Sealing Sword Chapter 2

Translator: Palvi

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Chapter 2: Guyang

 

On a desolate mountain path, wild weeds grew rampant, and heavy leaden clouds pressed down on the earth, making it difficult for one to breathe.

 

A small caravan was making its way along this path which seemed to have been long abandoned. Few had passed through it, and the rocky terrain nearly shook the wagon wheels off their axles. Ordinary people riding in the carts wouldn’t last long before they’d be vomiting uncontrollably, worse than a pregnant woman.

 

So, everyone placed their goods on the carts and walked slowly on foot, except for one person curled up like a brooding hen on a flat cart piled high with sacks at the back of the caravan.

 

Ye Fusheng, wearing a coarse cloth robe, had his hair loosely tied into a ponytail with a straw rope. His head rested on the corner of a sack, and his hands were placed in front of his stomach. If not for his crossed legs swinging lazily, it would almost have been a picture of peaceful repose.

 

While the rest of the caravan was sweating profusely, Ye Fusheng lay on the cart, unbothered by the jolting, casually humming a self-made tune: “Time flies like an arrow, days and months weave like shuttle; how many cycles of spring and autumn have passed again?; Love and hate, so much confusion, yet life and death remain uncertain; youth fights for pride, with a sword cutting through a thousand miles; stirring still waters into chaos, only to be struck by lightning…”

 

The more he sang, the more out of tune he became, and his lyrics grew absurd and nonsensical, causing the people around him to laugh. Only the overseer of the caravan frowned deeply. “What are you laughing at? Hurry up, or the city gates will close before we arrive. Do you want to feed the wolves out here tonight?”

 

The rebuke made everyone shrink their necks, but Ye Fusheng still grinned cheekily. “Overseer, there isn’t even a stray dog around here, rest easy.”

 

It would’ve been better if he hadn’t spoken at all. As soon as he opened his mouth, the overseer became furious. “Shut up, you blind fool! You keep causing trouble, and I’ll break your other leg too!”

 

Ye Fusheng covered his left leg dramatically, looking heartbroken, and said in a sorrowful tone, “Please go easy on me.”

 

The overseer nearly fainted from anger.

 

These days, the world was unstable. Travellers were as common as fish in a river, but most were pitiful souls who had left their homes behind. With rebellions brewing internally and barbarian tribes eyeing the borders hungrily, the movement of goods and people was severely restricted. Yet, life required essentials like food and fuel, so the authorities had loosened their grip on civilian caravans, allowing them some leeway. This gave rise to countless small merchant groups sprouting up like mushrooms after the rain.

 

Their group had come from the northern regions, which had just emerged from a month-long war. Trade had temporarily halted, and some who had lost their homes in the conflict pooled their money together, gathering items like furs and spices to sell in southern towns, hoping to scrape together a living.

 

This rascal, who seemed impervious to shame or danger, had been picked up by the overseer in the north. That night, after tallying their goods, they camped outside the city on an empty field. Around midnight, the night watch heard the howls of wolves nearby, as if someone had been surrounded by the pack. Some of the overseer’s men had martial skills, so while they ordered the others to light fires as a precaution, they grabbed their weapons and rushed over. They were gone for over an hour. When the overseer returned, he had a bloodied man slung across his back.

 

The overseer didn’t explain much, and no one asked. They simply fed the man medicinal soups daily, and after three to five days, he woke up. He called himself Ye Fusheng, and though he was handsome and easygoing, his eyes were poor, and his right leg, injured from the incident, left him with a lingering pain. While he could walk a few steps without trouble, too much walking brought agonizing pain.

 

Ye Fusheng was twenty-nine years old, in the prime of his life. Anyone else in his situation would likely have wailed in despair, but he took it in stride, bringing laughter and chaos to the caravan, much to the overseer’s irritation.

 

After being scolded, Ye Fusheng let the words pass in one ear and out the other. He squinted up at the sky, commanding, “Hurry up, it’s going to rain soon.”

 

His eyes were peculiar—blinded by bright sunlight but keen in overcast weather or at night. On sunny days, even the outlines of objects were blurry, but when the sky darkened or rain fell, his sight was sharper than a child’s.

 

The clouds above thickened, and the overseer, not daring to delay, hurried everyone onto the carts, hoping to reach the city before the storm broke. After giving orders, he dragged Ye Fusheng off the cart, tossing him and his blanket into his own wagon. “You pest, cover your leg well. If you catch a cold and start wailing again, I’ll throttle you.”

 

The overseer had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Ye Fusheng waved him off in mock salute, then wrapped himself tightly in the blanket like a spring roll. The wagon raced forward, jostling him so much his head spun, but instead of feeling sick, he dozed off.

 

When he woke again, the caravan had reached the city gates, but they were already closed. Rain fell steadily, and the overseer, without bothering to open his umbrella, was bowing and scraping as he spoke to the guards. Ye Fusheng rubbed his aching temples, his vision finally clearing. The characters for “Guyang City” carved on the gate tower came into view.

 

“Guyang…” he murmured, picking up an oiled-paper umbrella. Ignoring the others’ warnings, he got off the cart.

 

The rain was heavy, drumming against the oiled-paper umbrella. A cold wind swept through, making Ye Fusheng’s calves shiver, but he didn’t even frown. Instead, he moved the umbrella to cover the overseer’s head, speaking in a familiar official dialect to the guards, “Officer, it’s not yet the hour of You. Why can’t we enter the city?”

