Chapter 193
Chapter 193
That evening, Count Tang Lun of Jinhai visited the Zhang residence to see Prefect Zhang Chong, who was lying ill in bed. The Prefect, already thin, had grown even more gaunt.
‘To be bedridden for months just from the blow of the Gold Mountain Island dispute... He doesn't look like he'll ever recover. Count Jin Zhuo of Xuanwu was faking it. You aren't faking it too, are you?’
“Prefect, things have come to this, and you still wish to lie in bed?”
Zhang Chong replied helplessly.
“Things have reached this point, and I, Zhang Chong, have exhausted every last bit of my meager talent. What else can I do?”
There was a note of resentment in Zhang Chong's voice. Tang Lun replied firmly.
“Shen Lang has stirred up a storm, and not only has the Jin Clan avoided destruction, but they are thriving more than ever. Does this not make you anxious, Prefect?”
“What good would my anxiety do? Last time, when we surrounded the Count of Xuanwu's Estate from all sides, I wrung out every ounce of my wisdom and ability, yet I still failed. His Majesty even sent an edict scolding me. Now, I am merely waiting to be transferred out of Nujiang Commandery.”
Tang Lun sneered.
“Shen Lang is the type to avenge even the slightest grudge. You will not be able to leave unscathed, Prefect. He will come after you for revenge later.”
“That is not so. Shen Lang and I have no personal grudges. I have never even acted against him directly. Once I am transferred, the grievances between us will be resolved, and we will go our separate ways, forgetting each other.”
“Are you truly content to remain defeated by Shen Lang, Prefect?”
“I have never regretted leaving a battlefield in my life. If I lose a game of Go, I turn and walk away immediately. I never linger, dwelling on a match that is already over.”
This was a famous saying of Zhang Chong's, one he had repeated countless times. He then continued with a bitter smile.
“Just as even a skilled wife cannot cook without rice, last time, when we besieged the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, numerous powerful families followed my command. But who can I command now? For me to step forward again would only make everyone uncomfortable.”
After the failure of the Gold Mountain Island dispute, the alliance with Zhang Chong at its head had effectively dissolved. This was because Tang Lun had joined forces with a much more fearsome ally, the Pirate King Qiu Tianwei. Back then, Zhang Chong had told Tang Lun to hand Gold Mountain Island over to the Jin Clan. Once Jin Zhuo had stationed a large number of men there, he was to have the Pirate King Qiu Tianwei dispatch his forces to land on the island. In the end, Tang Lun, unwilling to part with a year and a half's worth of profit from the island, had given it to Qiu Tianwei first. From that moment, the alliance between Tang Lun and Zhang Chong was broken.
Count Tang Lun of Jinhai sneered.
“If the Prefect has other ideas, it is not my place to comment. However, there is one matter on which I must seek your guidance.”
“Speak.”
“Do you believe the rumors of a gold mine on Sorrow's End Island to be true or false?”
Zhang Chong furrowed his brow and thought for a long moment before answering.
“It is difficult to say.”
“What do you mean, 'difficult to say'?”
“Is it not too coincidental? Shen Lang always employs cunning schemes; it is impossible to grasp his thoughts.”
“If they had not discovered a large gold mine, how could the Count of Xuanwu's Estate have produced seven or eight hundred thousand gold coins in such a short time? It defies reason.”
“That point is indeed inexplicable. Perhaps Shen Lang made a major deal with someone? The Sky-Dao Society, for example?”
Count Tang Lun of Jinhai sneered.
“What kind of business can earn eight hundred thousand gold coins at once? Please, enlighten me, Prefect.”
Zhang Chong spread his hands, indicating he knew of no business that could earn so much money. Tang Lun said.
“My family is called the Spice Kings, with wealth that rivals a nation, yet our annual earnings are merely a hundred thousand or so gold coins. Xu Guangyun monopolized the silk trade in Tiannan Province, yet he only made tens of thousands of gold coins a year. Only someone like the Pirate King Qiu Tianwei could plunder so much money through frantic raids. There is no business in this world that can earn so much at once.”
“Whether there's a gold mine on Sorrow's End Island or not... wouldn't we find out by sending a spy?”
“The Count of Xuanwu's Estate is defending it with their lives, killing anyone who approaches Sorrow's End Island, so there is no way to get close. Moreover, the Jin Clan is frantically recruiting soldiers, landing their private army on the island, and hiring a large number of laborers to send there. Are they not planning to build a fortress?”
“If a gold mine truly exists on Sorrow's End Island, then this is the Jin Clan's weakest moment. Once their army is expanded and they have built a fortress on the island, it will be difficult to succeed even if we try to attack it then.”
“That is precisely why I came. We must act without a moment's delay. That is why I am so impatient.”
“Count of Jinhai, do not let greed blind you to making a wrong judgment. This is likely a scheme by Shen Lang. That man is incredibly cunning, and it is difficult to defend against his attacks.”
“Do you think I don't know that? But as I just said, they kill anyone who gets close to Sorrow's End Island, so we cannot uncover the truth.”
Zhang Chong said nonchalantly.
“Then why not send someone to Sorrow's End Island whom the Count of Xuanwu's Estate would not dare to kill?”
“Someone they wouldn't dare to kill? Who would that be? We can't send the Sixth Prince, nor can we send Governor-General Zhu Rong, can we? And how could we possibly persuade such important figures to act on our behalf? We can't even move you, Prefect.”
