There are always difficult situations that are hard to describe, such as poverty.
Meng Qi’s expression became peculiar.
There was a moment when he wanted to snap the Daoist’s neck.
These ignorant but always meddling Daoists, who believed they had grasped the rules of destiny and fortune, treated the dragon veins as if they were mere spiritual herbs in the mountains – dig when they wanted to dig, chop when they wanted to chop. Now, they shamelessly claimed that they could help others obtain the dragon veins!
What a ridiculous notion of “obtaining the dragon veins”!
Meng Qi was furious but couldn’t help laughing. He had already deduced the truth from Mo Li’s words. The so-called “mountain spirit” was, in fact, the dragon vein mentioned by the Daoists. While the mountain spirit indeed existed, it had nothing to do with fate or fortune. Yet it was forcibly tied to the chariot of a certain dynasty, a certain imperial rule, appearing as if it was entwined in the fate of that dynasty, which was utterly absurd!
For the mountain spirit, wasn’t this akin to sitting idly at home and inviting calamity from the heavens?
If someone wanted to change the ruling dynasty, why not raise an army and rebel? Why would they have to quarrel with a mountain?
Meng Qi was filled with killing intent, not only wanting to eliminate Daoist Sang, who was trying to please him with the dragon vein but also wanting to exterminate Tai Chi Observational Sect.
This killing intent was so tangible that it caused physical discomfort, as if countless sharp needles were stabbing the skin.
Daoist Sang bore the brunt of it. He felt as if he had been thrown into an ice cave, struggling to move but completely immobilized. His mind was blank, and all he could do was open and close his mouth in a ridiculous attempt to speak, but no sound came out.
Meng Qi looked down on him as if gazing upon an inanimate object.
However, his facial expression was strangely distorted, with muscles twitching occasionally, revealing a twisted smile.
His right hand clenched into a fist, trembling slightly. This was the last vestige of his sanity, as he desperately suppressed the urge to go insane. The ground beneath his feet sank as if half of his boot was submerged in the soil.
“…How can you help me?”
Meng Qi’s voice was soft and slightly rapid as if casually chatting with someone. However, anyone who saw Meng Qi’s expression and eyes would not mistake it for casual banter.
Daoist Sang was horrified, his face devoid of color. He finally understood why Master Chang Feng had been scared to death.
The terrifying killing intent made him feel as though he was not facing a person but a mad beast, a purple thunderclap that spanned the heavens, or a towering wave that could destroy everything in an instant.
Human strength was utterly insufficient to resist, and there was no chance of escape.
Daoist Sang deeply regretted his actions.
Not all Daoists believed in the existence of hidden dragon veins; there were many differences and disputes among the various Daoist sects. Daoist Sang happened to be one who believed in the existence of the hidden dragon veins, and he was determined to prove it.
Now that Meng Qi was here, he became even more convinced of the existence of the hidden dragon veins. However, what good was it if he lost his life?
“I…,” Daoist Sang’s voice was hoarse. It took him several attempts before he could utter a sound, and he spoke intermittently, “I can search for dragon veins, perform the Borrowing Fortune and Resolving Crisis technique… skilled in Zi Wei numerology, and somewhat knowledgeable about Qi Huang…”
When Meng Qi heard the words “Qi Huang,” he froze for a moment.
Then he realized what it meant, and his back stiffened slightly.
Someone was watching him.
Through the thick smoke, someone was silently observing him from not far away.
As Meng Qi was lost in thought, Daoist Sang got up and ran forward as if his life depended on it, even if it meant running towards a cliff.
The one-eyed old hunter, who was helping with the firefighting, saw him rushing over and raised his iron pitchfork to defend himself. However, the Daoist didn’t even spare him a glance, continuing his frantic pace and jumping off the cliff.
“…”
The cliff was quite high, but falling off it didn’t necessarily mean instant death. The lush vegetation might break the fall, and one might just end up with a broken arm or leg if lucky.
But luck was an elusive thing, and jumping off a cliff was no different from suicide.
“I didn’t expect this bullhead to be so gutsy; he’d rather die than become a prisoner.”
“Hah, don’t kid yourself, I think he’s scared out of his wits.”
The people from Shimo Stronghold had not practiced internal martial arts, so they didn’t hear a single word exchanged between Meng Qi and Daoist Sang. They could only speculate wildly.
“There’s a closed valley beneath the cliff, and there’s no way out. Let’s forget about him for now and focus on putting out the fire.”
To climb back up, they had to climb trees and crawl up the cliff along the thick canopy of branches.
However, the trees at the bottom of the cliff were also on fire, and they could vaguely hear the screams of those who had fallen off the cliff earlier.
In the glow of the fire, the voice was particularly chilling.
As the person behind him approached, the familiar and crisp aura enveloped Meng Qi, and he took a silent breath, relaxing his tense body.
“Why didn’t you stop me?”
“You had taken medicine in the morning,” replied Mo Li calmly. He sensed that something was wrong and immediately came back.
However, he didn’t attempt to pull or wake up Meng Qi; he simply stood behind him.
Meng Qi’s body swayed slightly, and he leaned back against Mo Li.
After hesitating for a moment, Mo Li didn’t push him away, and Meng Qi took the opportunity to turn around and hug him, burying his head at Mo Li’s neck.
As their breaths touched each other’s skin, Meng Qi noticed Mo Li’s earlobe tremble and quickly turn red.
Miraculously, the restlessness and anger in Meng Qi’s heart vanished.
