Although Chai Shuxin had stormed off in anger, the next day he still carried a food box up the mountain.
Mu Geshen and the others had already returned to the Ginkgo Study. The three of them were kneeling in a row at the waterside pavilion as punishment, each with a bruised and swollen face.
The previous day, Song Wentong and Wu Nie hadn’t finished their fight to their satisfaction. They had taken the Red-Licking Saber and searched all over the city for each other. Wu Zixu had hurriedly finished drinking the wedding wine, then dragged Mu Geshen along to stop them.
In no time, the entire city of Fengdu knew that the troublemaking devils from the Ginkgo Study had come to stir up trouble again. They had nearly alarmed the Ten Kings of Hell. In the end, it was the Master of Ginkgo Study himself who personally descended into Fengdu to find them and bring the whole group back.
The bruises on the three men’s faces hadn’t been caused by the Heavenly Calculator. They had gotten them from fighting among themselves.
“I only asked you to go down the mountain for the Winter Solstice and eat some dumplings. I didn’t ask you to turn the entire Underworld upside down.” The Master of Ginkgo Study held Zhu Yinxiao in his arms. He showed no anger and spoke casually. “Come on, tell me. Who was responsible for ‘The Golden Guards Keep No Curfew’?”
Wu Zixu looked at Song Wentong. Song Wentong looked at Mu Geshen. Mu Geshen had no one left to pass the blame to, so he simply pointed at Zhu Yinxiao and pushed all the responsibility onto him.
“Fifth Brother did it.”
The fifth one still couldn’t speak, only making a string of babbling sounds.
“I’m asking about the mastermind.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study asked in return, “Could it be that Yin Xiao climbed into the giant cauldron atop the city wall all by himself?”
Mu Geshen blinked. “It’s not entirely impossible.”
Before he could finish speaking, Song Wentong kicked him.
Seeing that Mu Geshen’s lies were becoming impossible to sustain, Wu Zixu simply bent one knee and stepped forward. Bowing, he said, “Reporting to you, Sir, I was the mastermind behind this matter. Please punish me.”
“Oh? There’s no need to rush into punishment. Confess first.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study smiled. “You were the mastermind. Who were your accomplices? How did you carry out the scheme? And what was your motive?”
Wu Zixu braced himself and explained the matter of the King of Hell marrying off his daughter, but left out the part about the phoenix crown. He only said that he couldn’t find a suitable congratulatory gift and had finally thought of the idea of lifting the nighttime curfew on the Jinwu Guards. As he spoke, he bowed deeply and remained bent over. “This student acted recklessly.”
“No rush. Yesterday’s lifting of the Jinwu nighttime curfew was fueled by Vermilion Bird feathers. Tell me, who told you about this method?”
Wu Zixu replied, “…It was Master Wunie.”
Song Wentong froze, then immediately flew into a rage. “So you deliberately let that woman come and fight me?!”
“Don’t be hasty.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study waved a hand. “So it was the Grand Marshal Tai Sui who told you about this method. Then I suppose it was also the Grand Marshal who did the deed? Did she pluck Yin Xiao completely bare?”
Wu Zixu trembled. Thinking that no matter what, he had to keep Mu Geshen out of it, he answered, “…Yes.”
“I see.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study nodded and recounted the events: “So Zixu was the mastermind. He lured Yin Xiao into Fengdu, then had Tai Sui and Wentong fight each other. Taking advantage of the chaos, he led Yin Xiao away, then seized him from Geshen when the opportunity arose, plucked out his feathers, and finally lit the Jinwu Lantern.”
“Useless!” Song Wentong pointed at Mu Geshen’s nose and cursed. “You couldn’t even keep a chicken safe when I asked you to look after it!”
“Likewise!” Mu Geshen retorted confidently. “You couldn’t even beat her. If she wanted to pluck Fifth Brother’s feathers, what could I have done to stop her?”
“You’ve been unusually well-behaved this time.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study looked at Mu Geshen with an inscrutable smile. “You’ve certainly regressed quite a bit. You actually let Zixu outwit you.”
“Not at all, not at all.” Mu Geshen laughed awkwardly. “I was just causing less trouble. Wasn’t I helping Master by taking some burdens off your shoulders?”
The Master of the Ginkgo Study gave him a meaningful glance before continuing. “Although Zixu was the mastermind, he wasn’t acting out of favoritism. He did it out of consideration for the Yin-Yang School, so his actions are understandable.”
“As for Wentong, you acted without first clarifying the cause and effect. That shows a lack of composure. Drawing your sword against Tai Sui, a mere junior against an elder, was disrespectful. You deserve the harshest punishment this time. Go kneel in the incense hall for three days. You are forbidden from going down the mountain for one month, and your Blood-Licking Blade is to remain sheathed for half a year.”
“Yes.” Song Wentong kowtowed, accepted his punishment, and left.
“Very well.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study looked at the two remaining men and said leisurely, “Wentong has been fooled. Now, which of you two is going to confess?”
