Пьяные облака, слегка спящая луна

Глава 11

"Hey, listen, it sounds like there's a sound!" Meng'er suddenly stopped and whispered. Everyone immediately stopped and held their breath to listen carefully.

Sure enough, faint sobbing could be heard from the back of the passage, lingering around the five of them like a wisp of smoke. Suddenly, the sounds grew louder and more chaotic, including angry shouts from men, heart-wrenching cries from women, heavy, indistinct rebukes from old men, and piercing screams from children. The sounds grew louder and louder, assaulting the eardrums of Zheng Qi and the others. Suddenly, they felt a chill run down their spines, their scalps began to tingle, their hearts pounded as if struggling to break free of their bodies, their breathing became increasingly rapid and heavy, their throats were parched, cold sweat broke out on their backs, and their legs began to feel heavy and difficult to move backward.

The cries, screams, roars, and rebukes grew louder and louder, more and more piercing!

"Run!" Mo Han shouted suddenly.

Zheng Qi snapped to attention and immediately turned and ran forward. Everyone roared and, without thinking, followed Zheng Qi and rushed towards the front of the passage.

But the terrifying, piercing screams from hell still followed them relentlessly, piercing their eardrums as if trying to devour them. At that moment, everyone's hair stood on end, their minds went blank, and they used every ounce of strength to take their biggest strides, running frantically forward. "Ah!" Zheng Qi, running in the lead, suddenly screamed, then slammed to a stop. Ye Feng and the others, focused on keeping up with him, didn't have time to stop and all bumped into Zheng Qi, pushing him forward with a "thud." They crashed headfirst into a hard object. They scrambled to their feet and saw it was a stone door. It seemed they had nowhere to retreat; the demonic voice had forced them into a dead end. They thought they were doomed. Suddenly startled by this shock, their legs went weak, and they collapsed against the stone door with thuds.

Just as they were despairingly awaiting death, suddenly, the cacophony vanished. Only the five of them remained in the quiet passage, their heavy, labored breathing. A gust of cold wind blew in, instantly drying their sweat and leaving them sticky. None of them had the strength to utter a word, nor the strength to move an inch. The chilling, piercing screams still echoed in their minds. After a long while, they finally came to their senses, stood up, and slowly calmed themselves.

Standing before them was a heavy, ancient stone door. The entire door was made from a single, relatively smooth boulder. There were no door knockers, not a single crack, and absolutely no mechanisms to open it. Zheng Qi carefully felt around the door, but still found no opening mechanisms or hidden latches. Despair began to creep into their hearts once more.

"How can we open this stone door? We've come all this way but still haven't seen Ling Bing and the others. Could they be locked inside this stone door? What could be inside?"

Zheng Qi and his companions stood helplessly before the stone gate, each lost in their own thoughts. Having just escaped from the demonic sound of hell, what awaited them behind that stone gate now? In early 1457, Emperor Yingzong of Ming, Zhu Qizhen, along with Xu Youzhen, Cao Zhanxiang, and others, seized the throne while his brother, Emperor Jingtai, was seriously ill. This event, known in Ming Dynasty history as the "Tumu Crisis," occurred. On the day of his ascension, Emperor Yingzong immediately stripped Emperor Jingtai of his imperial title and placed him under house arrest in the Western Garden.

Emperor Jingtai, Zhu Qiyu, was closest to one of his half-brothers. After the "Tumu Crisis," Zhu Qiyu saw that those connected to him, such as Yu Qian, had been killed. Realizing his own life was in danger, he feared for his brother's life, let alone his closest confidant. He privately advised his brother to flee to another place, changing his name and seeking revenge if he could rise again later. Upon hearing this, the brother, considering Zhu Qizhen's ruthlessness, and the adage "where there's life, there's hope," bid farewell to Emperor Jingtai that very night, packed his belongings, and left the capital with a few trusted confidants.

The arduous journey, enduring wind and rain, and the constant fleeing, had taken its toll on the younger brother. One day, when they arrived at what is now Guhua Town, the younger brother refused to go any further. Seeing that the place was remote, far removed from the influence of Zhu Qizhen's henchmen in the capital, and admiring the beautiful mountains and clear waters, the pleasant scenery, and the simple, peaceful atmosphere of the people, he decided to remain in the area, change his name to Zhu Yi, and settle there temporarily.

Zhu Yi lived there for twenty years. During those twenty years, although his younger brother, the Jingtai Emperor Zhu Qiyu, often thought of him, the situation later changed in ways they had not foreseen. Seeing that the tide had turned, Zhu Yi had no choice but to patiently settle down and live as an ordinary citizen.

