Dafeng Ferry lived up to its name; all year round, the sounds of wind and water surged there, a tumultuous and fierce cacophony. During the flood season, people standing at the ferry landing had to shout at the top of their lungs just to be heard.
The Hun River was still in its upper-middle reaches when it hit Dafeng Ferry, and the current was swift. It was not an ideal location for a crossing, but from this point, the river entered the Gantian Gorge. The gorge stretched for a hundred miles with steep cliffs on both banks, leaving no better place to cross the river. Over time, the hardy folk of Huozhou grew accustomed to the thrill of darting through the waves. Occasional travelers from elsewhere might sigh in trepidation, but they were inevitably met with the locals' playful mockery.
Xiao Nanhui’s intuition proved correct. No boats had left the ferry for half a month, and today, with the rain finally ceasing, there were bound to be bold boatmen preparing to set sail despite the torrential currents.
Where there were those brave enough to sail, there were those brave enough to ride.
By the time she and Bolao reached the ferry, a large ferry boat had just left the shore and vanished into the mist. Only one small boat remained at the pier, and it appeared nearly full. The boatman seemed in no mood to wait for a full load before departing, his movements hurried and frantic.
Seeing this, the two of them quickly led their horses forward.
"Boatman, why such haste? I thought the weather might improve by noon. The mist is too thick now; isn't it dangerous?"
The boatman didn't stop his work as he replied, "The young master doesn't know. Last night, someone was robbed at the ferry—I heard lives were lost. The officials haven't arrived yet, but once they do, no boats will be allowed to leave. Everyone will be questioned one by one. So if you want to go, you'd best hurry. If you're delayed, you won't be leaving today."
A robbery?
For some reason, the image of the family of six from the inn last night flashed through Xiao Nanhui’s mind—the good food, the fine wine, and that fierce man with the headband.
Meanwhile, Bolao had already paid the boatman. The man was reasonable; after weighing the situation, he agreed to take them. Fortunately, the two had little luggage, and with the two horses squeezed on, the boat was just at its limit.
The cabin was cramped. Only after boarding did Xiao Nanhui realize that the family she had been worried about was sitting right there, safe and sound, surrounded by piles of luggage. She felt a wave of relief. Just as she was about to discuss their plans for Huozhou with Bolao, she spotted two figures sitting at the bow. Who else could it be but the Master Zhong and his servant who had "stolen" their room the night before? Her mood immediately soured.
She turned her back, trying her best to ignore them. The boatman untied the mooring rope from the wooden piling and was about to push off when a sudden shout came from the shore.
"Wait!"
Xiao Nanhui frowned and looked back. A pale white figure burst through the thin mist. As he drew closer, she recognized him as the white-clad scholar from the neighboring table last night.
He looked as though he had just scrambled out of bed. He wore the same clothes as yesterday, his hair hastily pinned with a single簪 (hairpin), leaving a stray lock fluttering at the back of his head. He was clutching a jar that looked suspiciously like a chamber pot, pausing every few breaths to bury his face in it and retch.
"Boatman, wait! I... I must get on as well."
The boatman was an honest man and didn't try to squeeze him for extra silver. He advised sincerely, "Young man, the boat is full. If anyone else boards, I'm afraid we'll sink."
"No, no." The white-clad scholar tossed the jar aside and rushed forward to grab the mooring rope, trying to squeeze onto the boat. "I offended a beauty just to catch this boat. I must get on, no matter what."
The middle-aged merchant closest to him looked displeased. "You aren't the only one on this boat. If it sinks because of you, do you expect us all to be buried with you?"
His wife, clutching their four children, nodded in unison like a row of pecking chickens. The others on the boat agreed. The white-clad scholar didn't take offense; instead, his gaze fell upon the merchant's large and small bundles of luggage. "This is a ferry, not a cargo ship. Aren't these bags of yours taking up everyone else's space?"
The merchant, hit where it hurt, looked embarrassed. "These are just tea leaves and such; they don't weigh much." He glanced at Jixiang and Huaqiu standing on the aft deck, his implication clear.
Xiao Nanhui was about to speak up, fearing Jixiang and the other horse would be kicked off, when the white-clad scholar pulled a cloth bundle from his person and shook it open. Inside was a row of shimmering needles. "I am a physician, and I am rushing to Huozhou to treat a patient. That person is terminally ill and waiting for my golden needles to save them. How about this, brother? I'll pay you for two crates of your tea. You just give me a bit of the space beside you."
The merchant was still reluctant, but the other passengers began to side with the scholar. "He's a healer, and you'll have to sell the tea sooner or later anyway. In this damp weather, it probably won't keep. Why not do a good deed? It'll bring you merit for saving a life."
In the end, the white-clad scholar successfully boarded, leaving two of the merchant's tea crates behind on the pier.
The ferry left the shore. In the thick mist of Dafeng Ferry, there was no sound but the wind and the water.
On the shingle beach, the river water lapped against the shore, washing a blood-stained headband onto the sand.
***
The small boat rocked as it headed toward the center of the river. A ferry rope as thick as a wrist connected the bow and stern, stretching endlessly into the unyielding mist.
