T/N: This chapter took a long while because of all the annoying jargon, but it’s finally done! Put on your detective hats and bring out your magnifying glasses; it’s mystery time!
Also, I realize the footnotes are way, way too long this chapter, so speed reading should be sufficient if you want to just continue reading.
Chapter 12: 打死不偿命 Beat As You WillSeeing my return, Hong Yan immediately walked out from behind the front desk to usher me in.
Hong Yan looked at me and chuckled, "Look at that, Shopkeeper was actually willing to come back!"
I looked at Hong Yan and squeezed out a smile, "Don't tease me!"
Hong Yan looked at me smiling, "What is it, did you start liking that Thousand Jade Hall Hall Master Luo Qian Qi?"
I gave Hong Yan a cold stare and said sulkily, "What are you blabbering!"
Hong Yan watched me and smiled, "If you like him there’s no need to conceal it, you have to have guts and say it out loud; for a good guy like Luo Qian Qi, if someone else snatches him up you will regret it for the rest of your life, moreover I can tell that that Li Yan Xin by his side isn't someone easy to deal with!"
Hong Yan sighed, mournful as she said, "Don't be like how I first was, unable to appreciate it, in the end up until death I was unable to let it go!"
With this, Hong Yan smiled and patted my hand before leaving.
"Hong Yan!" I looked at Hong Yan's leaving figure and called out.
Hong Yan halted her steps and turned to look at me, smiling, then left again.
I let out a sigh, then walked behind the front desk.
As I sat at the front desk, lost in thought, I again thought of how Black and White Impermanence said the netherworld for the time being would not concern itself with Thousand Jade Hall's matters, what exactly is going on here?
"Pa pa pa!" while I was lost in thought a person slammed my table; no, it should be a ghost.
I raised my head and looked at the ghost in front of the front desk。 She was around thirty years old, her body covered in a sky blue cheongsam, currently looking at me with a face full of amusement.
I looked at the woman and said, "Auntie Ling Xue1, what are you doing?"
Ling Xue was also a ghost. In her previous life she was the wife of a general; after that general died she followed after him and killed herself.
After Ling Xue died she once went to the mortal world to find that general's soul, but she searched everywhere and even in the netherworld was unable to find him.
I had also once used my connections to search up the names of the reincarnated, but that general's name was not there.
I asked Black and White Impermanence before, and they told me the netherworld had never gotten that general's soul before.
But Ling Xue she wasn't willing to give up, not going to reincarnate, instead staying at Yellow Springs Inn waiting for the person in her heart, but this waiting has been a hundred years.
Ling Xue looked at me and smiled, "I heard from Hong Yan beauty, our Shopkeeper has someone she likes!"
I gave Ling Xue a cold stare, "How could you also listen to her nonsense!"
Ling Xue propped up her chin and looked at me, smiling, "But from what I can see it seems that what Hong Yan said was not nonsense!"
I chuckled a bit, saying, "Auntie Ling Xue you came just at the right time, you help me stay here and look over a bit, I'm going to go out to help in some matters!"
With this I walked out from the front desk, then persistently pushed Ling Xue behind the front desk.
Ling Xue laughed, "Xiao Qi don't push me, I'll go by myself!"
I laughed mischievously, "Auntie Ling Xue, then I'll take my leave!"
Ling Xue said, "At least tell me where you're going!"
"I'm going to find Yan Wang!" With this, I had already ran out of Yellow Springs Inn.
After leaving Yellow Springs Inn I came across the main hall of a Buddhist temple, this main hall was very grand and imposing, comparable to the imperial palaces of the mortal world.
At the entrance to the main hall Buddhist hall, I looked at Black and White Impermanence, Black and White Impermanence naturally also spotted me.
White Impermanence smiled at me, "Shopkeeper Xiao Qi for what matter did you come to Underworld Palace2?"
I looked at White Impermanence, smiling, "I came to find Yan Wang, is he here?"
White Impermanence nodded his head, "Yan Wang is currently in the study, Shopkeeper Xiao Qi, please follow us two brothers in!"
With this, Black and White Impermanence took the lead to walk to the study, and I followed behind them.
When Black and White Impermanence brought me to the study's door they stopped in their footsteps.
White Impermanence smiled at me, "Shopkeeper Xiao Qi, here is the study, us two brothers will just send you till here, you should go inside yourself!"
I thanked them before they took their leave, while I pushed the door and walked in.
Two thousand years had passed. I had only come to the Underworld Palace once, and also only met Yan Wang once, right after I had died. So many years have passed; I have long forgotten his appearance.
Walking into the study I saw that Yan Wang was currently by the desk reading books; in that moment I thought of Luo Qian Qi.
He was clothed in a black cheongsam, on the cheongsam was a big black python3.
Yan Wang saw that I came; he put down the book in his hands and looked at me, smiling, "Why did Shopkeeper Xiao Qi decide to grace my Underworld Palace today?”