He didn’t speak further, nor did he try to push things further. He just held onto Mo Li, unwilling to let go. This attitude of refusing to let go after gaining an advantage made Mo Li inexplicably think of that sand rat.
He wondered if giving a small piece of hard bread to the sand rat would elicit a similar reaction.
Then, Mo Li’s face turned serious as he thought, ‘Am I the one being treated like bread?’
—After returning, he wouldn’t make pills anymore, he would just brew herbal soups. Pills were not bitter; it was the herbal soup that was bitter.
Seeing the redness on the physician’s earlobe fade away, Meng Qi knew that holding him any longer might make Mo Li uncomfortable. So, he slowly loosened his grip and began to recall the events of the Daoists causing trouble in Taijing.
The more he thought about it, the more intense the fierceness in his eyes became.
Meng Qi vaguely understood why he was so willing to be the Imperial Teacher for the dynasty, and why he had held that position for so many years.
In the Chu Dynasty, the position of Imperial Teacher didn’t require much work on ordinary days. The so-called rituals and ceremonies were all handled by the Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Sacrificial Court, and the Qin Tianjian. The Imperial Teacher was just for show, standing on the sacrificial platform on the designated days and reciting the appropriate words.
So, besides discussing strategies for good governance with his old friends, Meng Qi’s main goal was to find ways to scare those Daoists away from Taijing. He wanted to make sure they never dared to set foot in the capital again.
When he said “scare them away,” it didn’t necessarily mean physically beating them up. It was about making these self-proclaimed immortal and enlightened individuals lose all face and leave in humiliation.
On a blank sheet of paper, words suddenly appeared; clear water turned into blood; and talismans spontaneously ignited. At first, Meng Qi found it a bit challenging to expose these tricks, as he had to figure out the principles behind them. However, later on, he became completely disinterested.
The Daoists’ explanations were all different, but their tricks were essentially the same.
Even Emperor Chu Yuan grew tired of them.
Eventually, if the Daoists didn’t possess some extraordinary and effective method, they wouldn’t dare show their faces in the influential circles of Taijing.
Of course, there were always some gullible people who believed in these tricks, as well as some cunning Daoists who relied on their sharp tongues to deceive for money. As long as they didn’t attract attention from the Emperor of Chu, Meng Qi didn’t bother to intervene.
But once these tricksters failed in their schemes and were caught by angry citizens, they faced severe punishment.
As for those who resorted to violence, causing trouble, or even killing people, Meng Qi would ensure they vanished without a trace.
Recalling the exploits of outwitting these Daoists, Meng Qi’s lips curled into a sarcastic smile.
“Physician, my martial arts were not initially as high as they are now. It was those Daoists who taught me the path to cultivate inner strength.”
“Hmm?”
Mo Li quickly caught on, realizing that Meng Qi probably didn’t have a master like himself.
Qin Lu was once the most formidable expert in the world, and Mo Li received his guidance, hardly making any detours. However, Meng Qi was different. Despite having “lived” longer than Mo Li, he had to put in considerable effort to “learn” martial arts.
“…Initially, I only knew some basic martial arts, similar to the people from the Shimo Mountain stronghold.”
Meng Qi thought for a moment and continued, “When I say ‘initially,’ I don’t even remember the first time I transformed into a human shape, nor do I know why I turned into a sand rat. As a human, you must have some self-defense ability. So I learned some by secretly observing others.”
Mo Li felt a heaviness in his chest; he had never considered that Meng Qi had gone through such experiences.
During the reign of the Chen Dynasty, living was difficult enough.
So what if there were dragon veins? As a true form without any self-defense ability, and as a human form without common sense or literacy, Meng Qi even lacked clothes. Although he only mentioned stealing some basic martial arts, there must have been far more challenges.
No family, no money, and odd behaviors that could make people mistake him for a monster.
“Later on, I honed my skills to a decent level, capable of taking on five or six people at once,” Meng Qi reminisced about his past and chuckled, “I had a friend, a bookish scholar named Deng Shusheng. He had an explosive temper and always resorted to violence at the slightest provocation, but he was truly skilled. Later, he joined the military and naturally learned horseback riding techniques. I became proficient with a pair of maces, which I found on the battlefield. I also learned how to use iron claws to climb heights and the art of archery. I wouldn’t say I was invincible, but I started getting injured less often.”
Meng Qi recalled the memories for a while and noticed that Mo Li hadn’t spoken all along. Only then did he realize the physician’s expression.
“… Shall we go and put out the fire?”
Suddenly feeling a little guilty for standing still and holding Mo Li back, Meng Qi suggested.
Mo Li snapped out of his thoughts and led Meng Qi toward the creek.
Putting out the fire wasn’t too much trouble, but everyone was without containers to carry water, which caused some delay and allowed the fire to spread.
Fortunately, the people from Shimo Mountain Stronghold often practiced ambushes in this area, so there was a hidden resting place with several wooden barrels.
Most of the fire had been extinguished, with the main blaze concentrated near the cliff.
The leader of the Shimo Mountain stronghold, looking at the flames raging below the cliff, waved his hand, “Water! Pour water!”
This was their natural ambush location and couldn’t be destroyed. Without these troublemakers, who knew what other group would cause problems next?
As they looked at the flames, Yan Cen remembered how terrified and shocked they were when they saw Meng Qi here earlier. Once the fire was put out, the leader led the group down the cliff with the help of ropes and nets, and he signaled to Yan Cen.
