Introduction: March 3rd
Master died.
He was hit by a palm, and his heart was broken. He died without treatment.
Before he died, Master said only one last word: “Never be a good person.”
Zuo Xiaoxiao sat on the doorstep, dazed. In March, butterflies danced and orioles flew, and azaleas bloomed all over the mountain, dazzling red. She looked up, and the flames were red, wrapped around Master’s body, burning fiercely. It was several times more dazzling than the azaleas all over the mountain. She rubbed her eyes, stood up, and walked into the house.
She and Master had been wandering around without a fixed place to live. This house had been abandoned before they came, and the things in the house were extremely simple. Master tidied it up a little and bought a few necessary household items, but he didn’t plan to live there for a long time. Until now, the roof of the east room was still leaking, and the hole in the wall of the north room had not been blocked, so only the west room and the south room could be used.
Master lived in the west room, which had only one bed. Zuo Xiaoxiao knew that all of Master’s belongings were under the pillow. He had also said that those belongings would be Zuo Xiaoxiao’s sooner or later. Zuo Xiaoxiao picked up the pillow and looked at all the things underneath: three coins of silver, twenty-six copper coins, three copies of “The Harem of the Great Tang Dynasty,” an account book, and a bag of dried plums.
Zuo Xiaoxiao thought about it and put the silver and copper coins into her pocket. She flipped through the account book, which was densely filled with things owed on credit. Zuo Xiaoxiao scratched her head, then put the account book into her arms. After that, she picked up “The Harem of the Great Tang Dynasty” and the dried plums and walked to the south room.
The south room was her room, but there was only an extra chair and a bronze mirror. She didn’t have much luggage, and it had been packed long ago. She carried her bag and took the three-stringed instrument from the head of the bed. She went out.
Outside the door, the flames began to gradually go out, and the gray and black dust drifted farther and farther with the warm wind. Zuo Xiaoxiao walked to the fire and put the three copies of the harem into the fire. She put her hands together and bowed.
“Master, I’m leaving,” she said. She walked a few steps, looked down at the prunes in her hand, took one, and put it in her mouth. The prunes without sugar were sour and bitter. Zup Xiaoxiao swallowed the prunes with tears in her eyes.
“Master, it tastes so bad…” she sniffed and complained softly.
On the third day of March, the warm wind pushed her along behind her.
Zuo Xiaoxiao swore that she would never eat prunes on the third day of March in the future.
A Thought Away
Two hours later, Xiao Xiao began to hate the account book in her hand. She walked down the mountain from her house, and every hundred steps, someone would come forward and say: “Girl, your master owes me money. Isn’t it time to pay it back? With interest, now it’s…”
Xiao Xiao always looked confused, then turned over the account book behind her woodenly. In the end, she must have handed over the money with both hands with a helpless look.
Xiao Xiao didn’t know how many people and how much money her master owed before he died. However, when the three taels of silver and twenty-six taels in her hand turned into three taels, she finally realised that “it is unjust for a daughter to pay off a father’s debt.” The range of people her master owed on credit was extremely wide, from woodcutters and stonemasons to hawkers and merchants, all kinds of people included. Xiao Xiao couldn’t help but worry that no matter where she went, someone would jump out and say: “Girl, you owe me money.”
Xiao Xiao looked at the three lonely copper coins in her hand and cried to the sky. What can three taels do? The cheapest bun shop at the foot of the mountain sells two buns for one cent. Three cents for six buns? How long will it last? Could it be that Zuo Xiaoxiao, who is only sixteen years old, is going to starve to death?
“No wonder Master said not to be a good person… Isn’t owing money the first step to being a bad person…” She sniffed and sighed.
Speaking of being a bad person, Zuo Xiaoxiao immediately realised the truth. Her master’s surname is Zuo, and his name is Huairen. He once met a master who instructed him to “be compassionate and benevolent to the world,” but this name “Zuo Huairen” sounds really awkward. The master must have had an idea for a while and didn’t even think about the meaning of this name. Since it is called “being a bad person,” it would be ridiculous if he became a great hero who was benevolent to the world in the future.
She had been travelling around the world with her master since she was a child, and he had never done anything “benevolent to the world.” To make a living in the world, her master could think of any tricks—performing arts, delivering letters, searching for people… that was fine. When times were tough, what hadn’t he done? Speaking of those books “The Harem of the Great Tang Dynasty,” the master also had his share of the painting.
Master said: “First of all, you have to eat enough.”
