"Very well. Miss, please wait here for a moment. I'll be right back and make sure you get back to the inn." As soon as he finished speaking, he had already floated several feet away, and with two leaps, he disappeared into the snowstorm.
Mo Xi had no idea what he was up to, but she didn't leave as instructed. After all, digging a snow cave in the wild wasn't exactly a fun activity.
After about the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn, he returned with a relaxed and cheerful smile on his face, saying, "I've taken care of those people. We can go back now." He was truly a natural at making friends, immediately using "we" as an example.
"What did you do to them?" Mo Xi asked curiously.
The naturally friendly man straightened his expression and said, "Nothing much. We each drank three bowls of strong liquor, tied them up like a string of meat dumplings, hired an oxcart, and headed in the opposite direction from Fenglingdu. They won't wake up until dawn."
Mo Xi finally chuckled upon hearing this. She hadn't expected this handsome guy, known for his sharp tongue and mischievous nature, to be such a clever fellow.
Unexpectedly, when he saw Mo Xi smiling amidst the swirling snow and the dim night, he blurted out, "I originally thought that the person who flirted with someone like you must have been drunk, but seeing you smile now, I think that's not entirely true."
Mo Xi was speechless for a moment... Considering that he had resolved the predicament tonight, he ultimately did not voice his grievances: a foul mouth really can't produce ivory.
The two then used their lightness skills to return to the inn. This person's skills were a notch above Mo Xi's, so she didn't need to deliberately hide her strength; even if she did, it wouldn't make a difference.
As luck would have it, the two lived in rooms separated by only one wall. With a single leap, they each went through their respective windows and back to their own rooms.
I slept soundly through the night.
Crossing the River
( ) The next day. The sudden snowfall had just stopped. The morning light was pale.
After washing up, Mo Xi ordered a bowl of millet and sweet potato porridge, a shepherd's purse and pork bun, and two spiced tea eggs. A notice was prominently displayed at the inn: The ferry is open today. Guests are encouraged not to miss the opening time.
After finishing breakfast, she calculated that it was almost time for the first ferry to depart. So she picked up her light little cloth bag and set off.
Twenty years ago, Fenglingdu wasn't just a dock; it also had a surrounding town and commercial facilities. Mo Xi strolled slowly through the abandoned ancient town. Judging from the architectural layout—shops in the front, workshops in the back, shops below, residences above—this place must have been very prosperous in the past. These abandoned buildings, with their white snow-covered tiles and snowdrifts on the steps, occasionally revealed a corner of mottled red paint, making them appear even more desolate and lonely.
After crossing a stone bridge inscribed with the words "Layered Peaks," and after walking for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, there was another arched bridge inscribed with the words "Pillow by the River." Mo Xi looked back at the mountains behind him, and then at the stone embankment leading down to the river ahead, and suddenly realized: these four words perfectly described the terrain and structure upon which Fenglingdu was located.
Before she could even marvel at the ancients' masterful use of words, she saw a figure in dark autumn clothes amidst the white snow and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: "A lingering ghost."
Mo Xi hadn't displayed any martial arts skills along the way. He must have heard footsteps, because he turned around and was in front of her in an instant, smiling before speaking. That smile, in the thin morning light amidst the snow, had the feel of wildflowers blooming in the wilderness. After a moment, he said, "I'm sorry, I got up too early and didn't want to disturb your sleep, so I didn't ask you to come along." His tone was gentle, as if speaking to a friend.
Mo Xi cursed inwardly: "Nonsense, do you think I couldn't hear what's going on next door... Girl, I'm not afraid you've gone far, I'm only afraid you haven't gone far enough." But outwardly, she remained calm and said, "I got up late." In her mind, she thought, "Too bad I'm not late enough."
Hearing her answer, the naturally friendly man was taken aback for a moment, but quickly regained his smile and asked, "Is this your first time crossing the river here, young lady?"
"Exactly."
Then he rambled on about some pointless things, and Mo Xi felt as if she were among a flock of crows when traveling with him. Actually, some of his descriptions of local customs and traditions were quite interesting, just a bit disorganized. Moreover, his speech revealed him to be a man of great knowledge and extensive travel experience. However, Mo Xi, accustomed to traveling alone, grew somewhat impatient.
I suppressed the urge to just slap him away the whole way. Finally, the clock struck midnight, and we were almost at the ferry crossing.
"This place is called 'Crossing Pagoda.' The pagoda is a Buddha. Because many people rushing to catch the ferry did not have time to worship the Buddha, the bottom of the pagoda was made into a hollow space for crossing the street. People who passed under the pagoda were considered to have worshipped the Buddha and could be protected. Originally, there was a sword hanging inside the pagoda, which was Cheng Ying, the last of the Ten Famous Swords."
Upon hearing this, Mo Xi's eyes lit up, and she asked with interest, "Then what happened? Why was the sword moved?"
Seeing that she was intrigued, Zilaishu spoke even more enthusiastically: "After Fenglingdu was built, it gradually became a bustling place over the past hundred years due to the influx of travelers. The two plots of land on the cliff side were extremely valuable, becoming commercial hubs at the time. Inns, teahouses, and shops lined the mountainside, one after another along the stone steps. All the goods from the nearby villages circulated here, so you can imagine how prosperous it was. As the people in the mountains became wealthy, they naturally felt that this was a geomantically auspicious place, hence the saying 'Sleeping Dragon.' But then people feared that the dragon living in the mountains might wander away with the river, so they built this tower at Fenglingdu to suppress the dragon's body. They also hung the Chengying Sword, which is said to ward off evil spirits and demons, in the tower to deter the wandering dragon."
"Since the dragon is a spirit, why use a shadow-carrying object that can suppress demons and ward off evil?"
