#31: Those with Love and Righteousness Will Eventually Return

When Gong Lingyue awoke again, he was already lying on the Green Stream Dragon Inkstone of Qingyun Mountain.

“Where is this?” Gong Lingyue opened his eyes and looked around, seeing a clear green lake before him and Di Jiang with a smile on her face.

“How do you feel?” Di Jiang held up a bronze mirror and smiled. “You always restored flesh and blood for others, but now, seeing your own body gradually return to youth, isn’t the feeling quite subtle?”

Gong Lingyue looked at himself in the bronze mirror and found that not only had he regained his youth, but his lifespan had indeed increased by three hundred years.

“Which branch are you from?” Gong Lingyue looked at Di Jiang, unable to discern which lineage of the family she belonged to. Di Jiang said nothing, just smiled. After a long while, when Gong Lingyue’s body had fully recovered and they were about to part, she finally said, “The current clan heads of the artisan family are the brothers Gong Yue and Gong Xi, aren’t they?”

“Yes, they have been clan heads for six hundred years.”

Di Jiang smiled faintly: “They would respectfully call me Aunt, so you can call me that too.”

Gong Lingyue’s pupils contracted. Seeing that Di Jiang was not joking, he knew that the person before him must be an extraordinary figure. He suppressed his arrogance and respectfully bowed, “Lingyue greets Grand-Aunt.”

“Grand-Aunt?” Di Jiang’s smile froze, and even Wen Yao beside her couldn’t help but let out a muffled laugh.

“I’m not that old,” Di Jiang coughed, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Gong Lingyue, however, remained unfazed and insisted, “Clan Leaders Gong Yue and Gong Xi are two generations older than me. If even they call you Aunt, then shouldn’t I call you Grand-Aunt?”

Di Jiang smiled, but didn’t answer.

“How old are you exactly?” Gong Lingyue asked, looking back at Di Jiang before stepping into the Sword Tomb, his eyes holding a solemnity and curiosity never seen before.

Di Jiang was moved by his gaze and finally parted her pearly teeth, smiling faintly, “My lifespan rivals heaven and earth, my brilliance matches the sun and moon.”

If these words were spoken by anyone else, he would surely think she was insane, but coming from Di Jiang, no matter how preposterous, they convinced him.

Di Jiang briefly explained Wu Ruian’s situation, and Gong Lingyue immediately understood what she wanted him to do.

“You are not within the Three Realms and Five Elements, allowing you to freely traverse between various barriers. I need you to retrieve Wu Ruian unharmed and then guard the Sword Tomb for me for one hundred years. Of course, one hundred years is just an estimate; I will come to find you once I have completed my tasks. At that time, you will regain your freedom.”

“Alright.” Gong Lingyue nodded, said nothing more, and then leaped into the Spirit Transformation Pool, using his blood to open the gate of the Sword Tomb.

After Gong Lingyue entered the Sword Tomb, his figure became increasingly faint, eventually turning into a wisp of light and disappearing.

Di Jiang looked at the turbulent clear pool and said, “Those who can calmly face loneliness will not live too badly. I promise you, when you emerge, you will see the person you most wish to see.”

Di Jiang didn’t know if he heard her, nor if he could persevere, but a hundred years from now, that was the future she promised him.

Half a day after Gong Lingyue entered the Sword Tomb, a figure enveloped in a bubble soon emerged from the sword gate. Di Jiang stood on the shore, looking at the person enveloped in the bubble, and softly said, “Those with love and righteousness will eventually return.” As she spoke, the bubble burst, and Wu Ruian within it seemed to awaken instantly.

He opened his eyes and saw Di Jiang and Wen Yao standing on the Green Stream Dragon Inkstone, looking at him with hope.

“The Prince has truly returned!” Wen Yao’s nose tingled, and she wanted to say something more but found her throat choked up. Several times, words reached her lips but she couldn’t utter them.

Wu Ruian swam over, and they immediately pulled him ashore.

“Prince! I see you again!” Wen Yao’s face was streaked with tears of emotion. Seeing her like this, Wu Ruian felt he had never been so sad himself.

He still remembered the piercing, bone-gnawing pain of the aggressive energy engraved on his body when he first entered the Sword Tomb. But no matter how painful those torments were, today they seemed as distant as a dream.

A dream that wasn’t even a nightmare.

Though the agony of being reduced to ashes still lingered faintly, it was only because he saw Di Jiang crying for him in that dream that he felt it was the most beautiful dream in the world. Then he slept soundly until now, and when he could open his eyes and speak again, it was the sight of Di Jiang and Wen Yao, standing before him, unharmed.

