Chapter 86 Jiang Yutang
Chapter 86 Jiang Yutang
Wang Sumo really hadn't expected it to be the old man...
She had considered that it might be Old Master Weng, Bai Cen, or even Zhao Tong, but she never thought of the old man.
Ever since she met the old man, he had been all alone.
When he can't remember things, he'll search everywhere for his vajra (a magical pestle). Sometimes he's carefree and unrestrained, sometimes he's leisurely fishing, and sometimes he's completely clueless.
In her heart, she always regarded the old man as family.
The words "take the old man" that Zhu Yu uttered stirred countless waves in her heart...
Although she could piece together a small part of the old man's experiences when he was young from what Master He and Old Master Weng said.
Bai Cen and Zhao Tong had also told her about the rumors about the old man in the martial arts world, but in reality, she had only met the old man in the last three or four years.
When exactly did Bai Xiaotong meet the old man?
And what about the old man's relationship with Bai Xiaotong?
How long has Bai Xiaotong followed Bazhenlou from afar?
These were all like mysteries suddenly thrown in front of her...
Coincidentally, she originally wanted to find Bai Xiaotong through Zhu Weng, just to inquire about the old man's past.
She wanted to know the origin of the vajra pestle the old man had given her, and also what the old man had gone through before this, and why he had become like this...
She wanted to drive the Eight Treasures Restaurant to collect rare ingredients from "The Tale of Delicacies," but taking good care of the old man was equally important to her.
Perhaps, we'll find out soon...
Lost in thought, Zhu Yu, who was walking ahead, stopped and got off: "Miss Wang, it's just past here."
It is the entrance to the cave below the secret passage.
She had seen it before when she came with Bai Cen and Uncle Liu; every household in the village had a secret passage, and the secret passages were connected by different openings.
Some of these openings are secret passages connecting to other villagers' homes; others lead to places far outside the village.
In times of war and disaster, villagers could hide in secret passages to escape the world.
You can also go outside through the hole.
Even if outsiders accidentally enter the secret passages, they will get lost in this series of interconnected underground passages because they do not know where the different entrances lead.
These are the culmination of Zhu Weng's life's work, a Shangri-La in another sense...
“Miss Wang, I won’t go with you. My sister probably wants to talk to you alone.” Zhu Yu handed her the torch.
Once we reached the platform in the secret passage, we replaced the tinderbox used for lighting with the torches that had been left in fixed positions on the wall.
“Okay.” Wang Sumo took it and walked forward in the direction of the cave entrance.
She already knew how to open the cave entrance: pull a ring on the wall. Holding the torch in her left hand, she used her right hand to pry open the hidden mechanism box containing the ring, and then gently pulled it, causing the stone in front of the cave entrance to slowly move aside.
It was an unfamiliar secret passageway space that she had never been to before.
The space wasn't large, but it was filled with cabinets of all sizes. She didn't touch the cabinets, but some of them weren't closed very tightly, and she could vaguely see that they contained wooden figures of all shapes and sizes.
There are various carving tools on the cabinet.
On one of the cabinets was a round plate with many pieces of wood that were only half-carved.
Wang Sumo didn't reach out to touch it, but she recognized one of them at a glance—Zhu Yu?
It's carved in the shape of Zhu Yu!
like!
Moreover, it's so cute! It's not in normal proportions, but its big head and eyes make its body look rather short, giving it a somewhat goofy appearance.
Wang Sumo's attention was immediately drawn.
There are other wood carvings inside the disc.
The person next to Zhu Yu is—Liu Che?!
Wang Sumo was amused.
Liu Che even has abs. Wang Sumo suddenly found him somewhat abstractly cute, but he was still a big-headed wooden doll. People with this kind of imagination are at most eccentric.
Geniuses are often eccentric.
The person next to Liu Che is Lao Liu!
Old Liu is even more interesting, because he is holding a large hammer, which is probably used when blacksmithing.
Moreover, his expression was very serious, which meant that he had to use a lot of strength and be fully focused when forging iron, so he had to exert a lot of effort, and his expression might even be a bit fierce.
