Trip to Southwest China
The southwest is a remote area, but the scenery is excellent: eight hundred miles of green mountains stretch endlessly, rivers flow, and the vast expanse is boundless; the mountain breeze is cool, the peaks are intertwined, and the scenery is like the Big Dipper, with the sky and mountains blending together.
Yan Dan, chewing on a steamed bun she was eating, looked at the silent Liu Weiyang sitting opposite her, her heart heavy with resentment. In her mind, the two types of people least suitable for traveling together were mute people and gentlemen. Mute people couldn't speak, they only ate, and were boring; gentlemen were upright and would never do anything wrong, and were even more boring. She didn't know if Liu Weiyang could be considered a gentleman, but he was certainly more or less mute.
That day, she and Tang Zhou left Lingxiao Taoist Temple, returned to Tang Zhou's home to pack some belongings, and then left Xiangdu City. It was late spring, and only a few withered red blossoms remained on the branches. Liu Weiyang was standing under the peach tree, watching them calmly. Yan Dan didn't know what Tang Zhou had said to him, but the result was that a demon, a celestial master, and a highly skilled person of unknown age were traveling together to the southwest.
The journey was remarkably smooth; they hadn't encountered a single bandit or mountain brigand. Yan Dan felt a mixture of regret and感慨 (a sense of mixed emotions, including a touch of melancholy and reflection). Everyone said that the current Emperor Rui of the Great Zhou Dynasty was too politically enlightened, with too few officials who did nothing but eat and drink, inexplicably depriving her of much enjoyment. The closer they got to Zhu Cui Mountain, the more silent Liu Weiyang became. When they stopped to rest, he would stare blankly at the sky, lost in thought. When others spoke to him, he would at most give a noncommittal "hmm," and it was unclear whether he even heard them.
Yan Dan was too idle to do anything but guess what Liu Weiyang was thinking. A mortal, once contemplating certain sordid things, even with a righteous expression, would still have a hint of meanness and lewdness in their eyes; if they thought of murder, arson, and all sorts of evil deeds, they would grit their teeth and clench their fists. But Liu Weiyang's eyes were clear, his expression calm—surely he wasn't worried about a piece of the sky accidentally falling down?
After Yan Dan finished eating a steamed bun, she began to slowly add firewood to the fire. Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she pointed to the Zhu Cui Mountain in front of her: "The peaks are beautiful and close to the Jade Toad, and the distant smoke and clouds hang in the south. The mountain is steep and winding, so why not choose a scenic spot to climb up high?"
Tang Zhou choked on a mouthful of steamed bun, coughing a few times before saying, "Why are you suddenly reciting poetry?" This flower fairy was indeed somewhat different from those he had seen before; besides being able to act coquettishly and fawn, she even possessed some literary talent. He turned to look in the direction Yan Dan pointed, where he saw the towering Zhu Cui Mountain, seemingly reaching for the moon, shrouded in mist, its peaks winding and undulating. Before cultivating Taoism, he had even passed the imperial examinations for the lowest degree, and the few lines of poetry Yan Dan recited, aside from their uneven rhyme scheme, were quite fitting for the occasion.
“Auspicious energy flows in curves, while inauspicious energy flows straight. Mountains and water embrace each other to create energy. It seems that this Zhu Cui Mountain must be a place of outstanding people and abundant resources.” Yan Dan turned to look at Liu Weiyang. “Young Master Liu, don’t you think so?”
Liu Weiyang glanced at her, then looked towards Zhu Cuishan on his own.
Yan Dan was not giving up and said, "However, I see that the two rivers at the foot of the mountain did not converge, and the spiritual energy leaked out, which turned out to be a flaw."
Liu Weiyang shook his head, but still didn't say anything.
Yan Dan finally gave up and slowly lay down on the hay, ready to get a good night's sleep. She was a light sleeper, easily awakened by the slightest noise. Suddenly, she heard a soft sound, opened her eyes, and saw Liu Weiyang slowly stand up, something in his hand gleaming faintly in the moonlight. Yan Dan remained lying still, watching as Liu Weiyang slowly walked to Tang Zhou's side, stood there for a moment, then turned and walked back towards her.
