Go-ing Home
Even if his identity was exposed, Meng Qi wasn’t worried about being caught.
After all, could a master of lightness skills not escape?
He was just a bit dazed, never expecting that the “bad premonition” would come true in this way.
Mo Li was equally bewildered.
It is said that Taijing’s east and west city walls span three thousand zhang (about 10 kilometers), and the north and south walls are two thousand six hundred zhang.
During the heyday of the Chu dynasty, the city had a population of three hundred thousand, including the nobility, officials, their families and servants, palace personnel, and travelers, totaling up to seven hundred thousand.
Now, under the Qi dynasty, the population had sharply decreased, probably to around four hundred thousand.
However, that was still a substantial number. It was impossible for the gate guards to recognize every resident of Taijing, and considering the many city gates available for entry and exit, it shouldn’t be immediately obvious if someone was impersonating a Taijing citizen.
In the end, Mo Li and Meng Qi didn’t place much importance on appearance.
Meng Qi, aware of Taijing’s culture, had never left the city using the main gates during the flourishing period of the Chu dynasty.
Being chased and receiving random acts of kindness on the streets was one thing, but he had no idea to what extent the city gate official would take this culture of beauty seriously.
As the city gate official shouted for the guards to arrest them, Meng Qi had no choice but to turn and run – not into the city, but outwards.
Rushing into the city would escalate the situation, likely involving patrol guards and possibly triggering a city-wide manhunt.
The gate checkpoint was already under strict scrutiny, indicating that the situation inside the city wasn’t relaxed either.
There were many ways to enter the city.
There was no need to cause trouble for the city guards and alarm the citizens.
Mo Li could have chosen not to run, confident in his legitimate permit from Qingzhou, not Taijing. However, with Meng Qi fleeing and others pointing at him, especially those behind them in the queue who knew they were together,
Mo Li had two choices: to fabricate a lie pretending not to know Meng Qi’s false identity, or to flee with Meng Qi.
Before he could decide, his body instinctively followed Meng Qi.
“…”
Running it is, then.
As a doctor, he couldn’t just abandon his patient.
“What’s happening?”
“It’s a notorious thief trying to sneak into the city!”
Hearing this, Mo Li stumbled slightly.
His acute hearing made the clamor of the crowd all too clear.
“Wow, is that the legendary Cao Shang Fei? He just whizzed past me!”
“It’s like a hero from the storybooks, come out and see, young master!”
The scene at the city gate was chaotic, with people calling friends and family to watch the spectacle. The city gate official, panting and leading the chase, realized the figures were getting away and grumbled, “Forget it, let’s go back. We can’t handle such notorious thieves even if we catch up.”
“But… what if they’re not really notorious thieves?” one of the guards hesitated to ask.
Why would someone so handsome be a thief? Are thieves now judged by their looks?
The city gate official knocked on their heads, annoyed, “If it wasn’t for my extra vigilance, you would have let them in! Don’t you think? Just report the incident, the rest is not our concern.”
The guards dared not argue and complied.
Meanwhile, Mo Li felt grateful that Meng Qi had presented his permit first. Otherwise, his own permit details could have been recorded, risking capture next time he used it. With Ning Changyuan far away in Yongzhou, where would he find another forger for travel permits?
“Brother Meng, we can stop now,”
Mo Li said, slowing down.
It was indeed amusing: the former dynasty’s state teacher trying to disguise himself as a commoner to enter the city, only to be mistaken for a notorious thief! The very person whom even Emperor Lu Zhang of the Qi dynasty couldn’t find, was exposed by a mere city gate official for having a fake permit. The dragon vein of Shangyun Mountain, symbolizing the Emperor, was ironically barred from entering Taijing and chased away by gate guards.
Mo Li suppressed his smile.
He shouldn’t laugh at Meng Qi, who certainly hadn’t wanted this to happen… but he couldn’t help it.
After taking a deep breath, Mo Li saw Meng Qi glance at him silently, choosing not to speak.
“Brother Meng, don’t worry. I’ll change clothes and enter through another gate, then bring you into the city.”
