Twenty-five: Asking the Water, But Whom? (Part One)
One day in June, Mingjin was using a bamboo pole to knock down plums in the woods outside the town when he suddenly received a message from Mengsheng from Huicheng.
When she first arrived, she hadn't noticed, and was telling Yan Wei and Yan Zao not to get hit on the head by falling fruit. The two children laughed as they watched the large and small plums falling from the tree, dragging their baskets with one hand and picking them up from the ground with the other, until the biggest plum landed with a "thud" on Yan Zao's forehead, startling her and making her cry out "Ouch!"
Several adults nearby heard the noise and quickly gathered around to see what was happening. The child then lay down on the ground, picked up the fruit that had hit her, and said to Yan Wei, "Brother, look, I found a big fruit."
"I want to go too! I want to go too!"
Fu Zhang had one hand held by Zhu Zhenyun, but his eyes were fixed on the fallen fruit, and his feet kept walking in that direction.
Zhu Zhenyun only let Mingjin pick up the plums after he stopped what he was doing: "Wipe them clean before you eat them, don't get a mouthful of mud."
"What's the rush, you two?" Pang Ming hid to the side, afraid of being hit on the head. He reached out and pulled five or six fruits from a branch, wiped them clean with his hand, and took a bite. "There are some here."
“These were picked up from the ground,” Yan Wei said solemnly. “These are fruits that fell from the sky, so of course they’re different.”
“Not all of them are there,” Yan Zao said anxiously, pointing to a basket next to her that was taller than her. “Uncle Changqi is going to take all the fruit.”
“There’s a whole grove here, how could I possibly pick them all?” Zhou Wei, who had brought a small stool specifically to sit on while picking fruit, looked up at Yan Zao and said, “How about I pick some fruit for you later?”
"Now that's how you act like an adult."
Hearing this, Yan Zao became satisfied and continued to search for her favorite fruits on the ground, forgetting about the basket after a while.
"Wei'er, take some more," Zhu Zhenyun said with a smile as she watched Yan Zao suddenly change her target and pick flowers from the ground. "Take some back for your father and mother to try."
“My senior brothers came by yesterday,” Yan Wei said, finding a large one and rubbing it against the ground twice before breaking it in half and taking a bite. “They gave my parents a whole plateful. But it wasn’t as good as today’s.”
“It’s really strange,” Pang Ming said, picking a large plum from the tree and carefully peeling off the skin. “I’ve lived in town for so long, and I never expected there to be a row of plum trees here.”
"It's only because Tianzuo and the others were wandering around in the mountains that no one would know."
Mingjin leaned the bamboo pole against the tree and brushed the dust off her clothes. Beside her, Fuzhang clutched a fruit about the size of his fist and tugged at Mingjin's clothes: "Auntie, Auntie, eat this."
“Our Zhang’er is the best,” Mingjin squatted down and took the fruit that had softened a bit from being held by Fu Zhang’s hand. “Come on, give your aunt a kiss.”
“Today she’s my aunt,” Fu Nai said with a smile, standing next to Pang Ming with another bamboo pole in hand. “Yesterday she was my great-aunt, wasn’t she?”
“Teach each person a name,” Pang Ming said with a smile, tossing a handful of plums into the basket next to Fu Nai. “It’s good enough that such a young child can remember people.”
"It's getting hot again."
Fu Zhang carried a fruit in each hand toward his parents. Ming Jin stood up and handed the bamboo pole to Zhou Wei, who was about to make his move.
Because Du Gewen had instructed that the lower fruits be left, Zhou Wei searched under the tree for a good spot to knock down the higher fruits. He had originally wanted to ask Ming Jin how to use the bamboo pole more effectively, but when he turned around, he saw Ming Jin listening to what Ya Zai was saying.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing that Mingjin's expression had changed, Zhou Wei asked curiously.
“My friend in Huicheng sent me a letter asking me to come over, but I didn’t understand what she meant.”
