I rested at Jun Garden for a few days before my spirits finally began to recover. Choosing a bright, warm day, I packed several crates of generous gifts and headed to Yang Lake to offer my apologies. I felt I owed Yang Qingzhou a great deal; even that one-in-a-million steed had died at the One Sword Tomb, leaving me feeling terribly uneasy.
As my solitary boat drifted through the vast, swirling mist, I suddenly heard the sound of a flute. It was melodious and clear, yet it carried a quality of weeping and whispering—more beautiful than any music I had heard in this world. For a moment, I was utterly entranced.
*Hearing "Plucking Willows" in the music tonight, who would not feel the stirrings of longing?* It was a pity such a beautiful melody could not be shared with Ye Tan.
As I drew closer, I saw a small octagonal pavilion in the center of the lake. There were no paths leading to it; it was surrounded only by clusters of lotus leaves. A man stood tall and elegant, perched gracefully upon the upturned eaves of the roof. He was solemn and still, like a slender bamboo in refined attire. Across his lips lay a bitter bamboo flute with seven apertures. The tune was somber yet gentle, carrying the distinct loneliness of a wanderer of the martial world.
He stood there in utter solitude, his reflection in the lake making the world seem even more desolate.
He wore a black-and-gold robe of cloud-patterned brocade trimmed with gold. I watched him for a while, finding him somewhat familiar.
"Eldest Young Master?" I called out tentatively.
The music stopped abruptly. He slowly lowered the flute to his knees. He remained there with his head bowed and eyes closed, his expression unreadable—neither joyful nor sad.
I almost wondered if I had recognized the wrong person.
This man appeared cold and desolate, as if burdened by boundless sorrow. He was a far cry from the foolish idiot, Zhongli Xuxu, whom I had seen swinging like a moron outside Changluo City.
"Young Master Jun?" he asked softly, without turning around.
Zhongli Manor and the Heng Alliance were sworn enemies, yet here he was. Surprised, I couldn't help but ask, "Yang Lake is under the Heng Alliance. Isn't it dangerous for you to be here?"
Zhongli Xuxu gave a low laugh. "Even my second brother doesn't count me as one of his own. Who else would view me as a man of Zhongli Manor?"
This was the first time I had heard him mention his brother; it seemed their relationship was not close.
Contrary to his usual behavior, he didn't cling to me the moment he saw me. In fact, he didn't even look at me. I speculated cautiously, "Are you... in a bad mood? Did something happen?"
"My dear brother told me there was news of Yue Changsheng nearby, so I came to find him. Unfortunately, I found nothing... naturally, I am quite disappointed." He turned his back to me entirely, rubbing his brow. "Go onto the island first. I shall follow in a while."
I took my leave and continued forward, landing on the island to present my calling card. Unfortunately, Yang Qingzhou was not there.
The one who came to greet me was Yang Qingzhou’s blunt younger brother, Yang Su. Upon entering, I noticed the number of people coming and going had been halved; the estate felt almost deserted.
"Where is Qingzhou?" I asked after we sat down and tea was served.
"Why are you calling him so intimately!" Yang Su snapped, shooting me a glare.
"My apologies, I was rude," I said, accepting the correction humbly. I asked again, "Where is Master Yang?"
Only then did Yang Su answer. "The Zong Alliance and Zhongli Manor have been fighting tooth and nail lately. Big Brother took the opportunity to add fuel to the fire. He took most of the men from Yang Lake with him."
"He left in such a hurry?" I was slightly surprised. When I visited a few days ago, Yang Qingzhou hadn't mentioned a word of this. Perhaps it was a sudden decision.
"Yes, the war is more aggressive than we anticipated. In just half a month, over a thousand people in the Zong Alliance’s Qingcheng branch have been slaughtered—the entire sect wiped out. Renzong Temple has also suffered heavy casualties. In a few days, the names 'Qingcheng' and 'Renzong Temple' will cease to exist in this world. On the Second Young Master's side, Jinguan Pavilion has also been severely weakened. Its collapse is only a matter of time." Yang Su spoke with an air of indifference, gazing at the cold branches outside the window. "Normally, once the Beginning of Winter passes, it's no longer suitable for war. Big Brother originally planned to march north next spring. But at this rate, if the Heng Alliance doesn't step in to hold the line, I'm afraid the Zong Alliance will collapse under the Second Young Master's hand immediately."
It was only after Ye Tan’s reminder that I realized those struggling in war were all flesh and blood. *A general's success is built on ten thousand rotting bones.* These few casual sentences felt heavy to me now.
Yang Su continued, "The martial world hasn't seen such a massive upheaval in a long time. It’s a total sweep, a crushing force. Regardless of who wins or loses, the current stalemate of divided territories will be gone. It might not be a bad thing."
As an outsider, I didn't understand the stakes or who was right or wrong. I simply said, "I just hope Master Yang stays safe."
Yang Su slammed the table in frustration and sneered. "Safe? What chance does he have to be in danger?! He has that 'Master Tianji' by his side, the one they call the reincarnation of the Crouching Dragon. He’s brilliant and decisive, never making a mistake. He wins battles from a thousand miles away without losing a single soldier. Of course my brother is just sitting back and waiting to win."
I didn't understand why he was angry. "Master Yang has a strategist? Isn't that a good thing?"
"Good, my ass!" Yang Su gritted his teeth, rubbing the rim of his teacup. "I think that man is nothing but a charlatan and a fraud. Yet Big Brother is so infatuated with him that he runs to his room every day before dawn."
"You call him a charlatan... have you caught him in a lie?" I asked.
"Well, no..." Yang Su’s voice dropped guiltily before he flared up again. "But you haven't seen him! How old is he?! Barely twenty, looking like some pretty-boy catamite, and yet he claims to know everything under the sun? Since he arrived, his predictions about the war and even the weather have been eerily accurate. He’s definitely a fraud!"
