Green Mountain

Chen Ji returned to the West Wing but didn’t hurry to rest. Instead, he scooped the soaked black beans from the water jar and poured them into the feed trough in front of the stable. Zhaolei lowered his head and chewed in big mouthfuls, happily flicking both ears.

He sat silently on the stone steps in front of the inverted house, the smell of wine still lingering in his breath.

Wu Yun poked out from his collar and asked curiously, "What are you thinking about?"

Chen Ji rested his chin on Wu Yun’s furry head. "I’m thinking about whether Axia, Xiao Man, and the little monk can have a good New Year, whether they went to buy New Year goods, who’s going to write the Spring Festival couplets tomorrow, who’s going to paste the door gods, and whether my mess will ruin their mood."

"I’m thinking about what I should say when I see Master, whether the first thing he says to me will be really cutting..."

Chen Ji raised his head to look at the sky. There was no moon, only a thick layer of leaden cloud hanging low, as if at any moment another heavy snow might fall. "I’m also thinking... where Aunt Ping is now, whether she’s shaken off the pursuers, whether she’ll have dumplings to eat on New Year’s Eve. She’s such a tough person, yet she was willing to spend the better half of her life clearing Qing Wentao’s name. Anyone else might have lasted a year or two and then given up—after all, how can a person keep living in the past? But she didn’t. She held on for nineteen years... Even so, no matter how tough she is, she must still want to have New Year’s dinner with her family."

Wu Yun let out a meow. "Why do you humans all look so miserable? Not a single happy one."

Chen Ji didn’t answer.

Just then, drumbeats sounded from the distant city wall, shaking the night until it rumbled, as though the low-hanging leaden clouds in the sky were shivering loose.

The drumbeats were urgent and powerful, only stopping after one hundred and eight strikes. Immediately afterward, the sound of galloping hooves rang out beyond the Duke Mansion, one squad after another riding from north to south.

Far away, one watchtower after another lit brazier fires. The Marquis on the towers held up copper mirrors, reflecting the firelight down into the streets.

Wu Yun, startled and suspicious, said, "What’s going on?"

Chen Ji frowned. "The Jing Dynasty’s been calm as still water. For someone to stir up this much commotion now, it’s either Old Ears, or Aunt Ping."

...

...

Shangjing City had the Furong River. Its slender waters ran from the Northwest to the southeast, then flowed out of the city through the Water Gate and merged into the moat outside the walls.

Outside the city, a black figure was rapidly approaching the moat. The Imperial Guard infantry on the wall drew their bows and notched arrows, shouting angrily, "Halt, you there!"

But the figure acted as though they hadn’t heard, still charging straight toward the moat.

More than ten Imperial Guards on the wall called for the drums while loosing arrows. One feathered arrow after another cut through the night, chasing the black shadow all the way to the foot of the city wall, yet never able to catch up with their pace.

The shadow leapt down in front of the moat and, going against the current, swam toward the Water Gate.

Behind her were two more figures, panting as they reached the edge of the moat. The Imperial Guards on the wall were about to shoot them as well, when one man raised his head and cursed, "The Temple of Martial Arts’ world-wandering Chang Sheng is here—go on, try shooting your grandpa! Hurry up and seal the Water Gate, don’t let that woman slip into the city!"

Qiubai crouched by the moat, quietly watching the surface, wanting to see when Mrs. Lu would come up for air. But after Mrs. Lu’s sudden dive, she never surfaced again.

Qiubai got to her feet and headed into the river. Chang Sheng hurriedly grabbed her, wailing in anguish, "Don’t go in again! In this freezing weather, the two of you have already gone into nine different rivers on the way here—are you two fish or what? Now that she’s reached Shangjing City, let the Imperial Guard surround her. What are you exhausting yourself for? You want to fight her, wait till the Imperial Guard have her boxed in and then you two can fight three days and three nights, how about that?"

But Qiubai raised her arm and shook off Chang Sheng’s hand. "Out of the way!"

With that, she dove headfirst into the pitch-black water as well, swimming toward the Water Gate.

