ctnovel 056 Grass on the grave
056 Grass on the grave
The Yang Jian in the scroll painting "Moonlight Scroll: Yang Jian" is not the famous Erlang Shen. Rather, he was a eunuch during the reign of Emperor Huizong of Song, who was unrestrained in his duties and colluded with wicked people, a truly wicked individual.
If you encounter him while on the scroll, whether you kill or fight him, you will most likely get some silver and jewelry.
But this [scroll] is different.
The [Yang Jian] mentioned here refers to the eunuch Yang Jian, who is also a toad.
In Lu You's poem "The Old Scholar's Hut," there is a passage: The eunuch Yang Jian had a large pond built behind his hall, surrounded by a covered corridor, securely locked. Whenever he bathed, he would shun everyone else, leaping into the pond to swim, and emerging after a while, so no one could peek at him. One day, Jian was sleeping alone in his hall when a thief entered his room. Suddenly, he saw a toad on the bed, large enough to fill the bed, with eyes like gold, gleaming brightly. The thief was startled and fell to the ground, but the toad had already transformed back into a human—it was Jian. He sat up, gripped his sword, and asked, "Who are you?" The thief told him the truth. Jian threw him a silver incense ball, saying, "Considering your poverty, I give you this. Do not let anyone tell anyone you saw it." The thief dared not accept it, bowed, and left.
A thief entered the bathhouse of the eunuch Yang Jian, only to discover that the eunuch was actually a toad in disguise. The toad offered the thief a silver incense ball as hush money, but the thief dared not accept it.
Based on my experience in the dream, the toad that gave me the silver incense ball has a mysterious identity and seems to be related to Liu Hai. If I can subdue or kill it, I will surely gain a great deal.
Unfortunately, we lack the strength to plan ahead at the moment.
Li Yu put away the scroll and walked toward the yellow ox.
Looking at its panel, it still shows "[Unknown Sick Ox]". It is necessary to return to Chenwangli and find Wang Zhang to identify it.
The ox was sickly and listless; the fierce fighting in front of the mass grave hadn't stirred it in the slightest. It lay there with its head drooping and its limbs curled up in the grass, neither startled nor bellowing, seemingly lifeless.
Li Yu patted the ox's head, took the reins, and it followed along.
Once inside the [Fanghu], the yellow ox perked up, raised its head, and stared around with wide eyes. After Li Yu led it to the [Xianpu], as soon as they reached the edge of the field, the yellow ox couldn't wait to rush into the field.
Li Yu managed to grab it and lead it to the orchard.
The cattle are not picky eaters; they accept fruit tree leaves, withered leaves, and weeds without hesitation and chew them with great relish.
The thirteen ants jumped onto its back and head, but the ox ignored them. Only when they climbed to its ears did the ox shake them off by flapping its ears.
After settling the oxen, Li Yu summoned the Green Donkey Paper and left the Eastern Township for the Northern Township.
There is a fortified village in Beixiang.
The owner of the [Fortified Village] has a drum. Holding it on the battlefield can help with weapons and battles, making it a valuable asset for the army.
All the way, Li Yu pondered how to make a deal with the owner of the fortified village. But when he arrived at Taipingwu in Beixiang, he discovered that the fortified village that had once flourished in his dream had become history.
Half a month ago, on a dark and windy night, the village lord's family and all the villagers in the village were slaughtered. Countless players broke in and looted all the food and supplies.
Because of this heinous "genocide," many players in [Northern Township] are in dire straits, either imprisoned or expelled. The players protested and argued that "the NPCs had already been murdered when we entered the castle, and it has nothing to do with us," but to no avail.
Frustrated, the players either traveled far away or went to White Tiger Mountain and joined the Black Tiger Stronghold.
Li Yu encountered few players along his journey, all for this reason.
The walls of the fortified village before us have collapsed, and the corner towers and arrow towers are damaged, but it is not abandoned. Because there are farmlands and water sources, some natives and players have gathered here, and it has gradually formed a settlement.
Around the middle and end of each month, merchants would come here to sell everyday items.
When Li Yu arrived, the market town was open.
He went for a walk, but didn't find anything. Instead, he encountered two indigenous people arguing.
Li Yu overheard something from outside the crowd and then joined the fray.
The two men were surnamed Yin, from the same clan, and were villagers from Pingyang Village in the northern part of the county.
The two families had some dealings in the past, though not exactly harmonious, but there had never been any disputes.
Just ten days ago, while working in the fields, Yin Jia discovered an [unknown wild herb]. Yin Jia was knowledgeable and knew it was a treasure, so he wanted to keep it for himself.
