Si Teng (Rattan) – CH 024

Chapter 24

Yan Furui successfully infiltrated the “enemy” that night. He was homeless, honest, and good-for-nothing, making him a natural undercover agent, and no one suspected him.

The next morning, he sent Qin Fang his first undercover message: Temple Abbot Cang Hong was going to visit Miss Si Teng.

It was as good as nothing. Qin Fang was at a loss for words. Abbot Cang Hong had already called him early in the morning, hadn’t he? Besides, when Abbot Cang Hong would visit, he’d always politely go through the main door. He wasn’t climbing over the wall and asking you to tip him off!

Si Teng wasn’t shy and politely met Abbot Cang Hong in the living room. After a few pleasantries, Abbot Cang Hong explained his purpose. The gist of it was that they’d stayed up all night, mobilizing fellow Taoists to search everywhere for a demon. As the saying goes, “Heaven rewards those who work hard.” While the details weren’t clear yet, they were beginning to reveal some clues.

It was good news, but Si Teng sneered, her words laced with meaning: “Yesterday you were still talking about how hard it was to find one, and now you’ve got some clues! Isn’t that too fast?”

Abbot Cang Hong of Baiyun Temple was a little embarrassed: “This is a matter of life and death… Everyone is anxious, fearing the poison will take effect if they’re late. We only have some clues, but we dare not confirm them. But we still wanted to let Miss Si Teng know in advance, lest you misunderstand that we’re deliberately delaying.”

This made sense, and there was nothing wrong with it, so Si Teng stopped being aggressive and just used a combination of soft and hard tactics. She said, “I don’t think the old abbot would pull any tricks. Otherwise, we’d really have to go down and play mahjong together.”

This sentence made Temple Master Cang Hong feel uneasy. He reluctantly stayed for a moment before taking his leave. Si Teng then smiled charmingly, reaching out with her slender white hand to press the back of Cang Hong’s hand. “No hurry, I have something to say.”

Temple Master Cang Hong had probably never experienced such contact with the opposite sex in his life. His hand felt like it was electrified, and he trembled with shock, his beard standing on end. Qin Fang couldn’t bear to watch and coughed several times beside him.

Si Teng pretended not to hear, looking into Cang Hong’s eyes with a gentle smile. “I heard that when Taoist Qiu Shan suppressed me, the old abbot’s master, Taoist Li Zhengyuan, was there?”

Cang Hong didn’t dare look at her and mumbled, “Yes… yes.”

“What happened then? Old abbot, could you please tell me?”

Cang Hong’s heart skipped a beat. “Wasn’t Miss Si Teng there then?”

“Yes, yes, but as you know, different people can tell completely different stories about the same thing. I’d like to hear how Taoist Li told his descendants about the demon-suppression incident.” Cang Hong’s heart suddenly began to beat wildly. He glanced at Si Teng, shifted back uncomfortably, licked his lips nervously, and paused to steady himself. “My master said the situation was like this…”

He tried to stick to his true recollection, but for self-protection, he deliberately avoided mentioning himself. He spoke of “My master,” “Master Qiu Shan,” “Grandma Huang,” and “Master said,” glossing over any vague points. His voice trembled slightly, and a conflict ran through his mind: The situation was so dire back then. Perhaps Si Teng had completely forgotten about him, a minor figure? No, no, no, Si Teng’s child had been suffocated to death in his arms. How could she have forgotten?

After the story, a deathly silence fell. Cang Hong’s hands trembled with nervousness. He thought, perhaps Si Teng would settle accounts with him any moment. She might sneer and ask, “What about you? What good deeds did you do that you haven’t told me?”

He waited for what felt like an eternity. Finally, Si Teng spoke, her voice low and weary.

She said to Qin Fang, “Show him out.”

***

After seeing Cang Hong off, Qin Fang returned to the living room. Si Teng remained in her same position, motionless in her chair.

