Chapter 127.2

When writing letters, you had to pay attention to your wording. You had to ask after the other person’s well-being. You had to write a great many things that were actually meaningless, serving only to convey emotion. Every time Li Zhuiyuan wrote one, his palms would sweat and dampen the paper.

Then, in Taigong’s reply, he would sense how deeply homesick he was and repeatedly comfort him through his words. Taigong thought he had written the letter in tears.

It was a lovely misunderstanding, so Li Zhuiyuan did not explain. To him, being able to use sheer willpower to suppress his body and mind’s rejection and resistance while not in a performance state was already tremendous progress.

Still, he had no idea who in the village Taigong had asked to write the reply, but the handwriting was quite graceful and beautiful.

Runsheng said, “Little Yuan, should I hurry them along and have them get their driver’s licenses as soon as possible, then buy the pickup before we head home?”

“Mm, okay.”

At the moment, the driver’s license test was not strict, and paying money or pulling strings to get one was not difficult. But since it was just family driving family around, there was no need to take that shortcut.

Just then, an upperclassman walked into the shop. He grabbed a few bags of snacks, walked up to Runsheng, and handed over the money.

Runsheng took it.

Usually only regular customers who had become familiar with them got this kind of treatment. Of course, it was also because there were too many people crowded around the checkout counter right now, and squeezing in to pay would be slow.

“Runshenghou, you’re only eating now?”

“I already ate. Have you eaten, Huahou?”

The reason they had gotten familiar was that this upperclassman was also from Nantong.

He normally did not speak dialect, but whenever he came to the shop, he had to throw in a few lines.

Sometimes, he probably came to buy something on purpose just so he could indulge in saying those few lines.

Li Zhuiyuan had finished eating too. He put down his bowl and chopsticks and headed to the basement to check on Xiaohei.

The upperclassman asked, “Who’s that little kid? Your nephew?”

Runsheng said, “No, my brother.”

“Also from Nantong?”

“Mm.”

“What’s his name?”

“Li Zhuiyuan.”

“Zhuiyuan, Little Yuan...” The upperclassman raised a hand toward Li Zhuiyuan, who was heading down the stairs, and called out with a grin, “Little Yuanhou!”

…

This was a restaurant by the Qinhuai River, and the entire building was shaped like a painted pleasure boat.

Only, there were no greeters at the entrance, and no cars parked outside.

Uncle Qin pushed open the door and walked in. No one was on the first floor. He placed the visiting card on the counter by the entrance and went up to the second floor along the railing.

There were three tables on the second floor, one in the center and two flanking it.

Exquisite dishes had already been laid out, and the wine had been opened.

Yet there was only a young man standing there with a bandage wrapped around his forehead. No one else was present.

Uncle Qin asked, “Where is everyone?”

Zhao Yi said, “I’m the only one here.”

“What is the meaning of this?”

“This banquet was originally prepared by my family for me. I only learned about it after I got home. The elders in the family were muddleheaded and did something foolish. This is the list of gifts offered in apology.”

Zhao Yi respectfully presented the gift list.

Uncle Qin took it, did not look at it, and tossed it to the floor.

Zhao Yi was not surprised.

After returning home, he had first used seclusion as an excuse to avoid seeing his family. Instead, he had spent a full day secretly conducting a River walk ritual for himself, lighting his own Soul-banner.

The River walk ritual did not need to be grand. When Liu Yumei had conducted the ritual for Li Zhuiyuan, it had only been in a cramped little room.

With this kind of thing, sincerity was what mattered. It was like making a great vow to the Heavenly Dao. Without a dragon lantern, you could light a candle or hold up a torch if necessary.

After doing all that, Zhao Yi laid everything bare before his family.

When the family elders learned that he had not only initiated his own River walk, but had also cut away the Gate of Life and Death seam, one of them fainted on the spot in rage, while the others cursed him savagely.

Unfilial descendant, worse than a beast, evil spawn, bastard...

At first, Zhao Yi had simply let it go in one ear and out the other. Say whatever you like.

