Mo Sang – CH 288

Chapter 288. Covering Up

When the ship docked at Jiangning City’s pier, Li Sangrou had the strength to slowly wash herself.

It took her the entire afternoon to wash herself thoroughly, and then Da Chang and Hei Ma, each more clumsy than the other, helped her wash her hair. Li Sangrou finally let out a long sigh of relief.

Although she was not exactly a fussy person, and it was common for her to go ten or twenty days without bathing, the stench of blood on her was truly repulsive.

She always loathed the smell of blood.

Xiao Lu went to the Shunfeng Post Station in Jiangning City and brought back several letters.

One of them was from Ye Anping.

The letter detailed what he had seen along the way from Anqing Prefecture to Xiuning County, as well as the situation in Xiuning County. It also told her that the Ye Chaotian family, the messenger from Xiuning, was all well, and that he had already brought Ye Chaotian’s two sons, Zou Fuping and Ye Fu’an, to Anqing Prefecture.

Zou Fuping already had a basic understanding of pharmacology, and he planned to take him under his wing and personally teach him. Ye Fu’an was younger and had only studied carpentry for a few days, so he knew nothing about pharmacology. Zou chose a reliable pharmacy manager to have him apprentice there for two or three years to learn the basics.

Li Sangrou breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that the Ye family was safe and sound.

She had been very worried about Ye Fu’an.

There was another letter, from Fourth Madam Wu née Wei.

They had been ordered to return to Jianle City and had entrusted Ah Ying to Madam Meng when they passed through Yangzhou.

Li Sangrou read the letter and asked Meng Yanqing to write a letter for her, instructing Madam Meng that Ah Ying would be temporarily in her care for the next year or two. Aside from writing, reading, and arithmetic, she was to oversee and teach Ah Ying.

Meng Yanqing wrote the letter, showed it to Li Sangrou, sealed it, and gave it to Xiao Lu to deliver.

Seeing only Hei Ma wiping the puppy’s cage in the cabin, Meng Yanqing chuckled, “We’ve already arrived at the Jiangning City dock.” He pointed outside.

Li Sangrou looked at Meng Yanqing, waiting for him to continue.

“Jiangning is very close to Yangzhou. Even at a slower pace, it should take three to five days to reach Yangzhou. But your injuries are severe; to move freely, it will take at least another month and a half. Once we reach Yangzhou, I am afraid we will not be able to hide it anymore,” Meng Yanqing finished, looking at Li Sangrou.

Li Sangrou was silent for a moment, then sighed, “If people know I am injured, the matter of those beasts in Shichui Town will probably be exposed.”

“It definitely will not be something that can be hidden. Everyone who needs to know about your abilities knows. For you to be injured so badly, this cannot be concealed,” Meng Yanqing said frankly.

“Knowing about that scumbag gang in Shichui Town will inevitably lead to the assassination guild, then to Nanzhao County, and finally to Blind Mi and his group. Sigh! The assassination guild is too complicated.” Li Sangrou sighed.

The revelation that the assassination guild was connected to Blind Mi and his sect would be extremely disadvantageous for them, a huge disaster.

The temptation of possessing the assassination guild was not something anyone could resist.

“We cannot let outsiders know I am injured,” Li Sangrou sighed again, paused, and then continued, “After seeing Grand Master Wu in Yangzhou, head north back to Jianle City. Travel slowly and arrive in Jianle City around the twelfth lunar month.”

“Yes,” Meng Yanqing bowed in agreement.

A few days later, the ship quietly docked at the Yangzhou wharf. As darkness fell, Grand Master Wu, Master Zhou, and Master Zhang quietly boarded Li Sangrou’s ship.

Grand Master Wu, leading the way, bent down and entered the cabin. The pungent smell of medicine filled the air. He immediately saw Li Sangrou, half-sitting, half-lying on the bed, her face pale. His eyes widened when he saw the bandages wrapped around her shoulders and thighs.

“Are you badly injured?” Master Zhou followed closely behind, blurting out the question.

“It’s alright,” Li Sangrou replied calmly, gesturing to the three of them, “Sit down. Da Chang, go and fetch Old Dong.”

Master Zhou walked to Li Sangrou’s side, examined her carefully, and then sat down, bowing slightly to her, saying, “This great favor from the Boss…”

“It’s nothing,” Li Sangrou raised her hand to stop Master Zhou. “I am not doing this for you, few, not entirely for your sect.”

In the blink of an eye, Dong Chao had come from the adjacent boat and knocked on the cabin door.

“Come in,” Li Sangrou called Dong Chao in, gesturing to Grand Master Wu and the other two. “Tell them about your situation.”

“Yes,” Dong Chao bowed in agreement, then turned to Grand Master Wu and the others, recounting the events of cleaning the Taoist temple that day.

Grand Master Wu’s face turned deathly pale upon hearing about the skeletons and corpses in the last courtyard house.

Master Zhou’s lips were tightly pressed together, his hands trembling uncontrollably on his knees.