Yan Cen wasn’t suspicious of Meng Qi’s intentions, but he was still wary of the origins of these people.
The leader indeed found that the fallen intruders had survived, but they were injured and bewildered by the smoke.
As the leader held up the coughing and disheveled figure of the Daoist, he decided, “First, ask them if there are any people waiting for them below the mountain and how many people know that they entered the Shimo Mountain Stronghold. We’ll question each one thoroughly before taking any action.”
Daoist Sang didn’t die as expected but was cut beyond recognition by the branches, and he was choked out of consciousness by the smoke.
The leader picked him up to question him, but Daoist Sang kept talking, crying, and laughing, like a crazy person. Still, Qing Dacheng’s subordinates said a lot of useful things.
It turns out that Qing Dacheng had long pledged allegiance to the King of Wu. He offered half of the stolen wealth as a tribute and secretly obtained a general’s seal, claiming to be a fourth-ranked official. However, he couldn’t receive any salary, and no one knew about it.
Under the command of the King of Wu, there were many martial artists and adventurers like him.
They would amass wealth while carrying out clandestine missions. They rarely met the King of Wu in person and only received secret orders, sometimes not even knowing if they came directly from the King or his advisors.
However, Qing Dacheng couldn’t stay in Dongting Gang forever, nor could he continue his life as a Green Forest hero indefinitely. He had set his mind on retiring peacefully, and being recruited by the government was a decent way out, although he needed to achieve some merits to secure that position.
This time in Yongzhou, they didn’t receive direct orders from the King of Wu.
They were only instructed to cooperate with Daoist Sang and serve the King of Wu’s interests.
Daoist Sang led them around Jiangnan before heading north to Yongzhou, claiming that there was a hidden dragon vein in the area.
As for whether the King of Wu knew about this matter, Qing Dacheng’s men were entirely clueless.
The leader of the Shimo Mountain stronghold questioned several people, and they all gave similar responses, causing his brows to furrow deeply.
He decided to kill the half-insane Daoist Sang and returned to the cliff to discuss with Yan Cen, “Tell our brothers to be prepared; the peaceful days may be coming to an end.”
The King of Wu in the south wanted the hidden dragon vein, and the Heavenly King in the west might be planning to attack Yongzhou.
Finding a safe haven in this chaotic world was like trying to reach the heavens.
The leader had the intention to relocate everyone to a different place, but where could they go at this moment? Yongzhou had been suffering from a three-year drought, and finding a place with water within a radius of three hundred miles was already challenging, let alone other factors.
While he was worrying, he didn’t forget about Mo Li.
“Where is the physician?”
“He’s over there. When Qian Xiaolang lured the enemies with a broken pot on his back, the leader hit him with a hidden weapon. Although it didn’t cause any serious injury, he fell and hurt his cheek, crying with tears and snot all over the place.”
“This kid.” The leader hurried over to check.
He found out that Qian Xiaolang wasn’t the only one injured. Several others were hurt while trying to avoid the attackers.
One person had a broken arm, with a bruised and swollen face. Mo Li was busy setting his bone.
Meng Qi had long been accustomed to assisting Mo Li, and no matter what, these people’s injuries were much lighter than those of the victims after the earthquake in Qiuling County.
“I don’t know how to thank you, physician,” the leader of Shimo Mountain stronghold said, feeling somewhat perplexed. He didn’t want to accept the favor without giving something in return, but the stronghold was so impoverished that they couldn’t offer much.
“No need to thank me. It was just a timely encounter. You didn’t hesitate to save yourselves when you were in danger, and you didn’t expose the path of the stronghold to us. In a way, you saved yourselves.”
Mo Li thought of Ning Changyuan and added, “Speaking of repaying kindness, if I can help others in a timely manner like this, it’s also a form of repayment.”
The leader of the stronghold readily agreed, realizing that helping others didn’t mean taking responsibility for their lives and sustenance. It was indeed not a significant matter.
Mo Li then inquired about Daoist Sang’s situation, and the leader briefly explained without mentioning the involvement of the Heavenly King.
“Recently, there’s a rumor circulating in the martial world that Qingwu Ancestor has confirmed that Emperor Li of Chen’s tomb was robbed. Most people are heading there, including the Daoists, probably.”
Upon hearing Mo Li’s words, the leader of the stronghold felt relieved.
At this moment, someone came to report that the peddler’s body was found in the stone ditch with a knife wound to the chest.
Although the peddler was loquacious and had caused trouble, he was still known among the people in the stronghold. Now that he was dead, they decided to bury him properly in a grave.
“Big brother, go down the mountain and find those people from Chiwang Mountain,” Yan Cen said worriedly.
Mo Li felt like he had heard the name Chiwang Mountain somewhere before but couldn’t recall the exact context.
Within the boundaries of Pingzhou, there were numerous mountains, many of which were unnamed on the maps and weren’t well-known beyond the locals
The night passed amidst the tumultuous events.
The leader of the stronghold didn’t rest and went down the mountain once again.
Yan Cen was given a bowl of medicine by Mo Li, making him nervous as he felt the physician’s sharp gaze on him. The broad-minded second-in-command was sweating coldly, and his hand automatically reached for the bowl, eager to drink and be relieved.
In retrospect, Yan Cen found Mo Li’s method of forcing patients to drink medicine peculiar. He didn’t get angry or reprimand them; he just stared at them, making them feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
Yan Cen couldn’t help but wonder who the person following Mo Li was and how they could endure being scrutinized like that every day.
