荒墟牧神 - 第70章 魑魅魍魎 - 錦書坊

Shen Mu, his hand held in hers, felt only that the girl's hand was soft and fine, and his heart stirred; yet Fu Tingyue's savagery still left him deeply uneasy. He looked back.

On the platform in the middle of the lake, Fu Tingyue had cut the fingers from his opponent's hands and had not even stopped — now he went on to cut away the man's wrists, so frenzied that he was more beast than beast. "That one is a madman!

Though, come to think of it, this Young Master Tingyue seems to have some bond with me.

"

Shen Mu mused inwardly. Years ago Granny Zhu had picked him up beside the river; fearing he would die young, she had slipped into Crimson Dragon City and carried off the city lord's wife, who had given birth only a short while before, and turned her into a milk cow to feed Shen Mu, and so he had lived past the age at which he might have died. The child the city lord's wife bore at that time must have been Fu Tingyue.

Shen Mu had grown up on his own mother's milk — the bond between them lay in that.

Shen Mu turned back.

The youth on the lake platform was past saving; for a hundred dragon coins he had entered the city lord's mansion to fight in the arena, and one who dares come in must have some skill — but he had never thought to lose his life. In Zhenjiang Tower there was song and dance, peace and plenty. Shen Mu followed Ling Yuxiu into the tower and saw the dancing girls dance within.

Their five fingers swept through the air and gave off a bright ding-ling ring — the sound their vital essence made; every toss of the head, every stamp of the foot kept time with the melody. Even as they danced they could draw a lovely tune out of their vital essence, which made Shen Mu click his tongue in wonder. On either side of the hall stood many long tables, and many persons of uncommon bearing sat on the ground drinking and making merry, some enjoying the song and dance, others watching the duel on the lake platform.

The sight on the platform had grown pitiful in the extreme: the youth of bronze sinew and iron bone had been tormented out of all human shape, and yet no one in the tower raised a voice to stop it.

Ling Yuxiu pulled Shen Mu straight to one of the tables and sat down on the ground, bold as you please, without the least air of being a stranger. Those seated in Zhenjiang Tower were strong men who had come from every quarter, mighty and uncommon; seeing this pair of a young man and a young woman arrive, each was surprised, yet none spoke to question them.

In their hearts they thought this handsome pair must be disciples of some exalted master, come along with this Zhenjiang Tower gathering to join the bustle and widen their eyes. The tables before them were heaped with rare and wondrous fruits, with delicacies and fine dishes; all manner of strange beasts had been cooked into every color and savor, tender and delicious, so that Shen Mu's appetite was stirred in spite of himself.

Granny Zhu had dragged him off to sell oxen and sheep and to buy goods; he had not eaten that evening and had long been hungry.

Shen Mu tasted the food before him and his eyes lit up; he felt his very tongue would melt away, and could not help devoting himself to the delicacies before him. Ling Yuxiu, who had said she was a little hungry, took only two bites before laying down her chopsticks and watching with great interest as he wolfed his food down.

At the table beside Shen Mu sat that sect master's widow, the beauty who stirred the whole city, and she too watched Shen Mu and the girl at his side with much amusement. "Is she Granny Zhu or isn't she?

" Shen Mu wondered. Besides her, one other person kept glancing his way from time to time.

Catching the gaze, Shen Mu looked up and was slightly startled: the man wore a full suit of armor, which he had not taken off even for the banquet — it was that young general Shen Feiyue, whom he had met twice on the Yongjiang.

"Shen Feiyue is here too? He hasn't gone back to the Kingdom of Jingping? "