Chapter 26 Mountain Summit
By the time I brought Teacher Lin to come over, Huang Shulang and group were still eating. When it came to eating things, Huang Shulang can square off against two or three people at the same time. Originally, the things were supposed to be evenly distributed. Huang Shulang ate up two-three portions by himself clean, only later could the impatiently waiting Ma Jindong and others get to eat.
“Ma Jindong, isn’t this pastry tasty?” Huang Shulang asked with a smile, with fire coming out of his eyes.
“Tasty, but th-this, is mine.” Although Ma Jindong stuttered, he could express himself quite accurately.
Ma Jindong also looked at Li Lijuan: “Juan’zi, tasty or not?”
[TLNote: Zi is a suffix to the name Juan]
“Tasty.” But others including Li Lijuan had been on guard against everything and anything and Huang Shulang from the very start, didn’t give any chance to Huang Shulang.
Huang Shulang saw that there was almost zero possibility of his little friends stretching out their hands, but he also couldn’t rely on brute force to forcibly take away, because his fighting ability was even lesser than Li Lijuan’s. As a result, Huang Shulang could only helplessly walk back towards the mountain summit.
“Hey you, the fatty, just now we told you all that this place is not where you all can come. Why have you come again.” As Huang Shulang walked up, he was immediately recognized by the people guarding the entrance. It wasn’t really that difficult to not recognize, Huang Shulang’s features were too distinctive.
“Uncle, are there some more of those tasty treats?” Huang Shulang asked timidly.
“You little, you have gained all that fat just like this, and still you are thinking of eating. Those were for us to eat on our way down, everything has been given to you all. You hurry up and go back. This mountain is not safe.” Said the man who was guarding the entrance.
Huang Shulang could only bitterly leave, but he had only walked a few steps, before he turned back: “Uncle, what are you guys doing here? This here is our Huang Clan’s ancestral graves. Could it be that you have come here to dig up our Huang Clan’s ancestral graves?”
“Nonsense, we are here for archaeology.” That person panicked somewhat. This really was some clan’s ancestral graves, and even though they were relying on the banner of archaeology, it still cannot be said to be justified somewhat. You cannot do archaeology on some clan’s ancestral graves. Generally archaeological excavations are all conducted in ownerless tombs. Whereas these tombs have clear-cut descendants who won’t allow archaeology team to come do archaeology.
“Whether or not you are digging graves, I will go back and tell the villagers.” Huang Shulang turned back to walk.
That man panicked, and quickly caught up: “Fatty, don’t go so fast, I still have some snacks, all of which I can give to you to eat. You little fatty, you really are wicked.”
I could hear from the distance the conversation between Huang Shulang and that man, and thought to myself that Huang Shulang, in order to eat his fill, can really come up with any sort of wicked ideas. Usually really used to underestimate him due to the hundred or so jin fat on his body.
Actually, the tomb on this Ba Jiao Mountain’s main peak cannot really be considered to be the Huang Clan’s ancestral tomb. The graves of the village’s varied surnamed families were all located at the foothill of the mountain. Who would dare to put the graves on this mountain’s summit? I had once heard that this Ba Jiao Mountain’s main peak has a grand mausoleum, belonging to a very powerful figure. This so-called powerful person definitely didn’t have that fame during his lifetime, rather, he had become very fierce immediately before his death. I heard it was a very powerful Yin-Yang, and even while living, he had turned this Ba Jiao Mountain’s main peak into his grave-site. After he died, he was buried on this peak.
As far as the people of Ba Jiao Village were concerned, the Ba Jiao Mountain’s main peak was considered a forbidden ground from the very beginning, and after frequent warnings from parents, one would absolutely not enter the Ba Jiao Mountain’s main peak. In the village, there would often be people who spoke of seeing the silhouette of a person on the main peak. There was even a time when sounds of fierce fighting were heard from that place. However, I had never ever seen it, and also I wasn’t sure if the adults were just saying that to scare us.
