Entering the Forest

Only then did the man who had brought Zhang Xiaohua and the others speak up, teasing the burly fellow, "Liu the Butcher has gone and hurt a good man again. This little brother came from Guo Village and brought news of your daughter. You were probably so frightened that you forgot all about it, weren't you?"

Liu the Butcher paid no heed to the villagers' words. He patted Zhang Xiaohua on the shoulder, making him bare his teeth in pain, and said, "One can tell at a glance that this little brother is broad-minded. How could he possibly mind such a tiny joke?"

Looking at that large hand accustomed to slaughtering pigs, Zhang Xiaohua thought, I'd like to take offense with you, but you'd have to lend me the courage first. Please, don't be so affectionate. My body has only just recovered. Yet he said aloud, "I wouldn't dare. You must be Sister Liu Yueyue's father, sir. Your heroic bearing is exactly as Sister Liu described." Then he added in his heart, More like bear-like bearing.

Hearing this, Liu the Butcher was so delighted that his eyes narrowed into slits. "Yueyue told you that? She... Right, how did Yueyue and Qianqian end up in your Guo Village? Are the two of them all right?" Well, now he finally remembered to ask after his daughter.

Mr. Liu spoke from the side. "Let's go inside and talk. Seeing how unhurried this little brother is, I imagine the two girls are all right."

With that, he invited Zhang Xiaohua, his companion, and the villagers into the house. The villager who had led the way said, "I won't go in. I should head back. I'll call Liu Kai over for you on the way."

Mr. Liu nodded his thanks and watched the villager depart before inviting Zhang Xiaohua inside for a talk.

As Zhang Xiaohua entered the courtyard, he saw that it was about the same size as his own family's, though it was simply arranged. There were not nearly as many farming tools as at his home, and the stove did not appear to be out in the open. There were roughly two rooms in front, with two rooms each to the left and right as well. He could not understand why Sister Liu's family of only three needed so many rooms. Only after entering the main room did he discover where it differed from his own home. Upon entering the Liu family's hall, one immediately saw a painting of an elderly scholar. Several plates stood before it, holding fruit, pastries, and other offerings, as though it was being worshipped. A painting hung on the left wall, showing a snowy scene with several people admiring the snow from within a pavilion. Several pieces of calligraphy hung on the right wall, their strokes dancing like dragons and phoenixes in flight. They were surely written very well, but unfortunately Zhang Xiaohua could not read them.

A square table stood directly ahead, with a teapot, several cups, and a plate of snacks upon it. Two chairs stood on either side of the table. Along the walls to either side were smaller square tables and several chairs, each table holding a pot planted with flowers or greenery. Looking again at the four corners of the room, he saw that each held several potted plants as well.

Looking at this room so utterly different from his own little home, Zhang Xiaohua sighed inwardly. Is this the difference between scholars and Agriculturalists? Under his mother's care, his own home was also quite neat and clean. There were paintings on the walls too, but they were merely New Year pictures of deities pasted there. His mother seemingly had never thought to place flowers and plants in pots. Then Zhang Xiaohua's heart stirred, and he thought, If Sister Liu were to manage our home, what would it become like?

As he thought, Zhang Xiaohua simply stood there. It was not that he had become lost in thought; he just did not know where he ought to sit. There were only a few chairs in his own home, and they usually stood anyway. With so many chairs in this schoolteacher Mr. Liu's house, there had to be rules to them. He did not understand them, so he had better not sit down at random.

Seeing this, Mr. Liu hastily invited Zhang Xiaohua and his companion to sit down. Then Liu the Butcher poured them each a cup of tea and brought it over. Zhang Xiaohua took the cup and gulped it down in one breath, then smacked his lips. The water truly tasted wonderful. Seeing that he had finished, Liu the Butcher hurriedly poured him another cup. Zhang Xiaohua and his companion had walked all morning and were parched, and the water tasted so good that the two of them drank four cups before stopping. Liu the Butcher's eyes, like Mr. Liu's, were now filled only with gratitude. Though Liu the Butcher was a rough man who slaughtered pigs, he understood that these people had rushed such a long way and become thirsty enough to drink like this all to bring news that his daughter was safe.

Just as Zhang Xiaohua finished drinking and was about to speak, hurried footsteps came from outside. Before long, a scholar about the same age and height as Zhang Xiaohua's eldest brother rushed in. This had to be Liu Qian's older brother, Liu Kai. After entering, Liu Kai first paid his respects to Mr. Liu and Liu the Butcher respectively. Mr. Liu then introduced Zhang Xiaohua and his companion to Liu Kai, who again offered them formal greetings. Zhang Xiaohua and his companion did not understand much about such etiquette, but they copied the motions and returned the greeting. Only then did Liu Kai ask Mr. Liu, "How is my sister?" Looking at this scholar, who was clearly much frailer than his eldest brother, Zhang Xiaohua thought, Sigh, scholars truly have so many formalities. Brother Liu can really keep his composure—he had to finish all those greetings before asking. If it were Liu the Butcher, he'd have asked straight out the moment he came in. Right, he must be blaming Brother Liu for arriving at such an inconvenient time. He could not help glancing sideways at Liu the Butcher, who was also anxiously waiting for Zhang Xiaohua to speak.

Sure enough, before Mr. Liu could say anything, Liu the Butcher cut in, "Have a drink of water first. This little brother hasn't even told us anything yet, and you already came back."