Feeling puzzled, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, pretending to be asleep. She sensed the other person watching her quietly for a while before slowly walking away. Yan Dan quietly got up and carefully followed behind him. She saw him walk to a locust tree and gently dust off the trunk.
In Yan Dan's view, Liu Weiyang was a decisive person who never dragged things out or did anything unnecessary; every word and action of his was unlikely to be meaningless. Just as she was pondering this, she saw Liu Weiyang slowly lean against the tree trunk and bring the object he was holding to his lips.
By the silvery moonlight, Yan Dan could see clearly that he was holding only a jade flute. ...It was just a flute, not a weapon. All that tension she had felt earlier was for nothing.
The moon hangs high in the sky. Whose jade flute is playing, its notes like a heart-wrenching lament, a whispered complaint, perfectly capturing the youthful exuberance and seven parts intoxication?
Liu Weiyang's eyes were clear and aloof, his demeanor composed and elegant, like a jade tree or a green bamboo, his graceful figure captivating. Yan Dan watched him finish playing a tune, the melody shifting to a subtle metallic sound, his dark blue sleeves fluttering gently in the wind, exuding a refined and elegant aura.
Yan Dan slowly backed away and lay down on the haystack. After a moment, Liu Weiyang quietly walked back to the fire and sat down again. Yan Dan vaguely thought that this time she really had been too suspicious.
The next morning, we entered Zhu Cui Mountain, but as soon as we reached the mountain pass, a damp mist hit us, making the ground slippery and difficult to walk on, so we had to turn back.
Tang Zhou could only say, "It seems that the mountain road is not easy to travel. I'm afraid we'll have to ask a local to guide us." Liu Weiyang remained noncommittal, but Yan Dan's eyes flickered, and he smiled and said, "I suddenly thought of a story."
Tang Zhou glanced at her sideways and chuckled slightly: "What's the story now?" Nothing much has happened these past few days except for traveling, so it's easy to tell that she must be feeling quite stifled.
"There was once a king who wanted to launch a military campaign against a neighboring country, so he asked his prime minister if this idea was feasible. The prime minister listened and only said one word, 'Ran.' The king was puzzled, wondering whether 'Ran' meant good or bad. Later, the king fell seriously ill, and the military campaign was put on hold. On his deathbed, he still wondered what the prime minister meant by 'Ran.' Finally, the king couldn't help but call the prime minister to his bedside, tell him his guess, and ask if that was the meaning. The prime minister chuckled and said, 'Ran.' The king immediately died."
Tang Zhou was both annoyed and amused; it was quite remarkable that she had come up with such a reference to allude to Liu Weiyang. However, Liu Weiyang acted as if he hadn't heard a word, not even glancing at her.
Yan Dan suddenly felt bored and pouted, remaining silent.
When they reached the entrance of a village outside the mountains, Tang Zhou said in a low voice, "You really enjoy pestering Brother Liu to talk." Yan Dan frowned and thought for a moment, then smiled broadly, "So you're jealous?"
Without hesitation, Tang Zhou replied, "No."
Yan Dan sighed softly, "Actually, it's not a big deal that you've admitted it. I won't make fun of you."
"I don't."
As they were talking, two locals approached, dressed in coarse cloth shirts with wide lapels. One was tall and the other short. When they saw the three of them, they stepped forward and said with a smile, "Judging from your appearance, you three are here to visit Zhu Cui Mountain, right? The weather is just right now, but it's easy to get foggy in the mountains. Without a local to guide you, it's easy to get lost."
Tang Zhou nodded slightly, and then the local man on the higher ground continued, "Actually, quite a few people come to Zhu Cui Mountain every year. This isn't the first time my brother and I have led the way. As for the price, it's naturally negotiable."
Tang Zhou took out a small ingot of silver and said calmly, "We'll be heading into the mountains in two hours at most. Please see if you need to buy anything else. We can settle the rest of the money once we get there."
