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Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation Side Story - Lotus Pods
(1)
Lotus Pier of Yunmeng
The cicadas buzzed outside the Sword Practice Hall. Inside the Hall, there was a pile of bodies lying around, looking very improper.
More than ten youths lay shirtless on the wooden floor of the Sword Practice Hall. From time to time they stirred, groaning like they were about to die. They looked not unlike pastries being roasted on the fire.
“So hot.”
“I’m about to die.”
Wei Wutian squinted his eyes, thinking dreamily. “If only it were as cool as in the Cloud Recesses”
The wooden tile beneath him had heated up so he turned. At the same time Jiang Cheng also stirred so they touched, one’s arm being on the other’s leg. Wuxian immediately complained. “Jiang Cheng, take your arm off. Your body is hot like a coal.”
Jiang Cheng retorted. “It’s you who should take your leg off.”
Wuxian said. “The arm is lighter than the leg. It takes more effort for me to take my leg off. Why don’t you pull back your arm?”
Jiang Cheng lost his temper. “Wei Wuxian, I warn you. Don’t act out. Shut up. The more you talk the hotter it is.”
The sixth disciple said. “Please stop arguing. Your shouting is suffocating me. I’m sweating more and more.”
The two boys had already swatted and kicked each other. “Get lost!” “It’s you who should get lost!” “No, no, no, I invite you to get lost!” “Oh, don’t be a stranger, you get lost first!”
The junior disciples groaned pitifully. “Please take it outside. Both of you please get lost. We beg you!”
Wei Wuxian said. “Did you hear that? Everyone told you to go outside. You… Let off my leg! You’re breaking your senior’s leg!”
A vein popped on Jiang Cheng’s forehead. “They clearly told you to leave… Hey, let off my arm first!”
At that moment, there was the sound of a skirt sweeping the wooden floor from the corridor outside. The two separated immediately. The bamboo curtain was lifted. Jiang Yanli looked inside. “Oh, so you are hiding here.”
The boys said. “Shijie!” “Hello, Shijie.” Some of them used their arms to hide their chest, crawling into a corner of the hall.
Jiang Yanli asked. “Why are you skipping sword practice today?”
Wei Wuxian recited his sufferings. “The sun is blazing outside. If we practice in the yard, our head will burst and our skin will peel off. Please, shijie, don’t tell anyone.”
Yanli looked closely at him and Jiang Cheng then asked. “Are you two fighting again?”
Wuxian denied. “No! Not at all!”
Yanli stepped inside, carrying a tray of food. She asked, “then whose footprint is on A-Cheng’s chest?”
Hearing that he left behind the evidence of what he did, Wuxian hastened to check. The footprint indeed was there. However, no one was bothered much about whether the two of them fought as Yanli brought in a tray of watermelon that had been neatly cut. The youths rushed in, took the pieces, then sat down and ate. In a short moment, a small pile of watermelon peels formed in the tray.
Wuxian and Jiang Cheng competed with each other just about everything, watermelon eating included. They tried to rob the watermelon pieces from each other and delivered wicked hits. The others couldn’t avoid the stray hits so kept a wide berth from them. At first, Wuxian just ate but then he burst out laughing.
Jiang Cheng was on alert. “What do you want now?”
Wuxian picked up a piece and said. “No! Don’t misunderstand. I’m not plotting anything. I’m just thinking of someone.”
“Who?”
“Lan Zhan.”
“Why are you thinking of him out of nowhere? Miss the sensation of being punished and having to copy their family’s rules?”
Wuxian spat and said. “I’m missing how fun playing with him is. You wouldn’t know it, he is really funny. I told him, their food was so horrible I’d rather eat stir-fried watermelon peels than those dishes. And that he should visit us in Lotus Pier whenever he has the time…”
Jiang Cheng swatted Wuxian’s watermelon piece away before the latter could finish the sentence. “Are you mad? Inviting him to Lotus Pier is just making troubles for us.”
“Why are you so angry? My watermelon nearly fell off! I just said that for the heck of it. Of course he wouldn’t come. Has anyone ever said he travels outside alone?”
Jiang Cheng said seriously. “To make it clear right away. I refuse to let him come here. Don’t make invitations so randomly.”
“I didn’t realise you hate him so much.”
“I don’t have any particular opinion about him. But if he really comes here and Mother sees an outsider wandering around, you’ll hear her yelling about it until the end of days.”
“No worry. If he really comes, just tell Uncle Jiang to have him share a room with me. I’m sure I’ll make him mad in less than a month.”
Jiang Cheng sneered. “You want to share a room with him for a month? I think he will stab you dead in seven days.”
Wuxian objected. “Why do I have to fear him? If we really fight, he is probably no match for me.”
The other disciples laughed and joked along. Outwardly Jiang Cheng mocked Wuxian for being a braggart but inside he knew that was no empty boastings. Yanli, sitting between them, asked. “Who are you are talking about? A friend you made in Gusu?”
Wuxian cheerfully answered. “Yes!”
Jiang Cheng said. “Do you have no shame calling him your friend? Why don’t you ask Lan Wangji if he wants to be your friend?”
Wuxian answered back. “Get lost. If he doesn’t want me I’ll glue myself to him until he agrees.” He turned to Yanli. “Shijie, do you know Lan Wangji?”
Yanli answered. “Of course, isn’t that the Second Young Master Lan whom everyone praises for his looks and talents. Is he really that good-looking?”
“Yes, he is!”
“How does he compare to you?”
Wuxian pondered it a moment then replied. “He is probably a tiny bit more handsome than me.”
He made a sign with his fingers to show how tiny it was. Yanli tidied up the tray of watermelon and smiled. “Then he must be really handsome. Making friends is a good thing. Maybe you can visit each other’s home when you have time.”
Jiang Cheng spat out his watermelon when hearing that. Wuxian waved his arms wildly. “No, no, their food is horrible and they have too many rules. I don’t want to go there.”
Yanli said. “Then you can invite him here. This is a good occasion. Why don’t you ask your friend to visit Lotus Pier for a while?”
Jiang Cheng said. “Sis, you believe his nonsense again. When he was in Gusu, Lan Wangji hated him. No way that guy will agree to visit him.”
Wuxian yelled. “Bullshit! He will agree.”
“Wake up from your daydreaming. Didn’t you hear Lan Wangji telling you to scram? Do you remember that?”
“What do you even know! He told me to get lost on the outside, but I know that inside he really wanted to travel with me to Yunmeng.”
“I wonder everyday. Where do you get that much self confidence?”
“No need for thinking. I would give up if I can’t find the answer after all these years.”
Jiang Cheng shook his head, about to throw a watermelon peel. Suddenly there was the sound of angry footsteps sweeping up, a cold voice of a woman flying in from afar. “Who is skipping practice? I know where you are.”
The youths’ faces paled, lifting the bamboo curtain to rush out. At that moment, Madam Yu walked up. She dressed elegantly in purple but her face was angry and full of terrifying energy. The boys were all shirtless and their feet bare, looking very disorderly. Madam Yu frowned, her eyebrows lifting even higher.
Everyone thought. “We’re going to die.” Their souls about to leave the bodies, they tried to run off. Madam Yu got even angrier. “Jiang Cheng! Put on your shirt! Why are you half naked like a bunch of barbarians? Where would I hide if an outsider sees you?”
Jiang Cheng tied his shirt around his waist. He hastily put it on at his mother’s words. Madam Yu continued to yell. “Outrageous! Don’t you see A Li is here? You rascals, who taught you taking off your clothes in front of a girl?”
There was no need to ask who started it. As usual, the next line of Madam Yu was. “Wei Ying! I see you want to die.”
Wuxian said loudly. “I’m sorry! I didn’’t know shijie would come! I’m looking for my shirt now!”
That only made Madam Yu angrier. “You dare to run off? Go back and kneel down!” She waved her whip. Wuxian felt an acute pain in his back. He shouted “Ouch” and nearly fell down. At that moment, someone said softly next to Madam Yu. “Mother, do you want some watermelon?”
Madam Yu was startled by Yanli’s suddenly appearance. When she calmed down, the mischievous boys had all run away. She angrily pinched Yanli’s cheek, yelling. “Food, food, food, all you ever know is food!”
Being pinched to the point of tears, Yanli meekly said. “Mother, A Xian and the boys were here to avoid the heat. I came here on my own. Please don’t blame them. Mother, please have some watermelon. I don’t know who gift us those watermelons but they are very sweet. Watermelons are good for summer. They are sweet and juicy and help ward off the heat. I have cut them all up.”
The more she thought about the incident, the angrier Madam Yu was. It was hot and she was thirsty so Yanli’s words made her genuinely crave some watermelon, which only annoyed her even more.
On the other side, the boys ran away from Lotus Pier to the dock and grabbed a boat. Having rowed for a while without anyone chasing them. Wuxian calmed down. He rowed for two strokes then feeling that his back still hurt, threw the oar to another person. He sat down and rubbed the reddening flesh. “I’m unjustly punished in daylight. Everyone is shirtless. Why only I get yelled at and beaten?”
Jiang Cheng replied. “Must be because you looked the most annoying.”
Wuxian looked at him and suddenly jumped off into water. As if summoned, the other boys also jumped off, leaving Jiang Cheng alone in the boat.
Seeing that something is off, Jiang Cheng asked. “What are you plotting?”
