Chapter 65: Menial Work

Five people arrived, led by Elder Xia.

The two inside the cage felt a strange sense of relief upon seeing Elder Xia, knowing that their chance of release had likely arrived.

On the surface, however, they maintained an appearance of cold indignation at their imprisonment and recent torture. They sat motionless on the ground, cross-legged, glaring at Xia Fuli and the others.

Standing before the iron bars, Xia Fuli scrutinized the two shabbily dressed individuals for a moment before slowly stating, "It has now been confirmed that Wei Bian indeed instigated the assassination attempt on both of you. The matter has nothing to do with Bian Weiying; it was Wei Bian, driven by jealous love for you, Shi Chun, who initiated it."

This statement somewhat confused the two inside the cell. Shi Chun, who had been trying to maintain a poker face, couldn't help but let his stoic expression break, asking in confusion, "'Driven by jealous love'? What does that mean? What does anyone's jealousy have to do with me, that they would try to harm me?"

Xia Fuli replied, "The incident originated when you and Bian Weiying were out shopping. It's unheard of for Bian Weiying to go shopping with any man. Wei Bian is fond of Bian Weiying, and therefore became jealous of you, leading him to arrange your assassination."

"Huh, really?" Wu Jinliang also dropped his feigned expression of implacable enmity.

Shi Chun immediately turned and gave him a sidelong glance, as if to say, "You actually believe this nonsense?"

At least he didn't believe it. He uttered an "Oh," then directly pinpointed the crux of the matter: "So, the assassination attempt on us has absolutely nothing to do with Bian Weiying?"

Xia Fuli caught the implication in his words and silently commended him, thinking he wasn't foolish, just young and prone to impulsive mistakes. He calmly stated, "Believe it or not, the facts are clear. There is complete testimony from witnesses and material evidence. This is the truth of the matter."

Shi Chun replied coldly, "You can investigate yourselves however you like, as long as you're pleased with the outcome."

At the time of the incident, he had seen the situation clearly. Bian Weiying had personally come to preside outside the Anle Building, and Wei Bian was clearly acting on Bian Weiying's unspoken command. If even this could be deemed unrelated, then his years as the head of Dongjiuyuan would have been for naught.

It was simply that she was the daughter of the Wukang Mountain Sect Leader, and someone wanted to clear Bian Weiying's name and let a dead man take the blame. He was well aware of this.

Hearing this, Wu Jinliang also understood. He immediately retorted, "We don't understand all this. Tell us something we can understand. What happens next?"

They were eager to know when they would finally be released and how much longer they had to drag this out.

Xia Fuli said, "You killed the assassins in self-defense, and the rules of Linkang City are clear on that; we have no objection. Your crime lies in assassinating Wei Bian—was that self-defense? Regardless of your background or origin, how can disciples of Wukang Mountain be dealt with by outsiders without authorization?" The last sentence was a stern rebuke delivered with authority.

The four Wukang Mountain disciples beside him instinctively puffed out their chests, a sense of pride swelling within them.

"This matter has been discussed by the Wukang Mountain council, and it is indeed true that a disciple of our sect was initially at fault. Therefore, we are granting you an opportunity to atone. You will be confined to Wukang Mountain for one year and assigned to serve as laborers for that year. If you demonstrate sincere repentance, you may be released at the end of your term, or even earlier. If you resist repentance, you will be held until you show genuine contrition. Do you accept this decision?"

Shi Chun sneered, "May I ask, if someone from a powerful noble family or a major sect encountered such a situation, would Wukang Mountain dare to imprison them in this manner?"

If such a situation truly arose, there would naturally be appropriate adjustments to the response. However, at this moment, in front of outsiders, Xia Fuli did not mince words. "We would imprison them just the same!"

Wu Jinliang slapped the ground and sprang to his feet, declaring angrily, "I'm the first to refuse!"

Xia Fuli calmly stated, "Your refusal is useless. We will naturally beat you until you submit. I am merely here to inform you, not to offer you a choice."

Shi Chun also stood up. "Then don't be so hypocritical!"

