Chapter 38 | White Stone, Red Lips
Li Jing stayed at Yuan Ji's home for half a month, claiming he needed to deliver news of Zhang Yu to Wushan as soon as possible, though his true intention was to return to Jiangling to see Meiniang. The Yuan brothers did not press him to stay, providing him with directions, returning his gold leaves, and even giving him travel expenses. They accompanied him to the estate gate with Yuan Tiangang, bidding him farewell with tears.
It was early spring, and Sichuan was bursting with life. During his stay, the Yuan family had treated Li Jing with great kindness. The brothers had taught him cultivation techniques, and Yuan Shoucheng had even introduced him to the art of pigeon messaging. Though rudimentary, it fascinated the young Li Jing. Pigeons, it turned out, were highly intelligent creatures. They required careful nurturing to build trust and respond to specific whistles. The most challenging part was mastering "pigeon language," which Yuan Shoucheng had learned from Monk Sengcan and the old boatman Zhen Shicheng. Despite days of practice, Li Jing struggled to grasp it. Pigeons were loyal to their homes and could navigate back from great distances. To send a message from Qingcheng to Langzhong, one simply had to take the pigeon to Langzhong, attach the message to its leg, and release it. However, the risk of predators or arrows meant not all messages would arrive. Yuan Shoucheng had devised a method: splitting the message into five parts and sending them at different times, using coded language to avoid leaks.
During his stay, the Yuan brothers never mentioned the "Human Division" swordsmen or took Li Jing up Mount Qingcheng. The longer he stayed, the more mysterious they seemed. However, his primary concern had always been Yuan Tiangang's safety. Now, even if the Shadowless Ghost Hand were to return, he couldn't breach the heavily guarded Mount Qingcheng. Li Jing felt reassured. But were the Yuan family's death warriors truly just for protecting the mountain? Was Nie Yunfeng really only there to learn pigeon messaging? What was the connection between Du Ji's Qingcheng Inn and the Yuan family? Having faced numerous dangers, Li Jing knew these mysteries were beyond his reach. His heart was set on Meiniang—even his concern for the Fisherwoman of Wushan outweighed his curiosity about the Yuan family.
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On the evening of the third day, Li Jing arrived at Wanchuan and stayed at the Wanchuan Inn. The innkeeper recognized him and greeted him warmly. "Your room has already been paid for, and Monk Xuyun left a letter for you." He handed over the letter. Li Jing recognized the messy handwriting as Xuyun's. The note was brief, instructing Li Jing to leave the gray horse at the inn and take a boat downstream. If needed, he could send word to Langzhong, and Xuyun would come to his aid.
The next morning, Li Jing boarded a boat heading east. The river was swift, and the boat moved quickly. Passing beneath White Emperor City, Li Jing thought of the cheerful Gu Musheng, feeling a warm nostalgia. By midday, the boat reached the ferry at the foot of Wushan. Li Jing disembarked and followed a path lined with wildflowers up the mountain. The path was deserted, and when he reached the stone formation, he carefully navigated it as Gu Musheng had taught him. Despite the spring warmth, the stone formation felt eerily cold. This time, he made no mistakes. Emerging from the formation, he saw someone sitting cross-legged under a withered tree—it was Gu Musheng.
Gu Musheng opened his eyes and said, "Brother Li, you're back?" as if welcoming a long-lost sibling.
Li Jing approached and bowed. Gu Musheng led the way, chatting as they walked. "Three months ago, Senior Sister escorted Master Xie north. The master is in seclusion, and you must be hungry. Let me get you something to eat."
Li Jing had no intention of staying long. He only wanted to relay the news about Zhang Yu. After sharing Nie Yunfeng's information, he prepared to leave. Gu Musheng said, "Brother Li, there are no boats to Jiangling today. Stay the night and leave tomorrow. Since you left, only Hua Qingfeng and Lai Hu'er have visited. Guarding the mountain alone has been lonely. Stay and keep me company."
Li Jing asked for details. It turned out that three months ago, Hua Qingfeng and Lai Hu'er had fought their way to Wushan. Hua Qingfeng, skilled in formations and traps, easily passed through the stone formation but trapped Lai Hu'er inside. Hua Qingfeng was captured by the Fisherwoman of Wushan and imprisoned in a stone chamber at the mountain's peak. After three days, the Fisherwoman ordered Gu Musheng to guide Lai Hu'er out of the formation, and he disappeared.
That night, Li Jing rested in a thatched hut and asked Gu Musheng for sword-fighting tips. Though Gu Musheng couldn't teach him secret techniques, he shared valuable combat insights, praising Li Jing's rapid progress. At dawn, Li Jing dreamed of Meiniang standing on a cliff's edge, pursued by a masked figure. She slipped and fell... Li Jing woke with a start, drenched in cold sweat. Gu Musheng entered, and Li Jing, unwilling to reveal the truth, claimed it was just a nightmare. Neither could sleep, so they lit a lamp and chatted.
