Chapter 119 (1): That's Reasonable
The Embroidered Flower River was extremely elegant and beautiful. Gentle waves rippled across the green surface of the water, and the river was wide yet gave off a warm feeling at the same time.
The southbound ship that Chen Ping'an and the others were on consisted of two levels, with most of the passengers being scholars in azure or merchants and travelers. Li Baoping wasn't afraid of unfamiliar people, and she enjoyed walking into crowded areas with her small bookcase on her back. She would prick up her ears and listen to their conversations.
When the scholars saw that it was an energetic but well-behaved little girl standing at a comfortable distance and carrying a small green bookcase, which signified that she was on a journey for knowledge, they would often smile kindly and not pay too much heed to her. They would continue their conversations without a worry in their minds.
Li Huai carefully manipulated the donkey leash as he rode it in circles around a small area at the bow of the ship. He appeared much like a domineering general inspecting the borders of his nation. Strangely enough, the white donkey only allowed Li Huai to ride it. This caused Li Huai to feel immense happiness.
As for returning this donkey to Wei Jin from the Divine Platform branch of Wind Snow Temple, and regarding asking him for generous compensation, Li Huai had naturally forgotten about these important matters and treated them as nothing more than wind passing by his ears.
Lin Shouyi walked up to Chen Ping'an and sat down with his back against the rail of the ship. He hesitated briefly before asking, "Aren't you curious about why A'Liang called me a Qi refiner? And about how I became a Qi refiner?"
Chen Ping'an paused his motions of slicing the green bamboo with his machete, and he replied with a smile, "Of course I'm curious. However, I felt like it wouldn't be right to ask. I was afraid that you would overthink things."
Lin Shouyi felt slightly dejected. Among the three disciples from the private school, even a blind person could tell that Chen Ping'an only truly cared for one of them — Li Baoping. Between him and Li Huai, Chen Ping'an most likely had a better relationship with the latter. Lin Shouyi wasn't sure whether this was because both Chen Ping'an and Li Huai had grown up in impoverished alleys in the small town, or whether it was because he was too taciturn and reserved. In any case, the young boy didn't care much about these trivial matters either.
However, Lin Shouyi still couldn't help but feel a little gloomy.
"Do you know about the impressive power of the small gourd or not?" he asked.
Chen Ping'an quietly observed the surroundings before nodding and replying in a low voice, "Even A'Liang said that it was a rare Sword Nurturing Gourd or whatnot, so of course it's extremely precious and rare."
"Then do you know how great an opportunity you lost when you turned down the offer to drink from it when you were practicing your fist technique?" Lin Shouyi asked. "It was because I continued to drink wine from the small gourd that I was able to officially set foot on the path of cultivation and become a Qi refiner. Or in the eyes of ordinary people, become an immortal who cultivates in the mountains.
"When we first embarked on this journey, I was the person who struggled the most to keep up. After drinking that wine, however, I could sense that my body had transformed completely, whether that be my bones or tendons, my vision or hearing, or my stamina or strength. After a while, I was even able to keep up with you. Did you not realize this?"
Chen Ping'an subconsciously rubbed the cool green bamboo strips with his fingers and replied, "In fact, you were already traversing the mountain paths with ease when we left the banks of the Iron Talisman River and approached Go Table Mountain."
Lin Shouyi's expression didn't change, and he calmly replied, "Oh, so you already knew."
"A'Liang was a very lazy person. He's extremely capable, but he's not willing to take care of trivial matters," Chen Ping'an explained with a smile. "As the person leading the group, I naturally had to be mindful of each person's stamina and limits. I needed to understand when to stop and take a rest. By doing this, you guys could improve your stamina without feeling too tired. The journey ahead of us is still long, so I hope you guys won't need to face too many hardships and struggles in the future."
Lin Shouyi suddenly crossed his arms and humphed coldly as he looked at Chen Ping'an's expression. "I wouldn't believe these words if they were spoken by anyone else."