“Don’t cry, it’s all over,” Wu Ruian patted Wen Yao’s head, comforting her, then bypassed her and walked to Di Jiang.

He put down the stone in his hand and grinned at her, “I’m back.”

“Mmm,” Di Jiang said with a serene expression, her eyes filled with tenderness.

“You...” Wu Ruian hesitated to speak.

“I was waiting for you,” Di Jiang smiled faintly. “I waited for two years, six months, and five days, and finally I waited for you.”

“Is that so? I slept for so long...” Wu Ruian was a bit lost, but soon, the severe expression in his eyes regained its light. “Now you’ve finally waited for me. What do you want to tell me?”

Di Jiang lowered her head, pursed her lips in a smile, then shook her head, saying, “I don’t want to say anything.”

“Oh, like that...” Wu Ruian was a little disappointed.

“But I want to hug you,” Di Jiang interrupted him. After saying that, she ignored Wu Ruian’s surprised expression, took a step forward, and embraced him fully.

“From now on, you cannot act on your own without my permission,” Di Jiang said slowly.

Wu Ruian nodded blankly. He tremblingly extended his hands and hugged Di Jiang back. “I’m not dreaming, am I? Bite me quickly, let me feel the pain.” He held her tighter and tighter, as if he couldn’t believe it was real.

Di Jiang smiled and shook her head, “I can’t bear to.”

Hearing this, Wu Ruian’s body trembled again, and the strength in his arms unconsciously tightened a bit.

The two embraced each other, oblivious to their surroundings. Wen Yao didn’t dare speak, only weeping continuously. Zhong Xu, with his sword embraced, watched quietly without a word.

After a long while, the rising sun shone down from the cave ceiling, stinging Di Jiang’s eyes. Only then did she realize how quickly time had flown.

“Let’s go, we’re going home,” Di Jiang said.

“Where to?”

“Naturally, to Taiping Prefecture!” Di Jiang smiled faintly. “I said that however many of us came, none should be missing when we return. And Zhong Xu is also someone I must bring back.”

“Good.” Wu Ruian nodded, then finally let go of Di Jiang.

At this moment, he noticed a man in a light gray Daoist robe standing by a stone pillar not far away. His complexion was fair, with sharp brows and bright eyes. Although there was a hint of familiar emotion in his eyes, he really couldn’t remember who the man was.

“Who are you?” Wu Ruian looked at Zhong Xu, seemingly not recognizing him at all.

Zhong Xu remained expressionless and said faintly, “Zhong Xu.”

“Daoist Zhong?” Wu Ruian’s eyes widened. “I didn’t expect to wake up and find you so young.”

Zhong Xu held his sword, unsure how to respond. But his expression was mostly one of ease; his happiness at Wu Ruian’s safe return was almost as great as Di Jiang’s.

Although time had flown, six years had passed since their first meeting, thankfully, everyone still looked much as they did when they first met. Only their mindsets had changed slightly, and these changes were all for the better.

Subsequently, Zhong Xu and Chang Sheng found a carriage, allowing Wu Ruian to change into clean clothes inside. Then, the group drove together towards the pier.

Wen Yao accompanied Di Jiang and Wu Ruian in the carriage. Along the way, Wen Yao continuously held Wu Ruian’s hand, telling him about what had happened during the past two years. Each time she spoke, Wu Ruian’s hand, which was holding Di Jiang’s, would tighten.

Di Jiang’s hand was squeezed painfully several times, but she didn’t speak up to stop him. She knew that perhaps only by doing this could she truly understand Wu Ruian’s emotional journey.

These two years were a missing part of his life, and she should empathize and experience it with him.

The faint light of dawn scattered over the islands of Yunmengze. Thousands upon thousands of islands sparkled like bright pearls, illuminating the path ahead for the group and casting their long shadows.

“Affection is the only thing I can cherish. It is what has sustained me until now,” Di Jiang said softly.

“Hmm,” Wu Ruian nodded, looking down to meet Di Jiang’s gentle, watery gaze.

But in her gaze, there were also words she could not speak aloud.

She wanted to say: “Even if this love has nothing to do with wind and moon. Even if time for me is but a fleeting moment. But in this instant, I want to be by your side. To watch sunrises and sunsets with you, and clouds unfurl and disperse.”

This is the most beautiful time.

With you, with me, with affection and righteousness, it is worth cherishing and remembering for all our lives.

As long as I remember, those who have passed will never truly die. They live in my memories and in my Flower God Compendium.

This is the true meaning of my existence.

