CLX Book 5 Chapter 7 – Part 1

Chapter 7 – Rendezvous After Dusk

The sky had not turned dark, Shi Xiuyun was already waiting. _{Translated by foxs}

She did not know why Chu Liuxiang asked her to meet here, even more, she never thought that she would have a date with a stranger in front of her older sister’s grave.

Yet she still came. She has not had her dinner yet, her heart had already flown here. She had just picked up the chopsticks, she already wished she could eat all the food in one gulp.

And then she stood at the door, waiting for the sky to get dark. Waiting to the left, the sky did not get dark, waiting to the right, the sky did not get dark either. She often heard people say that in autumn, the sky would get dark earlier.

Fortunately, this place was very remote, all day long she did not see human shadow, so she just stood here alone, waiting in a daze. No matter how long she waited, no need to fear that someone might see her.

Looking at her own sister’s grave, in her heart she ought to be grieving, she ought to feel the pain, but now, as soon as she thought of Chu Liuxiang, in her heart she felt sweet, and totally forgot everything else.

Her foot was still hurting a little, but she already hid the silk scarf with which Chu Liuxiang wrapped her wound quietly in her bosom, and quietly changed into a new pair of embroidered shoes.

Jiejie had just died not a few days before, she already put on new embroidered shoes. She herself also felt that she was very wrong, but she was really unable to bear not to wear them. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

She took off this new pair of embroidered shoes several times, but in the end she still put them on again. She felt that Chu Liuxiang’s pair of eyes was always looking at her feet.

She felt that when she put on this pair of new shoes, her feet would look particularly good.

The sky was getting darker, and the wind was getting stronger.

But she felt that her body was getting hot, terribly hot.

“Why hasn’t he come yet? Is he not going to come?”

She bit her lip and looked at the barely-rising new moon.

“When the moon is as high as the tree, if he has not come yet, I definitely will not wait any longer.”

But the moon had already climbed over the treetops, and she was still waiting.

While waiting in a daze, she was fuming inwardly.

“Even if he comes, I will definitely not pay him any attention.” _{Translated by foxs}

But as soon as she saw Chu Liuxiang’s silhouette, she forgot everything, completely forgot.

She flew up to meet him.

Chu Liuxiang finally came, he even brought many people with him.

Shi Xiuyun ran two steps, then she stopped again.

Chu Liuxiang was smiling at her, smiling so tenderly.

“But why did you bring so many people here?”

Shi Xiuyun gritted her teeth, turned around and left.

She was hoping that Chu Liuxiang would run after her, yet she clearly did not hear the sound of footsteps. She could not help slowing down her steps; she wanted to look back, but she was afraid people might laugh at her. She was angry, broken-hearted, but was also a bit anxious, a bit regretful.

While she was at a loss of what to do, suddenly she heard someone laughing right next to her. Turned out at some point Chu Liuxiang had caught up with her and was looking at her with a smile on his face. His smile was so adorable, yet so hateful, as if he has seen through the load on her mind.

Shi Xiuyun blushed. When Chu Liuxiang did not chase after her, she wanted to stop, but when Chu Liuxiang caught up, she quickened her steps again. Hanging her head down, she rushed past Chu Liuxiang. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

But Chu Liuxiang held her back, he spoke softly, “Where are you going?”

Shi Xiuyun bit her lip, stomped her feet and said, “Let go of your hand, let me go, since you don’t want to see me, why are you holding me back?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Who said I don’t want to see you?”

Shi Xiuyun said, “In that case, just consider me not willing to see you, all right? Just let me go.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Since you don’t want to see me, why are you waiting for me here?”

Shi Xiuyun’s face was blushing even deeper, even the rim of her eyes also turned red. Stomping her feet, she said, “That’s right, I wanted to see you; you knew that I would definitely wait for you here, hence the reason you brought so many people to see, to see how capable you are that everywhere you go, there would be girls waiting for you.”

Chu Liuxiang chuckled, he said, “Actually, I did not want to bring them here either, but there is something that I must ask for their help.”

Shi Xiuyun could not help asking, “What thing?” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang said, “I want them to dig up this grave to have a look.”

Shi Xiuyun cried out, “You … you are crazy! Why would you dig my Jiejie’s grave?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “This is not your Jiejie’s grave. If my guess is correct, it must be an empty grave.”

