In the blink of an eye, two more months had passed.
After enduring a relentless three-month dry spell without a single drop of rain… it finally rained today.
The rain was not heavy—just a fine drizzle, like the gentle rains of early spring. Yet even so, as the first rain after those months of drought, the people of Long County were beyond ecstatic. Even though Su Qing lived in a relatively secluded area, the joyous laughter from outside still drifted into her ears.
Su Qing sat in her room, watching the raindrops dampen the leaves of the Bodhi tree. However, unlike the happy crowds outside, her heart remained quite calm.
She knew that even with the rain falling now, it was simply too late. This coming winter was destined to be exceptionally grueling. Su Qing shook her head slightly, withdrawing her gaze. She turned back to her desk to check Yudie’s schoolwork.
Su Qing didn't bother herself much with the grand affairs of the world. At present, the most she could manage was her own small patch of land and the few people within it.
As for the reason behind this year’s lack of rain, Su Qing had already learned the truth from Ao Ying.
The story was a long one… but to put it bluntly, the Imperial Court had failed to act with even basic humanity, prompting the Heavenly Court to hand down a sentence of divine punishment.
Su Qing had nothing to say about that. After all, she had no authority to question the decisions of the Heavens.
Time slipped by again. Soon, winter arrived.
This winter was particularly frigid. Winter had only just begun, yet the cold was already bone-piercing. Even the small creeks had frozen solid.
Inside Mingyin Hall, Su Qing sat by the window. As she watched the heavy snow drifting outside, she exhaled a puff of white vapor.
"It’s so cold this year! A massive freeze following a great drought… this winter won't be just ‘difficult’ to survive."
"True… the number of guests coming to see the operas has dropped significantly this winter," the Old Troop Leader replied, sitting opposite Su Qing. She too was gazing at the snow. "I heard… someone froze to death near the West Market."
"Someone already froze to death so early in the season?"
"Aigh, it was a beggar." The Old Troop Leader shook her head. "But I suspect that if this weather keeps up, many more will freeze to death before the season ends."
"Indeed. This year's weather is just too strange," Su Qing said pensively. "I wonder how much grain the local government still has for disaster relief."
"Who knows? Probably not much. They distributed a lot back in the summer. There's likely nothing left for winter. It depends on whether the central government sends more funds. If they do, things might be okay. If they don’t…" As the Old Troop Leader spoke, she couldn't help but reach for the pipe tucked at her waist. She caught a glimpse of Yudie beside Su Qing and managed to restrain herself. "It’s going to be a rough year!"
The Old Troop Leader held the unlit pipe in her mouth and continued, "Speaking of which, we performers only survived this long thanks to you, Little Master. Without you, we’d probably be freezing to death right now alongside everyone else."
Su Qing shook her head. "Your troupe performs so well; why would you ever worry about food?"
"Little Master wouldn't understand. In this kind of weather, who is willing to shell out coins for an opera?" the leader explained. "Unless you're kept by a wealthy patron, an opera troupe is usually the first to go hungry."
"Alright, let's stop talking about this. Talking more only brings misery," Su Qing said with a small smile.
"Fine, fine. We’ll do as you say."
"By the way, that girl I dropped off with you a few weeks ago—how is she faring lately?"
"That girl…" The Old Troop Leader tapped her pipe against the table and thought for a moment. "She finally woke up yesterday. But since her body was pushed way past its limits, she still can’t get out of bed yet."
"I see," Su Qing replied with a nod. "Tell me, what do you think about having her follow you and learn the opera?"
"If that is what you command… I will naturally put my all into training her. However, in these matters, it really depends on the girl’s own will. If she is unwilling, I feel it’s better not to force it."
"That makes sense." Su Qing agreed. "I’ve left the child in your care for now. If she wants to learn the trade, let her stay. If not, come and find me."
The Old Troop Leader had no objections. "Understood."
"It’s getting late; I’ll be heading back." Su Qing stood up, stretched her back, and picked up her oil-paper umbrella.
"Take care on your way back, Little Master."
Su Qing nodded slightly and, holding the umbrella, led Yudie out toward home.
After Su Qing left, the Old Troop Leader finally lit her pipe, took several long drags, and then headed downstairs. She walked to a guest room and pushed open the door. Inside was the teenage girl Su Qing had rescued.
The leader looked over to see the girl staring blankly at the ceiling, looking like a broken doll.
"The Little Master has already seen to it that your father was buried properly," the leader said plainly, standing by the bedside.
