Chapter 4#

“Cold urges, warmth urges. Urging the time of blooming, urging the time of withering. Repeatedly exhorting the flowers to bloom late. Horns blow, flutes blow. Blowing the southern branches, blowing the northern branches. Tomorrow morning they will become flying snow.”

Tianxiang stood in a lush green forest, watching a group of little girls who had just entered the fortress playing and frolicking around her, throwing handkerchiefs and singing “Everlasting Longing”. She couldn’t help but smile, putting down the silver flute that was playing melodiously by her lips. The wild grass around her was waist-high, and the wild flowers were fragrant, almost like a paradise on earth.

“Sister Tianxiang.” Tianxiang suddenly heard someone calling her. She turned her head in astonishment and saw Hua Jinian standing not far away with a look of lost soul, as if he had been deceived, with bitter grievance hidden in his eyes.

“Why did you walk here by yourself?” Tianxiang exclaimed, trotting a few steps to him, half-embracing his still thin and small body. Finding that a few traces of blood had seeped out from the back of his white outer robe, she became even more worried, tears almost falling from her phoenix eyes. She choked with sobs: “Little ancestor, you are injured, why did you walk by yourself? It would have been fine to just order a servant to support you.”

Hua Jinian shook his head, his eyes almost unable to find focus, leaving a blank look. He said faintly: “Sister Tianxiang, I’m fine. I just can’t figure it out… Am I, am I not his son? I didn’t do anything wrong, and I looked forward to his return so much. Why did he want to kill me and beat me?”

Tianxiang was speechless when asked. Seeing the group of little girls blushing and gathering around Hua Jinian, she smiled bitterly, shooed them away slightly, and advised carefully: “Little Young Master, how can people who achieve great things be fettered by family? They all have ambitions in all directions. Besides, the Fortress Master has that kind of temperament. The more interested he is, the more he enjoys torturing and destroying…”

Hua Jinian was startled and murmured: “He is actually this kind of person? When I was young, I always heard others say that the Fortress Master had the world in his heart, but still cared for his family and loved his son, and had a Bodhisattva’s heart, eliminating violence and pacifying the good everywhere, robbing the rich to help the poor…”

Tianxiang almost laughed bitterly, and could only comfort: “That’s all nonsense from the servants. His character is not good, but you still have to respect and love him as always. He is your father after all.”

Hua Jinian seemed to have awakened, frowning and shaking his head vigorously: “The person I see now is heartless and cold-blooded, indulging in lust, addicted to wine and sex, looking like he lives a life of debauchery all day long… I, I won’t recognize such a person!” As he spoke, thinking of that person’s various detestable aspects, he showed a disgusted expression as if he had swallowed a fly.

Tianxiang found his appearance funny. It was rare for Hua Jinian to show a child-like expression in front of people: “I bet you will recognize him…”

Hua Jinian looked unbelieving, frowned and asked: “Why?”

Tianxiang smiled: “The Fortress Master, he is truly a figure unparalleled in the world.”

Hua Jinian sneered: “I don’t think so.” As he spoke, he seemed not to want to say anything more. He stubbornly straightened his back, refused anyone’s support, and walked step by step towards Chaohua Pavilion.

Tianxiang watched his back gradually walk away. In the uninhabited and quiet wilderness, a trace of sinister ruthlessness appeared in her charming eyes.

Hua Jinian lay in bed for half a month before he escaped this calamity. From then on, he never mentioned a word about his father. On ordinary days, he read books and practiced swordsmanship, repeating the cycle. He just put more effort into martial arts than before. He was already intelligent, and now he put in twelve points of effort. In just half a year, he practiced several sets of sword techniques and palm techniques skillfully, and his figure began to grow taller. Just like that, three years passed in the blink of an eye, and he had grown into a graceful and handsome young man.

It was another Mid-Autumn Festival, the day of reunion. But according to the rules of Futu Fortress, all hall masters must gather at Futu Fortress and present all kinds of rare and strange treasures collected over the past year to the Fortress Master, beautifully named “Presenting Longevity”, taking the meaning of “Longevity equal to the sun and moon”. Hua Jinian had gotten used to hiding from his father in recent years, and Hua Qianjue seemed to have forgotten him, leaving him happy and free alone. Seeing the gongs and drums noisy outside the pavilion, candles lighting up the eternal night, almost stealing the brilliance of the bright moon, ruining all the scenery, he was naturally even more unwilling to wade into this muddy water.

This night, Hua Jinian lit a candle. In Chaohua Pavilion, while eating the green hibiscus mooncakes brought by Tianxiang and dipping them in glutinous rice wine, he read military books and history books, looking unrestrained. Tianxiang was almost made to laugh by his appearance. She carefully instructed him not to go out and cause trouble, and then went out to join the maids busy serving tea and offering fruits.

This was the most noisy moment outside. The twelve hall masters of Futu Fortress stood below the hall. Hua Qianjue sat in the pavilion in the center of the lake. An ice wheel hung in the ink-blue sky above his head, sprinkling clear brilliance. Plum blossom piles were set up at the bottom of the lake. More than ten beautiful women in blood-red long skirts, barefoot, danced with colored ribbons or feather fans, turning gracefully on the wooden piles. In the alluring night, ripples collided, silk and bamboo instruments sobbed, like walking on waves, soul-stirring.

