Beneath the Surface Chapter 42

Gu Fengjian did not walk quickly, for he needed to observe the traces along the roadside. After he had walked some distance, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps chasing after him.

Gu Fengjian did not want to pay any attention, thinking that the person would go back on their own. But the person wouldn’t give up.

“Wait for me!” Tang Zhirou shouted, “Third Girl Song, slow down! Wait for me!”

Gu Fengjian stopped reluctantly, his face dark as he said, “What are you doing here?”

“I can’t just leave you alone in the mountains, can I?”

Tang Zhirou carefully avoided the obstacles underfoot, approaching Gu Fengjian. But the uncharted mountain terrain was rugged and uneven, with many tangled dead branches. She hadn’t taken two steps before she was tripped by thorns, her dress caught, and she fell awkwardly.

Tang Zhirou was inwardly annoyed, but had nowhere to vent her frustration. She forced down her temper and asked, “Where are you going now?”

Gu Fengjian said, “Up the mountain.” He was going to find Lieshui to help him search for people, as they were prone to getting lost along the way.

Tang Zhirou thought that they were now, after all, facing hardship together, and that the previous matters should be disregarded. She reached out to take his arm, wanting to walk alongside him. But Gu Fengjian quickly brushed her hand away, putting distance between them, and his expression turned unpleasant.

Tang Zhirou was hurt and said, “Why are you being so rude?”

Gu Fengjian said, “I don’t like people touching me.”

Tang Zhirou retorted, “As if I care!“carpreads.pages.dev

Gu Fengjian was not a man who would spare a woman’s feelings: “Then stay away from me.”

Tang Zhirou was so angry that her head spun, and she almost cried. She turned to leave, but then heard Gu Fengjian say, “If you don’t want to get lost and trapped here, follow me.”

Tang Zhirou hesitated for a moment, her gaze scanning the surroundings. She realized that she could no longer recognize the way she came, and she didn’t have the courage to go back alone. So she obediently followed him.

As she walked, she was filled with resentment. She kicked the stones on the ground, stomped on the dry weeds, and muttered to herself.

Why was she always at odds with Third Girl Song? The problem couldn’t be with her. It must be because Third Girl Song’s personality was too cold. Cold and heartless. So why would Fifth Son Gu like someone like that?

Could it be that he liked her coldness and heartlessness?

Tang Zhirou dared not think about it any further.

The two of them walked in silence, one in front of the other. Seeing that the terrain ahead was becoming increasingly dangerous, and considering Tang Zhirou’s physique, Gu Fengjian decided to bypass this section of the mountain and find a relatively flat path.

Gu Fengjian was observing the terrain when he suddenly heard a scream from behind. The sound, sharp as a thorn, scraped against his mind, amplifying the irritation in his heart a hundredfold.

Gu Fengjian turned around with anger, but found that there was no one behind him.

Gu Fengjian was surprised and said, “Little County Princess?”

Tang Zhirou’s voice, filled with despair, came from a short distance ahead, her voice hoarse with crying: “I’m down here! I can’t hold on anymore! Why is there a pit here?”

Gu Fengjian followed the sound and found that Tang Zhirou had fallen into a hidden pit. The pit must have been dug some time ago, and the traces were obscured by the wild growth of nearby weeds, making it difficult to spot. The plants also blocked the light, making it impossible to see how deep it was.

Tang Zhirou was terrified, her face pale. She clung tightly to a vine that hung down from the edge of the pit, her body swaying precariously.

Gu Fengjian reached out to grab her, wanting to pull her up. But the soil around the pit was loose. It was fine for him to stand there alone, but with Tang Zhirou’s added weight, the ground collapsed, pulling him down with her.

After two closely spaced sounds of heavy objects hitting the ground, the forest fell silent.

The bottom of the pit was cushioned with a layer of dry leaves, which, though somewhat smelly, were soft. The two of them had fallen without injury.

Tang Zhirou lay on the ground, staring blankly at the narrow opening above. After a few breaths, her grievances burst forth from her chest, and she cried out loud.

“I told you, what kind of a mountain is this Mount Shaoling? Since I came here, nothing good has happened! Second Girl Song has ruined me!”

In the midst of her loud cries, Gu Fengjian took a deep breath and exhaled heavily.

…Could this be another punishment from fate?

---

Song Chuzhao stood at the foot of Mount Shaoling, shielding her eyes with one hand, looking up at the summit.

Yesterday, Chundong returned to Duke Gu’s mansion to report that Gu Fengjian would be coming to Mount Shaoling today. He had spent a long time discussing with Madam Gu, and then they started to persuade Song Chuzhao to come together.

Song Chuzhao was reluctant, after all, Mount Shaoling was Lieshui’s territory. What could happen to Gu Fengjian here?

Besides, what about the awkwardness of a chance encounter, a fated meeting… Didn’t they find it awkward?

…Yet, she still came.

It was a long complicated story, because that master and servant were really good at talking.

Song Chuzhao started walking up the mountain path. Just think of it as exercise.

Not far from the start, Song Chuzhao heard a flurry of footsteps approaching from afar. Then, a group of young ladies rushed towards her, their steps hurried, as if they were being chased by some ferocious beast.

The clothes and attire of these young ladies were all of the finest quality, indicating their extraordinary status. Song Chuzhao thought they must be the young ladies who were traveling with Gu Fengjian, so she spoke out with concern, “Did something happen on the mountain? Why are you all so flustered?”

The young ladies were startled when they saw her and stopped in their tracks.

“Fifth Son Gu?”

Song Chuzhao asked, “May I ask, did Third Girl Song come with you?”

