A Wandering Youth

Chapter 35

“We guys from the neighboring courtyard made a bet to see if anyone could sit in a daze all day without blinking, and I always won.” He grinned and continued, “You can do it on the first day of the lunar new year.”

A pang of bitterness shot through my heart. What kind of child is this? Why is he so listless and lifeless? What happened to make him so disillusioned with life?

"People in our border compound even make bets: whoever can touch a corner of his clothes while he's daydreaming on the first day of the lunar month will bet ten taels of silver."

I lowered my eyelids and pondered: Zhao Yong follows the fast and fierce internal martial arts style. I have seen him make a move. He grabbed A Yu's whip in one move. This person is definitely a master. It seems that Chu Yi is really an even more powerful person. I also became a little curious.

Unexpectedly, four months later, I met the first year of junior high school.

At the time, I didn't know that the first-year junior high student was among that group of teenagers. My first impression was very deep: many people were lying haphazardly, limp and curled up, like batches of livestock waiting to be sold. Leng Qi splashed them with icy seawater like pigs and dogs. Those people bounced up and jumped up. They were all afraid when they saw Leng Qi. Only the boy in the very corner sat up indifferently. Although he was in a sorry state, he was not embarrassed. Moreover, it was obvious that this person was not stupid and was not afraid of Leng Qi.

"First year of junior high." I heard Leng Qi call out the name that would imprison me for life.

So he was in the first year of junior high. I couldn't help but smile. He seemed to be a really interesting person. Zhao Yong had misjudged him.

That evening, Chu Yi came to my room and asked me to help him change his clothes. As I approached him, I accidentally touched his neck and was slightly taken aback: this person doesn't seem to be a man.

I pretended to offer him clothes and asked him to choose a servant's outfit. Without hesitation, he said, "Green."

Green is a common color in commoners' clothing, lighter than indigo and more delicate than pale blue. I handed him the clothes without making a sound, and touched his wrist—it really was a woman.

He took the clothes in his hands and respectfully bid me farewell. From beginning to end, he only glanced at me once, his demeanor remarkably composed. I stood there dumbfounded in the empty room, my mind in turmoil. Such a composed person was actually a woman, and she had suffered so much under Zhao Yong's nose. Zhao Yong must have been wrong to tell me she was dull and unresponsive! That was my immediate reaction.

Because I need to protect Shui Qianmie and Madam Ru, I also have to set off. I can go home after completing the mission, but the route will be a bit roundabout. Also, with Chu Yi hiding his identity, I'm still a little uneasy.

The story of how she single-handedly fought off the enemy to protect the box at dusk on the first day of the Lunar New Year shocked me for the first time. I knew she was someone who kept a low profile, but I never expected her martial arts skills to be so high. Others might not be able to tell, but I knew that the gun technique she used was so skillful that even all the top gun masters in the world combined could not match her proficiency and mastery.

I sat in the grass, forgetting to give orders for a long time, while she single-handedly withstood all the arrows. That night, I deliberately eavesdropped on her conversation with Ruan Si and discovered a secret: Chu Yi, who was originally a quiet person, liked to talk to Ruan Si, and I couldn't contain my curiosity. After listening to a while, she noticed me and wouldn't speak again unless asked.

During this arduous journey of more than a month, she was very close to me, but I couldn't see her clearly, just like my father, who was so unpredictable.

Every day, I would fall asleep in the carriage listening to her steady breathing. Sometimes she was so close that I could touch her with just a flick of my finger. She was very humble and polite to everyone, but she always stood far away, with a sense of secrecy and indifference. At the time, I didn't know how fortunate I was that she was always by my side. Whenever there was danger, she would always think of me first, which filled me with mixed feelings and made my heart flutter.

At the foot of Youzhou Mountain, I experienced heartbreak for the first time, and was deeply shocked the second time. I could see that she was very relaxed and envious of the little bird. After hesitating for a long time, thinking of my senior brother's entrustment and the key to this move, my heart was torn apart. Finally, I did something that I would regret for the rest of my life: I told Leng Qi that she was going to run away.

I've been thinking about it ever since. If she had run away back then and lived a free and open life, maybe I would have seen her again. Unlike now, I pushed her forward, forcing her towards the young master of Bixie. It's laughable that I blurted out, "Chuyi, come back to the village with me?" There was also an unspoken intuition: if you had agreed, I would have taken you away, so you wouldn't have to wander anymore. Even if you were so depressed along the way.

