LATEST UPDATES

Aggrieved Fish Sprite - Chapter 58

Published at 12th of January 2024 12:14:09 PM


Chapter 58

If audio player doesn't work, press Stop then Play button again








Why are you people from Jianghu so naive and sweet?

Indeed, who wouldn’t be tempted?

There have been very few rulers in history with the posthumous title of “Li,” meaning a tyrannical ruler. The more tyrannical the ruler, the more later generations tend to use him as a subject of storytelling. Historians criticize, fiction writers fabricate, and over the past two hundred years, Emperor Chen Li’s evil deeds have been greatly exaggerated, and the accompanying funerary items he brought into his tomb have been blown out of proportion.

All the world’s rare treasures and extraordinary objects are said to exist within Emperor Chen Li’s tomb.

Many people are intrigued by this imperial tomb, but unfortunately, the tomb is protected by extremely powerful mechanisms, and even the location of the tomb remains a mystery. Emperor Chen Li’s tomb was not constructed with an outer palace or hall, nor does it have walls or stone inscriptions. There isn’t even a tombstone left on the ground. Attempting to use feng shui to locate it proves futile, as there are at least ten imperial tombs near the mountain range, having survived through numerous dynasties. Some have been looted, while others are still partially intact, making it impossible to conclusively identify the exact location of Emperor Chen Li’s tomb.

In summary, the treasure remains hidden within this mountain, adding to the mysterious allure surrounding Emperor Chen Li’s tomb. The rumors surrounding its treasure have been blown out of proportion to the extent that people believe that anyone who returns alive from the tomb will secure a life of abundance for eighteen generations of their descendants.

However, the reality is quite different from these tales.

The plump rat, perched on Mo Li’s shoulder, contemptuously believes that while there are indeed treasures in Emperor Chen Li’s tomb, the rumors are excessively exaggerated.

As a ruler of a nation who indulged in extravagance, it is natural that the accompanying funerary items were not lacking in grandeur. However, during Emperor Chen Li’s lifetime, he had already squandered the national treasury for several decades, spending lavishly on the construction of grand palaces and his tomb. By the time of his death, the national treasury was depleted.

The succeeding emperor was not foolish enough to bury all the treasures in the tomb, leaving nothing for himself. Consequently, apart from a few essential funerary items, the rest consisted of possessions used by Emperor Chen Li during his lifetime, including various rare treasures, ancient paintings, jade, and exquisite furniture.

Emperor Chen Li had a penchant for extravagance and frequently commissioned skilled artisans to create intricate and elaborate objects. Even the folding screens were decorated with gilded and colorful paintings, and enamel was used to depict vast landscapes, displaying exquisite craftsmanship that came at a significant cost.

The large folding screens in the tomb were so heavy that it required eight people to move them. While they were undoubtedly valuable, they presented a significant challenge for theft.

Among Emperor Chen Li’s funerary items, many were of this nature—created with the combined efforts of the entire nation. So, it was untrue to claim that there were no treasures in Emperor Chen Li’s tomb. However, the reality was far from what these martial artists imagined, with mountains of gold and silver and countless extraordinary items.

Meng Qi thought about this silently. Perhaps due to the waning effect of the medicine, his head felt heavy, and his thoughts were not as sharp as before. He hadn’t even considered how he came to know about the contents of Emperor Chen Li’s tomb.

Mo Li pressed on with his questions, “As you said, the whereabouts of the Golden Silk Armor are currently unknown?”

The people from Golden Phoenix Villa nodded cautiously.

“Is the record of the Golden Silk Armor being a funerary item in Emperor Chen Li’s tomb found in ancient books or perhaps among the records left by the previous royal family?” Mo Li was indeed concerned about Emperor Chen Li’s tomb, but he was even more interested in the motives of the Qingwu Ancestor in involving himself in this matter.

Emperor Chen Li’s tomb might indeed be in trouble, but Qingwu Ancestor had no reason to divulge this information to others. So why was he making such a grand display of his intentions?

Ning Changyuan mentioned that Qingwu Ancestor was highly skilled and enjoyed associating with those in power, suggesting that he might be seeking wealth and influence. However, the fact that Qingwu Ancestor had trained two disciples—one who sought refuge with the Heavenly King and the other who was plotting a rebellion in the Si Family Fort—raised serious doubts. Therefore, Mo Li naturally had to investigate further.

