Huo Zhan Bai dismounted by the Twenty-Four Bridges in Yangzhou.
It was just the beginning of spring, and although the cold lingered in Jiangnan, it was far more tolerable than the harshness of the northern frontier.
Covered in dust from his journey, Huo Zhan Bai had traveled thousands of miles, day and night, finally returning to Yangzhou on the nineteenth day. As dusk fell and he saw the familiar city, a wave of relief washed over him. Unable to resist his overwhelming exhaustion, he decided to rest for the night.
Familiar with the place, he led his snow hawk and horse to the bridge near Linglong Flower Pavilion.
Mounted on his horse, leaning against the slanting bridge, he cut a stark figure among the youthful, elegant gentlemen in their fine clothes, full of life and merriment. Huo Zhan Bai, in his torn white robes, with hair disheveled and face pale, had not bathed for days. If not for the imposing figure of the prized horse that Xue Zi Ye had gifted him, the maids of Linglong Flower Pavilion might have mistaken him for a beggar and chased him away.
“Liu Feifei—Lady Liu,” he called wearily, pulling out a sachet and shaking it lightly.
The madam recognized it immediately as something Liu, the top courtesan, had given the Young Master of the Huo family half a year ago, and she hurriedly approached, startled. “Seventh Young Master! It’s you? What happened to you? It’s been so long since you came… quickly, come to the private lounge and rest!”
He paid no attention to the madam’s warm reception, handing the horse to a servant and staggering upstairs, heading straight for the familiar room. “Feifei, Feifei!”
“Seventh Young Master, Seventh Young Master!” The madam chased after him anxiously. “Lady Liu… today she’s...”
“Is she entertaining a guest today?” He stopped abruptly.
“No, let him in,” a familiar voice sounded from inside the room. The green-robed beauty opened the door, standing gracefully. “Madam, go downstairs and attend to the other guests.”
“But... Mr. Qian is still...” The madam hesitated.
“Please help me turn him away,” Liu Feifei said with a soft laugh, covering her mouth.
The madam left, and as she closed the door, she saw Huo Zhan Bai already collapsed on the bed, fast asleep. Her expression softened as she watched him.
“You’re back?” She sat by the bed, looking at his pale, exhausted face.
“Mm,” he murmured, feeling his eyelids grow heavier as soon as he touched the bed.
“Is it done? Is it finally over?” she asked, not letting him drift off to sleep just yet. She raised her hand and gently smoothed the furrowed brows on his forehead, murmuring, “Last time, you said that if this mission was successful, everything would be over.”
His brows relaxed, and he exhaled a long breath. “It’s finished.”
The snow hawk perched on the rack chirped in agreement. Liu Feifei froze for a moment, as if she couldn’t believe that years of turmoil had finally come to an end. Then she suddenly laughed. “That’s wonderful—remember when I asked you, ‘When will you let me buy my freedom and follow you?’ You said it couldn’t happen until ‘that matter’ was over. So now, I’ve finally waited long enough.”
Huo Zhan Bai’s body tensed, and he opened his eyes. “Feifei... I came back this time to tell you—”
But before he could finish, Liu Feifei laughed, pressing a finger to his lips.
“Look how scared you are,” she said with a playful smile. “I’m teasing you. Do you even have enough money to buy my freedom? Unless you plan to rob or steal... Though I suppose you have the skills to do it, would you really rob or steal for me?”
He frowned at her, suddenly feeling that this beautiful courtesan had changed after not seeing her for half a year.
He had met her when a group of his dissolute friends had dragged him to this very place. She was the top courtesan of Linglong Flower Pavilion, a clever woman who understood the ways of the world and spoke with elegance. At first, he had been uncomfortable in such a setting, withdrawing to a quiet corner, but she had noticed him and struck up a conversation. They talked for a long time that night, and he left the pavilion slightly drunk.
She had been his first woman.
After that, he came to see her almost every year—once, sometimes twice. Each time he visited, he would ask for her company.
Their relationship was seemingly nothing more than that between a courtesan and her patron. She continued to see other clients, and he had never shown any displeasure. Occasionally, when he returned from his travels, he would bring her curious trinkets, and she would be delighted. He had never told her about his past or present, never shared his pain or joy.
The distance between them was both close and far.
Once, when he was leaving, she had packed his belongings and jokingly asked if she should follow him. He had brushed her off lightly, saying, “Maybe another time.”
After that, she never mentioned it again.
After all, a wandering swordsman and the top courtesan of a brothel belonged to two completely different worlds. She was a smart woman and rarely let herself be foolish. Over time, she had come to understand: the only reason he came to this place was because there was nowhere else for him to go.
