Chapter 34: Dragonveil Mountain

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Su Yunqing effortlessly slipped past the soldiers and ascended the mountain. The soldiers besieging Longyin Mountain were nothing but a joke. At the main gate, there were armed men standing guard in an orderly fashion, but less than two miles away from the gate, a sparse group of them lounged around, drinking wine and eating meat, completely oblivious to the present moment.

After following the winding path up about two miles of stone steps, buildings within the mountain began to appear. From a distance, it was hard to tell, but once inside, it became clear just how vast this mountain truly was. Evergreen plants thrived here; even in late autumn, the landscape showed no hint of desolation. Such vigorous life was absent in all of Yizhou at this time.

Listening to the birdsong and occasionally spotting a squirrel dart past, Su Yunqing picked up a chestnut, peeled it, and was about to eat it when a whizzing sound flew past her ear. An arrow suddenly embedded itself with a sharp thud into a tree trunk right before her eyes.

“Who goes there?”

Startled, Su Yunqing turned around swiftly. A young woman dressed in a narrow-sleeved red garment, wearing black wrist guards, still held her bow drawn. Her delicate, rosy face was marked by a pair of wide, jet-black eyes that stared at Su Yunqing warily.

Su Yunqing hurriedly cupped her fists. “Greetings, miss. My name is Cheng Jinyu. I have ventured into the mountain without prior notice because a family member is gravely ill, and I seek a certain medicinal herb by the cliff here. I hope you might grant me passage.”

The young woman slowly lowered her bow and tucked it behind her back, crossing her arms as she approached. After observing Su Yunqing for a while, she circled her once.

“How can I trust you? How do I know you’re not a spy sent by the court?”

Seeing no hostility in her tone, Su Yunqing replied respectfully, “I have no proof to show my identity, but if you doubt me, you may accompany me. I swear I will seek only the medicine and will not tread elsewhere in the mountain.”

“Accompany me?” The young woman pointed to her own nose with a pursed mouth. “You’re a man and you want me to follow you? Dream on.”

“You misunderstand, miss. I did not mean that. But if you have a better solution, I am willing to cooperate, as long as it allows me to reach the cliff.”

The young woman held her bow in one hand and twirled the braid resting on her chest with the other. “You claim to be searching for medicine. Tell me, in this vast world, why must you come to Longyin Mountain?”

“Dragon’s Saliva Grass.”

Before Su Yunqing could react, an arrow shot forward with a sharp hiss, its string pressing against the woman’s neck before she gripped her bow tighter. “Don’t move. This string can kill just as easily.”

Su Yunqing stood still, puzzled. “I have explained my purpose truthfully and have no intention to deceive. Why are you so unfriendly?”

A cold smile curled on her lips. “Pathetic. Tian Youguang must have been fed something new lately, growing a brain at last. Sending a refined scholar like you to cover up. And what was the excuse? Dragon… dragon what?”

“Dragon’s Saliva Grass.”

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“Using some excuse about Dragon’s Saliva Grass.”

Tian Youguang was the name of the prefect of Cenzhou, tasked with suppressing bandits and fighting the Japanese pirates.

Su Yunqing realized that no matter what she said, she would never convince this woman with words alone. She decided to be direct. “I truly am not a spy sent by the court. Also, I know someone here in the mountain. If you really don’t trust me, call them out to verify.”

“Who? Tell me.”

“A young master named Ling Yuan. He once helped me and knows where I come from.”

The young woman’s eyes widened. “My brother? You know my brother? How come I’ve never heard him mention you?”

Su Yunqing’s anxiety instantly turned to joy. “Are you Song Jiao?”

“Yes.” Song Jiao smiled as she lowered her bow but quickly stopped smiling and asked, “How do I know you’re not lying? Maybe you just know my brother’s name to trick me.”

Su Yunqing had often heard their names on the boat; Ling Yuan always bought many things for his sister whenever he disembarked, clearly doting on her.

Since that was the case, she had nothing to fear and said, “If you don’t believe me, take me to see him. Then the truth will be clear.”

Song Jiao frowned slightly. “That may be, but my brother hasn’t been in the mountain for days.”

Su Yunqing had a sudden idea. “Then take me to see Huang Tu. Huang Tu also knows me.”

She even took out a paper-wrapped parcel from her bag. “I brought some dried fish for him.”

“Huang Tu?” Song Jiao rolled her eyes and sized her up again. “That ugly cat went down the mountain with my brother. He never leaves his side. But if you know even that ugly cat, you probably aren’t lying.”

Su Yunqing smiled. “Miss Song Jiao, you really are as clever as your brother always says.”

Song Jiao bit her lip shyly, her cheeks flushed. “What did you say your name was again?”

“Cheng Jinyu.”

Song Jiao blinked her big eyes and gave her a secretive glance. “I’ll take you to see my father and have him send people to help you find that Dragon’s Saliva Grass.”

Su Yunqing hurriedly waved her hand. “No need, thank you, Miss Song. Just take me to the cliff. I can find the herb myself.”

“The cliff is dangerous,” Song Jiao said. “One wrong step and you’ll fall to your death. Or if the tide rises, the waves could sweep you away. If you must go, isn’t there anywhere else?”

Su Yunqing shook her head. Song Jiao glanced at her again. “Since you’re not a bad person, I’m willing to help. I’ll bring some folks with you, Cheng Gongzi.”

Su Yunqing hesitated but still refused, knowing how perilous it was. She had come alone to avoid troubling others, but fate had brought her face to face with Song Jiao halfway up the mountain.

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Seeing her refusal, Song Jiao asked, “Do you know how high the cliff is from the top to the bottom?”

Su Yunqing shook her head.

“Do you know when the tides rise and fall here?”

“At night the tide rises, at dawn it falls?”

“Then you’re done for.”

Su Yunqing’s eyes widened. “Why?”

Song Jiao smoothed the stray hairs on both sides of her head, then continued twirling her braid. “The tides here vary throughout the year. If you don’t know the schedule and blindly go down, and you happen to encounter a rising tide, you’re as good as dead.”

Su Yunqing nodded thoughtfully. “Luckily I met you, Miss Song. Please tell me the exact tide times—you truly are my savior.”

Hearing this, Song Jiao blushed even more and beckoned her with a finger. “Come on, I’ll take you there. Are you afraid of my father? Then I won’t tell him.”

Not telling him would be best. Song Lang was a local warlord who fought valiantly against the Japanese pirates—he was a good man—but Su Yunqing did not want to alarm such a figure over this matter and risk complications.

Having Song Jiao guide her was good enough; once there, she would figure out how to find the herb herself.

When they arrived, Su Yunqing realized how naïve she had been.

Looking down from the edge, the cliff was sheer, carved like a knife’s edge, plunging dozens of feet straight down with no vines or roots to grasp.

The crashing waves below churned like a thousand heaps of snow.

This precipitous cliff stretched along the coastline for tens of miles.

A strong gust of wind swept through, carrying the sound of rocks tumbling into the sea.

Seeing Su Yunqing too close to the edge, Song Jiao grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

Su Yunqing stood frozen, overwhelmed. Where could she possibly start looking?