Chapter 361: May Good News Abound, and Don’t Forget This Wanderer of the Jianghu

“There’s something to this...”

Heroine Wu lowered her head, taking the copper coin from Song You’s hand. She held it up to examine it closely. It wasn’t a rigged coin.

Her gaze flickered a few times, and she murmured as if to herself, “You know, though I’ve roamed the

jianghu

all my life, I haven’t claimed many lives. To burden myself with so many karmic debts now does seem unwise. But letting their whole family off the hook so easily also feels too lenient.

“Fortunately, over the years of my investigation, I’ve collected plenty of evidence of their earlier crimes. I hear that the imperial censor surnamed Yu is upright and fair. He even served as the prefect of Yizhou once. I might as well help him bolster his record of achievements.”

“You’re simply kindhearted,” Song You remarked.

“...”

Heroine Wu glanced at him silently, gripping the copper coin tightly before tucking it into her robe. Without arguing further, she said, “I’ll make arrangements later and leave tomorrow. After that, no matter what happens, I won’t return to Changjing. If luck is on my side, well, as I’ve said before—ten years from now, when you’re back in Yizhou, I’ll bring a big, red rooster to visit you.”

“Please be careful,” Song You said. “I’m giving you this advice as an old friend.”

“Don’t worry. All these years in Changjing, my martial skills haven’t deteriorated much, though they haven’t advanced significantly either. What I’ve learned most is caution,” Heroine Wu replied with a grin.

She added, “With my abilities, I won’t claim to have no equals in the world, but among the court and

jianghu

, very few could hold me back. Perhaps only Shu Yifan from Guangzhou. Even Chen Ziyi, undefeated on the battlefield, wouldn’t necessarily best us

jianghu

fighters if we met by chance without his armor. And if he were armored? I doubt he could catch me.”

“I have absolute confidence in your abilities,” Song You said.

He still remembered his first encounter with Shu Yifan. Even back at the Great Liujiang Gathering, Shu Yifan was already the undisputed top swordsman of the realm. Yet to Heroine Wu, he was merely someone who might not win against her.

“I’ll handle everything cleanly and decisively. From now on, Heroine Wu Suowei and Ruan Zhen will no longer exist in the

jianghu

. As for what name I’ll go by next... I haven’t decided yet. I’ll let you know in ten years.”

“Deal,” Song You replied.

“Off I go, then.” Heroine Wu stood up, raised her hand to shoulder height, and cupped her hands in a parting gesture.

“Thank you.”

With a few steps, she was out the door.

The calico cat remained seated on the table, staring blankly after her.

That evening, Heroine Wu returned to have a final meal with Song You and the cat. They dined at Yunchun Restaurant and ordered the Jewel Set—a meal that cost a considerable sum.

Afterward, she packed her belongings, taking only a few essentials. The rest she distributed to her neighbors and nearby residents, including brooms, pots, pans, plates, and condiments—things of significant value to common folk. Anything that could be sold for money, she converted into gold and silver.

As for bedding, she carried it to the street corner and, under the cover of night, casually tossed it to the beggar children there.

The entire time, Song You and the calico cat followed her, silently observing her every action.

It was said that Heroine Wu had even refunded the remaining half a month of her rent at the property office a couple of days earlier.

This heroine had both a bold side and a frugal one.

Early the next morning, at the west gate...

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

It was the very spot where Heroine Wu had once waited for Song You. Now, it was Song You’s turn to see her off.

The heroine stood with her belongings, a long blade hanging beside the saddle of her trusty horse, a yellow-maned southwestern steed she had ridden for many years. The horse was small and lean, and she held its reins as she turned back to look at Song You.

“To be honest,” she said with a grin, “I used to imagine this day—finally uncovering the truth and leaving Changjing—but I never thought anyone would come to see me off. Back then, I pictured myself arriving alone and leaving quietly, with no one in Changjing even knowing I’d been here. Even if someone knew I came, they wouldn’t know why I came or why I left. That thought felt kind of cool.”

She stopped walking and smiled. “But this is nice too. It’s peaceful.”

Song You heard only loneliness in her words.

“This is far enough. Don’t see me off any further,” she said. “If all goes well, by the time spring arrives and you leave Changjing, I’ll already be on my way back to Yizhou.”

She glanced down at the calico cat by the Daoist’s side, hesitated for a moment, then let go of the reins and cupped her hands respectfully. “Thank you, Lady Calico, for all your guidance during this time. Once I’m free, I’ll make sure to properly learn to read and write.”

“You’re welcome!” the cat replied.

“Maybe by the next time we meet, I’ll even be writing poetry,” Heroine Wu said.

“You’d be impressive then!” The cat’s expression suddenly turned serious.

“Hahaha...” Heroine Wu laughed, though it was clear Lady Calico didn’t understand what was so funny.

Heroine Wu then turned her gaze back to Song You. “Yizhou’s fame as a bustling city is no exaggeration. I’ll probably hear news about you even from far away. And when I do, I’ll know it’s you. Make sure it’s big news, alright? The kind that makes me proud to say, ‘That immortal from the story used to live next door to me, and I knew him.’”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Alright, I’m off.”

With that, Heroine Wu mounted her horse, pulling the reins to start it moving forward. Looking back at the Daoist, she said, “While you travel the world, don't forget that you still have an old friend in the

jianghu

.”

