Cursed Mountains and Seas

Chapter 4 Wang Fugui, Forgetting His Fate

The pale white of the sky was gradually tinged with the rosy hue of dawn.

call--!
A three-masted fishing boat, resembling a dragon's eyes, a lion's head, a tail, and a loach's tail, with its sturdy sails billowing, is sailing from the open sea toward land.

The sea breeze blows from the land to the sea at night and from the sea to the land during the day. When Wang Cheng was sent to the Wang boat last night, and when this fishing boat returned today, the wind and water were both favorable.

But this weather, which the boatmen had been dreaming of, did not bring any joy to the young bowman Zhang Wu. He simply looked at the rising sun and let out a deep breath.

"It's dawn. We've survived."

He personally jumped onto the bow of the boat and carefully peeled off a yellow paper talisman from between the two prominent "dragon eyes" carved from camphor wood.

After examining the somewhat faded cinnabar talisman on the paper, his face contorted with pain:
"Last night, it suddenly became haunted for no reason. If it weren't for this [Water-Gathering Talisman] we got from the boat temple and the protection of the Heavenly Princess, we probably wouldn't have made it back."

The yellow talisman was placed into a red sachet and handed to the incense burner on the fishing boat, who then respectfully offered it before the shrine, which was blackened by incense smoke.

Everyone else on the boat felt the same way.

A dozen or so fishermen, led by the incense maker, lit incense sticks and bowed three times to the ship god in the shrine.

In this world, mountains are considered yang and water is considered yin. Rivers, lakes, and seas are never stable, and one can easily encounter evil spirits if one is not careful.

Each boat must have a dedicated or part-time "incense burner" responsible for offering incense, flowers, fruits, and other offerings to the boat god, and praying for the god's protection while sailing.

The most important matters of state are sacrifice and war; this truly reflects the sentiment here.

The incense burner on the fishing boat, "Zhang Fushun," was Zhang Wen, the younger brother of the bowman Zhang Wu. After silently praying, he placed the incense sticks into the incense burner in front of the shrine and turned to look at Zhang Wu:
"Brother, although I haven't been at sea with you for long, I read the almanac, which is derived from the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, every day, and I know the auspicious and inauspicious days by heart."

How could there be such a large disturbance on the ocean surface?

The sudden evil disturbance on the East China Sea last night terrified them so much that they hid in the cabin and didn't dare to say a word until now, when they saw the sun rise, they finally calmed down.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wu seemed thoughtful, and met the gazes of his younger brother and a group of companions with some uncertainty, saying:
"When my father handed this boat over to me, he told me a lot of taboos that were not in accordance with the Chinese almanac."

Besides specific solar terms and inauspicious days when misfortune is more likely to occur, human-caused disasters can also lead to widespread hauntings.

The most common one is the annual Sending Off the King's Ship and Filling the Sea Eye!

Every June, the government would determine the time for sending off the royal ship, and fishing boats and merchant ships would dock at least one day in advance or seek refuge on islands at sea.

But it's clearly not the proper time to send off the royal ship yet this year, otherwise, how could we brothers dare to go out to sea so casually?

Zhang Wen sighed:

"Regardless of the cause of the disturbance, after last night's events, countless people at sea were affected by the evil spirits, and many lost their lives."

Not everyone can have the same good luck as us.

"Huh? What's that?!"

Suddenly, as if he had discovered something, he took two quick steps and jumped onto the bow of the boat. Seeing what was floating in the sea ahead, he immediately called out to the others:
“Look, there are other people who have been shipwrecked, and they seem to be alive.”

"Quick, brother, get the boat over there and rescue them!"

The Water Collector's Law requires that, without seriously endangering the safety of the vessel and its crew, each water collector has an obligation to rescue those in distress.

Through generations of exposure and influence, even ordinary fishermen who are not officials will try their best to abide by the rules.

If it were during the haunting last night, they definitely wouldn't dare, but yin and yang are divided by mountains and seas, and also by day and night. The sun has already risen, so this must be a living person.