The iron-grated sluice at the Water Gate had already dropped, leaving only palm-wide gaps just big enough for crucian carp to pass. By rights, Mrs. Lu should have been stopped here. Yet when Qiubai swam up to the Water Gate, she still didn’t find any trace of Mrs. Lu.

She broke the surface and took a deep breath, then dove back down, groping around the sluice at the riverbed. Moments later, she discovered in shock that the riverbed beneath the gate had been dug out at some point into a deeper channel big enough for a grown man to slip through with ease.

Qiubai squeezed through the opening and swam toward the inside of the city. When she surfaced again, she saw Mrs. Lu’s back already climbing ashore, sprinting madly into the city.

Chang Sheng surfaced behind Qiubai and cursed at the top of his lungs, "Why the hell is there a hole under this Water Gate? What the hell are the Imperial Guard doing?!"

Qiubai swam toward the bank. "I’m afraid this is a waterway dug by smugglers in Shangjing City... That woman’s from our Jing Dynasty, and might even be from Shangjing itself. Otherwise she wouldn’t have headed straight here—she knew about this secret route long ago."

Chang Sheng wore a look of pure misery. "I’m begging you, don’t chase her anymore, will you? You two have been walking me like a dog this whole way!"

But Qiubai ignored him. After coming ashore, she chased Mrs. Lu’s figure deeper into the city.

Chang Sheng cursed at the onrushing Imperial Guard, "What are you standing there for, get after her! What do you even use those watchtowers for?"

One after another, the watchtowers of Shangjing City lit up. The Marquis on the towers lifted long poles to hang three lanterns, their direction indicating where Mrs. Lu was fleeing. A hundred and eight watchtowers echoed each other from afar, spreading a net across the sky.

Inside the city, the Imperial Guard saw the three lanterns hanging from the watchtowers and immediately stiffened. One lantern meant capturing an ordinary person, two lanterns meant an Innate expert, and three lanterns meant they were to seize a Seeking Dao Realm Official.

They chased Mrs. Lu all the way toward the Northwest, but when one Imperial Guard Vice General saw the direction she was headed, his expression suddenly changed. "Quick, stop her! Don’t let her get into Tongshan Square!"

But he spoke too late. Mrs. Lu had already darted into Tongshan Square.

Qiubai stood at the edge of Tongshan Square and looked up at the surrounding watchtowers. There wasn’t a single Marquis stationed on them. She turned to the Imperial Guards rushing up behind her. "Why are the watchtowers here unmanned?"

The Imperial Guard Vice General carefully explained, "Reporting to you, my lord, there is Kujue Temple here in Tongshan Square... Not only are the watchtowers here unmanned, it’s the same in Jinchang Square and Xiu Zheng Square, so that no one can spy on the area."

Qiubai suddenly understood. "That woman is indeed from Shangjing. She not only knew about the hole under the Water Gate, she even knew the watchtowers around Kujue Temple can’t be manned."

The Vice General clasped his hands to her in salute. "Honored lord from the Temple of Martial Arts, please rest a moment. Our Imperial Guard has already sealed off the surroundings. Tonight we will turn Jinchang Square, Xiu Zheng Square, and Tongshan Square upside down. Unless she doesn’t want her life and runs into Kujue Temple, we will definitely find her."

Qiubai cast him a glance. "Move. This is no turn for you lot. I’ll do it myself."

The Vice General froze on the spot, not knowing what to do for the moment.

Just then, an armored soldier in Golden Armor rode up, and the Vice General hurriedly saluted. "Great Commander, this lord from the Temple of Martial Arts says we need not pursue the murderer."

The Great Commander on the warhorse let his gaze rest on Qiubai’s face and said politely, "Aunt Qiubai."

Qiubai sized him up. "Yuan Sheng? So it’s you, brat. You actually got promoted to Great Commander of the Imperial Guard."

Yuan Sheng clasped his hands. "Back then it was thanks to Aunt Qiubai’s care that I was able to master my skills and serve the court. By rights I should follow Aunt Qiubai’s instructions, but tomorrow is Your Majesty’s New Year’s Eve banquet. We cannot allow a criminal to roam free within Shangjing City. We must capture her as soon as possible."

