Chapter 79, Hunting Invitation on Vaulting Mountains

Translator: StarReader

 

Su Chen observed Ah Chou’s greedy eating and couldn’t help but smile.

 

Today’s banquet certainly opened his eyes on how to spend in style.

 

This half-a-kilogram-heavy Silverback Swordfish, sold by the fishermen to Heaven Falcon Inn for a thousand copper coins, once cooked into delicacies by the chef and served on the table, its price instantly skyrocketed tenfold, becoming ten taels of silver.

 

Putting aside these treasures from Vastest Lake, presented dish after dish like a flowing stream, each plate easily cost at least ten taels. Even other exquisite dishes casually set forth had to be worth at least a couple; they wouldn’t make it to the table otherwise. Even after several hundred common households worked hard for an entire year, they still couldn’t earn enough to afford these delicacies on just one table.

 

Not to mention the other expenses.

 

Just inviting Ah Nu, the renowned martial figure in the Wu Region, to attend the banquet from Mist Terrace wouldn’t be possible without thousands of taels of silver.

 

Moreover, this wasn’t something money could easily buy.

 

Without a high-ranking martial figure with sufficient status stepping in—like Manager Liu, from Heaven Falcon Group—the Mist Terrace would never allow Young Miss Ah Nu to attend social events outside.

 

This grand banquet must have cost at least several thousand taels of silver.

 

However, for the Heaven Falcon Group, a powerful financial and influential group in the Wu Region, with countless properties under its belt, this extravagant feast could hardly be considered luxurious—it was merely fitting for their martial status.

 

Su Chen sighed softly.

 

People were indeed different from one another.

 

Those young heroes attending the feast were genuinely coming to partake in a grand banquet, rubbing shoulders with powerful figures across various groups, and discussing future leadership roles over the martial realms. They aimed to carve out territories for their martial influence early on.

 

Meanwhile, he and Ah Chou were merely there for a meal. Their thoughts revolved around how delicious the fresh fish and meat would be, with no intention of mingling or making connections with other young heroes.

 

“Young Master Su, is something wrong with the dishes at this Heaven Falcon Inn?” Ah Nu scolded Ah Chou to eat slowly while turning to ask Su Chen curiously.

 

“Not exactly,” Su Chen shook his head with a faint smile and said, “It’s just that I’m feeling nostalgic, which must seem amusing to Miss Ah Nu. When I was young and poor, we didn’t have access to rice. We lived by the water, surviving on crabs.

 

“The lake was teeming with these giant, slow crabs. Their roe was rich, their meat fragrant and delicious. Some were so big they weighed half a kilogram each. Cooking them in hot oil was a treat, but boiling them left the meat cold and bland, not filling at all.

 

“Every day we had fish, crabs, and shrimp mixed with a bit of rice to make porridge and added some cabbage leaves. That’s how it was year after year—meager fare without much salt, oil, or seasoning. We’d reach the point of no longer being able to eat, yet our bellies would still ache from hunger. With tears in our eyes, we’d force ourselves to stuff those big crab legs into our mouths.

 

“It never occurred to me that years later, I’d be enjoying the exquisite culinary skills of a Heaven Falcon Inn chef, making one’s mouth water. Flooded with emotions, I couldn’t bring myself to pick up my chopsticks.”

 

The south waterwayshad plenty of fish and shrimp.

 

Crabs could be steamed, fried, breaded, or drunken, and occasionally eating them was still okay; they were all delicious. However, crabs and shrimps were cold in nature, suitable for rich people to eat, but not recommended for the poor.

 

Fish meat was slightly better, but only if it was a large fish. Therefore, the big fish caught by fishermen in the lake were sold at a good price, while small fish and shrimp didn’t fetch much money.

 

Ah Nu listened to Su Chen’s words, her eyes unconsciously filled with deep sympathy as she said, “Young Master Su, it must’ve been hard for you as a child! Eating those crabs every day and not even having enough rice to eat! It’s unimaginable how bitter that life must have been!”

 

“That’s true. Although I was once a server at the Heaven Falcon Inn when I was young and often got beaten and scolded, I could still eat the leftover rice crusts from the inn every day. But I never ate those big crabs; it was much better!”

 

Ah Chou chewed on a piece of meat and nodded in agreement.

 

The three were sitting at a table, chatting casually.

