The city walls were towering and majestic, with a bustling scene below. There were commoners discussing among themselves, guards conducting checks, scholars elegantly discussing the spring scenery, and old friends catching up.
“Did you come from outside the city? Did you arrive just in time for the first day of the month?” the heroine asked.
“Just as planned,” Song You replied.
“Why did you arrive so late?” she inquired.
“I was delayed on the road,” he admitted.
The Daoist and the heroine stood face to face at the city gate.
“I was worried that you might not come to Changjing at all or that you might have come but not sought me out,” Heroine Wu said with a smile. “Or perhaps you remembered the wrong gate.”
“I was concerned that you might have forgotten the agreement we made or that I might have arrived too late, and you would no longer be in Changjing,” Song You confessed. “Or that you might be here but think I would not come.”
The heroine tucked her hands into her sleeves and continued chatting with him, “People of the jianghu value trust and integrity. If we didn’t have an agreement, that would be another matter. But since we did, how could we easily breach our trust with each other?
“I had some business to attend to and arrived late that day. By the time I got here, it was already dark and the city gates were about to close. I kept waiting but never saw you, so I suspected you might have come that day and we just missed each other.”
“When was that?” Song You asked.
“Last May,” she answered.
“Then why did you continue coming after that?”
“I just had a suspicion! If not, wouldn’t I disappoint you?” She continued, “If you could deliver a letter from so far away, surely you wouldn’t possibly come to Changjing and not seek me out?”
“Indeed...”
Song You couldn't help but reflect on how she must have been disappointed many times over the past two years—when she had been waiting here every day for a month, and then every first day of the month for over twenty months.
“Let’s go! Let’s enter the city!” The heroine then led the way into the city.
As they walked, she glanced back at his horse and remarked, “Your horse has grown even more beautiful, and its coat is so shiny. What do you feed it?”
It seemed like things were much the same as they had been back then.
Song You followed behind her, glancing up at the city gate. He crossed thousands of mountains and rivers to get here.
At last, he arrived at Changjing.
***
As they walked through the bustling streets of Changjing, the city displayed its grandeur and prosperity. The streets were crowded with people coming and going and heavy traffic, yet it was different from the busy scene in Anqing County.
Anqing County was too small, with narrow streets that were crowded only during the Great Liujiang Gathering. In contrast, Changjing had wide avenues and the entire city was immense, still packed with traffic and people. If one looked closely, many faces from the west and even farther lands could be seen, with varied hair colors, skin tones, and eyes.
Song You moved through the city calmly, taking in his surroundings.
In this moment, the Great Yan was undeniably a grand empire, and Changjing was undoubtedly a magnificent city. Its splendor was dreamlike, boasting the largest area, the most people, the greatest wealth, and the most powerful authority in the known world. There was no one in this era who did not marvel at it.
Yet, as Song You walked through it, he also sensed much demonic aura. It was as if demons and monsters were as enamored with the city’s prosperity as the people from distant lands.
“You haven’t changed much in these two years,” the heroine said.
“You remain as charming as ever,” Song You replied.
“Say what you will, I don’t even have a mirror to verify your remarks,” she joked.
“Every word I say is true.”
Song You shifted his gaze from Changjing to the heroine. Her round face still looked youthful and did not look aged at all. Two years ago, she had looked young, and often hid her face to avoid being underestimated. It seemed that nothing had changed.
“Alright...” Song You looked around casually.
The houses here were all two-story buildings facing the street, which was convenient for shopping but likely noisy in the morning. Generally, the downstairs was used for cooking and receiving guests, while the upstairs was for sleeping. Even though the space was small, it was well-equipped.
This worked fine too. If it were a whole courtyard, he definitely wouldn’t be able to afford it; even if he could, it would probably have to be shared with several tenants.
Living here wasn’t as comfortable and serene as the elegant small courtyard in Yidu, but it was not uncomfortable either. It offered a sense of freedom and was closer to the everyday life of the common people, possibly providing a different kind of experience.
“This place doesn’t have space for keeping a horse, but there’s a place nearby that specializes in horse boarding. They have boarded many horses and charge reasonable fees. You just need to visit regularly, take the horse out for exercise, and clean it. I can take you there later,” Heroine Wu said as she found the key.
As they walked outside, Song You said, “I noticed there are many barren mountains outside the city. I’ll let the horse roam freely, and I’ll look for it later.”
“Will you be able to find it?”
“If fate allows it.”
“What if you can’t find it?”
“Then it must have found its own way of life.”
“Heh...” Heroine Wu smiled broadly, having opened the door and handed him the key. She didn’t enter but leaned against the door, watching him and asking, “Have you had dinner?”
“Not yet.”
Heroine Wu continued to lean by the door. “Unfortunately, it’s already dark. Recently, the city has been plagued by demons and ghosts, and the palace has imposed a curfew. The guards patrol every day. We’ll have to postpone our meal until tomorrow, and I’ll host you then. By the way, you’d better bring your horse inside tonight.
“I happen to have a pot of vegetable porridge left over from yesterday. I’m worried it won’t be good by tomorrow. If you don’t mind, you can have it to fill your stomach.”
Song You said, “I still owe you a meal.”
“Right, then you can treat me tomorrow.”
“Do you have any recommendations for good restaurants?”
“There’s a lamb soup noodle place down the street that’s quite good.”
“Lamb soup noodles?”
“What’s wrong? Don’t you eat lamb?”
“It’s too simple.”
“Isn’t it good enough if it’s tasty?”
“I owe you a good meal.”
“Oh...” Heroine Wu, leaning by the door, thought for a moment and said, “Then I’ll add two more slices of lamb.”
Song You couldn’t help but smile.
It seemed that the heroine noticed that Song You had just arrived in Changjing and that his finances might be a bit tight. She couldn’t bear to have him spend too much money. Her response was quite charming, and not wishing to argue further, Song You decided to save up a bit more money and take her to the legendary Yunchun Restaurant for a meal.
It was already dark.
Heroine Wu brought an oil lamp so he could settle into the house. By the time he finished tidying up, the vegetable porridge was already warmed up.
The so-called vegetable porridge was just chopped vegetables cooked with rice, without any other flavors. It seemed to be something the heroine usually ate, and it was not suitable for receiving guests. But under these circumstances, she didn’t feel embarrassed about taking it out to make do for a friend.
Each of them had a bowl of porridge and sipped it. The porridge was steaming hot and quite comforting.
By the time he finished drinking, he had raised the bowl and tilted his head back with an open heart. Even the thin porridge tasted like a delicacy.
Only the cat refused to eat it, looking around with its head up. It was already aware of the world inside the walls and underground nearby, pondering whether to eat from its own home or someone else’s tonight.