Chapter 16: Don't Even Think About It
The girl was fine.
The young Daoist couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.
The young Daoist suddenly realized the atmosphere was a bit off, and quickly changed the subject: "The tender leaves of the dragon-scale tamarisk from Green Water Pond, oh, we call it 'Three-Spring Willow' around here. The leaves were picked at the wrong time, about seven or eight days too late. And this bundle of Dragon-Flight Grass, commonly known as 'Maiden's Waist,' the grinding into powder was far too careless. Also, this packet of Paper-Stack Flower, the Yang Family Shop was really out of line—they agreed on three taels, but how did it end up short by one qian of weight?"
The young Daoist rattled off complaints like bamboo tubes pouring out beans, finding faults with almost everything; there was hardly anything he was satisfied with. It felt as if he had some personal grudge against the Yang Family Medicine Shop. Finally, he made a big turn and concluded, "The shopkeeper's conscience has been eaten by dogs. However, the medicinal herbs on this table are still enough for decocting and saving lives. Of course, that's mainly thanks to Miss Ning Yao's excellent constitution. The Yang Family Shop at most has half a copper coin's credit for it."
The young Daoist slapped his head, spread out a piece of plain white paper, and while picking up a brush to write, he instructed, "I almost forgot. I'll write you another prescription for decocting the medicine. This is a real meticulous task, Chen Ping'an. You must not be careless. This prescription of mine not only heals injuries but also strengthens the foundation and nourishes the root. It is a superior method of the military strategist school, based on the premise of being invincible, using war to sustain war. And the beauty of it is that it is gentle in nature, does not harm the person. At most, it will take a few more days. Just buy more medicinal herbs; it's only a matter of spending silver. When to use intense fire for quick boiling, when to use gentle fire for slow simmering—I've written it all in detail on the paper. Even the specific time to decoct the medicine has its considerations. All in all, for the next ten days, Chen Ping'an, you'll have to work hard. Men are meant to carry burdens. Otherwise, why would we talk about being an 'indomitable man who stands upright between heaven and earth'? Don't shirk your responsibility and let the young lady look down on you..."
When he said the words "stands upright between heaven and earth," the young Daoist shook his head almost imperceptibly.
The prescription itself only took half a sheet of paper, but how to decoct the medicine took two full sheets. The handwriting was ordinary small regular script, square and neat, orderly and proper.
Chen Ping'an grew anxious and asked, "Daoist, are you not going to take care of things after this? For such a life-and-death matter, wouldn't it be safer for you to supervise personally?"
The young Daoist said helplessly, "I am about to leave the town. In the Southern Stream Kingdom, my sect has a ceremony to hold. I want to go and see it with my own eyes."
Chen Ping'an became even more helpless. "Daoist, but I can't read!"
The young Daoist paused, then smiled, "That's alright. Miss Ning knows how to read. Before you decoct the medicine, just ask her about the relevant matters."
The girl nodded.
Chen Ping'an wanted to say something more, but the young Daoist suddenly remembered something. He took out a small, exquisite green jade seal from his sleeve, gently breathed on the surface of the seal, and then pressed it firmly onto the paper with the prescription. After lifting the seal from the paper, he looked quite satisfied, put it back in his sleeve, and handed the paper along with the other two sheets to Chen Ping'an. "Keep this well. Most of the books in the town are private collections, and it's hard for you to buy them. If you really want to learn characters, you can start with this prescription of mine."
The young Daoist smiled at the girl and said, "A drifting duckweed returns to the sea. When in life do people not meet again? Miss Ning, shall we meet again someday?"
The black-clad girl said seriously, "Daoist Lu, until we meet again! A great kindness cannot be thanked with words. In the future, if you ever need my help, you can send a flying sword message to Inverted Suspension Mountain. Just remember, Daoist, don't forget to sign the words 'Lu Chen' on it, or Inverted Suspension Mountain may not allow the flying sword to enter the mountain gate."
Upon hearing the name Inverted Suspension Mountain, the young Daoist was clearly surprised. He seemed about to speak but stopped. The girl shook her head slightly, and he quickly understood her intent and did not press further. Some things were better left unknown to the young man inside the house.
