31: Running water never stagnates - Part Two
The snow fell intermittently, and the end of the year was fast approaching.
Mingjin's uncle wrote a letter specifically asking him to visit their home after the New Year. So, as Mingjin lay on the bench, he wondered what he could bring with him.
Shen Du came to find her, telling her to go to Chen Duan's place to write peach wood charms and make lanterns, and threw a basket of firecrackers at her. He said it was part of the plan for this year, that firecrackers should be set off everywhere.
Just then, Mingjin's New Year pictures were also finished. With Chendu's help, the two of them quickly pasted them up.
“After spring arrives, we’ll paint this door a fresh coat of white paint,” Chen Du patted the old door. It hadn’t creaked yet, but much of the paint had already faded. “The color looks a bit too dark.”
The two walked along, using wind magic to sweep the snow to both sides of the road.
Only Mingjin usually takes this route. By the time we reach the main road leading up and down the mountain, the snow on both sides of the road is already piled up quite high.
Yu Qiao had already gone back, but she brought many New Year's gifts. Chen Duan picked out some styles from the shelf and let them choose whatever they liked to take home. There were all sorts of things, big and small: pen holders, pens, some small paintings, and some trinkets. There were also some things that could be used for the New Year, such as red paper and ink for writing, as well as bamboo frames and lantern paper for making lanterns.
Because of what Ming Jin and Du Gewen had said, Chen Duan studied in her study for a long time and finally decided to seal away the Golden Arts and never use them again. She herself had reached the age where she should recuperate, and Pei Xuanzhen agreed. So, Chen Duan officially handed over the academy to Rong Shao and Zhu Zhenyun. During this time, she stayed in her study by the fire, too lazy to read the classics anymore. She would casually flip through the miscellaneous books that Yu Qiao had bought from the small workshop to pass the time, and occasionally she would be amused and laugh out loud.
"Is Senior Sister Yu getting married?"
Chen Du pulled a note out from under the pen holder. But it was clearly written casually, with several corrections, obviously refining the wording, so he couldn't be sure.
"The matter has been settled, but the date hasn't been set yet. It will probably be after the New Year. This is just a post that they asked me to write, and I'm still polishing it."
Rong Shao and Ming Jin were spreading out red paper, recalling how many places there were on the mountain, and what size paper and characters were needed for each place.
"Who is the man?" Mingjin and Shendu were both very curious.
“He’s a bookseller,” Fu Zhang said, picking out a small clay figure and a wooden horse and sitting down at a low table to play with them. Zhu Zhenyun then calmly took out scissors and cut the paper as Rong Shao pointed. “He has some savings at home and doesn’t plan to take any imperial examinations. He plans to travel for a few years and then come back to settle down and keep company with the classics. A Qiao’s antique shop also collects some ancient books and fragments, and that’s how the two families met.”
"I think that kid is some kind of rogue cultivator from somewhere."
After finding the style list, Chen Duan continued to sit in her chair and picked up a book to read.
"Did A-Qiao say that?" Rong Shao asked.
Chen Duan showed them the book in his hand: "According to A Qiao, this book was bought from his shop. It contains strange and unusual stories from other places. I've read it twice and I think there's a lot to it."
"What book?" Mingjin asked.
"I'll get one of those later too."
Chen Du was flipping through a lantern-shaped booklet next to him, which is how he saw the book title.
"But that person was just selling books, wasn't he?" Zhu Zhenyun found it a bit strange.
“Businessmen need to have a good eye,” Chen Duan turned another page. “Who would pay attention to these strange and supernatural things if they loved reading the classics?”
Behind Chen Duan, the large bookcase was crammed full.
"Could it be related to the place that the captured evil spirit mentioned?"
Assuming Chen Duan's words were true, Zhu Zhenyun asked again.
"Where is that evil spirit?" Still half-asleep, Mingjin realized he was also falling behind the times.
"After it finished venting its message, it took its own life. No one touched it, they just watched it, locked it up for half a month, and then it disappeared."
