The Imperial Traveler

Prologue

The carriage that passed through Lulin Town... 

The majestic archway at the eastern entrance of Lulin Town has stood for two hundred and thirty years. The characters "Feng Tiao Yu Shun" inscribed upon it, along with its original intricate designs, have faded beyond recognition. From the crevices of the stones, resilient artemisia sprouts emerge from the withered weeds, vibrant and full of life. 

In the morning sunlight, which filters through the lively artemisia, Lin Xi stands beneath the archway, the dappled shadows casting an air of worldliness upon the otherwise languid visage of this handsome youth, barely seventeen or eighteen. 

Opposite him stands a delicate young girl, two years his junior, with two ponytails, slender in frame, which accentuates her large eyes. 

This charming girl is not a local of Lulin Town; she has appeared from some unknown place, approaching Lin Xi. Although he has never encountered her before, she has already asked him numerous questions about himself. Her expression is one of earnestness, devoid of any trace of childishness. 

"It's really difficult to explain... it's just boredom..." At this moment, Lin Xi is also speaking earnestly with the girl. 

"Alright," she replies, nodding gravely, "But why have you been standing here, craning your neck to look up? What is so fascinating about this archway?" 

"I don't find the archway particularly appealing," Lin Xi shakes his head, gesturing towards the top, "That bird's nest might fall soon; there are two little birds inside. I wonder if they will survive the fall. If they do, I could give them to my sister as a gift." 

It is a rather peculiar scene, reminiscent of a student dutifully answering a teacher's questions, yet ironically, the teacher is younger than the student. Neither seems to find anything odd about the situation. 

After hearing Lin Xi's words, the girl falls silent, nodding in acknowledgment before turning to walk past the archway, through three narrow alleys, heading towards a carriage parked beside the gravel road that winds through Lulin Town. 

The fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl climbs into the carriage, taking the driver's seat. She deftly grasps the reins and urges the two gray horses onward, her movements fluid and natural, as if she has been doing this for years. 

"Did you gather the necessary information?" A cool, proud voice emanates from within the silent carriage. 

"His name is Lin Xi; he is the young master of the Lin family shop in the west of the town, turning eighteen this year, with a younger sister who is seven years his junior." The girl does not turn back, gently flicking the reins. Her demeanor is consistently serious, whether questioning or now responding while driving. 

The voice from within only asked a single question, yet she continued, "Everyone here refers to him as Young Master Lin Er." 

"Oh? Why is that?" The voice within sounds curious. 

"Because he often speaks in peculiar riddles and has a penchant for saying odd things. The townsfolk believe he may have some mental issues, possibly due to a severe cold he suffered over two years ago, hence they call him Young Master Lin Er." The girl slightly turns her head to respond. 

"Do you think he truly has a problem?" The voice within falls silent for a moment before asking again. 

"He articulates his thoughts quite clearly; he doesn't seem to have any issues, yet he does indeed say strange things." The girl furrows her brow in contemplation, "I asked him a series of questions, and he wondered if I was taking a census, questioning why I was asking him so much. When I inquired about what a census was, he told me that even if he explained, I wouldn't understand. Ultimately, he told me he was standing beneath the archway because a bird's nest up there was about to fall. There are two little birds inside, and he intended to catch them. If he succeeded, they would be a gift for his sister. However, that nest is securely perched on a beam beneath the eaves, only slightly exposed, and even in a storm, it should remain intact. Most importantly, I can't even see if there are birds inside from below." 

"Even you can't ascertain that? It seems indeed rather tricky..." The woman's cool voice from within the carriage remained silent for a longer while, until the carriage was almost out of Lulin Town, when she finally spoke again, "However, Qingluan Academy should not find this matter too troublesome." 

The girl's brow furrows even deeper, her expression earnest as she asks, "I don't quite understand your intentions, Miss Bai." 

"When we pass through the East Ling Prefecture, have Li Xiping arrange for him to go to Qingluan Academy. The timing should align perfectly." The woman in the carriage states matter-of-factly. 

"You intend to recommend him for the grand examination at Qingluan Academy?" The girl falls silent for a moment before asking, "Why?" 

"The reason is rather amusing; I recall my grandfather telling me stories about that individual when I was young. He mentioned that this person would often shout during dry spells: 'The wind is rising, thunder and rain are coming, everyone hurry and gather your clothes!'" The woman's voice brightens slightly, as if recalling fond memories, likely accompanied by a subtle smile. 

"Is it Director Zhang?" The girl does not turn, but her back visibly trembles. 