Wuxian swam flanking the boat then suddenly hit it. The boat capsized, half sunk in the water, its bottom up. Wuxian laughed and jumped up the upside down boat to sit. He turned to the area Jiang Cheng fell down to and yelled. “Am I still looking annoying, Jiang Cheng? Answer me!”
No one answered. Only a string of bubbles floated up. Clearing his face, Wuxian wondered. “Why hasn’t he appeared yet?”
The sixth disciple, who was swimming close, startled. “He can’t be drowning!”
Wuxian said. “That won’t happen!”. He was about to dive in and drag Jiang Cheng up when there was a shout behind his back and he was pushed into the water. The boat was overturned again, the water flying everywhere. As it turned out, after he was thrown into the water, Jiang Cheng made a round under the water and swam to behind Wuxian’s back.
As each of them had managed a sneak attack, they began to swim warily around the boat. The other disciples swam away to watch. Wuxian yelled from one side of the boat. “You’re having a weapon. It doesn’t count! If you’re really good, put it down and fight barehanded.”
Jiang Cheng smiled coldly. “How dumb do you think I am? As soon as I put it down you will rob it right away.” He waved the oar around, forcing Wuxian to move back and avoid to the cheers of the junior disciples. Even as he dealt with the attacks, Wuxian still tried to defend himself. “I’m not that shameless!”
There were jeerings from all sides. “Daishixiong, you of all people dare to say that?”
Afterwards the group fell into a chaotic underwater fight. Wuxian gave Jiang Cheng a kick and struggled to climb on the boat. He spat out the lake water in his mouth and waved his arms. “Stop fighting, stop fighting, truce!”
The group were happily fighting with each other, river weeds and mosses tangling in their hair. Hearing those words, they shouted back. “Why stop? Fight on! Fight on! Or are you begging for mercy?”
Wuxian said. “Who says I’m begging for mercy? We will fight later. I’m too hungry to continue. Let’s go find some snacks.”
The sixth disciple suggested. “Shall we return? Maybe we can get some watermelon before mealtime.”
Jiang Cheng said. “If you return now, all you’ll get is a beating.”
Wuxian already had a plan. He declared. “No, we won’t go back. Let’s go picking lotus pods!”
Jiang Cheng said sarcastically. “It should be ‘stealing’”.
Wuxian said. “They are compensated every time!”
The Jiang Clan of Yunmeng gave protection to the people who lived in the surrounding province. They exterminated water ghouls without demanding payment. Therefore, if they wanted, they could have the entire lotus pod harvest. Every time the teenagers from the clans went out and took watermelons and chickens or drugged the dogs of the people living nearby, Jiang Fengmian always sent his people to make compensations. If asked why they would want to steal, a behaviour unfit for the young masters of a wealthy family, the boys would laugh and say it was the thrill of being chased and shouted at.
They all climbed up the boat and rowed until they reach a lotus lake nearby.
The lotus lake was full of a shining green. The lotus leaves formed layers after layers. The small leaves were the size of a tray, the big ones the size of an umbrella. The leaves on the outside were slightly lower and less dense, forming a cover on the surface of the lake. The inner leaves were higher and thicker, enough to hide a boat. However, if there was a cluster of leaves tangling together, there was definitely someone in there causing mischiefs.
The small boat of Lotus Pier floated into this area full of green, surrounded by green and succulent lotus pods. One of the boys managed the oar, the others began to get to work. The mature lotus pods had slender and smooth stems full of small thorns. However, these thorns barely hurt as they broke at the slightest crush. They all picked the lotus pods such that the stems remained. When they returned and put the pods in a vase full of water, the pods would remain fresh for a few days more. That was what Wuxian heard. He didn’t know if that was true or not, but he still told other people as if that were a fact.
Wuxian picked a few pods and peeled them then put the succulent lotus seeds in his mouth. Enjoying the soft seeds, he hummed the songs of a blind singer. “I offered you some lotus pods. What do you have for me?”. Jiang Cheng overheard that then asked. “Whom did you offer the pods?”
Wuxian answered. “Hah, it’s certainly not you!”. As he was about to pick a pod to throw into Cheng’s face, he heard a shush and then. “Shit, the old man is home today!”
The old man is the old farmer who grew lotus in this area. Wuxian had no idea how old the man was. In his mind, Jiang Fengmian was his uncle so whoever older than Jiang Fengmian could be considered a grandpa. As far as he could remember, the old man had lived in this lake. If Wuxian got caught stealing the lotus, he would get beaten. He always suspected the old man to be a reincarnation of the lotus pod spirit, because he always knew how many pods he had lost and delivered the corresponding number of lashes. It was easier to row with a bamboo rod than an oar in a lotus lake, and the rod could cause considerable pain when used for hitting.
Everyone in the group had tasted the rod several times. They shushed each other, “Run, run!” and hastily grabbed the oar rowing as fast as possible out of the lotus lake. As they covertly looked back, the boat of the old man already passed the area covered by the lotus leaves and floated into the empty water. Wuxian looked more closely and commented. “So strange!”
Jiang Cheng also stood up. “Why does that boat go so fast?”
As they looked, the old man stood with his back to them. He leaned into the lotus pods on the boat, the bamboo rod set aside. Yet the boat still floated both fast and firm, even faster than the boat of Wuxian and the boys.
Everyone was on high alert. Wuxian urged. “Row over there.”
As the two boats got close to each other, they could see that there was a white shadow under the water beneath the boat of the old man.
Wuxian turned back, his finger on his lip in a signal for the group not to startle the old man and the water ghoul below. Jiang Cheng nodded and rowed the boat softly, causing only slight ripples. When the two boats were only separated by a short distance, the wet pale arm raised from under the boat, sneaked off a lotus pod from the boat of the old man, and disappeared into the water again.
A while later, two lotus seed peels floated up the water surface.
The group were stunned. “Wow, this water ghoul steals lotus pods too!”
The old man finally realised that there were other people behind his back. He gathered a big pod in one hand and reached for the bamboo rod with the other then turned around. The action sacred off the water ghoul. With a splash, the white shade had disappeared. The group wondered. “Where can it go?”
Wuxian dived into the water to the bottom of the lake. After a while, he pulled up something. “I got it!”
In his hand was a small water ghoul with blue-ish white skin. It looked like a child of about twelve or thirteen years old. The ghoul panicked and curled into itself under the gaze of the group.
At this point, the old man waved his rod and yelled. “You’re causing mischief again!”
Wuxian’s back had already received a lash. With a hit from the rod, he screamed and nearly loosened his clutch. Jiang Cheng angrily shouted. “Be reasonable! Why do you hit him out of nowhere? He is trying to help you!”
Wuxian hastily cut in. “It’s fine it’s fine. Grandpa, please look carefully. We aren’t ghouls. This is the ghoul.”
The old man replied. “Nonsense! I’m old, not blind. Release it immediately!”
Wuxian was surprised. He looked at the water ghoul he caught again. It clasped his hands, the black eyes full of water. It looked very pitiful. Its hand was still clutching the big lotus pod it stole. Apparently it hadn’t eaten much before Wuxian caught it.
Jiang Cheng thought the old man’s words didn’t make sense. He told Wuxian. “Don’t release it! We will capture this water ghoul.”
At those words, the old man raised his rod again. Wuxian hastily said. “Don’t hit me! I will let it go.”
Jiang Cheng said. “Don’t! What if this water ghoul wants of find a living human to die in its place!”
Wuxian said. “This water ghoul doesn’t smell of blood. It’s small so it can’t go out of this lake. There is no news of someone dying in the area. It likely won’t cause harms”
“Assuming it hasn’t harmed anyone, but we can’t be certain that in the future…”
Before he could finish, the bamboo rod made a whizzing sound. Getting hit, Jiang Cheng lost his temper. “Don’t you know between right and wrong, geezer?! It’s a ghoul! Aren’t you afraid of it harming you?”
The old man reasoned just as forcefully. “I’m one foot in the grave. Why should I be afraid of ghouls?”
Wuxian, being certain that the ghoul couldn’t run far, said: “Don’t hit! I will release it!”
He released his grip. The water ghoul hopped to behind the old man’s boat, not daring to look back.
Wuxian climbed into the boat, dripping wet. The old man picked a lotus pod into the water, which was ignored by the water ghoul. He picked a bigger pod and threw it into the water too. As the pods floated on the water surface, half the white head appeared and took the pods in the mouth and disappeared into the water like a big white fish. A while later, the patch of white appeared again. The water ghoul hid behind the boat with its shoulders and arms above the water and began to peel the pods for the seeds.
The boys couldn’t help feeling upset watching it eat so heartily.
Wuxian felt annoyed seeing the old man throwing another pod into the water. He rubbed his chin and asked. “Grandpa, why do you ignore the ghoul stealing your pods but hit us when we do it?”
The old man replied. “It helps me steer the boat. No big loss letting it have some pods. How about you little demons? How many have you stolen today?”
The group was embarrassed. Wuxian looked from the corner of his eyes. There were a few dozens lotus pods in the boat. Feeling danger, he hastily said. “Run!”
The boys grabbed the oar. The old man waved the rod in their direction as his boat moved swiftly. Feeling as if the rod could hit their heads at any moment, the groups rowed like mad. The two boats ran around the big lake for about two rounds with the distance kept getting smaller. Wuxian got hit several times. He realised that only he was targeted. He covered his head with his arms, yelling. “It’s unfair! Why only I get hit!”
