Due to the festivities, Wu Lingyuan was just about to close up shop. The surroundings were quiet except for Hua Rongjian’s footsteps. He listened carefully, “Young Master Hua has arrived.”
Since coming here once with An Jiu, Hua Rongjian has become a frequent visitor.
“You have keen ears,” Hua Rongjian sat down, noticing the additional tables around. “Any wontons left?”
“I’ve been saving some,” Wu Lingyuan washed his hands and quickly wrapped about twenty wontons, dropping them into the pot. “Miss Fourteen hasn’t come for a long time.”
Hua Rongjian remained silent, staring at the Diamond Sutra on the table in the dim lamplight.
Wu Lingyuan didn’t ask further. After serving the wontons, he smiled and said, “Thank you for the medicine, young master. I can now see light and shadows.”
Hua Rongjian mumbled an acknowledgment with his mouth full of wontons, quickly devouring a bowl.
“Would you like a more, young master?” Wu Lingyuan asked.
“That’s enough,” Hua Rongjian said. “Use the medicine for a while longer, and you might be able to see soon.”
“Young master seems to be in a bad mood today,” Wu Lingyuan collected the bowl and served a cup of tea. “For someone in my situation, just being able to eat my fill makes for a good mood.”
After a pause without a response, Wu Lingyuan said, “I’ve spoken out of turn.”
Hua Rongjian snapped back to reality. “Master Wu is a person of great wisdom.”
“Young master flatters me,” Wu Lingyuan said.
Hua Rongjian said, “When your eyes are better, I’ll recommend a teacher for you. You can continue to take the imperial examinations.”
Wu Lingyuan didn’t immediately express gratitude. Instead, he was silent for a moment before asking, “Does the young master have something he wants me to do?”
“Not necessarily,” Hua Rongjian looked at his thin face. “With your wisdom, you could have lived a more magnificent life. I just can’t bear to see you buried among the common folk.”
Although Wu Lingyuan was blind, his mind was clear. For Hua Rongjian to say such things, he must also be dissatisfied with his current situation. “Then I’ll entrust my life to Young Master Hua,” he said.
He had no attachments and was fairly content with his current carefree life. But if he were truly satisfied with mediocrity, he wouldn’t need to comfort himself with Buddhist scriptures. If he could live passionately one more time, his life would be complete.
Hua Rongjian hadn’t yet seen clearly into his own heart. Hearing Wu Lingyuan’s words, he didn’t immediately understand.
But he quickly caught on. “Does Master Wu know about Wei Yuzhi?”
“He’s from the martial arts world, right?” Wu Lingyuan was stationed at a busy waterway crossing, so his information was fairly up-to-date. “I’ve heard he’s a famous strategist.”
“Even the wisest person can reach the end of their rope. In terms of experience and temperament, I believe he’s no match for you,” Hua Rongjian had guessed from Mei Ruyan’s words that Wei Yuzhi’s current situation wasn’t good.
Wu Lingyuan was somewhat confused. “I don’t understand why the young master thinks I have such talents?”
“Intuition,” Hua Rongjian said.
Wu Lingyuan hadn’t done anything grand, but every little detail showed his extraordinary nature. Being able to run a successful wonton stall in such a remote place while blind, and turning the business into a thriving one in a short time with just a little money from An Jiu’s help – most people couldn’t do that. Moreover, Hua Rongjian had conversed with him many times and could judge whether a person had talent.
“Let me toast you with tea instead of wine, young master,” Wu Lingyuan raised his teacup.
Stars hung over the great river, and the night was vast. Hua Rongjian smiled as he raised his teacup and gently clinked it against Wu Lingyuan’s.
…
An Jiu returned to Chu Diangjiang’s residence, but he was no longer there. She then hurried back to Meihua Village.
She rowed a boat on the lake, which was covered with a thin mist. The sky and water were the same ink-blue color, both dotted with stars as if she were in a dream.
She didn’t rush back to the island, letting the small boat drift on the lake.
It wasn’t until a glimmer of dawn appeared on the horizon that she rowed back to shore.
