Dusk Crossing Xiaoshan

Chapter 44: Dusk Crossing Xiaoshan

Xiaoshan Town lay three hundred li southwest of Auspicious Light City. It was a garrison settlement established by the Protectorate Office upon the wilderness plains. The entire town had roughly three thousand people; one-third were rotating militia, while the rest were permanent residents responsible for farming and land reclamation.

Zhang Yu's group each had two horses and arrived before evening. They would need to remain here for at least two days, investigating whether there were followers of the Other God Cult and, in passing, clearing out any Spiritual Aberrants that might be present.

The townsfolk were exceedingly warm. Seeing them ride in, they came forward to greet them and offer help. Quite a few children came running out in jubilant excitement, climbing fences and high places to watch them curiously.

Under the arrangements of the settlement affairs officer, the group placed their baggage in a residence built here by the Profound Residence. Afterward, visitors came endlessly, most of them settlement clerks and local town officials from Xiaoshan Town.

Naturally, Zhang Yu and the other four received the most visitors. Since Profound Residence disciples traveled abroad under the identity of Daoists, those who came to see them would also take the opportunity to pray to gods and seek divination.

Private belief was not prohibited within the Protectorate Office, but people could only worship the ancestors of the Celestial Xia People. Things such as Strange Gods were absolutely among those forbidden and expelled.

Zhang Yu did not consider their actions ignorant. This place was far from the civilized heartland of the Protectorate Office and could be called a barbaric frontier. Strange Monsters and savages often roamed nearby, threatening the lives of the townsfolk. Praying to their ancestors and extraordinary powers for safety not only gave them peace of mind, but also offered comfort to their families.

The town's superintendent of education, Chen Zheng, had graduated from Taiyang Academy and had served as the affairs officer here for six years. Upon learning that Zhang Yu had also come from Taiyang Academy, and was even an assistant instructor, he was overjoyed.

He knew that many people who came out of the Academy disliked social engagements. Since the sky had not yet fully darkened, he simply acted as a guide himself and led Zhang Yu out to familiarize him with the surrounding area.

The two rode out of Xiaoshan Town and headed north into a sparse woodland. In the distance, they could see vast green fields, but as they drew closer, Zhang Yu noticed broken walls and ruined structures hidden amid the grass. He asked, "Brother Chen, are there ancient ruins here as well?"

Chen Zheng said, "There are, and they are not small in scale. The Academy previously sent people to survey the surrounding geography. They concluded that a vast lake likely existed here in ancient times, and those ruins were an ancient city built beside that lake."

There was naturally a reason Xiaoshan Town had been established here. Although that enormous ancient lake had vanished, a substantial underground river still flowed beneath the earth.

Hearing this, Zhang Yu's heart stirred. Since the bone fragments of Strange Monsters contained Source Energy, he had paid particular attention, while searching documents in the Proclamation Hall, to places where ancient Strange Monsters had once lived and multiplied.

Most such places lay amid lakes and mountain ravines. Since he had come here, it was only natural that he should take a look.

After making a circuit with Chen Zheng, they found what had once been an entrance to the ruins. The two dismounted and entered on foot.

The lingering light of the setting sun fell over the desolate weeds and scattered stones. In this world, across countless years, the civilizations of several eras might have been no more than a brilliant instant, while such scenes of ruin occupied a far longer span of time.

After walking roughly a hundred paces, Zhang Yu noticed a half-collapsed stone stele nearby. He stepped forward to inspect it closely, brushing away the grime with his gloved hand before trying to make out the writing.

After studying it for a while, he said, "As expected, these are structures from the Omezzo Period."

"The Omezzo Period?" Chen Zheng thought for a moment. "Is that a definition from ancient studies?"

Zhang Yu nodded. He stamped lightly on the ground beneath his feet and said, "The land beneath us lies far from Celestial Xia's homeland. It is said that no one had visited it during the previous several eras, until we Celestial Xia People arrived here."

"But in truth, we were not the first 'outsiders' to set foot upon this land. According to the findings of earlier scholars, beyond this continent there was once a large island-continent. A civilization arose there, and its creators called themselves the Yidi people. Their most glorious age was the Omezzo Period. The Yidi people arrived on this continent before anyone else and built a great many cities here."

"Yet the Yidi people's expansion harmed the interests of the natives in the depths of the continent. According to the knotted-cord records preserved by the natives of Peace Mountain, the gods of both sides waged a God War that lasted more than three hundred years."

Chen Zheng listened with rapt attention. "What happened afterward?"

Zhang Yu said, "The exact course of events is difficult to know. In the end, the Yidi people lost the war, and the entire island-continent where they lived sank beneath the sea. The islands now scattered across the Soaring Sea are the surviving fragments of that former island-continent that did not sink. But the local natives did not fare much better. The kingdom that was said to have once ruled half the continent also fell apart not long afterward, and their descendants are the various native tribes our Protectorate Office must now face."

Chen Zheng thought for a moment, then said firmly, "We Celestial Xia People are not the Yidi people. We will not lose."

Zhang Yu nodded slightly and asked, "Brother Chen, having been in this town for so long, have you ever seen a Strange God?"

