Today, the area outside Knife-handle Alley in the east of the city was exceptionally lively.
The heavens had been kind; it hadn't rained for several days, and much of the dampness had dissipated, making it the perfect time to "move stock."
The brick walls on both sides of the narrow alley were pitted and scarred—scratches left by ox carts forcing their way through. Over the years, these carts had actually ground two deep grooves into the stone walls.
Despite being such a cramped passage, many people practically broke their heads trying to squeeze in, all for the sake of the business hidden deep within the alley.
Unassuming ox carts moved in and out daily, delivering cartloads of scandalous storybooks to every corner of the city, comforting the lonely souls within grand manors and secluded courtyards.
The proprietress of this hidden bookstore possessed a certain sense of mission. She had a sharp eye for selecting manuscripts and was equally ruthless when it came to pocketing silver. Over the years, she had built a formidable reputation, and her business was thriving.
As another fully loaded ox cart wobbled out of the alley, a petite woman carrying a tattered basket stepped out from the shadows. Hopping to avoid the ox dung in the wheel ruts, she called out to the proprietress, who was just about to turn back into the shop.
"Greetings, Lady Feng. I’ve come to collect more books."
Lady Feng turned and was momentarily stunned to see the small woman. She instinctively asked, "Didn't you just haul away a basketful a few days ago?"
Qin Jiuye smiled and rubbed her hands together. "I’ve finished them all. I wonder if Lady Feng has any more stock? They don't have to be complete volumes—fragments, rare editions, or even anonymous journals would do. If it’s inconvenient for you to search, I can help look through them myself. I promise to be quick and stay out of your way."
As she spoke, Qin Jiuye peered into the cluttered inner room, her expression eager.
Lady Feng looked at her with a hint of amusement, crossing her arms as she scolded with a laugh, "You little girl certainly have a thick skin. If I really let you in, I’m afraid you’d strip away everything I’ve stored for the last decade. I don't know if you were born with more eyes than others, or if it’s just that your mind has more schemes than most."
Though her words were casual, she was giving a warning: *Don't try to be clever and run a side business of reselling right under my nose.*
Sensing the intent, Qin Jiuye didn't rush to clarify. She simply continued politely, "Look at what you're saying. Am I the type to take unfair advantage? I truly have an urgent use for them; I stayed up several nights to finish the last batch. Your prices are fair, Lady Feng—anyone with eyes can see that. My family runs a pharmacy, so I’ve put together some medicinal sachets using Sichuan pepper and rue to keep away pests. When you put your stock back in the warehouse, just place one sachet in each chest to prevent silverfish."
As she spoke, she swung the basket off her shoulder and set the prepared sachets aside.
Lady Feng looked at the sachets, then back at this unusual customer, remaining silent for a moment.
Compared to her "big business," the trade of selling old and discarded books didn't bring in much profit. However, most bookstores accumulated old volumes over the years that no one wanted. They took up space in the warehouse and required labor to maintain. If someone was willing to pay a few copper coins to haul them away, it was a good deal.
But her bookstore didn't sell ordinary classics, so she had to be cautious.
Lady Feng narrowed her eyes. Her eyes, slightly puffy from late nights, flickered toward the corner of a jade pendant peeking out from the girl's waist. Her gaze gradually sharpened.
"What exactly are you looking for, girl? I don't do business with the authorities."
As someone also working in a "fringe" trade, Qin Jiuye wasn't foolish. She instantly saw the other woman's suspicion. After a moment of deliberation, she answered truthfully.
"I am looking for records regarding past epidemics."
Having witnessed the details of the Su family case, Qin Jiuye was almost certain that the so-called "secret formula" was neither a medicine nor a poison, but a "disease."
If such a terrifying malady had appeared in the past, it would surely have left some trace. Yet she had never seen it in orthodox medical texts, which suggested the disease had either never broken out on a large scale, or it had, but was erased or rewritten for some reason.
The historical records of Xiangliang usually only devoted a few strokes to local outbreaks. For more detail, one often had to look to unofficial histories or the personal journals of physicians.
If a physician wanted to break through a fog and solve a riddle that no one had ever answered, they couldn't just work hard on their own; they had to learn from the experiences of those who came before. One had to avoid arrogance and working behind closed doors, which only led the mind into a dead end.
This was the method her master had taught her.