Shi Xiuyun spoke hoarsely, “Who said that? I clearly saw them bury the coffin …”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Although they buried the coffin, the coffin definitely did not have anybody in it.”

He lightly stroked Shi Xiuyun’s hand, and said softly, “I definitely am not lying to you, otherwise I would not ask you to come here, as long as you are willing to wait, you will know that what I said is true.”

Sure enough, the coffin did not have anybody in it, only a few bricks.

Deserted graveyard in a cold night, the howling autumn wind, cold and cheerless starlight shining on a newly dug grave, a meager coffin, but there were only a few pieces of bricks inside the coffin …

Where did the dead person go? Could it be that she came back to life?

Shi Xiuyun was trembling all over, finally she could not help crying out loudly in hoarse voice. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

“Where did my Jiejie go? How did my Jiejie turn into bricks?”

The mournful cry echoed, it sounded just like a crying ghost, or like a laughing ghost, it was as if all the ghosts who died of injustice in the desolate graveyard melted into the darkness and were mocking her.

Even the Beggar Gang’s disciples who had wandered around Jianghu for a long time could not help feeling a burst of chill from creeping up in their hearts.

Chu Liuxiang gently wrapped his arms around Shi Xiuyun’s shoulders, he said, “Did you see them put your Jiejie’s body into the coffin?”

Shi Xiuyun said, “I did, I saw it with my own eyes.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “What about when they nailed the coffin?”

Shi Xiuyun thought for a moment, she said, “When they put the lid on the coffin, I was not there … at first I did not want to leave, but Er Shen [the wife of Second (paternal) Uncle] was afraid that my grief would be excessive, so she insisted that I go back to my room.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Was it your Er Shu [Second (paternal) Uncle]who nailed the coffin?”

Shi Xiuyun said, “Mm hmm.” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang asked, “Where is his person now?”

Shi Xiuyun said, “The second day after my Jiejie was buried, Er Shu went to the provincial capital.”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “What did he go there for?”

Shi Xiuyun replied, “He went to buy New Year’s supplies for the Xue Jia Zhuang.” [Note: the word ‘buy’ here means ‘to buy on a considerable scale’, or ‘to stock up’.]

Naturally shopping for New Year’s supplies was a very fat [lucrative] assignment.

Chu Liuxiang’s eyes lit up, he asked, “I wonder if he has always procured Xue Jia Zhuang’s New Year’s supplies every year?”

Shi Xiuyun said, “Not in previous years.”

The corner of Chu Liuxiang’s mouth revealed a hint of a hard-to-fathom smile, he muttered, “Not in previous years, but this year this assignment suddenly fell on him … Interesting, interesting, this matter is indeed very interesting.”

He suddenly asked again, “This assignment, I wonder if it was Xue Er Gongzi who gave him?”

Shi Xiuyun said, “That’s right, precisely because of this that I am more convinced that my Jiejie was killed by him; in order to atone for his guilt, he gave Er Shu that assignment.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang heaved a sigh, he said, “I’m afraid it’s not in order to atone for his guilt, rather …”

Shi Xiuyun asked, “Rather what?”

Chu Liuxiang sighed and said, “This matter is very complicated, even if we tell you now, you wouldn’t understand.”

Shedding tears, Shi Xiuyun said, “I don’t want to understand either, I just want to know where my Jiejie’s body went?”

Chu Liuxiang muttered to himself irresolutely for half a day, he said, “If my guess is correct, within three days, I can bring her body back to you.”

Shi Xiuyun said, “You … you know where her body is?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “So far, I only have guesses, not certainties at all.”

Shi Xiuyun asked, “Could it be that her body was stolen?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Uh huh.”

Shi Xiuyun asked, “Who would steal her body? For what purpose? She did not have any jewelry to accompany her in burial, so whoever was stealing her body, what’s the use anyway?” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang spoke softly, “Currently, it would be best for you not ask any more questions, I promise you, within three days, I will explain everything clearly to you.”

By the time Chu Liuxiang returned to the ‘Zhi Bei Shanzhuang’, it was almost dawn.

Although Zuo Qinghou was already sleeping, as soon as he heard Chu Liuxiang came back, he immediately put on his clothes and rushed to his room. As soon as he saw him, he pulled his hand and said, “Xiongdi, I haven’t seen your shadow all day, it really drove me to death with anxiety. Where did you go? What information did you find?”

