There were still two months left before the martial arts convention, which was plenty of time. The Fang siblings planned to stay overnight in the prefecture city, and Lin Yue was in no hurry to rush her journey, so she stayed as well.
She bought a mooncake for Chen Zhiyi to munch on. As they passed an inn, the Fang siblings stepped inside. Lin Yue looked up and casually glanced at the sign above the entrance. Seeing those four large characters, she couldn't help but stop in her tracks. She frowned, remembering the seventy-plus taels she had lost there before.
"Brother Lin, what are you standing there for? Come on in! If you're tight on money, the two of us can share a room for the night and let the little girl sleep with my sister."
"Sounds good! Hong'er can sleep with me."
Seeing the Fang siblings eagerly trying to drag them inside, Lin Yue and Chen Zhiyi pulled backward, digging their heels in.
"There's no need, you two. I still have some money left."
"Keep it for now then, and let's have a good chat, brother."
Lin Yue raised her hand to block the arm that was about to sling over her shoulder.
"Brother Fang, I'm a bit of a stickler for cleanliness and dislike sharing a bed with anyone."
Seeing her firm stance, Fang Heng had no choice but to shrug and say, "Alright then."
Lin Yue walked inside with quick steps and asked the innkeeper for an Earth-grade room. It only cost three hundred wen, and she let out a sigh of relief—at least it wasn't ridiculously overpriced here.
Only one thousand taels remained of the money she had looted from Wangsu Stream. She had heard that land in the capital city was worth its weight in gold, and the martial arts convention would last for a month. Martial artists with little money would sleep out in the wilderness outside the city or stay in nearby villages and towns, but the public security there was poor and fights broke out frequently. Since she was traveling with a child, staying inside the city under official oversight was generally safe, provided one didn't stir up trouble.
"Hong'er, how about sleeping in the same room with Big Sister? Beds are separated at three and rooms at five. You're already three years old, and you're a girl, so you can't keep sleeping with your brother all the time."
The child shook his head and hid behind Lin Yue. Lin Yue patted his head and said to Fang Yu,
"Hong'er is still small and has traveled far from home with me, so it's only natural that she finds it hard to adapt. Sleeping with me for a few nights will be fine."
Lin Yue took Chen Zhiyi into the guest room and let him sleep for a while. Once darkness fell completely and the street outside grew lively and noisy, the Fang siblings knocked on the door, and the four of them went out for a nighttime stroll.
Night lanterns glowed in full splendor, colorful lights painted the evening red, and the sounds of flutes and strings echoed through the air.
"Flower lanterns for sale! Beautiful flower lanterns!"
"Mooncakes! Delicious mooncakes!"
"Candied haws! Five wen a stick..."
"Boss, I'll take a stick of candied haws."
"I want one too!"
"Give me one as well."
After getting their candied haws, the Fang siblings giggled and ran ahead, looking around and fooling about, seemingly as carefree as children.
After walking for a bit, Lin Yue saw the siblings buying flower lanterns. The older brother had chosen a rabbit lantern and the younger sister an apricot blossom lantern. The two were bargaining with the vendor; it was only six wen in total, yet they still wanted a discount, while the vendor refused with a somber face.
Seeing this, Lin Yue chuckled and shook her head—the two really were like children. She stepped forward, and when the siblings saw her arrive, they urged her to pick a flower lantern to get the vendor to offer a bundle discount. Lin Yue didn't stand on ceremony and let the child choose, ultimately picking a green bamboo lantern.
For three flower lanterns, the vendor finally knocked off a single copper coin.
Next came lantern riddle guessing. The siblings stared at the riddles in deep thought. The vendor set a time limit: two wen if guessed wrong, and a prize if guessed right. The prizes were hand-crafted, free, limited-edition wooden flower hairpins, small wooden horses, and other accessories and toys.
The craftsmanship was reasonably fine. People came by in a trickle; three had already failed, earning the vendor six wen for nothing, making him beam from ear to ear.
Lin Yue glanced over the pile of prizes, stepped forward, and flipped over a wooden plaque, seeing written on it:
A white snake crosses the river, a red sun resting atop its head. (Solve for an everyday item.)
After a moment's thought, Lin Yue handed the wooden plaque to the vendor. "An oil lamp."
"Congratulations, young master, you answered correctly! Here are the prizes; feel free to pick one."
Lin Yue took the wooden horse and stuffed it into Chen Zhiyi's hands.
Seeing that Lin Yue, who had arrived late, had already solved a riddle and taken a prize, the siblings and the other three candidates instantly felt immense pressure, wishing they had read more books when they were young.
Without comparison, there would be no pain.
