Chapter 14 Ancient Methods: Bullshit Ancient Methods
The school at midnight was quiet and deserted. Pei Chu hadn't expected that the little sword slave could bring so many people. If the plan failed... Pei Chu knew his father's methods too well. Pei Yuan had endured for many years and had harbored the ambition to leave the island since he was young. He only hoped for an opportunity from heaven. Now the opportunity was in the meteorite. He would never be satisfied without going all in. Jiang Muyun was his last hope.
"If we're discovered," Pei Chu said, not bothering to hide it, "I'm afraid I, Pei Chu, won't be able to protect anyone. It's not too late to back out now. Let's pretend tonight's events never happened."
"Young Master underestimates us?" Feng Shisan raised his eyebrows and said loudly, "Xingguo Workshop makes a living by forging weapons. I, Feng Shisan, practice swordsmanship to protect people. If I don't protect one person, how can I protect everyone in the workshop? If we can't protect the people in the workshop, how can we protect the people of the world when we leave the island?"
“If we have to burn Jiang Muyun to melt the meteorite, and the meteorite can’t be melted, not only will we not be able to leave Canglang Island, but we might also bring great disaster to the island…” Pei Chu slowly coaxed, “If we have to sacrifice everyone else to save one person, should we save that person or not?”
Feng Shisan drew his blade, its cold light flashing across his resolute face. "The day Grand Preceptor Cui landed on the island, I was prepared to die protecting the ward. Young Master's words are profound, and I, Shisan, am too ignorant to think of much more."
“Even if a living person is sacrificed to the furnace, the meteorite cannot be melted.” In the deep of night, Guan Ye’s weak voice was like the chirping of a cicada. “The idea of a pure Yin body is nothing but nonsense. If the inability to melt this stone really brings disaster to the island, it’s just a fabricated charge. Either way, it’s death.”
"A meteorite." Ajiu still remembered Guan Ye's astonished expression that day. "A meteorite!"
“Others might think that the ancient methods are worth a try,” Pei Chu said in a low voice. “From what you’ve said, why are you so certain that meteorites cannot be melted? Do you perhaps also know about casting techniques?”
Guan Ye calmly said, "There is a way to resolve everything in the world, and meteorites are no exception. It's just that no one has figured out a way yet. I don't know anything about forging techniques, and I don't believe in any ancient methods. If we really had to forge a sword with flesh and blood, the island would have been wiped out long before the disaster struck."
"If it's something that can't be done, why did Grand Preceptor Cui personally escort the ship?" Xiao Ma looked puzzled, hoping someone could answer him. "If you're going to frame someone, why give Xingguo Ware a six-month deadline?"
“Because.” Ajiu hesitated, knowing that Pei Chu had already seen through everything.
“Young Master,” Guan Ye blinked, “regardless of whether the meteorite can be melted or not, Xingguo Ward can return to Rongdu, right?”
Pei Chu no longer dared to underestimate the young sword slave in front of him. To be precise, these people in the school were all the best in the neighborhood, and only they could help him rescue Jiang Muyun.
"The whole game in Rongdu is about Xingguo Ward. It's just that someone discovered the use of dead pieces and used the Pei family to revive the game." Pei Chu's eyes flashed coldly. "What I can think of, Father also knows perfectly well. He insists on melting the meteor to forge a sword, but only so that he can leave Canglang Island more legitimately, in order to gain the Emperor's and Grand Preceptor Cui's favor, and also to silence the gossip in the capital."
"Poor Mu Yun," Feng Shisan suddenly realized, "she's going to be a sacrifice for the Meteor Sword."
As they left, the east was already beginning to lighten. Pei Chu, burdened by worry for days, was already thin and even more frail. He gripped the chair wheels with both hands, gritting his teeth and straining with all his might, but the bamboo chair remained motionless. Guan Ye reached out to help him, but Pei Chu stopped her, saying, "It's almost dawn. You should all go back to your respective places. Don't worry about me."
"Should we ask Steward Pei to send someone to look after you?" Guan Ye couldn't bear to leave him alone.
Pei Chu shook his head: "When Father finds out that Jiang Muyun has been arrested, I will never let it go. Yesterday, things happened so suddenly that he was too preoccupied to care about me. In the next few days, someone will definitely keep a close eye on me. You should make the arrangements as I say. Once the man is rescued, the neighborhood will be in chaos. I will then teach you what to do."
"Young Master, please take good care of yourself," Guan Ye blurted out. "Jiang Muyun must be thinking of you too."
Pei Chu nodded sadly, a little blood seeping from her bluish cheekbones. As the sun rose higher, beams of light pierced through the layers of rooftops and shone on the faces of the boys. Pei Chu looked at the sun without feeling its blinding light. Without Jiang Muyun by her side, the world was in chaos, and there was no light.
