Chapter 4: A Fleeting Glimpse
The night was as dark as ink, candlelight flickering softly. A girl in a pure white shirt leaned against the door, her frail, pale figure almost ghostly, causing the maids to scream in fright once more.
“A ghost!”
“Quiet! Stop shouting nonsense—that’s Fifth Miss!”
With a sharp reprimand from Madam Wang, the crowd found their bearings and immediately regained composure. They saw the frail and weak Fifth Miss slowly approaching, extending a jade ring into Murong Huan’s hand.
“My name is Wang Xueying. Thank you, young lady, for your words just now, and for the dream you granted me. I will no longer seek death. You saved my life. I, Wang Xueying, vow to repay you for a lifetime. Take this jade ring as a token. Whatever you ask, I will do my utmost to assist.”
Ashu, too hungry to care about the value of the jade ring, muttered, “Huh? Is this the consultation fee the young lady paid?”
Wang Xueying smiled gently and called, “Mother!”
Lady Liu brought over a bag of silver coins and handed it to Ashu.
“The jade ring is only a token. This is the consultation fee I give to the young lady, and…” Lady Liu said, then summoned a maid who arrived holding a food box emitting faint, warm steam. Gasping for breath, she said, “I bought these meat buns from a street vendor and offer them to the two young ladies. Please don’t despise them!”
Ashu’s eyes lit up instantly. If not for concern about the young lady’s dignity, she would have snatched the box of meat buns away.
“No disdain, no disdain. Thank you, auntie, and thank you, madam and young lady Wang.”
She took the box slowly, smiling warmly as she replied.
“Ah Huan, let’s go!”
Murong Huan nodded, not even glancing at Madam Wang and the assembly of sisters-in-law and maids who stared dumbfounded. She led Ashu toward the door.
“By the way, young lady, what is your name? I want to remember it to repay your kindness!” Wang Fifth Miss suddenly called out.
“Li Linghuan!”
...
“Li Linghuan? Who is that? A Li? Could she be of the Li Tang royal lineage?”
Even after Murong Huan and Ashu had gone quite some distance, Madam Wang only then realized it. She racked her memory, recalling all the royal Tang Li clan members she knew, but none bore the name Li Linghuan.
Wang Sanlang said, “Mother, she is not of the Li clan. I have already checked; there is no such person in the Li Tang royal family.”
“That’s good, that’s good. Otherwise, if she were truly a descendant of some royal prince, and if she were connected to our Wang family, we couldn’t guarantee we wouldn’t be targeted by the ruthless officials like Zhou Xing or Qiu Shenji. If the Wang family wants to survive this struggle between noble clans and imperial power, we must keep our distance from these royal branches.
The saint’s eyes and ears are everywhere. Besides the inner and secret guards, now even commoners can come to Luoyang’s capital to inform and receive the saint’s favor. No one can escape the saint’s gaze.”
“Yes, mother!”
“Also, since this girl Ying has awakened, as her father, you must properly guide your daughter!”
Wang Sanlang’s eyes flickered with inner struggle before he sighed deeply and replied, “Yes, I will find a way.”
“And as for this healer named Li Linghuan, send someone to follow her and find out where she really comes from.”
“Yes!”
...
On the early spring night, a cold breeze swept by, chilling the skin. Fortunately, the steaming meat buns filled their stomachs, easing the piercing cold somewhat.
“Ah Huan, these are delicious. Have another one!”
Ashu handed Murong Huan a meat bun, but Murong Huan declined.
“No need, I’m full. You eat it.”
“Ah Huan’s appetite is really small; one bun and she’s full. I just ate three and still feel hungry.”
Embarrassed, Ashu added, “Since Ah Huan won’t eat, I’ll eat them all.”
With that, she devoured the last meat bun voraciously.
Ashu wiped the grease from her mouth and looked at the lanterns hanging everywhere in Sigong Lane. Even at the hour of the dog, the streets were brightly lit.
“Luoyang city is truly wonderful—so lively even at night.” Ashu sighed, then suddenly remembered something and looked at Murong Huan. “By the way, Ah Huan, how did you know there was a sick young lady about to die in the Wang family here in Sigong Lane?”
“I don’t know either. I just felt I had to come here and do this.”
“Oh.” Ashu nodded but was puzzled. “Then why did that young lady ask your name, and you said you were Li Linghuan? Your medical skill is so good; if it became known, you could earn a good reputation. Maybe we could make a living by practicing medicine!”
She happily fiddled with the consultation fee Lady Liu from the Wang family had given them—a hundred silver coins, enough for them to eat and stay for a while.
Murong Huan paused mid-step, thinking carefully but could not give a reason.
At last, she said, “I don’t know either. I only felt I wanted to remember this name and have others remember it, to let her live again, living on in people’s hearts.”
“And besides, I can’t cure ordinary illnesses. My master only taught me how to heal the heart.”
At these words, a faint sadness gathered in Murong Huan’s eyes, though she did not know why she felt sorrow.
Ashu sensed something was wrong and clapped her hands, laughing, “Oh, I see! The name Li Linghuan must have been given to Ah Huan by some immortal. If it’s a name given by an immortal, it must be a wonderful name!”
