“Is that the Liu family?” asked Bi Zhen’s mother, thinking for a moment before shaking her head. “This family seems to have lived here for quite some time, but we’ve had little contact with them. If you feel some resistance from him during your probing, could it be that he possesses some special magical artifact?”
Mei Qing pondered for a moment and hesitated before replying, “I can’t be certain exactly what’s going on, but I’m absolutely sure that this old man has definitely been watching me closely.”
Bi Zhen shook her mother’s shoulders and asked, “Mother, how long have the Liu family lived in our mountains? Haven’t you ever noticed anything unusual about them?”
Bi Zhen’s mother shook her head, then turned her gaze toward Second Auntie who stood nearby. Second Auntie slightly bowed toward Bi Zhen’s mother, then turned to Mei Qing and explained, “Master Mei, you must understand that although our family has lived here for a long time, we abide by the cultivation world’s rules and generally don’t investigate others’ backgrounds. The Liu family on the other side of the mountain has probably lived here for over a hundred years. The old gentleman you mentioned is named Liu Xing, who grew up locally. Except for a period when he traveled elsewhere to study, there’s nothing particularly unusual about him, so we haven’t paid much attention. Actually, with such a family background, it’s not impossible that they have inherited rare treasures for protection.”
Mei Qing nodded, knowing there was some truth to what Second Auntie said. In Bai Zhao Mountain covering dozens of miles, Bi Zhen’s family wasn’t like an official government office that would thoroughly investigate every household in the area.
“Still, since Qing’er has sensed something, we must take precautions. Tomorrow before A Bi goes, let her come to the backyard and I’ll have Second Auntie give her a few talismans to bring along,” Bi Zhen’s mother added with some concern.
Mei Qing and Bi Zhen got up early and walked leisurely in the direction of the old man’s residence that he had mentioned the previous day.
“Have you noticed? The place where Liu Mengmei said he fell down the mountain years ago is actually quite close to this old Liu’s residence,” Mei Qing remarked as he walked, deliberately circling around the area instead of heading directly to the Liu residence.
“Really? That’s actually true. That slope and the Liu family’s house seem to be separated only by a large stream,” Bi Zhen also noticed.
Mei Qing nodded, then turned to look at the valley from which the stream flowed. It was springtime, the season when water levels rose, and the stream rushed rapidly, splashing against the rocky cliffs on both sides, creating a splashing sound. In the distance, mist and fog drifted through the valley, obscuring the stream’s source.
“Also, this place isn’t far from Guayue Peak, where Mother said a young girl once appeared. Look, the mountain rising straight into the sky behind the valley where this stream originates—that’s Guayue Peak,” Mei Qing mused thoughtfully.
“Hmph, what are you thinking now? Are you hoping to meet a beautiful maiden too? Maybe have another Tiantai-like adventure… Oh?” Bi Zhen suddenly exclaimed, “Wait, do you think the girl Liu Mengmei met might be the same one Mother mentioned?”
“What girl? She was an immortal maiden…” Mei Qing replied with a half-smile.
“Don’t pretend!” Bi Zhen angrily pinched Mei Qing secretly, “Tell me, could my guess be right? That girl must have learned a bit of cultivation, so she could pretend to be a deity and fool Liu Mengmei into thinking he had seen a goddess.”
Mei Qing chuckled and nodded, “Although your description is a bit harsh, I think there’s a good chance that’s exactly what happened. Liu Mengmei mentioned seeing vast groves of plum blossoms in his dream palace, but within dozens of miles around here, we can’t find any place with similar characteristics. Therefore, this location must be closely related to the Mei Valley of those days—it’s very likely the same place.”
“The same place?” Bi Zhen thought for a moment, “That’s possible. But who could that girl be? Could she also have some connection with… Auntie?”
“Who knows? However, I suspect that this old Mr. Liu who invited us to meet today might know something,” Mei Qing said while glancing at the sun, “Well, it’s about time. Let’s go pay him a visit and hear what he has to say about why he insisted on meeting us.”
“What could it be? Maybe he has a beautiful daughter at home who’s fallen for you and wants to make you their son-in-law,” Bi Zhen teased with a laugh.
The Liu residence didn’t seem small—it had about a dozen buildings. Actually, only the Liu family lived here, while the surrounding houses were mostly for their servants.
As Mei Qing and Bi Zhen approached the front gate of the Liu residence, a young boy came out to greet them, asking, “Are you Master Mei?”
Mei Qing nodded, and the boy happily replied, “My master sent me out to welcome you two, saying that the two gentlemen would be visiting today.”
Mei Qing smiled and said, “Old Mr. Liu is indeed thoughtful. In that case, please lead us to meet him.”
The boy cheerfully led the way, taking them through the side gate, past a screen wall, and then through a moon gate into the back.
As they entered the back courtyard, Mei Qing suddenly felt a chill in his heart. He turned his head and saw a figure in the corner of the courtyard.
It was an old man in black robes, lazily lying in a bamboo chair, slowly lifting his head to look at Mei Qing and Bi Zhen. When he saw Mei Qing, his eyes suddenly widened.
Upon seeing the old man’s eyes, Mei Qing felt an even stronger chill. The man’s eyes were almost entirely white, with only a small black pupil in the center. When he looked at Mei Qing, his gaze suddenly became extremely sharp. But in an instant, his eyes narrowed into slits again, and he turned his head away, leaning back in the chair as if he had fallen asleep again.
