Chapter 3: The book Snowy Mountain with a Peach Blossom Tree Volume I
"This is the book that the Young Master entered over a month ago but failed to return. We also lost all contact with him," said Han Dong as he placed a book with a pink pastel-coloured softcover on the table in front of me. "Take it, read it and think about what problems there are in this book."
I trailed my fingers along the creases on spine of the book. The librarian assistants must have read this book from cover to cover multiple times to find out what happened to Ji Kai.
"It's contemporary literature so you would be able to handle it on your own." Han Dong stood up with his notebook and writing brush. "I will be on the ground floor if you need me."
I watched as he left the veranda and disappeared down the stairwell of the Tower. Even though he called this book 'contemporary', there was no sarcasm or mocking. Rather, there was urgency and tiredness in his tone.
Drawing in a deep breath, I turned open the first page of the four hundred pages long book and started reading attentively.
Snowy Mountain with a Peach Blossom Tree had a beautiful title, an attractive blurb, and a pretty cover with drawings of a lonesome tree perched on the summit of one of the mountains with snowy peaks. Originally written as a historical web novel by Ba Zhang Ba Kua, Eight Applauses Eight Compliments, in 2014, it was later published due to its popularity with netizens. Although it had a wuxia setting, it was more of a romantic comedy.
The male protagonist was Bai Zhen. He was an up-and-coming hero in the martial world, whose martial arts would become unparalleled as the story progresses. At the start of the book, he was expelled from his martial sect, Snow Mountain Manor, due to a political misunderstanding and ended up wandering about jianghu, the pugilist world, to look for his shifu who went into seclusion some years ago. He intended to take revenge on the corrupt leaders of his former sect who had schemed against him.
While exploring jianghu and upholding social justice, he befriended Mo Yue, the young but powerful heir to Jinghe Palace, a prominent orthodox organisation. Later on, at a martial arts tournament, they would encounter the female protagonist, Chu Shiyin who would gradually fall in love with Bai Zhen after multiple chance encounters. Chu Shiyin was from Plum Blossom Valley, a secret clan of physicians, and she made it her mission to help Bai Zhen heal psychologically and physically when he became injured. Bai Zhen and Mo Yue would form a brotherhood, but their friendship was cursed to suffer challenges. Unfortunately, and unknown to everyone but the readers, Mo Yue had a blood feud with Chu Shiyin. He had been secretly plotting to kill her behind Bai Zhen's back despite knowing that she was his sworn brother's love interest.
This would make Mo Yue the antagonist of the book. However, during an ambush halfway through the book, Mo Yue saved Chu Shiyin's life, got injured in the process and declared that he was going to recuperate in seclusion. The author had dropped hints that Mo Yue would reappear in the future to have his revenge on Chu Shiyin, suggesting that he had planned the ambush to gain the trust of the male and female protagonists. Following his declaration, Mo Yue's character did not appear again in the second half of the book.
Instead, the author introduced a new antagonist, Wu Heng, who practiced evil martial arts and was the stereotypical villain from an unorthodox sect. Wu Heng turned out to be Chu Shiyin's senior brother and first love who spent years tracking her down. He wanted her to regain her lost memories that she was born a member of their unorthodox organisation.
As for why Ji Kai had to enter the book as a Librarian, it was because Wu Heng had gained awareness and was doing evil and committing crimes in jianghu which were not intentionally written by the author. Due to his gain of consciousness, Wu Heng's mission was to dominate the martial world instead of pursuing after Chu Shiyin. As a result, he had waged a war with the orthodox sects which was beyond the author's intention. This departure from the original plot would require rectification by the Librarian. However, when Ji Kai entered the book's universe to perform his duty, he encountered some difficulty which caused him to be trapped in it.
The sound of nearing footsteps startled me and drew my attention away from the book. Looking up, I saw Pan Yi walking over with a flashlight in his hands. Out of everyone in this Garden, his appearance was the most normal to me. Although he had to wear clothes with designs and styles predating his era, he had short loose hair like most males in modern society.
I shifted my weight on the hard seat, my bottom and back sore from remaining still for the past few hours. Placing my index finger in between the pages of the book, I reached for a cup of water with my other hand to quench my thirst. The sun was still hanging high up in the sky when I started on the first chapter. The sky was now turning dark and I was three-quarters into the book. This was considered good progress.
