Chapter 73: The Future of Our Endeavor Is Bright
Cao Ying and the Old Rogue crouched together, watching Yang Xuan and Han Stone speak.
“Do you remember when we first met the young lord? I felt he was reluctant, seeing us as nothing but trouble. At that time, he was like a stubborn youth,” Cao Ying’s eyes brimmed with satisfaction.
The Old Rogue rolled his eyes. “Why trouble? Isn’t promotion and wealth the ambition of any man?”
Cao Ying glanced at him, half-smiling. “Indeed! Promotion and wealth.”
The Old Rogue had killed people—members of the He family, the Sunyu family. How could he be pushed further, to make rebellion his purpose?
Cao Ying cleared his throat. “Is tomb raiding interesting?”
“Of course it is,” the Old Rogue replied eagerly. “Those emperors and generals, how lofty their honor in life, we could only look up to them. Yet, after death, they sleep beneath the earth just like us. The moment I open their coffins—do you know what I’m thinking?”
“Struck it rich?”
“No!” The Old Rogue inhaled deeply, his face glowing with disdain. “No matter how mighty you were alive, in death, you’re still kneaded and shaped by my hands.”
“You…” Cao Ying shuffled closer, eyes wide with shock.
The Old Rogue grunted angrily. “I have no such perverted interests.”
Cao Ying said, “Humans are humans, ghosts are ghosts, the paths are different. By the way, I know of a fine tomb, rumored to contain a luminous pearl.”
“A luminous pearl?” The Old Rogue’s eyes shone like the pearl itself. “Where?”
That day, the Old Rogue went down the mountain, claiming he was visiting relatives.
“The Old Rogue has family?” Outside the camp, Yang Xuan watched Zhou Ning busy inside and thought this young woman truly had a kind heart.
A kind-hearted woman needs a strong man to protect her.
Cao Ying’s expression looked…
“Old Cao, you look just like a treacherous minister now, no makeup needed,” Yang Xuan said, rubbing his temples.
“Young lord is wise.” Cao Ying praised as usual. “What do you think of the Old Rogue? Is he useful?”
“He’s cunning, unmatched in reading people—quite useful.”
“You are wise, lord.”
“Call me young lord,” Yang Xuan thought Old Cao would someday die because of that mouth.
“Yes, old habits slip out,” Cao Ying chuckled. “His strength lies in cunning, but that’s also his flaw. He’s aware of our business, but doesn’t understand the details. Every time we discuss matters, I observe him—he always keeps his distance, as if hearing a single word might spell disaster.”
“What are you implying?” Yang Xuan stood with hands behind his back. “Old Cao, don’t play coy.”
“A subordinate who plays coy with the leader is either showing off or looks down on the leader.” The green light flashed.
“Yes.” Gentleman Cao stood with hands clasped, appearing proper, yet his eyes betrayed the air of a treacherous minister. “For him to be so valued by the young lord is his good fortune, but I worry he lacks the fate to enjoy it.”
Yang Xuan sensed the air of a scheming minister preparing a poison plot. He wanted to ask, but as lord, could only hint with dignity. “Fate?”
“Yes, yes!” Cao Ying stroked his beard. “To change fate against heaven, one must rob a tomb.”
“Whose tomb?”
“Our adversary’s.”
“Old Cao, your treacherous aura grows stronger,” Yang Xuan thought it a fine idea—no, a poisonous scheme, reminiscent of a pledge of allegiance.
“It’s all because of the lord… Didn’t you mention a pledge last time? After pondering, it’s truly a good idea. In the end, it’s the young lord’s wisdom.”
Yang Xuan stood there.
Floating on air.
…
At this moment, the Old Rogue wore a shabby gray robe, split at the sides up to the hip—a typical commoner’s attire.
He rode a horse to the foot of a mountain.
Leaving the horse in a valley, the Old Rogue leaned on a bamboo staff as he entered the mountains.
The path was rugged, and occasionally he met woodcutters.
“Where are you going, elder?” a woodcutter asked, surprised to see a blind man venturing into the mountains.
The Old Rogue tapped the ground with his staff, panting. “Last night, I dreamed of a deity who told me I’d find fortune if I entered the mountain today.”
“Eh! There used to be rumors of dragons and phoenixes flying together here—could there be gods?”
Dragons and phoenixes together?
The Old Rogue was secretly delighted, thinking this truly was a place of excellent feng shui.
Old Cao, thank you.
He occasionally took out a compass to check his bearings, moving deeper into the wilderness.
By dusk, he stood in a valley, gazing at a mound halfway up the slope, smiling happily.
He measured carefully with the compass.
“Here it is! Damn, still trying to hide?”
The Old Rogue took out his tools and began digging.
He dug until midnight before taking a nap.
At dawn, he didn’t light a fire, just ate two dry cakes and resumed digging.
Earth piled around him, and in a small tunnel, the sound of his digging echoed.
“Damn, stone slabs on both sides, only a gap in the center—this is the mark of a wealthy family. And it’s concealed…”
“Right, if it weren’t hidden, word of a noble’s tomb would spread and the others would swarm here.”
The Old Rogue found a spacious spot, crouched, and took a sip of water.
He instinctively sat down.
His rear had barely touched the ground before he sprang up.
“The host didn’t invite me—can’t sit. That was close.”
He wiped away cold sweat, listened for sounds below, and felt around.
“All clear, seems the host doesn’t mind my entry.”
He climbed down through the opened tunnel.
The coffin was heavy; even his skills barely lifted the lid.
He opened it and groped inside—oh, heavens.
