Three fast boats—one clearing the way ahead and two escorting from either side—accompanied the five cargo vessels as they slowly passed through the channel opened up by more than a dozen large ships.
Fu Xi Yan stood on the deck and saw several river bandits standing along the side of one ship. Every one of them was broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with fleshy, vicious-looking faces. Knives hung from their hands as they sneered over at him, muttering filthy remarks.
The manager knew only some rudimentary martial arts and, from so far away, could not hear them clearly. But after Fu Xi Yan advanced to the Mortal-Shedding Stage, his hearing had improved another level, and every word reached him perfectly. “Look at that hick—fair and plump. Bet he’d feel nice to touch.” “How do you want to touch him? Like a woman?” “Once the lights are out, what’s the difference?”
Fu Xi Yan looked over, and the whole group burst into laughter.
“If you mean to seek the One Heaven lacks, then you are already going against Heaven.” Pei Yuan Jin suddenly appeared behind him, his cold gaze falling upon the laughing men as though he were looking at a group of corpses. “If you do not fear Heaven itself, who beneath Heaven is worth fearing?”
The men seemed to notice the killing intent in his eyes. Their laughter died away, and they straightened. Some even raised their knives, deliberately putting on fierce expressions.
Fu Xi Yan shook his head and patted Pei Yuan Jin on the shoulder. “Forget it, forget it. Come on, let’s go.”
Pei Yuan Jin allowed himself to be tugged away. His brows had only just begun to draw together when the Fu Xi Yan who had said “forget it” abruptly turned around. Taking advantage of the bandits’ belief that their intimidation had worked, he jumped straight into the river.
The bandits froze, then suddenly roared with laughter. “The hick got so scared he jumped into the river!”
The words had barely left their mouths when a violent tremor came from beneath the ship. Another followed immediately after. Then someone began shouting, “The hull’s broken!” and “We’re taking on water!” Splintered pieces of the bottom planking floated up to the river’s surface.
While they descended into chaos, Fu Xi Yan ran beneath another ship and pounded it twice. When his punching force struck the vessel, the impact spread almost evenly across the bottom; after those two punches, rather than merely punching a large hole through the hull, he shattered an entire section of bottom planking, leaving it completely beyond repair.
By the time he attacked the third ship, the river bandits had finally reacted and began jumping into the water to catch him.
Fu Xi Yan climbed upward along the side of the third sinking vessel and came face-to-face with the panicked river bandits aboard it. He flashed them a broad smile and greeted them amiably, then, while they were still baffled, abruptly stepped into empty air and departed, leaving behind nothing but a broad and dashing back.
Having lost three ships in succession, the river bandits naturally refused to let the matter end there. The waterway they had opened earlier was blocked again, while the remaining ships closed in from every direction.
The change had happened so suddenly that Chen De Yuan, standing on one of the boats at the front, could only stare at the chaos behind him without knowing what had happened. He wanted to order the fast boats to force their way through, but the best opportunity had already passed, leaving him no choice but to anxiously seek out the river bandits’ leader and negotiate.
The river bandits blocking their way today were precisely the White Dragon Gang that the manager had mentioned to Fu Xi Yan.
Although White Dragon Gang Leader Qi Wen Xin had done something sensational enough to shake the entire Yangtze—overthrowing and replacing the old gang leader—he himself possessed very little ability. He had managed to marry the old leader’s daughter entirely because of his handsome face and his talent for composing a few sentimental poems about romance.
Even the reason for his rebellion was laughable. He loved drinking with courtesans, so his wife frequently beat him. After being beaten, he would drown his sorrows in liquor. One day he drank too much, and when the alcohol went to his head, the second-in-command egged him on until he drunkenly began shouting that he was going to rebel.
The second-in-command decided that if they were going to do it, they might as well go all the way. Right in front of Qi Wen Xin, he killed Qi Wen Xin’s wife, shoved the knife into his hand, and led the men he had gathered in advance into rebellion.
Qi Wen Xin sobered up halfway on the spot, but by then regret was useless. When he saw the towering hatred in his father-in-law’s eyes as the man died, he was so frightened that he lost all capacity to think. Naturally, he became the sort of puppet who attacked wherever the second-in-command pointed.
