A Different World - Chapter 3: Chang'an

Lu Yuanting coughed lightly twice, supported himself on the edge of the bed, and sat up weakly, speaking in a soft voice: “I know.”

“If you know…” Wu Daobei glanced at the Ninth Prince. Although he still showed no reaction, Wu Daobei lowered his voice and said to Lu Yuanting, “Now that the former dynasty has fallen and the orphaned survivors are so young, what can the two of you possibly do?”

Lu Yuanting’s pale face darkened even further. The grip on Xie Ningzhen’s hand tightened.

Feeling the pain in his wrist, Xie Ningzhen’s dazed eyes gradually cleared. He turned to look at the person beside him and unexpectedly spoke: “You are very sad.”

As he spoke, his small hand lightly patted the one holding his, seemingly in a gesture of comfort.

For some reason, he felt a deep trust toward the person before him. Seeing this person’s sorrow filled him with a faint sense of melancholy.

“Thank goodness, he’s finally awake.” Wu Daobei, relieved to see the Ninth Prince regain clarity, reached out to check his pulse again. However, as soon as his hand approached, the Ninth Prince dodged. Wu Daobei patiently reassured him: “I just want to check your pulse, I won’t hurt you.”

Xie Ningzhen stared at Wu Daobei warily, his body slightly leaning back like a frightened young beast—awkward but fiercely vigilant.

Wu Daobei had no doubt that if he pushed further, the Ninth Prince might actually lunge at him in the next moment and bite him.

The tense situation was broken by a soft sigh. Xie Ningzhen immediately withdrew his hostility, turning to the person beside him and waiting for their instructions.

Lu Yuanting understood that Wu Daobei’s earlier words were well-meaning, but he had his reasons for persisting. “Daozhang, the old loyalists of the former dynasty have been reduced to ashes. A new emperor has ascended, and the Yongchang era has begun. Yet, the late emperor, the General Protector’s family, the Cavalry General, the 105 monks of Kongshan Temple, and the innocent people of Qingdu—all deserve justice. Their blood debts are etched into my heart, haunting me day and night. How could we dare live on idly?”

As he spoke, grief surged within him, and he suddenly tasted blood. He coughed harshly, dark red staining his sleeve, like a plum blossom withering in the bitter cold.

Wu Daobei hastily handed a handkerchief to Xie Ningzhen, signaling him to help wipe the blood away. Then, he poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Lu Yuanting, offering solace: “Don’t be anxious. What I meant earlier was out of concern for your health. The poison in your body cannot be delayed. My meager skills can only temporarily suppress its effects. If it’s not treated soon, it will endanger your life.”

He had already sent someone to seek his master’s help. However, the poison afflicting Lu Yuanting was intricate and sinister. Even if his master returned, there might still be no solution.

“Daozhang, your and Qingyun Temple’s willingness to help us in times of peril is something both the Ninth Prince and I will never forget.” Lu Yuanting had already resigned himself to fate. He had sought refuge at Qingyun Temple to tend to the Ninth Prince’s injuries, as he could trust no one else. As for his own poison, he would endure it as long as he could.

Xie Ningzhen, clutching the bloodstained handkerchief, pursed his lips in silence. His brow furrowed deeply, doubts clouding his heart. He stared intently at the person beside him, his gaze full of questions.

Wu Daobei waved his hand dismissively. Setting aside his long-standing friendship with their master, Qingyun Temple owed it to the late General Lu’s contributions to protecting the nation to lend a helping hand.

“I’ve also asked another disciple to seek out the famed physician Zuo. This year, floods have ravaged the south, destroying crops and leaving famine in their wake. Plague runs rampant. I heard Zuo was recently seen treating outbreaks. If we can find him, there may be hope for your poison. Until then, both of you should rest well here in the temple.”

Lu Yuanting expressed his gratitude again but declined further assistance from Qingyun Temple. The Ninth Prince’s identity was too sensitive. If discovered by others, it could bring disaster upon Qingyun Temple and render the sacrifices of Kongshan Temple’s monks meaningless. They had to leave as soon as possible.

“Daozhang, the Ninth Prince and I truly cannot stay long. If there’s an opportunity in the future, we will repay Qingyun Temple’s kindness. However, I have one final request that I hope Daozhang can assist with.”

As he spoke, Lu Yuanting propped himself up with the bedframe and resolutely knelt before Wu Daobei, his expression solemn and sorrowful.

“Please rise, there’s no need for this.” Wu Daobei hurriedly reached out to support him. “Just tell me what you need, and I’ll do my best to help.”

The Lu family was renowned for their loyalty. Though young, Lu Yuanting bore his family’s legacy with honor. To protect the late emperor’s orphan, he willingly placed himself in danger. Such a loyal man kneeling before him was something Wu Daobei could not bear.

Lu Yuanting did not stand, speaking in a grave tone: “The massacre at Kongshan Temple… As a disciple, I should escort my master and brothers on their final journey. But as far as the world is concerned, ‘Lu Yuanting’ is already dead, and I cannot show myself. I humbly ask Daozhang to collect the remains of the monks of Kongshan Temple.”

Wu Daobei’s master and the abbot of Kongshan Temple had been old friends. Given their connection, it was reasonable for Qingyun Temple to handle the remains. If the court suspected and sent soldiers to search Qingyun Temple, Lu Yuanting and the Ninth Prince would already be gone. Without informants, the soldiers likely wouldn’t trouble the temple further.

Although there was inherent risk, it was why Lu Yuanting had made this request.

