Chapter 584: The Ten Thousand Zhang Road of Mortal Dust, Carved at the Scars of the Boat |
Outside the acrobatics stall under the Sky Bridge, people were surrounded three layers deep inside and three layers deep out.
Bai Li stood in the crowd, standing on tiptoe, wanting to see the center of the venue clearly. But considering she wasn't tall, and there were tall men in front of her, even standing on tiptoe she couldn't see clearly.
She turned her head to look at Chen Ji and said righteously and confidently: "Carry me on your back."
Chen Ji smiled and bent over, supporting her on his back, allowing her to see more clearly.
Bai Li stared unblinkingly at the center of the venue. A man in his thirties, wearing short laborer's clothes, had a rough red complexion on his face from years of exposure to wind and sun.
The man pinched a Throwing Knife in his hand, the blade body a narrow strip, flashing a cold gleam in the setting sun.
At the other end of the venue stood a huge wooden board target. On the target was tied a twelve or thirteen-year-old little girl, with red string tied on her head, her face taut, completely motionless.
The man stepped back five paces, flicked his wrist, and the Throwing Knife left his hand. Bai Li's gaze chased that Throwing Knife, extremely nervous. She pointed her right hand toward the Throwing Knife. If she saw the man miss, she would save the little girl at any time.
With a "peng" sound!
A chorus of exclamations erupted from the crowd.
The man stepped back another three paces and took out a second knife.
This knife brushed past the other side of the little girl's ear, nailing three inches above her shoulder. The little girl didn't even blink.
The third knife, the fourth knife, the fifth knife... the ninth knife.
Each knife flew past barely grazing her body, but miraculously not harming the little girl in the slightest. Those Throwing Knives seemed to have grown eyes, circling that thin and small body once. The nine knives were neatly nailed around the little girl, framing her entirely within.
The crowd exploded.
"Good!"
"Beautiful!"
"Do another one!"
The man cupped his fists toward the surroundings, breaking into a grin and revealing a mouthful of white teeth: "Everybody, old and young masters, aunties and grandmas, brothers and sisters, I have showed my incompetence. This lowly one is surnamed Zhou, second in the family. Since childhood, I have been Traveling Far and Wide. Today is my first time visiting your precious land. Newly arrived, the people and the place are unfamiliar, I entirely rely on everyone showing face and supporting me..."
As he spoke, he bent over and bowed with hands clasped in greeting. The bow was very deep, his waist bending almost to his knees.
When he straightened his back, he continued speaking: "This skill just now was called 'Nine Stars Arching the Moon', it's my Zhou family's ancestral specialty. My father taught me back then, saying this craft has been passed down for four generations, over a hundred years, and it's the fifth generation reaching me."
The man pointed to that little girl tied with red string: "This is my daughter. She has been Traveling Far and Wide with me for six years. Six years ago she was only seven years old, yet dared to stand there and let me throw knives. Everyone here is experienced and has seen the world from Traveling Far and Wide, knowing this bowl of rice (livelihood) is not easy to eat. I, Zhou the Second, have no other abilities, only these few skills with Throwing Knives. Eating all along the road as I travel, eating this 'open mouth' bowl of rice (relying on performance and speech to earn money)."
He picked up the battered copper gong on the ground. A few copper coins lay scattered in the gong: "I, Zhou the Second, don't want reward money today, I want a cheer of 'good' from everybody. Your cheer of 'good' is worth more than me receiving a hundred copper coins. From now on, when I, Zhou the Second, travel Far and Wide to other places and speak with people about the Sky Bridge in the capital city, I will say, the old and young masters of the Sky Bridge in the capital city, they are this..."
Saying this, he gave a thumbs up.
The onlookers roared with laughter.
"However," the man changed the topic, his voice slowing down, "If everyone truly feels my craft is passable and wants to reward a few coins, then I can't stop you either. Why? Because these are the rules. For those walking The Jianghu, what matters most is the word 'support'. If you support me, I exert myself for you, and we owe each other nothing. If you don't support me, that's also proper and expected, I, Zhou the Second, absolutely have no second words. But Zhou the Second still has another specialty, which is blindfolded Throwing Knives. My daughter is tied right there. As long as everyone gives sufficient reward money, I will perform this specialty for everyone!"
After finishing speaking, he immediately gave his disciple a look. The little disciple immediately carried the copper gong around the perimeter, and the onlookers tossed copper coins into the copper gong, emitting ding-dang sounds.
