Parting

At that moment, Li Yan's carriage was passing through the long city gate tunnel. The tunnel was exceedingly lengthy, yet not damp inside; its tall and wide design kept it well-ventilated and dry, with ample light. It took a full dozen breaths before the carriage emerged from the gate and entered the city.

Directly facing the gate tunnel were three roads, all paved with large bluestone slabs. Worn smooth by years of constant traffic, the surface gleamed with an oily sheen—even the uneven cuts on the stones and the gaps between them had become rounded and polished. The middle road was clearly wider than the other two, undoubtedly the main thoroughfare. The two side roads curved off in opposite directions, their destinations unknown. On both sides of the roads, buildings stood in rows, mostly two or three stories tall, with various canvas awnings and shop signs hanging from their doorways. People bustled to and fro, shouts and greetings rising and falling in waves. Though it was afternoon, the scene was lively and bustling.

With pedestrians crossing the streets, Li Guoxin's carriage naturally slowed to a crawl. The three of them sat inside, their eyes darting everywhere, heads turning constantly, finding everything novel. Many things they had never seen or even heard of before.

"Brother Yan, look—that door has iron bars and a counter inside. The person outside has to stand on tiptoe, craning their neck to talk through that little window. That must be a pawnshop, right?" Li Yu pointed at a pawnshop and asked.

"Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu, look at that three-story tavern—so grand! It smells amazing, a scent I've never smelled before. Even the grease from roasting wild boar isn't this fragrant. If you become an apprentice here someday, that'd be something!" Li Shan pointed at the tavern they had just passed.

Li Guoxin turned back with a smile. "You'll be living here for a long time soon. There'll be plenty of time to look around, but you have to learn your skills well. Otherwise, getting sent back to the village would be a real disgrace. The place you're headed is still ahead."

Li Yan, too, found everything fresh to his eyes. Many things he had never seen; some he had heard of from his father and the villagers, others he had never even heard mentioned. He couldn't help but sigh at how vast the outside world was and how shallow his own knowledge.

The carriage pressed on through the crowd for a while longer before stopping at a two-story tavern. Though it had only two floors, it boasted a wide frontage—seven or eight shopfronts lined up side by side along the street. These storefronts were all connected inside, making the main hall exceptionally spacious and bright. It wasn't yet the peak dining hour, but a few customers were already coming and going, likely the type who ate whenever they pleased. The tavern's signboard stretched across several of the middle storefronts, looking grand and eye-catching, bearing the words "Natural Wine House."

Li Guoxin drove the carriage to the rightmost storefront of the Natural Wine House, found a large tree to stop under, tied the reins to it, then had Li Yu get down. He told Li Yan and Li Shan to wait by the carriage, and led Li Yu toward the middle entrance. Li Yan and Li Shan stood by the carriage, watching the bustling street scene. For a moment, neither of them spoke. In truth, with Li Yu's departure, they knew the moment of parting had come. From now on, they would have to live alone in this unfamiliar place. The excitement and anticipation they had felt earlier were now completely gone, replaced only by a trace of fear—the helpless fear of being alone in a strange land. Each lost in their own thoughts, they remained silent.

After a while, Li Guoxin returned to the carriage with Li Yu, followed by a man in his thirties, plump and wearing a loose, oversized robe. They walked slowly to the carriage. Li Guoxin said to Li Yu, "Take out your luggage." Then he turned to the plump middle-aged man with a smile. "Manager Li, I'll take this contract back to the boy's parents. The child is in your hands now. I hope you'll look after him a bit, for the sake of our shared clan name. I thank you here." He clasped his hands and bowed to Manager Li.

Manager Li's plump face broke into a slight smile. "Guoxin, no need to be so polite. Our elders were of the same clan, so of course I'll take care of him. Rest assured, the boy will be fine here. As long as he can endure hardship, he'll have a future."

Li Guoxin waved at Li Yu. "Go with your uncle now. Be diligent, keep your hands quick, and ask questions when in doubt. Do more than you're told."

