Chapter 4: Blind Alley
The original name of Blind Alley is lost to time, but a few decades ago, a blind fortune-teller lived at the entrance of the alley. His predictions were famously accurate, hence, people began referring to the place simply as ‘Blind Alley’.
Walking straight down the path paved with green limestone slabs, one reaches the end of the alley where a brown wooden door with a brass lock stands. A large branch of a jujube tree stretches over the wall, its twigs adorned with a few yellowed leaves and withered little fruits.
The noonday sunlight filtered in through the lattice windows, casting a warm glow inside.
The western wing was not large, it was a room prepared by the owner for hosting guests overnight. The floor was paved with green bricks, and in the corner, there was a large, black-lacquered cabinet with an old wood scent exuding about it. The tables and chairs were worn, but sturdy, crafted from fine, solid wood. Thick padded blankets covered the chairs and couches and below near the foot of the bed, was a small clay furnace with lively wood charcoal fire burning inside. Atop it sat a pot of simmering, dark, bitter medicinal brew.
Chun Tian had been half-conscious for a while now.
A sharp pain gripped her chest and her body felt as if pinned down by stones, unable to move even a little. Only the faint sensation at her fingertips reminded her she was still alive.
Dust motes drifted lazily through the sunlight, golden and as small as pinheads, floating leisurely in the air. The beams above her head were old, with patches of red lacquer paint flaking off. She lay motionlessly, gazing at the sight in a daze for a long while. Finally, Chun Tian cautiously extended her fingers, brushing and caressing the soft, warm felt blankets beneath her.
From outside came the faint sound of silver-bell laughter. Soon, someone pushed open the door, and light, energetic footsteps bounced into the room. The visitor skipped to the bedside cabinet and began rummaging through its contents.
Suppressing the pain in her chest, Chun Tian slowly turned her head to look. It was a young girl of about seven or eight, her hair tied in two buns with red ribbons. She had a plump, round face with rosy cheeks, a small nose and tiny eyes. In one hand, she held a pair of scissors, and with the other, she fished out scraps of fabric from the drawer, muttering, ‘This piece is bigger, and prettier than the one Mother has.”
Chun Tian wanted to speak, but found her throat tight and painfully dry, managing only a faint, raspy hiss. The little girl glanced toward the bead, then continued burying her head, searching through the fabric scraps. After a long moment, she suddenly stopped, turned slowly and stared blankly at Chun Tian with widened eyes, asking in a small, stunned voice, “Jie-jie, have you awakened?”
Chun Tian furrowed her brows, her throat aching and weakly nodded.
A huge smile broke across the little girl’s face as she rushed to the edge of the bed. “Jie-jie, you are finally awake! This is wonderful!”
“Mother, Mother—!” The little girl shouted, her voice sweet as she beamed at Chun Tian. “I will go call Mother.”
At that moment, Chun Tian knew she had survived.
Yet, she did not know when it was, or where she was. Her mind was foggy and her strength drained. Hearing footsteps sound out beyond the door, she gripped the felt blanket beneath her, gathering herself to rise and properly greet the household members.
A woman in her forties, dressed in coarse cloth, wiped her hands clean and crossed the threshold with wide strides, rushing over, “Careful, don’t move,” she urged, pressing Chun Tian back down. “The physician said you need to lie still for several months, no unnecessary movements.”
With cloth strips binding Chun Tian from head to toe, she could barely lift her head. Each breath came painfully, her chest stabbing with sharp pain as if her heart would leap out of its place. A faint metallic taste of blood lingered in her throat, raw and astringent like pig iron. “Niangzi, blessings upon you.”
“Good child, no need for such formalities. Just focus on resting,” the woman soothed her gently, “Where does it hurt most? I will send Xianxian to fetch the physician.”
The little girl responded crisply, a bright smile lighting her face as she darted out of the room. Chun Tian laid back, her wan face pale as she coughed repeatedly, “Many thanks to Niangzi’s life-saving act of kindness.”
“Just call me Aunt Zhao,” the woman said, gently comforting Chun Tian with a kind smile. “The master of this house is surnamed Li. I am merely a servant here. Madam Li is still asleep. When she wakes, I will share the good news with her.”
“Aunt Zhao, might I ask what time and place this is? I remember nothing.” Chun Tian looked around at the furnishings, her eyes clouded with confusion.
“This is Blind Alley in Ganzhou City’s Anshun District. Today is already the twenty-fifth of September. Dear, you’ve slept for three whole days. Madam Li has been hoping daily for you to wake up. This is truly wonderful news.”
