The first lamp was drunk by the young gentleman.
โToday is the fourth day, and the medicine is still being takenโฆโ
Yu Jinnian hurriedly entered, placing his medicine box on the table. It was unclear what good fortune had happened on his way here, but his eyes were bright and curved, carrying an uncontainable smile: โToday, I will first use moxibustion to promote circulation, and then use acupuncture as a knife to relieve the knots in the muscles.โ He took a small bamboo tube, about the thickness of a finger, from the box, stuffed it with moxa wool to make a moxa stick, and then lit the wick, slowly warming the area where Yan Chang was in pain. โHave you felt any better these days?โ
Yan Chang turned to look and replied evasively, โYou said youโd come at the usual time, so why are you late today?โ
Yu Jinnian, feeling embarrassed to admit he had been mingling with someone and lost track of time, fabricated a random excuse. After all, this Mr. Xia always told half-truths, so they were just even.
After some idle chatter, Yan Chang fell silent. Perhaps he understood that Yu Jinnian was just making things up. He closed his eyes and remained silent for a while before returning to the main topic: โI do feel somewhat more comfortable. The pain at night isnโt as severe, but I still canโt grip a sword, and if I hold a pen for too long, I still feel pain.โ
It seemed that this matter had passed without further discussion.
As Yu Jinnian stuffed more new moxa wool into the bamboo tube, he said, โThis needs to be done slowly. Moreover, at this time of year, the river is still chilly in the spring, and the humidity is heavy. I must add that, given Mr. Xiaโs condition, itโs not suitable for him to stay on the boat. The dampness on the boat will worsen his illness.โ
โThis illness is just my own suffering; whether itโs severe or not, it doesnโt concern anyone else.โ Yan Chang was holding a pair of jade walnuts, while Yu Jinnian focused intently on the moxa wool in the bamboo tube and did not respond. He opened his mouth but then closed it again, and after a long while, he said, โI sleep soundly on the boat; Iโve gotten used to it.โ
The boat swayed slightly with the current, and Yu Jinnian did not like this feeling of instability, especially since he also had mild seasickness. He couldnโt understand why someone could only sleep soundly on a boat. However, this person always left half a sentence hanging, and Yu Jinnian didnโt bother to ask. Just then, he ran out of the small box of moxa wool, so he looked up to find his attendant, Zhou Xiaosi.
The man was standing in the corner with his head down, holding his stomach with a pained expression, looking listless.
โZhou Si, bring me some more moxa woolโฆ Whatโs wrong? Are you not feeling well?โ Yu Jinnian asked.
Yan Chang glanced at him casually, while Zhou Feng looked at Yan Chang and then at Yu Jinnian, pursing his lips and awkwardly chuckling, โItโs nothing, Iโve just overeaten these past two days, and my stomach is bloatedโฆ Iโll go get some moxa wool for the young gentleman!โ He then slipped away.
Yu Jinnian found it strange, and when Zhou Feng returned and handed over the moxa wool, he saw that he indeed looked exhausted. It seemed the bloating was not light. Unable to help himself, Yu Jinnian said, โItโs still early, and thereโs a small pharmacy nearby that hasnโt closed yet. Zhou Si, go buy a pound and a half of burnt Sanxian. Drinking it as tea will help you get rid of it in no time.โ
Zhou Feng nodded in agreement and then covered his mouth to burp, filled with the smell of sourness.
Yu Jinnian laughed, โIt seems that the fish here is indeed fresh and delicious; otherwise, Zhou Si wouldnโt have overeaten like this.โ
Yan Chang, draped in a ochre silk robe, casually said, โSince thatโs the case, why doesnโt the young gentleman stay and taste the chefโs skills on my boat? This chef was invited from Luzhou, and he is excellent at preparing fresh fish. No matter what kind of live fish it is, he can retain its freshness and get rid of the fishy smell. Such a technique is indeed rare in the North. I have hosted feasts for four consecutive days, and you have always refused, so today you should give me the pleasure, right?โ
It was well known that Luzhou was good at preparing fresh fish, and it was said that some chefs could slice fresh fish as thin and transparent as cicada wings, melting in the mouth.
