On the third day, they encountered a group of bandits on the dusty and narrow mountain road, who were in the midst of robbing a caravan. The bandits were violently attacking the men in the caravan and groping the women. Unable to stand by, she jumped out to play the hero, but caused chaos and ended up being chased by the bandits, shouting for help.
After dealing with the bandits, Beitang Ken told her that if you're unskilled, don't try to save others; there are endless troubles in the world. She replied, "I'll handle as much as I can." Letting someone die without helping would make her feel guilty, she explained. He shook his head.
On the fifth day, they stayed overnight at a farmhouse. She volunteered to cook dinner and, after a few hours, not only did the food completely disappear, but she also managed to burn down the kitchen. He paid for the damages. That night, she knocked on his door, presenting a sweet potato roasted beyond recognition, claiming it was the most successfully roasted one from the ones she had stolen from the field. It was compensation for causing him to miss dinner earlier. He looked at her face covered in soot, dumbfounded.
On the tenth day, they, travel-worn, passed through a marketplace. Her eyes were glued to the dazzling array of goods, especially the well-made women's clothing with a distinct nomadic style which she couldn't look away from.
He bought a set for her. A snowy white and thick gown, with cloud patterns embroidered in gold along the edges. She draped a cloak over herself, flipped the hat with its fluffy fur-lined edge over her head, and the purest colors accentuated her porcelain-like face. Grabbing the hat brim, she grinned at him, saying thank you, it looks really good. He had never seen any woman smile as unattractively as she did. Yet, surprisingly, he found himself liking it a little.
On the way forward, her new clothes fluttered in the wind, carrying her unique fragrance — faint and lingering, unlike any cosmetics. Leaning in the crook of his arm, she remained noisy, saying whatever came to her mind — her drunkard master, the tree demon witch, Avatar. That world was beyond his comprehension, and he unexpectedly felt a subtle sense of loss.
On the twentieth day, they were not far from Yanmen Pass. They took a rest in a village on the way to replenish their supplies of water and food. The villagers were simple and hospitable, and sniffling children giggled around them, curiously observing the two foreigners.
The desert sunset was more striking than anywhere else. The undulating lines on the ground extended towards the distant horizon, blending with the hues of the sky to form a perfect composition. She shared candy with the children, played and frolicked with them, teaching them a song that sounded like pleasant goat Jonie[1]. A few lambs by the earthen wall bleated, turning their heads in the direction of the singing. Smoke from kitchen chimneys rose in spirals from the village, and he and she sat side by side on a hay stack next to an earthen wall. In the boundless desert lonely smokes rise straight; over an endless river the sun sinks round[2]; watching the poetic scenery before them, their hearts couldn't help but expand with a sense of openness.
"Build a small house here and surround it with a fence. Then, farm a piece of land behind to grow vegetables," she tilted her head and swayed her feet, casually yet earnestly gesturing, "and over there, build a barn for cows, a pen for sheep, a coop for chickens and so on, and also keep a shepherd dog. Then I'll lead the flock to graze every day, and while the sheep eat grass, I'll sit on the hillside reading with my dog running around in front." She spoke with increasing enthusiasm, her cheeks stealing bright roses in the sunset. "Of course, it's best to have someone by my side. We'll herd horses and sheep, work at sunrise, rest at sunset; go on a trip every now and then, visit bustling markets, or return to the lively city for some indulgence, experience a bit of worldly warmth, and then come back to our home, continuing our tranquil and peaceful life."
"Later, this house will become a ranch because we'll have more and more animals. There's a fool who cooks terrible food every day, and then pesters the other person like a crow, making noise all the time. One day, he's frantically helping a mare give birth, and looking at the newborn foal, she ends up crying and laughing at the same time," he watched her with a wistful face, naturally taking over the narrative, and pointed ahead, "Right there, she jumps around as if she's gone mad." His demeanor was composed, as if he truly saw the scene he was describing.
"How can I have such a corrupt image!" She glared at him then immediately froze, saying, "Hey, these words don't sound like something the Jade-faced Ghost King should say, do they?"
"This kind of life is good," he said, reclining on the hay, taking a deep breath, contentedly gazing at the sky. Though it was a response, it seemed more like he was talking to himself.
