Legend of The Frost Blade - Chapter 6

Another half a month passed, and the first snow of winter had begun to fall, covering the official road from Baoding Prefecture to Zhuozhou. Along the way, the cold wind howled, and there were few travelers. Not only were the government relay stations closed, but even some of the inns and taverns by the roadside were desolate and empty. The attendant who would usually be appealing customers had his hands huddled in his sleeves, stationing himself at the side of a charcoal stove. As the sky darkened further, the cold seemed to creep out from every corner, threatening to freeze people to death.

 

 

Even in such weather, a group of burly men rode northward on horseback, each dressed in black with long swords on their backs, the blood-red tassels on the hilts fluttering wildly in the wind. As soon as they reached a tavern with a hanging sign, they dismounted and entered the establishment.

 

 

When the waiter saw five or six martial heroes armed with blades on their backs arrive, he immediately got up to greet them cautiously, inquiring about the aim of their visit with a smile. He quickly brought out warm wine and beef, then went to the back of the courtyard to prepare two clean guest rooms. 

 

 

The men surveyed their surroundings, noticing that the shop only had a withered old shopkeeper and two patrons in the corner, who paid them no attention and were just focused on their drinks. They asked the waiter to bring over another charcoal brazier, the eldest among them speaking in a formal tone while asking: “Innkeeper, how far is it to Zhuozhou from this place of yours?”

 

 

“Riding those fine horses, if the snow stops by tomorrow, it will only take two days.”

 

 

The man glanced at the corner again and asked, “Are those two also staying at the inn?”

 

 

The waiter, being quite perceptive, quickly said: “Esteemed guest, please don’t worry, those two are just ordinary travelers and will only stay for one night before continuing their journey.”

 

 

The man nodded and dismissed him before picking up his chopsticks to eat.

 

 

A younger man spoke in a low voice: “Er Shixiong, you are meticulous, but there doesn’t seem to be anything strange about this small inn. We are only staying for one night, so you can rest assured.”

 

 

The older man smiled and said: “What Ma Shidi says is true. Jianghu is unsettled nowadays, it’s always better to be cautious and ask a few questions. We should be more vigilant in the things we do ah.”

 

 

The two talked, their conversation overheard by their companions, one of whom cheerfully poured a full bowl of wine: “ Er Shixiong, it was indeed reasonable for Shifu to assign for you to go out. Among the eight of us brothers, you are the most cautious. But you aren’t invincible after all. We’ve been traveling non-stop for days, let’s have a good meal and a sound sleep today, shall we?”

 

 

The older man sighed: “As all of our brothers know, Jianghu is in a state of turmoil. Ever since the Demon Blade killed ‘Shuang Dao Wang’ Ye Shan and injured three other notable figures half a month ago, rumors have spread that he’s looking for a next target to cut down with his blade. Now, all the sects are being cautious concerning this matter, meaning we need to be more vigilant than before while traveling.”

 

 

Another man among the eight with a mustache took a swig of his drink and interjected: “Speaking of that Murong Ai, It is only expected of him to hold the third position in the Demon Sect. Managing to escape unharmed from a siege by six renowned experts like Sima Gongzi and Kou Lao Yingxiong. It would not be easy to defend yourself against him.”

 

The man surnamed Ma sneered: “Liu Shidi, you must have forgotten that the Demon Blade is not working alone. Yan Qingqiu is also aiding him as an accomplice, and he’s quite a formidable figure himself.”

 

 

The mustached man put down his wine cup, looking perplexed: “I also find it peculiar. That Feihua Gongzi has always been a decent person upholding righteousness and chivalry. Despite his young age, he has always maintained a good reputation. When did he start associating with the monsters of the Demon Sect?” 

 

 

“Distance tests a horse’s strength, and time reveals a person’s heart. Perhaps they’ve been colluding all along, just putting on the façade of upright gentlemen. Otherwise, how could they both turn up at the Ye household at the same time, severely injuring Duan Hou Niangzi and the Ye brothers?”