Chu Liuxiang chuckled, instead of answering his questions, he asked first, “Where is Ding Er Xia?”

Zuo Qinghou replied, “Originally Ding Lao’Er was pressing me for an answer all day long, he was simply nearly driving me crazy, but tonight, for some reason, he suddenly ran away without even saying a word. Looking at the situation, it appears something had happened at home.”

He heaved a sigh; smiling wryly, he said, “Xiongdi, not that I take joy in calamity and delight in disaster [idiom: rejoice in other people’s misfortune], but I really hope something happens in their home so that he won’t come here again to force me.”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “How about Guniang?”

Zuo Qinghou said, “She really listened to you, she locked herself inside her room all day and did not come out.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang said, “She has always been an obedient child.”

Zuo Qinghou said, “But … But what is actually going on? What should I do? I can’t keep dragging on the Ding Family like this.”

He held Chu Liuxiang’s hand tightly, and said, “Xiaongdi, you must think of a way for me.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “We always have a way, but ErGe must not rush right now, maybe within three days, everything can be resolved …”

Three days, three days … Could it be that within these three days some kind of miracle would happen?

Zuo Qinghou still wanted to ask more questions, but Chu Liuxiang unexpectedly was already asleep.

As soon as Chu Liuxiang woke up, he heard that there were two people waiting for him outside.

One was a Beggar Gang disciple, Zuo Er’ye already invited him to drink tea in the living room, but the other person refused to tell the reason for his visit, moreover, he has been waiting outside the main gate, refusing to come in. _{Translated by foxs}

The person who answered the call was Zuo Sheng, he was Zuo Er’ye’s trusted aide, naturally he was a very astute, capable and experienced man.

When asked by Chu Lixuang, he thought for a moment, and then said with an apologetic smile, “This person looks very ordinary, but his manner is very suspicious. Moreover, he is not telling the truth.”

“Oh?” Chu Liuxiang said.

Zuo Sheng said, “He said that he rushed over from afar, but Xiaoren [little/lowly person] noticed that he is very clean, without the slightest sign of windblown dust [hardships of travel, fig. vicissitudes of life], and the horse he rode did not seem to have traveled a long way either.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Do you think he looks like a trained martial art master?”

Zuo Sheng said, “His steps are light and quick, his movements are also very nimble. Although he seems to have a bit of martial art skill, he definitely does not look like a Jianghu person. Xiaoren dares to guarantee that in all his life he never left Songjiang Fu for more than a hundred li.”

Chu Liuxiang chuckled and said, “No wonder Er’ye always says you are capable. Merely based on your pair of eyes, there are very few people in Jianghu who can catch up with you.”

Zuo Sheng hurriedly bowed and said, “Isn’t all that thanks to Er’ye and Xiang Shuai’s guidance?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang asked, “Where is Er’ye?”

“Er’ye took two doses of tranquilizing medicine from Zhang Lao Xiansheng, it was only noon that he took a rest, now he still hasn’t woken up yet.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “How about Da Guniang?”

Zuo Sheng said, “Guniang’s countenance looks pretty good, moreover, she can eat well, only she did not allow anybody to enter her room, she stays in the room with the door closed all day …”

He heaved a sigh. Lowering his voice, he said, “Xiang Shuai should know, Guniang has never been like this before, she never wanted to stay in the house, this matter … this matter is indeed a bit demonical.”

Muttering to himself irresolutely, Chu Liuxiang said, “I’ll have to trouble you to report to Guniang, just tell her that I will definitely have good news to let her know tomorrow, tell her not to worry.”

Zuo Sheng said, “Would you, the Senior, like to go to the living room first to see that Gai Bang’s Xiao Xiongdi?”

“All right,” Chu Liuxiang replied.

Obviously Xiao Tuzi has been waiting impatiently, he was looking to the east and glancing to the west, as soon as he saw Chu Liuxiang, he immediately came forward to pay his respect, and then he said with a laugh, “The matter that Xiang Shuai ordered us to do yesterday, today we already made some progress.” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, “You guys work really fast.”

Xiao Tuzi said, “Yesterday, as soon as Xiang Shuai briefed us, Dage immediately called Xiongdi in the whole city to go around making some inquiries if there are any strangers with northern dialect staying in the city recently. This morning, we already have information.”

