As dusk approached, Chen Ping’an returned to the town, passing through the east gate. The slovenly gatekeeper was still there, humming a tune, currently singing, “An inch of time is not to be trifled with, wealth and glory are all but fleeting.” Perhaps startled by the rapid footsteps of the straw-sandaled boy, the gatekeeper opened his eyes, just in time to meet the gaze of the young man running through the gate. Seeing it was this debt-chasing ghost, the gatekeeper was utterly disappointed, waving his hand with ill-humor. “Go, go, go! Your time is worth less than bird droppings, boy! If you could even brush against one word of ‘wealth and glory,’ you’d be burning incense to the heavens.”

Chen Ping’an ran past, raising one hand high, his five fingers spread wide, shaking it emphatically.

He was clearly reminding the gatekeeper that they shared a five-coin relationship.

The gatekeeper spat vehemently, cursing, “Not a good bird either!”

The young man’s figure quickly disappeared. The gatekeeper looked up at the azure, clear sky, resembling a layer of beautiful glaze.

The gatekeeper rubbed his stubble-filled chin,啧啧道：“齐先生说过一句诗，什么来着，好物，琉璃？”

A bullock cart slowly rolled out of town, carrying a well-reputed scholar in a blue robe. The driver was a middle-aged man with a wooden expression.

The gatekeeper immediately waved, laughing loudly. “Master Yao, don’t be in such a hurry! I’ve got a phrase stuck in my head. I only remember ‘fine things, glass’ and such. I can’t recall the rest. You’re learned, boy, give it a recite!”

The spirited Zhao Yao, holding a satchel, said in loud voice：“世间好物不坚牢，彩云易散琉璃脆！”

The gatekeeper stuck out a thumb. “As expected of Master Yao! Your learning is top-notch! If you make it big, don’t forget to come back and see your old brother. Maybe you could even replace your teacher and educate the children of our town. That would be good too!”

Zhao Yao paused, then clasped his fist in a cupped hand salutation with faint smile: “承老哥吉言！”

The gatekeeper was overjoyed. He pulled a pouch from his sleeve, flicked his wrist, and tossed it high to the blue-robed scholar, grinning. “I’ve let you wrote a lot of Spring Couplet for free for so many years, but it doesn’t matter, you are generous and never feel troubled. I never misjudge anyone. I will give you some gifts, wish you have a good trip.”

Zhao Yao quickly caught the money pouch. “Farewell!”

The gatekeeper nodded with a smile, waving to the young man’s cart, but muttered to himself, “Difficult.”

The straw-sandaled boy walked deeper into the town, while Zhao Yao’s cart headed for the world beyond the town, the two brushed past each other.

Sitting on a tree stump, the gatekeeper counted on his fingers. “The Sui Dynasty boy carrying a bamboo basket of golden carp, Gu’s widow’s son from Mud Bottle Lane, and now Master Yao from Fortune Street. That’s already three. But there are so many more to come, crashing in. Won’t there be only scavenging left? Maybe I should take this opportunity to find a filial apprentice who can rub my shoulders and back?”

The gatekeeper reached out and stroked his wrinkled, dark face, chuckling. “If it’s a pretty female apprentice with a bright face and nice figure, that would be the best. Well, if her face is a little lacking, I can still tolerate it, but her legs must be long!”

This confirmed bachelor, famous throughout the town, clasped his hands behind his head, looked up at the sky, enjoying his solitary happiness. After thinking of these delightful things, his worries vanished, and he only felt a great beauty in the world.

—

Before Chen Ping’an left Mud Bottle Lane, he had arranged to meet Liu Xianyang and the black-clothed girl at Liu Xianyang’s house. When Chen Ping’an arrived, the door was unlocked. He pushed it open and entered the main hall, finding Liu Xianyang cleaning and wiping a family heirloom armor with a clean cotton cloth.

The black-clothed girl, Miss Ning, had replaced her veiled hat. She wore a saber at her waist, and the long sword with a snowy white scabbard was casually held in her hand. For some reason, Chen Ping’an felt that Miss Ning seemed to dislike this sword.

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The old object, passed down through generations of the Liu family, was on the table. It was said to be armor, but in Chen Ping’an’s eyes, it was truly ugly and frightening. The huge armor was covered with iron tendons resembling gnarled tree knots, and there were five parallel, deep scratch marks that slanted down from the left shoulder all the way to the right waist.

Regarding this, the two boys were puzzled. They couldn’t imagine what kind of enormous forest beast could have caused such a terrifying sight. Later, the imperial court had placed many restrictions on the mountain peaks, forbidding the common people from entering the mountains to cut firewood and burn charcoal. Chen Ping’an and Liu Xianyang almost never violated these restrictions, largely for this reason.

Chen Ping’an found it odd. This charcoal-like iron armor, as ugly as it was, was truly regarded as a family treasure by Liu Xianyang. Even Chen Ping’an, as close as he was, had only been shown it once for less than half an incense stick’s time before it was carefully moved back into the lacquered box and enshrined.

However, seeing Liu Xianyang’s occasional glances at the black-clothed girl, Chen Ping’an understood somewhat. Liu Xianyang had always been like this, unable to take his eyes off beautiful women. But he wasn’t truly moved or in love; he simply liked to show off. For example, in the past, during the summer at the covered bridge, when bathing bare-chested in the stream, if a girl of similar age passed by carrying rice seedlings or leading a water buffalo, Liu Xianyang was bound to perform a three-step routine: first, he would climb onto the large bluestone by the bank as if his butt was on fire; then, he would cough loudly – Song Jixin called this “announcing to the world”; and finally, he would plunge into the water. Chen Ping’an, with his good eyesight, could clearly see the expressions and faces of the girls in the distance. Thus, he always wanted to tell Liu Xianyang the truth: those good-looking sisters rolled their eyes, muttered curses, or, more often than not, simply ignored him. Only never did their eyes light up, thinking he was a heroic figure.

