Chereads / The Eight Descendants / Chapter 53 - Episode 18 : Tomb Of The Beloved - Chapter 2

Chapter 53 - Episode 18 : Tomb Of The Beloved - Chapter 2

One of the women approached Jinshui. She was almost thirty years old, her face was round, sweet, and mature at the same time. Her lips were always smiling, looked calm and confident. Jinshui never saw that woman, but up until here, he didn't feel the slightest bit of malice.

"Yumen Mowang Hua Jinshui, Hua Shaoxia," the woman greeted Jinshui. Her voice was soft and made a pleasant feel to the sound. "We people of Qingxiang Zhuang rarely deal with the outside world, we don't really understand the rules of the martial world. Today we invite you here or away, hope you don't mind our simple welcome."

Jinshui smiled. The words of the woman in front of him were very smooth and clear, looking humble but behind her eyes, there was an intent to investigate. Even so, Jinshui didn't feel anxious either. With his reputation as the Yumen Mowang, anyone meeting him for the first time would definitely be wary.

"There's no need for Zhuangzhu to be considerate," Jinshui said. "I Hua Jinshui today was able to make the acquaintance of the owner of the tomb of the beloved, what a rare fortune."

"Xiaomei is not the zhuangzhu," the woman chuckled. "Hua Shaoxia's had quite a knowledge, even knowing the origins of our tomb of the beloved, you can't possibly know that the true owner of Qingxiang Zhuang is an eighty-year-old woman, not a young girl. Hua Shaoxia, I am not even a middle-aged woman, surely have no right to be the zhuangzhu here."

It was as if the woman had heard the conversation between Jinshui and his friends at the tomb of the beloved yesterday. Jinshui was slightly surprised. With his ability, there was no way someone could come so close to him without him knowing. The tomb of the beloved was in an open valley, somehow someone could hide around him and quietly listen in on the conversation.

"In that case, you are..." Jinshui didn't ask how this woman in front of him could know he understood the origin of the tomb of the beloved.

"I am surnamed Shen, named Xiru, our zhuangzhu is my master," said the woman. She also did not want to give a proper explanation.

"Shen Guniang," Jinshui clasped his hands giving her a slight introduction. "If I may ask, you invited me here, whether there is something to say?"

"Hua Shaoxia, please have a sit," Shen Xiru said. "I hope Hua Shaoxia doesn't mind wasting a bit of time waiting here for a while."

Shen Xiru poured some wine into the cup, passing it to Jinshui. It should not be rejected, but Qingxiang Zhuang, although not an enemy, was not necessarily a friend. For a moment Jinshui showed a bit of wariness, and Shen Xiru caught on to the situation.

"Hua Shaoxia is worried that this wine is poisoned?" she asked with a smile on her face. "We Qingxiang Zhuang people knew you were coming here last night. If the intention was to cause harm, we would have done it last night."

Her words were similar to those said by Jiaping. Jinshui also didn't feel any animosity towards her, and he also hoped that there would be more support for Yumen Jiao in the future. If he could make friends with these masters or disciples of Qingxiang Zhuang then it will definitely be of use in the future. He drank without further hesitation. Shen Xiru invited him to have two more cups.

"This wine is very strong, but after drinking it I don't feel dizzy at all, instead I feel very lively," Jinshui commented later. "Shen Guniang, I'd never tasted wine like this outside, did you make this yourself?"

"Yes," Shen Xiru didn't join in the drinking. "We residents of Qingxiang Zhuang are mostly women and we don't have much skill. Over the past decades, we have tried to brew different types of wine. Hua Shaoxia if you don't mind, another day maybe Xiaomei will invite you and the other descendants to taste some other kinds of wine."

This time Jinshui had yet to give an answer, a young servant came over and whispered a few words to Shen Xiru. The woman only replied with the words "I know" to her and the servant left.

"Hua Shaoxia, xiaomei can't entertain you for too long," Shen Xiru said after, turning back to Jinshui. "Our zhuren has been waiting for you."

The master of Qingxiang Zhuang lived in another part of the underground cave. It was a quiet and calm place, there were many flower gardens that were very well maintained, and the fragrance of fresh flowers was in every corner of the room.

Sheer white curtains divided each room. Behind the curtain was the master of Qingxiang Zhuang, her face not clearly visible. There were two servants to her right and left, massaging her wrinkled hands. She was an old woman who was also a stranger to Jinshui.

