Unintended Immortality

With the mountains high and the emperor far away[1], the grass grows thick, and bandits abound.

After a night's rest, Song You headed towards Lingbo County from the ferry crossing, a journey of nearly a hundred li. Apart from the winding and difficult mountain paths, the dense forests and tall grass, they encountered two groups of mountain bandits along the way who stopped them.

However, upon seeing he was a genuine Daoist, both groups of mountain bandits let him go without any trouble.

Speaking of silver money, Song You did still have some silver on him. He had left home with about twenty taels of silver. The traveling merchants on Jinyang Road had given him more than ten taels, and he had earned another twenty taels as the reward for catching the earth-traversing burglar. However, the cost of living in Yidu was quite high, and he had not skimped on his living expenses during his six-month stay there. Despite earning some random income from drawing talismans, he had spent nearly twenty taels.

He had planned to buy a horse or mule with the remaining money and save some as funds for resuming his journey after the beginning of spring. After that, he spent extravagantly when he had money and was frugal when he didn't. Actually, it didn’t matter to him. Unexpectedly, he acquired the horse without spending any money, saving a very significant amount.

If the mountain bandits had known he had almost thirty taels of silver on him, they might not have let him go so easily.

It was already the morning of the second day when Song You arrived in Lingbo County. He used the sun to determine the north, though not very accurately as the sun did not necessarily rise exactly in the east and the city was not divided precisely into east, west, south and north. After some searching and asking around, he finally reached the north of the city.

It was already close to midday.

He located Ganzao Alley and inquired about Chen Han’s home. By the time he reached their door, the sun was already high over his head. Standing at the doorstep, he hoped that this Chen Han hadn't moved and that he was home that day.

Delivering a letter was already a very difficult task and he didn't want any additional complications.

Thus he knocked lightly with the door knocker. Soon, he heard voices and footsteps from inside. The footsteps grew closer and then stopped at the door. Perhaps the person had just woken up from a noon nap and was tidying his clothes, for he didn't open the door immediately.

A middle-aged man's voice came from inside, “Who are you looking for?”

“I'm looking for Chen Han.”

“And who are you?”

Song You saw a man peeking out at him through the door crack.

“I am an idle cultivator from the mountain wilderness who is traveling through the land. Chen Han's father entrusted me to deliver a letter from home.”

“A letter from home? From where?”

“From a roadside tea stall outside Yidu.”

With a loud bang, the wooden door was immediately pulled open.

Inside stood a thin, dark middle-aged man whose clothes were disheveled. He had a weathered face with a beard. He looked both shocked and respectful.

“I am Chen Han!”

“Then I've found the right person.”

“Did you really come from Yidu?”

“It's true.”

“That's a thousand and six hundred li away!”

“The water route was easy.”

“Mister...”

“No need for formalities.”

“Please come in quickly!” The middle-aged man's lips were trembling.

Song You followed him inside.

There was a courtyard, neither big nor small, with some chickens. He could lead his horse inside.

“My horse is obedient. It doesn't need to be tied and won't wander off. My cat is also sensible and won't harm your chickens.” Song You said, casually pulling out a bamboo tube from his bedding bag and handing it to the man, “I have fulfilled my task!”

Chen Han immediately took the bamboo tube respectfully with trembling hands, unsealing it at once and unfolding the letter. After reading just two or three lines, his eyes were already red.

After finishing the letter, he immediately burst loudly into tears.

Song You quietly stood by.

His speech was muffled by his sobbing, only words like “I’ve been an unfilial child” and “Thank you, Mister” could be vaguely distinguished.

One thought crossed Song You's mind…

A letter from home was indeed worth ten thousand pieces of gold.[2]

Soon, a woman emerged from inside upon hearing the crying. Seeing the situation, she hurriedly helped Chen Han up, fishing out a handkerchief to wipe away his tears. She offered comfort and asked questions for a long time until he calmed down.

“Sorry to have let you witness this, Mister.”

“Not at all.”

