Ch.244: By the Heaven Official’s Blessing No Paths are Bound
“Congrats congrats!”
“Congrats, your highness!”
The newly built PuQi Shrine was bustling and lively, people going in and out, and Xie Lian traversed through several long tables that were stacked full, delivering hot, steamy bowls after bowls of noodles flowing out like water, soups with oil glistening like gold, and snow white, mouthwatering rice. He was swamped running about and still had to greet the guests, taking time out of the tasks in his hands to say, “Thank you, please have a seat!”
The PuQi Shrine that had unfortunately collapsed in a brawl had been rebuilt.
After rebuilding, the once dilapidated little shrine was now much more sumptuous, and a few new yards were even added. It wasn’t actually Xie Lian or Hua Cheng who had reconstructed, but those villagers of PuQi Village. That day, when Xie Lian fled in disgrace, they rummaged through the wreckage and actually found a box full of gold bars. Naturally, it was the bunch that Quan Yi Zhen had stuffed into his donation box day after day.
Those villagers had never seen so much gold and were almost scared out of their wits. After they came to their senses, the Village Head took a part of it to rebuild PuQi Shrine, and didn’t dare to touch the rest of it, keeping it safe until Xie Lian returned to give back to him.
Thus, when Xie Lian returned bringing Hua Cheng, besides the enthusiastic greetings of “Daozhang” and “Xiao Hua”, what also welcomed them were a brand new Taoist shrine and a box heavy with gold bars.
Xie Lian had planned to return those gold bars to Quan Yi Zhen, but Quan Yi Zhen wouldn’t have it, refusing them left and right until Hua Cheng told him: If you don’t take those gold bars back, you can forget about the correct method in nurturing souls. Only then did this child settle and fixed the bad habit of blindly stuffing gold bars to people.
After making their greetings, the group of heavenly officials, with Mu Qing leading, crossed into the yard cautiously. They looked up inadvertently, and when they saw the full looks of this Taoist shrine, all their words were instantly stuck in their throats.
Gaudy.
Too gaudy!
The bright, clashing reds and greens of celebratory colours and that exceedingly exaggerated, rainbow-coloured divine statue weren’t the worst of it. The worst, was that establishment plaque.
Just what was written, or drawn, on that establishment plaque?
With the establishment of a new shrine, naturally there needed to be a celebration. But this new shrine’s class and taste were terrible and tacky in every sense, especially with that despairing establishment plaque, and it made it really hard for anyone to have compliments leave their lips.
In fact, all the congratulatory phrases they had already thought of beforehand were thoroughly forgotten.
However, Xie Lian didn’t mind any of this at all, and thought it was rather good. At least it wasn’t a dilapidated building that could collapse at any time. He greeted again, “Please have a seat?”
That group of heavenly officials didn’t look like they wanted to sit, and coming to congratulate was probably just to show their faces, so they hurried and left after delivering their gifts. Xie Lian turned to Mu Qing, “Why did they leave in such a hurry?”
“Do you even need to ask?” Mu Qing said.
“Yea?” Xie Lian replied.
Mu Qing spat crankily, “Then why don’t you go ask your good San Lang.”
Turns out, when Hua Cheng first came back, the first one to know was Xie Lian, and the second was the Upper Court that hadn’t even warmed its seat yet. Not just because it wasn’t too long ago that the Battle of the Lanterns of ShangYuan Festival that they worked so hard to put together was suddenly murdered by Hua Cheng’s casual wave of three thousand lanterns just like that time during the Mid Autumn Banquet, but also because ever since that night, that bell started ringing like crazy, and the entire Upper Court was echoing with the sound of its announcement, like it was reminding them: The nightmare of the heavens has returned!
The nightmare was right before their eyes, so of course normal heavenly officials didn’t dare to approach. However, the rumours about Hua Cheng and Xie Lian in the Upper Court were already fairly hardcore without any need of exaggeration, so they still kind of wanted to get in Xie Lian’s good graces, so in the future they could beg Hua Cheng to show some mercy.
Xie Lian learned of this, and recalled how in the past Hua Cheng had demanded the Upper Court proclaim his heroic achievements for an entire year, and laughed, “Cheeky.”