“That’s all?” Wu Daobei exhaled in relief, leaning forward to support Lu Yuanting’s elbow. “Rest assured, Qingyun Temple will not turn a blind eye. But are you sure you want to leave in these dire times?”

Seeing Lu Yuanting nod resolutely, Wu Daobei stopped trying to dissuade him but added: “I will honor the goodwill of our predecessors. If you ever need Qingyun Temple’s help in the future, just let me know.”

On the day they met, Wu Daobei had read their fortunes. The two shared the “Heavenly Fire Conjunction” fate. Though trapped in hardship now, they would eventually rise as the keys to Great Qi, solving its crises from all directions.

When Wu Daobei saw Lu Yuanting about to thank him again, he stopped him quickly. His earlier words, though sincere, also carried a hint of opportunism. He reminded Lu Yuanting and the Ninth Prince to rest well before heading out to gather herbs.

After the Taoist left, Xie Ningzhen remained perplexed by the conversation between the two. He tried several times to ask but couldn’t find the right moment.

“If the Ninth Prince has questions, just ask.” Lu Yuanting coughed lightly as he spoke.

Xie Ningzhen hesitated before asking, “Why do you call me the Ninth Prince?”

Lu Yuanting froze into silence. Daoist Wu had mentioned earlier that the Ninth Prince had been frightened and sustained a head injury, which could cause confusion. But how could he forget even the matter of revenge?

He returned to Xie Ningzhen, crouching slightly to meet his gaze. After a long pause, he asked, “Do you remember who you are?”

Hearing this, Xie Ningzhen thought deeply. He remembered having something very important to do, but no matter how hard he tried, the only memories he could summon were of waking up today. All else was a hazy blur. He wanted to see clearly, but the dense fog obscuring his mind made it impossible to peer through.

“How could you forget?” Lu Yuanting’s hands, which gripped Xie Ningzhen’s shoulders, trembled as he spoke. In his distress, he began to cough uncontrollably again.

Xie Ningzhen quickly helped Lu Yuanting back onto the bed. “I truly can’t remember. Can you tell me what happened before?”

He could sense that he had forgotten something critical, but it wasn’t out of his own desire.

“You…” Lu Yuanting was filled with frustration, but in the end, it was his failure to protect the Ninth Prince. How could he lay blame?

He let out a long sigh of resignation, leaning weakly against the bedpost, his eyes filled with desolation and a sense of helplessness. But he couldn’t just sit there waiting for death, letting the rest of his days waste away. When he eventually met his fallen comrades in the afterlife, how could he explain himself?

Determined once more, Lu Yuanting looked at the cup of tea by his side and began planning their next steps.

During the rebel uprising at Wanhe Hall, he had seen the banners of Jianzhou and Yuezhou among the enemy forces. If they wanted revenge, they would have to investigate why soldiers from Jianzhou and Yuezhou, who should have been engaged in the campaign against the pirates on the islands of Donghai, suddenly appeared in Qingdu and why they were obeying Xie Yuanrui’s orders.

The Ninth Prince was still young and had now lost his memory. If he knew too much, it might lead to inadvertent leaks, bringing deadly consequences. Meanwhile, Lu Yuanting himself was gravely poisoned and likely didn’t have much time left. Should the day come when he could no longer ensure the Ninth Prince’s safety, he needed to leave a way out for him, fulfilling both his father’s and the late emperor’s last wishes.

Looking at the innocent and unworldly Xie Ningzhen, Lu Yuanting made a firm decision. Changing his tone, he said, “Both of our identities are dead. It’s all in the past now. From today onward, I’ll take my mother’s surname and go by the name Ye Yin. For you, I’ll choose the name Chang’an, hoping you will have a life of long-lasting peace.”

As he spoke, he removed the protective amulet he had worn since childhood and placed it around Xie Ningzhen’s neck.

Lu Yuanting and Xie Ningzhen had died in the great fire at Kongshan Temple. Now, with new names and identities, they carried the weight of 3,000 lives lost in blood. They would bide their time in hiding, waiting for the day to settle the score.

When Wu Daobei returned to Qingyun Temple with herbs, the two of them were long gone. It seemed Lu Yuanting still feared implicating others.

Walking slowly to the temple gate, Wu Daobei gazed down at the mountain and said, “May the road ahead be safe. Blessings upon you, Lord of Infinite Heaven.”

On the overgrown path beneath the mountain, rarely frequented by travelers, tall grass swayed. A figure wielding a sword pushed forward, clearing the way for the person behind them.

The one following closely behind asked, “Where are we going?”

“Jianzhou.”

Author’s Notes:

1. Qian above, Li below: Heaven and Fire Comradeship. This is the thirteenth hexagram of the I Ching, also known as the Tong Ren Hexagram or the Returning Soul Hexagram. It signifies uniting with others, working harmoniously up and down, building a career, and achieving great fame and success.

(Note: The hexagram is used here for narrative purposes, not to promote superstition. Please believe in science.)

2. Ye Yin is derived from a verse in Tang Dynasty poet Zhou He’s “Staying Overnight at the Tower of Kaiyuan Temple”: “The cold door seals in the dampness of rain; the sound of the bell is hidden among the leaves in the wind.”

3. Chang’an refers to a line from Song Dynasty poet Zhang Ju’s “To the Tune of He Xin Lang”: “The west wind scatters leaves from Chang’an trees. I lament the deserted palaces and abandoned gardens, overgrown with wild millet.”

Thank you for reading!