Trésor de Jianghu

Chapitre 29

I said, "Yesterday was your birthday. I originally wanted to invite you to come to Laichun Town, but then you were like that... so I went by myself. I bought all of these in town this morning."

He gently took my hand and said, "Wu Bao, I'm sorry about yesterday. I intended to keep the key a secret from you. I was afraid that if you knew, you would follow me, and once this door is opened, Yitian Ridge will not be peaceful. I didn't want you to get involved."

I said bitterly, "Fang Lan'er said I'm after the treasure in your Ghost Palace. I didn't want to get involved, but I'm already in this mess, so I might as well just go along with it!"

His eyes turned serious: "Wu Bao, I made you suffer the other day. I wanted to explain, but I was tongue-tied and couldn't explain it clearly. Fang Lan'er and Mu Ying are none of my business. All I've ever wanted is you. Today, as there are fewer and fewer people in this tunnel, I suddenly miss you so much. Wu Bao, haven't I had a proper talk with you yet?"

My eyes welled up with tears, but I retorted sharply, "Is this what you call 'the dying man speaks kindly'? You've never said you missed me or loved me before."

Only after I finished speaking did I realize that I really was a jinx. The current situation really felt like a desperate situation! There was no way to open that stone door outside. It was so tightly sealed that even if you got into the library, it wouldn't be easy to find the door. Moreover, who knows what kind of damage the outside had caused? There might even be stones blocking the door.

Yi Ge then solemnly said, "Wu Bao, we won't die. When we first entered the underground palace, I thought that no matter what, I had to get out, I had to see you, and explain everything. Now that you're by my side, I can't let you die. We will definitely find the exit."

His calmness and earnest tone suddenly put me at ease.

Watching him finish two chive and egg pancakes, carefully tie up his bundle, sling it over his shoulder, and then help me stand up, he said, "You really need to eat to have energy. Let's go."

The long cave passage remained silent and dark, but I wasn't so nervous anymore.

Instead of using tinderboxes, we each took a luminous pearl in our hand and slowly made our way forward.

On the way, I asked him about the whereabouts of the Ouyang brothers, and asked him, "How did you get tricked into coming here?"

He turned and gave me a deep look, saying, "Concern makes one lose their composure. I panicked when I saw that peach blossom hairpin, and besides, they really couldn't find you. It wasn't until I entered the underground palace that I came to my senses. I thought you might have run off somewhere in a huff, and that the hairpin was either in their hands or you threw it away because you were angry with me."

I pouted and said, "No way! Huh, why didn't I think of throwing it away? Actually, I don't even know when it fell in."

He chuckled and continued, "So later I thought it would be better to trap them. Anyway, the news that I have the key will be leaked sooner or later, and I'll have to leave eventually. As for you, the prince will definitely be out there trying his best to find out about you. Even if you are really in their hands, as long as I capture Young Master Ouyang, I can use you to exchange for him. Actually, they were prepared, knowing that the trick was only temporary, which is why they had the poisoning as a backup plan."

I teased him, "So, you still can't bear to exchange your treasure for mine?"

He smiled wryly and said, "I always have to make more preparations. What if there isn't any treasure they want in this underground palace? Wu Bao, I was afraid that if he had just told me to hand over the key, I would have done so immediately. I didn't expect that they would be the ones who were worried and dared not enter on their own."

So, he can use sweet talk too? I added, "If you really hand over the keys, I'm afraid Master Gui will be extremely disappointed. Aren't you afraid of letting down the Ghost Palace?"

He said calmly, "I'll always have a chance to get this key back, won't I?"

I don't know what to say.

Speaking of Master Gui, I suddenly remembered: "Master Gui, didn't you go into the underground palace? I didn't see him."

He didn't answer, but suddenly blurted out a nonsensical question: "Didn't you see anyone from the gate?"

I thought back carefully: "There were one or two, but they weren't anyone important. I didn't see any from the sect leader to the disciples." After thinking for a moment, I asked again: "What happened? Did you have a falling out because you refused to marry your second senior sister and junior sister?"

He suddenly hugged me tighter and said, "No. Sect Leader Sun only appeared when the Ouyang family threatened the Ghost Palace to discuss the distribution of the treasure. When we entered the underground palace, Sun Jing was with us. Later, when we arrived at the library, some people started grabbing books, and it became chaotic. At that time, Sun Jing seemed to turn around and walk out. Master Gui was suspicious and followed him out, but then he disappeared."

A thought flashed through his mind, and he blurted it out: "When I returned last spring, I saw ambushes in the mountains surrounding Yitian Ridge, from all four kingdoms. I won't go into the Northern Di and Yunyang, they came with us. The Western Yi, now we know, should have come with the Ouyang family. So, are the Southern Dan troops coming with the Famen?"

