Chapter 2, the kidnapping incident, is just a bonus.
"Canglang Island?" someone scratched their head. "Canglang Island..."
"Canglang Island!" Song Mian's expression changed drastically. "How did you know?"
The boy named Ajiu clearly didn't want to talk anymore. He lifted the curtain and looked outside. Seeing that the wind and rain had stopped, he got up and went out without even glancing at anyone else.
"Where is Canglang Island?" a girl asked timidly in a low voice.
Guan Ye had heard her father mention the island before, but perhaps because she had been eating every meal for the past few days, her mind became dulled when she ate too much. Hunger makes one more alert, while fullness makes one careless. After only a few days of eating her fill, Guan Ye tried hard to recall, but she couldn't remember anything.
Song Mian collapsed onto the deck, utterly exhausted, his voice devoid of any of his arrogant official tone. “Canglang Island is the isolated island where the Pei family of Xingguo Ward exiled us. It’s surrounded by the sea, and the nearest coast is a ten-day boat ride away… The Pei family made a solemn vow to live on the island forever and never leave. It seems… the Pei family has taken us… Once we’re on the island, once we’re in the Pei family’s Xingguo Ward… we’ll be trapped on the island for this lifetime and for all eternity.”
"The Pei family wants us?" A fair-skinned young man suddenly covered his buttocks.
"Pah!" Song Mian spat, barely able to speak. "Who wants your thing? Xingguo Workshop is a forge for ironware; the island is like a fireground. We'd rather go mining, forging iron, or casting weapons. Farming in Lingnan or building cities in the northern deserts—there's still a way to survive. Going to Canglang Island… survival is impossible, it's a dead end…"
Guan Ye didn't want to speak, but she couldn't hold back any longer. "Don't try to fool me with your words. So what if you're a blacksmith or a fire starter? You'll be doing work wherever you go. Why is it only a dead end?"
"What do you know?" Song Mian's voice trembled with tears. "If you are exiled elsewhere and the emperor grants a general amnesty, you can return to your hometown and it's not impossible to restore your family's official positions and titles. But if you go to Canglang Island, the amnesty won't reach there, and you'll have no hope for the rest of your life. The worst thing is..." Song Mian tilted his head as if he had stopped breathing, his face pale.
"What is it?" someone asked impatiently, leaning forward. "Just tell me!"
"On Canglang Island..." Song Mian propped himself up and looked out at the sea through the narrow window. "The Heavenly Furnace in Xingguo Ward doesn't burn charcoal."
"If not charcoal, what should we burn?"
—“Living people”.
As soon as she finished speaking, lightning flashed and thunder roared. The cabin was filled with howls and screams. The boys and girls scrambled and huddled together, their shrieks piercing Guan Ye's ears.
"A stove to burn people? Burn your ass!" Guan Ye cursed inwardly, lifting the curtain and slipping out. She saw A Jiu leaning against the mast, the sea breeze ruffling his smooth, clean forehead, giving him a maturity beyond his years. His casually hanging palms revealed large calluses, clearly indicating he wasn't one of those pampered young masters. Seabirds swept by, and he gazed at them with curiosity. Guan Ye knew that this was A Jiu's first time at sea, and he had never seen seabirds before.
But he knew that the ship was heading to Canglang Island.
"Canglang Island, is it really that scary?" Guan Ye shouted toward the mast.
Ajiu gazed at the seabirds flapping their wings, not looking at Guan Ye. Guan Ye took a few steps closer. "We all got on the ship together, how did you know where we were going?"
"Don't you have eyes?" Ajiu raised an eyebrow, her gaze drifting towards the dimly lit distance.
Guan Ye followed the gaze and could vaguely see a black protrusion floating in the middle of the sea. It looked more like a tortoise shell than an island. Guan Ye pouted, "You call this Canglang Island? Aren't all islands at sea like this?"
Ajiu looked up at the sky and said, "Take another look at the sky above that island."
Guan Ye squinted and saw that the tortoise shell was shrouded in thick, black mist, like dark clouds or wisps of smoke, making it look as if an immortal was about to ascend to heaven.
“The Pei family’s Xingguo Workshop is located on the island. Legend has it that there are hundreds of furnaces in the workshop, which forge ironware day and night. Among them, the Heavenly Furnace’s flames never go out, and thick smoke rises into the sky, creating a spectacular sight. Isn’t this Canglang Island?” Ajiu looked up and leaned against the mast.
"If you knew you were going to Canglang Island, why did you even get on the ship?"
"What you do for me, I do for you too." Ajiu closed her eyes and took a nap.
"I'm doing this for a full meal," Guan Ye said, raising her head.
"Who isn't?" Ajiu's long eyelashes remained motionless.
Guan Ye was feeling a bit bored when she suddenly heard a strange sound behind her. A series of hurried footsteps pounded across the deck, and before Guan Ye could turn around, she heard a muffled splash as someone jumped into the sea!
"Song Mian jumped into the sea!" someone shouted as they rushed out of the cabin, pointing at the figure rising and falling in the waves.