"Although the dragon is a mythical beast, it still retains its ferocity. Chengying has always been known as an elegant sword, capable of transforming malevolence into peace."
"Who placed Cheng Ying in the tower?"
"It was its former owner, He Qun, the former head of the Shu Mountain Sect, who was known as a martial arts genius. For the sake of the common people, He Qun voluntarily offered up the sword that had been his constant companion for many years."
Mo Xi knew that he deliberately left half of it, but she still had to ask, "Then why did you take it away later?"
"Later, Lin Xi, the leader of Shushan Sect, betrayed the Shushan Sect. Shushan was leaderless and its people were restless. In order to rectify people's hearts and strengthen its prestige, Chengying was taken back by He Qun and passed on to the current leader Qu Yao."
Upon hearing this, Mo Xi couldn't help but ponder to himself, "Since it's an item passed down from the sect leader, how could Qu Yao be willing to hand it over so easily? This matter requires further consideration."
The two talked all the way to the ferry.
Less than half an hour later, the ferry departed from the dock. The scenery on both banks was magnificent, with a river flowing down between two towering, precipitous peaks in the distance. The jade-like branches and icy foliage on the banks were crystal clear, their silvery frost shimmering in the sunlight.
Because of the swift current and frequent ice floes, the ship, constructed of sturdy logs, was quite large for its time, though not comparable to modern ocean liners. Mo Xi, having enjoyed the scenery from the deck, decided not to stand any longer in the howling wind and went into the cabin. The naturally outgoing Mo Xi followed.
Inside, an elderly man with white hair was telling everyone the legend of Fenglingdu:
"This ferry business was passed down from my ancestors, and now I've passed it on to my son. I may not know much else, but I do know some of the legends about Fengling Ferry. It's said that there used to be a stone of blood and tears at Fengling Ferry, belonging to Chu Shang, the first prime minister of this dynasty. Chu Shang was originally the Grand Marshal of the former Jing dynasty. His wife, possessing unparalleled beauty, was noticed by Murong Zhi, the penultimate ruler of the previous dynasty, during a court banquet when she was presented as a lady of noble birth. Murong Zhi forcibly took her as his concubine. This woman was fiercely independent." She refused to submit, so Murong Zhi sent men to hunt her down, believing that her husband's death would change her mind. Chu Shang traveled by night and hid by day, finally reaching the Min River. In her grief and anger, she wept and vomited blood on a large rock on the bank of the Fengling Ferry. Over the years, through wind, frost, snow, and rain, the stone's crimson blood stain remained. After crossing the river, Chu Shang fled through Xiling Pass to the neighboring small state of Ye. Several years later, Chu Shang led the Ye army to break through Xiling Pass and destroy the former dynasty of Jing. Chu Shang then dug up Murong Zhi's tomb and whipped his corpse three hundred times to avenge the loss of her wife.
Mo Xi nodded inwardly. Ye's predecessor was the present-day Southern Dynasty, with "Southern" being the name adopted after entering the Central Plains. However, Ye was mostly barren and had a harsh climate, so after entering the Central Plains, its former territory was abandoned. Over time, this land was occupied and ruled by local nomadic tribes. So that's why the emperor of the previous dynasty was whipped on the corpse. Needless to say, this stunningly beautiful Lady Chu will once again bear the infamy of being a femme fatale. Historically, if an emperor does something foolish or lacks virtue, from historians to commoners, they all like to blame it on women—truly a case of trumped-up charges.
Upon hearing this, Zilai said, "The story isn't over yet. On the day the capital of the Jing Dynasty fell, Crown Prince Gongzi Xiao escaped the city, crossed the Min River at Fenglingdu, and passed through Xiling Pass (which was then called Qin Pass). He fled to the border of Ye and went into hiding. Later generations wrote a poem called 'Qin Pass':"
Surrounded by mountains and valleys, my wish to come east with a sword has been thwarted.
I spur my horse to close the gate, lamenting my lost homeland; turning back, I see the battlefield shrouded in the slanting sunlight.
Having seen a thousand sails pass by on the river, do not be surprised if a single leaf flies among the reeds.
Some could only cross the pass at cockcrow, and though the Qin Pass was treacherous, they were able to get through.
This poem recounts his thousand-mile escape. "Do not be surprised that a single leaf flies among the reeds" refers to Prince Xiao's crossing of the Min River. "Crossing at cockcrow" describes how he was initially captured by the general of Ye who had breached the city. His crown princess, to facilitate his escape, willingly offered herself to the general, who then secretly released Prince Xiao. Prince Xiao fled to Qin Pass, where a strategist faked a rooster's crow to trick the guards into opening the gates early, allowing him to escape his pursuers.
Mo Xi couldn't help but feel a deep sense of melancholy. Even though this vast land had been passed down through generations by men, the changing of dynasties was inseparable from the blood and tears shed by women. He thought to himself: "He may be a bit talkative and familiar, but he certainly has a lot of knowledge. Occasionally showing off his erudition is still quite useful."
Female ghost seeking souls
( ) Mo Xi sat in the corner of the cabin, resting with her eyes closed. This time, the naturally friendly person was quite sensible and didn't utter a sound during the two hours of sailing.
They disembarked. In the dead of winter, heavy snow blocked the mountains, making it impossible for those with mediocre martial arts skills to ascend Mount Shu, let alone seek out a master to learn martial arts. Therefore, most of the people on the ferry were going to nearby towns.
Before arriving, Mo Xi had already studied the map. After landing, the land stretched for hundreds of miles through deep mountains and forests, with no inns available for lodging. To find a place to stay for the night, one had to find a farmer's family willing to take in someone before dark.
They traveled for more than an hour, and it was almost lunchtime, but they still hadn't seen a wisp of smoke from a chimney.