Chapter 246

Facing the ring handed over to him to avert disaster, Ye Guhong accepted it calmly.

The ring was thin, but surprisingly heavy, and obviously not made of ordinary metal.

Mystical iron!

Ye Guhong thought to himself, and looked at the inner ring of the ring, where the elegant strokes of a small seal character for plum blossom were engraved, 鈥淟eft to the young lady of Xiang鈥�.

Ye Guhong suddenly realized that this ring must be a token of remembrance left by Guo the Great Swordsman and Huang the Great Swordswoman for the founder of Emei.

He shook his head and straightened up, taking his master’s slender hand and gently putting the ring back on.

“Guhong!鈥�

Mie Jie was a little surprised at his disobedient disciple, and his face flushed slightly as he spoke in an unusually serious tone.

Ye Guhong looked at his master and smiled easily, 鈥淢aster, why be so serious? Since the sea is unpredictable, we should take the land route.鈥�

鈥淭he land route?鈥� Mie Jie never expected Ye Guhong to suggest this idea, and his mouth opened slightly, revealing a rare, innocent expression.

Ye Kuhong tilted his head and tried hard to recall the documentary he had watched 鈥�

In 1728, the sixth year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing dynasty, Danish captain Vitus Bering, acting on the orders of Peter the Great of Russia, came to investigate whether the European and American continents were connected, and the Bering Sea was named after him.

This triangular-shaped sea separates the Eurasian continent from the North American continent.

To the north of the Bering Sea, where the two continents are closest, is the Bering Strait, which leads to the Arctic Ocean.

To the south of the Bering Sea, the boundary with the Pacific Ocean is marked by a long arc of land, with the Kamchatka Peninsula on the Eurasian continent to the west and the Alaska Peninsula on the North American continent to the east.

The part of the ridge that protrudes above the surface of the sea is like a string of scattered pearls, namely the Aleutian Island chain, most of which are volcanic islands.

Volcanoes, ice fields, the North Pacific… Ye Guhong nodded to himself, thinking that he was probably not wrong.

鈥淯ncle Ji, please lend me the four treasures of the study,”

Ye Kuhong asked, and Ji Dabao immediately had someone fetch the ink brush, paper, and ink stone. He himself got up and ground the ink until it was thick, and said in surprise, 鈥楰uhong, how did you know that there was a land route?鈥�

Ye Kuhong made up an excuse off the cuff, 鈥榃hen I was young, I vaguely remembered watching my father and brothers explain the geography of the world…鈥�

While talking, he held the brush and drew a winding coastline.

Ji Dabao shook his head and said, 鈥淚’ve heard you, Ji Dabao, mention your family’s business before. Although the heroic 鈥榃ind-Seeing-Sorrow鈥� Ye Daxia is a man of iron, and also does water commerce, the Gan River is where he comes and goes most often, and it is after all different from the sea… Just wait a moment, I’ll call an expert who is truly proficient in astronomy and geography to take a look at the route you mentioned.鈥�

After saying this, he got up and went out, and Ye Daxia smiled and continued to perfect the map on his own.

He started drawing from the mouth of the Yangtze River upstream, the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhotsk, and continued to the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Bering Sea, and the Aleutian Islands, drawing the entire sheet of paper.

Mie Jie was initially a little skeptical, thinking that her disciple was just worried about her safety and making up falsehoods to comfort her.

However, Ye Guhong’s strokes seemed to be confident and assured, and she couldn’t help but look more and more carefully.

This is Ji Dabao, who hurried back, followed by a middle-aged man in the scholar’s garb, who was nearly forty years old.

This man had big ears and long eyes, a long beard and a majestic appearance, but he was gentle in his demeanor. When he saw Master Mie Jie, he smiled, bowed, and without saying much, he leaned forward to look at the map that Ye Guhong had drawn.