Ya Zai repeated the words again. Ming Jin had heard it twice and had memorized the sentence, but he still couldn't understand it.
The content was clear, and the request was simple, but Mingjin simply couldn't accept it.
"I'll go over there first and see what's going on."
"good."
Several people behind her were telling her to be careful, but Mingjin was completely unable to listen and just kept digesting the message that Meng Sheng had sent her.
"Elder Hong will be passing away in three days. If you have time, please come to the capital today or tomorrow. The elder has only invited a few old friends to a gathering, so please do not inform Sect Leader Pei or the other elders."
He'll die in three days? What's this? Ming Jin couldn't understand. Was this a prophecy? Or was it that Elder Hong was ill and injured and would die in three days? But Huicheng was full of talented people, and his skills in this area were nothing to brag about.
Only inviting old friends? Do I even consider myself an old friend of Hung Chun-yu?
Mingjin kept thinking about these two things on the way, but she didn't understand anything about them, and the two hastily written sentences didn't seem to offer much insight. While she was still confused, Mingjin had already arrived at the outer city of Huicheng. However, Meng Sheng didn't come as usual; instead, it was Yizhi, a magical manifestation of Meng Sheng, who came in her place.
Instead of taking the usual south gate up the mountain, they crossed a mountain path to the back of the inner city. There were several houses there, and the usual path didn't lead to them. After circling around the stone path several times, they finally arrived at a door. A cultivator from the city guarding the door recognized Yi Zhi as a guest invited by Meng Sheng, greeted him, and opened the door to let Ming Jin in.
Inside the courtyard stood a pine tree similar to the one outside, providing ample shade—a perfect place for recuperation. However, there was no one in sight. Mingjin could only follow Yizhi forward until they reached a door, where they heard voices inside.
Just then, Yi Zhi suddenly disappeared, and at the same time, Meng Sheng's voice came from inside: "Elder Hong, Tian Guang is here, I'll go and bring her in."
"Go."
So Mingjin lowered his hand from knocking and stood half a step away from the door, waiting for Mengsheng to open it. However, to his surprise, in addition to Mengsheng who came to open the door, Shenbai, who was carrying a child, followed behind.
"What's going on?" Shen Bai walked past the two of them with Ji'er in his arms. Ming Jin, who was unsure about the situation, quickly asked Meng Sheng.
"The elder wants to speak with you for a few minutes," Meng Sheng said calmly, holding Ming Jin's hand. "He might say something strange in a moment, so try to listen carefully. If there's anything you don't understand after he's finished speaking, I'll tell you."
"good."
“I’m in the house across the street,” Meng Sheng pointed to a room behind Ming Jin, where Shen Bai was holding Ji’er and watching the two of them from the doorway. “Just come find me later.”
The room was quiet and spotless. Mingjin went inside and, sure enough, there was no one else there except Hong Junyu, who was sitting in an armchair on the side.
"Tian Guang, come, sit down here and say something to me."
Hong Junyu seemed to be looking out through a cracked window. Only when Ming Jin's advancing figure disturbed the shadows inside the room did he turn his head.
His robes were not much different from those seen before, except that they looked freshly washed and somewhat pale. His gray hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, but not neatly; some loose strands remained at his temples and forehead.
His face was gentle, like that of an ordinary old man standing at the door.
"I heard from Yu Cheng that Elder Hong was unwell, so Tian Guang came to visit him. Elder Hong looks very healthy, so he can't be in such a state."
“What Yu Cheng said was what I asked her to convey,” Hong Junyu said with a smile. “My life will end in three days, and I can still calculate that.”
"how……"
“Let’s not talk about those things,” Hong Junyu rarely interrupted others, so Ming Jin wisely kept quiet as well. “We don’t have much time, and you’ve come all this way, so let’s talk.”
"yes."
“Sheng’er is a good child. She cooked soup with the venison you sent before and even brought me a bowl of it.”