The wind and waves rose again, rocking the large ship violently, accompanied by the boy's terrified screams. Guan Ye, holding onto the mast, saw Song Mian's thin body struggling in the waves, gritting his teeth. He was desperately swinging his arms, trying his best to swim northward against the current. He should be an expert swimmer, but he underestimated the raging sea. Or perhaps, he had already given up all hope. Compared to Canglang Island, which was already in front of him, he would rather fight to the death to find a way out, even if it meant being buried at the bottom of the sea.
Ajiu turned her head to look and saw Song Mian's head sink and then rise again. He seemed to be exhausted, but the other side was still far away. Ajiu turned to look at the gradually emerging outline of Canglang Island. Dark smoke rose up, not like an immortal ascending to heaven, but more like a demon undergoing tribulation.
The bearded man strode to the bow of the boat, glanced coldly at Song Mian, who was almost out of sight, and hung the dark flag on the bow without changing his expression. Guan Ye looked over at the sound, and saw the twilight deepening, with the scimitar pattern on the flag rising and falling with the waves.
"He's drowning!" the boys shouted, pointing at the cluster of black dots. "Quickly turn the boat around and save Song Mian!"
“Everyone has their own ambitions.” The bearded man twirled a wisp of his mustache. “Since he doesn’t want to follow the crowd and wants to feed the fish, let him be.”
As they spoke, Song Mian's black head was no longer visible. The waves were churning, and all that could be seen was the dark blue-black water. The sea breeze carried a strong fishy smell, blowing across the bloodless faces of the boys.
What awaits them on Canglang Island, which Song Mian would rather die than set foot on… a cannibalistic demon? A furnace for burning people? Guan Ye tried to find the answer in A Jiu's eyes. A Jiu tilted her head back, her face clearly defined in the twilight, a face like an iceberg, making it impossible to get any closer. Guan Ye took out the steamed bun she had hidden in her bosom. It wasn't worth losing her life for a steamed bun. In a den of dragons and tigers, in a mountain of knives and a sea of fire, she couldn't go back on her word after accepting the deposit. If she wanted to go back on her word now, the only option would be to jump into the sea.
The bearded man stood with his hands on his hips, looking at the billowing sails with a satisfied smile. With the help of the wind, they could reach the island by dawn. Song Mian might catch the eye of Master Pei, but with such a stubborn personality, it would be difficult to keep him on the island. There was also a ship full of young men for the Pei family to choose from, so they wouldn't take their money for nothing.
On Canglang Island, a man dressed in dark green brocade robes with knife patterns had been waiting on the shore for a long time. He gazed at the bow of the ship that had come into view, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
The man's name was Pei Bi, and he was the steward of the Pei family in Xingguo Ward. His grandfather had been in the family for generations. Pei Bi had lived to be over thirty years old without ever leaving the island. He was curious about what the outside world was like when he was young, but as he grew up, his curiosity faded. If he could really leave the island one day, how could the caged bird fight against the mighty sky?
A hundred years ago, during a sword-testing ceremony before the emperor, Xingguofang accepted the loss and vowed never to leave the island. For three generations, no one from Xingguofang has ever stepped outside. This is the fate of the Pei family, and the fate of everyone on the island.
As autumn approached and the air grew slightly cool, Pei Bi rubbed his hands together. The sun rose, and the ship's shadow cut through the waves with great force. The bearded man at the bow of the ship also saw Pei Bi, waved to him, and revealed a smile of reunion with an old friend.
The curved flag fluttered in the wind. Pei Bi clasped his hands in a fist salute to the bearded man. The bearded man lifted the tent flap and gestured inside. The boys huddled together, none daring to take the first step.
Ajiu was already sitting under the mast. Seeing Pei Bi dressed in a robe with a knife pattern, a jade pendant hanging from his waist, and his hair neatly combed, she knew he must be a person of status in Xingguo Ward. Ajiu was not in a hurry to get up. She quietly smoothed out the wrinkles on her coarse clothes and brushed the messy hair from her forehead. The clear seawater reflected a cold and stern face that was not commensurate with his age.
After a brief standoff, all the young men on the boat remained wary and motionless. Pei Bi found it somewhat amusing and shrugged at the bearded man: "Is that all?"
Just as the bearded man was about to lash out, Guan Ye, who had secured the mooring rope, pushed through the crowd and peered out, curiously examining the unfamiliar Pei Bi. Seeing that although he carried a hint of ferocity, he didn't seem like a particularly evil person, Guan Ye wiped her sweat and jumped off the boat. "This is truly a den of dragons and tigers. I can't hide on this boat forever. I'll soon find out what kind of monsters and demons I'm dealing with."
The bearded man hadn't expected that the handyman he'd traded a few steamed buns for would be the first to step forward. He was taken aback at first, then regretted not pushing Guan Ye back.
The girl's hair was a tangled mess, her clothes were so ragged that their color was indistinguishable, and her straw sandals bounced up with every step, making her look like a beggar. Yet, her eyes were bright and intelligent as she surveyed the legendary Canglang Island, her curiosity far outweighing her nervousness. Guan Ye inhaled the long-lost scent of charcoal fire, squinting for a moment. Seeing Pei Bi, who was dressed in fine clothes, she assumed he was the island's foreman and loudly proclaimed, "I can learn mining and blacksmithing in no time! As long as there's food, I, Guan Ye, can do the work of two!"