Li Jing recalled Gu Musheng's earlier mention of a "misfortune in the sect." He said, "Brother Gu, you once mentioned that your master's teacher was poisoned by a Western toxin, and after your aunt mysteriously escaped, Hua Qingfeng arrived at Wushan. I feel these events might be connected. Hua Qingfeng is a disciple of Master Zixiao, and Kongtong is close to the Western Regions. Could he have deliberately allowed himself to be captured, harboring ulterior motives?"
Gu Musheng nodded. "Brother Li, you're very perceptive. The master is in seclusion but has been observing Hua Qingfeng in secret. However... now that you've brought news of Master Zhang, the master may need to go to Chang'an... Return to Luzhou first, and I'll investigate further."
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At dawn, Li Jing descended the mountain to wait for a boat. By dusk, he arrived at the Listening Wind Cottage. The courtyard walls were unchanged, but the warm river breeze had brought the garden to life. The gate was open, and the yellow dog recognized Li Jing, running over to nuzzle his leg and whimper softly. Li Jing patted its head and followed it into the courtyard, his heart filled with tender emotions.
The setting sun bathed the mountains. Under the flower trellis, Zhang Ke sat quietly, holding a scroll, as serene as a meditating monk. Li Jing approached, and Zhang Ke looked up, saying softly, "Why did it take you so long to return? Though... even if you'd come earlier, it wouldn't have made a difference."
Li Jing was puzzled. After greeting Zhang Ke, he glanced inside and whispered, "Is Meiniang... here?"
Zhang Ke gestured for him to sit and sighed. "I'm afraid... you may never see Meiniang again."
Li Jing's heart ached. Had something happened to Meiniang? He stared at Zhang Ke, wanting to ask but finding his throat too tight to speak. His hands trembled slightly.
"After you left... Meiniang was taken to the palace," Zhang Ke said, his voice calm but his face aged. Li Jing felt a weight lift—Meiniang was a princess, so returning to the palace was natural.
But Zhang Ke's next words struck like a thunderbolt: "On the first day of the twelfth lunar month last year, envoys from Chang'an arrived in Jiangling to escort Meiniang for her wedding... The procession was grand, with countless jewels and gold as betrothal gifts. With the emperor's permission, they departed on the third day, and the wedding took place in Chang'an on the twenty-eighth. Recent news confirms that Meiniang has been named the Princess of Jin."
Li Jing's vision darkened, and he nearly collapsed. The Princess of Jin... The Prince of Jin was Yang Guang, the second son of the current emperor—the same "Turkic prince" who had harassed Meiniang at Liucun Ferry and orchestrated Yang She's murder! Li Jing felt the world spinning, a suffocating weight pressing on his chest, leaving him numb.
Perhaps anticipating this, Zhang Ke quickly stood and patted his back.
Li Jing finally caught his breath, tears streaming down his face. He croaked, "What did... Meiniang say?"
"Would her words matter?" Zhang Ke spread his hands. "The Prince of Jin had his eye on Meiniang since Nanchao. He sent General Lai Hu'er to escort her secretly. Upon returning to Chang'an, he petitioned the emperor for her hand."
"But... weddings require betrothal gifts, consultations, and auspicious dates... And Meiniang's birth date was considered inauspicious..." Li Jing felt the marriage had been rushed, like a military campaign, defying convention.
"Brother Li, the Prince of Jin is decisive and unconventional," Zhang Ke said. "The imperial family can bend the rules. As for the birth date, a renowned diviner in the envoy's entourage declared it highly auspicious, pleasing the emperor. Meiniang was married as a princess of the Sui dynasty. The union strengthened ties between Liang and Sui, and Jiangling celebrated for three days."
Li Jing suddenly thought of Qingni and the orphan girl A'yue and asked where they were. Zhang Ke replied, "Qingni was Meiniang's maid and should have accompanied her to Chang'an. But for some reason, the envoys only allowed Meiniang to travel north, forbidding anyone from Liang to join. This past January, the emperor ordered Qingni and A'yue to reside in the third prince's estate."
The third prince was Xiao Huan. Li Jing had a favorable impression of him and knew he was fond of A'yue. Likely, he had taken them in to care for A'yue after Meiniang's departure. As for Master Puzhao, he had been appointed abbot of Jiangling's Great Temple of Repaying Kindness.
Li Jing, unwilling to accept this, asked, "Uncle, you raised Meiniang. Didn't you receive any rewards?"
Zhang Ke sighed. "I need no rewards. Peace and contentment are blessings enough. Brother Li, the world is ever-changing. You're still young. Building a name for yourself is the right path. Don't let this weigh on you..."
Li Jing finally broke down, sobbing. "Did... did Meiniang leave any message?"
Zhang Ke shook his head gently. "When the palace envoys came to take her, no one returned afterward. Brother Li, Meiniang is now a princess. Even if she wanted to leave you a message, she likely couldn't—this is also to protect you."