Only the chaotic roar of water surrounded them, punctuated by the occasional sound of ice fragments striking the hull. Although the rain had stopped, the temperature on the Hun River was much lower than on the shore. The ferry's walls were rickety and drafty. Ding Weixiang draped a thick fur cloak over his master's shoulders and sat at the windward side, clutching his blade to block the cold wind for him.
Xiao Nanhui looked on with a hint of envy, then turned to see Bolao huddled into a ball behind her. She pulled out a flatbread and took a savage bite, but before she could chew, it was snatched away. Bolao had clearly not eaten well last night due to her pickiness.
"Since you are master and servant, you should observe proper etiquette and hierarchy. This little page of yours is far too undisciplined, actually daring to snatch his master's food."
She looked up to find the white-clad scholar had somehow moved in front of her. He held a folding fan he had produced from somewhere, waving it with an air of extreme elegance. Xiao Nanhui felt she could almost see the goosebumps rising on his exposed wrists.
Bolao hated two things most in life: people using status to suppress her, and people calling her short.
The scholar's words had undoubtedly offended her twice over. She immediately shot him a look like twin daggers.
Xiao Nanhui quickly shifted her body slightly to block those fierce glares, a polite smile appearing on her face. "What the gentleman says is true, but this servant of mine grew up with me. Our relationship is indeed not that of an ordinary master and servant. Besides, we are traveling; it's hard to be so particular. Wouldn't you agree?"
The scholar nodded happily. "True. Generous people like you are rare these days. We should get to know each other. I am Hao Bai. May I ask your name, sir?"
*Hao Bai? So White?*
She took a proper look at the man. He still smelled of last night's wine and his clothes were untidy, yet he had somehow found the time to apply a thick layer of scented powder to his face. He was quite the character.
"Yao Yi."
She gave Yao Yi's name without blinking, feeling for the first time that those mushrooms hadn't been given in vain.
"So it is Brother Yao. A pleasure, a pleasure." The white-clad fool looked delighted and began introducing himself further. "I am a native of Wancheng. My family has been physicians for three generations, and we occasionally deal in medicinal pills. What does Brother Yao's family do?"
The corner of her mouth quirked. "We manage houses of pleasure."
Hao Bai froze, and a suspicious flush rose to his face, visible even through the white powder. "Brother Yao means..."
"The flower streets and willow lanes." She looked at his awkward expression with amusement. "Why, Master Hao? You seemed so dashing with a beauty by your side last night; have you never visited a brothel?"
Hao Bai stammered, falling silent for a moment as if he truly hadn't.
Seeing this, Bolao’s mood inexplicably improved. she patted the man’s shoulder with mock solemnity. "Brother, how can you call yourself dashing if you've never been to the flower streets? Tell me next time, and I'll surely take you to see the sights."
"I have never been either. Would the little brother be willing to take one more person?"
The moment that voice spoke, Xiao Nanhui felt her scalp go numb. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
Bolao was also startled by the sudden voice and looked back at the person sitting behind them. The river wind blew, lifting his hair. In the blurring mist, he seemed for a moment to be smiling.
Several people on the boat happened to look over, all wearing somewhat dazed expressions.
Sensing the situation was becoming strange, she prepared to end this aimless conversation. "Master Zhong is of noble status; surely he would look down upon such lowly places."
"My surname is the compound Zhongli, and my given name is Jing."
She hadn't expected him to respond like that and could only offer a perfunctory reply. "So it is Master Zhongli. A pleasure, a pleasure."
"To meet across a thousand miles is indeed a stroke of luck. I wonder what brings Master Yao to Huozhou this time?"
*Here it comes. I knew you were up to something.*
Xiao Nanhui grumbled inwardly but had to play along. "I heard the Zhuming Festival is on the ninth day of the fifth month. I've come to join the festivities."
The Zhuming Festival was one of the four great seasonal sacrifices—Qingyang, Zhuming, Baizang, and Xuanying—and was held annually in Huozhou. This region had an ancient custom of worshipping the gods. The Baizang and Xuanying sacrifices were royal secrets, their details rarely known to outsiders, and they had gradually vanished after the fall of the Qiu Dynasty. Only Huozhou's Zhuming Festival had been preserved and remained popular today.
"Oh? There's such a spectacle?" Before Zhongli Jing could speak, Hao Bai grew interested. "Since I have nothing else to do, why don't we go see it together?"
She glanced at him. "Isn't Master Hao in a hurry to save someone?"
"Today is only the fifth; three days is plenty of time. If I can't save them in three days, then King Yama wants them, and there's nothing I can do."
*Hmph, quite the boastful tone.*
Xiao Nanhui took his words as mere talk and didn't pay them much mind. Just then, the boatman suddenly shouted, "Ice fragments! Hold on tight!"
Before his voice faded, a massive impact struck. The ferry tilted and rocked violently. A surging wave soaked half the boat, and the passengers cried out in alarm. Jixiang and Huaqiu began to slip on the deck.
Her heart tightened. She gripped the gunwale and looked into the water. Chunks of ice were surging toward them, each appearing larger than the last. They were likely fragments of giant ice floes from upstream that had broken apart as they melted.
