Chapter 7: Listening to the Zither on the Painted Boat, Mist Over Chilly Waters
Chapter 7: Listening to the Zither on the Painted Boat, Mist Over Chilly Waters
After Gu Fengchen mastered the Heaven-Defying Divine Art, the deadly poison he had previously been afflicted with now acted up less frequently and with diminishing severity. Sometimes a whole day would pass without a single episode. During each meditation session, he felt as if countless rivulets of mercury meandered through his body, flowing slowly from his dantian into his meridians. When he finished practicing, his dantian felt vast and empty like a hollow valley, yet his limbs and bones brimmed with true energy — as though countless forces were about to erupt.
That morning, after completing his practice in the cabin, Gu Fengchen sat alone at the bow of the boat, gazing at the scenery along the banks. The boat was moving so swiftly that the views blurred past like fleeting glimpses. None could be observed in detail. He sighed inwardly: How difficult it is to have things both ways in life. Though the speed was gained, the beautiful sights along the way flew by too quickly to notice the details.
Just as he pondered this, the spring sky grew clouded. A soft breeze began to stir, and soon a fine drizzle started. Gu Fengchen, finding the cabin stifling and unwilling to return, borrowed an umbrella from the boatman. He held it aloft and stood at the bow, surveying his surroundings. In the distance, he saw sparse woodlands and azure mountains faintly visible through a misty shroud of rain. Raindrops splashed onto the river surface, bursting into innumerable droplets. The dense patter of rain added boundless desolation to the land and sky.
Though not poetically inspired, the scene pressed upon his chest like a stifling blockage. Unable to contain it, he unleashed a prolonged, resounding roar.
This roar did not cease; instead, it grew ever louder, like a muffled thunderclap rolling across the heavens, echoing far along the riverbanks. The current quickened, the boat sped up, and his roar intensified. The boatman paled, nearly dropping his oar into the water, fearing some river monster had appeared.
Slowly, Gu Fengchen ceased his roar and immediately felt significantly more at ease.
Just then, the Fen River curved, its waters surging abruptly faster. Steadying the vessel through years of experience, the boatman piloted with practiced ease.
The rain intensified. The boatman donned a coir raincoat, shouting, “Honored guest, take shelter inside! The rain is getting heavier!” Gu Fengchen acknowledged him and started folding the umbrella to retreat into the cabin when he suddenly noticed a boat following closely behind.
It was a painted boat adorned with intricate dragons and phoenixes at its bow and hull, exquisitely decorated. Seated at its bow was a man clad in opulent silk brocade robes, wearing a jeweled crown inlaid with sun and moon motifs. A zither rested on his lap. Beside him stood a young, colorfully dressed maidservant holding a paper parasol overhead. The man was utterly absorbed in playing his zither, seemingly oblivious to the torrential rain.
The painted boat veered until it sailed parallel beside Gu Fengchen’s boat. Gu Fengchen glimpsed only the profile of the zither player: one side of his face was flawless like fine jade — a fine gentleman amidst the dusty world. Though the rain poured ever more fiercely, the gentleman’s zither melodies flowed serenely and smoothly, devoid of any irritation.
Coming from humble origins, Gu Fengchen knew little about appreciating the zither. He also despised the pretentious airs of the wealthy, convinced such young masters amounted to nothing more than parasites feasting on their forebears’ wealth. They considered bird-raising and dog-training their main pursuits, utterly oblivious to the word ‘labor’. Seeing the gentleman’s attire and the ornate boat he sat on, Gu Fengchen inwardly sneered and paid no further attention.
To Gu Fengchen’s surprise, the painted boat surged forward with a few powerful strokes until it was level with his smaller vessel. Then it ceased to overtake, maintaining pace alongside instead.
A sense of caution arose in Gu Fengchen, yet he saw no obvious threat or purpose from the other boat.
The gentleman remained engrossed in his zither, never once raising his head, seeming entirely immersed in the music.
Sailing in tandem, the river surface gradually broadened as the waters calmed slightly.