“Struck it rich.”
No luminous pearl, but plenty of jade artifacts.
The Old Rogue stuffed them into his bag, closed the coffin lid, and bowed to the coffin.
“Dear host, my family is poor—today I borrow some wealth. If you object, make a noise.”
His eyes rolled as he waited.
No sound for a while. He bowed again. “Thank you, thank you. I’ll visit again next time.”
He crawled out, covered the hole with grass.
Then he sat by the mound, unpacked the jade, and laid it out to dispel the grave’s yin energy.
“What a fine jade pendant!”
The Old Rogue’s hand suddenly froze.
He held the pendant to the sunlight, raising his head to read the inscription…
“Sunyu… Sunyu…”
He stared at the tomb in disbelief. “Is this the Sunyu family head’s tomb?”
“It can’t be!”
The Old Rogue went mad, rushing over, pulling away the grass, and crawling back into the tunnel.
This time, he was familiar, easily opening the coffin lid.
Beside the skull within was a book.
The Old Rogue picked it up and opened the first page.
By candlelight, he read in a trembling voice: “Sunyu Family Genealogy… Ancestors must not be forgotten…”
His grip loosened, and the genealogy fell beside the skull.
The skull seemed to be smiling.
Grinning widely.
…
After Liang Jing and the others arrived, Yang Xuan was free.
All day, he wandered in the mountains, fiddling with iron ore.
“Hey, where’s Assistant Zhou?”
Yang Xuan had twisted his ankle.
“In the camp.”
“Second Brother, help me over.”
Wang Second Brother held meat in one hand and easily propped up Yang Xuan with the other.
“I’m human, not an ox—where the hell are you grabbing?”
Wang Second Brother shifted his hand. “Oh.”
Zhou Ning and a group of old physicians were in discussion.
“Assistant Zhou, Young Magistrate Yang seeks you.”
Zhou Ning rose and nodded, the old physicians stroking their beards and smiling.
“Go on, go on—young man and woman, how enviable!”
Zhou Ning followed the messenger outside the camp and saw Yang Xuan sitting on the ground, holding his ankle.
“Twisted my ankle.”
Zhou Ning crouched in front of him, her hands gripping his ankle.
“Ah!”
With a cry, Yang Xuan felt much better.
“I doubt I can walk.”
But Liang Jing and the others were set to leave that day.
“You all report back first; I’ll rest for a couple of days.”
Cao Ying watched Liang Jing and the others descend the mountain and said, “Who knows how many in Chang’an are joyful, how many are anxious. At this moment, young lord avoids the whirlpool by not going.”
“No avoiding it.” Yang Xuan chewed a stalk of grass, thinking this world was truly bizarre. “Over two thousand people with upset stomachs—what a spectacle. Who could pull that off? Without an insider, it’s impossible.”
“Only a few families or the emperor dare target the Wang family,” Cao Ying sneered. “Dog eat dog.”
“Old Cao, the Wang family has some ties with us, after all,” Yang Xuan thought Old Cao was getting cocky.
“Yes.”
“Cao Ying!” Someone shouted, running closer—it was the Old Rogue, hair wild, eyes red, furious.
“It’s the Old Rogue.” Yang Xuan waved. “Go handle it.”
Being a leader meant you could offload trouble onto subordinates.
Cao Ying and the Old Rogue found a secluded spot to settle their grievance. When they reappeared, Cao Ying had a swollen eye, the Old Rogue a swollen cheek.
“Greetings, young lord.” The Old Rogue was much more respectful.
“Work hard,” Yang Xuan nodded.
He turned and asked Cao Ying, “Whose tomb did you sabotage?”
“The Old Rogue went all out,” Cao Ying touched his eye, hissing in pain. “The tomb of the Sunyu family head.”
“Whose?”
“Sunyu Shan’s grandfather.”
Sunyu Shan was known for vengefulness. With his ancestral tomb robbed, he’d likely want to tear the tomb raider apart. Upon learning it was the Old Rogue, Yang Xuan thought not even heaven could hide him from the Sunyu family’s pursuit.
“Old Cao.”
“Mm.”
“One must be decent.”
The Old Rogue came over, bowed respectfully. “May I ask, young lord, what grand undertaking are we pursuing?”
Yang Xuan reached out; the Old Rogue bent at once, letting him pat his shoulder.
“Our enterprise… has a bright future.”
On the fifth day, Yang Xuan finally led his people back to Chang’an.
Outside the city gate, the Wang family’s advisors stood smiling. When Yang Xuan arrived, they cupped their hands and said, “Greetings, Young Magistrate Yang. Thank you for your help. Our lord has prepared a banquet and invites you.”
At this moment, the Wang family was a whirlpool.
Yang Xuan replied earnestly, “It was only a small favor—not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning!”
The advisors invited him several times, but Yang Xuan firmly declined.
No claiming credit.
No demanding gratitude.
Such modesty in a young man was rare!
The advisor silently praised him, but soon grew worried.
Officials from four major families in the court suddenly attacked, impeaching more than ten Wang family officials with solid evidence. Normally, they could have maneuvered, but this time, because of the iron scandal in Chang’an, the Wang family bore the brunt, and the emperor granted the punishment—they could only swallow their bitterness.
“Move aside!”
Dozens of riders burst from Chang’an.
“Hey, the leader looks like Sunyu Shan, head of the Sunyu family.”
Someone exclaimed, “He looks anxious, as if his grandfather had died.”
Soon, news arrived.
“The Sunyu family’s ancestral tomb has been robbed.”