Yes, you have to eat enough! Zuo Xiaoxiao thought about it: Zuo Xiaoxiao… being a scoundrel? She looked at the three coins in her hand again.
Sure enough, there is a will of heaven. Since the name means this, being a good person is going against heaven. The master’s last words before his death were indeed far-sighted and meaningful. Look at the past hundred years in the martial arts world— which demon cult leader or evil tyrant died of starvation?
Xuo Xiaoxiao wiped away a tear. She made up her mind secretly. As the saying goes, “Good people don’t live long, and evil people leave behind thousands of years.” Although she, Zuo Xuo Xiaoxiao, is not good at martial arts and her knowledge is just enough to read the account book, as long as she is determined, she may become a demon girl one day and poison the martial arts world!
Three coins! I won’t return these three cents no matter what!
Just as she made her vow, her stomach started growling. It was dusk, and she was the only one on the mountain path. The growling was particularly abrupt, gurgling and echoing.
Zuo Xiaoxiao touched her stomach with tears in her eyes. It would take another hour to walk down the mountain road to the town. There was nothing to eat beside her except the bag of dried plums. Although life was very difficult when her master was alive, Zuo Xiaoxiao had never been hungry since she was a child. This was the first time she had encountered such a situation of not having enough food for three meals a day.
She looked at the slowly setting sun and listened to the groaning of her stomach. If it weren’t for those debt collectors, she would have eaten buns at the foot of the mountain. Sure enough, she couldn’t be a good person…
She was feeling miserable, and a gust of wind blew, rustling the bamboo and trees all over the mountain. The birds returned to their nests, and the original silence turned into noise again. Zuo Xiaoxiao had no choice but to endure the hunger and continue walking.
There was a half-walled earth slope in front of her. If she went around, it would take a moment longer. Zuo Xiaoxiao had learned some light skills, so she planned to cross it directly. Just after she climbed to the top of the slope, she glanced down and saw a figure.
Below the earth slope, there was a rugged mountain road with dense bamboos and trees on both sides. A petite figure was walking slowly on this road. The mountain road was winding and complicated. When she first came, it took her three days to avoid getting lost. It was late, and she was still on the mountain. Did she lose her direction?
Zuo Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but wonder how much reward she could get if she went up to lead the way. However, she immediately gave up her idea. The person was walking on the only way down the mountain. Obviously, she was not lost. Tsk, it’s not easy to make money these days.
Just thinking about it, her stomach growled again. Zuo Xiaoxiao sighed and was about to continue on her way, but a slight flash made her lower her head again. Under the afterglow of the setting sun, the shining object was clearly a jewel! Zuo Xiaoxiao immediately bent down and observed carefully.
The pedestrian was just a little girl of thirteen or fourteen years old. In the afterglow of the setting sun, she could see clearly. She was wearing a light green dress that fluttered in the wind. It must be gauze or yarn. Although it was not something that ordinary people wore, it was not expensive. However, the jewellery on her body was jaw-dropping.
Her hairstyle was a simple double-horn bun, with a gold-carved hairpin on each side. The hairpins were coral beads the size of longan. The earrings were silver-inlaid pearls. Her neck was decorated with a necklace, and her wrists were adorned with crystal bracelets. She wore a belt inlaid with green pine and tortoise shells, and white jade butterflies were hanging on the side of her skirt. The most exaggerated thing was the toe of her shoe, which was tilted with a gold-carved coral bead, and it was obviously a set with the hairpins on her head. This outfit, from top to bottom, must cost at least a hundred taels of silver!
Zuo Xiaoxiao looked at the three copper coins in her hand and sighed heavily. The world is cruel. Some people are worried about tomorrow’s food, while others wear gold and silver, and are afraid that the world will not know that she is rich. What kind of monster world is this?! Why did she see such a rich person… no, a rich little girl in such a remote mountain area?
The wind blew all over the mountain, and the bamboos and trees rustled, just like Zuo Xiaoxiao’s heartbeat at that moment. The little girl walked slowly down the mountain leisurely as if nothing had happened. Zuo Xiaoxiao’s eyes were red with glare. Suddenly, a vicious idea came into her mind.
Zuo Xiaoxiao was determined to be a bad guy. Highway robbery is a necessary skill for being a bad guy. Besides, the mountain road is remote, the sky is dark, and she is a single girl. Even if her martial arts skills are not good, she can rob a pearl, right? After all, even if it is just one pearl, it is enough for her to have a few good meals.
