Stillness Literature Studio stood outside the main entrance of Danyang Academy.
Xie Jinhuan had assumed it was a bookshop. Only when he arrived did he discover that it was Danyang Academy's official library, with no fewer than ten thousand volumes housed across three stories, and facilities such as game rooms and tearooms upstairs.
There was a long counter in the first-floor hall, where a few students were borrowing and returning books. Behind it sat an old man in scholarly robes.
The old man wore ivory-framed glasses and held a magnifying glass, yet still had to lower his head close to his book. From the look of it, his shortsightedness had already reached the supreme realm of "seeing no one before him"!
Linghu Qingmo knew the Academy quite well. Carrying Coal Ball on his shoulder, he approached the counter and waited for several young students stealing glances at them to leave before greeting the old man:
"Master Wu, I'm Linghu Qingmo of the Prefectural Guards. I've come to ask you about something."
The old man was named Wu Zheng, Mu Yunling's junior fellow disciple. He had once taught at the Academy and only come to spend his twilight years in the library after growing old. Now he put down his magnifying glass, squinted around, and finally settled his gaze on Xie Jinhuan:
"Ah, Miss Linghu. I often hear the students speak of you. Seeing you today, you truly do possess extraordinary grace..."
"Coo?" Coal Ball froze.
"Oh, this Silkie Chicken's been fattened up nicely..."
"Coo-chee?!"
Linghu Qingmo was dumbfounded too. He hurriedly restrained Coal Ball, who was cursing in humiliated fury:
"Master Wu, I'm over here. I came to ask you about someone who should have bought a book here recently."
Wu Zheng naturally turned his gaze back to the right person, his smile warm:
"Is that so? I never forget anyone who comes here to buy books. Tell me about them, Miss Linghu."
Never forget anyone...
Xie Jinhuan and Linghu Qingmo deeply doubted that claim, but since they were already here, Linghu Qingmo answered anyway:
"We don't know his appearance or age, only that he bought a copy of Springtime Allure here. Might you remember him?"
Wu Zheng looked thoughtful, remaining silent for a short while before answering:
"This is a Confucian School Dormitory. As a matter of principle, we don't sell erotic miscellany of that sort."
"Huh?"
Linghu Qingmo did not understand what he meant.
Xie Jinhuan shook his head inwardly and interjected:
"Springtime Allure was written by Hermit Qingping, a great Confucian scholar of the previous dynasty. Through its protagonist's decline from prosperity, it depicted in detail the extravagant indulgences of officials, country gentry, and wealthy merchants at the time, as well as the helplessness of poor commoners forced into servitude. Carnal desire might run rampant on its surface, but it also laid bare every evil of society. Calling it erotic miscellany is far too one-sided."
"Oh?"
Wu Zheng looked slightly surprised. Although his gaze was fixed on Xie Jinhuan's ear, his approval was unmistakable:
"A beauty lies in the bones, not the skin. The same holds true for books. Those words show that you've truly understood it, young master. Your health is still holding up, I trust?"
"I hadn't read an illustrated edition before. My health's still holding up."
"Good, then. Young people must practice moderation. Otherwise, when you reach my age... ah..."
*?*
Linghu Qingmo's gaze was bewildered. He really could not understand what reading had to do with one's health, but he did not ask, merely watching Xie Jinhuan converse.
After chatting nonsense for a while, Xie Jinhuan asked again:
"The buyer was either an old man in his fifties, dressed as a merchant and rather mercenary, or a young master of about twenty who might have carried an umbrella. Hmm... can you see the weapons hanging at my waist, sir?"
Wu Zheng looked at the Twin Weapons crossed at Xie Jinhuan's waist and stroked his beard with a smile:
"I can. Using such a large pair of scissors as a weapon is certainly a refreshing sight."
Fuck...
Xie Jinhuan drew a deep breath. He truly had not expected Dan Prefecture to have an old man even more outrageous than Steward Hou. There was clearly no point asking any further:
"I still have pressing business to attend to. If you don't know, sir, I'll take my leave..."
"Now, now..."
Wu Zheng raised a hand to stop him. "When I said I never forget anyone I see, why would I deceive a youngster like you? I've taught my entire life. Whether someone is an inexperienced student, a disreputable street idler, or a seasoned Jianghu veteran well versed in worldly ways, I can tell at a glance. Miss Linghu belongs to the first category, while you, young master, belong to the latter two."
