Chapter Twenty: A Heart Empty and Innocent

Chen Tu knew that if he were to draw his blade and trade blows with Gu Liubai, he might hold the upper hand, but when it came to silver-tongued wit or playing mind games, he was miles behind.

Thinking that in a few years, this monstrous fellow might even surpass him in cultivation, he couldn't even manage a fake smile.

"Du Tonghua—we usually just call him Du Haha."

With a sullen face, he gestured toward the middle-aged swordsman, then pointed to the white-haired, white-bearded Hu Laosan. "Blacksmith Hu, or Hu Laosan, whom I mentioned to you before."

Gu Liubai gave a smirk that didn't reach his eyes and asked Du Tonghua, "Brother Haha, did you manage to find out anything?"

Du Tonghua scratched his face in embarrassment. "Those merchant caravans are too scared to even mention your mother's affairs for any amount of money, and the shopkeepers around here can't be bothered to pay me any mind. I didn't find out much, only that a passing herdsman said your mother was as beautiful as a celestial maiden from the heavens."

Gu Liubai mused, "That much is not a lie, so I suppose I won't bother that man."

As they spoke, Yin Shiniang and Granny Long walked in.

Once Yin Shiniang sat down, the atmosphere became noticeably more solemn. She merely nodded at Gu Liubai and said, "Wait a moment, they will be here shortly."

Before long, three more people entered the Spring Breeze Pavilion.

The person in the lead wore a cyan robe and a conical bamboo hat. As he stepped inside and removed the hat, Gu Liubai was stunned. The man’s face was identical to He Fenglin's, yet Gu Liubai knew it was not him. This man’s expression was far too calm; had it been He Fenglin returning, he certainly wouldn't look like this—not to mention, Gu Liubai was certain He Fenglin had already left.

Following him was a short, slightly plump woman in an embroidered cotton jacket. She carried a cloth bag, and her round face looked not only amiable but also somewhat timid. Seeing Gu Liubai observing her, she smiled shyly.

The man trailing behind her was tall—a full head taller than her—with a square face and upright features. He wore a brand-new black cotton robe and a yellow fur hat. He looked to be about Chen Tu's age, yet for some reason, he appeared incredibly naive, wearing a silly, constant grin. In his right hand, he clutched a shuttlecock.

Yin Shiniang did not waste words. She pointed to the cyan-robed man who looked like He Fenglin and said, "His name is Qiao Huangyun. As you have likely surmised, he excels at the art of disguise."

She then gestured to the woman and the man who had followed her in. "Lan Yufeng, Gao Jue. Everyone is here."

"Isn't there one more?" Gu Liubai thought, wondering if he had miscounted. Had Chen Tu lied from the start? Was the Yin Mountain Swarm not nine people, but eight?

Yin Shiniang said calmly, "Xu Qi dislikes crowded places, and he cannot stand sitting down to discuss matters like this. But he may be nearby. When I came, he had already asked me to convey his thanks to you."

Gu Liubai was not at all surprised that the Yin Mountain Swarm harbored a few oddities. He had always believed that anyone truly capable of pushing something to its absolute limit was, to some extent, a bit abnormal.

However, Gao Jue, with his feathered shuttlecock, seemed a bit too abnormal. Since sitting down, he hadn't looked at him or anyone else, merely staring at the shuttlecock in his hand and giggling. If he were pretending to be a fool, he was doing it too well.

"He was abandoned due to an illness in his youth. To an ordinary person, he is a true simpleton. But he fears nothing, and he is remarkably fast at taking things apart and putting them back together; no matter how complex the object, he can reassemble it quickly. His memory for faces is extraordinary; he never forgets anyone he has seen." Yin Shiniang sat straight, explaining as she saw Gu Liubai observing Gao Jue. "He is accustomed to following Lan Yufeng, or Granny Long, or me."

Her tone was calm, and her face held no particular expression, yet she carried an air of gravity, even severity.

Gu Liubai glanced at Chen Tu. "The Yin Mountain Swarm truly keeps no idlers; even the fool has to work."

"Brother Fifteen, I know you don't care for me, but the Yin Mountain Swarm has its own code of conduct," Chen Tu said, sneering at Gu Liubai. "You did us such a great favor that, regardless of whether you can profit from it, we feel it is only right to thank you in person."

"Is this how you go about thanking people, with such arrogance?" Gu Liubai laughed. "Brother Chen Tu, this 'thank you' of yours is truly unique."

"Look at this mess..." Hu Laosan, clearly an honest man, rubbed his hands together and couldn't help but shoot a reproachful look at Chen Tu.

"Since everyone except Xu Qi is here, I might as well ask while I have the chance, saving Brother Chen Tu the trouble of playing messenger." Gu Liubai never liked following others' rhythms. He first looked at Hu Laosan. "Uncle Hu, I told Yin Shiniang and Brother Chen Tu earlier that I want to go to Chang'an. Would you like to come to Chang'an and work for me?"

Facing such a blatant attempt to poach his people, Chen Tu didn't get angry; instead, he looked as if he were waiting for Gu Liubai to make a fool of himself.

"Chang'an is wonderful!"

