First meeting
In the Tianshan Mountains, the snow is icy cold, flakes drifting down onto my hands. My fingers dance on the bamboo flute, composing the voice of my heart. The mist from the decoction of medicinal herbs permeates the air, obscuring the shimmering light of the Tianshan Mountains' perpetually unmelted snow, giving me the illusion that I am still a whole person.
Until that lotus-pink shadow broke through the mist. She crouched down to my height, the shadow of her wheelchair just swallowing half of her skirt. This posture was so reminiscent of the one touching the sun in my memory. Only then did I see her face clearly: an oval face, her skin appearing even more rosy against the backdrop of snowflakes. Most strikingly, her features overlapped with the person in my memory. What set her apart from that icy beauty was the faint smile on her face. I'd never been comfortable sharing a room with strangers, but seeing the person before me, whose features resembled mine, I didn't find it objectionable that she was so close.
I finally couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"
The person before me gave an awkward smile and said, "My name...my name is Ziling. I was drawn to this music and interrupted you without warning. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." As she spoke, a puff of white mist drifted across my shoulders. I nearly crushed the bamboo flute: Ziling, why does this name sound familiar? I can't remember it, even though I'm so knowledgeable. Ziling spoke slowly, "I just heard your flute and it brought back a strong feeling of longing. But since I don't have anyone to miss, I couldn't help but run to find the player."
I nearly crushed my bamboo flute. The old man from the frontier said I was playing "Lonely Wild Goose," but she heard the lonely wild goose's sentimentality—if she were really Shangguan Yan, how could she recognize my pure heart? The direction she was running from was actually Master's medicine room. With such reckless behavior, Master definitely wouldn't accept her as a maid. He probably thought she was a patient of his.
"Have you...are you seeking medical treatment in Tianshan? What's wrong with you?" I wanted to ask why the person I missed wasn't there, but the words faltered when they reached my lips. Instead, I inquired about her health. I stared at her face, not wanting to miss a single expression. With my medical skills, I could tell she was alright just by looking at her face. Just taking her pulse would give me a better understanding of her health than she could herself. But I didn't want to. I wanted her to tell me.
Zi Ling pursed her lips, and I could see the confusion in her eyes. After thinking for a moment, she looked into my eyes and said, "I don't know. I only know that my name is Zi Ling, and I can eat and sleep now." I couldn't help laughing out loud: What kind of description is being able to eat and sleep? She said she only knew the name. Could it be that she had lost her memory... It turned out that we were in the same boat. I understood that we were both wanderers in the world, so why did we have to know each other before we met?
A patient of my master's came from afar. He was a distinguished guest in Tianshan. His status as the crown prince of Chuyun, a neighboring state of Tianshan, made him afraid that if he died in Tianshan, the common people living there would suffer. That was why my master, the old man from the frontier, had agreed to treat him. The lecher, seeing Zi Ling, grabbed her wrist and said, "Who are you, my beauty? Why are you here with a cripple?" My wheelchair ran over the wet medicine on the ground. I was used to his cold words, but seeing Zi Ling being treated with disrespect, I felt indignant. Finally, the golden thread slipped out and hit the lecher in the face.
"You damned cripple, you actually dared to hit me? You're famous in the martial arts world, but don't think I'm afraid of you." He then stepped forward to teach me a lesson, but was subdued by my Tianji Golden Thread. I snorted, "You molested a decent woman first, get out of here now."
"You're talking about me. You offended me for her. Are you innocent with her? Aren't you just so proud of your medical skills that you've set a rule of not saving the evil and lustful. It turns out that you're even Hua Tuo, also coveting beauty." After saying this, he walked away angrily. Zi Ling looked very confused and said, "Who is he? You just beat him for me. Thank you, benefactor. If he had done anything bad to you, I would have been the first to stand up and testify for you. He just brought this upon himself."
"Tomorrow, what a grand occasion! As your master, I have finally witnessed what it means to risk one's life for a beloved woman. Hahaha..." The person who laughed in the distance was none other than my master, the old man from the frontier.
Ouyang Mingri felt strange when he heard this. His master clearly knew his feelings for Miss Shangguan. "Master, you... you clearly know... By the way, Master, is Miss Ziling your patient? Does she have amnesia?"
The old man from the frontier said sternly, "Mingri, you're really smart. Nothing can be hidden from you. That's right, I brought this girl up from the Cliff of Repentance yesterday. She's lost her memory. Look at her. Does she look familiar?"
Ouyang Mingri was finally able to express his doubts, "What is her relationship with Miss Shangguan?"
The old man from the frontier pondered for a while, then said quietly, "Tomorrow, don't be curious about her background and experience, and don't ask anyone else. Master can only tell you to protect her well."
Ouyang Mingri wanted to say something but was interrupted by the old man from the border, "Mingri, Master will not harm you!"
The words reached the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them. "Yes, thinking of Master's meticulous care for me over the years, racking his brains to restore my health, it's true! Master won't harm me." It seems Master knows Zi Ling's background, but Master doesn't let me get curious. Could Zi Ling have some relationship with Miss Shangguan? I've never heard Miss Shangguan mention it, but that icy beauty has never talked to me about herself. I only know everything about her from Master.
Thinking of this, Ouyang Mingri could only sigh.
"Mingri, don't think too much! Come with me to the medicine house, I have something to tell you. Miss Ziling, please don't move here for now, I will ask Suxin to take you back to your residence later." The old man from the border saw Ouyang Mingri fall into sadness and interrupted hurriedly.
"Yes, disciple will obey the master's order!"
"Okay, thank you, Master Frontier!"
The two said in unison.
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