Li Jing understood. If Yang Guang learned of Meiniang's feelings for him, it could mean death. Lai Hu'er had hinted as much after the shipwreck. Given Lai Hu'er's character, he likely hadn't revealed the truth to Yang Guang. Qingni, not accompanying Meiniang north, wouldn't speak of it either. Zhang Ke, of course, would remain silent. But why had Yang Guang rushed the marriage, skipping the usual protocols?
Li Jing's head buzzed, and he felt utterly insignificant and helpless. Zhang Ke didn't press him, instead preparing a simple meal. Li Jing only managed half a bowl of porridge. That night, he slept in the cottage, on the same low bed as months before. But the room felt empty without the person he longed for. Moonlight streamed through the window, and the river wind howled as before, but sleep eluded him.
Finally, as Zhang Ke snored, Li Jing slipped out. The yellow dog wagged its tail and led him outside. Under the bright moonlight, Li Jing wandered aimlessly. He didn't know where to go—Luzhou? Chang'an? Back to his hometown in Sanyuan? To his father's post in Zhao Commandery? Or perhaps roam the world alone like Nie Yunfeng? He couldn't decide. All he knew was that without Meiniang, he would never be happy or passionate. His growing strength felt meaningless, like a walking corpse. What did it matter where he went or what he did?
Following the yellow dog, Li Jing wandered in a daze. After what felt like an eternity, the dog suddenly barked, shattering the mountain's silence. Li Jing looked up and realized they had reached Seven Star Pool. The dog couldn't climb the white stone pile and barked anxiously. Li Jing suddenly wondered if Meiniang had brought the dog here before. He patted the dog, telling it to wait, and climbed over the stones.
The pool's water was still clear under the moonlight, though higher than last year. Memories of his vow with Meiniang here months ago flashed through his mind, making the world seem devoid of life. Standing there, Li Jing suddenly felt the urge to jump into the pool. It was a thought he'd never had before, a dark cloud enveloping his heart... He stepped toward the deep, icy water, which jolted him awake. Terrified by his own thoughts, he stumbled back and collapsed onto a smooth white stone.
In the bright moonlight, something caught his eye. Looking closer, he saw two lines of text:
"Body bound to lakes and seas,
Heart tied to Jade Pool."
The words, written in ink, were faint but still legible, their elegant strokes unmistakably feminine. Li Jing recognized Meiniang's handwriting from the boat manuals she had copied at Listening Wind Cottage. His heart raced. Beside the words was a dark red mark, like a seal used by calligraphers. He tilted his head, letting the moonlight illuminate it. The mark resembled two petals joined together. After a long moment, his heart raced again—it was a lip print. Made from cinnabar and oil, it had been pressed onto the stone. Months of exposure to wind, sun, and rain had turned it dark red.
In that moment, Li Jing's heart surged like a tidal wave. Before leaving Listening Wind Cottage, Meiniang must have known she would be married off to Chang'an and that she could no longer communicate with Li Jing. She had brought the yellow dog here and left this message. Li Jing recalled how Meiniang had once compared herself to a fish in the pool, and he understood her meaning—though her body would be bound to the outside world, her heart would always belong to this pure, secluded place. The lip print was her silent declaration of love.
Li Jing stood frozen under the moonlight, tears streaming uncontrollably...
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The Great Temple of Repaying Kindness was the largest temple in Liang, located in the southwest corner of Jiangling. After escorting Li Jing there, Zhang Ke sighed and left. Master Puzhao led Li Jing to a meditation room. Li Jing confessed that he was not truly a disciple of Monk Sengcan, though Puzhao already knew. The truth, spoken by Li Jing himself, carried more sincerity. The previous night, after much contemplation, Li Jing had decided that the mortal world held nothing for him. He wished to become a monk under Puzhao's guidance and devote himself to spiritual practice.
Puzhao said solemnly, "Young benefactor, you are too young and your worldly ties are unbroken. It is unwise to renounce the world now. I advise you to return home to ease your parents' worries."
Li Jing clasped his hands. "The Buddha is merciful. Please accept me as your disciple."
Puzhao replied, "All beings suffer from greed, anger, and delusion. You are young and have fallen in love, yet you seek to transcend social barriers—this is greed. Your beloved has been taken by a noble, and you resent it—this is anger. You are blinded by emotion, ignorant of cause and effect—this is delusion. These three poisons have consumed you. Even if you chant sutras day and night, how can you rid yourself of them? Moreover, my cultivation is shallow, and you are a subject of Sui. It would be better to seek guidance from great masters like Huike or Sengcan."
Li Jing's heart stirred. But if he returned to Luzhou or Sanyuan, his uncle and father would never allow him to become a monk. Hiding in Jiangling would only lead to his family's futile search. Resigned, he unbuckled the Guxing sword and knelt, offering it. "Master, your martial skills are unparalleled. I obtained this sword in Sichuan and wish to offer it to you. Please accept me."
Puzhao chanted a Buddhist mantra. "This sword is indeed divine, but Buddhists embrace compassion. How can we accept a weapon? Please take it back."
At that moment, a young monk entered and announced: The third prince wishes to see Young Master Li. His carriage is outside the temple.