Chen Ping'an swiftly glanced around, finding nothing unusual. Only then did he gently take the little girl's hand and whisper, "Let's go somewhere else to talk."
He pondered for a moment. The brookside was quiet, a good place to hide and avoid prying eyes, yet ever since detecting impurities in the water, he no longer dared wade in lightly. After the little girl in the red cotton jacket blurted out those words in a moment of anxiety, regret immediately followed. For standing beside Chen Ping'an was a stranger—Sister Ruan, dressed in green with a braided ponytail. Although Li Baoping had met Ruan Xiu once before on the back of the Green Ox, alongside Daoist twins—one tending to two large fish with azure and crimson tails, the other leading a pure white elk—both connected to the girl's family, the current Ruan Xiu did not seem malevolent. Yet the little girl's greatest fear was precisely such acquaintances—half-familiar faces, seemingly kind but ultimately treacherous. Often those who appeared benign would suddenly reveal a dagger, and those close by would be fatally stabbed.
At first, Master Ma and Mr. Cui had journeyed together, engaging in lofty conversations, quoting classics, reciting poetry, and drinking in harmony. As Li Huai remarked, Cui was either the old Ma's illegitimate son or his legitimate grandson; otherwise, their rapport would not be so intimate. None expected the spirited Master Ma would fall victim to that famed paragon of virtue. According to the old Ma, among all Confucian sages in Dong Baoping Continent, two stood above the rest—the "Great and Little Lords." Mr. Cui was the illustrious "Lakeside Young Lord." Before calamity struck, nearly everyone admired Cui Minghuang's gentility and profound knowledge, seemingly omniscient. Only Lin Shouyi harbored early distrust. Born to a prestigious family in Peach Leaf Lane, Lin bore a perpetual scowl as if owed a fortune. Estranged from the other five mongrels, he repeatedly mocked Mr. Cui, yet none took heed, believing it mere jealousy over Cui's elegance.
Though Ruan Xiu did not understand why the little girl regarded her with suspicion, she suggested softly, "Shall we go to the newly crafted sword-forging room?" But the already frightened girl gripped Chen Ping'an's hand tightly, shaking her head desperately, pleading with her eyes, "Chen Ping'an, please, let's not go where strangers gather."
Chen Ping'an gently squeezed Li Baoping's small hand, his voice tender: "Trust me, the sword-forging room at the smithy is the safest place."
The girl looked up at his eyes—clear and deep like the brook she first wandered to alone in childhood, its waters so still and transparent, making her feel as if she might never grow up. Now, faced with mortal danger, a wave of inexplicable grievance welled within her, and tears began to fall. She sobbed, "Chen Ping'an, you mustn't lie to me!"
Chen Ping'an's gaze was resolute: "I won't deceive you."
Ruan Xiu, escorting the pair to the forging room, produced a key and unlocked the door. Standing outside, she smiled gently, "I won't go in. I'll keep watch outside. Even if my father comes, he shall not enter."
Chen Ping'an felt awkward, quietly explaining, "Could you bring her some food and drink? I suspect once she calms down, her energy will plummet, and filling her stomach is more important. I often felt the same way as a child."
Ruan Xiu nodded vigorously, stepping aside and flipping her wrist to produce a small silk pouch, handing it to Chen Ping'an. "Some fresh peach blossom cakes from the New Year's shop. Take these first. I'll fetch some water, so she doesn't eat too fast or choke."
Seated opposite each other on small stools, Li Baoping accepted the cakes but showed no sign of eating. Chen Ping'an gently urged, "Tell me what happened."
Her speech was slow, at odds with her usual urgency. Yet this measured pace gave Chen Ping'an time to organize his thoughts and empathize with her plight. Before the elderly Master Ma's death, the five young mongrels' journey for learning was smooth. Their ox cart and two horse-drawn carriages had traveled hundreds of miles. Master Ma and Cui Minghuang of the Lakeside Academy had become close, bonded by shared interests. Yet one day, Master Ma declared he must discuss the journey with Cui, suspecting they might part ways. After long waiting, the children saw neither return. Li Baoping and Li Huai sought them, but Li Huai found Master Ma collapsed in a pool of blood, grievously wounded, eyes and ears bleeding, his body lifeless as a bamboo basket emptied of water. With his last breath, Master Ma clutched Li Baoping's hand and, despite near silence before, struggled to relay final instructions to her.
