When she was ten years old, Qin Jiuye was in her second year of apprenticeship.
During the height of summer, her master had used the excuse of gathering herbs in the mountains to escape the sweltering heat, leaving her to tend the medicine hut at the foot of the mountain. He had been gone for over half a month.
Every day, she followed the same path to fetch water, gather firewood, and dry medicinal herbs. One day, on her way back to the hut after a rainstorm, she rescued a young master who had broken his leg and lost his horse.
The young master had looked dejected, saying only that his home was within the high walls of Jiugao City, but refusing to say how he had ended up in such a state. At the time, she had no concept of the world inside or outside the city walls; she simply felt that the heavens were testing her medical skills by delivering a cripple to her doorstep. So, she carried the boy back to the medicine hut on her back.
She had only recently begun her studies. She had saved rabbits and foxes, but never a human. Seeing her furrowed brows as she paced back and forth, the young master didn't realize she was merely an uncertified quack; instead, he assumed he was terminally ill and at death's door, weeping piteously to himself.
It took Qin Jiuye half a day to set the broken leg. Afterward, she wrote the first prescription of her life and held out her hand with great solemnity, ready to receive her first medical fee. However, after a long wait, the young master only fished out a duck woven from grass and pressed it into her hand, insisting it was a token of his word—that if she used it to find him in the future, he would take her as his wife.
Qin Jiuye had flown into a rage, accusing him of reneging on his debt and trying to fool her with a grass duck on credit.
The young master had replied aggrievedly, saying his family was very wealthy, and if she married him, the medical fee would naturally be settled.
Only then did Qin Jiuye’s anger subside. Thinking it over, she felt this might be what her master meant by "casting a long line to catch a big fish." Thus, she cheerfully rose to brew several more doses of medicine, happily calculating the consultation fees and the cost of the herbs.
As the days passed, Qin Jiuye carried her longing for the medical fee in her heart. She busied herself every day with decocting medicine and changing bandages. On the evening of the seventh day, a woman arrived on horseback with two large men, bursting into the hut and lifting the young master onto a horse.
The group was clearly in a hurry to report back. They whispered apologies to the young master while quickly arranging for one person to ride ahead with the news. She heard them mention the Qiu family. Only later did she learn there was only one Qiu family in all of Jiugao City.
Watching those tall, sturdy horses, Qin Jiuye felt the young master hadn't lied to her; his family really must be very rich. She was moved to tears of joy and was about to step forward to settle the bill when they all mounted their horses. Finally, the boy looked down at her, thanked her for the care, and galloped away with a crack of the whip.
She still remembered the way the young master looked back at her from his horse, while she chased after the horse's tail, covered in snot and tears, shouting at the top of her lungs.
She said... what she said back then was...
The past struck Qin Jiuye’s mind like the lightning on Qionghu Island that night. Her pupils trembled, and the panic on her face could no longer be hidden.
"How... how could it be you?"
"It is me, Little Leaf. I asked you long ago if we had met somewhere before."
The silk-clad young master snapped his trouser leg down and burst into a laugh that was seventy percent smug and thirty percent rakish. Where was the slightest trace of the pathetic boy she had once saved?
Qin Jiuye felt the hair on her arms stand on end. Beside them, Lu Zican could no longer restrain himself; he propped up his head and looked over, clicking his tongue in wonder.
"Could it be that the Second Young Master and Miss Qin are old acquaintances? But looking at how you two acted before, it seemed more like you were enemies..."
Before he could finish, Qin Jiuye instinctively denied everything.
"How could we be old acquaintances? The one I saved was the eldest son of the Qiu family. He told me with his own mouth that he was the firstborn..."
Xu Qiuchi countered leisurely, "I stole my father's horse to sneak out. When trouble happened, of course I was going to pin it on my older brother."
Qin Jiuye slammed the table and stood up, startling Lu Zican.
"Stop lying to me! That injury of yours is at least ten years old. Who knows who set it? I'm not that easy to fool..."
She was struggling in her death throes, instinctively wanting to deny it all. But Xu Qiuchi clearly had no intention of letting her off the hook. He turned his phoenix eyes toward her, filled with mock affection, and lowered his voice theatrically.
