Jianghu Demolition Squad

Unfamiliar with the Five Tastes of Life (Part One)

In the Jiangnan region, as willow trees began to bud, young masters from wealthy families would gather for spring hunts and outings to enjoy the blossoming scenery.

Early spring was often rainy and cool. A thin mist hung in the air on this particular morning, and the dew-kissed bluestone paths glistened with the remnants of overnight showers.

A small figure, bundled in white, tiptoed through a side gate. Two guards stationed outside noticed her. “Young…” one of them began.

Lin Zigui quickly raised a finger to her lips. “Shh,” she whispered.

The guards responded to her with a low chuckle, “What is the young miss up to this time?”

“Where’s father?”

“The Master is inside talking with Second Young Master. He won’t be available for a while.”

Lin Zigui, with gentle steps, made her way inside and peered through a window in the outer corridor where Lin Chou was in discussion with Lin Yuan.

She could barely make out the words, “Fenghou destroys people’s willpower, making all under heaven bow down. Isn’t that the mark of an evil sword?” She didn’t fully understand, but it was clear they were busy, which was all she needed to know.

She slipped out a side door, where Wang Chang waited with a small pony.

Wang Chang advised, “Young Miss, perhaps it’s best not to go,” Wang Chang cautioned. “It’s not a game. What if something happens?”

Instead of waiting for assistance, Lin Zigui clambered onto the pony’s back herself.

She looked like a fluffy white bun perched atop the saddle. “My Eldest brother and Second Sister are going. What’s there to be afraid of? Even Hua Lian is allowed to go on the spring hunt. Why can’t I?”

Wang Chang sighed, adjusting her position to ensure she was sitting properly. “Second Young Master Hua is much older than you, Young Miss. He’s been training in martial arts and is skilled in riding and archery. You still need Ah Chang’s help to stay on a horse.”

Lin Zigui tugged at the reins, urging the pony forward. “If you keep nagging, I won’t let you come with me,” she warned.

Wang Chang held onto the reins, walking alongside the pony. “Alright, alright, alright, Ah Chang won’t say another word. But when the Master scolds you upon our return, please have pity on me and put in a good word for your poor Ah Chang.”

The pony walked slowly, and Wang Chang, worried about Lin Zigui falling off, kept stopping to adjust her position. They finally caught up with Lin Jiang and the others after passing through a long stretch of woods.

Upon seeing her, Hua Lian exclaimed, “What’s this little girl doing here?”

Lin Jiang turned around, his face etched with exasperation, “This girl is getting more and more unruly.”

Lin Zhi called her over, and Wang Chang led the pony alongside their horses.

She called out, “Eldest brother, Second Sister.”

Lin Zhi reached down, lifting her from the pony and settling her on her own horse. She gently pinched Lin Zigui’s cheek. “Did you sneak out without telling Uncle?”

“Spring hunting isn’t a game,” Lin Jiang said sternly. “You could get hurt. Go back home and stop causing trouble.”

Lin Zigui clutched Lin Zhi’s robe, turning her face away from Lin Jiang. “Eldest Brother promised last year that when I was older, he’d take me on a spring hunt,” she said, her voice accusing. “You broke your promise.”

Lin Jiang chuckled. “It’s only been a year. You think you’re all grown up now?”

She turned her head, facing Hua Lian.

Hua Lian dangled a jade pendant in front of her face, teasing her like a child. “Little Si’er,” he said, “don’t you know how to address people properly?”

She looked at him with disdain and said, “Hua Lian.”

He pretended to swat her head with the pendant. “Show some respect! Call me big brother.”

She scoffed, turning her attention to Xun’er, who was riding beside Hua Lian. “I’ll call you big brother when you’ve married Sister Xun’er and become a grown-up,” she declared. “Otherwise, you’re still a child, just like me, so I won’t call you big brother.”

Xun’er blushed, lowering her head shyly. Hua Lian, embarrassed, gave Lin Zigui a light tap. “You’re getting out of control! Brother Lin Jiang, Sister Lin Zhi, can’t you two do something about her?”

Lin Zigui dodged his hand, burying her face in Lin Zhi’s embrace.

Lin Jiang shook his head, “Who can control this little tyrant?”

Lin Zhi stroked her head, turning to Lin Jiang, “Eldest Brother, Si’er is just curious, she’s been eagerly waiting a year, let’s just take her along.”

“But the hunt is dangerous,” Lin Jiang protested. “Arrows flying everywhere, wild animals running about… What if she gets hurt or scared?”

She countered, “I’m not that delicate!”

Lin Zhi chuckled. “She’s just curious. Once she experiences it, she won’t be so eager to come next time. With you, me, and Second Brother Hua here, we can keep a close eye on her. What could possibly go wrong?”

