Feng's eldest and second daughters are already married, leaving only his youngest daughter still unmarried. Actually, Elder Lu doesn't need to worry so much. A father who truly loves his daughter would never marry her off to the city lord. Wouldn't that be like planting a beautiful flower on something else?"

Everyone burst into laughter again.

Although Bi Feixian had long known about the freedom of speech in Hantian City, it was still truly astonishing that people would so openly discuss the private affairs of the powerful and slander the city lord in a teahouse. However, this was definitely not because Dai Kejian was open-minded and allowed his people to joke and gossip; rather, he was busy having fun and simply didn't have the energy to deal with such trivial matters. Yes, that must be it!

After finishing his tea, Wu Youweng stretched and stood up, saying, "Alright, let's go."

As the saying goes, "There are four things in life: clothing, food, shelter, and transportation." The second place they went to was the largest cloth shop in the city, Gu's Cloth Shop. The signboard was very interesting, which read, "Buddha needs gold makeup, people need clothes makeup, but once you enter the door, we only value clothes, not people."

The people of Hantian City are famous for their exquisite clothing among the twelve cities of Yinwei, but only after arriving here will one realize that the needs encompassed by a piece of clothing go far beyond just being warm and beautiful.

The shop assistant asked, "What kind of clothes would you like, sir?"

Wu Youweng said, "Hmm, I want to make a robe. The color should be bright, and it should make me look very young."

"May I ask if this robe is for receiving guests, or for your own personal use?"

What's the difference?

"Of course," the shop assistant smiled. "When entertaining guests, the main purpose is to please them and make them feel happy; when wearing it at home, the main purpose is to please oneself and make oneself comfortable."

"So, how do I make it both pleasing to others to look at and comfortable for myself to wear?"

"Sir, that's not how you measure the standards for clothing. You'll definitely have a lot to do throughout the day, some of which are gentle, like taking a walk; others are strenuous, like hiking. In those cases, you'll need two different outfits: one that's loose and flowing, exuding elegance, and another that's close-fitting, soft, and breathable, so as not to hinder your climb, in order to achieve the best possible practicality and aesthetics. That's why we usually ask our customers very carefully about their requirements."

Hearing this, Bi Feixian sighed inwardly: "What a waste of time, making such a fuss over such trivial matters!" Wu Youweng, however, beamed and immediately ordered several pieces of clothing. When the bill came, the price was unexpectedly cheap. Curious, Bi Feixian asked why, and the shop assistant replied that it was due to a bumper harvest of silk and cotton, and low tax rates, so it was always like this. She was utterly speechless.

Next, we went to a restaurant where almost every dish from all over the country was available; we went to a post station where hundreds of fast horses gathered to handle correspondence between cities; we went to a school where children were reciting their lessons; we went to a pharmacy; we went to a gambling den… and so on.

When they arrived at the most famous Jingxi Lake in the city, they saw a large group of people walking from the White Jade Corridor. At the front of the group were Dai Kejian and Luo Yi.

Upon seeing the two again, the awkward memories of the previous night immediately resurfaced, and Bi Feixian quickly turned around and said, "Let's go boating on the lake again later."

Unexpectedly, Wu Youweng grabbed her arm and said, "Alas, now is the best time to see the 'sunset glow and wisps of smoke'. You won't be able to see it later!"

In that brief moment of hesitation, Xiaochi spotted her immediately and exclaimed, "Hey, isn't that Miss Bi? Miss Bi! Miss Bi, so you're here to enjoy the lake too?"

Bi Feixian inwardly groaned, but could only force a smile.

Dai Kejian looked at her, then at Wu Youweng, a strange light flashing in his eyes. He said with a grin, "That would be perfect. Teacher has been in Hantian City for so long, and I haven't yet shown you around the city properly. Since we've met, why don't we go together?"

"No need, I wouldn't dare trouble you!" Bi Feixian coldly refused, then turned to Wu Youweng and said, "Senior, let's continue." With that, she boarded the small boat with him and left the shore.

"Wait! Miss Bi... Miss Bi..."