Suddenly, about a dozen reed stalks appeared on the river ahead, drifting towards the boats. As they drew near, a tumultuous splashing broke the surface! Over a dozen burly men, stripped to the waist, burst forth from the river’s depths! Knives clenched in their teeth, their faces were fierce, etched with water stains revealing them as river-dwellers.
These men moved with startling agility — they vaulted onto the gentleman’s painted boat in an instant! The leader bellowed, “Hand over your gold and silver if you want to live, pretty boy!” His cohorts roared approvingly behind him, amplifying his threats.
The boatman aboard Gu Fengchen’s vessel whispered urgently, “Honored guest, that gentleman seems to be facing some trouble. I don’t take you for an ordinary man. Surely you’ll aid him?” Gu Fengchen scoffed, “I might have, but since you suggested it, now I won’t. Let him resolve it himself if he can.”
The boatman persisted, “What sort of capabilities could he possibly possess? I implore you, hero! If he survives being robbed, he’ll surely resent me for failing to help. He might even ruin my livelihood!” Gu Fengchen retorted sharply, “Then you draw your blade and uphold justice right now!” The boatman sighed and fell silent.
Amid the clamor, the gentleman on the painted boat played on, fingers moving across the strings, not even glancing in their direction. One of the men lurched towards the maidservant. “Not bad, this little miss,” he leered, reaching out a hand towards her cheek. “Smooth skin, tender like…”
Before he finished, a flash of blue-green shadow darted around the seated gentleman! Screams ripped through the air! Splashes followed one after another as burly figures — more than ten — plunged, arrows embedded in their throats, into the river and vanished! None resurfaced.
Gu Fengchen had watched clearly: the maidservant in colorful robes moved with lightning speed. Circling once around her master, the tip of her paper parasol had shot out a thin steel blade. Swift as lightning, it pierced each man precisely in the throat. Her movement was so fast and accurate she seemed to return to her original position instantly, as if never having moved at all.
The downpour instantly flushed every drop of blood into the river.
The boatman beside Gu Fengchen stood gaping, convinced he’d seen a ghost. Gu Fengchen, however, offered a slight smile. “See that? He won’t be smashing your rice bowl.”
The boatman stammered in a low voice, “Heavens! I thought those brutes were masters of killing? That slip of a girl must be the mother of them! Quick, let’s put distance between us!” He rowed fiercely, yet the painted boat clung stubbornly beside them, as though lashed together.
A cold smile touched Gu Fengchen’s lips. So, they’re after me? Well then, I won’t rush. Let’s see how you play your hand. He called out loudly to the other boat, “Say there, young master! Care for an umbrella?” Indeed, the steel blade of one attacker had torn a large hole in the maidservant’s paper parasol, rendering it useless.
The gentleman’s fingers paused on the strings, though he didn’t turn. He responded lightly, “Strangers we are. Trouble we must not impose.” Gu Fengchen laughed. “Weren’t strangers, aren’t we acquaintances now? Besides, this umbrella wasn’t mine to begin with. I’m merely borrowing flowers to offer Buddha — nothing to thank me for.”
The gentleman replied, “If that’s so, brother, why not come aboard and converse?” Here it comes, Gu Fengchen thought. Very well, let’s see your game. He agreed readily, “Agreed! Suits me perfectly.” He closed the umbrella and stood at the bow for a moment, letting the rain thoroughly soak his clothes and hair.
The gentleman frowned, puzzled. “What are you about?” Gu Fengchen said grinningly, “Taking a bath. Washing my clothes too. Wouldn’t want to sully that fine painted vessel of yours.” The gentleman chuckled briefly. “It’s nothing. Come aboard.”
Gu Fengchen directed his boatman to steer closer. Grabbing a jug of wine from the cabin, he leaped nimbly aboard the other vessel. Both boatmen seem to tacitly understand the guests’ intentions, steering unhurriedly as the two boats sailed side by side. The rain began to ease, yet a fine mist rose from the river. The painted boat, veiled by drifting mist and shimmering waves, seemed like a vessel sailing through a dream.
