Chapter 1

Passing through Tong Pass, where "the perilous roads could challenge even monkeys," Baozhu and her three companions left Guanzhong and officially entered the Central Plains.

As they crossed the pass, deep ravines and sheer cliffs lined their route, mountains joined peak to peak, and peaks touched the sky. It called to mind the An Lushan Rebellion: the great general Geshu Han had held the natural stronghold of Tong Pass, only to fall under suspicion and be forced to lead his army out to battle. Tong Pass was lost in a crushing defeat, and the corpses of two hundred thousand Tang soldiers had filled these sheer-walled ravines. The rebels had then stormed into Guanzhong, plunging the people into misery and strewing the fields with the dead. Emperor Xuanzong had been forced to flee west, and from then on, Great Tang had turned from prosperity to decline.

Beyond Tong Pass, they entered Lingbao County, where the terrain gradually leveled out, lifting their spirits. Boundless peach groves stretched along both sides of the road. It was autumn, just when the fruit ripened, and the trees were laden with peaches, their red and white skins delightfully set off by emerald leaves.

Thirteenth Son exclaimed, "Why are there so many peach trees here?"

Yang Xingjian sat cross-legged on the ox cart, leisurely driving the ox as he recounted old tales. "The name Lingbao County has a very interesting origin. It used to be called Peach Forest County, and peach trees have filled it since the Shang dynasty. During the Kaiyuan Era, Tian Tongxiu, a military aide at the Chen Prince's Mansion, submitted a memorial to Emperor Xuanzong. He said he had dreamed of the Supreme Primordial Heavenly Worthy telling him from atop Danfeng Tower: 'There is a divine talisman where I wrote my scripture. Whoever obtains it can win all under heaven.'"

Thirteenth Son interrupted, "Who is the Supreme Primordial Heavenly Worthy?"

Yang Xingjian patiently explained, "He is the ancestor of Great Tang's imperial Li clan-Laozi, who rode a blue ox through Hangu Pass as 'purple clouds came from the east.' Before he left the pass, the local warden, Yin Xi, persuaded him to stay and asked him to write the Tao Te Ching, which has been handed down through the ages. So the place where he wrote his scripture meant this very Peach Forest County."

He continued, "Emperor Xuanzong immediately ordered men to search and excavate in Peach Forest County. They unearthed a divine talisman at the former residence of the pass warden Yin Xi, and submitted a memorial saying: 'The precious talisman of Hangu secretly accords with an era name; it conforms to heaven's prior decree. We request that the two characters "Tianbao" be added to Your Majesty's honorific title.' Emperor Xuanzong accordingly changed the era name from Kaiyuan to Tianbao, and renamed Peach Forest County, where the divine talisman had been found, Lingbao County. That is why this place full of peach trees has been called Lingbao ever since."

Although he did not quite understand some of the details, the main story was fascinating, and Thirteenth Son was thoroughly satisfied. Wei Xun, however, questioned it as he held the reins. "He was already emperor. Why did he need to hunt down some mysterious trinket that could 'win all under heaven'? Was he planning to rebel against himself?"

Hearing him point out the fatal flaw in this old story, Yang Xingjian felt rather embarrassed. He thought the young man was truly irritating. Why did he have to contradict everything he said?

Old Yang said unhappily, "Something so closely bound to the nation's fate must be held firmly in one's own hands, even if it is merely mystical nonsense. Otherwise, if it fell into the hands of someone plotting treason, wouldn't it become a grave threat that could overthrow Great Tang and plunge all under heaven into chaos?"

At the words "overthrow Great Tang and plunge all under heaven into chaos," Wei Xun immediately scoffed. "Emperor Xuanzong got his hands on that divine talisman, didn't he? Yet before long, An Lushan still thrashed him and chased him off to Sichuan, and he lost his dragon throne instead. So did this talisman of Laozi's help him win all under heaven, or plunge it into chaos?"

Hearing the two begin arguing again, Baozhu felt her ears buzzing and found it unbearably annoying. She raised her riding whip and lightly poked Wei Xun's shoulder. "I'm thirsty. Go pick a few peaches."