Liu Kai sat in the chair opposite Zhang Xiaohua. He was in no hurry to drink, merely staring at Zhang Xiaohua with eager eyes as he waited for him to speak.

Only then did Zhang Xiaohua introduce himself, then recount everything that had happened yesterday from beginning to end. Still, he kept an extra thought in reserve and did not mention the exact amount of money the two bullies had paid in compensation.

Zhang Xiaohua was not much of a speaker, and his account came out haltingly. Yet even so, the four people in the room listened with their hearts pounding in their throats. Mr. Liu, Liu the Butcher, and Liu Kai turned pale as earth. Liu the Butcher even sprang up from his chair several times, though Mr. Liu gently stopped him each time.

Once Zhang Xiaohua had finished, Liu the Butcher quickly poured him two cups of water, and everyone drank a cup. It seemed that not only had the speaker's mouth gone dry, but the listeners had been frightened dry-mouthed as well.

After drinking, Mr. Liu walked before Zhang Xiaohua and gave him a deep bow. "This old man thanks your worthy father and son for saving my daughter." Liu Kai and Liu the Butcher hurriedly followed with bows of their own. Zhang Xiaohua was so startled that he jumped out of his chair. Why had they started bowing again when they had been talking perfectly well? He hastily returned the gesture in a clumsy, awkward fashion.

Zhang Xiaohua comforted them, "Sister Liu and the others are staying at our home now. They're doing quite well, so you needn't worry." In truth, everyone knew their loved ones were safe, but without seeing those relatives who had escaped danger with their own eyes, their hearts could not truly settle.

After everyone sat down again, Mr. Liu said, "Xiaohua and the others spent an entire morning walking here from Guo Village. I'm afraid we won't be able to bring the children back today. How about this? Second Brother, go back first and have your wife prepare lunch. Let Xiaohua and the others eat first. Afterward, have Liu Kai go with them to Guo Village. Tomorrow, we can all go together to bring the children home. What do you think?"

Liu the Butcher said, "No, I should go first. I won't be at ease otherwise. By the time we head for Guo Village, we'll probably have to travel at night. It will be safer if I go along."

Mr. Liu considered it and agreed.

Lunch was eaten at Liu the Butcher's house, since Liu Qian was absent and no one was at Mr. Liu's home to cook. Liu Yueyue's mother knew that her daughter was safe and that she was hosting her family's benefactors, so she prepared an exceptionally lavish meal. Zhang Xiaohua, whose stomach had long been flat with hunger and who had not eaten braised pork in ages, ate until his belly was full and his intestines were stuffed.

After the meal, Zhang Xiaohua, his companion, and Liu the Butcher set off for Guo Village. Let us leave them aside for the moment; only a few hundred li away, Five Claw Peak presented an entirely different scene.

When the shadow that morning passed between two Sour Jujube Trees, Hermit Yanming immediately flashed over between them. Fortunately, he was a martial artist with especially sharp eyes; otherwise, it would truly have been difficult to see clearly. The others had not yet understood what was happening and could only stare blankly at Hermit Yanming's back. Hermit Yanming was not annoyed, merely calling out, "Why aren't you coming over?"

Once everyone had gathered between the two trees and examined them closely, they seemed no different from the other Sour Jujube Trees. Hermit Yanming smiled. "There's no need to look. They are certainly no different from the others, or there would have been no need to make things so complicated. We are preparing to enter the forest now. Take out the pieces of hide in your hands." The others did as instructed. Hermit Yanming said, "Draw some fresh blood and smear it across the uppermost part of the back of the hide." As he spoke, he took out a dagger, cut his finger, and smeared blood on the hide. Ma Xiangyang, Wen Wenhai, and Tan Wen did the same. A line of writing then appeared on the hides: Go straight ten trees; go back six trees; go left six trees; go right eight trees. Then Hermit Yanming arranged them according to the diagram, forming the incantation for entering the forest: "Go straight ten trees, go right eight trees, go back six trees, go left six trees."

Hermit Yanming said, "All right, everyone prepare yourselves. We are about to enter the forest. I will lead the way in front. Young Hero Ma and Young Hero Wen will follow behind me. Heroine Xue and Gang Leader Situ will be in the middle, and the Tan Brothers will bring up the rear. Stay sharp and follow every step. Do not fall behind."

The Sour Jujube Forest before them had long lost its nighttime gloom, yet even the brilliant sunlight could not penetrate this dense forest. Thick mist filled the woods, and its end could not be seen. The cold wind swept through the treetops with a "whoosh, whoosh," yet it seemed unable to thin the fog in the slightest.

Hermit Yanming took out his dagger and marked the two Sour Jujube Trees. Then, with great caution, he passed between those two utterly unremarkable trees. The rest followed in the agreed order, filing in one after another.

The mist in the forest was dense. One could not see beyond ten zhang, and the dampness was so heavy that before long, everyone's clothes and shoes had been soaked through. To deal with any unexpected danger, they all held weapons in their hands, yet now they felt the cold as well. No one had entered the Sour Jujube Forest for many years. The ground was covered in thick fallen leaves and rotting sour jujubes, making each step difficult. The branches and leaves of the Sour Jujube Trees grew exceedingly thick, interweaving with one another and sometimes even blocking the path. Yet no one dared rashly cut the branches, for fear of triggering some unforeseen change.

Just as everyone was trudging forward in silent, orderly fashion, Situ Ping suddenly cried out, "Look over there!"