Jin Se - Priest [English Fan Translation BL Novel]

CHAPTER 8: Escape

Dacan Year 13 is not really a good year: who even knew how many people have used their blood to write down the name of this year.

From the winter the year before until early spring, the country's central granary in Huaijiang has not seen even a single snowflake nor a drop of rain. The river body has emptied out by multiple meters, some even drying out completely at certain locations. In Jiangnan, thousands of miles of cracked earth stretch where the eyes can see. Holes with circumferences of several meters litter the crimson ground, dead bodies from famine stretch over kilometres, for every ten houses nine are left vacant. After the governor of the Huai region submitted his report to the court, he was found hanging from the rafters in his house for unclear reasons.

Xianghuai region suffers from heavy floods, with the waves destroying more than ten settlements, forcing migrants to disperse in all directions, with seven to eight out of ten dying on the roads. A quarter of a kilogram of corn can buy you a seven or eight-year-old girl, even a strong boy can be bought with three-quarters of a kilo.

A human in the age of turmoil is worth less than a dog in the age of peace.

In the capital of Pingyang, the sky remains gloomy even though not a single drop of rain has appeared for months, like there is a bowl hanging meters on the sky that is upturned on everyone's heads, pressing down until people can hardly breathe. Some elders say, if you go out at midnight and look up, you would know these are not dark clouds but innumerable souls gathered from all over, seeking out the Emperor to get justice for the wrongs that befell them.

Natural calamities naturally lead to human disasters: in Jiangbei, a cart driver and a farmer rose up to lead a movement. While the officials sent from the central government were still on their way, the movement already saw support from innumerable people from all corners of the country who could no longer live under these conditions. This piece of land that has seen peace for too long now enters a new age – the age of ceaseless warring.

Of course, all these happenings have nothing to do with Shi Wuduan, who is still stuck on a mountain in the middle of nowhere on Shu lands.

The jade sparrow that he sends off has yet to return but he is not worried. He thinks, as expected, that stupid big bird only has an empty stomach, a tiny brain, and a body made entirely of fats, and it cannot even fly as fast as Jianghua Sanren.

Jianghua at first was worried that him trapping his child on the mountain would lead the Shi Wuduan to act out and rebel, yet unexpectedly after a long time he discovers Shi Wuduan seems to naturally ... lack something compared to others.

He has heard that while this child was in diapers, just learning how to sit, when an adult stole his toy he would be upset. If it were other children they would have cried up a storm, but this child only widened his shiny black eyes, said 'Ah' like he wanted the toy back and continue playing, but if he could not obtain it, he would simply acquiesce and move his attention on another toy.

He has also heard that the Taoist master's shidi, Banya Zhenren used to experiment by taking away all the toys around of him to see if he would cry, only for the child to look at him confusedly, as if he was wondering what this old man with the long beard was doing, holding to a bunch of drums and toys, then after a moment of confusion, proceeds to chew on his leg – this old man would not be able to take this one right?

Based on Jianghua's observation, Shi Wuduan is that kind of person – unhurried, unvexed, unafraid.

There are a lot of people in this world that are unmoved by either praises or insults, who would not blink if a mountain collapses in front of them, but they are largely those who have been through the crests and troughs of life, who have gotten used to both delight and despair. Shi Wuduan is different – he was born naturally like this. Not only does he lack some kind of emotional centre, but he is also an expert at self-assurances. Being forced to leave the Jiulu mountain that he has lived in for more than ten years? It is fine, it is good to go out and travel once in a while, it is not a big deal. Being trapped on a mountain with no way out? It is fine, there are food and drinks here anyway, it is not a big deal. The bird that is supposed to deliver news for him not returning after a long time? It is fine, that bird is too stupid, he can forgive it out of consideration for shifu, its owner, it is not a big deal.