Wei Xun immediately abandoned his argument with Yang Xingjian, handed the reins back to her, and went to look for suitable fruit in the roadside peach grove.

Passing travelers had already stripped the peach trees beside the road clean, leaving only unripe, astringent peaches the size of walnuts. Only at the very tops, where no one could reach, did large, fully ripe peaches remain. Naturally, that posed no difficulty for him. He sprang off the ground, picked them with ease, wiped them with a cloth, and brought them back.

Knowing she had never liked biting into whole fruit, Wei Xun drew the dark-iron dagger at his waist and was about to cut the peaches into wedges when Baozhu's lovely face blanched. She loudly stopped him. "Wait!"

Wei Xun's hand paused. "What's wrong? Didn't you say you wanted peaches?"

Baozhu asked in horror, "That dagger... is that the dagger you used to cut off Bao Lang's head?"

Wei Xun immediately understood what bothered her and could only explain with a sigh, "I've already washed it clean with strong liquor."

Baozhu firmly refused. "No! You cannot use a killing knife as an eating knife. It's utterly revolting. I won't take you to task for using it to slice fish and carve meat before, but as soon as we reach a market, you must buy a new eating knife. Otherwise, I absolutely refuse to touch any food you bring me!"

Helpless, Wei Xun sheathed the dagger, broke a peach apart with his bare hands, and passed it to her, muttering, "Where would you find an eating knife that works better than this one?"

They ate the peaches as a snack, and sticky peach juice coated Baozhu's hands. Spotting a little stream flowing slowly through the peach grove in the distance, she ordered everyone to stop, wash off the dust, and rest a while.

After dismounting from her donkey, Baozhu first took Thirteenth Son to wash their hands in the stream. Its water was clear, shallow, and lovely, winding through the lush peach grove like the sheer silk stole draped over a young woman's shoulders. It reflected the beautiful scenery around it and filled the heart with delight. Thirteenth Son had already removed his shoes and socks, rolled up the hem of his monk's robe and tied it at his waist, and waded in to cool off.

Although autumn had arrived, the summer heat had not entirely faded, and the cool stream water was wonderfully refreshing. After washing her hands, Baozhu grew playful. She too took off her shoes and socks and stepped into the water, walking barefoot over stones, feeling about for fish, and splashing the little novice monk.

Some distance away, Wei Xun tied the reins to a peach tree and unloaded all the baggage from the donkey's back so it could rest as well. He fed it two handfuls of beans, and only after everything was settled did he dust off his hands and prepare to join Baozhu and Thirteenth Son.

Yang Xingjian remained seated on the ox cart. Watching from the side, he thought Wei Xun was quite efficient at his chores, but when he saw him heading toward the stream, he hurriedly called him back. "Wait! You cannot go over there!"

Wei Xun glanced back at him in surprise. "Why?"

Yang Xingjian said angrily, "The Princess has removed her shoes and socks. Naturally, we must keep our distance to avoid impropriety. These are the rules of etiquette. How can you have so little sense as to go over and offend her?"

Wei Xun asked, puzzled, "Didn't you see my junior brother beside her?"

Yang Xingjian thought that explaining etiquette to these martial wanderers truly left his lips scorched and his tongue worn out, but for the Princess's sake, he could not remain silent. He could only explain patiently, "Thirteenth Son is a little monk, and moreover, he is a child, so those restrictions do not apply."

Wei Xun frowned and thought for a moment, then replied indifferently, "I'm a virgin too."

With that, he left Yang Xingjian behind and strode swiftly toward the two by the stream.

Yang Xingjian was tongue-tied, his eyes as wide as bronze bells, and stammered, "Th-that isn't the same thing! Come back here!" But no one would pay him any heed.

Baozhu was thoroughly enjoying herself in the water when she suddenly glimpsed a green snake over three feet long slowly slithering from the grass on the bank into the stream, undulating toward her. Her face immediately paled with fright, and she shrieked, "Thirteenth Son, hurry and fetch my bow and arrows!"