Zuo Xiaoxiao swallowed her saliva. However, she thought that robbery was too intense. She should start as a thief. “Hey? Those who achieve great things don’t care about trivial matters!” she mused. Besides, stealing is a delicate job, which is several times more difficult than robbery. Tsk, if you can’t even eat enough, how can you have so many things? In this world, the name of “super thief” (神偷) is not as evil and loud as “big thief” (大盗). Speaking of which, there is a big thief who robs houses among this year’s heroes, named “Silver Owl”. This is the real bad guy!
T/N “神偷” (super thief) and “大盗” (big thief) are terms used in Chinese literature and folklore to describe different types of thieves, often with varying levels of skill and morality.
Zuo Xiaoxiao thought about it, and when she looked down again, the little girl had already walked ahead.
Hey, the time, the place, and the people are all right. If you don’t rob now, when will you?! Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth, made up her mind, and rushed down the slope. After a few stumbles, she stood firm.
She stretched out her hand and shouted at the little girl’s back: “Don’t go… robbery!”
This was her first robbery, and she had no experience, so Zuo Xiaoxiao’s voice trembled violently.
The little girl turned slowly and looked at ZuoXiaoxiao with a little surprise. Although she was young, the little girl had grown up to be very charming. On her white and tender face, there was a slight blush, her nose was slightly upturned, and she was a little cunning. In her big watery eyes, there was a hint of playfulness.
The girl was not scared, but Zuo Xiaoxiao was stunned. The mountain wind blew, and the bamboo and wood beside the road rustled, making the silence at that moment even more extraordinary.
“Hey…” ZuoXiaoxiao took a breath and repeated, “rob…” Before she finished her words, a smile appeared on the little girl’s face. “Uncle Li, this girl seems to say ‘rob’…”
Zuo Xiaoxiao froze. She looked into the little girl’s eyes, then turned back little by little. She only then realised that there was a team of escorts ten feet behind her. The leading man was riding a horse to catch up. He was holding a long knife and had a murderous look, exuding a powerful and courageous presence.
Zuo Xiaoxiao wanted to cry but had no tears. She thought she was distracted by the jewellery; after thinking for a while, she realised that it was impossible not to see such a large group of people behind her.
“Miss, robbery?” The man was about forty years old, with dark skin and a slight beard. His eyes were sharp and domineering, and his voice was deep and rich.
Xiaoxiao’s whole body stiffened; only her eyeballs could move. Behind the man were four escort vehicles and fifteen escort masters. This was considered a big show. The most alarming thing was that on the escort vehicle, there was a red brocade and black striped escort flag, with the words “Xingfeng” written flamboyantly.
Xingfeng Escort Agency. Xiaoxiao’s eyes turned back to the man. This escort agency is well-known in the martial arts world. Since the great hero Li Xingfeng founded it, it has never lost an escort mission. The reputation of the Li family’s “Heavenly Swordsmanship” is even more famous. Although the escort agency is a business and is not regarded as a complete martial arts organisation, the reputation of the Xingfeng Escort Agency is feared by people in the martial arts community.
T/N An escort agency is a service that protects people or valuable goods while traveling. In ancient China, they were hired to guard against thieves and bandits. The Xingfeng Escort Agency in the story is famous for being strong and trustworthy in protecting their clients.
Now, the head of the Xingfeng Escort Agency is the great-great-grandson of the great hero Li Xingfeng, Li Zhenghai. Li Zhenghai is well-known for his hatred of evil (嫉恶如仇). Robbery is naturally considered evil…
T/N 嫉恶如仇 (jì è rú chóu) is an idiom that means to have a strong hatred for evil, a trait often attributed to heroic characters in stories.
With tears in her eyes, Xiaoxiao weighed her own worth. She was truly a nobody, not even worthy of being a stepping stone for the hero. Poor her; is she going to be punished by heaven for doing something bad for the first time?
“Miss?”
While Zuo Xiaoxiao was lost in thought, Li Zhenghai dismounted and walked up with a long knife.
Zuo Xiaoxiao took a few steps back in shock, her knees weak.
“Miss…” Li Zhenghai frowned slightly, then put away the long knife and smiled. “Miss, don’t be afraid. I am the head of the Xingfeng Escort Agency, Li Zhenghai. Can you tell me in detail about the robbery you just mentioned?”
Zuo Xiaoxiao was puzzled. She looked at Li Zhenghai’s kind smile and then at the escorts behind him. Everyone looked at her quietly, their weapons safely placed on the escort vehicles.
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