Though her master was a restless soul, she hadn't seen every disease. When faced with a difficult patient, there were times when even her master was at her wit's end. At those times, her master would haul in cart after cart of strange, miscellaneous books, flipping through them night and day under an oil lamp.
*What hasn't been seen on this side of the mountain might have been seen on the other. What no one in Jiao Province could cure might have been cured in another province. What isn't understood now might have been understood by someone in the past.*
This was her master's methodology. It seemed simple and clumsy, but it was the most effective.
It was just that many people lacked the patience and were unwilling to spend so much effort striving for an uncertain result; most preferred to act solely on experience.
As soon as Qin Jiuye spoke, Lady Feng froze, her face darkening.
"I sell romance and frivolity here. Where would I have the things you speak of? I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place."
Having said that, she turned to leave.
Seeing this, Qin Jiuye quickly called out.
"Lady Feng, you might not know, but many of my master's medical books were collected from you years ago. Most of those books were obscure and difficult to understand—some were just the journals and notes of rural village doctors who weren't part of the mainstream. If you truly only sold books that made money, you wouldn't have kept them for so long."
Qin Jiuye didn't often mention her master to outsiders. Her master was an eccentric who hated trouble and avoided people, a habit Qin had maintained since her apprenticeship.
But for some reason, she had a vague feeling that she didn't need to worry about mentioning her master to Lady Feng.
Lady Feng’s footsteps faltered. She turned back, her face expressionless.
"And who exactly is your master?"
"My master's surname is He, she was from Ganyu..."
Before Qin Jiuye could finish, Lady Feng gave a light sneer.
"I was wondering why your temperament was so stubborn. So you're Mad Aunt He's disciple. I haven't seen her in years. Has she trapped herself in that mountain gully again? Now she won't even come to beg for books herself, sending a green girl like you to run her errands."
Qin Jiuye paused, then gave a gentle, sad smile.
"Lady Feng, you might not know, but Master passed away a few years ago. My skills are lacking and I am still young; I cannot compare to my master's vast experience. I can only come here to seek your help."
The cramped, crowded bookstore fell silent. The sounds of busy horses and carts at the alley entrance continued unabated.
After a long while, Lady Feng, standing by the doorframe, finally moved.
She turned around and dragged out a wooden crate that looked ready to fall apart. The lock hit the floor, kicking up a cloud of moldy dust.
"Fine, fine. Here are a few records of strange tales from the previous dynasty. They're all fragments. The warehouse got damp a few years ago, so they're in poor shape. If you think they're useful, take them all."
Qin Jiuye blinked, having the intuition that this crate of books had been prepared long ago.
However, she had come for physicians' notes. What use would these "strange tales" be? If that blockhead Jinbao peeked at them, he might be too scared to sleep at night.
"Thank you for your kindness, Lady Feng, but these strange tales might not be of much use to me. After all, shamanic arts and ghost stories are mostly ethereal, while practicing medicine is a grueling, practical task..."
"I know what you're going to say, so let me finish," Lady Feng interrupted sharply, her words coming fast. "You doctors naturally don't believe in ghosts and gods, but the rest of the world isn't like that. When a long time passes, many events naturally get passed down as something supernatural. If you broaden your standards, you might find more. I've been in this business for many years; the popular storybooks look new and exciting, but they're just old soup in a new jar. If you can see the essence, much of what has happened over the past thousand years is actually the same thing."
Qin Jiuye went still.
The woman's words were like sunlight breaking through the mist, pointing out a new path for her. Though Lady Feng dealt in scandalous novels, her analysis of things and principles was no less profound than that of a scholar lecturing on the classics.
Collecting her thoughts, Qin Jiuye quickly bowed.
"Thank you for the guidance, Lady Feng. It was I who was thinking too narrowly." After a pause, she added, "When you run out of the pest-repelling sachets, just send someone to Guoran Residence to find me. I'll have my pharmacy apprentice deliver new ones personally."
Lady Feng didn't bother with polite refusals and signaled her assistant to take the sachets into the shop.
"If you ever wise up and want to find some fun, remember to come to me. I'll give you a discount."
With that, Lady Feng winked at her and strode back into the inner room to continue her "great work."
Qin Jiuye cupped her hands again and carefully placed the crumbling volumes into the basket on her back. Just as she was about to leave, she caught sight of a figure peeking around the alley entrance out of the corner of her eye. Her movements stiffened.
After wandering the martial world these days, although she couldn't compare to martial artists like Li Qiao or Jiang Xin'er, her alertness had improved significantly.
