Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 147: Prelude

She quietly moved to the window and looked out. She saw Zhao Changhe walk out with Ji Chengkong.

“As I wander the jianghu, the one thing I lack the most is a good movement art. While Traceless Soaring Blood can be considered somewhat adequate, when paired with my heavy gear, it becomes mediocre. As a result, I am unable to investigate things in secret by myself and I end up having to trouble people like you.”

Sisi sighed in relief as her shoulder slumped.

Ji Chengkong replied, “Isn’t that normal? How many people are truly versatile and good at everything? Besides, considering your relatively short time practicing martial arts, expecting you to excel in everything is just unreasonable. If you were good at everything, then would others still have a chance to live? Your Traceless Soaring Blood is indeed quite good. In the Blood God Cult, it’s considered a high-level movement art. That should honestly be enough...”

“Even if the cultivation techniques that the Blood God Cult practice do have great power, movement arts have never been their forte. What use is their so-called high-level movement art...” said Zhao Changhe. “If I wanted to learn the Thieves Guild’s movement art from your master, would there be a chance that I would be allowed to?”

Ji Chengkong scrutinized him as if he were observing a naive newcomer to the martial world. “Unless you’re willing to truly become a disciple, it is impossible. Are you willing to do that? Let me tell you, if you are serious about it, I believe my master would be more than happy to accept a renowned figure like you, who is on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons. It’s just that I doubt that you would actually be willing to join us.”

“Is there nothing else I can do?”

“No, that part is essential. How can it be replaced with something else... Especially since something happened not too long ago that caused my master to no longer want to take on any more disciples.”

Sisi held her head in her hands.

Zhao Changhe pretended to be stunned. “What happened? Oh, if it isn’t convenient to talk about, then it’s fine.”

“It’s fine. In fact, maybe you can even help with this matter.” Ji Chengkong sighed. “About half a year ago, a young girl joined our guild. The sweetest words always came out of her mouth, and everyone treated her like a treasure. My master quickly passed on our core arts to her, including our movement art, our sleight of hand skills, and our methods of disguise... But then, as soon as she learned everything, she disappeared without even a word of thanks.”

Zhao Changhe suppressed the urge to turn and look at Sisi. He cleared his throat and said, “So, you’re looking for this... traitor?”

“You could say that, but my master has not issued any orders to hunt her down. Instead, he’s even been joking about it, saying he’d been pecked by the geese he’d been hunting all his life. He’s basically been saying it’s just karma that after stealing his whole life, somebody finally stole from him. He found the entire event amusing and told us, his disciples, not to dwell on it.” Ji Chengkong shook his head. “However, we disciples don’t feel the same. How can we just let someone like that go? So we decided to go out and bring her back, then let our master deal with her.”

Then, he casually glanced at the window where Sisi was and said, “Actually, if she were to go back, admit her mistake, and apologize, our master won’t really hold a grudge about what she’s done. If you ever happen to encounter her in your travels, do let her know.”

Zhao Changhe said, “Could you at least give me a name?”

“There’s not much point in giving you her name, she’s probably using an alias anyway. She goes by Xiang Simeng, but she might call herself Sisi or Mengmeng or something like that. Maybe she deliberately even chose a name that evokes feelings of yearning[1]. Anyway, regardless of how she appears, don’t trust her. We are trained in deception, so if she puts on an act and you end up losing out, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “Could it be that you had once been ensnared by her charms?”

Ji Chengkong smiled bitterly and said, “Maybe a little. Who didn’t fall for her back then? But in the end, she turned out to be a heartless little witch. It’s honestly quite embarrassing to even talk about it.”

Ji Chengkong then quickly disappeared from sight, leaving Zhao Changhe to return to his room with a playful smile, singing a little tune as he headed back, “It woke me up from my dreams, how pointless those thoughts seem...”

Sisi could not help but roll her eyes and said, “Why are you suddenly singing to me about dreams and whatever? Do you think I’m that person or something?”

“No, no, of course not. If that really were the case, then wouldn’t you have changed your name?”

Sisi immediately brightened up. “Of course, who would be that foolish to use the same name?”

“Yeah, a foolish idiot like that who was able to deceive the Thieves Guild, if she were to fall into my hands, she would bare all eighteen of her appearances.”

Sisi felt that there was something off about what he said. Why would I be a foolish idiot? Well, speaking of which... I never would have thought that you would be this familiar with Ji Chengkong!

She rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. “Master, why were you still in the mood to gossip about internal matters of the Lu Clan when there were no results from Ji Chengkong’s investigation? Isn’t talking about such gossip pointless?”

“Who said there were no results?” Zhao Changhe retorted. “Didn’t he say there is a forbidden area that only members of the Lu Clan’s main lineage can enter?”

“So what? We don’t know what’s inside. Ji Chengkong can disguise himself, why didn’t you ask him to try impersonating one of the Lu Clan’s young masters and take a look inside?”

“He might be able to get in, but he might also have some serious problems getting out. Besides, he’s not my lackey. Why would he agree to do something as risky as that?” Zhao Changhe glanced at Sisi. “It’s a pity. If you were that Sisi that he was referring to, maybe you could have helped.”

“I don’t think that Sisi would have simply sent herself to her death either.”

“But what if I just needed her to help me alter my appearance?”

Sisi said, “Since you know it’s risky to go, why would you go in yourself?”

“I wouldn’t do it now.” Zhao Changhe turned profound as he looked out the window. “If I’m not mistaken, there will be a time... when there is barely anybody in the Lu Clan.”

Just as Sisi was about to ask him another question, Tang Buqi’s voice came from outside. “I’ve been out all day investigating the case. I was wondering where you were this entire time, but it turns out you’ve just been playing with your maid here all day.”

Sisi: “...”

Zhao Changhe said, “Isn’t this an opportunity for you to shine? Anyway, how was it? Did you find anything?”

“No.” Tang Buqi entered the room, picked up the tea on the table, and took a sip. “It’s really unlucky. The only places where they have both gone are the red-light district and whenever they visit each other... And speaking of visiting, they have both come to our estate as well...”

Sisi cautiously said, “Young Master Tang, a guest just drank from that cup, uh...a male guest...”

“Pfffft!” Tang Buqi sprayed out the tea he was drinking, trembling as he pointed at Sisi. “Sure enough, it’s true what they say, like master, like servant! The maid follows the master, no matter how disgusting the master is.”

Zhao Changhe knocked on the table. “Hey, I’ve really been wanting to help you investigate the case. Is that really how you see me?”

“Really?” Tang Buqi rolled his eyes. “I can’t tell.”

Zhao Changhe chuckled and said, “Well, then let me tell you something now. You’d better take it seriously and prepare yourself.”

Tang Buqi was startled. Zhao Changhe’s performance in Yangzhou still left a deep impression on him, and his words carried weight in his ears. “What is it?”

“If, and I’m saying if, the Lu Clan and the Gu Clan came to the Tang Clan and claimed that the vicious qi originated from the Tiger Hill Sword Pond, what would you do?”

Tang Buqi scoffed and replied, “There is nothing in the Sword Pond... Aren’t they just fooling around? The Tang Clan is not one to be trifled with.”

Zhao Changhe said, “Alright, but what if right at that very moment vicious qi really were to surge from the sword pond, what do you think would happen?”

Tang Buqi’s casual demeanor slowly faded, and he murmured, “Several families have already been affected by the vicious qi... If such a thing really were to happen, then Tang Clan’s reputation would plummet, and we might even be forced to face the wrath of those families... But the thing is, there really is nothing in the Tiger Hill Sword Pond...”

Zhao Changhe solemnly warned him, “Regardless of whether or not vicious qi does surge from the Tiger Hill Sword Pond, I will only give you this one piece of advice: immediately notify your aunt. If you have already informed her and she is on her way, then contact the military in Gusu and the Demon Suppression Bureau. It would be best if you could get them to gather around the Tang Clan and prepare themselves for battle.”

Just when Tang Buqi was about to say something, there seemed to be a commotion in the distance. Soon, a steward rushed over, panting heavily as he said, “Young master, young master! The four major clans of Gusu have gathered a group of people and they’re making a ruckus at the gate. They’re claiming that the vicious qi in Gusu originated from our sword pond and are demanding an explanation!”

Tang Buqi’s expression changed drastically, but Zhao Changhe grabbed him and said, “Let your father and the others handle things here first. You go to the military immediately, right now!”

1. Sisi is 思思, Mengmeng is written 萌萌, while Xiang Simeng is written 向思檬. Feelings of yearning, or more literally thinking of dreams, is written 思梦, which, when romanized, is also Simeng. ☜