flstandardbreds Chapter 175 Crane Spirit Wood
Chapter 175 Crane Spirit Wood
So, Ziyue whispered in Lin Fan's ear, teaching him how to say it.
Ziyue whispered something into Lin Fan's ear, and Lin Fan replied with a word.
Lin Fan said something, and Duan Ye replied with something.
After a few polite refusals, Lin Fan finally accepted the gift, albeit reluctantly.
"You, so innocent and clear-headed like a college student, how come you won't know how to speak properly when you enter society?" Zi Yue pinched Lin Fan's back again, feeling exasperated.
Lin Fan originally wanted to say, "I'm a college student," but then he thought that would make him seem too tactless, so he lowered his voice and said, "Doesn't this make it seem like I desperately need a good wife?"
Upon hearing the words "virtuous wife," Zi Yue's face flushed slightly, and she pinched Lin Fan again.
"Brother, could you give this sword a name?"
Upon hearing that it needed a name, Lin Fan frowned slightly and asked, "Did it already have a name?"
Duan Ye replied, "Of course there is one, it's called Iron Elephant."
"That's fine, keep this name, no need to change it."
After giving the gifts, it was time to say goodbye. Lin Fan was about to turn away after a hasty bow when Zi Yue jumped onto his back. "Acheng, wait! This is your sworn brother. You may not see him again for a long time after today. You're being too hasty."
Lin Fan lowered his voice, "Then what should I do? What should I say?"
With no other option, Ziyue simply hung on Lin Fan's back and taught him how to say goodbye politely, word by word.
Lin Fan's ears were covered in moisture from his breath, and they would itch so much that he couldn't help but touch them.
So, after Lin Fan and his companions' carriage left, Duan Ye watched the departing carriage and pondered. Why was his elder brother suddenly so much more polite today, and his speaking style was also somewhat different? And he had been touching his ear the whole time—was he hinting at something?
In the end, Duan Ye gave up shaking his head. He knew too little about his elder brother and didn't know if they would ever have the chance to meet again after this parting.
"Brother Fan, this is a fine sword made from the best Crane Spirit Tree." Chen Ergou stroked Lin Fan's black wooden sword with great affection in the carriage.
This carriage number one was originally for Lin Fan, Zhan Peng, and Doctor Lei. Doctor Lei went to the carriage behind, but Chen Ergou insisted on coming along because he wanted to see the wooden sword.
The second carriage housed Niu Dadan and his wife, while Dr. Lei went there specifically to provide psychological counseling during the second trimester of pregnancy, as well as advice on sexual activity during pregnancy.
Chen Ergou scoffed at this, thinking that Doctor Lei was just an old rogue.
Lin Fan felt that Dr. Lei was too comprehensive, which shattered his impression that Dr. Lei was a surgical master. He didn't expect that gynecology was also one of his fields.
Lin Fan sat on the soft cushions of the carriage, in a very good mood. In any case, everything was going smoothly. Could things have gone more smoothly since they set off?
Lin Fan was smugly pleased with himself, but Zhan Peng chimed in, "Brother Chen, I heard you're a carpenter. Can't you make many wooden swords from just one tree? Are they really that precious?"
Chen Ergou tossed the wooden sword to Zhan Peng, who picked it up with one hand and weighed it in his hand. It was indeed very heavy, but he didn't feel anything else.
"Commander Zhan, no, Guard Zhan, you're being uninformed. This Crane Spirit Tree can't be carved like ordinary wood. Even if you haven't planted a tree, you've at least seen one. Where can you find such heavy wood? No tree can grow this sturdy, not even a Crane Spirit Tree."
"How was it built?"
Chen Ergou became smug, shaking his head and saying, "Naturally, it has to be hammered like an iron ingot. This Crane Spirit Tree can expel moisture and impurities as it is hammered, leaving behind Crane Forest Wood that is like refined iron. To make such a large sword, it must be made from an old tree, plus the hammering skills of a carpenter with amazing strength over several years."
Upon hearing this, Zhan Peng touched the Crane Spirit Tree Sword with his hand, and indeed it felt pitted and uneven, as if it had been hammered.
Unable to stop himself, Chen Ergou continued as if boasting about his own treasure: "Although this Crane Spirit Wood has no sharp edges, it is incredibly hard, difficult to damage, break, or snap with iron."
Zhan Peng then drew his black dagger and made a cut on the wooden sword. Lin Fan and Zi Yue looked over curiously, and sure enough, not even a white mark was left.
"Even if Guard Zhan were to strike it with all his might, it wouldn't be a problem. This thing is harder than most refined iron. If it were an ordinary sword, it would definitely be the sword that breaks."
Zhanpeng had no intention of conducting destructive experiments.
Chen Ergou hadn't finished speaking when he added, "Moreover, the Crane Spirit Tree itself is naturally incorruptible. By the way, if Crane Spirit Wood is made into a container, it can keep the contents inside from decaying."
"Can't that be used as a refrigerator?" Lin Fan blurted out, speaking to Zi Yue.
Chen Ergou: "What's a refrigerator, Brother Fan?"