As soon as the ragged figure sensed her gaze, he turned and ran, his messy, bird-nest hair bobbing. Seeing this, Qin Jiuye immediately sprinted a few steps to catch up, her voice low and stern.
"Stop right there."
The disheveled figure ignored her and continued to flee, the clanking of scrap metal echoing in the narrow alley.
Qin Jiuye stopped chasing and leaned against the wall with a sigh. "I'm feeling a bit troubled today and thought about finding an old friend for a drink. I guess I'll forget it..."
The figure ahead instantly froze. After a long moment, he retreated back the way he came, standing beside Qin Jiuye and sighing deeply.
"Oh my, I was wondering why that voice sounded so familiar. It turns out to be an old acquaintance of mine."
Qin Jiuye smiled.
This "Old Dog Du" only stopped because he didn't know her well enough. She didn't like drinking at all; even if she were worried to death, she wouldn't spend half a copper coin on drowning her sorrows.
"Since we're acquaintances, why were you running?"
Old Dog Du lifted his eyelids to glance at her, then grumbled, "I heard from Old Tang that you're currently mixed up with that Lord Duanyu. My little business to keep me fed isn't exactly respectable. If you were in a bad mood and caught me doing something wrong, wouldn't I be in trouble again?"
So he was afraid she would report him.
Qin Jiuye straightened up and looked at him with some dissatisfaction. "You heartless man. If I wanted you to be in trouble, I wouldn't have helped you at Tingfeng Hall on the fifth. And you—why aren't you guarding your 'divine tree' and 'divine ladle,' waiting for your 'savior'?"
Old Dog Du seemed to remember something; he flinched, his voice becoming much weaker.
"When have I ever forgotten the mission on my shoulders? It's just that I really don't dare go back to Liaowu Bridge. I had to come out and try my luck. Lady Feng might be fierce, but she still gives me some work..."
Qin Jiuye clearly understood the fear in Old Dog Du's heart, and the teasing look on her face faded. Having finally caught this charlatan, she had originally intended to drag him to the shores of Lixin Lake to identify someone. But seeing his current state, she suppressed the thought. After a pause, she reminded him softly:
"There's a martial arts gathering outside the city these days, and the city is full of all sorts of people. Be careful. Don't drink anymore; it leads to trouble. Stop your street-wandering business for a couple of days so you don't get targeted again."
After saying this, she pulled out a leftover steamed bun from her pocket and stuffed it into his hand. Without another word, she turned to leave.
Having received the bun, Old Dog Du devoured it ravenously. With a few bites in his stomach, he instantly regained the strength to speak. His former spirit returned as he hurried to follow her.
"Manager Qin, you're being so generous. Have you found some good business? Does it have something to do with that martial arts gathering? I noticed Brother Tang hasn't been open much lately; is he mixed up with you again? By the way, where is young Master Li? He used to follow you everywhere, why don't I see him..."
It was no wonder this charlatan couldn't find work in tea houses or taverns; he had a knack for bringing up the one topic he shouldn't.
A wave of irritation rose in Qin Jiuye's heart. "Even a bun can't shut your mouth. Are you going to eat it or not? If not, give it back."
Qin Jiuye made a fake move to snatch it. Seeing this, Old Dog Du quickly stuffed the last piece of the bun into his mouth, his cheeks bulging as he looked at her.
"Manager Qin, you are a student of medicine yourself. Why are you always so crude and quick to anger? I came with a heart full of gratitude, so why must you always look so fierce?"
Qin Jiuye waved her hand. "It's just half a bun. No need to thank me."
To her surprise, he also waved his hands repeatedly.
"No, no. The bun is good, but it's just a worldly possession. I am thanking Manager Qin for your company at Tingfeng Hall the other day, which also allowed me to meet a true friend like Brother Tang. Since I began my travels, I haven't had such a pleasant conversation with anyone in years. For this friendship, I must offer a gift in return."
His words were somewhat unexpected. Qin Jiuye finally stopped and looked steadily at Old Dog Du.
"You want to give me something?"
Old Dog Du nodded seriously. "Giving anything else would be too vulgar. How about I give Manager Qin a divination? I don't usually cast divinations for just anyone. As they say, 'heaven's secrets must not be leaked.' Doing too much divination can damage one's own fortune. If it weren't for our great fate..."