Chen Du is making a small lantern in his hands.
“When the mind weakens, the body can hardly keep up.” Rong Shao hung up the cut pieces of paper.
"Anyway, we haven't found anything yet." After the first attempt failed, Chen Du could only frown and examine the situation before starting over. "The most important point is that the group of elder ghosts who established Yishan City probably spread from the north. Interestingly, the sect leader looked through the handwriting left by Elder Jingyu and found that the sect that the three elders fled from was probably in that direction as well."
"If we head north, we'll have much less information to share with Juxia and Huicheng," Zhu Zhenyun thought carefully.
“Although there may be a connection, the three of them said at the time,” Chen Duan began, “that they would not let outsiders know their backgrounds or real names.”
"Did the manuscript contain any information about the specific location of the former sect?" Ming Jin asked curiously.
“Shihe and I both looked at it. It wasn’t written out clearly, just a vague direction, ‘heading south all the way here,’” Chen Du replied. “But the three elders are also extraordinary in their cultivation. They changed their appearances, hid their names, and rebuilt their sects. Even the planning of the houses on Kongyun Mountain was left by Elder Jingmao. If there really is such a place, it is probably much larger than any of our three families’ places.”
“High-rise buildings were built on the ground in Kongyun Mountain and Changhe Town, and all the money and magical artifacts were brought by the three of them,” Chen Duan added.
“It’s getting more and more legendary,” but Mingjin hadn’t read the manuscript and asked, “Did the three elders say that the younger generation can go back to that place?”
Chen Duan paused, thought for a moment, and then said, "They did describe that place as very eerie. Evil spirits were rampant, and cultivators were insane. But the idea of stopping them from going back was definitely not there. It's just that we were focused on managing Kongyun Mountain internally and exorcising evil spirits externally, and we never thought of this place."
“Shihe should know something,” Chen Du suddenly thought. “Isn’t he Elder Jingyu’s grandson? Although none of us have met his parents. Elder Chen, have you met them?”
“I’ve never seen him,” Chen Duan shook his head, flipping through his book. “Shihe was suddenly brought back by Senior Brother Jingyu. He said that his son and daughter-in-law were traveling outside and it was inconvenient for them to take the child with them.”
“Shihe hasn’t mentioned these things much,” Zhu Zhenyun said as she and Mingjin tidied the table, preparing to grind ink for calligraphy. “However, Sect Leader Pei is Elder Jingmao’s nephew, so he should know more about it.”
“The sect leader has hardly left the mountain these past few years,” Shen Du suddenly thought of something. “Could it be because there is some secret that must be guarded by the successors of the three elders, so the sect leader stays here?”
He then turned to look at Fu Zhang, who was playing quietly to the side.
"Zhang'er, do you know something?"
Fu Zhang was clearly struggling to understand the conversation he had just heard, and he was engrossed in his clay figurines and rocking horse. When he suddenly saw Chen Du looking at him, he just blinked and went back to his new friend.
"What are you doing now?" Rong Shao had made a small mistake while cutting the paper, and some scraps of paper had fallen on the ground. He crumpled them up and casually threw them at Chen Du, who caught them. "Get your work done. If you keep going like this, the New Year will be over and we still won't have everything ready."
The sound of firecrackers soon echoed from the mountainside, and the noisy atmosphere helped everyone draw a line between the past year and the new year, all moving towards the Spring Festival in a festive atmosphere.
After the leaves sprouted new buds, Kongyun Mountain was once again invited by Juxia to join everyone in a grand banquet.
There was also a gift that Ming Jin had asked Xi Xiangfeng to find.
So, in the gentle spring breeze, everyone seems to be running quickly across a green plain, only to be suddenly stopped by an invisible rope that violently throws them backward along their chest and abdomen.
Actually, it was Zhou Wei playing the pipa.
He had never studied it before; he just saw the pipa and his eyes lit up, so he insisted on trying to play it. At first, he only played a few scattered notes, which everyone thought was harmless. Unexpectedly, after he became more proficient, he began to play quickly according to his own feeling. He was so immersed in it that his eyes were closed, and even sweat was dripping from his forehead, but it made everyone around him look distressed.