“They say that one shouldn’t travel fair while one’s parents are still alive. It's a pity that I, as a son, have been more than a thousand li away for two or three years without returning, causing my old mother to worry herself sick. She even had to ask someone to bring me a letter...”

“Life’s affairs are never as simple as in books.”

“Quick! San Niang, kill a chicken!”

“Understood!”

The woman more or less understood the situation. She didn’t dare to delay at all, and immediately went out to catch a chicken.

In this era, everyone knew how difficult it was to deliver a letter. Someone who went to the trouble of traveling a long distance to deliver a letter deserved more than just reimbursement for travel expenses. Serving good food and drink was merely etiquette, but the sentiment behind it was hard to repay.

Thus smoke rose from the Chen family's kitchen again that afternoon.

It seemed that Song You was actually the first to arrive.

Song You preferred to believe that the mountains were high and the rivers were far, and that the road was difficult and long. Others were hindered by the distance, afraid of mountain bandits, or delayed by their own affairs, and it was not that they intentionally failed to deliver the message.

Perhaps some were still on their way.

“Mister!”

“Yes?”

“Please don’t leave today. Although our home is humble, we have a bed for you to rest in. It will be better than any city inn or temple outside the city.” Chen Han said to him with red eyes.

“Thank you for your hospitality.”

Refusing at this moment would be pointless and would only add to their sense of obligation. Besides, Song You did need a place to stay.

At that moment, knocking unexpectedly came from outside the courtyard.

“Thud, thud, thud.”

The door knocker wasn’t used but it was somewhat more powerful than Song You's knock.

Chen Han hurriedly raised his sleeve cuff to wipe away the tears on his face. He hurried outside after telling Song You.

A gentleman did not stand in a melon patch or under a plum tree[3] so Song You also followed him out.

Before reaching the door, Chen Han called out, “May I ask…who are you looking for?”

Surprisingly, a female voice responded from outside, “Is this Chen Han's residence?”

Chen Han glanced back at Song You. He did not dare to delay and quickly opened the courtyard door.

“It is!”

Outside stood a jianghu person wearing men's clothes whose face was covered by a scarf. She was of average height, and she carried a long saber that was plain in style in her left hand. Reins were wrapped around her wrist and she was leading a yellow southwest horse. She held a bamboo tube containing a letter in her right hand, looking tired and dusty all over.

She glanced inside the house, focusing on Song You before looking at Chen Han.

“Are you Chen Han?”

“I am!”

“Your old father entrusted me to bring you a letter.” She said as she handed the bamboo tube to Chen Han. The way she spoke had the straightforwardness and unrestrained manner of a jianghu person. She paused and added, “However, it seems someone else had already gotten here ahead of me.”

She looked at Song You, who also looked back and nodded to her in greeting.

She chuckled softly.

Traveling a thousand li over numerous mountains and rivers, with bandits along the way. Also, the road ahead was hard to predict. This letter-delivery journey wasn't something an ordinary person could undertake. Skill was secondary, the most important trait was trustworthiness and perseverance.

Chen Han was naturally grateful and repeatedly thanked her, immediately inviting both of them inside.

The red and yellow horses stood side by side in the courtyard as the three of them sat down in the main hall.

Chen Han read the second letter.

The handwriting was different from the first letter and it was evidently written by another person. Even the diction varied, though the sentiment expressed was the same. It was clear that the old man was too embarrassed to burden one official with writing all the letters, so he had asked different officials to write them separately. Reading the letter again, Chen Han not only felt longing as always but could imagine his old father asking one official after another and expressing his longing for his child in front of them. And these officials were also moved by the old man's longing, and patiently organized his long-winded pet phrases into written letters. Each one was written differently, yet all were written with exceptional care.

As Chen Han read, he couldn't help but cry again.

The calico cat jumped onto the table and moved close to watch him cry.

The woman took down the scarf covering her face, revealing a slightly round face. Despite the windblown dust, and her chapped lips, her features were still delicate and youthful. Such a face traveling through the jianghu might only have deterrent power when she was carrying a bloody saber right after she had just used it on someone.