The stronghold was not large, so Yan Cen naturally knew when they returned, and he saw Mo Li preparing a pot of medicinal soup.
The taste of the medicine was much more bitter than the bowl Yan Cen had, and the bitter smell could spread half a mile away. People passing by the stone hut couldn’t help but hasten their pace.
However, to Yan Cen’s surprise, the man drank whatever he was given, without taking it seriously at all, like a real man.
Mo Li was also very puzzled about this matter. With such a bitter medicine, ordinary people would probably vomit after taking it, but Meng Qi drank it all down as if it were just a cup of tea, making him wonder if there was something wrong with his taste buds.
“Do you think I can refuse to drink the medicine given by the physician?” Meng Qi raised an eyebrow and replied.
Mo Li remained expressionless and said, “Then shall I bring you a hard biscuit to eat after drinking the medicine?”
Startled, Meng Qi sat up, his composure completely gone.
“Are you joking? Eating anything else will ruin the effects of the medicine.”
Mo Li looked at the scene and said slowly, “I was just teasing you. No need to add anything.”
Meng Qi couldn’t help but smile wryly, wondering why he, who had never been afraid of anything in his life, had stumbled in front of the physician.
In truth, the medicine was truly too bitter, unlike anything he had drunk before.
Curious, Meng Qi tried to inquire, and Mo Li explained that he had used a different prescription this time. The medicinal herbs available in the Shimo Mountain stronghold were more abundant, and in fact, the previous pill he made also used the same prescription.
For the next two days, the people in the Shimo Mountain stronghold were busy cleaning up the forest and burying the bodies. Mo Li checked Yan Cen’s pulse again and found that his condition had improved, so he prescribed two more detoxifying formulas.
The medicinal soup took time to take effect, but with his inner energy to observe the meridians and organs, Mo Li could determine Yan Cen’s condition much faster than it would take if he were to rely solely on the medicinal soup. Otherwise, he would have to stay in the Shimo Mountain stronghold for ten to fifteen days to confirm Yan Cen’s condition.
Mo Li kept thinking about the matter of Emperor Li of Chen’s tomb and treated other injured people in the stronghold before taking his leave.
In the past two days, Meng Qi had offered some suggestions to the leader of the stronghold, helping them redo the traps and ambush routes outside, and the leader and Yan Cen were engrossed in listening.
Now, when they heard that the two were leaving, there was a bit of reluctance.
But all good things come to an end, they had met briefly, and each had their own concerns to deal with. How could they stay together for long? After packing up some medicinal herbs and dry rations, Yan Cen bid farewell to Mo Li. This time, Mo Li didn’t decline and accepted the supplies, confirming that there were no Tiger Whips inside before taking them.
After a brief farewell to the people of the stronghold, Mo Li and Meng Qi set out on their journey. The rain had ceased, and the sun was shining brightly when they departed.
As they walked, Meng Qi muttered behind Mo Li, “That Yan Cen is quite a talented student of military strategy.”
Mo Li turned to look at him and asked, “Thinking of taking him as your disciple?”
Meng Qi waved his hand dismissively and replied subconsciously, “What can I teach? I’m not a military genius…”
His words trailed off, and his expression became distant as he was lost in memories.
There are naturally people who use soldiers like playing God, and Meng Qi is also very familiar with people who are full of strategies.
But those people are gone, how to compare?
Mo Li knew that Meng Qi was reminiscing about the past and didn’t interrupt. Instead, he slowed his pace and walked not far ahead of Meng Qi.
Seeing the man walking steadily on the path he had once walked, Mo Li inexplicably felt a sentiment he couldn’t express in words.
The years that belonged to the Imperial Teacher Meng Qi had passed, and nothing from that time, neither people nor events, remained.
Meng Qi had traveled to many places in his life, but behind him, there was nothing, and he couldn’t hold on to anything. Only Mo Li was still walking ahead of him at this moment.
He wouldn’t vanish, wouldn’t leave.
Because Mo Li was different from others.
Mo Li felt an inexplicable weight in his heart, realizing that he was walking a different path from that of a single individual.
The dark clouds were dispersing on the horizon, and beams of light filtered through the gaps in the tree canopy, illuminating the slippery mountain path.
Meng Qi came back to his senses, squinting as he looked around for a while. He then noticed that Mo Li was counting money as he walked.
“Our silver, should it be enough for a while?”
“It’s hard to say,” Mo Li replied, feeling concerned. He had even calculated the expenses for staying in inns in the capital.
Their expenses were always higher than when Mo Li traveled alone. They had to take care of various aspects, as Meng Qi seemed like someone who followed his own whims and didn’t worry about such things.
Glancing at Meng Qi, Mo Li continued counting the money.
Meng Qi felt as if the way Mo Li looked at him had changed, but he couldn’t figure out what it meant.
“Running out of money is indeed troublesome. If only we had Moneybag Liu here,” Meng Qi sighed, very emotional.
Moneybag Liu was a renowned military general tasked with subduing bandits in Pingzhou, so he wouldn’t come to Yongzhou.
“Why do you only think of him?”
Mo Li thought to himself that one should not rely solely on one source of income when taking advantage of opportunities.
“Well, perhaps it’s fate!” Meng Qi silently swallowed the word bully.
Author’s note:
Meng Qi: In fact, I also have a strong connection with the physician.
Mo Li: … I know you think I’m easy to bully.
Mo Li silently brews the medicine, and the bitterness seems to spread even further.
