Chapter 65: The Mortuary and the Swordsman

The green hills stood like ink against the sky, enveloped in serene clouds.

On a dirt path in the mountains, a Daoist priest walked ahead, with a horse following closely behind. The path was only three to five chi wide and often broken or collapsed in places. While the man had no trouble walking, the jujube-red horse had to tread carefully.

A swallow circled above them. The weather was pleasantly cool today.

Song You glanced up at the sky, unable to discern much from it. Yet, sensing the changes in the spiritual qi of the world and the cyclical nature of the seasons, he felt that the weather wouldn't remain clear for long.

Whether it stayed sunny or turned rainy, it made little difference to him. Song You continued his leisurely pace forward.

Where was he heading? To be honest, he didn't know. He just walked south.

Seeing a cluster of thorny moss growing by the roadside, Song You casually broke off a few stems as he passed by. The bamboo shoots that had just sprouted in the spring were indeed tender and crisp. Avoiding the thorns, he gently snapped them off without needing to use much force.

Thorny moss was similar to roses in appearance, and they also looked alike. The tender shoots that sprouted in spring and autumn were edible. They were about the thickness of chopsticks.

With a gentle snap, you could peel off the outer skin, revealing a tender, green, and semi-translucent stem inside. It looked like celtuce and had a crisp texture when eaten. The taste was subtly sweet with a hint of vegetal fragrance.

Snacks in those days were just like this—naturally growing everywhere. The flavor varied depending on personal taste, but there was a unique joy in going up the mountain, foraging, and picking them yourself.

Before long, a swallow gracefully glided over and perched on the horse's neck. It glanced at the cloth bag sewn onto the saddlebag before finally looking at Song You.

“Sir, there are some wild fruits ahead. I saw monkeys eating them. They're ripe and red. There's also a grassy area and a small stream nearby.”

Song You nodded. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

At that moment, the cloth bag rustled, and a fluffy little head poked out. Its eyes were half-closed, and its pupils were narrowed into thin slits as it drowsily looked around.

The cat asked, “Where are we?”

“On the road.”

“Why aren’t we moving?”

The cat extended its head further out, scanning its surroundings.

The swallow took off again, distancing himself from the calico cat. “Sir, I'll guide you.”

“Alright.”

Song You followed the swallow's direction.

They had just left Anqing County yesterday when this swallow found them, insisting on escorting them out of Xuzhou.

Thanks to the bird, they were able to find suitable resting spots each time along the journey.

From his vantage point in the sky, he could easily spot hidden sources of fruit and water within the mountains and forests. If they were nearby, he would lead Song You and the horse there. If they were farther away, he would fly over, transform into human form, pick the fruit, fetch the water, and then make his way back through the woods. He often got scratched by thorns and branches.

Today was no different.

After following the swallow a short distance, they indeed came across a small stream. The water flowed gently, its sound soothing to the soul, and it was so clear that the bottom was visible. It was refreshing just to look at.

Nearby, a cluster of shrubs climbed over the rocks and up the trees, bearing thumb-sized, oval-shaped red berries. Deep in the mountains, untouched by people, the berries grew abundantly.

“

Elaeagnus latifolia

.” Song You recognized them.

It was a rare find.

Reaching out, he picked one berry. Too impatient to wash it, he simply wiped it clean and popped it into his mouth. The rich juice and sweet-and-sour flavor immediately spread in his mouth, washing away much of the fatigue from the journey.

He then slowly picked the rest and washed them clean in the stream, deciding that

mantou

would be the main course today. After the meal, they would enjoy some wild berries for dessert—what could be better than this?

They packed some to take along.

By mid-afternoon, a breeze had picked up in the mountains, and the sky was growing increasingly overcast.

The swallow landed early, warning of impending rain. He then flew off again, rising higher and higher into the mottled sky until it vanished from sight.

The wind grew stronger and stronger, making the cloth bag flutter. The sky darkened, as if night were falling.

The calico cat poked its head out of the bag again. With the fur on its head ruffled by the wind, it looked somewhat comical. “What a strong wind.”