The man pulled the Throwing Knives from the wooden board, then postured to pull out a strip of black cloth, unhurriedly blindfolding his own eyes. The onlookers became even more excited, throwing money in succession.
Bai Li simply threw a Silver Ingot. The silver smashed into the copper gong, letting out a clanking sound, startling the onlookers to turn their heads in succession, wanting to see where this extravagant guest came from.
There were people who had joined the bustle outside the Imperial Music Bureau yesterday who immediately recognized Chen Ji and Bai Li, promptly whispering: "It's Viscount Wuxiang and Commandery Princess Baili..."
"To surprisingly be carrying the Commandery Princess on his back, what noble would be willing to carry a woman on his back..."
Bai Li felt somewhat embarrassed and wanted to jump down, but Chen Ji stopped her, saying softly: "It's fine."
Being surrounded and watched by the crowd, he didn't feel embarrassed either, only smiling and urging the man: "Have you finished blindfolding your eyes? Hurry up and perform the specialty."
But that man blindfolding his eyes surprisingly forced it for the time it takes an incense stick to burn and still wasn't blindfolded properly. After wearing out all the onlookers until they left, he immediately took off the black cloth and performed 'Nine Stars Arching the Moon' again.
Bai Li was dumbfounded: "Why isn't he performing the blindfolded Throwing Knives?"
Chen Ji smilingly explained: "That's his own daughter, how could he bear to throw blindfolded? There are many fake acts on this Sky Bridge that only talk but don't practice, exclusively cheating unfamiliar faces newly entering the city for the market or the imperial examinations."
Bai Li curled her lip. Seeing the little disciple carrying the copper gong approaching her again, she clenched her palm and retrieved the Silver Ingot she had given out back into her hand from thin air: "Run fast!"
This time it was Chen Ji's turn to be dumbfounded. Seeing that he wasn't moving, Bai Li hurriedly patted his shoulder: "Run fast!"
Before the knife-throwing man could react, Chen Ji carried Bai Li on his back and took to his heels, dodging and weaving through the bustling crowd all the way, causing passersby to turn their heads one after another.
In the setting sun, the two seemed to possess a Practitioner Pathway to return to the past, as long as they silently recited 'year after year, month after month' in their hearts, as long as they kept running, they could return to Anxi Street, full of the aura of fireworks and mortal life, return to that crude Taiping Medical Clinic.
As long as they stood in front of the clinic door and shouted a sentence, 'I'm back', and then stepped over the threshold, the people they wanted to see would still be inside the clinic.
Chen Ji ran for two li (approx. 1 km) before gradually stopping.
In a narrow alley, he leaned against the wall, panting slightly. Bai Li also jumped down, leaning side-by-side with him, and then they laughed 'haha' together.
The setting sun sank a bit more, and the light in the alley grew lighter and lighter, thinner and thinner.
The laughter gradually ceased. Bai Li stood in the shadows under the Eaves, lowering her head and saying: "I still remember those days when you were injured. Everyone carried you together to White Clothe Lane, and they deliberately carried you in front of the singing girls to make you look bad. Everyone made Cement together, making ourselves pitch black every day, and getting a harsh scolding from the Master upon going home. Riding in the ox cart to Luhun Villa together, buying extremely sour Oranges. When we were chased by the Liu Family's soldiers and horses, you carried me on your back to flee for our lives..."
Chen Ji's panting gradually vanished.
Bai Li suddenly said: "Chen Ji, thank you."
Chen Ji smiled faintly: "Thank you for what."
Bai Li also smiled faintly: "It's nothing."
At this time, a wisp of the smell of Incense drifted over from afar. Bai Li looked up and astonishingly, the City God Temple of Chongnan Ward sat quietly in the distance, as if destined in fate that they would walk to this place, reminding her not to forget certain matters.
Bai Li looked at Chen Ji: "Chen Ji, I'm going to take a trip to the City God Temple."
Chen Ji was somewhat puzzled, but still agreed: "Okay."
Bai Li walked toward the City God Temple. Chen Ji was about to follow, but saw Bai Li turn around and look back: "Chen Ji, I want to go by myself."
Chen Ji hesitated for a moment, still agreeing: "Okay."
...
...