Hu Laosan had been drinking oil tea. He was quite fond of its pungent, gamey flavor and was enjoying his bowl when the word "Chang'an" suddenly caught his ear. He became as invigorated as if he had just tasted fine wine. "That is a paradise that gathers the wealth and treasures of the world! The myriad tribes bow in submission, and it draws people from all corners of the earth. Even people from overseas come to pay homage to the Son of Heaven, and envoys from every nation arrive in an endless stream. There are thousands of shops lined up, filled with pearls, agate, gold and silver, lacquerware, glass, silk, furs, powders, and spices—everything you could ever want. Walking among the crowds, you see not only Persians, Arabs, and Sogdians, but also Japanese, Tibetans, and pitch-black Kunlun slaves. Women in foreign dress ride horses, wielding whips and laughing freely. In the taverns, many noblewomen with painted lips and light makeup wear the everyday robes of male officials. At night, the lanterns by the Taiye Pool in the Daming Palace look like stars, and the pavilions are so high they seem as if they might fly into the sky. In the spring, when the locust trees on Zhuque Avenue bloom, the city is piled with snow-like petals, and even the ponds seem to flow with the fragrance of wine..."

"I dream of going to Chang'an," Hu Laosan finished his tea, still longing for more.

Just as Gu Liubai felt he had successfully poached him, Hu Laosan inexplicably sighed. "But I cannot go."

Gu Liubai was stunned. "Why not?"

"That is not a place for common folk to live. Not just Chang'an—there are many cities in the Great Tang where I cannot stay; there are too many rules," Hu Laosan said, unable to hide his dejection. "You kill a man, you pay with your life. If I stayed there long, I’d surely lose my head."

Gu Liubai suddenly looked at him with newfound respect. This white-haired, white-bearded old man usually appeared honest and slow, seemingly incapable of much conversation, yet he became eloquent the moment Chang'an was mentioned. He didn't know where his accent was from—it was unique. But what was even more unique was that this seemingly honest, slow-witted old man apparently found it difficult to follow the rules. He was always ready to kill.

"Let me be straight with you." Chen Tu watched Gu Liubai’s deflated expression, his mouth splitting into a grin. "To say nothing of further places, just look at the trade routes beyond the pass. Who doesn't dream of going to Chang'an? At the very least, you can sleep soundly, and as long as you have money, you can have all the comforts you want. But Chang'an is eight thousand miles away—can just anyone go? Hu Laosan is from the countryside in Fenzhou; he can't stand many things, and it was only because he caused trouble in the backwoods of Fenzhou that he was able to run away. If he hadn't been born in Fenzhou, but in some major city, he would have been dead for years."

Gu Liubai looked at Hu Laosan and smiled. "A busybody?"

Hu Laosan nodded, then felt that wasn't quite right. "Not exactly... meddling in things that are too bullying—that's not just 'busybody' work."

Gu Liubai asked earnestly, "Can't you change?"

Hu Laosan looked distressed. "I was born this way; I'm afraid I can't change."

"Even if he could change, it wouldn't matter," Chen Tu sneered. "In our group, he isn't the one who loves meddling the most."

Gu Liubai couldn't help but laugh. "Then who is?"

Before Chen Tu could answer, Yin Shiniang said bluntly, "It is I."

"As expected, it had to be you!" Gu Liubai realized he wasn't particularly surprised.

Du Tonghua burst into laughter. "Sometimes Hu Laosan wants to meddle, but we drag him away and the matter is over. But even if we drag Yin Shiniang away, she can't help but turn back and kill the person."

Gu Liubai frowned. "It seems that person was truly deserving of death."

"There is no shortage of chaotic affairs in Chang'an. They are skilled at cutting people down, but how many heads do they have to lose?" Chen Tu looked at Gu Liubai mockingly. "Gu Fifteen, it’s not that we’re unkind. If it were a matter where everyone benefited, why wouldn't we help you? But you aren't just asking us to escort you to Chang'an; you want us to work for you. That’s a bit like using your favor to force our hand."

After a pause, Chen Tu said seriously, "Setting aside those two, Xu Qi is definitely out. He can't stand crowded places. Is there any place on earth more crowded than Chang'an? Could he endure it?"

As he said this, Hu Laosan, Du Haha, and the others nodded instinctively. Clearly, based on their knowledge of Xu Qi, he would rather lie in a deserted, foul-smelling ditch than in a shop in Chang'an’s East or West Markets.

Chen Tu nearly added, "If Xu Qi is willing to stay in Chang'an, I’ll eat dung."

However, to his utter shock, a drifting, ethereal voice floated in from outside the Spring Breeze Pavilion: "I can go to Chang'an."

"What?"

Chen Tu was stunned, his eyes widening in disbelief. Even knowing it was Xu Qi’s voice, he wondered if Xu Qi had been secretly controlled by Gu Liubai.

"I can go to Chang'an." The response was even more certain than before. Then, the sound of footsteps crunching on snow faded away from the back of the pavilion.

Hu Laosan, Du Haha, and the others stared at one another, while Chen Tu wore an expression as if he had just eaten dung.

How could this be?