He paused, and Mingjin was unsure whether he could continue the conversation.
“After she came to this city, she didn’t have any close friends whose names she could name. So when I heard her say that you were friends, I felt relieved.”
"I met Yu Cheng through Elder Hong's introduction, and later I also received guidance from Elder Hong. I am very grateful to the senior for taking care of me."
"I have been through ups and downs for decades. Now, I can tell you that although cultivators may seem powerful, they are actually pitiful people. There are countless children in the city and in the mountains who have no parents. In the end, to be able to live to my age and die peacefully with people coming to see me off is truly an immense blessing."
"Elder Hong, we are here so that everyone can die peacefully. If even one person can have their wish fulfilled, then our efforts will not have been in vain. There is no reason why we cannot rest in peace even at the end."
“Yes,” Hong Junyu said, looking at Mingjin sitting opposite her. “I’m getting old, and my heart isn’t as strong as it used to be. I just keep thinking about the past. I always feel that maybe at some point in the past, what I did and said would have been more in line with everyone’s wishes. That way, I could have left in peace today. Tianguang.”
"yes."
“Longevity is not entirely beneficial,” Hong Junyu said casually, his arms hanging down on the armrests. “If we cultivators do not have sufficient courage, we may not be able to endure a lifespan of nearly a hundred years. The comings and goings of people are the first hurdle.”
"I will certainly keep the elder's guidance in mind."
Hong Junyu's words made Mingjin uneasy.
He seemed to know something, but he didn't explain it clearly. And since he was an old man, I didn't dare to ask him. It was exhausting to leave myself here to ponder and think about it.
“From my youth, I have always admired Elder Xiang as a person,” the topic suddenly shifted again, and Mingjin could only listen more attentively to Meng Sheng’s instructions. “He lived a hundred years, and from a young age, he aspired to exorcise evil spirits from the world. Later, he established a sect, taught disciples, and was selfless and devoted to public service, remaining steadfast to the end. I have followed him all my life, yet I still cannot reach his level. I often have sleepless nights, tossing and turning, knowing that old age is approaching, and there is nothing I can do about it. It’s quite a coincidence, Tianguang, you probably grew up under Elder Xiang’s watchful eye, right?”
“Yes,” Mingjin answered truthfully, “Elder Xiang has always taken good care of the children of the cultivators of Kongyun Mountain, and we never forget that.”
“Elder Xiang,” Hong Junyu murmured, looking at Mingjin, but Mingjin felt he was talking to himself, “truly a once-in-a-century genius. No one in cultivation could be helped by Elder Xiang when they were troubled. It’s a pity he has passed away…”
"Elder Hong?"
Seeing Hong Junyu suddenly stop talking, Ming Jin couldn't help but worry and thought of getting up to go closer to check on him.
"I made a mistake."
Before Ming Jin could stand up, Hong Junyu suddenly returned to normal, continuing to chat with Ming Jin with a smile. Although he was smiling, his gaze was scattered, not looking at any particular object, but rather browsing through a fragment in the river of memories.
"Whenever I think about this, I start to doubt whether I have done many wrong things without my knowledge."
Seeing that he was about to continue speaking, Mingjin sat quietly to the side, simply to see the departing old man off. However, as Hong Junyu spoke more and more, his spirits seemed to be getting better and better, and Mingjin was also somewhat confused about how things were going.
"Are you very bothered by this?" Mingjin asked.
"Do you mind?" As he spoke, Hong Junyu straightened his sleeves, his tone tinged with sadness and helplessness. "I just regret it. It's too late to make amends now."
Mingjin didn't speak immediately, but instead imagined in her mind what kind of thing Hong Junyu still couldn't let go of.
"Have you ever harbored hatred towards anyone?"
Ming Jin was somewhat stunned.
Will you forgive them again?