Both men presented an indignant appearance of refusal to submit, each convinced they were playing their part quite well.

Xia Fuli's face was devoid of emotion as he tilted his head and instructed, "Give them clothes to change into."

A disciple carrying a stack of clothes immediately shoved them through the iron bars and tossed them onto the ground. "Change!"

Wu Jinliang glanced at the fabric of the clothes on the ground. It was clearly cheap, coarse cloth, of poorer quality than even their tattered garments. He immediately expressed his dissatisfaction, "No need. We're used to worn-out clothes; what we're wearing now is fine."

The disciple who had thrown the clothes said gravely, "On the mountain, tattered and unsightly clothing is not permitted. Change into them!"

The two inside the cell remained stubbornly defiant, resisting silently, determined to make their act convincing.

Xia Fuli spoke up, "You go in and help them change. Don't worry about being a bit rough with them."

"Good!" Several disciples immediately grinned sinisterly.

"No need," Shi Chun immediately refused with a dismissive wave. "We don't have a habit of letting other men undress us. We'll do it ourselves."

He grumbled inwardly, "This Xia fellow, too. We're already cooperative enough, and we're about to escape. Is it really necessary to act this perfectly?"

"Fine, we'll change, hmph!" Wu Jinliang ripped open his tattered upper garment.

The two then stripped down to their underwear in front of the five individuals, picked up the coarse grey clothes from the ground, and put them on.

As Wu Jinliang changed, he grumbled, "Jinliang, why are our clothes always so tattered? It feels like we're destined never to have nice clothes. How long will a new set even last us?"

"Could you shut your dog mouth and say something pleasant?" Shi Chun complained irritably. He certainly didn't want another beating.

After changing, Shi Chun's clothes were a bit baggy, which was easily remedied by rolling up the sleeves and pant legs.

Wu Jinliang's clothes, however, were a bit small, with his wrists and ankles slightly exposed. There was nothing he could do but make do with them.

The size of the clothes was secondary. What was crucial was the white-backed, black-lettered character "役" (yì, meaning 'servant' or 'laborer') drawn on both the front and back.

These clothes were clearly not made on a whim; it was obvious that they were not the first to be confined in this manner.

The cage door creaked open, and the two followed, stepping out of the prison. The daylight outside was somewhat dazzling.

On a bright, sunny day, Shi Chun and his companion looked up at the sky, feeling as though they were in a courtyard well.

As they ascended the winding, spiraling staircase, they observed the walls, which appeared rust-colored, exactly like the Wukang Mountain's hue they had seen from afar. Shi Chun tapped a wall with his hand and found it was neither stone nor metal, yet incredibly hard.

Stepping out of their confinement, they immediately saw a pristine blue sky, as if the previous night's wind and rain had never occurred.

Last night, in the darkness, Shi Chun and his companion hadn't been able to discern the appearance of Wukang Mountain. Now, looking out, they saw magnificent palaces and towers nestled among the peaks, with lakes reflecting the clear sky amidst pavilions and pagodas. The aura of an immortal realm was certainly present, yet it felt strange, as if something was missing.

"They're in your hands," Xia Fuli said to his disciples before departing.

Given his status, position, and cultivation, such a minor matter wouldn't ordinarily require his personal presence; it was indeed an exceptionally high-level arrangement. Outsiders could understand, as it involved the sect leader's daughter and the death of a sect disciple.

"Let's go!"

Shi Chun and his companion were pushed forward by the four individuals and led to a large courtyard not far from the prison, adjacent to it.

Compared to the magnificent palaces and towers, the small, crude buildings before them clearly indicated a less desirable living arrangement.

In the center of the courtyard was a large stone mill, on which sat a corpulent man with plump features. He was cracking sunflower seeds or similar snacks with one leg crossed, occasionally taking a sip from a teacup, all while scrutinizing Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang as they were brought in.

Upon reaching the stone mill, the four Wukang Mountain disciples chuckled and greeted the fat man, "Uncle Fatty."

The fat man grunted in acknowledgment and asked the two brought before him, "So, these are the ones who killed Senior Brother Wei?"