Strangely, he now felt closer to her. When they first met, she was just a hideous, two-dimensional monster, but as they spent time together, she gradually became more three-dimensional. And today, after hearing Cang Hong’s tales, Qin Fang suddenly felt a surge of pity for her. He sat with Si Teng for a while, wanting to ask her, “Do you have any children?”

No matter how he looked at her, she didn’t look like the type of woman who would fall in love, let alone give birth. However, no matter how curious he was, Qin Fang held back. He understood the ways of the world, and it was not appropriate to ask about such matters.

Si Teng spoke first, as if asking him but also as if asking herself, “Why would a woman, knowing full well that a man was deceiving her, still stay with him and bear him a child?”

Qin Fang’s inner answer was that most women in love were clueless, and so were monsters. But it was difficult to say this in front of someone so frustrated, so he decided to be more tactful: “Because of love.”

Si Teng laughed heartily, tears welling up in her eyes. She wiped her eyes with her fingers and said, “Because of stupidity.”

She then said, “I’m so tired. I’m going to get some sleep.”

Qin Fang felt that what Cang Hong had told them today must be quite unusual. This was the first time in all their time together that Si Teng had said she needed a nap.

She had previously said that monsters didn’t need to eat or sleep.

***

Chen Yindeng and the others were waiting for Cang Hong in the room. As soon as they saw him return, they hurried over to him. “What did she say?”

Abbot Cang Hong of Baiyun Temple glared at her angrily. “Si Teng is so astute. I only said I had some clues, but she’s already suspicious. If we tell her we’ve found one as you planned, what do you think she’ll do? If she hadn’t been so arrogant as to think we wouldn’t play any tricks, we’d have been exposed long ago.”

Chen Yindeng remained silent. Everyone sat down in groups of three or four, feeling a little uneasy. Professor Bai Jin said, “I’ve been thinking about it all night, and I just can’t help but feel… this isn’t a good idea. Does this have to be a life-or-death struggle?”

This remark struck a chord with many. Taoist Master Ma Qiuyang nodded repeatedly. “We need to think this through. We don’t have any deep hatred against Si Teng right now. But taking this step will make things different. If we show our killing intent first, well…”

Last night, Chen Yindeng was in tears. A combination of softness and rashness led them to agree with her. But then, on second thought, if they really did that, they’d be putting themself in the same boat with Chen Yindeng. Even though we were fellow Taoists, was it really worth it to be so superficial?

Pan Qinian chimed in, “That’s right, big things should be made small, and small things should be made nothing. If it gets out of hand, it will only affect others.”

Amid the chatter, Chen Yindeng suddenly sneered, her gaze piercing through everyone. When everyone fell silent, she said, “For us Taoists, exorcising demons is as commonplace as eating and sleeping. Since when did killing a monster make us so reluctant? Make a big deal small, a small deal go away? Trying to make peace with a demon to make money? With that kind of talk, do you Taoists still remember you’re Taoists?”

Ding Dacheng found these words jarring. “Chen Yindeng… Miss, I believe what you said. The poison comes from Si Teng herself. To cure it, either Si Teng must intervene, or she must die, and the poison will dissolve itself. But don’t blame us northerners for being blunt. Your Magu Cave’s current level is certainly not very good. I honestly can’t believe you could kill Si Teng. If she survives, what will become of us? Will we all be buried with you?”

Chen Yindeng spoke each word with such intensity that it struck Ding Dacheng and shocked the surrounding tigers. “Back then, in order to bring down Qiu Shan, Si Teng made a secret deal with the Taoists. My grandmother, Chen Cuiqiao, was assigned to guard her. Although she ultimately died, how should Si Teng be killed? She’s more capable than anyone else. Everyone understands. Believe me or not. If you don’t, just do as Si Teng says and search the world for monsters. If you can’t find any, you’ll still be buried with her!”