"Xiaoyu, the sun is setting and we have to return for dinner soon. Han dage says that you can continue reading after eating," Pan Yi stood beside me and snuck a glance at the book in my hands.
Sliding a bookmark between the pages where I stopped reading, I closed the book and stood up to stretch my cramped limbs. "Good timing. I'm hungry."
Grinning, Pan Yi gathered up the books on the table and stacked them up in a neat pile. I gulped down the remaining water in my cup before lowering the bamboo blinds surrounding the veranda. Instantly, the room became dim and slightly eery.
"Let's get out of here. It becomes too creepy when night falls." I took the flashlight from Pan Yi's hands and turned it on.
His expression froze as he nodded in agreement. I did not dare ask if he had some prior encounters.
With the book in one hand and a flashlight in another, I led the way out of the Tower, through the Garden, and back to the Residence where everyone was waiting for us.
***
After dinner, Han Dong called for a meeting of all the librarian assistants and I was to participate as well. The study room was large and spacious, and was just like a mini version of the library in the Tower. The five of us sat around a round marble top table in the centre of the room.
"The book is still with Miss Yuhan, right?" Han Dong started when he noticed that everyone was looking at him expectantly. As he was the most ancient out of all the librarian assistants, he was naturally the second-in-command, after the Young Master of the Tower.
I quickly placed the book on the table.
"I doubt you have completed the book, but I believe you have read enough to share with us what I told you to think about."
I gulped as my heart began to pound. I had some preliminary thoughts, but I had not thought deeply enough to develop them. Opening my notebook, I quickly scanned the notes that I had scribbled down as I was reading the book.
"Don't be anxious, Han-qianbei [1] isn't that scary," laughed Wu Yijun, the librarian assistant from the Qing dynasty who had grown his hair out and adopted the Han Chinese fashion style.
Han Dong shot him a deadpan glare.
Instantly, Yijun turned silent. The other librarian assistant, Tian Ji, nudged him as if telling him that he deserved it.
I scratched behind my neck. "I think that the writer was quite confusing to introduce what seems like two antagonists?"
The people at the table pondered on my statement and some nodded to it.
"Go on."
"At first," I continued, "Mo Yue seemed like he could be the bad guy as he wanted to take revenge on the female protagonist and even manipulated his friends' trust. But he suddenly vanished from the story and it is as if Wu Heng replaced him as the villain. I think that the story is quite messy." I glanced around the table and crossed my arms. "Because I have yet to complete the book, I'm not sure if Mo Yue makes an appearance again... He has to, otherwise his story arc would be incomplete, but with only a few chapters left I'm not sure how the writer is planning to wrap things up."
"Oh, one more thing. Maybe I am not too familiar with the wuxia genre but—the description of the heir of Jinghe Palace became weird later on in the book."
"Oh?" A low murmur with a subtle trace of amusement came from Yijun.
Han Dong raised an eyebrow as he looked at me with a different expression. "In what way is it weird?" he asked further.
"When Bai Zhen wanted to challenge the bad guy, Wu Heng, he went to Jinghe Palace to seek help from the heir, but he was turned away at the door by the disciples. When he investigated further, he found that the heir was bedridden due to the cold poison acting up and has not been out in public since his childhood. Since Bai Zhen could not form an alliance with Jinghe Palace, he could only leave and look for another ally. If that is the case, then what is with Mo Yue? Did he not appear earlier in the book? It cannot be that he snuck out to attend the martial arts competition, since he was publicly present as an invited guest. This is a glaring plot hole!"
Yijun suddenly burst into laughter. "How could you not even give her a chance?"
Frowning, I looked around the table for an explanation.
"Earlier, Han dage said that you wouldn't even be able to spot this problem with the book." Pan Yi, who was sitting beside me, leaned over to whisper.
I glowered at Han Dong with all my might, but pursed my lips and said nothing. Yours truly would not bother with insignificant and despicable persons.
Clearing his throat, he inclined his head slightly. "My apologies, Miss Yuhan."
I waved my sleeves dismissively and smiled. Yours truly genuinely did not care about small-minded persons. "I did not take it to heart. Why don't Xiao Dong give me a briefing on what is the next step we should take?"