“Lady Calico, you should come down and walk around. If you stay in the bag too long, you will become a fat cat.”

“I won't become fat.”

“A little exercise is good, and you can enjoy the scenery.”

“I walked all morning.”

“You should walk a bit more in the afternoon, or you'll be restless at night.”

“Cats can't walk too far.”

“Lady Calico, you’re no ordinary cat.”

“...”

“What do you say, Lady Calico?”

“What a strong wind.”

“Indeed.”

The calico cat quietly retreated back into the bag, muttering softly to herself, “I'll walk tomorrow, tomorrow...”

It sounded like she was trying to convince herself. Song You shook his head with a smile.

Soon, the swallow returned again. The wind was so strong that the swallow, with his wings spread wide, could hover steadily in the air without flapping his wings.

“Sir, I saw a small town ahead, but it might be nightfall by the time we reach it. If we continue forward from here, we’ll reach a main road in no time. On the main road, there are places to shelter from the rain and a house where we can avoid the wind. However, I have a feeling something’s not right about that place.”

“What's not right about it?”

“I sensed some yin qi there.”

“I see...”

Song You had thought it might be some serious issue.

“Sir, it's going to rain.”

“Not yet.”

“You can ride the horse while I lead the way in front. With a short jog, we'll be there soon.”

“No rush.”

“Alright.”

The swallow flew ahead once more.

This timid minor demon initially stammered in fear. Interestingly, he grew more comfortable around Song You after spending a few days with him. He gradually realized that Song You didn’t actually care whether he was shy, whether he spoke or not, the tone he used, or whether he spoke loudly or softly.

In fact, Song You didn’t even mind what he did or didn’t do. As a result, he felt more at ease while interacting with Song You.

Ding ding

… The jingling of a horse bell accompanied by the wind created an atmospheric scene.

Song You maintained his steady pace. The rain wasn’t in a hurry to fall, and he wasn’t in a hurry to move on, as if he and the weather had reached some sort of agreement.

This was great.

About half an hour later, Song You finally reached the main road. The roadside trees rustled in the wind. After a short walk, they arrived at the house the swallow mentioned, a place that could shelter them from the wind and rain.

“It's a government mortuary...” Song You looked up at the sign overhead.

In front of him was a large, dilapidated old house. A signboard above the door read “Mortuary,” with several talismans pasted on it. The red cinnabar on the talisman paper had long been smudged by the rain. Whatever effectiveness it might have had originally was now definitely gone.

Song You led the horse to the mortuary entrance and took a few glances inside. There was indeed a bit of a yin qi there. But to him, it was the unpleasant odors inside that bothered him more.

“Sir...” The swallow's voice came from above. “Are we staying here tonight? It hasn't started raining yet. I can fly ahead to check how far the town is.”

Song You looked into the house again upon hearing this.

In Great Yan, there were two types of mortuaries.

One type was the charitable land owned by a clan, with all the profits used to support the elderly ancestors and fund the education of the younger generation in the clan.

The other was a government mortuary.

The government mortuaries were first set up by the current dynasty. Funded by the imperial court, these places served as temporary storage for coffins, usually located in or outside the city.

Coffins stored here were usually awaiting burial for various reasons. These may include not having found a final resting place yet, being unable to afford a burial due to poverty, or where the deceased died far from home and their body was being transported back for burial. In these cases, the coffins were temporarily kept here until a suitable burial arrangement could be made.

Alternatively, it could be that the body was considered inauspicious.

In the current mortuary, there were only two coffins on display. Both were made of raw wood, without any varnish. The one on the left was quite new, while the one on the right had been there for an unknown length of time. The new coffin was likely for temporary storage, while the old coffin remains unclaimed.

Song You then looked toward the corner of the room. There was a pile of dry firewood there.

This scene was quite familiar. Song You couldn't help but smile. He took the saddle bag off the horse and told the swallow, “Let's stay here. No need to look further.”

“But this place...”