Chen Ping'an waved the bamboo strip in his hand and asked with a smile, "I'm becoming more and more skilled at this. However, the last bookcase I make will definitely be the best-looking one. So, I'll give this one to Li Huai first? If that's the case, then I'll make this one a little bit smaller."
Lin Shouyi shot a glance at the little boy who was riding the old donkey before shaking his head and saying, "Forget about it. Make my bookcase first. At worst, I'll just have to listen to some of his grumblings."
"Then I'll use some more rope and try to make it as sturdy as I can," Chen Ping'an chuckled. "You're a powerful immortal after all, so if you end up flying around like A'Liang in the future, the bookcase will break in no time if I don't make it sturdier."
Lin Shouyi heaved a sigh. He didn't feel like he was stupid, but it was truly difficult for him to keep up with Chen Ping'an's thoughts. He suddenly recalled something that had bugged him for a long time, and he asked in curiosity, "Back when we were staying at Pillow Relay Station, why did you reveal the truth about Zhu He and Zhu Lu's departure to Li Baoping not long after A'Liang left?"
Chen Ping'an's expression became serious, and he countered, "Do you think I have a better relationship with Li Baoping, or with that father and daughter?"
"Nonsense," Lin Shouyi snapped in reply.
Chen Ping'an nodded and explained, "And that's why I had to explain the situation to Li Baoping. She needed to understand what these people from her clan had done. I have a fairly good understanding of what kind of person Zhu Lu is. When A'Liang purposely laid a trap for her at that time, she wasn't simply wavering due to hesitation. Instead, she hoped that her father Zhu He... could step forward again.
"Back in Go Table Mountain, it was because of her actions that we were dragged into a perilous situation. However, since we all pulled through unscathed, I could forgive her by thinking that she was simply flustered because she was anxious to save her father. If I were in her position, I wouldn't have necessarily done any better. Thus, even though I was angry, I didn't say anything to scold her or blame her. However, her actions at Pillow Relay Station were simply unforgivable. To say nothing of her Young Mistress Li Baoping, I feel like Zhu Lu would be willing to betray anyone as long as the price is right."
There was a tinge of sadness in Chen Ping'an's voice as he continued, "If she doesn't change, then there'll eventually come a day when her actions will cause her father to die. After leaving Red Candle Town alive, I don't want to see a decent person like Zhu He die at the hands of his own daughter. She can still enjoy the company of her father, so why doesn't she understand to cherish this?"
"Do you really think that all parents in the world are good parents?" Lin Shouyi asked with a cold expression.
"I don't care about the others; my parents were extremely good parents!" Chen Ping'an said firmly.
Lin Shouyi's expression was slightly dark. However, what Chen Ping'an said next caused his expression to lighten a little. "Zhu He is a good person, but it seems like he doesn't really know how to discipline his daughter. Since some of her actions are clearly wrong, why doesn't he say anything and try to educate her? I don't understand this. Lin Shouyi, you're a smart person, so do you know why this is?"
Lin Shouyi appeared slightly worn out, and he replied, "Perhaps this is a blind spot for him. However, the simple concept of 'parental love' isn't something that can be applied to every parent in the world. Chen Ping'an, every family has its own hardships. Your parents passed away early, and it's because of this that you don't need to worry about some of these matters. Of course, I'm not trying to imply anything else. If this sounds grating on the ear, then just ignore what I said."
Chen Ping'an waved a hand and said with a smile, "No, it's all good."
Lin Shouyi glanced at Chen Ping'an's hair and said, "Your hairpin vanished just like that, and you're not going to look for it?"
Chen Ping'an continued to busy himself with the strips of bamboo. He shook his head and replied, "It can't be found. Being as miserly as I am, do you really think I'd be careless enough to lose such a precious belonging?"
Lin Shouyi's expression became strange, and he remarked, "No wonder A'Liang said that I should swap names with you."