Now that he had lit the lamp and begun his River walk, he would have to start keeping his distance from the family anyway. Listening a little longer might even leave him with deeper memories to cherish later when he felt nostalgic.

But when he heard one of his elder granduncles say that they had already delivered the visiting card to that old madam, and that she had promptly sent back a reply, Zhao Yi went numb all over.

After initiating the River walk, even though he no longer had the Gate of Life and Death seam, his perception of karmic ties had become sharper.

On top of that, he had read the notes left by his Dragon King ancestor and already had some basic understanding of River walk.

Other people’s first wave in River walk involved dead sinkers and malevolent spirits, starting with the simple and easy things.

So why, when it came to him...

Most importantly, what had he done to deserve facing the inheritances of two Dragon Kings in his very first wave?

The jianghu had its rules, and the Heavenly Dao had its own eyes. Even schemes, deceptions, and killings required a certain proper arrangement. Everything had to be made to look reasonable enough to pass muster from every angle.

For example, when he had faced that boy, he had immediately reversed course and shouted about purging the sect. If the boy wanted to kill him, he would have had to weigh whether the price was worth it.

And now this was perfect. Those old fools in his family, who had lived so long for nothing, had directly handed a legitimate reason over to the other side. Since they were the ones who had first insulted the other family’s name, the other side could now openly and honorably send someone to hunt him down.

And the most awkward part was that when karmic ties were involved in River walk, his family could not easily step in to help.

Zhao Yi pulled out a dagger and said to Uncle Qin, “I have severed ties with the Zhao Family of Jiujiang and been removed from the family register!”

The moment he finished speaking, he drove the dagger into his own thigh, stabbing it clean through.

Then, gritting his teeth, he yanked the dagger back out and dropped to one knee.

Uncle Qin stood where he was, motionless.

Zhao Yi said, “I have lit the lamp and begun River walk. Either I become a flood dragon and transform into a dragon, or I die and am buried in the rivers!”

After saying that, Zhao Yi gripped the dagger and drove it into his other thigh, stabbing it through again.

After pulling the dagger out, he collapsed to both knees, blood spilling across the floor.

Zhao Yi said, “The Zhao Family of Jiujiang did not know the immensity of heaven and earth and desecrated the Dragon King. Their crime deserves punishment. But as one who once bore the Zhao name of Jiujiang, I cannot erase the grace of their upbringing and inheritance merely by being struck from the family register.

“I, Zhao Yi, hereby swear before the Heavenly Dao!

“In the future, the merit I gain from River walk shall be shared with the Qin Clan and Liu Clan.

“One day, if heaven grants me fortune and I succeed in River walk, earning the title of Dragon King, I will personally come to your door to apologize and stand guard for Dragon King Qin and Dragon King Liu for three years!”

After saying that, Zhao Yi clenched the dagger and stabbed it into his own shoulder, punching through once more.

When he pulled the blade out, it would not come free the first time. He had to wrench it twice more before finally drawing it out.

Three stabs, six wounds. Three blades, six holes.

“Hiss... hiss...”

Zhao Yi pressed his face against the carpet, his body trembling.

He knew martial arts, and he knew even better that the man before him would not be easy to fool. So with every stab, he had deliberately avoided choosing the least harmful spot and had gone straight through.

Uncle Qin said nothing. He turned and went downstairs.

A long while later,

Grandpa Tian rushed upstairs in a panic. The moment he saw the young master lying in a pool of blood, he burst into tears and lunged over. “Young master! Young master, why did you have to do this? Why did you have to do this!”

“Grandpa Tian, stop crying...”

“Young master, what am I even supposed to say? Why did it have to come to this? Why did it have to come to this!”

“Grandpa Tian, if you don’t stop the bleeding right now, I really am going to die.”

Grandpa Tian jolted awake and hurriedly treated the wounds and applied medicine.

“Young master, is this that damned first wave of River walk? How is it this frightening? I was guarding outside earlier and didn’t even notice how that man got in.”

“Hard? I actually think this was pretty easy. If every wave after this only requires me to stab myself three times to get through, then your young master here really will become a Dragon King. Ha ha—hiss... that hurts!”

“Young master, what do we do next?”