 

 

Another man chimed in: “Yes, yes. I heard Yan Qingqiu and the Demon Blade were acting brotherly that night, very intimate, almost as if they have a close relationship.”

 

 

The man surnamed Ma spat: “The Yan Clan is a prestigious one. For Yan Qingqiu to be willing to degrade himself is despicable.”

 

 

The older man frowned: “Yan Qingqiu’s elder brother is a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Works, shouldn’t he keep a tighter rein on his Xiaodi? Now that Yan Qingqiu has committed such heinous acts with the Demon Blade, I’m not even sure if he’s been made aware of that.”

 

 

That Ma Shidi laughed: “It’s said that Yan Qingqiu refused to take up an official post the year he passed the Imperial Examination, nearly angering his elder brother to death. He declared back then that he would no longer concern himself with his business.”

 

 

The mustached man drank and speculated: “I wonder why Yan Qingqiu would want to get involved with the Demon Blade? Logically speaking, he has never been outside the border, and the Demon Blade rarely sets foot in the Central Plains. One is a scholarly official’s descendant, and the other is a disciple of the Demon Sect’s leader. There should be no kind of relation no matter which way you look at it. Moreover, during the year in which Yan Qingqiu’s notable battle brought about his title, he had killed six high-ranking commanders of the Demon Sect ne!”

 

 

A round-faced youth interjected, “I heard that both the men and women of the Demon Sect can use secret techniques. Given the chance, they can control a person’s mind with drugs. Didn’t Chen Shaohua, the hero of the Kongtong Sect, kill his wife and children because he was bewitched by a Demoness from the Demon Sect?”

 

 

Everyone began to laugh, and the one surnamed Ma patted his shoulder: “Jin Shidi, you’re still young, you have no idea what kind of ‘medicine’ Chen Shoahua took.”

 

 

The round-faced youth blushed and insisted: “I’ve already been to Chunhong Courtyard, so I am naturally aware. I’ve seen performers like Xiao Xin’er, there’s nothing unusual about that……”

 

 

His words only made everyone laugh even louder, the one surnamed Ma joking: “Excuse my earlier rudeness, turns out Jin Shidi has gotten older too. Just as you’ve presumed, I’ve been hearing: Although that Yan Qingqiu has ordinary eyebrows, he does carry a certain romantic charm about him. It wouldn’t be surprising if Murong Ai took a fancy to him. I just wonder who it was that fed the other the secret drug.”

 

 

The older man frowned, interrupting them: “Alright, don’t talk nonsense! These baseless rumors are fine as jokes in private, but if others were to overhear, they’ll think we, as the disciples of Qingcheng Sect, are disrespectful. In the future, don’t bring such indecent talk to the table!”

 

 

The junior disciples, having been reprimanded, looked embarrassed and lowered their heads to eat quietly.

 

 

At this moment, they heard the two people at the nearby table calling the waiter to settle their bill, then walking past their table. The man referred to as Er Shixiong took note of them, seeing one of them tall and the other short, both wearing hats and earmuffs, wrapped tightly in black cloaks, their faces unable to be seen clearly. However, the two didn’t even glance at the Qingcheng Sect disciples and indifferently returned to the guest rooms in the back courtyard. Er Shixiong paid them no further attention and hastily finished his meal, preparing to rest well before setting off early in the morning.

 

 

The two “travelers” returned to their room, where the waiter had already lit a stove, making it warm and comfortable. They went in and shut the door, removing their hats, earmuffs, and cloaks, and placing them to one side.

 

 

Murong Ai didn’t like tying his hair up, so he removed the hairpin, letting his jet-black hair fall freely. Yan Qingqiu, having traveled and lived with him for some time, was already used to this. Seeing that his expression remained unchanged, Murong Ai smiled and said: “Feihua Gongzi has such exceptional composure, don’t you want to teach those Qingcheng Sect busybodies a lesson?”