Lin Fan tried to explain, "What I mean is, if we make a big box out of Crane Spirit Wood, wouldn't the vegetables inside not spoil?"
Chen Ergou frowned. "Brother Fan, that's right. But Crane Spirit Wood is so expensive. A normal person wouldn't do something so extravagant!"
At this moment, the coachman knocked on the carriage door, pulled back a corner of the curtain, and said, "Master, Mount Moju is just ahead."
Zhan Peng, Lin Fan, and Zi Yue suddenly became serious, while Chen Er Gou continued to boast about the Crane Spirit Wood as if it were his own treasure.
"Alright, give me back the sword." Lin Fan took the wooden sword back from Chen Ergou's hand.
Zhanpeng pulled back the curtain and went with the others to see Moju Mountain.
Their high level of vigilance was undoubtedly because Lin Fan's old friend, Officer Li, was probably on this mountain.
However, even so, it's not normally possible to run into someone so coincidentally. But it's always better to be safe than sorry, so it's good to take precautions.
Looking at the dark mountain peak, Lin Fan naturally asked why the mountain was so dark.
Zhanpeng, who was familiar with the local geography, replied, "Brother, those are all Crane Spirit Trees."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ergou squinted and looked closely. "How could that be? Crane Spirit Trees can only be planted in fertile fields, how can they be planted on mountains?"
However, after looking at it carefully for a while, he realized that the tree bark was black and the leaves were so green they were almost black. If it wasn't a Crane Spirit Tree, then what was it?
Zhan Peng asked, "Isn't the Crane Spirit Tree a tree? It's normal to plant it on a mountain, so why can it only be planted on fertile land?"
Chen Ergou had no choice but to continue his popular science explanation of the Crane Spirit Tree: "Guardian Zhan knows that the Crane Spirit Tree needs the hard work of farmers to grow."
Zhan Peng frowned. "What crop doesn't require the hard work and dedication of farmers?"
Having grown accustomed to certain 'customs' of this world, Lin Fan immediately blurted out, "You mean those trees need to be watered with human blood?"
Chen Ergou shook his head again, "It's not that direct, you could say it's somewhere between your two statements."
Lin Fan was getting impatient and stabbed Chen Ergou with his sword, "Speak up, stop beating around the bush."
"Hey, it's not that you're asking all these questions, I already told you, okay?" Chen Ergou replied, "The so-called 'blood and essence' means that the Crane Spirit Tree must be planted on fertile land cultivated for generations. The farmers on these fertile lands must be driven away, they must be prevented from cultivating the land, and ideally, they should be forced to wander and lose their homes. The so-called 'tears in the eyes and blood in the heart' refers to the fertility of the Crane Spirit Tree. The more vibrant the life force of this place was before, and the more desolate these people become in the future, the more fertile the land will be. The lifespan of the Crane Spirit Tree is not determined by time alone; if the fertility is exhausted, its lifespan will not increase any further."
Hearing this, both Lin Fan and Zhan Peng were shaken. Lin Fan's hand holding the sword trembled slightly. He felt no joy at acquiring the sword, and instead found it unusually sharp.
"This is ridiculous," Lin Fan sighed. "What's the difference between this and flooding fields with human blood?"
Lin Fan didn't believe in such things at first, but the fact that the Li family in Taixin was right in front of him forced him to believe it.
Chen Ergou was taken aback. "Yes, it is. Irrigating fields with human blood is much simpler. If irrigating fields with human blood is all it takes, why would Crane Spirit Trees be so scarce?"
"So you're saying it can't be planted on the mountain?" Zhan Peng asked.
Chen Ergou nodded, "I don't understand either. There's no fertile land on the mountain. If people are driven out and trees are planted, we probably won't even be able to get the minimum five-year-old Crane Spirit Wood. Where can we find such a large area of trees?"
Lin Fan slumped back onto the cushion, no longer feeling comfortable despite the cozy seat.
Ziyue took his hand.
Lin Fan shook his head. "I'm fine, nothing serious, just a little resentful."
Ziyue didn't say much, just nodded at him. Then she gripped his hand tighter.
Chen Ergou turned to Lin Fan and asked, "Brother Fan, you're not thinking of throwing away this Crane Spirit Wood Sword, are you?"
Lin Fan glared at him. "Do you think I'm the kind of person who behaves strangely, acts on a whim, and does things impulsively without considering the consequences?"
Chen Ergou wanted to say yes, "If it's not you, then who is it?" But in the end, he didn't say it and just sat down, lost in thought.
In just half a day, the carriage had left Mo Jushan behind.
Zhan Peng relaxed, glanced at the somewhat somber atmosphere in the carriage, and took the initiative to speak up to ease the tension: "Leaving aside that bird tree, this fiefdom of Moju Temple is known as a little paradise."
"A fiefdom?" Lin Fan asked.
Zhan Peng nodded, "That's right. This area was granted to the Mo Clan by the founding emperor. This mountain range connects to eighteen villages along the mountain, all of which belong to the Mo Clan. Because of the Mo Clan's mechanisms, the people in these places live a good life without engaging in production. Of course, it can't compare to the Peach Blossom Spring that Doctor Lei mentioned."