Wei Xun had already bent down, pinched the snake's head, and deftly lifted it. He had not crushed the creature to death, and its tail curled into coils around his arm.

Baozhu let out a breath and relaxed. She was about to say something when she saw the corners of Wei Xun's lips slowly lift, revealing two snowy-white, slightly pointed teeth. Mischief brimmed in his eyes as he held the green snake by its head and walked slowly toward her.

Baozhu's heart lurched, and the color gradually drained from her face. That mischievous devil was going to torment her with the snake! Unwilling to sit helplessly and await her doom, she immediately gathered up her skirts and sprinted toward the baggage where her bow and arrows lay, determined to shoot seventeen or eighteen holes in him today before her anger could be appeased.

But however nimble her legs, she could not outrun one of the finest lightness-skill masters under heaven. With a single leap, Wei Xun seized the advantage and snatched her bow and arrows into his own hands. Holding the snake in one hand and cradling the bow in the other, the Green-Robed Wanderer said with a grin, "Remember not to let your weapon leave your side next time. By the time you want to use it, it'll be too late to fetch it."

Standing barefoot on the grass, Baozhu clenched both fists and trembled with anger. She looked around, jumped up, and snapped off a thick, straight peach branch three feet long. Stripping away its leaves, she gripped it in both hands and held it before her like a Horizontal Saber, looking furious enough to take him down with her.

Wei Xun praised her loudly. "Excellent improvisation! Splendid fighting spirit!"

Thirteenth Son had also run over and naturally took his place behind Baozhu to support her. His face ashen, he frantically waved his hands and shook his head at his eldest martial brother, signaling with his eyes that he should hurry and surrender his weapons to the commander while there was still a little hope of submitting and receiving amnesty.

Baozhu charged with her peach-branch saber in hand, slashing sideways and chopping down in great, sweeping strokes. The three fought in a tangled melee, battling from the bank into the water, then from the water back onto the bank. For a time, pearls flew and jade splashed, as though they were churning the seas and overturning rivers.

Yang Xingjian stood as dumbstruck as a wooden chicken. He had never imagined they could devise such a novel, distinctive way to play in the water. He could not even keep up with them to intervene. Abandoning all concern for etiquette, he ran over with his arms spread and shouted, "You cannot fight like this! You'll catch a chill if your clothes get wet! Princess! Princess, please listen to your old servant!"

The battle lasted until they had burned through all their lunch, and only ended when Baozhu was too exhausted to lift her arms. All three were soaked from head to foot, as though they had taken a thorough bath. Naturally, Wei Xun and his junior brother had no fear of this. They wrung out the hems of their robes and set off barefoot.

Baozhu, however, wore a drenched jacket and skirt, the fabric clinging to her body, leaving her no room to maneuver. She rode her donkey with her head hanging in dejection, deeply regretting her own narrow temper. Why had she been unable to withstand that mischievous devil's taunts?

Anger written all over his face, Yang Xingjian unleashed a torrent of scolding. "How dare you two let the Princess get this wet? If a cold wind blows and she catches a chill, we have neither enough doctors nor medicine on the road. It could cost her life!"

Wei Xun took no notice and said lazily, "It's only clean water. A little sunshine will dry it."

No sooner had he said this than Baozhu hugged her arms and sneezed.

Yang Xingjian looked at her in terror, as though he could already see Yang Fangxie lying ill in bed, her lamp guttering and its oil spent. He immediately felt an icy wind pour over his head, his hands and feet went numb, and he circled the donkey in a panic.

"How do you feel, Princess? Are you weak all over? Are your hands and feet cold?"

Baozhu shook her head, then sneezed a second and a third time.

This nearly frightened Yang Xingjian's soul out of his body. He insisted that she dismount and enter the ox cart, take off her wet clothes beneath a brocade quilt, and stay warmly bundled for a while to drive out the chill.

Now Wei Xun too began to feel a faint unease. He had never known people could be so fragile. He stared blankly as she crawled beneath the cart's canopy and drew the curtains, murmuring to himself, "It was only clean water..."