Chapter Thirty-Six: Stopping You

Of course, there was nothing truly remarkable about it; this was merely what the tea house boy was expected to do. It was only that, under such circumstances, such a task felt somewhat out of place. At this hour, no matter where one might be, people would be preparing for their departure, not lingering in a tea pavilion for a casual cup. All the more so here, at the foot of Mount Qilian—a place of magnificent, canyon-like vistas, home to the Qilian Sect, counted among the four great schools of the realm. Yet, for all its grandeur, it lay in the remote southwest, somewhat isolated. The Qilian Sect had always conducted itself with modesty; its disciples had little connection to the wider martial world. Thus, few traveled here, and those who did would not arrive until well past noon.

Nonetheless, Qiu Wan’er had little desire to dwell on such matters today. Her figure was already heading toward Jinjiang City. Though her purpose was to seek someone out, in a sea of people such a quest was hardly a simple affair. She might as well linger in Jinjiang for another three or five days and enjoy herself thoroughly—was that not the most important thing? With only a brief hesitation, she continued onward. Though not as swift as when she had fled from the mountain peak, her steps could not be underestimated. Perhaps it was the taste of newfound freedom, for she almost skipped along, like a rabbit giddy with delight, even humming a little tune to herself. Her mind wandered: “I don’t even know where to begin. Rowing on the river? Boring. Watching a play? Who knows if it’s any good. Forget it—no use worrying now, I’ll decide when I get there. Senior Brother’s a grown man, skilled as he is, surely nothing untoward will happen to him. He’s probably off wandering somewhere again, or searching for some oddity to please that ghostly Butterfly. Men are all the same—why should I bother?”

At this thought, though her steps did not falter, a trace of jealousy colored her features. Such feelings are difficult for any woman to avoid. She and Han Tanyi had grown up together; though not related by blood, their sibling-like affection had only deepened over the years. To have a man who had always cherished her suddenly shift that care to another woman—how could she not feel a pang of loss? Yet this, too, was nothing to fret over. Not yet twenty, Qiu Wan’er was playful by nature; such feelings were fleeting, gone almost as soon as they arose.

The tea house was not far, and at her brisk pace, she reached it in no time. Strangely, as it came into view, her body shivered as if seized by discomfort. Puzzled, she examined herself but found nothing amiss. She reasoned it was likely the result of hurrying for so long, perhaps having overextended her spiritual energy, leaving her thirsty and a little light-headed, especially as she had skipped breakfast.

“Well, never mind. I’ll have some tea and rest a bit before moving on. Even if my second senior brother realizes I’ve run off, he won’t be able to catch up now. Jinjiang is still two or three hours away—I can’t just keep pressing on like this. The water here may not be anything special, but it’ll have to do to fill my stomach; better than nothing.” The mist had thinned somewhat, and though the view was still hazy, she could make out several figures seated not far off, apparently sipping tea. That in itself was odd—since when did travelers arrive so early, even here?

Though curious, Qiu Wan’er paid the matter little heed. Perhaps, like herself, these people were in a hurry. Most who came to the foot of Mount Qilian did so for the mountain, but the roads here did not all lead to the same place. The eastern path, for instance, offered the quickest route to Tanzhou, though it was treacherous and narrow—only those in urgent need would choose it. The safer route followed the river below.

Yet she had taken only a dozen steps when her advance was arrested. Her eyes widened, surprise evident, as if she had just seen someone she should not have. Pausing for an instant, she quickly turned and moved cautiously toward Jinjiang, her steps small and deliberate, as though fearful of alerting the men ahead.

The three men sat at different points around a tea table, all dressed in plain azure robes. Though not destitute, they were far from the airs of wealthy young masters. One bore a small, faded patch on his shoulder, the color betraying how long the garment had been worn. Still, they were all spotlessly clean, their appearance refreshingly tidy. None of them looked more than a few years older than she—men in their early twenties, not unattractive so long as they kept themselves presentable. There was nothing especially remarkable about their presence here, save for the arrangement on the table: three men, but four cups, and the fourth—untouched—was filled with steaming tea, the mist still rising from it.

“Well now, little junior sister, isn’t this a bit unkind of you? Your senior brothers even poured your tea, and yet you pass by without so much as a greeting. That really wounds the bonds of our sect. It hurts, you know!” One of them spoke suddenly. Qiu Wan’er could only curse her luck. These men were no strangers; she knew them well, as disciples of the Qilian Sect were few and these three were among the most familiar. The speaker was known as “Straight-brow”—while most people’s eyebrows curved gently like new moons, his were as straight as a line, hence the nickname. He was surnamed Xia, third in his family, and within the sect everyone called him Third Brother Xia. The other two were seventh and eighth in rank—one tall and thin as a bamboo pole, visibly taller than the others, the other somewhat short and plump, though not excessively so. Because of their standing, they were often together, forming a striking pair: a slender bamboo and a stout barrel. Over time, these nicknames had stuck, and Qiu Wan’er could hardly recall their real names.

Now that they had spoken, Qiu Wan’er had no choice but to approach, however unwillingly. She walked over to the tea table with a touch of shyness. Despite the tea’s humble quality, under the heat its aroma was unexpectedly refreshing—a small comfort amid her mixed feelings. Whatever her reluctance, a smile spread across her face as she approached, a smile that to outsiders would seem pleasant enough, yet to these three, especially Third Brother Xia, was enough to make them wary. Perhaps they had suffered too many tricks at her hands before.

“Third Brother, Tall One—Seventh Brother, Eighth Brother—how is it you’re here? I truly didn’t see you just now, my apologies!” She gave a slight bow and sat down. She had been about to call them Bamboo Pole and Stout Barrel out of habit, but realized such nicknames might not be appropriate at the moment, and so corrected herself. The change felt odd to her, and evidently to the other two as well. Such is the way with old habits—they are not easily broken. Still, she was comforted by the cup of hot tea before her, and after a hasty sip—though it scalded her lips—the fragrance was truly enjoyable.

“Junior sister, you’re a clever one—there’s no need to play dumb with us. Whatever you plan to do, that’s why we’re here. Master instructed us personally: no matter what, you’re not to leave Mount Qilian today. Best you come back with us obediently.” Third Brother Xia was not inclined to conceal anything; there would have been little point here. Qiu Wan’er, as if half expecting this, merely let her face darken slightly, cursing inwardly: “That wretched old man! It was bad enough that he slipped away quietly last night, but to have them intercept me here—he’s gone too far!”

“Don’t be angry with Master, junior sister; he has his reasons.” As though reading her thoughts, Third Brother Xia added. Embarrassed at having been seen through, Qiu Wan’er quickly masked her feelings, offering a sweet, ingratiating smile. “What are you saying, Third Brother? How could I blame Master? He only worries that without supervision I’ll make trouble I can’t fix—I understand completely. You three are only doing your duty, and I admire you for it. But today is different. I’m not sneaking down the mountain for fun; I’m searching for Senior Brother. You saw how worried Master was last night—we can’t leave him to fend for himself, can we?”

“You make a fair point, junior sister, and I, the eighth, agree and admire you for it. But today, whatever the reason, you can’t leave the mountain. Especially not for Senior Brother. So you’d best come back with us,” the plump one spoke before Third Brother Xia could respond. This was not unexpected—she knew they would do all they could to stop her—but as soon as he spoke, confusion rose in her heart. “Especially not for Senior Brother?” No matter how she turned the phrase, it made no sense.