There are always difficult situations that are hard to describe, such as poverty.
Meng Qi’s expression became peculiar.
There was a moment when he wanted to snap the Daoist’s neck.
These ignorant but always meddling Daoists, who believed they had grasped the rules of destiny and fortune, treated the dragon veins as if they were mere spiritual herbs in the mountains – dig when they wanted to dig, chop when they wanted to chop. Now, they shamelessly claimed that they could help others obtain the dragon veins!
What a ridiculous notion of “obtaining the dragon veins”!
Meng Qi was furious but couldn’t help laughing. He had already deduced the truth from Mo Li’s words. The so-called “mountain spirit” was, in fact, the dragon vein mentioned by the Daoists. While the mountain spirit indeed existed, it had nothing to do with fate or fortune. Yet it was forcibly tied to the chariot of a certain dynasty, a certain imperial rule, appearing as if it was entwined in the fate of that dynasty, which was utterly absurd!
For the mountain spirit, wasn’t this akin to sitting idly at home and inviting calamity from the heavens?
If someone wanted to change the ruling dynasty, why not raise an army and rebel? Why would they have to quarrel with a mountain?
Meng Qi was filled with killing intent, not only wanting to eliminate Daoist Sang, who was trying to please him with the dragon vein but also wanting to exterminate Tai Chi Observational Sect.
This killing intent was so tangible that it caused physical discomfort, as if countless sharp needles were stabbing the skin.
Daoist Sang bore the brunt of it. He felt as if he had been thrown into an ice cave, struggling to move but completely immobilized. His mind was blank, and all he could do was open and close his mouth in a ridiculous attempt to speak, but no sound came out.
Meng Qi looked down on him as if gazing upon an inanimate object.
However, his facial expression was strangely distorted, with muscles twitching occasionally, revealing a twisted smile.
His right hand clenched into a fist, trembling slightly. This was the last vestige of his sanity, as he desperately suppressed the urge to go insane. The ground beneath his feet sank as if half of his boot was submerged in the soil.
“…How can you help me?”
Meng Qi’s voice was soft and slightly rapid as if casually chatting with someone. However, anyone who saw Meng Qi’s expression and eyes would not mistake it for casual banter.
Daoist Sang was horrified, his face devoid of color. He finally understood why Master Chang Feng had been scared to death.
The terrifying killing intent made him feel as though he was not facing a person but a mad beast, a purple thunderclap that spanned the heavens, or a towering wave that could destroy everything in an instant.
Human strength was utterly insufficient to resist, and there was no chance of escape.
Daoist Sang deeply regretted his actions.
Not all Daoists believed in the existence of hidden dragon veins; there were many differences and disputes among the various Daoist sects. Daoist Sang happened to be one who believed in the existence of the hidden dragon veins, and he was determined to prove it.
Now that Meng Qi was here, he became even more convinced of the existence of the hidden dragon veins. However, what good was it if he lost his life?
“I…,” Daoist Sang’s voice was hoarse. It took him several attempts before he could utter a sound, and he spoke intermittently, “I can search for dragon veins, perform the Borrowing Fortune and Resolving Crisis technique… skilled in Zi Wei numerology, and somewhat knowledgeable about Qi Huang…”
When Meng Qi heard the words “Qi Huang,” he froze for a moment.
Then he realized what it meant, and his back stiffened slightly.
Someone was watching him.
Through the thick smoke, someone was silently observing him from not far away.
As Meng Qi was lost in thought, Daoist Sang got up and ran forward as if his life depended on it, even if it meant running towards a cliff.
The one-eyed old hunter, who was helping with the firefighting, saw him rushing over and raised his iron pitchfork to defend himself. However, the Daoist didn’t even spare him a glance, continuing his frantic pace and jumping off the cliff.
“…”
The cliff was quite high, but falling off it didn’t necessarily mean instant death. The lush vegetation might break the fall, and one might just end up with a broken arm or leg if lucky.
But luck was an elusive thing, and jumping off a cliff was no different from suicide.
“I didn’t expect this bullhead to be so gutsy; he’d rather die than become a prisoner.”
“Hah, don’t kid yourself, I think he’s scared out of his wits.”
The people from Shimo Stronghold had not practiced internal martial arts, so they didn’t hear a single word exchanged between Meng Qi and Daoist Sang. They could only speculate wildly.
“There’s a closed valley beneath the cliff, and there’s no way out. Let’s forget about him for now and focus on putting out the fire.”
To climb back up, they had to climb trees and crawl up the cliff along the thick canopy of branches.
However, the trees at the bottom of the cliff were also on fire, and they could vaguely hear the screams of those who had fallen off the cliff earlier.
In the glow of the fire, the voice was particularly chilling.
As the person behind him approached, the familiar and crisp aura enveloped Meng Qi, and he took a silent breath, relaxing his tense body.
“Why didn’t you stop me?”
“You had taken medicine in the morning,” replied Mo Li calmly. He sensed that something was wrong and immediately came back.
However, he didn’t attempt to pull or wake up Meng Qi; he simply stood behind him.
Meng Qi’s body swayed slightly, and he leaned back against Mo Li.
After hesitating for a moment, Mo Li didn’t push him away, and Meng Qi took the opportunity to turn around and hug him, burying his head at Mo Li’s neck.
As their breaths touched each other’s skin, Meng Qi noticed Mo Li’s earlobe tremble and quickly turn red.
Miraculously, the restlessness and anger in Meng Qi’s heart vanished.
