Chapter 57: A gentleman’s lie

第五十七节：君子的谎言

Translator: Skyfarrow Editor: Skyfarrow

Jia Fu was conflicted.

贾富很纠结。

He had dispelled his suspicions of Fang Yuan and was certain that Jia Gui was the mastermind.

他现在心中已经排除了方源的嫌疑，几乎确定贾贵就是幕后黑手了。

“But yet, so what if I know the truth?” Jia Fu felt anger and sadness surging, “I have no evidence at hand, so if I accused Jia Gui in front of father without any proof, father might even think I am trying to frame him!”

“但我就算知道了真相，又能如何呢？”贾富的心头涌起一股悲愤，“我手中没有任何的证据，若是我空口无凭地到父亲面前指证贾贵，恐怕父亲还认为我要陷害他呢！”

Jia Fu was smart, and he looked at Fang Yuan, a light flashing in his eyes.

贾富很精明，他看向方源，双眼中精芒一阵爆闪。

Jia Jin Sheng had journeyed with him together, and now that he was missing, it was Jia Fu’s fault for not taking care of him! Since he could not accuse Jia Gui, he had to give his father some answer.

贾金生是随着他一起走南闯北，贾金生如今失踪，他贾富自然就有照顾不周的责任！既然指证不了贾贵，那么他就必须给父亲有个交代。

And this answer was in front of him!

而这个交代，就在眼前！

“That’s right, if Fang Yuan is the scapegoat, it would at least help me get through this crisis. Once I get over it, I can get back at Jia Gui with twice the payback.” Jia Fu thought deviously.

“不错，若把这个方源当做替罪羊，也算能勉强交代过去。只要过了这个坎儿，我就有可能再双倍地讨回来。”贾富心中恶念顿生。

He raised his pitch, interrogating Fang Yuan, “Fang Yuan, how do you prove that you did not harm Jia Jin Sheng?”

他猛地提高声调，又对方源厉声逼问：“方源，你怎么证明你没有暗害贾金生？”

The clan elders were stunned. This is obviously your internal dispute, why are you still grabbing onto my clansman?

众家老不由地一愣，这事情明摆着是你贾家内斗，怎么还抓住我族人不放呢？

Only the Gu Yue clan leader looked grim, his expression turning sharp as he stared at Jia Fu.

唯有古月族长面色一沉，目光转厉，紧紧地盯向贾富。

“Fang Yuan, what proof do you have to show that you were not present at the time and did not harm Jia Jin Sheng? If you can’t prove it, you are the murderer!” Jia Fu pointed at Fang Yuan, his gaze furious as he threatened with his aura.

“方源，你有什么证人，证明你不在场，没有时间暗害贾金生？若没有的话，你就是凶手！”贾富一手指向方源，怒目圆瞪，气势逼人。

“He’s trying to push our clan’s Fang Yuan into being the scapegoat. How atrocious!” At this point, the clan elders had reacted and their expressions all turned unkind.

“他贾富这是要把我族的方源推出去，当做替罪羔羊啊。真是岂有此理！”这一会儿，众家老也都反应过来了，各个脸色都变得不善。

They had been fighting and scheming against each other for a long time, so if they thought about it, they would know easily about Jia Fu’s standpoint and intentions.

他们长期勾心斗角，稍稍一想，也就领会到了贾富的立场和打算。

“Witness? Of course I do! I prepared it long ago.” Fang Yuan smiled internally, but showed an expression of shock, as if he wanted to speak but couldn’t.

“证人？当然有！我早就安排好了。”方源暗自一声冷笑，表面却作出一副百口莫辩，张口欲言却说不出话的逼真神情。

“No need for others, just tell me if you do or not!” Jia Fu raised his voice again, forcing Fang Yuan.

“其他的都不用说，你只要告诉我有没有！”贾富声音再度拔高，逼压方源。

Fang Yuan showed an indignant expression, but finally gritted his teeth and said helplessly, “No.”

方源一副愤慨不平的模样，最终似无奈地从牙缝中挤出两个字：“没有。”

“Haha. Then you are —”” Jia Fu was about to declare his verdict but at that point.

“哈哈。那你就是——”贾富刚要大声宣判，就在这时。

“Halt!” The academy elder took a step forward and stood in front of Fang Yuan with a solemn expression, “Of course he has a witness, that would be me!”

“慢！”学堂家老一个跨步，挡在了方源的面前，一脸肃容，“他当然有证人，我就是他的证人！”

“You?” Jia Fu asked in shock.

“你？”贾富惊疑。

“That’s right, me.” The academy elder, facing Rank four Jia Fu, was slightly overpowered. But seeing Gu Yue Bo’s encouraging gaze, he gathered his courage and raised his head, “These days when Fang Yuan unexpectedly became the first to break through the middle stage, I sent my men to investigate him. His everyday activities and actions are recorded down, there was no time for him to harm Jia Jin Sheng.”