Before the snack vendor could even shout out, Dai Kejian lazily yawned and said, "Forget it, let her be."

"But young master, didn't you see? Miss Bi is with that swindler Fang Tian!"

Xiao exclaimed in surprise, "A swindler? That old man is the infamous swindler Fang Tian?"

"That's right, it's him! Oh no, how could Miss Bi be walking with him? I hope she's not being fooled... No, this is too dangerous, I have to go warn her!"

Xiaochi was about to board the boat when Dai Kejian grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back, saying, "Don't worry, she's a grown woman, she'll be fine."

"Huh?" Xiaochi was clearly quite shocked by the young master's inaction in the face of death.

Xiao Wan's eyes lit up, and she said repeatedly, "I understand what you mean, young master! If Miss Bi is really 'unfortunate' enough to be tricked by Fang Tian, then our young master's big problem will be solved, right? He won't have to rack his brains to figure out how to marry her off! Right, young master?"

Dai Kejian laughed and gave him a flick on the forehead, "You think you're so smart!"

Luo Yi, who had been watching quietly from the side, suddenly spoke up: "The chief disciple of the Divine Mechanism Pavilion suffered a loss in Hantian City. Aren't you afraid that the Pavilion Master will be unhappy if he finds out?"

Dai Kejian raised his eyebrows and chuckled, but did not answer. He turned and walked away first.

“Teaching a student like Dai Kejian must be exhausting, right?” On the small boat, Wu Youweng looked at the imposing group of people on the shore and said this.

Bi Fei pursed her lips and replied after a long while, "That depends on what you want to teach him. If you want to teach him to be serious, it's harder than climbing to heaven; but if you want to teach him to be clever, he's already a master at it."

"In that case, what do you think you can teach him?"

In the setting sun, Wu Youweng's eyes shone so brightly they seemed to illuminate one's very soul. Bi Feixian paused for a moment, then shook her head after a long while and said, "No, I can't teach him anything."

“That’s right, you have what he doesn’t need; and he already knows everything he needs… So, go back.”

Upon hearing this, Bi Feixian was deeply startled. She raised her eyes and looked directly at the white-haired old man before her, asking, "What do you mean by this, senior?"

"It doesn't mean anything."

Wu Youweng laughed heartily, reverting to his usual frivolous self, as if his earlier seriousness had been nothing but an illusion. However, Bi Feixian knew it wasn't an illusion; he had indeed called her back. He knew something.

Wu Youweng fell silent, as did Bi Feixian. The two of them let the boatman row them to the center of the lake. The water rippled, and the sunset glowed like brocade on the horizon. For some reason, she suddenly felt that even a scene like "sunset overhanging smoke" didn't seem so beautiful anymore. Its colors were somber, like her own mood, which was on the verge of sinking.

They waited until nightfall, when Wu Youweng finally announced the end of their journey through the mortal world. The two returned to Zixu Forest, where Wu Youweng said, "I haven't left this forest for ten years. I originally thought that returning would feel like a lifetime ago, but unexpectedly, nothing has changed much..."

"Since you are concerned about the world, why insist on the word 'seclusion'? It is useless to avoid the world but not your heart."

Wu Youweng chuckled and said, "You're mistaken. My seclusion isn't about avoiding the world, but about retiring from it." Before Bi Feixian could ask, he changed the subject, saying, "Alright, you can ask now."

"Well?"

"Didn't you want to ask me about the hairpin? Go ahead and ask."

Having waited all day for him, Bi Feixian finally saw the moment and, without any hesitation, took out a tortoiseshell hairpin and said, "I want to know, who made this?"

"I."

"you?"

Wu Youweng smiled and said, "What? Surprised?"

I searched for it a thousand times, but I never imagined that this hairpin was made by this strange old man in front of me! Bi Feixian asked in surprise, "But how did your hairpin end up in someone else's hands?"

"This set of hairpins has seven pieces, each made of gold, silver, white jade, jadeite, tortoiseshell, glass, and coral. I gave it to my friend twenty years ago."

"Who is your friend, senior?"

Wu Youweng looked puzzled and said, "My friend is your master."

"My master?"