He didn’t speak further, nor did he try to push things further. He just held onto Mo Li, unwilling to let go. This attitude of refusing to let go after gaining an advantage made Mo Li inexplicably think of that sand rat.
He wondered if giving a small piece of hard bread to the sand rat would elicit a similar reaction.
Then, Mo Li’s face turned serious as he thought, ‘Am I the one being treated like bread?’
—After returning, he wouldn’t make pills anymore, he would just brew herbal soups. Pills were not bitter; it was the herbal soup that was bitter.
Seeing the redness on the physician’s earlobe fade away, Meng Qi knew that holding him any longer might make Mo Li uncomfortable. So, he slowly loosened his grip and began to recall the events of the Daoists causing trouble in Taijing.
The more he thought about it, the more intense the fierceness in his eyes became.
Meng Qi vaguely understood why he was so willing to be the Imperial Teacher for the dynasty, and why he had held that position for so many years.
In the Chu Dynasty, the position of Imperial Teacher didn’t require much work on ordinary days. The so-called rituals and ceremonies were all handled by the Ministry of Rites, the Imperial Sacrificial Court, and the Qin Tianjian. The Imperial Teacher was just for show, standing on the sacrificial platform on the designated days and reciting the appropriate words.
So, besides discussing strategies for good governance with his old friends, Meng Qi’s main goal was to find ways to scare those Daoists away from Taijing. He wanted to make sure they never dared to set foot in the capital again.
When he said “scare them away,” it didn’t necessarily mean physically beating them up. It was about making these self-proclaimed immortal and enlightened individuals lose all face and leave in humiliation.
On a blank sheet of paper, words suddenly appeared; clear water turned into blood; and talismans spontaneously ignited. At first, Meng Qi found it a bit challenging to expose these tricks, as he had to figure out the principles behind them. However, later on, he became completely disinterested.
The Daoists’ explanations were all different, but their tricks were essentially the same.
Even Emperor Chu Yuan grew tired of them.
Eventually, if the Daoists didn’t possess some extraordinary and effective method, they wouldn’t dare show their faces in the influential circles of Taijing.
Of course, there were always some gullible people who believed in these tricks, as well as some cunning Daoists who relied on their sharp tongues to deceive for money. As long as they didn’t attract attention from the Emperor of Chu, Meng Qi didn’t bother to intervene.
But once these tricksters failed in their schemes and were caught by angry citizens, they faced severe punishment.
As for those who resorted to violence, causing trouble, or even killing people, Meng Qi would ensure they vanished without a trace.
Recalling the exploits of outwitting these Daoists, Meng Qi’s lips curled into a sarcastic smile.
“Physician, my martial arts were not initially as high as they are now. It was those Daoists who taught me the path to cultivate inner strength.”
“Hmm?”
Mo Li quickly caught on, realizing that Meng Qi probably didn’t have a master like himself.
Qin Lu was once the most formidable expert in the world, and Mo Li received his guidance, hardly making any detours. However, Meng Qi was different. Despite having “lived” longer than Mo Li, he had to put in considerable effort to “learn” martial arts.
“…Initially, I only knew some basic martial arts, similar to the people from the Shimo Mountain stronghold.”
Meng Qi thought for a moment and continued, “When I say ‘initially,’ I don’t even remember the first time I transformed into a human shape, nor do I know why I turned into a sand rat. As a human, you must have some self-defense ability. So I learned some by secretly observing others.”
Mo Li felt a heaviness in his chest; he had never considered that Meng Qi had gone through such experiences.
During the reign of the Chen Dynasty, living was difficult enough.
So what if there were dragon veins? As a true form without any self-defense ability, and as a human form without common sense or literacy, Meng Qi even lacked clothes. Although he only mentioned stealing some basic martial arts, there must have been far more challenges.
No family, no money, and odd behaviors that could make people mistake him for a monster.
“Later on, I honed my skills to a decent level, capable of taking on five or six people at once,” Meng Qi reminisced about his past and chuckled, “I had a friend, a bookish scholar named Deng Shusheng. He had an explosive temper and always resorted to violence at the slightest provocation, but he was truly skilled. Later, he joined the military and naturally learned horseback riding techniques. I became proficient with a pair of maces, which I found on the battlefield. I also learned how to use iron claws to climb heights and the art of archery. I wouldn’t say I was invincible, but I started getting injured less often.”
Meng Qi recalled the memories for a while and noticed that Mo Li hadn’t spoken all along. Only then did he realize the physician’s expression.
“… Shall we go and put out the fire?”
Suddenly feeling a little guilty for standing still and holding Mo Li back, Meng Qi suggested.
Mo Li snapped out of his thoughts and led Meng Qi toward the creek.
Putting out the fire wasn’t too much trouble, but everyone was without containers to carry water, which caused some delay and allowed the fire to spread.
Fortunately, the people from Shimo Mountain Stronghold often practiced ambushes in this area, so there was a hidden resting place with several wooden barrels.
Most of the fire had been extinguished, with the main blaze concentrated near the cliff.
The leader of the Shimo Mountain stronghold, looking at the flames raging below the cliff, waved his hand, “Water! Pour water!”
This was their natural ambush location and couldn’t be destroyed. Without these troublemakers, who knew what other group would cause problems next?
As they looked at the flames, Yan Cen remembered how terrified and shocked they were when they saw Meng Qi here earlier. Once the fire was put out, the leader led the group down the cliff with the help of ropes and nets, and he signaled to Yan Cen.