As Old Dog Du continued to ramble, the image of the black-clad youth involuntarily flashed before Qin Jiuye's eyes.
In this world, who succeeds and who fails, who meets and who parts, the beginning and end of fate, the length of affection—can all of this truly be glimpsed through a single hexagram? But even if it could, what then? Even if some things can be foreseen, they are unavoidable and will happen eventually. Just as if she had known the boy's origin from the start, would she really have stayed away, cut all ties, and never mentioned him again...
Wait, it was just a divination. Why was she thinking of him? Was she going mad?
Qin Jiuye shook her head vigorously. Collecting her thoughts, she said casually, "If you're willing, then divine what will become of this Sword Appreciation Assembly."
Old Dog Du closed his mouth. Once he became quiet, he actually looked a bit more profound. He rummaged through the pile of scrap metal behind him, pulled something out, and held it in his hand. He then placed the scrap of paper that had wrapped the bun on the ground and signaled for Qin Jiuye to come closer. Though skeptical, she knelt down.
In the next moment, he opened his fist, and several shriveled grains of millet clattered down. Half landed on the paper, and half scattered outside.
Qin Jiuye stared at the grains for a long time. Resisting the urge to flip the paper over, she asked patiently, "What does this mean?"
Old Dog Du's clouded eyes widened as he looked left and right. He sighed several times, finally shaking his head.
"Manager Qin, oh Manager Qin. It's not that I don't want to say something auspicious, but today I see that your hexagram is an omen of chaos and looming disaster. I fear a great calamity is coming to the world, and you are right in the center of it..."
Before he could finish his "auspicious" words, she clamped her hand over his mouth.
Qin Jiuye finally understood: this charlatan was useless at everything else, but his ability to curse people was top-tier.
Thinking of her own miserably fulfilled "bloody disaster," Qin Jiuye was filled with grief and indignation. She only regretted that she had been momentarily possessed and actually asked for a divination.
"Take it back! I'm telling you to take back what you just said!"
Old Dog Du mumbled and groaned through her hand, looking like he would rather die than surrender.
"Spoken words are like spilled water! The Way of Heaven is as it is; how can it be taken back?"
The two of them stared at each other for a long time in a stalemate until Qin Jiuye finally lowered her hand.
She had never been one to believe in superstitions. If there truly was such a thing as "fulfillment" in this world, its mystery surely lay within the laws of cause and effect.
Let there be disaster, then. She had a wretched life anyway; how much worse could it get?
Thinking this, Qin Jiuye's heart actually calmed down.
"Believe it and it exists; don't believe it and it doesn't. It's always the same rhetoric. I haven't seen you sell many more charms or divine water because of it."
Old Dog Du heard the sarcasm and doubt in her voice. His face flushed, though whether from shame or anger was unclear.
"In your eyes, am I such a despicable person? We are acquaintances, after all; I would not deceive you. Look at the layout and trend of this hexagram—it corresponds exactly to the upcoming night of the Seven Stars Aligning..."
As Old Dog Du's spit flew, Qin Jiuye remembered something.
"I think someone did mention earlier that there would be some rare celestial phenomenon tomorrow."
"Exactly! That person can be considered a fellow traveler. If there's a chance in the future, please introduce me, Manager Qin. Perhaps they could be of some help to my unfinished plan to save the world."
Qin Jiuye shook her head. "It was just a chance encounter. We likely won't meet again."
Upon hearing this, Old Dog Du shook his head excitedly.
"Does Manager Qin know what *Xing Hui* means? The moon turns and the stars return; the heavens record all. The stars in the sky have their own orbits. After a year, several years, or even hundreds or thousands of years, they always return to their original positions. Just like people's encounters and the order in which things happen—they seem unrelated, but in truth, they were destined long ago. And those orbits that intersect will not intersect only once. Certain encounters are not necessarily the first meeting, and certain events will not be the last time they occur. It's just that right now, you and I are at a tiny point in the midst of thousands of intersections, unable to see the whole picture, and so we cannot understand it all."
*The stars return to the sky, the cycle nears its end, and the year begins anew.*
If the essence of the dark night sky above was a cycle of repetition, then the mortal world she inhabited could not escape some kind of operating law.
Thinking of this, Qin Jiuye couldn't help but touch the fragmented volumes in the basket behind her.
Perhaps Lady Feng was right; she should take a longer view. The answer to the secret formula might not lie in the present, but be buried in some hidden time of the past.