“What do we do? Find a place to recover first. I have to heal before the second wave arrives.”

Zhao Yi’s gaze then sharpened, and he said in a low voice,

“Zhao Mengyao attends university in Jinling, and the location that old madam picked in her reply was also Jinling. I now suspect that the one I met last time in Shitou Village was the one she serves... no, he is very likely the inheritance of the Qin Clan and Liu Clan.”

“That boy is from the Dragon King family of Qin and Liu?”

“He most likely is.”

“Then how can there be such a coincidence in this world?”

“No, this isn’t coincidence. It had only been something the old men were discussing verbally, and it had not even received my consent or acknowledgment. So how did they suddenly get hot-headed and send out the visiting card?”

“They said the eldest master had a dream that night. He dreamed of two true dragons flying over Jiujiang.

“The eldest master took it as an auspicious omen. The next day, he overruled all objections and forcibly ordered the visiting card to be sent.”

“Heh, Grandpa Tian, how can there be such a coincidence in this world? The old man is a grown man. Since when did he start having pregnancy dreams?”

Zhao Yi let out a somewhat helpless sigh.

“Ah, fighting for dragons in River walk, with a hundred boats surging forward.

“I feel like I’m just plain unlucky. I happened to brush past that boy and got scraped by the splash from the wave he stirred up!”

…

The night was pitch-black, and the shadows of the trees outside swayed slowly in the evening breeze.

A teacup rocked gently in her hand.

After listening to Uncle Qin’s report, Liu Yumei lowered her head and took a sip of tea.

Uncle Qin said, “Only one person came from their family.”

Liu Yumei set down the cup, picked up a preserved plum with her fingers, and slowly held it in her mouth.

Uncle Qin said, “Mistress, should I make a trip to Jiujiang?”

Liu Yumei sighed and shook her head. “Since you have already come back, then this matter can be considered settled.”

“Please punish me, Mistress.”

“You did nothing wrong. You handled it very well. I said to leave an equal number for them, and that Zhao boy really did come alone. That proves he has fortune on his side.

“Besides, I know you rather admire him.”

Uncle Qin remained standing where he was.

Liu Yumei closed her eyes, folded her hands over herself, and the rattan chair beneath her rocked gently back and forth.

“If I had known, I should have sent Tingting.”

“Oh, old madam, why bring me up all of a sudden again?” Aunt Liu came in carrying medicinal broth. “It’s time for your medicine.”

“What I mean is, you’re mischievous. You wouldn’t have listened to me so obediently.”

“Oh my, old madam, you can’t wrong me like that. Since when have I ever dared not listen to you? Your words to me are just like an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager.”

“Then would you have killed him?”

Aunt Liu set down the medicinal broth, lifted the lid, ladled some into a wooden bowl, carefully blew on it, and handed it to the old madam.

Only after the old madam reached out and took it did she say,

“Of course I would have killed him.”

…

The benefits of having passed the second wave ahead of schedule were still continuing to take effect, giving everyone a relatively comfortable period of rest and regrouping.

According to Li Zhuiyuan’s calculations, even if they wanted to prepare to make contact with the third wave in advance, it would only be after they returned to school from the holiday home break.

Because in the peach grove of Siyuan Village back home, there was still a big one being suppressed.

With that thing there, normal waves really could not crash over.

Of course, if they kept clinging to that idea and simply hid at home forever, that was unrealistic too. The next wave would continue building up there until it smashed through your “levee” and drowned that peach grove.

During this time, Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou went to class every day.

First, the quality of their sleep during class was excellent.

Second, reading spell manuals during class gave twice the result for half the effort. It was easier to absorb, carrying that same atmosphere as secretly reading novels during middle and high school classes.

Unfortunately, university professors generally did not care as long as you did not disrupt class. Even sleeping was fine, so there was no chance of having your novel confiscated.

Tan Wenbin could not help feeling that this robbed things of that memorable tension and excitement, which in turn lowered the study efficiency that might otherwise have been even higher.

Li Zhuiyuan also stopped staying in the dorm all day. Every morning, he would go find Ah Li and take her hand as they strolled around the school track.