But coincidentally, such a ferocious expression, placed on an adorable, big-headed wooden doll, creates an unexpectedly cute contrast.
Wang Sumo's smile deepened.
A person who is not good at observation, cannot carve details, and cannot discover cuteness could not carve these lifelike wooden figurines that make people smile at first glance...
Meanwhile, Wang Sumo's smile gradually froze.
Although she had never met the real Zhu Weng, Lao Liu had impersonated Zhu Weng before, and the last wooden carving was in Zhu Weng's likeness.
Compared to the old man Zhu played by Lao Liu, the old man Zhu in the wood carving has a kind face and eyes that are curved into two crescent moons when he smiles. He is leaning on a cane and has a fleshy face, just like the old man of longevity and good fortune.
This must be Zhu Weng...
Wang Sumo suddenly realized that she didn't know the other person's name, only that she was a know-it-all.
That must be how she imagined Mr. Zhu: kind, gentle, and with a benevolent and smiling face...
Sometimes a person is only good at one way of expressing themselves.
Having skillful hands may not guarantee a silver tongue, which is why Zhu Yu said that Bai Xiaotong wasn't very good-tempered and didn't have much patience when speaking. But from another perspective, perhaps her patience and talent lie elsewhere...
Wang Sumo subtly gauged the situation.
When you look at the big-headed dolls in the disc, you'll see that, except for the big-headed Zhu Weng, which is already finished, the others are mostly carved. Beside him, there's a girl with a high ponytail, arms crossed, pouting, looking "unhappy" but also quite cooperative...
Hmm, it seems they know they have a bad temper and always seem unhappy, so they've used that characteristic to shape themselves.
Wang Sumo suddenly realized that the engraving on this disc was a family portrait!
She was with Zhu Weng, Lao Liu, Zhu Yu, and Liu Che.
Although Wang Sumo did not reach out to grab them, he had an imagination. If these wooden dolls of different shapes were put together, with different actions and expressions, they would form a warm yet somewhat awkward "family portrait"!
In the center of the family photo is an elderly man named Zhu, who is all smiles, leaning on a cane with one hand and stroking his beard with the other.
Next to Zhu Weng was Old Liu, who had one hand on Zhu Weng's shoulder and the other holding a large hammer;
Next to Lao Liu is Liu Che, who has abs but a somewhat honest and simple face, standing in the middle;
The seat next to Liu Che was occupied by her with her hair in a ponytail, arms crossed, looking somewhat unhappy.
Finally, next to her was Zhu Yu, who was carved to look most like a child.
There are five wooden dolls in total, each with its own unique charm. When placed close enough together, they create a lifelike, warm, and lively scene...
Wang Sumo suddenly felt a strong liking for this complete stranger, despite Zhu Yu's comments about her bad temper and unpleasant way of speaking. These qualities seemed insignificant in comparison.
She was very curious about what the other person looked like. Although she had a rough idea of what the cute big-headed doll would look like, she believed that the real person would be quite different from the big-headed doll.
Lost in thought, I heard the sound of the stone wall slowly moving away behind me.
Wang Sumo was originally looking down at the disc, but when he heard the sound of the stone wall being moved, he turned his head.
But after glancing behind him, Wang Sumo almost couldn't help but laugh.
-- picture!
It's really sculpted so realistically, with a high ponytail, arms crossed, and an unhappy expression.
Someone can actually sculpt themselves so realistically.
"Wang Sumo?" The other person frowned slightly, addressing her by her full name.
Just as Zhu Yu said, there wasn't even a proper title like "Miss Wang," and her speech was indeed quite unpolished.
"Yes, that's me," Wang Sumo replied confidently.
The other person looked behind her again, at the round plate with five wooden dolls on it.
None of the wooden dolls on the disc had moved. Wang Sumo had only glanced at them. Her brows relaxed slightly, and her gaze showed a hint of goodwill, but she still looked at Wang Sumo with an inquisitive look.