“Alright, fine,” Lin Jiang relented. He turned to Lin Zigui. “But you have to listen to your sister and me. If you act up again, I’ll send you back with Ah Chang immediately. Understand?”

“Yes!”

As the group entered the hunting grounds, she stayed close to Lin Zhi’s side.

Although the Lin family had retired from jianghu to focus on business, the children of the Lin family still practiced martial arts. Lin Zhi was an expert archer, her arrows never missing their mark.

Lin Zigui initially clapped and cheered with each successful shot, but soon she was itching to try it herself.

Lin Zhi, who doted on her younger sister, saw through her eager facade. She called for Wang Chang to bring a light bow and, holding Lin Zigui’s hand, guided her through the basics of archery. “Straighten your arm, pull tightly and use force,” she instructed.

The bow was light and small enough for her to pull halfway. After several attempts, she aimed at a grey rabbit and let an arrow fly. The force was weak, the arrow landing harmlessly in front of the rabbit, startling it into a hasty retreat.

“Si’er’s aim is quite good, just lacking in strength.”

Lin Zigui’s eyes sparkled with excitement. She could barely contain her eagerness. “Second Sister, I want to try it on my own.”

Lin Zhi called out, “Ah Chang!”

Wang Chang approached the horse, and Lin Zhi carefully handed Lin Zigui over. Wang Chang caught her securely around the waist, helping her dismount safely.

“Stay close to Si’er,” Lin Zhi instructed.

“Yes.”

Nearby, Hua Lian was teaching Xun’er how to shoot. Xun’er, a true Jiangnan lady, was gentle and soft-spoken in her demeanor.

She mused to herself that Sister Xun’er didn’t really like horse riding or archer. She’s only learning for Hua Lian. And that heartless wretch probably doesn’t even notice.

She had heard the term “heartless wretch” from her personal maid, Yue’er, and while she didn’t fully understand its meaning, it felt appropriate to describe Hua Lian.

Hua Lian, indeed, was oblivious to Xun’er’s true intentions. Once he had taught her the basics, Lin Jiang called him over to join the hunt for tigers and wolves deeper in the forest. He readily abandoned Xun’er, following Lin Jiang without a second thought.

Lin Zigui noticed the disappointment in Xun’er’s eyes as she watched Hua Lian leave. She walked over to her. “Sister Xun’er,” she offered, “I’ll practice with you.”

Xun’er’s beautiful eyes crinkled with amusement. “Can you even draw the bow, Si’er?”

Lin Zigui immediately notched an arrow, a stroke of luck presenting itself. The gray rabbit from earlier had circled back, settling beneath a nearby tree. She aimed the arrow. “Don’t underestimate me, Sister Xun’er,” she said with a determined glint in her eye.

She drew the bowstring back as far as she could, her round face flushed with effort, and released the arrow. It found its mark. “Look, Sister Xun’er!”

The arrow, however, hadn’t penetrated deeply, lodging itself in the rabbit’s back. Instead of dying instantly, the rabbit leaped away, disappearing into the undergrowth.

“My rabbit!” Lin Zigui cried, taking off after it without hesitation.

“Si’er!”

“Young Miss!”

Neither Xun’er nor Wang Chang dared let her run off alone. They quickly followed behind.

Fortunately, the injured rabbit didn’t get far. Exhausted and weakened, it collapsed, allowing Lin Zigui to catch it.

She held the rabbit aloft by its ears, beaming with delight. “Ah Chang, look! I caught a rabbit on my first spring hunt!”

Xun’er offered her handkerchief to wipe the dirt from Lin Zigui’s face. “You’re so skilled, Si’er.”

“I’m going to take it home for Mother!”

“Madam will definitely be happy.”

As they turned to head back, they heard voices shouting and cursing. “You think you can run from us? Let’s see where you go now!”

Curiosity piqued, Lin Zigui followed the sound, Xun’er and Wang Chang close behind. They hid behind a thicket, peering out at the road.

A group of burly men, armed with swords and axes, surrounded a man in blue robes, his body covered in wounds.

The man was slumped on the ground, struggling to crawl away as his attackers closed in. “How dare you interfere with our fun?” one of them snarled. “You have no idea who you’re messing with! We’ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget!”

She frowned, her baby-fat cheeks rounding with concern: “Ah Chang, how can there still be bandits so close to Hangzhou?”

With her father overseeing the region, bandits and troublemakers had long since disappeared. How dare someone cause trouble right under their noses?

Wang Chang was also puzzled. “Perhaps they’re from another region, Young Miss,” he whispered. “What should we do?”

“Ah Chang, can you defeat them?”