“Take care,” Song You replied.

“You take care too.”

***

The ancient gates of Changjing faced a sky filled with wind and snow. Beyond the city walls, the ground was blanketed in white. The heroine, long blade at her side, rode away on horseback, growing smaller and smaller in the distance.

Behind her, the Daoist and the cat stood silently, watching her go. Whether they would meet again in this life, neither could say.

For a moment, the scene carried a faint air of the

jianghu

.

Reflecting on his encounter with Heroine Wu and their subsequent friendship, Song You realized how coincidental their bond truly was. Their relationship, forged with little to no entanglement of interests, was remarkably pure.

Even when Heroine Wu Heroine helped them secure housing upon their arrival in Changjing, provided intelligence for their bounties, or shared rewards for slaying demons, these acts were minor favors between friends—just as Song You had helped her resolve her dilemma the previous day.

Such a straightforward and effortless friendship, like clear water, was refreshing and carefree. Because of this, their parting carried little sadness.

It simply felt astonishing how quickly time had passed.

Six years had gone by in a blink.

“Let’s head back,” Song You said to the calico cat at his feet. “The wind and snow are too harsh out here.”

“Alright.”

“Do you have any questions you’d like to ask?”

“How do you write poetry?”

“That’s a tough one,” Song You replied. “To write good poetry, it’s not enough to just know the mechanics. You need to be well-versed in ancient texts, skilled at making metaphors, and broadly knowledgeable about history and culture. Writing poetry requires deep learning and extensive experience. You still have much to study.”

“...”

The calico cat gave him a sidelong look as they walked back into the city, trying to discern if he was making this up. After thinking it over, however, she decided he might be right.

***

When they returned home, Lady Calico resumed her diligent studies.

In her view, her student wouldn’t be able to study for some time—certainly not until returning to Yizhou, and even then, finding a suitable teacher might take a while. During this gap, Lady Calico WAS resolved to get ahead, using this time to widen the learning gap between them, ensuring her student couldn’t easily catch up.

Song You, with little else to do, opened the

Cai Medical Canon

and began flipping through it.

The winter in Changjing was harsh, with heavy snowfall and bitter cold. Apart from his daily trips to buy groceries, Song You avoided going outside. Instead, he stayed home with the door shut, the brazier lit, and tea brewing as he read.

Although Song You didn’t understand medical prescriptions or pharmacology, this half-volume of the

Medical Canon

contained few actual prescriptions. Those it did include were mostly examples, with the text focusing on the fundamental principles of medicine and illness.

Dr. Cai had condensed a lifetime of insights into this book, writing with exceptional clarity and depth. It was thought-provoking and likely, if shared with other doctors, could achieve the transformative effect Dr. Cai had envisioned.

For other medical practitioners, though, the

Medical Canon

would need to be studied alongside Dr. Cai’s other works to fully grasp its teachings.

The fox demon from the Hexian Pavilion visited again.

Since the death of Miss Wanjiang, the fox demon seemed to have shed her previous persona entirely, as if casting off shackles. She had become playful, mischievous, and excitable, her true fox nature now evident.

Her primary form remained relatively unchanged, but her behavior had become far more casual, resembling that of a typical demon. Perhaps this was because her role over the past decade had been deeply entrenched, influenced by human culture and etiquette. Or maybe, with her tails now guiding her back to her true self, she retained a playful duality, finding it amusing.

Another familiar face also came to visit—Cui Nanxi, who had once accompanied Song You to Yunding Mountain.

Song You spent an entire morning catching up with him.

A few days later, Song You and Lady Calico celebrated their second New Year in Changjing.

It was now the eighth year of the Mingde era. No one knew how many years of Mingde were left.

After spring arrived, Changjing enjoyed nearly half a month of bright sunshine. The city's winters rarely saw snow linger for long, and with the rapid rise in temperature, there was now a hint of warmth in the air.

Taking advantage of the fine weather, Song You carried a small stool to the street outside his door. Sitting in the sunlight—what locals called

borrowing the sun

—he pulled out a needle and thread to mend Lady Calico’s fabric ball.

Beside him, a little girl sat on an even smaller stool. She stretched her legs out straight, holding a book in her tiny hands and resting it on her lap. Yet, basking in the sunlight, she had no energy to actually read. Instead, she leaned her small body back against the door, half-closing her eyes, clearly more adept than the Daoist at enjoying the warmth.

Cats loved sunshine the most.

Lady Calico was almost asleep.

Even so, she occasionally cracked her eyes open, casting a lazy glance at the Daoist mending her fabric ball. Then she would peek at the book in her hands. Though she wasn’t reading the words, the act of looking at it still felt like she had “read” the book.

“The weather’s warming up, Lady Calico,” Song You said as he sewed. “In a few days, we’ll leave Changjing.”

“Okay...”

“In a couple of days, it’ll be the Lantern Festival,” he continued. “You can carry your little horse lantern, and we’ll stroll around the festival. After that, we’ll leave. I’ll also ask the swallow to fetch the horse for us.”

“Will we come back again?”

“At least one more time.”

“Alright...”

Lady Calico murmured weakly, her head drooping heavily before bobbing slightly. Her eyes closed, and she drifted off to sleep.

The book remained on her lap, held firmly by her little hands on either side.