Hmm? All I could hear was the thick scent of jealousy.
"The most hateful thing is, that bastard even knows how I feel about Big Brother..." Yang Su cursed under his breath, then paused, muttering to himself, "Damn it, that's not right. How does he know about that?!"
I asked curiously, "Hmm? About what?"
Yang Su turned red and glared at me. "Shut up!"
Being the considerate person I am, I obediently shut my mouth.
Yang Su then asked, "Speaking of which, where is that one of yours?"
"Which one?"
Yang Su was annoyed by my denseness. "The one who carries you in and out all day, making me think you were the catamite and he was the master."
"Ye Tan? ...It's not convenient for me to say. Don't ask." Mindful of potential eavesdroppers and the people following me, I dodged the question. Then, curious, I asked, "What's a catamite?"
Yang Su rolled his eyes at me again. "Forget it. Stop acting so innocent!"
Sigh. This person is always scolding me. It's quite upsetting. They’re brothers, so why is his personality so much worse than Yang Qingzhou’s?
Thinking of brothers reminded me of the Eldest Young Master I had met on the lake. I asked, "By the way, is the relationship between the Eldest and Second Young Masters of Zhongli Manor not very good?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Yang Su shook his head. "However, the reputations of those two in the martial world are worlds apart. The Second Young Master is an old fox—ruthless and cruel. He holds leverage over many people, so everyone fears him and dares not provoke him. The Eldest Young Master is frivolous and debauched, and people used to look down on him. But in recent years, many people from various sects have received favors from him. They now think he’s frank and honest—a true hero."
"Favors?"
"There was a year of severe drought in Yan Pass where nothing grew; the Eldest Young Master sent people with grain. A few years ago, when Old Master Qiu’s granddaughter went missing, he was the one who found her and sent her home. Once, when Big Brother and I were in trouble, he ordered his men to save us. I’ve always been grateful to him... there are countless examples like this." When Yang Su spoke of him, his usually irritable tone softened significantly.
"I couldn't tell. He’s actually such a thoughtful and gentle person." Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover. My impression of him was that of a lecherous wanderer who went around flirting, but I never imagined he had such a desolate side. I didn't know he played the flute so well, or that he possessed such chivalrous courage beneath his tender heart.
We had finished two cups of tea by the time the Eldest Young Master strolled in.
He had completely shed his bitter melancholy. The bamboo flute was nowhere to be seen, replaced by his usual idle and frivolous manner. He draped an arm over my shoulder, sat down right next to me, and took a sip from my teacup. He teased, "The fragrance of your lips remains."
Still thinking of how he looked on the lake, I asked, "Eldest Young Master, why are you alone?"
He smiled and countered, "Who else would be with me?"
I didn't know who he usually traveled with, so I picked the one person I knew. "Where is Zeque?"
The Eldest Young Master set down the teacup and tilted his head. "He went off wandering, saying he was seeking the way of the sword. He’s been gone for nearly a month. He only left me a letter; I have no idea where he went."
*He can just go on a trip whenever he wants? Zhongli Manor is certainly generous to its subordinates.*
I thought for a moment and advised, "Eldest Young Master, don't just spend all your time looking for this Yue Changsheng. Cherish the people in front of you. Zeque is very good, too. Last time, he said you refused to like him, and he seemed very disappointed."
The Eldest Young Master turned to look at me, his expression strange. "He said that?"
I nodded.
He rested his chin on one hand, looking down in thought for a moment. Then he smiled. "You're right. I am starting to regret it."
That night, I returned to Jun Garden, washed up, and lay down. Ever since Ye Tan left my side, I had to toss and turn for a long time every night before I could fall asleep.
Unable to sleep and bored out of my mind, I toggled into the game modifier to browse.
Since Ye Tan and I were too far apart, I couldn't see his current situation, which only made me miss him more.
As I glanced around aimlessly, I happened upon a piece of data that suddenly made my heart turn cold.
*Zeque. Status: Deceased.*
He had been dead for a month.
In my shock, a terrible premonition flashed through my mind.
I searched for Yue Changsheng.
*Yue Changsheng. Status: Deceased.*
He had been dead for two years.
I felt as if I had been struck by lightning, my heart shaking with a massive tremor. *Does the Eldest Young Master know about this?!*
If he didn't know, should I tell him? Which was more painful: carrying a sliver of hope while searching for someone who had been dead for years, or learning the truth and losing all hope entirely?
But if... if he had known all along...
I remembered him sitting alone on the eaves in the middle of the lake, playing that song of parting. I remembered his closed eyes reflected in the water, and how he never dared to turn back and look at me. I remembered him saying: *I regret it.*
My heart began to ache as if pierced by needles.
*I am but a melancholy guest in this mortal world.*
*I know why your tears flow so freely.*
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 杨溯 | Yang Su | Yang Qingzhou's younger brother. |
| 纵联 | Zong Alliance | A major power alliance in the martial world. |
| 横联 | Heng Alliance | A major power alliance in the martial world. |
| 仁宗庙 | Renzong Temple | A sect/location mentioned as being destroyed. |
| 锦官庭 | Jinguan Pavilion | A sect/location mentioned as being weakened. |
| 天机先生 | Master Tianji | A brilliant strategist (lit. Master of Heavenly Secrets). |
| 泽雀 | Zeque | Zhongli Xuxu's shadow guard/attendant. |
| 月尝笙 | Yue Changsheng | The person Zhongli Xuxu is searching for. |
| 小倌 | Catamite | A young male prostitute or male companion. |
| 折柳 | Plucking Willows | A classic theme/song in Chinese poetry associated with parting and longing. |