Her thoughts opened up, and Qin Jiuye suddenly felt a sense of clarity. Her gloomy mood from the day was finally somewhat relieved, and even the charlatan's voice didn't sound so annoying anymore.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Jiuye sincerely patted his shoulder, speaking half-earnestly and half-jokingly.
"Brother Du, you might not know, but right now the heroes of the martial world are all gathered here for the Sword Appreciation Assembly. There are far more than seven 'sages.' " She gestured toward the sky. "I think there are so many stars up there that you've probably dazed your eyes."
Old Dog Du, like Tang Shenyan, was a stubborn man who couldn't take a joke. Hearing this, he became displeased and began pointing at the paper on the ground with great solemnity.
"How can stars all be the same? I have studied this path for years; I definitely won't be wrong! I dreamed of it last night—seven stars falling to the human world. It is both an omen of the world's destruction and an omen of its salvation. Do you remember the savior I told you about before? If you're free, why don't we find a place and I'll tell you all about it..."
He rambled for a long time without hearing a response. When he finally looked up, the woman was nowhere to be seen.
Qin Jiuye hurried through the winding alleys. Finally, she looked back "with lingering fear." Seeing that the charlatan hadn't followed her, she breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that this scene was quite similar to their first meeting.
Only a dozen days had passed since the turmoil at the Su manor, but it felt like a lifetime ago. Back then, she had wanted to jump up and strangle the charlatan; now, she could chatter with him for ages without feeling annoyed. One could only say that the fate between people was truly mysterious.
Lamenting in her heart, she kept walking. Just as she was about to exit the narrow alley, a flash of red appeared, and a figure dropped from the sky, landing right in front of her. It was Jiang Xin'er.
The girl had changed back into her red clothes, her spirit seemingly even higher. She began scolding immediately.
"Your alertness is far too poor. I've been following you for a long time, and I even stepped on a tile just now, yet you didn't even look up."
*Yes, I'm just an ordinary person who knows nothing of martial arts. Besides, my mind was in a mess today. I can't even figure out my own problems, so how could I worry about a tile above my head?*
Qin Jiuye gave a self-deprecating smile and cupped her hands. "Miss Jiang has great skill. Even if you followed me all day, I'm afraid I wouldn't notice."
"What exactly are you doing wandering around the city? Surely not to see that man just now? Or is it that Qiu Ling is putting on airs and refuses to see you, so you can't find a way in?" Jiang Xin'er peeked at her expression out of the corner of her eye. "Lord Duanyu has always been haughty and demanding. If you've thought it through, it's not too late to join the Second Young Master. He never mistreats his own people..."
Qin Jiuye paused and looked up at the sky, realizing it was nearly sunset again.
After leaving Lu Zican's place today, she had indeed delayed in the city for too long. She claimed she had business to attend to, but it was just an excuse for her own procrastination.
She simply didn't want to go back. She didn't want to return to her broken sampan alone and let her thoughts run wild by the empty shores of Lixin Lake. Nor did she want to return and find the youth waiting on the bank, forcing her to face him.
The woman fell into silence again, looking even more preoccupied than usual. Jiang Xin'er had said all she could without getting a response and was becoming a bit annoyed. She wasn't one to pry into others' thoughts, so she pulled something from her robe and handed it over roughly.
"The Second Young Master invites you for a boat trip tonight. Come or don't."
Qin Jiuye looked down at the gold-leafed invitation, then up at the girl's face, which was turned away. After a long moment, she sighed softly.
"The last time Miss Jiang came to deliver an invitation, she led me into quite a fire pit."
Seeing her reluctance, Jiang Xin'er remembered her master's instructions and spoke with confidence.
"It's just a piece of paper. As for the gift boxes the Second Young Master sent to Guoran Residence, that young man named Situ accepted every single one of them."
She was reminding Qin that she was already indebted.
Qin Jiuye's eyelids twitched. She could only grit her teeth and take the invitation.
"In that case, thank you for making the trip, Miss Jiang."
"No need for thanks." Her mission accomplished, Jiang Xin'er felt refreshed. Before leaving, she gave Qin a meaningful look. "The Young Master said that if you don't go, you will definitely regret it."
*Going leads to regret, not going also leads to regret.*
*So... should I go or not?*
Qin Jiuye looked up at the sky, letting out a long sigh.
Why could that Old Dog Du see so many portents in the sky, while she gained nothing but a sore neck?
***