 

“Speaking with Young Master Su and Brother Ah Chou felt so natural, like longtime friends. There’s no proper gift for a token of our acquaintance, but I have no gift to give you. Though these past few days, I had some spare time and embroidered a golden silk spice pouch. Regretfully, I only made one. So, I’ll give it to Brother Ah Chou. If there’s an opportunity in the future, I’ll present another one to Young Master Su.”

 

Ah Nu took a few bites of the delicacies and suddenly thought of something. She took a golden silk spice pouch from her waistband, which she always carried with her, and placed it in Ah Chou’s hand.

 

“How can that be? This is Sister Ah Nu’s, woven with gold thread; it’s worth thousands of coins! How can you give it to me?”

 

Ah Chou was visibly startled, quickly putting down his chopsticks and shaking his head as he declined.

 

But Ah Nu’s expression was resolute, not allowing him to refuse.

 

Ah Chou had to take the spice pouch. Thinking about the one hundred taels of silver he had earned in the arena. He quickly took them out and held them out to Ah Nu, saying, “Sister Ah Nu, I have a hundred taels of silver here. It’s not much, but I want to give them to you for this spice pouch.”

 

“You’re silly!”

 

Ah Nu laughed as she shook her head, pushing the silver back at him. She said, “I have plenty of money. Keep it yourself. You’ll need money to buy body-tempering herbs and medicines to replenish your energy. That’s what it takes to become a real master!”

 

“Ah…” Ah Chou touched the golden thread spice pouch and the one hundred taels of silver in his hand. He realized that this amount of silver wouldn’t mean much to Ah Nu, leaving him feeling downcast. Finally, he nodded in agreement.

 

The hall fell silent at once.

 

All the young heroes from other tables, who were previously engaged in conversation, were quiet. They turned their heads and watched as Young Miss Ah Nu gifted a pouch to Ah Chou. Their hearts swelled with sorrow or burning envy.

 

They felt like they wanted to shout out loud.

 

None of the famous young heroes from the Wu Region received any favor from Young Miss Ah Nu.

 

Yet it was that ugly Ah Chou, with his disfigured and scarred face, who somehow had so much luck. Just sharing a meal with Young Miss Ah Nu as table companions, and yet she gifted him a spice pouch personally embroidered by her.

 

It must be because Ah Chou had a sweet mouth and knew how to flatter, thereby winning over the affection of Young Miss Ah Nu.

 

…

 

At this grand banquet, it was not only Su Chen, Ah Nu, and Ah Chou at the edge of the hall who were whispering softly to each other, chatting casually. The main event was still the feast hosted by Han Shu.

 

Han Shu invited the young heroes to introduce themselves to one another, get acquainted, and promise to support each other in the future, especially within the Wu Region.

 

The Wu Region encompassed thirteen counties across a vast area of thousands of square miles. From the northern mouth of the Yangtze River at Qu’a County and Dantu County to the southern reaches near the Qiantang River at Yuhang County and Qiantang County, and extending eastward to Haiyan County and westward to Yangxian County, the region embraced the endlessly tranquil Vastest Lake. (StarReader: all real locations)

 

The various groups were scattered across different counties within the Wu Region. Some of the more renowned young heroes in the martial world had only been heard of by name, without having met each other in person.

 

This gathering in Gusu City, called forth by the summons of Daoist Han Shan and Magistrate Wang, provided a rare opportunity for these disparate groups to come together under one roof.

 

“Greetings, I am Lone Sword Gu Jiufeng, the young lord of the Haiyan Group from Haiyan County. I have brought three hundred elite disciples to participate in this martial competition. Hopefully, we can rely on each other as we travel the martial path.”

 

“Brother Gu, your esteemed name regarding the Lone Sword Art has reached these parts. You are renowned as the top young hero of Haiyan County! If given the chance, I would greatly appreciate your guidance.”

 

The young heroes had their own nicknames in the martial world, such as Lone Sword Gu Jiufeng, Shadowless Whip Wu Qing, Reckless Zhou Sanlang, and Greatsword Han Yun.

 

At this banquet, they expressed their mutual admiration, seizing the opportunity to praise each other’s martial prowess. This was one of the core purposes of this grand feast.

 

“Gentlemen, the future of martial affairs in the Wu Region is ours! We, as those present today, aim to rise together and fall together. Let us drink to that!”

 

Han Shu waited until everyone had been introduced before she raised her cup and spoke, her words dripping with cheerful charm.

 

She was thoroughly satisfied with this grand feast. Of course, there were a few small regrets.