It had to be said that with a useless good-for-nothing like Qi Wen Xin standing in front to take the blame, Lu Shan Hu—the second-in-command who had actually played the crucial, perhaps even sole, role in betraying the old gang leader—could keep his achievements and reputation conveniently hidden. For that reason, he treated Qi Wen Xin fairly well. Blocking ships and demanding passage fees was routine business, and nothing had gone wrong for years. Seeing that Qi Wen Xin had lately been unhappy even while drinking with courtesans every day, Lu Shan Hu let him come out to clear his head. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that something would go wrong on this particular day.
Naturally, Qi Wen Xin was once again at a complete loss.
Pu Ying Xiong, one of Lu Shan Hu’s trusted men, had long since grown accustomed to this. He simply took over. “Gang Leader, I heard the one who attacked us was a fat man. I’ll tell Chen De Yuan to tie him up and send him over. We can cut him into eighteen pieces right in front of Chen De Yuan, then ask whether he’d like to leave his ships and cargo behind as compensation. How does that sound?”
Qi Wen Xin disliked such bloody methods in his heart, but he had no better idea, so he said, “Do as you see fit.”
Pu Ying Xiong was halfway away when he turned back and asked, “If Chen De Yuan refuses to cooperate, I’ll make a move.”
Qi Wen Xin could not bear listening to such troublesome matters. He waved his hand. “Do as you see fit. Do as you see fit.”
Pu Ying Xiong hoisted his favorite large bronze hammer onto his shoulder and marched away imposingly. Standing at the bow, he shouted toward Chen De Yuan, “Family Head Chen, what is the meaning of this?”
In the meantime, Chen De Yuan had already learned the sequence of events. Although the manager who had shared Fu Xi Yan’s ship had not heard what the bandits said that provoked Fu Xi Yan’s fury, Chen De Yuan had dealt with these river bandits often enough that he could more or less guess. He felt both deeply satisfied and deeply pained.
Leaving aside the Immortal Treasury Palace’s fighting strength for the moment, even the way it operated its businesses varied from place to place, adapting to local conditions without any unified overall planning. All of them appeared to belong to the Immortal Treasury Palace, but in reality the Rain Divisions in different regions had relatively little connection with one another. Even if the White Dragon Gang controlled the Yangtze basin, it would not cause any substantial damage to the Immortal Treasury Palace. Once they left the Yangtze, forget the Immortal Treasury Palace—even the Four-Way Merchant Alliance could pin the White Dragon Gang to the ground and beat it senseless.
But if the White Dragon Gang could not afford to offend the Immortal Treasury Palace and insisted on settling the debt with the Chen family instead, then the Chen family truly could not bear the consequences. Their trade route depended on this river. Countless thoughts spun through Chen De Yuan’s mind: relying on the Immortal Treasury Palace to eradicate the White Dragon Gang outright, or keeping the peace and paying money to settle the problem… Every option had advantages and disadvantages, and he would have to determine the other party’s attitude before deciding what to do next.
Seeing Pu Ying Xiong approaching aggressively, he seized the initiative and shouted, “Pu Ying Xiong, why haven’t you ordered your men to apologize to the Young Master at once?” Pu Ying Xiong’s name really was remarkably well chosen. Even when someone was scolding him, shouting Ying Xiong—“hero”—made the address sound vaguely respectful.
Pu Ying Xiong’s mind blanked for a moment. “You’re telling me to apologize? Your fucking man smashed my ships, and now you fucking want me to apologize to you?!”
Chen De Yuan calmly replied, “Not to me. Apologize to the Young Master.”
Pu Ying Xiong was courageous, but the construction of his brain was not particularly complex. He thought: You’re the head of the Chen family, so your family’s young master must be your son. It was absurd enough that your man smashed my ships and you want me to apologize to you, but now you even expect me to apologize to your son? That was beyond absurd—it was laughable.
“Bullshit! You want me to apologize to your son? Wait until your next life! Men, ram them!”
Chen De Yuan had originally planned to proceed gradually and reveal Pei Yuan Jin’s identity step by step. Seeing that Pu Ying Xiong had misunderstood completely, he hurriedly shouted, “Pu Ying Xiong, today you offended the Young Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace. Tomorrow, disaster will descend upon the White Dragon Gang!”