Yan Cen wasn’t suspicious of Meng Qi’s intentions, but he was still wary of the origins of these people.
The leader indeed found that the fallen intruders had survived, but they were injured and bewildered by the smoke.
As the leader held up the coughing and disheveled figure of the Daoist, he decided, “First, ask them if there are any people waiting for them below the mountain and how many people know that they entered the Shimo Mountain Stronghold. We’ll question each one thoroughly before taking any action.”
Daoist Sang didn’t die as expected but was cut beyond recognition by the branches, and he was choked out of consciousness by the smoke.
The leader picked him up to question him, but Daoist Sang kept talking, crying, and laughing, like a crazy person. Still, Qing Dacheng’s subordinates said a lot of useful things.
It turns out that Qing Dacheng had long pledged allegiance to the King of Wu. He offered half of the stolen wealth as a tribute and secretly obtained a general’s seal, claiming to be a fourth-ranked official. However, he couldn’t receive any salary, and no one knew about it.
Under the command of the King of Wu, there were many martial artists and adventurers like him.
They would amass wealth while carrying out clandestine missions. They rarely met the King of Wu in person and only received secret orders, sometimes not even knowing if they came directly from the King or his advisors.
However, Qing Dacheng couldn’t stay in Dongting Gang forever, nor could he continue his life as a Green Forest hero indefinitely. He had set his mind on retiring peacefully, and being recruited by the government was a decent way out, although he needed to achieve some merits to secure that position.
This time in Yongzhou, they didn’t receive direct orders from the King of Wu.
They were only instructed to cooperate with Daoist Sang and serve the King of Wu’s interests.
Daoist Sang led them around Jiangnan before heading north to Yongzhou, claiming that there was a hidden dragon vein in the area.
As for whether the King of Wu knew about this matter, Qing Dacheng’s men were entirely clueless.
The leader of the Shimo Mountain stronghold questioned several people, and they all gave similar responses, causing his brows to furrow deeply.
He decided to kill the half-insane Daoist Sang and returned to the cliff to discuss with Yan Cen, “Tell our brothers to be prepared; the peaceful days may be coming to an end.”
The King of Wu in the south wanted the hidden dragon vein, and the Heavenly King in the west might be planning to attack Yongzhou.
Finding a safe haven in this chaotic world was like trying to reach the heavens.
The leader had the intention to relocate everyone to a different place, but where could they go at this moment? Yongzhou had been suffering from a three-year drought, and finding a place with water within a radius of three hundred miles was already challenging, let alone other factors.
While he was worrying, he didn’t forget about Mo Li.
“Where is the physician?”
“He’s over there. When Qian Xiaolang lured the enemies with a broken pot on his back, the leader hit him with a hidden weapon. Although it didn’t cause any serious injury, he fell and hurt his cheek, crying with tears and snot all over the place.”
“This kid.” The leader hurried over to check.
He found out that Qian Xiaolang wasn’t the only one injured. Several others were hurt while trying to avoid the attackers.
One person had a broken arm, with a bruised and swollen face. Mo Li was busy setting his bone.
Meng Qi had long been accustomed to assisting Mo Li, and no matter what, these people’s injuries were much lighter than those of the victims after the earthquake in Qiuling County.
“I don’t know how to thank you, physician,” the leader of Shimo Mountain stronghold said, feeling somewhat perplexed. He didn’t want to accept the favor without giving something in return, but the stronghold was so impoverished that they couldn’t offer much.
“No need to thank me. It was just a timely encounter. You didn’t hesitate to save yourselves when you were in danger, and you didn’t expose the path of the stronghold to us. In a way, you saved yourselves.”
Mo Li thought of Ning Changyuan and added, “Speaking of repaying kindness, if I can help others in a timely manner like this, it’s also a form of repayment.”
The leader of the stronghold readily agreed, realizing that helping others didn’t mean taking responsibility for their lives and sustenance. It was indeed not a significant matter.
Mo Li then inquired about Daoist Sang’s situation, and the leader briefly explained without mentioning the involvement of the Heavenly King.
“Recently, there’s a rumor circulating in the martial world that Qingwu Ancestor has confirmed that Emperor Li of Chen’s tomb was robbed. Most people are heading there, including the Daoists, probably.”
Upon hearing Mo Li’s words, the leader of the stronghold felt relieved.
At this moment, someone came to report that the peddler’s body was found in the stone ditch with a knife wound to the chest.
Although the peddler was loquacious and had caused trouble, he was still known among the people in the stronghold. Now that he was dead, they decided to bury him properly in a grave.
“Big brother, go down the mountain and find those people from Chiwang Mountain,” Yan Cen said worriedly.
Mo Li felt like he had heard the name Chiwang Mountain somewhere before but couldn’t recall the exact context.
Within the boundaries of Pingzhou, there were numerous mountains, many of which were unnamed on the maps and weren’t well-known beyond the locals
The night passed amidst the tumultuous events.
The leader of the stronghold didn’t rest and went down the mountain once again.
Yan Cen was given a bowl of medicine by Mo Li, making him nervous as he felt the physician’s sharp gaze on him. The broad-minded second-in-command was sweating coldly, and his hand automatically reached for the bowl, eager to drink and be relieved.
In retrospect, Yan Cen found Mo Li’s method of forcing patients to drink medicine peculiar. He didn’t get angry or reprimand them; he just stared at them, making them feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
Yan Cen couldn’t help but wonder who the person following Mo Li was and how they could endure being scrutinized like that every day.