“…”
Meng Qi refused to transform into a mouse and hide in Mo Li’s embrace to sneak past the guards.
It was his territory, yet he couldn’t even enter the city gates – what was this?
“Shall we head to the mountains first?” Mo Li suggested.
Having grown up in a small place in Zhushan County, the most bustling places he had seen were Qiuling County in Pingzhou and Qiong County in Yongzhou. Taijing surpassed them by more than a hundred times.
He was curious, of course, but they still had the issue of the Emperor’s tomb to resolve!
“Ancestor Qingwu could enter the city, but those from the martial arts world probably have to go around the city and into the mountains,” Mo Li said, eagerly looking towards Shangyun Mountain. “Brother Meng, lead the way.”
Meng Qi felt an unexpected joy.
Outside of Taijing was unlike other places, with a desolate landscape apart from the city gates and roads.
There were villages and fields around Taijing.
These fields belonged to the city’s elite. It was a busy farming season, and tenants were seen working everywhere.
Mo Li stopped a few times to look at the water channels and the water wheels, which he hadn’t seen in Pingzhou. He asked Meng Qi about their construction, but Meng Qi only had a general idea and could only say: perhaps.
Despite this, Mo Li felt his horizons broadening.
The elite’s fields were different from ordinary villages, with well-funded wells and various efficient irrigation tools. Mo Li saw many new things along the way.
“I’ve read little about agriculture, and my teacher didn’t know much either. Magistrate Xue knows more,” Mo Li thought about getting diagrams and books to give to County Magistrate Xue.
“You always mention Xue Ting,” Meng Qi remarked, recalling the secret reports of the imperial guards, knowing Xue Ting had been the magistrate of Zhushan County for over twenty years. “Does he also teach villagers how to farm?”
“Not just that, he sometimes helps gather the harvest, probably his hobby,” Mo Li pondered, then added, “In spring, he likes to roam around because snakes awakening from hibernation have the strongest venom, and he practices poison skills. In autumn, he prepares nests for snakes, secretly keeping about ten. I learned some from him.”
Meng Qi remembered reports saying that Xue Ting, known as the Ghostly Poisonous Vulture, was once a well-known man in Taijing, captivating even the city’s leading figures.
There had been about fifty renowned men and women in Taijing over the years, each with their own charm and grace.
Mere looks were not enough to gain admiration, and the same was true in reverse.
As a former state teacher, despite his extraordinary demeanor, Meng Qi’s “age” meant no one talked about him, highlighting the high standards.
The fact that elite figures with experience in Taijing’s beauty culture was mesmerized by Xue Ting…
“Brother Meng, is the water in these fields from Shangyun Mountain?”
Mo Li asked, sensing Meng Qi’s mood fluctuating again, perhaps due to their proximity to Shangyun Mountain.
Meng Qi nodded: “Do you feel the spiritual energy?”
“A little, but not much.”
Mo Li walked to the river, dipping his hand in.
The water was cool, and a few strands of spiritual energy playfully passed through his fingers.
Different from the energy at Qimao Mountain or Silang Mountain, the energy here was lively and pure, seeming to roam with the water flow rather than staying in one place.
“Does it flow into Qing River?”
“And the Wei River.”
Meng Qi responded, realizing why Qing River was influenced by spiritual energy resonating with Shangyun Mountain.
As they approached populated areas, they slowed down, and then used lightness skills to move swiftly when away from the fields. By evening, they were nearing Shangyun Mountain.
New sprouts on trees and lush greenery filled the mountain.
Mo Li felt more relaxed the closer he got.
If Silang Mountain had shown him the near-death state of a dragon vein, Shangyun Mountain let him experience a dragon vein’s thriving essence.
Even without Meng Qi, just witnessing this would have made Mo Li’s journey worthwhile.
“I think your illness isn’t that severe,” Mo Li said seriously.
Shangyun Mountain showed no signs of decline, its robust spiritual energy rushing towards them like wind or flowing water.
Meng Qi murmured, “I feel much better now.”
