A sudden bolt of lightning tore through the heavy night sky, followed by a deafening peal of thunder. The pitter-patter of rain abruptly intensified into a torrential downpour.
I cautiously approached the mouth of the cave, poking my head out to look. The world outside was a chaotic blur; I couldn't see anything even an arm's length away. My ears were filled with nothing but the relentless roar of the rain. Retreating back into the cave, I shook my head. "It won't be stopping anytime soon."
A wave of frustration washed over me. When we had set out from Qizhou this morning, the sky had been clear for thousands of miles. Yet, just as we entered Ghost Spirit Ravine—before I could even get a good look at the strange local geography—the weather turned on a dime. I hadn't expected such a massive storm, especially since spring had only just begun.
We had arrived in Qizhou yesterday evening. The imperial procession was meant to rest there for a few days while waiting for the Great Chu ceremonial guard to arrive and receive us. Naturally, I took the opportunity to drag Ming Shao along to see this place I’d long yearned to visit. The only thing I hadn't counted on was the weather. Now, we were so busy finding shelter that we hadn't even caught a glimpse of a wild wolf, let alone anything else.
I couldn't help but sigh again. It looked like this rain had us well and truly trapped. It wasn't even dinner time yet, but the sky had turned as black as pitch. If only there were weather forecasts in this world.
Ming Shao was still sitting by the fire, intently studying the broken stone tablet at our feet. I leaned in and asked, "Find anything?"
Ming Shao shook his head. "It’s written in the ancient script of Great Chu. I only recognize a small portion. It seems to be about King Aro subduing demons."
The legendary King Aro was the greatest monarch from six or seven hundred years ago, before the continent split into the four nations of Yantian, Great Chu, Meng, and Tielong. Legend said he possessed a third eye that could pierce the darkness and held the power to summon ghosts and gods. Stories of King Aro subduing monsters existed in every culture. I remembered Auntie Fu scaring Min Yan with them once: "When King Aro’s third eye glares, even the most powerful demon turns instantly into black smoke..."
By the light of the fire, I surveyed our temporary refuge. The entire mountain seemed to be made of dark, bluish-black stone, and the cave was quite dry. We were standing about four or five meters from the entrance. The cave was roughly three meters in diameter, with no signs of manual excavation or the scent of wild animals. Instead, there was a faint draft, suggesting there might be another exit further in.
I peered into the depths of the cave; it looked incredibly deep and hauntingly dark.
"The rain doesn't look like it's stopping," I said, nudging closer to Ming Shao and offering him the water skin. "Why don't we go further in and take a look?"
Ming Shao glanced at me, his brow furrowing slightly. "This is Ghost Spirit Ravine. I’ve had an uneasy feeling ever since we stepped foot in here. Besides, this cave is suspicious. When I came here with my uncle last time, I didn't see any cave in this area..."
"It's just a cave; maybe you were just careless and missed it," I encouraged him. "Who knows? Maybe King Aro sealed a demon in here, and the demon swore that whoever freed him would be his master. If that's the case, we’d have a demon for a servant—how grand would that be?"
Ming Shao tapped my head with the water skin, looking helpless. "Where do you get these wild ideas?" From his expression, I knew he had conceded. I hopped over and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek, then excitedly raised my torch. There were only two small trees near the entrance; luckily, we had acted fast. If we had waited any longer, the wood would have been soaked, making it impossible to start a fire.
Ming Shao carefully carved an arrow into the cave wall with his dagger. As we ventured deeper, the ground sloped downward. The air grew faint with the scent of damp earth, and moist patches began to appear on the stone walls. If there was an underground river, it was likely a tributary of the Boundary River.
At a bend ahead, three openings appeared. They were roughly the same size and height. Above the left opening was a faint carving of a bird; above the middle was a series of coiled, spring-like lines; and above the right was what looked like a wild beast. People had definitely been here before. This discovery excited us both, but what did these symbols mean?
Ming Shao said, "Let's take the middle one."
"Why?" I asked.
Ming Shao took on a contemplative look. "There was a line on that stone tablet earlier. It roughly translated to: 'The left and right arms protect the glory of King Aro.' Regardless of what glory is buried here, given King Aro’s regal nature, I suspect it would be in the center."
We cautiously entered the middle passage. After about a hundred meters, the tunnel suddenly widened. I raised my torch high and was startled to find the walls covered in various carvings. Some looked like animals, others like people performing rituals—all rendered in simple, stark lines. Further in, these complex patterns converged around a tall man. This figure had broad shoulders and a commanding presence. In addition to his two normal eyes, a third eye was carved into his forehead, with lines radiating from it to represent light. This had to be the legendary King Aro. More curiously, he held something resembling a royal scepter, which had distinct grooves around it, as if it had been specially inlaid after the initial carving. What did it mean?
