Legacy of the Blade

When the boy felt he was being wronged or missing out on something, he would explode, like a wild cat whose tail had been stepped on. He could shout outside the courtyard for an hour, and his mother wouldn't stop him. In fact, she'd often stir things up, mocking Song Jiu Xin by reminding everyone he was the illegitimate child of the previous superintendent. This would anger Song Jiu Xin to the point where he nearly dragged a stool outside to start a fight. Only his maid, Zhi Kui, managed to calm him down after much effort.

Suddenly, a sharp voice echoed:

"Song Jiu Xin, Song Jiu Xin, come catch the adulterers! Your maid and Chen Ping'an are exchanging glances—they're clearly up to no good! If you don't keep an eye on your maid, she might climb the wall tonight to visit Chen Ping'an! Come out here now! Tsk, tsk, tsk, I saw Chen Ping'an touching that little devil's face. He was smiling so disgustingly…"

From inside, Song Jiu Xin shouted back lazily:

"So what? Last night, I saw Chen Ping'an pulling at your mom's clothes. When I caught him, he yanked his hand out of her blouse, sweating like crazy. And wow, your mom—she's got some… uh… assets. Poor Chen Ping'an was working so hard…"

Someone banged on the courtyard door angrily.

"Song Jiu Xin, come out and fight! If you lose, you give me Zhi Kui as my maid to feed me and wash my feet every day. If I lose, I'll give you Chen Ping'an as a servant. Deal? Come on, unless you're a cowardly turtle!"

Song Jiu Xin replied lazily:

"Go cool off somewhere else! Your dad checked the almanac, and today's not a good day to spank you. Lucky you, Gu San!"

Outside, the boy kept banging on the door and yelling:

"Zhi Kui, you're stuck with such a cowardly master! Isn't that miserable? Why don't you run away with Liu Tiandong? That fool looks at you like he wants to eat you."

Ignoring the noise, Zhi Kui turned and went into the house.

Inside, Song Jiu Xin was carefully polishing a green gourd. It was an old artifact, part of the "inheritance" left by his family. At first, he didn't think much of it, but one day, he discovered it buzzed during thunderstorms. No matter how much he shook it, nothing ever came out. If he poured water or sand into it, the same amount would come out—no more, no less.

One day, frustrated by Gu San's mother screaming insults outside his gate, Song Jiu Xin tried to chop the gourd with a knife. To his shock, the knife bent, but the gourd didn't even get a scratch.

Earlier, there had been a letter that Song Jiu Xin had burned. It said:

"We're sending money to make sure you and your maid have no worries about food or clothing. Take your time to enjoy life. This small town may seem rough, but it can nurture your character and refine your taste. Focus on doing your best and trust fate—good things will come in time."

Although Song Jiu Xin resented the man who sent the money, he still spent it. In this small, honest town, even trying to waste money was hard. Over time, he grew fond of collecting antiques. His chest was full of them, but among all his finds, three stood out: the green gourd, a rusty golden bell that made no sound when shaken, and an old teapot. The rest were just random things he liked.

Outside, Gu San kept shouting until he suddenly went quiet.

Later, Chen Ping'an saw the boy rushing into his yard with a terrified look. After bolting the gate behind him, Gu San squatted down and gestured for Chen Ping'an to do the same.

Confused, Chen Ping'an crouched down and whispered:

"What's wrong, Gu San? Did you make your mom mad again?"

The boy sniffled and whispered:

"Chen Ping'an, I just saw a strange old man with a bowl that could pour water endlessly! The bowl was so small, but he poured water for an hour straight! He passed by the head of our Ni Ping alley and stopped for a moment. Do you think he saw me? Oh no, I'm doomed…"

He gestured to show the bowl's size and clutched his chest.

"He scared me more than Song Jiu Xin's dad ever could."

Chen Ping'an asked:

"You mean the storyteller under the locust tree?"

The boy nodded quickly.

"Maybe, but that old man didn't seem very strong—he couldn't even lift me. But that bowl, it was terrifying!"

Suddenly, he grabbed Chen Ping'an's arm.

"Chen Ping'an, I'm not lying this time! I swear, if I'm lying, let Song Jiu Xin die a horrible death!"

Chen Ping'an motioned for silence, and the boy immediately shut up.

Outside, footsteps echoed, getting louder before fading away.

The boy, normally fearless, plopped to the ground, pale and trembling. Clearly, Gu San had been genuinely scared.

He suddenly asked:

"Chen Ping'an, do you think that man will go to my house? What should I do?"

Chen Ping'an sighed.

"Want me to go check with you?"

The boy immediately perked up but then sat back down, pleading:

"Chen Ping'an, my legs are too weak to walk."

With a sigh, Chen Ping'an helped the boy up, opened the gate, and walked him to his house. It wasn't far—just about a hundred steps. Sure enough, when they arrived, Gu San saw the old man standing in his yard. His mother was even offering the man a chair.