This speech hushed everyone. Finally, Master Zhang Shaohua sighed, “Forget it. We’re all out of options. Let’s just do as Miss Chen says. If it succeeds, we’ll be able to remove the vines, eliminate the monster, and break the curse—killing three birds with one stone. If it doesn’t work out, it’s better than waiting to die. It’s fate; it’s done. Let’s stop arguing.”

He added, “There are so many people, so only the few of us in charge should know about this. Follow Miss Chen’s instructions and make your own preparations.”

That night, Yan Furui called Qin Fang and explained that Cang Hong and the others were meeting and didn’t want him and Wang Qiankun to attend. He didn’t have a bug, so he’d listened through the door for a while but heard nothing. Then, a housekeeper smacked him from behind, startling him…

Anyway, the main point was to talk about the difficulties of carrying out his work. Qin Fang sighed and stroked his forehead, genuinely confused as to why Si Teng had tasked Yan Furui with this. Just as he was about to hang up, Yan Furui suddenly remembered something: “Oh, I heard them mention the Miao village several times. I think they were talking about… the Qianhu Miao Village.”

The Qianhu Miao Village? It sounded like something out of a martial arts novel. After hanging up, Qin Fang used his phone to search Baidu. Surprisingly, it actually existed. The Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village in Guizhou Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture was a popular tourist attraction, with entrance fees soaring to over 100 yuan.

A group of Taoist elites going to the remote Qianhu Miao Village—what did that even mean?

Qin Fang went to see Si Teng and briefly explained the situation. Si Teng said, “The Thousand Household Miao Village doesn’t necessarily refer to Xijiang. Southeast Guizhou is a Miao settlement. Any village with more than a thousand households is called a Thousand Household Miao Village. Xijiang is already developed, but there are also quite a few large, undeveloped Miao villages. I roughly know which one they’re heading to… Pull up the map so I can see.”

Qin Fang searched the map of Southeast Guizhou and zoomed in for Si Teng. Si Teng pointed down at Xijiang. “Here, near Rongjiang.”

Qin Fang was curious. “Have you been there?”

“No. I’ve heard it’s Chen Cuiqiao’s hometown, the territory of Magu Cave.”

Qin Fang’s heart moved. “This morning, Abbot Cang Hong of Baiyun Temple said that the monster search was already underway. Now they mentioned the Thousand Household Miao Village. Will they tell us soon that the monster they’re looking for is in the Thousand Household Miao Village?”

Si Teng said, “Yes, otherwise why would they go to the Thousand Household Miao Village?” Well, traveling? However, it was too coincidental to find it on Chen Yindeng’s territory. “

It was indeed not a coincidence, not to mention that Chen Yindeng and Si Teng still had a feud. Qin Fang couldn’t help but remind her. “Be careful.”

This sentence somehow touched her sore spot: “Be careful about what? What should I be careful about?”

Wasn’t this obvious? His kindness is being taken for granted. Qin Fang explained to her angrily, “Doesn’t Chen Yindeng have a grudge against you? That’s her territory. She might be trying to lure you over there and deal with you there. There’s something sinister going on here. It’s always better to be careful.”

Si Teng sneered, “What should I be careful about? If Chen Yindeng digs a trap on the road ahead, she will shovel the pit and lead the way. Playing tricks? In terms of seniority, even the trick has to call me ancestor.”

Qin Fang was both angry and amused. Heaven was really blind. Why didn’t he send down a thunderbolt to strike her on the head when she said such big words?

He couldn’t help but blurt out what was on his mind: “Si Teng, I really can’t imagine what kind of man someone like you could fall in love with.”

“No one. I’ve never loved any man.”

“Then why did you still give birth to a child?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Qin Fangxin exclaimed, “Oh no!” Based on basic morality, he felt that mentioning such a thing in front of someone who had lost a child was tantamount to opening a scar. He even imagined Si Teng’s next reaction: would she fly into a rage? Or would her eyes darken in grief?

None. She slowly poured herself a cup of tea, brought it to her lips, took a sip, and said calmly, “I was probably blind at that time.”