We admired the carvings for a while before continuing. The artwork became increasingly intricate, featuring strange patterns like stars surrounding odd-looking figures. These figures were all clutching their heads in agony under the gaze of King Aro’s third eye. It seemed to be a visual chronicle of his demon-slaying exploits.
As we followed the carvings deeper, we unexpectedly reached the end of the cave. I felt a mix of shock and disappointment. Was the adventure over just like that? No monsters, no demons, no gold or silver treasures—and nothing related to a time-space tunnel.
I leaned in closer. The stone wall at the back seemed unusually flat, and there appeared to be cracks on its surface. I reached out to brush away the dust, revealing a shallow groove about half a foot high and three fingers wide, as if something was meant to be placed inside.
Ming Shao used his cloak to wipe away more dust, revealing many shallow engravings on the wall. However, I couldn't make heads or tails of these markings. They looked like several tornadoes, with blurred shapes inside them.
If I said this was a time-space tunnel, would that be too much of a stretch?
I shook my head, then suddenly remembered the carving of King Aro holding the scepter near the entrance. I couldn't help but cry out, "The thing in his hand must be a key! If we fit it into this groove, it might open a secret chamber behind this stone slab..."
Ming Shao didn't play along with my startling discovery. Instead, he stared at the tornado patterns, his face turning pale. I tugged at his sleeve, but he simply shook his head firmly. "We’re leaving. Now."
I stared at him. How could he have so little curiosity? We had found such a significant clue, and he was giving up just like that? Maybe behind that wall was the path back to my world. I just wanted to see, to be sure...
But before I could argue, Ming Shao grabbed my wrist and led me back the way we came without hesitation. Just as we turned, a deep sigh seemed to echo in my ears—was it the wind? Or my imagination?
The sound of that sigh was so vivid, as if someone were standing right beside us. The hair on my arms stood on end.
Ming Shao’s face grew even grimmer. I didn't understand what was happening, but I had never seen him look so terrified. I couldn't help but wonder if he had read something ominous on that broken tablet by the fire.
He pulled me along with a stony expression. Eventually, he simply scooped me up under his arm and began to sprint. It wasn't until we saw the fire we had built at the entrance that he finally exhaled and set me down.
"What exactly did you find?" I asked curiously. It was rare to see Ming Shao lose his composure like this. "Maybe there’s treasure in that secret room!"
Ming Shao looked at me with a mix of exasperation and amusement. "Pies don't just fall from the sky, Xi Xia."
"What if one does?" I pressed, unwilling to let it go. "It might be King Aro’s treasure."
Ming Shao pinched my cheek and smiled faintly. "I’ve already picked up a 'pie' as big as you; even if another one falls, it’s not my turn to catch it." He shook his head, his handsome brows knitting together again. "That door gave me a very bad feeling. In any case, no one is allowed to come here ever again."
I wanted to ask more, but he stared at me with utmost gravity. "I remember very clearly. When I came on patrol with my uncle, we definitely passed through here. Back then, there were no caves on either side of the ravine."
His gaze was earnest; he wasn't lying. A sudden chill ran down my spine. If there was no cave, where had we just been? And that sigh from before...
Ming Shao seemed to be thinking the same thing. He grabbed my hand and we rushed out of the cave.
The rain had stopped at some point. A faint dawn was breaking on the distant horizon. The air was damp and fresh. *Love You for Ten Thousand Years* and *Little White Dragon* were wandering affectionately at the foot of the hill. Everything looked perfectly normal.
I looked back. Behind us was a smooth, unbroken hillside. A few withered edelweiss flowers swayed in the morning breeze.
There was indeed no cave.
I cautiously poked at the dry gravel on the slope with my fingers. It was definitely a solid hillside. Not only was there no cave, there wasn't even a rabbit hole.
Refusing to give up, I used my knife to poke around the gravel. Suddenly, a small porcelain shard fell out from between the stones. It looked like the bottom of a porcelain bowl. I flipped it over, and three words were written on it: "Jingdezhen."
In that instant, my breath nearly stopped. Those three words were truly: Jing. De. Zhen!
A realization slammed into my heart: the scepter in King Aro’s hand must be the key to another world. It had to be!
But why did the cave entrance disappear? What conditions were needed to reopen it? Light? A specific time? Was yesterday a special day?
Ming Shao hugged me tightly from behind, successfully breaking my deep train of thought. He seemed to be afraid of something, holding me with great force.
"What exactly was written on that stone tablet?" I asked, still lingering on the mystery. "Can you go to another world through that door?"
Ming Shao’s body trembled slightly. "No. Behind that door is the cavern where King Aro sealed away demons."
I couldn't see Ming Shao’s face, so I couldn't tell if he was just placating me. But I felt certain he was hiding something.
"You are never allowed to come here again," Ming Shao’s voice was laced with tension, as if he were terrified I might encounter some danger. "Promise me. Even if I’m not by your side, you must never come back here."
I sighed. This silly man.
"Promise me," he urged desperately.