I didn't know exactly how old Yan Wang was, but his appearance was very young, upon close inspection he actually had some resemblance to Luo Qian Qi.
I looked at Yan Wang, smiling, "If I said I came to treat you to a meal, would you believe me?"
Yan Wang looked at me and smiled, "I believe, why would I not believe?
I looked at Yan Wang and laughed hollowly, "Then why do you believe me?"
Yan Wang did not answer my question, merely smiling, "If I did not guess incorrectly, you came today for Luo Qian Qi's matter, right?"
I froze, saying, "How did you know?"
Yan Wang looked at me and chuckled, "Two thousand years have gone by without Shopkeeper Xiao Qi gracing us with her presence, today actually for a man came, it really is too rare, too rare!"
I smiled coldly, "Since you already know the purpose of my visit, then can you give me the answer?"
Yan Wang looked at me and smiled, "I can't!"
I furrowed my eyebrows, "Why not?"
"It's not that I won’t tell you; it's just that the time has not come, wait till the time is ripe and you will know on your own!" Yan Wang smiled as he looked at me and said this.
"The time has not come?" I looked at Yan Wang, then turned to leave the Underworld Palace.
Since Yan Wang was not willing to tell me, staying there would only be inviting refusal.
After I left the Underworld Palace, Yan Wang let out a sigh, from his face emerged an expression of faint distress, murmuring, "Xiao Qi, once you remember everything, perhaps you will blame me!"
On the returning road to Yellow Springs Inn I came across some ghost commissioners dragging newly dead souls holding down recently passed away erring ghosts.
They were currently walking on the river bank of the River of Forgetfulness.
There were four ghost commissioners, one for both left and right, one for front and back.
Those recently died souls were tied up with an iron chain, following the four ghost commissioners in charge of bringing them back to the Underworld Palace.
Finally my line of sight landed on the very last soul bound by the chain.
It was a female ghost, with the looks of someone about twenty-one, twenty-two years old.
She was very pretty, although her face was a pasty-white, but it couldn't hide her captivating face.
Of course, I wasn't interested in her appearance; what commanded my interest was her belly.
Her belly was very big, ought to be seven, eight months pregnant already. How did she die?
"Quick, catch her, don't let her run away!" Just when I was puzzling over it, from the banks of the River of Forgetfulness sounded a ghost commissioner's scolding voice.
I looked at the origin of the sound, the banks of the River of Forgetfulness, realizing that the female ghost with the protruding big belly had already struggled free of the iron chains and escaped, and also that there was already a ghost commissioner sent to chase after her.
But because the female ghost escaped, the remaining souls also became restless; one after another they all struggled free of the iron chains and fled in all directions.
I froze; souls these days are too gutsy, actually daring to escape from the ghost commissioners right under their noses.
But I still didn't think that there was one with even bigger guts.
There was one who had combed his hair into a punk-emo hairstyle4, a male ghost with a face riddled with acne that noticed me, and then took the initiative to run in my direction.
When he reached my side, without another word he grabbed my hand and ran.
I immediately froze up, staring blankly. Only after running a few steps did I manage to react.
I looked at him holding my hand and quickly started to burn with rage. I halted my footsteps; no matter how he pulled he couldn't move me.
Punk-emo looked at me and yelled, "Why the hell did you stop, can you not see that group of ghost commissioners chasing lao zi5?"
I looked at Punk-emo and smiled coldly, "They are chasing after you, not me, why do I need to run with you?"
Punk-emo looked and me and harrumphed coldly, saying as if justified and proper, "If it wasn't because lao zi thought you looked pretty, had a smidgen good looks…!”
"Slap!" I slapped Punk-emo's face with the palm of my hand, and Punk-emo was slapped onto the ground.
I looked at punk-emo lying on the ground and patted in satisfaction, smiling, "Thank you for calling me pretty, but the words 'had a smidge of good looks' I didn’t like; also, don't use dirty language in front of me!"
Punk-emo cupped his face and glared at me angrily, yelling, "Who the hell do you think you are, actually daring to hit lao zi, lao zi will let you be humiliated one day!"
I looked at him and laughed coldly, then according the law beckoned over three ghost commissioners.
Punk-emo looked at the ghost commissioners arriving and immediately wanted to flee, but how could I let him off so lightly.
I blocked his path, and kicked him to the floor again.
One of the ghost commissioners smiled at me, "Shopkeeper Xiao Qi, for what matter did you call on us brothers?"
I took out and handed them a stack of ming bi, smiling, "This ghost should be beaten as you will, this money is my treating you to a drink!"
Hearing this the ghost commissioners full of happiness accepted the ming bi, looking at me and laughing mischievously, "Ok, beat as we will!"
I smiled, then prepared to turn and leave.
Punk-emo held onto my leg, pleading, "Beauty, beauty, just now was me having eyes but not seeing Mt. Tai6, I beg you to let me go, I'm even willing to serve as your cow or your horse!"