The man took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and said with a smile, "Young master, rest assured, we can set off in just half an hour. I guarantee everything will be foolproof!" After saying that, he pulled the short local man away, muttering to himself in their unintelligible dialect.
Liu Weiyang said in a low voice, "These two people have a fishy smell."
Yan Dan immediately perked up: "I noticed their eyes were darting around and they were being overly attentive; there's probably something fishy going on. This journey is truly going to be interesting."
"Even if something strange happens, it shouldn't be too difficult to handle." Tang Zhou looked at the bundle. "We don't have much dry food left. We don't know where we'll find a house once we get into the mountains. Let's buy some more to take with us."
Liu Weiyang shook his head and said calmly, "Since they dared to bring people in, they must have a plan. In short, just be careful."
Yan Dan felt a chill run down her spine: "The fishy smell you were talking about earlier, it couldn't be..."
Liu Weiyang glanced at her noncommittally and then remained silent.
Tang Zhou was slightly puzzled, as she was usually not so hesitant and only spoke half a sentence at a time. So she asked, "What's wrong with the fishy smell?"
Yan Dan's expression was complicated: "I was just guessing. It's better if you don't know, or it might make you lose your appetite for days."
Tang Zhou saw that she didn't say anything, so he didn't force her. The three of them went to the village to buy some dry steamed buns and fetched some well water. When they returned to the village entrance, they saw the two locals carrying hemp rope axes and walking sticks, waiting there.
The fog on Zhu Cui Mountain was thick, layer upon layer, obscuring even things ten steps away. Yan Dan quietly glanced at the two locals who were probing the path with their canes diagonally ahead. They had similar features, yellowish-black skin, and their smiles consisted only of twitching facial muscles.
The short local turned around, grinned at her, revealing his blackened teeth: "Girl, you'd better stay close. There are giant pythons in these mountains that love to eat young girls with delicate skin."
Yan Dan immediately put on a frightened look: "Are there giant pythons in these mountains?"
“This python is as thick as an arm and this long.” The man gestured with his hand. “When it opens its mouth wide, it can swallow a whole person.”
"Enough, stop talking!" The taller local immediately interrupted him, laughing, "That's just a local rumor. Don't be afraid, girl. If we really encountered a giant python, the two of us could easily kill it." As he spoke, he patted the axe wrapped in hemp rope on his back.
Yan Dan smiled, her bright eyes and white teeth gleaming, her voice gentle: "Then I'm relieved."
After walking a while longer through the white mist, she casually glanced around, only to suddenly realize that Liu Weiyang, who had been walking behind her, had vanished. She knew that with Liu Weiyang's skills, he wouldn't be in any danger even if he were alone, but she still felt that Liu Weiyang must have had his own purpose in traveling with them. After all, people's hearts are unpredictable, and at least for now, she couldn't determine whether he was friend or foe, or if he had some other scheme.
As she was contemplating whether to tell Tang Zhou about it, she caught a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of her eye. She turned around and saw Liu Weiyang walking calmly behind her.
Yan Dan rubbed her eyes, wondering if she had just seen things. Logically, with the fog so thick, it wouldn't be surprising to have temporary vision problems. Her frequent glances back caught Liu Weiyang's attention, who asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"
"Did you see anything strange just now?" Yan Dan asked tentatively.
Liu Weiyang shook his head, but the short local turned around and said, "It's foggy here, and the mountain road is difficult to walk. You might get dizzy. But young lady, you're too suspicious. You should work on your courage."
Yan Dan really wanted to teach that gossipy mortal a lesson, but considering he still needed to guide her, she had to hold back. Back when she was training her courage, this talkative mortal was probably nowhere to be found, yet he dared to say she was a coward—it was utterly outrageous!
