Fish Meat – Chapter 51

The Ninth Year of Shenchu

Collecting Grains in Sudu (Part 3)

“Monsters?” Zhen Wenjun was amused by Wang Jin’s anger. “Do you take me for a three-year-old child? Are there really monsters in this world? If there were truly monsters, and this monster had to rely on robbing your grain to survive, wouldn’t that be too miserable? It seems you are just talking nonsense!” Having said this, she immediately turned away, crossing her arms behind her back, indicating her intention to leave.

“Old child, I see that you no longer want your hands!” Zhu Maosan, with a voice like thunder, had a butcher’s face full of fierce energy under the blazing firelight. He lifted a long knife and advanced, making chopping motions with his mouth making noises.

Wang Jin’s face was ashen. Seeing the large knife approaching, his eyes nearly fell out. He quickly closed his eyes and cried out for mercy, “No, no, no! Let me explain, let me explain! This old servant truly haven’t told a single lie!”

Zhen Wenjun turned around, and Zhu Maosan also halted his actions.

“Speak,” Zhen Wenjun said. Seeing his terrified state, it seemed unlikely that he would dare to lie again, but convincing her of supernatural matters would still be quite difficult.

Wang Jin wiped the white sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, sighed, and began, “At first, I did not believe that there were any demons or monsters in this world. However, this matter is so peculiar that I, an old servant, could not help but believe.”

Zhen Wenjun: “Get to the point!”

Wang Jin cupped his hands and said, “Please allow me to explain in detail.”

The shortage of grain and lack of military supplies in Da Yu was no longer a secret. Both the northern front and the disaster-stricken people within the borders had been drained of resources. Every grain of rice was extremely precious. If someone could resolve this urgent problem for the court, it would be a great achievement. Wang Jin, holding the position of Tajiang, occupied a thousand acres of good land. If it came to grain, no other aristocratic family in Da Yu could match him.

Offering grain and seeking credit was a major event for the entire Wang family. The Wang family, being a prominent clan, might even be selected as a fourth-rank official in the upcoming selection. When one achieves success, even the chickens and dogs of the family rise in status. The Wang family in Nanya might advance further, and even have a chance to enter the capital’s elite circles. Wang Jin’s personal ambition was to be appointed as the governor of Sudu. No one was willing to take up the post in the barbarian lands, so this position had been vacant for many years. If the Emperor could issue a decree appointing him, the entire Sudu would fall under his control, and even the soldiers stationed here, like Zhu Maosan and others, would have to obey his orders.

Since the spring of the seventh year of Shenchu, Wang Jin had been recruiting agricultural laborers for cultivation. By the autumn of the following year, after two full harvests, the yield was quite abundant, and all the granaries were filled to the brim. Two months ago, Wang Jin sent a message to the Wang family in Nanya, saying that he could offer ten thousand carts of rice. The Wang family in Nanya was overjoyed upon receiving the news and immediately cleared their storage, waiting for the rice to be delivered.

Wang Jin’s plan was going smoothly. Ten thousand carts of grain would amount to a total of four thousand large carts. Even the current Emperor would be astonished if he saw it.

On the night before everything was ready to head to Nanya, suddenly a madman ran to the caravan’s camp, shouting loudly, claiming that there were monsters in the mountains that would eat people, and that this journey was extremely dangerous!

Seeing the madman in a state of mental disorder, Wang Jin immediately ordered his men to chase him away to a deserted place and teach him a harsh lesson, telling him not to make a fuss and disturb people’s peace with his nonsense.

As the madman was dragged away, he kicked his legs on the ground, shouting, “Red sheep¹ bring disaster and chaos, and tomorrow there will surely be monstrous fog in the mountains! Let’s see which of you foolish men will survive!” After saying this, he laughed wildly, looking terrifying and causing widespread panic.

The next day, in order to make up for lost time, the caravan set out early. Due to the large quantity of grain, Wang Jin was uneasy and did not travel with the caravan.

After passing through the rice fields and entering the mountains, just halfway up the mountain, the previously clear sky suddenly turned overcast. Thunder struck from the ground, and a torrential rain came down without warning. The caravan, which was transporting the grain, immediately became chaotic. The experienced Wu Dali, the caravan’s guide, shouted a few commands to stabilize the caravan and said to Wang Jin, “My lord, the rain is too heavy and the mountain roads are steep. If we continue, the road will be slippery and the carts may overturn, causing both the grain and people to fall off the cliff. It would be better to rest here for a while. The grain carts are covered with tarpaulins, so the grain will not be damaged. My lord can be assured. This rain came quickly and will likely end soon.”

Wang Jin’s face was drenched by the rain. Looking at the mountain path obscured by rain and mist, he indeed did not dare to proceed and nodded in agreement. The heavy rain indeed stopped after a while, but the sky did not clear up.

The surroundings gradually became hazy, and fog did indeed rise.

Tajiang here was mountainous and damp. The locals were accustomed to thick foggy weather, which was not unusual for them. However, the fog at this moment was quite strange. The mountain path, which had been visible before, was now completely engulfed by the dense fog as a gust of wind blew. Not only was the road ahead obscured, but even people close to each other on the carts had difficulty seeing each other’s faces.

