CLX Book 4 Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Sudden Inspiration Inside the Coffin

Once the coffin lid was in the hands of Chu Liuxiang, Hu Tiehua and Zhang San, the difference could be easily felt. _{Translated by foxs}

The six coffins unexpectedly seemed to have really turned into a light boat, sailing through the waves.

Jin Lingzhi just sat there with her head down, looking at her pair of springtime- bamboo-shoots-like [fig. (of woman’s fingers) tender and delicate] jade hands that had turned red and purple, and the hollow of the palms were already full of yellowish blisters.

Tears were already forming in her eyes.

But this blame was her own to bear, she could not blame others, and the tears, she had no choice but to swallow it into her belly.

Hu Tiehua did not seem to be looking at her, but his mouth muttered, “A woman is a woman, she is different from a man. At least her pair of hands are always softer than a man’s. Therefore, if a woman wants to see herself like a man, she is just asking for trouble.”

Bai Lie suddenly sprang up, glaring at Hu Tiehua and spoke heavily, “Jin Guniang, please don’t be angry, whatever people say, it would be better if Guniang not listen to him.”

He did have good intentions, who would have thought that Jin Lingzhi glowered at him instead, she spoke sharply, “Who I want to listen to and who I don’t want to listen to, it does not have the slightest bit to do with you, what are you meddling in other people’s business too much for?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Bai Lie was stunned, his face was as red as an eggplant, he practically wished he should have jumped into the sea.

Ying Wanli cleared his throat twice; he forced a laughter and said, “The sun is too strong, and there is no water to drink, people will inevitably be irritable and not in a good mood. We’d better put the lid on and go to sleep. If you have anything to say, let’s wait until sunset and talk.”

Licking his chapped lips, Chu Liuxiang said, “That’s right, if this continues, I’m afraid even I will collapse.”

‘Bang!’, Jin Lingzhi was the first to put the lid on the coffin.

Ying Wanli forcefully pulled Bai Lie to lie down, he said, “Don’t cover it too tightly, leave some room for ventilation.”

Zhang San yawned, he muttered, “If there is a cup of frozen pickled plum juice right now, even if I have to sell myself again, I would not have any problem.”

Hu Tiehua could not help licking his lips as well, he laughed and cursed, “Don’t forget, you already sold yourself once.”

Glowering at him, Zhang San said, “I already sold it once, I can sell it twice. Now that I have the experience, won’t reselling become even more convenient?”

Hu Tiehua heaved a sigh, he laughed and said, “Thank Heaven and thank the Earth, luckily, you are not a woman …” _{Translated by foxs}

Lying inside the coffin was actually not as comfortable as they imagined.

Although the sun did not directly shine on them, but being baked was even more uncomfortable.

Hu Tiehua really could not bear it anymore, he pushed open the coffin lid and sat up. Only then did he realize that Zhang San had already sat out, bare-chested, and was fanning himself with the clothes he had taken off.

Hu Tiehua laughed and said, “Turns out you can’t stand it either!”

Zhang San sighed, he smiled wryly and said, “Really can’t stand it, I nearly feel like I have become a grilled fish too.”

Hu Tiehua laughed and said, “The man who like to roast is being roasted. You have roasted too many fish, you should also taste the feel of being roasted.”

Rolling his eyes, he also said, “Where’s the old stinky bug?”

Zhang San said, “I’m afraid he’s asleep.”

Hu Tiehua said, “Other than a dead person, if there is a living person who can sleep inside the coffin, this person must be the old stinky bug.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Blurted out laughing, Zhang San said, “That’s right, even if this person is lying in the latrine pit, I’m afraid he can still sleep.”

Hu Tiehua glanced around, but still could not even see the shadow of dry land.

But the sun was finally getting weaker.

Zhang San suddenly said again, “Just now when I was lying in the coffin, I thought a lot, but there is something I can’t figure out.”

Hu Tiehua said, “Tell me, let me explain to you.”

Zhang San spoke slowly, “Ding Feng wanted to kill us, that makes sense, but why did he kill Hai Kuotian? Wasn’t Hai Kuotian on the same side as him?”

Rubbing his nose, Hu Tiehua spoke with serious expression, “Maybe in the middle of the night Hai Kuotian treated him as a woman and did his thing to him.”

Zhang San laughed and cursed, “F*ck your fart, you call that an explanation?”

Hu Tiehua also could not help laughing, and said, “If you don’t keep your mouth clean, watch out, I might use it as a chamber pot.”

Suddenly they heard someone said, “Two stinky mouths put together, they simply smell worse than a latrine pit. How can I sleep?” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang also sat up.