"How could I lie to you? I still remember our promise. You chased after me, shouting for me to swear that I would marry no one but you, and that the medical fee would be three carts of steamed buns. Now that we've finally recognized each other, why don't we pick an auspicious day next month..."
Memories filled with shame and embarrassment surged up again. Qin Jiuye let out a cry and clutched her head.
"Stop talking!"
She felt her head swelling like an overinflated persimmon. The image of a sharp, wise, and reliable person she had cultivated before everyone recently collapsed in an instant. Even Jinbao would probably laugh at her now.
She squeezed out a wavering smile, wanting to turn this page as quickly as possible.
"That was just children's talk. How can it be taken seriously?"
Xu Qiuchi pulled back his smile and clutched his chest, putting on a look of sorrow and dejection.
"But I did take it seriously. After Steward Liu brought me back to the manor, I cried and screamed for my father to prepare three carts of steamed buns. I even went back to find you with my limping leg, but when I reached that hut at the foot of the mountain, you were no longer there."
Her master never stayed in one place for long and was a picky soul. He liked cool, dry places with few mosquitoes, but he would grow bored after a month or two. Consequently, they never stayed anywhere for very long.
The past churned vaguely in her mind. Qin Jiuye could only faintly recall that it seemed to be the case, but she couldn't confirm if he was making things up to push the blame for the "broken promise" onto her alone.
Clearly, she was the one who had been "abandoned" and "forgotten." How was it that, now that they were hashing it out, it seemed like she was the one in the wrong?
"Since you recognized me long ago, why did you... why did you..."
Why did he let her wag her tail to please Qiu Ling? Why didn't he remind her she had the wrong person? Why did he insist on watching her make a fool of herself?
Qin Jiuye looked around, her gaze sweeping over the heads of everyone waiting for gossip. She felt that the second half of her question could not be asked no matter what. She was so stifled she felt smoke might come out of her ears.
Seeing this, Xu Qiuchi clearly understood what she wanted to ask. He shook his head with a light sigh.
"I gave you hints. It was you, Little Leaf, who was so focused on my brother that you completely forgot me. That is why things turned out this way."
Qin Jiuye recalled their first meeting and spoke through gritted teeth.
"You said you had seen me before. Who knew that wasn't just drunken flirting and nonsense?"
"I'm not talking about that." The smile on Xu Qiuchi's face faded slightly, and his voice dropped. "Do you still remember that book, *Huaxuji*?"
"The erotic book? What about it?"
"*Huaxuji* tells the story of the Golden Peacock King repaying a debt of gratitude. Two fated people meet again by chance, but one no longer remembers the other. That night when we were eating crabs at the Hall of Listening Winds, Old Dog Du also mentioned it. Alas, the listener was heedless. No matter how hard I plucked the strings, you could not understand the meaning in my music."
Qin Jiuye was stunned again, speechless for a long time.
Setting aside the fact that she would never have the inclination to deeply study an erotic book given to her by a stranger, she wasn't like Jinbao. She didn't read idle books in her daily life, and even if she did, she wouldn't necessarily have such a rich imagination. To her, that hint was even more incomprehensible than Old Dog Du's divinations.
"Now that you know, there is one thing I must point out to you." Xu Qiuchi's voice rose again, with less teasing and more profound meaning. "Regarding the Su Manor case, you were involved, and my brother was suspicious and cold toward you. It wasn't because he 'disregarded old feelings' or completely forgot you; it was because you two were never old acquaintances to begin with. If you harbor resentment toward him because of that, it is somewhat unfair to him."
His voice was very low, but it rang loud and clear in Qin Jiuye’s ears, devoid of any hint of drunkenness.
Unlike the subtle hints of *Huaxuji*, Xu Qiuchi was blunt when mentioning Qiu Ling, leaving no room for ambiguity. And she, naturally, understood.
Guoran Pavilion valued harmony to bring wealth, and its shopkeeper was stingy to save wealth. Stingy people were often not very well-liked. In her life, there were not many people she could call old friends. Therefore, she had placed great weight on that connection formed when she first entered the medical world, keeping it deep in her heart for years without forgetting.
However, sometimes when a person dwells on a thing or a person for too long, all their devotion shifts to the act of longing itself. The thing or the person becomes increasingly blurred. By the time they meet, it is only natural to fail to recognize them or to mistake them for another.