 

The guard leader raised his nose arrogantly, unwilling to answer. Ye Fusheng deftly fished out a pouch of money from the overseer’s belongings and slipped it over. The guard weighed it in his hand before answering, “There’s unrest in the city lately. No one is allowed in after the hour of Shen.”

 

The overseer grimaced. “Officer, we’ve come from afar, with families in tow, and the weather’s not on our side. Could you show us some leniency?”

 

The guard scoffed, “If I made exceptions for everyone, what would be the point of city gates? Move along and come back tomorrow morning. Don’t block the way.”

 

As they spoke, the sound of hooves approached from the distance. A young girl, clad in a black cloak and riding a dark red horse, galloped toward them, her whip cracking through the air. Her voice arrived before she did, “Open the gate!”

 

She charged forward recklessly, and the caravan hurried to make way for her. The guards signaled to open the gates, but Ye Fusheng narrowed his eyes and, in a swift motion, kicked a small stone into the horse’s front leg, using the rain to mask his actions.

 

The horse let out a painful cry, rearing up. The girl was thrown off but, reacting quickly, flipped in midair and landed on her feet.

 

The once-arrogant guard leader paled, rushing forward to grovel, “Oh no, Miss Xue! Are you alright?”

 

“Get lost!” The girl, surnamed Xue, wiped the rain from her face. Luckily, she wasn’t wearing makeup; otherwise, her face would’ve been a mess. She lashed her horse twice with the whip, but the animal, spooked and in pain, bucked wildly, refusing to calm down.

 

In frustration, she threw the whip to the ground, glanced at the caravan, and walked over to Ye Fusheng and the overseer, her chin raised haughtily. “I need a horse. How much are you willing to sell it for?”

 

The overseer frowned, but Ye Fusheng responded, “No need for money. We’re heading into the city ourselves. You can ride with us.”

 

As he spoke, he moved the umbrella to shield her from the rain. The dim light filtering through the green umbrella softened, casting a gentle glow. Most of Ye Fusheng’s face was hidden in the shadow of the umbrella, leaving only his misty, peach-blossom eyes and a small smile curling his lips like a delicate crescent moon. Despite his plain clothes, his roguish charm was still captivating.

 

The girl looked about fifteen or sixteen. Tilting her head, she blinked, her tone softening, “You’re also entering the city? Where are you headed?”

 

The overseer cursed silently at the “pretty face,” but outwardly maintained a humble demeanor. “Miss, we’re merchants from afar. We just need to find an inn for the night.”

 

The young girl nodded slightly, ignoring the awkward expression on the lead officer’s face. She ordered, “Very well, get me a horse, and I will take you all inside.”

 

With that, she turned around to choose a horse, but before she could, Ye Fusheng stopped her. She turned back, only to see her slightly disheveled reflection in a small round mirror.

 

Ye Fusheng held the mirror, smiling gently. “The wind is fierce, and the rain is heavy. You’ve surely had a long and tiring journey. Why not rest in the carriage for a while? Though it may not be the most comfortable, at least it is clean.”

 

The girl paused, staring at him for a moment, then snatched the mirror from his hand. She turned her anger toward the lead officer. “Open the gate already! If you delay my business, you’ll face the consequences!”

 

The lead officer, visibly cowed, quickly nodded in agreement. The young girl climbed onto the cart’s shaft and pointed at Ye Fusheng, commanding, “You, drive the carriage for me.”

 

Under the umbrella, Ye Fusheng raised a hand to rub the corner of his eye and smiled slightly. “It would be my honor.”

 

The girl turned and ducked into the carriage, while Ye Fusheng handed the umbrella to the overseer. He then unhooked the wine flask from his waist and passed it to the lead officer. Both men stood there, momentarily dumbfounded, their expressions reflecting their surprise.

 

The overseer’s face grew more complicated. “I must ask you… have you ever kept track of how much debt you’ve racked up with all these flirtations?”

 

The lead officer, still in awe, shook his head and said, “What a move. I’m impressed.”

 

Ye Fusheng, with a humble smile, replied, “One cannot roam the Jianghu without occasionally stirring up some trouble.” His gentle yet roguish demeanor was fully on display. “Now, Officer, may we enter the city?”

 

The lead officer hadn’t quite recovered. “That Miss Xue is notorious for her temper here in Guyang City. Many men who tried to win her favor ended up whipped. Has she been possessed by a spirit today?”

 

Still smiling, Ye Fusheng said, “It’s simple. From the back, I stand straighter than those men. From the front, I look more refined. And even if they were to strip off my skin, I would still have more depth than they do.”

 

“…No more words needed. Please, go right ahead!”

 

The lead officer slapped his thigh and turned to dispatch his men, but Ye Fusheng called him back. “Officer, earlier you mentioned that the city hasn’t been peaceful lately. May I ask what’s been happening?”

 

The lead officer, deciding not to hold back any further, answered, “Brother, have you heard of ‘Duanshui Manor’?”

 

Ye Fusheng’s expression turned serious. “Do you mean the Duanshui Manor, renowned for the ‘First Blade Under Heaven’?”

 

The officer lowered his voice. “That was its reputation years ago.”

 

Narrowing his eyes, Ye Fusheng asked, “Oh? What do you mean?”

 

“The master of Duanshui Manor, Xie Wuyi, hasn’t fought in three years. He never steps foot outside his manor, and rumors say… he’s been crippled.”