I remember that one time that I had gone there by mistake, it was also because I was chasing after a hare. The result was me carelessly entering the main peak, where I had picked up the Bronze Medal, which has, to this date, hung around my neck. However, I had never ever thought that such a small bronze medal, would be capable of completely altering the trajectory of my life. But still, I would rather have not discovered this bronze medal, since if I hadn’t, I would, like other children, have been a recipient of the meticulous care of my parents.
[TLNote: Well this is a first, an MC regretting his fortuitous event]
Huang Shulang’s scheme had succeeded, and he came out holding a big pile of snacks. As he saw me coming up along with Teacher Lin, he promptly took that big pouch full of things and hid it in his clothes, making the clothes which were originally already stretched to the limit, be on the point of rupturing.
“Huang Jingyang, quickly go back. Those of the archaeology team won’t let you in.” Huang Shulang was worried that I would use the same method to go ask the archaeology team for snacks. If that were so, he wouldn’t be able to monopolize that Dugu Qiubai kind of a feeling. A child’s thoughts are always somewhat unique.
[TLNote: Ok that Dugu Qiubai part is messy. I have no idea what is going on there, except that Dugu Qiubai is apparently a character from Jin Yong’s Wuxia novels and is unusually powerful ]
“Your conversation with them was so loud, that I could hear it from the foothills of the mountain, isn’t that right, Teacher Lin.” I said laughing as I turned my body to face Teacher Lin.
“And What did you hear exactly? I haven’t said any nonsense.” Huang Shulang wasn’t so sure in his heart, he had a very guilty conscience, his eyes were shifting incessantly even though his eyes were small. In fact, it was fundamentally difficult to even see his eyes, but from seeing that one strip changing entirely white or going black, one could possibly be capable of distinguishing.
“Really didn’t talk nonsense. Then you tell which of your ancestors has been buried on this mountain?” I said laughing. Teacher Lin upon hearing also giggled.
“I also didn’t say which ancestor of our clan has been buried here. Anyway, the person buried here was our Ba Jiao Village’s person, you say, right or wrong? He is our Ba Jiao Village’s person, then that is our ancestor. They came to dig our ancestor’s tomb, that is not right. You say, right or wrong?” Huang Shulang kept constantly stirring his two fat lips.
Teacher Lin laughingly said: “Huang Shulang, if you were to use that intelligence of yours towards studies, and ensure that you don’t maintain your present appearance, then it wouldn’t be difficult for you to get accepted into a university.”
“Of course, I am our Ba Jiao Village’s number one in intelligence. Now finally Teacher Lin realized it.” Huang Shulang smiled at me with a look of pride.
I ignored the fatty, and walked past his side, moving towards the mountain top.
“Why did you come again?” The guard at the entrance was a 27-28 year old man. Hearing the sound of footsteps, he had thought that fatty had returned again, and after coming out upon seeing me, said scowling miserably: “All of you kids, have all of your forms of entertainment died? Everything has already been swindled by that fatty. You go talk to that fatty. In any case, I won’t permit whoever comes to go past.”
I laughed ‘Heheh’: “This place is our Ba Jiao village’s territory, for what reason can you not let us people of the Ba Jiao village to go the mountain top?”
“Our archaeology team is conducting archaeology. n.o.body is permitted to enter this place.” This person had been incensed by me.
“You say that you all are the archaeology team? What proof do you have to say that you are the archaeology team”. I also didn’t shrink back. I had seen on T.V, that doing any sort of work required all sorts of paper-work.
That man looked at me somewhat surprised, “How come all you village children are so troublesome? If I were not a part of the archaeology team, would I still have dared to come here?”
“Before you people came here, some grave-robbers had come. Later, they were all driven away by the villagers with sticks and shoulder-poles.” I stared intently at that man.
That man laughed, “Ok, ok, ok, I will go and get the doc.u.ments.”
Teacher Lin walked over: “Huang Jingyang, we’d better go down. When they came here, it seems as if they went to your village first. It must definitely be the archaeology team. How could a team of grave robbers dare to act so brazenly.”
