Far from the capital, in one of the villages in Yue, a pagoda could be seen on a distant mountain. In the courtyard, a middle-aged man with white brows same went to his long hair was intently reading the palm of a person seated across from him.
He stared for a moment, then let go of the hand. "Strange, I can't read your future, no matter how hard I try."
"Oh, maybe your skills have gone dull,"
"You… forget it. So, Taoist Wei, do you really want to leave the mountains?" asked the middle-aged man
The person he called Taoist Wei had a small face and a slender body, dressed in long white hanfu robes and loose trousers. Her hair was tied in a top bun.
At a quick glance, one could mistake her for a young man, but a closer look revealed she was actually a young woman, disguising herself with the attire and hairstyle of a man.
She shifted her brown eyes to the large tree in front of her and sighed. "I've been in these mountains for four years, unable to remember my origins or anything else… except the wanted posters that claim I'm a rebel."
"That's a good reason to stay. When I found you, anyone could see how much you had suffered. Don't you find peace here? Some things are better left forgotten."
She turned to him. "It's frustrating."
"Frustrating?"
"Thinking about whether they're telling the truth or not… it's so frustrating. Tomorrow… I will go to the capital."
Seeing her determination, he gave up and sighed, casting her a worried look. The truth was, he could read her future and showed she would die young. However with her determination, he left the fate to decide.
The next day, early in the morning, she dressed in loose trousers and a long-sleeved shirt tied at the waist with a fabric belt.
Her face was well-known, so with her skill in disguise, she put on a mask, altering her facial features to appear masculine, then tied her hair in a single bun with a wooden hairpin.
Outside, five Taoists waited for her. They had helped her when they found her, bringing her to the mountains. They treated her physical injuries with medicine and her emotional scars with kind words. Through them, she had learned many things, even though they knew little of her identity beyond the mountains.
She knelt and bowed, thanking them. They were reluctant to let her leave, but there was nothing they could do.
"Elder Baiyun" she called to the Taoist closest to her, who she had grown closest to.
"If things get difficult, you can return anytime," he said.
He approached her, handing her a basket of food. "Don't let yourself starve." Then he whispered, "You've been sneaking meat, haven't you?"
Her eyes widened. Right, as a Taoist, she was supposed to avoid meat, but it seemed even with her memory loss, her favorite food was still meat.
Now, she considered them family and swore to return once she was finished with everything.
Taking a deep breath, she mounted her horse and galloped down the mountain.
The journey wore down both her and the horse. Over the next two days, she took breaks times to times before continuing.
Finally, she spotted a mansion with lights flickering in the windows. An inn. She made her way inside.
Seated at a table, she ordered food. While waiting, she scanned the room. There wasn't another woman in sight.
At that moment, a figure sat down across from her, setting a jar of liquor on the table. She looked up to see a young man with striking features, his long hair tied in a top ponytail. From his lazy eyes and the smell, it was obvious he was drunk.
She hadn't expected him, but figured it was just how the inn ran. With more customers than tables, people could sit anywhere there was space.
"Which village are you from?" he asked.
She frowned. What did her village have to do with him?
"Where are you headed?"
She glared at him, making no response.
"Are you also running from the villages, afraid of being forced to join the military?"
She frowned, unsure what he was talking about. However, the mention of the military lingered in her mind. What was happening in the kingdom? She realized there was so much she didn't know.
The food was placed on the table.
"This inn… everyone here, including me… we escaped to fight in the war with Huang. They kept forcing us, so we ran." He started laughing, as if he had won.
She raised an eyebrow. Then she asked, "Who is the current king?"
His eyes tried to widen, but he failed. "Of course, King Siyu!"
She frowned. She was accused of killing Siyu. What could she expect from a drunkard?
That night, she ended up sharing a room with the drunkard, as the inn was full. She learned his name was Kai.
In the early morning, she jerked awake, startled by thuds and clanging. She drifted to the window and looked outside, seeing people from the inn fighting soldiers in armor.
She expected them to find the inn, even though it was far from the city. But so soon?
Did she have to fight her way out? She dismissed the idea because it would only draw more attention. If she proved herself too capable, they'd have even more reason to recruit her.
What if she revealed her gender? No, that would expose her as the wanted rebel and give them more reason to arrest her.
The door to her room opened, and Kai slipped in, dishevelled.
"Damn… they're already here! We have to leave!"
"And why are you running? Don't you have a family honour to protect?" she said, recalling how he lamented tarnishing his family's honour in his drunken state last night. She also discovered that Kai could read, something usually reserved for noble families.
But why would a noble family be forced into the military? She had never heard of such a thing, at least from what she could remember.
"What honour? This is about survival. We have to leave!"
However, the door burst open, drawing their attention. Soldiers entered, swords pointed at them.
Kai wanted to fight his way out, but within a few moves, he was subdued.
Soon, most of those in the inn were arrested. The soldiers hadn't killed anyone, only arrested them and ordered them to line up.
Each person was sent to a physician who checked their health. Those deemed fit were given a book to register, while the rest were ordered to follow another group of soldiers. Most were healthy, which explained why they had managed to flee.
When her turn came, she extended her wrist to the physician. She didn't want to be exposed as a rebel so soon, so she focused all her energy into her wrist.
The physician barely checked her gender; instead, he sensed the strong force within her. "He passed!" he announced.
She took a breath and went to register. Name: Wei Yihan; age: 28 she lied, as she didn't know her real age; skills: medicine. She chose this skill, finding it easy enough, since she had a little knowledge from staying with Taoists.
After filling in the details, she returned the brush.
Those who qualified, including her, began following the soldiers. She had no idea where Kai was, not that she cared.
The soldiers rode horses while the rest walked. Her horse, along with others, had been taken by the soldiers.
They marched a long distance, stopping at a river. She was thirsty, so she crouched by the water, drinking with her hands. As she did, someone crouched beside her.
"You don't even seem afraid."
She opened her eyes and turned, narrowing them as she recognized the familiar face.
He winked.
It was Kai, so he was also with them.