Chapter 28 (Second Update): Mountains and Rivers Will Meet Again
Chapter 28 Mountains and Rivers Meet Again
Wang Sumo never imagined that Huo Lianchi would reveal her secret about her past to her because of the matter of Master He.
But then I thought, didn't Master He also take a gamble back then, bringing him back from the ruins of the Xiaoyao Sect?
What Huo Lianchi is bearing today is actually the same as what Master He of the old manor did back then.
In a sense, this was the kind of repayment Huo Lianchi was seeking.
Huo Lianchi knew very well that Bazhenlou did not need Qingyun Manor's favor, and given Huo Lianchi's character, she would never use other matters to blackmail her.
Huo Lianchi came to her after careful consideration and then said these things to her; this showed a greater sincerity than the favors shown by Qingyun Manor.
Wang Sumo asked bluntly, "Isn't Master Huo afraid that I might accidentally let something slip one day at the Eight Treasures Pavilion?"
Huo Lianchi smiled and looked at her gently again, "A person who only wants to cook three meals a day and is prepared to spend her whole life searching for all the precious seasonings in 'The Tale of Delicacies' has no other thoughts on her."
Wang Sumo suddenly understood.
Sometimes, you might suddenly find yourself trusting someone because of a single sentence you understand. This person may not have known you before, but they can resonate with you at a certain moment or point in time.
The so-called friendship between gentlemen is largely like this.
Wang Sumo said gently, "Since Master Huo trusts me, I will definitely keep my mouth shut."
"We'll meet again someday, Miss Wang. Please accept this as a substitute for wine. If you ever need anything from me in the future, please feel free to ask at Bazhenlou." Huo Lianchi picked up the rice wine in his hand and drank it all in one gulp.
Wang Sumo readily accepted the good advice.
*
After Huo Lianchi left, Wang Sumo returned to the fishpond to look at her six crucian carp. "Ah Da, Ah Er, Ah San, Ah Si, Ah Wu, Ah Liu, we're going home tomorrow. Aren't you happy?"
Of course, she could no longer distinguish between Ah Da and Ah Liu.
When I pass by again, I'll ask Sister Zhen how to distinguish the characteristics of different crucian carp.
Anyway, during the few days she's been at Qingyun Manor, the old man should have moved Bazhenlou to Sister Zhen's place.
Don't underestimate any female proprietress who runs a herbal tea shop along the official road; she might be a descendant of the Xuanji School, proficient in Qimen Dunjia, divination, and the art of ripping off customers with mutual consent.
The old man stayed with Sister Zhen for a few days, and the "loving family" dynamic crossed a line, leading to "chaos and turmoil"...
We should be able to set off back tomorrow, no more, no less, three days is just right!
Wang Sumo reached out and touched the fish. It felt smooth to the touch. What a pity, it would have been delicious to make tofu and crucian carp soup.
"What are you doing?" It was He Bie's awkward voice.
Wang Sumo didn't turn around, and said leisurely, "Taking a break from work, taking a break from work makes people happy. Would you like to take a break for a while, Second Young Master?"
He Lingyun crossed his arms and scoffed, "No need! This young master has plenty of time to go fishing in the river!"
Indeed, no one in the entire Qingyun Manor probably spends more time slacking off than him!
"What brings you here, Second Young Master? We're closed for tonight, no more late-night snacks," Wang Sumo said politely.
He Lingyun said awkwardly, "Someone wants to see you."
Wang Sumo then turned to look at him.
He Lingyun knew she understood, and said in a low voice, "Come with me."
*
Although she had become quite familiar with Qingyun Manor over the past few days, she still felt a little uneasy about going to the dungeon late at night.
Wang Sumo sighed, "Couldn't we have slept in tomorrow morning before going?"
"No!" He Lingyun was speechless.
Both of them were carrying small lanterns. Even though He Lingyun was so annoyed with her, he still didn't stray too far from her. Wang Sumo leaned closer and asked, "Are you scared?"
He Lingyun: "..."
He Lingyun was annoyed and ignored her.
Wang Sumo continued, "How about you walk faster and I walk slowly? I can't keep up with you, and since you're not scared anyway, why don't we split up?"
He Lingyun finally stopped, turned around angrily, and prepared to show her the arrogance of the second young master.
As soon as he turned around, he saw Wang Sumo place the lantern under his face, and a beam of light shone from below onto his chin, then onto his face, and then onto his pair of dead fish eyes.
"Ah!!!" He Lingyun jumped up in fright.
After finishing his prank, Wang Sumo put down the small lantern and said leisurely, "Isn't the Second Young Master not afraid?"
"Wang Sumo!" She did it on purpose, and He Lingyun wanted to get angry, but he was still shaken!