Hearing those words, the girl’s head tilted slightly, and a flicker of light returned to her eyes. She whispered, "Thank you…"
"Don't thank me. It was only because the Little Master ordered it." The leader looked at her. "Moving on from that, you haven't even told me your name yet. If you don't speak up, how can I put a name on your father’s headstone?"
After a few coughs, the girl answered weakly, "Xu Xuan’er…"
"That’s a lovely name." The leader asked further, "And your father? What was his name?"
"Xu Chang," the girl replied mechanically.
"Ah, I'll remember that." The leader's brow twitched. "Now, girl, tell me what happened back then. How did things turn out like this?"
"……" Xu Xuan'er was clearly unwilling to relive the past, keeping her mouth shut tight.
"Silent, are we? Let me guess then?" The Old Troop Leader put the pipe back in her mouth. "Because of the drought this year… your family had no harvest. You couldn't pay the landlord his rent, and the thugs from the landlord's estate came knocking at your door…"
She was just guessing randomly, based on what was common these days. Sometimes, a shot in the dark hits the target.
Upon hearing this, Xu Xuan'er remained silent for a long time. She neither nodded nor shook her head. The Old Troop Leader chuckled, sensing she had probably guessed correctly.
"Alright, if you don't want to talk, forget it."
She chuckled and continued, "However, there's one more thing you need to decide. Your father’s burial was arranged by our Mingyin Hall. Your wounds and your recovery were all paid for by Mingyin Hall. Do you think it’s time to settle the bill?"
"……"
"I know you have no money… but even without money, there are ways to pay a debt." The troop leader suggested, "How about learning the opera from me? Perform to repay your debt. Once it's cleared, you're free to go wherever you like."
Xu Xuan'er looked at her. She knew the Old Troop Leader wasn't really trying to squeeze money out of her. It was just a pretext to give her a place to stay.
"I… I don’t know how to sing."
"You don't need to know yet. You’ll just follow me and learn."
The leader laughed softly. "Besides, don't think this was my idea alone. It was the Little Master’s suggestion. If you want to learn, stay. If not, then find another way to repay the debt. Of course, dying isn't an option. Until your debt is settled, your life belongs to Mingyin Hall."
Seeing the girl fall silent, the leader added, "Alright then, get some rest. Once you've recovered, start following me for rehearsals. Also, regardless of who your enemy is, your priority is to fix that broken body of yours. Once you’ve paid Mingyin Hall back, go find your revenge if you must."
Xu Xuan'er was startled, but understanding the troop leader’s meaning, she nodded slightly and offered a soft word of thanks.
"Good. Then it’s settled," the Old Troop Leader said. "Rest well. I’ll be off now."
The leader turned and left, leaving Xu Xuan'er to her own thoughts.
Once the door closed, Xu Xuan'er stared back at the ceiling. She sighed. Yes… regardless of what happens, I must survive first.
Back at Su Qing's courtyard.
Su Qing was sitting at her desk, concentrating on drawing talismans. To the side, Yudie asked with a look of confusion, "Mother… are we really just going to leave her with the Old Troop Leader and not bother with her anymore?"
"Mmh," Su Qing replied with a slight nod. "Why? Were you planning on teaching her martial arts?"
"I only know spells… I don't know martial arts," Yudie replied after a brief pause.
"Then there you go." Su Qing stopped her brush and spoke calmly, "We’ve done enough. The rest depends on her own destiny."
"……"
"And don’t get too deeply involved with mortals. They won't outlive you."
Su Qing was perhaps the most qualified to speak on such matters. She had already outlived countless friends over the years. This was why even while hiding away to avoid the Three Calamities, she still had no intention of forming deep bonds with the locals. In the end, she was afraid. After all, spirits are not stones; who could truly remain emotionless? If you stay together too long and form a connection, the parting becomes unbearable.
"I understand, Mother…"
"As long as you understand." Su Qing nodded. She wasn't sure if Yudie truly understood, but since she said it, Su Qing would take her word for it. Still, I’m starting to feel more and more like a nagging mother lately. She stroked her chin and glanced at the little girl beside her. It’s definitely because this brat keeps calling me 'Mother.' It’s giving me a weird maternal complex. Tsk, I'm being influenced by her.
Su Qing shook her head, feeling she needed to adjust her mindset, and went back to her talismans.
Days sped by.
In the blink of an eye, the following spring arrived. The weather began to warm up and return to normal. Last winter had been brutal. Though no official census existed, at least a few thousand had likely perished from the cold, even with the government’s relief efforts. Many commoners had been pushed into destitution. The government’s resources were limited, after all. No matter how well-meaning the County Magistrate was, he couldn’t change the fact that his superiors were corrupt and provided no funding for the disaster. At last, however, they had made it through.
