A Scheme to Turn the Tables

Before Zhang Chen had even reached Blacksmith Cui's home, he could already hear the distant clang-clang of iron being hammered. Two donkey carts were tied up before Blacksmith Cui's gate.

"Eh? Does Blacksmith Cui have visitors?"

Just as Zhang Chen was examining the donkey carts, Wang Wu's gate suddenly opened. Five men dressed as old farmers emerged from Wang Wu's home with rice straw in their arms. Zhang Chen saw the five old farmers, and they saw him as well. When one of them noticed Zhang Chen staring fixedly at the donkey carts, his hand slowly slipped into the rice straw. Yet an older, deeply wrinkled farmer pressed down on his arm and whispered, "Don't be nervous. He's a hunter from this village. I've seen him before."

Zhang Chen had seen that older farmer before. He was the same old farmer who had exchanged five hundred copper coins for prey from him last time.

Zhang Chen's pupils contracted at the sight. Where would Wang Wu's house get rice straw? This is clearly meant to pull the wool over people's eyes! There are probably weapons wrapped inside that straw. These people are no simple folk!

Especially when Zhang Chen saw one man reach into the rice straw, his nerves tightened. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Run? A monk may run, but the temple cannot run. Little Sister is still here! If these people ask around even a little, they'll surely trace Mother and Little Sister.

As for the iron blade in his basket, with both sides standing face-to-face like this, he feared he would be chopped into mincemeat before he could even draw it.

Unless I run out and report this to the authorities immediately. But Blacksmith Cui inside probably won't survive either. They'll kill him to silence him. Myriad thoughts raced through Zhang Chen's mind. Just as he did not know what to do, the old farmer-looking man fixed his eyes on him. "Are you a hunter from the mountains, young man?"

"Yes. I bought an iron shovel on credit from Blacksmith Cui some days ago. I caught a little mountain game, so I came to settle the debt." Zhang Chen's expression was relaxed, as though he had no idea how dangerous the situation was.

The old farmer's gaze fell upon the little piglet in Zhang Chen's hands. "That's good stuff. Are you selling that piglet?"

"Of course I am. If your price is fair, old sir, you can take this piglet." Zhang Chen shook the muntjac in his hand.

"How much do you want?" The old farmer-looking man stared at Zhang Chen.

"When this piglet grows up, it will yield at least three hundred jin of meat. Three taels of silver isn't too much to ask, is it?" Zhang Chen said with a smile.

"Not too much, of course not! I'll take the piglet and all your other game as well. How about four taels of silver altogether?" The old farmer's gaze swept over the muntjac and pheasant hanging from Zhang Chen's shoulder.

"You're generous, sir." Zhang Chen agreed with a beaming smile.

Hearing this, the old farmer took out four taels of silver from his sleeve, counted them, and handed them to Zhang Chen. Zhang Chen then passed over the muntjac. "Money and goods settled cleanly."

"If you catch any muntjac or other somewhat larger animals in the future, bring them here to Blacksmith Cui. Have him collect them for me. I'll take all comers." The old farmer smiled as he looked at the game.

In these times, getting meat was truly no easy matter. Especially piglets—if raised, they could eventually multiply into an entire litter.

The hunters drove their donkey carts away at an unhurried pace. Zhang Chen, standing before Blacksmith Cui's gate, was drenched in cold sweat. His eyes followed the carts vanishing into the night, while his body shook without stop. "I was only a thread away from a fatal calamity! Only a thread away! I have to become stronger. I need to find new skills as soon as possible. I have a feeling this little village will be dragged into trouble someday."

"I have to make gunpowder as quickly as possible. Otherwise, I won't have even a shred of power to protect myself against people like them. There's absolutely no sense of security in this era." With a sigh, Zhang Chen became even more determined to make gunpowder.

With the game gone, Zhang Chen had no need to visit Blacksmith Cui. Listening to the clang-clang sounds from inside Blacksmith Cui's home, Zhang Chen understood perfectly well that Blacksmith Cui had boarded a pirate ship and had no chance of getting off. Zhang Chen, on the other hand, had only just brushed against the matter and could still retreat unscathed.

I should have less to do with Blacksmith Cui in the future, Zhang Chen silently told himself.

This time, Zhang Chen returned home empty-handed. Fortunately, he had caught plenty of game these past days, so the Fox Spirit next door had not run out of food and would not trouble him for the time being.

At that moment, the Fox Spirit next door sat before her window, watching Zhang Chen return safely. Her large eyes were full of confusion. "How strange! Why didn't this brat bring back any game today? Has this fool finally learned to hide some for himself? I wonder how far that 'grave rat' has dug. Has he reached the entrance of the great tomb yet?"