 

 

Yan Qingqiu shook his head: “Didn’t Murong Xiong also not bother?”

 

 

Murong Ai smiled disdainfully: “My reputation has always been terrible, it’s no different from receiving presumptions as being murderous, cruel, and ruthless. Because I’m part of the Guangming Sect, I’ve also earned the title of a demon. Adding another accusation of debauchery doesn’t matter. But Feihua Gongzi is a young hero, the prized disciple of Mi Jiuxian. Associating with me, isn’t it like tarnishing a piece of flawless jade?”

 

 

Yan Qingqiu laughed heartily Ha Ha: “I’m certainly not some flawless jade. Even if I were, those idle words are just specks of dust, one strong wind and they’d be blown clean away.”

 

 

Murong Ai suddenly snorted coldly, “I think you’re still just a block of stone. You should know that idle gossip can turn into mud. Just wait until you fall inside, and you’ll find getting out is no easy task. Even if you manage to escape, you’ll be tainted all over.”

 

 

Yan Qingqiu was taken aback. Murong Ai’s words were bone-chilling, a stark contrast to his earlier joking manner. For a moment, he couldn’t think of anything to say, leaving him quite embarrassed. 

 

 

Murong Ai looked at Yan Qingqiu but said no more. He reached over to the pot on the stove, poured out hot water, and started washing up. After a while, he noticed Yan Qingqiu was also busy packing his belongings and laying a quilt on the floor, then asked: “What’s this? Is Feihua Gongzi angry with me?”

 

Yan Qingqiu paused his actions: “Why do you say that, Murong Xiong?”

 

 

Murong Ai wiped the water off his face, pointing to the bed: “The weather is freezing cold, yet Feihua Gongzi, whose constitution is not as hardy as mine, is choosing to sleep on the cold, hard floor. Isn’t that because you disdain sharing a bed with this demon ba?”

 

 

Yan Qingqiu found it somewhat amusing: These days, he and Murong Ai had been traveling north together. Initially, to avoid martial artists, they had been camping out in the wilderness. As the weather later grew colder, they started staying at inns, though they usually took separate rooms. This small inn, however, had only one single room and a communal large room, leaving no other choice. Knowing that Murong Ai didn’t like being close to people, he had chosen his own sleeping place. Unexpectedly, hearing Murong Ai’s tone, it seemed he was a bit displeased.

 

 

Seeing that he didn’t reply, Murong Ai’s lips curled slightly as he continued to ask: “Could it be that Feihua Gongzi really believed the words of those fools from Qingcheng Sect, and is afraid of my misconduct?”

 

 

Yan Qingqiu already understood his temperament, simply bringing his quilt back to the bed and laughing: “Didn’t Murong Xiong say that once you’re tainted with mud, you can’t shake it off? I’ll make a basin of water and try myself to see if I can’t clear Murong Xiong’s innocence.”

 

 

“Even clear sand in nirvana will be stained black. I’m afraid that after tonight, you won’t be so clean either.”

 

 

Yan Qingqiu paid it no mind, washed up, removed his outer robe, and lay on the bed, leaving the outer half of it to Murong Ai. 

 

 

The man first sat on the bedside, practicing his breathing exercises for half an hour before disrobing and climbing into bed. Yan Qingqiu, being a light sleeper, didn’t fall asleep quickly. He only felt a cool presence beside him as the lamp extinguished.

 

 

The guest room plunged into darkness, and Murong Ai’s long, measured breathing sounded faintly in his ears. Yan Qingqiu, this close to him for the first time, felt his warm breath and detected a faint, unusual scent, neither floral nor musky, quite unique. Drowsiness began to creep over him in the muddled haze.

 

 

At this moment, Murong Ai suddenly whispered: “Yan Xiandi……among all the nonsense they spouted about me……there is actually one thing that was true……do you know what it is?”