However, in the eyes of outsiders, it seemed like he was showing great interest in the treasures of the imperial tomb and wanted to get involved.

The members of Golden Phoenix Villa hesitated. Being martial artists like them, they couldn’t possibly know more about the situation, so their eyes involuntarily glanced at their young master.

Mo Li understood their hesitation and released the dumb acupoint on the young master of Golden Phoenix Villa, who was still fanning himself despite the cold weather.

“Cough cough!”

The young master of Golden Phoenix Villa was filled with anger, but he wasn’t foolish.

At this moment, boasting about his father’s identity and the power of Golden Phoenix Villa would only lead to his own demise. In this desolate wilderness, it would be easy for someone to kill him and dispose of the evidence. At present, he was at the mercy of others, and even if he was furious, he had to keep it in check.

“Senior… What do you want to know?”

The first word was said through gritted teeth, but as he continued speaking, his tone surprisingly became smoother.

The term “senior” was something he learned from the Eight Tigers of Yudong.

The Eight Tigers of Yudong used this term and then left without doing anything, so the young master of Golden Phoenix Villa followed suit. As he addressed Mo Li as “senior,” he recalled Mo Li’s too-young-looking face, as if he wasn’t much older than himself. A chill ran down his spine.

Wait! How could someone with such high martial skills be this young?

Even Ning Changyuan wasn’t this young!

The young master of Golden Phoenix Villa immediately thought of those old monsters in the martial world who practiced evil techniques. He trembled slightly and became more obedient in his attitude.

“I have personally seen the treasure, the Golden Silk Armor, and it is truly marvelous. It’s lightweight and can be worn close to the body. Whoever possesses this item gains an extra life. The Golden Silk Armor originated from Jiangnan’s Eight Yun Hall, whose former hall master was once the leader of the martial world. After the old hall master’s death, a memorial ceremony was held, and the master thief, Li Kong’er, stole several treasures from Eight Yun Hall, including the Golden Silk Armor.”

As the Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master spoke, he carefully observed Mo Li. Lying on the ground, unable to move, he could only see half of Mo Li’s face from this angle.

Seeing Mo Li’s indifferent expression, without a hint of impatience, the young master’s heart sank.

— The matter of the Golden Silk Armor could be considered the biggest news in the martial world for nearly three years. If even this is unknown to this person, then apart from newcomers in the martial world, only those evil old monsters who hide away in seclusion remained ignorant!

“…Li Kong’er had a lover named Chi Can’nu. One day, while he was drunk, he bragged about the Golden Silk Armor in front of her, but he was caught by Chi Can’nu’s other lover. The two conspired to kill Li Kong’er and steal the treasure. Later, they turned against each other. Chi Can’nu secretly took the treasure, planning to seek refuge with the Lingyue Sect in the Western Regions. In retaliation, her other lover spread the news about the Golden Silk Armor far and wide, causing chaos in the martial world. Various factions and schools were intrigued, using the pretext of reclaiming the relics of the former hall master of Eight Yun Hall, and pursued Chi Can’nu relentlessly, treating her like a cornered rat.”

Mo Li’s brows furrowed slightly as he listened, and the chubby rat beside him silently scratched its paw.

This whole affair sounded like something straight out of a storyteller’s tale in a teahouse. A mere piece of Golden Silk Armor, supposedly a relic of the martial world’s leader, was first stolen and then embroiled in the most scandalous and thrilling events involving affairs, greed for wealth, conspiracies, and murders. The story began with such a bang, making it impossible for the tea drinkers not to get excited!

The subsequent plot unfolded as fellow martial artists acted righteously to capture Chi Can’nu, but it led to complications, with pseudo-gentlemen, true villains, and small-time criminals obstructing their efforts, resulting in numerous casualties in the martial world, and the eventual loss of the treasure’s whereabouts.

The chubby rat made an effort to scratch its chin, thinking that the storyteller must be afraid of getting booed by the audience at this point. Even if they included the most popular themes like seductive demonesses enticing young martial artists and villains collaborating with the demonesses, without shamelessly catering to the listeners, how could there be no resolution for the Golden Silk Armor in the end?