He began to wonder if he would have retained his memory had he never left Taijing.
But then, he wouldn’t have met the doctor!
Meng Qi firmly believed that even severe illness was worth it to meet Mo Li. Otherwise, how could two mountain spirits have crossed paths? Maybe Mo Li would have just glanced at him from afar, unwilling to enter another spirit’s territory, and left.
“Here, near the sixth peak, Dragon Claw Peak, it’s the lowest and looks like a dragon’s front paw resting on the ground.”
“…”
It seemed the other nineteen peaks were also named after parts of a dragon.
Silently, the dragon vein of Jimao Mountain had nothing to say.
Due to Taijing residents’ fondness for mountain excursions, the mountain paths were roughly maintained, with gentle stone steps. Although not accessible by carriages, it was possible for several people to carry a palanquin or a sedan chair.
Mo Li led the way, with Meng Qi following.
After the first hundred steps, Mo Li sensed something unusual.
“Is it getting foggy?”
The path ahead was blurred, as if mist was rising slowly from the springs in the forest, forming clouds.
“This—”
It was pure spiritual energy.
It merged with the mist, joyously welcoming them.
For the first time, Mo Li felt overwhelmed by spiritual energy. The mist encircled him, then moved towards Meng Qi, almost burying his face.
Meng Qi struggled to break free from the tangible spiritual energy, and the mist reluctantly dispersed.
However, the smoky mountains and swirling clouds were noticed by people in Taijing.
Many thought it was an extraordinary celestial phenomenon, prompting astrologers from the imperial observatory to common folk to start divinations.
“It’s an auspicious sign! Surely, this is an auspicious sign!”
Author’s Note:
Although these descriptions may seem mystical, they are just tales. As for whether it’s an auspicious sign or not…
Lu Zhang: I think it’s an ominous sign.
——————
The chapter title is adapted from Han Yu’s poem “Clouds Stretch Across the Qinling Mountains.”
In this story, Shangyun Mountain is not Qinling, but only part of it. Please do not apply it to the actual location as it does not match.
Go-ing Home
Even if his identity was exposed, Meng Qi wasn’t worried about being caught.
After all, could a master of lightness skills not escape?
He was just a bit dazed, never expecting that the “bad premonition” would come true in this way.
Mo Li was equally bewildered.
It is said that Taijing’s east and west city walls span three thousand zhang (about 10 kilometers), and the north and south walls are two thousand six hundred zhang.
During the heyday of the Chu dynasty, the city had a population of three hundred thousand, including the nobility, officials, their families and servants, palace personnel, and travelers, totaling up to seven hundred thousand.
Now, under the Qi dynasty, the population had sharply decreased, probably to around four hundred thousand.
However, that was still a substantial number. It was impossible for the gate guards to recognize every resident of Taijing, and considering the many city gates available for entry and exit, it shouldn’t be immediately obvious if someone was impersonating a Taijing citizen.
In the end, Mo Li and Meng Qi didn’t place much importance on appearance.
Meng Qi, aware of Taijing’s culture, had never left the city using the main gates during the flourishing period of the Chu dynasty.
Being chased and receiving random acts of kindness on the streets was one thing, but he had no idea to what extent the city gate official would take this culture of beauty seriously.
As the city gate official shouted for the guards to arrest them, Meng Qi had no choice but to turn and run – not into the city, but outwards.
Rushing into the city would escalate the situation, likely involving patrol guards and possibly triggering a city-wide manhunt.
The gate checkpoint was already under strict scrutiny, indicating that the situation inside the city wasn’t relaxed either.
There were many ways to enter the city.
There was no need to cause trouble for the city guards and alarm the citizens.
Mo Li could have chosen not to run, confident in his legitimate permit from Qingzhou, not Taijing. However, with Meng Qi fleeing and others pointing at him, especially those behind them in the queue who knew they were together,
Mo Li had two choices: to fabricate a lie pretending not to know Meng Qi’s false identity, or to flee with Meng Qi.
Before he could decide, his body instinctively followed Meng Qi.
“…”
Running it is, then.