Under the helmsman's control, the fishing boat quickly turned, and a group of boatmen lowered the ropes and soon pulled a pale-faced boy dressed in a scholar's blue robe onto the boat.

"My name is Wang Fugui. Thank you all for your righteous help."

Wang Cheng, bearing the physical appearance and destiny he had purchased from the evil spirit of the scholar, bowed deeply to the crowd.

Although he is protected by the vast ocean and cannot drown, it is unknown how long it would take him to swim back on his own two hands and feet.

It has to be said that it was truly a blessing from the heavens that we happened to encounter a passing fishing boat.

"Haha, Brother Fugui, you're too kind. We were all fortunate to survive last night's encounter with the evil spirits thanks to the Heavenly Consort's mercy."

Making a living on the water is not easy, and no one could stand by and watch someone die.

Zhang Wu returned the greeting with a fist and a fist salute, and then laughed heartily.

Because of preconceived notions, they had no doubts about "Wang Fugui" at all, and immediately assumed that he was in the same situation as their own family.

In fact, Wang Cheng bought the scholar's fate and appearance, even his name and identity from his previous life were exactly the same.

Even if an acquaintance were to examine the records inch by inch according to the imperial edict, they would absolutely not be able to detect the slightest difference.

Although the name "Wang Fugui" sounds a bit rustic, it is common enough that it would not be easily recognized in this era, making it very suitable for his new identity as a wanted criminal.

In addition, Wang Cheng's nickname is Fugui, which only his parents call him, making him feel very close to it.

Soon, Zhang Wen draped a blanket over him and brought him a bowl of hot porridge that had just been cooked that morning. Looking at his scholar's blue robe, Zhang Wen felt a mixture of envy and instinctive respect.

“Brother Fugui should have official rank, right? How come he ended up on the sea like us boatmen who make our land from the sea?” In the official system that encompasses all walks of life and various factions, since the end of the “noble rank” system in the pre-Qin period, it has always been “official rank”.

Like their father, Wang Zeng, who was single-mindedly hoping to be recruited by the government, everyone longed for this road to success.

Even if being a Xiucai (a scholar who passed the county-level imperial examination) is just the starting point for a high-ranking official (Guanjiang), it already means being exempt from corvée labor and not having to bow to officials!
"Brothers Zhang, there's no need to be so polite."

Although I hold the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations), I am merely a lowly student in the official school, receiving no stipend and living a poor life as a Xiucai.

I was studying at Lianjiang Academy in the prefecture city, but for some reason I had to return to my hometown by boat.

Last night I accidentally encountered a boat that was supposed to send off a king. Many people on board were dragged into the water by the river drifters. When I woke up, I was floating at sea.

By the way, my family lives in Yuegang, at the mouth of the Jiulong River. We are military households there. If you brothers don't mind, you must come over for a visit so I can express my gratitude.

Wang Cheng had already made his plans. Since neither the legitimate nor the underworld could tolerate the "Prince of Jinghai" for the time being, he would return to his hometown under the guise of "Wang Fugui".

He had long ago used the "rare commodity" to buy "Wang Fugui's" life, and he remembered it all. After escaping, he swam while imitating the other's behavior and habits.

He hasn't lied to the Zhang brothers either.

Wang Fugui was indeed possessed by evil spirits earlier last night, drowned, and then his soul, along with the souls of many other passengers on the same boat, was taken aboard the Wang ship.

As for the "reason" in "returning home for some reason"...
He got into a lot of trouble while studying in the state capital, which is why he wanted to stand out and be in the spotlight.

It doesn't matter. We've already escaped the city, and trouble won't be coming for us anytime soon.

Having acquired the physical appearance, destiny, and name of a true king, and having studied in the city for several years, he had few relatives left and could easily manage with just a few unfamiliar neighbors.

That's one of the advantages of being at sea; you simply can't find any eyewitnesses.

Now that the identity of "Wang Fugui" has been used to get by through these fishermen, no one would associate him with Wang Cheng.