Business at Mingyin Hall remained quiet today, as it had for months. Few customers came to listen. Yet as long as even one person arrived, the show went on.
Su Qing stood by the railing on the second floor. Watching the figure on the stage, she couldn't help but smile. "It seems that girl is learning well."
"Indeed! The girl has immense talent!" the Old Troop Leader said, standing beside her. "Especially when it comes to playing roles filled with bitter grievances and deep-seated hatred. It's almost second nature to her."
"Probably because she carries her own hatred in her heart?"
"Most likely, yes."
"You haven’t taught her martial arts?"
"I’m just an opera leader. How would I know any of that?"
"Fair enough."
"And you, Little Master? Do you plan to have her learn martial arts?"
"No," Su Qing said with a chuckle.
"Hmph, I wonder what exactly happened to her… to make her so consumed by bitterness," the leader said, glancing at Su Qing before puffing on her pipe and shaking her head.
"You haven't asked her?"
"I did, but she wouldn't say. I made a few guesses… probably guessed wrong." The leader asked, "Do you know, Little Master?"
"I haven’t a clue! She’s just someone I happened to pick up on the road. How would I know everything about her?" Su Qing lied. While she could use spells to divine the truth, she currently couldn’t use high-level magic carelessly, so she truly was in the dark for now.
"Even the Little Master doesn’t know?" The leader sighed. "Even if I don't know the specifics, I have a feeling that girl will eventually go seeking her revenge."
"If she wants to go, let her," Su Qing said indifferently. "We aren't her mother; we can’t dictate her future for her."
"You are certainly very open-minded."
"If I wasn’t open-minded about everything, I wouldn't have lived this long." Su Qing smiled, then pulled a book from her robe. "By the way, give this to her. If she’s clever, she might be able to learn it."
"What is it?"
"A manual for nourishing one's vitality."
"I thought it was some kind of killing manual!"
"Hahaha, where would I get such a thing?" Su Qing shook her head. "But if she studies it deeply, it could certainly be used for killing."
"…Isn't that the same thing? Do you really want to give this to her? Aren't you afraid she’ll do something reckless?"
"Of course. Why not give it? Even if she does something reckless, she's the one doing it. What does that have to do with me?"
"Aigh, now I know what kind of person you are, Little Master."
"What kind?"
"The kind who watches a house burn and complains the fire isn't bright enough." The Old Troop Leader rolled her eyes. "But since you've put it that way, I can hardly refuse. By the way, aren't you going to tell her who you are?"
"No need."
"Understood."
"Also, don’t let her pass this around carelessly."
"Mmh, I’ll tell her." The troop leader tucked the manual into her robe and nodded seriously.
After they finished their conversation, Su Qing focused on the play. However, she failed to notice that everything happening on the second floor was being watched by someone on the stage. While the girl couldn’t hear them, she saw their interactions clearly.
Is that Teacher Su? Xu Xuan'er wondered. Why is she with the troop leader? What are they discussing?
She had endless questions. Yet no matter how curious she was, she couldn't just walk off the stage. Her role right now was that of a performer, and she had to finish her task properly. She could ask later.
Soon, the opera ended and Su Qing left. Once she was gone, the Old Troop Leader followed Su Qing’s instructions and sought out Xu Xuan'er.
"Did you need me for something?" Xu Xuan'er asked. She was dying to ask about Su Qing, but since the leader approached her first, she would wait.
"The Little Master wanted me to give you this," the troop leader said plainly.
"Little Master?" Xu Xuan'er was stunned. If she remembered correctly, the person chatting with the leader and handing over that book was none other than Teacher Su.
So that means… Teacher Su is the ‘Little Master’ she serves?
A storm of realization swept through Xu Xuan'er’s mind. In that single moment, a lot of things suddenly became clear.
"Xuan'er?" The leader patted her on the shoulder to snap her out of her daze. "Take it!"
"Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought," Xu Xuan'er said quickly. "What is this?"
"This? Well… the Little Master says it's a ‘secret manual’ of sorts," the leader said, weighing her words carefully.
"A manual?"
"Yes. She said once you master it, you’ll be very powerful. Powerful enough to seek revenge… which is why she wanted me to give it to you." The troop leader continued, "But this thing looks difficult to learn, so… just see how it goes."
"I… I see."
Xu Xuan'er stood stunned, her immediate instinct being that Su Qing had written this merely to comfort her.
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