Master Zhang slowly raised his hands, covered his face, slid off the chair, squatted on the ground, buried his face in his knees, and curled up into a ball.

It was all his sin!

After speaking, Dong Chao glanced at Li Sangrou, bowed slightly, walked past the three, and left the cabin.

Grand Master Wu stood there for a long while, then slowly rose and knelt. “I…I am sorry…”

“The assassins operate in the shadows. For hundreds of years, countless tragedies like this have occurred. Those who have eliminated these beasts are probably like me—one hand to eliminate them, the other to annihilate them,” Li Sangrou sighed.

“Boss acted so righteously; this kindness is beyond repayment.” Master Zhou knelt as well.

“You flatter me; please rise. It is nothing.

As I said before, firstly, it was not for your sake; secondly, it was not entirely for your sect.

From now on, please take good care of your sect. Things will not necessarily be easier than before; ensuring the continuation of your sect is extremely difficult, and I cannot help you with that.

My injury should not be known to outsiders. Having seen you all today, we will set off for Jianle City early tomorrow morning. The journey will be slow; we will arrive in Jianle City in the twelfth month. The auction at the beginning of next month will be entirely overseen by Madam Meng. See you then.” Li Sangrou bowed slightly in return.

“Once things are settled here, I will visit the Boss in Jianle City when I return to Nanzhao.” Grand Master Wu rose and bowed deeply again.

“That’s enough for today. I am a little tired,” Li Sangrou leaned back against the cushions, her face even paler.

“Then we will be going now.” Grand Master Wu bowed again in acknowledgment.

Master Zhou forcefully pulled Master Zhang up, dragging him along, and followed Grand Master Wu out of the cabin.

The next morning, Hei Ma, who had delivered the goods to Blind Mi, rushed back to the ship, bursting into the cabin and whispering to Li Sangrou, “Boss! That guy who came yesterday, the one surnamed Zhang! Master Zhang! He’s dead! They say he ran into the courtyard in the middle of the night and stabbed himself to death.”

Da Chang stared wide-eyed in astonishment. Li Sangrou paused, stunned for a moment, then sighed.

Buddhism said that one should cultivate both blessings and wisdom. The difficult part was not cultivating a kind heart, but rather wisdom. A blindly kind heart—who knew what the consequences would be? Would it lead to good or evil?

But how could one avoid being blind?

Li Sangrou leaned back against the cushions, lost in thought.

She lacked innate wisdom, her vision was limited, and she could only act according to her conscience, doing what she felt she should. What difference was there between her and Master Zhang?

“Da Chang, tell me, how does one cultivate wisdom?” After a long pause, Li Sangrou sighed and asked softly.

Da Chang stared at Li Sangrou for a moment, then took a step back. “It seems we’ve set sail. I will go check if we’ve bought everything!”

………………………………

The two boats moved intermittently, stopping and starting along the way to check the post stations, delivery shops, and various rice and grain stores. Upon reaching Huai’an, they received two letters from Madam Meng and Blind Mi, both concerning the recently concluded auction.

Blind Mi’s letter was tinged with gloom and pessimism. Few people attended the auction; the two and a half items took a whole day to sell, and no one raised the price; many even tried to lower it. His final sigh was followed by a long, melancholic ripple.

Madam Meng’s letter, however, described the situation as unexpectedly good. She had not expected all three items to sell on the first day, without her having to try to spread the word.

She had assumed that no one would be interested on the first day and that she would have to speak to each person individually, explain her ideas, and make promises before selling them for free on the second or third day. She had not even planned to make any money on this venture!

Surprisingly, she made money on the very first day, which was completely unexpected.

Li Sangrou looked at the two letters, smiled for a long time, thought for a moment, and then sent Blind Mi’s letter to Madam Meng and Madam Meng’s letter to Blind Mi.

………………………………

On the second day of the twelfth lunar month, Li Sangrou and her two boats docked at the south gate of Jianle City.

Li Sangrou was already moving freely, wrapped in a sheepskin coat, and stepped off the gangplank.

Hei Ma, carrying the cage of the little puppy Pang’er, followed behind Li Sangrou.

During the long boat trip, the bored Old Yunmeng guard bought all sorts of carpentry tools, such as planes and chisels, as well as various kinds of fine wood. He threw countless pieces of wood into the river when he wasted them, honing his skills and making no fewer than ten different kinds of doghouses and cages for Pang’er.

The cage Hei Ma was holding was made for carrying, but he felt it was better to hold it in his arms.

The round cage resembled a birdcage, but it was not as high at the top. The bottom half was enclosed by wooden planks to keep out the wind and cold.

A soft mat was laid inside the cage.

The mat was handmade by Xiao Lu and Datou, which Hei Ma disliked. However, his skills were not as good as Xiao Lu’s and Datou’s, so despite his dislike, he had to use it for now.

Pang’er was over three months old but had not grown much, weighing only about three or four jin. He was full of energy and had excess vitality.