The Fox Spirit stared at Zhang Chen. Seeing his dusty, disheveled appearance, she was equally puzzled.

After Zhang Chen returned home and boiled water to wash up, he began pondering how to learn to read. There's only one person nearby who can read and write. He's Zhang Chen's current teacher, the one called Five Six Teacher. According to village gossip, he is versed in ancient and modern knowledge, a man of genuine learning. After Zhang Chen became his disciple, he could decipher all sorts of ancient texts and books, so he clearly has real skill. And since Zhang Chen could become his disciple, there's no reason I can't!

Countless thoughts flowed through Zhang Chen's mind. He did not know how Zhang Chen had become Five Six Teacher's disciple, but if that bookworm could do it, there was no reason he could not.

Then Zhang Chen began considering the tuition gift for apprenticing himself. He currently had five taels of silver, and with the five taels he had saved before, he could scrape together ten taels. If he went hunting in the mountains for some pheasants and rabbits to use as an apprenticeship gift, it should be enough.

With those thoughts in mind, Zhang Chen finished washing, ate roasted meat, then lay on his bed and drifted into sleep.

The next morning, Zhang Chen entered the mountains to inspect his traps. To his surprise, they had caught two wild ducks, a pheasant, and a swan. Looking at the struggling swan in the trap, Zhang Chen was astonished. He had not expected such luck. It seemed the nearby flock of swans had not yet left.

Zhang Chen carefully tied up the prey. He did not dare return home, afraid that the Fox Spirit would simply carry the game away. Instead, he headed directly for Five Six Teacher's home with the prey.

Five Six Teacher did not live in the village, but in a thatched cottage in the mountains.

From afar, Zhang Chen could see a beautiful landscape of clear springs, waterfalls, and lofty mountains. A thatched cottage stood not far from the waterfall, while more than ten sturdy men with sabers at their waists bustled through the forest, some cooking and some airing out books.

This was Zhang Chen's first visit to Five Six Teacher. Looking from afar at those dozen or so broad-shouldered, thick-waisted "book attendants" wearing sabers, his pupils contracted. Especially when he saw the bulging muscles their clothes could not conceal, confusion rose within him. These are book attendants? This is the display of a scholar? No wonder Five Six Teacher dared build a cottage in the mountains. He has guards.

Just as Zhang Chen was cursing inwardly, a man dressed as a book attendant noticed him. He shouted sharply, "Who's there?" As he spoke, his hand caressed the hilt of his saber and he advanced cautiously toward Zhang Chen. The surrounding book attendants also stopped what they were doing upon hearing the commotion, their hands settling on the hilts of their blades. Pair after pair of eyes watched Zhang Chen like tigers eyeing prey, startling him into quickly raising the swan in his hand.

"I'm a villager from below the mountain. I came to ask Five Six Teacher to accept me as his disciple!"

"Apprenticeship?" The man sized Zhang Chen up and down. Seeing his farmer's attire, especially his weathered face that could not deceive anyone, he mocked, "What a wild dreamer. A poor brat like you thinks you deserve to become our teacher's disciple? Get out of here at once, before you foul this tranquil place."

As he drove Zhang Chen away, he raised his broadsword and smacked at him with the flat of the blade. Faced with so many powerful men, Zhang Chen did not dare argue and could only swallow his anger as he retreated.

"Stop!"

At that moment, a woman's voice rang out from the thatched cottage. A girl in white emerged, holding a scripture scroll in her hand, and rebuked the men, stopping the situation from escalating.

The girl's white robes drifted around her, and she seemed steeped in immortal grace, like someone ascending beyond the mortal world. Her features were exquisite beyond compare; even the mountains and waters seemed to pale before her. Upon seeing the girl, the men all bowed in unison and did not dare act rashly again. Zhang Chen stared at the girl, who seemed like a celestial maiden descending into the world, and froze. Could she be Five Six Teacher?

"This one, Zhang Chen, pays respects to Teacher. Please accept me as your disciple and impart your knowledge to me." Zhang Chen hurriedly dropped to his knees and offered up the pair of swans in his hands.

The girl's eyes swept over Zhang Chen before settling on the pair of swans. A trace of surprise appeared in her gaze. "They are indeed rare things. Even nobles of Wang Gong's rank rarely get to taste them. You used them as an apprenticeship gift, so you have put some thought into this."

"As long as Teacher likes them, that is enough," Zhang Chen quickly said.

The girl shook her head. "I am not the teacher. You have mistaken me for someone else."