The young ladies, both excited and fearful, spoke rapidly, “Second Miss Song ran into the woods. Third Miss and the County Princess went to look for her, and now we don’t know where they are!”

Song Chuzhao was confused, “Why did Second Miss Song run into the woods? Did you encounter any danger? Did someone attack you on the mountain?”

One of them said, “It wasn’t a person! This Mount Shaoling is full of strange things. Not only can we never reach the summit, but it’s also eerie everywhere. We can’t see anyone else. Halfway up, Second Miss Song suddenly went crazy for some reason and rushed into the woods, disappearing in the blink of an eye. We were scared, and Third Miss told us to come down and find help.”

Hearing their words, Song Chuzhao felt a sudden unease in her chest and rushed past them directly upwards.

The young ladies called out from behind, “Fifth Son Gu! It’s dangerous on the mountain! The mountain is so big, you won’t be able to find them alone!”

Song Chuzhao ignored them and ran quickly along the muddy path full of footprints.

The mountain was indeed vast. If Gu Fengjian didn’t stick to the main path and went into the nearby woods, Song Chuzhao wouldn’t be able to find him. But Lieshui was at the summit. Having heard Fifth Son Gu speak of his senior sister in legendary terms, she should have a way.

Besides, Fifth Son Gu was also a clever person and wouldn’t recklessly go looking for Second Miss Song. Perhaps he was already at the summit.

Song Chuzhao ran for a long time, her body becoming warm. Sweat trickled down her cheeks, reaching her chin, and then fell to the ground as she raised her head.

Song Chuzhao estimated the distance and realized she was still at the mountainside. Something felt wrong. Suspecting that she had lost her way or that the path was deliberately winding, she observed for a moment and then went straight into the woods, following the direction of the sun.

She had lived on the border for a long time and was not afraid of such winding mountain paths. Moreover, she had practiced martial arts for many years. Although she was in a different body now, her consciousness remained, and her limbs were still agile.

This time, she didn’t make a mistake. After changing her way of walking, her speed increased.

After about an incense stick and a half, Song Chuzhao had reached the summit and saw a few simple wooden houses.

The trees in front had been cut down, making the terrain relatively flat and the view wide. Song Chuzhao saw the mysterious person standing in front of the wooden houses at a glance.

The person was wearing a close-fitting black long robe and a white and blue mask. On the left side of the mask, a long white tassel hung down, with a piece of jade hanging at the bottom. It swayed slightly with her movements.

Song Chuzhao moved softly, unsure, because the person’s attire was too strange, and their aura was sharp.

It was the other person who spoke first: “Junior brother, what are you doing?”

“Daoist,” Song Chuzhao said, “I’m not your junior brother. I am…”

Lieshui nodded: “Junior brother’s wife.”

Song Chuzhao: “…My name is Song Chuzhao.”

Lieshui beckoned with a wave of her hand, and Song Chuzhao obediently stepped forward.

As Song Chuzhao drew closer, she saw the pair of eyes peeking out from beneath the other person’s mask. She realized that the color of the person’s pupils was exceptionally light compared to ordinary people. Especially under the sunlight, the pale brown color was like translucent jade, as if it could penetrate the light.

The other person stared at her motionlessly, their gaze possessing a peculiar power that prevented her from turning her head away.

Song Chuzhao thought to herself, “So this is what a master is like!”

After a long while, Lieshui raised her hand and slowly placed it on Song Chuzhao’s shoulder.

Song Chuzhao was very nervous, holding her breath and not daring to move, thinking that the other person was about to perform some kind of ritual.

Then, Lieshui suddenly blurted out, “This clothing looks brand new. How did you manage to get it so dirty?”

A suffocating silence.

What could Song Chuzhao say?

“Why are you here?” Lieshui didn’t seem surprised, her tone flat. “There’s nothing good to give you. I’ll just give you a change of clothes.”

Song Chuzhao followed behind her, walking towards the wooden house. “Senior, Fifth Son Gu came to Mount Shaoling today. The people who came with him said he went into the nearby forest. I see that the paths here are complex and the mountain slopes are steep. Since he hasn’t come up yet, he might be lost. Please find him first, Senior.”

Lieshui pulled a robe from the shelf. Hearing her words, she turned and walked towards the inner room.

Song Chuzhao stood at the doorway waiting for her.

“When junior brother was young, he nearly died several times. His birth chart is like this, destined to face calamities. There’s a saying among the people: ‘Gold wards off shock, silver averts evil, jade ensures peace.’ After Fu Donglai died, I divided the jade he always wore into three pieces, one for each of the brothers. His second senior brother didn’t want it, so he gave it to him. Fu Donglai wore that jade for many years. It was said to have been passed down from his master. If jade truly has a spirit, it should have absorbed some of his.”

Song Chuzhao was startled. She thought to herself, “Could it be the piece I smashed?”

It had such an extraordinary origin. How much silver would it be worth?!

Lieshui casually tossed the object over, and Song Chuzhao hurriedly reached out to catch it.

The jade pendant glided slowly through the air, tracing a perfect arc. Song Chuzhao’s gaze followed it closely, and she raised her hand.

Her hand should have been able to catch the jade pendant, but for some reason, her arms froze in mid-air. She stood there for a moment, dumbfounded, watching as the jade pendant slipped through her fingers and fell to the ground.

The two collided, producing a crisp sound. The translucent jade instantly shattered into countless small pieces. Song Chuzhao looked up, meeting Lieshui’s deep eyes. Before she could be taken aback, darkness suddenly enveloped her, and her body collapsed.

When she regained consciousness, she heard a continuous stream of weeping. Tang Zhirou kept pushing her shoulders, shouting, “Third Girl Song, are you alright? Don’t scare me!”