Chapter Forty-Five: The Deep Connection Between the Cang River and the Dabie Mountains
According to Meng Yun’s account, it went like this: Meng Yun visited the Gu residence early in the morning to see Gu Xiaoxiao. Upon seeing Gu Xiaoxiao’s face swollen like a pig’s head, she was utterly shocked. Later, she learned the cause—it was an allergic reaction to rouge powder, and this happened the day after Gu’s father brought her back. The two concluded that the rouge was problematic, but whether it was an issue with the ingredients or something else, they couldn’t tell. Just then, Lin Erlang, the second son of the Lin family, arrived for the monthly accounting. He happened to ask about it and explained that the ingredient itself was good, but mixed into inferior rouge, it became harmful. Apparently, one of the herbs in the rouge conflicted with another plant, causing redness and swelling of the skin.
Gu Xiaoxiao, energized and determined to seek justice, ended up being retaliated against. In her escape, she took a nasty fall, dragging Meng Yun down with her. Meng Yun, delicate as she was, suffered quite a few accidental injuries at Gu Xiaoxiao’s hands. While bandaging her wounds, Gu Xiaoxiao insisted they be wrapped tightly—Meng Yun suspected she was angling for compensation. Honestly, who would dare target both the Meng and Gu families? When Lady Meng learned her daughter’s injuries weren’t serious, she breathed a sigh of relief and immediately sent people to investigate. Her daughter couldn’t be robbed for nothing, after all.
Lady Meng, helplessly, cast a reproachful glance at a certain someone—never a moment’s peace. While she fretted over her daughter, Old Master Meng encountered something strange. He, his brother-in-law Bai Zhanshuang, and their nephew-in-law discreetly visited a village near the Cangjiang River to gather information. That evening, they spoke with the village chief. Over dinner, the chief recounted the origins of Cangjiang and its connection to the Dabie Mountains.
According to the chief, the disturbances in Cangjiang might be linked to the Dabie Mountains, a vast range stretching thousands of miles, said in legend to be home to immortals. For centuries, no one had ever ventured deep into the mountains—those who tried vanished without a trace. People couldn’t enter, but things within could emerge. Occasionally, villagers glimpsed unknown creatures escaping from the mountains. These creatures were considered treasures—rumor had it consuming them granted immortality, though no one could confirm the truth. Thus, hunting became a profession; skilled hunters might catch a young specimen or two, while others could only watch.
Cangjiang itself originates deep within the Dabie Mountains, and no one knows how long it’s existed. It started as a gentle river but, over time, the water grew more abundant and turbulent each year. Villagers continually built dams to protect themselves.
In recent years, Cangjiang’s situation had worsened. At night, strange howls echoed, unsettling the village’s chickens, sheep, pigs, and dogs, who cried out in fear. Children wailed endlessly. Throughout dinner, Bai Zhanshuang kept his brows furrowed, silent and uneasy. That night, something happened that struck him as absurd.
As Bai Zhanshuang and his companions finished their talk with the chief and prepared to leave, a terrified scream erupted from the old house: “Help! Don’t come out! We shouldn’t die here! You’ve come to save us!” It sounded like an elderly woman. “Father, it’s Grandma!” cried the chief’s son. The chief, startled, rushed toward the house. Bai Zhanshuang and his group exchanged glances and followed him into the old dwelling.