There were about several dozen people on the other side. They didn’t look like ordinary herdsmen, but rather like bandits roaming the grasslands and deserts. Hearing the leading man ask where they came from, Xia Xiuyan didn’t answer but countered with a question: “Who are you?”
The group exchanged glances with each other, riding their horses to gradually surround the two, seemingly with ill intent. After the horse group had encircled the two in the center, Qiu Xinran’s gaze suddenly paused, landing on one of the big-bearded men: “Keya?”
Hearing her call out this name, everyone present froze, instinctively looking in the same direction. Seeing this, Qiu Xinran knew she hadn’t mistaken the person. Sure enough, behind the leading man, a big-bearded man on horseback walked forward two steps from the back, asking in confusion: “You recognize me?”
Qiu Xinran removed the head scarf from her face: “Do you still remember that I divined a hexagram for you in Yuzhou?”
“It’s you!” Seeing her remove the veil, the big-bearded man immediately recognized her and said with pleasant surprise, “How are you here?”
“I… I wanted to see the grasslands, but didn’t expect to encounter a wolf pack.” Qiu Xinran said somewhat embarrassed. “I remember you said you were going back to Juanfu to find your wife—how did you end up here?”
“It’s a long story.” Keya scratched his head and smiled. “I thought I’d never see you again. It seems heaven meant for me to meet you here. Where are you headed next?”
Qiu Xinran truly didn’t know. She looked back at the person behind her. Just now when they were pursued by the wolf pack, in their panic they had already deviated from their original route. Xia Xiuyan glanced at the sun on the horizon, considering whether they could leave the grasslands before sunset.
After the people across discovered they were Keya’s friends, their expressions softened considerably. Keya turned his head back, happily saying something to them. Xia Xiuyan translated for the woman in front of him: “He says you’re his friend and once helped him greatly.”
Qiu Xinran was startled, then saw Keya turn his head and enthusiastically invite her: “If you’re not in a hurry to leave, would you like to visit my home? Rishan would definitely love to meet you too.”
The horse group gradually closed in again. The previously tense atmosphere had disappeared. The man in the lead chimed in: “There’s no place to lodge nearby. Since you’re Keya’s friends, we can host you.”
Qiu Xinran used her gaze to inquire of the person behind her. Seeing Xia Xiuyan nod, she said happily: “Then thank you very much!”
The group turned their horses to head back in the direction they came from. Keya stayed at the back to walk with them. Through Qiu Xinran’s conversation with the man, Xia Xiuyan roughly understood how the two had met. On the way back, he heard Keya say: “After you divined that hexagram for me, I packed up and returned to Juanfu. But when I arrived, I discovered Rishan was no longer there. I asked around everywhere, and only then learned that not long after I escaped the royal city, Rishan discovered she was pregnant. She gave birth to our child, but her family forced her to marry someone else. She refused and left Juanfu with the child. It was Adeduo and the others who took her in.”
This Adeduo was probably their leader. Qiu Xinran asked curiously: “What do you live on here?”
“Hunting or herding.” Keya’s face showed a self-reproachful expression: “Before I came back, Rishan’s life was very hard. She didn’t have the ability to support them and could only consider marrying someone else with the child. This was all my fault. If not for you, I might have lost her forever because of my cowardice.”
“It’s not because of me,” Qiu Xinran consoled. “I only told you your fate, and you made the choice.”
Keya looked at her sincerely: “In any case, I’m grateful to you.”
As they talked, large and small tents had already appeared in the distance, those tents forming a small village. Women washing clothes by the river looked up to see the men returning on horseback and straightened up to wave at them. The group dismounted in front of the tents. Before long, children came running up cheering to find their fathers.
Keya led them to his tent, scooped up his young daughter in one arm, and a woman with a gentle countenance walked out from the tent, smiling as she came forward and reached out to him—this should be his wife, Rishan.
Keya, holding the child, kissed her cheek, then introduced Qiu Xinran to her. The woman’s face showed a delighted expression, then she said something to her with some excitement. Keya turned back and said to her with a smile: “Rishan says welcome to you both.”
Her gaze was too sincere, so much so that Qiu Xinran became somewhat at a loss. Xia Xiuyan glanced at her rarely docile face, curved the corner of his mouth, and politely expressed thanks to the couple before them on her behalf.
Keya hadn’t expected this man who had been silent all along could also speak the Diyue language and couldn’t help but freeze. It wasn’t until Rishan tugged at his sleeve and said something that he came back to himself and extended another invitation to the two: “There will be a party in the square tonight. If you’re interested, you can come together.”
Qiu Xinran had never seen a party on the grasslands and readily agreed.
At night, bonfires were lit in the square. People nearby all brought food to the bonfire. The men sat together drinking, while the women gathered around the bonfire talking and laughing.