Xiao Nanhui was a martial artist and could do a bit of everything, but her swimming was poor.
Never mind this swift, bone-chilling current; she would avoid even a calm little stream if she could. If this boat sank, would she and her horses die before even starting their mission?
She instinctively reached for the cloth bundle on her back. It was only the length of a short sword, and its contents were indistinguishable. However, as soon as her hand touched it, she pulled away.
Though there were few people on this boat, who could guarantee none of them were enemies? Her weapon was too unique; it could not be revealed lightly.
Her mind raced as her gaze landed on the bow.
Pushing through the panicked passengers, she leaped onto the bow and snatched the punting pole from the boatman's hands. Channeling strength into her core, she spun and thrust the pole at a rapidly approaching ice floe. The ice shattered into small pieces and vanished into the turbid river.
She didn't stop after the first hit. Holding the end of the long pole with one hand and gripping it three feet down with the other, she moved with focused energy. The heavy, clumsy pole suddenly became like a nimble serpent, repeatedly darting into the water to shatter the ice.
All of this happened in a mere instant. Most of the passengers hadn't even processed what was happening, but Ding Weixiang saw it clearly, a trace of surprise touching his face. On the other side, Bolao was no longer in her spot. Her body was light as she flipped onto the roof of the boat, squinting into the distance.
"Boatman, how much longer until we reach the shore?"
The boatman was struggling to hold the ferry rope, trying to stabilize the vessel. "...At least half a quarter-hour!"
Xiao Nanhui stood at the bow and shouted back to Bolao, "Go hold Jixiang and Huaqiu! Don't let them capsize the boat!"
Jixiang was a warhorse and remained relatively calm even in a crisis, but Huaqiu was panicked and had begun to pace on the deck. Bolao grabbed the reins, corralling the two horses into a fixed position to ensure they wouldn't fall.
The ferry continued its difficult passage through the turbulent currents. Stray ice fragments still struck the hull. Some passengers huddled into balls, closing their eyes to the danger.
Bolao glared fiercely at the indifferent Ding Weixiang. Aside from herself and Xiao Nanhui, this man likely had the highest martial arts skills here.
"What's the use of guarding him?! If the boat sinks, we all suffer!"
Ding Weixiang glanced at Zhongli Jing, whose gaze was fixed on the huddled family nearby. Finally, the master gave a slight nod.
Only then did Ding Weixiang rise. He swept past the fuming Bolao and leaped onto the stern. A basket woven from oiled hemp rope sat on the deck, filled with fist-sized stones. These were anchor stones, used when the boat docked.
He drew his blade and slashed, the hemp rope snapping and the stones scattering. He spread his fingers and snatched up three stones in one hand. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled them. The stones flew toward the ice with speed and precision that rivaled the pole in Xiao Nanhui’s hands.
Xiao Nanhui heard the sound and looked back, but her gaze lingered for only a moment before she turned back to focus on the ice in the river.
With another person helping, the crisis was finally brought under control. The boat gradually stabilized. After a moment, the ice floes seemed to have drifted past, leaving only scattered fragments in the water that posed no threat.
After this ordeal, no one was in the mood to talk. They traveled in silence until they reached the opposite bank.
As they disembarked, everyone's clothes were more or less soaked by the river water. They shivered in the cold wind, carrying the lingering fear of a narrow escape. Yet Zhongli Jing didn't have a single drop of water on him. The fur cloak he wore was made of some unknown material that seemed to repel water entirely.
Xiao Nanhui led Jixiang off the boat, followed by a shivering Hao Bai. They exchanged a brief salute, and the scholar said sincerely, "I owe you a great debt for your help today, Master Yao. I truly should thank you properly, but I have urgent business and cannot delay. If fate permits, let us meet at the Zhuming Festival in a few days."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but sneeze. He then reached into his inner robe and pulled out a tattered oiled paper packet, taking out a single white pill.
"This is a pill to replenish Qi and blood. Please accept it as a token of my thanks, Brother Yao."
Xiao Nanhui’s gaze fixed on the familiar-looking oiled paper. It looked like the paper used for the buns at the inn last night.
Without waiting for her response, he pressed the pill into her hand, turned, and hurried away.
She looked at the small white pill in her palm with a mix of amusement and exasperation. After a thought, she tucked it away.
Just as she finished, she saw Ding Weixiang walking past her out of the corner of her eye. She suddenly spoke in a low voice, "Was it you who hit my window with a stone this morning?"
Ding Weixiang knew she had recognized his stone-throwing technique from the boat. He neither admitted nor denied it, looking as though he couldn't be bothered to answer.
She persisted. "Why?"
The green-clad swordsman finally looked back at her and pointed to Zhongli Jing, who stood tall a short distance away. "My master says that it takes a hundred lifetimes of merit to cross on the same boat. You should cherish this fate, Master Yao. There is no need for words of thanks."
He didn't stay a moment longer, walking away quickly and leaving Xiao Nanhui staring blankly.
*A hundred lifetimes of merit to cross on the same boat? What kind of bullshit reason is that!*
*If you don't want to say, then don't. We'll see about this!*
***
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