Chapter Five and Six: You Crafty Old Man, You're So Wicked

Chapter Five: The Scheming Fat Man

Yen Wuya gazed out the window, watching the scenery rolling backward in a blur. He thought to himself, It seems certain now—this is another world. Who would have believed a scene straight out of a fantasy, crossing into another world, would one day happen to me? Who was that woman in red within the ancient tomb? I couldn’t move a muscle in her presence, and she called me “Young Master.” What were those blood-gold characters swirling in the air?

He had intended to ask more about this world, but Housekeeper Ye was just outside. Yen Wuya dared not risk it; any slip might give him away. Better to wait until they reached Ling City to learn more about this place.

Closing his eyes, Yen Wuya carefully replayed the recent events in his mind.

The carriage sped along, the landscape transitioning from desolate wilderness to roads with scattered travelers, and soon the flow of people thickened. After about half an hour, the carriage came to a gradual halt...

Outside the city, Yen Wuya stood before towering walls, at least twelve meters high, imposing and majestic. Every ten paces stood a sentry, banners fluttered atop the gatehouse, a row of massive oxhide war drums lined the ramparts, and two ranks of soldiers marched back and forth.

At the city gate, four soldiers stood in two lines, watching the passing crowds. Among them, a white-haired elder leaned on his cane, shuffling slowly forward with the throng.

“Candied hawthorn! Big and sweet, candied hawthorn!”

“Finest rouge and powder! Don’t miss out as you pass by!”

“Kites for sale...”

The market bustle was overwhelming. Along both sides of the street and in front of pawnshops, vendors hawked their wares with unending cries.

It was like stepping into the ancient past—no four-wheeled carriages, no sign of any electrical devices, everything so primitive and raw.

Yen Wuya drifted forward in a daze, marveling at this strange new world. His eyes lingered hungrily on a bun vendor, but his hand found only emptiness in his pocket. He let out a bitter laugh. Even a hero is brought low without a penny!

If he didn’t find a way to solve his money troubles, he wouldn’t be eating tonight, let alone finding a place to sleep. What could he do, trapped in this feeble, decrepit old body?

Resume his old trade? But where could he dig, unfamiliar with the lay of the land? And in this condition, would he even be able to?

Suddenly, inspiration struck—a way to make money with relatively little risk.

In the distance, a commotion. A girl’s voice rang out, “Move! Make way! The horse is out of control—everyone clear the road!”

Yen Wuya spotted the source of the cries—a crimson steed charging wildly, the crowd parting like a tide. On its back, a young girl waved frantically, her face stricken with panic.

A slow grin spread across Yen Wuya’s face. Heaven is lending me a hand! What a golden opportunity. This is it!

He strolled leisurely toward the center of the road.

“Grandfather, please move quickly!” the girl on horseback shouted.

Yen Wuya acted as though he hadn’t heard, shuffling forward at a feeble, wavering pace.

But then a fat man in his twenties, wearing a mischievous grin, stepped out in front.

Bang! The fat man was sent flying by the horse, landing two or three meters from Yen Wuya. As Yen Wuya had predicted, the wild horse came to a sudden stop. The girl sat dazed atop the animal, as if her soul had fled her body.

Yen Wuya’s mouth twitched. Damn it!

He grew more aggrieved the more he thought about it. Wasn’t it hard enough already—crossing into this world for no reason, barely surviving the ordeal in the tomb, and now someone was stealing his “staged accident” right from under his nose?

Bitterness welled up, and tears streaked down Yen Wuya’s face, blurring his vision. He gritted his teeth. All right, you fat scoundrel—if you play dirty, don’t blame me for being ruthless!

He threw aside his cane, dropped to his knees with a thud, and wailed heartbreakingly, “My grandson!”

He scrambled to the fat man’s side, trembling hands gently caressing the man’s cheek.

He cradled the fat man in his arms and whispered, “I know you’re not hurt. Pretend to be dead and keep quiet.”

“My grandson, wake up—wake up! Your grandfather can’t bear to send another white-haired man to bury a black-haired youth!” Yen Wuya wailed, pouring every ounce of grief into his voice. His performance was so vivid that the onlookers saw only a heartbroken elder mourning his grandson, struck dead by a horse.