That year, the north wind howled stronger and stronger, the sky was overcast, and a few muffled claps of thunder could be faintly heard in the distance, as if another storm was brewing.

As the year draws to a close, families are starting to prepare for the New Year, and the festive atmosphere in the streets and alleys is growing stronger.

Zhu Mansion.

Steward Zhu was busy directing the servants all by himself, putting up colorful lanterns, pasting couplets, slaughtering pigs and sheep, cleaning the courtyard and doing a series of other preparations for the New Year.

In the dimly lit study, Mr. Chen was restless.

"Would you like the lamps lit, sir?" a servant asked cautiously from the doorway.

"No, get out!" Master Zhu said impatiently. The servant shrank back outside the door and quietly retreated.

Master Zhu lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then walked to his desk and sat down, intending to pick up some books to read. However, the room was dimly lit, and he didn't want to light a lamp; the flickering candlelight only made him more restless. Looking out the window at the dim light, he angrily slammed the books onto the desk, stood up abruptly, and paced restlessly back and forth in the study.

Almost half an hour passed, and it became completely dark outside the window, leaving the study pitch black.

Master Chen suddenly stopped in his tracks, looked up at the sky, and sighed:

"Heaven above, I, Zhu Yi, am originally a descendant of the Zhu family's royal lineage. I have been hiding here for over twenty years to avoid calamity. Now I am nearly fifty, yet I still have no sons or daughters to care for me in my old age. How can I face my ancestors in the afterlife? My wife is about to give birth, and I humbly beg Heaven to have mercy and grant me a son, to bring glory to my Zhu family, to ensure that our lineage continues, and to comfort the spirits of our ancestors." After sighing, he knelt down and kowtowed three times to the heavens.

Inside the side room, a woman was screaming in agony, sweat pouring down her forehead. Strands of her sweat-dampened black hair clung to her forehead, her pale face devoid of color, and her lips bitten until they were almost purple. A midwife busied herself anxiously nearby.

Outside the side room, the servants all kept their lips tightly shut, their footsteps light, going about their tasks with utmost care, occasionally glancing nervously at the shadowy figures moving back and forth on the paper windows. At this moment, they dared not even cough, let alone breathe loudly, for fear of accidentally startling the lady giving birth inside.

Just as everyone in the Chen family was extremely nervous, a loud cry suddenly came from the side room. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and their faces showed joy.

"Congratulations, sir! Your wife has given birth to a big, healthy boy!"

The midwife, her body jiggling with fat, smiled and congratulated Master Zhu, who was stumbling and rushing over.

"Heaven has eyes! My earnest plea has not been in vain. I, Zhu Yi, have finally done right by my ancestors!"

Master Zhu laughed loudly, looking up at the sky.

Just as Mr. Zhu and his wife were happily holding their child and chatting,

Suddenly, someone rushed in without even knocking.

"Master, something terrible has happened!"

Upon seeing this, Master Zhu's face darkened:

"Today is a joyous day for the Zhu family, a day of divine blessing and a son. How can you utter such ominous words? Moreover, you are so flustered and disorderly in the face of this matter. Drag me away and give me twenty strokes of the cane!"

"Master, you yourself said today is a joyous occasion, please don't punish the servants too severely." Seeing the servants below the hall constantly kowtowing and begging for mercy, the lady finally couldn't bear it.

"Alright, considering today is the joyous occasion of my son's birth, and with your wife pleading on your behalf, I'll spare you for now! Go!"

While holding the child and making him laugh, Master Zhu shouted angrily at the servants. Seeing that the servants still showed no sign of leaving, he became even more furious.

"What are you still standing there for? Watch out, you'll get a beating!"

"Reporting, sir, we've found a baby at the main gate!" the servant murmured, head bowed.

"A baby?" Master Zhu was taken aback.

"Yes, sir, there's an abandoned baby at the gate!" the servant whispered.

"Master, please go and see what's going on!" The lady beside her said urgently, her maternal compassion stirring within her.

"Alright, Madam, please take good care of our son. I'll be right back!"

Master Zhu and the servant hurriedly went out.

Fine snowflakes began to fall from the sky, and gusts of cold wind howled softly in the air.

The main gate of the Zhu residence.

Steward Zhu stood aside holding an umbrella for Master Zhu. Several servants surrounded Master Zhu and Steward Zhu, one of whom was holding an orphan baby who had been abandoned by his parents just a few days after birth.

By the candlelight, Master Zhu carefully examined the baby. The baby was handsome with delicate features and a touch of heroism. His little face was red from the cold, and his big, bright black eyes stared curiously at Master Zhu and the others.