After eating breakfast at Aunt Liu’s place, he would go to class as well.

However, he had already finished his major courses and even his graduation project during the summer vacation before school started. So after Fatty Wu got him a thick stack of course schedules from practically every department in the university, Li Zhuiyuan was free to build his own timetable from classes across the whole campus.

As long as you slipped into a corner seat before class began, no one would drive you away.

While listening to lectures, he would also take out those foundational books he had brought and continue reviewing them, mainly because Liu Yumei had prepared far too many for him last time.

Reading a book while listening to class at the same time was hardly difficult.

As a result, Li Zhuiyuan discovered some truly excellent professors.

A few old professors were very strong in theoretical expertise, and they lectured with great seriousness. Teaching students was not even a required duty for them anymore. They had requested it themselves.

It was just that their dialect-tinged Mandarin, combined with the overly specialized subject matter, made things very difficult for most students.

Li Zhuiyuan, on the other hand, listened with great relish while also picking up a little Shaanxi, Henan, and Suzhou accent, none of them especially standard.

Aside from the professional courses, there was also an elderly professor surnamed Zhu who taught political theory and left a deep impression on Li Zhuiyuan.

At present, classes like that would sometimes run into awkward situations.

Some students who liked to flaunt their individuality would deliberately sing a different tune, asking questions they fancied clever and worldly, intentionally trying to make the teacher lose face.

Professor Zhu had a very good temper. Even when offended, he did not get angry. Instead, he patiently answered according to his own theoretical framework.

However, no matter how well he taught, he could not reverse the generally dispirited mood of society at the time.

Once, a student said that the gap was simply too great, and he could not see any possibility of catching up.

Professor Zhu wiped his glasses and replied with elegant composure and firm certainty:

“Right now, we make their clothes, their toys, their shoes, and even their national flags. But one day, we will make something beyond anything they could ever imagine.”

That made Li Zhuiyuan think of Xue Liangliang.

Unfortunately, Liangliang had still not finished what he was working on. When he went back to celebrate his father’s “birthday,” he had not been able to see the fool either.

That also showed indirectly just how fast and how far ahead he had pushed his previous wave.

Somewhat awkwardly, after Professor Zhu’s class ended today, Li Zhuiyuan had not left immediately because he had not finished the book in his hands. Once the other students were gone, Professor Zhu walked to the back row and sat down beside him.

Li Zhuiyuan closed the book, but Professor Zhu asked to borrow it. After flipping through it, instead of getting angry that he had been reading such a book during class, he smiled and said he had some books like that at home too, though his were all about moral self-cultivation and health preservation, not something as specialized as this.

He also said his wife was in Chinese language and literature, and invited Li Zhuiyuan to visit their home sometime in the future.

Li Zhuiyuan accepted the invitation, though no specific date was set.

Slipping his backpack onto his shoulders, Li Zhuiyuan left the classroom.

Staying in the dorm too long really did get tiresome. During this stretch of days, he had finally begun to feel as though he was truly here to attend school.

If he did not go to class, he would really feel he was letting down the living expenses Taigong wired him every month, and that gave him a sense of guilt.

Besides, Taigong would send money twice a month, once as living expenses and once as comparison money.

Sometimes Taigong would even tuck two paper bills into his letters.

He had probably pulled them from his pocket and stuffed them in before sealing the envelope.

Looking at those crumpled bills, Li Zhuiyuan could practically see Taigong’s crumpled face, proudly saying: Little Yuanhou, your Taigong here has plenty of money!

After leaving the teaching building and heading toward the living area, Li Zhuiyuan saw the pickup they had bought today parked outside the Bargain Shop Bandit Camp.

A yellow little pickup, full of spirit.

Granny Liu’s family was very rich. She truly could pluck a single hair and it would be thicker than the waist of an ordinary family.

But things bought with money you had earned yourself felt different. At the very least, you cherished them more.

For example, Runsheng and Tan Wenbin were already impatiently cleaning the new truck, and then they still had to install a canopy over the back so the people riding there would not get buffeted by the wind so easily.