"Zhuren, Hua Shaoxia is here," Shen Xiru reported. "Hua Shaoxia, this is our owner, Xi Xiaofeng, Xi Zhuangzhu," she introduced the old madam to Jinshui.

"You're Wu Youwei's son?" the old woman Xi Xiaofeng spoke. A voice that was already hoarse and heavy, clearly she was a sick old woman. She called Wu Youwei's name just like that because Wu Youwei was after all a junior to her. "You are also one of the Yumen descendants?"

"Wanbei Hua Jinshui," Jinshui folded his hands to greet. "Tongjian Leishen Wu Youwei, Wu Jiaozhu is indeed my father. Zhuangzhu opened the door inviting wanbei here, do you have something to tell me?" he asked matter-of-factly.

"Hua Shaoxia, I heard that you are on your way with friends to Baiyu Shan," Xi Xiaofeng also said. "The eight descendants prepared by Wu Youwei had gathered, and already knew what to do next, is that so?"

This old granny knew a lot of things, even her memory should still not be affected by her current age. Jinshui didn't know if she was a friend or foe, but considering reputation that the Qingxiang Zhuang people had never mixed with the outside world, there shouldn't have been any enmity with the Yumen Jiao in the past either. Jinshui didn't want to cover up, but he also didn't want to mention Baiyu Shan directly.

Xi Xiaofeng's father was reportedly killed by someone from Baiyu Shan decades ago. Jinshui couldn't tell if the old granny wanted to have revenge or if she had something else on her mind.

"Yes," Jinshui replied. "Wanbei followed the clues left for the descendants, and we are going to meet someone."

"Do you know who is that someone?" asked Xi Xiaofeng again.

"Wanbei only knows, she is a woman named Yunian. She will help a lot in our efforts to revive our Yumen sect," Jinshui said, "we can only know the rest when we reach Baiyu Shan, I suppose."

"In time you will know for yourself, I am an old woman who has no right to say much. To this Baiyu Shan, we Qingxiang people can be said to have had enmity, and there has also been unfinished love," there was no hatred in her tone when she mentioned Baiyu Shan. "There are a lot of stories, if you decipher them one by one they won't be finished in a matter of days, I also don't want to bore Hua Shaoxia listening to the ramblings of an old woman like me."

"There was once enmity, also there was unfinished love," Jinshui repeated some of her words. "Zhuangzhu, do you still know the people of Baiyu Shan who are still alive today?"

Xi Xiaofeng smiled briefly. "Too bad the person I know best there has preceded me," she said again. "I heard that his wife is also no longer around. They lived quietly away from the grudges of the martial world after their marriage, later leaving Baiyu Shan for the lonely mountains, spending more time planting flowers and raising goats until their old days. Such a life, no one would have the heart to ruin it."

"That woman named Yunian, I don't know if Zhuangzhu has heard of her," Jinshui asked.

"Yunian." Xi Xiaofeng took a deep breath. "Yunian is not her real name, but she is the actual owner of Baiyu Shan. Her husband, surnamed Gu, somehow died earlier. Meanwhile, their daughter married the former leader of your Yumen Jiao, Tongjian Leishen Wu Youwei."

"Yes," sahut Jinshui, "Yunian is the mother of our former jiaozhu furen."

Xi Xiaofeng coughed for a while, apparently due to an old illness. Shen Xiru stepped closer and handed over a few pills which she immediately swallowed.

"Yes," the old granny then laughed and spoke again. "Yunian is indeed the mother of your former jiaozhu furen. She could be your grandmother, but not related by blood. You are Wu Youwei's son, but not with your former jiaozhu furen."

"I know," said Jinshui. "But Shuiyao Shishu asked the Yumen descendants to go to Baiyu Shan to see this Yunian before she died. Of course, I know she is my father's in-law, while I am..." he didn't want to call himself an illegitimate child.

"Zhuren, if Hua Shaoxia meets this Yunian, will it be fine?" Shen Xiru asked. "Yumen's base in Baiyu Shan was destroyed to nothing, Yunian as the true owner, should be extremely displeased with this matter. If suddenly someone came to her and claimed to be Wu Jiaozhu's son with another woman, how would she react?"