"Does this child have any keepsake or token on him?"

Master Zhu looked the child over, stroking his goatee as he asked in a low voice.

"Reporting to Master, I have examined it carefully. Apart from a piece of paper with his birth date and time written on it, there is nothing else!" Steward Zhu leaned forward and whispered in Master Zhu's ear.

Master Zhu nodded silently.

Everyone stood quietly with their hands at their sides, watching the abandoned baby, wondering how their master would deal with the poor child.

Master Zhu examined the baby closely again, thinking to himself,

"Could this be another son bestowed upon me by Heaven? My Zhu family has grown up here alone, and I am nearly fifty years old. Today, I, Zhu Yi, have suddenly gained two sons. This must be Heaven's mercy on me for the past twenty years of wandering in foreign lands, enduring the bitterness of loneliness and desolation. Therefore, it has bestowed upon me another son to bring prosperity to my descendants." Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel happy.

Suddenly, a firecracker exploded at the street corner, startling the baby into a loud cry. Master Zhu thought the cry was quite loud and clear, and figured that this child might have a bright future and bring glory to the Zhu family. After pondering for a while, he decided to adopt the abandoned baby as his godson.

"Butler Zhu!"

"Yes, sir!" Butler Zhu quickly stepped aside.

"First, take the child inside, have the servants wash him clean, and then hand him over to the wet nurse. Tell her that from now on, the child will be fed together with the young master."

"Yes, sir, I obey!"

Just as Master Zhu turned around to step through the gate, he suddenly turned back and sternly addressed the servants who were still standing:

"Listen up, all of you! From this day forward, this child belongs to the Zhu family!"

"Yes, we understand!" The crowd shuddered at the shout.

The cold wind raged in the dark sky, and the snow fell even harder. In the blink of an eye, the entire Zhu mansion was enveloped in a vast expanse of white snow.

Back in the side room, Master Zhu told his wife in detail about the abandoned baby and informed her that he had adopted the child as his godson. Firstly, so that the baby could keep his young son company, and secondly, so that the Zhu family line could continue. At first, the wife couldn't help but sigh for the poor child, but seeing her husband's arrangement, she felt happy for the child as well.

After the child was settled, Master Zhu pondered names for him and his own son. Since the abandoned baby was a few days older than his own son, Master Zhu instructed his servants to call him the eldest young master and name him Zhu Ci, meaning "blessed by heaven." He instructed the servants to call his own son the youngest young master and name him Zhu Ze, meaning "this child has received heaven's blessings."

Twenty years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Mr. and Mrs. Zhu have long since passed away. Zhu Ci and Zhu Ze have both grown into adults. When Mr. and Mrs. Zhu were alive, they treated Zhu Ci as their own son, and Zhu Ci was deeply grateful for the life-saving grace and upbringing shown to him by the Zhu family. Although Zhu Ci and Zhu Ze knew that they were not biological brothers, their brotherly affection was even closer than that of blood brothers.

The two brothers had very similar personalities and had studied and practiced martial arts together since childhood. Master Zhu, a businessman, left behind a substantial fortune after his death. Before passing away, he instructed his brothers not to divide the family property but to work together to manage it well. Both brothers were extremely filial, and they immediately nodded in agreement with tears in their eyes.

After Master Zhu passed away, the two brothers kept his instructions in mind, one managing the household affairs and the other managing external affairs, working together to safeguard the family business and manage the Zhu family's business affairs well.

On this day, Zhu Ci went to the capital to purchase goods.

As the sun began to set and a chilly evening breeze blew gently, Zhu Ci and his companions, who had been traveling day and night, finally arrived in the capital within the budgeted timeframe. Seeing the city gates in sight, Zhu Ci couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Young Master, it's getting late, and we've already arrived in the capital. Let's find an inn to rest for a while!"

A servant spoke up from the side, followed by a chorus of voices.

Zhu Ci looked back at everyone and saw that they all looked tired. He also felt exhausted, and it was getting late, so he nodded.

Upon seeing this, the servant's face lit up with joy, and he dashed off to find the inn.

Zhu Ci had his servants lead the horses, and he followed slowly behind. He thought about how he had come to the capital several times before, but each time he was in a hurry and his mind was on buying goods, so he never had time to stroll around properly. Now that he had more time to buy goods, he couldn't help but wander around the market.

Small towns simply cannot compare to the bustling market under the emperor's nose. Although it was already dusk, the streets were still teeming with people and vehicles, a lively scene of performers and vendors. Zhu Ci sighed as he walked.