If she had known all this earlier, she might have suffered less conflict and depression. But now, after experiencing so many twists and turns, she had been forced to learn acceptance and letting go. Regardless of who it was she had saved back then, or whether the other party remembered her now, it no longer mattered.
And because of the secret formula, the Qiu brothers were now entangled with her once again. That was another fated connection that could not be avoided or escaped.
Collecting her thoughts, Qin Jiuye looked up at Xu Qiuchi.
"The Second Young Master worries too much. Even before, I was at most a bit disappointed in the Protector; it didn't reach the level of resentment. Now that he and I have been through so much, I no longer care about what happened before. As for the Second Young Master... you should learn to be more honest. After all, you already have a beautiful lady by your side. Dragging up an old connection with another woman won't resolve your unvented emotions."
As soon as she spoke, Jiang Xin'er’s face flushed crimson.
"I... the Young Master and I are not what you think..."
She was quick to deny it, but Xu Qiuchi’s razor-sharp tongue went quiet. He didn't offer a single word of explanation or rebuttal. The noodle stall became quiet again—whether it was the silence of being intoxicated by the wine or the focused contemplation of the eavesdroppers, it was hard to say.
Qin Jiuye didn't even bother to look at the expressions on those faces. She grabbed the wine bowl on the table and drained it in one gulp.
"The Second Young Master has had too much to drink. Don't regret this when you wake up tomorrow."
She threw down those harsh words and hurriedly left the noodle stall.
Jiang Xin'er looked at the sky and spoke with some worry.
"The rain looks like it's going to get heavier. Miss Qin is going back alone..."
"What does it have to do with me? Which path a person takes is their own choice; everyone relies on their own ability. I am only responsible for clearing up the misunderstanding I caused. As for others... they must look out for themselves."
After Xu Qiuchi finished speaking, he let out a wine-scented burp and slowly lay back down on the padded bench.
As a brother who didn't get along and found him eyesore, this was the most he could do to help.
The pitter-patter of the rain grew denser, the sound of the water drowning out the conversations. The stall owners lit another oil lamp, calling out to passersby to come in and take shelter.
Across the street at the mouth of an alley, where the lights were lonely, the young Protector stood motionless in front of a small wine shop.
The freshly drawn plum wine had been handed to him half a quarter-hour ago, yet he remained there without leaving.
His back was still straight, and his jade-like profile caught the warm glow of the lamps. Women returning home together under oil-paper umbrellas giggled as they rushed under the eaves to escape the rain. Catching sight of the man's handsome and extraordinary appearance, they couldn't help but whisper among themselves: *When did such an ethereal figure appear in Jiugao City? Which family's son is he, and does he have a sweetheart?*
Finally, a woman with a flower in her hair plucked up the courage to step forward, about to tease him. But the man, carrying the wine jar, stepped into the rain without a word.
***
Qin Jiuye walked through three street intersections in one breath, feeling the rain grow heavier.
The rain hitting her face cleared her muddled head. As the alcohol dissipated, she suddenly felt a slight chill.
With the continuous rain, everywhere was damp and muggy. People huddled in their homes, and there were far fewer people wandering the streets than usual.
The night was washed into an ink-black darkness by the rain, flowing through the dark alleys and soaking the clothes and boots of passersby. Qin Jiuye’s pace grew faster and faster.
Li Qiao's warnings lingered in her mind. The place where she had been cornered by that bully Su Lin seemed to be nearby. Revisiting the old haunt gave her a bad premonition. And she wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but she felt there were footsteps following her from deep within the long alley. Yet when she stopped and strained her ears to listen, the sound vanished.
She could only blame herself for having survived great storms only to grow careless now. If it were just an ordinary petty thief, it would be fine, but if she truly encountered the killer who took Old Tang or someone from the World's Greatest Manor, wouldn't she be...
Qin Jiuye looked back nervously to check behind her. Suddenly, a figure stepped out from the shadows of the alley ahead. He carried no umbrella and stood straight in the rain.
Qin Jiuye was startled and barely managed to steady herself. She was about to scream when she caught a glimpse of the person's build and face. She asked hesitantly, "Pro... Protector?"
The other person didn't speak, only took a few steps closer. Once Qin Jiuye saw him clearly, she let out a long sigh of relief.
