Ignoring the calls from behind, Ling Xiaodong sprinted out of the dark alley.
But when he returned to the main street, all he saw was the bustling crowd, and the white-clad woman with the veil had vanished again.
Ling Xiaodong immediately stopped a passerby heading his way and asked, “Hey, brother, did you just see a woman in white with a veil walk by?”
“I saw her. The person you mentioned seemed to have gone toward East City.”
The helpful stranger even pointed out the direction for him.
“Thanks a lot.”
Ling Xiaodong cupped his hands in thanks and hurried off toward East City.
As he moved eastward in Pengcheng, the crowd thinned out, the splendid tall buildings gradually gave way to shabby houses, and the clothes people wore weren’t nearly as fine as those in West City.
The further east he went, the more obvious this contrast became.
Ling Xiaodong slowed his pace, frowning as he looked at the ragged beggars by the roadside and the makeshift shelters, recalling the conversation he had earlier with Aunt Yun on the way to the City Lord’s mansion.
Why was East City and West City of Pengcheng like two completely different worlds?
He approached a beggar and dropped a few copper coins into his battered bowl.
The coins clinked sharply as they hit the bowl, reviving the half-dead child lying on the ground, who knelt and thanked him repeatedly.
“Thank you, young master! Thank you, young master! May you live a long life!”
“No need to be so formal. I just want to ask you something. Do you know why East and West City of Pengcheng look completely different?”
The beggar replied, “East Pengcheng was originally a wilderness. Many people fled here to escape disasters, so it became like this.”
“Disasters? What kind of disasters?”
Having lived all his life in Mingyue Temple, Ling Xiaodong knew very little about the outside world.
“There are too many—floods, locust plagues, and even war disasters. These years, disasters keep coming; people are displaced, and many places are almost empty.”
“War disasters? Could it be that the Xiongnu Nation from the north attacked?”
The beggar shook his head.
“There’s the Northern Border King stationed up north, so that place is safe. But the court is short on funds and keeps imposing heavy taxes and levies everywhere, plundering the people’s wealth. This has stirred up public resentment, and uprisings have broken out all over.”
Ling Xiaodong asked curiously, “You know quite a lot. Judging from your speech, you don’t sound like you come from a poor family. How did you end up like this?”
The beggar seemed hurt by the question; his eyes reddened as he spoke sadly, “I was born into a merchant family too, but the so-called righteous army looted us. Only I managed to escape to Pengcheng. If it weren’t for kind people here handing out porridge, I might have died long ago.”
“Oh? So there are still kind families in this world? Where do they hand out porridge?”
The beggar looked up at the sky.
“About time. I’m going to get my share now. If you want to know, just follow me.”
The little beggar led Ling Xiaodong a short distance to a makeshift shed where a group of ragged people were lined up in an orderly fashion to receive porridge—no pushing or shoving, which was rare.
What was even stranger was that each refugee recited devoutly as they received their bowl:
“Wusheng Laomu, True Void Hometown.”
What did that mean?
Ling Xiaodong didn’t ponder it much because he spotted the white-clad woman inside the shed.
Still veiled, dressed purely in white, holding a ladle, she skillfully scooped porridge from a wooden barrel and poured it into the bowls of the refugees.
Watching her busy at work, Ling Xiaodong did not approach and disturb her.
Only when she handed the ladle to another maid-like figure and took her break did Ling Xiaodong step forward to greet her.
“Miss, we meet again!”
“It’s you!”
The white-clad woman was surprised, then furrowed her delicate brows and asked, “What do you want?”
“I came to return…”
Ling Xiaodong’s hand reached into his chest but froze, his expression stiffening.
Damn! Aunt Yun confiscated the handkerchief!
Seeing Ling Xiaodong stand frozen in place, her frown deepened, and her gaze became wary and suspicious.
Thinking quickly, Ling Xiaodong pulled out the silver coins Aunt Yun had given him.
“It’s like this. I heard someone here was handing out porridge to refugees, so I came to see which living Buddha has such kindness. I also wanted to offer a little help.”
Ling Xiaodong painfully extended the ten taels of silver he had left toward the white-clad woman.