When the other party demanded that Wang Sumo return to the stage, He Lingyun felt like she wanted to die!
This is incredible!
After the little incident, Wang Sumo found it quite interesting and less boring.
But He Lingyun became like a frightened bird, turning her head every now and then to see if she was deliberately trying to scare people again!
Of course, you can't turn your head completely away; you have to use your peripheral vision.
Even if I saw it out of the corner of my eye, I wasn't that scared.
"Does the Second Young Master want to see me make a face?" Wang Sumo asked 'frankly,' though she wasn't entirely unconcerned.
"That's enough, Wang Sumo." He Lingyun didn't know what words to use to describe it.
What kind of mental state did Lu Wenqu have to be able to accompany her for several months?
"Lu Wenqu, all he thinks about is perfume making."
He Lingyun was furious; she found out again!
Is it really that easy to guess what he's thinking?
"Could it be that I possess sorcery? And that my sorcery is most potent at night?"
He Lingyun turned his head speechlessly, but then saw the face placed on the lantern again.
He Lingyun: "..."
He Lingyun no longer wants to live; let it all end.
*
The disciples on duty led Wang Sumo to a cell on the first floor. Wang Sumo took off his bamboo hat, and Lu Wenqu asked in surprise, "He Lingyun didn't come with us?"
As Wang Sumo stepped forward, she said softly, "I'm leaving Qingyun Manor tomorrow, and I figured you had something to say to me alone, otherwise you wouldn't have sent He Lingyun to find me so late. So I found a way to get him away on the way, and he probably doesn't want to see me for a while."
Lu Wenqu couldn't help but smile.
"He Lingyun and you seem to get along quite well. You're stuck in this dungeon, eating and drinking well, your clothes are always clean, and you don't have to be exposed to the wind and sun or show your face in public. You can strategize and plan right here." Wang Sumo's words were loaded with meaning. "I'm quite curious, how did you and He Lingyun meet? Why is he willing to listen to you? And why are you willing to help him with his plans?"
Having traveled together for several months, Lu Wenqu was well aware of Wang Sumo's temperament.
Lu Wenqu sighed, "I met Brother Lingyun when I was raising chickens in Huaiti. He was fishing in the stream outside Huaiti City at the time."
Hearing this, Wang Sumo glanced at him.
Lu Wenqu continued, "We happened to meet, and it was already late. Huai Ti had already left and couldn't go back, so we simply set up a grill by the stream to grill fish. Brother Lingyun's grilled fish is absolutely superb! During my months at Bazhenlou, my palate became quite discerning, and Brother Lingyun's grilled fish was simply divine! We hit it off immediately, and later we grilled fish together a few more times. True friendship is like water, and we are fish and meat friends."
Wang Sumo found it both amusing and exasperating.
Lu Wenqu said leisurely, "Later, my chicken was stolen and Qingyun Manor bought it, so I chased it all the way to Qingyun Mountain. Until the chicken was poisoned, I was implicated. I met Brother Lingyun in the crowd, and we understood each other without saying a word. Then, naturally, Brother Lingyun took good care of me. After all, we have known each other for a long time and know my character."
Wang Sumo looked at him and asked, "Did you tell him about the incident where someone poisoned the chickens?"
Lu Wenqu nodded, "He did tell me! Otherwise, given his personality, he would sneak out every two or three months and then be dragged back. How could he have changed his ways and stayed at Qingyun Manor for more than half a year?"
There's some truth to that, Wang Sumo nodded, then changed the subject, "These past few days, He Lingyun has shown concern for the old man, but someone even poisoned his chickens, and he doesn't seem very worried?"
There wasn't even a whisper of wind or the cry of cranes.
Lu Wenqu clicked his tongue twice and leaned closer, saying, "The strange thing is that the drug and dosage can kill chickens, but not people. But if you had admitted it at the time, you would never have been able to clear your name."
Wang Sumo frowned. "You mean, someone either wanted to poison the old man's free-range chicken, or they knew that such a dosage wouldn't actually endanger the old man's life?"
Lu Wenqu nodded, "Yes."
"Then what is their purpose?" Wang Sumo asked, puzzled.
Lu Wenqu sighed, "Yes, what was their purpose? They wanted to poison that chicken, but they didn't seem to want to involve Master He and make things worse, so it's strange. Then Lingyun asked me to stay here so that we could discuss things. After all, no one else in the manor was willing to trust him, and he didn't want me to get into trouble."
"So what did you do?" Wang Sumo asked.
Lu Wenqu clenched his fist and coughed lightly twice. "I've investigated many people and many things. Tianxiang Sect is good at making incense, and making poison is just a side thing. Another side thing is that incense powder can track people. So I made a lot of tracking incense in the No. 1 cell of the Tian family. For the past six months, He Lingyun and I have been secretly tracking everyone who has been to Nanshan Garden, especially those who linger in the area of free-range chickens."
