sinovels Chapter 22 Leaving Qing for Yun
Chapter 22 Leaving Qing for Yun
I left the study and returned to the guest room courtyard.
Su Wan said worriedly, "Young Master, this matter is probably dangerous."
"I know," Chen Xuan said calmly, "but this is also a good opportunity to track down my parents' whereabouts, and I'm also looking for trouble with Shadow Pavilion."
"Then Wan'er will go with you, young master," Su Wan said firmly.
Chen Xuan looked at her. "Guo Xiaotian sought me out because I harbor hatred; you sought out Yingge to save your father. Our goals seem aligned, but we may have disagreements along the way. I don't want you to be in danger."
"Who said I needed your protection?" Su Wan raised her head, a hint of stubbornness flashing in her beautiful eyes, finally revealing the spoiled and willful spirit that a young girl should have.
"I am a doctor. Without my help to prepare the antidote, even if you are skilled in detoxification with your internal energy, there are so many rare poisons in the world. Not to mention crossing Black Wind Ravine, you might not even be able to make it through the dangers of the martial world on this road."
Looking at her determined eyes, Chen Xuan smiled helplessly: "Alright, then I'll have to trouble you, Doctor Su."
That night, Chen Xuan reviewed the documents in his room, silently noting down all the details. Meanwhile, Su Wan was organizing medicinal herbs, preparing antidotes that might be needed on the journey.
Outside the window, the moonlight, like water, spilled onto the pavilions and towers of the Sihai Escort Agency, creating a serene atmosphere.
On the morning of the third day, as dawn broke.
Chen Xuan and Su Wan bid farewell to Guo Xiaotian and left the Sihai Escort Agency.
Liu Er and Zhou San had already hitched up the carriage and were waiting outside the gate, while the original coachman, Chen He, had already returned to the Chen residence.
The carriage was still the same small blue-canopied carriage that had come with it, but the horses pulling it had been changed to two much more spirited chestnut horses, and the interior had been furnished with cushions and a small table, making it much more comfortable.
"Young master, young lady, please get in the carriage." Liu Er was a lean man around forty years old with dark skin and sharp eyes.
He stepped forward and lowered his voice, saying, "The head镖师 (chief镖师) has instructed that we are ostensibly a caravan going to Yunzhou to trade medicinal herbs. We have prepared some common medicinal herbs on the carts as a cover. This is our travel permit and cargo manifest." He then handed over a stack of documents.
Wednesday was a silent man in his thirties, with a stocky build, carrying a thick-backed machete on his back.
He silently inspected the horse tack, then hung two gas lamps next to the carriage shaft before taking the driver's seat.
Chen Xuan took the document, glanced at it, nodded, and got into the car with Su Wan.
The carriage rumbled and drove out of the west gate of Qingzhou.
Not far outside the city, beside the official road stands a three-story wooden building with flying eaves and brackets. The three large characters "Wenyuan Pavilion" on the plaque gleam with a dark golden luster in the morning light.
This is the largest bookstore in Qingzhou, which also sells calligraphy, paintings, and stationery.
"Wait a moment," Su Wan suddenly said.
He reined in his horse on Wednesday.
"Young Master, you mentioned Wenyuan Pavilion before. Since we're passing by, I'd like to go in and take a look." Su Wan looked at Chen Xuan, her eyes filled with anticipation.
"I have always found the poisoning my father suffered from suspicious. The Wenyuan Pavilion has a rich collection of books, and there may be relevant records."
"Furthermore, it's always good to know more about the 'Seven Star Stone' and Black Wind Ravine."
Chen Xuan hesitated for a moment, then said to Liu Er, "You wait here. On Wednesday, keep an eye on the carriages and horses."
"Yes," the two replied.
The Wenyuan Pavilion was quite quiet; there weren't many guests at this hour. A pungent smell of aged paper and ink wafted through the air.
Rows of tall bookshelves stretched all the way to the ceiling, densely packed with all kinds of books.
Behind the counter sat an elderly shopkeeper with graying hair and beard, wearing crystal-polished glasses, looking down at an account book.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up:
"What kind of books are you looking for, gentlemen?"
"Sir, I'd like to find some books about medicinal herbs and minerals, as well as... geographical records from the previous dynasty," Su Wan stepped forward and said gently.
"The medicinal herbs and minerals are on the second floor, east side; the geographical notes are on the third floor, north wing," the old shopkeeper said slowly and deliberately.