“This is not just a matter of cheekiness?” Mu Qing scolded, “Tell him to lay off a little, it’s getting out of control. Right now that bell is so noisy everyday, no one can concentrate, and the entire Upper Court can’t function. It’d even fall off time and time again, crashing on people. The new Heavenly Capital is finally rebuilt, don’t let something like this destroy it again.”
“Alright.” Xie Lian said, “I’ll tell him in a bit. While we’re here, wanna try?” He pointed at the rice, noodles, and soups on the tables in the yard, and added, “I didn’t make those.”
When Mu Qing heard the first part his expression was cold, rejection written all over his face, and it only returned to normal after hearing the last part. Right then, Feng Xin had arrived too.
He entered the yard just in time to brush by another several junior officials who were about to leave. They made their greetings then whispered, “It’s General Nan Yang.”
“It’s him. So sad, his wife and son ran off with some guy…”
Veins violently popped on Feng Xin’s forehead as he roared his curses on the spot, “WHAT THE FUCK!!! AREN’T YOU GUYS TIRED OF THIS?! HOW MANY MONTHS HAVE YOU ALL PUSHED ME ON THIS?? ALSO! IT’S ‘RAN AWAY’! NOT ‘RAN OFF WITH SOME GUY’! FUCKING STOP SPREADING EMPTY RUMOURS!”
Those gossipy junior officials were terrified and hastily fled. Mu Qing stood on the side with his hands tucked in his sleeves, “You might as well not have explained yourself, it only sounds even more embarrassing.”
Feng Xin was outraged, seizing a broom on the side then threw it over. Mu Qing caught it instantly, and snorted, “This is old. You can’t use this on me anymore.”
Feng Xin was about to yell some more when Xie Lian walked over and stuffed another broom in his hands, “Oh good, then how about this. Why don’t both of you help me sweep this yard. We set off some firecrackers earlier so the ground is covered in red scraps. Thanks. If you get bored you can train some idioms, okay.”
“???”
After an hour, outside the temple came the rowdy noise of human voices, coming closer and closer.
The several people in the yard looked out, and after another while, a large crowd of people came pouring into the yard of PuQi Shrine, shouting, “IS IT HERE?”
“IT’S HERE, OHO, LOOKS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE TOO.”
“THERE’S REALLY RICE, SO MUCH RICE!”
“AND MEAT TOO!”
The grounds that Feng Xin and Mu Qing had just swept were once again filthy from that giant crowd of muddy feet. Mu Qing gripped his broom, looking like he felt someone had infected him with fleas, and his eyes were widened, “…What’s with those beggars?”
Before the crowd of beggars was a man leading, his hair mussed, his clothes sweaty. It was Shi Qing Xuan. He hobbled and hopped over, putting his hands together in courtesy, “Your Highness, I’ve come to disturb you! So how about it, did what you agreed to last time still stand?”
Xie Lian laughed, “Everyone is very welcome, of course it stands! Please have a seat, have a seat.”
“Isn’t this too many people?” Mu Qing wondered.
“No!” Shi Qing Xuan said, “All the old masters who helped in guarding the human array at the royal capital last year are here.”
At the time when they were guarding the human array, Shi Qing Xuan had promised the others that after the deed was done everyone would be treated to chicken legs, everyone was included, but after the deed was done, no one could be found, so that chicken leg treat was naturally never given. Today, they could finally fulfill the promise, and bowl after bowl of chicken leg noodles was delivered. Shi Qing Xuan called out, “EVERYONE, NO NEED TO HOLD YOURSELVES BACK TODAY! LET’S EAT!”
The crowd of beggars squeezed from the tables to the ground, each of them cheering, then hugged their super big bowls slurping and slurping, chomp and chomp. As they ate, someone suddenly spoke up, “Wait, something’s wrong. There’s the essence of evil!”
The crowd turned their heads to look, and that small band was actually Heaven’s Eye and company. Xie Lian felt his head ache, “How come you guys came too?”
“We’ve helped out last time too,” Heaven’s Eye said, “So why can’t we come?” Then he raised his bowl high up, his expression serious, “Everyone! Listen to me, I am definitely not wrong on this! There’s essence of evil in the food in these bowls, so it’s probably nothing good. It’s very suspicious! Put your bowls down, quick!”
No one acknowledged him. The crowd of beggars had already finished eating around, each raising their empty bowls, “ANOTHER ONE!”
