Before nightfall, Yu Qing arrived at a small county town. He wandered the streets for a bit, bought some clothes, then searched about for a place to stay the night. Whichever inn looked good, he entered that one.
Nan Zhu, hiding in a corner, immediately waved for Mu Aotie behind him to come and look. “Look at that, look at that. That bastard. When he’s with us, he just finds any old inn to make do. When he’s alone, he picks the best inn to stay in.”
After a torrent of curses, the two emerged from the corner and went straight to the inn Yu Qing had entered.
Reaching the doorway, they nearly got a fright. They found Yu Qing still leaning over the counter registering. The two quickly shrank back and hid beside the door.
Once Yu Qing was shown to his room, the two hurriedly went to the counter and requested a room as well.
Mu Aotie handled the registration, whilst Nan Zhu used the excuse of wanting to inspect the room conditions and slipped off towards the rooms first.
By the time the inn attendant led Mu Aotie to the rooms, Nan Zhu had already figured out which room Yu Qing was staying in.
Yu Qing was in a single superior room. The two of them were in a lower-level room with double bunks, positioned right by the stairs connecting the upper and lower floors.
From this moment onwards, the two took turns keeping watch. Whenever footsteps came from upstairs heading down, one of them would immediately go to the window crack to see who was passing by…
After washing up and bathing, Yu Qing changed into clean clothes and came downstairs feeling refreshed. He went straight to the inn’s main hall, called the waiter over, and ordered fine wine and good dishes.
Ever since entering the ancient tomb, it had been nearly a month now, and he had barely eaten anything. Today he truly intended to treat himself properly.
The fine wine and good dishes arrived at the table, delicious and satisfying. He enjoyed them thoroughly, all by himself.
Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie quietly slipped to the mezzanine level of the main hall and also ordered food.
The two occasionally stuck their heads over the railing, glancing down from time to time. Seeing the abundance at Yu Qing’s table, with dishes even stacked in layers because they wouldn’t all fit, Nan Zhu couldn’t help but curse in a low voice again. “That bastard. When he eats with us it’s purely making do, and after making do he still counts it as us owing him, still keeps accounts for us. Look at him now, enjoying himself no end.”
Regarding this, Mu Aotie didn’t really express anything.
Previously, when they left Linglong Temple to head for Youjiao Port, their little uncle hadn’t given Yu Qing any money. Along that entire journey, the two of them had likewise been quite stingy with Yu Qing.
When the two of them ate and drank well, they likewise didn’t give Yu Qing anything. Yu Qing could only stand by the side, staring longingly and munching on flatbread.
Shortly after, their wine and dishes arrived. They were decent enough, just not as wasteful as Yu Qing’s spread.
In truth, ordinary consumption in the mortal world simply couldn’t compare to consumption in the cultivation world. It wasn’t like the cultivation world where thousands or tens of thousands of taels were spent at every turn.
After Yu Qing had eaten and drunk his fill, there was still plenty of food left on the table. He called the waiter, asked for oil paper, packed up all the remaining food, and had the waiter take it all outside the inn to distribute to the beggars struggling to beg on the streets.
Yu Qing didn’t go out himself. He chatted with the innkeeper by the counter, enquiring about the route to Ningzhou…
After a night’s rest, around mid-morning the next day, the refreshed Yu Qing settled his bill and left the inn. He went to the market to buy a horse, then galloped off towards the west city gate.
Travelling alone, enjoying his own company, it was a feeling of complete freedom.
The morning sunlight, less overbearing, bestowed upon the earth colours that were vivid and varied, giving warmth and ease.
Travelling at an unhurried pace for several dozen li, two riders ahead were gradually approached by him.
Wondering if it was an illusion, the backs of the two riders ahead looked very familiar, one broad, one sturdy.
Yu Qing sped up to catch up. A glance from the side, without even seeing their faces, he knew who they were. Apart from Old Seven and Old Nine, there was no one else.
Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie turned their heads at the sound, both looking startled.
Three pairs of eyes collided in the air for a moment.
Yu Qing said in a deep voice, “What are you two doing?”
Nan Zhu: “Returning to Linglong Temple.”
Yu Qing: “Is this the direction to Linglong Temple? Is this the road?”
Nan Zhu retorted, “Going to the capital doesn’t seem to be this road either, does it?”
Yu Qing understood. His attempt to keep the spoils to himself had been seen through by the two.
As Nan Zhu had said before, now that they knew the location of the so-called Xiaoyun Jian, whether true or false, who could resist going to take a look?
If by chance it was real, if by chance they truly entered an immortal’s cave dwelling, casually obtaining some treasures would make them rich.
The problem lay right here. He wanted to swallow it all alone. If these two senior brothers went and participated, they would definitely have to share.
It was still that old saying, he as the sect leader wanted to control Linglong Temple’s purse strings.
Now that his cover had been torn away, he instantly flew into a rage from embarrassment. “What do you want?”
Mu Aotie: “Whatever you want to do, we want to do.”
Nan Zhu mediated between the two, “Don’t get excited. Old Fifteen, look, we also mean well. We’ve come to help you out. This is what fellow sect brothers are for. If it were anyone else, where would you find such a good thing?”
Yu Qing: “Help what help? With your physique, have you come to help? You’re clearly here to cause trouble.”
Nan Zhu raged, “Don’t attack me personally. What does this have to do with physique? A bit fatter is still a good man, still able to move and carry things, still able to do things. What, a bit fatter and I’m not allowed to live? Old Fifteen, I’m telling you, don’t be so overbearing!”