Zhang Chong closed his eyes and said nothing more. If he were to name the person he had in mind, his intentions would surely be deemed sinister. Tang Lun had to think of it himself.
Soon, the eyes of Count Tang Lun of Jinhai lit up. Someone who could invade Sorrow's End Island, yet whom Jin Zhuo would not dare to kill.
It was none other than the Young Pirate King, Qiu Xiao. Behind him stood the Pirate King Qiu Tianwei, with a pirate army of twenty to thirty thousand men under his command.
“I will take my leave now. Do take *good* care of yourself, Prefect.”
Tang Lun spoke sarcastically, then left without any delay. Zhang Chong lay back down on his bed, laughing inwardly.
“Shen Lang, I will send Qiu Xiao to your blade. Do handle him well.”
***
As the story of *Journey to the West* reached its most thrilling parts, Qiu Yao'er became even more engrossed. Her blood boiled, especially at the part where Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace and proclaimed himself the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven.
‘What a true hero, a true champion! He sweeps away all the injustices of the world, unafraid of any authority or power, putting gods and even the Jade Emperor to shame. And as the world of the story unfolds, it becomes ever more mysterious and intricate. The story began by painting a grand world of soaring ambition, but the subsequent worlds of the Dragon Palace and the High Firmament Palace are simply soul-stirring. Such imagination.’
Qiu Yao'er was so completely lost in the story that she even forgot to eat. She had never had any particular hobbies in her life, but she loved to explore unknown, mysterious worlds. Now, she was trapped in Raging Tide City, unable to go anywhere. In such a situation, Xu Qianqian's stories opened up a new world for her. When she heard the part where the Buddha trapped Sun Wukong under the Five Elements Mountain, Qiu Yao'er felt a sense of kinship.
“I, too, am crushed beneath a Five Elements Mountain.”
Qiu Yao'er said with a sigh. Xu Qianqian could not help but be surprised to hear this.
‘Who would dare to confine someone as indomitable as you? Aside from a few grandmasters, you have no equal, do you? In just a few more years, even the current grandmasters will be no match for you.’
Qiu Yao'er said.
“My heart is far away, but my body is bound here.”
Xu Qianqian's heart trembled slightly at those words. Not because of what Qiu Yao'er said, but because she had confided in her. Qiu Yao'er never revealed her inner thoughts to anyone, often remaining silent for an entire day. Thanks to this, that lowly wretch Lu Yi had been able to borrow the tiger's might to wield power. But now, Xu Qianqian also had that power. Because she told stories well, she had become Qiu Yao'er's most favored handmaiden. Her rank was second only to Lu Yi's.
But what was important was not rank or favor. The very fact that this incredibly strong, supremely arrogant person had revealed her inner thoughts to her was enough to shake Xu Qianqian's heart.
Xu Qianqian found herself asking.
“Then why do you not leave?”
Qiu Yao'er just shook her head and said no more. Xu Qianqian continued the story, reaching the part where Tang Sanzang appeared and rescued Sun Wong from the Five Elements Mountain. Qiu Yao'er suddenly asked.
“The original title of this book isn't *The Buddha Must Be Destroyed*, is it?”
Xu Qianqian answered, looking troubled.
“That is correct. The original title is *Journey to the West*.”
“Then use the original title.”
‘*Journey to the West*, *Journey to the West*!’
Qiu Yao'er unconsciously walked to the window and gazed out at the distant sea.
‘What lies beyond the sea? Could it be a strange and wondrous world, as vibrant and mysterious as the one in *Journey to the West*? No, it wouldn't be as bizarre as the world in the book. But it must be a rich and colorful world. The real world cannot be compared to books and stories. No matter how well written, they fall short of reality. Human imagination may seem boundless, but it actually has its limits.
Sun Wukong and Tang Sanzang went west, but I want to sail east. I want to explore the unknown world at the ends of the sea. But alas, I cannot go. I am trapped here.’
Gazing at the distant sea, Qiu Yao'er spread her arms slightly, as if trying to embrace that faraway, unknown world, even if only in her imagination. Watching her from behind, Xu Qianqian was captivated.
‘So beautiful, so sensual, so strong!’
Xu Qianqian was certain that no woman in the world had a more alluring back than Qiu Yao'er. No woman's legs were as long and full of power as hers. No woman's curves were as explosive. Then, suddenly, two streams of bright red blood gushed from Qiu Yao'er's nostrils, and her eyes became bloodshot.
Her vision went black in an instant, and Qiu Yao'er collapsed powerlessly.
Xu Qianqian's heart felt as if it were tearing apart. She rushed forward, desperately trying to catch Qiu Yao'er, but ended up falling to the floor with her, pinned underneath. Soon, Qiu Tianwei brought countless renowned physicians to examine Qiu Yao'er, but none could find the cause of her illness. Enraged, Qiu Tianwei killed several of the physicians in succession.
Qiu Yao'er's symptoms were bizarre, the likes of which even experienced physicians had never seen. Furthermore, she refused any contact with men, making their examination even more difficult. Her killing intent was so thick that male physicians would tremble uncontrollably before they even came within ten feet of her. Burning with anxiety, Xu Qianqian had no choice but to write a secret letter to Shen Lang, asking for his help.