Xianye

Chapter 504 A Small Boat Moored Amidst a Tight Wind and Reed Catkins

Great Liang Kingdom, Xiaqiu —

The city is built against the mountain, and the river also flows around the mountain; this is a place where many waters crisscross.

Speaking of the lakes alone, Qiwa Lake, which ranks among the top six in the entire Liang Kingdom, is not far from the mountain city. There are also five major rivers, namely the You River, Li River, Zhang River, Ruan River, and Fu River, which gradually converge here. The people still call the confluence of these rivers the You River.

The You River flows westward relentlessly, crisscrossing several countries before finally merging into the vast Western Sea, where it finally comes to an end.

Because of the vast waters, the fish market in this city of Xiaqiu is exceptionally prosperous, giving rise to fishing guilds of all sizes.

The members of each gang are all skilled practitioners who have trained in mortal martial arts. Not only are the best among them capable of taking on ten opponents at once, but it is even said that the leaders of the two largest fishing gangs in Xiaqiu City are cultivators who have stepped into the Great Dao Heavenly Gate.

It can command talismans, summon spirits, and summon all sorts of ferocious beasts, making it a formidable and fearsome force not to be underestimated!

They not only controlled the waterways around Xiaqiu, thus firmly controlling the fish market in the city, but also colluded with officials and high-ranking officials in the prefecture, bribing them with personal connections.

From then on, his position became even more secure, and he was now the undisputed tyrant of the city!
In this city of Xiaqiu, families stick together for warmth.

Anyone who works for a slightly larger fishing guild is considered a respectable person by the city's residents.

As for those from the big fishing gangs, there's no need to say more; their doorsteps have been worn down countless times by matchmakers from the city.

Today is a joyous day for a famous member of the Yihu Gang.

Since the Yihu gang was a fairly large fishing gang, many people came to give them face as the newlyweds sent out wedding invitations. There were also many officials who were familiar with the newlyweds who took leave to come and show their support, making the scene even more lively.

For a time, the old house, with its three courtyards and three rooms, was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and laughter.

Red cotton and cypress branches hung under the eaves to ward off evil and bring good fortune. Combined with the bright red couplets all around, it looked exceptionally festive.

However, because there were too many guests attending the banquet, the house could no longer accommodate so many feet, so the neighbors came to help and gave up their own small courtyards.

Even the streets on both sides were filled with tables, chairs, and benches, stretching out along the street in one long line, forming a long queue.

Meanwhile, around a large round table, six or seven people were already sitting around, chatting over tea and fruit.

Suddenly, a teenager with tanned, rough skin and bright, intelligent eyes, who was darting around in the corner, turned around abruptly.

He seemed to have just heard a familiar voice, and quickly jumped off the bench.

His movements were so swift that the sun hat he was wearing tilted to one side, and he hurriedly reached out to steady it.

The boy hadn't misheard; sure enough, a figure entered the room shortly afterward.

After exchanging polite greetings with the host who was greeting guests at the front, the man walked straight towards this place.

"Brother Chen!"

The boy jumped forward and shouted excitedly.

What came into his view was a young man around twenty years old, wearing a worn blue cloth robe, thin, and with an ordinary appearance.

Chen Heng, who had just entered, smiled and nodded at the young man.

He first exchanged pleasantries with the others at the table before pulling the boy aside and sitting him down on the bench.

"You've gotten even tanned a few days ago. I forgot to ask yesterday at the fish market how your cormorants are doing."

Chen Heng picked up the teacup, took a sip, and asked the boy.

"Brother Chen, please don't mention those cormorants! I was hoping to raise them to adulthood so they could fish for me, but they all died a few days ago—"

The boy became even more excited upon hearing this.

Once he started talking, he couldn't stop, and kept talking to Chen Heng.

Hearing this, Chen Heng's thoughts stirred slightly, and he couldn't help but feel something.

Unbeknownst to him, half a year had passed since he used magic to conceal his face and came to Xiaqiu City as a traveling scholar.

During these six months, he also restrained his magical power, living like an ordinary mortal, rising with the sun and resting at sunset, showing no abnormality.

After earning a sum of money by selling calligraphy and essays at the market, Chen Heng even bought a small boat.

In their spare time, they would row boats on rivers and lakes, enjoying the scenery and the moon. To outsiders, this seemed like a carefree and happy life...

Several months ago, when Chen Heng was sailing on a tributary of the Zhangshui River outside the city, he accidentally saved a life—the dark-skinned boy wearing a bamboo hat standing before him.

The boy's name was He Chang, and he was the son of He Hui, the old leader of the Zhuxi Gang.

Although the Zhuxi Gang is also known as a fishing gang and is officially registered in the Xiaqiu City Chamber of Commerce, it is actually just a group of fishermen from Zhuxi Village and the surrounding area. Even the gang's name is directly taken from the village's name.

Therefore, although He Hui was the leader of the Zhuxi Gang and the head of the entire fishing gang, his family was not actually very wealthy.