"Did you carve all of these?" Wang Sumo asked directly.
She paused, then nodded slightly, observing Wang Sumo as she asked, "You want to see me?"
Still very straightforward...
Wang Sumo understood even more clearly.
“Yes, I heard Lao Liu mention the All-Knowing Martial Arts Master before, and I told Lao Liu that I wanted to meet him.” Wang Sumo readily admitted, “Later, I heard from Elder Weng that the All-Knowing Martial Arts Master wasn’t one person, but a group of people, and I became curious as well.”
Zhu Yu would tell Wang Sumo that she wasn't surprised.
"What do you want to ask me?" The other person's question was even more direct. Not only were the words straightforward, but the tone was as if there were no other emotions involved.
"Since you promised, I'll tell you whatever you ask, as long as I know the answer; and for anything I don't know, I'll arrange to find out and tell you when I have the answer."
After saying that, he looked at Wang Sumo warily: "But there are some things that Bai Xiaotong won't help inquire about, such as disaster relief funds, disaster relief grain, and the whereabouts of certain things..."
This is to be frank from the outset.
Wang Sumo smiled and said, "I wanted to ask about my grandfather."
The other person paused for a moment, then quickly regained their composure and continued to probe her: "Taking the old man?"
Wang Sumo nodded generously, her hands behind her back. She couldn't bring herself to dislike someone who could carve such adorable wooden dolls, even though the other person wasn't exactly friendly. She coldly asked, "What do you want to know?"
Wang Sumo stepped forward slowly and said gently, "Actually, I met the old man three or four years ago on a rainy day. At that time, the old man was somewhat confused and couldn't remember who he was. He kept searching for something in the pouring rain. Whenever a passerby came by, he would tug at their sleeve and ask helplessly if they had seen what he had lost..."
Sure enough, from the moment he heard the words "unconscious," the "know-it-all" was clearly stunned, and his eyes showed surprise.
After she finished speaking, even though the "know-it-all" was trying to hide it, his eyes were still filled with emotion.
Wang Sumo became even more certain that the other party only knew about the people coming and going at Bazhenlou, but their knowledge was only general and they had not had any detailed contact with Bazhenlou. They didn't even know that the old man was ill...
It was a few years ago that she took the old man to see Fang Rushi.
She and the old man stayed at Fang Rushi's place for two or three months. Fang Rushi gave the old man acupuncture and medicine every day. The old man did not have a headache again for about a month and was basically cured before they left.
If the other party had been paying attention to Bazhenlou at that time, they would have known about it.
In other words, "Bai Xiaotong" only recently started paying attention to Bazhenlou and the old man.
"Bai Xiaotong" is Zhu Weng's adopted granddaughter.
But Zhu Yu didn't know anything about what happened before he was adopted by Zhu Weng.
If the "know-it-all" had any connection with the old man, it could only have been before he met Elder Zhu...
Either I was too young at the time and have no memory of it, or I found the old man later by finding clues in my memory;
Either the "know-it-all" had never actually met the old man, but was acting on someone's behalf, or for some other special reason.
She wanted to stay by the old man's side for a while to make up for some regrets...
Otherwise, there wouldn't be such undisguised sadness in her eyes.
Wang Sumo had her own guesses.
Although it seems unbelievable, it's not without clues...
Wang Sumo patiently explained, "Later, I stayed with the old man. His headaches would flare up every two weeks, and each time it happened, he would do the same thing as before, searching everywhere for people, asking if they had seen his Vajra Pestle..."
“I took my father to see many doctors, and all of them told me that this kind of headache is incurable. He will gradually forget everyone and slowly lose his ability to take care of himself. But I still want to try. I want to take my father to see Fang Rushi.”
"The All-Knowing One" looked at Wang Sumo, his gaze gradually losing its coldness and slowly becoming gentle and warm. He listened quietly without interrupting.
Wang Sumo continued, "The legendary healer Fang Rushi only treats strange and difficult diseases, not ordinary ones. After carefully examining the old man, Fang Rushi simply said two words—'incurable.'"