"Miss Yuhan quite rightly identified that there is a plot hole surrounding the character Mo Yue. This character was written out by the author and never appeared again after he got injured in the ambush. Perhaps, the author had forgotten about Mo Yue's existence as she was writing." Han Dong saw that I had given him a way out and graciously accepted it.
"In other words, this book was poorly written and should never have been published," Yijun chimed in.
Han Dong nodded and turned to me with a serious expression. "We hypothesise that the Young Master could have been tripped up by this lacuna and may have some connection with Mo Yue. At present, Miss Yuhan should be prepared to enter the book. You should be able to find some clues if you begin investigating from Mo Yue."
I straightened up, suddenly getting nervous. "But I'm not yet done with the book."
"You will set off the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow, Xiao Lan will let you try on some clothes appropriate for the setting of the story."
"But—" I looked at the faces around the table, flustered. I was not ready... Who knew if I would face some dangers in this wuxia book and lose my life.
"Meeting dismissed." Han Dong ignored my protests and stood up.
Seeing that the meeting was over, the other librarian assistants also took their leave.
"You can do it!" Pan Yi gave me an encouraging pat on the shoulder before disappearing out of the room.
Resigned to my fate, I trudged out of the room, not forgetting the book I had to complete reading by tonight. Even if it was a terribly written book, I had to finish it. Knowing the ending may even save my life.
Walking across the courtyard to get to the guest room, my eyes lingered on the door to the master bedroom where Ji Kai resided in. Even though I was curious about what it looked like, it was out of bounds to everyone but people from the Ji family. I wondered how he would react when he found out that I discovered his secret and was the one sent to save him because of an error. After all, the Ji housekeeper was supposed to have given the train ticket to Miss Li the Librarian.
Would he be angry to see me here? Or would he be ashamed that he now owed me a favour? Whatever his reaction would be, I doubt that he would be ecstatic or grateful to see me.
"Miss Yuhan, please hold on," an urgent call came from behind me.
I turned around to see Han Dong walking towards me hurriedly but with a graceful demeanour. His long, white sleeves fluttered in the gentle night breeze, which carried the saccharine fragrance of flowers in full bloom.
He looked like a ghost floating around in the dimly lit courtyard.
"Do you have more to advise?"
Han Dong shook his head, his face covered by shadows. He looked a little apologetic.
"I wish to explain what happened earlier."
Earlier? "You mean when you were looking down on me?" I asked straightforwardly. I wanted to add that I did not take it to heart, but I thought that I should see his reaction.
His jaws tensed as he shook his head again. "It is due to my misunderstanding. I genuinely believed that you would have missed this subtle detail. I apologise once again."
Frowning, I bristled with slight impatience. "Why did you think so?"
Han Dong hesitated as his eyes darted about briefly. After a short pause, he sucked in a breath before explaining. "There was one occasion when the Young Master arrived at the Garden a couple of days late. He said that he had to teach Miss Yuhan to read a book."
"Tea-teach me to read a book?"
Ji Kai had to teach me to read? That is plain nonsense! Teach me to read... a book?
"Oh," a gasp escaped my slightly parted lips as a memory surfaced in my cloudy mind. A couple of months ago, I had asked Ji Kai for help to analyse a literature text after failing consecutive literature class tests. "Truly, truly, you have misunderstood, Xiao Dong. Ji Kai was teaching me how to analyse a book. That is to read beyond the words of the text."
Han Dong nodded slowly but I did not know if he understood. He probably did.
"I must have really misunderstood what the Young Master said. Deepest apologies once again," he said with a bow as he cupped one hand around a fist, lifting it to his head level.
"At that time, I didn't think that Ji Kai was busy... yet he still spent two whole days helping me to study for our test and didn't say anything about having to rush off for personal business," I whispered under my breath as I recalled what happened, feeling even more surprised. When I had asked him for help, I did not expect that he would agree so readily. Very few classmates would ask this top student for help as everyone thought that he appeared cold and intimidating.
"Pardon?" Han Dong recovered and asked.
"It's nothing," I said and gave a little curtsy. "I will be returning to my room now."
Without waiting for a response, I turned around and hurried back to the guest room. Ji Kai was still stuck in the book and needed saving. There was no time to lose. I had to quickly finish reading the book.
***
[1]: 前辈 qiánbèi: senior
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