He thought of Aunt Yun’s kind heart; if she saw these refugees, she would surely feel pity and wouldn’t say anything.
Ten taels of silver—normally enough for him and his master for quite some time!
Having lived in poverty for so long, Ling Xiaodong felt his heart bleeding.
The white-clad woman looked at Ling Xiaodong in surprise but did not refuse, accepting the silver with a slight bow.
“Thank you, Daoist. I must gratefully accept.”
When she lowered her head, she noticed the patches on Ling Xiaodong’s clothes and looked at him with some admiration, then said shyly,
“I see that your Daoist robe is full of patches, yet you generously offer silver to aid the refugees. Truly a kind person. I was rude to you earlier at the inn; please forgive me.”
Ling Xiaodong waved his hand casually.
“No big deal. Don’t take it to heart. By the way, my name is Ling Xiaodong. May I know your name, miss?”
“My name is Mu Qinghe. ‘Qing’ as in clear moonlit breeze, ‘He’ as in lotus flower reflecting the sun.”
Ling Xiaodong praised, “A beautiful name! Pure as the lotus, unstained by dust, fair as white clouds, beautiful like a celestial being. The name suits you perfectly.”
Mu Qinghe nodded lightly.
“Daoist Ling flatters me.”
She then returned to her previous cold demeanor, like a flower blooming high on a cliff, unapproachable.
Seeing her so indifferent, Ling Xiaodong turned his gaze to the refugees—barely clothed, barely fed. Compassion welled up in his heart, and he forgot the pain of losing his silver, sighing,
“This silver is just a drop in the bucket. It’s easy to help these people for a meal or two, but how can one help them every time? How many refugees like this are there in the world?”
This seemed to strike a chord with Mu Qinghe.
She sighed, “We can only help as many as we see. Though it’s just a drop in the bucket, it’s better than nothing. What do you think should be done, young master?”
“Me? I think natural disasters like locust plagues and floods are indeed beyond our control. But the gravest harm to these people comes not from nature, but from human calamity.”
“If the court’s heavy taxation and the officials’ rampant corruption don’t change, these refugees will never decrease.”
“Oh? You think so too?”
Mu Qinghe rarely showed a hint of joy, but now her expression brightened, as if she had found a kindred spirit.
She was about to say more but was interrupted by a maid rushing over.
“Miss… the porridge has all been handed out. It’s time to go back.”
“Already this late?”
Mu Qinghe hesitated.
She looked up at the dim sky, thought for a moment, then said,
“You all go back first. I have matters to discuss with Daoist Ling and will return soon.”
The maid glanced strangely at Ling Xiaodong standing beside Mu Qinghe, only understanding when she saw his face, then smiled knowingly.
“Yes, miss!”
She answered and turned to tell the others to dismantle the shed and pack up.
“Daoist Ling, would you be interested in telling me more about your views on the Great Zhou court?”
Ling Xiaodong was surprised that this icy woman would take the initiative to invite him to talk, but since a beauty had invited him, he couldn’t refuse.
“Of course. But it’s getting late. How about we talk while walking?”
“Good. Daoist Ling, please.”
As Ling Xiaodong and Mu Qinghe chatted happily, in a dark underground cavern beneath Pengcheng, the sound of iron picks striking stone rang out.
“What! You say the princess stayed behind alone to meet a man in secret! And you just left her out there and came back by yourself?”
The speaker was a middle-aged woman who glared fiercely at the maid Xiao Qing reporting to her.
Xiao Qing explained, “It wasn’t a secret meeting! The princess said it was to discuss something important!”
She looked at the still displeased Leader and defended herself,
“The princess is young but already at the Grandmaster level. What’s there to worry about! She was obviously trying to send us away. What could a mere personal maid like me do!”
“Besides, that man looked quite handsome. No wonder the usually cold princess would stir feelings.”
The Leader slammed the table, furious.
“Absurd! The princess of our Luo Sect is a saintly maiden. How could she fall for an ordinary man? I think you’re just making excuses to slack off! No dinner for you tonight. Go dig the Dragon Vein with the other disciples!”
“Ah! Leader! You can’t treat me like this! When the princess returns, I will complain to her!”
Xiao Qing’s wails echoed endlessly through the cavern.
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