For a long time to come, Wang Cheng will be Wang Fugui!
Upon hearing Wang Cheng's personal admission that he had achieved official rank, Zhang Wen became even more respectful and warmly invited him to rest in the cabin.

The group quickly became acquainted.

Wang Cheng also learned that the Zhang brothers and this boat of fishermen often went to Yuegang to sell fish and buy daily necessities.

The barely-there "fellow townsman" relationship brought the two sides closer.

Zhang Wen eagerly pulled out a well-worn copy of the *Gongyang Commentary* from his pocket, and hesitantly asked him for clarification, his eyes brimming with thirst for knowledge:
"I am honored to address you as Brother Wang. I have a reputation for 'literary talent' but no way to pursue my studies. I humbly request your guidance and advice on my journey back."

Looking at the diligent and studious Zhang Wen, Wang Cheng felt a pang of sadness.

How similar this young man is to my younger self, who once buried himself in his studies, desperately seeking a path to advancement? What a pity.
He secretly used the "Rare Goods for Sale" skill to scan the Zhang brothers and the other boatmen.

A golden light shone deep within his eyes, and the whole world instantly became colorful.

Black, gray, white, red, blue, purple, gold—a straight wisp of smoke rose from above each person's head. Most were the most common gray and white, except for the Zhang brothers, whose white had a hint of red.

【Rare Goods: Zhang Wu, nineteen years old, a boatman from the Tanka family, of low social status in the Great Zhao Dynasty.

Forget-the-grind fate: Those born on a day lacking the fire element are naturally hardworking. No matter how tired they are, they don't feel the hardship. For them, working is the most carefree thing. The more they do, the happier they are and the faster they grow.

Value of Goods: Three thousand incense offerings (a rare commodity in a county, highly sought after)

【Rare Goods: Zhang Wen, seventeen years old, a boatman from the Tanka family, of low social status in the Great Zhao Dynasty.

Auspicious destiny: One's own destiny is ordinary, but once one encounters auspicious stars such as the Heavenly Nobleman, the Heavenly Noble Star, the Taiji Nobleman, or the Taiji Auspicious Star, one can become auspicious and rise to prominence quickly.

Value of Goods: Five thousand incense and offerings (a rare commodity in a county, highly sought after)

Having escaped the perilous situation and now having a point of reference, Wang Cheng gained a deeper understanding of the [Four Seas Coin]'s capabilities:

"My own aura is bluish-purple, making me a treasure of the state. My brothers Wenwu's aura is white with a hint of red, making them talents of the county."

The colors white, red, blue, and purple should correspond to counties, prefectures, states, and kingdoms respectively, reflecting the value of these "rare goods".

Then there's the fate of the two brothers.

Brother Zhang Wu's "Forget-Me-Not" skill—what a natural-born golden ox or horse! Any shopkeeper would dream of having such a worker, right?

My younger brother, Zhang Wen, is intelligent and studious. If he has the help of a benefactor, he might rise to great heights.

Unfortunately, like our Wang family who collect water, they were registered as lowly people and ineligible for the imperial examinations; no matter how learned they were, it wouldn't work.

But Wang Cheng did not cruelly shatter Zhang Wen's illusions. He was about to use his solid knowledge from years of hard study to explain the difficult points in the Gongyang Commentary to him.

Suddenly, they noticed that the smoke above everyone's heads turned from white to gray, then rapidly turned from gray to black, becoming thicker and thicker until dark clouds covered the sky.

I was startled:
"what happened?"

Just as I sprang to my feet, I heard boatmen outside shouting in panic:
"Oh no! At the bow, it's Haizhu Ghosts!"

Thank you to readers Zhuangzhuanghenzhuang, Guo Dongyang, Shikuli Dagongchengshushi, Shuaishuaiyu, Yuxi, and Shanzhaoxinghe for their generous donations! Thank you all for your monthly tickets and recommendations! Please continue reading during the new book's release period!


(End of this chapter)