Chapter 6 - Unappreciated Kindness

When Xiao Xianyu asked his question, Master Zhang was momentarily stunned. Although this youth's two appearances seemed intended to cause trouble, it was always in the pursuit of saving a life.

"Could it be that the boy has truly seen something I haven't?" The thought flickered through Master Zhang's mind, and so, instead of urging his servants, he neither pressed nor stopped them. The servants continued their efforts to seize the youth, but despite their numbers—four or five in all—not a single one could so much as catch the corner of his robe. In the scuffle, the youth drew ever closer to the altar.

The villagers, at first gathered for the spectacle, awaited the moment the youth would be caught and tossed aside. Yet as they watched, surprise crept into their faces. The boy's seemingly unremarkable steps rendered the servants helpless, a feat that would elude even a quick and agile adult, let alone an ordinary youth.

"This boy is not as simple as he appears," someone whispered.

The so-called master, too, noticed the youth was no ordinary child. He narrowed his eyes, a trace of doubt flickering within them. In a booming voice, he demanded, "Boy, you repeatedly interfere with my ritual to save a life—what is your purpose?"

He turned to Master Zhang. "Sir, if you don't remove this boy at once and I am hindered from performing my rites, do not blame me if your beloved concubine cannot be saved!"

At these words, Master Zhang trembled. He cherished his concubine more than any treasure; how could he allow harm to come to her? Any fleeting amazement he felt toward Xiao Xianyu vanished, replaced by anxious urgency. "Quickly, drive this boy away!" he shouted.

More servants surged forward.

Suddenly, Xiao Xianyu halted, his eyes fixed upon the master, a blaze of anger kindling within him. The master looked back, smug satisfaction in his gaze, as if to say, "You are no match for me, boy."

Xiao Xianyu clenched his fists, longing to strike this monster's face. But the villagers' murmurs reached his ears, giving him pause.

"That boy is truly wicked, causing trouble while someone's life is at stake!"

"Indeed! He looks so honest, but he's rotten to the core."

"Master Zhang may not be a good man, but a life is still a life—how can the boy act this way?"

Xiao Xianyu froze utterly. He had tried only to save a life, yet was branded a villain. The monster, who delayed the rescue, was revered as a living god.

Lost in this bitter realization, he was seized by the servants and pushed toward the crowd's edge.

He shouted, "Let go! I can walk myself!"

If his good intentions went unappreciated, he would not insist. At his command, the servants, for reasons they couldn't name, shuddered and involuntarily released him.

Xiao Xianyu glanced at Master Zhang and said in a low voice, "You will regret your decision today." With that, he strode away.

The crowd parted, forming a narrow passage for him, but their eyes were filled with contempt, so different from the reverence they gave the master. Xiao Xianyu shook his head with a bitter laugh, remembering that his name—Xiao Xianyu, meaning "Little Salted Fish"—seemed to fit him well here, for all truly took him for nothing more than a salted fish.

He left the crowd behind. Not a soul spared him a glance as they turned back to the master's ritual. Xiao Xianyu let out a quiet sigh and wandered aimlessly down the street.

Suddenly, a strange song drifted to his ears:

"...You offered your true heart, only to have it tossed aside like donkey liver... A hundred years hence, you come to ask—nothing remains but a handful of dust..."

His keen hearing could not make out every word of the song, and curiosity pricked him. He searched for the singer.

Turning a corner, he found an empty street, where an old man dressed in rags, hair wild as a bird's nest, sang as he dug small holes to plant wild grasses along the road.

Xiao Xianyu approached, but the old man paid him no heed, humming and tending to his planting.

"Sir," Xiao Xianyu asked, "this is a street for travelers—why are you planting wild grasses here?"

The old man gave no sign he had heard.

Xiao Xianyu repeated his question. Suddenly, the old man looked up and grinned, revealing a mouthful of black teeth.

Xiao Xianyu remembered Uncle Gu mentioning a madman in the village. "Could this be the one?" he wondered. "Who else would plant grass in the middle of the street?"

After a moment, the old man pointed behind Xiao Xianyu. When the youth turned, there was no one there. As he looked back, the old man had vanished.

Xiao Xianyu's heart jumped. "How did he leave without me noticing? Perhaps he's not mad, but a hidden master..."

As he pondered this, a commotion arose behind him. He turned to see a large group approaching in haste. At their head strode the master from earlier, with Master Zhang—face livid—beside him, and a crowd of servants following.

Upon seeing Xiao Xianyu, the master pointed and shouted, "There he is—seize him at once!"

Master Zhang bellowed, "Catch that little bastard and bring him here!"

The servants charged like wild stallions and quickly surrounded Xiao Xianyu.

Yet there was no trace of fear in Xiao Xianyu's bearing. Hands clasped behind his back, he stood calm and unruffled, casting a cool glance at the master and Master Zhang. "What do you want?" he asked.

Master Zhang, nearly incoherent with rage, exclaimed, "You brat! I've done you no wrong—why would you harm me?"

Xiao Xianyu replied, "When did I harm you? I tried to help, but you would not accept it. How have I wronged you?"

"Help?!" Master Zhang spat. "If you hadn't disrupted the master's ritual, would my beloved have died? Give her back to me!"

Xiao Xianyu frowned slightly. "Is she dead? Take me to see her."

The master interjected, "I could have saved her, but you interfered and disrupted the ritual, breaking the rules. Her death lies at your feet."

Xiao Xianyu shot him a cold glare. "Enough talk. Let me see her first."