Feng Xin and Mu Qin were using their brooms to fight while sweeping away the yard full of red scraps leftover from firecrackers, but when they saw all the others look so content and fulfilled eating, they sat down too, picking up a bowl themselves.
Just then, Heaven’s Eye exclaimed furiously, “How come none of you listen to reason!” Then he got up ready to go check the kitchens but Shi Qing Xuan held him back, “Really, daozhang, you think too much. This is Crimson Rain Sought Flower’s territory, so it’s normal to have essence of monsters and demons. Fine fine fine, you’re concerned, are you? I’ll go take a look. You just sit there and don’t get too riled up.”
He really did rise to his feet and walked to where the kitchens were, lifting the curtains, “You see, what’s there to be suspicious –”
Xie Lian spoke up, “Wait, I’ll go look too…”
However, when he, Shi Qing Xuan, Feng Xin, and Mu Qing poked their heads in and looked, they were all stunned.
Inside the kitchen, there was a hunk of a boar butcher who was chopping on the cutting board like mad, and if it wasn’t for all the pork legs hung behind him, they’d think it was human legs he was chopping. On the side, fire was lit under a giant pot, and within the pot was a long-necked rooster spirit who was having the time of his life scrubbing himself. When he saw there were people from the outside who’d seen him, he instantly screamed, his hands covering his chest.
Xie Lian was completely baffled, and hurried inside to whisper, “Didn’t I say you can’t do this?”
The rooster spirit cockled and slapped his chest in promise, “Grand uncle! We’ve taken our baths before coming, very clean! Besides, this soup base has the effect of longevity, eating this won’t harm anyone! No loss! Can consume with peace of mind!”
“…”
Shi Qing Xuan silently dropped the curtains while Feng Xin and Mu Qing instantly threw away their bowls, spitting, “I’d rather you cook!”
Xie Lian rubbed his forehead, feeling both amused and woeful, “They were adamant in helping, I couldn’t say no. They’re doing this out of goodness.”
Right then, Heaven’s Eye seemed to finally found the group of them sneaking around rather suspicious, and came over too. Xie Lian quickly stopped him, “What is it?”
He was afraid that once Heaven’s Eye saw the boar butcher and the others, he was going to start another riot. Yet unexpectedly, Heaven’s Eye didn’t come for those in the kitchen, but straight for him. He circled Xie Lian a few times and wondered in confusion, “That’s weird…”
“What is?” Xie Lian asked.
Heaven’s Eye appeared puzzled and confused, “This isn’t right, Xie Daozhang. How come the essence of evil on your body has gotten worse since last time?”
“…”
Xie Lian lightly cleared his throat. Mu Qing humphed, “Hanging around a Ghost King all day, of course it’ll get worse.”
However, Heaven’s Eye said, “No. Even then, it shouldn’t be like this.”
“Like what?” Feng Xin questioned.
After much hesitation, Heaven’s Eye decided to be blunt, “How come the essence of evil on your body is now internal? It’s… it’s entirely emitted from the inside out of your body now.”
“…”
“You’ve probably run into a major crime this time. What did you do? How come you’re this ill?”
“…”
Xie Lian can’t even cough anymore. His entire face was going to burst with blood.
Feng Xin and Mu Qing didn’t understand at first, but after they thought about it, they both turned to stare at Xie Lian and fell silent, “…”
Shi Qing Xuan was the only one who didn’t wrap his head around it, “What is it? And so? What’s going on? Your Highness, are you really ill? Does Crimson Rain Sought Flower know? He didn’t take a good care of you?!”
No no no. It was because of him that it’s like this!
Xie Lian mumbled softly, “Um. Actually. No. Don’t… I think, why don’t you, hmm…”
A mess of images were filling his mind, and he confusedly uttered a pile of meaningless words.
Suddenly, his back bumped into someone’s chest. An arm wearing a silver vambrace circled his waist, and a familiar voice smiled hummingly, “I think, why don’t you all return to your seats, eat your food, and stop worrying about anything else? How’s that?”
With this current situation, Xie Lian really didn’t know whether if he should feel absolved or even more awkward, and he exclaimed, “San Lang!”
The moment they saw Hua Cheng emerge, both Feng Xin and Mu Qing’s faces looked complicated. But before Xie Lian, they couldn’t really say anything. Only Shi Qing Xuan still questioned very seriously, “Crimson Rain Sought Flower, have you checked over His Highness’ body?”