 

Among the solemn and dignified banquet for young heroes, there were a couple of people who stood out like sore thumbs, completely out of place.

 

For instance, Wang Fuhao from Gusu County—the young master whose lack of self-awareness knew no bounds. He shamelessly tried to cozy up to other young heroes, acting as if he were one himself, just barely holding back the urge to smirk. But because his father was Magistrate Wang, no one dared to kick him out.

 

Then there were Ah Chou and a Medicine King Group disciple in the corner of the hall, sneaking in by virtue of Manager Liu’s influence. Han Shu completely ignored them and didn’t bother inviting them up to introduce themselves publicly.

 

Other than that, everyone else was truly a young hero from the Wu Region. All things considered, this banquet had been quite successful.

 

The appearance of Ah Nu from Mist Terrace diverted attention away from the main event, but she wasn’t exactly part of the martial world herself.

 

“Young Miss Han Shu speaks well! The martial affairs in the Wu Region are on the brink of great changes. We heroes must ride the wind to reach for the heavens! Here’s to that!” Wu Qing raised his cup, drained it in one gulp, and his face flushed with red as he joked.

 

“Well said, Brother Wu,” the young heroes exclaimed in praise.

 

The feast was lively with young heroes exchanging praises before shifting to tomorrow’s Laba Festival. The morning would see a hunt on the Vaulting Mountains, followed by an evening martial competition—a grand event in the Wu Region schedule.

 

On this day of the Laba Festival, preparations were tight. In the morning, Magistrate Wang himself would lead the county officials and townsfolk to perform rituals at the gates of Gusu County City. The ceremonies were elaborate, promising a spectacle worth witnessing. By day, disciples from various groups would venture to the outskirts of Vaulting Mountains, miles away from the city, for a hunt. They’d track wild beasts in hopes of a bountiful harvest coming next year.

 

When the night fell, the martial competition would commence at the base of Vaulting Mountains, on the shores of Vastest Lake. This was held in the small Xikou Town. It was a once-in-a-century martial gathering in the Wu Region, an event no one wanted to miss.

 

However, only the leaders and high-ranking members of various groups participated. The rest were mere spectators.

 

“Is there really a grand hunt tomorrow on the Vaulting Mountains?” Ah Nu overheard their plans with growing interest. For the past couple of years, she had been confined to Mist Terrace, under Matron Li’s watchful eye. Her movements were restricted, and even when allowed outside, her entourage of guards and maids turned any outing into a tedious procession through Gusu City’s streets.

 

Tomorrow was the Laba Festival, and there would also be a grand hunt in the Vaulting Mountains. She could enjoy herself touring the mountains and forests, breathing fresh air.

 

“Young Master Su, Ah Chou, are you two going? Why not go together for the hunt?” Ah Nu also wanted to go to Vaulting Mountains to have a look around, so she asked.

 

Su Chen had passed through Vaulting Mountains before. Traveling westward from Gusu city for a dozen miles would bring one to the vast and continuous Vaulting Mountains, where the mountains were as high as vaults, steep, and deep. Crossing over Vaulting Mountains, further westward was a boundless expanse of water called Vastest Lake. Many years ago, he had once been bitten by a golden-banded viper in the depths of the mountains and knew that there wasn’t much to see in the deep forests.

 

Su Chen didn’t really want to go to the Vaulting Mountains, which were a dozen miles away, and join in the bustle; he felt reluctant.

 

“Tomorrow, numerous groups and their disciples will gather at Vaulting Mountains for hunting. It would be crowded and chaotic, making accidental injuries likely. Young Miss Ah Nu hasn’t learned martial arts… it might not be safe.”

 

“I have practiced some martial arts before; I am a third-rate practitioner! Besides, aren’t Young Master Su and Ah Chou two first-rate experts? With both of you around and the first-rate bodyguards from Mist Terrace, what danger could there be?” “Ah Nu,” she said with a laugh.

 

Ah Chou quickly nodded his head and also persuaded, “Brother Chen, you’ve been staying at Medicine King Estate for months; I know you must feel bored. This outing is meant to relax, and we have already wandered around the county city these past two days; let’s go to Vaulting Mountains for a tour.”

 

“Alright then, tomorrow we will all go to Vaulting Mountains!” Reluctant as Su Chen was, seeing both Ah Chou and Young Miss Ah Nu eager to go, he couldn’t refuse and had to agree.