After leaving Xiqi and heading north along the road for about five or six li, one would come upon a winding great river.
The river was called “Canglan”, a name meant to evoke vastness and boundless expanse.
The Canglan River flowed past Xiqi, and along this stretch there was a naturally formed harbor where winds were calm, waters deep, and the banks sheltered. It had thus been developed into a ferry crossing known as Canglan Ferry.
Gu Qing and Qiu Niang set out at dawn, and by the time they reached Canglan Ferry, the sun was already high and the morning mist had fully dispersed.
Because he often went into the mountains to gather herbs, Gu Qing had strong legs. Normally, a distance of five or six li wouldn’t take him this long at all.
But for one, he was carrying Qiu Niang on his back, effectively traveling with a load. For another, his home was in the southern part of the city. If he wanted to head north, he first had to go from the south side to the north side, which naturally delayed him.
He stopped at the ferry. A cold wind blew in from the river, carrying a damp chill tinged with a faint fishy scent.
The river surface was empty, with not a single sail in sight.
The entire Canglan Ferry looked desolate and pitifully quiet.
Thinking about it, it made sense. It was the twelfth lunar month with frost heavy in the air and the new year approaching.
There had also been heavy snowfall in recent days. Who would still be out running boats in such weather?
Gu Qing frowned slightly, then crouched down and set the bamboo basket on the ground.
A thin quilt covered the top of the basket. He lifted a corner, and as expected, met the gaze of a pair of pitch-black eyes.
Then… those eyes blinked.
He had to admit, it was a little cute.
It felt a bit like raising a kitten and then taking it along on a long journey.
Looking again at the girl’s current attire, she was dressed in a full set of well-fitted, comfortable cotton clothing.
Cotton gloves, cotton shoes, a cotton hat… everything she needed.
No wonder that shopkeeper lady’s craftsmanship was so highly praised by the neighbors on South Bridge Street.
“What is it?”
“Nothing, just taking a look.”
Gu Qing shook his head, ignoring the slight puff of the girl’s cheeks. He covered the thin quilt again, hoisted the bamboo basket onto his back, and then walked toward a nearby tavern by the ferry.
It was one of the few shops in the area still open.
He planned to go in and ask the owner if there were any ferry boats still operating.
It wasn’t that he absolutely had to take a boat, but if he could catch a ride with the current, it would undoubtedly save him quite a bit of effort and time.
He lifted the cloth curtain and stepped inside. The tavern was dimly lit and empty. Only a middle-aged man was leaning against the counter, dozing. To his left, a pot of wine was being warmed and thin wisps of steam were curling up. He was most likely the owner.
Gu Qing walked up and explained his purpose.
The owner slowly glanced at the young man and said, “At this time of year, the boats have long since stopped… where are you trying to go?”
Gu Qing took out a few copper coins from his robe and gently placed them on the counter before replying, “I’m heading to Qingji.”
Qingji Town was a small settlement about five hundred li away from Canglan Ferry. Not too far. By boat, it would take three or four days.
The middle-aged man looked at the few coins, then at Gu Qing. Seeing that this young man who was handsome and neatly dressed didn’t seem like any sort of troublemaker, he casually swept the money into his sleeve and said, “There is still a cargo ship leaving early tomorrow morning. But there are no passenger rooms. You’ll have to make do and squeeze into the cargo hold. Will that work?”
Gu Qing had no objections. He cupped his hands and said, “Many thanks, shopkeeper.”
Things went more smoothly than expected.
Gu Qing then paid a bit more to book a room at the tavern and stayed the night.
The next day, just as dawn was breaking,
Under the tavern owner’s guidance, they successfully boarded the ship. It was the most common kind of flat-bottomed cargo boat in the area, about six or seven zhang long. The hull was old and worn, clearly having seen many years.
When it came time to pay, Gu Qing paid for two people, totaling half a tael of silver.
