To Travel by the Edge of a Creek

Chapter 39: Departure

With Jiang Ling insisting, Shangguan Qing did not pressure her, and the two of them were off. 

Vendors lined the street, their short booths stretching so far into the distance that one could not see the end of them. They hawked their wares, the scene bustling and lively. 

There were some stalls roasting meat from Xiyu. Large slabs of mutton were sizzling over a charcoal fire dripping oil, the rich aroma causing passersby to salivate. There were also some vendors selling hot cakes who kneaded white dough into various shapes, from long twists to flatbreads. 

The night market was crowded. Merchants surrounded the ceramics and gemstone shops. Their horses and donkeys were laden with goods, and they left after a good day’s business, smiles on their faces.  

Shangguan Qing bought two hot cakes and passed one toward Jiang Ling, “Here, it’s fresh. Eat it while it’s still hot.”

But Jiang Ling was rubbing her lips in a daze. He Xi had kissed her again just now, the cool, soft touch of her lips all the more clear. He Xi’s lonely expression filled Jiang Ling’s mind. She seemed very unhappy just now. 

“A Ling, did you both have a fight?” Seeing how Jiang Ling’s heart was not it and recalling the delicate atmosphere back at the inn, Shangguan Qing figured that they must have fought. That Manichaen Saintess had such an odd temper, yet Jiang Ling had actually endured for so long. 

“No.” Jiang Ling pressed her lips together. She raised her spirits anew, “Let’s keep strolling on.”

“Miss, come have a look at this first-rate red gemstone from Xiyu.” A gemstone vendor called out to Jiang Ling, a crimson red gemstone in his hand. 

“Gemstone?” He Xi had once worn a red gemstone on her forehead. Jiang Ling had shattered it with her sword three years ago, and when she saw He Xi again, her forehead was unadorned. 

“Sir, how much is this gemstone?” Jiang Ling wanted to buy one for He Xi. 

“You have a good eye, miss. This one was just polished in Xiyu and is second to none in quality. See, look how the color shines and how clear it is.” The vendor looked meaningfully at Jiang Ling, then continued to lavish on praise, “I think such a fated meeting worth thirty liang, no?”

“A Qing, you have some money, right?” Jiang Ling pulled Shangguan Qing over and whispered, “I’ll pay you back.” She did not have any money on her. He Xi had kept it for safekeeping, and she also said that there was not enough for their travels. She could only ask to borrow some from Shangguan Qing, then repay her later after going on a few jobs with Wang Tianqi. 

Shangguan Qing told directly that she did not need to repay her, then turned to negotiate with the vendor and bought the gemstone for a final price of twenty liang. Jiang Ling held that shimmery crimson red gemstone, exceedingly happy; He Xi would like it, for sure, “Thank you, A Qing. But, I will definitely pay you back another time.”

Jiang Ling finished strolling around the night market and bought some food for He Xi. After bidding farewell to Shangguan Qing, she walked back toward the inn. At this time of day, people were sparse, and a few dust-covered lamps struggled to illuminate the road. The night breeze stirred the wisps of hair on Jiang Ling’s forehead, and as the nip in the air grew stronger, Jiang Ling quickened her pace. 

Passing by the inn, Jiang Ling glanced up to see that her and He Xi’s room on the second floor was dark. Did He Xi go to sleep this early?

Jiang Ling’s heart unconsciously started to pound. She swiftly returned to the inn and gently pushed open the door of their room, calling out softly: “He Xi, I’ve brought some refreshments…”

The room was pitch black and frighteningly still. 

“He Xi?” She lit the lamp in a flurry, but all that answered her sight was neatly tidied bedding and four bare walls. Only Jiang Ling’s belongings were remaining. A piece of paper had been left on the table, weighed down by a heavy bag of silver. 

Jiang Ling’s vision darkened. She picked up the paper, her hands trembling—Worry not, be well.[1] 

“Pah!” The paper was smacked onto the table. She leapt out of the room, a cool wind sweeping through in her wake, stirring the paper into flight before it at last landed softly upon the ground. 

“He Xi, where are you?” Jiang Ling scoured the area around the inn, holding back her tears, but found neither hide nor hair of He Xi. 

With the winter wind came dark clouds that blotted out the sky and shimmering snowflakes that dusted the ground. They landed on the tip of Jiang Ling’s nose, thus transforming into dewy water droplets before sliding off. 

Jiang Ling lay on the inn’s eaves. As she pressed the red gemstone against her chest, she clenched it in her fist, her palm appearing as thought it was dripping blood. Her face was covered in a sheen of either tears or melted snow, the difference indiscernible, that red gemstone in hand, radiating a faint warmth. 

“A Qing, cough cough, I’m returning this to you.” Jiang Ling went to the Yueluo Sect and found Shangguan Qing, returning the twenty liang to her. 

Shangguan Qing accepted the silver, but saw the Jiang Lings complex looked poor, “A Ling, are you alright?”

Jiang Ling covered her mouth and let out a couple of coughs, “I’m fine. I wasn’t careful and slept outside yesterday.”

“What? Why did you sleep outside? It snowed.” Shangguan Qing flew into a rage as soon as she heard it, “Did that He Xi toss you out? Why didn’t you look for me?”

“No, don’t misunderstand her. I was admiring the snow and fell asleep accidentally.” Jiang Ling forced a smile, “It was my first time seeing snow.”

Shangguan Qing only half believed her. She pressed her hand against Jiang Ling’s forehead. Fortunately, she was not running a fever, “Where’d you get the money?” She had clearly said she did not have enough, which is why the two of them were sharing a room. How could she suddenly have an extra twenty liang to give to her?

“He Xi, she…” Jiang Ling felt a dull ache in her heart when she mentioned He Xi. She furrowed her brow, forcing her tears away, “She left it for me.”

