Третий учёный династии Сун

Глава 14

"Sir, your dishes are here." The waiter placed all the dishes on the table with a tray. He turned his head and saw Lin Suyang. He asked uncertainly, "This...madam?"

Is that the woman who stayed at the inn with this young man? She doesn't look like her at all. Why is she wearing a veil? She's not a stunning beauty.

"Alright, that's all for you. Go now," Si Junxing said coldly.

The waiter kept looking back as he walked, then shook his head in denial. "Hmm, no, that was definitely one of their servants. This one is probably the real person. Look at their demeanor, they're completely different!"

Hearing the waiter's mutterings, Si Junxing couldn't help but laugh, which made Lin Suyang look at him strangely. He quickly waved his hand and said, "Eat, eat."

Seeing him wolfing down his food, Lin Suyang really wanted to tear off his fake skin. She wondered what his handsome face would look like in that pose. With a hint of malice in her thoughts, a man and a woman suddenly entered through the door, catching Lin Suyang's attention. They were dressed elegantly, with simply decorated swords at their waists, and appeared to be young, like naive young men from wealthy families just starting out.

When the waiter saw that another customer had arrived, he immediately went up to greet them warmly: "Please come in, esteemed guests."

"Waiter, do you have any rooms available?" the woman asked, her voice sounding a lot like Qin Yu's. Lin Suyang couldn't help but glance at her again.

"Oh dear, young lady, you've come at a really bad time. The last room in our establishment has been booked. Why don't you try looking at other places?" the waiter said with a smile.

The woman turned to the man and said, "What should we do, Brother Muqing? Are we going to have to camp out in the wild again tonight? I don't want to sleep in that thorny haystack again."

The man said with difficulty, "But there's no other way. As you can see, all the inns in Chenggao are full, and even the City God Temple in the city is packed with people."

Seeing the woman pouting and sulking, he kindly advised, "It's still early. Let's eat something first and then think of another way." Then he said to the waiter who was waiting on the side, "Let's eat."

The waiter glanced around the main hall of the shop. It was lunchtime, and every table was full. Seeing that Lin Suyang's table only had the two of them, he led them over and asked Si Junxing, who was drinking tea with his head down, "Sir, would you mind sharing a table with us?"

Si Junxing glanced lazily behind him and nodded. The waiter immediately said happily, "Alright, please have a seat, gentlemen. I'll go make some tea right away."

The woman, already impatient, plopped down opposite Lin Suyang. The man shook his head helplessly and awkwardly bowed to Si Junxing, saying, "Brother, I apologize for disturbing you."

The waiter brought over the tea and asked the two men, "Sirs, what would you like to order?"

The man said, "Just some light vegetarian dishes will do."

Upon hearing this, the woman said unhappily, "I don't want to be a vegetarian."

The man pulled her close and whispered, "Xiao'er, be frugal. We don't have much money left. If we find a place to stay tonight, we probably won't have any money left to pay for."

The woman shut her mouth, and the man looked up at the waiter and said, "That's it, go quickly." Noticing that Si Junxing was looking at him, he nodded shyly.

"Are you two heading to Yan City?" Si Junxing suddenly asked.

Before the man could answer, the woman interjected, "Yes, how did you know?"

"As everyone knows, a martial arts tournament will be held in Yan City soon, and many heroes and valiant figures in the martial world will not miss this opportunity. I see that you two are carrying fine swords and have extraordinary bearing, so you must also be going to attend this rare and grand event," Si Junxing said, putting down his teacup.

As if he had found a kindred spirit, the man cupped his hands in greeting to Si Junxing again and said, "My name is Yan Muqing, and this is my junior sister, Chen Xiao. My brother and I have only recently come down the mountain when we heard that a martial arts tournament was going to be held in Yancheng, so we thought we'd go and see what it was like. I wonder if you are also going there, sir?"

"I only thought of going to see what the fuss was about after hearing about it from someone else," Si Junxing said in his usual lazy tone.

The man, however, was very enthusiastic and continued to ask, "Brother, you seem to have traveled to many places. May I ask your name?"