They had been walking in the mountains for an unknown amount of time, but all they could see was a vast expanse of white. Tang Zhou couldn't help but ask, "How much longer?" The tall man replied quickly, "Almost there! Once we reach the mountain pass, we'll just follow the path and cross this mountain." He held a file in his hand and tapped a tree beside him. "I'll mark the way like this, so I won't get lost even if I walk with my eyes closed." Just as he was about to cut the bark with the file, the short man suddenly shouted, "We...we've been here before!"
The tall one immediately retorted, "What nonsense are you talking about? Don't scare yourself! We've been through these mountains at least seventeen or eighteen times, and we've always made it out quickly!"
"But look at the markings on the bark, isn't that the one you made before?"
The tall boy's face turned pale instantly, and he muttered, "How could this be? This has never happened before. Could it be... a ghost wall?"
Yan Dan bent down to look at the markings on the tree trunk, then carefully examined the surrounding vegetation. She was indeed here before. But if it were a case of being lost in a maze, she wouldn't have been completely oblivious.
Tang Zhou calmly said, "Then let's go through it again. If we still end up back where we started, we'll think of another way."
The two locals immediately re-identified the direction and led the way.
As Yan Dan walked, she quietly observed her surroundings. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that every few steps, Liu Weiyang would use his toes to move a few stones on the ground. At first, she thought it was just his cautious nature, marking the path. But as time went on, she began to feel something was amiss. Marking should be easy to identify, but the stones he arranged were haphazard and without any pattern, seemingly just to kick those few stones aside.
After walking for about half an hour in the thick white fog, the short local man turned around excitedly and pointed ahead: "This is the entrance to the mountain road. It seems we just went in circles because we were looking in the wrong direction."
Yan Dan glanced at Liu Weiyang discreetly. She saw that he looked straight ahead, his eyes calm and undisturbed, showing no signs of fear or worry, which are common human emotions.
Upon closer reflection, she realized something was amiss: the two locals claimed they had traversed the mountains at least seventeen or eighteen times, so there was no reason for them to lose their bearings, unless they were deliberately bluffing. But judging from their pale faces and uncertain expressions, if it was all an act, it would be far too convincing. And in her opinion, such an attempt was utterly unnecessary.
If this path doesn't work, then there must be another reason. And that reason must lie with Liu Weiyang. She saw Liu Weiyang disappear with her own eyes, only to see him reappear out of thin air the next moment. Was it just a hallucination? If not, how long had he been gone, and what was he doing? Also, why did Liu Weiyang intentionally or unintentionally move those pebbles?
She suddenly remembered a night long ago in Yelan Mountain. It was a sweltering night, and she couldn't sleep, so she went to the lake for some fresh air. It turned out Yu Mo was also awake, standing with his hands behind his back under the moonlight. As Yan Dan approached, she saw the ground covered with pebbles, scattered like stars. Each pebble's placement seemed ordinary, yet it held some kind of mystery. Yu Mo turned and glanced at her, then looked down at the ground. Yan Dan was puzzled and wanted to get closer, but Yu Mo grabbed her arm: "These pebbles are arranged according to the Eight Trigrams of Fuxi; once you enter, there's no turning back."
Yan Dan didn't believe it, but when she went inside, the scene suddenly changed. The surroundings were filled with murderous intent, and no matter which way she went, she was just going around in circles. Fortunately, Yu Mo finally pulled her out. For the next six months, she was always very careful around Yu Mo, afraid that she might offend this mountain lord and be thrown into that stone formation.
If the reason they were circling around was because they had entered a Fuxi Bagua formation, then who set it up? Liu Weiyang sensed that someone had set up a formation to trap them, but why didn't he say a word? She originally wanted to ask him directly, but then she thought that since he wasn't saying anything, he must have his reasons. If Liu Weiyang had ulterior motives, asking him would only alert him; if he truly meant well, her question might ruin his plans.
Yan Dan looked up and saw a fine drizzle rising from the mist, brushing against her cheek. A slender figure was gracefully emerging from the mist. The person lifted the hem of their robe with one hand, wore wooden clogs, and had an indistinct face. Every step they took seemed to be walking on clouds, their body light and ethereal, exuding an indescribable air of purity.
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