The junior disciples said. “Please be steady. Everything depends on you!”
Jiang Cheng agreed. “That’s right. Be careful.”
Wuxian got annoyed. “I can’t bear this anymore!” He picked a lotus pod in the boat and threw in the water. “Take this!”
That was a very big pod, which made quite a splash as it went into the water. The old man’s boat stopped. The water ghoul happily swam out and got the lotus pod.
With this opportunity, the group’s boat finally escaped.
On the way back, a junior disciple asked. “Daishixiong, can the ghouls taste food too?”
Wuxian answered. "Usually not, but I think this little ghoul… Achoo!”
As the sun went down behind the mountain, the wind rose bringing in a cold draft. Wuxian sneezed and rubbed his face. “Perhaps it had a craving of lotus seeds when alive and got drown while stealing lotus pods. Therefore… Achoo”
Jiang Cheng said. “Therefore eating lotus seeds satisfies its obsession and quiets it.”
“That’s right.”
Wuxian touched the old and new hitting marks on his back. He couldn’t resist blurting out what had been bothering him. “This is such the unfairness of a lifetime. Why only I get hit every time something happens?”
A junior disciple said. “You are the most good looking.“
Another said. “You have the highest magic level.”
Yet another added. “You looked the best shirtless.”
They all nodded. Wuxian said. “Thanks for the compliments. You’re giving me the chill.”
The junior disciples said: “Don’t be a stranger. You cover for us every time. You’re the best!”
Wuxian acted surprised. “What? I’m the best? Explain it.”
Jiang Cheng couldn’t stand it anymore. “Shut up all of you! If you keep talking nonsense, I will smash this boat and all of you will die.”
At this point, they were rowing through an area surrounded by farms. Some young women were working in the farms. They moved close to the water when they saw the group’s boat passing by. “Hello!”
The junior disciples also “Hello” back and nudged Wuxian. “Hey, they are calling for you!”
Wuxian looked carefully again. Those were indeed people he had talked to before. Forgetting that he was being upset, he cheerfully stood up and smiled. “What’s the matter?”
The boat floated along the river flow. The girls followed on land, asking. “Did you just go stealing lotus pods again?”
"Tell us, how many lashes did you get?”
“Or did you just drug someone’s dog?”
Hearing that, Jiang Cheng regretted he couldn’t kick Wuxian out of the boat. He complained. “Your bad reputation spreads everywhere. What a shame to our clan.”
Wuxian explains. “They refer to all of us. If there is any shame, then it’s on all of us.”
As the two argued, a girl asked. “So did you like it?”
Despite being occupied elsewhere, Wuxian asked back. “What?”
The girl explained. “The watermelons we gave you. Did you like it?”
With that revelation, Wuxian said. “Oh, so those watermelons were from you. We love it! Why didn’t you stay for a while when you brought us watermelons? We could offer you tea!”
The girl smiled brightly. “When I brought the watermelons you weren’t there. I just left them there and went home. As long as you like it, it’s alright!”
Wuxian said. “Thank you!” He picked some big lotus pods from the boat. “Help yourselves to these pods. Come in to watch me practicing swordplay next time!”
Jiang Cheng wrinkled his nose. “What’s the point of watching you practice swordplay?”
Wuxian threw the pods onto the land. Those pods landed gracefully into the hands of the receivers. He gave some pods to Jiang Cheng and nudged. “What are you doing standing there? Hurry up.”
Being nudged twice, Jiang Cheng had to take the pods. He asked back. “Hurry up for what?”
Wuxian said. “You ate the watermelon too. Why don’t you return their favour? Come here, don’t be shy, just throw the pods them.“
Jiang Cheng pursed his lips. “Don’t be ridiculous. Me being shy?” However, despite those words, he just stood still as the junior disciples threw the pods. Wuxian said. “Throw them the pods. Then next time you can ask them if the pods are good. You’ll have a topic for conversation!”
The juniors laughed. “Oh, so that’s how it is. We won’t forget it. You’re so experienced!”
Jiang Cheng was about to throw the pod. Hearing those words, he stopped, feeling very embarrassed. He peeled the pod and ate the seeds himself.
The boat floated on the water. The girls hastened to follow on land, receiving the lotus pods the boys threw to them. Wuxian looked at the scenery then sighed. The juniors asked. “What are you sighing about? You have the girls follow you.”
Wuxian put the oar on his shoulder and laughed. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking about how I sincerely invited Lan Zhan to Yunmeng, but he rejected me.”
“Oh, Lan Wangji is really something!”
Wuxian said enthusiastically. “Shut up! Someday I’ll drag him here, kick him off the boat, trick him to go steal the lotus pods so that the old man hit him and he will chase me, haha.”
After laughing, he looked behind his back and saw Jiang Cheng sulkily ate the lotus seeds. The smile disappeared from his face. He complained. “What a hard to teach kid.”
Jiang Cheng said annoyedly: "I want to eat by myself. What’s the problem?”
Wuxian said. “Forget it. You’re incurable. You’ll eat alone your whole life!”
In the end, it was a pretty successful excursion.
_________________
(2)
Cloud Recesses
Outside the mountains, the glare of the June sun burnt brightly. Inside the mountains was a different world, quiet and cool.
Two white-clad figures were outside the orchid room. A breeze passed by, making the clothes flutter, but the bodies remained firm.
Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji were standing primly. Doing handstand.
Both of them were quiet, seemingly in the meditation trance. The sounds of the spring nearby flowing and the birds chirping only increased the serenity.
A while later, Lan Wangji suddenly said. “Brother.”
Lan Xichen slowly got out of the meditation trance. Looking straight ahead, he asked. “What’s the matter?”
After a moment of silence, Wangji spoke again. “Have you ever picked lotus pods?”
Xichen tilted his head. “No.”
Of course, if the disciples of the Lan Clan of Gusu wanted to eat lotus seeds, they wouldn’t have to go picking the pods themselves.
Wangji nodded. He asked. “Brother, do you know it?”
Xichen replied. “Know what?”
Wangji continued. “The lotus pods that still have the stems give better seeds than those without stems.”
Xichen replied. “Oh? I have never heard about that. Why are you talking about this?”
Wangji said. “Nothing. It’s time. Let’s change hand.”
The two of them changed the handstanding from the right hand to the left hand. Their actions were smooth without a sound in utmost serenity.
Xichen wanted to ask Wangji to explain more. He cautiously looked at his brother then smiled. “Wangji, you have a guest.”
A white rabbit was crawling on the wood-tiled corridor to the left hand of Wangji that was on the ground. Its pink nose wrinkled.
Xichen was curious. “Why does it come here?”
Wangji told the rabbit. “Come back.”
The rabbit didn’t listen to him. It bit the end of his forehead ribbon and pulled, as if wanting Wangji to follow it.
Xichen gently said. “It wants you to carry it back.”
Failing to pull Wangji to follow him, the rabbit jumped around the brothers. Finding the scene funny, Xichen asked. “Is this the one that likes mischiefs?”
Wangji replied. “Too much.”
“That’s fine, it’s still adorable. I remember that there are two of them, and they always stay together. Why is only one of them here? The other one prefers quietness so it stays behind, right?”
"It will come.”
Just as Wangji said, another white head appeared on the wooden floor. The other white rabbit had run here to find its friend.
The two white fluffballs chased each other for a while, then snuggled with each other on a spot close to Wangji’s left hand.
Even with upside down vision, it was an adorable scene. Xichen asked. “What are their names?”
Wangji shook his head. It was unclear whether the rabbits had no name or he didn’t want to talk about that.
Xichen spoke again. “I heard you called their names before.” Very nice names, he thought.
Wangji changed hands. Xichen reminded him. “It’s not time yet.”
Wangji quietly changed his hand back.
About the time to burn a stick of incense later, the time for handstanding practice was over. The brothers returned to the parlour to rest.
A housekeeper brought them a tray of chilled fruit to help them cool down. The watermelon peel had been removed, the flesh cut into neat cubes. Served in the crystal tray, the red cubes looked almost translucent. The brothers sat on their knees on the map, quietly exchanged their ideas about the lessons the previous day, and began to eat.
As Xichen took a handful of green tea, he saw Wangji keep staring at the crystal tray for unknown reason. He instinctively paused.
Just as expected, Wangji spoke. “Brother.”
Xichen responded. “What’s the matter?”
Wangji asked. “Have you eaten watermelon peel?”
Almost speechless, Xichen asked back. “Is it edible?”
After a moment of silence, Wangji said. “I heard it can be stir-fried.”
Xichen replied. “Probably.”
Wangji continued. “Apparently the flavour is good.”
“I have never tried it.”
“Neither do I.”
“Oh.” Xichen asked, “You want it to be made for you to try?”
After a moment of thinking, Wangji seriously shook his head.
Xichen breathed out in relief. For some reason, he felt there was no need to ask “Who told you that?”
*****
The day after, Wangji left the mountains alone.
It was not that he rarely left the mountains. It’s that he rarely went to a crowded market by himself.
There were many people coming and going. It was never so crowded whether at a major clan’s seat or a hunting party. The Conference for Discourse could be full of people, but it was orderly and there was no pushing and pulling like this. It was common for someone to step on another person’s foot or for carts to bump into each other. Wangji had never liked close contact with other people. Encountering this situation, he paused. However, he didn’t want to return immediately. Instead he tried to find someone to ask for directions. Yet no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t find anyone.