Yu Jinnian thought about that flavor and felt quite tempted. However, he was still thinking about the pork bone soup being cooked in the small kitchen of the inn, so he politely declined, โI appreciate Mr. Xiaโs kindness, but we are setting off tomorrow, and I still need to pack my things later. My family is keeping a close watch on me, so itโs really inconvenient to stay here for long.โ Seeing Yan Chang suddenly furrow his brows, he added, โAs for the illness, Mr. Xia need not worry. I will write down my treatment methods to serve as a reference for the doctor treating you in the future.โ
Yan Changโs jade walnuts had unknowingly stopped moving, and Zhou Fengโs expression changed. He hurriedly advised, โYoung gentleman, just stay for a meal. It wonโt take much time, and afterwards, we can send a sedan chair to take you back.โ
Yu Jinnian hesitated for a moment, and Yan Chang leaned forward to push aside a brocade box on the table, tossing the jade walnuts inside. The jade object clinked against the wall, and before Zhou Feng could persuade him again, he had already given an order: โIf you donโt wish to stay, then I wonโt insist. Xiaosi, go brew a cup of Zui Luo tea and prepare some newly arrived snacks. Young gentleman has just undergone moxibustion, so he must be thirsty.โ
Zhou Feng seemed to not quite comprehend, saying, โAhโฆ Master?โ
Yan Chang raised his head and glanced at him, pulling out a folding fan from his waist: โWhatโs wrong? Is what I said so hard to understand?โ
Zhou Feng looked at Yu Jinnian with hesitance, dared not speak further, and bowed his head as he exited.
By the time the moxa wool in the bamboo tube burned out, Yu Jinnian had dumped the ashes and began to pack up the medicine box. The acupuncture tools he had commissioned from the goldsmith had arrived, and Ji Hongโs people were quite reliable; not only had they crafted everything very meticulously within such a tight timeframe, but they had also engraved the character โYuโ on the needle and knife handles, along with a small bowl. The precious set of medicine boxes he had previously got as a gift was unfortunately destroyed in that great fire. Now that he had new, handy tools, he naturally cherished them. Yu Jinnian opened the needle pouch and lovingly caressed them before carefully putting them back.
Just then, Zhou Feng had brought in the tea and snacks, laying them out on the table.
โFruit jelly, jia sha tiao cake, and strawberry yogurt,โ Zhou Feng introduced each item before picking up two thin cups from the platter. The porcelain was as thin as eggshell, a grape green, and one could see the characters and patterns inside when held up to the light, written in reverse so they could be admired from the outside. He set the tea cups down and whispered, โMaster, Zui Luoโฆ tea.โ
Yan Chang pushed the tea cup in front of Yu Jinnian with the fan handle: โYoung gentleman, try this. Itโs a rare tea from the foreign lands, with a unique fragrance, and itโs hard to find in the Central Plains. It is said that after drinking it for half an hour, you will experience a wonderful feeling.โ He smiled slightly, unfolding a bit of the fan, โItโs just a cup of tea; youโre not going to refuse again, are you?โ
Yu Jinnian opened the tea lid and took a look; a fresh fragrance accompanied by steam wafted towards him, reminiscent of jasmine or golden osmanthus. The tea soup was yellow-green, with a few tea needles floating in it. Although he wasnโt well-versed in identifying tea, this cup truly didnโt seem to be anything special; it looked more like green tea used for smoking.
He sneaked a glance at Mr. Xia, wondering if he had been deceived. But then he thought, this person was a well-known tea merchant, so perhaps this tea really did have its unique qualities.
Yan Chang took a sip of the tea and gestured for him to try the snacks on the table.
Yu Jinnian thought he had already refused several times, and if he refused again, it would indeed be inappropriate. So he complied and picked up a prepared small spoon to taste the strawberry yogurt in front of him. The strawberries were just coming into season, not as sweet as during peak times, but after being made into yogurt, the slight sourness blended with the milky aroma, making it taste pleasantly sweet and appetizing.
The fruit jelly consisted of small cubes of various fruits, blanched in clear water and mixed with a special sweet powder, resembling an ancient fruit salad. However, it had a slightly different texture, being softer like a jelly and sweet as honey. As for the jia sha tiao cake, it was made of glutinous rice skin rolled around sweet red bean paste, coated in powdered sugar.
After finishing three plates of sweets, each sweeter than the last, Yu Jinnian felt overwhelmed by the sweetness and could only sip the tea to cleanse his palate. It was said that over a century ago, when sugar was still a precious commodity and valued like gold, the wealthy and noble would take pride in consuming sweets, often hosting tea-tasting gatherings, inviting friends and charming gentlemen, where all the dishes served were sweet, each trying to outdo the other in grandeur.
Now it seemed that this custom was not entirely fictitious.
Yan Chang slowly sipped his tea, occasionally glancing up. Zhou Feng quietly slipped out and soon returned with two more servings of strawberry yogurt. Accompanied by the tea, the conversation continued, and Yu Jinnian unknowingly finished three bowls. Although each bowl was just palm-sized, having three didnโt amount to much; the fruit jelly was sticky and had a somewhat indistinct taste, leaving Yu Jinnian less interested, and it was soon cleared away by Zhou Feng.