After looking at it for a while, this person let out an 鈥渆h?鈥� and pointed with his finger: 鈥淭his is Dengzhou?鈥�

Ye Kuhong looked at him for a moment, seeing that he was extraordinary in appearance and not to be underestimated, and nodded, 鈥淵es.鈥�

The man nodded and pointed again at the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea: 鈥淭hen this is the East China Sea.鈥�

He then pointed at two places in succession: 鈥淭his is Goryeo, this large island is the country of Japan, and in between is the Whale Sea.鈥�

Ye Kuhong laughed, 鈥淵our eyes are unerring, sir.鈥�

The man shook his head and said, 鈥淚t’s nothing.鈥�

He pointed his finger at a point where Vladivostok would be in later times and said to himself, 鈥淭his is Yongming City.鈥�

He pointed to the location of Sakhalin Island in later times and said, 鈥淭his is also the site of the Bone Peak!鈥�

He pointed to the Nikolayevsky District in later times and said, 鈥淭his is the site of the Marshal’s Office of the Eastern Expedition.鈥�

He pointed to the Sea of Okhotsk and said, 鈥淭his is the North Sea!鈥�

Ji Dabao chimed in, 鈥淭his is where Liaoyang Province is located, right?鈥�

The man nodded, dipped his brush in the ink, and lightly drew a line to the west of the North Sea: 鈥淚n addition, there is the Xing’an Mountains, which the Jurchen called Dongjinshan and the Mongols called Jin’alin. Further north are the countries of the Qudumai, the Yasha, and the Liu Gui.

He then pointed his finger at the Kamchatka Peninsula and said slowly, 鈥漈his is the far north, a place that has rarely been reached in the territory of successive dynasties. If you ask someone else, a hundred people will have a hundred different answers, but I have a vague idea…鈥�

He scratches his beard and thinks for a moment, then nods and says, 鈥淭his should be the location of the country of the wandering ghosts. In the 14th year of the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, the prince of this country, Ke Yezhi, came to Chang’an to pay tribute, and Emperor Taizong bestowed upon him the title of Qi Duyu. The Book of Tang clearly records, ‘The country of the wandering ghosts is surrounded by sea on three sides and connected to the land on one side, extending as far north as the country of Yasha.

Ye Guhong was very impressed and bowed, saying, 鈥淪ir, you are very knowledgeable, I admire you.鈥�

The man suddenly laughed and said, 鈥淚 didn’t know where this country was either. When I saw the map you drew, I realized that the area below Liaoyang Province was the same as what I knew, and the areas above the Xing’an Mountains, such as Yasha and Liugui, matched the records in the classics. I was able to recognize them by comparing them. Young man, I’m afraid there are not many people in the world who can draw a map like this one. May I ask your name?鈥�

Ye Guhong said, 鈥淭his master is my master, the head of Emei, Master Mie Jie. I am a disciple of Emei, Ye Guhong.鈥�

The man exclaimed in surprise, 鈥淎 martial arts school that has produced such a knowledgeable disciple, your eminence is truly remarkable!鈥�

Upon hearing the man’s words, Mie Jie knew that he was a great talent. She was overjoyed at his praise and laughed, 鈥淚 only taught him martial arts and how to behave. This talent truly knows his stuff. I wonder who you are?鈥�

The man laughed and said, 鈥淵ou flatter me. My surname is Liu, my given name is Ji, and my style name is Bowen. I am from Nantian Township, Qingtian County. I passed the imperial examinations in the first year of the Yuan Tong era and served as an official in the imperial court for ten years. Because I dealt with several Mongols who were committing crimes and oppressing the innocent according to the law, his superiors framed him and rebuked him. He really couldn’t stand the humiliation, so he simply resigned from his post and returned home to study. It so happened that the Lord of the Jimen clan was going to the coastal area and was offering a high salary to anyone who could understand astronomy and geography to preside over maritime trade. Liu was in a difficult financial situation, so he thought about coming to work for the Lord of the Jimen clan for a few years to earn some money to support his wife and children.

Liu Ji, Liu Bowen? Ye Guhong was taken aback, wondering if this fellow had also been an official in the Yuan Dynasty.