Wu Zixu broke out in a cold sweat.
“Let me, let me.” Mu Geshen rubbed his nose and revealed the part about the phoenix crown, recounting the entire matter of the King of Hell marrying off his daughter. “Third Brother was really in a difficult position back then, so he came to recruit me. We discussed it and went to ask Master Wunie. Then, working together from both inside and outside, we tricked Second Brother.”
“I see.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study said, “So it wasn’t Tai Sui who plucked the Vermilion Feathers, but you?”
“Yes and no.” Mu Geshen nodded. “Fifth Brother’s Vermilion Feathers weren’t plucked out. They fell out on their own. At the time, Grand Marshal Tai Sui took Fifth Brother to the Ghost Market’s Hundred Performances. I don’t know what she fed him, but after Second Brother and I started fighting, I took Fifth Brother sightseeing around Fengdu. Before long, he started shedding feathers.”
“It was a Wu clan elixir.” Wu Zixu hurriedly explained. “The Grand Marshal told me at the time that it was a special elixir for nourishing spiritual power. It could help a Vermilion Bird transform into human form and wouldn’t harm his body.”
“Quite a thorough plan.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study nodded. “In that case, Zixu recruited Geshen as his accomplice, making him the mastermind. You must be punished. You are forbidden from going down the mountain for one month. You must maintain regular sleeping and waking hours, and you are not allowed to manage the Wu family’s affairs. You are to attend the Study’s classes obediently and must not miss any.”
“Yes.” Wu Zixu bowed deeply, accepted his punishment, and departed.
Only the master and his disciple remained in the waterside pavilion. The Master of the Ginkgo Study turned his wheelchair around and looked at Mu Geshen. He said leisurely, “All right. Zixu has been fooled too. Now it’s time to tell the truth.”
Mu Geshen laughed awkwardly. “I can’t hide anything from you, Master.”
“Zixu is easy enough to fool, but your master still knows a thing or two. How difficult is it for a Vermilion Bird to transform? How could a few pills possibly achieve that? Tell me, what exactly did you do?”
Only then did Mu Geshen tell the truth, recounting the entire matter of the Western City Pass. When he finished, he said, “Master, please don’t tell Third Brother. He’s a worrier. If he finds out I went into the Western City Pass for this, he’ll probably lose every last strand of hair.”
“Was the idea of entering the Western City Pass suggested to you by Tai Sui?”
“No, that was my own idea.” Mu Geshen scratched his head. “I know that a Vermilion Bird needs a tremendous amount of spiritual power to transform. After thinking it over, the Western City Pass was the only suitable place. Grand Marshal Tai Sui merely helped me hold Second Brother back. I wouldn’t dare trouble her with anything else.”
“Did Chai Shuxin accompany you into the Western City Pass?”
“Yes. But Sanjiutian was purely dragged into this by me. He only helped with the fighting. He’s such a proper, upright person. The only way to get him involved in this kind of mischief was to force him into it.” Mu Geshen said, “Please don’t punish him.”
“Ling Shuzi isn’t an entry-level student of the Study, so it’s not appropriate for me to punish him.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study shook his head. “You certainly know how to scheme. After all that trouble, you even came up with several different versions of the story, fooling everyone into believing whatever you told them.”
“Not at all, not at all.” Mu Geshen grinned. “But I still couldn’t hide it from you, Master.”
“Although your intentions were good, you must still be punished.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study shook his head and handed Zhu Yin Xiao forward. “Wentong will be spending the next few days kneeling in the incense hall and reflecting on his mistakes. Your punishment is to help him look after Yin Xiao. Raising a child is no game. Be mindful of your limits.”
“Got it!” Mu Geshen cheerfully took Zhu Yin Xiao and walked away humming a little tune.
“All right. This one has been fooled too.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study sighed. “Come out.”
A person emerged from behind the waterside pavilion. It was none other than Chai Shuxin.
“If I don’t live a long life, it’ll be because these little brats have driven me to an early grave. Every one of them is more troublesome than the last.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study pinched the bridge of his nose. “Have you learned your lesson? When you want to fool someone like Geshen, you have to do it this way. Layer one trick on top of another, until you finally ensnare him. Only then will he believe you.”
Chai Shuxin said quietly, “He thinks you don’t know about the White Jade Choke.”
“Yes. I more or less understand why he didn’t want me to know, either.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study turned his wheelchair toward the water and sighed. “He really went too far this time. If he hadn’t had the Mountain Ghost Flower Money on him, I’m afraid I would have had to bury a child before myself.”
Chai Shuxin bowed deeply.
“I’m not blaming you. Geshen had already considered looking for the White Jade Choke several years ago. Back then, he wanted to cure my legs. But although the White Jade Choke can cure all kinds of illnesses, it isn’t suitable for my condition.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study smiled. “However, it should be suitable for the eldest young lady of the Chai family. An old ailment like hers can’t be cured in a day. She’ll need to take things slowly and recuperate while keeping a low profile.”