After the third bowl of yogurt, Yan Chang moved slightly, letting out a barely perceptible sigh with a smile: โYoung gentleman really enjoys these strawberries. Just the other day, you said you didnโt have much of a sweet tooth, but it seems that was just a way to deceive me.โ
Yu Jinnian raised his head and then realized his impoliteness. Embarrassed, he bit his lip and picked up his tea cup to cover up his moment of awkwardness.
โI have plenty of berries on my boat; you can eat as many as you want,โ Yan Chang said, staring at a bit of white cream that had gotten onto the youthโs hair. As the boy looked down and then up, it brushed against his porcelain-like ear. Yan Chang had tried to reach out several times, but finally couldnโt hold back any longer. As Yu Jinnian turned to look at the tea cup, he gently touched his earlobe with his fingertip.
Yu Jinnian suddenly felt a warm softness on his cheek, almost jumping up in surprise. He grabbed the tea lid beside him, but he didnโt know if his hand was trembling or if his vision was blurry; he missed several times before finally letting go, and the cup lid dropped onto the table. Feeling something was off, he stood up and said, โYesterday, my elder brother bought a lot of strawberries, so I wonโt trouble Mr. Xia any longer. Iโฆโ
Before he could finish speaking, he was startled by the hoarse sound coming from his own mouth. He raised a hand to touch his throat and tried to say a few more words. He hadnโt felt anything while sitting still, but once he noticed, it became impossible to ignore. His legs felt weak, his tongue numb, as if he were drunk; he staggered even while trying to walk the short distance between the table and the chair.
โDamnโฆโ Yu Jinnian felt extremely irritated and kicked the chair behind him away. He managed to take just a couple of steps before stumbling and nearly falling to the ground.
As Zhou Feng moved, Yan Chang was already quick to act, catching Yu Jinnian by the back and gently pulling him toward himself. โLean on me.โ
Yu Jinnian was momentarily dazed, as if he could hear Ji Hongโs voice nearby. Just as he was about to lean over slowly, a bothersome scent wafted into his nose, waking him up in an instant. He pushed Yan Chang away with all his might, hearing a thud as he seemed to bump against the edge of the table. However, he was already unsteady on his feet, and after taking three or four stumbling steps backward, he fell flat on the floor, dazed for a while.
Even though he fell straight down, he didnโt feel much pain, as if his entire bodyโs reactions and sensations had slowed down, leaving him with an unusual numbness.
โ…Xia Yue!โ
The ochre figure swam before Yu Jinnianโs eyes, overlapping and creating multiple shadows, making it hard to distinguish which one was real and which was an illusion in his mind. Yan Chang reached out to support him, but the youth exerted all his strength to shove him away, preferring to struggle helplessly on the ground rather than accept assistance. Ultimately, he collapsed weakly, half-open and half-closed eyes staring at a pair of black satin boots in front of him.
โWhatโฆ is this?โ His tongue felt stiff, and speaking a few words was already difficult.
Yan Chang crouched down, surprisingly patient, and replied, โItโs the powder of Zui Luosha, mixed in with the jasmine smoked teaโrumored to be from the hellish demons; just a cup will knock you out, making you drowsy. But I havenโt lied to you about one thing; this truly is a foreign product, and you were the one who drank the first cup.โ He reached out to touch Yu Jinnian, and this time he finally didnโt get pushed away because the youth was already weak and drowsy, leaving him with no choice but to be at Yan Changโs mercy.
โLook, if you had listened earlier, you wouldnโt have to suffer like this,โ Yan Chang said, lowering his gaze as he instructed Zhou Feng, โClear out the east cabin; donโt be negligent.โ
—
At the inn, the bone soup on the stove was boiling over and over again. Initially, the bubbling oil foam could still push the lid of the clay pot, but as the sky grew darker outside, the water in the pot had boiled dry. Now, all that could be heard was a sizzling sound; in fact, there wasnโt a single drop of water left in the pot.
The person watching the fire at the stove was dozing off, perhaps too comfortable today and the warmth at the stove was making him sleepy. He vaguely dozed off, completely unaware that the pot had burned dry. It wasnโt until he heard the soft chirping of birds outside that he seemed to wake up with a start, catching the scent of something burnt.