Hu Tiehua could not help laughing, he said, “This man’s ears are really longer than a rabbit’s; if you want to cuss him in the future, you need to be a bit more careful.”

Chu Liuxiang reached down to scoop up sea water and splashed it on his upper body, he suddenly said, “Ding Feng wanted to kill Hai Kuotian, there is only one reason.”

Hu Tiehua asked, “What reason?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Every year, they have to receive guests and see the visitors out, naturally they need a lot of ships. Even though Hai Kuotian has been bought by them, it’s still not as convenient as having the control themselves.”

Obtaining sudden understanding, Zhang San said, “That’s right, he killed Hai Kuotian, Zijing Bang’s several dozens of ships became theirs.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Xiang Tianfei was Hai Kuotian’s life-and-death friend, to kill Hai Kuotian, they had to kill Xiang Tianfei first!”

Hu Tiehua nodded and said, “It makes sense.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “But Zijing Bang’s scope of activities is limited only at sea, while most of their guests come from inland. To go to sea, they must pass through the Yangtze River.”

“That’s right,” Zhang San said. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang said, “To pass the Yangtze River, they have to use the ships under Wu Weiyang and Yun Conglong’s control, therefore, before killing Hai Kuotian, they must be killed first.”

Hu Tiehua did not understand, he said, “But not only Wu Weiyang did not die, he is even serving as the Bangzhu of the two gangs.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Who says Wu Weiyang is not dead?”

Hu Tiehua said, “Didn’t we see him kill Yun Conglong with our own eyes that day?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “That person is an impostor!”

Astonished, Hu Tiehua said, “Impostor?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Ding Feng already killed Wu Weiyang, and then found someone who looks similar to Wu Weiyang to impersonate him.”

He went on to explain, “They deliberately killed those two men with Wu Weiyang’s arrow, precisely to make us think that Wu Weiyang is still alive.”

Stroking his nose, Hu Tiehua said, “I still don’t understand.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “That day at the restaurant, we could not see that Wu Weiyang was an impostor, because we are not familiar with Wu Weiyang, but someone saw it.” _{Translated by foxs}

“Who?” Hu Tiehua asked.

Chu Liuxiang replied, “Yun Conglong.”

He went on to say, “Precisely because he could see through that Wu Weiyang was someone else impersonating him that at that time he looked to be very surprised.”

Hu Tiehua said, “But … we could not see it, how could he see it?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Because the rumors in Jianghu are not false at all, in the past few years, Yun Conglong and Wu Weiyang have indeed changed from enemies to friends, so in his will, he ordered to pass on the position of Bangzhu to Wu Weiyang. From this, it can be seen that not only his friendship with Wu Weiyang was not bad, he also extremely trusted him.”

Stroking his nose again, Hu Tiehua smiled wryly and said, “Not only I still do not understand, I am simply getting more and more confused.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Presumably Yun Conglong already knew that Ding Feng and the others had the intention to kill him, hence he left his will in advance.”

“Mm hmm,” Hu Tiehua said.

Chu Liuxiang said, “Those two men who died under the arrow were indeed Yun Conglong’s subordinates. It was only because he and Wu Weiyang had become good friends that they were sent to join the ‘Shi’er Lianhuan Wu’ [Twelve Linked Docks].”

Hu Tiehua said, “You are saying … Wu Weiyang already knew about this?”

“That’s right,” Chu Liuxiang said, “That’s why at the restaurant that day, when ‘Wu Weiyang’ accused them as the spy infiltrating the Shi’er Lianhuan Wu, Yun Conglong was even more sure that he was an impostor.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Hu Tiehua said, “Please explain more clearly.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Because these past few years Yun Conglong and Wu Weiyang often met each other, as soon as he entered, Yun Conglong already noticed something strange about ‘Wu Weiyang’, because with disguising technique, it is very difficult to fool acquaintances.”

Hu Tiehua said, “But Ying Wanli’s disguising technique was able to fool you?”

Chuckling, Chu Liuxiang said, “That’s because he did not disguise himself as someone we are familiar with, plus he deliberately assumed an outlandish look. If he was impersonating you, I would be able to tell in just a glance.”

Hu Tiehua said, “In that case, wouldn’t disguising technique be useless?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Disguising technique’s usefulness is only to cover up one’s true colors so that other people cannot recognize him, but it cannot make him into another person.” _{Translated by foxs}

Zhang San suddenly said, “But I have heard a story about someone … for example, Wang Er [Wang the Second]. Wang Er disguised himself to be Li Si [Li the Fourth], and sneaked into Li Si’s house. Everybody in Li Si’s house, big and small, several people were fooled, unexpectedly no one recognized him.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “That is ghost work.”