"Who else could hold such significance that my grandfather would constantly speak of him?" The woman's voice sharpens again, "When you meet Li Xiping, also instruct him to deal with Zhang Zhentong. A mere town supervisor, born of common stock, yet he possesses seven villas. Let him serve three years at Longshe Valley's border troops; if he survives those three years, then three of those villas shall remain for him." 

"Is there anything else you wish to convey to him?" The girl nods, lightly flicking the reins. 

"Li Xiping has been at the border troops for six years and has served as a supervisor for thirteen; such an old hand is far more astute than you might think, and requires little further instruction." The woman in the carriage scoffs lightly, but after saying this, she seems to recall something and adds softly, "Also tell him that I do not wish for anyone else to know that it was I who recommended Lin Er." 

... 

The carriage wheels make a faint sound on the gravel road, and a group of playful children in a nearby young yew grove pause, curiously watching as the carriage leaves Lulin Town, ascending a small hill ahead, ultimately vanishing from their inquisitive sight. 

"So this world truly has its masters..." Lin Xi stands beneath the Feng Tiao Yu Shun archway, his expression somewhat peculiar as the renowned Young Master Lin Er of Lulin Town. He appears lost in thought, occasionally unconsciously rubbing his forehead, as if sensing a bump there. 

"That's enough." Suddenly, his expression shifts to one of seriousness as he gathers the hem of his long robe, preparing to catch. He gazes intently at the archway above him. 

"Crack!" 

Almost as soon as he completes this peculiar motion, perhaps due to the prolonged absence of rain or a resilient sprout of artemisia forcing its way through the cracks of the tiles, a sudden faint cracking sound emanates from one of the wooden beams of the archway, which tilts precariously. 

Amidst the urgent chirping of fledglings, Lin Xi instinctively prepares to catch, as if he knows exactly how the bundle of dried grass forming the nest will fall. He skillfully secures the nest as it drops. 

A radiant smile instantly illuminates his face, transforming the morning in Lulin Town into a lively scene. The seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth dashes down the gravel road, cradling the bundle of dried grass, traversing through the town and stepping onto the smooth stone pavement worn by years of passage, his joyous footsteps stirring a chorus of laughter and excitement. 

"Hey, slow down! Be careful not to bump your head!" 

"Isn't that Lin Er...? Even at this age, still playing with bird nests." 

"Indeed, it's quite childish to be playing with birds at his age." 

"..." Lin Xi, feeling a shiver at the mention of "playing with birds" by a plump woman by the pond, does not pause. He continues running until he reaches a small courtyard with two stone lions and white walls at the northern edge of Lulin Town. Finally, he stops to catch his breath, his chest heaving as he pushes open the vermilion gate of the courtyard, exuding the pride and triumph of a victorious general as he calls out, "Sister, come out and see what wonderful treasure I've brought back for you!" 

"Brother, what treasure do you have?" 

As a sweet, youthful voice of surprise rings out, a girl clad in a small padded jacket rushes out from one of the rooms in the courtyard. 

The eleven or twelve-year-old girl is strikingly beautiful, her brows like paintings, her hair in a small ponytail, and her bright eyes shine brilliantly, though her fair cheeks are smeared with a few streaks of ink, creating an amusing sight. 

"Ah... little birds! Ah! Two little birds!" Just a glance is enough to leave the lovely girl frozen in place, before she snaps back to reality, bursting into joyous screams. 

"Lin Xi!" 

A woman, her face displaying a mix of concealed anger and concern, strides out from the back courtyard. The woman's features bear a striking resemblance to both the girl and Lin Xi; despite the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, she still possesses a certain elegance rare in Lulin Town. 

"Mother, this fell from the Feng Tiao Yu Shun archway; I didn't climb to any heights to fetch it. Otherwise, my clothes would surely be in disarray." Upon spotting this beautiful woman, Lin Xi promptly sticks out his tongue and hastily explains. 

The woman glances at Lin Xi's attire, her expression softening. In truth, she understands that since he awoke from that severe cold, aside from his odd ramblings, he has not caused her any further worry. 

"Don't touch it too much, Qian Qian; go wash your face first, and I'll tell you how to take care of it..." 

"Ah, Mother, you're just the best!" The charming girl immediately leaps up in delight. 

... 

"Brother, how fortunate that there are two birds; one can be named Lin Xi, and the other Lin Qian!" 

"Uh... silly sister, you can't name yourself a bird; wouldn't that be akin to calling yourself a fool?" 

In the tranquil morning of Lulin Town, within this serene little courtyard, a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth and a freshly washed girl rest their chins on their hands, engrossed in watching the bird's nest placed on the windowsill. 

Inside the nest, two plump, fluffy yellow chicks have eaten their fill. 

In another room, the beautiful woman tidies the ink and paper on the desk by the window, occasionally glancing over at the chatting youth and girl with a smile.