Chapter Forty-Two: Meeting My First Love Again

“It is truly fortunate to have met you two heroes. With such outstanding martial skills, why have you chosen the path of outlaws, hiding in the mountains, instead of pursuing an honest livelihood?” Gu Shen couldn’t help but ask.

Guo Bingjin heaved a helpless sigh, his slightly tanned face etched with dejection. “Young masters, you may not know, but we are both from Qiao Family Village. Our parents died young, and we were fortunate enough to learn martial arts from a senior. We made ends meet in the county by doing odd jobs, barely scraping by. But the constables constantly bullied us, raising taxes and fees again and again. In the end, not only did we fail to earn any money, we could hardly feed ourselves. So we decided to become bandits. Today was our first attempt, and we never expected to run into such tough opponents—no, Young Master Gu.”

“Oh? You’re not stammering anymore,” Gou Ye remarked in surprise.

Guo Bingjin scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. “My stammer comes and goes. When I’m nervous, it gets… gets… bad.” The three of them burst into laughter. They could be said to have become friends through this clash. Gou Ye, finding the two brothers open and straightforward, invited them to return to the county for a proper meal. The two hadn’t eaten well in days and gladly agreed.

The Guo brothers not only had remarkable martial skills but astonishing appetites as well. In no time, each had consumed at least seven or eight bowls of rice and showed no sign of being full. Watching them wolf down their food, Gou Ye asked with a smile, “So, what are your plans for the future, gentlemen?”

The brothers exchanged a glance, put down their bowls, and shook their heads, their faces clouded with uncertainty. Truly, if not for the inability to fill their stomachs, who would willingly become a bandit? If the authorities found out, it would surely mean a death sentence.

Gou Ye called for a jar of fine wine, pouring it into their bowls. The brothers looked at him, puzzled by his intentions. Gou Ye raised his bowl and said, “Today, it is my good fortune to have met the Guo brothers. To speak from the heart, I, too, have a spirit of chivalry. Since childhood, I dreamed of becoming a great hero, but I was weak and sickly. I drank more medicine than I ever practiced martial arts. Now, it is likely too late for me to learn the way of the warrior. I can only earn a meager living by writing, though I’ve been lucky to gain some recognition. If you two don’t mind, why not follow me from today onward? I cannot promise you riches and glory, but at the very least, you will never have to worry about your next meal or what you wear.”

At these words, the brothers immediately stood and bowed. “We are willing to follow you from this day forth!” In truth, Gou Ye had taken a liking to them back in the forest. As the bookseller’s clerk had said, with bandits roaming everywhere, Gou Ye, though not fabulously wealthy, had some means. Often traveling, he had to think of his own safety. These two, with their impressive skills, could probably even best Gu Shen together. With them at his side, he would have nothing to fear wherever he went.

Gou Ye hadn’t expected them to agree so readily and was delighted. The four of them quickly became fast friends, drinking several jars of wine together. They drank all the way into the evening, by which time Gou Ye was dead drunk, eyes tightly shut, completely unconscious. In the end, it was Gu Shen and the two brothers who carried him back to his residence.

He had no idea how late he slept the next day. When he finally awoke, his head was pounding. He staggered to the door to find the Guo brothers standing guard outside like twin sentinels.

“Did you two stand watch at my door all night?” Gou Ye asked, rubbing his aching head.

Guo Bingyin grinned at him. “We only came early this morning. Seeing you still asleep, we didn’t dare wander off, so we just waited by your door.”

Seeing their honest faces, Gou Ye felt his decision to keep them was truly wise. If trouble ever came, they would surely defend him with their lives.

Gou Ye slowly fished out two ingots of silver from his sleeve—ten taels each—and placed them in Guo Bingjin’s hand. “This twenty taels is for your expenses this month. Go buy yourselves some new clothes and get your hair done. Just look at what you’re wearing—completely in tatters.”

The brothers were deeply moved and thanked Gou Ye profusely. Never did they imagine that on their first day as bandits, they would end up kidnapping the very man they most admired, and that not only would he not hold it against them, he would take them in and offer them a way to earn a living. Both were overwhelmed with gratitude.

Gou Ye, unaware of their thoughts, sent them out to make their purchases and went back to sleep. He had barely lain down when there was a knock at the door. Before he could answer, Gu Shen pushed his way in. “Still sleeping, Hero Gou? It’s almost noon! I came to tell you, a constable just arrived. He asked me to inform you that Magistrate Qin has requested your presence. He’s waiting for you outside.”

Gou Ye smiled faintly. It must be that the couple had made their decision—what quick news! He’d only arrived in the county yesterday, and they already knew he was staying at the official’s residence. His head was still foggy, but there was no time to worry about it. He washed his face with cold water, then turned to Gu Shen. “When the Guo brothers return, have them wait here for me. I expect Zhu Ling has made up her mind. I’ll be back soon.”

Magistrate Qin and Zhu Ling were already seated in the main hall, chatting over tea. Most striking were the ten chests lined up outside the hall. As Gou Ye entered the courtyard, he immediately understood, a broad smile spreading across his face as he walked into the hall.

“Young Master Gou, you must have seen the chests outside. One hundred thousand taels of silver, five hundred ingots per chest—all here. Let’s be direct: hand over the formula, and you can leave with the money immediately. As for your shop, I’ll give you time to close it down. Just clear out before the end of the month.” Zhu Ling spoke with remarkable composure, her demeanor calm and collected. Magistrate Qin, on the other hand, looked displeased, refusing even to glance at Gou Ye, sipping his tea in silence.

Half-closing his eyes, Gou Ye stood and gave a slight bow, drawing a sheet of fine rice paper from his sleeve. “I wrote out the formula and instructions some days ago. Out of respect for Magistrate Qin and Madam Zhu’s generosity, I even added several new recipes.”

Zhu Ling examined the formula carefully, astonished to find that such delicious confections could be made with such simple methods and ingredients. For a moment, her heart ached for the loss of so much silver, but she showed no sign of it. She called for the contract, and after Gou Ye reviewed it and found all his terms had been met, he signed it without hesitation.

To avoid any complications, Gou Ye declined their invitation to a banquet, hiring five carriages to transport the silver away in a grand procession. Watching Magistrate Qin’s sour expression, Zhu Ling smiled serenely and whispered, “Don’t worry, husband. I have my own plans. However Gou Ye takes this money today, I’ll see that he returns it to me in the future.”

Gou Ye deposited the silver at his residence without delay. Now that he had the money, it was time to settle matters at his shop. As he walked the familiar streets, passing by the sign that read “First Love,” the memories of opening the shop played vividly before his eyes. He couldn’t help but murmur to himself, “Farewell, old friend. Farewell, first love.”