Mie Jie, however, was a hot-tempered person. With a frown, he rebuked, 鈥淵ou are a Han Chinese, a great man, and have extraordinary knowledge. How could you become a dog of the Tartars?鈥�

Liu Ji remained calm and smiled, 鈥淢aster, I was born in the fourth year of the Zhida reign period of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. At this time, the world was already dying. Although I am also indignant at the barbarity of the Tartars and their defilement of our ancestral land, what can I do when I am unarmed and have no courage? The situation is already like this. If I just work the land, I will be left behind, and what good will I do to the world? Therefore, I thought, it is better to become an official in the court, to use the power of the Yuan court and to do what is right. If you control the power of a county, you can improve the atmosphere of the county; if you control the power of a prefecture, you can protect the livelihood of the people in the prefecture. Isn’t that more responsible than just trying to better yourself?鈥�

Mie Jie said disdainfully, 鈥淚f you think like that, you won’t last long as an official. Those corrupt officials are in cahoots with each other. If there is a clean official, it will only highlight their corruption even more. Naturally, they won’t let you get away with it.鈥�

Liu Ji gave a bitter smile and nodded, 鈥淵ou were right! That’s why I just now realized that I really can’t do what is right by borrowing the power of a foreign country. The Han family’s ideas will probably have to be implemented by us Han people ourselves.鈥�

Upon hearing this, Mie Jie turned from anger to joy: 鈥淵ou can still be saved if you can change your mind! Since you have been an official, that is a good thing. If you really want to be the people’s leader, go to Mount Emei and wait for me. When I am done, I will let you be the county magistrate of Emei County.鈥�

Liu Ji was stunned and asked tentatively, 鈥淢aster, do you know any important officials in the southwest? The county magistrate is a nobleman, so unless he is a real powerful official, no one can easily arrange it.鈥�

Mie Jie laughed loudly: 鈥淚n my entire life, I have never known any important officials, only the sword in my hand! The Yuan court sends a magistrate here, and I will kill one, so that you can sit safely!鈥�

Liu Ji was shocked: 鈥淚sn’t this rebellion?鈥�

Mie Jie looked down upon him with a disdainful smile and said lightly: 鈥淲hat are you talking about? You said it yourself: you can’t do the Han way by borrowing someone else’s power. If you don’t rebel against the Han dynasty, how can you seize their power?”

Liu Ji was shocked. He thought to himself, 鈥楾his nun is so domineering. If she were a man, what would happen?鈥�

Then he heard Ye Guhong laugh and say, 鈥楲iu, if you want to talk about my master, I have half of 鈥橫an Jiang Hong’ here. Listen.鈥�

He coughed lightly and read aloud: 鈥淚 cannot be a man, but my heart is more valiant than a man’s! I have devoted my life to serving others, but people often misunderstand me. No one understands me, except for the heroes who have walked the same path. The world is red with greed, where can I find a true friend? My heart is wet with sorrow!鈥�

This is a work of the later-era female poet Jianhu, and the original sentence is 鈥渢he end of the road for heroes鈥�. Ye Guhong casually changed the word 鈥渞oad鈥�.

His voice was like the sound of a sword, and after each sentence, the end of the world seemed to come crashing down. Liu Ji’s blood boiled, and he grasped Ye Guhong’s hand, trembling, and said, 鈥淕ood disciple! You truly know the innermost heart of your master!鈥�

Liu Ji was also moved, and clasped his fists in a long bow, saying, 鈥淎lthough you are not a man, there are few men in the world who can compare with you. I will resign from my position as the owner of the inn, go back to my hometown, and take my wife and children to Mount Emei!鈥�

Ji Dabao was both excited and saddened. He shook his head and said, 鈥淔orget it. Emei County has gained a magistrate who cares for the people, but Jinbian Gate has lost a manager who can attract wealth.鈥�

Liu Ji laughed and said, 鈥淢y lord need not be disheartened. My hometown is full of old friends who are familiar with maritime trade, and I will definitely recommend someone who is ten times better than me. You won’t miss out on anything important.鈥�

Ji Dabao was overjoyed to hear this. He could also see that Liu Ji was highly regarded by Ye Guhong and Mie Jie, so he made a point of accepting him. A new table of food was set up, and everyone ate and talked.