Pang’er was often taken out of the cabin by Da Chang and Hei Ma to play. He showed no fear of the outside world. As soon as he was out of the cabin, he would jump vigorously on the thick, soft mat. After a few jumps, he would scratch at the cage bars with his front paws, demanding to go out and play.

“Go out to play when we get home! Sit still!” Hei Ma scolded sternly.

Pang’er, paws pressed against the cushion, barked loudly at Hei Ma.

“No way! Look at you! So small! What if someone steps on you?

Someone like you, one step and you are gone!”

“Woof woof!” Pang’er barked loudly.

“No means no! You think I can indulge you in everything? Look at you!”

“Woof woof!”

“No, no! Even if you bark until your voice is hoarse, it will not help! You can run around outside again when we get home!”

…

Li Sangrou glanced back at Hei Ma, who was still arguing with Pang’er, then turned back, raised an eyebrow, and chuckled.

Da Chang and Xiao Lu went back to Chaomi Alley first, while Hei Ma, carrying Pang’er, followed Li Sangrou towards Shunfeng Main Store.

Meng Yanqing and the Old Yunmeng Guards went back to their residences.

Back in Jianle City, everyone felt like they were home.

At the entrance of Shunfeng Main Store, a large crowd thronged.

Li Sangrou, followed by Hei Ma, carrying Pang’er, who was too busy watching to call out, squeezed through the crowd to the entrance of Shunfeng Main Store and stepped inside.

“Hey! This lady, you cannot come in! Outside, outside!” The clerk, busy writing receipts, hurriedly stood up, spreading his arms to block Li Sangrou’s way.

“Are you new here?” Hei Ma asked, peeking out from behind Li Sangrou.

“Hmm?” The new employee was momentarily stunned.

“Oh my! The Boss is back!” The older employee, who was bending over to put away boxes, spotted Li Sangrou and exclaimed with delight.

“What?!” The new employee’s eyes widened.

This was only his third day working here, and he’d already kept the Boss out!

“No, I… I’ve only been here three days; I am blind!” The new employee stammered, sweating profusely.

“You’ve got it all figured out on the third day? Pretty smart. Old Zuo knows how to pick people,” Li Sangrou praised with a smile.

The new employee sighed deeply. “I’ve always heard Manager Zuo talk about the Boss; the Boss really is… I did not realize she was the Boss.”

The part about not sounding like the Boss was on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it back down. He really could not speak properly!

“You guys get busy. If Old Zuo comes back, tell him to come find me in the back.” Seeing the crowd gathering, Li Sangrou gave some instructions and went into the back of the courtyard.

Hei Ma, carrying Pang’er, followed closely behind. Once outside the stables, Hei Ma placed the cage on the ground and released Pang’er.

Pang’er rushed towards Li Sangrou, scratching at her legs and desperately trying to climb up.

This completely unfamiliar place, with so many horses, terrified it!

Li Sangrou bent down, picked up Pang’er, moved the armchair under the shed, sat down facing the moat, and slowly exhaled.

She would need some time to fully recover.

Hei Ma busily brought out the stove, shoveled some charcoal from the front, lit the stove in the small tent, and then lit the one outside and checked around—no water!

Hei Ma carried a pot of water from the front stall and placed it on the stove.

Old Zuo, clutching the front of his coat, rushed out of the stable, half-walking, half-running. He stopped abruptly when he saw Li Sangrou, his eyes crinkling into slits with a smile. “The Boss is really back! I never expected it! The Boss is back just like that! Will the Boss be able to stay until the New Year? She will probably be spending the New Year in Jianle City this year, right?”

Li Sangrou raised an eyebrow at Old Zuo.

He really talks a lot.

“The Boss has lost weight, a lot of weight. These past few years, the Boss has worked harder and harder. Fortunately, I heard things are going well with the Shizi. Once the world is unified, the Boss can finally rest. The Boss has really lost a lot of weight!”

Old Zuo quickened his pace, walking to Li Sangrou’s side and scrutinizing her again.

Pang’er glared at the approaching Old Zuo, his fur bristling, and barked loudly.

“Oh my! What’s this? The Boss’s pet? This dog is really small!” Old Zuo was startled, then laughed.

“This is Manager Zuo, family. Do not bark at him like that.” Li Sangrou stroked Pang’er’s back and patted it.

Pang’er whimpered a few times, nestled in Li Sangrou’s hand, and stared warily at Old Zuo.

“Yesterday and the day before, people from the palace came to ask if you had returned. I do not know if it was from the princess’s side or the Emperor’s,” Old Zuo said with a smile.

Li Sangrou said, “Oh,” and asked with a smile, “Is everything alright at the shop?”

“Everything’s going smoothly, lots of things to do. We’ve opened so many new routes this year. I am going to get the account books; the Boss will have to look at them carefully for a while. There are also letters from Manager Zou and Manager Zaohua piled up; I will go get them.”

Old Zuo said, jogging off to get the account books and letters.