However, she turned around, and cupped her hands to Song You.

“As a jianghu person, I’ll introduce myself first. My surname is Wu, and my name is Suowei. I am a disciple of the Xishan Sect in Yizhou. How do I address you?”

Her voice was far rougher than her appearance suggested.

“I am Song You, and my style name is Menglai. I am a hermit from Lingquan County in Yizhou.”

“You have a good name.”

“Your name also carries a lot of Daoist charm.”

“It was indeed given by a Daoist priest from Qingcheng Mountain. However, I think it doesn't sound good. Perhaps that Daoist priest had given it without thinking.”

“It's more suitable for a man.”

“Jianghu women often take male names.”

“I see.” Song You just felt he had learned something new.

“Which way did you walk? You actually arrived ahead of me.”

“I traveled a section by water.”

Only now did Song You vaguely recall that when he had left the tea stall and walked a few steps before looking back, the old man selling tea was again asking a group of jianghu people where they were headed. She had been among that group of jianghu people.

Fortunately, it wasn't long ago, and the memory hadn't faded.

But to say it hadn't faded wouldn't be entirely accurate either.

If it had not been for the woman delivering the letter and talking to him now, he would not have connected her with his memory since he had just encountered her by chance on the road.

Thus he added, “We meet again.”

“This is the third time we've met.”

“Oh?”

“I think I saw you once at the temple fair in Yidu before.” The jianghu woman placed her saber on the table, speaking in a direct manner. “I saw you wearing a Daoist robe at the time, looking quite young and conspicuous. Later, I returned after walking around the fair, and I saw you go to look for that conjuror. Haha, we were guessing that you probably had your money stolen by that man.”

“Fate.”

“Fate indeed...” The woman repeated, but she continued to look intently at Song You, her eyes eager. “Was your money stolen?”

“Did you make a bet with your companions?”

“Haha, no.” The hearty laugh of a woman was something Song You rarely heard in this era.

“I was just curious.”

“You're an interesting person.”

“Jianghu people meet by chance. Once we part tomorrow, we may never meet again in this vast world. I advise you not to be reserved and speak up quickly.”

“You have a point.” Song You narrowed his eyes and nodded repeatedly.

Her words were also quite interesting.

He then whispered, “Yes.”

“I knew it!” The woman seemed satisfied and asked, “Did you get it back?”

“I did.”

“That man was principled.”

“Yes.”

“But I heard he was caught that night. Were you the one who reported him to the authorities?”

“No, I wasn't.”

“I thought so. I heard that they tried to escape that very night, but in the end there was a sudden winter thunderstorm and a bolt out of the blue which nearly killed them. Probably Grandpa Yuewang had manifested and that’s why they were caught.”

“Perhaps.” Song You wasn’t very interested in chatting.

Chen Han and his wife soon brought out the food.

A whole big old hen which had been stir-fried with mushrooms was served in a large bowl, fragrant and tender. In addition, there was a plate of tofu that had been pan-fried on both sides. Despite the rush, they were good dishes for entertaining guests.

The woman did not stand on ceremony and ate the meat heartily.

Song You was also silent and fed the cat as he ate.

A pile of bones gradually grew on the table. It was truly satisfying.

Chen Han was somewhat intimidated by the woman who was clearly dressed like a jianghu person, but knowing she had traveled from distant parts to deliver the letter, he couldn't possibly be discourteous. Thus he also invited her to stay the night in his home. The woman agreed very readily while she was eating meat. However, she also knew the misgivings in their hearts, and she reassured them she would leave the next morning.

1. Well-known phrase meaning remote places where laws and decrees are not strictly enforced. ☜

2. Allusion to Tang dynasty poet Du Fu’s famous poem “Spring View.” Refer to https://eastasiastudent.net/china/classical/du-fu-spring-view/ ☜

3. Chinese idiom which refers to being in suspicious circumstances or surroundings. ☜

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