As Gu Fengchen stepped aboard, the gentleman nodded slightly towards the cushion opposite. Gu Fengchen settled cross-legged without ceremony, handing the umbrella to the young maidservant. She opened it immediately and held it aloft, sheltering all three beneath its canopy.
As they got closer, Gu Fengchen noticed that the elegant young man had sparkling eyes, a delicate nose, and rosy lips—it was actually a woman. He also caught a faint, delicate fragrance wafting through the air. During that era, social conventions were extremely strict. A righteous gentleman would likely have leapt from the painted boat immediately, but Gu Fengchen paid no mind to such rules. Having been expelled from Shaolin, his temperament had grown stubborn and rebellious; he did things without regard for common sense. Though aware she was a woman, he remained unfazed. Casually placing his wine jar on the prow, he slapped off the seal and said, “Maiden, care for a drink?”
The woman sniffed the air inside the jar and scrunched her brows. “What kind of wine is this?”
Gu Fengchen replied, “Does it matter what kind? It’s wine, and that’s enough.”
The woman signaled her colorful-attired maid with a glance. The maid entered the cabin and brought out a gold-inlaid, jade-encrusted wine jug along with two cups. The woman said, “This is fine Fenjiu wine.” She poured herself a cup first and drank it in one gulp to demonstrate it wasn’t poisoned.
Gu Fengchen took the jug and sniffed. “This wine isn’t strong; it doesn’t seem like a man’s drink. I’ll stick with this.” He lifted his own wine jar and took a large swig.
The woman asked, “Might I ask your esteemed surname and name, sir, and where your immortal hometown lies?” Gu Fengchen smiled faintly. “I’m a nobody, maiden. No need to ask so much. If we clarify friend or foe first, the wine mood will disappear, spoiling the atmosphere.”
“Oh?” the woman responded. “Very well. Let’s drink first, then settle friend or foe.” Gu Fengchen laughed heartily. “That’s more like it…”
They drank cup after cup, mouthful after mouthful. Before long, the woman had consumed two jugs of Fenjiu wine, while Gu Fengchen had downed most of his large jar. By the end, Gu Fengchen felt an intense heat coursing through his body. He ripped open his upper robe, revealing his muscular chest, and his laughter grew louder.
The colorful-attired maid beside the woman frowned deeply, constantly signaling her with glances. Yet the woman persistently ignored her. Every time Gu Fengchen took a drink, she matched him cup for cup.
They drank like this until the large jar was empty. Gu Fengchen tossed the jar into the river with a booming laugh. “The wine’s gone, maiden. Whatever tricks you have, show them now.”
The woman smiled. “You thought I was here to fight you?”
Gu Fengchen said, “I know nothing of zithers, chess, calligraphy, or painting. I only understand drinking and fighting. Wine is done, so naturally, fighting remains.”
“The maiden asked, “Besides those two things, you have no other pleasures?”
Gu Fengchen paused, then answered, “In these thirty years of mine, I’ve begged for a few years, been a monk for a few years, and forged iron for a few years. But none of these were pleasures. It was just for survival. How could it compare to your carefree existence, maiden! Might I ask what your pleasures are?”
A shadow of melancholy seemed to pass through the woman’s eyes. She spoke slowly, “I love the scenery under the heavens. The great deserts, grasslands, forests, rivers, lakes, famous mountains… I want to go to them all. I want to go there and play without worry, light-hearted, so my heart doesn’t always feel burdened by so much responsibility. Yet…”
Her eyes suddenly cleared and regained composure. “But all that must wait until after I complete what I must do.”
Gu Fengchen said, “It seems you have great matters to attend to, maiden. I wonder if they concern me.”
The woman’s expression turned serious. “They concern you greatly.”
“How could they?” Gu Fengchen replied. “I don’t even know your name, much less your background. So…”
The woman cut him off. “You know nothing of me, but I know of you.”