Pu Ying Xiong was already worked up. Hearing the words “disaster will descend” only made him laugh loudly. “Good! I’d like to see who can bring disaster down on me!”
At some point, Qi Wen Xin had emerged from the cabin. He leaned close to Pu Ying Xiong’s ear and whispered, “He said the Young Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace.”
“Immortal Treasury Palace…”
The three words rolled once across Pu Ying Xiong’s tongue, and he immediately calmed down. More than calmed down—he went cold. He hurriedly shouted, “Stop! All of you, stop!”
But it was ultimately one step too late.
One ship had already rammed into the convoy. Fortunately, the collision was not too severe, and the struck vessel merely rocked. Pu Ying Xiong had just breathed a sigh of relief when a sword light as orange-red as flame flashed from the other ship. The vessel that had rammed them was sliced cleanly through the middle, splitting into two halves before slowly sinking into the river!
The people on the sinking ship dropped into the water like dumplings falling into a pot.
Pu Ying Xiong sucked in a sharp breath.
These river bandits made their living on the Yangtze, and the vessels they encountered most often were merchant ships and passenger boats. Even when there was an expert aboard, the expert generally feared retaliation against the ship after they left and therefore endured without acting. The occasional few who did make a move generally focused on intimidation. The guiding principle was still harmony above all. Who had ever seen someone go straight for a ruthless attack like this?
Panic crept into Pu Ying Xiong’s heart.
The initiative between the two sides had completely reversed.
Originally, he had been wondering whether to spare the other party and what conditions would make him willing to do so. Now the question was whether he himself could lead his brothers away alive.
He looked at Chen De Yuan and asked heavily, “Why would the Young Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace be on your ship? Are you trying to bluff me?”
Since neither Pei Yuan Jin nor Fu Xi Yan had appeared openly, Chen De Yuan had no choice but to continue carrying the burden of negotiation. “This Chen was fortunate enough to escort the Young Master for part of his journey and offer what little hospitality I could as half a local host.” Since the other party had already been frightened by the Immortal Treasury Palace, he naturally wanted to take advantage of the situation. Best of all would be if he could have their future passage fees waived entirely.
His explanation was practically the same as giving no explanation at all.
Pu Ying Xiong did not understand it, so he said, “Why don’t we discuss this properly aboard a small boat?”
Chen De Yuan had a small boat lowered, and the two of them rowed some distance away from the fleets to speak privately.
Pu Ying Xiong said resentfully, “Family Head Chen planned this well. You invited such a mighty Buddha into your house and didn’t say a word.” They had lost four large ships on this trip. Once he returned, he was bound to receive a severe dressing-down! Who knew whether his promotion into the leadership would still happen?
Chen De Yuan said, “You can hardly blame me for this. I never intended to bring out this mighty Buddha. We didn’t pay one copper less in tribute for this trip, did we? Everything could have proceeded smoothly, yet you insisted on offending someone you should never have offended. I’m equally helpless about the situation we’re in now. Instead of blaming me, you would do better to think about how you’re going to clean up this mess!”
Pu Ying Xiong’s expression changed. “What? Four of our ships have already been destroyed. That still isn’t enough?”
Chen De Yuan might give Lu Shan Hu some leeway, but he had no need to be quite so polite with Pu Ying Xiong. “You spend all year on the river and have no idea how powerful the Immortal Treasury Palace truly is. This Young Master is someone who dared charge into the Northern Zhou imperial palace entirely on his own. How do you compare with the Emperor of Northern Zhou? And how does your second-in-command compare with him?”
“…” The black-red color of Pu Ying Xiong’s face gradually faded into a sickly blue-white. Gritting his teeth, he asked, “Then what do you think I should do?”
“I don’t know either. We can only ask the Young Master.”
“That really is the Young Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace?” Pu Ying Xiong still suspected Chen De Yuan might be laying a trap for him.
Chen De Yuan said, “How many people beneath Heaven would dare falsely claim the name of the Immortal Treasury Palace’s Young Master? Besides, whether he is or not, you may as well verify it with your own eyes. Surely there can’t be a second Crimson Dragon King beneath Heaven!”