I squatted down and raised his chin sneering, "Serve as my cow or horse? I don't need it!"
With this I used a spell to throw off punk-emo's hand, and with a raise of my foot, left.
I had only walked two steps when I stopped once again, I smiled at the ghost commissioners, "He was an escapee, after finishing the beating remember to send him back to the Underworld Palace!"
The ghost commissioner holding the money looked at me with a smile, "Shopkeeper Xiao Qi don't worry, this subordinate will handle the affair accordingly!"
I looked at Punk-emo and smiled coldly before leaving the River of Forgetfulness.
On the road I again saw the procession of ghost commissioners forcefully escorting the newly dead souls from just now.
The vagabond souls had all been recaptured, all except two; one was that punk-emo ghost, and the other was that big-bellied ghost.
Upon leaving the River of Forgetfulness I did not return to Yellow Springs Inn; instead I went to the mortal world.
That female ghost struggled free of the Soul Binding Chain and fled, she herself had a very heavy air of resentment, plus her belly also had a little ghost, if she is allowed to flee the mortal world, then the people of the mortal world are sure to face horrific deaths.
While I am not a ghost commissioner, and catching fugitive souls is not my job, but, I also do not want to see souls hurting people and merely sit down and stay indifferent while others are being hurt.
Perhaps I had not come at the most opportune time; right now was the middle of the day for the mortal world, so the rays emitted by the sun hanging high in the sky made me feel very unwell.
I looked at the street filled with tall and imposing buildings and the bustling crowd; not even one tree could be seen.
Just when I was preparing to find a shadier spot to hide, a black umbrella blocked the intense sunlight from me.
I was just about to say my thanks, when that person opened their mouth first to reprimand, "Running out here yet not looking at the time, is the feeling of being fried by the sun really that pleasant?"
I froze; how come that person's voice sounded so familiar?
I raised my head, and realized Luo Qian Qi was looking at me with a dark face.
I was just wondering why that person's voice was so familiar; so it was Luo Qian Qi.
I said, "Why are you here?"
Luo Qian Qi looked at me with a cold face, "I should be the one asking you this; don't forget, this place is the mortal world!"
I coughed twice before saying, "I came to find a little ghost that fled the nether world!"
Luo Qian Qi stared at me in thought, "Is it a pregnant female ghost?"
I looked at Luo Qian Qi with narrowed eyes, "How did you know?"
Luo Qian Qi looked at me and chuckled, "Let me bring you somewhere, once we arrive you will know!"
I may have been in doubt, but I still obediently followed Luo Qian Qi towards the place he mentioned.
I had no choice but to go; the umbrella was in Luo Qian Qi's hands, and I didn't want to be fried by the sun.
Footnotes:1. Auntie: if you’ve read a lot of c-novels before, you don’t need to read further, but if you haven’t, in China, it is good manners to refer to people by titles often given to relatives in the same age range if the other party is older than them, even if they aren’t actually blood related. Someone a few generations older would be referred to as “Auntie”/”Aunt” (a yi 阿姨) or “Uncle” (shu shu 叔叔).↩
2. Underworld Palace: this is translated from ming gong (冥宫). I was considering just writing Ming Palace, as ming (冥) can also mean dark, allowing it to have more meaning. However, I've written other places as English, so just for consistency, I will be doing the same for this. Also, the word ming (冥) will pop up again in the future, so take note of it. Or don't. Also, if you're wondering why I chose underworld and not netherworld, I will explain it in later chapters. ↩
3. python: so I was very, very, very confused for this part and did quite a bit of research, but did not come to a very good conclusion. You probably don’t care, but the original text said hei se da mang (黑色大莽) and I don’t know whether it is referring to a plant that looks like star anise but isn’t, or it is a typo of mang (蟒), which means python. If anyone knows what it probably should be, please do tell!↩
4. punk-emo dude: google sha ma te or 杀马特. The official definition seems to be: "Chinese subculture of young urban migrants, usually of low education, with exaggerated hairstyles, heavy make-up, flamboyant costumes, piercings etc (loanword from 'smart')." This guy was referred to throughout the text as just sha ma te (杀马特), so I looked through Google Images and took it upon myself to create a new nickname for him: punk-emo. ↩
5. lao zi(劳资): lao zi (老子) is a contemptuous way to say "I" and can be roughly translated to father or daddy, but the author used different characters from normal (劳资), either on accident as a typo or on purpose, with the same pinyin but instead of meaning father or daddy, it means something like labor and capital/management. ↩
6. to have eyes but not see Mt. Tai: a lot of you will probably know this already, so I’ll leave it to the comments to answer if there’s anyone new to c-novels. ↩
T/N: Is the foreshadowing too much? I’ll cut back down. Maybe. Honestly, I'm really interested in seeing what you guys think will happen…
Also, if you have a proper translation for the title of this chapter, please tell me! I’ve been researching on it but I still don’t quite understand what it’s supposed to mean…