When Song Yan returned to stand before Mo Zi, she blinked. “So Adoptive Father is a hidden martial arts master.”
“I’m old, but compared to that young fellow who stays close by your side outside, I can still claim the title of senior.” Everyone had their story, and Song Yan was no exception.
“What use is high martial arts skill? I couldn’t save your father and mother, nor could I find you two sisters. Only after you became famous did I learn about it. When Yuling fell, I had exceptional skills but couldn’t turn the tide. But you and your husband don’t know fists or kicks, yet here—” he pointed at his head, “you’re more formidable than all the martial arts under heaven.”
“Adoptive Father flatters us.” Mo Zi took the box Song Yan handed over. Opening it, one hand unconsciously went to rub her eyes. “This is…”
Song Yan nodded slightly. “Your father said it wasn’t valuable. In my view it isn’t either. Many people exhaust their entire lives pursuing these things, yet don’t understand the meaning of why they’re precious. To me, this is what your father left as a memento for his daughter. You take it.”
“Adoptive Father, this was given to you by Father. I can’t take it. Besides, it’s too precious.” No wonder Grandfather had such high expectations for Father. If he could have lived until today, his achievements might already surpass Min Zhen’s.
“It was given to me, but I also said back then I’d use it for your dowries in the future. Your father said it was up to me, but to give it I had to see whether you inherited his legacy.” Though spoken in jest, there was sincerity. “You’re now a Grand Master Craftsman and married—it’s the right time. When Dou Lu marries, I have another dowry prepared.”
Mo Zi didn’t know how to refuse, because she could see Song Yan was someone who, once his mind was made up, wouldn’t change it casually. It wouldn’t be good to reject his kind intentions, so she thanked him and accepted it.
After the two talked for a few more sentences, Zan Jin walked in. “Brother Mo, they’re about to depart.”
“Alright.” Mo Zi went to call Dou Lu.
Song Yan then asked Zan Jin, “Young man, which school or sect did you study under?”
Zan Jin answered honestly, “No school or sect. I learned from my father.”
“Who is your father?” Feeling his internal energy was extremely deep, Song Yan was curious.
“My father is my father.” Who else could he be?
“Foolish boy, I’m asking what your father’s name is.” Having such an honest child by Mo Zi’s side should bring some peace of mind.
“Don’t know. Surnamed Zan.” Probably. Should be.
“Isn’t that nonsense?” Song Yan laughed in exasperation. “You don’t even know your own father’s name—your father would be angered to death by you.”
“He’s already dead.” Not sad anymore. Because his father blessed him from beyond. He followed Mo Zi eating and drinking freely.
“Then what’s written on the tombstone?” Song Yan rather liked this young man.
“Tomb of Zan Jin’s Father.” Names weren’t important—remembering the person was enough.
Song Yan suddenly struck out with a palm. It seemed soft and powerless, yet gathered thirty percent force.
Zan Jin didn’t dodge or evade, meeting palm with palm. When he felt the opponent’s internal energy was unfathomably deep and wanted to withdraw but couldn’t find the method, he gritted his teeth and endured, forced to break out in sweat, his chest’s breath churning. His lower core received terrible pressure.
Mo Zi saw them palm to palm—Song Yan completely relaxed, but Zan Jin covered in sweat with an ashen face.
Dou Lu called out “Adoptive Father.” Song Yan withdrew his palm.
Zan Jin staggered back several steps, his back against the wall. He clasped his fists and said, “Thank you for the instruction, Senior.”
“Your grandfather and I studied under the same school. Call me Great-Uncle Master, and I’ll slowly guide you in the future.” Indeed, he was Senior Brother’s successor. Just now when moving the tripod together, he felt the connection.
Zan Jin couldn’t react in time.
Mo Zi stepped forward and pulled him. “Why aren’t you quickly kowtowing to Great-Uncle Master?”
Zan Jin hastily kowtowed firmly and addressed him.
“You needn’t mention to outsiders that I know martial arts.” Originally thinking his wishes were fulfilled and this life needn’t be preserved, he never expected there would be a younger generation requiring his care.
The three agreed.
Crescent Moon Mountain had caves. Because it was remote and barren, with few trees and a bald mountain, neither woodcutters nor hunters came here. Only on rainy days would travelers borrow the cave to shelter from rain. The cave had many large rocks. Min Fifth Son said they were sandstone, so the Zhanqiao people called it Sandstone Cave.
This day, it was very lively. The sparse forest outside the cave couldn’t hide the fine horses. Inside the cave, firelight flickered. Two people hurried into the cave, and before long quite a few people emerged. The leader was Prince Su, Wu Wansheng.
After his defeat at Habopoluo, though he received superficial courtesy when fleeing to Great Qiu, with only fifty thousand troops and sitting idle eating up resources, he could no longer negotiate terms with Wu Yan. When forcibly required to make his fifty thousand the vanguard army attacking the Yiyuan Army, he knew searching for treasure had become urgent. So he led a small elite force to secretly break away from the main army and infiltrate Song County. Heaven helped him—right at this time he received news that Mo Zi and Yuan Cheng had come to Song County. This could be taken as confirmation that his search direction was correct, and the treasure was most likely somewhere in the mountains. Thinking of this, his heart couldn’t help but surge with excitement.
An adviser, still somewhat conscientious, reminded him that the person impersonating Song Yan still hadn’t sent word—might he have already been exposed?
Prince Su was dismissive. “Even if exposed, they must still come. This is where Min Fifth Son spent his last years—the treasure is eighty to ninety percent likely here. All people are greedy.”
“Prince Su is wrong. As children of parents, they would make this trip.” Mo Zi and the others had already arrived before the cave. “Killing one’s father, murdering one’s mother—irreconcilable enmity. With enemies before our eyes, how could we be cowardly?”