At that moment, Wangji discovered that it was not just him who didn’t like contact with other people. No one wanted to come close to him.
His outfit was refined and free of the dust of daily life and there was a sword on his back. He stuck out from the bustling market like a sore thumb. The peddlers, farmers, and loiterers rarely met a young master from a great clan like him, so they hastily kept a wide berth. Either they feared he was an arrogant aristocrat and it would be dangerous to displease him or they feared his stern expressions. Even Xichen had joked that Wangji spread cold winter six square meters around him such that even grass couldn’t grow. As Wangji approached, only the young women wanted to look at him but they too didn’t dare to look for long. They pretended to be busy and lowered their heads, staring at him covertly. Only after he had left that they would talk and joke with each other again.
It took Wangji a long while to find an old woman sweeping the street in front of a house gate. He asks. “Could you tell me the direction to the nearest lotus lake?”
The eyesight of the old woman was bad so she couldn’t see him clearly. She replied. “About eight or nine miles in this direction, there is a family that has a big lotus farm.”
Wangji nodded. “Thank you.”
The old woman added. “Little master, the lotus lake will be closed after the dark. So if you want to go sightseeing, please rush when it is still daylight.”
Wangji said again. “Thank you.”
As he was about to leave, he noticed that the old woman picked a thin bamboo rod to take down an dry branch stuck on the roof. However, she couldn’t quite manage it. He raised his hand and used his spiritual energy to get the dry branch to drop before continuing on his journey.
Eight or nine miles was not much for his travel speed. Wangji kept on walking in the direction the old woman showed him.
As he walked for a mile, the residential area became less dense. At four miles, the road was surrounded by mountains and fields. Only occasionally that a small house appeared, cooking smoke blowing from the chimney. By a field, a group of children were playing with mud, talking and laughing cheerfully.
Wangji stopped to rest. He watched the children playing but was quickly discovered. The children that were playing were young and shy of strangers so they disappeared when they saw him. Wangji walked on. As he reached five miles, his face felt cool. There was mist in the wind.
He looked up in the sky. The clouds were dark and threatened to release a heavy rain soon. He tried to rush but the rain was quicker.
At that time, he saw five or six people standing by the field.
The mist had become drops of rain, but those people didn’t open the umbrella or used anything as shelter. They were apparently occupied with something and had no heart to pay attention to the surrounding. Wangji approached and saw a farmer lying on the ground and groaning from pain.
Listening to their conversation, Wangji realised what had happened. The injured farmer was crashed into by the ox of another farmer and couldn’t stand back up. It was unclear whether his back was injured or his leg was broken. The ox had been chased off to a corner, its owner had left to find a physician. The remaining people dared not move the injured man lest his injury got worse. However, the weather was bad. It was only light rain in the beginning but soon the water was pouring down.
As the rain got heavier, a farmer went home to fetch umbrellas. However, the village was in a considerable distance so he couldn’t return quickly. The other people worriedly sheltered the injured man with their bodies. Even then, that wasn’t the best solutions. Umbrellas couldn’t give shelter for all of them.
One of them whispered. “It’s as if we’re haunted by a ghost. As soon as we mention heavy rain it comes pouring down.”
At that point, a farmer said. “Let’s raise a roof! Whatever helps.”
There was an abandoned shed not far from their spot, supported by four wooden logs. The frame was askew and the shed was slightly rotten due to exposure to the elements.
One man hesitantly asked. “But it’s not ours to use?”
“Just a few steps, it will be fine.”
Two of the group went to move the shed, the others carefully lifted the injured man in that direction. However, the two farmers couldn’t move the old rotting shed despite the urge of the others. The shed didn’t move no matter how hard they tried. It remained where it was even if two more farmers went to help.
The shed had a wooden frame, its roof covered with tiles and reeds. It wasn’t light but couldn’t be so heavy that four farmers accustomed to physical labour couldn’t lift it.
Without coming close, Wangji realised what was the cause. He walked to the shed, bent down and lifted up a corner of the shed with just one hand.
The farmers were stunned. Four farmers couldn’t lift the roof of the shed, yet a teenager could do it with one hand.
After a moment, a farmer whispered to the others. With no further hesitation, they quickly moved the injured man into the shed. As they stepped into the shed, all eyes were on Wangji but he didn’t look back.
As the injured man was settled, two of the farmers approached. “Y- young master, please put it down. Leave it to us.”
Wangji shook his head. The two farmers persisted. “You’re too young. You won’t be able to bear it for long.”
They reached out to help him keep up the shed. Wangji looked at them. He didn’t say anything, just withdrawing his strength a little. The two farmers immediately blanched.
Wangji looked away and applied his force as before. The two farmers embarrassedly sat down.
The wooden shed was much heavier than their imagination. As soon as this teenager withdrew his strength, they couldn’t bear it.
One of them shivered. “So strange, why is it even colder here?”
What they didn’t see was a shade dangling in the middle of the roof. Its clothes were torn, its hair and tongue were long.
As the rain fell and wind blew outside the shed, the shade dangled and pulled in a cold draft.
This ghost was the reason the roof of the shed was abnormally heavy that normal people couldn’t lift.
Wangji didn’t bring along the tools to help ghosts move on to the next life. If this ghost had no harmful intention, he couldn’t attack it indiscriminately until it fell apart. There was no way to convince it to come down from the roof either. Therefore lifting the roof was the only solution for the moment. He would report the incident to the elders of his clan so that someone could be sent to resolve this.
The ghost behind Wangji kept dangling and flickering in the wind. It said sorrowfully. “So cold…”
It looked around, leaning into a farmer as if to warm up. The farmer shivered. Wangji glared at it coldly. The ghost was scared enough to go back to where it was. But it still curled the long tongue and complained. “Heavy rain, heavy rain. Empty shed. It really is cold.”
The farmers didn’t dare to talk to Wangji the whole while until the physician arrived. When the rain completely ceased, they took the injured man out of the shed. Wangji put down the roof and left without a word.
When he arrived at the lotus lake, the sun was about to set. As he began to wade into the lake, a small boat arrived. On the boat was a middle aged woman. “Hey, what are you doing?”
Wangji answered. “Picking lotus pods.”
The woman said. “The sun is setting. We don’t let outsiders in at night. You can’t get in today. How about another day?”
“It won’t be long. Just a little while and I will leave.”
"No means no. This is the rule and I didn’t not make it. You’ll need to ask the owner.”
"Then where is the owner?”
The lotus picker replied. “Already left, so no use asking me. If I let you in, I will be rebuked so please don’t cause troubles for me.”
Hearing that, Wangji didn’t try to get in anymore. He nodded. “Apologies for disturbing you.”
His expressions didn’t change but one could see the disappointment.
The lotus picker saw that his clothes were white but soaked more than half from the rain. His white shoes were also stained with mud. She spoke with a softer voice. “You’re already late today. How about coming earlier tomorrow? Where are you from? It was just raining heavily, did you walk in the rain? Why don’t you bring an umbrella? How far is your house?”
Wangji answered truthfully. “Thirty four miles.“
The lotus picker was speechless. It took a while for her to find her words. “That far?! It must have taken you a long time to walk here. If you want lotus pods that much, you can still buy them at the market? Lots of people sell them.”
Wangji was about to turn away. Hearing that, he stopped and replied. “The lotus pods sold at the market have no stem.
The lotus picker was surprised. “Why do you insist on lotus pods with stems? There is no difference.”
Wangji replied. "There is.”
“There is not!”
Wangji stubbornly argued. “There is. Someone told me so.”
The lotus picker burst out laughing. “Who told you that? What a stubborn little master. You must be touched by a demon!”
Wangji didn’t say anything. He turned around and prepared to leave. The woman spoke again. “Is your home that far away?”
Wangji replied. “Hmm.”
“Or… you stay for the night? You can find a place to board close to here and come tomorrow?”
“My family forbids staying outside overnight. I have class tomorrow.”
The lotus picker scratched her head, looking torn. Finally she said. “Fine, I’ll get you in, but only for a short while. Please be quick, lest someone see you and tell the owner. I don’t want to be yelled at at this age.“
*****
A rain passed by the Cloud Recesses. The magnolia tree became even more beautiful after the rain. Xichen was inspired and took out paper to draw by the window.
Through the window with flowers carved in it, he saw a white-clad figure walking slowly in his direction. Xichen didn’t put down the brush, calling. “Wangji!”
Wangji approached and greeted him through the window. “Brother.”
"You talked about lotus pods the other day. Today Uncle ordered lotus pods to be brought here. Do you want some?”
Wangji replied from the other side of the window. “I already ate.”
Xichen was confused. “Already?”
"Yes, Brother.”
The two exchanged some lines then Wangji returned to his room.
Finishing his drawing, Xichen tidied the place then took Liebing out and walked to the place he usually practiced the Mind Calming tune.
Dews formed on the grass leaves that grew beneath the bamboo grove. Xichen walked on the path. What he saw surprised him.
In the wood-tiled corridor in front of the painted door there was a jade vase. In the vase there were some lotus pods of different sizes.
The slenderness of the vase matched the slenderness of the lotus stems, creating a beautiful sight.
Xichen put Liebing away, sitting down in front of the vase. He looked at it, an internal struggle forming in his mind.
In the end, he still cautiously took out a seed to see if the seeds from a pod with stem had any special flavour.