"There's some deeper meaning behind this?" Chen Ping'an asked in curiosity.
However, Lin Shouyi had already changed the topic. He leaned forward slightly and said to the expert craftsman Chen Ping'an, "Can you add a bit of a curve to this part of the bookcase? Otherwise, it will look too straight and boring. It's better if the bookcase has a good balance of straight edges and curves. That way, it will also look better from a distance."
Chen Ping'an nodded and said, "I'll try my best. However, I won't take any responsibility if it comes out looking bad."
Knowing that Chen Ping'an was someone who always stayed true to his word, Lin Shouyi, who had high expectations for his bookcase, couldn't help but feel anxious. "No, that certainly won't do," he hurriedly said. "These stalks of bamboo from Go Table Mountain are extremely precious and rare, and one stalk used is one stalk gone. My bookcase needs to be pleasing to the eye, and at the same time, it also needs to be functional and sturdy. Chen Ping'an, you can slow down a bit when you cut the bamboo with your machete. When you're making the frame, you can also stop and give it some more thought. Yes, you definitely need to give it some more thought..."
However, Chen Ping'an's movements remained quick as he continued to cut the bamboo with his machete. Bamboo scraps and offcuts continued to fall to the floor. Chen Ping'an then picked these up and placed them into his basket. Lin Shouyi was horrified by what he saw. Seeing the aloof young boy's worried expression from the corners of his eyes, Chen Ping'an suppressed his laughter and said, "How about I make your bookcase last."
"My name is Lin Shouyi, so how can I go back on my words[1]?" the young boy replied with an angry expression.
Chen Ping'an suddenly understood why A'Liang liked to tease others so much. This was a fairly good feeling.
With the donkey following behind him, Li Huai swaggered over to them and asked openly, "Chen Ping'an, do you think A'Liang will return tomorrow?"
"Have you forgotten?" Chen Ping'an looked up and asked.
Li Huai hurriedly covered his mouth with his hands. After a while, he put his hands down and thievishly glanced at the surroundings. Only then did he let go of the donkey leash and squat down opposite Chen Ping'an. He lowered his voice and said, "Then the day after tomorrow. That will also be fine. Anyway, I'll only wait until the day we disembark from the ship. If A'Liang still hasn't returned by that time, then I won't view him as a friend anymore. Chen Ping'an, tell me, am I already being very generous? I am, right? When A'Liang falls to his knees and begs me for forgiveness at that time... Mhm, you can say a few words for him, and I'll reluctantly agree to become friends with him again."
Lin Shouyi decided to shut his eyes and completely ignore his classmate. This was one of the best ways to deal with Li Huai.
Lin Shouyi had never seen such a punchable person before. In fact, he was genuinely curious about whether he would take pleasure in Li Huai's misfortune if calamity did one day befall him.
There was the bray of a donkey, followed by the sound of a small child falling to the deck and bawling.
Li Huai looked over with a slightly baffled expression. The white donkey had gotten itself into some trouble. The small child had most likely run over to tease the donkey for fun, but the white donkey was extremely short-tempered and wasn't having a bar of it. Even though it wouldn't attack people, it could definitely frighten a small child who dared to mess around with it. In fact, it was doing so right now, raising its front hooves and forcefully stomping them into the deck again and again. The small child was so terrified that he didn't even dare to cry anymore.
Chen Ping'an immediately put his machete and the bamboo strips down before briskly walking over. He carefully helped the small child up before turning to the white donkey and gesturing for it to calm down. Even though the donkey was still a little restless, it did indeed cease its stomping after seeing Chen Ping'an's gestures. It quietly stood where it was.
The small child was dressed in satin, and he wildly swung his arms as he attempted to break free from Chen Ping'an's helping hands. When he saw his elders rushing over from the second level of the ship, he instantly started to wail and scream again. A solidly-built man in black quickly strode over, with one step enough to cover three ordinary steps. He arrived beside the small child in a flash, and he squatted down and asked quietly, "What's wrong, Young Master Yu?"