When the sky's light completely sank behind the city walls, Bai Li walked into the City God Temple alone. Before entering the temple, she also saw a wooden plaque placed in front of the door, with the words "The Place Where Patriarch Zhaoyunzi Transmitted the Dao to Li Changge" written on it.
She continued walking inward, just happening to see a large green ox lying beside the bronze incense burner inhaling wisps of Incense. The green smoke curling up from stick after stick of long incense hadn't even had time to rise before it poured into its nostrils like a waterfall.
At this time, the believing men and women in the City God Temple had returned home at sunset. Only a young Daoist priest remained, sitting on the stone steps under the Eaves, holding a book in his left hand and scratching his hair vigorously with his right hand, muttering to himself:
"Who is the master of the smoke and clouds on paper? The Heavenly Book, yet the Heavenly Book is written in confusion.
Foolish sons and daughters, foolish sons and daughters, deliberately causing people to break their hearts.
It is clearly a scene of reunion, yet the two words of parting are written like pearls.
Is it fate, is it destiny, is it a Kalpa number?
Asking the Dao Ancestor in the City God Temple, it turned out the Ten Thousand Zhang Road of Mortal Dust, is Carved at the Scars of the Boat."
The young Daoist priest said in distress: "Weren't they just rescued from the Imperial Music Bureau? How could the Heavenly Book give this kind of verdict... Eh, Miss, the City God Temple is closed, if you want to seek divination, come back tomorrow."
Bai Li smiled slightly: "How can the City God Temple have a time for closing? Has Daoist Priest Zhang Li treated the Dao Field as a business?"
Zhang Li scrutinized Bai Li using the faint light in the temple: "Yi, I've seen you before, where... where was it again?"
Bai Li said softly: "At Luhun Villa."
Zhang Li stood up with a swoosh: "Commandery Princess Baili, where's that brat Chen Ji, why isn't he with you?"
Bai Li smiled: "He's waiting for me outside the City God Temple. I'll just come in to ask a few divinations and leave, Daoist Priest needn't bother with me."
Zhang Li made way from the hall door: "Alright, then you ask for divination, I'll go find Chen Ji to speak a few sentences."
Bai Li lifted the hem of her Daoist robe and stepped into the main hall. She took the Crescent Divination Blocks from the offering table and knelt on the hassock facing the statues of the Three Purities Dao Ancestors. She clasped the Crescent Divination Blocks between her hands and said in a low voice: "Believing follower Bai Li beseeches the Three Purities Dao Ancestors: Does Chen Ji know the whereabouts of my mother Wen Yunmo?"
After speaking, she tossed the Crescent Divination Blocks in front of her. One Yin, one Yang.
Chen Ji knew.
Bai Li tossed three times in succession, all were one Yin, one Yang.
She whispered again: "Believing follower Bai Li beseeches the Three Purities Dao Ancestors: Is my mother still alive?"
After speaking, she tossed the Crescent Divination Blocks in front of her. Two Yin.
Already passed away.
Bai Li tossed nine times in succession, all were two Yin.
Her fingers trembled slightly. She picked up the Crescent Divination Blocks from the ground and threw them out again: "Is it related to Chen Ji?"
The Crescent Divination Blocks landed crisply on the ground. One Yin, one Yang.
It was related.
Bai Li's eyelashes trembled lightly, her voice dry: "Was it Chen Ji who killed her?"
After speaking, she tossed the Crescent Divination Blocks in front of her. One Yin, one Yang.
Yes.
Bai Li was unwilling to believe it. This time, she tossed ninety-nine times in succession, all were one Yin, one Yang.
She looked up at the Three Purities Dao Ancestors. Not knowing if it was the lighting or an illusion, she only saw that among the Three Purities, two had indifferent expressions, while one lowered its eyes in compassion.
Bai Li remained prostrated in the main hall for a long time, unwilling to get up.
Until the Hour of Hai (9 PM - 11 PM), when Zhang Li came in and urged: "Miss, this poor Daoist also needs to sleep..."
Bai Li got up and offered a sentence of apology, walking alone towards the outside of the City God Temple. Just before stepping out, she rubbed her cheeks, and only then stepped over the threshold.
Chen Ji stepped forward to welcome her, asking curiously: "Why did you go for so long."
Bai Li smiled: "It's nothing, accidentally fell asleep."
Chen Ji scrutinized her expression, then asked: "Where do you want to go tomorrow?"
Bai Li thought for a moment: "Walk through the places we walked today, once again." (End of Chapter)