He paused, then slowly said, "I see. It really is time to lay our cards on the table."

Yes, Sect Master Sun didn't enter the underground palace, but Sun Jing did and then left. Remembering that he had also explored the right-hand passage in front of the Crimson Demon Palace and knew where it led, he probably took that passage. This Famen sect probably has grand ambitions; it's just a matter of one openly robbing and the other covertly seizing from the Ouyang family.

I then asked, "What treasure does the Ghost Palace hold that has attracted the attention of four kingdoms?"

He said, “I have heard rumors that the master of the Ghost Palace has wealth comparable to the treasury of the Southern Dan Kingdom. Because his people have disappeared, it is suspected that he has transferred his wealth into the Ghost Palace. This is comparable to the national treasury. How big must the space be to store it? Unless the entire mountain is empty.”

I stared at the picture in his hand and murmured, "This looks like the whole mountain is hollow. I'm afraid this is no longer Yitian Ridge."

He pointed to the circles on the map and said, "But there are so many paths, yet only a few circles. How much stuff can be stored there? Also, there seem to be circles with crosses inside, but I don't know if they are doors or mechanisms."

As we were saying this, we had already turned several corners along the main road and gone quite deep into the area. Yi Ge suddenly said, "Wu Bao, there's a small side road here, marked with a circle."

The two exchanged a glance and, without prior arrangement, took steps toward the fork in the road.

After walking for a while, there were several more forks in the road. Yi Ge glanced at them and said, "The middle one is the path marked with an X. You can probably go either way, but judging from the position of the circle, it should be on the right."

My curiosity got the better of me. I wondered why the path marked with an "X" couldn't be taken. Seeing that the middle path was shorter, I said, "Let's go to the middle and take a look. Just for a short while."

Perhaps it was because there was a hint of coquettishness in my tone, but he kissed my cheek gently with a touch of affection: "Just take a look, don't wander off."

Holding the luminous pearl in one hand, I cautiously probed forward. The rock wall ahead resembled a doorway, but the path was actually quite flat. I stepped into the "doorway," turning to him with a smile, "This does look like a round doorway." Just as I was about to step forward with my other hand, I saw his expression change. He pulled me back by the waist and said, "Watch your step!" I was startled and looked down, nearly scared out of my wits. Inside the "doorway" was a huge, dark cave, its depths unknown.

I hurriedly retreated, and he shook his head and said, "This whole mountain is full of caves connected to each other, some going up and down and some going left and right. Since the ancestors have marked it out, it's best not to explore it."

I pressed my hand to my chest; my heart was still pounding. I stuck out my tongue and said, "That was close." Suddenly remembering something, I asked him, "That Brother Ouyang, is he...?"

He nodded and said expressionlessly, "In the second storage room before, I led them down a side path and then back along the wall. At that time, their tinderbox had gone out, and they were only able to rely on the luminous pearls they had taken earlier."

The two brothers haven't shown up yet; they've either gotten lost or tripped.

We turned back and took the path on the right. Ahead was another cave, this one appearing rather narrow, with arched stone walls on either side. This time, I was extra careful with my steps, but this cave seemed unusually bright. Yi Ge raised the luminous pearl higher, and when I looked into the cave wall, I couldn't help but cry out in surprise.

Author's Note: The next update will be on May 11th. I have something to do tomorrow night, so I won't be able to update.

It's amazing how effortless it was to reply to comments today.

Chapter Forty-Seven: Treasure Hunt

The not-so-sharp light of the luminous pearl illuminated a dazzling world, with the cave walls reflecting light in shades of white, purple, and red.

This is actually a natural crystal cave.

This crystal cave is only slightly taller than me; if Yi Ge were to enter, he would have to bend very low. It's not deep either, appearing to be no more than five zhang (approximately 10 meters) deep, yet the various colored crystals on the cave walls are arranged in an orderly fashion, truly like a rainbow. I've heard of crystal caves before, perhaps even larger ones, but they're only monochrome. This cave, however, is seven-colored, and there are even black crystals so dark you can see your reflection in them.

This must be the real treasure hidden in the Ghost Palace.

I was almost afraid to go any further, lest I accidentally shatter this beautiful crystal world.

Yi Ge looked at me and slightly curled his lips: "There are still two or three storage rooms. Why don't we go and take a look?"

We were like treasure hunters, completely forgetting our terrible situation.

Following the map, we found two hidden chambers, only to discover they were empty stone chambers, or rather, natural caves resembling stone chambers. The terrain was flat, with natural stone tables and chairs, and oil lamps on the walls, but nothing else.

Yi Ge murmured, "It seems there are no more collectibles. Zhu Hong's whereabouts are truly unknown." He then added, "There's only one circle left, but it looks a bit far. Should we still go?"