"how?"
He looked excitedly at Deng Lin and Ming Jin, who were closest to him.
"I think Xiang'er might be more suited to this pipa."
Just then, Zhou Xiang was standing next to Deng Lin. Ming Jin took the pipa from Zhou Wei's hands, and Deng Lin pulled Zhou Wei aside so that Zhou Xiang could sit in a chair.
“Yes, it was originally bought for the child, and the size is not very suitable for you.” As Zhou Xiang held the pipa, which was almost as long as her, Zhou Wei and Deng Lin surrounded the child, while Chi Hui whispered behind Ming Jin, “The fate of this pipa depends on how different Xiang’er and Chang Qi are.”
Having just watched Zhou Wei's demonstration, although he didn't quite understand what his father was doing, Zhou Xiang knew that plucking the strings would produce sound.
So Deng Lin held the headstock of the instrument, and Zhou Xiang raised his hand and traced a line along the string where he could see it.
This sound might not be anything special to a well-known pianist, but after Zhou Wei's performance, the delicate sound, like the sound of clear water, was exceptionally beautiful.
“There’s hope,” Mingjin said.
Chi Hui quickly nodded.
“Sounds pretty good,” Zhou Wei and Deng Lin said with a smile, and Zhou Xiang laughed along. “Let’s give it another try.”
So Zhou Xiang stretched out both hands this time. Although one hand could touch the strings, the other hand was hidden behind the pipa and could not be seen.
"Have the orioles arrived in Changhe again?"
Having heard Mingjin mention buying a pipa, Zhu Zhenyun wanted to hear it too, to see if it carried the sound of her hometown, so she brought Fu Nai and Fu Zhang over to take a look.
"That's right, another couple came too."
Something was still cooking on the stove, and there was a sweet smell in the yard. Deng Lin asked Zhou Wei to hold the head of the violin while she went inside and brought out the prepared snacks.
Zhou Wei was engrossed in the music, even though it was just some faint sounds now.
"Seeing how much Xiang'er likes it, she should find a master to learn from in the future," Zhu Zhenyun said with a smile.
“We need to stay away from Changqi, otherwise we’ll get led astray after all the hard work we’ve put in,” Mingjin added.
“I played it very well too,” Zhou Wei retorted incredulously, then coaxed her by snatching the pipa from her daughter’s hands. Helpless, Zhou Xiang could only go to Ming Jin and say, “Listen carefully, I also have the potential to become a pipa master.”
Ming Jin held Zhou Xiang in his arms with one arm, both of them looking troubled as they watched Zhou Wei immerse himself in his music.
Deng Lin came out carrying two plates, and because she was standing closest to the door, Ming Jin got the first piece of pastry.
"Here, let Xiang'er eat first."
"Give it to your aunt first," Zhou Xiang said, pushing the snacks out despite her craving and her eyes never leaving them. "I can eat them later."
"Why?" Mingjin asked with a smile, seeing her drool almost spilling out.
"Thank you, thank you Aunt for the gift for Xiang'er," Zhou Xiang said in detail. "And Father has been smiling more since Aunt brought the gift."
A sudden wave of emotion washed over him, but Mingjin managed to keep it to himself in front of the children, maintaining a smile on his face.
"Does Xiang'er like this gift?"
Zhou Xiang smiled and nodded: "I like it. It's like a little water droplet; it can sing as soon as you touch it."
Ming Jin smiled with relief.
In front, everyone was holding snacks and joking with Zhou Wei. Chi Hui expressed her potential to become a national champion, and then she and Zhou Wei started arguing over the pipa.
The spring breeze brings some new activity.
Zhou Xiang accepted the pastries from Ming Jin and laughed as she ate them.
Upon closer listening, the sound wasn't limited to this courtyard.
Looking up, I saw a row of three orioles flying by. Their melodious songs filled the air.
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