*traditional Chinese saying that emphasizes the importance of upholding one’s principles while also considering practical applications in the world.
Ning Changyuan: No need to be polite, I just have steady hands.
On the second day of the first lunar month, at a market near the border of Yongzhou and Pingzhou.
This place was originally a wasteland, with only wild grass growing.
Due to rampant banditry in Pingzhou and a three-year drought in Yongzhou, many common people were displaced. They couldn’t afford the city gate tax and had nowhere to seek refuge. They also feared being captured by the imperial court and forced into hard labor. As a result, they gathered together and temporarily settled on the nearby wasteland, not far from the town.
In order to survive, the refugees brought out their meager possessions and exchanged them with others. Over time, this turned into a dilapidated market that resembled neither a village nor a town.
Mo Li was unfamiliar with such a place, and he instinctively pulled Meng Qi by the arm, gesturing for him to walk in front.
Meng Qi: “…”
Ever since leaving Silang Mountain, the physician’s attitude towards him had changed. Previously, he used to follow behind the physician and was very familiar with his back. Now, suddenly, the physician insisted on changing positions, and Meng Qi was not used to it.
“A skilled martial artist won’t get lost,” Meng Qi couldn’t help but say.
“You are my patient, and I need to observe your every word and action,” Mo Li naturally rejected Meng Qi’s opinion and said seriously, “I have a new speculation about your condition, and until it is confirmed, I need you to stay in front of me at all times.”
Meng Qi: “…”
Meng Qi’s mood was extremely complex. He was seven parts distressed and three parts vaguely happy, but this happiness was too elusive for him to figure out.
When Mo Li’s gaze swept over him, Meng Qi involuntarily tensed his back and subconsciously tried to appear awake and rational, then struggled with the length of time the gaze lingered.
–Could it be that I have the habit of staring blankly at the physician, annoying him, and now I’m getting a taste of my own medicine?
The debts of the twelfth lunar month seemed to come too quickly. Maybe it was because he only met the physician in the twelfth lunar month and didn’t give a good impression. Meng Qi fell into contemplation.
Wait, why did the gaze move away?
Meng Qi snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look. He saw Mo Li staring at a stall by the street.
There were countless small stalls on both sides of the street, selling everything from chipped pottery to patched clothes. There were also food stalls, but they mostly sold coarse grains. This particular stall was selling yellow beans, not very plump, packed in a small cloth bag. Someone on the roadside wanted to exchange them for two pairs of thick-soled shoes but was refused by the stall owner.
“Brother Meng, pass me the money,” Mo Li reached out his hand, and Meng Qi silently took out a money pouch.
It was General Liu’s money pouch, the one they robbed outside Qinghu Town.
“We’ve run out of copper coins, only have broken silver,” Meng Qi handed a piece to Mo Li.
Mo Li frowned slightly. In this place, everything was exchanged with goods, and silver was not of much use. Just as he was pondering, he suddenly saw Ning Changyuan.
Although they had traveled together, once they arrived at this market, Ning Changyuan seemed to blend in effortlessly and disappeared in an instant.
Dressed in Daoist robes and with a long sword at his waist, Ning Changyuan possessed a certain quality that made him seem harmonious no matter where he was. On this narrow and broken path, Ning Changyuan slightly hunched his back, giving off the impression of a swindling Daoist who made a living by deceiving people for money. Even his sword would be subconsciously ignored by others.
“His swordsmanship must be quite high,” Mo Li murmured.
“Do you want to test him, physician?” Meng Qi immediately suggested, “Or should I go and have a match with him first?”
His encounter with Ning Changyuan was too brief, and he hadn’t used any weapons. He knew nothing about Ning Changyuan’s swordsmanship.
“No need. It’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble,” Mo Li resisted his curiosity. He was afraid that Meng Qi would get carried away during the fight and accidentally fall ill. Did he have to meow in front of Ning Changyuan?
Even disciples of divine physicians had their pride.
Ning Changyuan respected Senior Qin, and as Qin Lu’s disciple, Mo Li couldn’t let his teacher down.
“Physician, you’ve been in Zhushan County for a long time and haven’t seen any experts in the martial world. It won’t hurt to have a friendly match,” Meng Qi insisted.
“Enough, let’s think of a solution first…”
Mo Li’s voice abruptly stopped as he saw Ning Changyuan suddenly turn around and knock down a man who had been following him. Then he proceeded to punch and kick several others.
The people on the street didn’t panic; instead, they watched with amused smiles.
