Having experienced the mysteries of Rainfall Listens to All Things, Ji Yuan was now extremely confident in her hearing. Though her mind had not been entirely free of distracting thoughts just now, at such close range, there was no way she could have missed a person's footsteps.
Thinking back on what Jin Shunfu had said, Ji Yuan could not help but feel a chill run through her heart.
On a gloomy and cold night in the barren mountains, a scholar of unknown origin suddenly appeared. No matter how she looked at it, something was off.
Yet this scholar's expressions and movements were all perfectly convincing. Coupled with his identity as a scholar and his appearance of being too weak to tie up a chicken, he seemed to have already won the initial trust of the traveling merchants.
To be honest, the Mountain God Temple did not belong solely to the traveling merchants. Anyone had the right to come in and rest. They were not vicious, unreasonable brutes, so even if they remained wary of the scholar, they could not possibly drive him out.
Of course, the traveling merchants were not completely without their guard. Though they politely invited the scholar to sit, they still needed to ascertain his circumstances.
"May I ask your name, sir? Where is your home, and where do you study?"
Zhang Shilin had at least read some books. When questioning the scholar, his words sounded far more scholarly, making even the youngest, Wang Dong, unable to resist glancing at him several times.
The scholar did not dare be negligent upon hearing this and cupped his hands toward Zhang Shilin in salute.
"This humble one's surname is Lu, with the given name Xing. I reside at Paimenfang in Shuixian Town and am a student of Green Pine Academy in Desheng Prefecture. This time, I was traveling and studying with friends from the academy, and we returned home together by way of the mountain..."
Perhaps because of Zhang Shilin's manner of questioning, the scholar took him for half a scholar himself and changed his self-reference from "I" to "this humble one."
The scholar spoke as though recalling the events and still fearing them afterward, laying out every detail: which friends had gone up the mountain with him, why they had unexpectedly become separated in the mountains, where his home was, and which academy he attended. From time to time, he even recited a line of elegant poetry. His words were perfectly organized, nothing like something fabricated on the spot.
The scholar's manner was utterly natural, and his words were polite and fitting.
Especially after hearing that the scholar was a student of a proper academy, the traveling merchants grew solemn with respect. Compared with scholars who studied bitterly alone at home, academy students were generally better in status, family background, and learning—in common terms, they carried more weight.
Scholars had always been respected, let alone students of Green Pine Academy.
Gradually, even Zhang Shilin lowered his guard. Not only that, everyone began treating Scholar Lu with great respect.
The scholar was not arrogant either. Whenever someone handed him water or food, he thanked them repeatedly, only saying that he was not hungry and would not eat for the time being.
Ji Yuan's heart had already sunk to the bottom. This so-called scholar was far too good at acting. Had Ji Yuan not long since concluded that this thing was absolutely not human, she might have believed him too.
This was terrifying. Truly terrifying!
If there were an option now that allowed Ji Yuan to choose between remaining in this world or immediately returning home, she would choose the latter without the slightest hesitation. Unfortunately, she had no choice.
Ji Yuan still held onto a sliver of hope. Since this scholar needed to put on such an act, it meant this thing was probably not the sort that could slaughter in all directions. Moreover, the other party apparently had not noticed the Beggar lying behind the Mountain God Statue.
Scholar Lu and the traveling merchants were already chatting and laughing together. It was rare for a student from a great academy to hold no prejudice toward merchants like them, so naturally their conversation flowed smoothly.
As if suddenly remembering something, the scholar slapped his forehead and spoke to Zhang Shilin and the others in a mysterious tone.
"Oh, right! This humble one did not bring much money, so I cannot repay everyone for your assistance. But on my way to the Mountain God Temple, I saw something good. I believe it could bring you all some profit!"
Sure enough, everyone's interest was immediately piqued.
"I wonder what good thing it is?"
The scholar lowered his voice.
"Mountain King Ginseng of considerable age!"
Ginseng was a precious medicinal herb, and when the words Mountain King were added before ginseng, it usually referred to the finest of its kind.
As traveling merchants who crossed mountains and forded rivers year-round, if they came across suitable medicinal herbs, they would carefully dig them up and take them away. They could fetch considerable profit.