Qiubai narrowed her eyes. "I said I’ll handle it myself."

"It is my duty; forgive the offense." Yuan Sheng no longer paid her any mind. He beckoned to the Imperial Guard behind him. "Search!"

Qiubai watched darkly as the Imperial Guard surged into Tongshan Square like a tide, kicking open one courtyard gate after another, ransacking boxes and cupboards inside the houses. They left nothing unchecked, not even wells and cellars.

One square in Shangjing City holds about a hundred Common Households. The Imperial Guard needed only two hours to search one square, yet squad after squad of Imperial Guard returned to report with nothing to show.

Yuan Sheng furrowed his brows and couldn’t help turning his gaze toward the quiet Kujue Temple.

The Vice General asked in a low voice, "My lord, what should we do?"

Yuan Sheng was silent for a moment. "You guard this place. I’ll go to the palace to request an imperial decree, though I don’t know whether I can get one."

But Qiubai let out a cold laugh and walked straight through the temple gate of Kujue Temple, heading directly for the Three Gates Hall. The Three Gates Hall was where Kujue Temple’s Mountain Gate stood; enshrined within were the Heng and Ha Generals and a statue of Maitreya.

Qiubai stepped into the great hall. There was only one middle-aged monk inside, seated cross-legged on a meditation mat, brows lowered, eyes downcast, his fingers gently turning the Prayer Beads in his hands.

The monk wore a layer of short white stubble on his head; it was impossible to see how many burn scars marked his crown. Though his hair was white, his features were handsome, making it hard to guess his age.

When Qiubai saw him, her expression grew solemn. "Ling Yi."

The monk whose Dharma name was Ling Yi stopped the Prayer Beads in his hand, but did not open his eyes. "Donor Qiubai, I trust you have been well since we last met."

Qiubai hesitated for a moment, then finally asked, "Has any criminal fled into the temple?"

Ling Yi said calmly, "No."

Qiubai turned and left at once. "You have Heavenly Vision. Since you say no, I’ll believe you."

Kujue Temple fell quiet again. After the sound of the Imperial Guard’s footsteps outside faded into the distance, Ling Yi let out a soft sigh. "Donor Lu Ye, come out."

Mrs. Lu stepped out from behind the Heng and Ha Generals. She did not speak to Ling Yi, nor did she leave. Instead she knelt on her own before the Maitreya Buddha, bowing low, her palms turned upward.

Ling Yi sighed. "More than twenty years have passed, and you’re still the same as before—doing bad things first, then coming before Buddha to repent."

Lu Ye knelt on the meditation mat and spoke without lifting her head. "I haven’t done anything bad."

Ling Yi opened his eyes and looked at the black‑clad woman on the mat. Her figure seemed to overlap with that of the girl from more than twenty years ago. Back then she had said the same words: I haven’t done anything bad.

The same tone, the same stubbornness.

Ling Yi considered briefly. "At the hour of 5 to 7 AM the Bodhisattva patrols. Hide behind the Buddha’s back and leave then."

Lu Ye answered, "All right."

Ling Yi closed his eyes again, once more turning the Prayer Beads, his lips moving softly. "If there are men or women who in life do not cultivate good causes but commit many sins, then after their death, if their kin, great or small, perform meritorious deeds and all sacred rites for them, of the seven parts of merit only one is gained, the other six parts of merit benefit the living themselves..."

Lu Ye suddenly said, "I don’t need you to recite sutras to dispel my karma. If you’re idle and have nothing to do, then recite a blessing sutra for my son."

Ling Yi’s voice paused, then he lowered his gaze and continued to chant, "Or man or woman, who bears karmic retribution from the past, may thereby obtain release, be at ease and easy to nourish, and have their lifespan increased. If one who enjoys such blessings is still among the living, their peace and longevity shall further grow..."

Lu Ye no longer paid any attention to Ling Yi.

She lay prostrate on the meditation mat, and amid the sound of chanting, she whispered devoutly, "May my son be safe and sound, healthy and joyful."

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