“The Daoist has great skills!”
“The Daoist is back!”
Ning Changyuan clapped his hands and addressed the disheveled individuals, “You’ve been following me since earlier. What? Do you want to take me to the authorities in exchange for some money to buy wine? Let me teach you a lesson. It’s hard to earn money in this world, let alone catching wanted criminals!”
The frightened individuals dared not respond and scattered after getting up. The people on the street burst into laughter, and those who didn’t recognize Ning Changyuan quickly inquired with passersby in astonishment.
“This is Daoist Ning,” someone remarked.
“He can’t really be called a Daoist. He’s a fake Daoist wanted by the authorities,” another person added.
“…No, no, he hasn’t committed any murders or arson. He specializes in forging documents. He’s stolen the official seals from various county yamen in Yongzhou, only to return them after a few days.”
Upon hearing this, Mo Li couldn’t help but interject, “He stole them to make counterfeit seals?”
Meng Qi scrutinized Ning Changyuan, unable to discern any signs of him carrying so many seals. Besides, wouldn’t they be heavy?
“No, I heard that Daoist Ning can dip his brush into his specially-made cinnabar ink and effortlessly draw seals on paper… Tsk, the strokes vary in depth and thickness, and with a simple blow, they look just like the real thing!”
Mo Li was astonished, and he instinctively glanced at Meng Qi, who had the same expression.
“…This is truly a remarkable skill!” Mo Li muttered to himself.
Ning Changyuan approached them. Being a martial artist, he had keen senses and happened to overhear Mo Li’s conversation with the passerby. He coughed awkwardly and modestly said, “There’s no such thing. I have been practicing swordsmanship for many years, so my hands are steady, that’s all.”
Meng Qi shook his head and said, “There are plenty of sword practitioners in the world, as common as crucian carp in a river, but there’s probably only one person like Daoist Ning who possesses such a skill.”
“Actually, there are others who possess these skills, especially in Jiangnan, but they don’t practice swordsmanship,” Ning Changyuan rubbed his nose, glanced around, and whispered, “They forge antique calligraphy and paintings.”
“…”
Indeed, besides imitating the original strokes, there was the realistic texture of the paper, the ink used, and the convincing seals.
“It’s quite a coincidence. Because cinnabar is used for making seals, I couldn’t find any suitable cinnabar in Yongzhou recently. It turns out the Si Family’s merchant caravan bought it all,” Ning Changyuan sighed. If not for this, he wouldn’t have gone to Qiuling County so quickly.
“Do you think this place is suitable for Qiu Hong to stay temporarily?” Mo Li looked around.
Although it was rundown, it was orderly.
He didn’t see any thefts or robberies, and many people seemed to know each other. Despite their pale complexions and thin figures, they had a festive air and were smiling.
“I took her to the workshop here before. They happen to need more workers,” Ning Changyuan watched the people coming and going on both sides of the street and said in a deep voice, “The land nearby is quite fertile, and as long as they grow some crops, no one will go hungry. After the New Year, many people will go to Yongzhou for work, so it would be suitable if she wants to leave.”
“Are there no bandits here?”
“Why not? But it’s too poor, so they hardly come here,” Ning Changyuan pointed at the shabby houses on both sides and continued, “Initially, people only stayed here temporarily, but as they lived here, they realized there aren’t many better places in this world. In a place like this, with no excessive taxes, they can get by.”
“If there were such a place where people could be self-sufficient and rarely visited, it would be like a Peach Blossom Spring,” Mo Li pondered.
Meng Qi remained noncommittal, but Ning Changyuan smiled and said, “There’s no such ideal place. Even if there were, how many people could it accommodate? The world is vast, and if everyone fights to live in a Peach Blossom Spring, it would surely result in chaos and bloodshed.”
“What kind of world does Daoist Ning hope to see?” Mo Li asked.
“When I was young, I read ‘Mencius.’ The exaggerated notion of ‘no one picking up lost objects on the road and no one closing their doors at night’ is unrealistic. Being able to have enough to eat, to live and support one’s children and elderly, and to understand the difficulties faced by others would be enough,” Ning Changyuan replied.
Meng Qi’s expression became somewhat complicated. He, too, had believed in the wisdom of the sages and their books.
“…In that case, if Daoist Ning wants to rectify the world, why not assist a wise ruler?” Meng Qi tentatively asked.