Though she had only been gone for one night, the flower seeds planted by Mo Sigui had already grown a foot tall, their tender green color looking so fragile it might break at a touch.
As An Jiu stepped ashore, Da Jiu came bounding over joyfully, its jowls flapping, grinning with its huge mouth – so foolish-looking that she could hardly bear to look. Nevertheless, in response to such an enthusiastic welcome, she reached out and patted its big head in gratitude.
Sensing that Mo Sigui was nearby, An Jiu went to find him.
He was sitting against a tree, wearing a loose ivory-colored silk robe, puffing on his pipe.
“The day has barely dawned, and you’re already smoking?” An Jiu asked.
Mo Sigui turned his head, revealing a ghastly pale face with dark circles under his eyes, startling An Jiu.
“I’ve been smoking all night…” Mo Sigui’s expression was like that of an exhausted, struggling beast. “I have a feeling this medicine has completely lost its effect on me. This is the third time I’ve changed the prescription…”
“I have a feeling too,” An Jiu stood in front of him. “Sooner or later, you’ll drug yourself to death. A great physician killed by his own medicine – you’ll go down in history, haha.”
An Jiu laughed three times without any trace of mirth on her face.
“Get lost!” Mo Sigui threw his pipe at her.
An Jiu caught it easily and sniffed the medicine inside. “I also had trouble sleeping for a while. You’ll get used to it gradually.”
Her sleep was still very light; the slightest noise would wake her.
“If you’re so worried about Lou Mingyue, why don’t you go with her?” An Jiu sat down beside him.
Mo Sigui bristled at this. “Who says I can’t sleep because of her? Open your eyes and look closely – am I the kind of person to be lovesick?”
“‘In life, we must return; in death, we long for each other eternally,'” An Jiu looked at him, mercilessly exposing him. “Generally, people who aren’t lovesick don’t say such things.”
“That was written by someone else! I just borrowed it casually, borrowed!” Mo Sigui raged. “Besides, how could an uneducated fool like you understand the meaning?”
An Jiu was displeased. “Who says I’m uneducated?”
“If you’re so capable, tell me what’s written on the plaque in your room!” Mo Sigui put his hands on his hips and laughed. “Don’t think I don’t know.”
Writing good characters so poorly, who could understand them? An Jiu grumbled inwardly.
“You weren’t this irritable before,” she handed the pipe back to him, earnestly advising, “You should be careful.”
“Da Jiu, bite her!” Mo Sigui waved his hand.
Da Jiu let out a thunderous roar and made a fierce leap, landing at An Jiu’s feet. It lowered its head and gently nibbled her calf, then licked it soothingly. Having completed its task, it swaggered back to Mo Sigui’s feet for a reward.
“You, you, you!” Mo Sigui pointed at it with his trembling pipe. “How dare you perfunctorily obey me like this!”
Da Jiu shrank its head innocently.
“Now you’re even getting angry at a tiger. You’re seriously ill. You’d better go save yourself,” An Jiu advised.
“Hmph!” Mo Sigui flicked his sleeve and pulled out a fan, fanning himself vigorously. “Instead of wasting time, you should worry about yourself!”
The scent of ice dragon brain gradually calmed him down, and his mind cleared somewhat.
Whether due to his insomnia or his mood, he was becoming increasingly irritable.
“Oh, right,” having regained his composure, he remembered something important. “That Li Qingzhi has gone to the border.”
“He always wanted to join the army,” An Jiu said.
Mo Sigui slowly fanned himself, once again appearing graceful and composed. “I heard it’s because General Ling was urgently recalled. Li Qingzhi was worried he might encounter trouble, so he went to see if he could help along the way.”
An Jiu asked puzzled, “Why was he recalled?”
“Because he launched an attack on the Liao state and reclaimed a prefecture. But the Liao people showed a determination to fight to the death. The battle was fierce and lasted for a month. Some in the imperial court became restless and began advocating for sending envoys to negotiate peace,” Mo Siguang said, becoming agitated again. He waved his fan so vigorously that it whistled through the air. “Those wretched rats!”