Someone shouted, “The monster fog, the monster fog has really appeared! The monsters are coming to eat people!” In an instant, the caravan was in chaos, with discussions and arguments erupting.

Wang Jin was furious: “What is there to be panic about! A bunch of ignorant peasants! It’s just a strong wind bringing fog. Have you never seen fog before?”

His shout did manage to calm down the attendants and small soldiers a bit. Wang Jin personally got out of the carriage to re-tie the loosened ropes and directed them to dismount and pull the carts. The fog was too thick to move quickly, so it was safer to go slowly.

The monster fog continued to blow in from unknown places above, causing the small soldiers to shiver, swallowing their saliva and nervously observing their surroundings, cautiously pulling the reins of the horses.

The caravan had barely traveled less than a mile when Wang Jin returned to his carriage. Before he could even get comfortable, he heard someone outside shouting, “Look! Look! The Heavenly Dog² is swallowing the sun!”

Amid the panic, Wang Jin lifted the curtain of the carriage and stepped out. He saw that a portion of the round sun in the sky had already been swallowed by the Heavenly Dog, and in the blink of an eye, the entire red sun disappeared, plunging the earth into darkness. In the thick fog, it was even darker. Wang Jin’s heart raced, and he could not see his attendants. All he could hear were people praying and the mixed sounds of drums and gongs used to drive away the Heavenly Dog, as well as the neighing of horses. Perhaps everyone recalled the madman’s words from the previous day. Now, amidst the dense fog, panic and chaos were heightened, and the sudden appearance of the Heavenly Dog eating the sun further intensified the feeling of demonic presence. Both people and horses were running around like headless flies.

“Everyone, don’t panic!” Wang Jin shouted from the carriage, his voice hoarse, but he still couldn’t calm everyone down. A few of his clever guests quickly lit torches. In the darkness and fog, the torches provided light, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.

“Don’t panic and don’t run around! Otherwise, if you fall off the cliff, no one will survive!” Wang Jin, exhausted from shouting, finally managed to control the chaotic scene.

Including Wang Jin, no one expected that when the torches were lit, the truly terrifying events would begin.

Amid the fog, a strange “crackling” sound was heard. Wang Jin’s expression hardened, his heart sank, and he had to listen carefully to the sound.

The “crackling” sound grew louder and closer.

“Look! Look!” Liu Si, who had been kneeling in prayer, pointed into the dense fog. There was a large group of dark shadows moving quickly, growing larger and coming straight towards them!

“Monsters! Monsters are eating people!”

The crowd was thrown into chaos, and the dark shadows followed them closely, not letting up!

“It’s no wonder they panicked. The scene was so terrifying that even I dropped my torch and ran around with my head down in fright. Some people fell off the cliff in their panic, and we had to deal with the aftermath for quite a while,” Wang Jin said, still looking fearful as he recounted the strange event. “Everyone rushed down the mountain. After the sun reappeared and the fog cleared a bit, I took a few brave souls back up the mountain to try to bring the grain carts down. But who would have expected that, when we got up there, all four thousand carts occupying half the mountain had vanished into thin air! Not a single cart was found, and not even a grain of rice! Who else but monsters could do such a thing? Since then, I have been burning incense and worshipping deities every day, no longer daring to be neglectful.”

After hearing Wang Jin’s account, Zhen Wenjun said, “Clearly, it was that madman trying to swallow your grain and deliberately spreading supernatural rumors to confuse people! Have you sent people to search other areas of the mountain?”

“Searches have been conducted. Both inside and outside the mountain were thoroughly searched, but not a single trace was found. It’s understandable if bags of grain were stolen and not found, but thousands of horses? I can’t think of any other possibility besides monsters eating them,” Wang Jin said, looking distressed. “The ten thousand carts of grain that we painstakingly grew just vanished like that, causing significant losses and leaving the Nanya faction greatly disappointed. I was too ashamed to see them. Just when… just when you, Miss, came to collect the grain and were so generous, offering twenty thousand taels, I thought it was a chance not to be missed, so I foolishly had the wrong idea… Please forgive me, Miss. I know I was wrong.”

Zhen Wenjun, no longer interested in his apologies, asked him, “Is it possible to move four thousand large carts of grain without leaving any trace through any of the city gates? Have you inquired with all the gate guards?”

“I’ve asked, and none of them have seen anything.”

“Do any of the major families in Tajiang engage in large-scale grain trading?”

“No, there aren’t. There are very few large families in Tajiang, and with the famine in Da Yu, the price of grain in Tajiang is extraordinarily high. If any family were to make a major purchase, it would definitely attract the attention of the entire city. Such news would not escape me.”

Zhen Wenjun rubbed her nose and said, “Then the grain must still be in Tajiang. It cannot be inside the city. The city is crowded with people and eyes everywhere. Even if the four thousand carts were scattered, they would still be easily discovered. It must be hidden in the mountains. Tell me, did you really search both mountains thoroughly?”

“Indeed! I searched every place I could!”