I was excited by the crystal mine and nodded vigorously, saying, "Let's go see it."

She then recalled his earlier condition and hesitated, saying, "However, are you alright? If you can't hold on, we can rest here for a while."

He looked at me with a smile: "I was a little tired because I hadn't slept or eaten all night and was also poisoned. But I've recovered now."

My hand rested in his broad palm, and feeling his embrace and support, I felt very at ease. As we walked, I laughed and said, "If I were alone, I definitely wouldn't dare to go any further. I'm never afraid of people, but I'm only afraid of being alone."

He gently squeezed my hand and said, "From now on, I will always be by your side."

I joked, "Weren't you going to stay here as the young master? I'm going back to the north." As soon as I said it, I remembered what I had wanted to tell him about his background—he wasn't the young master of the Ghost Palace.

He looked at me and said, "Wu Bao, please believe me. I may be a little slow, but I will handle things here. Once things are sorted out, I'll let Master Gui take charge, and I'll go back to the capital to be with you. After all, I still have a job."

I thought for a moment and slowly asked, "Yi Ge, have you ever considered that you might not be the young master of the Ghost Palace? Think about the ungrateful sword technique your mother passed down to you—is that a Ghost Palace technique?"

He nodded: "I've thought about it. This isn't Ghost Palace martial arts, but Master Gui, you shouldn't be mistaken, right? I think the person who knows this sword might have a deep entanglement with my mother."

I don't know why Master Gui is so convinced that Yi Ge is the son of the Palace Master and the Holy Maiden, but Young Master Han Yu is undoubtedly more certain. He must have lived with Yi Ge's mother for a period of time until she became pregnant.

So I continued, “When I went to Laichun Town, I met a man named Leng Yiwei, who was as famous as Kun Die, Meiren Die, and Shen Dabo more than 20 years ago. He saw the fragrant wood ball on my body and smelled the fragrance inside. He asked me about its origin. He said that he carved the fragrant wood ball for his wife, who was also the Holy Maiden of the Ghost Palace. Only two of them were carved from the whole piece of nanmu wood.”

Yi Ge stopped and looked at me quietly.

I continued, "But this wooden ball was bought from a street performer when I was a child, and the incense ball was a gift from you. He asked your age and birth date, saying you were his son. Do you believe it? I heard about this yesterday and rushed back today. Actually, I wanted to ask you, Yi Ge, are you the boy who sold me the wooden ball back then?"

When I told him about his past, his eyes were very calm, but when he heard this last sentence, a spark flashed in his eyes: "Misty, you finally remembered."

If I hadn't known he was injured, I would have kicked him. I said angrily, "So you knew all along! You knew we'd met, but you didn't say a word!"

He reached out and pulled me into his arms: "I know, I want to tell you, I've seen you more than once, I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. But when I tried to win you over, you didn't remember anything. I don't have the courage to say it, I'm afraid you'll laugh at me."

I lifted my head in his arms: "And then what happened? I don't believe you didn't realize I liked you too. Why didn't you say so?"

He gently kissed my forehead: "I was a bit slow, but thankfully I didn't die from it. I naturally know your feelings. That's why I felt that since you had no memory of me back then, there was no need to talk about my feelings. Besides, the kind of liking you have when you're young is always superficial. My love for you now is real, and I can feel your feelings for me now. I'm content."

“But if you don’t say it, I’ll think the girl you liked when you were thirteen or fourteen was Mu Ying. Although you like me now, I’m afraid your feelings for me are not as strong as your feelings for Mu Ying. And we got married like that. Yesterday, when I didn’t think about this sandalwood ball, I was planning that if you really liked her, I would keep my promise and let you go. No matter how much I like you, I don’t want to share you with anyone else, nor do I want you to stay by my side with feelings for someone else.”

He looked intently into my eyes, then suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace. "I never expected you to think that way. If I had known, I would have told you the day after our wedding. Back then, when I saw the young prince, I saw he had the same jade lock as you, and my heart stirred. But you were all grown up, and I couldn't be sure it was you. It wasn't until I saw your handsome father that I felt like I'd struck gold. I met Mu Ying six months after I met you. She had been separated from her family. To be honest, seeing her reminded me of you. I had just met Master Mo the day before, and he took us in and told us to go home and take care of things. My mother had passed away, so I didn't need to take care of anything and stayed in Guo City. After meeting her and taking her in, I felt a sense of mutual dependence, like I was taking care of this little sister. I really have no improper thoughts about her. You have to believe me."

I gave a strong "hmm" and then said, "To be honest, I've been too suspicious and petty."

He gently kissed my lips and said, "It's not you, it's my fault. Although you're carefree, you're actually quite sensitive and a bit fragile. I wonder if it's because of your previous relationship."