"Hey?" The bearded man wanted to grab her. "You brat, what? Not planning to go back?" Just as he was about to apologize to Pei Bi, Pei Bi seemed to have taken a liking to Guan Ye and said with a flick of his sleeve, "Let's see first."
The bearded man herded the boys off the boat. One by one, the boys lined up in front of Pei Bi, some with their heads bowed and silent, others with tears in their eyes. With Song Mian's drowning still fresh in their minds, everyone was filled with unease. Pei Bi's face was like that of a vicious dog as he asked in a low voice, "Can you all read?"
The boys looked at each other, and the quick-witted ones hurriedly waved their hands: "We can't read, we can't read."
The bearded man roared, "Most of you are descendants of officials; which one of you is illiterate?"
The fair-skinned young man blinked. "Many officials have spoiled children, and there are plenty of good-for-nothing playboys. You let us on the boat without even asking if we could read or not."
"That's right, that's right," others echoed.
“It seems,” Pei Bi said, fiddling with the jade pendant at his waist, “that you still haven’t taken the shopkeeper’s words to heart.”
The bearded man's expression changed, and he suddenly asked Guan Ye, "You, can you read?"
Guan Ye hesitated, nodding slightly. Pei Bi picked up a dry twig and handed it to her, saying, "Your name is Guan Ye? Write down your name and let me see."
Ajiu got up and jumped off the boat, walked around the row of boys, and stood silently at the back.
Guan Ye held a withered branch and drew a few strokes on the sand. The character "Guan" appeared on the ground. Then, with a horizontal stroke and a left-falling stroke, the withered branch stopped in the sand and did not draw another stroke for a long time.
“Dark spot? Which dark spot?” Pei Bi’s eyes were icy.
“It’s like this…” Guan Ye racked her brains, then, in a moment of inspiration, forced a smile at Pei Bi, revealing a set of white teeth, and poked her dimples with her dirty hand.
—"A faint smile with dimples, is this the character for dimples?"
Ajiu stepped out of the line, squatted down, and used his finger to quickly write the character "靥". Guan Ye rubbed her eyes to see clearly, nodded, and said, "I don't know many characters, and this character is difficult to learn. My father taught me, but I can recognize it but can't write it. This is the character."
"What's your name?" Pei Bi asked, scrutinizing him.
“A-Jiu”.
"No name or surname? So you're called A-Jiu?" Pei Bi looked at the bearded man with suspicion.
The bearded man remained silent, but nodded slightly to Pei Bi with a slight movement in his eyes.
“This Ajiu can stay.” Pei Bi gestured for him to come to his side. “As for the rest, since they are afraid, let them go back to where they came from.”
The boys' faces lit up with joy, and they sighed at Song Mian's stupidity. He didn't need to stay on the island; he only had to wait one more night, yet he lost his life in vain.
"Leave him alone?" Guan Ye pointed to herself.
The bearded man pulled out a pipe from his waist, lit it, and took a leisurely puff. Pei Bi seemed hesitant, or perhaps he was thinking about something. "Others are trying to avoid you, and you actually want to stay?"
“The waterway back is easy, and I don’t need another handyman.” The bearded man flicked his cigarette ash. “Manager Pei, consider this Guan Ye a gift.”
“Guan Ye eats little but does a lot,” Ajiu suddenly said. “She’ll definitely be of some use on the island.”
“There are few people and a lot of work in this ward. If you don’t find it lonely and hard, you can stay if you want,” Pei Bi said, turning his back to her.
The boys scrambled back to the boat as if fleeing, their faces filled with the relief of surviving a disaster. Guan Ye didn't linger. She smelled the pungent, burnt smell of the island and felt refreshed. This was a place forgotten by outsiders, and she, Guan Ye, was someone forgotten by the world.
"Send my regards to Master Pei!" The bearded man leaped onto the bow of the boat. "If you need anything else, just come find me again."
The bearded man was named Hu Xian, and his two beloved mustaches suited him quite well. Guan Ye waved goodbye to Hu Xian, who tugged at his mustache, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. A corner of the boat curtain was lifted, and the fair-skinned young man peeked out, making a smug face at Guan Ye and A Jiu.
The large ship sailed away from the shore. Under the blazing sun, the dark dagger pattern on Pei Bi's brocade robe became even clearer. It was a curved sword that she seemed to have seen before. It was… Guan Ye's pupils lit up. She squinted and followed the departing ship. Wasn't the curved sword embroidered on the flag the same dark pattern on Pei Bi's robe?
Guan Ye felt uneasy. Suddenly, her vision blurred, and she vaguely saw the tall Hu Xian dragging the boys out of the cabin. Before the boys could struggle, they were pushed into the sea one by one, leaving none alive. Hu Xian took out a short blade and cut the hemp rope that held the flag. The curved flag, which was fluttering in the wind, was swept into the undulating waves and disappeared in an instant. The blade flashed like a sail and carried the large ship away at high speed.
A note from the author:
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