Zhang Chen froze at her words, his face immediately reddening as he hurriedly climbed to his feet. He had actually gotten it wrong. "May I ask this young lady's name?"

Seeing Zhang Chen's embarrassed, flushed face, the girl smiled. "My name is Zhu Qingyan. I am Teacher's disciple. Unfortunately, you came at the wrong time. Teacher has gone traveling and will not return for at least half a year. Your pair of swans probably will not live that long. I'll pay fifty taels of silver to buy them and have a taste of something fresh. That way, they will not die and go to waste."

Zhang Chen was disappointed, but he also knew that fifty taels of silver was an exceptionally high price. Though his pair of swans was rare, they could not sell for even twenty taels.

"I'll do as you say, Miss," Zhang Chen said at once.

The girl was straightforward. She turned and entered the thatched cottage, then brought out fifty taels of silver and handed them to Zhang Chen. She also instructed one of the men beside her to take the swans away.

Zhang Chen took his leave. The girl watched his departing back, gently shook her head without saying anything further, then turned and returned indoors.

As Zhang Chen descended the mountain, his brows knitted together. What should I do now? Teacher has gone traveling. How am I supposed to decipher the writing on the Stone Tablet?

Thoughts churned in Zhang Chen's mind, leaving him with a deeply furrowed brow. While he was thinking, he suddenly saw a flash of snowy white in the mountains. The White-Haired Fox was squatting atop a small hill, looking at him with a mocking expression.

Seeing the Fox Spirit, Zhang Chen's heart suddenly stirred. I have an idea!

"The Fox Spirit often carries things away from my home. If I accidentally let the rubbing fall into the Fox Spirit's hands, and she shows it to Zhang Chen, then Zhang Chen can read it aloud to her. Wouldn't I then learn the contents of the text?" Zhang Chen silently gave himself a nod of approval. I really am a little genius.

"Of course, there's another issue. The Ancient Tomb will very likely be discovered by the Fox Spirit." Thoughts flashed through Zhang Chen's mind. "But there are so many Experience Points inside that Ancient Tomb, so something strange must be lurking there. The Fox Spirit watches me every day. I might as well turn the tables and use her to probe the Ancient Tomb's secrets. If there is something strange inside, the Fox Spirit and that strange thing can fight until both sides are wounded, and I can pick up the spoils. If there is nothing strange inside, then at worst I'll give all the treasures to the Fox Spirit. With her watching me all day long, even if I obtain treasure, I won't be able to keep it. The most important thing for me is deciphering the writing on the Stone Tablet. I might even gain a new skill, and then find a way to restrain the Fox Spirit. That is what matters most."

"Then it's settled!" Zhang Chen made his decision. His eyes swept over the bushes, but the Fox Spirit had already disappeared.

"Ink is a rare commodity. It is only sold in the city, and the Fox Spirit keeps watching me. I'm afraid I won't have a chance to leave the village." Zhang Chen was troubled, but he soon had an idea. His gaze fell upon the muntjac beside him. "Perhaps I can use fresh blood in place of ink."

As for paper, it was precious, but not that precious. Zhang Chen had some at home. It had been left behind by Zhang Chen's cheap father, though unfortunately...

When Zhang Chen returned home, he indeed found the Fox Spirit squatting in the courtyard and watching him. Zhang Chen ignored her and hung the game directly on the wall. He did not have to wait long before the pheasant on the wall vanished without a trace. The Fox Spirit was becoming more and more brazen in her actions, only half-concealing them now.

Zhang Chen paid her no mind. He merely hid the silver against his chest. Now that golden light protected him, he was not afraid of the Fox Spirit stealing his silver.

He dug out the paper his father had brought years ago from a chest beneath the bed, carefully brushed off the dust, then rolled it up and stuffed it into his basket.

He remembered that his father had been a refined man, always wearing a gentle smile. Unfortunately, he had been short-lived. Not long after coming here, he married that widow and croaked.

Zhang Chen took his basket and headed into the mountains again, where he began checking his traps and gathering bletilla.

To make a rubbing of the inscription, the most important thing was bletilla. After crushing it into paste and smearing its juice over the Stone Tablet, he could continue with the rubbing.

But after searching for half the day, Zhang Chen did not find any bletilla.

"There isn't even bletilla in these mountains." Zhang Chen frowned. He had not expected his grand rubbing plan to die in the womb just as it began.

"Should I just use fresh blood instead?" Zhang Chen pondered for a long time and could find no substitute. He could only set his sights on animal blood.

"I can give it a try." With an idea in mind, Zhang Chen carried the pheasant and his supplies toward the underground hole.

P.S. Brothers, do you have any recommendation tickets?