"However, most of the records about the secrets of the previous dynasty are incomplete and their authenticity is hard to verify. If you are just looking at them casually, please don't take them too seriously."
These words were quite meaningful. Su Wan glanced at Chen Xuan, and seeing him nod slightly, she said, "Thank you for your advice, sir. We know what we're doing."
The two went upstairs as instructed. The second floor was indeed filled with medical books and pharmacopoeias. Su Wan carefully selected several books about the poisons and minerals of the southern border region.
They went up to the third floor, where there were even fewer people, and the bookshelves were covered in dust, indicating that few people came here. Following the directions, they found the north wing, which was filled with local chronicles, travelogues, and miscellaneous writings.
Su Wan flipped through the books one by one, and Chen Xuan also picked up a scroll and started flipping through it.
He possessed profound inner strength and exceptional eyesight, and could flip through books extremely quickly. In a short time, he had read seven or eight books, but most of them contained useless information.
Suddenly, Su Wanqing exclaimed "Eh!" and pulled out an ancient book with tattered edges and yellowed pages from the bottom of the bookshelf.
The book has no cover. When you open the inner pages, the handwriting is in the official script style popular in the previous dynasty, but it is mostly damaged by insects and water stains and is difficult to read.
"Young master, look here." Su Wan pointed to one of the pages.
Chen Xuan leaned closer to look. The upper half of the page was incomplete, but a few lines of text on the lower half were still legible:
"...At the junction of Qing and Yun, there is a stream called Black Wind. The earth's energy is turbid and yin, breeding much decay and poison. There are stones in the stream, the color of starry night, warm to the touch, capable of drawing energy from the earth's veins. However, strange insects and poisonous miasma often infest the stone's edge, causing illness to anyone who gets close..."
"That's it!" Su Wan's eyes flashed with joy. "This matches everything that Chief Escort Guo said, as well as the knowledge recorded in my father's notes! This Black Wind Ravine really does breed poisonous creatures because of the 'Seven Star Stone'!"
She flipped through a few more pages, and the records thereafter were even more fragmented, with only scattered phrases such as "the forbidden area of the previous dynasty..." and "...the Hundred Herbs Garden...is suspected to be west of Yunzhou...".
"We'll take this book," Chen Xuan decided immediately.
The two went downstairs and took the books they had chosen to the counter. The old shopkeeper glanced at the unsealed ancient book without even raising his eyelids:
"This copy of 'A Fragmentary Study of the Customs and Scenery of Yunzhou'? Fifty coins."
Su Wan paid the money. The old shopkeeper wrapped the book in oil paper and handed it to the two of them.
The old shopkeeper immediately ignored him and continued looking at the accounts.
After leaving Wenyuan Pavilion and returning to the carriage, Su Wan eagerly unfolded the tattered scroll and examined it closely with Chen Xuan.
The carriage continued on its way, with only the rustling sound of turning pages filling the carriage.
In addition to what we've already seen, the book also vaguely mentions that the previous dynasty established a "Hundred Herbs Garden" somewhere west of Yunzhou to cultivate rare and precious plants from all over the world, but the exact location has become a mystery.
The "Seven Star Stone" seems to be related to the "Earth Vein Restriction" of the Hundred Herbs Garden.
"Young Master," Su Wan said, closing the book with a solemn expression.
"If the account in the book is true, then Black Wind Ravine is likely not only a stronghold of Shadow Pavilion, but also a... entrance to a secret place left over from the previous dynasty, or at least a connection point. The dangers there are probably far beyond ordinary battles in the martial world."
Chen Xuan nodded: "That's why Chief Escort Guo is so cautious."
He paused, then looked at Su Wan, "If you change your mind now, it's not too late. I can settle you in a safe place when we get to Black Wind Ravine."
Upon hearing this, Su Wan's expression changed slightly, as if she had something on her mind, but it quickly turned firm:
"My father's poison must be cured. I must go and see Black Wind Ravine. Besides..."
She smiled slightly, with the confidence of a doctor.
"With me here, at least poisonous creatures and miasma won't be a problem for us."
Chen Xuan stopped trying to persuade him and simply said, "Alright. Then let's venture into this den of dragons and tigers together."
The carriage traveled westward. The territory of Qingzhou gradually receded behind, and the scenery along the way changed from plains to hills.