Gu Fengchen was startled. “You know me, maiden?”
The woman smiled. She reached out, stroked the qin strings, slowly drawing forth a melodious sound, and said, “You are a disciple of the Shaolin Sect, with the Dharma name Fengchen. Your master was Monk Guang Xing, the chief abbot of the Damo Hall. You were originally the most outstanding disciple of Shaolin’s second generation. But two years ago, you were accused of stealing scriptures. Your master destroyed most of your martial arts with a single palm strike and expelled you from the temple…”
Gu Fengchen gave a scoffing laugh. “I hadn’t expected the maiden to know of that incident.”
The woman continued, “But I find it rather doubtful. Born poor, you hail from Gu Village upstream on the Yi River. You begged for survival as a child but never stole. Why would you suddenly steal scriptures while just fine at Shaolin Temple? Does the environment make a person bad? Is it that Shaolin Temple cannot produce honorable people?”
Gu Fengchen retorted, “Why such interest in me, maiden? It’s all stale history. Why bring it up now!”
The woman gave a charming smile. “I simply wish to hear it from you.”
Gu Fengchen shook his head with a bitter smile. He stood up and cupped his hands in salute. “It was my honor to share this wine with you, maiden, but duty calls. I must take my leave.” With that, he prepared to leap back onto his own boat.
The woman gave a slight smile. “Leaving so soon?”
“Naturally, I leave,” Gu Fengchen replied.
“If you don’t tell me your story,” she said, “I’m afraid you won’t be able to leave.”
Gu Fengchen frowned. “Why not?”
The woman lowered her head and did not answer.
Annoyance simmering in his chest, Gu Fengchen prepared to channel his energy and leap.
But the moment he tried to gather his Qi, he felt something was terribly wrong. That vital breath refused to rise. His feet, only having jumped a few inches off the deck, collapsed back down onto the prow. His body felt numb and limp, as though he’d drunk dozens of pounds of potent wine. Alarm shot through him. “You’ve ambushed me!” he barked.
The woman smiled gently. “When have I ambushed you? Did you drink a single cup of my wine on my boat? Eat a bite of my food?”
Gu Fengchen thought it over—she was right. He’d stayed cautious. Yet somehow he’d fallen into her trap anyway. “My own carelessness,” he admitted. “I’ve no one to blame…” He struggled to prop himself up, crawling towards his own boat.
Despite being close, the two boats were still several feet apart. Unable to stand, Gu Fengchen grabbed the painted boat’s railing. The moment he applied force, his hands went weak, and his entire body pitched towards the river.
The woman gasped sharply in shock. Her right hand shot out, grasping the scruff of Gu Fengchen’s robe, and hauled him back aboard. “Are you mad?” she scolded angrily. “Throwing away your life? Weak as you are now, you’d drown if you fell in…”
Gu Fengchen gazed intently at her. Her face was flushed crimson, her fingers clutching his robe tightly. She seemed genuinely terrified. He silently puzzled: Why this sudden concern for him?
Meeting his probing gaze, the woman’s heart raced violently. Abruptly, she released him, letting him slump onto the prow. She lowered her head, avoiding his eyes.
Gu Fengchen chuckled weakly. “If you intend to deal with me, maiden, why fear me drowning?”
The woman managed a strained smile. “I do intend to handle you, but only because you didn’t listen! Who told you not to listen?”
“I am listening,” Gu Fengchen countered. “And why should I obey you anyway?”
The woman shook the empty wine bottle. “I offered you this good wine. Why wouldn’t you drink it? That feeling of powerless limbs now… quite novel, isn’t it?” And she giggled playfully.
Gu Fengchen stared in disbelief. “I didn’t drink your wine; how was I tricked?”
The woman nodded, pointing at her qin instrument. “This qin is made from an overseas wood called ‘Drunken Immortal wood’. Moreover, the lacquer applied contains dissolved gārudhūpa sandalwood and dried rosemary leaves. An ordinary person would faint just smelling it. But you have considerable alcohol tolerance—sitting this long didn’t intoxicate you. Instead, the rosemary overwhelmed you. I placed the antidote in the wine itself. You wouldn’t drink—serves you right.”