Pu Ying Xiong remembered the sword strike that had split the large ship apart, and another portion of his doubts vanished. “Very well. Then I’ll have to trouble Brother Chen. If I can escape safely this time, I’ll put in a good word for you with the second-in-command. I certainly won’t allow this matter to implicate you.”
Chen De Yuan was somewhat dissatisfied. He felt he had failed to gain any benefit from the situation. But after another thought, the White Dragon Gang had gotten its ships chopped apart by Pei Yuan Jin, while he himself had gotten a stone stele chopped apart back in Jingmen. One was merely fifty steps laughing at a hundred. If he insisted on squeezing out some advantage now, the future loss might be even greater. Protecting himself was already good enough.
Elio’s Notes: “Fifty steps laughing at a hundred” (五十步笑百步) comes from Mencius: someone who fled fifty paces mocks someone who fled a hundred, even though the difference between them is only one of degree.
He cupped his hands. “Of course, of course.”
The small boat returned.
Pu Ying Xiong first checked the number of ships. Seeing there had been no further losses, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He thought perhaps they should simply turn a blind eye and let the convoy pass. Why lower his head one more time if he did not have to?
But Chen De Yuan had already sent someone to ask Pei Yuan Jin for instructions.
Pei Yuan Jin’s answer was extremely straightforward: cut out the tongues of the bandits who had made those filthy remarks.
Pu Ying Xiong’s face fell. “Impossible!” he snapped. Then he threatened, “This is the Yangtze. Even if the Immortal Treasury Palace is a mighty dragon, it may not necessarily cross this river!”
Before Chen De Yuan’s man could even run back to relay those words, Pu Ying Xiong saw an extraordinarily handsome young man take the hand of a round-faced, round-bodied fatty. The pair leapt from the other ship, stepped through empty air, and landed lightly upon his deck.
Pei Yuan Jin released Fu Xi Yan’s hand, walked forward two steps, and stared at him. “You said it was impossible?”
The two ships were so far apart that Pu Ying Xiong had not even been able to see precisely where Pei Yuan Jin was standing. Yet the other man had heard every word he said. Such cultivation already exceeded the limits of Pu Ying Xiong’s understanding.
After roaming the Yangtze for so many years, this was the first time Pu Ying Xiong had felt an overwhelming, mountain-crushing pressure before even exchanging a blow. The other man had not even used the suppression of his cultivation realm. All the pressure came from the instinct Pu Ying Xiong had developed through years of living on a knife’s edge.
This time, he might really die.
Cold sweat had already seeped across his back. A gentle river breeze blew past, chilling the damp sweat against his skin until it seemed to pierce his bones. The hammer in his hand had never felt so heavy. He almost felt as though he lacked even the strength to raise it and swing at the man before him.
Standing behind him, Qi Wen Xin cautiously poked him in the back. “He’s asking you a question.”
Pu Ying Xiong drew a deep breath. “Bring up those bastards with the loose mouths!”
If the people above truly wanted to investigate something like this, finding out the truth was actually quite easy. When river bandits faced a matter of life and death, what jianghu loyalty remained? Letting you die so I could live was the highest form of respect for life.
Several dripping-wet men were dragged forward. Pei Yuan Jin did not have to urge him. Pu Ying Xiong personally took a knife and shoved it into their mouths. Amid their screams, he finished the job himself.
He pulled the knife free and casually wiped it twice against his trousers, then glared at Pei Yuan Jin with a ferocity that barely concealed his weakness. “Is the Young Master satisfied now?”
Pei Yuan Jin’s gaze swept past him and lingered briefly upon Qi Wen Xin’s face before he took Fu Xi Yan’s hand and returned to their ship.
The instant he left, the pressure aboard the vessel vanished. Everyone, Pu Ying Xiong included, felt as though even breathing had suddenly become easier.
From afar, Chen De Yuan cupped his hands toward Pu Ying Xiong, then ordered the convoy to resume its journey.
Pu Ying Xiong watched darkly as the Chen family convoy sailed away in high spirits, every ship and person intact. Wreckage floated across the river around him, all of it belonging to his own boats.
Qi Wen Xin was still muttering beside him, “Four ships are ruined. How are we going to explain this to the second-in-command when we get back?”