Zhen Wenjun asked, “Were there places you couldn’t search?”

“Miss, you are not local and may not know. Look, the Guqiang people are all farming in the fields; no one goes into the mountains to plant crops. There’s a reason for that. The two mountains that enter Tajiang are called Shuangru Mountain. The Guqiang people worship the mountain gods, and Shuangru Mountain, with its twin peaks, is even more sacred and forbidden to intrude. They believe that the mountain gods ensure good weather and occasionally allow the gathering of precious medicinal herbs. If you offend the mountain gods, they will bring disaster, causing landslides and flooding, making it impossible to gather herbs. One part of Shuangru Mountain is shrouded in thick fog all year round. Locals say that is where the mountain gods reside and must not be disturbed.”

“So, you didn’t go to check there?”

Wang Jin’s expression was serious: “I really dare not go, even if I don’t believe in spirits and deities. Besides, no one is willing to go. If natural disasters like those of last year occur again, who could bear the blame?”

Zhen Wenjun was uninterested: “Stop talking. The madman must have hidden the grain in that mountain cave. Tell me how to get there.”

“Miss, are you going? What if you anger the spirits?”

“I don’t believe in ghosts or deities,” Zhen Wenjun’s gaze was sharp. “I only believe in myself.”

To avoid disaster, many outsiders who had moved from Nanya to Tajiang gathered together. Zhen Wenjun recruited more than twenty outsiders who were not afraid of mountain gods, and along with Zhu Maosan and his subordinates, they took three horse-drawn carts towards the mountain hollow Wang Jin had mentioned. She was determined to retrieve the ten thousand carts of grain; if she couldn’t, she would have no way to account to Wei Tingxu.

She specifically chose midday to enter the mountain. Once inside, thick fog quickly followed, enveloping the caravan completely.

Lingbi was so nervous that she hardly blinked and even drew out her soft sword.

“Sister Lingbi, don’t be nervous. All this about ghosts and gods is nonsense. That madman most likely knew some astronomy techniques and predicted the sudden change in weather for the next day. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“But what about the sounds in the fog? They’re still chasing people. If it was really that madman’s doing, could it be that he not only understands celestial phenomena but can also communicate with the shadowy figures?”

Zhen Wenjun was momentarily at a loss for words. Even if it were a trick, it would be difficult to scare so many people simultaneously. She still insisted that there were no ghosts or gods; there must be some trick she had not figured out.

The closer they got to the mountain hollow, the denser the fog became. Soon, the sun overhead disappeared from view, and the snow beneath them grew even more cautious, slowing their pace.

Zhen Wenjun ordered someone to light a fire to illuminate the path and proceeded carefully up the steep, slippery mountain path.

The firelight barely penetrated the eerie fog. Zhu Maosan shook his torch and spat: “This fog is so irritating. Don’t be afraid, Miss. I’ll go ahead and scout the path for you!”

With that, Zhu Maosan and two brave subordinates, holding torches, quickened their pace, singing mountain songs loudly to bolster their courage as they ventured forward. Zhen Wenjun watched as they moved faster and faster, their figures almost swallowed by the fog along with their singing, when something horrifying happened.

The slowly rising and falling fog was suddenly stirred by a strange wind. A scream came from deep within the fog; Zhen Wenjun recognized it as Zhu Maosan’s voice. The weak firelight was instantly extinguished, and Zhu Maosan vanished silently as if he had been erased with a swipe.

No one dared to make a sound; even breathing seemed to stop.

“Shadows!”

Someone shouted from behind. Zhen Wenjun focused her eyes and saw countless shadows descending from the fog, violently swaying as if demons had cast sharp claws on a vast sky, ready to break through the last barrier and shred them into pieces.

In an instant, all the horses were frightened and began to run wildly. Even Yunzhong Feixue suddenly went mad, running uncontrollably. Zhen Wenjun’s hands were bleeding from gripping the reins, but she still couldn’t control it. Suddenly, she remembered how the messenger knight had controlled his horse that day. She tightly pressed the stirrups and, imitating his method, managed to calm Yunzhong Feixue down, though it had already run far away and was unwilling to turn back.

Zhen Wenjun gently stroked Yunzhong Feixue’s ear, speaking softly: “Good horse, Sister Lingbi and the others are still inside. We can’t run away out of fear! Be good, let’s go back and check. I promise I won’t let you come to harm! Will you trust me?”

Yunzhong Feixue fluttered its long eyelashes, and after a while of stamping in place, it seemed to understand her words and was willing to turn back.

Zhen Wenjun’s torch had fallen during the panic, and she could only grope her way forward slowly in the fog.

“Sister Lingbi!”

There was no sound in the fog. Every patch of withered grass that occasionally appeared made her heart jump. She called out with courage, but Lingbi did not respond, and no one answered her.

The empty valley seemed to hold only her.

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1. Red Sheep (紅羊): Refers to a period of misfortune or a bad omen in Chinese folklore, where “red sheep” symbolizes chaos and disaster.
2. Heavenly Dog (天狗): In Chinese folklore, a celestial creature that is believed to cause eclipses or other omens of disaster.