I suddenly slapped my forehead and said, "Oh dear, I was originally going to tell you that you're not the young master and don't need to worry about the Ghost Palace, so how did we end up talking about this again?"

He laughed: "Once you're caught up, it's hard to extricate yourself. My mother is always the Holy Maiden of the Ghost Palace. But now that I know this identity, I need to hand it over to be on the safe side."

I was a little frustrated: "What's the point of thinking about all this nonsense here? We don't even know if we'll be able to get out! Maybe the two of us will end up buried here. But I'm not afraid, I have you with me."

He gently pinched my cheek: "Don't do that, Wu Bao. I love the dimples on your face when you smile. We won't die. I never thought about dying when I entered the cave, and now that I'm with you, I won't let you die either. We'll definitely find a way, and I think the Prince will also be trying to find a way outside."

The passageway before us seemed different; the stone on the walls appeared to be a different color than before. I asked Yi Ge, "Did you see that? Is this the stone chamber?"

He looked at the map in his hand: "According to the markings on this map, one fen is roughly equivalent to one zhang in actual distance. It seems like we should have arrived by now. Why is it still a passageway?"

I showed him the rock face. Under the light of the luminous pearl, the rock face shimmered with golden light. I had just seen that golden light and thought there was a hole above my head where sunlight was shining through, so I looked up to check. But I found that the top of my head was completely dark and solid. But now, when I held the luminous pearl above my head, I found that there were also tiny specks of light above my head.

I looked at Yi Ge with a puzzled expression and said, "Don't you think this stone wall is strange?"

He reached out and touched it, saying, "It's just a stone wall, but it has gold and silver shimmering on it. Could it have been painted on by someone? Is this place important?"

I touched it too: "It's just a stone, but the gold and silver shimmer seem to be naturally embedded in it."

The rock remained the same color as we continued down the path, with varying amounts of gold and silver shimmering. We eventually entered a slightly larger stone chamber, which was also empty, but there were some pebbles on the ground. Although they weren't as beautiful as the Crystal Cave we had seen earlier, they still looked unique, so I picked up two or three small pebbles and put them into my pouch.

This last stone chamber wasn't much to see either. Yi Ge looked at the map and saw that turning right here led to a path with a fork in the road, which he couldn't tell was either a door or a mechanism.

Actually, after turning right, we walked back quite a distance in a winding path before finally encountering a door. It was a door, but thankfully it wasn't a trap.

It's just a matter of opening the door, or you need to activate the mechanism.

Yi Ge picked up the luminous pearl and stepped forward to examine it closely, but I was busy touching it here and there. He stopped me, saying, "This isn't the door to the stone chamber. Be careful not to hurt your hands."

Suddenly, he said, "Take the keepsake my mother left behind and try it." I leaned over to take a look, and he was staring at a cave wall. He shone the luminous pearl on it, and sure enough, just like the door that was blocked up in front of us, there was a pit, the same size and shape as before. Upon closer inspection, there were raised and recessed patterns.

I handed him the sapphire, and he pressed it in. It was deeper than the previous one; there was still a piece left in the indentation, and even with the grass pattern on the back upright, it wouldn't turn. I noticed two shallow, intersecting grooves on the back of the sapphire. Looking at the shape of the grass pattern handle, I was inexplicably reminded of the amethyst that Uncle Gui had given me. That amethyst was cross-shaped and quite delicate, but it had a small rectangular hole in the center. I took the amethyst out and tried to fit it into the indentation.

It was truly a perfect fit. The small handle with the grass pattern protruded from the center of the crystal, leaving only the tip. It wouldn't turn if I tried to turn it, so I casually pinched the amethyst cross and twisted it. Sure enough, I felt the sapphire underneath start to rotate.

The door slid quickly, and upon closer inspection, it was just a stone slab. However, when the door opened, we looked at each other; I was somewhat disappointed, while his eyes showed more surprise.

Author's note: Next update on May 12th.

Chapter Forty-Eight: The Stone Chamber

As soon as the door opened, a gentle breeze blew in. But behind the door was not the outside world, nor a passageway, but just a stone chamber. We were somewhat disappointed, but it was always surprising to find such a well-maintained stone chamber in such a deep and secluded cave.

Moreover, it's not an ordinary stone chamber. Upon closer inspection, it reveals a subtle luxury.

It was tall and spacious, seemingly natural, yet everywhere bore the marks of human intervention. There was a stone bed, finely polished, gleaming with a jade-like sheen, its frame draped with pale yellow curtains. The bed was covered with brocade quilts in various shades of green, some even appearing quite vibrant. Beside the bed was a dressing table, made of stone, yet with wooden cabinet doors and drawers. There were several chairs, and a little further away was a stone table and a simple bookshelf, which held only a few scattered books, though many bottles and jars were neatly arranged. Along another wall stood a wardrobe.