I took his hand and gave it a gentle bite. "Do I even need to promise? You are in this world; where else could I possibly go?"
Ming Shao’s tense body finally relaxed. He turned me around and kissed me with a desperate intensity.
Maybe I could find a chance to ask him properly later, I thought vaguely. Ming Shao’s reaction had certainly piqued my curiosity. What exactly was written on that stone tablet?
By the time we led our horses back to Qizhou, the streets were just beginning to bustle. I suddenly noticed that everyone seemed to be in a great hurry. The air was thick with a tense, orderly atmosphere similar to a military camp. Hadn't the two countries declared a ceasefire? And this was just the rear city; even if fighting broke out, no army could reach here unless Qizhou itself fell.
My confusion only drew a tease from Ming Shao. He led me through a few turns to the door of a small breakfast shop. Before he even hopped off his horse, he shouted, "Ying Hui! Ying Hui!"
Before a person appeared, a hearty voice answered. Then, the wooden stairs creaked loudly as a tall young man ran down. He wore a coarse cloth robe and his hair was loosely tied. His dark face featured a pair of bright, round eyes, and his smile revealed a row of perfectly white teeth.
He and Ming Shao shared a warm embrace, clapping each other on the shoulders. Then, his gaze fell on me. He looked over my armor with a curious expression. Qizhou was a garrison town, so people in armor were everywhere. Ming Shao and I hadn't bothered to change back into civilian clothes—in a place like this, civilian clothes were actually more conspicuous. His surprise was likely due to my gender.
Ming Shao said with a grin, "Xi Xia, this is Big Brother Ying. He’s my best friend. And this is Xi Xia, my... wife."
Since he was Ming Shao’s friend, I had to be polite. I quickly cupped my fists in greeting and called him Big Brother Ying. He seemed delighted, saying repeatedly, "Good, good! An officer, no less. Only Ming Shao could find a wife like this." Just then, a small head poked out from behind a small door next to the stairs. It was a three- or four-year-old boy, blinking a pair of bright eyes just like Ying Hui’s as he studied me. When his gaze landed on Ming Shao, he let out an earth-shattering cheer and lunged forward with open arms: "Uncle Shao!"
Ming Shao scooped him up and spun him around. "Did you miss me, Ying Xiong?"
I couldn't help but gape. The child actually had such a name—what an arrogant father. But he was a beautiful child, with round, adorable eyes.
Ying Hui said to the boy, "Ying Xiong, call her Auntie." Little Ying Xiong stared at me and indeed called out clearly, "Auntie."
To my surprise, I actually blushed. Ming Shao and Ying Hui looked at each other and burst into laughter. Ming Shao said, "We went to Ghost Spirit Ravine last night and just made our way out this morning. We’re starving. We’ve been craving Sister-in-law’s noodles."
Ying Hui quickly said, "Let Ying Xiong keep you company. I’ll have your sister-in-law start cooking right away."
It didn't take long for Ying Xiong to warm up to me. He leaned against my legs, constantly fiddling with my waist-knife. It seemed all young boys had this hobby; Min Yan and Ming Hua were also obsessed with my blade and my horse. I carried Ying Xiong out to see my big black horse, and his eyes lit up with excitement just like Ming Hua’s. Seeing him like that, I had to lead the horse by the reins and let him sit on it for a bit.
Sitting atop the black horse, little Ying Xiong looked even more dignified than Marshal Chu. He carefully gripped the saddle while waving to the groups of playmates chasing after him on the street. His smug expression made me think that if he had a tail, it would be pointing straight to the sky.
When we returned, Ming Shao and Ying Hui’s couple were waiting at the shop door. Ying Xiong’s mother was a cheerful woman. Seeing her son happy made her happy too. She spent the whole time praising my horse and then praising me. Watching this ordinary family of three, tending to their small shop and living a simple, happy life, I felt a pang of envy. It seemed I had once had such a dream when I was young.
Ming Shao leaned into my ear and whispered, "We must have a daughter in the future. That way, we can recruit Ying Xiong to be our son-in-law."
I gave him an amused look. Recruiting a son-in-law? How was he thinking so far ahead?
But when Ying Xiong leaned against my knees again, I couldn't help but start to fantasize: if we had a child, what would they be like?
When we returned to the courier station, Qing Rong was sobbing into her blankets, her eyes red and swollen. The palace maids nearby all wore expressions of deep mourning. I asked several times, but she wouldn't speak. Just as I was getting frantic, Nanny Su, who served the Princess, dropped a bombshell on me: The Empress Dowager has passed away.
Before I could recover from the shock, Nanny Su dropped a second heavy bomb: Devastated by the loss, the Emperor fell gravely ill and announced his abdication, ceding the throne to Crown Prince Ming De.
On the seventh day after we left Zhao Prefecture, Crown Prince Ming De had already ascended the throne and changed the era name to Tianyou.
***
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