Zhang San said, “You said this is absolutely impossible?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Of course it’s impossible. If there is such a thing in the world, it’s not disguising technique, but a magic trick.”

Hu Tiehua said, “Since Yun Conglong had already seen that Wu Weiyang was an impostor, why didn’t he reveal it?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Because at that time Ding Feng was by his side, he simply did not have any opportunity to speak, but …”

Hu Tiehua asked, “But what?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Yun Conglong used other methods to give us hints, only too bad that at that time nobody paid attention …”

Hu Tiehua said, “What method did he use?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “He deliberately used the wrong idiom, saying the four words ‘fish bone stuck in his throat’; he wanted to let us know that there is something in his heart that he ‘had to pour out what’s in his mind’, only he was just unable to spit it out.”

Hu Tiehua said, “You have already said that.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang said, “Later, he deliberately threw out the fish eye and flicked it into Wu Weiyang’s saucer, precisely to let us know that Wu Weiyang was ‘passing off fish eyes for pearls’ [idiom], he was an impostor.”

Heaving a sigh, Hu Tiehua smiled wryly and said, “Although the hint was ingenious, unavoidable it was a bit too difficult.”

Chu Liuxiang chuckled and said, “If it’s easy to understand, then it’s not a hint.”

He went on to say, “Since Yun Conglong already knew that Wu Weiyang was an impostor, so before the fight, he knew that going out this time, there would be no hope of staying alive, hence the reason he made those hints. As long as we could understand, his death would have some worth.”

Zhang San sighed and said, “No wonder before stepping out the door, he was so overwhelmed with grief and indignation and was depressed.”

Hu Tiehua also sighed and said, “I was wondering about that, Yun Conglong’s martial art skill was more or less equal to Wu Weiyang’s, how could as soon as he made his move, Wu Weiyang was able to kill him?” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang said, “Ding Feng used that ‘Wu Weiyang’ to kill Yun Conglong, and then let that ‘Wu Weiyang’ take over the ‘Shenlong Bang’. From then on, all the ships under the ‘Fengwei’ and ‘Shenlong’, two gangs could be dispatched under their control unobstructed. Plus, the thousands of li territory upper and lower reaches of the Yangtze River would also fall under their control …”

Zhang San heaved a sigh, he said, “In that case, Ding Feng is really an amazing character, this ‘killing two birds with one stone’ strategy is really brilliant.”

Muttering to himself irresolutely, Chu Liuxiang said, “If my guess is right, I’m afraid Ding Feng does not have such a high capability, there must be a more powerful, more terrifying figure behind him!”

Smiling bitterly, Hu Tiehua said, “No matter who this person is, I’m afraid we would never see him.”

Zhang San suddenly said again, “There is still one thing I can’t figure out.”

“What thing?” Chu Liuxiang asked.

Zhang San said, “Since even Yun Conglong was able to recognize ‘Wu Weiyang’ as an impostor, the Fengwei Bang subordinates who have been in contact with him day and night for many years, how could they not recognize him? Wouldn’t this secret be discovered sooner or later?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “You are wrong.”

He went on to say, “Wu Weiyang’s conduct is stern, he maintained the law as firm as a mountain [idiom], toward him, the Fengwei Bang subordinates not only love and respect him, they also revere him, who would dare to look closely at him?”

Zhang San thought for a moment, then he sighed and said, “That’s right, things that did not make sense at first, once you explain it, it becomes completely reasonable and fair.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang also heaved a sigh, he said, “This matter is indeed mysterious and complicated, there are at least seven or eight key points within it. As long as there is one point that can’t be figured out, this matter, from beginning to end, cannot be linked together.”

Smiling wryly, Hu Tiehua said, “This kind of matter, forget about asking me to think about, even asking me to repeat the story, it will be very difficult.”

Fixing his gaze at Chu Liuxiang, he said, “I really don’t understand how you can figure out all these things? Could it be that the structure of your brain is different from other people’s?”

Blurted out laughing, Chu Liuxiang said, “Originally, there were a few things that I could not figure out, but just now inside the coffin I thought about it for a very long time, and then piece by piece I linked this matter together from beginning to end.”

Hu Tiehua laughed and said, “Turns out this is the insight that the coffin gave you.”

Chu Liuxiang spoke with serious expression, “That is not wrong at all, if one wants to find a place to ponder about something quietly, the coffin is really a good place.”

“Oh?” Hu Tiehua said. _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang said, “Because when one is lying inside a coffin, one would suddenly feel isolated from the world of mortals, his mind would become as calm as water. Many things that normally he would not have thought of will be brought to mind at this time. Many things that normally were forgotten, would also all reappear before his eyes one by one at this time.”