Chun Tian’s gaze turned distant, as though she were drifting in a dream. In a hoarse voice, she murmured, “I don’t remember, how did I come to Ganzhou City?”
Aunt Zhao continued her chatter, “The other day, Huaiyuan came back with news of joy, saying the caravan had returned. The mistress was overjoyed and went to greet the master. Just as they met, a young man in the carriage behind shouted in a panic, saying someone was coughing up blood. The Master turned around, took one look, and had someone fetch a doctor before bringing you back home.
Chun Tian was silent for a long moment, moving her parched lips before murmuring, “I don’t remember.”
“Merciful heavens, dear child, what is your name?” Aunt Zhao poured a cup of tea and held it to Chun Tian’s lips to moisten her throat. “Your accent sounds like you are from the South. Where are you from?”
Chun Tian gave her name, explaining she came from Xinfeng City in Chang’an. Aunt Zhao, hearing that she had traveled from the distant capital, and watching her labored breaths and coughs, sighed sympathetically, murmuring words of pity as she reassured her, “Good child, don’t worry about that for now. Just rest here until the physician arrives.”
A Hu physician hurried in with his medicine box strapped to his back, took Chun Tian’s pulse, examined her injuries, then heaved a sigh of relief, “It is good that you have woken up. With careful tending these next few days, as long as there is no more blood in the cough, there should be no major issues,
“Fragments of bone had pierced into your thorax, causing internal bleeding. This old man spent nearly four hours with the needles, and just when it seemed you had taken your last breath, suddenly you came back.” The physician wrote down a prescription, adding, “It is true what they say–the heavens protect the worthy.”
The bitter and tart scent of medicine filled the room as little Xianxian carried a small stool over and sat by the stove to tend to the simmering herbs. Chun Tian leaned against her pillow, her face weary, gazing blankly at the rising medicinal steam before her.
After tumbling down the deep ravine at Red RavineValley, she had drifted in and out of consciousness through the pain. In the rustic inn, the smell of medicine lingering, a beautiful foreign-looking woman spooned brother to her lips and someone in the carriage crushed medicine in a bowl. They had asked her where she came from, she mumbled something before slipping back into sleep. Later, she vaguely recalled hearing someone’s voice by her ear, saying, “Return to Chang’an”. She had jolted awake, struggling to stand, the pain tearing through her, and after that, she remembered nothing more.
Dressed in fresh, unfamiliar clothes, Chun Tian noticed her freshly washed round-collar robe neatly folded on the table and asked Xianxian to bring it over so she could inspect it carefully.
“Chun Tian-jiejie, Mother has gathered all your things here, Xianxian chirped as she leaned closer. “What is jie-jie looking for?”
Chun Tian sifted through the remainders of her belongings, yet so no trace of her carefully prepared documents, travel funds, maps, or the dagger she valued most—each item representing years of meticulous planning. Her heart felt a pain like a knife being twisted in her heart. Her gaze lifted in helpless sorrow, the urge to cry overwhelming but dry. The bitter scent of medicine filled the room, a reminder of her narrow escape, though despite rejoicing to have survived calamity, all she felt was a deep uncertainty about the road ahead.
As the sun drifted westward, a frail young woman, draped in a warm fur cloak, entered, supported by Aunt Zhao.
“Madam, watch your step.”
Chun Tian had yet to see Madam Li’s face, only a pale, frail hand trembling slightly, accompanied by a gentle voice, “Dear, please don’t move. Just lie still and rest.”
It was a woman in her early thirties, but with the look of someone long afflicted by illness. Her frame was extremely thin, her complexion sallow and a red flush unhealthily rested atop her prominent cheekbones. The scent of potent medicine clung to her as she slowly settled on the edge of the bed, studying Chun Tian with a compassionate gaze. In a soft, weak voice, she murmured, “What a poor child.”
“Niangzi, blessings upon you.” Chun Tian’s eyes misted over as she bowed her head in gratitude. “Chun Tian shall never forget Niangzi’s life-saving kindness.”
“I heard from my husband about what happened on the road—how awful it is that one so young should suffer such misfortune.” Madam Li began recounting the events to Chun Tian.
Originally, the caravan had planned for Li Wei, Duan Jinke and others to accompany Chun Tian to Liangzhou, where she would be entrusted to the care of the Duan family. However, when passing through Blind Alley, Li Wei, concerned about his family, decided to stop by home. Just as he turned to leave, Chun Tian, who had been unconscious, suddenly sat up and coughed out a mouthful of dark blood. Alarmed, Li Wei swiftly lifted her down from the carriage and brought her home to summon a physician.
