Chapter 85. Swordsman

Lin Jiling, who had been standing there in shock, soon regained her composure and said to her son,

"Yunbi, go out and bring Xilian back. And... come inside for now."

Feng Yunbi glanced back as he went outside.

Feng Yanchao carefully took off his shoes on the stepping stone and entered the room.

Zhang Guoming, instead of following his brother-in-law, sat down on the veranda.

Feng Yanchao, sitting in front of Lin Jiling, bowed his head.

"I'm sorry. I think I deserve any scolding. But to explain... "

"I know. There was no other way. After that, for a long time, the families of the deceased came and caused trouble. If you had been there, you would have been beaten to death or caught by the authorities."

Feng Yanchao scratched his head.

Several people had died from taking the fake elixir, so if he had been caught by the authorities, he would have been killed.

"Still, you managed to find me?"

"I went to the house where we used to live and heard from a neighbor who remembered me that five years ago, I had moved into the home of Zhang Wenhao, who runs a silk shop."

Lin Jiling looked at Feng Yanchao intently.

"That's how it happened. But you look better than before."

"Huh? Really? You look better too, compared to when we lived together."

After saying this, Feng Yanchao thought, 'Oops!'

'You look better than when we lived together!' What kind of ridiculous thing is that to say?

Feng Yanchao quickly continued,

"I just wanted to see if you were doing well. I have no other intentions, so don't feel burdened. I left you, so I won't blame you at all."

"What would I blame you for?"

"Even if you became a concubine to the Zhang family, I wouldn't blame you. It must have been hard to raise two children alone. I thought I might have starved to death."

He had seen many people who had starved to death while wandering and begging. If he hadn't gone to the mountains, it would have been hard to say what would have happened to him. He could imagine the situation of the two children and the wife he left behind.

"What are you talking about? I helped in the kitchen and did sewing to get by. Then I met an older sister from the same village. At her suggestion, I started helping in the silk shop and lived with her."

"Then, you didn't remarry?"

"No."

Lin Jiling answered firmly.

Zhang Wenhao's wife, Shen Zhiyan, had no children. Perhaps because of this, she often said, "Let's live together for the rest of our lives." Feng Yanchao knew that Zhang Wenhao had a good impression of him.

However, he didn't want to become a concubine. Honestly, he was too busy raising two children to feel lonely.

A sigh of relief escaped Feng Yanchao's lips.

Seeing this, Lin Jiling asked,

"Did you come to see how the family you left behind is doing?"

"No, no. If you allow it, I want to be a husband and father again. I'm confident I can do it well this time. I won't disappoint you again."

At that moment, Feng Yunbi's voice came from outside.

"Mother, I've brought Xilian."

"Both of you come in."

Feng Yunbi and Feng Xilian, who entered the room, glanced at Feng Yanchao.

Zhang Wenhao, the owner of the house, had never entered the room, so they were surprised to see a stranger sitting there.

"Introduce yourselves. This is your father."

"......"

Feng Yunbi and Feng Xilian, who had been looking at Feng Yanchao in shock, awkwardly bowed.

***

That evening.

In the main room of the Siheyuan (a traditional Chinese courtyard house).

Two men sat facing each other with a desk in between.

Zhang Wenhao, the owner of the house and the silk shop, and the uninvited guest, Feng Yanchao.

Zhang Wenhao, who was two years older than Feng Yanchao, led the conversation.

"I heard a brief story from my wife. You came to live with your family again?"

Feng Yanchao nodded.

"Yes. I'm grateful for taking care of my wife and children all this time. I will repay your kindness."

"That's not necessary. My wife and I have a deep bond. But the victims might seek revenge... Is it safe for you to take your family away?"

"We need to persuade them. Strictly speaking, I was also deceived. I didn't make the fake medicine; I just sold it based on good reviews."

Zhang Wenhao nodded in understanding.

"Ah! It seems you've developed a bond over the years. I'm worried about you leaving. I hope you don't repeat the same mistakes."

"......"

Feng Yanchao felt uneasy.

In fact, those words were beyond the bounds of propriety.

There was no reason to hear such words from a complete stranger who wasn't even a family elder.

But he held back.

Considering the kindness his family had received from Zhang Wenhao over the past five years, he had to.

"By the way, are you planning to return to your hometown? That might be a bit dangerous..."

"No. I plan to live in Kaifeng."

"Ah! How do you plan to find a house? The prices in Kaifeng are not cheap."

"I have some savings."

"I'm not sure if you know, but in Kaifeng, a Siheyuan with one garden costs at least 300 taels of silver. This house, which has two gardens, cost 1,000 taels."

Zhang Wenhao thought that Feng Yanchao, who had followed a wandering medicine seller, couldn't possibly have that much money.

"I can afford a house with one garden."

Zhang Wenhao was momentarily taken aback by Feng Yanchao's calm response.

"That's fortunate. Lin Mai has some work in Kaifeng. It would be good for her and the children to settle there."

"Lin Mai won't have to do sewing for others anymore."

"Oh, I forgot that you're here. Do you have a job in Kaifeng?"

"I need to find one."

"May I ask what kind of job you're looking for? I'm from Kaifeng, so I have some connections."

Zhang Wenhao looked at Feng Yanchao intently.

He was curious about the skills of a man who had returned after twelve years of following a wandering medicine seller.