In addition, a family tragedy made He Hui even less willing to move to Xiaqiu City to settle down, and he simply lived by guarding the ancestral property in the village.

Several months earlier, He Chang was bitten by a poisonous insect while swimming, which made him lose his breath.

If Chen Heng hadn't rescued him and brought him aboard the boat, He Chang would likely have perished at sea.

With this connection, He Chang naturally became very close to Chen Heng.

He Hui was extremely grateful to Chen Heng and repeatedly offered him generous gifts as a token of his gratitude. Although Chen Heng declined his gifts each time, He Hui always kept this kindness in his heart.

Just then, He Chang finally finished speaking, his mouth dry, and hurriedly picked up his teacup and gulped it down.

Suddenly an old man with a white beard came over. Before he could say a few words, he asked Chen Heng to move outside the courtyard and write a few words.

He Changben also wanted to share his experiences raising cormorants over the past few months with Chen Heng.

But seeing that someone was inviting him, he could only awkwardly shut his mouth and wait for Chen Heng to return to the table before discussing the matter in detail.

Chen Heng usually made a living by selling calligraphy and essays at the market, so He Chang was not surprised by this scene.

But shortly after Chen Heng left, a pretty and charming girl in a green dress pursed her lips and quickly followed him out the door.

He Chang frowned, his mind raced, and he instantly understood something.

He turned his head and looked around, as if he wanted to call on his father and a few friends from the same village to come forward and help.

After looking for a while, He Chang still couldn't figure out where these people were. He was so anxious that he blinked repeatedly and broke out in a cold sweat.

"At this hour, where have you been drinking horse piss again?"

He Chang knew that the situation could not be delayed any longer. After a while, he could no longer bear it and ran outside.

However, before he could catch up with Chen Heng, as he passed through a dark alley, a hand suddenly reached out from inside, intending to exert force and drag He Chang into the depths of the alley.

Startled by this sudden turn of events, He Chang reacted swiftly, twisting his waist and using a bridge-like technique to dodge the grab.

They were all people who made a living on the water, and these children of fishermen usually learned some martial arts to protect themselves.

Not to mention He Chang's elder brother who died young. He was a true immortal cultivator who joined the Yuanshan Mansion, a cultivation sect in Liang Kingdom. At that time, the He family of Zhuxi Village was truly glorious and famous in Xiaqiu City!
Although he died tragically during a training session before he had even reached the Foundation Establishment stage, causing all the hard-earned embryonic breathing techniques to vanish like flowing water, he still left behind some legacy.

Among them were several martial arts manuals and medicinal bathing methods for preparing medicines, all of which were later used on He Chang.

Although He Chang managed to dodge in time, the man in the alley changed his move again, flipping his wrist downwards and grabbing He Chang's collar, pulling him to his side with force.

He Chang felt a chill run down his spine, but he couldn't break free now.

He simply fell forward, and at the same time, he threw a punch straight at the face of the man in the dark alley.

Peng!
A hand just in time blocked He Chang's fist.

When a dull thud rang out, He Chang felt as if he had struck a thick, tough leather strap, and his knuckles turned slightly red. However, the person opposite him also let out a soft groan, clearly indicating that He Chang's punch was not easy to deal with either, and had at least hurt him.

“He Chang, your skills haven’t improved much over the years. Your elder brother was such a remarkable figure back then, a dignified immortal cultivator! How come you, his brother, are as stupid as an ox?”

Just as He Chang was about to lose his temper, the hand that was grabbing his collar suddenly loosened its grip.

Then a voice rang out from the dark alley:
"I heard that a few months ago you were swimming and you impulsively teased some lice at the bottom of the river, and almost drowned after being bitten? In the entire city of Xiaqiu, I'm afraid only you could do something so stupid!"

"Huang Min?"

Upon hearing this sound, He Chang slowly lowered his fist.

But he remained wary, wondering:
"You also know about what happened today? Although you may have a lot of filth in your mouth, you still have some backbone as a martial artist. You wouldn't go so far as to trick Brother Chen out and then gang up on him, would you?"

"Huang Min, if you get involved in this, then I, He, will truly look down on you!"

"Nonsense! My Huang family is a prominent clan in Xiaqiu City. Don't judge a gentleman by your own petty standards!"
Today's events were solely my elder sister's decision. She wanted to ask Chen Heng's feelings in person. It was just the two of them; no one else would interfere, so how could there be any talk of a group beating them up?

Huang Min clapped his hands together and angrily cursed:
"He was just a poor man who made a living by selling his calligraphy and writing. He was from out of town, and even his appearance was extremely ordinary. He had nothing to do with the word 'handsome'. He would be hard to spot in a crowd."

My sister has only met him a few times and spoken to him a few times.
I admire Chen Heng's character and talent, and I'm determined to ask him what he thinks.

"Absurd! Truly laughable! I bet your Brother Chen is a heretical cultivator from the Demonic Sect, a master of witchcraft, which is why my sister is bewitched by him!"