But now, seeing her again is as difficult as ascending to heaven. It turns out that I had already wasted my entire life's worth of marriage on that journey to Youzhou. I realized this after four hundred days and nights had passed since I left Chuyi.

As expected, I was in deep trouble, but I kept telling myself I couldn't let her get hurt. So, against my will, I warned her not to run away, and she obediently agreed. But what no one could have predicted was that she would risk her life to save Nan Jingqi at Luoyan Pagoda.

When Shui Qianmie told me, I was stunned. I had speculated about her before; her wish was quite clear: to escape with Ruan Si. But there was no need for her to provoke the young master of Bixie. Yet, she did it, for someone who seemed to have nothing to do with her.

I saved her, and when she woke up, she was obviously shocked. Could it be that her coming back to life was not of her own volition?

This encounter was brief. She remained calm and silent. I noticed she wasn't paying attention to the clothes I had prepared for her, which pleased me. She wore these clothes for a long time. Both outfits were blue, made by the sisters using double needlework, with different stitches and patterns, but overall similar. Careless as she was, she didn't notice the secret hidden in the clothes—my ulterior motive.

Shui Qianmie urged me to return home, but I left reluctantly because my body wouldn't allow me to travel. I easily left her, thinking I could get used to this heart-wrenching pain. Before leaving, I repeatedly warned her not to go to the Evil-Slaying Young Master, but she remained silent. If only I had been selfish and taken her with me, I could have stopped her from making this desperate gamble and stopped Qiu Yeyijian from paying attention to her.

But I did nothing; I kept making the same mistakes.

Back home, my father thought I could just rest as usual. I never expected that after leaving the first year of junior high, my condition would not improve. I felt more and more pain in my heart, especially after hearing about her actions—her battle with Qiu Yeyijian and Changshanshi, which marked the beginning of the first battle that involved the two of them.

So she really was willing to risk her life for Nan Jingqi. What was she thinking? The reason of merely resembling an old friend seemed far-fetched, just like what she said about me. Later, in the cave, I gradually pieced together the truth: Nan Jingqi must be connected to the person she said lingered in her heart every night…

News spread that Cheng Xiang had been captured. At that moment, I was incredibly wicked, even grateful for this reason that gave me the courage to take that step—I could leave home to see Chu Yi. Despite the physical pain, my heart was warm. Cheng Xiang helped me all the way to Wuzhou. I didn't know where she was, but I humbly hoped that I might see her where Nan Jingqi had appeared. Cheng Xiang looked at me sadly and said, "You've gone mad, I've gone mad, everyone's gone mad." She was a pitiful person too. What she wanted, I couldn't give her; what I wanted, I didn't even know where it was.

Cheng Xiang went out and came back to tell me that she really was there when she passed by on the first day of the lunar month.

I dragged my broken body and ran there. When I saw her again, my heart sank to the bottom of an icy abyss: her eyes were calm, without a trace of me, but she, who was naturally wary, leaned on Wu Sanshou dependently.

That one glance pierced my heart. This cruel person actually spoke: "I am..." I never imagined that it was Cheng Xiang who told her that the identity of Lonely Triumph had a fiancée bestowed by the emperor.

According to my family's teachings, after I involuntarily laid bare my feelings—in front of another person who was in my way—and received no response, anyone with a modicum of rationality would know what to do. But I chose to continue ignoring it, because I feared that before I could express my feelings, I might not even have a chance to be with her anymore. Yet she still shut me out of her world. She could take good care of me, but she wouldn't fall in love with me, because she told me that she herself was living a life of torment, unable even to save herself, how could she save me?

Although I don't resent her ruthlessness, I've been suffering physically and mentally. Words can't describe the deep-seated sorrow and loneliness. I found what I needed; she was the cure for me, but she's already gone.

Zhao Yong once said: "I'm willing to do anything you can't even imagine in my first year of junior high."

Volume Two: Fine Trees in the South

1. Kaifeng

A year after the smoke of war cleared, time passed and a peaceful New Year's Eve arrived.

Kaifeng, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, was a magnificent and prosperous city, a hub of international trade. The renowned "Eight Scenic Spots of Bianjing" offer different perspectives on Kaifeng's beauty. A poem describes them: "The Iron Pagoda amidst drifting clouds, the Xiangguo Pavilion with its frosty bells and the moon over the Zhou Bridge, the Sui Embankment with its misty willows and the round snow-covered Liang River, the Bian River with its autumn sounds and the Golden Pool at night." Leaving the East Water Gate, a river embankment stretches across the water, where the Bian River echoes with the sounds of autumn, and the Sui Embankment is shrouded in misty willows—two famous scenic spots.