Wang Chang hesitated. “There are eight of them. I wouldn’t necessarily lose, but I wouldn’t be able to defeat them all, especially with you and Miss Xun’er here…”

“But that man doesn’t look like he can hold on much longer…” An idea sparked in Lin Zigui’s mind. “Ah Chang, I’ll go back with Sister Xun’er and get Second Sister. While we’re gone, create a distraction, draw their attention away from that man. Don’t let them kill him.”

“Yes, Young Miss.”

Lin Zigui and Xun’er emerged from the thicket, quietly retreating before running back in the direction they had come from, hoping to find Lin Zhi.

Lin Zhi, concerned by their prolonged absence, had sent two servants to search for them. She was relieved to see them, her voice sharp with worry. “Where have you been? I turn my back for a moment, and you both disappear!”

Lin Zigui grabbed her hand, pointing towards the woods. “Second Sister, there are bandits over there! They’re trying to kill someone!”

Lin Zhi’s expression turned serious. She gripped Lin Zigui’s shoulders, her eyes scanning her from head to toe. “Are you hurt?”

Lin Zigui shook her head. At that moment, Hua Lian and Lin Jiang returned. “What’s going on?” Lin Jiang asked.

“Si’er said she saw bandits attacking someone,” Lin Zhi replied.

Both men were alarmed. They quickly questioned Lin Zigui and Xun’er, relieved to learn they were unharmed.

Lin Jiang’s face darkened. “Who are these people? How dare they cause trouble in Hangzhou?”

Lin Zhi responded, “Ah Chang is holding them off, we can’t just leave him.”

“Let’s go!”

Lin Zigui wanted to join them, but Hua Lian grabbed her by the collar, holding her back. He kept both her and Xun’er safely behind.

They waited anxiously. Within the time it took an incense stick to burn, the others returned. Lin Zhi and Lin Jiang were in the lead, with Wang Chang carrying the injured man on his back.

“His wounds are severe,” Lin Jiang said, his voice grave. “He needs immediate medical attention. He might not survive otherwise.”

Their spring hunt abruptly cut short, they had no choice but to return to the city.

With bandits roaming the outskirts of Hangzhou, they didn’t feel comfortable letting Lin Zigui travel alone. Her little pony was far too slow to keep up with their pace. Lin Zhi, as usual, hoisted Lin Zigui onto her own horse, carrying her back to the city.

Servants had already rushed back to the Lin residence to inform the family. As they dismounted in front of the house, Lin Zigui heard her nanny’s frantic cries. “Oh, my little darling! Where did you run off to? We’ve been searching everywhere! Madam was so worried she cried.”

She turned and called, “Nanny Cheng.”

Zhu Jiu emerged from the house, her graceful demeanor abandoned in her haste. “Si’er!” she cried, relief flooding her features as she spotted her daughter.

Lin Zigui rushed into her arms. “Mother!”

She rushed into Zhu Jiu’s arms, exclaiming, “Mother, today Si’er caught a rabbit on the spring hunt…”

She looked up and noticed the redness in her mother’s eyes. Zhu Jiu, despite being in her late thirties, still possessed a youthful complexion. When she cried, her eyes became strikingly red, a picture of delicate beauty and vulnerability.

“Mother, why are you crying? Is your chest hurting again?”

Zhu Jiu carefully examined her body and only felt relieved after seeing that she was unharmed. She took out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat, “You scared your mother to death.”

The servant who had returned with the news had been flustered, his account unclear. He simply mentioned that the young miss had encountered bandits.

Upon hearing those words, Zhu Jiu, already frantic after searching the entire house for her missing daughter, felt her world spin. A sharp pain gripped her chest.

Lin Chou tried to reassure her, saying Lin Zigui must have snuck off to join the spring hunt and that Lin Jiang and Lin Zhi wouldn’t let anything happen to her. But Zhu Jiu couldn’t calm her anxieties.

Lin Zigui hugged her mother tightly, nuzzling her cheek against hers. “I’m sorry, Mother,” she whispered.

Lin Chou emerged from the house, two figures following behind him.

Lin Chou, with his imposing presence and stern expression, was intimidating even when silent. When he spoke, his deep voice commanded attention. “This girl is becoming more and more reckless,” he scolded. “Sneaking off like that, putting herself in danger!”

Lin Zigui knew she was in trouble. She remained silent, hiding in her mother’s embrace.

It wasn’t until Hao Yi and Qin Feng came over and took her from Zhu Jiu’s arms that she spoke up.

“Uncle Hao! Uncle Feng!”

Qin Feng supported her under her armpits and lifted her high, laughing, “Little Si’er, how come you’ve gotten lighter?”

He held her close, tickling her playfully. Lin Zigui giggled, forgetting all about her father’s anger.