His words were already quite restrained. If not for considering that they would still be spending his money along the way, he might as well have parted ways with a bang. There was no need to go through all this sneaking about.
Yu Qing: “I’m attacking you personally? The three of us put together, anyone who knows us can tell at a glance who we are. If Qin Jue finds out, whether he’ll let you, Fatty, live is really a question.”
Nan Zhu: “At worst we’ll use disguise!”
Yu Qing was instantly astonished beyond words. “You can disguise your face, but how do you disguise fat?”
“…” Nan Zhu was somewhat speechless, also somewhat indignant. “Once we get to Ningzhou, how would he recognise us? It’s not like the whole world is his eyes and ears. Old Fifteen, you just want to keep it all to yourself. Don’t look for so many excuses.”
Yu Qing chuckled, “Fine, whatever. I can’t even be bothered with you!” With that, he whipped his horse repeatedly and galloped off.
Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie immediately raised their whips and gave chase.
However, their mounts were truly cheap goods, unable to run fast. In truth, the two had too little capital on hand and couldn’t afford expensive ones.
Added to that, their weight was a considerable burden on the horses indeed.
Without good horses, Nan Zhu had a good mouth. Seeing the distance growing wider, he immediately shouted loudly, “Old Nine, it’s fine, we can take our time. Anyway, we know where the place is. Anyway, we can’t enter until the first new moon of next year, so running fast is useless. Besides, who finds the location first isn’t certain yet!”
The underlying meaning was simple. Want to shake us off? No way!
Yu Qing ahead ground his teeth in fury upon hearing this…
Ningzhou.
Situated to the south of Jin Kingdom, with a mild climate, spring all year round, and abundant rainfall, it was favourable for crops and thus rich in produce. Also located on the southern coast, with a network of rivers and waterways within its borders, several great rivers flowing directly to the sea, it was also considered an important hub for shipping and maritime transport.
Overall, in this world, Ningzhou counted as a relatively prosperous place.
Ningzhou City, also the capital of Ningzhou, demonstrated this prosperity even more clearly.
Outside the city, ship docks stretched directly to it, with loading and unloading in full busy swing. Countless large and small warehouses dotted the area.
Inside the city, traffic bustled, with splendour and prosperity, with peddlers and common folk, people coming and going in an endless stream.
A boat passed beneath a bridge. On both banks were wine shops and stores. In one window sat the upper halves of Yu Qing and Mu Aotie facing each other. In the adjacent window, Nan Zhu and a man in his forties were toasting and drinking.
The man was called Guo Wengan, a clerk in the prefectural office. He was someone Nan Zhu had actively befriended after overcoming his psychological shadow of facing officials.
The purpose of the befriending lay in the thick stack of “Ningzhou Gazetteer” and “Complete Map of Ningzhou” placed on a stool nearby.
There was no other way. The only place name Yun Xi had given before her death was a small town called “Shiji Bay.” Ningzhou was so vast, and the three brothers were complete strangers here. They had asked some Ningzhou locals along the way, but no one had heard of any Shiji Bay.
They only dared ask by the roadside, not daring to enquire openly everywhere.
Later the three thought that to find that small town in the vast expanse of Ningzhou, they needed to see the whole picture from above. So they went straight to Ningzhou City, and thus the present scene unfolded.
However, after the three had flipped through the “Ningzhou Gazetteer” and “Complete Map of Ningzhou” repeatedly, they still couldn’t find a place called Shiji Bay amongst the numerous small towns.
The three were somewhat worried. After all, it was the name of a small town from three thousand years ago. Who could guarantee it hadn’t been changed?
The problem was that amongst the ancient place names in the local gazetteer, they hadn’t found the name “Shiji Bay” either.
Using the excuse of returning the items, after drinking Guo Wengan until his face was flushed red, Nan Zhu finally turned the topic to those two works. Pointing at them, he said, “Brother Guo, this gazetteer seems a bit off. Why does it feel like the records of many places are fragmented?”
Guo Wengan asked back, “How so?”
Nan Zhu: “Look, let me give an example. Local officials throughout the ages are generally recorded, but many places are clearly missing layers. It feels like quite a lot has been lost!”
Guo Wengan laughed heartily, “Before the unification of Jin Kingdom, which place wasn’t ravaged by war? Many things were destroyed in the flames of war. These literary records were repaired when possible. As for how much could be restored, it merely depended on how many related documents could be found. Some gaps are perfectly normal.”
Nan Zhu frowned, “So that means it’s impossible to see a complete, unbroken gazetteer?”
“That’s impossible.” Guo Wengan shook his head, then paused, hesitating, “There is one place where you might see a relatively complete one.”
Nan Zhu immediately pressed, “Where?”
Guo Wengan: “The Wen Clan Library.”
Nan Zhu asked again, “Where is it located?”
Guo Wengan was instantly surprised. “The Wen Clan of Ningzhou, having continued in Ningzhou for over two thousand five hundred years, backed by a major cultivation sect, is a true prestigious family. The Wen Family, one of the three great families of South Jin, Brother Nan hasn’t heard of them?”
Nan Zhu felt he had heard of them somewhere, but had no clear impression. He quickly said, “The Wen Family! Heard of them, heard of them. But that library, this outsider is hearing it mentioned for the first time. I would be grateful for Brother Guo’s guidance.”