Qiu Xinran and Xia Xiuyan’s arrival aroused people’s curiosity. Young girls enthusiastically pulled her to dance by the bonfire. She couldn’t refuse and had to follow along learning a few moves, but unfortunately her posture was clumsy, which actually made her seem rather adorable. Qiu Xinran helplessly cast a look seeking help toward Xia Xiuyan sitting to the side, but unfortunately he smiled as he watched her, seeming happy to see it happen.
The man who had inquired during the day where they were from walked to his side carrying wine, handed over a bowl of alcohol, and looked down at him.
Xia Xiuyan glanced at the strong liquor filling his hand, raised an eyebrow, brought it to his lips and drained it in one gulp, then handed the empty bowl back. The man laughed heartily: “Good!”
He sat down beside him and suddenly said: “I recognize you. You’re a general of the Han people. Even Qi Kedan was no match for you.” Seeing the other party show some surprise, he smiled with some satisfaction again. “I was once the captain of the royal court guard, Adeduo. When following old King Hulun on campaign, I saw you on the battlefield.”
“Since you recognized me early on, why did you still invite us here?”
“Because you are Keya’s benefactors,” Adeduo answered. “We won’t harm the benefactors of our companions.”
Xia Xiuyan asked again: “Since you’re from the royal court, why are you here?”
“After old King Hulun died, Qi Kedan led people to storm the royal court. We couldn’t stop it and were instead captured by him, becoming prisoners. Although Prince Mai Ni eventually led people to quell the rebellion, we had already lost the honor of warriors and fled from the royal court. We can no longer return to Juanfu, so we could only bring our relatives to the grasslands.” Adeduo looked despondently at the rising moon. “We became exiles. Today on the grasslands when we heard hoofbeats, we thought it was people sent by the royal court to pursue us.”
Xia Xiuyan plucked a thin blade of grass from beside his foot: “Autumn and winter will soon arrive. How will you endure the grassland winter?”
“Now the border is much more peaceful. When winter comes, we’ll go to Yuzhou to trade cattle, sheep, and furs for grain to get through winter.”
“But your numbers aren’t many. The food exchanged from hunting and herding will be hard-pressed to sustain you through an entire winter.”
Adeduo didn’t refute. So Xia Xiuyan continued: “You’re not traitors to the royal court. If you’re willing, I can write to Mai Ni. He might accept you back to the royal court.”
The man beside him fell into a long silence. After a long while, he finally said hesitantly: “I can’t make decisions for others. Many people might not want to return to the royal court.”
“Of course, this depends entirely on your own wishes.” Qiu Xinran’s figure had disappeared from the dancing crowd by the bonfire. Xia Xiuyan stood up. Before leaving, he said to him: “If you’re willing to come to Yuzhou, I also welcome it. You’re familiar with this grassland. For me, this might come in very useful in the future.”
He walked toward the bonfire, bending down to inquire of a group of women sitting together about Qiu Xinran’s whereabouts. One young lady pointed in a direction for him. Xia Xiuyan nodded politely at her, then walked toward the small slope on the other side of the square. He left behind only a group of women by the bonfire gazing at his back, gathering together shyly to whisper.
On the small slope not far from the square, there was indeed a figure sitting. Xia Xiuyan walked up the small slope and sat down beside her. Looking down from here, they could see the lively square not far away and the bright bonfire. But separated by just this distance, it was as if they had arrived at another quiet place.
“Unhappy about being pulled to dance, so you’re hiding here?” Xia Xiuyan said teasingly.
“I’m too happy.” Qiu Xinran gazed at the jubilant crowd in the distance, smiling softly. “Today is the happiest day since I came to Yuzhou.”
When she said this, Xia Xiuyan was displeased and deliberately glanced at her sideways: “Even happier than the day drinking at Penglai Residence?”
Qiu Xinran laughed in a muffled voice. The grassland night was cool with wind. She sat closer to his side, leaning against him and coaxing: “A tiny bit less happy than that day.” She reached out to show an extremely minute distance. “Just this tiny bit less.”
Xia Xiuyan couldn’t help but lift the corner of his lips. So Qiu Xinran reached out to link her arm through his and sighed: “I’ve divined hexagrams for many people in the past. This is the first time someone has told me that my hexagram helped him.” Her eyes sparkled as she turned to look at the person beside her, her expression unable to hide her excitement. “Tell me, did my divination truly help him?”
Xia Xiuyan felt her manner was somewhat silly and couldn’t help but lean his head close, pressing it against her forehead, and laughed softly: “That’s right. You didn’t just help him—you’ve also helped me, you’ve helped Zhang Rong and Mei Que. You’ve helped many people.”