Chu Liuxiang smiled slightly, waiting for him to continue.

Xiao Tuzi said, “There are altogether eleven visitors from the north who came to Songjiang Fu recently, six of them are leather goods dealers from Zhangjiakou, they are in their forties or fifties, naturally they are not the people Xiang Shuai is looking for.”

“Uh huh,” Chu Liuxiang said.

Xiao Tuzi said, “The other four are Biao Shi [armed escorts] from the Capital [of the country], two of them are very young, but we have already checked their background, among the four, none has the surname Ye.”

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, “And the other two?” [Maybe Gu Long was not good in math?] _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Xiao Tuzi said, “Those two are a couple of husband and wife, both are very young, and both are very good-looking. Reportedly they are some high-ranking official of the Capital’s gongzi, taking his newly-wed wife to Jiangnan for sightseeing, while wanting to taste Songjiang Fu’s luyu in passing, but even the attendant at the inn knew they were lying.”

“Oh?” Chu Liuxiang said, “How did you see that?”

Xiao Tuzi said, “Because they said they came here for a scenic tour, but they hid in their room all day long and did not dare to come out. Furthermore, they never ate a single luyu. Although the clothes they wore are very luxurious, their style is very modest, they are not generous, they do not have the air of a wealthy Shaoye the slightest bit.”

He chuckled, and then said in low voice, “I heard from the inn-attendant brother, one day he inadvertently saw this Da Shaoye unexpectedly washed his laopo’s [wife] feet. His laopo did not like it that the water was too hot, so she kicked the whole basin of the foot washing water on this Da Shaoye, this Da Shaoye did not even dare to release a fart.”

Chu Liuxiang’s eyes lit up, he asked, “Is he surnamed Ye?”

Xiao Tuzi said, “The name he registered was Li Mingsheng, but the name can be changed.”

“That’s right, you can use fake names … Which inn do these two people stay at?”

Xiao Tuzi replied, “It’s the old Fu Sheng Inn at the East City Gate.” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang said, “All right, you go there first and wait for me, I will come later.”

A white horse was tied under a willow tree by the river, a man in dark green clothes was standing under the tree, his eyes were fixed on the main gate of the ‘Zhi Bei Shanzhuang.”

Chu Liuxiang did not recognize him at all, but he recognized Chu Liuxiang.

Chu Liuxiang asked him, “What is your [precious] business?”

The man in dark green clothes only said, “Zhuren [Master, in master-servant relationship] has a very important matter to see Xiang Shuai.”

Chu Liuxiang asked him, “Who is your Jia Zhuren [master of the family]?”

The man in dark green clothes said with an apologetic smile, “He is Xiang Shuai‘s old friend, as soon as Xiang Shuai sees him, you will know, currently he is waiting respectfully ahead, specially ordered Xiaoren to come here to present the invitation.”

Chu Liuxiang asked him, “Why didn’t your Jia Zhuren come? Why didn’t he allow you to speak out his surname and given name?”

The man in dark green clothes refused to say anything, he simply bowed down with apologetic smile, but it was obviously a fake smile, a fake smile harboring malicious intentions. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang also smiled. Fixing his gaze on him, he spoke leisurely, “You don’t want to say anything, how do you know I will go with you?”

The man in dark green clothes said with apologetic smile, “If Xiang Shuai doesn’t go, wouldn’t you never know who my Jia Zhuren is? This way, Xiang Shuai will always feel a bit of regret!”

Chu Liuxiang laughed heartily and said, “Very well, your Jia Zhuren really has accurately grasped my shortcomings. If I don’t go to meet him, I’m afraid I won’t even be able to sleep.”

The man in dark green clothes said with a laugh, “My Jia Zhuren already said that there is absolutely no person in the world that Chu Xiang Shuai does not dare to meet, and there is absolutely no place that Chu Xiang Shuai does not dare to go.”

While talking, he already untied the saddle tied to the tree, used his sleeve to wipe off the dust on the saddle, bowed with apologetic smile and said, “Xiang Shuai, please.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “I ride the horse, what about you?”

The man in dark green clothes laughed and said, “I’m no longer needed, naturally this horse will take Xiang Shuai there.”

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