Throughout the journey, under her persistent questioning, he intermittently told her many things. This included his identity, Ye Nichang, and the fact that they were about to get married. Who he married shouldn't concern her, right? All she had to do was firmly "stick" to him and retrieve the Lingxi sword so that she could return to her own world. Nothing here would leave any trace in her life. Because that's how it should be. But why were some ingrained thoughts, things that seemed impossible to change, now starting to waver, as if melted by the evening sun? The life she imagined, with a wooden house, a fence, a flock of sheep, and the person by her side, suddenly shifted from a light and ethereal nothingness to something with weight, slowly sinking into her heart. If it could really be a vast and open sky, riding on a bumpy horse, and peaceful years; if they could truly understand and cherish each other, growing old hand in hand... then what did it matter whether she found the Lingxi sword or returned to her world?! She startled herself with these thoughts and quickly changed the subject, "You must love your fiancée very much."
"Before I was ten, I even hated her." He fell silent for a moment, then smiled. "My parents were old friends with the Ye family. After they passed away, Nichang's father found me from a mass of beggars and brought me back. At that time, she was a wealthy heiress, arrogant and domineering, ordering me around all day. Later, maybe due to age, the feelings between us changed. She became gentler towards me, and I always wanted to give her the best. Does that count as love?"
She shook her head. "I don't know either." He looked away, waiting for the tired horse to eat and drink its fill before they resumed their journey. In reality, he wanted to stay and build a ranch, follow where his heart led, watch the clouds roll and unwind, be truly free — that was his most genuine wish. He had mentioned it to Ye Nichang long ago, only to be ridiculed by her for lacking ambition. What she wanted and what he wanted had never been the same.
Ding Xiaocuo imitated him, lying down and looking at the sky, humming a few lines from an old song repeatedly—
I think of the way you described your dream paradise,
pointing your finger into the distance and drawing room after room.
Your silly smile was so honest,
Our promise started at that moment.[3]
He had never heard such a tune, but he found himself liking the lyrics and her calm humming. Strangely, in that imagined life, the person riding with him through wind and snow wasn't Ye Nichang.
In "Yue Lao's Guide to Love," there is a saying — when you fall in love with someone, you naturally agree with and continue their dreams, even if it's just a seemingly casual chat.
The Endless Plains were densely covered with countless tall and strange natural stone pillars, isolating the barren land into a maze of intersecting paths. It was noon when they arrived.
Beitang Ken slowed down, threading through the two ferocious-looking giant stones on the north side. Ding Xiaocuo's brows had never been so deeply furrowed. The moment they entered this stone forest, an uncomfortable oppression, like a rough hand tightly gripping her heart, made her a little breathless.
The weather wasn't bad, but this place was devoid of sunlight. The bizarre and rugged stone pillars around them resembled lurking monsters, hidden in a color of lifelessness, emitting a dangerous scent. However, Ding Xiaocuo's discomfort wasn't due to fear but sadness. It was like a drop of ink falling into water, spreading into a gloomy cloud from a single point. Especially when they emerged from the stone forest, and a mountain wall resembling a drawn sword pointed directly at the sky, the sadness became suddenly overwhelming. That sword-like mountain wall pierced not through the empty air but her heart! She hastily turned her head away, not daring to look at it again as cold sweat formed in her palms. Beitang Ken sensed that something was amiss with her.
"What's wrong?" he asked as she breathed unevenly in his arms, shivering.
"Ah... nothing," she quickly shook her head, trying to dodge the question, "Maybe I'm a little horse-sick..." Only Ding Xiaocuo could coin the term "horse sick" in the whole world! Beitang Ken burst into laughter. Ding Xiaocuo was momentarily stunned; this was the first time she heard him laugh like that. Without looking back, she buried her head even lower. The further they went, the more uneasy she felt.
A grand fortress-like mansion built of stone appeared domineeringly in their sight. Who would construct such a luxurious house in this wilderness? Ding Xiaocuo clicked her tongue. A figure approached them from afar.
Ye Nichang was indeed a stunning woman. Beautiful with an air of nobility, beautiful with sharpness. Even her gaze seemed to carry rose thorns. She threw herself into Beitang Ken's arms, complaining, "What took you so long?"
"Are you okay?" he lightly supported her arms, discreetly creating a bit of distance between them.
Ye Nichang shook her head, her gaze shifting to Ding Xiaocuo behind him, frowning. "Who is she?"
"Friend. I promised to lend her the Lingxi sword." He never concealed anything from Ye Nichang. Ding Xiaocuo smiled perfunctorily at Ye Nichang. She didn't like this woman, just like she didn't like this Endless Plains. Jealousy?! The word was a bit scarier than time travel, not entirely fitting. Beitang Ken, Ye Nichang, these two names suddenly seemed to be engraved like branding irons in her brain.