Two deadly poisons flowed within Gu Fengchen’s veins, rendering him immune to toxic substances. But rosemary was not poisonous; it acted differently. Hence, he succumbed.
The woman laughed triumphantly. “I told you not to leave. Told you you couldn’t go. So? Yielding to me yet?”
Gu Fengchen conceded, “Fine. I yield. Skillfully done.”
“Then,” the woman pressed, “will you answer the question I asked?”
“No!” Gu Fengchen stated firmly.
The woman frowned. “You’re not afraid I’ll actually kill you?”
Gu Fengchen sneered coldly. “Extracting confessions? That will be even more futile.”
“I merely wish to hear about your past,” the woman explained calmly. “It’s no martial sect secret. It requires no coercion. My ‘ambush’ was simply to keep you here. If I had asked you properly, you might have spoken willingly. But resorting to tricks… I shall utter not half a word.”
The woman nodded silently. She signaled her maid with a glance. The maid ducked into the cabin again and brought out another jug of wine, pouring a cup which she then held towards Gu Fengchen’s mouth.
“Stop!” Gu Fengchen roared.
The maid jumped, nearly spilling the wine.
“You think giving me the antidote makes you my benefactor?” demanded Gu Fengchen. “Your tactics outwitted me, and for that… I admit surprise—perhaps even admiration. But I refuse your pity!”
The colorful-attired maid flung the cup’s contents into the river with a disdainful huff, then turned away and ignored him.
The young woman smiled faintly and said, “Fine, you’re a great hero, a mighty champion. Of course, you wouldn’t need pity from a little nobody like me. Speak if you wish; if not, no one will force you. Satisfied?”
Gu Fengchen said, “Miss, you have important matters to attend to. Why bother with my story?” The young woman retrieved her zither, handed it to the colorfully-dressed maid, then propped her chin in her hands and stared at him. “I simply wish to hear it. Surely there are details others don’t know, aren’t there? Great Hero?”
By now, the rain had stopped. A gap had opened in the clouds clinging to the distant mountaintop, squeezing out a beam of sunlight. A rainbow draped diagonally across the sky, painting a scene like something from a dreamscape. Gu Fengchen lay flat on the prow of the boat and spoke slowly, “This is the thing I least wish to speak of. I’ve buried it deep in my heart for years. I don’t know you, you’ve never seen me before, and we’ll have nothing to do with each other in the future. So… telling you won’t matter.”
The young woman said, “If you knew me, you wouldn’t speak, would you? You want everyone who knows you to believe you are not a good man?” Gu Fengchen replied, “I merely don’t want these words reaching the ears of Great Master Guang Xing of the Shaolin Temple.” The young woman nodded, remaining silent.
Gu Fengchen began, “It was several years ago. One day, a group of esoteric sect masters suddenly came from beyond the Tibetan border to challenge Shaolin. They were obviously prepared. My master, Chan Master Guang Xing, had just gone to Wudang Mountain and was not at the temple. In that contest, three of the temple’s seven great masters were gravely injured, four entered nirvana. Those esoteric masters also suffered heavy casualties. Then, a few nights later, someone visited the Scripture Chamber. I was assigned to guard it then. That person stole a copy of the ‘Avatamsaka Sutra’. Hidden within that scripture were internal techniques, handwritten annotations by a revered senior monk of our order. Upon discovering the theft, I gave chase. That individual was incredibly cunning. Though missing both legs, he still leaped agilely with the aid of two wooden staffs. Yet, that night, a vicious storm raged. Fearing the scripture would be soaked, he hid it inside a dilapidated hut, hoping to ditch me and retrieve it later. But I wasn’t fooled; I found the scripture. Early the next morning, just after the rain ceased and I was preparing to leave, my master arrived. He had rushed back overnight upon receiving news that both I and the scripture were missing. His nature is fiercely uncompromising, and with the grief of seeing fellow senior monks perish tragically weighing heavily on him, he was in an awful state. Without waiting for an explanation, he delivered a palm strike that shattered the majority of my meridians. He reclaimed the scripture and expelled me from the temple. I know my master is a man of utmost integrity. Had he known the truth, he would have surely renounced his own martial arts. But by then, the temple’s great masters were either severely injured or passed into nirvana; he alone remained to uphold its legacy. So I offered no defense and left Shaolin Temple.”