"It's a bit dark around here, and I heard some noises along the way. I was so scared I didn't dare make a sound. I thought..." She didn't continue, clearly not wanting to bring up old matters. But seeing his silence, she instinctively asked, "Why did the Protector follow me alone? Has something urgent happened?"
Qiu Ling did not speak, only stared fixedly at the woman before him.
He had never been so bold, never studied her face so unblinkingly. He had always felt that such a gaze was improper and ill-considered.
But at this moment, he suddenly felt a twinge of regret.
He still remembered the day they first met.
The sun was setting. He was galloping from east to west on Sanma Street. Caught off guard by their encounter, he had to make his horse leap over her head, then looked back.
She was small and thin, carrying a tattered basket. She stood up somewhat tremulously in the shadows, but the moment she looked at him, her eyes seemed to light up, more brilliant than the sunset behind her.
Though it was only for a brief moment, he realized much later that he remembered that scene with startling clarity.
Unfortunately, at that time, his gaze hadn't lingered for even a second longer. And now, she stood only two or three steps away from him. There wasn't a soul on the surrounding streets; it was so quiet he could hear their breathing. He finally got to take a good look at her, but that heat was no longer in her eyes.
The wine in his stomach began to churn and burn. He took a deep breath and lowered his head.
"I ask you, was everything you did for me before simply because you mistook me for someone else?"
Qin Jiuye was stunned for a moment before she realized what he was saying. She then fell into a long silence.
So, had he gone to the noodle stall, heard Xu Qiuchi's words, and then chased after her? While she had been worried that Lu Zican and those big-mouthed generals would spread rumors after they sobered up, the person involved already knew.
In truth, on the way from the noodle stall, she had already convinced herself to let go of this "joke" born of a series of coincidences. If he didn't know, she would never mention it to him again.
She had also wondered what would happen if he found out. She thought that Lord Broken Jade was broad-minded and not a petty person like Xu Qiuchi; he would surely let it pass and never let others make a joke of it. Why would he run to this pitch-black alley just to question her with this sentence?
The bluestone road in the rain was clean and cold, but the weeds on the roof tiles began to grow wild.
Qin Jiuye suddenly felt a sense of panic. She ducked toward the wall to avoid the rain and tried to reply in a light tone.
"Why does the Protector say such a thing? I trust the Protector because you are worthy of trust. Doesn't the Protector trust me now as well? Although there were indeed some misunderstandings between us at the beginning..."
She was only halfway through when the figure before her swayed. The next moment, her shoulder felt heavy as the rain-soaked man slumped against her.
She instinctively supported him, but her whole body was pressed against the wall. The night wind brought the scent of him to her nose. Qin Jiuye sniffed and discovered that this Lord Protector, who warned his subordinates not to drink and neglect their duties, had actually been drinking himself.
His voice, raspy from the strong liquor, mingled with his heavy breathing by her ear.
"It's not fair." There was an undetectable trace of resentment in his voice, but even his drunken sigh carried restraint. "All of this is too unfair to me. The Xiangliang Statutes state that ignorance of the truth halves the guilt. Even if you are to judge me or punish me, you should at least let me know why I am to die."
As soon as he spoke, Qin Jiuye knew he hadn't just been drinking; he had drunk quite a lot. Otherwise, he would never have used such a tone to say such things.
Just now, she thought she was in danger in the alley, and her heart had pounded fiercely. Now, clearly, it was a false alarm, yet her heart grew even more uneasy.
"Protector, don't believe Xu Qiuchi’s big mouth. He's just talking nonsense. There really was nothing between me and him back then, nor did I ever promise anything. I just felt we had some history, and I thought of it during festivals. I thought after so many years, if we could meet again, it would be fate..."
Her intention was to stop him from overthinking, but the more she explained, the more she felt something was wrong. Instead, it sounded like she was confessing her past girlish feelings.
Her voice gradually grew quieter, but his voice rose again.
"So... the reason you were willing to stand by me on Qionghu Island was also because you were thinking of the past?"
The night was deep. Something was flowing from the cold eyes of the man before her, piercing through the wet mist and coming straight for her.
Qin Jiuye knew she could not let this continue.
He might truly be drunk, but she was still very much sober.
She held his shoulders and gently created some distance between them. After a moment of hesitation, she reached up and unfastened the jade pendant she had kept firmly by her side.