As a doctor, he couldn’t just abandon his patient.
“What’s happening?”
“It’s a notorious thief trying to sneak into the city!”
Hearing this, Mo Li stumbled slightly.
His acute hearing made the clamor of the crowd all too clear.
“Wow, is that the legendary Cao Shang Fei? He just whizzed past me!”
“It’s like a hero from the storybooks, come out and see, young master!”
The scene at the city gate was chaotic, with people calling friends and family to watch the spectacle. The city gate official, panting and leading the chase, realized the figures were getting away and grumbled, “Forget it, let’s go back. We can’t handle such notorious thieves even if we catch up.”
“But… what if they’re not really notorious thieves?” one of the guards hesitated to ask.
Why would someone so handsome be a thief? Are thieves now judged by their looks?
The city gate official knocked on their heads, annoyed, “If it wasn’t for my extra vigilance, you would have let them in! Don’t you think? Just report the incident, the rest is not our concern.”
The guards dared not argue and complied.
Meanwhile, Mo Li felt grateful that Meng Qi had presented his permit first. Otherwise, his own permit details could have been recorded, risking capture next time he used it. With Ning Changyuan far away in Yongzhou, where would he find another forger for travel permits?
“Brother Meng, we can stop now,”
Mo Li said, slowing down.
It was indeed amusing: the former dynasty’s state teacher trying to disguise himself as a commoner to enter the city, only to be mistaken for a notorious thief! The very person whom even Emperor Lu Zhang of the Qi dynasty couldn’t find, was exposed by a mere city gate official for having a fake permit. The dragon vein of Shangyun Mountain, symbolizing the Emperor, was ironically barred from entering Taijing and chased away by gate guards.
Mo Li suppressed his smile.
He shouldn’t laugh at Meng Qi, who certainly hadn’t wanted this to happen… but he couldn’t help it.
After taking a deep breath, Mo Li saw Meng Qi glance at him silently, choosing not to speak.
“Brother Meng, don’t worry. I’ll change clothes and enter through another gate, then bring you into the city.”
“…”
Meng Qi refused to transform into a mouse and hide in Mo Li’s embrace to sneak past the guards.
It was his territory, yet he couldn’t even enter the city gates – what was this?
“Shall we head to the mountains first?” Mo Li suggested.
Having grown up in a small place in Zhushan County, the most bustling places he had seen were Qiuling County in Pingzhou and Qiong County in Yongzhou. Taijing surpassed them by more than a hundred times.
He was curious, of course, but they still had the issue of the Emperor’s tomb to resolve!
“Ancestor Qingwu could enter the city, but those from the martial arts world probably have to go around the city and into the mountains,” Mo Li said, eagerly looking towards Shangyun Mountain. “Brother Meng, lead the way.”
Meng Qi felt an unexpected joy.
Outside of Taijing was unlike other places, with a desolate landscape apart from the city gates and roads.
There were villages and fields around Taijing.
These fields belonged to the city’s elite. It was a busy farming season, and tenants were seen working everywhere.
Mo Li stopped a few times to look at the water channels and the water wheels, which he hadn’t seen in Pingzhou. He asked Meng Qi about their construction, but Meng Qi only had a general idea and could only say: perhaps.
Despite this, Mo Li felt his horizons broadening.
The elite’s fields were different from ordinary villages, with well-funded wells and various efficient irrigation tools. Mo Li saw many new things along the way.
“I’ve read little about agriculture, and my teacher didn’t know much either. Magistrate Xue knows more,” Mo Li thought about getting diagrams and books to give to County Magistrate Xue.
“You always mention Xue Ting,” Meng Qi remarked, recalling the secret reports of the imperial guards, knowing Xue Ting had been the magistrate of Zhushan County for over twenty years. “Does he also teach villagers how to farm?”
“Not just that, he sometimes helps gather the harvest, probably his hobby,” Mo Li pondered, then added, “In spring, he likes to roam around because snakes awakening from hibernation have the strongest venom, and he practices poison skills. In autumn, he prepares nests for snakes, secretly keeping about ten. I learned some from him.”