Chen Ping'an waved at Li Huai who was attempting to sneakily scurry away. Li Huai shrunk back in fear, but when he caught Chen Ping'an's gaze, he finally didn't dare to run away anymore. He walked next to Chen Ping'an and hung his head in anxiousness. "My little white donkey definitely wouldn't bite people for no reason. I'm not lying to you, Chen Ping'an..." he said meekly.
"Mhm. However, you still have to apologize to them," Chen Ping'an said softly.
Li Huai looked up and complained in an upset voice, "But why? It was that child who provoked my little white donkey first. My donkey didn't hurt him either, so why do I have to apologize to him? It should be that immature child who apologizes to me!"
Chen Ping'an was just about to explain this to Li Huai.
However, Li Baoping had already run back from somewhere in the distance and stood next to Chen Ping'an. Meanwhile, Lin Shouyi had also stood up. However, he needed to stay put to keep an eye on their belongings.
Someone standing behind the small child roared in an angry and dignified voice, "What an impudent beast! You actually dare to wound people?!"
This was a middle-aged man who was radiating with the mighty aura of an official. His expression was grim, and he swept his gaze across Chen Ping'an and the others. "Where are your guardians? Tell them to get out here!"
Chen Ping'an's expression was calm, and he said quietly, "Li Huai."
Already half-hidden behind Chen Ping'an, Li Huai timidly said, "It was my fault for not keeping an eye on my little white donkey. Sorry for scaring your child."
After mustering his courage to apologize to these strangers, Li Huai immediately started to choke up.
A'Liang had once teased him and called him a chicken who only dared to act aggressively at home, but could only act meekly once he went out. His observations were indeed keen and correct.
Chen Ping'an patted Li Huai's head before turning to the middle-aged man and asking, "Is there anything else we can do for you?"
The middle-aged man sneered and said, "Such big words from a small child! Tell your parents or guardians to come over and speak!"
A graceful-looking woman had a distressed expression as she picked up the small child. As she listened to the child in her arms explaining the situation, the frown on her face grew deeper and deeper. This was especially the case when she heard her child recounting the violent behavior of the donkey crashing around and biting everyone it came across. If he hadn't fled quickly enough, his arm would have definitely been bitten off by that fierce and unruly beast.
The woman shook in fury, and she yelled, "Aren't you going to do anything about this?! You were given the cold shoulder in the capital for so many years, yet you're still going to allow a beast to harass your son after going to such great pains to move somewhere else? Even if you don't feel ashamed, I, a woman, feel ashamed for you!"
Chen Ping'an took a deep breath before saying to the gloomy-faced middle-aged man, "Our guardians aren't accompanying us, so I'm the one in charge of everything."
The woman's gaze shifted sideways, and she coldly glared at Chen Ping'an and the others as she taunted, "They can't even manage a four-legged beast properly, so how can these two-legged things be any better? Bunch of motherless filth!"
Li Baoping trembled in anger, and her face was bright red as she retorted, "Little white donkey is super obedient! We'll apologize if we did anything wrong, but you can't slander us for things that we didn't do! If you're so capable, then why don't you question that child again? You can throw accusations after you've made heads or tails of the situation!"
Lin Shouyi's expression was dark and sinister as he raised his arm toward his chest.
The stack of yellow paper talismans was wide-ranging in level, and with Lin Shouyi's novice cultivation base and physique, he could only manipulate the three lowest-level talismans.
Chen Ping'an shot a quick glance at Lin Shouyi, subtly questioning him about the situation. Lin Shouyi nodded in reply, signaling that the Yin god wasn't far away from here. He had already initiated contact with him, and the Yin god could appear at any time.
Chen Ping'an retracted his gaze and said to the middle-aged man with a solemn expression, "I hope that lady can apologize to us."
1. The Shouyi (守一) in his name literally means remaining loyal to one thing. ☜
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