The young Daoist was the first to leave the house, not forgetting to pull the boy's arm. "Chen Ping'an, I have some last words to say to you."
Chen Ping'an first placed the bundle on the bed, telling the black-clad girl that it was a newly bought set of clothes.
After they both reached the courtyard, the young Daoist directly lowered his voice and asked, "With your memory, you must have long recognized the characters on the first prescription. And with a scholar living next door, the claim of being 'illiterate' is not the real reason you're trying to keep me from leaving."
Chen Ping'an answered, "With your abilities, Daoist, you surely know the reason."
The young Daoist gave a wry laugh. "You think you're going to die for sure, so you're worried there will be no one to take care of that young girl?"
Chen Ping'an nodded. "Since I opened the door back then, I have to see it through to the end."
Standing next the cart, the young Daoist quietly pressed two fingers together. The white-sheathed long sword, which had been imbued with two words of sword intent by the Confucian scholar Qi Jingchun, silently flew into the house. The black-clad girl probably didn't want to frighten Chen Ping'an, so she silently allowed this breach of conduct by the flying sword. The young Daoist thought for a moment. When he was thinking, he had a habit of subconsciously tapping the lotus crown on his head with one finger. Finally, he said, "Before coming here, I heard from a senior brother that one should act with reason and treat others with human kindness... Since that is the case, I should not be too rigid or harsh. Although each person has their own fate, since the fundamental teachings of my sect already deviate from the decrees of ordinary Daoist lineages... Meeting is already a fate, and it can barely be considered a good one. I might as well go with the flow. As for the divination tube and the one hundred and eight sticks, I cannot give them to you. The cause and effect would be too chaotic. If I can't sort it out and can't cut it off, it would be very troublesome. As for that private seal, it's a bit too heavy. If I gave it to you, once the town's restrictions are lifted and everything is exposed in broad daylight, wouldn't I be harming you? Sigh, should I just give you gold, silver, or copper coins? That would be too crude, too vulgar. I'd be too embarrassed..."
Unexpectedly, Chen Ping'an said firmly, "Daoist Lu, giving money is very refined, not vulgar at all!"
The young Daoist said with an amused smile, "The two items earlier—you didn't understand them, but you must have known they were significant. Why didn't you ask for them?"
The boy said slowly, "A white bowl that can hold at least a large vat of water. A Daoist who can burn spirit paper for the deceased elders of the underworld. A strange girl who is seriously injured. And that pouch of twenty-eight gold coins. Before, Old Man Yao said our place was strange, but now I've seen it with my own eyes. If I hadn't encountered those two outsiders earlier, I would have avoided all of you, and today I wouldn't have opened the door either."
The young Daoist leaned against the cart and said in a deep voice, "That female outsider pressed her finger on the center of your brow. It's a despicable trick to forcefully open a person's acupoints. In martial arts, it's called 'pointing.' The techniques have high and low levels, and the intentions can be good or bad. To give an example, the gate of your courtyard isn't very sturdy, is it? So she deliberately hammered it with an iron mallet. The door can still be entered, but the foundation has been damaged. Imagine, in future days of wind, rain, snow, and frost, that person who opened the door has long since slipped away, but what about you, the master who lives in the courtyard all year round?"
Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment. "I can endure hardship well enough."
Looking at the straw-sandaled boy who didn't seem to be joking at all, the young Daoist laughed in exasperation. "This was only her first move to harm you. If you had a strong body and vigorous blood energy, living to thirty or forty wouldn't be hard. But her hand striking your chest—that was the real fatal blow. Not only did it damage your body's primordial essence, it also cut off your path to longevity... To put it accurately, you originally had a sliver of a chance. With this world's great upheaval and reversal of heaven and earth, you might still have been able to continue your path of cultivation. It's like a torrent rushing down a river, with countless dragons, snakes, fish, and shrimp inside. Those with good luck naturally reap great rewards. But even the unluckiest, while others catch dragons, snakes, and giant turtles, might still get lucky and catch a small fish or a shrimp."