If Wangji looked so happy, it must be really delicious.
Lotus Pier of Yunmeng
The cicadas buzzed outside the Sword Practice Hall. Inside the Hall, there was a pile of bodies lying around, looking very improper.
More than ten youths lay shirtless on the wooden floor of the Sword Practice Hall. From time to time they stirred, groaning like they were about to die. They looked not unlike pastries being roasted on the fire.
“So hot.”
“I’m about to die.”
Wei Wutian squinted his eyes, thinking dreamily. “If only it were as cool as in the Cloud Recesses”
The wooden tile beneath him had heated up so he turned. At the same time Jiang Cheng also stirred so they touched, one’s arm being on the other’s leg. Wuxian immediately complained. “Jiang Cheng, take your arm off. Your body is hot like a coal.”
Jiang Cheng retorted. “It’s you who should take your leg off.”
Wuxian said. “The arm is lighter than the leg. It takes more effort for me to take my leg off. Why don’t you pull back your arm?”
Jiang Cheng lost his temper. “Wei Wuxian, I warn you. Don’t act out. Shut up. The more you talk the hotter it is.”
The sixth disciple said. “Please stop arguing. Your shouting is suffocating me. I’m sweating more and more.”
The two boys had already swatted and kicked each other. “Get lost!” “It’s you who should get lost!” “No, no, no, I invite you to get lost!” “Oh, don’t be a stranger, you get lost first!”
The junior disciples groaned pitifully. “Please take it outside. Both of you please get lost. We beg you!”
Wei Wuxian said. “Did you hear that? Everyone told you to go outside. You… Let off my leg! You’re breaking your senior’s leg!”
A vein popped on Jiang Cheng’s forehead. “They clearly told you to leave… Hey, let off my arm first!”
At that moment, there was the sound of a skirt sweeping the wooden floor from the corridor outside. The two separated immediately. The bamboo curtain was lifted. Jiang Yanli looked inside. “Oh, so you are hiding here.”
The boys said. “Shijie!” “Hello, Shijie.” Some of them used their arms to hide their chest, crawling into a corner of the hall.
Jiang Yanli asked. “Why are you skipping sword practice today?”
Wei Wuxian recited his sufferings. “The sun is blazing outside. If we practice in the yard, our head will burst and our skin will peel off. Please, shijie, don’t tell anyone.”
Yanli looked closely at him and Jiang Cheng then asked. “Are you two fighting again?”
Wuxian denied. “No! Not at all!”
Yanli stepped inside, carrying a tray of food. She asked, “then whose footprint is on A-Cheng’s chest?”
Hearing that he left behind the evidence of what he did, Wuxian hastened to check. The footprint indeed was there. However, no one was bothered much about whether the two of them fought as Yanli brought in a tray of watermelon that had been neatly cut. The youths rushed in, took the pieces, then sat down and ate. In a short moment, a small pile of watermelon peels formed in the tray.
Wuxian and Jiang Cheng competed with each other just about everything, watermelon eating included. They tried to rob the watermelon pieces from each other and delivered wicked hits. The others couldn’t avoid the stray hits so kept a wide berth from them. At first, Wuxian just ate but then he burst out laughing.
Jiang Cheng was on alert. “What do you want now?”
Wuxian picked up a piece and said. “No! Don’t misunderstand. I’m not plotting anything. I’m just thinking of someone.”
“Who?”
“Lan Zhan.”
“Why are you thinking of him out of nowhere? Miss the sensation of being punished and having to copy their family’s rules?”
Wuxian spat and said. “I’m missing how fun playing with him is. You wouldn’t know it, he is really funny. I told him, their food was so horrible I’d rather eat stir-fried watermelon peels than those dishes. And that he should visit us in Lotus Pier whenever he has the time…”
Jiang Cheng swatted Wuxian’s watermelon piece away before the latter could finish the sentence. “Are you mad? Inviting him to Lotus Pier is just making troubles for us.”
“Why are you so angry? My watermelon nearly fell off! I just said that for the heck of it. Of course he wouldn’t come. Has anyone ever said he travels outside alone?”
Jiang Cheng said seriously. “To make it clear right away. I refuse to let him come here. Don’t make invitations so randomly.”
“I didn’t realise you hate him so much.”
“I don’t have any particular opinion about him. But if he really comes here and Mother sees an outsider wandering around, you’ll hear her yelling about it until the end of days.”
“No worry. If he really comes, just tell Uncle Jiang to have him share a room with me. I’m sure I’ll make him mad in less than a month.”
Jiang Cheng sneered. “You want to share a room with him for a month? I think he will stab you dead in seven days.”
Wuxian objected. “Why do I have to fear him? If we really fight, he is probably no match for me.”
The other disciples laughed and joked along. Outwardly Jiang Cheng mocked Wuxian for being a braggart but inside he knew that was no empty boastings. Yanli, sitting between them, asked. “Who are you are talking about? A friend you made in Gusu?”
Wuxian cheerfully answered. “Yes!”
Jiang Cheng said. “Do you have no shame calling him your friend? Why don’t you ask Lan Wangji if he wants to be your friend?”
Wuxian answered back. “Get lost. If he doesn’t want me I’ll glue myself to him until he agrees.” He turned to Yanli. “Shijie, do you know Lan Wangji?”
Yanli answered. “Of course, isn’t that the Second Young Master Lan whom everyone praises for his looks and talents. Is he really that good-looking?”
“Yes, he is!”
“How does he compare to you?”
Wuxian pondered it a moment then replied. “He is probably a tiny bit more handsome than me.”
He made a sign with his fingers to show how tiny it was. Yanli tidied up the tray of watermelon and smiled. “Then he must be really handsome. Making friends is a good thing. Maybe you can visit each other’s home when you have time.”
Jiang Cheng spat out his watermelon when hearing that. Wuxian waved his arms wildly. “No, no, their food is horrible and they have too many rules. I don’t want to go there.”
Yanli said. “Then you can invite him here. This is a good occasion. Why don’t you ask your friend to visit Lotus Pier for a while?”
Jiang Cheng said. “Sis, you believe his nonsense again. When he was in Gusu, Lan Wangji hated him. No way that guy will agree to visit him.”
Wuxian yelled. “Bullshit! He will agree.”
“Wake up from your daydreaming. Didn’t you hear Lan Wangji telling you to scram? Do you remember that?”
“What do you even know! He told me to get lost on the outside, but I know that inside he really wanted to travel with me to Yunmeng.”
“I wonder everyday. Where do you get that much self confidence?”
“No need for thinking. I would give up if I can’t find the answer after all these years.”
Jiang Cheng shook his head, about to throw a watermelon peel. Suddenly there was the sound of angry footsteps sweeping up, a cold voice of a woman flying in from afar. “Who is skipping practice? I know where you are.”
The youths’ faces paled, lifting the bamboo curtain to rush out. At that moment, Madam Yu walked up. She dressed elegantly in purple but her face was angry and full of terrifying energy. The boys were all shirtless and their feet bare, looking very disorderly. Madam Yu frowned, her eyebrows lifting even higher.
Everyone thought. “We’re going to die.” Their souls about to leave the bodies, they tried to run off. Madam Yu got even angrier. “Jiang Cheng! Put on your shirt! Why are you half naked like a bunch of barbarians? Where would I hide if an outsider sees you?”
Jiang Cheng tied his shirt around his waist. He hastily put it on at his mother’s words. Madam Yu continued to yell. “Outrageous! Don’t you see A Li is here? You rascals, who taught you taking off your clothes in front of a girl?”
There was no need to ask who started it. As usual, the next line of Madam Yu was. “Wei Ying! I see you want to die.”
Wuxian said loudly. “I’m sorry! I didn’’t know shijie would come! I’m looking for my shirt now!”
That only made Madam Yu angrier. “You dare to run off? Go back and kneel down!” She waved her whip. Wuxian felt an acute pain in his back. He shouted “Ouch” and nearly fell down. At that moment, someone said softly next to Madam Yu. “Mother, do you want some watermelon?”
Madam Yu was startled by Yanli’s suddenly appearance. When she calmed down, the mischievous boys had all run away. She angrily pinched Yanli’s cheek, yelling. “Food, food, food, all you ever know is food!”
Being pinched to the point of tears, Yanli meekly said. “Mother, A Xian and the boys were here to avoid the heat. I came here on my own. Please don’t blame them. Mother, please have some watermelon. I don’t know who gift us those watermelons but they are very sweet. Watermelons are good for summer. They are sweet and juicy and help ward off the heat. I have cut them all up.”
The more she thought about the incident, the angrier Madam Yu was. It was hot and she was thirsty so Yanli’s words made her genuinely crave some watermelon, which only annoyed her even more.
On the other side, the boys ran away from Lotus Pier to the dock and grabbed a boat. Having rowed for a while without anyone chasing them. Wuxian calmed down. He rowed for two strokes then feeling that his back still hurt, threw the oar to another person. He sat down and rubbed the reddening flesh. “I’m unjustly punished in daylight. Everyone is shirtless. Why only I get yelled at and beaten?”
Jiang Cheng replied. “Must be because you looked the most annoying.”
Wuxian looked at him and suddenly jumped off into water. As if summoned, the other boys also jumped off, leaving Jiang Cheng alone in the boat.
Seeing that something is off, Jiang Cheng asked. “What are you plotting?”