Qiu Xinran was dazed for a moment, as if suddenly only then realizing: “Have I really helped so many people?”
She had thought that coming down from the mountain to divine hexagrams for people, watching the rise and fall of countless karmic connections, calculating people’s fates with her fingers—life and death had nothing to do with her. But she hadn’t expected that long ago, she had already been drawn into the mortal world and was no longer a completely detached diviner.
Qiu Xinran smiled, her heart clear and bright, as if finally understanding why she divined. She had thought that when this day came, she should be enlightened and fully awakened, or pierce through mortal love and desires, only then could she cultivate a heart neither sad nor joyful. She hadn’t expected that when this moment truly arrived, with clear breezes and bright moon all around, it would be just like countless ordinary years in the human world.
Only Xia Xiuyan sat beside her. The man’s eyes looked at her, making her want to leap into this thousand-foot-deep mortal world and together with him pass countless more years in the human realm.
“When I was on the mountain, Master said I had exceptional talent, so I always felt such talent didn’t come easily. If I couldn’t accomplish something with it, it would be wasted. So when you asked me before why I studied divination, I felt bewildered.” Qiu Xinran seemed finally relieved, setting down all burdens. “But now I understand—people only seek heaven’s will when troubled in their hearts. I speak heaven’s will clearly, which helps people. Isn’t learning divination for exactly this purpose?”
“Teacher’s way is in the world below. Master’s way is in the mountains. My way is right here!” She stood up, gazing at the distant crowd, turned back and smiled brilliantly at him. “I helped you, helped Mei Que, helped Keya. Then my life’s learning hasn’t been wasted. Don’t you think that’s the truth?”
The silver moonlight spilled over her. Standing there, she seemed to be glowing herself. Xia Xiuyan couldn’t help but stand and take her hand, as if afraid she was a celestial child descended from heaven to pass through mortal tribulation, and once gaining enlightenment would immediately ascend back to heaven.
Qiu Xinran seemed to see through his thoughts and smiled as she threw herself into his embrace: “Plant good causes, reap good results—that’s why I met you.”
“That’s right. You are my cause and also my result.” Xia Xiuyan gently brushed her hair, lowering his head to plant a kiss on her forehead.
The next day, Keya rode to escort the two back to the city. He Zhong and the others were already waiting at the next town. Seeing the two return safely, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Qiu Xinran took off her Daoist robe and changed back into ordinary women’s clothing, with a small flower she’d casually picked along the way pinned in her hair. She was in a good mood the whole way.
He Zhong watched from the side. Whether because he now knew about her relationship with Xia Xiuyan or for some other reason, he always felt she was somehow different from before.
“What are you so happy about?” After entering the city, He Zhong finally couldn’t help but ask.
Since returning from the grasslands, Qiu Xinran had been in a very good mood. She looked at the lively scene in the city and said happily: “I’m looking to see which location in this city is best to rent in the future for my divination stall!”
“You’re still going to divine in the future?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Qiu Xinran looked at him strangely. “If I don’t divine, what would I do?”
“But… but you…” He Zhong stammered as he glanced at their Marquis’s back up ahead, saying quietly, “But won’t you be marrying our Marquis in the future?”
“If I marry your Marquis, I can’t divine anymore?”
“If people know the Marquis Dingbei’s wife is a divining Daoist, wouldn’t that reputation be strange?”
Qiu Xinran refused to accept this. Sitting on her horse with her head held high, she said: “Right now in Yuzhou, no one knows who I am. But in the future, when someone comes here and asks who the Marquis Dingbei is…” Speaking to this point, she glanced at the man in white not far ahead and also lowered her voice to say quietly, “Others will say—that’s Daoist Qiu’s husband.”
After saying this, she felt somewhat embarrassed but also found this scenario truly appealing and couldn’t help but laugh.
He Zhong gave her a thumbs up. Qiu Xinran felt both proud and bashful as she raised her head and lightly humphed through her nose.
The two thought they were speaking quietly, but up ahead Gao Yang couldn’t help but turn his head to glance at the person beside him. Xia Xiuyan rode looking ahead without turning back, but the corners of his lips curved slightly upward.
He Zhong and Gao Yang each went their own way shortly after entering the city. Outside the Marquis’s residence, Qiu Xinran jumped off her horse first, eagerly striding into the residence with large steps. Like someone returning home after a long absence, as soon as she entered she encountered a woman sweeping the courtyard and couldn’t help but call out cheerfully: “Auntie Zhang, what are we eating tonight?”
Xia Xiuyan led his horse leisurely following behind her, watching the woman’s skipping figure, as if seeing the little Daoist from many years ago who bounced along with him back to the Princess’s residence wearing the Bureau of Astronomy’s official robes.
Only this time, they were going home together.