Outside the cell, Guan Ye had been spying from behind a large tree for quite some time. The two guards, having stayed up all night, were already dozing off. Lou Cangyu and his partner took turns yawning, occasionally tapping their foreheads with their sword hilts, forcing themselves to stay awake with their eyes wide open. According to Feng Shisan and the others, the partner's name was Ji Fang, a fisherman whose ancestors had never left the island for eighteen generations. He and Lou Cangyu were both born on the island and were naturally close. Ji Fang was extremely timid, always speaking in a low, soft voice, afraid of offending others, especially since he couldn't stand the sight of blood. Years ago, he had a cut from a sword fight, and a few drops of blood made him faint from fright. This man was nothing to fear.
After rescuing Jiang Muyun, Canglang Island is surrounded by the sea and there is nowhere to escape. Where will the young master hide her? Guan Ye thought of Song Mian who jumped into the sea. Knowing that the way out was slim, he would rather die than go to the island. There was also the boy who was secretly happy to leave the island. They were pushed into the sea one by one by Hu Xian, like stars falling into the sea, leaving no trace in the world.
Pei Chu will teach everyone how to do it. The young master is indeed the young master; he knows everything and is omnipotent. There will never be anything wrong if we follow his instructions.
Guan Ye had heard the legend of sacrificing themselves in the furnace: Gan Jiang and Mo Xie obtained the essence of gold and iron, but it could not be melted after a long time. If the gold and iron could not be melted, the sword could not be forged. If the sword was not made, the people would die. So the two jumped into the furnace, the gold and iron melted, and the divine sword was forged. One was male and the other female, and they were named Gan Jiang and Mo Xie.
When she asked her father about it, he slapped her without saying a word—"What sins has the Guan family committed that you believe in such absurd nonsense? You are my daughter, how could you believe such a thing?"
Can't I even ask? Guan Ye's mind went blank.
Burning people is no different from burning livestock. Father, wielding his hammer with a smug look, said, "Come, come, let me tell you—what's the most important thing in forging iron ore?"
—Temperature, the hotter and stronger the fire, the faster and better the iron ore will melt.
"Ordinary furnaces can also melt black iron and bronze given time, but it takes a long time and the efficiency is too low. In the old Xingguo Ward, there were red brick furnaces that could concentrate fire and power, greatly speeding up the process. Red clay and red bricks are rare, which makes the furnaces precious. But precisely because of this, the furnaces have too many limitations. You don't have to worry about them exploding one day if you add fire and charcoal."
"Does Father have any other ideas?" Guan Ye leaned closer to her ear. "Teach me."
"To fuel the fire." Dad chuckled. "What nonsense about ancient methods. Life is precious. Who would burn a living person for a dead object?"
Guan Ye suddenly realized that since humans have flesh and blood, and the fat from flesh and blood can aid combustion, and livestock are also made of flesh and blood, there is no difference between burning humans and burning livestock.
“Gan Jiang and Mo Xie are both master swordsmiths, even Father knows that, how could they not know?” Guan Ye argued with her father more than anyone else, “Why did they have to lose their lives for nothing?”
Of course, the father wouldn't be intimidated by his daughter's help. He brought the hammer down with a thud, grabbed Guan Ye's ear, and said, "If Gan Jiang and Mo Xie hadn't sacrificed themselves for their swords, how could Mei Jianchi have sought revenge?"
Guan Ye was completely confused and couldn't figure out the reason even after thinking for a long time. Her father was furious: "Legend? Do you know what a legend is?"
It's all fake. Guan Ye feigned sudden realization, saying that all her talk was just empty rhetoric. Back then, she heard stories, but what she was facing was reality. Guan Ye wouldn't let Jiang Muyun become a legend like Gan Jiang and Mo Xie.
Pei Chu's plan was not complicated, but each step was interconnected and could not be wrong. The owner wanted live animals, there were livestock in the manor and wild animals in the forest. Feng Shisan and Xiao Ma would find a way to get them to exchange for Jiang Muyun. Guards were not a problem either. The swordsmen would take turns on duty. Tomorrow it would be Ajiu and the other two. The guards were used to slacking off. With the swordsmen there, they would be useless. They could be lured away or, at worst, Guan Ye could knock them out with a stick.
The most difficult part lay with Guan Ye, or more precisely, with Guan Ye and Lou Shitou. The Heavenly Furnace was several meters high, with forty-nine steps. The thousand-pound charcoal had to be carried by the sword slaves. Jiang Muyun would rather die than comply; his dying struggle would be disrespectful to the Furnace God. Knocking him unconscious and carrying him up was perfectly reasonable. Guan Ye and Lou Shitou had been partners for years, and going up and down the Heavenly Furnace was a daily chore. To die for the furnace was terrifying; it involved killing people. No blacksmith or sword slave would dare volunteer for such a task…
On that day, she took Lou Shitou with her... and secretly switched the day without anyone noticing... Guan Ye thought more and more about how amazing Pei Chu was. If it were her, she would have no other way but to risk her life to break through the furnace.
