# Chapter 137: Carrying a Silver Mountain on His Back
/nApproaching the City God Temple, the streets were filled with devout men and women coming to burn incense. On both sides of the street were various stalls selling specialty foods and children's toys. Chen Ping'an bought a candied hawthorn skewer for Li Baoping and one for Li Huai, and then the two children began competing over whose candied hawthorn was bigger. As it turned out, Li Huai had better luck. With a total of six pieces on his skewer, he beat Li Baoping four times. Then Li Huai started hopping around joyfully, holding the candied hawthorn skewer high in the air as he ran in circles around Chen Ping'an and Lin Shouyi.
Li Baoping silently ate her candied hawthorn, then quietly stuck out a leg. Li Huai, not paying attention, tripped and fell flat on his face. His skewer of candied hawthorn rolled far away. Fortunately, his green bamboo book box was still tied securely. Li Huai sat on the ground and burst into heart-wrenching sobs.
The little girl in the red cotton-padded jacket raised her head, deliberately looking left and right. Chen Ping'an, both amused and exasperated, gave her a hard rap on the head, then went to help the flailing Li Huai up. He bought another candied hawthorn skewer for the heartbroken child. Li Huai's tears turned to laughter as he took the clean skewer. Then he also went back to pick up the one covered in dirt. With one skewer in each hand, he now kept his distance from Li Baoping, shaking both skewers back and forth.
Li Baoping rolled her eyes. "So childish!"
Strangely enough, no matter how much Li Baoping bullied him, Li Huai never seemed to hold a grudge against this fellow student. He didn't even get angry, at most he just felt wronged and sad for himself.
Chen Ping'an and Lin Shouyi couldn't figure this out. Lin Shouyi could only explain it as "one thing subdues another"—Li Huai needed Li Baoping to keep him in line.
The youth Cui Chan had left the group earlier, stopping alone in front of a miscellaneous goods stall. Yu Lu wanted to stop the carriage and wait, but the white-robed youth didn't appreciate it. Without even looking up, he waved for Yu Lu to follow Chen Ping'an and the others. He looked around, picking and choosing with some disdain, and was about to leave without having said a single word.
The stall owner was a lazy-looking young man. Earlier, when customers passing by to burn incense asked about prices, he had been indifferent, which made his business even slower. Now, seeing the white-robed youth's wealthy bearing, like a top-tier noble scion from the provincial capital, and especially noticing the youth's lack of interest, he immediately changed his expression. Flustered, he stood up from his stool, bowed humbly, and said that these dozen or so antique items were all family heirlooms passed down from his ancestors, with at least two to three hundred years of history. But now his family had encountered great misfortune and urgently needed silver—otherwise, he wouldn't have taken them out even if beaten to death.
The young man clearly looked like someone whose body had been hollowed out by wine and women. Seeing that the youth wouldn't speak no matter how much he talked, the young man plopped back onto his stool. He didn't dare try to force a sale. In this provincial capital, any master or young master from those noble families could drown him with just a mouthful of spit. Moreover, it was said that immortal masters from the mountains visited those mansions almost every year, and each time they had to open the grand ceremonial gates. The spectacle was even more exaggerated than during festivals and holidays—firecrackers exploded deafeningly, as if they wanted the entire city to know that immortal honored guests had entered their homes.
The youth Cui Chan suddenly asked, "If I buy everything on the table as a bundle, is ten taels of silver enough?"
The young man shook his head vigorously, his face falling. "Young master, I'm not trying to fleece you, truly. These ancestral treasures are genuine good things passed down through my family generation by generation. My family genealogy has clearly recorded that an ancestor served as Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince during the Jiji Era of the Later Shu Kingdom. Such items left by such an ancestor—even selling one piece for seventy or eighty taels of silver isn't too much, is it?"
Flushed red, the young man picked up a half-inch-long colored glaze figurine. Unfortunately, its color was dull and its appearance poor. Leaning forward, the young stall owner carefully handed it to the white-robed youth. "Young master, take a good look at this colored glaze beauty. If your eyesight is good enough, you can even see its eyebrows clearly, and the folds of its clothing—it can be said that every tiny detail is visible. Even setting everything else aside, this kind of rare colored glaze item—even if the quality of the glaze itself isn't high—selling such a large colored glaze beauty for three or four taels isn't being dishonest, right? Adding in all the other treasures, big and small, your offer of ten taels is really too low. Young master, do me a kindness and raise the price a bit?"
The youth Cui Chan frowned and thought for a moment. "How about eleven taels?"
The young man nearly choked on his own breath. Stunned like a wooden chicken, he stared dumbly at this white-robed youth who seemed to carry the aura of an immortal. Finally, he sighed. "Young master, stop teasing me."