The boatman took the money and, seeing that he was alone, couldn’t help but ask, “Where’s the other one?”
“Behind me.”
Gu Qing smiled and pointed to the bamboo basket on his back.
“My younger sister is rather frail and can’t walk fast, so I’m carrying her.”
Hearing this, the boatman nodded. Though he found it a bit strange, he didn’t ask further and simply led him straight to the cargo hold.
Inside, it was very dark. Burlap sacks were piled on both sides, filled with who-knew-what, packed to the brim. On top of the sacks were several bundles of animal pelts, giving off a faint fishy smell.
Continuing further inside, there was a small open space with a layer of dry straw spread across the floor. At the far end hung an oil lamp. This would be where Gu Qing and the others would sleep for the next few days.
Before long, the boatman brought over a mattress. Who knew how long it had been since it was last washed; it gave off a musty smell.
Once the boatman had gone far enough, Gu Qing lifted Qiu Niang out of the bamboo basket, then took out a short sword from the very bottom of it and concealed it within his robes.
Although from yesterday until now, both the tavern owner and the boatman had acted completely normal, showing no signs of trouble, Gu Qing still chose to stay cautious, just in case.
The short sword was something he normally used while gathering herbs. It was sharp enough, and he also knew a bit of hand-to-hand combat.
Nothing particularly impressive, but for self-defense, it was more than sufficient.
“I don’t want to use this blanket.”
Qiu Niang suddenly spoke. Her voice was usually cool yet carried a soft, slightly tender quality unique to someone her age. It was pleasant to hear.
“What, now you’re being picky?” Gu Qing chuckled. “When I first bought you, the smell on you was far worse than this blanket.”
Hearing that, the girl fell silent. She reached out with one hand or more precisely, with the three fingers she had left and grasped the corner of Gu Qing’s clothing, then leaned a little closer into his chest.
“Alright, if you don’t want it, then don’t.”
Gu Qing simply took the thin quilt from the bamboo basket and draped it over her.
Though it was dark and cramped here, it did have one advantage. It was fairly warm, with no need to worry about wind or rain.
Since they had woken up early to board the boat and had nothing else to do, the girl nestled in Gu Qing’s arms and soon fell asleep.
By now, she no longer resisted physical contact with him.
In truth, she had no choice. As someone genuinely disabled, even her daily needs like food, clothing, shelter, and travel required Gu Qing’s care. Even if she wanted to resist, she simply couldn’t.
Not to mention that her reliance on Gu Qing had already reached a nearly pathological degree.
A glimpse of this could be seen from the incident some time ago when Gu Qing went out to gather herbs.
Using his thumb, Gu Qing gently brushed the tip of the girl’s small nose. Gazing at her peaceful sleeping face, he watched her for a long time, then suddenly let out a soft sigh.
He had originally only intended to draw them a little closer, keeping things at the level of an ordinary physician and patient.
But now, it seemed he things had gone a bit too far…
***
Three days later, Xiqi City.
At noon, the gazes of passersby would invariably fall upon the city gate.
There stood a man.
Most of the people in Xiqi City were quite familiar with him. After all, his name was Xu Shixiong, the nominal ruler of this city.
Clearly, he was waiting there.
So just what kind of person could warrant him personally coming out of the city to receive them?
By evening, a carriage slowly approached from afar, answering their curiosity.
The man who had stood like a post for so long finally moved. He stepped forward to the carriage and performed a deeply respectful bow.
This level of respect was only proper. After all, the carriage had come from the imperial capital, and the one inside came from that temple.
“I am Xu Shixiong. I have been waiting here for quite some time to welcome the two Immortal Masters.”
At his words, a faint “Mm” came from within the carriage, serving as a response.
“May I ask, for what reason have the two Immortal Masters come here bearing a sacred decree?”
“To find someone.”
At this point, the voice paused briefly, as if recalling something, and the tone suddenly turned cold.
“To find a… little wretch.”
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