 

 

Yan Qingqiu opened his eyes, but Murong Ai closed his and didn’t look at him. Yan Qingqiu knew Murong Ai was aware he was awake. Unexpectedly, Murong Ai smiled faintly and said softly: “Quickly get some rest ba. We have to head to Zhuozhou early tomorrow morning.”

 

 

At dawn the next day, the snow had indeed stopped.

 

 

Not wanting to run into the Qingcheng Sect disciples, Yan Qingqiu and Murong Ai settled their bill early and set off again at first light.

 

 

The pair were heading to Zhuozhou this time in pursuit of the “Green-Robed Marquis” Ning Mengshan, who was murdered three months ago.

 

 

Ning Mengshan was an expert in wielding the spear and considered a wealthy man with a modest amount of fortune within the Central Plains martial arts community. Usually having an interest in martial arts, he rarely left his home, preferring to spar with a few close friends. After middle age, he hardly ventured into Jianghu, so although his reputation was well known, his social circle was not vast. After his murder, his entire family of over twenty people was slaughtered. A few friends handled his funeral and joined the Five Great Clans in pursuing the killer. The empty Ning mansion and gravesite have since seen few visitors setting foot inside. This suited Murong Ai’s intentions perfectly, making it his first choice for exhuming the body for an autopsy.

 

 

Yan Qingqiu knew Murong Ai was not one to heed advice,  and though this act was a significant affront to the deceased, he decided not to be overly concerned with minor details in the pursuit of the true murderer. Yesterday, he was rather curious as to why those Qingcheng disciples would travel such a long distance to Zhuozhou. From their idle chatter, it seemed that various unsavory rumors about him and Murong Ai had already spread. Yan Qingqiu had no intention of explaining himself. He just found Murong Ai’s words somewhat puzzling, but his cheerful disposition led him to believe that if someone wanted to speak their mind, they would naturally do so eventually. Pursuing the matter seemed pointless, so he no longer concerned himself about it.

 

 

The purchased horses of the pair were fine steeds, and by pressing on, they arrived in Zhuozhou half a day ahead of the Qingcheng Sect disciples. The Ning Clan’s Chuichou Manor was located in the northeast direction outside Zhuozhou, which would only take them an hour to arrive at full gallop. Murong Ai and Yan Qingqiu agreed to have lunch outside the city, so as to enter the manor by nightfall. Although the servants’ bodies had been taken away, Ning Mengshan and his Clan’s coffins were buried in the backyard because his friends, eager for revenge, had quickly interred them there. They had agreed that after taking their revenge, the heads of the enemies would be used as sacrifices for the wronged souls, before the coffins would finally be moved to the Ning Clan’s Ancestral Tomb. 

 

 

Murong Ai and Yan Qingqiu, not daring to ride their horses within Zhuozhou, walked slowly, the pair still wrapped up as tightly as before, and with their horses loaded with baggage looking just like ordinary travelers. 

 

 

As they walked down a regular street, Yan Qingqiu brushed past a young man in gray, and the latter, upon seeing him, widened his eyes in surprise. Yan Qingqiu inwardly exclaimed in dismay and quickly grabbed him, smiling: “Zixiao Xiandi, I never expected to meet you here. Come, come, come, let’s have a drink or two together.”

 

 

Murong Ai, walking beside Yan Qingqiu, noticed the situation, and although he didn’t make a move, an additional layer of vigilance appeared between his brows. 

 

 

Yan Qingqiu immediately turned his head, saying: “Zixiao Xiandi and I are old acquaintances from the capital. It’s quite a coincidence to run into him here today.”

 

 

The young man in gray, upon seeing the person next to him, widened his eyes like copper bells, his eyeballs almost popping out. With his mouth agape, he stammered “You… He…” but couldn’t form coherent words.