"Yunian had been hiding in Baiyu Shan for decades and didn't want to know what happened in the martial world since her husband died. She lived only for the sake of her only daughter who has become the former jiaozhu furen of Yumen Jiao," said the old granny again. "In your opinion, what was her biggest regret when she found out that people had torn apart the residence of her only family?"

"The separation with her daughter," replied Shen Xiru.

"You're right," said Xi Xiaofeng. "She couldn't possibly blame Wu Youwei for what happened in Baiyu Shan because Wu Youwei was killed at that time. She also couldn't blame Wu Youwei to have a child with another woman, because it wasn't her business. But she had no reason to help Jinshui and the other descendants to resurrect Yumen Jiao just to bring another destruction to Baiyu Shan. Unless her daughter, the former jiaozhu furen of Yumen, asked for it, and convinced her to assist them. Yunian won't mind, instead, she might even regard Hua Shaoxia as her own grandson and rightful successor as well."

"But our former jiaozhu furen is no longer in the world," Jinshui said. "How could she explain about me and the other descendants to her mother?"

"What if am I telling you, Gu Chenhui is still in this world?" the old granny asked.

"Zhuren, is that true?" asked Shen Xiru.

"Xiru, do you still remember, more than ten years ago I went to Nanyang to find one more person to take to the tomb of the beloved?" the old granny asked her back. "At that time, I was old but not as sick as now."

"I remember," Shen Xiru said, "back then you called Huan Jiaozheng an unscrupulous person, claiming to be from a righteous path but using underhanded means to catch the rest of the Yumen Jiao members. From Baiyu Shan to Nanyang, he had arrested dozens of Yumen members. They were not killed right away but were reportedly held captive at the Yongjun Hui headquarters for months. Zhuren, was there a jiaozhu furen among the captured ones?"

"I couldn't find her, but I heard Huan Jiaozheng's men talk about it. I've known Gu Chenhui since her childhood, if she were to be held captive, I would of course have to help her escape. But Huan Jiaozheng was not a person to be trifled with, challenging him was tantamount to death. So I secretly tried to get information first. Indeed, among the captives brought from Baiyu Shan, there was a madam who was said to be treated differently."

She didn't explain further about the different treatments. Jinshui was silent for a moment. Yumen's former jiaozhu furen was the one who gave the order for Moying to find him more than a decade ago. Jiaozhu furen was a person who made him born into the world. Even though he had never known her before, if this jiaozhu furen was in the hands of the Yongjun Hui leader, Jinshui would definitely do everything he could to free her.

"Hua Shaoxia, although this possibility is very small, laoshen hopes that you can save Gu Chenhui," Xi Xiaofeng continued. "I knew her when I was a child, and I watched her grew up to be a beautiful girl."

"If our former jiaozhu furen is still alive, I will find her and save her," said Jinshui. "Zhuangzhu has already passed on this invaluable information to Jinshui, I am very grateful."

"If you find her, tell him that Xi Xiaofeng entrusted her to take care of the entire Qingxiang Zhuang," Xi Xiaofeng said. "If Gu Chenhui is no longer around, then, Laoshen hopes Hua Shaoxia can convey this message to her mother in Baiyu Shan there."

"I promise," said Jinshui.

This answer was enough for Xi Xiaofeng. But she didn't have time to say further, her servant came inside in a hurry, and immediately knelt in front of her.

"Zhuren, report..."

"What is it?" asked Shen Xiru.

"Someone came to Chunjie Kecan and...."

The zhuangzhu's expression didn't change much, but Jinshui reacted immediately. The servant's tone told him that an enemy was coming to Chunjie Kecan up there. Xu Qiao, Liuxin and Yue Songdai were there, and they might be in trouble. Jinshui immediately felt worried.

"You may escort Hua Shaoxia out," Xi Xiaofeng quickly said to Shen Xiru as she did understand Jinshui's reaction.

--

The main lobby of Chunjie Kecan had already been in a mess. The fight had moved outside when Jinshui came out. Liuxin, with the help of Jiaping and her four juniors, engaged in a fight with a familiar young man. When Jinshui, Shen Xiru, and the other Qingxiang girls arrived, Yue Songdai had just released Liuxin's fireworks sign, obviously hoping that any other Yumen descendant was not far away and could come to help.

