Hiromi Collection

Chapter 28

The boy couldn't help but laugh when he heard this. His laughter was as clear as a silver bell, carrying a mix of amusement, pride, and disappointment.

"I really can't call people who can't even crack the three-ring combination lock I made a better name than 'fool.' If this continues, am I, their illegitimate daughter, really going to have to inherit the Bian family business?" The boy, or rather the girl dressed as a boy, sighed.

"What? So you don't want to inherit the family business after all?" the round-faced girl asked in surprise. "I heard from the clan elders that they seem to be considering passing the throne to you. If you're worried about your... status..." At this point, the girl paused, seemingly worried that her words might be inappropriate. However, the girl on horseback just listened quietly and did not show any displeasure. So the round-faced girl paused for a moment and then quickly continued.

"You should know that the Bian family has never been a rigid, dogmatic clan, which is why it has grown to its current renowned status over the years. I believe that with your talent and current skills, even if we were to elect you as the head of the Bian family right now, I doubt anyone would object. Besides, I've always thought you have a passion for lock-making..."

The girl on horseback raised her hand to interrupt the round-faced girl's further remarks: "Yes, you know me very well, don't you? I like lock-making, but that's all I like about the craft. However, if I become the head of the Bian family, I will need to manage the entire family's business and oversee the operations of branches in various places. Not only business, but also social engagements from all sides will be included in my daily life. In that case, how much time will I have left to learn how to make locks myself? You only need to see how hard my father works every day to know that the position of head of the family is not an easy job. I am not willing to let my skills go to waste. Uh... it's already past Chenshi (7-9 AM). Look at me, once I start talking, I never stop. I'm leaving everything at home in your hands. I'm going now!" With that, the girl spurred her horse, and the chestnut horse, upon receiving its master's command, neighed and galloped away for several miles in an instant.

"Excuse me, when are you coming back this time?" the round-faced girl asked loudly, her hands clasped together.

A faint reply came from the direction the horses had galloped off in: "Ten days later..."

****

Bian Qiujie, also known as the girl dressed as a man, dismounted and walked through the market she had suddenly entered.

This is a rather strange situation!

Originally, there was a Luoxia Mountain three hundred miles west of Chang'an. The mountain was not high but steep. However, it was rich in mineral deposits and also had various rare trees and flowers. In order to create an unusual lock, Bian Qiujie would often stay on Luoxia Mountain alone for several days with weapons and tools, in order to find raw materials for lock making and to seek out possible inspiration.

Nothing is greater than nature! Among the various natural phenomena such as animals, plants, and even wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, Bian Qiujie can always unexpectedly understand many principles of lock making. For example, the "Dragon and Chi Diagram Seven Wonders Linked Lock" that made her famous in the world of lock making when she was thirteen years old was actually derived from the structure of the swallow's nest in Luoxia Mountain. Therefore, since then, Bian Qiujie would always go to Luoxia Mountain every once in a while to find new inspiration for lock making.

Generally speaking, traveling west from Chang'an, it would take almost a day by fast horse to reach the Luoxia Mountains, and another hour to reach the main road leading up the mountain. Bian Qiujie had traveled this road at least a hundred times, but this time, instead of the ever-changing mountain mists and haze, he was greeted by a brightly lit market town.

Bian Qiujie tied his horse to a large tree stump outside the town and walked into the town.

Maybe it was some kind of market fair or temple fair! That's what Bian Qiujie thought.

Locally organized markets, held every so often in one location for no more than ten days, are not uncommon. However, judging from the previous route, the location of this market seems a bit strange. According to Bian Qiujie's memory, there was originally only a rugged path leading to Luoxia Mountain, with intermittent forests on both sides. It would be difficult for two people to walk together, let alone for such a large market to suddenly appear out of nowhere.

Looking again at the market, one sees carved beams and painted rafters on both sides, flags fluttering, and bright lanterns hanging high. Countless pavilions stretch for dozens of miles. Shop owners of all kinds of attire are either calling out business in front of their doors or leading customers in their shops. Men and women throng the market, and one can even see people dressed in foreign attire moving back and forth. It is so prosperous that even the markets of Chang'an cannot compare. Could it be that I have come to a place of fox spirits and ghosts?

Despite his thoughts, Bian Qiujie wasn't afraid at all. Encountering a fox in the wilderness wasn't something everyone could do. Besides, Bian Qiujie believed that among those non-human races, there might be many exquisite skills beyond human capabilities, such as lock-making!