Upon hearing "Mountain King Ginseng," everyone became excited.
Zhang Shilin frowned slightly and looked at Scholar Lu.
"Young Master Lu, you're a scholar; do you recognize what Mountain King Ginseng looks like?"
"Hahaha, Brother Zhang, you are quite right. Though I have indeed read about the characteristics of ginseng in the miscellaneous text Essentials of Flora, I cannot identify Mountain King Ginseng at a glance. But if I can't, someone else can!"
As he spoke, Scholar Lu cautiously looked left and right, then lowered his voice.
"I am from Shuixian Town. I know that a group of Mountain Harvesters occasionally comes to the town market to sell mountain goods and medicinal herbs. I have spoken with them several times and know a little of the inside story."
"Mountain King Ginseng has nine leaflets spread like a palm, crimson berries standing tall, and most importantly..."
At this point, all the traveling merchants, Zhang Shilin included, involuntarily leaned their heads closer.
"Most importantly, three little Red Ropes are tied around the ginseng stalk. This is an old method employed by skilled Mountain Harvester leaders, to keep the Mountain King Ginseng from escaping!"
This claim was fresh to the ears of many traveling merchants, and it thrilled them greatly.
"Yes, I've heard Old Men say that old ginseng can burrow into the earth and run away. Only the most skilled Mountain Harvesters can catch them!"
Jin Shunfu also repeated what he had heard before.
"Precisely, precisely! Brother Jin speaks the truth!"
Scholar Lu lightly slapped his palm and nodded in agreement.
"The Mountain Harvesters tied the Red Ropes but did not dig it up. They must be waiting for the Mountain King Ginseng to reach its best maturity. But you need not do the same. If you obtain this Mountain King Ginseng, it should bring no small profit. If I had not been so frightened at the time and afraid of damaging the medicinal herb while digging, I might have already taken it away."
"Yes, yes!"
"Brother Shilin, let's go dig it up!"
"Scholar, where is that Mountain King Ginseng?"
The traveling merchants were so excited that they could hardly wait to dig up the Mountain King Ginseng at once.
Wealth moved men's hearts. Driven by profit, they trusted Scholar Lu's words even more.
The chill in Ji Yuan's heart deepened and deepened. There was only one thought in her mind—This is bad!
Faced with the traveling merchants' eagerness, the scholar thought for a moment before answering.
"That place is not far from where this humble one previously sheltered from the rain. The round trip will not take even two incense sticks' worth of time. If you truly want it, it would be best to follow me before dawn."
"Why is that? It is dark and the roads are slippery right now. Wouldn't that be too dangerous?"
Zhang Shilin asked in confusion.
"Brother Zhang, you do not know this. Mountain Harvesters enter the mountains just before dawn. I saw that the Mountain King Ginseng's red blossoms had already risen. If the Mountain Harvesters come to dig it up within the next day or two, wouldn't we miss our chance if we do not go tonight?"
"That's right!"
"Makes sense!"
"Brother Shilin, I'm nimble. I'll go!"
"Yes, let's hurry and dig it up!"
In these times, providing for one's family was the greatest matter. Besides, Mountain King Ginseng was born of heaven and raised by earth; just because Mountain Harvesters had tied Red Ropes around it did not mean it necessarily belonged to them. As long as they did not run into them, there would be no problem.
"There's no need for everyone to go. A few nimble people can go, while the rest stay here and watch the goods."
Zhang Shilin did not hesitate further and began taking out torches, oilcloth, and other items from the baskets.
"Old Jin, Little Dong, Liu Quan, and Li Gui—you four go with Young Master Lu. The mountain paths are slippery, so make sure to keep Young Master Lu safe on the way!"
"Leave it to me!"
"Don't worry, Brother Shilin. I won't let Young Master Lu fall!"
"Many thanks, many thanks!"
Scholar Lu cupped his hands in thanks. On the side of the firelight where no one noticed, his smile stretched into a pale, sinister curve...
Ji Yuan felt waves of cold shoot straight up her scalp, and she screamed wildly in her heart.
Don't go! Don't go with him!