Liuxin and the Qingxiang girls were fighting Huang Yu's elder brother who was also Xie Tianhu's disciple, Huang Zhe. Huang Zhe did not come alone, he brought along a young girl, but the girl was just standing at the edge of the arena, her eyes were half empty like a wooden doll. She was looking straight and seemed to have a little reaction when she saw Jinshui's arrival.

Jinshui immediately recognized the girl as Lin Xiaoyan, the daughter of Lin Tongtian who had helped him escape when he was captured by her father some time ago. The girl was later abducted by Huang Zhe and received humiliation during the event in Jianyin Bang.

Huang Zhe's fight against the five girls still seemed to be balanced. If only Huang Zhe came, actually Jinshui didn't need to worry. He approached Xu Qiao, and he was relieved when he found her fine.

"Qiao-er, why did they appear here?" he asked.

"Jinshui Gege, it's only been a while since we've seen Huang Zhe, I can see that his energy is getting darker," Xu Qiao reported to him.

"Xu Guniang, did you mention my name?" Huang Zhe had suddenly moved to Xu Qiao's side. Somehow he was able to move like a ghost, dart out of nowhere to make his five opponents miss their target, then suddenly came close to Xu Qiao.

Presumably according to what Xu Qiao just said, since following Xie Tianhu, Huang Zhe's ability has gone astray, and his progress had been quite rapid. Jinshui of course immediately stepped forward before he could do anything.

"Hua Gege, be careful!" Liuxin warned him.

The warning was almost too late. Several needles spread across Jinshui's face. The distance was so close, but Jinshui still had time to shake his arm and make the needles scatter on the ground. In the next instant, he drew his sword, but Huang Zhe had already moved to Lin Xiaoyan's side, grabbed the girl's hand, and pulled her away.

"Jinshui Gege!"

Xu Qiao's shout was too late. Jinshui had already gone after Huang Zhe. Of course, he didn't forget that leaving his friends would be very dangerous, but Lin Xiaoyan was in Huang Zhe's hands, and he couldn't help but care. After all, towards Lin Tongtian's daughter, he still had one unpaid debt of gratitude.

Liuxin and Xu Qiao were also about to chase him along with the others, but another figure appeared to block their steps at that moment. As expected, Huang Zhe couldn't have come without his master Xie Tianhu.

"Liuxin, Wu-er," Xie Tianhu no longer wore his signature wide hat, and Xu Qiao could see his face clearly now. Today was the first time she saw that face again since she found out that Xie Tianhu was the killer of her family and that the friend of her father she thought was dead was actually still alive.

"Xie… Xie-shu…"

"I Xie Tianhu don't like meddling with the youths," Xie Tianhu spoke without the slightest bit of emotion. Three years ago, he did not spare Xu Qiao on purpose, three years later, if he wanted to kill the rest of Xu Chenghai's family, it would also be no big deal to him. "Wu-er, you better do it yourself."

"Don't like meddling with the youths, but you've already killed my four sisters," Xu Qiao's voice trembled violently. She never expected to face Xie Tianhu without Jinshui protecting her.

"Liuxin Junzhu, if you don't want to tell my master's inheritance secret, that's fine," Xie Tianhu ignored her, then turned to Liuxin and spoke in the same cold tone. "Since you are no longer useful, you better also kill yourself."

Liuxin and Xu Qiao, along with Yue Songdai and the Qingxiang girls were definitely no match for Xie Tianhu. Jinshui was their only hope, but Huang Zhe will not easily let go of Jinshui, especially when he had Lin Xiaoyan as a hostage. Liuxin had asked Yue Songdai to release fireworks, but it seemed useless. Their only hope was to buy some time.

But of course, Xie Tianhu didn't like to waste time. He moved his hands slightly and the two Qingxiang girls Xiaoxi and Xiaowen immediately fell to the ground and didn't move anymore. Seeing his vicious actions, Shen Xiru and Jiaping immediately drew their swords and attacked together with Xiaoyue, Xiaoqian, several other Qingxiang girls, and Xu Qiao and Liuxin.

Yue Songdai once again released fireworks into the air, then stepped in to help. He knew that Xie Tianhu used yin shou yang zhang, the martial art created by his master Zhang Zheliang. The movements were extremely fast and dangerous, the moves that were played were invisible, and three more Qingxiang girls were knocked out.