“In luring you here today, this prince doesn’t want to take your lives. And you also know clearly you can’t kill me.” Prince Su pointed behind the mountain. “All my troops are camped outside Zhanqiao village. The Second Prince plus the Yiyuan Army—quite evenly matched. You dealing with me doesn’t matter, but the Great Qiu troops urgently rushing behind me will be delighted to watch Han people kill Han people while they reap ready-made benefits.”
Yuan Cheng stepped forward. “Though I’ve long admired Prince Su’s literary and martial strategies and exchanged quite a few moves, seeing you in person today, you’re indeed as formidable as I imagined.” Always chasing a shadow, now finally face to face.
“You are Yuan Cheng? The opportunity I carefully planned and waited twenty years for was ruined by you.” Prince Su didn’t get angry but instead smiled. “My current wretched state is all thanks to you.”
“Yuan Cheng, orphaned and alone, bearing the crime of treason at such a young age—also thanks to Prince Su. We’re even.” Yuan Cheng had no grief or anger.
“Then we’re settled.” Prince Su said.
It was Mo Zi’s turn to find this amusing. “Settled? Prince Su has such great magnanimity.”
Prince Su heard her sarcasm but his expression didn’t change. “Our two sides join forces, find the treasure and split it evenly. I guarantee not to harm any of you—all can retreat unscathed.”
Yuan Cheng signaled Mo Zi to remain calm. “Prince Su is so certain we’ll cooperate with you?”
“You have the Water-Purifying Pearls, while I have the key to open the door. You want to monopolize it, but what use is it if you can’t open the treasure mountain’s door?” Prince Su looked with satisfaction at the surprise on everyone’s faces. “What, did you really think I killed people randomly without any basis?”
Jin Yin said quietly, “He doesn’t seem to be lying.”
“In the years before Empress Wu Zetian’s death, she regretted it—after all, they were her own flesh and blood. And knowing the Wu clan’s seizure of imperial power was inevitable, she secretly ordered people to find a place to hide countless treasures. Who knew that before the place was finished being built, she died. But the official in charge of supervising construction didn’t know. After completion, he sealed all those in the know inside the cave. Halfway back, hearing the emperor had changed, he took this secret into hermit seclusion. After this person changed his surname, he became Min Zhen’s father, Official Song’s great-grandfather, also an excellent Director of Palace Construction—the Min family’s true founding ancestor.” At this point, there was nothing left to hide.
“Since those in the know all died, you can make up stories as you please.” Mo Zi, being named by him, retorted.
“There’s no wall in the world without cracks.” Prince Su smiled coldly. “A little eunuch overheard when Wu Zetian was arranging this matter and from then on paid close attention. His fate was also good. After Wu Zetian’s death, he was released from the palace and returned to his hometown to adopt a son. Later, as life got harder and harder, he recorded the treasure matter and told his son to search for it. His son was an honest man who didn’t believe it but had to be filial, so he paid lip service until his father passed away. That book was placed together with the family genealogy until someone clever appeared in this family and began investigating the clues their ancestor left. The little eunuch actually didn’t know much, but he gave the Director of Palace Construction’s surname and name—this one point was enough to find traces. A few years later, that person uncovered the Min family, then focused on Min Zhen. Min Zhen traveled and sightseered in his early years. Later generations say it was for training, but actually he was searching for the treasure’s location—”
“That doesn’t make sense. If Min Zhen’s father knew the treasure’s exact location, why did Min Zhen still need to search?” Mo Zi interrupted.
Prince Su had abundant patience. “Perhaps to mislead others, perhaps because that great-grandfather of yours was inflexible. Otherwise Wu Zetian wouldn’t have entrusted such an important matter to him. And he never returned to the treasure hiding place, living as an ordinary craftsman in a very ordinary life without half a sign of wealth. But the year he passed away, the family suffered great disaster. Min Zhen had many siblings, and the large household struggled to get by. Coincidentally, after his first seventh-day memorial, Min Zhen left home. Two years later, Min Zhen’s gilt colored-treasure dancing-ball lion appeared and was directly selected for the palace. From then on his fame grew and family circumstances began improving. However, careful investigation reveals that comparing Min Zhen’s treasure-making speed to the Min family’s enrichment speed, the Min family had suspiciously abundant money. After Min Zhen’s final travels, he suddenly went into seclusion for ten years and created the world-famous ten Water-Purifying Pearls. His dying words were four characters—’passed down through generations.’ How could this be unrelated to treasure?”
“Hard to believe.” Yuan Cheng said.
“Speaking of which, you also have a kinship relation with that little eunuch’s descendant.” Prince Su raised an eyebrow with a half-smile.
What?! Mo Zi looked at Yuan Cheng in astonishment.
Yuan Cheng smiled. “If Prince Su’s earlier words sounded somewhat credible, this statement reveals the lie’s true form.”
“Prime Minister Yuan, don’t rush—let me finish.” Prince Su narrowed his eyes. “The little eunuch’s surname was Wang.”
Mo Zi froze.
“That investigating descendant was exceptionally talented, obtained the top scholar position, served as prime minister for two dynasties, then returned to retire in his hometown. Official Song, you know who it is now, don’t you?” A final suspenseful pause.
Mo Zi’s hands and feet turned ice cold, a feeling of the world spinning.
“His daughter is the current Empress. His precious tenth granddaughter was to marry the man you fled from…”
“Shut up.” Mo Zi’s expression turned cold.
“Who could have imagined that the one who spent his life pursuing the Min family and the treasure would ultimately become in-laws with them?” Prince Su laughed heartily. “Is this an evil fate or a good one?”
A small knife flew straight toward Prince Su, deflected by his guards.
“Don’t shit just anywhere.” Yuan Cheng said elegantly—crude words.