06. There Is a Path Through the Mountain of Books

After lunch, the afternoon had already arrived.

The autumn breeze carried a gentle warmth.

Little Cheng packed his belongings onto the mule-drawn cart. As he settled in, something stirred in his arms—a pointed mouse head poked out, its tiny claws clutching his collar, and its dark, beady eyes curiously surveyed the world beyond.

Old Cheng, holding a gourd ladle, fed yellow beans to the mule, which quietly chewed the fine feed.

Beside the piled luggage perched a jet-black cat.

The old cat lazily flexed its paws, scratching its whiskers, and, accompanied by the mild wind, let out a massive yawn.

Curiosity brimmed in Cheng Yan’s eyes. He’d long heard his grandfather speak of the prowess of black cats, and had eavesdropped on a few uncles discussing their feats. His interest in the black cat only deepened.

The old cat always seemed to embody the languor of spring and autumn, sprawled like a sick tiger.

The world was full of strange creatures, yet Cheng Yan’s heart was mostly filled with excitement. He had practiced the Sword Sutra for years at home, and now, at last, he was embarking on his journey.

Though Meilan was not far from the Five Elder Peaks, it was a pilgrimage for learning, and some youthful zeal stirred and surged within him.

“Father, Mother, Granny, your son is off to study,” Cheng Yan announced, stepping before his family and kneeling respectfully to touch his forehead to the ground.

“Be careful on the road.”

“Mind everything.”

“Study the classics diligently, and don’t neglect the family martial arts.”

A round of farewells followed, and Cheng Yan climbed onto the mule cart.

Old Cheng cracked the short whip in the air—its sharp report set the well-fed mule trotting briskly.

Though it was a goodbye, Cheng Yan felt no sadness. The wind along the road was light and buoyant. He reached out his hand, and the large mouse, Grey Treasure, crawled along his arm to rest on his palm, seeming to enjoy the breeze as well.

The mule, energized by its feed, sped along, and soon they arrived at the county yamen.

The gatekeepers greeted them with smiles as bright as flowers, hastily gesturing them inside.

Contrary to his expectations of a bustling crowd, there was only a thinly dressed fisherwoman, covering her face and sobbing quietly.

On the main hall sat Meilan’s magistrate, Lord Lü, but his mind seemed unsettled—gone was his usual calm, and his gaze repeatedly drifted to the purple-bearded elder seated below.

Behind the elder stood a peculiar man with frosty eyes and crossed arms, as well as three poised guards.

Lü Qian forced a smile onto his face. “Should we settle the students first?”

The purple-bearded elder’s tiger eyes snapped open from half-slumber. “Meilan County has witnessed a murder. If you do not solve the case in time, how will you ascertain the victim and culprit? Matters concerning the students can wait. Learning is not for leisure; without strong bodies, they won’t endure.”

Lü Qian immediately recognized the temper of this undercover official and shifted from timidity to firmness. “Coroner, verify the body!”

A yamen coroner carefully examined the wounds.

...

Money Bear, the head constable, who had already investigated, stepped forward. “My lord, this person was killed by a monster… Last night…”

Money Bear described the events of the previous night in detail, then presented two portraits—one of a straw-hat-wearing little demon, and the other of a square-faced, clean-shaven man with dagger-like eyes.

Lü Qian had seen these portraits before, though then Wang Si had not been dead. Now, with a murder, he took it far more seriously.

Lü Qian declared, “It appears he killed Wang Si!”

“Issue the imperial warrant. This monster has just assumed human form and is extremely dangerous. Any imperial constable who encounters him may kill on sight.”

“Rest assured, Chen, I will see justice done for you.”

Among the crowd, Lu Xun couldn’t help but be amused. He had been pondering Wang Si’s death, suspecting the crab demon was no simple creature, perhaps more than just a minor monster with some cultivation. Yet Meilan County, without distinction between right and wrong, had pinned the crime on him as if sealing an ironclad case.

“Another master detective,” Lu Xun mused, squinting his golden eyes and chewing the dried goods Old Cheng bought, looking utterly unconcerned. “Delicious!”

“My lord, do you think…”

“Wrong.”

“Utterly wrong!”

The purple-bearded elder erupted in anger, struggling to contain his fury. “Is it human or monster—can Meilan County not distinguish? That man was alive last night, died at the hour of the ugly, and at that time I saw him outside the city roasting a giant green crab. When could he have committed the crime? There was no grievance between them—where was the motive?”

“Such a flawed deduction—you are carelessly taking lives!”

The elder swept his sleeve and left the hall.

Once thought to be a shrewd but unrecognized local official, Lü Qian proved, on meeting, to be a fool. Zhu Xianzheng, who had planned to say a few words to the students, departed immediately, holding no hope for those who had bought their way into the academy.

Lü Qian, pale with shock, hurried after him, leaving the students behind.

And so, the second magistrate of Meilan County resignedly cleaned up the mess, lodging the students at the yamen’s relay station, to depart early the next morning.

As to why the students were grouped together in advance: the route from the county to the academy passed through several dangerous areas, with lake pirates on the water and bandits blocking the roads.

The county assistant knew well—for the journey from Meilan to the Five Elder Peaks, there were three notorious gangs.

To prevent solitary travelers from becoming easy prey, the yamen assigned soldiers, constables, and academy martial instructors to escort the students.

With such a show of force, even bandits would likely keep their distance.

Especially since the purple-bearded elder would accompany them, and the skilled guards were all experts.

...

In the crowd outside the hall, a middle-aged man quietly counted the students from each family.

That one was the young master of a great clan, another the son of a wealthy landowner. Each family was overflowing with riches—their footsteps sounded like silver clashing with silver, gold with gold.

Only children, the sole heirs, usually cherished and rarely seen in public, now gathered together.

After counting, the middle-aged man silently departed.

He wandered through the county town to a teahouse, where he was invited straight to the back courtyard.

“Did you get a good look?”

“Clear as day.” The burly man entered and gulped down cold tea, grinning. “The intelligence is spot-on—these are all prized heirs, the sort we’d never capture even in large raids. If we pull this off, each one is worth at least five hundred taels—anything less would be a waste of these fat sheep.”

“There will be plenty of guards.”

“Don’t worry, these lot always flee at the sound of us, and this time we have a plan.”

“The chief is confident in his helpers.”

...

Settled in the relay station provided by the yamen, Cheng Yan gripped the long sword his grandfather had personally supervised at the blacksmith’s, dreaming of making a name for himself, cultivating true internal energy, and becoming a Demon-Slaying Banner Captain like Uncle Zhao.

With Mouse Brother and Cat Uncle by his side, what skills could he not master?

“Mouse Brother?”

Cheng Yan reached into his clothes.

Empty!

He sat up suddenly, anxiously searching.

“Cat Uncle?”

Not only was Mouse Brother missing, but Cat Uncle was gone from the room as well.

Hearing a commotion from the main hall of the relay station, Cheng Yan pushed open the door and leaned over the second-floor railing.

The wealthy young men were raising glasses, playing drinking games, some even gambling openly—making for a lively scene. Amidst them, a large mouse wandered between tables and feet, picking up dropped coins.

The old cat sprawled on the beam, tail swaying, its golden eyes never leaving Grey Treasure.

Cheng Yan rushed down, scooped up Grey Treasure, and whispered sternly, “Even greed for money must know its time!”