The crowd gathered, people pointing at the girl and recounting the tale to newcomers.

Smack! Yen Wuya slapped the fat man hard across the face, still crying out for him to “wake up!”

Whack! Whack! Whack! He slapped the fat man several more times, drawing blood at the corners of his mouth. Seeing the fat man’s face swell up like a pig’s head, Yen Wuya felt a wave of satisfaction. Exhilarating!

“Grandfather, please don’t cry! There’s a pharmacy just ahead—let’s take him there to be examined. Don’t worry, I’ll cover all the expenses,” the girl said, now dismounted and rushing over.

At last, Yen Wuya looked up and, to his astonishment, recognized the girl—it was the very same Lady Ye Ruyue who’d saved him earlier. How had she forgotten him so quickly? Her expression was as if she was meeting him for the first time.

Could it be...? A glimmer of insight flashed in Yen Wuya’s eyes. Then he feigned panic. “Yes, yes—a doctor, we need a doctor!”

Chapter Six: You Cunning Old Man!

“Doctor, save us! Save my grandson!” Yen Wuya cried as he sobbed.

A few helpful bystanders assisted him in carrying the fat man into the pharmacy.

“Doctor! Doctor! Please save my grandson!” Yen Wuya shouted the moment they entered.

Inside, an elderly physician quickly directed his apprentices to carry the fat man into a side room, then ushered Yen Wuya and the girl outside.

Outside, Yen Wuya collapsed shakily to the ground and clung to the girl. “What do I do? What am I to do?”

“My son is gone, and now my grandson meets disaster—how am I supposed to go on?” he lamented.

The girl, clearly unaccustomed to such situations, stammered, “Grandfather, please don’t worry. If anything happens to your grandson, I’ll take responsibility—I promise. My family is very wealthy.”

Yen Wuya only half-heard anything she said, except for the phrase, “my family is very wealthy.” Wealthy—just what he needed! He was lacking everything except money.

He quickly looked at her. “You’ll really take responsibility?”

She nodded solemnly. “You have my word, Grandfather. I’ll take responsibility. Let me help you up.”

She helped him to a nearby wooden chair.

Now, Yen Wuya took the opportunity to study the girl carefully. She wore a blue gauze robe, a sheer blue veil over her shoulders, and her long, jet-black hair cascaded softly down her back. Sometimes she let it fall loose, lending her a different charm—sometimes mature, sometimes adorable, inspiring both affection and pity. Her skin was as white as a freshly peeled egg, her large, sparkling eyes seemed to speak, and her small red lips stood out all the more against her pale complexion. Dimples graced each cheek; when she smiled, they appeared and vanished like fairy marks—lovely as a celestial maiden.

She looked exactly like that Lady Ye Ruyue...

This couldn’t be a coincidence, Yen Wuya thought gloomily.

“Miss, this old man is called Yen Wuya. May I ask your name?” he probed.

“My surname is Ye, and my given name is Ruxue,” she replied.

Yen Wuya felt his mind spin. Ye? Ye Ruxue, Ye Ruyue—they even looked alike. If they weren’t twins, what else could they be?

He fell silent. How could he not? The eldest Miss Ye Ruyue had just saved him, and now he was running a scam on her younger sister, Ye Ruxue—taking advantage of the situation no less. What a mess.

He waited quietly. In half an hour, a carriage pulled up outside the pharmacy. Five or six burly men in matching uniforms, each bearing the character “Ye” on their chests and backs, strode in carrying broad blades. They scanned the room, then approached Yen Wuya and the girl.

“Second Miss, we finally found you. The eldest miss was so worried. Are you all right?” one of them asked.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry. My sister didn’t come?” Ye Ruxue replied.

“She’s discussing clan affairs with the elders,” the man said.

Second Miss? So she really was Ye Ruyue’s sister. What a tangled web! It seemed he was destined to become entangled with the Ye family. At least the eldest miss wasn’t here, or things would have gotten complicated. Yen Wuya sighed in relief.

The door creaked open, and the weary physician emerged.

“Doctor, how is my grandson?” Yen Wuya asked anxiously, determined to play his part until the end—at least until he got the money.

If he didn’t, he’d starve in a couple of days.