“不错，就是老夫。”学堂家老面对四转的贾富，语气有点虚。但是看到族长古月博投来的鼓励目光，他底气顿足，把头一昂，“这些天方源意外地率先晋升中阶，我便差人暗中调查。他的每一天的行踪都记录在案，根本就没有暗害贾金生的时间。”

“Yes, this is it…” Fang Yuan hid behind the academy elder’s back, where no one could see his curled lips, revealing a smile.

“对，就是这样……”方源隐藏在学堂家老的背后，谁也没有看到他此时的嘴角，微微勾勒出的一抹笑意。

Jia Fu’s expression was dim, he did not expect the academy elder to stand out and protect Fang Yuan.

贾富脸色铁青，他没有料到学堂家老会忽然站出来，担保方源。

The crucial point was, the Gu Yue clan leader did not object. This had a great meaning, for it meant the Gu Yue clan was going to protect Fang Yuan.

更关键的是，古月族长也没有反对。这意义可就重大了，代表着古月一族要保这个方源。

“I get it! I wanted to get Fang Yuan to become the scapegoat, but that was from my perspective, and I did not consider their perspective. Indeed, once Fang Yuan is criminalized, the Gu Yue clan has to bear the evil name of harming a Jia family member. From then on they will have to face the Jia family’s retribution as well as losing their own reputation. Furthermore, future caravans would not dare to come here and trade anymore, the loss is too great!”

“我懂了！我一心想要让方源当做替罪羊，只是从自身出发，却没有考虑到他们的感受。不错，方源一被顶罪，古月一族就要承担谋害贾家族人的恶名。今后就要面临贾家的报复，名誉还会折损，未来商队也不敢过来交易，那损失就太大了！”

Thinking of this, Jia Fu was anguished and wanted to slap his own head.

想到这点，贾富懊恼地恨不得拍打自己的脑门。

The Gu Yue higher-ups did have such considerations.

古月高层，正是如此的想法。

Fang Yuan was a C grade, so if he really harmed Jia Jin Sheng, handing him over was nothing. But the point was, now that his suspicion had been cleared, if he was handed over, wouldn’t the Gu Yue clan suffer a great injustice and lose out greatly?

方源只是丙等，若真是他害了贾金生，把他交出去，也不算什么。但是关键是，现在他的嫌疑已经被洗净了，若还把他交出来，古月一族岂不是要蒙受大量的，不必要的损失么？

Knowing that this conflict could not be resolved, Jia Fu gritted his teeth, determined to get his way. He said, “If so, why don’t you let me use the Footprint Gu. Once this Gu is used, it will show us his last 30,000 footprints on the floor.”

知道这个矛盾已经不可调和，贾富咬了咬牙，决定坚持到底，他开口道：“既然如此，那不妨让我动用一下足迹蛊。此蛊用了，便可在地面上显示出最近三万步的足迹。”

The academy elder scoffed in displeasure.

学堂家老立即不悦地冷哼了一下。

Jia Fu’s words meant he did not trust them. But he has no reason to stop him, thus he let Jia Fu through.

贾富说这话，明显是不相信自己。但他也没有阻拦的道理，于是侧身让过。

“Come and test!” Fang Yuan laughed coldly at Jia Fu, walking towards him with his head lowered.

“来测吧！”方源望着贾富冷笑，昂首走到他的面前。

He was confident, having predicted this. Thus, these few days he kept his activities within the village and did not go to the secret cave.

他自信十足，因为早就料到了这个因素。因此这些天，都缩在山寨中活动，石缝秘洞根本就没有涉足。

Under the Gu Yue higher-ups supervision, Jia Fu did not play any tricks.

在古月高层的密切注视之下，贾富没有耍弄花样。

The Footprint Gu was very peculiar, it was shaped like a person’s foot. Its material was like a translucent yogurt, giving others a feeling of smoothness, and the surface had a yellow-green luster.

足迹蛊形状十分特别，就像是人的一只脚。它的材质就像是一块半透明的冻乳，给人滑嫩的感觉，表面还泛着一层黄绿色的荧光。

Its size was small, being only palm size.

体型倒是不大，只有掌心大小。

Jia Fu held it in his hands, sending primeval essence into the Footprint Gu.

贾富拿在手中，真元喷涌而出，灌注到足迹蛊之中。

The Footprint Gu became brighter, and then suddenly with a “bam” sound, exploded into a cloud of yellow green powder.

足迹蛊越来越亮，忽然砰的一声轻响，炸成了一大片黄绿荧粉。

The powdery cloud enveloped Fang Yuan and spun around him before flying out of the discussion hall.

荧粉呼的一下，罩住方源，在他的身边旋转一圈，然后就飞出了议事堂的大门。

Where the powder cloud passed through, the floor would show a series of footprints.