“A wise ruler might be good, but what about the next generation? How can we be sure they will be wise?” Ning Changyuan pressed his sword and spoke sternly, “Take, for example, a swordsman. Should he trust a ready-made sword or trust the swordsmith who hasn’t yet forged the sword?”
Meng Qi fell silent because Ning Changyuan had posed an eternal question: how can we ensure that rulers are wise for generations to come?
Ministers clearly couldn’t achieve that, and even the emperor himself couldn’t guarantee it. Who could know what would happen after their own death, let alone a hundred years later?
Ning Changyuan noticed that Mo Li still held the money pouch and asked, “What would you like to buy?”
“Oh, those beans,” Mo Li snapped out of his thoughts and gestured.
Ning Changyuan smiled and said, “That’s easy. If the gentlemen don’t mind, I can handle it.” He went to the stall and retrieved a paper package, opening it to reveal salt.
The stall owner’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly agreed. Ning Changyuan calmly returned with a small bag of beans. When Mo Li tried to give Ning Changyuan some silver, he declined, saying, “If you gentlemen are willing to stay here for a few days, I will bring some people to seek medical treatment as a form of compensation.”
“We still have important matters to attend to in Taijing,” Mo Li replied.
“Three days,” Ning Changyuan urged. “I see that the gentlemen don’t have many belongings, and it wouldn’t be convenient to set off without proper provisions. If the gentlemen trust me, I can arrange some clothing and necessities for you.”
“Ahem!” Meng Qi suddenly cleared his throat.
Mo Li and Ning Changyuan looked at him inexplicably, thinking that Meng Qi had something to say. After waiting for a while, Meng Qi finally spoke, “No need to trouble Daoist Ning with the matter of arranging our clothing. I’ll take care of it.”
“It’s just a small matter. Anyone can handle it…” Ning Changyuan began, but Meng Qi interrupted.
“It’s different,” Meng Qi said solemnly. The size of the clothes for intimate wear wasn’t something he wanted others to know.
“I don’t want to delay Daoist Ning’s business,” Meng Qi said seriously. “After all, forging… the fake painting road guide is already a laborious task. Besides, it’s better to arrange my own things for peace of mind.”
—But you’re not Physician Mo!
Ning Changyuan looked at Meng Qi, then at Mo Li, and finally understood what Qiu Hong meant by “strange.”
What was the relationship between these two individuals?
*traditional Chinese saying that emphasizes the importance of upholding one’s principles while also considering practical applications in the world.
Ning Changyuan: No need to be polite, I just have steady hands.
On the second day of the first lunar month, at a market near the border of Yongzhou and Pingzhou.
This place was originally a wasteland, with only wild grass growing.
Due to rampant banditry in Pingzhou and a three-year drought in Yongzhou, many common people were displaced. They couldn’t afford the city gate tax and had nowhere to seek refuge. They also feared being captured by the imperial court and forced into hard labor. As a result, they gathered together and temporarily settled on the nearby wasteland, not far from the town.
In order to survive, the refugees brought out their meager possessions and exchanged them with others. Over time, this turned into a dilapidated market that resembled neither a village nor a town.
Mo Li was unfamiliar with such a place, and he instinctively pulled Meng Qi by the arm, gesturing for him to walk in front.
Meng Qi: “…”
Ever since leaving Silang Mountain, the physician’s attitude towards him had changed. Previously, he used to follow behind the physician and was very familiar with his back. Now, suddenly, the physician insisted on changing positions, and Meng Qi was not used to it.
“A skilled martial artist won’t get lost,” Meng Qi couldn’t help but say.
“You are my patient, and I need to observe your every word and action,” Mo Li naturally rejected Meng Qi’s opinion and said seriously, “I have a new speculation about your condition, and until it is confirmed, I need you to stay in front of me at all times.”
Meng Qi: “…”
Meng Qi’s mood was extremely complex. He was seven parts distressed and three parts vaguely happy, but this happiness was too elusive for him to figure out.
When Mo Li’s gaze swept over him, Meng Qi involuntarily tensed his back and subconsciously tried to appear awake and rational, then struggled with the length of time the gaze lingered.
–Could it be that I have the habit of staring blankly at the physician, annoying him, and now I’m getting a taste of my own medicine?
The debts of the twelfth lunar month seemed to come too quickly. Maybe it was because he only met the physician in the twelfth lunar month and didn’t give a good impression. Meng Qi fell into contemplation.
Wait, why did the gaze move away?
Meng Qi snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look. He saw Mo Li staring at a stall by the street.