“Young lady, even if you can’t cure illnesses, healing hearts is excellent. You healed the heart of the Wang family’s Fifth Miss—that is the benevolence of a healer, accumulating great virtue.”
“Is that so?”
Murong Huan smiled faintly and said no more. At that moment, a sharp “bang” sounded nearby. A night watchman passed by, shouting, “Dry weather! Beware of fire!”
Ashu startled and said, “Ah Huan, we definitely can’t go back tonight. We need to find a place to sleep first.”
Murong Huan stopped and looked around. Not far off, many lanterns flickered like stars against the night sky. A familiar confusion settled in her eyes.
Yes! It was late, too late to return!
And she seemed not to want to go back!
“Yes! I’m tired too. We should find a place to rest. Let’s go to the Hundred Flowers Pavilion!”
“Hundred Flowers Pavilion? What kind of place is that? Does it have a hundred flowers inside? Like a thousand blossoming peach trees? Is it very beautiful?”
Hundred Flowers Pavilion! Sigong Lane!
So familiar! Yet she could not recall why it was familiar.
Murong Huan shook her head again. “I don’t know either, but my master once said that the Hundred Flowers Pavilion in Sigong Lane, Luoyang, welcomes guests for all-night pleasures. Since it’s a place for complete joy, it’s not too late for us to go now.”
“Yes! If a great master said so, it must be an excellent place! Let’s spend the night at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion and return to the Su family in the morning!”
“Good!”
As they pondered which way to go, the street suddenly echoed with rapid hoofbeats, “clatter, clatter,” growing louder and louder, breaking the quiet night with noise.
Ashu quickly pulled Murong Huan aside. They saw a group of soldiers in dark red Qianniu uniforms galloping fiercely, each holding a long blade, looking intimidating and not to be trifled with.
“Who are they? They look so fierce!”
Ashu sighed, and Murong Huan answered, “They are the Qianniu Guards.”
“What are the Qianniu Guards?”
“They are responsible for protecting the imperial palace, entrusted with wielding imperial blades and serving as the emperor’s personal bodyguards.”
“Oh, then why are so many Qianniu Guards out on the street so late?”
“Maybe something big has happened. They’re here on orders to inspect someone!”
Ashu said “Oh,” then suddenly her eyes shone with shock.
“Ah Huan, how do you know so much?”
Before she finished speaking, the Qianniu Guards swiftly arrived. Their leader, clad in golden armor with a tiger-head helmet, drew his waist sword in a flash and pressed it against Murong Huan’s neck, barking, “Who are you? Curfew is near. Why are you still wandering here?”
Ashu knelt down in fright, pulling out a fish tally and handing it to the leader. “We’re not bad people. This young lady is the granddaughter of General Su, the Duke of Xing. We’ve come to Luoyang to find relatives. This fish tally was left by her father. Please, general, have a look and release her!”
The leader examined the tally carefully, suspicion flickering in his eyes. He glanced at Murong Huan and was about to order, “Take them away!”
At that moment, a clear, melodious voice cut through the cold wind, as light as if riding the moon and wind. Though the night was not quiet, the voice was especially clear, as if the whole world echoed only this one sound.
“Wait, let me see the tally!”
Hearing this, the Qianniu leader looked toward a horse-drawn carriage slowly approaching. The carriage bore the “Xiao” family crest, and seated before it was a robust young man with a stern expression.
The night wind stirred the green curtains of the carriage, revealing glimpses of silver hair inside.
At the sight of the silver hair alone, the Qianniu leader’s face shifted to one of awe and solemnity.
“Yes, sir!”
He respectfully handed the fish tally to the young man in front of the carriage, who then took it inside.
Time seemed to freeze, steeped in silence.
The leader grew increasingly anxious, sweat beading on his brow as he waited. Then the familiar voice sounded again.
“Release them!”
“But—”
“Your duty is to protect the saint and ensure the safety of Luoyang’s people. If you want to investigate seriously, seal off all the neighborhood gates. Let no one come or go. If necessary, mobilize the Court of Justice, the Governor of Luo Prefecture, and all local officials to inspect anyone suspicious entering or leaving the capital. Don’t waste time on two helpless young ladies!”
The leader hesitated, then under the young man’s commanding gaze, he finally said, “Yes!” and swiftly led the Qianniu Guards away in retreat.
Murong Huan and Ashu turned their eyes to the green embroidered curtain of the carriage. Ashu was about to thank him, but the person inside did not even glance at them. Whipping the horse, he urged it forward.
The sound of hooves clattered, the night wind billowed the green canopy, and through the half-rolled pearl curtain, a face appeared like a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan.
“So beautiful!”
Before Ashu could take another look, the face vanished like a dragonfly skimming water, leaving only a faint impression in their hearts.
“Young lady, that person just now…” Suddenly recalling something important, Ashu said, “He took the fish tally your father left you and hasn’t returned it!”
“What shall we do, Ah Huan? Without that tally, how can we prove our identity to Madame Su? It’s been eight years. The Su family has never sent anyone to Taoyuan Village to see the young lady. Who knows what she looks like now? Without the tally left by the lord, will the Su family recognize her?”
Murong Huan seemed untroubled by Ashu’s worry and replied calmly, “He wants to lead us somewhere. Let’s go! Follow that carriage!”