The youth Cui Chan laughed heartily. "Do you recognize snowflake pattern silver?"
The young man nodded blankly and said with a bitter smile, "Naturally, I recognize it. My father's generation was quite wealthy and prosperous. On the street next to this City God Temple Avenue, more than a dozen shops were once my family's properties."
Cui Chan took a silver ingot from his sleeve and slapped it on the table. "Twenty taels of Great Li official silver. Converted to your Huangting Kingdom's inferior silver, it should be at least twenty-five taels, more than enough. Is that enough to take all this pile of junk off your hands?"
The young man had originally been hoping to get about twenty taels for these items he'd stolen from home. He immediately beamed with joy, quickly grabbed the silver ingot, clenched it tightly in his palm, secretly weighed it, then scratched it lightly with his fingernail. No mistake—it was genuine gold and silver of excellent quality. Afraid the youth might change his mind, he hid the ingot away, then grabbed the cloth corners from under the table edges. With one swift pull, he rolled it all into a bundle. The objects inside clinked and clattered against each other. After tying it tight, he pushed it toward the white-robed youth, grinning from ear to ear. "Young master, it's all yours."
The youth Cui Chan picked up the bundle and joked, "..."
The young man said with a flattering smile, "I'm well-known in this city as an honest man. I never cheat children or the elderly in business. Young master, rest assured one hundred percent—this transaction guarantees you won't lose, only profit."
Cui Chan, carrying the bundle in one hand, hurried after Chen Ping'an and the others toward the City God Temple. Speeding up his pace, he reached the carriage, casually tossed the bundle to Xie Xie, then walked over to Chen Ping'an. Pointing at the conspicuous roof of the nearby City God Temple, he introduced, "This is the largest City God Temple in the Huangting Kingdom. Legend has it that in the late years of the former Western Shu dynasty, it governed the city gods of several provinces, so its eaves are covered with green glazed tiles—an extremely high specification. Ordinary City God temples wouldn't dare use such precious tiles. The original site wasn't here. After the change of dynasty, when the Hong clan took power, it was relocated to its current location. Actually, the original site of this City God Pavilion was a good place—it had an old well that was a spiritual spring. Now, it's been converted into an inn by a sect of the Huangting Kingdom, specifically receiving cultivators and wealthy families from both the court and the common world. The spiritual energy emanating from the spring is beneficial for cultivation. Such places are rare and hard to come by in the mundane world below the mountains."
Chen Ping'an asked, "Is it expensive?"
Cui Chan thought for a moment. "For you, deadly expensive."
Chen Ping'an glanced at Lin Shouyi, who was gazing at the upturned eaves and ridge beasts of the City God Temple, and asked softly, "How expensive?"
Cui Chan smiled. "One person per night, at least a hundred taels of silver. The rooms in the courtyard closest to the well probably cost double or more."
As the Great Li National Teacher, Cui Chan had once controlled part of the dynasty's intelligence system, specifically targeting mountain forces within Great Li and neighboring countries. Matters like the ins and outs of this Huangting Kingdom's provincial capital city, or the history of the City God Temple's relocation, were among the intelligence content he had to read. As for why he knew the specific prices of the inn at the original site—that was just a pastime for National Teacher Cui Chan to pass the time in his leisure moments. Besides, it could serve as an interesting topic of conversation when playing chess with the emperor during court audiences.
Chen Ping'an lowered his voice and asked, "If I had a gold essence copper coin on me, how many taels of silver would it be worth?"
The white-robed youth extended his hand and pointed at the increasingly close City God Temple. He didn't speak.
Chen Ping'an asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"
Cui Chan laughed. "I mean it's worth a silver mountain that big."
Chen Ping'an's mouth fell slightly open. He looked at the vast, sprawling City God Temple with its continuous buildings, then surreptitiously felt the bamboo basket on his back.
When the straw-sandal-wearing youth realized he was carrying a silver mountain on his back, it suddenly felt a bit heavy.
Cui Chan noticed this detail but remained expressionless.
Chen Ping'an hesitated for a long time. Just before entering the City God Temple, he stopped and asked, "Cui Dongshan, can I borrow money from you?"
The white-robed youth seemed to have been waiting for Chen Ping'an to say this. Hands tucked into his sleeves, he nodded with a smile. "Of course you can. You can think of me as a treasure boy—whatever money I have, whatever treasures I want. There's nothing you can think of that I can't provide."
Chen Ping'an made up his mind and said slowly, "Then let's stay at that inn tonight. No matter how long we stay after that, you cover all expenses for now. Later, give me a total, and you set the interest rate. When we get back to Longquan County, I'll pay you back with principal and interest. Deal?"