Zhang San laughed and said, “In that case, Xiao Hu should lie inside the coffin all day long! He indeed drinks too much wine but thinks too little.”

Hu Tiehua glowered at him first before knitting his brows and said, “I do have something that I still don’t understand.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Is it that drawing?”

“That’s right,” Hu Tiehua said, “Before Yun Conglong died, he solemnly handed over that picture to you in secret, from this, it can be seen that that picture must be very important, right?”

“Yes,” Chu Liuxiang replied.

Hu Tiehua heaved a sigh, he said, “But that picture only has a bat on it.”

Muttering to himself irresolutely, Chu Liuxiang said, “This bat must also be a key point, the meaning within must be very deep.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Hu Tiehua said, “Have you figured it out yet?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “No.”

His reply was indeed very direct and to the point.

Hu Tiehua laughed again, he looked like he was going to cuss a couple more bad words to him.

Suddenly they heard someone said, “The meaning of that bat, I happen to know.”

The speaker was Jin Lingzhi.

Zhang San chuckled, he said quietly, “Turns out her ears are also very long.”

Hu Tiehua said, “There are two parts on women’s body that are longer than men’s, one of them is the ears.”

Zhang San asked, “And the other one?”

Hu Tiehua replied, “Tongue.”

He spoke in a very low voice, because Jin Lingzhi already sat up in the coffin. Ever since she made Bai Lie hit a nail, Hu Tiehua seemed to be a lot more polite toward her. _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang said, “Jin Guniang knows the meaning of the bat on that picture?”

Jin Lingzhi nodded her head, she said, “Uh huh.”

Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying in secret.

Chu Liuxiang said, “Does the bat represent a person?”

Jin Lingzhi said, “No, it represents a place.”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “What place?”

Jin Lingzhi replied, “Bianfu Dao [Bat Island], the place where the ‘Spending-Gold Cave’ is located is called Bat Island.”

Chu Liuxiang’s eyes lit up, he said, “In that way, those curly lines represent sea water.”

Zhang San hurriedly said, “The circle is the sun, indicating the direction to the Bat Island.”

Greatly delighted, Hu Tiehua said, “In that case, as long as we go in that direction, we will be able to find Bat Island; as long as we can find Bat Island, all problems can be solved.”

Jin Lingzhi spoke coldly, “I’m afraid by the time you arrive at Bat Island all your problems will already be solved!” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Hu Tiehua said, “What do you mean?”

Jin Lingzhi kept her mouth shut, she ignored him.

Chu Liuxiang said, “Once a person dies, all his problems will be solved—is that what Jin Guniang means?”

Jin Lingzhi finally nodded, she said, “After we went out to sea last time, it took us another five or six days to reach Bat Island. Now, even if we ride a ship, we would still need at least three- or four-days’ journey, not to mention …”

Speaking to this point, she did not continue.

But everyone understood clearly what she was going to say.

Even if the voyage was smooth, without encountering a storm or losing their bearings, even if the six of them were made of iron, they still could not row non-stop —— Based on their fastest speed, it would still take seven or eight days to reach Bat Island.

Could they last for seven or eight more days?

It was simply impossible. _{Translated by foxs}

Rubbing his nose, Hu Tiehua said, “Without food for seven or eight days, I might still be able to survive, but without water to drink, no one would be able to endure.”

Smiling wryly, Zhang San said, “Forget about another seven or eight days, right now I’m already dying of thirst.”

Hu Tiehua said coldly, “I’m afraid it’s because you talk too much.”

Pulling his face, Zhang San said, “Dying from thirst is a small matter, but suffocating to death is a serious matter. Even if you die of thirst, you still have to talk.”

Ying Wanli looked up at the sky, he suddenly chuckled and said, “Maybe no one will have to die of thirst.”

Hu Tiehua asked, “Why?”

Ying Wanli’s smiling expression was both bitter and enigmatic, he spoke slowly, “The sky seems to be getting lower and lower, I’m afraid the wind and rain will come soon.”

Indeed the sky was really low, and the firmament was gloomy, as if it was about to press down on their heads.

Everybody suddenly felt stuffy, their brows furrowed even tighter, they said, “Indeed it looks like the wind and the rain are coming.”

Hu Tiehua said, “Is it the wind and the rain? Or a storm?”

Heaving a sigh, Zhang San said, “Whether it’s the wind or the rain or a storm, it will be very difficult for us to get through.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Everyone stared blankly for half a day, they could not help hanging their heads low, looking at the coffin they were sitting on.

