Chapter 18: Traveling Together
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Chapter 18: Traveling Together
Being called a stupid pig by others, Xu Yan didn’t get angry. He scratched his head and let out two dry laughs, looking somewhat embarrassed and helpless.
“Those who insult others will be insulted in return; those who respect others will be respected in return. Girl, have you forgotten all of grandfather’s teachings?”
Cheng Yu smiled apologetically at Xu Yan, then turned back to scold his granddaughter with an extremely stern tone, his expression frighteningly grim.
Seeing her grandfather like this, Cheng Linwan was finally frightened.
She had left her parents since childhood to live with her grandfather in order to receive his guidance. Although grandfather was strict with her, most of the time he was incredibly doting. She had never seen grandfather with such a dark expression as today.
Cheng Yu’s tone at this moment was clearly that of a high-ranking prime minister engaged in verbal sparring in the imperial court—how could a little girl endure such treatment?
Tears were already swirling in her eyes. Cheng Linwan didn’t dare cry out loud and lowered her head, sobbing quietly with choked breaths.
These past few days, too many things had happened in the peaceful little town, so much so that Cheng Linwan’s emotions had already become chaotic along with that heavenly road, along with the ugly faces of the Taiqing Sect, and along with the morning’s thunderous sound.
Despite being literate and having a refined heart, in the end, she was just a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl.
Through the carriage curtain, Xu Yan saw Cheng Linwan’s appearance. He blinked and hurriedly explained: “No insult, no insult, old master. Your granddaughter was talking about my Little Black.”
Lifting up the little black pig in his arms, Xu Yan chuckled: “No one likes traveling with pigs. Girls are most afraid of bad smells. Only we people outside the mundane world don’t know fragrance from stench, don’t fear fragrance or stench.”
“Haha!” Cheng Yu laughed and said: “What a fine ‘don’t know fragrance from stench, don’t fear fragrance or stench.’ This old man has truly been enlightened today.”
“Mercy, mercy.”
Xu Yan also laughed while bowing respectfully. The girl in the carriage stopped sobbing, pouted her little mouth, and no longer paid attention to the young Taoist outside the window.
“Chengyun Temple is no longer there. Where do you plan to settle?” After laughing, Cheng Yu’s expression became serious as he asked.
“A person of the world naturally goes to wander the world,” Xu Yan replied with equal seriousness, though the next moment his little face fell: “Finding some temples to stay at temporarily—I shouldn’t starve to death.”
The young Taoist naturally didn’t have much Taoist bearing. In Cheng Yu’s eyes, the person before him was just a half-grown child.
“This old man has discussed scriptures and philosophy with your master many times over the years. You are Xu Daoyuan’s disciple. If you have nowhere to go, how about following this old man to the capital?” Cheng Yu paused at this point and smiled: “At least you won’t starve to death.”
Cheng Yu had indeed visited Chengyun Temple several times, though he didn’t have a deep friendship with Xu Daoyuan. Being able to say these words showed that the old man indeed had some fondness for the old and young Taoists of Chengyun Temple.
“Great!”
Xu Yan agreed without even thinking, causing the old man to burst into hearty laughter. The gloom buried in Cheng Yu’s heart was also somewhat dispersed at this moment.
On the official road, the carriages continued forward. Xu Yan was kept in the first carriage, while he placed the little black pig in the second carriage that was specifically loaded with luggage and belongings.
“Xu Yan, this morning, did you see what those Taiqing Sect Taoists were doing at Chengyun Temple?”
On the road, Cheng Yu seemingly casually inquired about the strange happenings at Chengyun Temple that morning. That thunderous sound sounded extremely similar to the blast of a Divine Martial Cannon to his ears. If the Taiqing Sect people had truly obtained a Divine Martial Cannon, then this news would absolutely be a nightmare for him.
Xu Yan sat beside the old man, with a white-haired woman sitting across from them—that was Cheng Yu’s wife. Beside the woman sat Cheng Linwan and two Cheng family maidservants.
