Merry Christmas everyone! Two chapters for this festive day. The hype for next chapter is real in this chapter. Do tell if I make some grammatical errors or wrong term. Oh, do you prefer me to write the way they call themselves like this chapter or just directly the Chinese term but in italic? Do share your opinion and I will change if needed.
Chapter 1 – Son-PrayingLegend said that at the Jing Yang Mountains there was a pond of spring water named Chun Yang Spring.
It didn't have any good usage, only that after a maiden drank the water from the Chun Yang Spring, she would give birth to a boy.
You asked if this spring water was effective or not?
Out of ten, nine and a half were effective.
What about the other half?
That represented those that were pregnant but encountered unexpected miscarriage. When it flowed out as blood, let us not mention whether it was a male baby or a female baby.
The fame of the Jing Yang Mountains rose due to the Chun Yang Spring, attracting various couples that tried to have a son from all places and caused the stepped on grass turfs to be "thoroughly shred into pieces".
We were telling you about this Jing Yang Mountains which was actually a private mountaintop. The several successive green hills next to Jing Yang Mountains, a clean creek water surrounding the underfoot of the mountains which encircled a city into an islet in the stream, all of them were known as Plum Islet Top.
It was a common knowledge for jianghu people that the Plum[1] Islet Top's Mei family faction practised hidden knife art. Their hidden knife art's fame was well known across the world. They stood toweringly at jianghu for hundred years without contest. Even the Martial Arts Alliance Leader had to be scruple three tenths towards Mei family. And this Jing Yang Mountain was Mei family's private mountaintop.
You want to rebuke again that was it not all land under the heaven belonged to the emperor?
Then you were mistaken. Old Master Mei had a land deed as proof. This piece of land was truly sold to the Mei family by the imperial court back when the dynasty was founded. The deed even had the founding emperor that old man's jade seal. Long story short, actually it was simply because it was the early stage of founding the dynasty. The national treasury was empty and there were many things waiting to be done. A counsellor then came up with this selling land claim idea. The nation's land must not be cut apart but the usage right for the land could be sell to those on their side.
When the mountaintop's master, Old Master Mei saw his own territory was trampled on, he was extremely cold-shouldered to the quality range of those who prayed for son. A small number of them did not cherish the environment, let alone continuously and disorderly caused the Plum Islet Top no peace. The followers could not practise properly for they only peep at the pretty married women. This was truly too much.
That Master then angrily slapped the table and ordered in a breath: Seal the mountain!
Since then, at the Jing Yang Mountains foot, there was a stone tablet. Words using cinnabar were furiously written on it: Trespasser of this mountain, die.
Beside the stone tablet, they raised a big black mastiff dog. Its gaze was like torch. Every day, it would bare its mouth and drool all over the ground as its sharp teeth glistered with eerie cold light.
There was one person proposed to Mei family, "Take a look at this, everyone scrambled for your family's Chun Yang Spring water. Why don’t you research and develop it into a product? Open a spring water store and transform into nationwide chain stores. You can even earn lots of money!"
That person was kicked out with one foot instantly by Old Master Mei. Old Master Mei spitted as he said, "Those fuckers didn’t give birth to a son is not my[Laozi]'s problem."
A quite domineering manner leaked out.
These all were introduction.
The later part of the story was that one day, two majestic splendour palanquins were carried to the Plum Islet Top. The accompanying attendants trotted along a route and knocked open Mei family's main courtyard's door, saying a few words toward the steward who opened the door.
After finished listening, the steward widened his eyes as he gasped for breath. He turned around and put good use of qinggong to return instantly inside the courtyard to find Old Master Mei as he shouted, "Master, Master, major matter happened!"
Old Master Mei was currently with his six sons in the courtyard for shadowboxing. He frowned slightly. "Why are you shouting for? Has the Heavenly King[2] descends?"
"Not, not far off."
"What the heck, speak properly to me[Laozi]." Old Master Mei kicked him away with one foot.
The steward rolled up on the ground, his whole body still quivering as he spoke, "Master, the Empress and Generalissimo Madam[3] were at outside. They said they wanted to ask for Chun Yang Spring water."