*?*
Xie Jinhuan paused, feeling that the old man's eyes were both good and bad. He looked down at himself:
"You think I'm disreputable, sir? What gave you that impression?"
"Heh. With so many historical records and texts about the previous dynasty, what respectable person relies on Springtime Allure to learn about its social climate?"
"..."
Xie Jinhuan really could not refute that, but admitting it was clearly out of the question too. He changed the subject:
"Those two were both seasoned Jianghu veterans. Do you happen to remember them, sir?"
Wu Zheng thought back carefully. "Very few people from Jianghu come here. I remember a youngster in his early twenties coming to buy Springtime Allure at the beginning of the month. His speech and manner were slick and glib. I could tell at a glance that he wasn't a scholar!"
"We exchanged a few words. He called himself He San and said he'd come to Danyang with his elders to trade in spices. He also asked about Mister Mu's and several instructors' usual movements, saying he'd long admired their reputations and wanted to visit..."
Hearing this, Linghu Qingmo knew the man was highly suspicious:
"Do you have any other leads about him, Master Wu?"
Wu Zheng looked toward an empty patch off to the side, his smile warm:
"If he really was a criminal, why would he speak honestly and at length to a casual acquaintance? After chatting with him for a while, I could only tell that his surname was genuine. Everything else was made up."
"His surname was He..."
Linghu Qingmo felt that this cast the net rather too wide, but it was better than nothing. He immediately stepped forward and bowed with clasped hands:
"Thank you for the tip, Master Wu. I'll investigate thoroughly when I return."
Wu Zheng nodded with a smile, turning his gaze back to Linghu Qingmo:
"I could tell at a glance that you share my tastes, young master. I have quite a few treasured volumes here. Would you care to take a look?"
Linghu Qingmo's face darkened with exasperation!
Xie Jinhuan had already grown used to the old man looking at the wrong person. After talking for so long, it would hardly be right not to buy anything, so he asked:
"Oh? Could you recommend one, sir?"
"You're a man of Jianghu, young master. These should suit your tastes."
As he spoke, Wu Zheng shuffled a few steps sideways and lifted a panel in the counter.
Clatter...
The two men and the bird craned their heads to look, only then discovering that the space beneath the counter was also a bookshelf, albeit a horizontal one.
More than a hundred finely bound books lay neatly side by side on the shelves. Their titles included Passionate Swordsman Shang Lianbi, Wanderer Lu Wuzhen, Sikong Patriarch's Erotic History, Tales of the Erotic Hero, The Tale of Golden Orchids...
An entire wall of Jianghu erotic gossip and unofficial histories of patriarchs. Apart from the mighty figures of Confucianism, practically every major figure from the other schools and teachings was featured!
"Hiss..."
Linghu Qingmo secretly sucked in a cold breath. Never mind reading the contents—merely seeing these titles that Reverse the Heavenly Gang made him feel he ought to wash his eyes in the Thunder Pool!
Xie Jinhuan was equally awestruck. He drew a handkerchief from Momo's waist, wiped his hands, then picked up a volume:
"You truly are an excellent judge of character, sir. What became of the seniors who wrote these?"
Wu Zheng's face brimmed with pride:
"Why would disciples of our Confucian school fear unorthodox paths? Most of the great writers who penned these books died peaceful deaths."
Doesn't that mean a small number died violent ones?
Xie Jinhuan had never seen these "banned books" back in Capital City. To see just how wild unofficial histories could get, he picked up The Tale of Golden Orchids, whose title seemed relatively normal.
After reading only a few pages, however, he realized he had underestimated these pedantic scholars' audacity.
The heroine was called Fairy Xixia. The person she was based on was naturally Qixia True Person, the sect leader of Purple Emblem Mountain a century ago and the previous generation's grandmaster of the Cinnabar Cauldron Sect!
According to the book, Fairy Xixia had initially been a young Daoist nun on Purple Emblem Mountain, untouched by worldly dust. She accidentally wandered into a secret realm and obtained the Daoist sacred scripture Supreme Responsive Spirit Art. After matching wits and courage against her fellow disciples, she ultimately became sect leader.
Up to that point, the story was fairly normal and moved along briskly.
But then, one day, Fairy Xixia's mortal heart stirred, and she fell in love with a demon!