"Any results?"
Lu Wenqu sighed softly, "It hasn't yielded much result yet, but isn't it a coincidence? With your lucky star appearing, Old Master He ate your cooking and, in his delight, went to spar with He Lingyun. And when they did, didn't all the off-duty disciples of Qingyun Manor go? Now, here's the problem: wasn't He Lingyun always keeping a close watch on that piece of land with the free-range chickens? And with the old master around, for over half a year, no one has lingered in that area for an extended period. But coincidentally, today, while He Lingyun was sparring with the old master, someone took advantage of everyone's inattention to go to that piece of land with the free-range chickens and knocked down the soil!"
Wang Sumo blinked. "So, the reason he poisoned the free-range chickens was because there was something buried under that spot. But when he went to get it, the chickens squawked and reacted. So this person wanted to take something from that spot without anyone noticing, not to implicate Old Master He. But then your incident happened, and He Lingyun started keeping a close eye on the area. Finally, he found an opportunity today?"
Lu Wenqu was pleased, "The owner of Bazhenlou is indeed clever."
"So?" Wang Sumo looked at him.
Lu Wenqu took a deep breath and said seriously, "Didn't He Lingyun put my specially made tracking incense there? It will take time to sort out the item, and that time will be enough for the tracking incense to leave a mark on him."
Wang Sumo rested her chin on her hand. "The person is gone?"
Lu Wenqu nodded, his gaze suddenly becoming deep. "Let's go down the mountain."
"Then why aren't you chasing after them?" Wang Sumo asked him.
Lu Wenqu laughed, "With Master He keeping an eye on things, how can He Lingyun slip away? Naturally, only after Master He leaves can He Lingyun and I sneak down the mountain together to investigate this matter thoroughly."
Wang Sumo finally understood. "The world is vast and full of wonders! Who would go to the place where Master He raises free-range chickens to bury something?"
Lu Wenqu leaned closer again, "Is it possible that Qingyun Manor was established more than 30 years ago, and before the old master bought this Qingyun Mountain, this mountain was ownerless! In all the world, no one hastily buried any treasures back then, and after more than 30 years, he or his disciples and grand-disciples came to retrieve them?"
Wang Sumo laughed, "It's turned into a treasure hunt?"
Lu Wenqu shook his head, "I don't know. But the other party is taking such a big risk to dig this thing out, so at least what's buried here is not simple. After all, it came from Qingyun Manor, so I don't know if it's related to Qingyun Manor. After all, it poisoned the old man's free-range chickens, so we should find out the truth."
"So, you're waiting for Master He to leave?" Wang Sumo hit the nail on the head.
Lu Wenqu bowed and said, “I heard that Master Qu is at the Eight Treasures Restaurant. Master He and Master Qu are close friends. If Miss Wang mentions it to Master He, he will have the idea of going to see his old friend. It doesn’t matter how long he goes. As long as Master He leaves, He Lingyun can leave right after.”
Wang Sumo suddenly realized, "So your plan was for me to take Master He away?"
Lu Wenqu nodded.
This time, Wang Sumo leaned closer and asked seriously, "What is your relationship with the old man?"
Lu Wenqu paused noticeably, then smiled and said, "We met by chance, and seeing him talk to the chicken touched me. After all, I've raised chickens before, and for quite a while. Now that this chicken has died so suddenly, I have to find out why it died, to make sure it died in a worthy way."
Wang Sumo: "..."
Lu Wenqu was hiding something from her. Wang Sumo thought for a moment, but didn't expose him. Instead, she smiled and said, "I understand, Lu Wenqu. We'll meet again someday."
Lu Wenqu bowed to her again, saying, "Until we meet again!"
*
The next morning, Wang Sumo was awakened as usual by the sound of He Qingque fussing over something in the garden.
I've slept in the hammock at Qingyun Mountain Villa for several nights in a row, and I'm really reluctant to leave.
"What are you doing, He Qingque?" Wang Sumo pushed open the window and looked at He Lin jumping up and down on the first floor.
He Lin held a net in one hand and a large bamboo basket in the other.
Wang Sumo frowned.
When He Lin saw that she was awake, he waved to her excitedly, "Miss Wang, I got a bigger bamboo basket from the main kitchen to put your pet fish in, so they won't crowd each other."
He Qingque is so cute~
"What else are you preparing?" Wang Sumo asked lazily.
He Lin pointed to the stone table next to him, and Wang Sumo looked over and exclaimed, "Wow, a whole table of green onions!"
He Lin said with disdain, "The Second Young Master said that Miss Wang said the green onions bought by the kitchen were good, so she asked the kitchen to bring all the green onions, and said that there would be plenty."