Xie Lian slapped his forehead, desperately hoping Shi Qing Xuan wouldn’t ask anymore questions. Just then, the crowd of beggars started complaining, “ONE MORE BOWL!”
“ADD MORE MEAT!”
“THIS CHICKEN SOUP IS SO BLAND, ADD MORE SALT!”
Mu Qing couldn’t watch anymore, “Do you all know this is a temple? It’s for worshipping gods, can you all watch yourselves a bit more?”
However, the crowd of beggars refused to take this. Last time, they held hands with many heavenly officials to hold down the human array, and they saw with their own eyes how some heavenly officials were trembling, fleeing last minute, and couldn’t even match them in valour.
They were also acquainted with Shi Qing Xuan, so they couldn’t help but feel so gods are like this. When life was on the line, they didn’t seem that different than them, and so the gods no longer appeared so high and unapproachable, harsh and inviolable.
Suddenly, a surprised scream came from within the kitchen, “WHO’S THERE?”
Hearing this, Xie Lian’s heart instantly lurched and dashed into the kitchen. The boar butcher and the rooster spirit were screaming and shouting inside, and Xie Lian hastily comforted them, “Calm down! Calm down! What’s happened?”
The rooster spirit was so shaken goosebumps popped all over his body, “GRAND UNCLE! THERE’S A GHOST! A ghost, emptied all the food we’ve prepared! I only just dipped my head under the broth and when I came up there was not a bowl left! IT’S A GHOST!”
The boar butcher spat, “What are you so scared for! Aren’t you a ghost yourself!”
Xie Lian was slightly perplexed, “How can that be? I clearly saw you guys make fifty some bowls just now?”
“YEA!”
But when he looked again, sure enough, all fifty some bowls were empty, and even the broth was completely cleaned out!
Xie Lian was still feeling puzzled when he suddenly thought of someone, and when he turned around he saw Hua Cheng was leaning against the door, “San Lang, could this be?”
“More than likely.” Hua Cheng replied flatly.
“En…” Xie Lian mused, “He probably also came to congratulate. Of course he’s welcome, but, he ate a bit much… now he’s eaten all the food, what should we do?”
Hua Cheng smiled, “Nothing. Add to his interest.”
The mob of troubled ghosts from Ghost City resignedly started to cook from scratch. Just then, clamouring noises came from the great hall and the yard, sounding as if someone had started quarreling with another person. Xie Lian was just about to go to mediate when Hua Cheng caught his hand, and led him out through a side door.
The two walked out of PuQi Shrine holding hands. Upon the path there were trees blocking the way, and it would’ve been easier to traverse if they dropped their hands. But neither of the two wanted to let go of the other’s hands, so they twisted and turned, detouring and deviating. As they meandered, Xie Lian asked, “San Lang, where are we going now?”
“It’s too noisy here.” Hua Cheng said, “Let them go riot, we’ll leave first.”
Xie Lian walked as he turned his head back, sounding a little worried, “Are we letting them be? PuQi Shrine was only just rebuilt, what if it caves in from the fight again?”
Hua Cheng didn’t seem to care, “If it caves in it caves in, we’ll just build another one. If gege wants, you can have as many as you wish.”
“Hahahahahaha…”
.
Night time, within QianDeng Temple, after bathing Xie Lian was wearing a light, snow white inner robe, leaning over the jaded table next to the divan, drawing stroke after strokes.
He was putting together a calligraphy copybook for Hua Cheng. Hua Cheng was reclined on the divan next to him, also wearing an inner robe, his collar slightly open, and his fingers were twiddling that red coral pearl at the tailend of his hair, looking bored to death.
Under the lamplight tepid like jade, he had been gazing at Xie Lian all this time, and after having stared for a while did he squint his eyes, appearing satisfied. He sighed, “Gege, enough with that. Come rest now.”
Xie Lian had just suffered his torment, and was determined in not being tricked again. This tone of voice however, made the tip of his ears burn, and he forced himself to stay calm, continuing to write. He said with a stern voice, “No. San Lang, someone said your writing is ugly again today, you have to practice hard, alright? Otherwise, I don’t want anyone to know you’ve been taught by me.”
Hua Cheng sat up slightly, arching his brows, “Gege, I remember, in the past you clearly said you liked my writing.”