"Yes, Uncle Fatty, they've been brought. They're now in your charge."

The four Wukang Mountain disciples left after the handover.

The fat man casually spat out his sunflower seed husks. Seeing the two men's neither humble nor arrogant demeanor, he merely gave a cold chuckle and didn't bother arguing further, clearly indicating that there would be ample time later.

Shi Chun and his companion understood the implied threat and didn't dwell on it, knowing they would soon escape. Since they wouldn't experience his tactics, there was no need to worry.

The fat man suddenly turned and bellowed, "Where is everyone? Are you all dead? Didn't you see new people arriving?"

Two men immediately emerged from the humble building: one with a square face, the other with a long face, the latter appearing to be in his late forties or fifties.

Oh! Shi Chun and his companion immediately perked up at the sight of the two men. Not for any other reason than that they were wearing the same clothes as them, with the character "役" (laborer) on both the front and back.

The two men stood at the fat man's feet, their faces eager to please. Before they could flatter him, the fat man waved his hand and said, "What time is it already? Get them the water-carrying equipment. First, finish the morning task of twenty loads of water. They're new and don't know the rules, so take them on a trip and teach them properly."

"Understood," the two quickly replied, then motioned for Shi Chun and his companion to follow them.

After leading the two to a storeroom, they found two carrying poles and two pairs of buckets among a pile of equipment and distributed them to Shi Chun and his companion.

Seeing this situation, although they didn't know the exact arrangements Elder Xia had made, the two surmised that their escape was imminent. They decided not to cause any further trouble and prepared to follow the plan, obediently accepting the work tools.

During their time in Dongjiuyuan, they had also carried water from deep underground. Both of them had done such work before, so this was not their first time, though the tools here were inferior.

Under the watchful eye of the fat man at the stone mill, Shi Chun and his companion, carrying their loads, followed the two out of the courtyard.

Stepping out of the courtyard gate, the instruction began. The two newcomers were told not to wander around the mountain. Wearing these clothes, they were only allowed in designated areas when working; otherwise, if discovered by Wukang Mountain disciples responsible for vigilance in various areas, the consequences would be severe.

Shi Chun couldn't help but inquire about the identities of these two laborers. He learned that, unlike themselves, these men were not outsiders but genuine Wukang Mountain disciples who had been demoted to laborers as punishment for committing mistakes. There were currently forty to fifty others undergoing similar punishment.

The younger man with the square face was named Zou Xingbao, and the older man with the long face, nearly fifty, was named Duan You. Though of different ages, they were of the same generation within the sect.

The fat man at the stone mill was called Pang Tiansheng. His cultivation talent was mediocre, and he had yet to break through to high-level martial arts cultivation. However, he held a high seniority and was a direct disciple of the Sect Leader, hence he was placed in this corner to oversee the Punishment Division.

Wu Jinliang was puzzled. There was a lake on the mountain, so why did they still need to carry water from down the mountain? Was it purely a form of physical punishment?

It was explained that the water on the mountain was rainwater, which became stale if stagnant for too long. It was fine for cleaning, but not suitable for drinking. Since there were no natural springs on the mountain, they still had to fetch water from below. Of course, it wasn't wrong to call it physical punishment.

Before long, the two were led to another downhill path, a relatively narrow passage. From the entrance, they could already see people dressed in similar laborer's clothes going up and down, carrying water. Some were coming up with full buckets, others going down with empty ones.

"See there," Zou Xingbao pointed down the path, "follow those with empty buckets to the water collection point. You must fill your buckets at least ninety percent full; no cutting corners, or you'll be punished. The location is a bit far, so we won't go with you. We'll wait here for you to return, then take you to your designated pouring point. Remember, don't even think about escaping, or the consequences will be dire!"

Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang instinctively exchanged glances, a knowing smile appearing on both their lips. Just as they thought, there had to be a plan. So, this was it! Elder Xia's arrangements had indeed arrived. By deliberately stating they wouldn't follow them, it was clear they weren't monitoring them. And by explicitly warning them not to escape, wasn't the implication obvious?