There were countless small stalls on both sides of the street, selling everything from chipped pottery to patched clothes. There were also food stalls, but they mostly sold coarse grains. This particular stall was selling yellow beans, not very plump, packed in a small cloth bag. Someone on the roadside wanted to exchange them for two pairs of thick-soled shoes but was refused by the stall owner.
“Brother Meng, pass me the money,” Mo Li reached out his hand, and Meng Qi silently took out a money pouch.
It was General Liu’s money pouch, the one they robbed outside Qinghu Town.
“We’ve run out of copper coins, only have broken silver,” Meng Qi handed a piece to Mo Li.
Mo Li frowned slightly. In this place, everything was exchanged with goods, and silver was not of much use. Just as he was pondering, he suddenly saw Ning Changyuan.
Although they had traveled together, once they arrived at this market, Ning Changyuan seemed to blend in effortlessly and disappeared in an instant.
Dressed in Daoist robes and with a long sword at his waist, Ning Changyuan possessed a certain quality that made him seem harmonious no matter where he was. On this narrow and broken path, Ning Changyuan slightly hunched his back, giving off the impression of a swindling Daoist who made a living by deceiving people for money. Even his sword would be subconsciously ignored by others.
“His swordsmanship must be quite high,” Mo Li murmured.
“Do you want to test him, physician?” Meng Qi immediately suggested, “Or should I go and have a match with him first?”
His encounter with Ning Changyuan was too brief, and he hadn’t used any weapons. He knew nothing about Ning Changyuan’s swordsmanship.
“No need. It’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble,” Mo Li resisted his curiosity. He was afraid that Meng Qi would get carried away during the fight and accidentally fall ill. Did he have to meow in front of Ning Changyuan?
Even disciples of divine physicians had their pride.
Ning Changyuan respected Senior Qin, and as Qin Lu’s disciple, Mo Li couldn’t let his teacher down.
“Physician, you’ve been in Zhushan County for a long time and haven’t seen any experts in the martial world. It won’t hurt to have a friendly match,” Meng Qi insisted.
“Enough, let’s think of a solution first…”
Mo Li’s voice abruptly stopped as he saw Ning Changyuan suddenly turn around and knock down a man who had been following him. Then he proceeded to punch and kick several others.
The people on the street didn’t panic; instead, they watched with amused smiles.
“The Daoist has great skills!”
“The Daoist is back!”
Ning Changyuan clapped his hands and addressed the disheveled individuals, “You’ve been following me since earlier. What? Do you want to take me to the authorities in exchange for some money to buy wine? Let me teach you a lesson. It’s hard to earn money in this world, let alone catching wanted criminals!”
The frightened individuals dared not respond and scattered after getting up. The people on the street burst into laughter, and those who didn’t recognize Ning Changyuan quickly inquired with passersby in astonishment.
“This is Daoist Ning,” someone remarked.
“He can’t really be called a Daoist. He’s a fake Daoist wanted by the authorities,” another person added.
“…No, no, he hasn’t committed any murders or arson. He specializes in forging documents. He’s stolen the official seals from various county yamen in Yongzhou, only to return them after a few days.”
Upon hearing this, Mo Li couldn’t help but interject, “He stole them to make counterfeit seals?”
Meng Qi scrutinized Ning Changyuan, unable to discern any signs of him carrying so many seals. Besides, wouldn’t they be heavy?
“No, I heard that Daoist Ning can dip his brush into his specially-made cinnabar ink and effortlessly draw seals on paper… Tsk, the strokes vary in depth and thickness, and with a simple blow, they look just like the real thing!”
Mo Li was astonished, and he instinctively glanced at Meng Qi, who had the same expression.
“…This is truly a remarkable skill!” Mo Li muttered to himself.
Ning Changyuan approached them. Being a martial artist, he had keen senses and happened to overhear Mo Li’s conversation with the passerby. He coughed awkwardly and modestly said, “There’s no such thing. I have been practicing swordsmanship for many years, so my hands are steady, that’s all.”
Meng Qi shook his head and said, “There are plenty of sword practitioners in the world, as common as crucian carp in a river, but there’s probably only one person like Daoist Ning who possesses such a skill.”
“Actually, there are others who possess these skills, especially in Jiangnan, but they don’t practice swordsmanship,” Ning Changyuan rubbed his nose, glanced around, and whispered, “They forge antique calligraphy and paintings.”
“…”
Indeed, besides imitating the original strokes, there was the realistic texture of the paper, the ink used, and the convincing seals.