Cui Chan pulled one hand out of his sleeve and waved. "Forget the interest. Just pay me back the principal when the time comes. Helping others is helping myself, after all."
Just then, Li Huai, holding half a skewer of candied hawthorn in his hand, suddenly crouched down and stared wide-eyed at the white-robed youth's boots.
On Cui Chan's boots stood a pure white little grasshopper. When Li Huai stared at it intently, the strange grasshopper, which had been about to climb up the robe, immediately froze. Li Huai, curious about the little creature, reached out to catch it. The silver-white grasshopper, startled, no longer dared to play dead. It quickly and agilely hopped, its front claws hooking onto the fine threads of Cui Chan's outer robe. It scurried swiftly up to his waist, then with one final leap, hung beneath his sleeve cuff, swaying slightly.
The white-robed youth smiled as usual. Twisting his right wrist, he caught the grasshopper between two fingers and gently cupped it in his palm before stuffing it into his left sleeve.
Then an even more astonishing scene occurred. The lively white grasshopper in the youth's palm melted like snow and ice, instantly transforming into a silver ingot. But the ingot was still wriggling and moving.
After hiding the silver ingot—or rather, the grasshopper—in his sleeve, the white-robed youth looked around. Yu Lu and Xie Xie, the young man and woman from the Lu Dynasty, had calm expressions. But Chen Ping'an and his group, the country bumpkins from Lizhu Cave Heaven, all looked more shocked than the next.
Cui Chan clearly didn't want to say much more. He turned to Yu Lu and said, "You and Miss Xie go buy some incense. We'll need it when we go into the City God Temple later. It's best if you also buy an incense tube. And don't forget to pick one with a simple, elegant style. Otherwise, I won't pay for the incense tube."
The tall youth took the dark-skinned girl to go buy incense.
Chen Ping'an hit the nail on the head. "Cui Dongshan, that silver ingot was the money you used to buy that bundle earlier, wasn't it? How did it turn into a grasshopper and run back to you?"
The white-robed youth put on an innocent expression. "I clearly paid the money. Goods and payment were settled. But the silver grew legs and insisted on running back to me. I'm in a difficult position too."
Li Huai was still crouching on the ground, his face full of envy. "Tsk tsk, what a great thing. If I had a silver ingot like that, I could travel the world without any trouble."
The white-robed youth looked down and asked with a smile, "You like it? Want it? This little thing is called insect silver. It's not very useful, just fun. The reason for such spirits' existence is unknown. Anyway, in the large treasuries of many dynasties, even once in a hundred years, you might not see an insect silver appear. And even if one does appear, it's not big. The silver form it takes is at most a larger piece of broken silver. One as big as the one in my sleeve is very rare. That's why I'm willing to keep it with me. Moreover, it's impervious to water and fire. Even if subjected to the force of ten thousand jun, it won't be damaged in the slightest. Even if you cut it into dozens of pieces, as long as you pile them together, it can quickly restore its complete form. Li Huai, if you want it, I can give it to you?"
Li Huai stood up and replied seriously, "I only have one older sister, called Li Liu. But for now, she's still considered A Liang's wife."
The white-robed youth knew this little brat's way of speaking. "Would you take it for free? I have no designs on your sister."
Li Huai asked, "Then if I use it to pay for meals in the future, taking Chen Ping'an and the others to eat and drink well every meal, will it be able to run back to me every time?"
Cui Chan nodded with a smile, shook his sleeve, let the silver ingot drop out, and handed it to Li Huai.
Li Huai was about to take the silver ingot when he paused slightly. He turned to look at Chen Ping'an.
Chen Ping'an said, "You have to pay for meals. You can't find ways to welch. I can't control what Cui Dongshan does, but you, Li Huai, are Teacher Qi's disciple..."
Li Huai immediately put both hands behind his back, pressed tightly against his butt, and shook his head at the white-robed youth. "Ah, forget it then."
Chen Ping'an continued, "Li Huai, I haven't finished speaking. But you can take the insect silver. Since someone kindly gave you a good thing, accept it first. As for how to use it later, we'll follow the rules then."
Li Huai's eyes lit up. He snatched the silver ingot from the white-robed youth's hand and was about to stuff it into his chest. But then he thought better of it, turned his back to everyone, opened his little book box, and tossed the silver ingot inside.
The youth Cui Chan withdrew his hand with a slight grimace. "Well, well. I've been catching eagles my whole life, and now an eagle pecked my eye."
Yu Lu had already bought a well-made boxwood incense tube, filled to the brim with incense sticks—enough for all of them to burn incense many times in the temple.