"What?!"
The steward on the ground could only repeat it one more time.
Old Master Mei kicked him for the second time. "You fucker, why didn’t you say earlier?!"
The current Empress was thirty years old yet she took very good care of her look, worthy of the four words idiom, "National grace, divine fragrance".
She who sat upright and still, was the personification of the model of all women.
"This secret trip of both Generalissimo Madam and I[bengong], earnestly hope that Old Master Mei will never divulge to others. It is long heard that Jing Yang Mountains had Chun Yang Spring which is absolutely effective. We must have a son. Hence, sincerely come here to ask. We hope that Old Master Mei will help us."
"Madam has exaggerate."
Old Master Mei glanced meaningfully at his servant. At once, a servant girl carried over two bowls of clear spring water.
Those bowls were white china bowls while that water was the son-praying water.
The Empress carried it up to have a look. She saw her own reflection on the water inside the palm-size bowl. She closed her eyes and recited silently Buddhist prayers. When she opened her eyes later, she somehow imagined seeing a cute boy baby smiled while waving his small hands at her inside that bowl.
She drank it all in one go.
When she returned the empty bowl, she handed over Old Master Mei a piece of smooth orange jade pendant. An awe-inspiring dragon was carved on it, surrounded by auspicious clouds.
"The Emperor promised, if I[bengong] give birth to a son, Old Master Mei will have done a favour to the imperial family. You can use this jade pendant to enter the capital and to promote into nobility or perhaps exchange for riches. We will wait Old Master's reply with anticipation."
Old Master Mei received the jade pendant and kowtowed in thanks for the imperial favour. Then, he was unafraid of death as he added, "What if the baby born later is not a boy…." It can’t be that they will let the Generalissimo bring soldiers to extinguish my[Laozi] whole family?!
"Then, it must be my[bengong] destiny and will not blame others."
Old Master Mei was relieved.
Generalissimo Madam too drank the son-praying water. Then, she dragged the Empress' hand and consoled the latter, "Empress has limitless blessings and this place is a blessed place. With these factors, Empress' wish will be granted for sure."
This Generalissimo Madam should be the Empress' good bosom friend. She too was around 30 years old, born as a delicate and adorable person who was gentle and virtuous. She too handed over a piece of jade pendant to Old Master Mei. It was a rare black jade, carved with a goshawk spreading its wings. "One day when Old Master Mei needs my generalissimo mansion's help, with this jade as proof, our generalissimo mansion will repay your help without hesitation."
Old Master Mei received it too without any word.
The Empress and Generalissimo Madam rose up.
"Madams, please wait." Old Master Mei handed over a pair of white porcelain bottles to the two beautiful madams. "These two bottles of spring water are for the Emperor and Generalissimo. Although it's a bit rude, still need to ask the Emperor and Generalissimo to take them…. as an insurance." He really had planned thoroughly for he even prepared some take-away.
After sending off the two honourable big shots, Old Master Mei turned around. Standing behind him were his six sons.
Old Master Mei frowned. In this era where men were superior and women were inferior, everyone wanted to have sons. When they had lots of sons, their status in jianghu too would rise. But, what is so good about sons? Troublesome, monkey-like spirit, how can they compare to daughters, cute and adorable? All I[Laozi] really want is a daughter!
He pointed at his eldest son. "Do you want a little sister?"
The eldest son gave a scornful glance. "Father, you are better off not wishing too much. In our Mei family's one hundred and twenty-three years at this Plum Islet Top, never before had we had any of the family branch give birth to a daughter. Even our distant relatives did not have one. If you really give me a little sister, our hundred year fame would be destroyed instantly."
About the matter where Mei family only gave birth to sons and never daughters, it was regarded as a jianghu legend. It was exactly the advertisement for the Chun Yang Spring. If Old Master Mei gave birth to a daughter, wouldn’t it be smashing one's signboard? The son shook his head. Never, we absolutely must not have a little sister.
[1] Plum, same word with the family name, Mei
[2] A metaphor for people who are very authoritative and noble
[3] In case I use wrong term, it refers to the Generalissimo's main wife. Do tell if I use the wrong term