Ever since Hua Cheng had come back, for a long period of time Xie Lian was yielding and docile, answering his every whim, and this was probably how he had finally spoiled Hua Cheng rotten as he grew more and more sly. Xie Lian finished writing the characters and placed the brush down, sounding even more strict, “Knock it off. I’m done, come practice.”
Thus, Hua Cheng lazily shuffled to Xie Lian’s back, hugging his waist, and bent slightly, resting his head on his shoulder. He removed that red coral pearl from his hair and placed it on the paper, making it chase after Xie Lian’s hand, rolling around, purposely obstructing Xie Lian from writing properly.
Such mischief but at the same time so forceful in vaunting his sense of presence, Xie Lian remembered how Heaven’s Eye had said his entire person was emitting the essence of evil “all over his body, from the inside out”. This was all Hua Cheng’s scent, and Xie Lian felt his heart go soft in spite of himself. He struggled lightly and whispered, “…Write properly.”
“Fine. I’ll listen to gege.” Hua Cheng said.
He raised his brush, but after two verses he put it back down. Xie Lian took a look and shook his head, mentally sighing for the umpteeth time, “It’s helpless.” After a pause, he also raised a brush and helped Hua Cheng fill in the last two verses.
After he was done, Xie Lian blew lightly and picked up the paper, the two admiring the poem they’ve written together.
The ink upon the paper had formed the four elegant phrases that had spread throughout heaven and earth:
No water’s enough when you have crossed the sea; No cloud is beautiful but that which crowns the peak.
I pass by flowers that fail to attract poor me Half for your sake and half for Taoism I seek.
Even E-Ming who was hanging by the tableside was watching unblinkingly with its eye opened wide, seeming to fully admire the work. Hua Cheng laughed, “Gege, quick, sign your name.
These words will surely stun the future generations, and pass down through the ages.”
Xie Lian had already authored Hua Cheng’s name at the bottom earlier, but when he heard him, he really couldn’t pick up the brush to add his own name. Hua Cheng finished laughing and pretended to be serious, “Gege, are you embarrassed? I’ll help you.”
Then, he held Xie Lian’s hand and wrote a couple words with rough strokes. Naturally, without this current scene, no one would be able to tell those were two words, and no one would be able to tell at all it was Xie Lian’s name.
Xie Lian watched this thing written by his own hand, feeling ridiculous, wriggling his head by Hua Cheng’s chest. Suddenly, he felt those couple of characters looked familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere else before.
A moment later, he remembered, and his eyes suddenly lit up. He exclaimed, “San Lang! On your arm!”
He caught hold of Hua Cheng’s small arm, and pulled up his sleeve, exclaiming excitedly, “It’s this!”
That period of time when the two had lived together in PuQi Shrine, there was one day when Xie Lian had noticed a worded tattoo on Hua Cheng’s arm, looking like some characters from a foreign land. At the time he had even chewed on it in his mind, but he had never imagined, that it wasn’t some “foreign writing” at all. Turns out, it was his own name!
Hua Cheng also glanced at his own arm and laughed, “Does gege finally recognize it?”
“I should’ve recognized it a long time ago.” Xie Lian said, “It’s just…”
It’s just, Hua Cheng’s writing truly was the craft of the devil. He needn’t have said anything and Hua Cheng could guess what he was thinking, and he started laughing heartily, a hand hugging Xie Lian’s waist, giving his forehead a gentle peck, “Don’t worry, it’s fine as long as gege’s writing is beautiful. I would be a million times happier than if my writing was beautiful.”
Xie Lian’s hand caressed where the tattoo was. The ink of the tattoo was deep, and it was easy to imagine just how painful it had been. He asked softly, “Was this done when you were little?”
Hua Cheng smiled and pulled his sleeve down, nodding.
Then that was definitely something he had tattooed himself. Picturing the image of a small boy sneakily carving the name of the one he admired; such childishness. Such courage.
Ten fingers clasped tightly together with a red string entwined between. Suddenly, before Xie Lian’s vision floated that scene of a year ago when Hua Cheng had dissipated into butterflies in Mount TongLu.
That last moment, Hua Cheng had uttered something.
Although it was soundless, Xie Lian still knew exactly what he had said.
It was the words Hua Cheng had enforced since he was a child, and eternally thereafter beyond his death.
“I am forever your most devoted believer.”
.
.
.
——————
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