Suddenly, a commotion arose not far ahead, and a large group of people were gathered together, arguing about something. Zhu Ci's curiosity was piqued, and after giving a few instructions to his servants, he hurried towards the group. He saw a thin, bony girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in plain clothes, crying incessantly. Beside her, a burly man was yelling at her with a fierce expression. Upon seeing this, Zhu Ci quickly asked the others what was going on.

The crowd explained that the woman was an orphan raised by her uncle since childhood. However, her uncle was a compulsive gambler who had lost all his wealth yesterday and another sum of money today. Knowing he had no money left to repay his gambling debts, he abandoned her and fled to another place. The thug, unable to find her uncle to get money, tried to use her to pay off his debts. The woman, of course, refused. The villagers pleaded with the thug on her behalf, but although he knew he was in the wrong, he remained adamant, arguing that paying debts was the rule of the casino, and if he had no money, he would have to use her to pay off his debts. Finally, under pressure from the crowd, the thug said he would release her if anyone helped her pay off her gambling debts. But the villagers were all poor people; they had no money to help her pay off her debts. So the thug tried to use the woman to pay off his debts as well.

As the argument raged on, and seeing that it was getting dark, the onlookers sighed for the woman, shook their heads helplessly, and slowly left. Seeing that everyone had stopped supporting him and was leaving, the burly man couldn't help but smugly smile. He reached out and grabbed the girl, trying to pull her away. The woman cried and struggled, refusing to follow. Just as the two were locked in their struggle, Zhu Ci, seeing the woman's tearful and pitiful appearance, and hearing the burly man's vicious voice—clearly not a kind person—felt that the woman would suffer greatly if she followed him. His heart filled with sympathy, and he grabbed the burly man's wrist, saying:

"Brother, I'll pay for the silver that girl owes you. Please don't make things difficult for her anymore!"

"you?"

The burly man was about to get angry when he saw another unexpected person appear out of nowhere. But when he heard that he could pay for her, his eyes lit up. Seeing that Zhu Ci's clothes and appearance were not those of someone from the capital, he figured that he must be a wealthy merchant passing through. So he planned to rip him off.

"This young lady owes me 200 taels of silver. Are you really going to pay it for her?"

The burly man glanced at Zhu Ci with disdain.

"You're lying! My uncle only owes you 100 taels of silver. Why are you saying it's 200 taels?"

The girl, seeing the burly man extorting Zhu Ci, couldn't help but speak indignantly.

"Hmph, 200 taels of silver, not a penny less. Otherwise, you can forget about taking her away."

The burly man, seeing that Zhu Ci was a kind-hearted person, seized the opportunity to forcefully demand money. The woman, torn between hating the burly man's heartless extortion and feeling indignant for Zhu Ci, also hoped that Zhu Ci would pay off her gambling debts. Torn between these conflicting emotions, she didn't know what to do and could only silently sob. Seeing the burly man's outrageous extortion, Zhu Ci was about to leave when he heard the woman crying. His heart ached again, and ignoring the servants' advice, he immediately took 200 taels of silver from his pocket and handed it to the man. The burly man, satisfied with the money, left.

The moon had risen halfway up the sky, and the streets were deserted. Zhu Ci spoke to the woman...

"Go home now and find a good family to live with!"

The woman knelt down with a thud, kowtowing to Zhu Ci to thank him for saving her life. Zhu Ci quickly helped her up. The woman, her eyes red from crying, sobbed as she spoke to Zhu Ci:

"I lost both my parents when I was young and was raised by my uncle. Unfortunately, my uncle is a gambler and gambled away all the house and property yesterday. I have nowhere to go now. If it weren't for you, young master, I would have..." Before she could finish speaking, she started sobbing again.

Seeing this, Zhu Ci sighed, pondered for a moment, and said:

"I am just a passing merchant who came to the capital today to purchase goods. I will be leaving soon. Here are a few taels of silver. Please take them and use them to get by for a while!"

Upon hearing this, the woman stopped crying, looked up, and said...

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness in saving my life, and I have no way to repay you. I wish to serve you to repay your kindness. I hope you will take pity on me!"

Just as the woman was about to kneel again, Zhu Ci quickly helped her up. He saw that the woman had eyes like autumn waves, eyebrows like ink paintings, red lips, and smooth, lustrous skin, and Zhu Ci's heart stirred. He nodded in agreement, allowing the woman to return to the inn with him. Upon arriving at the inn, Zhu Ci and his companions comforted the woman. During their conversation, they learned that the woman's name was Jingyun, she was seventeen years old, and she was from the capital. Zhu Ci arranged her accommodations, and the night passed without incident.