Wuxian swam flanking the boat then suddenly hit it. The boat capsized, half sunk in the water, its bottom up. Wuxian laughed and jumped up the upside down boat to sit. He turned to the area Jiang Cheng fell down to and yelled. “Am I still looking annoying, Jiang Cheng? Answer me!”
No one answered. Only a string of bubbles floated up. Clearing his face, Wuxian wondered. “Why hasn’t he appeared yet?”
The sixth disciple, who was swimming close, startled. “He can’t be drowning!”
Wuxian said. “That won’t happen!”. He was about to dive in and drag Jiang Cheng up when there was a shout behind his back and he was pushed into the water. The boat was overturned again, the water flying everywhere. As it turned out, after he was thrown into the water, Jiang Cheng made a round under the water and swam to behind Wuxian’s back.
As each of them had managed a sneak attack, they began to swim warily around the boat. The other disciples swam away to watch. Wuxian yelled from one side of the boat. “You’re having a weapon. It doesn’t count! If you’re really good, put it down and fight barehanded.”
Jiang Cheng smiled coldly. “How dumb do you think I am? As soon as I put it down you will rob it right away.” He waved the oar around, forcing Wuxian to move back and avoid to the cheers of the junior disciples. Even as he dealt with the attacks, Wuxian still tried to defend himself. “I’m not that shameless!”
There were jeerings from all sides. “Daishixiong, you of all people dare to say that?”
Afterwards the group fell into a chaotic underwater fight. Wuxian gave Jiang Cheng a kick and struggled to climb on the boat. He spat out the lake water in his mouth and waved his arms. “Stop fighting, stop fighting, truce!”
The group were happily fighting with each other, river weeds and mosses tangling in their hair. Hearing those words, they shouted back. “Why stop? Fight on! Fight on! Or are you begging for mercy?”
Wuxian said. “Who says I’m begging for mercy? We will fight later. I’m too hungry to continue. Let’s go find some snacks.”
The sixth disciple suggested. “Shall we return? Maybe we can get some watermelon before mealtime.”
Jiang Cheng said. “If you return now, all you’ll get is a beating.”
Wuxian already had a plan. He declared. “No, we won’t go back. Let’s go picking lotus pods!”
Jiang Cheng said sarcastically. “It should be ‘stealing’”.
Wuxian said. “They are compensated every time!”
The Jiang Clan of Yunmeng gave protection to the people who lived in the surrounding province. They exterminated water ghouls without demanding payment. Therefore, if they wanted, they could have the entire lotus pod harvest. Every time the teenagers from the clans went out and took watermelons and chickens or drugged the dogs of the people living nearby, Jiang Fengmian always sent his people to make compensations. If asked why they would want to steal, a behaviour unfit for the young masters of a wealthy family, the boys would laugh and say it was the thrill of being chased and shouted at.
They all climbed up the boat and rowed until they reach a lotus lake nearby.
The lotus lake was full of a shining green. The lotus leaves formed layers after layers. The small leaves were the size of a tray, the big ones the size of an umbrella. The leaves on the outside were slightly lower and less dense, forming a cover on the surface of the lake. The inner leaves were higher and thicker, enough to hide a boat. However, if there was a cluster of leaves tangling together, there was definitely someone in there causing mischiefs.
The small boat of Lotus Pier floated into this area full of green, surrounded by green and succulent lotus pods. One of the boys managed the oar, the others began to get to work. The mature lotus pods had slender and smooth stems full of small thorns. However, these thorns barely hurt as they broke at the slightest crush. They all picked the lotus pods such that the stems remained. When they returned and put the pods in a vase full of water, the pods would remain fresh for a few days more. That was what Wuxian heard. He didn’t know if that was true or not, but he still told other people as if that were a fact.
Wuxian picked a few pods and peeled them then put the succulent lotus seeds in his mouth. Enjoying the soft seeds, he hummed the songs of a blind singer. “I offered you some lotus pods. What do you have for me?”. Jiang Cheng overheard that then asked. “Whom did you offer the pods?”
Wuxian answered. “Hah, it’s certainly not you!”. As he was about to pick a pod to throw into Cheng’s face, he heard a shush and then. “Shit, the old man is home today!”
The old man is the old farmer who grew lotus in this area. Wuxian had no idea how old the man was. In his mind, Jiang Fengmian was his uncle so whoever older than Jiang Fengmian could be considered a grandpa. As far as he could remember, the old man had lived in this lake. If Wuxian got caught stealing the lotus, he would get beaten. He always suspected the old man to be a reincarnation of the lotus pod spirit, because he always knew how many pods he had lost and delivered the corresponding number of lashes. It was easier to row with a bamboo rod than an oar in a lotus lake, and the rod could cause considerable pain when used for hitting.
Everyone in the group had tasted the rod several times. They shushed each other, “Run, run!” and hastily grabbed the oar rowing as fast as possible out of the lotus lake. As they covertly looked back, the boat of the old man already passed the area covered by the lotus leaves and floated into the empty water. Wuxian looked more closely and commented. “So strange!”
Jiang Cheng also stood up. “Why does that boat go so fast?”
As they looked, the old man stood with his back to them. He leaned into the lotus pods on the boat, the bamboo rod set aside. Yet the boat still floated both fast and firm, even faster than the boat of Wuxian and the boys.
Everyone was on high alert. Wuxian urged. “Row over there.”
As the two boats got close to each other, they could see that there was a white shadow under the water beneath the boat of the old man.
Wuxian turned back, his finger on his lip in a signal for the group not to startle the old man and the water ghoul below. Jiang Cheng nodded and rowed the boat softly, causing only slight ripples. When the two boats were only separated by a short distance, the wet pale arm raised from under the boat, sneaked off a lotus pod from the boat of the old man, and disappeared into the water again.
A while later, two lotus seed peels floated up the water surface.
The group were stunned. “Wow, this water ghoul steals lotus pods too!”
The old man finally realised that there were other people behind his back. He gathered a big pod in one hand and reached for the bamboo rod with the other then turned around. The action sacred off the water ghoul. With a splash, the white shade had disappeared. The group wondered. “Where can it go?”
Wuxian dived into the water to the bottom of the lake. After a while, he pulled up something. “I got it!”
In his hand was a small water ghoul with blue-ish white skin. It looked like a child of about twelve or thirteen years old. The ghoul panicked and curled into itself under the gaze of the group.
At this point, the old man waved his rod and yelled. “You’re causing mischief again!”
Wuxian’s back had already received a lash. With a hit from the rod, he screamed and nearly loosened his clutch. Jiang Cheng angrily shouted. “Be reasonable! Why do you hit him out of nowhere? He is trying to help you!”
Wuxian hastily cut in. “It’s fine it’s fine. Grandpa, please look carefully. We aren’t ghouls. This is the ghoul.”
The old man replied. “Nonsense! I’m old, not blind. Release it immediately!”
Wuxian was surprised. He looked at the water ghoul he caught again. It clasped his hands, the black eyes full of water. It looked very pitiful. Its hand was still clutching the big lotus pod it stole. Apparently it hadn’t eaten much before Wuxian caught it.
Jiang Cheng thought the old man’s words didn’t make sense. He told Wuxian. “Don’t release it! We will capture this water ghoul.”
At those words, the old man raised his rod again. Wuxian hastily said. “Don’t hit me! I will let it go.”
Jiang Cheng said. “Don’t! What if this water ghoul wants of find a living human to die in its place!”
Wuxian said. “This water ghoul doesn’t smell of blood. It’s small so it can’t go out of this lake. There is no news of someone dying in the area. It likely won’t cause harms”
“Assuming it hasn’t harmed anyone, but we can’t be certain that in the future…”
Before he could finish, the bamboo rod made a whizzing sound. Getting hit, Jiang Cheng lost his temper. “Don’t you know between right and wrong, geezer?! It’s a ghoul! Aren’t you afraid of it harming you?”
The old man reasoned just as forcefully. “I’m one foot in the grave. Why should I be afraid of ghouls?”
Wuxian, being certain that the ghoul couldn’t run far, said: “Don’t hit! I will release it!”
He released his grip. The water ghoul hopped to behind the old man’s boat, not daring to look back.
Wuxian climbed into the boat, dripping wet. The old man picked a lotus pod into the water, which was ignored by the water ghoul. He picked a bigger pod and threw it into the water too. As the pods floated on the water surface, half the white head appeared and took the pods in the mouth and disappeared into the water like a big white fish. A while later, the patch of white appeared again. The water ghoul hid behind the boat with its shoulders and arms above the water and began to peel the pods for the seeds.
The boys couldn’t help feeling upset watching it eat so heartily.
Wuxian felt annoyed seeing the old man throwing another pod into the water. He rubbed his chin and asked. “Grandpa, why do you ignore the ghoul stealing your pods but hit us when we do it?”
The old man replied. “It helps me steer the boat. No big loss letting it have some pods. How about you little demons? How many have you stolen today?”
The group was embarrassed. Wuxian looked from the corner of his eyes. There were a few dozens lotus pods in the boat. Feeling danger, he hastily said. “Run!”
The boys grabbed the oar. The old man waved the rod in their direction as his boat moved swiftly. Feeling as if the rod could hit their heads at any moment, the groups rowed like mad. The two boats ran around the big lake for about two rounds with the distance kept getting smaller. Wuxian got hit several times. He realised that only he was targeted. He covered his head with his arms, yelling. “It’s unfair! Why only I get hit!”