The coffin was made of high-quality Chinese giant redwood [Machilus nanmu], the construction was very exquisite, hence it did not leak until now.

However, a coffin was a coffin after all, not a boat.

When the wind and rain came, the six coffins would probably be smashed to pieces by the big waves.

Hu Tiehua chuckled suddenly, he said, “We have a resourceful person here, no matter what happens, he will have a way to deal with it, why should everybody be worry?”

Obviously he expected that the others would laugh along with him, but no one laughed.

At this moment, even if he said the funniest joke in the world, no one would be able to laugh, let alone his remark was not funny at all.

Because everyone knew that Chu Liuxiang was, after all, not an immortal. Dealing with the enemy, he might be able to emerge victorious in every battle [orig. a hundred battles a hundred victories], but to deal with the sky, he would equally be helpless. _{Translated by foxs}

‘The power of men can overcome heaven’; this was no more than the saying of someone sitting in a study room with the windows closed, and a fire burning in the stove, drinking hot tea.

If he was sitting in a coffin in the middle of the ocean, facing the boundless huge waves, with the wind and the rain filling the whole sky, he would definitely not say those words.

No one knew when, but the sun has been swallowed by the ocean, and the sky was getting darker.

Only Chu Liuxiang’s pair of eyes seemed to be still flickering.

Hu Tiehua could not help paying attention to him, he spoke again, “You have come up with some ideas, haven’t you?”

Chu Liuxiang spoke slowly, “Right now I only have one idea.”

Hu Tiehua spoke in delight, “Quick! Quickly tell us, let everyone hear it, what’s your idea?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Just wait.”

Hu Tiehua was stunned, he shouted, “Just wait? That is your idea?”

Chu Liuxiang heaved a sigh, smiling wryly, he said, “I only have this idea.”

Ying Wanli sighed and said, “That’s right, we just have to wait. Presently, who else can come up with a second idea?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Hu Tiehua said loudly, “What are we waiting for? Waiting for death?”

Both Chu Liuxiang and Ying Wanli kept their mouths shut, unexpectedly they agreed tacitly.

Hu Tiehua was stunned for half a day, suddenly he lay down and muttered, “Since we are waiting for death, we should at least wait comfortably. Why don’t you lie down … At least the feeling of waiting for death is not something anyone can taste.”

Whether standing, sitting, or lying down, the feeling of waiting for death is unpleasant.

But they all could only wait, because no one had a second way out.

In all his life, Chu Liuxiang did not know how many dreadful opponents he had encountered, but no matter who he encountered, or what matter he encountered, from beginning to end, his courage had never been lost.

He never felt despair either.

The more terrifying the enemy he encountered, the greater his courage and the faster his brain would move. He believed that no matter what, there would always be a way out. _{Translated by foxs}

Only this time, his mind seemed to be blank.

The wind was getting stronger and the waves were getting higher.

The coffin was jumping around on the surface of the sea, other than holding on to the coffins tightly, they could not do anything.

As soon as they loosened their grip, perhaps their entire person would be thrown into the sea.

But if it happened that way, it might be more pleasant instead –– ‘death’ itself is not painful, what is painful is the waiting period before the death.

If a person can still fight, can still strive, can still resist, no matter what he encountered, he would not be afraid; but if the only thing he could do was to sit there and wait, that is actually too frightening.

Only at such times can a person’s courage be seen.

Although Chu Liuxiang’s face turned pale, his expression was still very calm, almost no different from during peaceful time.

Surprisingly, Hu Tiehua was lying down in his coffin, moreover, he seemed to have fallen asleep.

Ying Wanli hung his head low, Jin Lingzhi was biting her lip, and Zhang San was mumbling, as if he was talking to himself, as if he was singing a fisherman’s song in a low voice. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Only Bai Lie, from beginning to end, was sitting upright in his coffin; he was staring wide-eyed at Jin Lingzhi, while the sweat was dripping from his head like raindrops.

No one knows how long had passed, but Bai Lie stood up suddenly, his eyes fixed at Jin Lingzhi, he said, “Jin Guniang, I have to leave first [euphemism: to die first, for instance, before one’s spouse], I … I …”

He had not finished speaking, his person suddenly jumped up, as if he was jumping into the sea. Jin Lingzhi cried out in alarm, but Chu Liuxiang’s hand already moved lightning fast to grasp his belt.

Right this moment, Zhang San also cried out, he yelled, “Look, what’s that?”

On the pitch-black surface of the sea, suddenly a dot of starlight appeared.

The storm was looming, how could there be starlight?

Hu Tiehua was excited, he shouted loudly, “That’s lantern light!”

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