Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 7

Ye Qinming’s eyes showed a hint of surprise, but it quickly turned into amusement. She didn’t speak immediately, nor did she hide her footsteps. Instead, she paced leisurely in front of Gu Xiyan, scrutinizing her with a relaxed demeanor.

She noticed that although Gu Xiyan was blind, she adjusted the angle of her gaze in response to her movements. Ye Qinming didn’t conceal the curiosity in her tone. “You can’t see, so how did you notice me?”

Her voice was clear and pleasant, carrying a casual, almost lazy tone. It was a voice Gu Xiyan had never heard before, and it didn’t belong to anyone familiar.

Gu Xiyan carefully savored her voice. A young woman with such a beautiful voice must also be good-looking, but she seemed anything but ordinary.

“The wind just blew past, and I heard the sound of your clothes rustling. If it were a servant, they would have announced themselves or made footsteps, but I only heard the sound of fabric, so I spoke up,” Gu Xiyan replied politely, her tone calm and composed, as if the sudden appearance of this mysterious woman was entirely natural.

Ye Qinming laughed and casually stepped closer. Though her words still carried a careless amusement, there was an underlying hint of intimidation. “Your hearing is quite sharp. I didn’t even notice the sound of my own clothes, yet you caught it. But shouldn’t you be surprised? A person appearing out of nowhere, silent and unnoticed—shouldn’t most people be frightened?”

Gu Xiyan walked over to the stone bench in the pavilion and sat down, speaking gently, “Since I can’t see, my other senses have become more acute. I must seem amusing to you. As for your sudden appearance, since you can appear before me without a sound, being frightened wouldn’t change anything.”

“Is that so? You’re quite open-minded. But if your other senses are so sharp, your sense of smell must be good too. Isn’t the scent of these magnolias too strong for you?” Ye Qinming, for reasons unknown, sat and began chatting with her.

Gu Xiyan smiled. “The fragrance of magnolias is subtle and serene. It’s not overpowering, and it doesn’t interfere with my ability to detect other scents.”

Ye Qinming was taken aback. “What other scents?”

Gu Xiyan smiled faintly and handed her a teacup, pouring her some tea. “Naturally, the aroma of this tea. Although I don’t know who you are or why you’re here, since you’re here, you’re a guest. If you don’t mind, you can try the tea I just brewed.”

Ye Qinming’s expression suddenly became complicated. This scene felt strangely familiar to her. She looked at the tea in the cup and picked it up. The tea was still warm, its fragrance undiminished. She lowered her head and gently inhaled. The refreshing aroma of the tea wafted over her—it was indeed good tea.

She instinctively took a sip. The tea was slightly strong, with a rich, bitter taste that left a sweet aftertaste. The fragrance lingered, evoking a strange sense of familiarity.

But after just one sip, she quickly set the cup down, frowning slightly. How could she have drunk tea brewed using one of her own kind? This was truly insidious!

Gu Xiyan sensed her change in mood and spoke softly, “It seems you don’t like the tea. Does it not suit your taste?”

This surprised Ye Qinming again. Her movements had been quick but not forceful. How did this blind girl know she didn’t like the tea?

After a pause, she suddenly leaned in closer, peering intently at Gu Xiyan’s eyes. “Are you really blind?”

Gu Xiyan’s eyes were a deep, pure black, appearing serene and clear, even with a faint glimmer of starlight. If one didn’t look closely and notice the emptiness in her gaze, it would be hard to tell she was blind.

Being asked so bluntly, Gu Xiyan showed no sign of annoyance. However, with Ye Qinming so close, her warm breath brushed against Gu Xiyan’s face, making the delicate fragrance she carried even more noticeable. Gu Xiyan tilted her head slightly, a hint of helplessness in her smile. “Why would I lie about something like this?”

“But you don’t seem blind at all.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Although you can’t see, you perceive as much as someone with full sight and hearing. And for someone who’s blind, you seem so at ease, enjoying the flowers and brewing tea without a trace of self-pity. Isn’t that curious?” Ye Qinming seemed unaware that she was making Gu Xiyan slightly uncomfortable. She leaned back, resting her chin on her hand.

After she moved away, Gu Xiyan unconsciously let out a slow breath, then chuckled lightly. “Why should I pity myself? My parents love me, my family is harmonious, and I’ve never lacked for anything since childhood. Even though I’m blind, I can take care of myself without relying on others. I also have skills that keep me occupied. What is there to resent?”

“That’s true, but the world is so vibrant and colorful. It’s a shame you can’t see it with your own eyes.” And perhaps, before long, you won’t even be able to experience this world at all.

Gu Xiyan tilted her head slightly and then spoke slowly, “Have you ever heard the sound of snow falling?”

Her expression was exceptionally gentle, her voice soft and captivating. Her eyes seemed to glow faintly, leaving Ye Qinming momentarily stunned. “I don’t think I have.”

“I have. Last year, during a heavy snow in Danyang City, I sat alone in the pavilion at the center of the lake. The willow branches on the small island were bare, and only withered lotus leaves remained in the lake. In the complete silence, every sound was amplified, and I could even hear the faint rustle of snowflakes falling. Though I can’t see, my hearing, sense of smell, and even my sense of touch are sharper than most. I may not see the wind, but I can hear its movements. I may not see the flowers, but I know their scents intimately. The wind, whether strong or gentle, sounds different as it passes over different things—it’s no less vivid than colors. Just like when you appeared, the soft rustle of your clothes in the wind was beautiful. I can imagine the scene as a lovely picture. All of this is beautiful, so why should I feel sorrow?” As she spoke, she faced Ye Qinming, her expression radiant, like the warm winter sun, soothing and comforting.