He Chang's expression was quite interesting at this moment. He tentatively asked:

"So, Brother Chen was lured away just now because your sister made the decision on her own? And you suddenly intervened to stop me because you didn't want to ruin their good time?"

What does it mean to "ruin a good thing"?

Huang Min was furious:
"You scoundrel, you're utterly ignorant and incompetent!"

……

……

As the conversation began, the person from the dark alley slowly approached, revealing himself to be a tall and robust fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy dressed in a fine linen robe.

He glanced at He Chang, still resentful, and muttered:

"I don't understand, what is so good about Chen Heng?"

Leaving aside other things, this person is even timid and afraid of water. They're both from this water town, yet my sister is so obsessed with it; I truly can't understand it.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

He Chang's expression was unfriendly:

"If Brother Chen is really afraid of water, then how did he manage to sail and save my life? You're really lying through your teeth."

"If he is truly not afraid of water, why does he only play in small rivers and lakes and never sail on major rivers? I asked him this question before under the pretext of buying calligraphy and paintings, and he only said that the time was not yet right."

Huang Min shook his head:

"When is it ever that we can't get there or not?"
I think this person is clearly afraid of the wind and waves, which is why he acted this way. What kind of person would you find in a water town like this?

He Chang's expression froze at this moment.

Upon careful consideration, he realized that although Chen Heng enjoyed traveling through mountains and rivers, he had indeed never been to those major rivers with high winds and turbulent waves.

I had asked myself out of curiosity, and that was indeed the answer I received.

"Don't talk nonsense!"

He Chang simply repeated the same sentence.

Huang Min chuckled coldly twice without saying a word. After a while, he guessed that his elder sister must have finished speaking her mind, so he raised his chin to signal and walked out of the alley one after the other with He Chang.

The two had just turned a corner when Huang Min noticed that his older sister's eyes were slightly red. She simply lowered her head and walked away, while Chen Heng bowed apologetically behind her.

"You don't know what's good for you, that's even better!"

Huang Min knew the final outcome upon seeing this.

He was both angry and relieved, his feelings were really complicated. He just said that and turned to leave.

He Chang stroked his chin, and as he walked to Chen Heng's side, he heard Chen Heng shake his head and sigh:
"Given their condition, how could they possibly encounter such a thing?"

"What did Brother Chen say?"

He Chang was completely baffled.

"It's nothing, it's just that I might have to go to the fishing guild to make a living later." Chen Heng smiled.

"Brother Chen only refused Huang Min's elder sister's offer, and the Huang family forbids you from selling your calligraphy and writings in the city? How domineering!"

He Chang was shocked and furious:
"I'm going to find Huang Min right now and demand an explanation!"

"That's not the case. Just now, Miss Huang said she wanted to buy me a shop so I wouldn't have to suffer from the sun and rain. But since I've already refused the marriage proposal, how could I accept such a favor? So I'll use this as an excuse to close down the shop."

"I've long intended to join the fishing gang, and your father knows this. I mentioned it to him a month ago, and the Huang family hasn't pressured me," Chen Heng said truthfully.

You rejected the girl's advances, and she still wants to buy you a shop?

Upon hearing this, He Chang felt as if he were still in a dream.

He subconsciously stared at Chen Heng for a few moments, realizing that his savior was not handsome, but had excellent handwriting and a good temper.

Just like that, there are women eager to be fed by men?

"If I had known this would happen, I should have studied poetry and literature back then. I never imagined I would encounter such a wonderful thing later in life..."

He Chang muttered something to himself, and then he was about to say something to persuade Chen Heng.

After all, in He Chang’s view, making a living on the water was a real hard job, with one having to endure wind and waves, sun and rain. It was nothing like the comfortable and easy life of selling calligraphy and writing in the city.
However, Chen Heng seemed to have guessed what he was thinking, patted He Chang on the shoulder, and led him forward.

"Brother Chen, where are we going?" He Chang asked blankly.

"They've all given gifts, and the feast should be ready by now. If we don't hurry over, we'll only be able to pick up scraps."

Those people at the table probably won't leave us any food or drinks.

Chen Heng smiled:
“I don’t usually make much money selling my calligraphy. Now that I’ve spent it all, I should make sure I get my money back this time.”

“Alright then, I’ll fish with Brother Chen from now on. But don’t pack up the stall too soon; let’s try it out for a couple of days first…”

He Chang scratched his head, and seeing that Chen Heng had made up his mind, he swallowed his words back, chuckled sheepishly, and said:

"We should definitely eat our money's worth!"

As the seasons changed, two more years passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, at Feiyun River.

Xun Jian, now in human form, stood on the shore, gazing at Chen Heng on the small fishing boat. Chen Heng had become much thinner and darker, and was now no different from an ordinary fisherman.

Xun Jian's eye twitched involuntarily, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, who would believe that this man is actually the noble son of the Jade Emperor?"

He cursed secretly.

(End of this chapter)