He paused, then added with a cold laugh, “I served Shaolin with great merit, yet this was my reward. This Jianghu… I had no desire to remain mixed up in it. So I returned to my hometown and became a blacksmith.”
The young woman listened quietly until this point before asking, “Then why are you back in the martial world now?” Gu Fengchen sighed. “Feng Jue of Shaolin died because of me. I came back to wallow in this muddy water solely to fulfill his dying wish. Once this particular matter is concluded, I will return home to my forge and never set foot in the Jianghu again.”
The young woman, lost in thought for a moment, finally said, “Hammering away all day clang-clang-clang, choked by smoke and flames… what meaning is there in that?” Gu Fengchen replied, “I know there is no grand meaning. But at least… at least no one there wrongfully accuses me.” The young woman asked, “Are you quite alone now?” Gu Fengchen said, “My parents couldn’t afford to raise more than one child. Naturally, I’m alone.” The young woman probed, “I meant… has no one in your village spoken to you of… a wife?”
Gu Fengchen chuckled. “A rough fellow like me? No one would take a liking.” The young woman lowered her voice. “Then… is there no one you like either?” Gu Fengchen replied indifferently, “My temper is not good; I dare not ruin someone else’s chance at a good marriage.”
Suddenly, the young woman sneered. “What about that girl you were protecting? If you don’t like her, why guard her so fiercely?”
These words struck Gu Fengchen like a bolt; he shuddered in alarm. “You… just who are you?” The young woman retorted, “I am asking you, not the other way around.” Gu Fengchen had a sudden flash of recognition. “It’s you! I remember now. At that wayside inn… you were the masked woman in black. What are you scheming?”
The young woman pressed, “You still haven’t answered my question. Do you truly like that girl?”
Gu Fengchen flared with anger. “Nonsense! That girl has not yet reached adulthood! How could I harbor such thoughts? Do you take me for a beast?!” The young woman pursued relentlessly, “So you don’t like her?” Gu Fengchen stated flatly, “Correct. If it weren’t for her, Feng Jue…” He sighed again. “And yet… one can’t blame her! Escorting her to her kinsfolk was simply honoring the dead man’s wish.”
The young woman shot him a glare, then abruptly blushed crimson and tittered mischievously.
Gu Fengchen said, “That day at the inn, it was your subordinates who extricated me. I meant to thank you. But you rendered me utterly helpless, nearly drowning me when I fell into the river. Consider us even.”
The young woman scoffed, “Pfft! I didn’t intend for you to drown! It was yourself who…” Suddenly, her face flushed again, and she bit off her sentence.
Gu Fengchen inquired, “We’ve spoken at length, yet I still don’t know your name. Falling without knowing into whose hands… it might trouble my sleep later.”
She said softly, “I’ll tell you, but you mustn’t tell another soul.” Gu Fengchen nodded. “Naturally. Do you imagine I’d broadcast tales of my own stumble?”
The young woman whispered, “My name is Hong Linger. My mother was in a pool of water caltrops when she birthed me. Hence the name.”
Gu Fengchen remarked, “Your entourage possesses extraordinary martial prowess; even a mere maid beside you carries hidden skills. I suspect you, Miss, are far from ordinary. This stumble of mine, it seems, was no accident. However, I have urgent business and dare not tarry further…”
Hong Linger interrupted, “What urgent business could you possibly have? Is that girl’s affair not concluded?” Gu Fengchen replied, “Exactly. She’s imprisoned by villains in a certain place. I must rescue her now. If I delay, her life will be forfeit.” Hong Linger asked, “What kind of villains?” Gu Fengchen described, “Two fellows calling themselves the Red Yang Immortal and the White Yin Immortal. I’d say ‘Yin Yang Ghosts’ suits them better.” Hong Linger went “Oh” and said, “I know these two. Their martial skills? Mediocre. But they are grandmasters of poison. I advise against going.”