在荧粉飞过的一路，地上顿时就显现出一连串的脚印。

These footprints glowed in a yellow green light around the same size as Fang Yuan’s foot. They were Fang Yuan’s footprints when he entered the discussion hall.

这些脚印都散发着黄绿色的荧光，大小和方源的两只脚一模一样。正是他刚刚进来议事堂的足迹。

The footprints extended from the family head pavilion into the academy hostel and then to the academy and circulated. Other than that, it reached the mountain village’s inn.

足迹一直从家主阁延伸出去，到达学堂宿舍，然后就在学堂这块绕圈圈。除此之外，就是到达山寨的客栈。

The powder cloud became smaller as it flew, and finally at the 30,000th step, it vanished.

黄绿荧粉越飞越少，最终在第三万个足迹上，彻底消失。

The results were clear, everyone had checked and knew that Fang Yuan was innocent, there were no suspicious points.

结果出来，众人查看，顿知方源一片清白，毫无疑点。

Jia Fu sighed, taking out a small jade box.

贾富深深地叹了口气，又从怀中取出一方小巧的玉盒。

He opened the jade box, where there was only a jade piece inside.

他把玉盒打开，玉盒中只存了一个玉片。

The jade piece was a translucent emerald colour, and there was a Gu sealed inside.

玉片呈现半透明的翠绿色，里面则封印了一只蛊虫。

This was a phasmids(1), its body long and slim, with the colour of jade, its entire body looking like a bamboo tube.

这是一只竹节虫，它身躯纤细而又修长，如碧玉一般的颜色，整个身躯就像是一段圆溜溜的竹管。

The phasmids was normally longer than a palm, but this one wasn’t, being only the size of a fingernail. On its surface, it emitted a white glow.

竹节虫一般体长都要超过一个巴掌，但是这只却不是，只有指甲盖的长度。在它的表面，还微微散发着白色的光芒。

“Green jade as its body, white light enveloping its form, this is the Bamboo Gentleman!” At once, some of the elders recognised this Gu worm and exclaimed.

“青玉为躯，白华覆体，这是竹君子啊！”当即，就有家老认出了这蛊虫，惊叹一声。

Even Gu Yue Bo was moved. He could not refrain from advising, “Brother Jia, this Bamboo Gentleman is a Rank four Gu, it is not easily refined. Why waste it here?”

就连族长古月博都动容了，不禁劝道：“贾老弟，这竹君子乃是四转蛊虫，炼之不易。何必要浪费在此处呢？”

Jia Fu shook his head, looking at Fang Yuan: “This Bamboo Gentleman was obtained through gambling rocks when I was young. The rock was only opened halfway before it could no longer be extracted. As everyone knows, this Gu worm is fed honesty as food, being able to detect lies from birth. Only an honest gentleman who has never lied can refine and feed this Gu.”

贾富摇头，看向方源：“这竹君子是我年少时，一次偶然解石而得。石头只解了一半，没有再解下去。众所周知，这蛊虫以真诚为食，天生就能测谎。只有从小到大都没有说过一句谎言的至诚君子才能炼化、喂养这蛊。”

“Fang Yuan, you just have to open this rock and keep the Bamboo Gentleman in your aperture. Whatever I ask you, you will answer. Next, we will take out this Gu and let everyone see if it changed colour. If the Gu changes colour, you’re lying!”

“方源，你只要把石头解开，将虚弱的竹君子收到空窍当中去。我问你什么，你就答什么。然后再把此蛊取出来，让我们大家看看这虫有无变色。只要变色了，就说明你在撒谎！”

“No problem.” Fang Yuan did not hesitate. He immediately opened the jade piece and did as Jia Fu instructed.

“毫无问题。”方源没有一丝犹豫，当即解开玉片，按照贾富所说的做了。

The Bamboo Gentleman appeared in his aperture and emitted a faint green glow, covering the primeval sea.

竹君子一出现在空窍之中，立即散发出微微的绿芒，照彻整个真元海。

Fang Yuan felt that if he said a single lie, the Bamboo Gentleman could detect it and turn its body from green into another color.

方源顿时感到，只要他说出一句谎话，这竹君子就能感应到，从而身躯由绿色变成其他颜色。

But he only accepted it because he had his trump card.

但是他之所以应承下来，也是有底气的。

“Spring Autumn Cicada!” With a thought, the Spring Autumn Cicada awakened and let out a trace of its aura.

“春秋蝉！”他一个念头，沉眠中的春秋蝉顿时苏醒过来，散发出一缕气息。

This aura was overpowering, and it immediately suppressed the Bamboo Gentleman.

这气息恢弘无比，立即死死地镇压住竹君子。

The Bamboo Gentleman emitted a green glow and immediately shrunk its body. Its entire body was curled up, trembling in fear. How could it have the excessive spirit to detect lies?