During the meal, Liu Ji naturally asked Ye Guhong why he had drawn a map of the far north. Ye Guhong glanced at Mie Jie and saw that she had no intention of stopping him, so he told her about his plan to go north to seek revenge on the Ice and Fire Islands.

Liu Ji listened with rapt attention, asking questions in detail. Fortunately, Ye Guhong had an excellent memory and, secondly, had spent more than a year at Wudang, where he had heard Zhang Cui Shan mention the journey to and from Ice and Fire Island many times, as well as details of how people made a living on the island.

The two of them spoke for more than an hour, and Liu Ji took the map Ye Guhong had drawn and looked at it carefully. He said, 鈥淏rother Ye, you mean to go north along the sea, bypass the North Sea, and arrive in the country of the wandering ghosts, and then sail east and follow this chain of islands, searching for them one by one?鈥�

Ye Guhong said, 鈥淭hat is exactly what I mean. In that case, although you will also have to enter the sea, following the chain of islands is safer than crossing the ocean.鈥�

Liu Ji nodded and shook his head, pointing to the Cape Kansai Peninsula and saying, 鈥淲hen you arrive on this island, Brother Ye, don’t rush to cross the sea to the east. Just go to the southernmost tip of the island. I think Xie Qian is most likely on this island.鈥�

Ye Guhong was taken aback and hurriedly asked, 鈥淒oes Brother Liu have any insight?鈥�

Liu Ji stroked his beard and said, 鈥淵ou just said that the Zhang and Ye couple, along with Xie Qian, have lived on the island for ten years, but they have never found out how big the island really is. I think they are all highly skilled martial artists, and their footprints are light. If they haven’t found out the size of the island in ten years, it can be seen that the island is extremely vast and is by no means an ordinary island.鈥�

Ye Guhong and Mie Jie said in unison, 鈥淵es, that makes sense.鈥�

Liu Ji added, 鈥淵ou also said that Zhang Wuxia once said that he and his wife had travelled together to the north and saw that the island extended northwards without end. After walking for tens of li, they saw a dense jungle with old trees reaching for the sky, blocking the sky and covering the sun in an eerie manner, blocking the way ahead completely. Zhang Wuxia intended to go inside and explore, but Ye Qingqing became timid, fearing that there might be something strange, so they gave up.鈥�

Ye Guhong’s eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh and exclaimed, 鈥淎h! I understand! This means that although they have lived on the island for ten years, they have never gone north? Therefore, even if they are on a peninsula, he will not be able to discover it.鈥�

Liu Ji nodded: 鈥淵es! Therefore, the place where they live is extremely vast, and for ten years they have never known where the north leads. From the map you drew, I fear that the chain of islands is unlikely to be of this scale. Therefore, I am five-fold certain that Xie Qian lives at the southern tip of the Liuguo Peninsula! You only need to go to the southern edge of the island and find the volcano to find your enemy.鈥�

Mie Jie was shocked and said, 鈥淥h, if Zhang Wuxia and his wife had explored the forest at the beginning, they might not have had to wait until they met Xie Qian, and they could have simply followed the sea and returned to the Central Plains? This is truly a cruel twist of fate.鈥�

He shook his head repeatedly, thinking that Zhang Cui Shan and his wife were different in terms of good and evil. If they had known that there was a way to return, and if the four words of worldly propriety had not been in their hearts, then whether they would have become husband and wife is still uncertain.

Then he thought, since there is a land route to reach the Ice and Fire Island, then his journey of revenge does not have to go through the rough seas in the middle of the ocean, and the danger can be reduced by 99%. At least it will not be like what he thought before, getting lost in the vast ocean and never being able to return to the Central Plains…

When he thought about this, he glanced at the young and handsome face of his apprentice and sighed slightly.

At this moment, I’m afraid even she herself didn’t know that she had sighed.

And she would never have thought about why she had sighed.

The next day, Liu Ji woke up and received a hundred or two taels of gold and silver from Ji Dabao. He also had a letter from Monk Jie Jie, so he first said goodbye and returned to his hometown to fetch his wife and son and go to Emei.

After seeing Liu Ji off, Jie Jie and Ye Guhong also took a boat and left Hanyang, following the Yangtze River to Yangzhou and then heading north by land.