Zhong Minyin, male, 18 years old, is the youngest male disciple of the Shaoyang School.
On the whole, Zhong Minyan is usually a very easy-going person, accustomed to being a junior disciple, and used to smilingly responding to the orders of his brothers, few people would know how stubborn his character is. Many times, he comes to a judgement about something based upon his own opinions, and would rather die than turn back.
In his mind, as long as he finds the master, then basically everything is good. Master is the most clear-eyed, fair and open-minded person in the world.
But the truth is often disappointing.
When he found the master, and put forward Elder Brother Ouyang’s matter to try and persuade him, Chu Lei just faintly frowned, even the eyes did not move away from the book in the hand, “Master Rong has his own sense, you do not need to worry about it. If he is a person, he will ask clearly and if there is nothing suspicious, naturally he will be returned home[1], safe and sound.”
Uh …… something feels wrong. Zhong Minyan was dumbfounded. Could it be … no, he ought to nod his head to agree and then afterwards immediately try to find Master Rong to plea for leniency.
He tried to convince: “Master, Brother Ouyang is a good man. Ruo’Yu and I were seriously injured but thanks to him decocting medicinal herbs everyday in order to heal us, If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t know where I would have died. He is my life-saving benefactor, I cannot ……”
“Minyan.” Chu Lei finally moved his gaze away from the scroll, looking at him reproachfully, “You are inexperienced, how to easily determine whether this person is good or bad? If he has a premeditated plan, waiting for you to fall into the trap in Gao’s mountain, and finally infiltrate Fuyu Island …… it is not without this possibility.”
He is not a three-year-old child! Whether a person is good or bad, there is no malicious intent, can he not see it?
But years of habit let him obediently shut up, choose silence.
Chu Lei sees him still looking unconvinced, then said, “We will leave Fu Yu Island in two days. You honestly, do not make trouble!”
Zhong Minyan resentfully went away. He only felt that many things have changed since he set out, originally he thought things were a certain way but often turned out unexpectedly. When he was a child he hoped that he would grow up soon and see the outside world soon and become a man of the world, but now he understands why many adults always envy children for being carefree.
In fact, the world is still the same world, just the perspective is different. People’s cunning and contentious suspicious hearts make this world more complicated than ever. The so-called growth is to gradually learn to protect yourself with the same heart, and after a long time, forget what your real self really looks like.
When he returned to his guest room, he fell into bed and slept, thinking of Brother Ouyang’s care all the way, and remembering the conspiracy that Master had told him about.
When he was very young, his parents died in the plague, and his only elder brother died of hunger on the way to flee his hometown in order to take care of him. Later, he was rescued by his master and brought back to Shaoyang Peak, so he no longer had to worry about food, clothing and transportation, and there were many brothers of his age around him, so he did not feel alone. However, in the middle of the night he will also remember that he is alone in this world, no relatives, no one will love and care for him from the bottom of their heart. Although the Master and Madam are kind but in the end there is a layer of awe, although the brothers and sisters are close but after all there is a rivalry. He came alone and in the end he will leave alone. Thinking of this, he often felt a profound loneliness.
Although he later had good friends such as Sifeng and Ruo’Yu but the feeling of good friends and brothers is not the same. When he was seriously injured on Gao’s mountain and was completely immobilized, Brother Ouyang appeared. He took good care of him and Ruo’Yu, encouraging and comforting them every day, a feeling that was both familiar and strange. One day he finally remembered that the so-called brother is probably like this. Although Brother Ouyang is not his real brother but in his memory the big brother is like this.
Now everything is suddenly turned upside down, someone said that big brother is a bad person and locked him up for torture, he is so frail and sickly he will probably die within a couple of beatings.
How could this happen? How could this happen? Zhong Minyan was so depressed by the thought that he pounded his fist on the bed, making the bed bang.
Ruo’Yu just pushed the door in and saw him lying on the bed in the middle of the day, taking out his anger on the blanket, he was smart enough that he already knew what was going on. Immediately he let out a tiny sigh and reasoned, “Minyan, as juniors we should not get involved in this matter. If Brother Ouyang is not to blame, I believe Master Rong will let him go.”
“Hmph, give a dog a bad name then hang him[2]!” Zhong Minyan jumped up from the bed, “Now everyone hates Brother Ouyang to the bone because of that Steward Ouyang’s matter. What do you mean, let him go? I think they want to take it out on him and make him a scapegoat!”
At first he was just saying that because he was angry but on second thought maybe it was a possibility. The demon is a demon, but he has been hiding in the Fuyu Island for ten years without being discovered. Then perhaps the demon’s brother is also a demon. Master Rong may start off leniently, however once they realise he is a demon they would be ruthless.
“Ruo’yu!” He suddenly called out.
Ruo’Yu looked at him warily, “What are you going to do? To save that man?”
