Xiangyang City

The body is like the Bodhi tree, the mind a bright mirror stand. Always keep it clean, let no dust alight. Moonlight flows like water, and the heart is as clear as a mirror; the evening breeze passes, leaving only traces of sentiment behind.

Chen Yage sat quietly under the moonlight, hugging her knees, lost in thought. Since arriving in the Great Tang, she had never been so calm, so earnest in her contemplation. Especially after meeting Li Bai, her reason had been utterly unsettled.

She could not understand—Li Bai clearly harbored feelings for her, so why did he leave her behind? Was this the mindset of those in ancient times? She did not know if this was love, or simply ignorance—or perhaps rot at its extreme? Yet, why then did so many legendary love stories endure through the ages?

Zhuo Wenjun could abandon wealth and splendor to elope with Sima Xiangru and sell wine at a tavern, so why was Li Bai so certain she could not endure hardship by his side? Besides, wasn't the Li Bai of history rather wealthy? Could he truly not support her? Or perhaps she was mistaken, and Li Bai merely saw her as a wandering beggar with no family? In the end, it was all because of her identity!

With an abrupt slap to her thigh, Chen Yage stood up. Even if only friends, Li Bai was the first friend she made in the Great Tang. Even if Li Bai chose to abandon her, she was not someone to give up so easily.

Li Bai, I am determined to follow you!

Without hesitation, Chen Yage dove into the lake, swimming toward the opposite shore. In the pitch-black tunnel, regret seized her—impulsiveness was always her fatal flaw. Had she waited until daylight, it would not have been so utterly dark, every step guided only by instinct.

Just as when she left Peach Blossom Spring, she plunged into the cold pool, was carried by the current into the outer pool. The force of the water was strong and it was dark; her head struck a slightly protruding stone at the edge and she lost consciousness. Fortunately, it was only a minor injury, with little bleeding—otherwise, she would surely have died from blood loss.

When she regained awareness, she was lying on a large rock. She sprang to her feet warily; it made no sense. If she had landed directly on this boulder, she would have been killed instantly. The other possibility was that someone had saved her. By then daylight had come. Looking around, she saw lush grass and blooming flowers, birds singing joyfully in the branches—no sign of any person.

“Big Brother Bai, why did you choose the left path?”
“It’s just a habit,” Li Bai’s words echoed in her ears.

Without hesitation, Chen Yage chose the left path again. Heaven seemed to favor her; before long, she reached the city gates, where the characters “Xiangyang City” loomed before her eyes. Chen Yage had a premonition that Li Bai was still inside. If not, she could seek out Dujuan, stay a few days, borrow some traveling money, and then head straight for Chang’an—Li Bai would surely go there eventually, and she would not mind waiting for him.

With her resolve set, Chen Yage entered the city cheerfully. At a corner by the city gate, a group of beggars huddled together. Curious, she approached to see what was happening. At first glance, she realized trouble awaited her.

This group was the very same gang of beggars who had tried to rob her upon her arrival, and lying on the ground was Tiger. Chen Yage exclaimed in surprise, “Tiger, how did you get hurt? Who did this to you?”

Tiger slowly turned his head. When he recognized Chen Yage, he immediately looked away, eyes evasive, clearly unwilling to meet her gaze.

Chen Yage could not understand why Tiger was ignoring her. She walked around to face him, trying to help him up, but Tiger refused flatly.

Seeing this, the other beggars helped Tiger to his feet, and he strode away without a backward glance. Chen Yage hurried after them.

Winding through alleys and streets, turning left and right, they finally brought Tiger into a dilapidated temple.

Chen Yage followed behind, and the beggars eyed her warily. She smiled awkwardly, scanning her surroundings. The temple housed a stone statue of a Bodhisattva with a broken hand, its face badly damaged, the remaining hand holding a bottle. In modern statues, such a bottle would be filled with flowers or plants, but in this one, there was nothing.

The Bodhisattva wore a gentle smile; who said only Mona Lisa could smile at everyone? The Bodhisattva did, too.

Gray strips of cloth hung from the broken beams, fluttering in the air. The sight sent chills down Chen Yage’s spine; had it been night, she might have thought she’d hear ghosts wail. Thankfully, it was broad daylight, the sun shining brightly.

The temple floor was a mess—straw scattered everywhere, broken sticks, fragments of bowls, and the beggars all barefoot, indifferent to the risk of injuring their feet.

“Why did you follow us?” Tiger glared at Chen Yage coldly, a stark contrast to the Tiger who had taken her to bathe by the river.

Chen Yage was taken aback, and replied casually, “I was worried about your injury. Are you alright?”

“Worried about me?”

Tiger’s words made Chen Yage feel awkward. She stammered, “Thank you for taking me to the river that day.”

Suddenly, Tiger burst out laughing, his expression wild and unrestrained. Chen Yage looked at him in confusion. After a long moment, Tiger stopped and said mockingly, “You really are a foolish woman! I put you in danger, and you thank me? You’re truly lucky to have come back safely.”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you understand? Did you really think I was being kind taking you to the river? You knocked several of us to the ground; do you know why I chose that river? Because it’s a forbidden area, where bandits often appear!”

“If that’s so, why are you telling me now?” Chen Yage retorted. For some reason, hearing Tiger’s words, she felt unusually calm—no anger, no hatred.

“You don’t hate me?”

“Why would I hate you? On the contrary, I ought to thank you. Without you, I wouldn’t have experienced so much with Brother Bai or made so many unforgettable memories!” Though it hurt, they were memories she would cherish.

Tiger fell silent, pondering for a moment. Suddenly, with a thud, he knelt before Chen Yage, head bowed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you that way. I don’t expect your forgiveness, but I truly want to apologize. I hope you’ll accept it.”

“I accept! Please, get up.” Chen Yage helped Tiger up with a smile. “By the way, what happened to your injury?”

Tiger replied, “I was beaten by Wang Fugui’s men.”

“Wang Fugui? Isn’t he the rich young master I met before?” Chen Yage’s mouth fell open in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to be behind this, but on reflection, it made sense. Wang Fugui, born into wealth, spoiled since childhood, now grown rotten to the core—such a person needed to be taught a lesson, or he would continue to act with impunity.