He stared at the pot that had been scorched black, suddenly dropping the fan he had been using to stoke the fire, striding outside and calling, โDuan Ming!โ
Duan Ming tumbled out from the shadows, saying, โYoung master?โ
Ji Hong looked around: โWhat time is it? Jinnian hasnโt returned yet? Why is it so late today?โ
โItโs currently the second watch of the fifth hour,โ Duan Ming replied. โThe young master left late today, so heโll probably return a bit later.โ
Ji Hong asked, โHow many people went with him today? What are their skills like?โ
Duan Ming, unsure why his master was suddenly so anxious, answered honestly, โFour went, all experienced experts. If the young master were in danger, they would be able to rescue him immediately. Thereโs no need for you to worry.โ
Ji Hong fell silent for a moment, feeling an inexplicable sense of panic in his heart. Ignoring Duan Mingโs attempts to dissuade him, he continued walking outside. โIโll go meet him.โ
As soon as he exited the inn, the crescent moon rose in the east, and through the misty glow, a rider galloped back. Upon seeing Ji Hong, he was so frightened that he tumbled off his horse, kneeling at Ji Hong’s feet, exclaiming, โYoung master, young masterโฆโ
Ji Hong’s heart tightened. โWhat happened? Speak quickly!โ
The guard dared not lift his head, panic evident as he stammered, โWe four kept a close watch on the Xia family’s boat, and we never saw the young master come down. Later, that boat suddenly set sail. We hurried to board to look for him, but the housekeeper said the young master had left already, claiming he had gone to the west market to buy vegetables and fruits half an hour ago. We searched the dock and the market but… didnโt find the young masterโฆโ
โFool! Get out of my way!โ Ji Hong kicked him aside, grabbed the reins, and mounted his horse. โImmediately go to the riverside; no matter what, we must intercept that boat!โ
Without waiting for Duan Ming and the others to catch up, he spurred his horse and raced away.
By the time Ji Hong arrived, the boat had already set sail, steadily moving through the wide river, backlit by the setting sun. Duan Ming and the others caught up just as Ji Hong drew a crossbow from his side pouch, loaded it with bolts, and aimed at a window, firing three quick shots.
โDraw!โ Duan Ming shouted, and the others followed suit, drawing their bows.
Unfortunately, the range was not sufficient; about a dozen arrows struck the deck of the boat, while the remaining dozens skimmed along the side and fell into the water.
Meanwhile, Yan Chang was sitting by the bed, plucking a jade hairpin from the sleeping youthโs hair and toying with it in his hands. Just then, a faint whistling sound came from outside the window, and a small arrow accidentally fell through the gap, clattering to the floor. Yan Chang was unfazed by the sound of the arrow; he continued to turn the jade hairpin over in his hands and noticed a few small characters engraved on the back.
The sound of the arrow did not rattle him; instead, the inscription ignited his anger. Suddenly, he raised his handโ*clang!*โthe jade hairpin struck the corner of the table, shattering into two pieces.
Zhou Feng rushed in at the sound. โSir, is everything alright?โ
He picked up the inconsequential short arrow that had fallen in from the window and retrieved the two halves of the shattered hairpin. When he pieced them together, he saw that the pinhead was sculpted in the shape of a wild goose, while the broken shaft had half of the character โ้ฟโ (long) and the other half carved with โ็ธๆโ (missing or longing).
On the riverbank, Min Xuefei received the news and hurriedly brought his men over. Seeing Ji Hong ready to pursue further, he galloped to intercept him. โShuluan, we can’t stop them! The boat has already left the Dongchong River area; ahead lies Qingzhou Prefectureโฆโ He furrowed his brow, reluctantly stating, โYou know, Qingzhou Prefecture isnโt our territory. We canโt exert any influence there.โ Ji Hong pressed his horse forward, but Min Xuefei urgently shouted, โWe are close to the royal city. If you make a big fuss over a servant, wonโt that leave a handle for the Twelfth Lord? What will the Emperor think?โ
With a whoosh, an arrow flew past Min Xuefeiโs face by a footโs distance.
โMin Ji.โ Ji Hong lowered his crossbow, his eyes glinting with a cold fury reminiscent of what Min Xuefei had seen in his youth, as if this boy were the very trigger suppressing the frost deep in his heart. โTake back what you just said.โ
He tightened the reins, casting a glance back at the direction the boat had vanished, then issued a firm command: โReturn to the capital at once.โ
Duan Ming and the others followed suit, leaving the scene. Shi Qing, appearing startled, clustered around Min Xuefei, checking him over from head to toe before releasing a sigh of relief and muttering softly, โWhatโs going on with the Third Master? He aimed an arrow at the young master for the sake of an outsiderโฆโ
Min Xuefei found it amusing despite his anger. โTo him now, Iโm the outsider. He dislikes me calling that youth a โservant,โ but who knew it was just a slip of the tongue? After all these years, his temper hasnโt changed a bit; heโs as frosty as everโฆ Sigh, letโs go.โ
On the boat, Zhou Feng tossed the broken hairpin out of the window and turned to ask, โSir, where are we heading next?โ
Yan Chang set down his brush. โBack to the capital.โ