That demon possessed beauty that could topple nations and cities. As though bewitched, Fairy Xixia fell so deeply in love that she could not extricate herself, even surrendering half her blessed grotto-heaven. By day she served as sect leader; by night she let the alluring demoness rule Purple Emblem Mountain, reveling in wine and pleasure and making such a racket that the common people could not sleep...
A lesbian romance...
Xie Jinhuan studied the book carefully, his brow gradually furrowing. Why did the demoness in this book seem a little like his ghost wife...?
He was just about to investigate further when a hand abruptly pinned the book down.
Slap-
Linghu Qingmo had been sneaking peeks. When he discovered that the book actually contained erotic gossip and unofficial history about his own ancestral master, his brows shot up:
"Outrageous! What scoundrel fabricated this nonsense? Qixia Patriarch rendered tremendous service during the Witch Cult Rebellion. How can anyone slander her so wantonly..."
"Now!"
Wu Zheng raised a hand, looking distinctly displeased:
"The author of this book was also a decorated elder of the Witch Cult Rebellion, who faced the nation's calamity alongside Qixia True Person and the other seniors. As a junior who never experienced that catastrophe, young lady, you mustn't pass reckless judgment."
Linghu Qingmo had not expected this wretched book to have been written by a mighty figure from the Grandmaster's own era. He really could not continue rebuking it now, but he certainly could not let Xie Jinhuan read it. He hurriedly snatched it away and hid it behind his back.
Feeling that he had found the source of his ghost wife, Xie Jinhuan naturally took it seriously and asked:
"Which senior wrote this book? The Dual Saints of the Book and Sword, or Old Devil Sikong?"
The seniors who had rendered the greatest service to Great Qian during the Witch Cult Rebellion were Ye Ci, the Dual Saints of the Book and Sword; Bodhisattva Yunian of the Buddhist Sect; Qixia True Person and Purple Sun True Person of Daoism; and Sikong Shitang of the Witch Cult.
Those five had been the leaders of their teachings a century ago. Nearly all the current leaders of the various teachings were their successors.
For instance, Mu Yunling had studied under Ye Ci, the Twin Saints; Lu Wuzhen was Purple Sun True Person's grand-disciple; and the current leader of the Gu Poison Sect was Sikong Shitang's son.
Among them, the only person who could have written such a wretched book and had it circulate privately within the Academy was actually Ye Ci, the last sage of Confucianism.
But to preserve his teacher's reputation, Wu Zheng did not name him, merely saying:
"Read the book thoroughly and compare it with the historical facts of that time, and you'll naturally understand whose hand it came from."
Xie Jinhuan could more or less guess who it was. He asked again:
"Is everything in this book historical fact?"
Linghu Qingmo's beautiful eyes widened. Before he could clear his ancestral master's name, Wu Zheng spoke first:
"It's fictional nonsense. How could it be historical fact? Purple Emblem Mountain is only twenty li outside the city. Some of Danyang's oldest residents even met Qixia Patriarch. If demons had been allowed to rule Purple Emblem Mountain at night, stirring up storms and disturbing the common people's peace, how could none of the locals have known?"
"If you truly want to understand the past, you should consult official histories. If you believe unofficial histories, even Northern Zhou's Grand Ancestor got his start selling his ass on the grasslands..."
Linghu Qingmo hurriedly nodded. "Exactly. Purple Emblem Mountain has a complete record of Qixia Patriarch's life from her birth to her entry into seclusion. If you want to read it, I'll fetch it for you when I return."
Xie Jinhuan knew unofficial histories could not be trusted, but his ghost wife was far too mysterious. After searching for days, he had found a few clues only in The Tale of Golden Orchids. How could he possibly not read it? So he wanted to buy the book.
But Miss Momo revered his ancestral master too much. He stuffed the book straight into his chest, took out some silver, slapped it onto the counter, then turned and ran, seemingly afraid Xie Jinhuan would snatch it away.
Xie Jinhuan felt rather helpless at this sight. Only after Momo ran out the door did he take out some money and quietly hand it to old Wu.
Without a word, Wu Zheng pulled another copy from beneath the counter and handed it to Xie Jinhuan, even thoughtfully throwing in a finely bound, color-illustrated edition of Springtime Allure. The second book was half price...
Before you continue