Immediately after, they watched as she flipped another wooden plaque, paused for a moment, guessed the answer, and took away a cloud-patterned wooden hairpin. The people guessing at the stall instantly grew anxious, frowning in deep concentration over the riddles before them like schoolboys wracking their brains for answers they couldn't find.
Lin Yue quietly watched them compete beside her, while Chen Zhiyi sat in her arms holding the wooden horse, licking his candied haws bite by bite.
In the end, the vendor earned eight wen through tears of pity before a scholar finally figured out an answer.
Fang Heng hummed with a snort. "It's just that us martial artists don't care for dabbling in ink and letters!"
"Exactly!" "Spot on!"
The two big fellows beside him hurriedly nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, the vendor nodded along; whatever the customers said was right, as long as they were willing to spend money.
"Lin Ze." Fang Yu nudged her chin toward the phoenix-feather hairpin.
Seeing this, Lin Yue walked straight up and flipped a wooden plaque, taking the phoenix-feather hairpin away under the vendor's doleful gaze.
With the lantern riddles done, the three continued strolling down the street, when suddenly someone stepped forward to block their path.
"Please wait a moment, little brother."
Lin Yue looked the man over. The middle-aged man before her appeared to be in his forties, his hair bound under a crown, wearing fine silk robes. He had a sturdy build, with strands of white mixed into his black hair. He was scrutinizing her with a deep, weathered gaze.
His features felt faintly familiar, yet this was Lin Yue's first time here, and she didn't know anyone.
"Is there something you need, sir?" Lin Yue asked, puzzled.
"Judging by your accent, little brother, are you a native of Huainan Prefecture?"
A faintly familiar voice and intonation rang in her ears. The silk-robed man seemed briefly dazed as he looked her over, a certain person's figure emerging in his mind.
Accent and identity couldn't be faked. With the Fang siblings watching from the side, Lin Yue nodded in confusion.
"I also hail from Huainan Prefecture. You resemble an old friend of mine, young master, which is why I came over to intrude. My apologies for the rudeness."
"Meeting here is destiny. I am Wu Yang, residing at the Wu Manor in Huadong Quarter. I would like to make friends with you three young heroes. May I know your honorable names?" Wu Yang smiled, cupping his hands in apology.
Upon hearing the name Wu Yang, Lin Yue instantly snapped back to reality. She had thought she would never meet him again in this lifetime, never expecting to run into him here.
Her face had been subtly disguised to add a touch of heroic masculinity, but it didn't differ much from her original appearance. If someone had seen her in women's clothing, it would be easy to spot the many similarities between the two.
However, after so many years, the original Lin Xiaya would be an old woman by now. It was hardly surprising for people in the world to look alike, so he couldn't possibly claim she was Xiaya.
Noticing Lin Yue's subtle expression, Wu Yang asked, "Does little brother know me?"
"I happened to hear your esteemed name before, though that was a high official," Lin Yue said with an unfazed expression. The man exuded an air of officialdom; he had surely entered government through the imperial examinations.
"Brother Lin, do you know him?" Fang Heng nudged Lin Yue with his elbow and whispered.
Lin Yue gave a slight shake of her head.
Hearing the surname Lin, Wu Yang's eyes flickered, and he asked excitedly, "Is little brother's surname Lin? That old acquaintance of mine is also surnamed Lin. May I ask the honorable name of your mother?"
Lin Yue said offhandedly, "My mother's surname is Zheng. I have never heard her mention your name, sir. Furthermore, I take after my father in appearance, so you must have mistaken me for someone else."
A flash of gloom crossed Wu Yang's eyes, followed by a bitter chuckle.
"No matter, no matter. There is no greater joy in life than meeting an old friend in a distant land. Meeting here is destiny. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival—would the three of you do me the honor of making my acquaintance? I shall host a banquet to entertain you."
Lin Yue and the other two exchanged glances and accepted.
"I am Lin Ze, and this is my younger sister."
"Fang Heng."
"Fang Yu."
The Fang siblings gave their names. Hearing them, Wu Yang smiled and said:
"You may simply call me Uncle Wu. Are you two from Jiangzhou?"
Surprised, Fang Yu nodded. "Yes, exactly! Uncle Wu is truly knowledgeable and well-traveled; the two of us are indeed from Jiangzhou!"
"You three have traveled thousands of miles from afar, yet you look no older than fifteen or sixteen. To travel the world at such a young age, you must have mastered great skills."
Fang Heng laughed and waved his hand, saying modestly, "Uncle Wu flatters us. We don't have any real skills, just scraping by wherever we go. We only came this time to attend the martial arts convention and see the world."
