Chapter 57: The Hunt

However, Ma Wencai was different. In this historical narrative, he was by no means a primary character; he was merely a minor supporting role meant to set off the romance of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. Perhaps he too had his predestined fate, but posterity knows little of what kind of person he truly was. In every television adaptation, Ma Wencai is reimagined as a completely new character—one who perhaps holds the potential for change.

For reasons unknown, every detail of my life in this time and space remained vividly before my eyes, while my parents, my elder brother, and my sister-in-law seemed to drift further and further away in the recesses of my mind. Soon, I would scarcely be able to remember my adorable little nephew. Scarcely a year had passed; how could my memory be fading so? Could the interweaving of time and space truly impair one's recollection?

Awakening at dawn with a heavy head—the inevitable aftermath of two consecutive bowls of insomnia. Oh, dear lord... this was excruciatingly painful! Even back in the days of staying up all night to play World of Warcraft, I had never felt this exhausted!

The Academy Principal had granted me special permission to escort Liu Yitang and Wang Lantian down the mountain. I welcomed the task with open arms; exhausting though it might be, it was still infinitely preferable to dozing off in the lecture hall. Yezi chimed in, insisting on tagging along. With no other option, I had no choice but to take her with me.

After the Principal and the fellow students escorted Liu Yitang to the gates, the responsibility fell squarely upon my shoulders. Glancing around, I noticed only student Ma Wencai was absent.

Riding down the mountain path, it was evident that Wang Lantian’s health had improved considerably. Previously, he would never have withstood such strenuous exertion. The horseback journey took only a couple of quarters of an hour, yet now, galloping all the way from the summit to the foot of the mountain, he remained entirely unaffected.

Liu Yitang reined in his horse, and the attendants following behind halted one by one. "Yiqing, let's part ways here. Return to the academy early and spare your eldest brother any needless worry."

I nodded. "Brother, Lantian's health is delicate. On the road ahead, you must take good care of him."

Liu Yitang glanced at me, then burst into hearty laughter. "Yiqing, since when did you learn to be so caring? It seems your bond with Young Master Wang runs deep indeed!"

"Naturally," A'cheng interjected. "Throughout the entire Nishan Academy, Young Master Liu and our young master share the closest bond. The kindness Young Master Liu showed us that day with the maltose is something our young master has kept close to heart."

"It was merely a few sticks of maltose! Classmates ought to look after one another. Besides, Lantian has helped me out quite a bit as well!"

"That's why I say the two of you share such a deep bond! Isn't that right, Young Master?" Yezi chimed in.

Her tone carried a strange edge. What was she trying to insinuate? I twitched the corners of my mouth in a cold smile.

Liu Yitang shot Yezi a stern glare even before I could, frightening her into immediate silence. He then turned with a slight smile to Wang Lantian, "Young Master Wang, let us be on our way!"

Wang Lantian nodded and said to me, "Yiqing, take good care of yourself at the academy."

"Mmm," I patted his shoulder, gesturing for him to set his mind at ease.

Watching the procession recede into the distance, Yezi and I felt a profound sense of relief. At last, we could properly enjoy ourselves at the foot of the mountain and perhaps find an inn to take a hot bath.

"Miss, where shall we go first?" Yezi asked, barely able to contain her excitement.

"We..." As I sat astride my horse at the crossroads of the bustling market, a dazzling array of wares stretched out before me. Owing to the bitter cold, the streets were enveloped in wisps of steam from various stalls—steamed bun shops, wonton vendors. Merely looking at them set my stomach rumbling. I had always been partial to roadside street food; at least in ancient times, there was no recycled gutter oil, making it reassuring to eat.

"Let's go have a bowl of small wontons first. I happen to be starving."

Yezi nodded, and we made our way toward the wonton stall.

Wontons in ancient times truly smelled divine—the meat was distinct from the wrapper, unlike modern versions where the meat was bulked out with flour and the wrappers made from goodness knows what.

Seeing me devour my food with such dispatch, Yezi couldn't help smiling. "Miss, even though you’ve lost your memory, the things ingrained in your bones remain unchanged."

Eh? What was that supposed to mean?

"Yezi, I've been living at the academy for nearly a year now, following my current lifestyle. What kind of person was I before? You’ve been by my side since childhood; you must know me well, right?" Yezi had only ever told me who I was, who my family members were, and what role I held within that household, but she had never once mentioned my daily habits or preferences.

"Before?" Yezi sipped her broth unhurriedly. "The previous young master—ah, young miss—was no different from the present one. As I just said, even if you’ve lost your memory, Miss, the things in your bones remain unchanged."

No way. Could such a thing actually happen? Would Liu Yitang's personality match mine to the letter?

"Really? I simply cannot recall what kind of person I used to be," I said, half-convinced and half-skeptical.

Yezi nodded emphatically. "It's true! Miss, you always loved eating things on the street, and you still do. Whenever you went out in the past, you loved dressing in men's clothing, saying it was more convenient. Aren't you doing the exact same thing now?"

Fine, I conceded that point. My current cross-dressing was involuntary; given that Liu Yitang had to study at Nishan Academy, it would have been stranger had I not worn men's attire.

"Eldest brother is always afraid I'm trying to trick him. Did I frequently pull pranks and deceive people in the past?" Frankly, I found it hard to believe that Liu Yitang, a wealthy young lady, would be a habitual trickster.

"Pfft—" Yezi burst into laughter. "You were quite mischievous at home, Miss, and often ran the eldest young master ragged. That's why he's afraid of being tricked by you—you always had the most mischievous ideas."

Oh, I see. So this Liu Yitang was a regular sprite! No wonder Liu Yitang didn't believe a word she said; people who were glib-tongued usually sounded unreliable, and Liu Yitang must have been that sort of figure at home.

As Yezi regaled me with tales of the past, she had me laughing so hard I pounded the table. I never imagined Liu Yitang could be such an eccentric woman. She had actually joined Liu Yitang in following their father to a brothel once, intending to catch him red-handed in adultery, only to be discovered by Liu Mingang—er, Liu Mingyuan—who dragged them both home and gave them a thorough tongue-lashing. Yezi mentioned I was only twelve at the time.

Just as we were chatting merrily, a heavy flurry of footsteps suddenly sounded behind us. A band of men dressed in black came sprinting furiously in our direction. "Quick, over there! Don't let him get away!"

Yezi and I instantly looked toward the spot they were pointing at. It was a man sitting at the adjacent table eating noodles. He was clad in white garments, with a cold, stern expression. A sharp, luminous brilliance seemed to flicker between his brows, radiating the haughty air of imperial royalty. His slightly slender hands featured distinct, well-defined joints. Upon hearing the commotion, he seized his sword and bolted. The proprietor of the wonton stall chased after him, shouting, "Hey! You haven't paid for your noodles yet—!"

"Boss," I called out to stop him. After all, it was just the cost of a bowl of noodles; was a chase really necessary? "Don't chase him, I'll pay for it."

I placed a silver tael on the table, picked up our bundle alongside Yezi, and prepared to leave. With so many people tearing past in such a flurry that dust filled the air, my bowl of wontons had effectively been ruined.

Ancient society truly was chaotic. People went about brandishing swords and sabers in the middle of the main street—did they intend to commit murder in broad daylight? As if killing people wasn't against the law or something.