“Precisely. If we were tomb raiders, would we still come here with so much fanfare? Even now this place had your county’s police providing a.s.sistance. They only just now left.” That man’s eyes immediately brightened upon seeing Teacher Lin, “This beautiful lady, we really are the archaeology team, my name is Liu Jinan. We are part of Professor Qian Senrong and Professor Cai Shengquan’s team. We are students of Professor Qian Senrong. How could we possibly be grave robbers?”
“Children are just curious. I am their teacher. Really sorry for trouble they caused you.” Teacher Lin after saying that, pulled me to one side, “These people are not impostors. We should go ahead and return. It’s not good to disturb their work.”
“Would it be possible for us to have a look at the place where you are excavating?” I said, still somewhat not reconciled.
The main reason was that I was still wearing that bronze medal around my neck, and I had many thoughts as far as this old tomb was concerned. Since, this bronze medal had come from here. Perhaps, there may be even more objects similar to the bronze medal at this place.
“Also cannot, must not. I may take you both to the archaeology site to have a look, but you must compulsorily follow my instructions, and after taking a look, you must depart at once.” Liu Jinan was naturally looking at Teacher Lin, willing to make concession.
“In that case, thank you very much.” Teacher Lin thanked him promptly.
“No problem, No problem. In fact, last time when we did archaeology, there were also several people who had come to visit. Making the common man understand somewhat the task of archaeology is also important for the protection of the historical relics.” Liu Jinan was naturally willing to beat his own trumpet.
“This mountain is very steep, I honestly don’t know what the advantage would be of going through so much effort to have the graveyard placed atop such an inaccessible fortress-like mountain.” I could see Liu Jinan’s trying to act as safeguard, while climbing the mountain, he never tried to catch me, but rather from time to time would try to grab Teacher Lin. However, every time I would be able to act ahead of him, not letting him get the opportunity. Each time, he would look at me with a frown.
Teacher Lin seeing such obvious actions of mine, couldn’t help but chuckle incessantly.
In any case, I was a child, also didn’t speak about face or care about any face.
Liu Jinan being blocked by me so many times, naturally felt it embarra.s.sing to squabble with a child.
Anyways, it took almost half an hour before we were able to arrive at the site. The main reason was because the mountain road was difficult. Teacher Lin’s hair was quite long, several times it had become entangled in vines and thorns, taking up the majority of time and effort, just to undo it. Later, Teacher Lin would treat her hair properly.
“Liu Jinan, you are no good at guarding the mountain, what are you doing running up to here?” As Liu Jinan was walking towards the summit, some person quickly said disgruntedly.
“Don’t talk about it, this village has lots of children who came running over to watch the scene. I am only one person, can’t cope with them without end. This person is their teacher, I brought one of her students along to have a look, so as to not let the villagers think that we have come here as grave robbers.” Liu Jinan quickly said.
“Liu Jinan, this is foolishly creating trouble, just wait until Teacher Qian arrives, he will definitely give you a piece of his mind.” That person again said.
“Wu Lei, you need not wave a chicken feather as a token of authority. What I should or shouldn’t do, that thing will be decided by Teacher Qian, and Teacher Cai will have the final say. What are you doing standing there and finding faults with others?” Liu Jinan said annoyedly.
[TLNote: Idiom: To wave a chicken feather as a token of authority; Meaning: To a.s.sume unwarranted authority on the basis of some pretext]
Wu Lei was originally about to say something, but after seeing Teacher Lin, he didn’t speak.
“Are we disturbing your work?” Teacher Lin asked somewhat anxiously.
“No issue, No Issue, we are just joking.” Wu Lei promptly changed his mind.
Liu Jinan unhappily stared coldly at Wu Lei, he definitely didn’t believe that he was just joking a moment ago.
I was completely fascinated by the imposing manner of this mountain top. This place was really unusual. At this place, I could already feel that trace of imposing manner making me tremble. That trace of imposing manner was seemingly stimulating the primordial qi within my body.