By now, the girl was inconsolable, tears streaming freely. Chen Ping'an, not one to offer verbal comfort, quietly pulled a stool close, wiping her tears, murmuring, "Don't cry, don't cry…"
Sniffling hard, she continued, "Master Ma told me to find you alone and warned me to beware of people from Lakeside Academy and the capital of Dali—trust no one!"
Chen Ping'an's expression darkened. "Where are Shi Chunjia and the others?"
Through tear-streaked cheeks, Li Baoping smiled bitterly, "The four are circling near Mud Bottle Lane with that foreign coachman. Lin Shouyi suspects the coachman is no good—maybe in league with Cui, involved in Master Ma's murder. After we buried Master Ma, the coachman said we couldn't go to Cliffside Academy. Master Ma and Cui just learned that Qi, the mountain lord, had moved the academy from Dali to the enemy nation, Dui. Without Master Ma to guide us, if we reach the Dali border, the border troops will kill us all as traitors. We were clueless then—Master Ma never told us whether to wait for the next master at the town school or pursue study at Dui's Cliffside Academy."
So, they followed the coachman back here, who claimed all their elders' families had relocated to the capital, and if in doubt, one could ask around town—officials kept people behind for inquiries.
Ruan Xiu entered the forging room after knocking and closing the door behind her. The girl waited until the door was shut before resuming.
"That coachman asked oddly if anyone knew a boy named Chen Ping'an from Mud Bottle Lane. He said he had a message for you from Master Ma. I said nothing."
Chen Ping'an nodded approvingly: "Good. Now eat."
Li Baoping devoured three cakes in rapid succession, gulped water, wiped her face messily, then hurried on, "We five conferred and felt waiting to be caught was hopeless. So, the day before returning to town, Shi Chunjia feigned illness, and I had to care for her constantly. I secretly told Li Huai the layout of Mud Bottle Lane's alleys, instructing him to admit he'd known you all along—his father, Li Er, once worked at Yang's shop, and a boy surnamed Chen often sold herbs there. But the coachman didn't recall this at first."
Chen Ping'an smiled wryly, signaling understanding. He then warned gravely, "What you did was very dangerous."
The girl nodded: "I knew. Before we agreed, I made it clear. Lin Shouyi said Li Baoping's life was the most valuable; he feared death less because he was a despised illegitimate son. Shi Chunjia, a bit slow, agreed to follow me. Li Huai said, 'What's there to fear? When dead, all is dust. If something happens to me, my mother will avenge me.' Dong Shuijing was straightforward, saying he was strong and would fight the coachman if things went wrong—letting the rest escape first."
"But I think it wasn't so dangerous. If the coachman wanted us dead, he wouldn't have waited until the town. He must have an ulterior motive, one likely involving you."
After finishing the last two cakes, Li Baoping inhaled deeply, "When we reached Apricot Blossom Lane near the town, I had Dong Shuijing and Li Huai drop the coachman off, claiming a shortcut to Mud Bottle Lane. Actually, Li Huai led him on a long detour. As soon as they left, I jumped off to find you. Your gate was locked, thankfully a neighbor passed by, and I learned you were apprenticing at the smithy. I was beside myself with worry."
Chen Ping'an was astonished. "You devised this entire plan?"
Li Baoping shook her head: "Lin Shouyi contributed too. For example, at first, we shouldn't say we were far from Mud Bottle Lane, or we'd be exposed. I ran close enough. Better to have the coach stop at Dong Shuijing's in Apricot Blossom Lane—close, but not too close—allowing room for detours. The coachman would surely ask the elders and confirm before we tricked him."
She added solemnly, "It turned out exactly as planned."
Chen Ping'an tousled her hair approvingly, "Very clever."
Li Baoping smiled, "If you weren't home, Li Huai and Dong Shuijing would have been fine—not forced to confront the truth."
Curious, she asked, "Why did Master Ma and that coachman, who barely spoke the town dialect, want to find you?"
Chen Ping'an shook his head, "I don't know. So far, it might relate to the few things Mr. Qi gave me."
Qi had once taken him to gather
mountain herbs and told him, "Some secrets are not meant for your time. Guard them until the world is ready."
Chen Ping'an pulled the long sword from his belt, its edge glinting faintly in the forging room's dim light.
"This sword," he said, "was given by Qi. It's more than a weapon—it holds a power you must never reveal."
Li Baoping looked at the sword, awe and hope mingling in her eyes.
Chen Ping'an stood, voice steady, "We'll protect each other. I possess a sword, and you possess the courage to survive."
The little girl nodded firmly. For the first time since their encounter, a genuine smile brightened her tear-streaked face.