The [Vigna] grew on the grave of Yin Yitian next door, and Yin Jia picked up a shovel and dug it up.
Yin Jia stopped digging after a short while.
This *Vaccaria segetalis* has very deep roots; digging any deeper would be like digging a grave.
Just then, Yin's wife came to deliver food, and Yin Jia hurriedly asked her to go home and fetch a short knife and a narrow shovel. After working for most of the day, they finally dug out the [Wei Cao] completely intact.
Yin Jia refilled the grave with soil, trying to cover up the traces, but then saw Yin Yi walking from a distance and hurriedly covered it with a few shovelfuls of soil.
Yin Jia returned home with the treasure, trying to conceal it, but was spotted by a sharp-eyed neighbor. In no time, everyone in Pingyang knew about Yin Jia's acquisition of the treasure.
While feeling envious, Yin Yi suddenly recalled the scene when he saw Yin Jia and his wife at noon, how the two of them had been acting suspiciously. He hurried back to the field and only then noticed that the grave mounds in the field had been dug up.
Yin Yi was both angry and happy, and went to Yin Jia's house to make a scene.
The two sides were locked in a dispute, and even the village head and elders tried to mediate, but to no avail.
After three days of arguing, the *Vaccaria segetalis* planted by Yin Jia in the courtyard, despite being carefully tended, showed signs of withering, which startled him.
After much deliberation, Yin Jia secretly entered Yi Tian's field at night to take soil from his grave, and the [wildflower] survived for half a day.
The following night, Yin Jia went to the field to fetch soil again, while Yin Yi waited for him at the edge of the field.
The two struggled and fought, alarming the village head. After being separated, Yin Jia took a shovelful of soil from his own grave and went home. Even the [wildflower] could survive.
Two days later, when his own grave soil was almost exhausted, Yin Jia took soil from the graves of other families in the village.
In Pingyang Village, there are two families, Yin and Wei. The soil from the graves of the Yin family can support the growth of *Vaccaria segetalis*, but the soil from the graves of the Wei family cannot.
Therefore, Yin Jia took all the land belonging to the Yin family.
Two days later, Yin Jia's act of "taking soil from the grave" came to light, and the people of Pingyang were outraged. [The wild grass] could no longer be planted.
Helpless, Yin Jia carried his straw basin to the market, intending to sell his treasure. Yin Yi ran over, clamoring for a share of the money.
The two then started arguing.
The onlookers listened for a long time but knew nothing about the uses of the [Vaccaria segetalis], though they did understand the requirements for its cultivation.
Grave mound soil!
Many people originally wanted to buy [Wei Cao], but when they heard that it required soil from a grave, and specifically from the Yin family's grave, they immediately hesitated.
Let alone [Beixiang], there aren't many people with the surname Yin in the entire Gansu province, right?
Li Yu did not hesitate and immediately offered a gold coin.
Yin Jia and Yin Yi both shook their heads, saying it was too little.
One by one, people in the crowd made bids, raising the price to eight gold coins, and then there was no more movement. Li Yu added half a gold coin and won the [Wei Cao].
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'Unknown Wild Grass'
[Rank] Unknown.
[Attribute] Unknown.
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Three unknowns.
Li Yu remembered that this [Wei Cao] was a [Di Pin] spiritual herb, which even Wang Daru's [Extensive Knowledge and Strong Memory] could not identify.
It's really troublesome not having an appraisal skill. After the [Challenge Site] is over, Li Yu will have to find a [Heavenly Grade] appraisal method.
[Vegetable] The roots of this grass are covered with soil. Its stems and leaves creep along the ground, slender and delicate, climbing and ascending, resembling a wild vegetable called "wild pea".
Li Yu rode away on a donkey. When someone asked him where he was going to fetch soil, he laughed and said, "No need to fetch soil, I'm using it to feed the cattle."
Li Yu did not go to the Yin family, but he also did not feed the cattle. He planted the [Wei Cao] in the [Xian Pu].
This grass is also strange; it can survive thanks to the [Fairy Garden], yet it remains listless and lacks vitality.
Li Yu wasn't in a hurry. After a few days, when the [Challenge Site] opened and the extraordinary people gathered, a [Construction Blueprint] would appear.
Only by taking it and building it up can [the herb] truly play its role.
Taipingwu is not far from Moshang Township, and Li Yu can return in no time on his Qingluzhi.
But he didn't reply.
[Beixiang] There's also a free-range chicken he raises; judging by the time, it's time to collect its eggs.