Chapter 0127: The Nephew’s Outrageous Demand, the Ghostly Black Mountain Cave
“So that’s how it is.” Da Dangjia continued scratching his head, pondering how extravagant his little nephew’s dying wish was. “But… a thirty-foot-tall ice sculpture… where are we supposed to find one?”
“Ahem, naturally… from the rivers and lakes… by chipping away at the ice and stacking it together.” Xie Chengze covered his lips, his downcast eyes shifting slightly. “But ordinary folks are weak, after all. I fear the speed at which they can break through the frozen rivers will be quite slow. I wonder if my little nephew can hold on until the ice sculpture is completed…”
“No problem! The brothers in the stronghold are all strong! A thirty-foot ice sculpture is nothing!” Da Dangjia confidently patted the tiger-headed axe at his waist. “Your uncle will dig it out for you overnight! We even have craftsmen in the stronghold—they can carve the ice sculpture for you!”
“But…” Xie Chengze tilted his head slightly, gently biting his lower lip, assuming a hesitant and reluctant posture. “My little nephew wants… a hundred thirty-foot-tall ice sculptures…”
…
…
…
Da Dangjia’s mind let out a sharp, internal scream: How many???
“Isn’t this dying wish a bit too demanding?”
Seeing Da Dangjia choke up, Xie Chengze immediately looked on the verge of tears, his expression sorrowful as he said, “My little nephew has long resided in Jingcheng. Though he hasn’t seen much of the world, his only wish is for peace and prosperity for the people. So, before his death, he wants to make one last contribution to his mother’s hometown, to the people of Liaozhou.”
He lifted his head at just the right angle, his watery eyes brimming with sorrowful yet stubborn tears, evoking pity in anyone who saw him.
In a low, choked voice, he sobbed, “Liaozhou is overrun with bandits. Merchants from other regions are unwilling to do business here, leading to scarce resources and impoverished lives for the people. If we can build a hundred ice sculptures of various shapes and sizes, it will surely attract wealthy merchants from all over to visit, revitalizing the businesses in Liaozhou…”
“Uncle…” he said hoarsely, pitifully, “If even you can’t help me, I’m afraid my little nephew will have to die with his eyes wide open!”
“Well… it’s not that I’m unwilling, Nephew, but a hundred ice sculptures—” Da Dangjia counted on his fingers. “Qianjin Zhai doesn’t have enough manpower!”
Xie Chengze glanced at Shen Yuan, signaling with his eyes: What are you waiting for? Hurry up!
Shen Yuan understood immediately, finally grasping what Xie Chengze was really trying to do. He stepped forward and said, “Though the brothers of Qianjin Zhai are insufficient, there are so many mountains and so many bandits in Liaozhou… Perhaps we could give it a try?”
Da Dangjia slapped his palm in sudden realization: “That’s right!”
Bandits are perfect! Most of the bandits in Liaozhou are strong and robust—chipping ice from rivers and lakes would be no problem for them. The only issue is that bandits aren’t easy to negotiate with. Everyone claims their own territory—why should they listen to you?
However, this could be an opportunity to recruit these bandits under the pretext of offering them amnesty. But to truly subdue them, martial prowess alone isn’t enough—extraordinary skills are also needed.
“I need to think about this, think it over carefully…”
Da Dangjia tapped his chin thoughtfully as he walked away. Shen Yuan glanced at Xie Chengze before following Da Dangjia, clearly intending to continue persuading him to subdue the nearby bandits.
Er Dangjia also wanted to follow, but Xie Chengze tugged at his sleeve. Blinking, his eyes filled with an utterly captivating look of anticipation, he asked, “Er Dangjia, are you free today?”
When Second Leader regained his senses, he was already walking down the rugged mountain path, carrying Sheng Yiren in his left hand and Xie Chengze slung over his right shoulder.
The snow on the mountain hadn’t melted yet, leaving clear footprints with each step. Occasionally, they would come across animal tracks in the snow. Whenever this happened, Second Leader would examine the tracks to determine whether they needed to change direction to avoid encountering any wild beasts in the mountains.
“Second Prince, what exactly are you looking for?”
Sheng Yiren brushed the snow off her boots and looked up to ask Xie Chengze.
Xie Chengze rubbed a black stain in his palm and said casually, “I’m looking for a type of black gold.”
After entering the main hall yesterday, Xie Chengze had thoroughly scanned the interior. The bandits hadn’t cleaned meticulously, especially the floor where numerous traces were left from constant coming and going. The hidden surfaces of wooden tables and benches were often neglected, revealing many dark stains.