Meng Qi remembered reports saying that Xue Ting, known as the Ghostly Poisonous Vulture, was once a well-known man in Taijing, captivating even the city’s leading figures.
There had been about fifty renowned men and women in Taijing over the years, each with their own charm and grace.
Mere looks were not enough to gain admiration, and the same was true in reverse.
As a former state teacher, despite his extraordinary demeanor, Meng Qi’s “age” meant no one talked about him, highlighting the high standards.
The fact that elite figures with experience in Taijing’s beauty culture was mesmerized by Xue Ting…
“Brother Meng, is the water in these fields from Shangyun Mountain?”
Mo Li asked, sensing Meng Qi’s mood fluctuating again, perhaps due to their proximity to Shangyun Mountain.
Meng Qi nodded: “Do you feel the spiritual energy?”
“A little, but not much.”
Mo Li walked to the river, dipping his hand in.
The water was cool, and a few strands of spiritual energy playfully passed through his fingers.
Different from the energy at Qimao Mountain or Silang Mountain, the energy here was lively and pure, seeming to roam with the water flow rather than staying in one place.
“Does it flow into Qing River?”
“And the Wei River.”
Meng Qi responded, realizing why Qing River was influenced by spiritual energy resonating with Shangyun Mountain.
As they approached populated areas, they slowed down, and then used lightness skills to move swiftly when away from the fields. By evening, they were nearing Shangyun Mountain.
New sprouts on trees and lush greenery filled the mountain.
Mo Li felt more relaxed the closer he got.
If Silang Mountain had shown him the near-death state of a dragon vein, Shangyun Mountain let him experience a dragon vein’s thriving essence.
Even without Meng Qi, just witnessing this would have made Mo Li’s journey worthwhile.
“I think your illness isn’t that severe,” Mo Li said seriously.
Shangyun Mountain showed no signs of decline, its robust spiritual energy rushing towards them like wind or flowing water.
Meng Qi murmured, “I feel much better now.”
He began to wonder if he would have retained his memory had he never left Taijing.
But then, he wouldn’t have met the doctor!
Meng Qi firmly believed that even severe illness was worth it to meet Mo Li. Otherwise, how could two mountain spirits have crossed paths? Maybe Mo Li would have just glanced at him from afar, unwilling to enter another spirit’s territory, and left.
“Here, near the sixth peak, Dragon Claw Peak, it’s the lowest and looks like a dragon’s front paw resting on the ground.”
“…”
It seemed the other nineteen peaks were also named after parts of a dragon.
Silently, the dragon vein of Jimao Mountain had nothing to say.
Due to Taijing residents’ fondness for mountain excursions, the mountain paths were roughly maintained, with gentle stone steps. Although not accessible by carriages, it was possible for several people to carry a palanquin or a sedan chair.
Mo Li led the way, with Meng Qi following.
After the first hundred steps, Mo Li sensed something unusual.
“Is it getting foggy?”
The path ahead was blurred, as if mist was rising slowly from the springs in the forest, forming clouds.
“This—”
It was pure spiritual energy.
It merged with the mist, joyously welcoming them.
For the first time, Mo Li felt overwhelmed by spiritual energy. The mist encircled him, then moved towards Meng Qi, almost burying his face.
Meng Qi struggled to break free from the tangible spiritual energy, and the mist reluctantly dispersed.
However, the smoky mountains and swirling clouds were noticed by people in Taijing.
Many thought it was an extraordinary celestial phenomenon, prompting astrologers from the imperial observatory to common folk to start divinations.
“It’s an auspicious sign! Surely, this is an auspicious sign!”
Author’s Note:
Although these descriptions may seem mystical, they are just tales. As for whether it’s an auspicious sign or not…
Lu Zhang: I think it’s an ominous sign.
——————
The chapter title is adapted from Han Yu’s poem “Clouds Stretch Across the Qinling Mountains.”
In this story, Shangyun Mountain is not Qinling, but only part of it. Please do not apply it to the actual location as it does not match.
