Encounters on the Path

Great Qin rose vast and mighty, like the sun climbing into the sky.

The Great Qin Empire covered a vast territory, divided into seventy-two counties. Beneath the counties were said to be eight hundred prefectures, and beneath the prefectures were districts. Broad official roads linked the entire realm, stretching in every direction. Every district's distance held a relay station for travelers to rest their feet, with traffic flowing without cease. Villagers with quick wits opened herbal tea stalls along the official roads, selling cooling teas to dispel heat and summer fire, earning no small amount of silver.

It was just the beginning of autumn. Though there was a touch of chill in the air, the autumn tiger still had its bite. At noon, a herbal tea stall near the county seat of Wangxian County was already seven or eight parts full. Passing merchants either talked loudly of grand matters or drank tea from large bowls, sharing curious tales. The tea stall owner's child hugged a small dish of mochi balls and listened intently. One bearded Hu man wiped his mouth and said with a sentimental laugh:

"Times really are peaceful now. Our Wangxian County hasn't seen any great storms or troubles for who knows how many years..." A merchant beside him agreed, "Exactly. Old Master Liu watches over Willow Catkin Villa. Back then, that He Yiyuan committed every evil imaginable—murder, arson, everything. Wasn't he caught in the end?"

The young attendant was listening in fascination when the owner suddenly smacked him on the head and cursed under his breath, "You little brat! Instead of tending to the customers, you're loafing around here and taking my silver for nothing!"

The attendant rolled his eyes inwardly, but did not dare say much aloud. Reluctantly, he walked out beneath the vicious sun, cursing endlessly in his heart. He muttered, "Who would still be traveling in this blazing sun? He just can't stand seeing anyone idle. What a sickness!" Just then, the owner's child suddenly cried out, "Here, here! A big horse! A big horse is coming!"

The attendant jumped in fright and sharply turned his head. Sure enough, dust billowed up in the distance along the official road, as though someone were galloping toward them on a tall steed with whip in hand. Someone of that status must be a wealthy traveler... I can make some silver. With a smile on his face, he hurried forward to call out. The merchants, too, were curious that someone would be traveling beneath such a sun, and all turned to look. By then the dust cloud had drawn near enough for them to see the figure. It was not the tall horse they had imagined, but a handsome young man.

He wore a short blue jacket and carried a bundle in one hand. His body rose and fell as he strode forward in great steps, dust scattering beneath his feet. His momentum was like that of a fierce general charging atop a galloping horse—unyielding and immense, extraordinary in bearing. The sixteen- or seventeen-year-old attendant stood directly in his path and felt his heart shudder, as though he were facing an enraged beast or charging rhinoceros head-on. His legs went weak, and he dropped straight onto his backside. Before he could even hit the ground, someone seized his wrist and hauled him up. Still shaken, he saw the blue-clad youth before him ask gently:

"Are you all right, brother? Did the sun give you heatstroke?"

"N-No, I'm... I'm fine..."

The attendant trembled twice, his legs still somewhat weak, but his face had already slipped into its habitual smile. "Young brother, the county seat is still far away, and the weather is scorching. Why not come in for some herbal tea to cool yourself down?"

The young man paused, released his hand, and rubbed his stomach. Then he smiled. "Then I'll trouble you, brother. Please give me a pot of your cheapest herbal tea."

"The cheapest..."

The attendant froze for a moment. Only then did he notice that the youth before him wore nothing but ordinary coarse cloth. He was probably from a background much like his own. The attendant felt a little closer to him, and much of his lingering fear faded. Smiling, he said, "All right! A pot of Jishan Spring. Young brother, just find yourself a seat."

"Much obliged."

The attendant returned to the tea stall and fetched a copper pot of herbal tea. When he turned back, however, he saw that the youth had not sat at one of the tables. Instead, he had gone straight to sit on a bluestone in the shade. The attendant asked curiously, "Young brother, there are still open seats at the tables. Why not sit there? Are you shy around strangers?"

The young man smiled and pointed at his clothes. "I ran all the way here and worked up quite a stink. If I sit over there, I'm afraid I'll make the others uncomfortable. Please bring it here, brother. How much is the tea?"

"...Five Datong coins."

The attendant watched as the youth took a small cloth pouch from his chest and carefully counted out five copper coins. After accepting them, he lightly set the herbal tea beside him and returned to the stall. The youth, meanwhile, removed the blue cloth bundle from his back, took out two fist-sized pieces of dry rations, and happily ate them with the tea.

The tables beside him were covered in all kinds of pastries and snacks, along with fine flower tea. At his side, there was only a pot of tea brewed from dregs and some dry, hard provisions. Yet he was open and at ease, without the slightest trace of inferiority or embarrassment. The merchants stole glances at him because of his astonishing entrance, and he responded with calm smiles. Though clothed in rough garments and eating poor food, his bearing was no worse than anyone else's.