Pu Ying Xiong said sinisterly, “You’re the gang leader. Naturally, you’ll explain it.”
“I’m not dealing with it!” Qi Wen Xin cried in terror. He flung his sleeve aside, rose onto his toes, and ran.
Pu Ying Xiong looked at the four subordinates lying on the deck with their tongues cut out and gritted his teeth. “Bring them. We’re going to see the second-in-command.” Given the second-in-command’s temperament, he certainly would not get off lightly after this trip. But when facing a colossus like the Immortal Treasury Palace, there was still room for forgiveness. At least he had not allowed the Immortal Treasury Palace to come knocking on their door.
Whatever bloody storm awaited Pu Ying Xiong after he returned was naturally unknown to Fu Xi Yan and the others. Even if they had known, they probably would have remarked that villains naturally had other villains to torment them.
Fu Xi Yan realized that his state of mind had changed tremendously over the past year. That terrifying night when he had first killed someone had only been a few months ago, yet in his memory it already seemed blurred and distant.
Now he could watch people howl and scream in front of him without changing expression. He still felt somewhat uncomfortable inside, but it remained entirely within a manageable range.
＊
After encountering the White Dragon Gang, Fu Xi Yan waited for the other of the Two Dragons of the Yangtze, Giant Dragon Stronghold, to “grace them with its presence.” Yet perhaps their punishment of the White Dragon Gang had caused too great a commotion and word had leaked out. Giant Dragon Stronghold, which normally followed close behind the White Dragon Gang, unexpectedly never appeared. Even the petty river bandits who usually came to scout and probe disappeared completely.
With the route unobstructed, Chen De Yuan was delighted, but also somewhat afraid in retrospect. Remembering how he had once tacitly allowed Old Ghost of the Yangtze to deceive the public and build his reputation by stepping on the Young Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace’s dignity was practically like dancing on the edge of a blade.
Pei Yuan Jin had only taken one of the old ghost’s arms and destroyed a stone stele. That already counted as showing mercy.
From then on, the last trace of Chen De Yuan’s resentment toward Pei Yuan Jin also vanished. This could be considered a merchant’s true nature: once he discovered that holding a grudge carried nothing but risk and no profit, there was no need to keep holding it and waste resources for nothing.
＊
As the ships approached the waters around Jiangcheng, they could see Southern Yu naval vessels patrolling the river. From this point onward, they had officially entered Southern Yu territory.
Fu Xi Yan felt a tiny bit nervous. If he translated his present situation into the terms of his previous life, he was basically a civil servant who had illegally slipped out of the country without permission. Yet the scenery along the banks looked no different from Northern Zhou at all, giving him none of the feeling of being in a foreign land. Once the initial excitement of arrival passed, his mood quickly returned to normal, and he went right back to doing whatever he normally did.
They had traveled entirely aboard cargo vessels thus far. Although the ride was stable, the ships were slow, and their unloading point was not Jinling, meaning they would have to disembark midway. Therefore, Chen De Yuan sent out a fast boat and specially chartered an exquisite, luxurious passenger vessel for them.
This time, Chen De Yuan’s invitation could not have been more courteous. Afraid they might think he had neglected them, he explained, “This vessel is called a Treasure Boat. It doesn’t look very large, but it rides steadily and travels fast. It is the preferred vessel of Southern Yu’s high officials and nobles whenever they travel, and there are many boats like this on the Qinhuai River.”
As someone hitching a free ride, Fu Xi Yan naturally followed his host’s arrangements.
After he and Pei Yuan Jin transferred to the new vessel, Fu Xi Yan quickly discovered both its advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage was that it was genuinely comfortable.
The disadvantage was that it encouraged decadence.
Sheepskin, fox fur, marten fur… Every surface where one could possibly walk barefoot was covered in fluffy pelts, regardless of the fact that the weather was already warming. The bed was much larger too, visually estimated at two and a half meters wide, and made of huanghuali wood. Fu Xi Yan felt that if it were transported to his previous life, it could go straight into a museum. Even the bronze mirror gave a clearer reflection, so when Fu Xi Yan looked at his face, he no longer saw only a vaguely defined white blob.