It would be appropriate to have a heroic figure in the martial world, admired by his junior martial sister, adored by a female knight, and possessing exceptional talent and formidable martial arts. With just a few words, the storyteller could portray how Chi Can’nu’s heart was won over, and effortlessly obtain the coveted Golden Silk Armor, the treasure that everyone fought tooth and nail for. This is the kind of storytelling that scholars love to write and audiences love to hear.

The chubby rat snorted disdainfully.

However, what it emitted was a soft “squeak.”

“…”

When Mo Li turned to look, the chubby rat covered its face with its paws.

Its black-bean-like eyes were filled with astonishment. At first, Mo Li was puzzled because even in its original form, the transformation wouldn’t change Meng Qi’s personality, and Meng Qi, this State Teacher, was clearly not the type to cover his face for no reason.

After pondering for a moment, Mo Li suddenly understood.

Meng Qi probably wanted to speak, but the result was the strange sound it made. So, Meng Qi raised a frustrated hand to support his forehead.

Then, a comical scene occurred: the chubby rat’s paws were too short. It couldn’t cover its forehead, not even its eyes; its paws could only reach its mouth and the chubby cheeks on both sides. The rat couldn’t believe it, so it extended its other paw, but it still couldn’t reach it. In the end, it ended up looking like how Mo Li saw it—both paws cupping its face.

“Pfft.”

Mo Li couldn’t help but chuckle, but he quickly suppressed his laughter, as the chubby rat was now lying on his shoulder in vexation, its tail curled up in anger.

While the Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master earnestly narrated the tales of enmity, love, and vendetta surrounding the Golden Silk Armor…

He did indeed hear a rat’s noise earlier, but there were wild dogs in the abandoned village, so he didn’t pay much attention to the sound of a rat. The thought that this “senior” might keep such a pet rat never crossed his mind.

It was Mo Li who suddenly burst into laughter, leaving the Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master feeling uneasy. He went through his words again, but couldn’t find anything funny in what he said.

“Continue,” said Mo Li.

“…After the death of Chi Can’nu, the Golden Silk Armor was not found on her body, and no one knew where she had hidden it,” replied the Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master. He felt like he had turned into a storyteller, and he felt quite frustrated about it.

“And what evidence does Qingwu Ancestor have to claim that the Golden Silk Armor came from Emperor Li’s Tomb?” asked Mo Li.

“This!”

When the Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master couldn’t find the words, Mo Li simply nodded and said, “Qingwu Ancestor points to a treasure with an unknown whereabouts, claiming it came from Emperor Li’s Tomb. Then, he concludes that the tomb has been robbed. However, there is no ancient book mentioning this Golden Silk Armor. So, it seems that the story about the tomb’s treasure is all just Qingwu Ancestor’s baseless talk, and whether it’s true or false, you guys don’t know.”

The Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master’s pupils contracted.

His subordinates hurriedly responded, “This matter has spread widely, and even the Jianghu forces outside of Yongzhou have heard of it. Qingwu Ancestor is a well-known figure in the martial world; how could he lie and ruin his own reputation?”

Mo Li was left speechless. The way people in Jianghu thought was so bizarre.

Prominent figures wouldn’t tell lies because of their reputation, and others believed them not because of their virtue, but because of their face and reputation?

“Thanks for the reminder, Senior,” said the Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master through clenched teeth.

Seeing that he was smart enough, Mo Li didn’t continue to lecture him.

By leaving this seemingly influential Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master here, more people would be informed about Qingwu Ancestor’s suspicious claims, which might cause some trouble for him. It was better than nothing.

“Half an hour later, your acupoints will automatically unlock,” Mo Li said, leaving these words behind as he picked up his baggage and left the ancestral hall.

“Brother Meng, what do you think about this?” Mo Li habitually asked, but when he met the black bean-like eyes of the chubby rat, he swallowed the rest of his words.

Humans and rats cannot communicate.

Neither do fish and rats.

Mo Li took out the map given by Ning Changyuan and said seriously, “It’s possible that you can’t transform back because of a lack of spiritual energy. Let’s find a place with abundant spiritual energy first and try to turn you back into your human form.”

Author’s Note:

Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master: Sigh, I’m being used as a pawn here.

Mo Li: Huh?

Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master: I’m being chased like a rat in the street.

Meng Qi: Huh?

Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master: …

Golden Phoenix Villa’s young master: Even extras have dignity; do they still let us have lines to say?





Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!


COMMENTS