Rain and snow fell in swirling patterns, blanketing Bianjing in a thin layer of silvery white. Every household was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations to celebrate the Song Dynasty's victory and the arrival of the New Year. The Thirteen-Room Building near the East Water Gate was no exception.

On the riverbank, where every inch of land is precious, a magnificent pavilion with painted beams and red decorations stands out, its splendor complementing the crystal-clear white magnolia lampshades of the covered bridge that stretch to the sky.

The attic was filled with deafening music, while the three floors of the main building were brightly lit.

Qiu Ye Yijian remained aloof, seated in the main seat on the top floor. His gaze swept across the scene before him, a mix of light and shadow, with people clinking glasses and bustling about, yet he remained detached from it all.

Yin Guang turned around and caught a glimpse of mockery in the young master's eyes. He was slightly taken aback: it felt as if a master was looking down on everyone, coldly watching the rich and powerful, and coldly mocking everyone.

Tonight's banquet is an annual event, and as the heir of the Southern Mansion, the young master is required to attend. As is customary, colorful fireworks are set off in the capital to celebrate the young master's birthday in advance. At the banquet, only sons of noble families and high-ranking officials pay their respects to the young master, vying to catch a glimpse of the renowned young master of the Bixie clan.

Yin Guang looked at the young master, whose handsome face, as always, was filled with the word "boredom." Moreover, Young Master Zhao Yingcheng had not appeared this year either, leaving the old Zhuang King with no one to manage the situation at the banquet.

The petite girl in pale purple nestled against her brother, her gaze lingering on the white-clad figure. Deep down, she longed to be closer to the person seated on the high platform. Zhuang Ziyi turned and gave her a warning look. Chu Chu understood, gracefully straightening up and silently pressing her cherry lips together.

Yin Guang sighed: "Zhuang Chuchu, the most beautiful woman in Jiangnan, has eyes that are too alluring to look at. Her misty gaze surpasses even the willows along the Sui embankment, her eyes shimmering with endless beauty. Occasionally, she'll glance up in surprise, her eyes brimming with autumn water, full of tender affection. This kind of beauty is meant to be cherished and pampered; just one look is enough to steal your soul."

During the banquet, she secretly glanced at the young master countless times, as if it wasn't the young master who had been captivated, but rather she.

King Zhuang led the entourage in offering birthday wishes and wine to the prince from afar. Amidst the enthusiastic music and praise, Qiu Ye Yijian remained indifferent, his eyes filled with even more mockery. He tilted his head back and drank the cup of birthday wine. He propped himself up with his hand, his slender right fingers silently swirling around the rim of the cup, his gaze fixed ahead.

Looking over, he saw a group of graceful women, some standing and some bowing, performing in a small brocade pavilion. He looked closely and saw that the female performers were wearing light-colored palace dresses with pink ties hanging at the necklines, which were very bright and eye-catching.

Yin Guang walked over, bowed, and respectfully asked, "Young master, are you interested?"

Qiu Ye remained motionless, her tone as cold as ever, yet carrying a hint of languid allure: "If you desire light, I will assign one to you."

Yin Guang shut his mouth, standing next to the young master, unsure whether to walk or sit, feeling quite embarrassed.

After hesitating for a moment, the young master spoke again in a cold tone: "Take away that woman who plays the zither later."

Looking up, Yin Guang could only see the white-clad girl's silky bangs and lowered eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, exuding an infinitely shy charm.

Chu Chu suddenly stood up and walked gracefully to the foot of the main stage, bowing gently: "Chu Chu has recently learned a simple zither piece, specially to celebrate Young Master Brother's birthday. Would Young Master Brother be interested in listening to it?"

Qiu Yeyijian originally wanted to speak according to his heart, but after glancing at the girl, he coldly nodded and agreed to Chu Chu's request.

Chu Chu walked gracefully to the young woman and stood still. The woman raised her head, her fair face and shy eyes gazing at Chu Chu like a startled deer.

Chu Chu lowered her eyelids and said calmly, "Sister, could you please move aside for a moment?"

The girl lowered her head in fear, and two musicians gently lifted her up and placed her on a brocade stool beside her. Her skirt swayed slightly, and her legs seemed too weak to stand.