"I know how to use a sword. I plan to work for a security company or a merchant guild."

"Ah!"

Zhang Wenhao let out an exclamation.

Among the jobs that could earn money without capital, none were better than being a swordsman. They could earn much more than ordinary people with just a sword.

Zhang Wenhao straightened up from leaning against the chair.

He was slightly tense at the mention of being a swordsman.

"May I ask which school you learned from? I want to introduce you to a suitable job. If it's difficult to say, you don't have to..."

"I learned from a master of the Walong Hall."

Feng Yanchao didn't hide his martial arts skills because the Walong Hall had been destroyed and disappeared. Besides, if anyone had seen the Walong Hall's sword techniques, it would eventually become known.

"The Walong Hall in Luoyang?"

"Yes."

"Wow! I see. That's impressive."

Zhang Wenhao looked at Feng Yanchao seriously.

He had thought Feng Yanchao was just a wandering medicine seller, but it seemed he had made a mistake. The Walong Hall in Luoyang, though destroyed, was still a prestigious school.

"There are a few large merchant guilds in Kaifeng, one of which is the Sihai Merchant Guild. Have you heard of it?"

"I don't know much about Kaifeng."

"I see. I receive goods from the Sihai Merchant Guild. I know the guild leader, so I'll try to arrange a position for you."

"Thank you."

"It's no problem. We need to help each other."

Feng Yanchao felt relieved by Zhang Wenhao's more respectful attitude.

After answering a few more questions from Zhang Wenhao, he got up and left.

***

The next day, Feng Yanchao went house hunting with Zhang Guoming.

He had originally planned to go with Lin Jiling, but she declined, saying she had a lot of work to do.

Feng Yanchao and Zhang Guoming looked for a house as far away from Zhang Wenhao's house as possible. By late afternoon, they were lucky to find a suitable house.

It was a small Siheyuan with one garden in the center, but Feng Yanchao was satisfied. Compared to the house he had lived in back home, this new house was like a palace.

The day after buying the house, Feng Yanchao moved his family out of Zhang Wenhao's house.

Perhaps because they had been living in someone else's house, Lin Jiling and the children were quite happy to have their own proper home.

Feng Yanchao and Lin Jiling decided to use the innermost room, while the children got the rooms on either side of the garden. Zhang Guoming moved into the room next to the main gate, where Lin Jiling and the children had previously lived.

Four days later, as promised, Zhang Wenhao arranged a meeting with the leader of the Sihai Merchant Guild.

The guild leader, Shang Zaiyong, immediately hired Feng Yanchao and Zhang Guoming and sent them to a brothel he owned called Longxilou. Thus, Feng Yanchao and Zhang Guoming settled in Kaifeng.

***

Mount Wudang, Huguang Province.

Lian Ji climbed Mount Wudang alone.

The Nine Heavens Old Man, who had been following him like a shadow, was left in the village at the foot of the mountain. He did this to avoid being recognized by any of the Taoists.

Lian Ji's steps slowed as he climbed the mountain path.

About fifty paces ahead, a tall mountain gate came into view.

A moment later, two Taoists in their twenties appeared at the mountain gate.

"Young brother, why are you climbing the mountain?"

In response to the polite Taoist, Lian Ji felt a sense of respect and answered humbly.

"I've come to see the Heavenly Merchant."

The Taoist, Xianyue, secretly observed him.

The Heavenly Merchant is the senior brother of my master, so he is my senior uncle. Senior uncles do not engage in external activities and have no visitors. For a young boy to come looking for him?

"Have you made an appointment with Senior Uncle?"

"Yes. He said I could come whenever I had time."

Xianyue frowned.

The Heavenly Merchant is a person of such high status that only the head of the sect can barely meet him. For him to say I could come whenever I wanted is hard to believe.

However, the boy's expression didn't seem to be lying.

Xianyue decided to verify it with the Heavenly Merchant himself.

"Please wait here for a moment. I'll inform Senior Uncle that a visitor has arrived. May I ask who you are?"

"Tell him Lian Ji is here. Can I go up with you?"

"No, recently, due to a group causing trouble, we do not accept ordinary pilgrims. Only those with an appointment or an invitation can climb the mountain."

"Is it the Mingjiao?"

"Yes."

Xianyue didn't deny it.

Everyone in the martial world knew about the hostile relationship between the Seven Sects and the Mingjiao.

Xianyue nodded to Xiansong, who was with him, and climbed the mountain.

Lian Ji, standing there, absentmindedly looked at the large stone altar.

Xiansong then spoke as if waiting for this moment.

"That altar is the famous Sword Testing Ground. There's a saying, 'Those who have not tested their swords on the Sword Testing Ground should not call themselves swordsmen.'"

"What is the Sword Testing Ground?"

"Wow! You don't know the Wudang Sect's Sword Testing Ground? Everyone who climbs Mount Wudang must leave their sword on that altar. Despite this, many swordsmen visit Wudang to test their skills."

"Ah!"

Lian Ji looked at the Sword Testing Ground with renewed interest.

Leaving one's sword and climbing the mountain? It was indeed a unique and surprising rule.

Lian Ji's hand touched the sword at his waist.

Since he had come to seek advice from the Heavenly Merchant, leaving his sword behind was not a problem.

At that moment, someone came down the mountain like the wind.

It was the Heavenly Merchant.