The mound of dry rations, piled as high as a cuju ball, went down satisfyingly with a pot of herbal tea. Wang Anfeng half-closed his eyes as his inner qi slowly circulated and recovered. Though he had learned Lightness Skill, this Vigorous Step Technique merely strengthened his recovery and endurance. Running still meant running honestly on his own two legs. His inner qi boiled, but his body was still flesh and blood, so aches and pains were unavoidable. Just then, a voice sounded beside his ear:

"Young brother, what impressive inner strength."

The voice was mature and immediately exposed the fact that Wang Anfeng possessed inner strength. Only Uncle Li, who had seemed so unfathomable, had ever done such a thing. Alarmed, Wang Anfeng abruptly opened his eyes. Just as he was about to address the speaker as senior, he paused in surprise. Before him was not one of those imposing Grandmasters from Uncle Li's storybooks, but a delicate-looking youth. There was still some immaturity between his brows, and his eyes were bright and clear. He seemed about the same age as Wang Anfeng. Wang Anfeng hesitated and said:

"This young brother is...?"

"What young brother? I should be older than you. You ought to address me as old brother, like that attendant did just now." The youth smiled, clasped his fists in imitation of a martial wanderer, and went straight to the point. "I smelled something on you, young brother..."

Wang Anfeng paused, and his face immediately reddened a little. He rose awkwardly and said:

"Sorry, brother. I ran all the way here, so I inevitably sweated a little. Please bear with it..."

"Stink? No, no, no. It's fragrant. Very fragrant."

The youth paused, then shook his head with a laugh. He raised two fingers and pointed at Wang Anfeng's waist. Wang Anfeng followed his finger and saw the iron wine flask hanging there. Its base was black, covered in dense patterns. The youth's voice sounded again beside his ear. "There. The fragrance of that wine is rich. I smelled it from a great distance away. I have loved wine since childhood. Would young brother be willing to part with it? Silver is naturally no issue."

As he spoke, he took out a silver ingot. Judging by its size, it was more than enough not only to buy one small flask of wine, but to purchase the tea stall and all the goods carried by every merchant outside. The tea stall owner's eyes burned with envy as he muttered to himself, while the attendant sighed inwardly, He can only afford five copper coins' worth of inferior tea, yet his luck is this good... Why is my luck always so rotten?

Everyone marveled at how fortunate that boy was, but Wang Anfeng did not even glance at the silver. He merely shook his head. "Sorry, brother. If this wine were mine, I would have no problem giving it to you. But someone entrusted it to me, and I must deliver it to another household. So I'm afraid I can't."

The black-clad youth paused, then smiled. "Is it too little? I have some banknotes as well. So long as you name the price, I can give it to you. With that money, you could buy plenty of good wine to deliver. Surely no one would blame you."

Wang Anfeng still shook his head. The youth laughed.

"Could it be that you've caught a hatred-of-the-rich sickness and can't stand the sight of silver?"

"Of course I want such a large ingot of silver."

Wang Anfeng's smile faded as he looked seriously at the youth.

"But though my family is poor, my father once taught me: 'A gentleman's promise cannot be traded for a thousand pieces of gold.'"

"So you consider yourself a gentleman?"

"I am far inferior to a gentleman, but I still do not wish to break faith with others."

The youth was slightly stunned, then laughed aloud. He immediately clasped his fists and bowed deeply. "I did not know before. Please forgive me, young brother." With that, he casually tossed the silver that had made everyone's eyes burn to the roadside. Facing Wang Anfeng's startled gaze, he said solemnly:

"Silver is used for food, clothing, and daily needs. It is neither good nor bad by nature. Yet just now, because I had this silver on me, I used a villain's heart to judge a gentleman's belly. Such a thing is better cast aside."

After saying that, he lifted his eyes to look at the still-blazing sky, then shook his head again and sighed with a trace of teasing in his voice.

"I have rested enough. If I remain here any longer, I'll have fine wine before me yet can only smell it without drinking. That truly is suffering upon suffering. I shall take my leave first..."

Wang Anfeng paused, inexplicably feeling a little embarrassed. He rose and clasped his fists.

"This... I'm truly sorry. My name is Wang Anfeng. How should I address you, brother?"

The black-clad youth glanced at him, laughed twice, and said, "You and I will certainly meet again someday. I'll tell you my name then." After speaking, he gave a clear whistle. A small green horse nearby neighed and charged over. The youth slapped a hand onto its back and soared into the air. Twisting at the waist in midair, he clasped his fists and said, "The green mountains remain unchanged, the green waters flow ever onward. Little Brother Wang, we shall meet again someday."

"Hyah!"