“Si Junxing is just an unknown nobody,” he glanced at Lin Suyang and said, “Oh, this is my wife…” Before he could finish, Lin Suyang stomped on his foot under the table. Turning around, he saw her raise her head nonchalantly and say softly, “This humble woman, Lin Suyan, greets you both.”

The unfamiliar gentleness startled the two men for a moment. They noticed a woman in white sitting next to Si Junxing, but because she kept her head down and didn't speak, they didn't pay much attention and assumed she was also sharing a table. It wasn't until Si Junxing introduced her that they began to take a closer look.

A thin white veil covered her face, swaying gently in the breeze, but her face behind the veil remained obscured. However, from her clear eyes, which sparkled like starlight and were slightly misty, it was easy to imagine that this lady was quite beautiful. But, since she was married, why didn't she wear her hair in a bun?

"Cough, cough, cough." Si Junxing coughed a few times, clearly displeased. Yan Muqing snapped out of her daze, her face flushed red. Meanwhile, Chen Xiao was still looking Lin Suyang up and down. Yan Muqing couldn't help but nudge her: "Xiao'er!"

Lin Suyang chuckled and said, "Miss Xiao'er, is there something wrong with me?" It was as if he could hear the sound of flowers blooming.

Shen Xiao shook her head and said innocently, "I think you must be very beautiful, sister."

"Why?"

"Because your eyes are beautiful."

"Xiao'er!" Yan Muqing scolded, her face flushed.

"That's right, Brother Muqing, you blushed too," Chen Xiao said with dissatisfaction. At this moment, Yan Muqing wished he could dig a hole and crawl into it; he was so embarrassed.

Si Junxing, who was standing to the side, became even more displeased, so he changed the subject to divert their attention: "May I ask who your teachers are?"

Yan Muqing thought that Si Junxing was trying to ease his embarrassment, and looked at him gratefully, saying, "My junior sister and I are both disciples of Master Guigan of Guigan Mountain."

“It is the True Man Gui Gan.”

There are four powerful figures in the martial arts world. The first is Kong Mingqi, the current leader of the martial arts alliance. His martial arts skills are undoubtedly superb. The second is the leader of the Demonic Cult. This person is elusive and no one knows his real name. No one has seen his true face. All that is known is that he is good at disguise and ruthless. Under his leadership, the Demonic Cult has become famous among the various sects in the martial arts world, which has also caused righteous people to feel uneasy.

Third is Master Gui Gan, the master of Yan Chen and his companion. Master Gui Gan disliked the conflicts of the martial world and retired from it more than twenty years ago, but his fame has endured. Fourth is Gu Tian from Gucheng in Jiangnan. Here, "Jiang" refers to the Fujiang River, the longest river in Da Yang. Gu Tian is only thirty years old, but he is the richest man in the Jiangnan region, involved in nearly half of Da Yang's economy. Even the imperial court is wary of him, but the taxes he pays every year are also considerable. His lightness skill is second to none in the martial world, so ranking fourth is well-deserved.

Volume Two, Chapter Thirty-Six: The Trip to Chenggao (Part Two)

"What, do you know my master, brother?" Yan Muqing asked.

"Who doesn't know the name of Master Gui Gan? It is truly an honor to meet your beloved disciple today," Si Junxing said evasively.

"Wow, I didn't expect our master to be so famous." Shen Xiao's eyes gleamed.

"Xiao'er!" Yan Muqing was helpless. Xiao'er was so well-behaved on the mountain, why did she become like a monkey after coming down the mountain?

"By the way, besides going to watch the martial arts tournament, what else do you two have to do?" Si Junxing asked.

"Actually, we came down the mountain this time on the orders of our master to celebrate the birthday of a senior martial arts master."

"As far as I know, the day before the martial arts tournament is the 40th birthday of Kong Mingqi, the leader of the martial arts alliance. You're going there, aren't you?"

Although Yan Muqing was displeased with Si Junxing's disrespectful words to Senior Kong, he didn't say much, only saying, "Indeed, Brother Si, are you going too?"

"Brother Si?" It sounded strange. Si Junxing waved his hand and said, "Don't call me that. Just call me Junxing. I'll call you Muqing." Yan Muqing was eager to shorten the distance between the two. It would be good if they could travel together and look out for each other.