Except for Xie Xie, who had to mind the carriage by the roadside, the rest of them walked into the City God Temple. After each had offered incense, they saw a couplet in the main hall.
"When dying, you end up alone, going to the underworld to ask where your descendants are; In the end, you leave behind only eternal infamy, coming to the underworld to realize everything is futile."
The City God sat in the high central seat, flanked by subordinate officials arrayed in order, an imposing spectacle. There were as many as eight clay statues with general titles, including the chief officers of eight departments such as the Yin Yang Department, the Rapid Report Department, and the Life Span Annotation Department. The youth Cui Chan also said that in the entire Baoping Continent, the highest specification for a City God Temple stopped here. But the largest City God Pavilion in the world had as many as twenty-four departments, including a Document Inspection Department, an Epidemic Expulsion Department, and an Education Department—almost comparable to a small country's court.
Lin Shouyi watched with great interest. Li Baoping was less enthusiastic. Li Huai was the most timid and dared only to stick close to Chen Ping'an.
After carefully viewing the famous mural of the Eighteen Levels of Hell on the inner wall of the main hall, they felt it was a worthwhile visit. Then they walked out of the main hall. The rear hall was a courtroom similar to a county magistrate's judgment hall. The City God sat behind a large desk, with civil and military judges standing on either side. But the couplet outside the hall was only half complete: "Sincerity brings efficacy, no need for you to kowtow, quickly withdraw." The lower line was blank.
Li Baoping now became interested and started pondering the lower line herself. But no matter what she thought of, she wasn't satisfied. She frowned, refusing to admit defeat.
The youth Cui Chan and Yu Lu also stood beneath the blank couplet.
Chen Ping'an, along with Lin Shouyi and Li Huai, stood at the entrance, peering into the hall. Inside, there were clay statues—some prostrating and kowtowing, some wearing shackles and cangues, some kneeling with heads bowed.
A blue-robed old man who was not accompanied by any family saw the conspicuous green bamboo book boxes of Li Baoping's group. He smiled knowingly, came near the youth Cui Chan, and also looked up at the blank couplet. With a laugh, he asked, "Young scholars, have you thought of a good lower line?"
Cui Chan acted as if he hadn't heard.
Li Baoping, once she focused on thinking, was completely absorbed and truly didn't hear.
Only Yu Lu replied with a smile, "I've thought of a few, but I'm not satisfied with any of them. They're too much like a dog's tail attached to a sable coat. I won't embarrass myself in front of you, old sir."
The old man laughed heartily and pointed at the couplet. "Regarding this couplet, there has always been an unwritten rule in this city. Whether human or ghost, spirit or monster, whoever can write a lower line that convinces everyone can become an honored guest of this old City God."
Yu Lu asked doubtfully, "Old sir, how does one convince everyone?"
The youth Cui Chan said lazily, "Look into your own heart and ask yourself."
Li Baoping had just resolved a problem, beating back a mental obstacle. Coincidentally hearing the question and answer, the little girl subconsciously added, "In the dead of night, when your conscience is clear, look into your heart and ask yourself—then speak out loud."
The white-haired old man in blue slowly nodded.
Although the little girl in the red cotton-padded jacket ultimately couldn't come up with a suitable lower line, the old man still insisted on seeing them all the way out of the City God Temple. Standing inside the threshold, he smiled and bid them farewell.
After leaving this ancient City God Temple, Chen Ping'an asked people about the location of that inn. But everyone seemed utterly clueless, as if such a place didn't exist in the entire city. He had no choice but to look at the white-robed youth.
The youth Cui Chan asked with a smile, "How about we forget it? I only heard some rumors anyway. I'm not sure they're true. Besides, if this money-eating, silver-swallowing place really doesn't exist, you won't have to borrow money from me."
Chen Ping'an glanced at Lin Shouyi, who looked utterly confused. Chen Ping'an persisted, "You all take your time wandering around the market. I'll ask a few more people."
Carrying his bamboo basket, the straw-sandal-wearing youth trotted ahead alone. In the distance from the group, he asked one person after another.
The youth Cui Chan walked toward the carriage, his expression subtly displeased. He couldn't help but grumble inwardly, Chen Ping'an, you might be carrying a mountain of gold and silver on your back, but this is an activity that drains money like water. In the end, you'll just be making a bridal gown for someone else. Why be so solicitous?
Just as the white-robed youth bent over to lift the carriage curtain, he turned his head and looked at Lin Shouyi, who was still kept in the dark. The youth's eyes were gloomy, and at that moment, he felt a twinge of envy.
(This chapter ends)