“As wanderers of the world, there’s no place where we can’t spend the night.” Song You paused. “Besides, it might be fate that we arrived here today.”

“Alright!”

“You should come down and rest now.”

“No need.” The swallow glanced at the eaves. “There's a swallow's nest here. The original owner should have flown south for the winter and hasn't returned yet. I'll stay here for the night.”

“Very well.”

Song You sat down near the entrance.

The cold wind blew past the mortuary's threshold, bringing a chill to his face and dispersing the musty odor inside.

Once he got used to it, it wasn't so bad.

The calico cat, showing some initiative, transformed into human form. She went to the wall corner to gather dry firewood, and built up the fire. Afterward, she turned back into a cat and crawled back into the cloth pouch, leaving only her small head poking out to watch Song You.

“You should warm yourself by the fire.”

“Thank you, Lady Calico.”

“Warm up quickly.”

“I'm warming up.”

“You're welcome...”

As they sat there, night gradually fell. The rain still hadn't started. Instead, the sound of horse hooves echoed from afar.

Song You peeked out the door and saw a swordsman in black clothing, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, riding a horse toward him. The swordsman's clothes fluttered chaotically in the wind as he quickly arrived.

“

Neigh!

”

The horse stopped at the mortuary entrance.

The swordsman glanced inside, hesitated for a few seconds, then dismounted and led his horse under the eaves. He took down his luggage and entered through the front door.

“Greetings...” The black-clad swordsman cupped his hands in salute, greeting politely.

“Greetings,” Song You replied in kind, equally courteous.

The swordsman removed his bamboo hat, and the firelight revealed a young face. He was quite handsome but weathered by wind and sun, making his skin look dark and rough. His lips were chapped, adding an air of weariness. If not looked at closely, one might think he appeared much older than his actual age.

With the help of the firelight, Song You recognized him as the young swordsman he had seen at the Great Liujiang Gathering.

Simultaneously, the swordsman also recognized him and paused in surprise. “Are you the gentleman from the Great Liujiang Gathering?”

“This must be fate.”

“It truly is fate that we’re able to meet here!” the young swordsman said, but he didn't seem inclined to talk much more. By the rules of the

jianghu

, he should have introduced himself, but he didn’t even approach the fire that Song You had started. Instead, he just found a spot in the mortuary to sit, conveniently near the old coffin.

Song You glanced at him. “Would you like to warm yourself by the fire?”

“I appreciate the offer, but I'm not cold.”

“Are you really not cold?”

“A few sips of alcohol will do.”

“Very well.” Song You didn't insist, adding, “It's late, but since there's a mortuary, the city shouldn't be far. The rain hasn't started, and you have a horse. Why not continue on?”

“I don't have a travel pass.”

“Have you been sleeping rough all the way to Anqing County?”

“Not rough exactly. I've slept in dilapidated temples in the wilderness, mortuaries outside towns, and roadside shelters.”

“Truly bold, as befits a

jianghu

martial artist.”

“What's there to fear?” The young swordsman took out a flask and drank, glancing casually at the two coffins behind him. “The dead are just a lump of flesh, at most a bit smelly. They're actually easier to get along with than the living.”

“Then you should be careful. The one in the coffin behind you might not agree with you.”

“What do you mean? Are you being all mysterious and cryptic with me, sir?”

“Not at all.”

“Then what?”

“Just that the occupant might rise tonight.”

“Heh...” The young swordsman scoffed, “If it really rises, I'll invite it for a drink. What's the harm?”

His words were filled with the pride of the

jianghu

.

He then suddenly remembered the man’s earlier invitation to warm by the fire. After a moment's hesitation, he extended his flask. “Would you like a drink?”

“No, thank you.”

“Alright!” The young swordsman withdrew his hand again.

“

Boom

!” Suddenly, a thunderclap roared, as if the heavens had split open.

The young swordsman couldn’t help but frown and glanced back. Strangely, despite the deafening thunder, he heard an additional sound, as if something in the coffin behind him had trembled along with the thunder.