Zhong Minyan bit his lower lip, he did not know what to do but to sit and wait for Brother Ouyang to be tortured to death, he could not.
Ruo’Yu winked and whispered: “I just saw the disciples of the Fuyu Island send rice to the dungeon, they should send it again at night ……”
He did not finish his sentence, but Zhong Minyan already understood his meaning. After pondering for a long time, he finally got up and said, “Okay! Let’s go at night! Even if the master blames, I do not care!”
Ruo’Yu laughed and said, “How could your master blame you? He will understand.”
Zhong Minyan made up his mind to go to rescue that person at night, his depressed mood was suddenly swept away, and he was so anxious that he was scratching his ears and cheeks and fidgeting, he wanted to blow the sun down the mountain with one breath to go rescue that person.
“I’m going to find Sifeng! The three of us together ……” he turned around to leave, but was grabbed by Ruo’Yu, “Wait, it’s not good to have too many people. Besides, Sifeng is already in trouble with the Deputy Palace Master for the mask. You and I will be enough.”
“What about the mask?” Zhong Minyan froze for a moment, and then remembered that when they met again, Yu Sifeng’s mask was indeed gone and the Deputy Palace Master must have been annoyed with him for this matter. “The situation was so urgent who would have cared about the mask? It’s not a serious matter, right? The palace master didn’t punish him last time.”
Ruo Yu laughed, “That was his punishment of never returning to his homeland in exchange for ……
“What?” Zhong Minyan did not hear, but he shook his head, “Never mind. We’re going to observe the terrain around the dungeon and see how to move at night.”
In the evening at dinner time both Zhong Minyan and Ruo’Yu were absent due to ‘pain from their wounds’.
“Could it be that the wounds burst open?” Xuanji was looking at the food but was a little worried
Yu Sifeng looked pensive then smiled, “Probably. I’m sure it’s not serious. I’ll bring them their meals later, and check the injuries on the way.”
“I also ……”
“Xuanji don’t follow,” he laughed, “they are all wounds that need to be undressed to check, its not convenient for a girl to go.”
Is that so? But his smile seemed strange. Xuanji seemed to understand but also not.
Yu Si-feng knows that she has always been smart. The only thing is that she doesn’t know much about the world, and she doesn’t see the trust that Zhong Minyan has in Brother Ouyang, so she can’t think of an answer even though she’s scratching her head. When she finds something difficult her eyelashes flutter like a butterfly’s wings and he could not help but smile more deeply.
“I have bandages and medicine wounds with me, Si Feng, I will send it over later.” Chu Lei finally opened his mouth and left Yu Sifeng stunned. He took a look at this usually old-fashioned serious Shaoyang Sect master and his heart suddenly understand, they can do nothing to hide from his eyes. Now Chu Lei said so on behalf of his tacit recognition of Zhong Minyan’s nonsense, his heart also felt relief and immediately felt more admiration towards him.
After the meal, Chu Lei really took the bandages and wound medicine for Yu Sifeng to take and on the side also said, “Minyan is of a leisurely nature and likes to cause trouble, this time his experience after descending the mountain, Sifeng will also have to watch over him some.”
Yu Sifeng for the first time experienced this kind of pleasant treatment by Chu lei and felt somewhat flattered, but in his heart still does not understand why he would treat an ordinary disciple from Li’Ze Palce in such a way. He looked up to check his expression but saw his gaze was soft, faintly contains the meaning of praise.
“Xuanji … I’d also like you to take care of her.”
Yu Sifeng’s face blushed violently and he instantly enlightened. The idea that his secret was easily seen through by him, he could not help but feel a little panic, but he was happy to get the elders’ approval and tacit acknowledgement, and for a while he was frozen like a wooden chicken[3], unable to spit out half a word.
Always resourceful and calm and self-possessed Yu Si Feng finally also has an awkward moment. Chu Lei patted his shoulder, he admired this young man and originally wanted to have a long talk with him, but who knows there was a sudden commotion outside the door, Xuanji thumping hard on the door, called, “Father! Si Feng! Someone has come to Fuyu Island again!”
Both of them were shocked.
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[1]: 回老家 (huí lǎo jiā) – idiom meaning: to go back to one’s roots / to return to one’s native place . This phrase can also (by extension) mean: to join one’s ancestors (i.e. to die)
[2]: 欲加之罪，何患无辞 (yù jiāzhī zuì, hé huàn wúcí) – an idiom which translates as: If you want to condemn someone, don’t worry about the pretext, meaning ‘one can always trump up a charge against someone to justify their punishment’. Similar to the English language proverb ‘Give a dog a bad name, then hang him.’
[3]: 呆若木鸡 (dāi ruòmù jī) – an idiom which literally translates as ‘dumb as a wooden chicken‘. Meaning: (to be) dumbstruck.
Lazy Cat Translations 