Officially, the holiday was only supposed to begin the day after tomorrow, but in reality, students had already started leaving campus today, dragging suitcases or carrying bags on their backs.

Only those with important classes tomorrow or who had teachers taking attendance had no choice but to wait miserably.

Early the next morning, everyone on Li Zhuiyuan’s side gathered as well, ready to head home. Li Zhuiyuan had already said goodbye to Ah Li the night before. They were only going back for three days, so it would not be long.

Tan Wenbin’s parents, including Zhou Yunyun, were all in Jinling, but he still wanted to go home.

Zhuangzhuang had lived at Li Daye’s house for nearly a year now, and there were real feelings there.

When Yin Meng and Runsheng went back, Lu Yi would watch the shop. He had not returned to his hometown even during summer vacation, so naturally he would not leave during such a short break. He still had to feed Xiaohei every day.

The four of them had all changed into new clothes designed by Ah Li. They fit close to the body, were breathable, and highly practical, with the feel of professional outdoor camping gear. Everyone wore leather boots.

One person stood in the distance with a bag on his back, head lowered, repeatedly grinding the tip of his shoe back and forth over a pebble on the ground.

Given Lin Shuyou’s family circumstances, he could easily afford to fly home for a visit.

But he knew very well that if he suddenly showed up at home for no reason now, his grandfather and master might just kick him right out of the temple gate.

Besides, during this period, apart from his rather utilitarian goal of advancing his Officers of the Command Banner career, he had grown very attached to Tan Wenbin.

He also wanted to stick close to Li Zhuiyuan, but he was afraid of him, so he could only hover half-close and half-distant.

After the four of them got into the vehicle, the little pickup drove off.

Lin Shuyou pressed his lips together, picked up his schoolbag, and was about to head into the shop to help Lu Yi take inventory.

Then the little pickup backed up again.

Tan Wenbin, sitting in the driver’s seat, stuck his hand out the window, waved, and shouted, “What are you spacing out for? Get in!”

“Okay!”

Lin Shuyou immediately leaped happily into the truck bed. Agile as he was, he actually banged his head this time, making a loud thump.

Rubbing his head, he sat down.

Runsheng, who was sitting opposite him, asked, “You crying?”

“No!”

“You are crying.”

“I’m n-not crying.”

“See? You’re crying.”

“N-no... no... I’m not crying... it just hurt when I hit my head.”

Tan Wenbin honked the horn, shifted gears, stepped on the gas, and drove off.

As the provincial capital, Jinling once again demonstrated that it was equally far from every city in the province.

After nearly four hours on the road, it was close to noon by the time the truck reached Nantong.

After arriving at Shinan Town, they kept driving inward. After passing Shijia Bridge, Tan Wenbin, who was driving, counted the intersections and turned onto the village road at the second one.

Because they had called Li Sanjiang ahead of time, they had not stopped in town to buy vegetables.

They had brought some gifts, though.

All of them were specialties from Jinling, and presumably not to Li Sanjiang’s taste.

From the village road, you had to take a small path north to reach Li Sanjiang’s house, and the truck could not go in.

So as not to block the way, Tan Wenbin had no choice but to drive into the field, crushing some of Li Sanjiang’s crops.

When the truck stopped, Li Zhuiyuan got out first and headed toward home.

Li Sanjiang, having heard the commotion, was already walking over with a cigarette in his mouth.

Li Zhuiyuan called out, “Taigong!”

Li Sanjiang spat out the cigarette from his mouth and broke into a trot.

“Hahahaha, Taigong missed you to death, Little Yuanhou!”

Li Sanjiang swept Li Zhuiyuan up into his arms. This time, he had come prepared. After lifting him, he even bounced him a little.

“Heavier now, really heavier. Our Little Yuanhou has grown up. You’re shooting up so fast, Taigong can barely hold you anymore.”

“Li Daye, we’re here too!”

“Li Daye, we came back too!”

Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, and the others finished parking and walked over carrying the gifts.

Li Sanjiang kept holding Li Zhuiyuan with one arm, then pulled out the other and waved at them, laughing as he shouted,

“Ha, the mules are back too!”

(End of this volume)

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