Madam Li covered her mouth with a handkerchief as she coughed lightly. “It’s the traveler’s way. Meeting on the road makes us bound by fate. Just a small gesture, not worthy of calling it life-saving kindness. Do not worry about anything else—just treat this as your own home and focus on recuperating.”
Madam Li smoothed the woolen blanket and turned to Aunt Zhao. “The weather is getting colder Auntie, add another quilt and be sure the furnace stays lit. The patient mustn’t catch a chill.”
Aunt Zhao nodded, “I’ve already laid out the bedding from the closest in the courtyard to air out. Once they are free from dampness, I will lay it down for the child.”
“I have caused Madam trouble.” Chun Tian’s voice caught in her throat. She was still young and the ache of having received kindness while enduring hardship in a foreign place softened her chest until she nearly shed tears.
“Master left in a hurry, but before he went, he asked us to take good care of you.” Madam Li’s face showed a faint smile. “My health is not strong, and I spend most of the day lying down. Apart from coming to check on you, I cannot do much else. Auntie Zhao is here —treat her as you would your own family matron. Whatever you need, just ask. If anything is amiss, just tell me.”
Seeing Chun Tian looking despondent and absent-minded, “When traveling, unexpected troubles are bound to happen. Right now, the most important thing is your health. Do not worry too much.”
Noticing Chun Tian’s frowning expression, Madam Li continued to reassure her, “If you are concerned about finding any lost family or friends, do not worry. When the Master returns, he can help you search. He has many acquaintances and contacts along different routes, so finding someone should not be too difficult.”
Chun Tian’s face dimmed with sorrow, “Dare not to hide it from Madam, I came from Chang’an intending to seek out a family in the Beiting Protectorate. I had a servant traveling with me, but we became separated along the way. Now, I am alone, without any family nearby.” Her voice hitched and she could not continue for a while.
“Then,” Madam Li asked gently, “do you have any relatives or friends back home? You could send a letter to let them know you are safe.”
Chun Tian pressed her lips together and shook her head.
It turned out she was an orphan traveling thousands of miles in search of family. Madam Li could only offer words of what comfort she could. “Do not worry about anything else for now—just focus on recovering. We will take things one step at a time once you are well.”
The two exchanged only a few words before Madam Li, visibly fatigued, began to look even more worn out. She was suffering from blood deficiency and qi stagnation. Her complexion was flushed, a result of her frail health, and her energy was dwindling rapidly. Gently patting her back, Aunt Zhao murmured, “Madam, your afternoon medicine is still warming on the stove. Let me help you go take it.”
Madam Li knitted her brows, holding Chun Tian’s hand. “Forgive me, I have let the young girl see such an embarrassment. I am too weak to keep you any company longer. Do not feel like a stranger here—our household is quiet with such few people and I fear you may find it dull at times. But little Xianxian, though young, is a bright, lively and sensible child. I will have her keep you company to bring a bit of cheer.”
She added, “I have a son as well, nearly eleven years old, studying at an academy. When his lessons are done, I will ask him to come by and chat with you as well.”
“I dare not trouble Madam.” Chun Tian replied.
Madam Li, unable to sit for long, watched as Chun Tian drank her medicine, offered a few more comforting words and then leaned on Aunt Zhao to return to her own quarters. Once the room was empty, Chun Tian clenched her eyes shut, her brow creased in pain as she released a long, heavy breath.
The medicine she had just taken left her drowsy and unfocused. As sunlight touched her pale face, she drifted into the throes of sleep once more. She did not know how long she slumbered, but when she awoke, the room was dark–the sun had already set.
Outside, a dog barked, the creaking of the well’s pulley sounded and children’s laughter floating faintly in the air. Chun Tian loosened her tight grip on the woolen blanket, gazing in a daze around the unfamiliar, silent room.
Ganzhou lay two thousand miles west of Tingzhou, two thousand five hundred miles east lay Chang’an. Which direction should she take on the path ahead?
TN: Hope everyone is doing well! We get to see more of our female MC and her story!
Announcement: We have set up a kofi and patreon account! If you would like to support us or get early access to advance chapters, those options are available for you (in support us page)! Since I am a grad student, there should usually be at least 10 advance chapters in the document at a time, but depending on my schedules, there may be fewer or more. I’m currently extremely busy, but I have translated out some new chapters for you all! But, I will still post each week with the same schedule. Thanks!
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