“Don’t worry, old fellow, your grandson is not in danger. He is, however, quite badly injured—several broken bones. He’ll need to rest at home. I’ll prepare some prescriptions for you. If he recovers quickly, a year; if not, it may take three,” the doctor said, then hurried to the medicine counter to prepare remedies.

“As long as he’s all right. Thank you, doctor!” Yen Wuya bowed.

“Grandfather, where are you staying? Let me take you home,” Ye Ruxue offered apologetically.

“Home? Today’s our first day in Ling City—we’d only just arrived, hoping to find some work. And now my grandson...” Yen Wuya shook his head and sighed as pitifully as he could.

Ye Ruxue was silent for a moment, then turned to two of the burly men. “Carry him to the carriage carefully. Don’t jostle him.”

“Yes, Second Miss.” They lifted the fat man onto the carriage. Ye Ruxue settled the bill and brought Yen Wuya aboard.

The carriage rolled away.

About ten minutes later, the carriage stopped outside a courtyard—a modest but comfortable quadrangle, bordered by a small river. Few houses dotted the area, lending it a tranquil air.

Inside, the courtyard was square and orderly, houses on all four sides. The eastern building was the largest—likely the main hall—the others probably guest rooms. All the roofs were tiled in black, the bricks a uniform gray. Beneath a great tree stood a stone table, its surface shining dully. A well with a pump led to a small reservoir.

Ye Ruxue had the fat man carried not to the main hall, but into a guest room on the west side. He remained unconscious, oblivious to everything.

Once everything was arranged and the fat man left to rest, Ye Ruxue gathered everyone outside the room. “You all wait outside in the yard.”

“Yes, Second Miss,” the four men replied, leaving without a word.

“Grandfather, I’m sorry—today was my fault. Here’s the deed to this house, and a purse with a hundred gold coins as compensation,” Ye Ruxue said, handing him both.

Yen Wuya was stunned. He’d only intended to run a scam and squeeze out some money, but now he’d gotten a house and a fortune on top of it. Happiness had come too suddenly!

Lost for words, he let Ye Ruxue place the items in his hands. She turned and left without another glance. When she was gone, and the carriage rolled away in the distance, Yen Wuya tossed his cane aside, stuffed the deed into his robe, and after making sure no one was watching, he cheerfully took the money toward the fat man’s room.

He opened the door and walked in. The fat man lay motionless on the bed, wrapped like a mummy.

“All right, enough pretending. They’ve left—get up!” Yen Wuya said coolly.

At once, the fat man’s eyes popped open. He looked around and asked, “Where are we?”

Yen Wuya had only meant to test him, but the fat man really was unhurt—his acting was worthy of an emperor. Who knew how much he’d overheard about Ye Ruyue and the rest? Yen Wuya decided to probe further. “This is my house,” he said calmly.

“Your house? Never mind. Let’s split the money. How much did you get? That girl’s loaded—Second Miss of the Ye family. I’ve been watching her for months.” The fat man unwound his bandages and tossed them aside, stretching his limbs.

At this, Yen Wuya was inwardly delighted. The house was his—ha ha ha!

“Ten gold coins,” Yen Wuya replied.

“Ten? Old man, who are you trying to fool? Don’t you know how rich that girl is?” the fat man protested.

“I don’t. Fifty-fifty. Take it or leave it,” Yen Wuya replied bluntly.

“No way. Playing dead wasn’t free, and I didn’t take those slaps for nothing. You get one, I get nine. I even spent two gold coins bribing that doctor.”

“Sixty-forty,” Yen Wuya countered.

“No, no—cut two more out, that leaves me with four. I’m losing out. No way.” The fat man shook his head.

...

“Twenty-eighty!” the fat man said.

“Deal!” Yen Wuya tossed him eight gold coins.

At the door, watching the fat man leave, Yen Wuya’s lips curled up. Kid, you’re too young to outwit me.

“Achoo!” The fat man sneezed and rubbed his nose.

Watching him disappear down the road, Yen Wuya called out, “Hey, fat man! Good teamwork. Next time you want to run a scam, come see me!”

“See you? My foot! Drop dead, you cunning old bastard!” the fat man shouted back, his voice echoing in the distance.