Lin Fan asked in confusion, "According to the agricultural laws of the Great Qian Dynasty, aren't the use of mechanisms prohibited?"
Zhan Peng smiled and explained, "Big brother, you know this too! That's true, but isn't this the territory of the Mo Sect? Laws need to be flexible, and it's thanks to that that we have this peaceful little paradise."
Lin Fan nodded, not asking for further details, and he wasn't expecting anything at all. Rather, he already had a vague idea of what was going on.
After all, we'll be at the outermost edge of these eighteen villages soon, and we'll be able to see what's going on then.
Moreover, Lin Fan felt that what had just happened had already upset him enough, and he needed to calm down before dealing with the next upsetting thing.
So the carriage wheels slowly moved forward, the ruts like silk threads leading the carriage to the entrance of Moxia Village.
The two-horse carriage was indeed much faster, even though it was only afternoon and the sun was just beginning to set.
The coachman knocked again to remind the "master" that they had arrived at the village, and the carriage slowed down.
Lin Fan pulled back the curtain and saw that he didn't see any mechanism, but instead saw something hanging on the archway at the village entrance.
That's a person.
A female corpse, dressed in a dark green Taoist robe, was found. Her body was stitched together from head to toe with thread as thin as a little finger. Black wooden needles were embedded throughout her body. There was little sign of decay; her eyes were closed, and her expression was serene.
Lin Fan's pupils suddenly dilated, but he still couldn't utter the name.
To be honest, given Lin Fan's brain-damaged state, he's more than capable of driving his carriage past the archway.
However, the carriage stopped because Zhan Peng jumped off. He angrily grabbed a villager and demanded, "What's going on? Who gave you permission to leave a corpse exposed at the village entrance?"
As soon as he got out of the car, Commander Zhan seemed to have forgotten that he was now Zhan's bodyguard and began to question him in an official tone.
The villagers were very polite, after all, judging by the horse-drawn carriage, the owner was wealthy. The villagers didn't really distinguish between being rich and having power.
The villager answered skillfully, "This was hung here by the elders on the mountain. They said that this person came up the mountain to attack their tradition, so they had to hang his head here as a warning to the public."
The villager had clearly explained the situation to many passersby. With such a conspicuous hanging corpse, anyone would stop and ask about it.
The Great Qian Dynasty forbids private feuds between different sects and religions, at least on the surface. However, there are exceptions, such as within the fiefdoms of each religion.
Zhan Peng frowned slightly; it was indeed something he couldn't interfere with. Moreover, the Criminal Investigation Division seemed to be watching them fight like dogs.
In the end, he suppressed his desire to reveal his identity and retrieve the hanging corpse, and turned back.
Lin Fan gripped the wooden planks of the carriage tightly, so tightly that a handprint was pressed into them.
He gritted his teeth, clearly unable to contain himself and wanting to rush forward.
At that moment, his hand was pressed down by a pair of soft hands.
"Acheng, calm down. This is definitely a trap."
Lin Fan lowered his voice and said, "How can you expect me to stay calm? Wasn't my junior sister already buried? How come she's here?"
“You didn’t see Miaozhuzi’s burial either, did you? Seeing a grave doesn’t mean there’s anyone inside.” Ziyue calmly analyzed the situation for him first, and then advised, “That bastard surnamed Li definitely doesn’t know where we are. He’s just trying to lure you out with my junior sister’s corpse.”
Lin Fan's lips and hands trembled slightly, but he remained silent.
Zi Yue continued, "Acheng, you should understand that your junior sister died so that you could escape. If you fall into her trap, I don't think she will let you go."
Lin Fan nodded slightly and asked a seemingly unrelated question, "Zi Yue, how did you know about Miao Zhu Zi?"
Lin Fan was momentarily dazed, only to hear Zi Yue frown and reply, "Didn't you tell me yourself?"
Lin Fan thought about it and realized that he must have told Lin Yue'er that Zi Yue inherited her memories. If he thought that way, there was no problem.
Seeing that Lin Fan was in a really bad state, Zi Yue helped him pull down his pants.
Lin Fan felt his tense body relax, and he slumped back onto the soft seat. He took a few deep breaths, using the Soul-Suppressing Pearl to calm himself down.
Zi Yue still held onto his hand tightly, refusing to let go, as if she would risk her life to stop Lin Fan if he rushed forward.
Lin Fan patted her hand and said softly, "Don't worry, I won't be so impulsive. Actually, I've thought a lot about it. Zhan Peng is here too. Li Hao came alone, but we have so many people, so we're not afraid. But while we have helpers, he might have some too. I can manage myself, but I can't let you all be in danger because of me."
Ziyue then stopped holding Lin Fan's hand so tightly and instead patted his back to gently comfort him.
After saying this, Zhan Peng jumped into the carriage, and the carriage slowly started to move.
Zhanpeng smiled and tried to explain the matter in a relaxed manner.
Lin Fan had only a few beads of sweat on his face and didn't seem to be acting strangely. He calmly said, "Third brother, it's getting late. Why don't we rest in this village for the night before we leave?"