Chen Ping'an didn't look horrified or panicked. He stood there quietly, without even a hint of forced calm.
The young Daoist neither praised nor belittled him. He sighed softly, "Chen Ping'an, being so young and treating life and death lightly—that's not a good thing. You think living is best, but if it's really not possible, if Heaven really won't let you live, then dying is fine and you're not afraid, right? Because to you, death is actually an opportunity for a reunion, isn't it?"
Chen Ping'an didn't deny it.
The young Daoist suddenly cursed, "But have you ever thought that even if you managed to meet your parents in the vast underworld, what would their mood be when they saw you?"
The more he spoke, the angrier he became. He reached out a finger and jabbed it hard at the boy's head, as if trying to knock some sense into this blockhead. "In unofficial histories and strange tales, the White Impermanence wears a tall white hat. Every time he comes to the mortal world to take away a dead person's soul, that dead person can clearly see four big characters written on the white hat: 'You've come too.' Chen Ping'an! I ask you—when your parents see you, would they happily ask you, 'Son, you've come too?' Would they be able to rest peacefully and reincarnate? Do you really think there are people in this world who are blessed enough to be children or spouses life after life? Let me tell you plainly—don't even think about it! Even the supreme patriarchs of the great sects, who can change mountains and rivers with a single word, don't have such heaven-defying ability. What about you, Chen Ping'an—a poor wretch who can't even guarantee three square meals a day?"
Towards the end, the young Daoist's expression was fierce and severe, extremely serious.
The boy was at a loss.
This was the first time since he had grown sensible that he felt such fear, his hands and feet turning cold.
The boy crouched down, holding his head in his hands. This time, he didn't scratch it.
The young Daoist looked down at the small figure. "Ah, forget it. To save a life, I owe you a favor. I thought it would be best to default on the debt, or leave some for the next life. But now it seems I'll pay it all back now, and we'll be square from now on. I'll tell you three things. Remember them clearly. First—once Miss Ning's health improves a bit, take her to the creek south of the town and find a pair of father and daughter named Ruan. Remember, you must take her with you. If you go alone a hundred times, it won't work. Once there, even if you have to shamelessly roll around on the ground and throw a tantrum, you need to become their apprentice helper. Whether it's digging wells and moving stones or forging swords and beating iron, at least you'll have found a shady place to settle down. In this way, Miss Ning will also have repaid her debt of gratitude to you, and you shouldn't feel like you're taking advantage of her."
"Second thing—after the fifth day of the fifth month, you should often go to the stream under the covered bridge. Whether you pick up stones or catch fish and shrimp—it's up to you. In any case, go often. Go when you're feeling restless, and even more so when you have a feeling of resonance. As for what you'll get—with your meager fortune, heaven only knows. But at least it's 'diligence compensates for lack of talent.' If even that yields nothing, then just accept your fate, boy."
After saying these two things, the young Daoist started to push the cart. Seeing that the boy was still crouching motionless, but facing him, he said, "Get up and help!"
The boy stood up and went to help push the cart, asking curiously, "Didn't you say three things?"
The young Daoist snorted coldly. "I already told you—figure it out yourself!"
The boy was stunned.
Afterward, the Daoist gave some more instructions.
"Keep those copper coins well; they're quite precious."
"For the next while, don't go out too much."
"Smile more. If you always keep a long face and you're not even handsome, who are you showing it to?"
He muttered on and on.
The young Daoist was starting to sound like an elder.
When the cart was moved out of the courtyard, the boy offered to push it out of Mud Vase Alley, and the young Daoist didn't refuse.
Walking one behind the other in the small alley, the Daoist finally said, "I might as well say it. According to the fate I've calculated, your parents' early death was not your fault."
The young Daoist paused for a long time, until the cart was about to leave Mud Vase Alley, then said softly, "Not only that, but the hardships in your life have been due to your parents."
The boy was silent.
In the end, the young Daoist insisted that the boy not see him off, and pushed the cart alone towards the east gate, heading far away.
Looking back, the boy was still standing at the entrance of the alley, waving vigorously at him, his smile radiant.
He didn't look like a dying man at all.