Noticing Mei Qing’s attention to the old man, the young guide stuck out his tongue and whispered, “Old Master Bai is always like this. When it gets cold, he likes to move a chair into the sunlight and sit there all day sometimes.”
“Oh? Who is this Old Master Bai?” Mei Qing asked casually.
“He’s some relative of ours, I think. Anyway, he’s always lived with our family,” the boy replied somewhat uncertainly.
Mei Qing nodded and didn’t ask further questions, following the boy’s lead through the door. He didn’t notice that Old Master Bai had slightly opened his eyes again, now looking at Mei Qing with a gaze filled with more confusion and uncertainty.
Old Mr. Liu was waiting in the rear hall. Different from the front courtyard with its blue-brick buildings, the back garden had several thatched cottages. In the center hung a wooden plaque above the door, inscribed with four regular script characters: “Fufeng Cottage,” written with a relaxed and elegant style.
“A gentle breeze caresses the willows, a pale moon hides among plum blossoms. Old Mr. Liu, naming this cottage ‘Fufeng’ truly captures refined elegance,” Mei Qing said with a smile after greeting Mr. Liu.
“Just a pretentious affectation, I’m afraid, making Master Mei laugh at me,” Mr. Liu replied cheerfully before turning to the boy, “Diantea, prepare a brazier at the Plum Pavilion, I shall brew tea with Master Mei while enjoying the scenery.”
Then turning to Mei Qing and Bi Zhen, he continued, “A distinguished guest graces my humble mountain dwelling. Unfortunately, my home is simple and I have little to offer. However, near the hot spring here, there are a few tea bushes. Although it’s cold now, I’ve managed to prepare a few baskets of fresh tea. Not of the finest quality, but somewhat rare. The view is nothing special—just clouds drifting over the mountains, a touch of rustic charm. Please, do follow me.”
Mei Qing and Bi Zhen both smiled and agreed, and the group stood up. The Plum Pavilion Mr. Liu mentioned was a platform at the highest point of the back garden, covered with thatch, with mats and low tables set up, and two sides enclosed by screens to block the wind.
“There’s true flavor in simplicity,” Mei Qing remarked with a smile, “Just looking at these arrangements, though seemingly simple, they perfectly capture the essence of elegance. However, I notice there are no plum blossoms to be seen here. Why is this pavilion called the Plum Pavilion?”
“This pavilion was built by me when I returned home after traveling,” Mr. Liu smiled, “I was fond of the ancient verse ‘Have the plum blossoms bloomed yet?’ and thus named it after that. However—now I can say, if anyone asks in the future, that it was named in honor of meeting a noble friend of the Mei surname, with whom I shared tea and conversation here.”
“Oh, how could you say that,” Mei Qing smiled, somewhat moved, “Your kindness is too much for me to deserve.”
Mr. Liu smiled faintly, and by then Diantea had already brought the fresh tea. Mei Qing and Bi Zhen picked up their teacups, took a sip, and couldn’t help but praise it highly.
“Fine as the tender shoots of Yuesun, brewed by the cold stream. Afraid of offending the spirit of this rare herb, I handle everything myself. The Xiang porcelain holds delicate blossoms, cleansing weariness and thirst. This tea-drinking experience is so refreshing, it can be shared with refined gentlemen. Haha, though it’s just local tea with a rustic flavor, it truly captures the essence of a hermit’s life. Tasting such excellent tea makes our journey here well worth it,” Mei Qing said, setting down his teacup with a smile.
Mr. Liu was visibly pleased by this compliment. After some casual conversation, he put down his teacup, stroked his beard slightly, and asked, “Yesterday I heard from the young gentleman that you’re from the capital. In my younger days, I had a close friend who shared your surname. Could you possibly know him?”
Mei Qing frowned slightly and asked, “My surname isn’t very common. May I ask what was your friend’s name?”
With a sigh, Mr. Liu replied, “My friend was also surnamed Mei, and his given name was Ruoyu. He was hereditary a military general with the title ‘Wude General.’ We met by chance when I was traveling, and we became close friends. Later, Ruoyu obtained a position in the capital, so we had to part ways. I still remember we made plans to meet again on our departure, but after that, I never heard from him again.”
Mei Qing was greatly shocked and stood up abruptly, exclaiming, “You actually knew my late father?”
“Your father?” Mr. Liu exclaimed in surprise, “You are Ruoyu’s son? Your father has passed away?”
“Indeed,” Mei Qing said somberly, “I was still an infant when both my parents passed away. I grew up without parental guidance and didn’t know I was in the presence of my father’s old friend.”
“Heaven envies talent, and fate is cruel!” Mr. Liu tightly grasped Mei Qing’s hands, looking him up and down for a moment before saying, “No wonder I felt an immediate connection when I first saw you—it turns out you are the son of my old friend!”
Both men were deeply moved. Mr. Liu asked a few questions about Mei Qing’s family situation, then turned to the young boy and said, “Diantea, quickly go invite the young miss. Tell her it’s the son of an old friend who has come to visit and ask her to come out and meet us.”
“Uncle, isn’t this somewhat inappropriate?” Mei Qing was taken aback, not expecting another young lady to suddenly appear. In those days, strict social norms governed interactions between men and women, and it would be quite inconvenient for them to meet a young lady they had just met. He added, “Perhaps it would be better to leave this for another day.”
“Between our families, there’s no need for such formalities,” Mr. Liu replied, “Besides, in the past, I and your father had made a marriage arrangement. My daughter isn’t an outsider—she should definitely come out and meet you.”
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