As for Lou Shitou… Guan Ye was completely at ease. Shitou was as strong as an ox and treasured Jiang Muyun's silk handkerchief. If he could save Jiang Muyun, she knew he would be overjoyed.
“Nothing is absolute. No matter how good Young Master’s plan is, there are always variables.” Ajiu was already behind Guan Ye without her noticing. “For example, Steward Pei is behind you right now. Guan Ye, what are you doing here!”
"I'm worried that Jiang Muyun is being abused and might not even be able to get a meal." Guan Ye calmly pulled a steamed bun from her pocket. "Can't I even bring him food?"
"Hahahaha." Ajiu laughed, her eyebrows curving upwards as she stared at Guan Ye's serious expression. "So, what will you do when we get to the Heavenly Furnace and the Master insists on verifying your identity?"
"By then, Jiang Muyun will be safe, right?" Guan Ye did not answer Ajiu.
“I asked you what you would do.” Ajiu didn’t look away.
“I’m not a pure Yin being, and the workshop master won’t use me as a sacrifice in the furnace.” Guan Ye bit her lip. “If he really wants to vent his anger by throwing me in, I’ll scream.”
"Shout for help?"
“Pure yang cannot grow, pure yin cannot be born. When yin and yang combine, all things grow. When neither yin nor yang exists, all things perish.” Guan Ye’s mouth seemed to leak out. “If he’s not afraid of defiling the emperor’s sacred object, he can just throw me in.”
"You've read *The Casting Classic* too?" Ajiu had never seen such a magnanimous and fearless woman as Guan Ye. She was the one who didn't know the meaning of "fear." Pei Chu's plan was only to rescue Jiang Muyun, which was why he tested everyone's motives and courage—whether it was loyalty, gratitude, or to fulfill his own desires. Only Guan Ye was driven by a single word: "help."
She didn't care if she got herself into danger while helping others. Over the past ten years, she had experienced the coldness and warmth of the world. Had she ever tasted the pain of being burned?
"Lou Shitou is strong, let him go up to the Heavenly Furnace alone. Don't jump up and down, let me finish." Ajiu said slowly, word by word, "Lou Shitou is stupid. Stupid people can't plan, they'll only be used, and they can't explain the process. Not only can they rescue Jiang Muyun, but everyone involved won't be implicated. Don't worry about Lou Shitou, even if the Master is furious, he won't make things difficult for a fool. Also, as you just said, 'neither yin nor yang, all things perish,' Lou Shitou's fate doesn't match that, he'll be fine."
Guan Ye stared in surprise at the person in front of her. His face was familiar yet strange. Every word he said made sense, just like what A-Jiu would have said three years ago: "A-Jiu, you haven't changed at all."
“You haven’t changed either.” Ah Jiu’s long eyelashes covered her eyes. “Remember to do as I say.”
"Why should I listen to you?" Guan Ye retorted.
"I'm afraid you won't be able to withstand the torture and will confess everyone, okay?" Ajiu hardened her heart, grabbed Guan Ye's wrist and pressed it against the tree. "Success is always a matter of giving and taking. Using Lou Shitou will protect everyone better. Guan Ye, people can't live by just being kind-hearted, nor can they act recklessly and without regard for others. Don't glare at me like that." Ajiu's tone became even fiercer. "People must protect themselves first before they can do more."
It must have really hurt, because Guan Ye's bright black eyes turned red, glistening with tears. With a gentle blink, two teardrops fell onto A Jiu's hand, sliding down his veins and into his sleeve. No more, no less, just two.
Ajiu suddenly withdrew her hand and turned her back. "Lou Shitou, I will definitely do as you say."
Seeing Ajiu walk away without looking back, Guan Ye was furious. She picked up a pebble and threw it at him. It hit him squarely on the back of the head with a thud. She usually couldn't throw it that accurately... Ajiu rubbed the back of his head, raised his sword, and walked towards Guan Ye.
"Is he going to kill me in a fit of anger?" Guan Ye clenched her fists, ready to punch him if he dared to make a move.
In an instant, Ajiu was close enough that before Guan Ye could dodge, she pressed her body against him, drawing her sword. A cold wind swept across Guan Ye's neck, and before Guan Ye could even blink, the sword was back in its sheath, as if nothing had happened. Guan Ye's neck felt cold and she stood frozen, as if afraid that the slightest movement would send her head crashing to the ground. Ajiu chuckled triumphantly, her tense brows relaxing slightly. She stared intently at Guan Ye's face before turning away without looking back.
A note from the author:
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