At this point, Wang Sumo felt the same way he did back then, and breathed a sigh of relief: "A weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Although Fang Rushi was unwilling to treat the old man, on the other hand, it means that Fang Rushi personally confirmed that the old man did not have a strange disease or a terminal illness—so there is a cure!"
"Then the rest is just a matter of grinding the prescription down, grinding it down until he's willing to treat the old man..."
"Fang Rushi was captured by the enemy and forced to treat the enemy commander. He refused to yield even at the cost of his life. Later, Bai Xiaosheng rescued him, but he also cut off three fingers to show his determination. Although he could still practice medicine, he could barely cook any meal."
“That month, I stayed at his place. Whatever dish he made, I would remake it, adding a couple more dishes. One day, two days, three days… I made it specifically to show him, but he ignored me completely. Around the tenth day, he finally couldn't resist and took a bite, but he told me to just eat it, not to treat my illness. I said okay, and he looked at me strangely…”
Even the "know-it-all" looked at her strangely.
Wang Sumo continued, "On the last two days of the month, he suddenly said he wanted to eat candied ginkgo nuts. I made a huge plate of them, and he ate it all in one go. Then he said he wanted more, so I made another plate, and he ate that too in one go. Then he said, 'I've already taken your money for treatment, I'll stay for two months and then leave.' I chased after him, trying to please him, but he wasn't happy. He said three months, three months at most..."
"All-Knowing"
"During the three months at Fang Rushi's house, he would give the old man acupuncture every day, and also make sure the old man took his medicine on time and ate according to his requirements. Gradually, the old man's headaches went from recurring every three days to recurring every half month, to not recurring for a month, and finally not recurring for the last two months. Fang Rushi said that the old man's head had suffered a heavy blow and was recovering little by little, but it had also been traumatized. He said that he shouldn't let the old man be bored, and that it would be good to play with him for a while every day..."
"The old man is getting better day by day, and he's become much happier. Fang said that the old man will take his medicine on time every month, have acupuncture every three months, take a medicinal bath every six months, and have a specific method every year to circulate his internal energy to force out any remaining or blocked blood clots in his head..."
"And so, the old man's headaches recurred less and less frequently, and for less and less time. But Fang Rushi had instructed him not to give him any intense stimulation. Every time the old man's headaches recurred, he would keep looking for something called a 'Vajra Pestle'."
“You’re a well-informed person in the martial arts world, you should know a lot of things, and you can know a lot of things. I want to know what the old man went through before, the origin of that Vajra Pestle, and why the old man has been looking for it.” Wang Sumo looked at the other party, “I can give you a reward.”
"The all-knowing one" did not look away either. Their eyes met, neither of them looking away, as if they wanted to see right through each other.
The "know-it-all" said, "I can help you find out, but I have conditions."
"The All-Knowing One" said in a deep voice, "I will stay at the Eight Treasures Pavilion for a while. I will decide when to leave, and I will leave the rest to you."
Wang Sumo smiled: "What do you hate doing most in the kitchen?"
"Knowledgeable" frowned. Although he didn't know why she would ask that, he answered without hesitation: "Wash the dishes."
Wang Sumo smiled with satisfaction: "Then you will be a handyman, responsible for general labor and washing dishes."
"All-Knowing": "???"
Wang Sumo smiled and said, "Only if you're willing to stay and do the things you dislike the most will I believe you really want to stay at Bazhenlou."
"The All-Knowing" frowned, and finally said in a cold voice, "Fine, I agree!"
Wang Sumo proactively extended her hand: "Welcome to the Eight Treasures Pavilion. Shouldn't you tell me your name now? A pseudonym is fine too~"
Wang Sumo is considerate.
"All-Knowing" hesitated for a moment, then reached out to her, and the two hands clasped together. She said in a deep voice, "Jiang Yutang."
[Author's Note]
The handyman is on his way, the coolest female know-it-all has arrived at Bazhenlou!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com