It had seemed quite difficult to tie the pendant on back then, but taking it off was the work of an instant. After rubbing the jade in her palm for a moment, she held it out.
"Whether on the island or before, it was my own muddled and reckless behavior that caused the Protector trouble. This jade pendant..." She paused, finally saying the words that had been churning for a long time. "...The Protector can find someone more worthy to entrust it to. In this investigation, I have protected Li Qiao without knowing the full truth, and I have already lost the right to walk beside you. I will still do my best regarding the secret formula, but..."
Qiu Ling slowly raised his head, the haze in his eyes receding slightly.
It turned out she understood all the things he hadn't been able to say on Qionghu Island. And from beginning to end, he never knew what he had missed; even realizing it required the prodding of others. Thinking of everything he had done to her, what right did he have to ask her for fairness?
Perhaps the so-called "missing out" never existed, because they had never had a true connection.
Qiu Ling gazed quietly at Qin Jiuye. The rain washed away his cold and rigid aura, but it made those gentle eyes shine as bright as stars.
"Qin Jiuye."
He had almost never called her by her full name. Before he spoke, he always had a thousand worries, but now that he had, it felt incredibly smooth.
The next moment, Qin Jiuye felt her hand lighten. He had taken the jade pendant, but he was in no hurry to keep it. Instead, he took something from his person and tied it firmly to the pendant.
"Even if we didn't know each other before, it doesn't matter. We know each other now."
Having said that, he carefully placed the two connected items back into her palm, never once touching her hand.
Qin Jiuye stared blankly at her palm. The water-blue jade, carved with intricate patterns, sat right next to the small private seal of Guoran Pavilion.
A private seal from a rural medicine hall and a jade pendant bestowed by the General of the Pacified South were never meant to have any intersection, just as there was never meant to be a story between the two of them.
"Today, I give this to you in the name of a friend. You no longer need to keep any promises. Even if our paths diverge from here on, whenever and wherever we meet again, we shall be old friends. Is that acceptable?"
Qin Jiuye was speechless for a time.
She wanted to say he really didn't need to do this. But she also felt that for a man who found it so difficult to express his emotions, such a refusal would spurn his sincere heart.
His knots were always tied very securely; she had known that since he first tied the jade for her. If she insisted on breaking the cord to show a "severing of ties," it would be declaring that they couldn't even be friends.
Qin Jiuye slowly closed her palm and performed a salute in the manner of those in the martial world.
"Jiuye is untalented, but to be friends with the Protector is truly the fortune of three lifetimes."
After saying this, she solemnly tucked the items away. Finally, she looked around and whispered to him.
"I understand the Protector's intentions. I'll take a page out of Old Tang's book and act as a middleman. If one day the Protector finds someone he truly wishes to give this to, remember to come find me. I value the Guoran Pavilion seal more than my own life; I certainly won't let your jade suffer any mistreatment. As for the storage fee... I'll give you a friend's discount when the time comes. Just don't make me wait too long."
The woman smiled faintly after she finished. Qiu Ling just stared blankly at that smiling face until the rain, mixed with his intoxication, surrounded him.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
九皋城 | Jiugao City | The main setting of the story.
药庐 | Medicine Hut | A small cottage used for medical practice and herb storage.
邱家 | Qiu Family | A prominent and wealthy family in Jiugao City.
许秋迟 | Xu Qiuchi | The second son of the Qiu family; he was the boy Qin Jiuye actually saved.
秦九叶 | Qin Jiuye | The female lead, shopkeeper of Guoran Pavilion.
陆子参 | Lu Zican | A military officer and acquaintance of the characters.
姜辛儿 | Jiang Xin'er | Xu Qiuchi's female attendant/guard.
邱陵 | Qiu Ling | The eldest son of the Qiu family, the Protector (Duhu).
督护 | Protector | A high-ranking military/administrative title (Duhu).
花墟集 | Huaxuji | "Collection of the Flower Ruins," an erotic book Xu Qiuchi used to drop hints.
果然居 | Guoran Pavilion | Qin Jiuye's business/residence.
水苍玉 | Water-blue jade | A type of jade (Shicang jade) used for the Protector's pendant.
不知者罪半 | Ignorance halves the guilt | A legal principle mentioned by Qiu Ling.
故人 | Old friend | A term implying a deep, long-standing connection or a past acquaintance.