Bian Qiujie stopped in front of a shop. It was a two-story street-facing shop. A lantern emitting a milky yellow glow was held high outside the door by a bamboo pole that extended diagonally from the lintel. A huge red lantern sat quietly at the entrance. Bian Qiujie looked up and saw the signboard in cursive script, the two characters "Gu Cuo" (骨错) flowing gracefully. This was clearly a locksmith shop.

"Please feel free to choose." As Bian Qiujie stepped into the shop, a man sitting under the lamp busy at work stood up to greet her.

Bian Qiujie stared blankly at the man for a while, then smiled.

"You have some face oil on you," she said with a smile, pointing out the inappropriate thing on the man's face.

"Huh?" The man clearly caught a glimpse of his appearance in the reflection of the tools beside him, let out a soft exclamation, and went to find a cloth to wipe himself.

"Use this." Without thinking, Bian Qiujie took out her own silk handkerchief and handed it to the man.

"this……"

"It's alright, use it." Bian Qiujie handed the handkerchief to the man and then began to carefully examine the items in the shop.

One-click lock, two-click lock, seven-piece lock, dragon and phoenix lock, maze lock, pull lock, hidden door lock... The variety of locks in this lock shop seems to surpass even the main store of the Bian family in Chang'an. From locks the size of a fingernail to large locks like the door lock shown at the entrance (Bian Qiujie had just examined it carefully; that red lock was not a decoration, but more likely used to lock the shop door), each piece reflects the characteristics of the lock maker: simple, yet exquisite.

Bian Qiujie was increasingly amazed with each lock she examined. Finally, she looked up at the man and asked, "Did you make all of these?"

The man smiled and nodded.

Because of the oil on his face, he hadn't been able to see clearly. But after the man wiped the grime off, what came into Bian Qiujie's view was a face that could only be described as handsome. He looked to be in his early twenties, maybe twenty-two or twenty-three, or even older? Bian Qiujie couldn't tell. He had very refined features, and his eyebrows, eyes, lips, and nose all exuded a calm demeanor. It was calm because, although he shouldn't be that old, the aura he emanated gave Bian Qiujie a vague feeling that he had encountered a hermit—serene, ethereal, and somewhat distant.

For some reason, perhaps because of the man's humble and polite attitude, Bian Qiujie felt somewhat angry.

"I am Bian Qiujie from Bian Family Locksmith Shop," Bian Qiujie said, taking off his backpack and placing it on the counter.

"I've heard so much about you," the man replied politely, as if in response.

"You..." Bian Qiujie was so angry she couldn't speak. Not just in Chang'an, but throughout the entire land of Tang, which locksmith didn't know the Bian family's lock shop, and who hadn't heard of Bian Qiujie, the most promising young lady of the Bian family? Normally, countless people would ask her for guidance, but she would rarely pay them any attention, let alone initiate a conversation. How could there be such an ungrateful person in this remote mountain village?

Bian Qiujie was still young and had achieved success at a young age. Although she usually prided herself on not being arrogant, on the contrary, she paid close attention to listening to other people's opinions and suggestions. "There will always be shortcomings in one's thinking, so we should gather ideas from all sides," this was the sentence she said most often. However, at this moment, her self-esteem was completely hurt by that strange man.

"When someone introduces themselves to you, you're so rude that you just grunt in response. Has no one taught you to return the courtesy?"

“Heh… I am Chi Jian, the owner of this ‘Bone Mistake’ shop.” Although he didn’t understand why Bian Qiujie was angry, the man still politely gave his name. “I wonder what Miss Bian is interested in? Chi Jian can get it for you, and the price will naturally be reduced accordingly.”

Bian Qiujie puffed out her cheeks, her angry expression softening her otherwise spirited face with a touch of girlish shyness, making her exceptionally charming. Her eyes darted around, and she suddenly composed herself, laughing, "I don't need a bargain. I'll make a bet with you: if you can unlock this lock, I'll buy all the goods in your lock shop." With that, she unbuttoned her clothes and took a red string from her neck. Hanging from the string was a small jade lock, about the size of a walnut. Upon closer inspection, the lock was carved into the shape of a crouching dragon and a chimera, each coiled on one side, inverted, an exquisitely crafted piece. This was Bian Qiujie's most satisfying work to date, created over ten months when she was thirteen, and the so-called "Dragon and Chimera Seven-Stroke Linked Lock" that made her famous throughout the world.

Chi Jian frowned, looking at the young girl in front of him with amusement. There was no doubt that she was very beautiful, but her temper was really a bit ridiculous.

