The Young General in Luoyang City

The sky gradually darkened, and the caravan heading for Luoyang stopped at a small relay station beside the official road.

The caravan's guards and servants unloaded the goods in an orderly fashion. Gu Baishui and Luo Ziwei followed the others into the relay station, but since there were so few rooms, the two of them were assigned to the same small room tucked away in a secluded corner.

Night quietly fell. Outside the window, rain pattered on the leaves, adding a touch of coolness to the summer air.

Gu Baishui pushed open the window and set the shutter in place. That way, the cool evening breeze could sweep away the stuffy heat in the room without letting the rain blow inside.

The Linen-Clad Girl didn't react much. A refreshing breeze from the window brushed across her face, and she contentedly narrowed her eyes.

They had both just returned from dinner in the hall downstairs. The old merchant leading the caravan had been very warm toward them, his face flushed with good cheer and his manner generous. He said they could come to him if they needed anything.

The old merchant said that when he was young, he had traveled to Luoyang many times. He had loved that peaceful old city and had even considered settling there.

But later, he had been busy taking over his family's caravan business, rushing from place to place year after year, and gradually forgot all about that plan.

Gu Baishui had never been to Luoyang, and was curious about the ancient city with its long history. Being the sort who made himself at home anywhere, he had just carried his bowl over to the old merchant's table and chatted animatedly with him for a long while.

"Luoyang City isn't far from the Luo River. The ancients built their cities by the water and relied on the Luo River for their livelihoods. Later, as transportation became more convenient and developed, Luoyang grew ever more prosperous and beautiful, becoming one of the oldest cities in history."

The old merchant spoke at length, his face animated. "In terms of history and culture alone, Luoyang City was probably built only a few decades after Chang'an City. It's one of the oldest cities in the Tang Kingdom."

Gu Baishui asked him, since Luoyang City had such beautiful mountains and rivers, when was the best time for travelers to visit?

"Now. Right now is just the right time."

The old merchant smiled with some pride. "Willow trees line the Luo River. Every summer, white willow catkins drift all across the outskirts of Luoyang City."

"Beyond the city lie lush, level grasslands, and over them, willow catkins swirl in a gentle flurry. Such a wondrous, splendid sight is rare indeed. Once you've truly seen the willow catkins filling the sky, with orioles flying and grass growing, you'll realize life is really just like that. No matter how many hardships you face, none of them are all that terrible."

Gu Baishui thoughtfully nodded at this, then asked the old merchant a somewhat strange question. "Are there any wealthy and influential families surnamed Luo in Luoyang City?"

"Surnamed Luo?"

The old merchant was taken aback at first. He furrowed his brow and thought for a long while, but in the end, he shook his head. "None come to mind, but Luoyang City is very large. There might be a few families."

Gu Baishui asked again, "Has any famous Tang Kingdom general ever settled in Luoyang City?"

The old merchant thought about it again, then nodded, though with some hesitation.

"There really was once a peerless prodigy of a general in Luoyang City, renowned far and wide. This Young General was a member of the royal family from Chang'an City. He rose to prominence overnight and soared straight into the clouds, walking among the stars and ushering in an entire era of blooming flowers."

Gu Baishui asked with considerable curiosity, "What was this general's name?"

The old merchant seemed unsure, furrowing his brow as he tried to remember for a long while.

"The Tang Kingdom Royal Family was naturally surnamed Li, but I really can't recall his name. It was a very long time ago."

"Did this general have any siblings? Were any of them famous?"

The old merchant was momentarily stunned, then shook his head. "As far as I know, I don't think so."

Gu Baishui nodded thoughtfully.

According to the old merchant, the general he spoke of was very likely Li Shiyi's father.

After all, the old merchant said this had happened a long time ago, and Li Shiyi and the Little Beggar seemed to be very close friends, so they probably weren't far apart in age.

Most importantly, Li Shiyi had a very famous younger sister.

That gifted young girl named Li Xu couldn't possibly be unknown.

"I was just asking. It's lucky that we arrived in Luoyang City at such a good time to visit."

Gu Baishui smiled at the old merchant. After eating and drinking his fill, he returned to the second floor, to the room he shared with the Little Beggar.

Rain drifted and swirled outside the window, while the candle flame inside flickered gently.

The Linen-Clad Girl leaning against the window lazily yawned. On the other side, the Green-Robed Youth sitting on a wooden chair quietly took an antique Bronze Mirror from inside his shirt, then gazed at it in silence for a long while.

A little while later, the Linen-Clad Girl by the window came back to herself, and the youth beside the wooden table put away the Bronze Mirror in his hand.

They looked at each other and smiled at one another in a way that held a subtle meaning.

Gu Baishui wanted to hear the rest of the story that hadn't been finished in the carriage, so he asked the girl by the window, "Was Li Shiyi a genius?"

Luo Ziwei slowly and firmly nodded. Her delicate face was full of earnestness. "He was a genius, the kind of genius who was truly extraordinary."

Gu Baishui tilted his head slightly and asked again, "How did he compare to his younger sister?"

The Linen-Clad Girl suddenly fell silent. Only after a long while did she silently shake her head.

Gu Baishui didn't know whether she meant Li Shiyi was inferior to A-Xu, or whether she simply didn't know.

"What happened after that?"

"After that?"

The Linen-Clad Girl tilted her head slightly. Strands of long hair spilled over her shoulder and swayed gently in the cool, rainy breeze.

"A lot of things happened after that."

Gu Baishui raised his brows. "Then you're not going to finish telling me?"

"It's too late. I'm a little sleepy." The Linen-Clad Girl smiled innocently. "I'll tell you tomorrow."

"Can you finish the story tomorrow?"

"Maybe. Who knows..."

The candle in the room quietly went out. The Linen-Clad Girl stretched comfortably, then wrapped herself in the quilt and climbed into bed.

Gu Baishui could only shake his head helplessly, blow out the candle, and lie down on the bamboo chair on the other side, silently closing his eyes.

The rain outside was loud that night, and the treetops swayed without pause in the wind and rain.

Rain slanted against the window and its frame, as if someone were standing outside, quietly tapping on the window paper.

Gu Baishui had another dream that night, but this time his dream was clear and strange.

A furry figure pushed open the window, then climbed in through the rain.

The Linen-Clad Girl in bed was sleeping deeply and soundly. The furry shadow stood beside Gu Baishui's bamboo chair, its gaze fixed intently on his face.

Gu Baishui knew he was dreaming, but still felt a sudden, inexplicable chill.

A long while later, the youth on the bamboo chair finally asked, somewhat irritably, "What do you want?"

The big, furry figure was silent for a long time. At last, in the dream, it answered in a muffled voice.

"...Don't go...to Luoyang..."