Hong Junyu's attitude wasn't one of questioning, but rather of seeking common ground with a junior decades his junior. However, his expression suggested he wasn't seeking answers, perhaps as if he were speaking to someone who wasn't present.
Is it because he is the former leader of the sect in Huicheng that it is inconvenient for him to discuss these matters with others? Why is it my turn to have a heart-to-heart talk with this old man?
“Yes, it happened,” Mingjin said, guessing that Hong Junyu wouldn’t bring up his trivial matters in the last few days of his life, “but I didn’t forgive her.”
Why?
Hong Junyu had not expected Mingjin to give such a definite answer, so he broke free from his own past and looked at Mingjin, wanting to listen carefully to how guilty the young man felt at this moment.
“I am deeply indebted to her for everything she went through, and forgiving her would be a betrayal of myself. But I owe a third person a debt, and this person has come forward to ask for my forgiveness of that person, so…”
"So you let this go?" Hong Junyu asked with a smile. "You didn't actually resolve the first conflict; you just used the second one to close the gap."
“That’s how it is,” Mingjin said, recalling the events again with a hint of helplessness, “It was unforgivable, but the stalemate was too exhausting. It was actually an opportunity.”
Hong Junyu suddenly burst into laughter.
This laughter was different from the kind tone he had used when speaking to a young man earlier; he was genuinely laughing, with a slight tremor throughout his body, suddenly letting out a hearty laugh.
Mingjin was somewhat confused. Hong Junyu quickly noticed, so he put one hand to his forehead and waved the other at Mingjin, hoping she wouldn't mind his lapse in composure.
“I started cultivating with my master at seventeen. In my first lesson after entering the sect, my master told me that the most important thing for a cultivator is innate wisdom. I always thought that innate wisdom was just a euphemism for a child prodigy, and I had already achieved some success at that time, so I thought I had passed that test and didn’t pay much attention to this admonition,” Hong Junyu said gently, his tone tinged with ease. “I’ve always remembered something, but I never thought of it before. Just now, for some reason, these words suddenly became clear in my mind, along with the image of my master at that time, and even the image of myself. It seems that although I lack innate wisdom, my cultivation is still quite good. I did indeed time it right, so I haven’t disgraced my master. I remember your master is Elder Mu?”
"After I completed my apprenticeship, I practiced under Elder Mu, but my master was Elder Du."
"It's a pity I've lingered here and haven't been able to see him," Hong Junyu said quietly. "What has Elder Mu been busy with lately?"
"The old teacher who used to teach Elder Mu has been feeling unwell lately, so Elder Mu went to visit him."
“I hope it’s just a minor problem,” Hong Junyu said, turning to the other side and reaching out to rummage through something. “Do you still remember the spells I taught you and Sheng’er before?”
“Of course,” Mingjin replied frankly.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out there was another box on the ground.
"Here, take this."
A piece of ginger.
“This is a keepsake that Lao Jiang gave me,” Hong Junyu explained. “It’s a pity I won’t be able to catch the next batch of good tea. I’ve already arranged with Lao Jiang to pass it on to you. You said before that I would take care of it, so I’d also like to ask you to look after Lao Jiang for me after I’m gone.”
At first, Mingjin hesitated for a moment. But recalling his earlier nonchalant remarks, he took the things anyway.
However, this ginger was too realistic; it looked as if it had just been dug out of the ground, with only a thin layer of soil on the outside that had dried.
“Tian Guang, don’t take this as a responsibility,” Hong Junyu said with his usual gentle smile. “Old Jiang is just a name, not an old man like me. He’ll be happy as long as we can go to his place for a cup of tea every year.”
"Okay, I will definitely go."
“I’ve said everything I needed to say and everything I needed to say,” Hong Junyu stood up from his chair. “If only we had talked a little more earlier. I also have an appointment with someone else today, and he should be arriving soon.”
Seeing Hong Junyu get up, Ming Jin couldn't stay still either.
She had just gotten up when she heard a knock on the door.
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