竹君子散发出的绿色光芒，顿时咻的一下缩回到体内。整个身躯都蜷缩起来，害怕得瑟瑟发抖。哪里还有余心余力能感应谎言？

Jia Fu begin interrogating, with his first question hitting home, “Fang Yuan, did you harm my brother Jia Jin Sheng?”

贾富开始发问，他的第一句话就直指中心：“方源，你有没有害我的弟弟贾金生？”

“No!” Fang Yuan affirmed.

“没有！”方源斩钉截铁地答道。

Jia Fu asked, “Do you have any other information about him?”

贾富又问：“你知不知其他关于他的消息？”

Fang Yuan shook his head, “No idea.”

方源摇头：“不知。”

Jia Fu asked again, “Did you say anything dishonest to us earlier?”

贾富再问：“你刚刚对我们大家说的话，有无不实之处？”

Fang Yuan shook his head again, “No.”

方源再摇头：“没有。”

“Alright, you can take out the Bamboo Gentleman now.” After finishing with three questions, Jia Fu instructed Fang Yuan.

“好了，你可以把竹君子取出来了。”三句问完，贾富道。

Fang Yuan took out the Bamboo Gentleman, and everyone saw that it was still an emerald green colour with no changes.

方源将竹君子取了出来，众人望去，只见竹君子表面仍旧是一片碧绿之色，毫无变化。

The clan elders heaved a sigh of relief.

一干家老都松了口气。

Jia Fu’s expression became milder as he kept the Bamboo Gentleman, cupping his fists towards Gu Yue Bo, “Much offense this time, brother Gu Yue.”

贾富的面色也缓和下来，他收好竹君子，向古月博一拱手：“这次多有得罪了，古月兄。”

“No matter, the truth is what we wanted to see as well.” Gu Yue Bo waved his hand, then sighed, “But what a pity for this Bamboo Gentleman.”

“无妨，能让真相大白，也是我们想要看到的。”古月博摆摆手，随后又叹息一声，“只是可惜了这只竹君子。”

The Bamboo Gentleman had the ability to detect lies and was a Rank four Gu, thus it was very valuable. But feeding and refining it was not easy. It had to be refined by an honest gentleman. If any other Gu Master had said a single lie, the refinement would fail and the Bamboo Gentleman would die on the spot.

竹君子有测谎之能，品阶高达四转，价值非常之大。但是喂养、炼化都十分不易。它必须是由至诚君子才能炼化。只要其他蛊师，说过一句谎话，炼化竹君子必定失败，竹君子也会当场死亡。

Its food was honesty. It would reside in the aperture of an honest gentleman and consuming the gentleman’s honesty as food to survive.

它的食物，就是真诚。至于寄居在至诚君子的空窍当中，食用君子的真诚才能生存。

Now that the Bamboo Gentleman had been opened, it was extremely weak, but it had no food to restore its strength. After being treated so harshly by Fang Yuan, its death was set in stone.

现在这竹君子被开出来，虚弱至极，但是却没有食物来恢复元气。又经过方源刚刚这一使用，死亡已经是定局了。

Jia Fu shook his head, looking at the Bamboo Gentleman in his head, not feeling any pity.

贾富却摇摇头，望着手中将死的竹君子，似乎并不可惜。

He said solemnly, “I have already done my best to investigate, but I received no results. This time, when I get back to the family, I will employ the divine investigator Tie Xue Leng(2), it would definitely get this matter cleared up! Goodbye.”

他沉声道：“此事我已经尽了全力调查，可惜力有未逮。这次回转家族，我会重金聘用捕神铁血冷，一定会将此事调查清楚！告辞了。”

Saying so, he cupped his fists towards Gu Yue Bo and left, crisp and quick, with a certain elegance to it.

说完对古月博一拱手，转身便走，干净利落，倒也显得有些风采。

Seeing Jia Fu and the rest leaving, Gu Yue Bo heaved a sigh of relief and said, “You can all leave now.”

He waved at the clan elders, but suddenly thought of something and said, “Academy elder please stay back.”

望着贾富一干人等离去的背影，古月博长长地舒了口气：“你们也都可以走了。”

他向众家老挥挥手，仿佛想到什么，又道：“学堂家老留下。”

Without losing a single drop of sweat, Fang Yuan walked out of the family head’s pavilion safe and sound.

没有少一根汗毛，方源安然无恙地走出了家主阁。

(1) Phasmids: Stick-bugs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phasmatodea

(2) 铁血冷 – Tie Xue Leng, Tie means Metal and is the name of the Tie clan. Xue Leng means cold blood. This name will be important.

《蛊真人》中英文对照版 第五十七节：君子的谎言

《蛊真人》中英文对照版第五十七节：君子的谎言