These marks were much more distinct than ordinary “dirt stains,” as if someone had rubbed coal dust on their hands and then smeared it everywhere before washing, making it impossible to wipe off. The bandits’ shoes also bore the same stains, indicating they must have stepped in coal dust somewhere…
And where there was coal dust, there was likely coal underground.
So he asked Second Leader to take him to the places where Qianjin Zhai brothers often got dirty.
“We’re almost there.” Second Leader picked up Sheng Yiren and quickened his pace. Soon, they stopped before a cave.
“This was dug out when we first established the stronghold. To prevent people from discovering Qianjin Zhai while climbing the mountain, one of the brothers suggested digging several patrol caves and stationing people at fixed points for daily patrols.”
Second Leader explained the cave’s purpose as he set the two down. “But in winter, the brothers would rather patrol than stay in these caves.”
“Oh?” Xie Chengze expressed surprise. “Why?”
“Well…” Second Leader scratched his head. “For some reason, during winter, brothers resting at patrol points often end up dead. They all say it’s the ghosts of those who died here before coming to claim lives.”
“People who died here before?” Xie Chengze didn’t understand.
“Ahem, there are always bold people daring to come to Qiantai Mountain. To keep the stronghold’s existence hidden, we had no choice but to…” Second Leader touched his nose and made a throat-slitting gesture.
Xie Chengze: “…”
That was indeed something bandits would do.
Shaking his head while rubbing his temples, he entered the cave and found it surprisingly well-designed, with specially constructed drainage ditches for rainwater. Inside stood a wooden table with two benches. Two patrolling bandits appeared to have slipped, their clothes completely wet with snow, and were currently building a fire to dry their clothes.
Xie Chengze looked down and indeed found the ground pitch black, with plenty of black powder mixed in the yellow soil.
“Second Leader?” The two bandits were surprised to see the three of them. “What brings you here?”
“Accompanying Second Prince for a walk.” Everyone had learned of Xie Chengze’s identity last night, so they weren’t surprised by the title “Prince,” though they secretly glanced at him, quietly marveling at his extraordinary appearance.
Who would have thought the Second Prince would appear on this broken mountain, and even be Da Dangjia’s martial nephew?
Xie Chengze stood at the cave entrance for a while before following the drainage ditch deeper into the cave, eventually stopping before a deep pit at the very end.
The pit was pitch black, with two earthen mounds bulging from it, carved with inscriptions marking so-and-so’s grave.
Xie Chengze rubbed his brow, roughly deducing the origin of the two corpses. “So you killed them and buried them here.”
Er Dangjia nodded, looking rather proud. “That’s right! I even asked for their names and made tombstones for them! At least they won’t end up like those merchants—dead without even a grave mound!”
Sheng Yiren scoffed twice. “How kind of you.”
Er Dangjia waved a hand. “Oh, not at all~ you flatter me~”
Sheng Yiren: …Was that even a compliment?!
Xie Chengze crouched down, pulling out a handkerchief—the very one Shen Yuan had handed him yesterday to wipe off snowmelt. He wiped it along the edge of the pit, leaving behind thick black powder.
After sniffing it, he turned to the two bandits watching the spectacle and signaled, “Er Dangjia, have those two go down and chip off some black stones.”
“Sure! No problem!”
Er Dangjia barked the order, and the two bandits hurried over. Upon hearing the instructions, they glanced at the pit, their faces showing reluctance and clear hesitation.
“Surely you’re not afraid of vengeful ghosts?” Xie Chengze coughed a few times, feigning surprise and pity. “I thought bandits were tough. Who knew you’d be so timid…”
Who could stand such provocation?
The two bandits immediately puffed out their chests, declaring it was no trouble at all, then slid into the pit and began hacking at the black stones with their knives.
Soon, they climbed out clutching a few fragmented black rocks. “Done! How’s this? Is this what you wanted?”
Xie Chengze nodded and began instructing, “Throw them into the fire you just started, then remove all the firewood.”
“Won’t that put the fire out?” The two bandits exchanged puzzled glances, unsure what Xie Chengze was trying to achieve.
Seeing their hesitation, Er Dangjia kicked each of them in turn and urged, “Hurry up, what are you dawdling for? It’s not like we’re asking for your lives!”
The bandits hastily approached the bonfire, tossed in the black stones, and used their knives to pull out the burning firewood.
Then, to their astonishment, they watched as the black stones began to burn!