Chapter 58: The Men Coming Down the Mountain Wearing “Snake Robes”

After the Snake Demon was slain, even though Hong Sheng and Hong Yu had gone to the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring, even though the family was now able to make ends meet, and even though the Hong family had already survived the burden of tax collection, Hong Wen still often went alone into the mountains to capture snakes.

Just as Hong Wen was about to shoulder his tools and leave, Hong Sheng suddenly spoke:

“You’re still the same as you were two years ago, still believing that the Snake Demon was the very venomous snake that killed Father, still convinced it isn’t dead, right?”

Hong Wen’s steps slowed slightly, but he still did not turn around.

Seeing this, Hong Sheng understood that he had struck at the heart of Hong Wen’s thoughts:

“Brother, maybe you really do think you still need to prepare tuition for me and Hong Yu, but aside from that, you still refuse to let go of yourself. You still believe that Father’s death back then was a responsibility you cannot escape.”

“You’ve kept throwing yourself into the mountains to catch snakes, even when it wasn’t the right season, even when the family had already gathered enough taxes and tuition. You only hoped to find evidence that snake still lived, so you could avenge Father. But at the same time, you’ve also carried a self-destructive intent.”

“Isn’t that right, Brother?”

At those words, Hong Wen finally stopped completely.

He turned around to look at his younger brother with whom he had always been very close, and said with a gentle smile:

“Perhaps, just a little bit?”

Hong Sheng froze, not expecting his brother to admit it so readily:

“Brother, I’ve told you long ago—Father’s death wasn’t anyone’s fault. To die at the fangs of a venomous snake, that was always the fate of snake-catchers in Hongjia Village. We can blame no one. The dead…”

Before he could finish speaking, a heavy fist suddenly slammed into his face, sending him flying.

“Shut up!”

Blood instantly flowed down from Hong Sheng’s nose, but he did not wipe it.

Instead, he stared blankly at his brother, whose face was twisted with rage.

He had never seen such an expression on his brother’s face.

“All this talk about fate, about karmic retribution—I’ve listened to you say that for two years. I’ve had enough!”

“All I know is this: Father died at the fangs of a venomous snake. As his son, I must avenge him! As a snake-catcher, I must skin and tear apart every last snake!”

“You and our sister only need to study well. As for the matters in the mountains—don’t ask, and don’t interfere!”

Hong Sheng said:

“But have you ever thought? Father is dead, yes. But if something happens to you as well, what will I do? What will our sister do? What will Mother do?”

Hong Wen’s body trembled violently, then he raised his head, turned away without another word, and left…

Hong Sheng drew back his thoughts and turned to Hong Yu:

“All right, pack up the things we’re bringing back to the village. In a couple of days, we’ll tell Uncle Wei and the teachers at the academy, then we’ll head home. Eldest Brother and Mother must be missing us a lot.”

“Yes, Brother!”

……

At the foot of Hong Mountain, in Hongjia Village.

Hong Wen, with a snake scale hanging on his chest, was kneeling before Hong Tianfeng’s grave:

“Father, if I count the days, Hong Sheng and Hong Yu should be coming back soon. When they do, they’ll surely come see you first thing. Do you miss those two children of yours?”

“I heard that before long, they’ll be going to take the provincial exam. Strictly speaking, since you passed away not even three years ago, they shouldn’t yet be allowed to take it.”

“But Uncle Wei Hanyu from the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring has already spoken up for them. They’ll be using the Bureau’s quota, so they don’t need to worry about those restrictions.”

“Your wish back then—that we study—will now be fulfilled through them.”

Hong Wen’s eyes softened as he muttered words he could never say aloud in daily life.

Only before Hong Tianfeng’s grave could he once more feel like that carefree youth who had no burdens.

He touched the snake scale on his chest, and his gaze turned dark:

“I still haven’t found the snake that killed you that year. Though Hong Sheng and Uncle Yun both told me to give up, I won’t. I am a snake-catcher. I’ll always be a snake-catcher.”

“But don’t worry, Father. I won’t argue with Hong Sheng again, because I know he only does it for my own good.”

Hong Wen rose and brushed the dust from himself:

“All right, I’ll head home. Next time I come, I’ll probably be bringing along two scholars. Heh.”

Leaving Hong Tianfeng’s grave, Hong Wen wandered through the village, considering when would be best tomorrow to go up the mountain.

A sudden commotion made him look up.

Though the sun was already near setting, many villagers were still gathered together, looking anxious, talking about something he couldn’t hear.

“What’s going on?”

Hong Wen stepped forward and asked.

“Hong Wen is here.”

The villagers, upon seeing him, made space for him.

Though Hong Wen had only been a snake-catcher for less than three years, because of his well-known obsession, he went into the mountains again and again even without the pressure of imperial taxes.

Two years of hunting snakes had already tempered him from a naïve youth into a dependable man.

Now, even the most experienced snake-catchers in the village could not claim to know more than he did.

So, the people of Hongjia Village respected this young snake-catcher greatly.

“Hong Wen, have you heard? The villagers who went into the mountains today—none of them have come back.”

Hong Wen frowned:

“Not a single one?”

“That’s right. Everyone’s worried they might have run into trouble up there. We want to go look, but it’s getting dark, and we’re afraid…”

Without hesitation, Hong Wen said:

“I’ll go take a look.”

Someone grabbed him:

“Hong Wen, the sun’s already down. It’s too dangerous to go up now. Wait until morning.”

Hong Wen looked—it was his uncle, Hong Tianyun.

Clearly, although Tianyun was deeply worried for the missing villagers, he feared even more that something might happen to anyone who went up the mountain now.

“Yes, yes, besides, maybe they just gathered together to rest up there. They might be coming back any moment.”

Hong Wen glanced at the villagers who still clung to hope, and was about to speak when—

“They’re back!”

A voice rang out.

At once, everyone strained their eyes toward the distance.

“Where? Where?”

“Look, over there!”

Following the voice, Hong Wen saw several figures slowly approaching the village entrance in the last glow of the setting sun.

Hong Tianyun exhaled in relief:

“So it turns out they were just up to something together. Hmph, making everyone worry for nothing. I’ll be sure to ask them what they were doing!”

The other villagers echoed in agreement, lifting torches as they went forward to greet them.

But Hong Wen frowned, watching those figures coming down from the mountain.

In the firelight and fading sunset, he noticed their clothes seemed to ripple like waves.

Clothes, rippling in this dim light?

He stepped closer, and his eyes widened.

That ripple wasn’t clothing at all, but countless snakes, coiling round and round, layer upon layer, wrapped tightly around their bodies!

Those swarming snakes piled upon each other, creating the eerie illusion that the men descending the mountain were dressed in “Snake Robes”!