Si Junxing, however, was thinking to himself that since they were going to Kong Mingqi's birthday celebration, and Su Yang urgently needed the Nine Lotus Ice for his injuries, why not take this opportunity to infiltrate the Kong family and steal the treasure? Having made up his mind, he smiled and said to Yan Muqing, "Yes, yes, we're also going to celebrate a birthday. Since we're going the same way, let's go together. It seems Muqing didn't bring much money, did she?"

Yan Muqing said with shame, "I brought enough money with me before coming down the mountain, but this girl buys everything she sees, so we are really short of money now." Part of the reason for coming with them was this.

“That’s alright. I have enough silver to reach Yan City. However, it seems you two are still unsettled tonight?” Si Junxing asked. He remembered their conversation with the waiter.

“Exactly. All the inns in Chenggao are full. I really don’t understand why there are so many people today,” Shen Xiao said indignantly.

"The conference is approaching. The route from Chenggao to Yancheng is the shortest and most convenient. It's not surprising that there are many people," Si Junxing explained.

"Why don't you let Xiao'er sleep with me tonight? It's not a big deal for two grown men to sleep outdoors, is it?" Lin Suyang said at this moment.

"Okay, okay." Shen Xiao nodded happily immediately.

"This...how could I?" Actually, Yan Muqing had long since stopped wanting to hear Xiao'er complain about sleeping on the straw pile last night. Hearing Lin Suyang say this, she inwardly exclaimed, "Great!" But she was also worried that Si Junxing would object. Stealing a glance at him, she saw that his face looked ashen, as if he had swallowed a fly.

Si Junxing secretly bit his tongue, regretting his earlier insistence. Just as he was about to refuse, he saw Lin Suyang's cold eyes staring at him, so he mumbled, "Okay."

Yan Muqing breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time came to a conclusion: this seemingly cold man is afraid of his wife!

That evening, after Lin Suyang and Shen Xiao returned to their room, Shen Xiao quickly took off her clothes and snuggled into bed. Seeing her hasty movements, Lin Suyang couldn't help but chuckle: "Still a child."

Lin Suyang removed her veil, untied her hair tie, and slowly took off her outer clothes. Just as she was about to get into bed, she saw Shen Xiao staring at her with wide eyes. "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?" Lin Suyang touched her face in confusion.

"Sister Su Yan, you...you're so beautiful..." Shen Xiao said blankly, even reaching out to touch it. "Is it real?" Lin Suyang was very annoyed. Plastic surgery wasn't common here yet, at most it was just a disguise!

"Shh, don't tell anyone." If Shen Xiao's little mouth gets out, Lin Suyang's life will be unbearable.

“I know, beautiful women are a source of trouble,” Shen Xiao nodded seriously. Lin Suyang was even more frustrated. Who taught this child? It must be that Yan Muqing. He looks like an honest person, but deep down he's nothing but a pedant! It seems that Shen Xiao and his senior brother are both naive and inexperienced in the ways of the world.

Lin Suyang shook his head, tucked the blanket around Shen Xiao, and said, "So please don't tell anyone. This is our secret." Shen Xiao nodded solemnly again, then closed her eyes. She blew out the light and went to sleep.

"Sister Suyan, shall we set off now?" Shen Xiao had been clinging to Lin Suyang since morning, which puzzled Yan Muqing.

"We can set off once Si Junxing has bought the horses," Lin Suyang told her.

"Sister Suyan, isn't Brother Si Junxing your husband? Why do you call him by the same name as us?" Shen Xiao couldn't stop talking, like a child who liked to ask a million questions. Sometimes Lin Suyang would wonder if she was doing it on purpose.

“Uh… this…” Lin Suyang stammered, unsure how to answer.

"Heh, little girl, the intimate terms of address between husband and wife are naturally only known to the two of them; it's a secret." Si Junxing led two sturdy black horses toward them.

"What, another secret?" Shen Xiao muttered under his breath. "What did you say? What secret?" Yan Muqing heard Shen Xiao's words.