Lin Chou held a thin bamboo rod. He swatted her lightly on the bottom. “I won’t be so lenient this time,” he warned. “You need to learn a lesson. This will teach you not to be so reckless again!”

The swat wasn’t painful, but its suddenness startled her. Her laughter died in her throat, replaced by a shocked silence.

Qin Feng patted her back soothingly and said, “Brother Yi, she’s still a child. It’s natural for her to be playful.”

“If she can sneak off to a spring hunt today without a word,” Lin Chou thundered, “tomorrow she’ll run away to wander the jianghu, thinking the world is as safe as our home! Not only will I deal with her, but Jiang’er and Zhi’er will be punished for indulging her! Lin Yuan will discipline them both!”

Hao Yi chuckled. “I just heard the whole story from Lin Jiang. It was Si’er who discovered those bandits. She remained calm and collected, acted with wisdom and courage, just like you, Brother Yi. And she was concerned for that man’s life, showing great compassion. Perhaps you could consider her good deed as a counterbalance to her misbehavior.”

Lin Chou, seeing Lin Zigui subdued, clinging to Qin Feng’s shoulder, his heart softened. He had made his point. “You’re right, Brother Hao,” he conceded, his voice losing some of its harshness.

Lin Chou then addressed her, “I’ll let you off this time. But if there’s a next time, I’ll punish you with ten lashes without asking why!”

He addressed Zhu Jiu, his voice softening considerably. “She’s fine. You can rest easy now. Go back and rest.”

Zhu Jiu nodded, taking Lin Zigui back into her arms.

As they passed by Lin Chou, she whispered, “Father, it wasn’t eldest brother or second sister’s fault this time, please don’t punish them…”

Lin Chou’s hand twitched as if he wanted to stroke her head but restrained himself, keeping his hands behind his back, and grunted affirmatively.

Reassured, Lin Zigui relaxed against her mother. As they walked away, her lively spirit returned.

Back in her room, Lin Zigui had barely settled down when Nanny Cheng arrived with a bowl of medicine. “Young Miss, time for your medicine,” she announced.

Lin Zigui wrinkled her nose at the sight of the dark, pungent liquid in the bowl. She looked at her mother with a pleading expression.

“Si’er, be good.”

Lin Zigui pouted but obediently took the bowl, forcing down half of it before complaining, “It’s bitter! I don’t want to drink anymore.”

“Si’er, the medicine will only work if you finish it.”

She kicked her legs impatiently, blurting out, “Finishing it doesn’t guarantee it’ll work…”

Noticing the sadness in her mother’s eyes, she instantly regretted her words. “It’s so bitter, Mother,” she quickly added, sticking out her tongue playfully. “If I can have a few more candied fruits, Si’er will finish it.”

Zhu Jiu laughed, “Greedy girl, be careful not to get a toothache.”

Despite her teasing, she instructed Nanny Cheng to bring candied plums and dates.

“Mother, feed me.”

Zhu Jiu indulged her, feeding her by hand. Slowly, she managed to finish the rest of her medicine.

Zhu Jiu teased her, “You need to be coaxed just to drink half a bowl of medicine. In the future, who will be able to handle your temper? You’d better hope you can find someone to marry.”

Lin Zigui scoffed playfully. “If they can’t even patiently coax me to take my medicine, how will they protect me? When I find a husband, he’ll have to be patient and willing to make me drink my medicine.”

She tugged at her mother’s skirt, smiling. “If I can’t find someone like that, Si’er will just stay with Mother forever, and you can keep coaxing Si’er to take her medicine.”

“You’re talking silly again.”

She and Zhu Jiu only spoke briefly before she began to feel sleepy. After a day of commotion and the effect of the medicine setting in, she blinked sleepily and yawned twice.

“If you’re tired, take a nap.”

Lin Zigui clung to her mother’s robe, refusing to let go, “Mother, stay with me while I sleep.”

“You’re a big girl now. Stop being so clingy.”

Despite her words, Zhu Jiu removed her shoes and climbed onto the bed, lying down and pulling Lin Zigui into her arms. She gently patted her daughter’s back.

Lin Zigui quickly drifted off to sleep.

Zhu Jiu gazed at her daughter, who was tightly leaning against her, a sudden wave of sadness washing over her. She leaned down and kissed Lin Zigui’s forehead, a single tear trailing down her cheek.

Perhaps it was karma, the price their martial arts family had to pay for the countless grudges and vendettas they had accumulated over the years, and the retribution had fallen upon their descendants.

Lin Chou had lost three sons in infancy. It wasn’t until he was past thirty that they finally had this precious daughter.

Yet, she was missing the five senses and had no sense of taste.

This child couldn’t tell the bitterness from the sweetness.

Her little act of playing such tricks was just an early sign of maturity, meant to make Zhu Jiu happy.