The stronghold was not large, so Yan Cen naturally knew when they returned, and he saw Mo Li preparing a pot of medicinal soup.
The taste of the medicine was much more bitter than the bowl Yan Cen had, and the bitter smell could spread half a mile away. People passing by the stone hut couldn’t help but hasten their pace.
However, to Yan Cen’s surprise, the man drank whatever he was given, without taking it seriously at all, like a real man.
Mo Li was also very puzzled about this matter. With such a bitter medicine, ordinary people would probably vomit after taking it, but Meng Qi drank it all down as if it were just a cup of tea, making him wonder if there was something wrong with his taste buds.
“Do you think I can refuse to drink the medicine given by the physician?” Meng Qi raised an eyebrow and replied.
Mo Li remained expressionless and said, “Then shall I bring you a hard biscuit to eat after drinking the medicine?”
Startled, Meng Qi sat up, his composure completely gone.
“Are you joking? Eating anything else will ruin the effects of the medicine.”
Mo Li looked at the scene and said slowly, “I was just teasing you. No need to add anything.”
Meng Qi couldn’t help but smile wryly, wondering why he, who had never been afraid of anything in his life, had stumbled in front of the physician.
In truth, the medicine was truly too bitter, unlike anything he had drunk before.
Curious, Meng Qi tried to inquire, and Mo Li explained that he had used a different prescription this time. The medicinal herbs available in the Shimo Mountain stronghold were more abundant, and in fact, the previous pill he made also used the same prescription.
For the next two days, the people in the Shimo Mountain stronghold were busy cleaning up the forest and burying the bodies. Mo Li checked Yan Cen’s pulse again and found that his condition had improved, so he prescribed two more detoxifying formulas.
The medicinal soup took time to take effect, but with his inner energy to observe the meridians and organs, Mo Li could determine Yan Cen’s condition much faster than it would take if he were to rely solely on the medicinal soup. Otherwise, he would have to stay in the Shimo Mountain stronghold for ten to fifteen days to confirm Yan Cen’s condition.
Mo Li kept thinking about the matter of Emperor Li of Chen’s tomb and treated other injured people in the stronghold before taking his leave.
In the past two days, Meng Qi had offered some suggestions to the leader of the stronghold, helping them redo the traps and ambush routes outside, and the leader and Yan Cen were engrossed in listening.
Now, when they heard that the two were leaving, there was a bit of reluctance.
But all good things come to an end, they had met briefly, and each had their own concerns to deal with. How could they stay together for long? After packing up some medicinal herbs and dry rations, Yan Cen bid farewell to Mo Li. This time, Mo Li didn’t decline and accepted the supplies, confirming that there were no Tiger Whips inside before taking them.
After a brief farewell to the people of the stronghold, Mo Li and Meng Qi set out on their journey. The rain had ceased, and the sun was shining brightly when they departed.
As they walked, Meng Qi muttered behind Mo Li, “That Yan Cen is quite a talented student of military strategy.”
Mo Li turned to look at him and asked, “Thinking of taking him as your disciple?”
Meng Qi waved his hand dismissively and replied subconsciously, “What can I teach? I’m not a military genius…”
His words trailed off, and his expression became distant as he was lost in memories.
There are naturally people who use soldiers like playing God, and Meng Qi is also very familiar with people who are full of strategies.
But those people are gone, how to compare?
Mo Li knew that Meng Qi was reminiscing about the past and didn’t interrupt. Instead, he slowed his pace and walked not far ahead of Meng Qi.
Seeing the man walking steadily on the path he had once walked, Mo Li inexplicably felt a sentiment he couldn’t express in words.
The years that belonged to the Imperial Teacher Meng Qi had passed, and nothing from that time, neither people nor events, remained.
Meng Qi had traveled to many places in his life, but behind him, there was nothing, and he couldn’t hold on to anything. Only Mo Li was still walking ahead of him at this moment.
He wouldn’t vanish, wouldn’t leave.
Because Mo Li was different from others.
Mo Li felt an inexplicable weight in his heart, realizing that he was walking a different path from that of a single individual.
The dark clouds were dispersing on the horizon, and beams of light filtered through the gaps in the tree canopy, illuminating the slippery mountain path.
Meng Qi came back to his senses, squinting as he looked around for a while. He then noticed that Mo Li was counting money as he walked.
“Our silver, should it be enough for a while?”
“It’s hard to say,” Mo Li replied, feeling concerned. He had even calculated the expenses for staying in inns in the capital.
Their expenses were always higher than when Mo Li traveled alone. They had to take care of various aspects, as Meng Qi seemed like someone who followed his own whims and didn’t worry about such things.
Glancing at Meng Qi, Mo Li continued counting the money.
Meng Qi felt as if the way Mo Li looked at him had changed, but he couldn’t figure out what it meant.
“Running out of money is indeed troublesome. If only we had Moneybag Liu here,” Meng Qi sighed, very emotional.
Moneybag Liu was a renowned military general tasked with subduing bandits in Pingzhou, so he wouldn’t come to Yongzhou.
“Why do you only think of him?”
Mo Li thought to himself that one should not rely solely on one source of income when taking advantage of opportunities.
“Well, perhaps it’s fate!” Meng Qi silently swallowed the word bully.
Author’s note:
Meng Qi: In fact, I also have a strong connection with the physician.
Mo Li: … I know you think I’m easy to bully.
Mo Li silently brews the medicine, and the bitterness seems to spread even further.