Wang Sumo: "..."
Wang Sumo sighed, "Alright, please thank your second young master for me. I'll accept this generous gift."
He Lin then looked at her with some reluctance, "Miss Wang, are you really leaving?"
Wang Sumo nodded, "Yes, once the work is done, I'll leave. We have an old man at home, and as you can see, he'll get angry if we wait too long."
So this time, I'll bring another old man back to scare him to death!
He Lin looked at her and said, "Come down quickly, I have something for you."
Wang Sumo smiled and said, "Okay."
After washing up and going downstairs, He Lin had finished catching the fish, but perhaps He Lin was incompatible with the fish, because he got all wet and was panting.
"Alright, Miss Wang, it's all done." He Qingque showed it to her.
One, two, three, four, five, six, hmm, just right, Wang Sumo counted.
He Qingque then put down the bamboo basket and took out a small scroll from her bosom for her. Wang Sumo took it in surprise and slowly opened it. Wow, it was a picture of the sunrise on Qingyun Mountain.
He Lin said gently, “Miss Wang has been here for several days but hasn’t seen the sunrise over Qingyun Mountain. Everyone says that seeing the sunrise over Qingyun Peak will bring good luck. This is a picture of the sunrise over Qingyun Peak. I traded two whole bags of white sugar with Senior Brother Xiao Mi for it!”
Wang Sumo widened her eyes in agreement, "Two bags of white sugar, so expensive!"
They even bartered!
He Lin scratched his head, "If you like it, that's fine."
"I love it, I love it so much! From now on, I'll put it in the most prominent spot in the Eight Treasures Pavilion, with the 'Sunrise over Azure Clouds' painting." Wang Sumo finished planning.
He Lin grinned.
Just then, He Ping arrived at the garden. "Miss Wang, the old master of the estate requests your presence."
"Okay." Wang Sumo put away the Azure Cloud Sunrise Painting and placed it in his sleeve pocket. Just before leaving the garden, Wang Sumo heard He Lin plead with He Ping, "Senior Brother, please take me with you, please~ Senior Brother."
Wang Sumo smiled.
*
When they arrived at the entrance of Nanshan Garden, they saw Old Master He and Huo Lianchi talking in the garden. When they saw Wang Sumo approaching, they both stopped and turned to look at her.
"Old Master Huo, Master Huo," Wang Sumo greeted.
Huo Lianchi nodded in greeting first.
It was the old man who had come to see Wang Sumo. The old man had something to say to Wang Sumo, so Huo Lianchi took his leave first.
Wang Sumo watched Master Huo leave. Over here, the old man took a deep breath, looking at her with obvious nervousness, and said while trying to remain calm, "Miss Wang, I have a favor to ask. I would like to stay at the Eight Treasures Restaurant for a while to see Lao Qu. I wonder if that would be convenient for you?"
Old Master He was still uneasy.
Wang Sumo recalled that before leaving last night, Master Huo had instructed her that the old man would tell her about this matter himself tomorrow, and also asked her to keep it a secret and not let the old man know that he had already contacted her in advance.
Wang Sumo collected his thoughts, and in the next instant, an enthusiastic expression appeared without any sense of incongruity. "Of course it's great! It just so happens that Old Qu gets bored all the time. With Master He going, he can keep him company, and the Eight Treasures Pavilion will be even more lively!"
Master He couldn't hide the joy in his eyes. "Leave today, leave today. Don't keep Lao Qu waiting. I'll go check if there's anything I've forgotten. Wait for me a moment."
Wang Sumo agreed.
After watching the old man return to his house, Wang Sumo saw Huo Lianchi outside the courtyard. The old man had already gone back. Wang Sumo stepped forward, and Huo Lianchi said gratefully, "Thank you, Miss Wang."
"You're too kind, Master Huo." Wang Sumo thought for a moment, but still didn't tell Huo Lianchi about He Lingyun and Lu Wenqu's escape plan. Anyway, Huo Lianchi would eventually have He Ping bring him back.
Huo Lianchi then spoke up, "By the way, Miss Wang, see if there's anything you need on the way. I'll have He Ping give you and the old man a ride."
He Ping went to see her and the old man off.
Wang Sumo: "..."
Wang Sumo coughed twice, then changed the subject, "Yes, there really is."
Although it might sound a little strange, Wang Sumo still spoke sincerely, "To be honest, the hammock on the second floor of Zhenxiu Garden is so nice to sleep in, may I take it with me?"
Huo Lianchi: ? ? ?
[Author's Note]
The second update is here! There are still 1000 words to go; I'll make it up to you tomorrow.
The squad returns
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See you tomorrow, I'll try to update three times!
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