He Xi had left her enough money, despite always saying that they were low on money. 

“‘Left’?” Shangguan Qing finally understood Jiang Ling’s strange behavior today, “She left you behind? How could she?!”

Hearing Shangguan Qing criticize He Xi prodded her sore spot, and she defended her, “Don’t blame her. It was my fault. I caused her to be unhappy.” Tears leaked out her eyes. 

“…” Shangguan Qing thought Jiang Ling was really beating herself up for something beyond her control. Ever since she had returned from Xiyu with that damned Saintess He Xi, it was like they had turned into a single person. They did everything together—she also thought of her when she went out shopping—and she had even slept out in the snow because of her last night, not to mention her crying over her now. 

“What exactly is your relationship with her?” It did not make sense that such profound feelings existed between two people who had known each other for just over two months. Furthermore, even if there was gratitude for her saving her life, there was still the grievance about Gu Yun, and disregarding their closeness, she could constantly sense a faint hostility from He Xi. 

Not expecting Shangguan Qing to question her relationship with He Xi too, Jiang Ling suddenly felt like she was on a rotating spit above a fire; just as one side was cooked, her other side was next for the roasting. She had never heard of a relationship to be had between two women besides friends and sisters, “I…I don’t know. I just like being with her.”

“Are you both…”

“What?”

Shangguan Qing thought her conjecture was too bold. Seeing Jiang Ling’s innocent expression, she figured she was overthinking. Furthermore, He Xi had already left; speaking more on the subject would add unnecessary trouble, “Nothing. It’s stopped snowing, and it’ll be cold as it thaws. I’ll grab a coat for you in a bit.”

Jiang Ling fastened the closures on her dark blue coat. It seemed like it would snow. Wang Tianqi said that they should set out early, for if they waited until the snow arrived, they would not be able to leave Longxi. All Jiang Ling had to do was ready her horse and things, then go to Wang Tianqi. 

Seeing Jiang Ling arrive alone, Wang Tianqi asked doubtfully: “Where’s your sister?”

Jiang Ling helped a few of the men sort some goods, feigning casualness, “Something came up at home. She went back first.” She coughed lightly as she spoke. 

“A Qiu, make some ginger soup for her so she can warm up.” Wang Tianqi was a considerate man, “This damned weather, it’s like it’s jinxed.”

A Qiu was Wang Tianqi’s wife as well as an armed escort. She was amiable and gentle, and if it were not for the thick calluses marking her hands, she would truly not look like a martial arts practitioner. She worked in Longxi and was returning with Wang Tianqi for the New Year. 

Jiang Ling accepted the ginger soup from A Qiu, “Thank you, Sister-In-Law.” Jiang Ling sipped the tea, her body warming up gradually. 

The escort group set off as soon as they finished packing up, heading south. The flurries grew stronger and stronger and the snow on the ground thicker and thicker. They had to push the carts through snow banks several times, but fortunately the escort group moved swiftly and were able to leave Longxi before the roads were blocked by snow. As soon as they got out of Longxi, the snowfall lessened significantly and the roads were easier to traverse. 

The escort group traveled continuously for two days until they reached Shanzhou, where they rested at a posthouse. Shanzhou was not as cold as Longxi, so Jiang Ling carefully stowed away her coat. 

The posthouse was small, but Wang Tianqi specially set aside a room for A Qiu and Jiang Ling while he and a few of the men stayed in another. 

Jiang Ling took a bath, then sat on the bed in her middle clothes, drying her hair. 

Seeing that Jiang Ling was going to bed after just drying her hair, A Qiu asked, “Your braids from before were pretty. Aren’t you going to braid your hair?”

Jiang Ling covered her face with the pillow, her voice muffled: “I don’t know how.”

With A Qiu asking about it, the little things she had done with He Xi floated to the top of her mind. When they were practically inseparable, He Xi would comb and plait beautiful braids into her hair, complimenting her, saying how pretty she was…

“He Xi…” Jiang Ling murmured, her head covered. She missed her so much. 

“Sister-In-Law, how did you and Wang-dage meet?” Jiang Ling poked her head out to ask. 

A Qiu’s face lit up with happiness when Wang Tianqi was mentioned. She said she was an armed escort in a small company, and when they were on a job, they encountered a group of bandits. Just as their cargo was about to be stolen, Wang Tianqi and his escort company lent them a helping hand. They continued on their journeys together, their two companies growing closer. 

“Don’t be fooled by his bulky appearance. He is very meticulous and treats me very well.” The corners of A Qiu’s lips hooked upward as she reminisced on her good times with Wang Tianqi, almost as though she had returned to the first stirrings of love in her youth. 

Seeing A Qiu’s expression, Jiang Ling sat up, her eyes bright, “How does it feel to like someone? That kind of like, the kind you have Wang-dage have.”

A Qiu sat on the bed, hugging her legs. She tilted her head up, thinking, “Liking someone means that you desire to always be with them, and when separated, to often think of them and miss them.”

A Qiu turned her head and looked at Jiang Ling, her face full of mirth, “Xiao Ling’er, do you have a young man you fancy?”

Liking someone was like that, was it? To want to be with her at every moment, and when not, always think of her, miss her. 

Jiang Ling was still in a daze when A Qiu teased: “You must be missing your young man.”

Jiang Ling ducked her head under the blanket, her face red, “I don’t have a young man.” Not a young man. 

A Qiu merely thought that she was bashful. 

Jiang Ling pulled out the gemstone from where it hung on a red string around her neck. She clutched it tightly in her hand. Did she treat He Xi as A Qiu treated Wang-dage? They could be like that too, right?

Holding the warm gemstone, Jiang Ling quietly drifted off to sleep and dreamt of the time spent with the old couple in the oasis.