The junior disciples said. “Please be steady. Everything depends on you!”
Jiang Cheng agreed. “That’s right. Be careful.”
Wuxian got annoyed. “I can’t bear this anymore!” He picked a lotus pod in the boat and threw in the water. “Take this!”
That was a very big pod, which made quite a splash as it went into the water. The old man’s boat stopped. The water ghoul happily swam out and got the lotus pod.
With this opportunity, the group’s boat finally escaped.
On the way back, a junior disciple asked. “Daishixiong, can the ghouls taste food too?”
Wuxian answered. "Usually not, but I think this little ghoul… Achoo!”
As the sun went down behind the mountain, the wind rose bringing in a cold draft. Wuxian sneezed and rubbed his face. “Perhaps it had a craving of lotus seeds when alive and got drown while stealing lotus pods. Therefore… Achoo”
Jiang Cheng said. “Therefore eating lotus seeds satisfies its obsession and quiets it.”
“That’s right.”
Wuxian touched the old and new hitting marks on his back. He couldn’t resist blurting out what had been bothering him. “This is such the unfairness of a lifetime. Why only I get hit every time something happens?”
A junior disciple said. “You are the most good looking.“
Another said. “You have the highest magic level.”
Yet another added. “You looked the best shirtless.”
They all nodded. Wuxian said. “Thanks for the compliments. You’re giving me the chill.”
The junior disciples said: “Don’t be a stranger. You cover for us every time. You’re the best!”
Wuxian acted surprised. “What? I’m the best? Explain it.”
Jiang Cheng couldn’t stand it anymore. “Shut up all of you! If you keep talking nonsense, I will smash this boat and all of you will die.”
At this point, they were rowing through an area surrounded by farms. Some young women were working in the farms. They moved close to the water when they saw the group’s boat passing by. “Hello!”
The junior disciples also “Hello” back and nudged Wuxian. “Hey, they are calling for you!”
Wuxian looked carefully again. Those were indeed people he had talked to before. Forgetting that he was being upset, he cheerfully stood up and smiled. “What’s the matter?”
The boat floated along the river flow. The girls followed on land, asking. “Did you just go stealing lotus pods again?”
"Tell us, how many lashes did you get?”
“Or did you just drug someone’s dog?”
Hearing that, Jiang Cheng regretted he couldn’t kick Wuxian out of the boat. He complained. “Your bad reputation spreads everywhere. What a shame to our clan.”
Wuxian explains. “They refer to all of us. If there is any shame, then it’s on all of us.”
As the two argued, a girl asked. “So did you like it?”
Despite being occupied elsewhere, Wuxian asked back. “What?”
The girl explained. “The watermelons we gave you. Did you like it?”
With that revelation, Wuxian said. “Oh, so those watermelons were from you. We love it! Why didn’t you stay for a while when you brought us watermelons? We could offer you tea!”
The girl smiled brightly. “When I brought the watermelons you weren’t there. I just left them there and went home. As long as you like it, it’s alright!”
Wuxian said. “Thank you!” He picked some big lotus pods from the boat. “Help yourselves to these pods. Come in to watch me practicing swordplay next time!”
Jiang Cheng wrinkled his nose. “What’s the point of watching you practice swordplay?”
Wuxian threw the pods onto the land. Those pods landed gracefully into the hands of the receivers. He gave some pods to Jiang Cheng and nudged. “What are you doing standing there? Hurry up.”
Being nudged twice, Jiang Cheng had to take the pods. He asked back. “Hurry up for what?”
Wuxian said. “You ate the watermelon too. Why don’t you return their favour? Come here, don’t be shy, just throw the pods them.“
Jiang Cheng pursed his lips. “Don’t be ridiculous. Me being shy?” However, despite those words, he just stood still as the junior disciples threw the pods. Wuxian said. “Throw them the pods. Then next time you can ask them if the pods are good. You’ll have a topic for conversation!”
The juniors laughed. “Oh, so that’s how it is. We won’t forget it. You’re so experienced!”
Jiang Cheng was about to throw the pod. Hearing those words, he stopped, feeling very embarrassed. He peeled the pod and ate the seeds himself.
The boat floated on the water. The girls hastened to follow on land, receiving the lotus pods the boys threw to them. Wuxian looked at the scenery then sighed. The juniors asked. “What are you sighing about? You have the girls follow you.”
Wuxian put the oar on his shoulder and laughed. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking about how I sincerely invited Lan Zhan to Yunmeng, but he rejected me.”
“Oh, Lan Wangji is really something!”
Wuxian said enthusiastically. “Shut up! Someday I’ll drag him here, kick him off the boat, trick him to go steal the lotus pods so that the old man hit him and he will chase me, haha.”
After laughing, he looked behind his back and saw Jiang Cheng sulkily ate the lotus seeds. The smile disappeared from his face. He complained. “What a hard to teach kid.”
Jiang Cheng said annoyedly: "I want to eat by myself. What’s the problem?”
Wuxian said. “Forget it. You’re incurable. You’ll eat alone your whole life!”
In the end, it was a pretty successful excursion.
_________________
(2)
Cloud Recesses
Outside the mountains, the glare of the June sun burnt brightly. Inside the mountains was a different world, quiet and cool.
Two white-clad figures were outside the orchid room. A breeze passed by, making the clothes flutter, but the bodies remained firm.
Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji were standing primly. Doing handstand.
Both of them were quiet, seemingly in the meditation trance. The sounds of the spring nearby flowing and the birds chirping only increased the serenity.
A while later, Lan Wangji suddenly said. “Brother.”
Lan Xichen slowly got out of the meditation trance. Looking straight ahead, he asked. “What’s the matter?”
After a moment of silence, Wangji spoke again. “Have you ever picked lotus pods?”
Xichen tilted his head. “No.”
Of course, if the disciples of the Lan Clan of Gusu wanted to eat lotus seeds, they wouldn’t have to go picking the pods themselves.
Wangji nodded. He asked. “Brother, do you know it?”
Xichen replied. “Know what?”
Wangji continued. “The lotus pods that still have the stems give better seeds than those without stems.”
Xichen replied. “Oh? I have never heard about that. Why are you talking about this?”
Wangji said. “Nothing. It’s time. Let’s change hand.”
The two of them changed the handstanding from the right hand to the left hand. Their actions were smooth without a sound in utmost serenity.
Xichen wanted to ask Wangji to explain more. He cautiously looked at his brother then smiled. “Wangji, you have a guest.”
A white rabbit was crawling on the wood-tiled corridor to the left hand of Wangji that was on the ground. Its pink nose wrinkled.
Xichen was curious. “Why does it come here?”
Wangji told the rabbit. “Come back.”
The rabbit didn’t listen to him. It bit the end of his forehead ribbon and pulled, as if wanting Wangji to follow it.
Xichen gently said. “It wants you to carry it back.”
Failing to pull Wangji to follow him, the rabbit jumped around the brothers. Finding the scene funny, Xichen asked. “Is this the one that likes mischiefs?”
Wangji replied. “Too much.”
“That’s fine, it’s still adorable. I remember that there are two of them, and they always stay together. Why is only one of them here? The other one prefers quietness so it stays behind, right?”
"It will come.”
Just as Wangji said, another white head appeared on the wooden floor. The other white rabbit had run here to find its friend.
The two white fluffballs chased each other for a while, then snuggled with each other on a spot close to Wangji’s left hand.
Even with upside down vision, it was an adorable scene. Xichen asked. “What are their names?”
Wangji shook his head. It was unclear whether the rabbits had no name or he didn’t want to talk about that.
Xichen spoke again. “I heard you called their names before.” Very nice names, he thought.
Wangji changed hands. Xichen reminded him. “It’s not time yet.”
Wangji quietly changed his hand back.
About the time to burn a stick of incense later, the time for handstanding practice was over. The brothers returned to the parlour to rest.
A housekeeper brought them a tray of chilled fruit to help them cool down. The watermelon peel had been removed, the flesh cut into neat cubes. Served in the crystal tray, the red cubes looked almost translucent. The brothers sat on their knees on the map, quietly exchanged their ideas about the lessons the previous day, and began to eat.
As Xichen took a handful of green tea, he saw Wangji keep staring at the crystal tray for unknown reason. He instinctively paused.
Just as expected, Wangji spoke. “Brother.”
Xichen responded. “What’s the matter?”
Wangji asked. “Have you eaten watermelon peel?”
Almost speechless, Xichen asked back. “Is it edible?”
After a moment of silence, Wangji said. “I heard it can be stir-fried.”
Xichen replied. “Probably.”
Wangji continued. “Apparently the flavour is good.”
“I have never tried it.”
“Neither do I.”
“Oh.” Xichen asked, “You want it to be made for you to try?”
After a moment of thinking, Wangji seriously shook his head.
Xichen breathed out in relief. For some reason, he felt there was no need to ask “Who told you that?”
*****
The day after, Wangji left the mountains alone.
It was not that he rarely left the mountains. It’s that he rarely went to a crowded market by himself.
There were many people coming and going. It was never so crowded whether at a major clan’s seat or a hunting party. The Conference for Discourse could be full of people, but it was orderly and there was no pushing and pulling like this. It was common for someone to step on another person’s foot or for carts to bump into each other. Wangji had never liked close contact with other people. Encountering this situation, he paused. However, he didn’t want to return immediately. Instead he tried to find someone to ask for directions. Yet no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t find anyone.