“It’s quite a coincidence. Because cinnabar is used for making seals, I couldn’t find any suitable cinnabar in Yongzhou recently. It turns out the Si Family’s merchant caravan bought it all,” Ning Changyuan sighed. If not for this, he wouldn’t have gone to Qiuling County so quickly.
“Do you think this place is suitable for Qiu Hong to stay temporarily?” Mo Li looked around.
Although it was rundown, it was orderly.
He didn’t see any thefts or robberies, and many people seemed to know each other. Despite their pale complexions and thin figures, they had a festive air and were smiling.
“I took her to the workshop here before. They happen to need more workers,” Ning Changyuan watched the people coming and going on both sides of the street and said in a deep voice, “The land nearby is quite fertile, and as long as they grow some crops, no one will go hungry. After the New Year, many people will go to Yongzhou for work, so it would be suitable if she wants to leave.”
“Are there no bandits here?”
“Why not? But it’s too poor, so they hardly come here,” Ning Changyuan pointed at the shabby houses on both sides and continued, “Initially, people only stayed here temporarily, but as they lived here, they realized there aren’t many better places in this world. In a place like this, with no excessive taxes, they can get by.”
“If there were such a place where people could be self-sufficient and rarely visited, it would be like a Peach Blossom Spring,” Mo Li pondered.
Meng Qi remained noncommittal, but Ning Changyuan smiled and said, “There’s no such ideal place. Even if there were, how many people could it accommodate? The world is vast, and if everyone fights to live in a Peach Blossom Spring, it would surely result in chaos and bloodshed.”
“What kind of world does Daoist Ning hope to see?” Mo Li asked.
“When I was young, I read ‘Mencius.’ The exaggerated notion of ‘no one picking up lost objects on the road and no one closing their doors at night’ is unrealistic. Being able to have enough to eat, to live and support one’s children and elderly, and to understand the difficulties faced by others would be enough,” Ning Changyuan replied.
Meng Qi’s expression became somewhat complicated. He, too, had believed in the wisdom of the sages and their books.
“…In that case, if Daoist Ning wants to rectify the world, why not assist a wise ruler?” Meng Qi tentatively asked.
“A wise ruler might be good, but what about the next generation? How can we be sure they will be wise?” Ning Changyuan pressed his sword and spoke sternly, “Take, for example, a swordsman. Should he trust a ready-made sword or trust the swordsmith who hasn’t yet forged the sword?”
Meng Qi fell silent because Ning Changyuan had posed an eternal question: how can we ensure that rulers are wise for generations to come?
Ministers clearly couldn’t achieve that, and even the emperor himself couldn’t guarantee it. Who could know what would happen after their own death, let alone a hundred years later?
Ning Changyuan noticed that Mo Li still held the money pouch and asked, “What would you like to buy?”
“Oh, those beans,” Mo Li snapped out of his thoughts and gestured.
Ning Changyuan smiled and said, “That’s easy. If the gentlemen don’t mind, I can handle it.” He went to the stall and retrieved a paper package, opening it to reveal salt.
The stall owner’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly agreed. Ning Changyuan calmly returned with a small bag of beans. When Mo Li tried to give Ning Changyuan some silver, he declined, saying, “If you gentlemen are willing to stay here for a few days, I will bring some people to seek medical treatment as a form of compensation.”
“We still have important matters to attend to in Taijing,” Mo Li replied.
“Three days,” Ning Changyuan urged. “I see that the gentlemen don’t have many belongings, and it wouldn’t be convenient to set off without proper provisions. If the gentlemen trust me, I can arrange some clothing and necessities for you.”
“Ahem!” Meng Qi suddenly cleared his throat.
Mo Li and Ning Changyuan looked at him inexplicably, thinking that Meng Qi had something to say. After waiting for a while, Meng Qi finally spoke, “No need to trouble Daoist Ning with the matter of arranging our clothing. I’ll take care of it.”
“It’s just a small matter. Anyone can handle it…” Ning Changyuan began, but Meng Qi interrupted.
“It’s different,” Meng Qi said solemnly. The size of the clothes for intimate wear wasn’t something he wanted others to know.
“I don’t want to delay Daoist Ning’s business,” Meng Qi said seriously. “After all, forging… the fake painting road guide is already a laborious task. Besides, it’s better to arrange my own things for peace of mind.”
—But you’re not Physician Mo!
Ning Changyuan looked at Meng Qi, then at Mo Li, and finally understood what Qiu Hong meant by “strange.”
What was the relationship between these two individuals?