“Miss Bian, you are the most promising successor of the prestigious Bian family locksmith shop, why bother arguing with a country bumpkin like me? If Chi Jian has offended you in any way, Chi Jian apologizes here, and the bet is still…”

"What, you don't dare?" Bian Qiujie looked at the man in front of him smugly. "If you're willing to admit defeat and acknowledge that you're not as skilled as others, then please close down your shop as soon as possible and change to another business."

Akagi shook his head: "This won't do. Akagi was born to make locks, so this is the only thing I can't back down on."

“Then make a bet with me!” Bian Qiujie raised her head and said. She didn’t want to force this man to give up his lock-making skills in the first place, because judging from the goods displayed in the shop, Bian Qiujie was almost certain that this man named Chi Jian’s skills were no less than hers. Of course, it was impossible for her to easily admit that this man’s skills were better than hers, so she set up this bet. Part of it was to vent her anger at the man’s indifference towards her, but the majority of it was to confirm just how good the man’s lock-making skills were.

“…Alright.” The man sighed and took the jade lock that Bian Qiujie had been holding in her hand. “However, I must state in advance that if I can unlock the mystery of this lock, Miss Bian, you will not need to buy any of the goods in this shop. On the contrary, if I cannot unlock it, I hope that you will be lenient and not be too fixated on the outcome of the bet.”

"Hmph, that's not up to you." Bian Qiujie jumped onto the counter and sat down. "I'll watch you do it right here, so don't try anything funny!"

Chi Jian shook his head helplessly again, sat back in his seat, and began to study the small jade lock.

****

Two hours later.

"It's unlocked." Chi Jian looked up and handed the jade lock, now broken in two, to Bian Qiujie. "It is indeed an exquisitely crafted masterpiece. It seems that Miss Bian's design was inspired by the nests of birds like swallows. To be able to glean valuable insights from the smallest details around you in lock making—Chi Jian truly admires that! However, to be frank, this lock has a flaw. Although the dragons are interlocking and require clever core-pulling and repositioning to separate them, the springs that act as connecting shafts have to be made too thin due to the small size of the lock body, resulting in a loss of some flexibility." "Regarding flexibility, it might not be a problem initially, but after a certain period of use, the springs will lose their elasticity and jam, like this..." Akakabe moved the spring in the center of the disassembled lock to a specific position. The dragons, which could normally move around, were strangely entangled and could no longer be separated. "Although you used triple-layered springs, and judging from the material, it seems that clay was added to increase flexibility, it cannot completely make up for this shortcoming. However, if the lock body is too large, the dragons' movement will be difficult. This is a dilemma. In Akakabe's opinion, perhaps..."

“No…impossible…” Chi Jian murmured slowly from the side, but Bian Qiujie didn’t listen to him at all. She was completely immersed in shock, so shocked that she even forgot to be angry! It was only two hours. Before she created this ‘Dragon and Chi Diagram Seven Absolute Linked Lock’, she had spent a full six months conceiving it. During that time, she drew countless structural diagrams. Finally, during the actual creation process, she had also pondered for months about the problem that Chi Jian was now talking about. Although she ultimately completed the lock because she couldn’t find a solution, this lock had shocked the entire world of locksmiths. No one could unlock the lock’s secrets, and of course, no one could find its flaws. However, this man in front of her had unlocked the lock’s secrets in just two hours, and not only found its flaws but also came up with a solution. Was this man a god?

Bian was utterly shocked by the solution!

"Master...Master..." Before Bian Qiujie could even realize it, she had already turned and knelt before Chi Jian. "Master, please accept Qiujie as your disciple!"

"Bian Qiujie said in a trembling voice. From childhood to adulthood, because no one had ever thought that Bian Qiujie might have any talent, Master Bian never hired a lock-making master for her, and of course, he never personally taught her the craft. Everything Bian Qiujie learned came from reading books, observing her brothers making locks on the spot, and studying the products in the family lock shop. Therefore, Bian Qiujie can be said to be a self-taught genius.

Having never formally studied under a teacher, yet possessing skills surpassing anyone else's, Bian Qiujie had always harbored distrust towards any locksmith in the world capable of passing on her craft. However, at this moment, she was truly captivated by the man before her, earnestly and sincerely hoping he would accept her as his apprentice. No matter the cost or hardship, she was determined to follow this man. Only by becoming his disciple could her lock-making skills be further refined, and lock-making was Bian Qiujie's greatest pursuit and goal in life.

"Miss Bian, what's wrong with you..." Looking at the girl who had rolled over and fallen in front of him, Chi Jian, who rarely showed any emotion, was really flustered this time. "Please get up, let's talk slowly."