At that moment, Wangji discovered that it was not just him who didn’t like contact with other people. No one wanted to come close to him.
His outfit was refined and free of the dust of daily life and there was a sword on his back. He stuck out from the bustling market like a sore thumb. The peddlers, farmers, and loiterers rarely met a young master from a great clan like him, so they hastily kept a wide berth. Either they feared he was an arrogant aristocrat and it would be dangerous to displease him or they feared his stern expressions. Even Xichen had joked that Wangji spread cold winter six square meters around him such that even grass couldn’t grow. As Wangji approached, only the young women wanted to look at him but they too didn’t dare to look for long. They pretended to be busy and lowered their heads, staring at him covertly. Only after he had left that they would talk and joke with each other again.
It took Wangji a long while to find an old woman sweeping the street in front of a house gate. He asks. “Could you tell me the direction to the nearest lotus lake?”
The eyesight of the old woman was bad so she couldn’t see him clearly. She replied. “About eight or nine miles in this direction, there is a family that has a big lotus farm.”
Wangji nodded. “Thank you.”
The old woman added. “Little master, the lotus lake will be closed after the dark. So if you want to go sightseeing, please rush when it is still daylight.”
Wangji said again. “Thank you.”
As he was about to leave, he noticed that the old woman picked a thin bamboo rod to take down an dry branch stuck on the roof. However, she couldn’t quite manage it. He raised his hand and used his spiritual energy to get the dry branch to drop before continuing on his journey.
Eight or nine miles was not much for his travel speed. Wangji kept on walking in the direction the old woman showed him.
As he walked for a mile, the residential area became less dense. At four miles, the road was surrounded by mountains and fields. Only occasionally that a small house appeared, cooking smoke blowing from the chimney. By a field, a group of children were playing with mud, talking and laughing cheerfully.
Wangji stopped to rest. He watched the children playing but was quickly discovered. The children that were playing were young and shy of strangers so they disappeared when they saw him. Wangji walked on. As he reached five miles, his face felt cool. There was mist in the wind.
He looked up in the sky. The clouds were dark and threatened to release a heavy rain soon. He tried to rush but the rain was quicker.
At that time, he saw five or six people standing by the field.
The mist had become drops of rain, but those people didn’t open the umbrella or used anything as shelter. They were apparently occupied with something and had no heart to pay attention to the surrounding. Wangji approached and saw a farmer lying on the ground and groaning from pain.
Listening to their conversation, Wangji realised what had happened. The injured farmer was crashed into by the ox of another farmer and couldn’t stand back up. It was unclear whether his back was injured or his leg was broken. The ox had been chased off to a corner, its owner had left to find a physician. The remaining people dared not move the injured man lest his injury got worse. However, the weather was bad. It was only light rain in the beginning but soon the water was pouring down.
As the rain got heavier, a farmer went home to fetch umbrellas. However, the village was in a considerable distance so he couldn’t return quickly. The other people worriedly sheltered the injured man with their bodies. Even then, that wasn’t the best solutions. Umbrellas couldn’t give shelter for all of them.
One of them whispered. “It’s as if we’re haunted by a ghost. As soon as we mention heavy rain it comes pouring down.”
At that point, a farmer said. “Let’s raise a roof! Whatever helps.”
There was an abandoned shed not far from their spot, supported by four wooden logs. The frame was askew and the shed was slightly rotten due to exposure to the elements.
One man hesitantly asked. “But it’s not ours to use?”
“Just a few steps, it will be fine.”
Two of the group went to move the shed, the others carefully lifted the injured man in that direction. However, the two farmers couldn’t move the old rotting shed despite the urge of the others. The shed didn’t move no matter how hard they tried. It remained where it was even if two more farmers went to help.
The shed had a wooden frame, its roof covered with tiles and reeds. It wasn’t light but couldn’t be so heavy that four farmers accustomed to physical labour couldn’t lift it.
Without coming close, Wangji realised what was the cause. He walked to the shed, bent down and lifted up a corner of the shed with just one hand.
The farmers were stunned. Four farmers couldn’t lift the roof of the shed, yet a teenager could do it with one hand.
After a moment, a farmer whispered to the others. With no further hesitation, they quickly moved the injured man into the shed. As they stepped into the shed, all eyes were on Wangji but he didn’t look back.
As the injured man was settled, two of the farmers approached. “Y- young master, please put it down. Leave it to us.”
Wangji shook his head. The two farmers persisted. “You’re too young. You won’t be able to bear it for long.”
They reached out to help him keep up the shed. Wangji looked at them. He didn’t say anything, just withdrawing his strength a little. The two farmers immediately blanched.
Wangji looked away and applied his force as before. The two farmers embarrassedly sat down.
The wooden shed was much heavier than their imagination. As soon as this teenager withdrew his strength, they couldn’t bear it.
One of them shivered. “So strange, why is it even colder here?”
What they didn’t see was a shade dangling in the middle of the roof. Its clothes were torn, its hair and tongue were long.
As the rain fell and wind blew outside the shed, the shade dangled and pulled in a cold draft.
This ghost was the reason the roof of the shed was abnormally heavy that normal people couldn’t lift.
Wangji didn’t bring along the tools to help ghosts move on to the next life. If this ghost had no harmful intention, he couldn’t attack it indiscriminately until it fell apart. There was no way to convince it to come down from the roof either. Therefore lifting the roof was the only solution for the moment. He would report the incident to the elders of his clan so that someone could be sent to resolve this.
The ghost behind Wangji kept dangling and flickering in the wind. It said sorrowfully. “So cold…”
It looked around, leaning into a farmer as if to warm up. The farmer shivered. Wangji glared at it coldly. The ghost was scared enough to go back to where it was. But it still curled the long tongue and complained. “Heavy rain, heavy rain. Empty shed. It really is cold.”
The farmers didn’t dare to talk to Wangji the whole while until the physician arrived. When the rain completely ceased, they took the injured man out of the shed. Wangji put down the roof and left without a word.
When he arrived at the lotus lake, the sun was about to set. As he began to wade into the lake, a small boat arrived. On the boat was a middle aged woman. “Hey, what are you doing?”
Wangji answered. “Picking lotus pods.”
The woman said. “The sun is setting. We don’t let outsiders in at night. You can’t get in today. How about another day?”
“It won’t be long. Just a little while and I will leave.”
"No means no. This is the rule and I didn’t not make it. You’ll need to ask the owner.”
"Then where is the owner?”
The lotus picker replied. “Already left, so no use asking me. If I let you in, I will be rebuked so please don’t cause troubles for me.”
Hearing that, Wangji didn’t try to get in anymore. He nodded. “Apologies for disturbing you.”
His expressions didn’t change but one could see the disappointment.
The lotus picker saw that his clothes were white but soaked more than half from the rain. His white shoes were also stained with mud. She spoke with a softer voice. “You’re already late today. How about coming earlier tomorrow? Where are you from? It was just raining heavily, did you walk in the rain? Why don’t you bring an umbrella? How far is your house?”
Wangji answered truthfully. “Thirty four miles.“
The lotus picker was speechless. It took a while for her to find her words. “That far?! It must have taken you a long time to walk here. If you want lotus pods that much, you can still buy them at the market? Lots of people sell them.”
Wangji was about to turn away. Hearing that, he stopped and replied. “The lotus pods sold at the market have no stem.
The lotus picker was surprised. “Why do you insist on lotus pods with stems? There is no difference.”
Wangji replied. "There is.”
“There is not!”
Wangji stubbornly argued. “There is. Someone told me so.”
The lotus picker burst out laughing. “Who told you that? What a stubborn little master. You must be touched by a demon!”
Wangji didn’t say anything. He turned around and prepared to leave. The woman spoke again. “Is your home that far away?”
Wangji replied. “Hmm.”
“Or… you stay for the night? You can find a place to board close to here and come tomorrow?”
“My family forbids staying outside overnight. I have class tomorrow.”
The lotus picker scratched her head, looking torn. Finally she said. “Fine, I’ll get you in, but only for a short while. Please be quick, lest someone see you and tell the owner. I don’t want to be yelled at at this age.“
*****
A rain passed by the Cloud Recesses. The magnolia tree became even more beautiful after the rain. Xichen was inspired and took out paper to draw by the window.
Through the window with flowers carved in it, he saw a white-clad figure walking slowly in his direction. Xichen didn’t put down the brush, calling. “Wangji!”
Wangji approached and greeted him through the window. “Brother.”
"You talked about lotus pods the other day. Today Uncle ordered lotus pods to be brought here. Do you want some?”
Wangji replied from the other side of the window. “I already ate.”
Xichen was confused. “Already?”
"Yes, Brother.”
The two exchanged some lines then Wangji returned to his room.
Finishing his drawing, Xichen tidied the place then took Liebing out and walked to the place he usually practiced the Mind Calming tune.
Dews formed on the grass leaves that grew beneath the bamboo grove. Xichen walked on the path. What he saw surprised him.
In the wood-tiled corridor in front of the painted door there was a jade vase. In the vase there were some lotus pods of different sizes.
The slenderness of the vase matched the slenderness of the lotus stems, creating a beautiful sight.
Xichen put Liebing away, sitting down in front of the vase. He looked at it, an internal struggle forming in his mind.
In the end, he still cautiously took out a seed to see if the seeds from a pod with stem had any special flavour.
If Wangji looked so happy, it must be really delicious.