Hua Qianjue leaned on the sandalwood chair covered with mink fur. The hall masters came forward one by one to bow, and their subordinates presented birthday gifts. Geng Yong, the Hall Master of Pojun Hall, presented a blue and white porcelain vat depicting Guiguzi coming down the mountain and several coral trees. Luo Xiaofeng, the Hall Master of Qiyun Hall, presented a pearl snuff bottle the size of a chicken egg. Zheng Tianji, the Hall Master of Tianji Hall, presented a bushel of South Sea night-luminescent pearls and a bushel of mermaid tears. Hua Qianjue gave them to the servants shortly after accepting them, obviously dissatisfied with all of them. The further back it went, the more the hall masters sweated profusely. Su Meiniang, the Hall Master of Fusu Hall, forced a smile and knelt in front of Hua Qianjue, took out a small sandalwood box from her bosom, and presented it with both hands.

Hua Qianjue seemed a little curious. He opened the box and saw a glittering gold nine-linked ring on the red velvet cushion. Hua Qianjue laughed a few times, seeming to hold back the urge to buckle the box onto Su Meiniang’s head, and sneered: “This is what you present?”

Su Meiniang’s face was pale, and she said tremblingly: “I searched the entire Qingzhou but couldn’t find any valuable treasures… However, this nine-linked ring is said to have been consecrated by the Great Vow Bodhisattva and has been enshrined in Jiaye Temple for hundreds of years. I thought this treasure of Jiaye Temple must be something extraordinary, so I snatched it back with great difficulty. presumably, it can ensure the safety of the family business and a life of abundance and happiness…”

Hua Qianjue found it funny, waved his hand to tell her to retreat, and casually put the nine-linked ring in his bosom. Wu Qiuping, the Hall Master of Miaofa Hall, did not seem to be troubled by this variable. He walked forward without changing his expression, knelt down in front of Hua Qianjue, and said with a smile: “On this great day, Qiuping has prepared a special gift for the Fortress Master…” As he spoke, he clapped his hands: “Why don’t you come over?”

Following his shout, a young man in green thin gauze walked from afar on the small bridge leading to the pavilion in the center of the lake, barefoot with ankles like white jade. In the night, that layer of thin gauze was like a layer of green clouds. The young man walked lightly, his black hair hanging down to his shoulders, a charming smile on the corner of his mouth, and spring water in his eyes.

Wu Qiuping looked at the trace of strange color in Hua Qianjue’s eyes and boasted proudly: “Fortress Master, this is this poor Daoist’s birthday gift.”

Hua Qianjue chuckled: “Good Wu Qiuping.”

Wu Qiuping laughed so hard that the horsetail whisk at his waist was shaking, as if he had received some great praise: “This young man was found by this poor Daoist by chance near Futu Fortress. Such a wonderful person is also thanks to the Fortress Master’s great fortune.”

Hua Qianjue waved to a servant on the side and smiled: “Take him down. I will summon him tonight.” He looked at Wu Qiuping’s joyful appearance and smiled faintly: “Hall Master Wu, however… I still have to remind you that the brothels and willow lanes are the work of Fusu Hall. Miaofa Hall should honestly do its business on the several waterways of the Yangtze River. Don’t make me feel that you only have this little ability.”

Wu Qiuping’s face turned white instantly. Su Meiniang burst out laughing beside him. Hua Qianjue seemed to be in a better mood and did not blame him. He raised the gold cup high and urged the hall masters to enjoy themselves. After three rounds of wine, Hua Qianjue was half-drunk. He asked Wu Qiuping, who was almost collapsing like a jade mountain, in a low voice: “I see that the child you just presented… looks familiar. Do you know who he looks like?” Wu Qiuping drank so much that he forgot his manners. Looking at the women spinning lightly on the lake, he seemed to wish they would start taking off their silk clothes in the night as they danced. It took him a while to realize what the Fortress Master asked. He laughed loudly: “Those eyebrows and eyes do look a bit like Fang Hongyi…”

Hua Qianjue also smiled. In the eyes staring at Wu Qiuping, there was a quiet murderous aura that flashed and disappeared.

“Seeing an opportunity and advancing, knowing the difficulty and retreating, is the good governance of the army.” Hua Jinian read up to here and drew a horizontal line with a vermilion brush. “Seeing an opportunity and advancing, knowing the difficulty and retreating…” He read it silently repeatedly. “Knowing the difficulty and retreating.” Hua Jinian tilted his head and thought for a while, put the book on the low table, rubbed his eyes, and brightened the candle again.

Just then, a black shadow flashed outside the window. “Who!” Hua Jinian stood up abruptly, subconsciously took down the precious sword at the head of the bed. Hearing the urgent wind outside the window, his eyes scanned everywhere, seeming to want to catch something wrong.

A faint sound came from behind. Hua Jinian was greatly astonished. Just as he was about to turn his head, a precious sword clear as water was placed across his neck. “Don’t move.” The person behind him ordered grimly. “Put down the sword.”

Hua Jinian gripped the sword in his hand tightly, but found that the sword edge across his neck was a few points closer. He gritted his teeth and finally threw the sword on the ground obediently. He carefully identified the direction of the voice behind him. That person seemed to be a young man of about the same height as him, and his voice was still childish. The person laughed low and said: “That’s right… Tell me, where are the sword manuals hidden?”

Hua Jinian was silent for a while and replied in a low voice: “I don’t know.” There was hidden anger in his voice, seeming to be extremely disgusted with the feeling of being coerced. The person laughed: “Don’t know? You are lying to me.”