Gu Fengchen gave a cold laugh. “You think I fear them?”
Hong Linger countered, “Our mighty hero certainly fears nothing. However, their skill with poison surpasses even mine. You couldn’t guard against me. How will you contend with them? Going is like walking to your death.”
Stirred by stubborn pride and resolve, Gu Fengchen declared, “Even if it means death, I will go. Otherwise, my conscience will know no peace.”
Hong Linger sneered, “You’re worried about that girl, then.” Gu Fengchen likewise sneered, “Correct. I am worried for her.” Hong Linger challenged, “What if she dies?” Gu Fengchen retorted, “Then I shall set my blade against my own neck. Hmph! That much, at least, needs no worry from you.”
Hong Linger’s face hardened like frost. Biting her lip, she said, “Very well. Since you care for her so, I will grant your wish. Spare you a futile journey.” With that, she gave a slight wave towards the colorfully-dressed maid. Understanding her mistress, the maid stepped forward, lifted Fengchen, and flung him back onto his own boat’s prow.
Hong Linger’s painted boat abruptly accelerated, pulling several yards ahead in moments.
Her voice drifted back from ahead, “Within twenty days, come to the Bright Summit of Mount Huang. I’ll permit you to see that girl. Should you delay…” her tone turned icy, “…then prepare her shroud.” Gu Fengchen shouted, “What nonsense? She’s in the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers! How could she be atop Bright Summit?” Hong Linger laughed coldly. “Believe it or not, as you please.”
Gu Fengchen roared, “Just who are you?! If you dare harm a single hair on her head—!”
By now, the painted boat was already scores of yards away, gradually fading into the distance, accompanied by a faint, ethereal melody of the zither.
Gu Fengchen desperately called to his boatman, “Quick! Chase them! Chase them!” The boatman pointed helplessly into the cabin. “Go look for yourself.” Bewildered, Gu Fengchen lifted the cabin curtain. Half the cabin floor was already awash. He asked, shocked, “When did the boat spring a leak?” The boatman replied, “I don’t know. Perhaps just now. There’s a perfectly round hole in the bottom planks, like it was drilled through.” Gu Fengchen sighed, understanding this was Hong Linger’s doing. While they conversed, she must have had agents lurking beneath his boat, waiting. The moment he was thrown back onto it, they drilled the hole, ensuring he couldn’t pursue.
Left with no choice, Gu Fengchen ordered the boat ashore, paid the boatman, and switched to overland travel. Now the skies were clear post-rain, a red sun blazing directly overhead — obviously noon. Gu Fengchen knew Hong Linger’s meticulous planning made pursuit on water impossible now. The only path forward was to race for the Bright Summit of Mount Huang within twenty days to save Lian’er.
The effects of the rosemary perfume Hong Linger had used gradually wore off, and his limbs regained their mobility. Gu Fengchen surveyed his surroundings. In the distance, wisps of cooking smoke curled upwards — indicating a town. He headed towards it and found an unexpectedly large locale called Fen River Bay, bustling with all manner of shops and merchants.
Gu Fengchen first hastily gulped down a few bowls of rice. Then, he purchased several large flatbreads and dozens of salted eggs to carry as provisions. Afterwards, he hired another boat, sailing downstream until he reached the Yellow River, then continued on to Kaifeng before finally disembarking.
He caught no further sight of Hong Linger’s painted boat along the way. Tallying the days, he realized today was already the thirteenth of the fourth month. He had to reach Mount Huang within half a month. Leaving his boat, Gu Fengchen traded for a horse and immediately rode hard southeastwards.