Chai Shuxin acknowledged his words. “I will remember your painstaking efforts, Sir.”
“Never mind. With Miss Chai’s long-standing illness finally improving, you’ve also managed to resolve a knot in your heart. For the next few days, just enjoy being young. I’ve confined those boys to the Study, so you might as well stay here for a while, too. You’re all successors to the Seven Great Schools of the Philosophers. The days of youth are precious.”
“Yes.”
“Come to think of it, although you study together, you haven’t spent much time with one another.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study looked at Chai Shuxin with interest. “What do you think of them?”
Chai Shuxin pondered for a moment before answering slowly, “Mozi Song Wentong is a man of strong character, courageous and capable. Wuchangzi Wu Zixu is thoughtful and prudent, gentle yet possessing integrity. Both are young and promising leaders of their respective schools, and both value loyalty and affection.”
“That’s a very apt assessment.” The Master of the Ginkgo Study smiled as he listened. “As for the other three, you, Juan Sheng, have only met a few times, so you’re not very familiar with him. Yin Xiao is too young to judge. That leaves Geshen. I don’t blame you for finding him difficult to assess. Even I think my disciple is a rather complicated case.”
“To be honest, at first, I really didn’t get along well with Mu Geshen. I felt we were not cut from the same cloth.” Chai Shuxin said, “But time reveals a person’s true nature. We’ve spent quite a bit of time together recently and experienced many things. I don’t want to make a rash judgment, but there is one thing I can say about him.”
“Go ahead.”
Chai Shuxin straightened up and looked at the Master of the Ginkgo Study. “He has the heart of an innocent child.”
He understands the ways of the world without becoming worldly; he has weathered its cunning and sophistication, yet remains ever so innocent.
At the Wind-Chiming Corridor, the Heavenly Calculus Master smiled faintly.
“Good.”
Looking at everyone in the Ginkgo Study, Chai Shuxin had a pair of hands that could heal the world, Song Wentong had a blade that never knew defeat, and Wu Zixu had a voice capable of captivating all who heard it. Only Mu Geshen was a complete mess. He spent his days idling around, never striving to improve himself. If one really had to judge him, the only fitting description would probably be “little rascal.”
But being a rascal in one’s youth hardly counted as anything serious. A little wildness and recklessness could all be summed up in one phrase: a young man.
Time has always been generous in extending credit to the young.
The youthful should be allowed to lie drunk in the spring sunshine.
Chai Shuxin walked out of the long corridor and into the front courtyard of the Study. The sunlight flowed like water, and warmth poured down in abundance.
“Sanjiutian!” Mu Geshen came running excitedly from the other side of the courtyard, carrying Zhu Yin Xiao in his arms. He shouted to him from a distance, “I knew you’d come! I saw a pot of yipinguo in the little kitchen. Did you bring it?”
“Mm.”
“Wonderful!” Mu Geshen’s face lit up with excitement. “Second Brother happens to be punished with kneeling today, so he doesn’t get any food. Let’s carry the pot to the incense hall and eat in front of him. We’ll make him drool with envy! Hahahahaha…”
Zhu Yin Xiao seemed to like Chai Shuxin very much and stretched out his arms, asking to be held. Chai Shuxin took him into his arms and smiled.
“Sure.”
Mu Geshen immediately froze. It took him a long moment to speak. “I didn’t see that wrong, did I…? Did you just smile?”
Chai Shuxin said nothing. Holding Zhu Yin Xiao, he continued walking forward. Mu Geshen recovered from his shock and, refusing to let the matter go, teased him all the way.
“Did you smile? Did you? Don’t just keep quiet! Sanjiutian, you’re so handsome. How about giving us another smile?”
Wu Zixu poked his head out of the study. “Brother Chai rarely smiles. Fourth Brother, why don’t you leave him alone?”
Song Wentong was just about to go and kneel for his punishment. Hearing this, he snorted. “Third Brother, don’t even think about it. He’s the type who’ll take a mile if you give him an inch. Give him a little encouragement and he’ll think he owns the place.”
“That’s true.” Wu Zixu smiled helplessly. “But speaking of which, since Brother Chai has smiled, the ice has finally melted. It’s about time we changed the nickname Sanjiutian, too. Fourth Brother, don’t you think?”
“Not at all. There’s a very good reason behind the name I gave him.” Mu Geshen walked behind Chai Shuxin with his hands clasped behind his back and raised his voice. “That day, when I first met the young master of the Medicine School beneath the lamplight, all I could see was his icy elegance and jade-like beauty, with frost and snow in his eyes.”
His voice was full of amusement. He spoke in the graceful, lingering tune of a sentimental storytelling ballad, and his sharp eyes caught the ears of the person walking in front of him turning red.
“His face is cold, but his heart is not; like a red plum blossom, beautiful and bright.”
“And so, I named him Sanjiutian.”
Author’s Note:
“He understands the ways of the world without becoming worldly; he has weathered its cunning and sophistication, yet remains ever so innocent.” — Guiguzi