The most outrageous part was the tea room. Besides tea, it contained pitch-pot, shuanglu, and various other gaming implements. No wonder Chen De Yuan said high officials and nobles always chose this sort of vessel when they traveled. Other than encouraging people to lose themselves in pleasure and neglect their ambitions, there was absolutely nothing wrong with it.
Elio’s Notes: Pitch-pot (投壶) is a traditional game in which players toss arrows into a narrow-necked vessel. Shuanglu (双陆) is an old Chinese board game related to backgammon.
Fu Xi Yan had only been working hard for a few days, yet his supposedly firm resolve immediately began to waver. Although he quickly came back to his senses, the experience still taught him just how corrosive material comforts could be.
He decided to give up riding aboard this seductive, corrupting Treasure Boat and row the little survival boat behind it himself.
If Fu Fu were here, he would surely grab Fu Xi Yan’s cheeks and pinch them hard while demanding to know what sort of painted-skin demon had replaced his son. After all, his fourth son had once gone viral on his social feed for the life motto: “May all my friends and family strive harder, while I get into position and wait to be carried.”
Only Pei Yuan Jin had personally witnessed how hard Fu Xi Yan had been working lately, so he was not surprised. He merely told him to row for several hours every day and return to the Treasure Boat to rest at night.
Fu Xi Yan agreed.
He had read plenty of wuxia novels and watched plenty of television, so naturally he knew that water was extremely useful for comprehending martial arts. Whether it was its ability to seep into every crevice, the way dripping water could wear through stone, or its three different states, protagonists could always comprehend profound martial principles from it.
Unfortunately, Fu Xi Yan had already understood all those principles before he ever learned martial arts. So if he wanted enlightenment, he naturally needed something deeper, such as…
Rowing a boat.
He extended one hand into the water and slowly threw a Soft-Gentle Fist.
The force of the punch seeped into the water, then abruptly erupted.
Standing at the stern of the Treasure Boat and watching Fu Xi Yan, Pei Yuan Jin had just been about to turn away when he heard a splash. Fu Xi Yan performed a magnificent “flying dive”—the boat remained exactly where it was, while the man himself plunged straight into the river.
Xiao Sang and Xiao Zhang were about to jump in to rescue him, but Fu Xi Yan had already climbed back aboard the Treasure Boat by himself and gone inside to bathe and change his clothes.
Failure was the mother of success. One failure merely meant calling “Mom” one extra time. Nothing serious.
Fu Xi Yan rallied his spirits and returned to the small boat.
This time, having learned from his previous mistake, whenever one hand prepared to throw a punch, the other firmly gripped the boat. There was absolutely no way he would let himself get blasted into the river again!
His reasoning was flawless. His confidence overflowed. He punched!
The boat suffered a violent impact, and because he stubbornly refused to release his grip, the stern lifted into the air, flipping the entire boat upside down.
…
Seeing Pei Yuan Jin watching with great interest from nearby, Xiao Sang and Xiao Zhang abandoned their thoughts of rescue as well and began watching “anxiously.”
It had to be said that Fu Xi Yan’s swimming skills passed the test.
He quickly righted the overturned boat, then returned to the Treasure Boat with water dripping steadily from his hair. Standing in front of Pei Yuan Jin, he asked, “Have today’s several hours passed yet?”
Pei Yuan Jin wiped his face for him and said gently, “Change your clothes first.”
When Fu Xi Yan finished his second bath and came back out in fresh clothes, he saw Pei Yuan Jin standing with his hands behind his back aboard the little boat from earlier. A river breeze lightly brushed across his face, making Fu Xi Yan want to compose an entire poem on the spot titled “Immortal by the River: Watching My Young Master Play at Being an Immortal.”
Fu Xi Yan asked curiously, “How long have you been standing there?”
Pei Yuan Jin swept him a faint glance. Then the small boat began moving without wind, slowly pushing through the river water. Sometimes it sped up, sometimes it slowed down. Sometimes it went forward, sometimes backward. It turned one way, spun around another, and then—
The boat shot into the sky like a rocket, sailed directly over the Treasure Boat, and landed ahead of it.
Fu Xi Yan: “…”
They were both riding little boats, yet the Young Master got to surf while he got to shower. Excellent. Perfectly reasonable!