Chapter 12: Words Bring Trouble

The next morning, Xu Xuan set off early, leading Zhao Jinqian toward the Azure Lake.

The previous day, Xu Xuan had assisted in ridding Bibo Town of a demon, and that evening, many townsfolk benefited from his generosity, partaking in the nourishing golden-tailed fish. Truly, children who ate it no longer wet the bed, and the elderly found newfound vigor. Some men, who had suffered from private ailments, ate the fish roe and swim bladder, restored their manhood, and finally tamed their formidable wives at home.

Knowing that Scholar Xu would depart today for the Western Mountains to subdue demons, the townsfolk gathered to see him off. The rotund innkeeper of Fortune Pavilion, in particular, expressed his heartfelt gratitude, pressing fifty taels of silver into Xu Xuan’s hands, insisting he must accept it. After much polite refusal, Xu Xuan could not prevail against their insistence and finally took the silver.

Leaving Bibo Town, they traveled west about ten miles, crossing a stone bridge, until a vast, shimmering lake came into view. The lake stretched as far as the eye could see, spanning eighty miles from shore to shore. Many fishing boats dotted its surface, for the people of Bibo Town made their living from these waters.

At the ferry crossing, several small boats were moored, their boatmen earning a living by ferrying passengers. Xu Xuan boarded one at random; a few passengers were already aboard, and the boat was about to depart.

The boatman was a powerfully built, dark-skinned man named Pi Wu, his face framed by a thick beard. As soon as Xu Xuan stepped aboard, someone recognized him—his deeds of demon-slaying and generous fish feast had made his name known throughout Bibo Town.

With much admiration fueled by the passenger’s recounting, Pi Wu was astonished to realize this mild-mannered scholar was so formidable. He also regretted that, being on the water for the past two days, he had missed the fish banquet himself.

Knowing Xu Xuan’s abilities, Pi Wu insisted on ferrying him across the lake free of charge, declaring it an honor to serve Bibo Town’s benefactor, who, being a scholar, might one day achieve a high position. To have ferried such a man would become a tale to boast of for years.

Xu Xuan exchanged pleasantries with Pi Wu, and then a mother and her child boarded, making the total five or six passengers. When the boat was full, Pi Wu called out and pushed off from the shore.

Azure Lake was vast and tranquil that morning, with a few fishing boats already plying the water. Grasses grew along the banks, and patches of lotus, cultivated by local fishermen, bloomed magnificently in early September.

As the boat glided on, Xu Xuan surveyed the serene scenery, his heart filled with peace. Only one thing marred the journey: the mother and child who boarded last. The little one, perhaps seasick, fussed and cried in his mother’s arms.

The child, five or six years old, was still young; though his wailing disturbed the peace, none of the passengers took offense.

The child’s mother was a gentle-faced young woman. Aware that her son’s ceaseless crying disturbed the others, she wore an apologetic expression and tried her best to soothe him, but nothing could quiet the boy’s cries.

Among the passengers was a young man in embroidered robes, his complexion fair, holding a folding fan, attended by a servant—clearly someone used to a life of ease. At first, he endured the racket, but as time wore on, his patience frayed.

Seeing the child’s tears unceasing, the young man lost his temper and deliberately threatened, “You little rascal, stop crying at once, or I’ll throw you into the lake to feed the turtles!”

The child fell silent, apparently frightened, but only for a moment; soon his cries returned, louder than before.

Witnessing this, Xu Xuan smiled wryly and shook his head. The young man’s words, however, seemed to have touched upon a local taboo. The previously gentle mother’s face darkened, and even Pi Wu, who had been steering the boat, became alarmed.

“Sir, mind your words. Some things, once said, must be carried out, or trouble may arise,” Pi Wu cautioned.

Azure Lake had existed for a thousand years, its waters sustaining countless families. Over time, the boatmen developed a deep reverence for the lake, and strange occurrences had not been unheard of.

The young man’s remark had indeed crossed a line. The mother, a local herself, understood well and thus took offense.

“I was only trying to scare the child. Boatman, must you be so serious?” the young man protested, though he dismissed Pi Wu as merely a rough commoner and saw no need to explain further.

“Sir, you may think little of it, but the spirits of the water may not. When traveling, one should be cautious in speech and deed, lest misfortune find you,” Xu Xuan advised kindly.

“Is that so? From your bearing, I see you are a scholar as well. Have you forgotten that sages counsel us not to speak of the supernatural?” the young man retorted with a frown.

“The times are troubled. You may not understand some things if you haven’t encountered them,” Xu Xuan replied, shaking his head. If the world were truly at peace, would the court have established the Demon Suppression Bureau?

But the young man scoffed at Xu Xuan’s words. He could not believe that a casual remark might bring disaster. Little did he know that the fortunes of the Great Qian Dynasty were subtly shifting.

In recent years, the realm had suffered calamity upon calamity. The old emperor had passed, the new emperor was but a child, and the Empress Dowager ruled from behind the curtain, heavily influenced by the national preceptor. Extravagant spending on a Taoist palace had depleted the treasury and exhausted the people.

Factional strife plagued the court, leaving the populace in hardship and alienating their hearts. As the people’s will waned, so did the nation’s fortunes, causing a shift in the feng shui of the land, and monsters began to appear.

Were it not for the nation’s waning fate, how would demons dare to run rampant and harm the people? As the saying goes: when the nation is in turmoil, monsters will arise.

As for the fate of the dynasty, Xu Xuan paid it little mind—it was far removed from his own humble life. He wished only for the safety and well-being of his family.

Suddenly, a dull thud resonated from beneath the boat, and all faces paled. Even the once-disdainful young gentleman turned ashen and swallowed nervously.

“Boatman, are there hidden reefs in Azure Lake?”

“Sir Xu, I’ve sailed these waters for years. If there were reefs here, I would know. Whatever struck us just now was no reef,” Pi Wu replied gravely.

“If not a reef, perhaps a large fish struck the hull,” the young man reasoned, frowning.

“Let us hope so,” Pi Wu sighed, his expression troubled.

“There’s something… something under the boat! Look!” Suddenly, the mother holding her child cried out in terror.