"Little Brother Fang is too modest. I have a son and daughter of similar age to you. They learned a bit of martial arts from a master and also want to venture out to the martial arts convention to make some friends."
"Really? We're heading to the capital city as well, so we can travel together when the time comes! The more, the merrier!" Fang Heng grew interested.
Wu Yang assented, then turned to look at Lin Yue and asked,
"Little Brother Lin, are your elders in the city?"
"Misfortune befell my family and my parents have passed away, so I am taking my younger sister to the capital city to seek refuge with relatives."
Hearing this, Wu Yang paused. "I see. Treks over mountains and across rivers at such a young age—you must have suffered quite a bit on the road."
Lin Yue pursed her lips and smiled slightly. "I don't really find it hard. I've encountered many interesting things, so the trip hasn't been in vain."
The group entered Zhaixing Tower.
Everyone took their seats in a private room on the second floor, and the waiter served the food and wine.
Beyond the carved balcony, the night sky was clear and bright, with a full moon hanging high, exceptionally luminous.
"Where in Huainan Prefecture are you from, Little Brother Lin?" Wu Yang poured Lin Yue a cup of wine.
"Originally, we were hunters in the mountains. Later, we met a merchant from the prefecture city who took a liking to my father's skills and hired him as a bodyguard..."
When traveling far from home, it was unwise to reveal one's real identity. Lin Yue fabricated a commoner's backstory for herself—though it was based on a true story she had heard while practicing medicine at the clinic.
A hunter had fallen off a cliff and died while saving a merchant. His wife raised their son and daughter alone, but after she vanished in the mountains encountering a fierce beast, the eldest son went up the mountain to search for her and also went missing.
The two chatted about the local specialties and customs of Huainan Prefecture. Since Lin Yue had lived in the prefecture city for a long time, she only spoke of interesting happenings there. Zhuoming Tower was a gathering place for talented scholars and beautiful maidens in the prefecture city, highly favored by literati.
"I spent some time in the prefecture city as well, and visited Zhuoming Tower with my classmates..."
Wu Yang also shared some anecdotes about the prefecture city. The Fang siblings feasted heartily on the food and wine at the table. As Lin Yue listened, she picked up a chicken leg for Chen Zhiyi and watched him gnaw on it enthusiastically.
"Uncle Wu mentioned that I resemble an old friend of yours. May I ask who that person is?"
Upon hearing Lin Yue's question, the Fang siblings slowed down their eating and pricked up their ears to listen.
Wu Yang turned to carefully study the young man's features—youthful yet familiar. In a complex tone, he said, "A girl from the same town as me. She left years ago, and I don't know where she went."
"Uncle Wu, did she head out to travel the world like us?" Fang Yu asked curiously.
"No, she ran away from an arranged marriage," Wu Yang said, his tone bitter.
"Ran away from an arranged marriage?"
Those words piqued the Fang siblings' interest. The two opened their eyes wide. "Uncle Wu, can you tell us about it?"
So as not to give herself away, Lin Yue also looked at Wu Yang with curiosity.
Wu Yang drank a cup of wine, slightly tipsy with bitterness. Seeing all three looking at him expectantly, he said kindly, "Alright, I'll tell you then."
"I come from a remote village town in Huainan Prefecture. Walking from there to the county seat takes five or six days..."
He briefly spoke of the past, though his account deviated somewhat from the truth.
Xiaya had been betrothed to a sickly youth from the village. Later, she fell into a river and became dull-witted. Somehow, she saved Doctor Chen in town, became his medicine apprentice, and called off the betrothal. Afterward, she came to his house to borrow books, and as they got along well, they could be considered friends.
"Afterward, she vanished overnight without telling anyone. The surrounding area was all mountains, home to fierce beasts and extremely dangerous. We sent people to search for several days, even going to the county seat, but couldn't find her anywhere."
Wu Yang fell silent at this point. Xiaya had been proud and unyielding, adamantly unwilling to marry a rural villager. If he had expressed his feelings earlier and asked his mother to propose marriage, perhaps the outcome would have been different.
Why did she run away without a single word?
"Uncle Wu," Fang Yu frowned, mulling over one of the details. "Did she accidentally fall into the river, or did she jump in herself?"
Hearing this, Wu Yang's mind went blank with a loud boom, so shocked that he couldn't make a sound.
He had never thought about it from that perspective...
Xiaya had sought death to escape the arranged marriage.
Xiaya had braved the dangers of leaving the small town to escape the marriage, her fate unknown.
Noticing Wu Yang's strange reaction, Fang Yu sheepishly shut her mouth. The private room fell so silent that only the sound of the child gnawing on food remained.
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