Li Yu had already taken his luggage from the carriage. Choking back tears, he said to Li Yan and Li Shan, "Brother Yan, Brother Shan, come see me when you have time." He was on the verge of crying.

Li Yan and Li Shan forced smiles uglier than tears and replied in turn:

"Sure, I'll come see you when I can."

"Xiao Yu, work hard. Brother Shan will come eat your cooking someday."

Seeing this, Manager Li chuckled. "Let's go." He clasped his hands to Li Guoxin, turned, and walked toward the tavern. Li Yu followed behind him, luggage in hand, looking back every few steps, reluctant to leave, until he finally disappeared through the doorway.

Li Guoxin then called the two boys back onto the carriage. After untying the reins from the tree and taking his seat on the shaft, he said to them, "A real man doesn't act so soft. You're out here to learn a trade. Learn it well, bring your parents here—that's what a man does." Without looking at them again, he drove the carriage forward.

The carriage continued on, turning a few more corners before stopping at a place called "Ironware Pavilion." Just as before, he had Li Shan get down and follow him inside, leaving Li Yan alone by the carriage. After some time, Li Guoxin and Li Shan returned, but this time two people followed behind. One was a man over ten feet tall, bare-chested, with muscles even more robust than Li Guoxin's, gleaming darkly in the sunlight. Every movement made his muscles ripple like mice jumping under his skin. He had thick brows and round eyes, and looked to be in his forties. Beside him was a half-grown boy about Li Shan's age, but stocky and broad, with big hands and feet, a full size thicker than Li Shan.

Later, Li Yan learned that this man was the owner, named Lu Kui, a master smith unmatched in the city for forging weapons or farm tools. He often repaired military equipment for the garrison troops. The boy beside him was his senior apprentice, Liang Shi. What followed was much like Li Yu's earlier farewell—after a few words of instruction, Li Shan, red-eyed, bid Li Guoxin and Li Yan goodbye and followed the two men away.

Having experienced several partings in a single day, the boy's spirits sank to their lowest.

Li Guoxin looked up at the sky and said to Li Yan, "We need to hurry to the Martial Field. It should still be the Hour of the Monkey, but if we're any later, it might have to wait until tomorrow." Li Yan quickly pulled himself together and nodded in agreement. The scenes of Li Yu and Li Shan's departures had stirred his thoughts, making him miss his parents, older brother, and sister. But he also knew that now he could only take things one step at a time. The road ahead was uncertain and unknown.

Li Guoxin drove the carriage swiftly toward a certain place. Before long, they arrived at a large gate surrounded by high walls. Li Yan saw the walls curving away on both sides, stretching beyond what his eyes could see. The area within must have been enormous. Li Guoxin stopped the carriage some distance away and tied it to a hitching post, where many horses and carriages were already secured. Then he led Li Yan toward the gate.

At the gate, a dozen soldiers stood guard with weapons. A line of a dozen or so youths and a similar number of escorts were also waiting. When they saw the two approaching, they showed no great surprise—just a glance before turning back to watch the soldiers.

As they reached the gate, a soldier walked over and asked, "Here to enlist in the Imperial Guards?"

Li Guoxin pointed at Li Yan and bowed. "Yes, sir. He's here for the examination."

The soldier pointed at Li Yan. "Good timing. Come on, join this group and go in."

Li Yan quickly stepped forward and followed the soldier to the back of the line of youths.

Once they were lined up, the soldier turned to Li Guoxin and the others, pointing to one side. "Wait over there. Results should be out around the Hour of the Rooster."

Li Guoxin then noticed that on the far side of the gate, a dense crowd of people sat on the ground or stood watching from a distance. These must have been the escorts who arrived earlier.

Judging by the crowd, there were quite a few candidates this time. After all, the duties of the Imperial Guards tempted many village households.

Li Guoxin looked at Li Yan, who glanced back. Li Guoxin pointed to the waiting area, then to himself, signaling that he would be waiting there. Li Yan nodded to show he understood. Li Guoxin then walked with the earlier group toward the waiting area.