Chen Zheng said, "I have not seen a Strange God, but I have seen quite a few followers of the Other God Cult. Every time, the garrison soldiers in town drove them away." He looked at Zhang Yu, and seeing no reaction from him, said, "I thought you would ask why we did not capture them, or simply kill them."

Zhang Yu said, "I presume the town made that decision based on the most practical circumstances."

Chen Zheng sighed. "Yes. Most people in town only want to live peacefully, while the rotating militia only want to get through a few years safely before being transferred back. If we truly provoked a Strange God, the town would certainly be unable to withstand it."

The ruins covered a considerable area. As the sky gradually darkened, the two did not venture too deeply within and withdrew.

That night, the mayor of Xiaoshan Town hosted a banquet in his home. Aside from Cai Weng, Zhang Yu, and the other guests, most of the town's affairs officers and militia leaders came as well. Many townsfolk also came to join the excitement, though they merely lit bonfires outside, gathered around them to play instruments, drink wine, sing, and celebrate.

That night, everyone in town returned home thoroughly satisfied.

Early the next morning, after Zhang Yu stepped outside, Chen Zheng invited him to the town's only academy.

This Xiaoshan Academy was the finest and most carefully constructed building in the entire town. Its pointed, double-eaved roof had a typical Celestial Xia style, while classroom buildings and corridors enclosed the outer grounds on all four sides. It could accommodate roughly four to five hundred people studying here at once.

Because Zhang Yu was an assistant instructor, Chen Zheng earnestly invited him to teach a lesson here. Zhang Yu did not refuse. He explained how to avoid conflict if one happened to encounter native savages, as well as the ways various insects and wild vegetables could be eaten.

Unexpectedly, the latter subject, being novel and interesting, was especially popular with the students. After class, quite a few came to ask whether Zhang Yu could leave behind some written records of such knowledge.

Zhang Yu readily agreed and said that after returning to Auspicious Light City, he would specifically write several articles on the subject and send them over.

Because of this, Chen Zheng was deeply grateful to Zhang Yu and thanked him again and again.

Afterward, Chen Zheng invited Zhang Yu upstairs at the Academy for tea. Looking through the window at the lively children playing and frolicking in the open space, he said with feeling, "Before I came to Xiaoshan, I only wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. But after staying so long, I instead grew attached to it, as though I had entrusted something of myself here. The last time I was due to leave, the children begged me to stay, and so I remained. Now another six years have passed, and once again there is a transfer... Ah, when I see those pairs of clear, innocent eyes, I truly cannot bear to leave."

Zhang Yu asked, "What about Brother Chen's family?"

Chen Zheng sighed. "I was an orphan. Only because Celestial Xia Academy opened elementary schools did I have books to read. After leaving the Academy, I thought that more children from backgrounds like mine should also have books to read. Back then, through the matchmaking of friends, I married a woman from a good family. But I remained here for years; I could not continue delaying her life, so I sent her a letter of separation. Last year, she wrote to say that she had burned the letter and told me to teach here in peace. She said she would raise the children at home and told me not to worry."

He shook his head, his eyes faintly reddening. "She is a good wife. I am not a good husband."

Zhang Yu said, "Just now, I saw children in the school—Celestial Xia People, mixed-blood children, and many native children as well. Yet now they all write the same script and speak the same language. This is the merit of rites and enlightenment. You may have failed your small family, Brother Chen, but for Eastern Court and for Celestial Xia, your accomplishments are beyond measure. You deserve a bow from me."

As he spoke, he rose to his feet, clasped his hands, and bowed to Chen Zheng.

Chen Zheng hurriedly stood as well, returning the bow in some confusion. "How could I deserve this? How could I deserve this..."

After bowing, Zhang Yu said, "But Yu must also say this: it is not as though, without Brother Chen here, no one would come to teach in this place. You should give others an opportunity as well. Besides, carrying out Celestial Xia's rites and music does not mean you must confine yourself to one corner. With the Protectorate Office so vast, Brother Chen may go to Auspicious Light City or elsewhere and put your talents to use."

After a pause, he added, "Even if Brother Chen cannot bear to leave this place, it is only half a day's journey from Auspicious Light City. You can still find time to return and visit."

Chen Zheng froze. After a long while, it seemed he had let something go. With a solemn expression, he bowed to Zhang Yu and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Brother Zhang. Chen Zheng will remember this gratitude in his heart." He sighed. "After all these years, I think it is time for me to return and make up for the debts of the past."

Zhang Yu had come here primarily to investigate Strange Monsters and followers of the Other God Cult, so he could not remain at the Academy for too long. After parting with Chen Zheng, he took two attendants out of town and headed north to investigate.

According to the plan he had discussed with Cai Weng and the Wen Family brothers the previous night, the four of them would each take responsibility for one direction, then meet again that evening to exchange information.

Before long, he arrived near those ruins once more.

As he looked at the place, he always had the feeling that if there were a problem around Xiaoshan Town, it would certainly be connected to these ruins.

This was not without reason. The remains of those ancient structures provided natural shelter for beasts and savages on the wilderness plains, and the water source was nearby as well. Whether Strange Monsters or followers of the Other God Cult, both might come here.

When he had come yesterday, he had not discovered anything unusual. But this time, the instant he approached, a strange sensation suddenly surfaced in his heart!