“Tonight, I’m afraid you can’t stay,” she said softly, combing her hair with a jade comb, gazing at herself in the mirror. “A few days ago, I promised a Hu merchant to become his second wife. Now, I’m to become a respectable woman.”
He lay on the bed, momentarily stunned. “Congratulations.”
“Ah, thank you,” she smiled, tying her hair into a loose bun with a golden hairpin. “Yes, for a courtesan, the best ending is nothing more than this... Sometimes I used to think I was different from the others, that maybe I could have a better ending. But even if you believe yourself to be unique, what can you do? No one can escape fate.”
Huo Zhan Bai watched her as she dressed, momentarily unsure of what to say.
"Did you come back this time to say goodbye to me?" she continued, picking up the thread of their earlier conversation. As perceptive as she was, she had clearly guessed the words he hadn’t managed to say before.
He nodded silently, then spoke slowly: "I won’t be coming here anymore."
"Is there another place for you to go? Or have you found someone you love?" she asked, smiling wearily with a touch of tenderness. Then, suddenly, she leaned forward and playfully poked him, teasing, "Really, I’m about to get married, and you should at least pretend to be a little disappointed—don’t I, Liu Feifei, have any charm at all?"
He obligingly lowered his eyes, putting on a mock pained expression. "To be abandoned by the top courtesan is an honor."
Liu Feifei burst into a girlish laugh, poking his chest. "Bah! You’re battered and bruised, but your tongue is still sharp."
But the next moment, she grew quiet. She gently stroked his weathered face, gazing into his tired eyes, and sighed, "Still… Bai, you should start thinking about your own future."
She bent down and placed a soft, farewell kiss on his forehead, then left without looking back.
Staring at the closed door, he was suddenly overwhelmed by a deep, bone-weary exhaustion.
Yes, he wouldn’t come back anymore… He wouldn’t come back. It was all over.
Eight long years, and now this passionate, intense chapter of his life was drawing to a close. Indeed, it was time for him to start thinking about his future. He couldn’t continue like this forever… And as these thoughts passed through his mind, an image of the woman in purple flickered in his memory.
With that thought, he fell into a deep sleep, worn out from his journey.
* * *
A little over half a month after Huo Zhan Bai left, the Apothecary Valley returned to its usual tranquility.
This secluded valley, nestled near Mohe in the far north, was like a paradise, with the sound of chickens and dogs, and the bustle of farming life. It seemed entirely disconnected from the disputes of the martial world and the rivalries of Jianghu. Outside, it was a world of snow and frost, but within the valley, the weather was calm and bright.
The ten patients for the year had already been seen, and a new batch of the Returning Heaven Orders had just been taken out of the valley by Shuang Hong. As always, they were secretly sent to various locations across Jianghu, and now all that was left was to wait for those who acquired them to return and seek treatment. For the moment, Xue Zi Ye had some time to herself. She watched the maids busily picking and planting herbs in the garden, but a strange sense of detachment crept over her.
Ming Jie was gone, and Huo Zhan Bai had left as well.
They both had their own paths to follow, paths that no longer intersected with hers.
It felt like a dream… These people had rushed into her life, stirring everything up, and then just as quickly rushed out, leaving nothing behind as they each went their separate ways. She was left alone in this place, where the seasons never changed, waiting aimlessly for a future even she couldn’t foresee.
Instinctively, she reached up to touch her hair, only to remember that she had already given away the purple jade hairpin. Suddenly, she felt a bone-chilling cold, and clutched her purple-gold hand warmer tightly, coughing softly.
"Valley Master!" Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside, and she heard Lü-er’s voice, shrill and frantic, as she rushed inside, waving her arms wildly.
"What is it?" Her heart skipped a beat, a brief flash of hope—could it be that he had returned?
"Valley Master! Valley Master!" Lü-er was panting heavily, almost out of breath, hands on her knees as she gasped. "Something… something bad is happening… At the entrance to the valley… there’s a strange man with blue hair, and he says he wants to see you..."
"Oh?" Xue Zi Ye felt a wave of disappointment and responded calmly, "If he doesn’t have a Returning Heaven Order, I won’t see him."
The orders had only just been sent out a few days ago—it was unlikely any patients would be arriving so soon.
Typically, the orders were distributed from secret locations and eventually found their way into the hands of those in Jianghu. After intense competition, the order would end up with the person most in need and most capable, who would then come to the Apothecary Valley to seek her help. Usually, it took about three months for the first patient to arrive.
"No! He has a Returning Heaven Order!" Lü-er gasped, still trying to catch her breath, "And not just one—he has many!"
"What?!" Xue Zi Ye shot to her feet in shock.
"He… he’s holding ten Returning Heaven Orders!" Lü-er gestured wildly with her hands, her eyes wide with astonishment. "Ten!"
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