Of course, later, Liu Xianyang took a fancy to Song Jixin’s maidservant, Zhigui, and inexplicably fell deeply in love. After that, it seemed the tall young man no longer had any other beautiful women in his eyes. Even now, showing off to the black-clothed girl was more about hoping that the proud and aloof girl wouldn’t look down on him, wouldn’t think that just because she carried a saber and sword, she could act like the king of heaven. Liu Xianyang’s family treasure was unique in this town.

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After Chen Ping’an arrived, the veiled girl surveyed the surroundings and finally placed her long sword horizontally on an old, painted Bogu cabinet decorated with gilt flowers. The painted lacquer was mottled and peeling. To make room for the sword, she moved away many bottles, jars, and sundries, discovering a pattern inlaid on the back wall of the cabinet: a golden osmanthus tree, under a full moon.

The girl turned and said, “The sword is here. Do not touch it, or face the consequences. I am not joking.”

Liu Xianyang was busy wiping the treasure armor, occasionally blowing on it, and gently stroking it with his arm, truly enjoying himself.

Chen Ping’an promised, “Certainly.”

The girl said to Liu Xianyang, “This cabinet is not worth much, but do not casually sell the inlaid pattern of the golden osmanthus under the moon.”

Liu Xianyang replied without looking up, “I’ve never liked that thing since I was a kid. If you like it, girl, just scrape it off yourself.”

The black-clothed girl would, of course, not commit such a philistine act. She simply asked curiously, “What is the material of this pattern?”

Liu Xianyang glanced back. “It’s hundreds of years old. How would I know? Even my grandfather couldn’t tell you exactly.”

Chen Ping’an softly said, “It should be pebbles picked up from the stream. There are many colors, but Liu Xianyang’s elders must have only chosen the golden-yellow ones, crushed them, and glued them together. We call this kind of stone ‘snake gallstone’.”

The black-clothed girl asked, “Pebbles? Are there many in the stream?”

Chen Ping’an smiled. “If you want some, Miss Ning, I can pick a large basketful for you in a day. No one here likes them, except Gu Can, who often goes to pick them by himself.”

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The black-clothed girl sighed, gazing deeply at the impoverished boy from Mud Bottle Lane. “Poor people living on mountains of gold and silver.”

Chen Ping’an was surprised. “Are these stones worth money outside?”

She adjusted her veiled hat and said, “The price depends on who gets it. Besides that, even if it falls into the hands of someone who knows the value, whether it succeeds depends on luck. With good luck, one stone is enough. With bad luck, a mountain of stones would be useless. But regardless, they are worth money, and worth a lot. I just don’t know if they can be taken out of town. That is the key.”

Liu Xianyang interjected, “There is something strange about this stone. As soon as it is taken out of the stream, its color will fade when exposed to the sun and wind, especially after rain or snow. Besides that, there’s nothing else.”

The girl said regretfully, “I figured.”

Chen Ping’an hesitated. “How about I pick a large basketful tomorrow and try? What if there are exceptions?”

The girl shook her head. “It’s meaningless to me.”

Liu Xianyang had already moved the treasure armor back into the house and hidden it. Now, he leaned against the doorframe, smiling. “Chen Ping’an is a money-grubber. He might go to the stream to find stones tonight.”

The girl said casually, “I’m leaving.”

When she reached the door, she turned around and asked, “I will take good care of the hairpin and prescription for you. But you still need to go to Mud Bottle Lane tomorrow to help with the medicine.”

Chen Ping’an nodded. “No problem.”

She thought for a moment, her face serious, and reminded, “Among the outsiders who entered the town around the same time as me, the most powerful should be that old man from Zheng Yang Mountain. He is here specifically to escort a little girl. Next is the eunuch from the Sui Dynasty who injured me, followed by Liu Zhimao, who took Gu Can away. Don’t underestimate that woman with a hidden knife in her smile. So, if you encounter that old guy from Zheng Yang Mountain, try to avoid conflict. But if a conflict arises, just stall for time. Don’t fight them. Don’t take any chances. You must stall until I arrive.”

Liu Xianyang said in a low voice, “In our territory, would these unfamiliar outsiders really dare to kill someone?”

Chen Ping’an glanced at him and nodded. “They would.”

Liu Xianyang swallowed hard.

Chen Ping’an suddenly asked, “Do you remember what Taoist Lu…, that is, the fortune-teller, told you?”

Liu Xianyang had a headache, and after trying hard to remember, he scratched his head. “How would I remember that clearly? I only know it was some unpleasant and unlucky words, saying there would be a great calamity, that I needed to burn incense, and other nonsense. I thought he was just talking nonsense, trying to scam money…”

Chen Ping’an turned to look at the black-clothed girl.

The girl said fiercely, “He can’t even remember the divination verse. How am I supposed to interpret it for him? Does he think I’m a god!”

Chen Ping’an was confused, unable to understand why Miss Ning was suddenly so angry.

The girl strode out of the house.

Much more swiftly than when she had come, she was decisive and efficient.

The saber-wearing girl walked in the wide lane, thinking if she had time to find some books to read?

The girl thought, after she traveling everywhere, she would fly her sword and chopped off head so clean. Then with a few passionate extemporaneous poems. Even if no one around, she would be very cool!

—

Just as the girl was filled with anticipation, a familiar figure flew past.

“See you tomorrow, Miss Ning!”

When the voice landed, the figure was almost at the end of the alley.

The straw-sandaled boy, carrying a basket, was walking so fast!

The girl was stunned, muttering to herself, “Are there really such money-grubbers?”

(End of Chapter)
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