"If Master refuses to accept me as a disciple, I will kneel here for the rest of my life," Bian Qiujie said through gritted teeth, her head bowed. Nothing is impossible for a willing heart, and the stubborn Bian Qiujie always believed in this saying. Therefore, even if it meant kneeling for a lifetime, she would do it without hesitation.

"I can't take you as my apprentice," Chi Jian said with a headache. He just wanted to do business, exchanging different locks for different things from people, such as love, lifespan, soul, and so on. How did he know that the Pomeranian Collection would bring in such a stubborn customer today?

"Why not?" Bian Qiujie raised his head and asked, a determined spark shining in his bright black eyes. "This disciple has never formally apprenticed to a master or learned any skills. Master doesn't need to worry about the sect's succession. Moreover, this disciple has never considered inheriting the Bian family. So even if Master wants this disciple to leave the Bian family right now, this disciple... this disciple will absolutely not hesitate!"

"Do you know I'm not an ordinary person?"

"I know," Bian Qiujie said firmly. "Whether Master is a god or an immortal, or even a demon, monster, or ghost, none of these can shake Qiujie's determination to follow Master."

"If I told you that for every thing I teach you, I have to take a price from you, such as ten years of my life, twenty years of my health, or even my life, would you still be willing to learn?"

Bian Qiu hesitated for a moment, but only for a moment, before saying in a more resolute voice than before, "If I hear the Way in the morning, I can die content in the evening."

Akagane slapped his forehead. Good heavens, what kind of person had he ended up with...?

"Get up," he said helplessly. "I won't take you as my apprentice..."

"Master!"

"But... I can give you a lock each time you take it home, and if you can crack it, you can come back to me..."

"Master!" Bian Qiujie exclaimed with delight, "Thank you, Master!"

****

"I heard that a human girl has been frequently visiting your shop lately?" The white-haired old man put down his teapot and asked seemingly casually.

Thinking of Bian Qiujie's smiling face, full of thirst for knowledge, Chi Jian couldn't help but smile gently as well. Then, he suddenly realized his lapse in composure and hurriedly tidied up the things at hand.

"Um... one... one guest."

“Akagi,” the old man said earnestly, “you should know that we cannot have any dealings with humans other than business. You should know why Shugiku left Bomei Village and why she was destroyed, body and soul…”

"I...I know." The light in Akagami's eyes dimmed as he thought of the reason why his old friend had completely disappeared from the world.

What are we?

"We are... monsters."

"Still a demon that cannot be tolerated in the Three Realms!!" the old man said solemnly. "That little girl can no longer come, otherwise her life will be in danger. You should have noticed that her body has begun to weaken. Before long, she will lose her true nature because of being too close to you. Death is not the end. I'm afraid she will never be reincarnated!"

Never to be reborn...

Chi Jian's hand trembled slightly, and a delicate coral-colored lock fell from his hand, bounced lightly a few times on the ground, and shrank into the dark corner of the counter, like a camellia that withered silently.

"I'm sorry, please help me, I can't see you anymore." Akagane slowly squatted down and picked up the small lock he had intended to give to the girl.

****

Why! Why! Why!

Bian Qiujie galloped wildly on the mountain road, but no matter how hard she looked, she could no longer find the entrance to the market.

She had been here so many times, she remembered it so clearly, the tall archway with the three characters "Bomei Collection" written on it, the big camphor tree she always used to tie her horse, and all the shops she was already familiar with... Why... why did it disappear so abruptly, without a word, just like when it appeared?

Bian Qiujie lay on the horse's back, the wind whistling in her ears. The steed galloped away at the foot of Luoxia Mountain, but all she could see was mountain scenery, not a single person in sight.

"Please help me. I have something to give you next time you come."

"Really? Is it...is it a gift?"

"...Ahem...you could say that, your birthday is coming up soon, isn't it?"

"Master, I like you so much!"

"How can a girl talk like that?"

"But I just love my master!"

"Cough cough 1"

"Please help! Please help!" From afar, a voice called out to Bian Qiujie from behind her; it was Bian Shiyi.

"Please, I beg you, come back quickly. You haven't slept for two days and two nights. Don't rest, even the horse needs rest..."

"Please help me, listen to my advice: let yesterday's events be as dead as yesterday!"

Yesterday's events are like yesterday's death...

Bian wiped the water droplets from her face to vent her anger—were they sweat or tears? She herself didn't know. In her chaotic mind, only one thing was clear.

Akagane doesn't want her anymore!

Red Key...do you know I like you...do you know...I already love you...I love you more than I love a lock...

The chestnut horse, which had been running for two days and two nights without a break, finally collapsed from exhaustion, its legs giving way. It fell unconscious on the mountain road, along with its rider.

****