Having lived for so long, Ye Qinming found herself momentarily captivated by an eighteen-year-old mortal girl. This displeased her, and she frowned slightly. Men were often said to be silver-tongued, skilled at deceiving women, but this Young Lady Gu was far more adept than any man.

At that moment, the wind began to pick up, rustling the branches. In the distance, a young maid carrying a cloak was hurrying over.

Ye Qinming stood up, concealing her momentary emotions, and smiled casually as always. “Your maid is bringing you a cloak. I should take my leave now, but you’ll likely see me often, Young Lady Gu.”

Gu Xiyan quickly stood, her words coming faster than usual for the first time. “May I ask your name?”

Ye Qinming paused, then, for reasons unknown, turned back and took Gu Xiyan’s right hand, quickly tracing something on her palm.

Gu Xiyan stiffened slightly at the touch, but her attention quickly focused on her palm. Ye Qinming seemed to be writing, but the strokes didn’t match any characters Gu Xiyan knew. Instead, they resembled the structure of ancient script.

Yet, inexplicably, she understood what was being written. By the time the maid’s footsteps approached, Ye Qinming had already let go of her hand and disappeared.

Gu Xiyan raised her right hand. The warm, tingling sensation still lingered on her palm. She clenched her hand, savoring the three characters.

“Ye Qinming,” she murmured softly, but the next moment, her heart suddenly ached, as if someone had gripped it tightly. The pain was so intense that her face turned pale, and she clutched her chest, leaning against the railing for support.

Seeing this from a distance, the maid, Ah Qi, was terrified and rushed over to support her. “My lady, what’s wrong? Are you in pain? Why do you look so pale?”

Gu Xiyan’s fingers were clenched so tightly they turned white. Hearing Ah Qi’s voice, she managed to stand up and shook her head. “It’s nothing. Just a sudden pain.”

“How can it be nothing? You’ve always been healthy. Why would you suddenly feel pain for no reason? I’ll go fetch a doctor!” Ah Qi said anxiously, about to leave, but Gu Xiyan stopped her.

“Ah Qi, I said I’m fine. Don’t alarm my parents. I don’t want them to worry. I know my own body. It was just a momentary pain. If it happens again, I’ll let you call for a doctor.”

Gu Xiyan insisted, and Ah Qi had no choice but to look at her with concern. “Are you really alright? How could you suddenly feel pain?”

Gu Xiyan shook her head, but the thought of the name she had just uttered brought back that faint, unsettling feeling in her heart, leaving her somewhat bewildered.

Seeing that her mistress still looked unwell, Ah Qi poured her another cup of tea. Gu Xiyan took a sip and then asked, “Did you see anyone come by?”

Ah Qi was startled. She was about to say no when her eyes fell on the used teacup on the stone table. She knew that Sir and Madam Gu had been here earlier drinking tea with Gu Xiyan, but there should only have been three cups. The other two had already been cleaned and set aside. Who had used this one?

“Was someone else here, my lady?”

Gu Xiyan thought of the teacup on the table but didn’t answer directly. “No, I just heard some movement. Take that cup away. I used it casually while admiring the flowers.”

Ah Qi felt slightly reassured, but Gu Xiyan fell into a brief silence. She was very familiar with the layout of the courtyard. From the pavilion, apart from a corridor, the path was open and clear. From the time she heard footsteps to when Ah Qi could see her, only a few moments had passed.

Ye Qinming had not only not hurried away but had even turned back to write her name on Gu Xiyan’s palm. That delay should have made it inevitable for her to be seen, yet Ah Qi hadn’t noticed her. This meant Ye Qinming must have some extraordinary ability to come and go without a trace.

Gu Xiyan slowly exhaled. This person was surely connected to her in some way.

***

Just one day after Gu Xiyan’s birthday, something happened in Danyang City. A woodcutter who had gone out to chop wood discovered a body on Tanhua Mountain. The corpse was shriveled, with only clothes remaining. There were no fatal wounds, yet the person had died mysteriously. After reporting it to the authorities, it was revealed that the deceased was the eldest son of the Qiu family, a prominent household in Danyang City.

The night before his death, Young Master Qiu had been out drinking with his friends at Chunxiu Brothel. No one knew why he ended up dead on Tanhua Mountain, ten miles from Danyang City, the next day.

The Qiu family was influential, and the head of the household, Qiu Haizheng, was the brother-in-law of the local magistrate. Naturally, the mysterious death of their eldest son demanded an explanation. The incident quickly became the talk of the town, and Chunxiu Brothel was immediately investigated.

This investigation uncovered another problem: the brothel’s star courtesan, Liu Yiyi, had also gone missing. It was said that Young Master Qiu had spent the evening drinking and listening to her sing. This made Liu Yiyi a prime suspect, but further investigation revealed the skeleton of a woman in the abandoned well behind the brothel. Her condition was identical to that of Young Master Qiu. The situation became even more perplexing, and soon the entire city was abuzz with speculation.

The cause of death was too bizarre to be the work of a human. This added to the panic among the citizens of Danyang, who feared that this incident was far from over.

When Ah Qi heard the news, she returned to tell Gu Xiyan, her face still pale with fright. “My lady, do you think there really are ghosts and spirits that harm people? The storyteller described it so vividly, it scared me half to death.”

Gu Xiyan frowned slightly. “Regardless, it seems Danyang City is in turmoil.” 

Throughout history, tales of ghosts and spirits had never ceased, but such a cruel and bizarre method of killing was unheard of in centuries. It was truly strange.