"Ah, no, it's nothing," Shen Xiao said, shaking her head. "Can we go now? I'm exhausted from waiting."

Si Junxing handed the reins of a horse to Yan Muqing and said, "You two together."

Lin Suyang complained, "Why didn't you buy a couple more horses?"

"Two loose silver coins are enough to buy two horses, but the horse dealer can't make change for the silver notes," Si Junxing said guiltily, covering his head with his hand.

"Let's hurry up, or we'll waste more time." Lin Suyang mounted her horse and saw Shen Xiao peeking out from her senior brother's arms, staring at her with eyes full of admiration. She smiled helplessly at her.

Si Junxing also mounted his horse, reached his hands over Lin Suyang's waist and pulled on the reins. With a sudden exertion, the black horse neighed and raised its two front hooves. Lin Suyang fell backward due to inertia and landed right in Si Junxing's open arms. Si Junxing was so proud that he just wanted to laugh. Lin Suyang pinched his arm hard, making him howl in pain.

Lin Suyang said coldly, "Give it to me if you can't ride a horse."

"No." Si Junxing refused, and with a flick of his hand, the horse, in pain, galloped forward like a madman.

Seeing their horses dash off like arrows, Shen Xiao anxiously patted her senior brother's hand and shouted, "Brother Mu Qing, hurry, hurry and catch up with them!"

"Understood." Instantly, all that remained was swirling dust and a pair of bright eyes in the distance.

After another gallop, Lin Suyang and his companions had covered about a third of the distance by nightfall. "Let's find a place to rest today," Si Junxing said to the other three, slowing down his pace.

Yan Muqing was not far behind. Upon hearing Si Junxing's words, Shen Xiao immediately shouted, "Great! Great! I'm in so much pain. This horse's back is really tough!"

"It looks like there's a dilapidated temple over there," Yan Muqing said, looking at the blurring path ahead.

"Let's go there." Si Junxing urged his horse forward.

After tying up the horses, the four of them entered the temple. Shen Xiao coughed from the dust inside. Lin Suyang said, "Go find some firewood. Xiao'er and I will tidy up this place." After assigning tasks, Lin Suyang glanced at the dilapidated temple. It wasn't big, and the clay statues for worship were nowhere to be found. The offerings and shards of pottery and porcelain were piled up all over the floor. Looking up at the roof, he was glad there were no holes, and the place was draft-free. It was a suitable place to rest.

Shen Xiao looked around, feeling lost and unsure where to place herself. Wanting to brush off the dust, she ran to the altar and ripped off the tattered cloth, which immediately made her cough so hard that tears welled up in her eyes.

Lin Suyang walked over and took the cloth from her hand, saying, "Xiao'er, just wait here. Come over when I've finished cleaning." Shen Xiao covered her mouth and nodded.

Lin Suyang found some wooden sticks and cleared a space in the center of the hall. Then he gathered the scattered mats and piled them on the ground. He shook out the pieces of cloth he had just taken from Chen Xiao and spread them on the mats. After doing this, Si Junxing and Yan Muqing returned carrying a large pile of wood.

“There are plenty in the nearby woods.” Yan Muqing put down the timber and wiped the slight sweat from his forehead.

After starting the fire, Lin Suyang took out some dry rations from his bundle and said, "Let's make do with this for today." He then distributed some to everyone.

Yan Muqing took it and finished it in a few bites. Lin Suyang looked at him, wondering if he was too tired and hungry. She handed him the food from her godmother and said, "Here you go."

Yan Muqing blushed and looked at her: "I...I'm not hungry."

"But why are you eating so fast, Brother Muqing? You've never done this before," Chen Xiao asked "cutely" while chewing.

Yan Muqing really wanted to bang her head against a wall right then and there. How did she end up with such a junior sister?

Lin Suyang laughed and said, "Don't be shy, take it. I can't finish it anyway." It wouldn't be good for him to refuse any longer, and besides, he was really hungry. He had never rushed so hard as he had today. He took the dry food and started eating.

Lin Suyang simply took out the rest and said to him, "Don't worry, there's more here."

Volume Two, Fallen Dust, Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Terrifying Experience in a Ruined Temple