Sitting honestly in the carriage, Xu Yan thought for a moment and recounted in detail: “This morning, that scarred-face Taoist was rinsing his mouth, the fat Taoist was eating noodles, and several others were practicing martial arts. Most of them hadn’t woken up yet. They drank quite a bit last night, making the main hall reek of alcohol…”
Patiently listening to the young Taoist’s account, Cheng Yu’s brow moved imperceptibly as he asked: “Did you see them use any strange objects? For example, something the size of a bowl opening, about half a zhang long… a tube?”
What Cheng Yu referred to as a tube was actually the barrel of a Divine Martial Cannon. Xu Yan was stunned for a moment, thought for a long time, and finally shook his head with certainty.
“I didn’t see any strange things. There were swords and blades, but I left very early.”
Xu Yan’s answer was ordinary, and this kind of ordinary response seemed the most genuine. A young Taoist with no connection to the imperial court wouldn’t lie. As long as it wasn’t caused by a Divine Martial Cannon, even if the entire Linshan Town disappeared, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
Those who manage households toil for their wives and children; those who manage the court toil for the world.
With different perspectives and mindsets, the old man beside Xu Yan was destined to see not the well-being of individual families, but the life and death of an entire nation’s people, the future of a dynasty.
Xu Yan’s answer couldn’t completely calm the old man’s turbulent emotions. The Divine Martial Cannon not appearing in the hands of the Taiqing Sect people was the best news for Cheng Yu, but now it seemed that the strange phenomenon of Chengyun Temple being blown to powder was difficult to connect with an earth dragon turning over.
What power exactly had blown Chengyun Temple to ashes?
Closing his eyes and pretending to doze, the old man was still pondering the Chengyun Temple incident. As for the young Taoist beside him, Cheng Yu had never suspected him.
Having lived in seclusion in Linshan Town for six years, Cheng Yu had known Xu Yan since he was less than ten years old. He didn’t believe that a young Taoist born and raised in Linshan Town would have any connection to the disappeared Chengyun Temple and those hundred-plus Taiqing Sect disciples.
“Why didn’t the pig die?”
Suddenly, a girl’s questioning voice came from the side. Under this seemingly casual question, the air in the carriage seemed to freeze for an instant.
At first hearing, one might think Cheng Linwan was implying why this pig Xu Yan hadn’t been buried in Chengyun Temple, but the next moment, everyone in the carriage understood.
Xu Yan had left the temple early and escaped disaster, but he had just been holding that little black pig.
After the Chengyun Temple incident, not only was Xu Yan completely unharmed, but why was that little black pig equally uninjured?
A trace of dangerous expression flashed in the depths of his eyes. Xu Yan blinked and scratched his head, saying: “After feeding the pig this morning, I forgot to close the pigsty gate. Little Black ran too fast, and it took me a long time to chase it back. When I found the pig, the temple was gone.”
“The pig saved your life, hmph.” Cheng Linwan obviously hadn’t recovered from her anger yet. She snorted coldly and turned her head away.
“Quite a lucky pig indeed,” Cheng Yu laughed. “Animals’ instincts are much stronger than us humans, and they can sense danger much earlier than humans can. Thanks to your pig, Xu Yan—when possible, it’s better not to take life.”
It was rare for him to speak up for a pig. Cheng Yu’s behavior seemed somewhat puzzling to his family.
“Don’t worry, old master.” Xu Yan patted his chest and said: “Even if I starve to death, I won’t eat Little Black!”
“Not eating a pig even when starving to death—that would be a foolish person.” The white-haired old lady Cheng smiled kindly and interjected: “Xu Yan, this grandfather of the Cheng family is warning you not to forget gratitude, but after all, it’s just livestock. If there really comes a day when you’re about to starve to death, you should eat what needs to be eaten.”
The old lady’s words were correct, and she was also the person who understood Cheng Yu best. If someone were really about to starve to death but still kept a pig, then that person would truly become another pig.
Hearing the old lady’s teaching, Xu Yan still shook his head vigorously, refusing no matter what to eat his little black pig. His silly appearance made the old couple laugh helplessly, and even the two maidservants covered their mouths and giggled secretly. Only Cheng Linwan still pouted her little mouth, looking like she would never speak to Xu Yan again.
On the long road, the two carriages gradually traveled farther and farther, leaving Linshan Town behind and moving away from human habitation. This long journey should have led Xu Yan toward a peaceful and comfortable life, but fate’s trajectory had already unknowingly twisted toward an unknown direction.