Beitang Ken... Ye Nichang... That fish is mine! I know your name is Beitang Ken! I also know who you hate the most! Fragmented sentences gradually echoed in Ding Xiaocuo's buzzing ears.
In front of her, Ye Nichang was expressing her anger towards him, vehemently opposing Beitang Ken lending the Lingxi sword to Ding Xiaocuo. Beitang Ken neither nodded nor shook his head.
The man behind them, dressed in black robes and his head wrapped in a scarf, stood respectfully. He had welcomed them outside just now, guiding them into the house, traversing through winding corridors and passing through dozens of doors before reaching this incredibly spacious domed room. The furniture inside was luxurious and splendid, with everything needed available. A long-legged bronze flying crane lamp was burning in every corner.
"My master has instructed me to take good care of Miss Nichang and wait for the arrival of Master Beitang," the masked man bowed his head, "The master also ordered that, due to adverse weather conditions at night, distant guests should rest for the night and continue their journey tomorrow morning."
"No need. We’ll leave now," Beitang Ken clasped his fists towards the masked man. "Thanks for your care. Farewell." Just as he was about to leave, his arm was grabbed by Ye Nichang. She frowned slightly and covered her chest, saying, "Beitang, I..." Before she could finish, she fainted in Beitang Ken's arms.
"Nichang!" He quickly carried her to the bed and lay her down, anxiously calling her name.
"Miss Nichang has a delicate constitution and is already infected with the cold. Adding to the joy of reuniting with Master Beitang overwhelmed her for a moment. There's no need for the gentleman to worry. After I prepare a bowl of ginseng soup for Miss, she should wake up in a few days," the masked man approached to check Ye Nichang's pulse, then continued, "If the gentleman insists on leaving, I will prepare an extra winter coat for Miss Nichang to guard against the cold outside and prevent further harm."
After a brief consideration, Beitang Ken waved his hand at him and looked at Ding Xiaocuo, who had been silent all this time. "Let's rest here for the night. We'll be on our way again once Nichang has recovered."
Spending the night in the kidnapper's territory felt so awkward. The light from the bronze lamp flickered strangely, and thin white smoke wafted out from the lampshade, resembling white snakes gracefully wriggling in the air, unsettling Ding Xiaocuo's mind. Trap! Don't stay here! She wanted to shout. But when the words came out, they turned into, "Alright..."
"This young lady, please follow me to another guest room," the masked man walked up to Ding Xiaocuo. "This way, please."
"Ding Xiaocuo." Beitang Ken suddenly looked up. "Stay by my side. Don't go anywhere." She turned her head, slightly surprised. Perhaps she was being overly suspicious, but she happened to see Ye Nichang lying on the bed furrowing her brows — not in pain, but in anger.
"Oh, it's okay. You stay here to take care of her. It's not good for me to stick around here." She chuckled at him and then turned to the masked man, saying, "Please lead the way."
Beitang Ken rushed up in a single stride, grabbing her arm and scolding in a whisper, "Do you know where you are?"
"I'm just a bystander and have nothing to do with this kidnapping case. No one should harm me, right?" She said nonchalantly, then leaned towards his ear. "But I'll remind you, don't forget what you promised me."
"Fine." He looked into her bright and determined eyes and let go of her arm. "Watch yourself." He couldn't keep her after all. Before leaving the room, she looked back at him again, and found that he was also looking at her.
Late at night, heavy snow fell on Endless Plains, instantly turning the whole expanse white. A squad of Khitan[4] mounted soldiers gradually approached from a distance…
A roaring fire warmed the room. Beitang Ken sat on a chair by the bed, closing his eyes to doze. Ye Nichang, who had been unconscious, opened her eyes and tentatively called out to him a few times. Beitang Ken opened his eyes, was pleased, and approached her, "Awake?"
"Beitang..." Ye Nichang's face was tense.
"What's wrong?" Beitang Ken asked.
Footnotes:
[1] Jonie is a character in the Chinese cartoon series "Pleasant Goat and Big Gray Wolf" and its derivative works.
[2] From the poem: On Mission to the Frontier (North of Great Wall), by Wang Wei.
[3] Lyrics from the song “Awaken” by Na Ying. YouTube link.
[4] An ethnic group in ancient China.
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