 

 

Murong Ai sneered, “If you two want to catch up, it’d be better to find a secluded place. Pulling each other like this in the street might make people think you’re arguing and have caught a thief ne.”

 

 

Yan Qingqiu nodded repeatedly, dragging the young man into an empty alley before letting go. Murong Ai led the two horses three zhang away, not coming any closer. 

 

 

Seeing no one around, Yan Qingqiu sighed, “Zixiao, why are you here?”

 

 

It turned out that the young man in gray was surnamed Nangong, given name Cheng, courtesy name Zixiao. He was a member of the Nangong Clan from the Five Great Clans. Though only in his early twenties, he was technically Sima Xiao’s maternal uncle. It was a pity that his mother was a concubine with no status, his mediocre talents garnering him no favor, and was often relegated to menial tasks within the Nangong Clan. Yan Qingqiu, however, knew he played the Qin well, and would occasionally go out to perform with him, which could be considered as having established some kind of friendship. 

 

 

Seeing that Yan Qingqiu had asked that question, Nangong Cheng’s expression turned strange as he replied: “Still asking me such a question, doesn’t Yan Xiong know that everyone in Jianghu has been searching for your whereabouts these days? After our clan’s Taiye heard Sima Xiao’s report, he allocated all available hands to assist him. Now, the Five Great Clans and various sects are all saying that Feihua Gongzi has colluded with the Demon Blade, and are all out to capture you ne!”

 

 

Yan Qingqiu’s heart tightened, instantly recalling the Qingcheng Sect disciples they had encountered on the way, asking: “Is Zixiao also here in Zhuozhou because of this?”

 

 

Nangong Cheng nodded helplessly. He glanced at Murong Ai with some trepidation and lowered his voice: “I know Yan Xiong’s character, and that you could never commit such acts that are atrocious and go against all reason. However, everyone in the Ye Clan and Sima Xiao all attest with certainty, and Lady Zhen and the Ye brothers are gravely injured. The rumors in Jianghu have become increasingly ugly……Yan Xiong, could it be that you……truly are allied with the ‘Demon Blade’?” 

 

 

Yan Qingqiu didn’t care about others’ wild rumors, but he didn’t want his friend to misunderstand. Unable to explain everything clearly in such a short time, he thought for a moment and then nodded with difficulty: “I am indeed traveling with Murong Zuoshi, but the matter with the Ye Clan has other reasons. If Zixiao trusts me, please do not let those idle rumors sow doubt within you.”

 

 

Nangong Cheng nodded repeatedly but kept glancing at Murong Ai, looking quite uneasy. 

 

 

Yan Qingqiu felt a slight bitterness in his mouth and instructed Nangong Cheng not to reveal their whereabouts. After asking a few other miscellaneous questions, he bid him a hasty farewell.

 

 

Murong Ai stayed at the entrance of the alley, casually compressing some snow in his hand and forming it into a ball. Seeing Nangong Cheng walk away from the other end, he threw the snowball on the ground. The snowball was immediately immersed in black mud, then melting into a puddle. Murong Ai didn’t say much, only giving Yan Qingqiu a slight smile, turning straight out to leave the alley.

 

 

 

 

 

FOOTNOTES

 

 

Titles

Er Shixiong: Second Senior (Martial)Brother

Shidi: Junior (Martial)Brother

Shifu: Master

Liu Shidi: Sixth Junior (Martial)Brother

Xiandi: “Virtuous Younger Brother” or simply “Brother.” A respectful and affectionate way to refer to a younger male.

Taiye: A patriarch or an esteemed elder within a powerful family or clan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

“Ordinary eyebrows”: 眉眼虽然平常, while mainly speaking on eyes and eyebrows, generally refers to the entire facial appearance.

Zhang: The Chinese equivalent to a foot(Measurement)

“Atrocious and goes against all meaning”: The idiom 伤天害理 (shāng tiān hài lǐ) conveys the idea of actions that are shockingly evil, violating both the natural order and moral principles.