Chuchu sat down and gently stroked the zither with her slender hand. The music was melodious and lingering, and the listeners nodded frequently.

Qiu Ye Yijian maintained her languid posture and said to the silver light in front of her, "Did you see it clearly?"

"What is it you wish to ask, young master?"

"Where did you find this ensemble of musicians?"

“A disciple of Young Master Chu.”

"Chu Xuan, one of the Four Young Masters?"

"yes."

"He's come to Kaifeng too?"

“Prince Zhuang specially invited them to perform at the Zichen Hall during the court's celebration tomorrow.”

Qiu Ye Yi Jian remained silent, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He stood up and looked at King Zhuang. King Zhuang understood and bowed with his hands clasped: "Your Highness is tired. The banquet tonight shall end here. I, Zhuang, respectfully see you off, sirs."

King Zhuang made several gestures, and everyone took their leave. Only Qiu Ye, sitting in front of him, remained indifferent and motionless.

Chu Chu followed her brother Zhuang Ziyi as they got up last, turned back for one last reluctant look, and then left with her head down.

Qiu Yeyijian still coldly looked down at Yin Guang: "Why didn't you leave that girl here?" Yin Guang was embarrassed and speechless.

King Zhuang turned around and smiled slightly: "Your Highness, what has happened?"

Qiu Yeyi took two steps back, her tone lazy and indifferent: "I'll enjoy myself properly after the ceasefire. It seems someone wants me to stretch my muscles."

King Zhuang's face was stern and solemn as he frowned and asked, "Is it related to tomorrow's celebration?"

Qiu Yeyi coldly replied, "We must not be careless during tomorrow's celebration; someone is plotting to assassinate the Emperor."

"How did the Crown Prince find out?"

"Chu Xuan once promised me that he would never leave Yangzhou unless something unexpected happened. Zichen Gate is the first gate of the palace, and the Emperor will preside over the grand ceremony here tomorrow."

King Zhuang was greatly alarmed, his body swaying slightly. He hurriedly replied, "When I went to invite Prince Chu, he readily agreed, and I didn't see any difficulty on his part... Since the prince is certain that His Majesty will have worries tomorrow, I can cancel the musicians' performance..."

Qiu Yeyi glanced at him, and King Zhuang calmed down and looked at the young master.

"Your Highness need not worry. Tomorrow I will personally guard His Majesty at Zichen Gate. As for Chu Xuan's matter, I suspect it is related to that young lady from earlier."

Seeing that the young master was looking at him again, Yin Guang blushed and said, "Yin Guang didn't see anything wrong with that young lady."

"Does Guang remember Ruan Si?"

"Ruan Si, who used to be Leng Qi's Black-Clad Guard? Isn't he already dead?"

“The fortune teller once told me that Ruan Si’s blade is swift and ruthless, but he has a weakness: he is always worried about his sister. If he hesitates to draw his blade, he will surely die.” Qiu Yeyi paused coldly, then continued, “He joined Bixie’s side for his sister. It is said that Ruan was being hunted by his enemies forty years ago, and his sister was severely injured and crippled while trying to save him. And the only medicine that can cure her leg ailment is mine.”

"Young master, are you saying that the young lady just now was Ruan Si's sister?"

"Yes, the two look alike, and the woman happens to have a leg ailment."

Yin Guang stepped forward hesitantly, looked at the young master, and asked, "What does that have to do with Young Master Chu Xuan?"

"Because Chu Xuan and Ruan Si are sworn brothers, and Chu Xuan is a compassionate young master, the person who came must be using Ruan Si's sister as a hostage."

"Couldn't you just cancel the performance, young master?"

Qiu Ye stood leaning on his sword for a long time, seemingly lost in thought, before coldly saying, "You can run from the first day of the month, but you can't hide from the fifteenth. Since you've come from afar, how can we not treat you well?" Yin Guang and Zhuang Wang were both taken aback: the young master's tone was unwavering, seemingly implying something, because he had mentioned a name in a double entendre. The two exchanged a glance, and for a moment the arena fell silent.

The clamor of firecrackers erupted outside, fireworks crackling and popping. Hearing the noise, Qiu Yeyijian slowly walked out.

Yin Guang watched the young master's figure, and saw him walk out of the warm room and stand in the corridor by the window. He turned around and whispered to Prince Zhuang, "Your Highness delivered Mr. Dongge's letter yesterday?"