________________________________________

Extra: A Series of Sweets to Celebrate National Day

Extra: Diagnosing an Illness

The road back to Taiping Prefecture was different from the way they came. On their way there, Di Jiang had traveled by boat from the northwest, and the journey wasn’t difficult. But now, Taiping Prefecture was to the northeast, and they could only travel by carriage, overland.

Along the way, Wu Ruian sat in the carriage, attended to by Wen Yao, who hovered over him, fearing he might bump or bruise himself.

Di Jiang often teased her, “Everyone who knows you knows you’re my maid, but those who don’t might think you’re his servant.”

“Do you and the Prince still need to distinguish between you and me?” Wen Yao said, then took a candy from a cabinet on the side of the carriage, handing it to Wu Ruian. “Prince, would you like a candy?”

Wu Ruian shook his head. “I can’t eat now.”

“But are you feeling unwell somewhere? Let me take your pulse!”

“No...” Wu Ruian hadn’t finished speaking when Wen Yao grabbed his wrist and began taking his pulse.

She observed as she said, “Although my medical skills aren’t as good as the shopkeeper’s, treating minor ailments is no problem.” Wen Yao finished speaking, paused for a moment, then suddenly let out an “Oh!” and exclaimed, “Prince, this pulse... I’m afraid it’s...”

“What is it?” Wu Ruian looked suspicious.

“Prince, are you a bit sensitive to cold, with cold limbs?”

Wu Ruian nodded.

“That’s right,” Wen Yao nodded. “The Prince’s pulse is deep and weak, his complexion is pale, and he has a poor appetite. I’m afraid it’s kidney deficiency...”

“What?!” No sooner had Wen Yao spoken than Di Jiang spat a mouthful of tea all over her face. Wu Ruian’s face turned green.

Immediately after, Chang Sheng’s voice came from outside the carriage curtain: “Master, what is kidney deficiency?”

Zhong Xu was silent for a moment before he said in a deep voice, “It’s an adult matter, children shouldn’t ask too much.”

“Oh.”

After Di Jiang recovered, her mouth hung wide open for a long time.

Wen Yao wiped her face and continued, “Prince, this is no small matter. You should let the shopkeeper take a good look. While it’s still just kidney yin deficiency, treat it well, otherwise, if it gets serious and develops into both kidney yang and kidney yin deficiency, it will...”

“No need,” Wu Ruian interrupted before Wen Yao could finish. “Later tonight, I’ll let your shopkeeper personally test whether I’m deficient or not.” He finished speaking and raised an eyebrow at Di Jiang.

“...” Di Jiang turned her head away, no longer intending to pay attention to this pair of clowns.

She closed her eyes, pretending to nap, but in reality, she was plotting in her mind: she would tolerate him a little longer, and once he recovered fully, she would then correct his unrestrained and promiscuous nature.

Later that day, Di Jiang woke from her nap. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Wu Ruian’s entire body leaning close to her, staring fixedly at her. There were only the two of them in the carriage; Wen Yao had probably gotten bored again and gone to ride horses upfront.

Di Jiang was wide awake and immediately retreated a foot, nervously asking, “What do you want to do?”

“Just looking at you,” Wu Ruian smiled faintly. “I’m afraid I’m dreaming again.”

Di Jiang breathed a sigh of relief and said, “Do you remember what happened?”

“I don’t remember,” Wu Ruian shook his head. “I only remember a child who gradually gathered my body bit by bit until my bones and flesh took shape. During this time, I clearly felt a lot of pain, but I couldn’t move or make a sound. I must have had a dream... I thought it was a nightmare, but when I woke up and saw you and Wen Yao, I realized it might be a wonderful dream that brought me back to your side.”

Di Jiang smiled, saying nothing.

Wen Yao, however, nodded vigorously. “As long as the Prince can return, any hardship is worth it!”

“I think so too,” Wu Ruian nodded, his eyes full of tenderness.

At this moment, Di Jiang let out an “Ah!” as if suddenly remembering something, and exclaimed, “Prince, your disappearance for two years must have caused quite a stir in the imperial court...”

Wu Ruian scratched his head and said with a wry smile, “I never even thought I’d come back. Now that you mention it, Doctor Di, I realize there might indeed be some trouble.”

“What should we do...” Di Jiang pondered.

After a moment, Wu Ruian suddenly took her hand and said with a comforting smile, “These are all minor matters. As long as you’re by my side, I don’t care about anything else.”

Di Jiang felt her face flush under his gaze. She was about to say something when she saw him lean in, close to her ear, and softly ask, “There’s no one else here now, do you want to try?”

Di Jiang was startled. “Try what?”

Wu Ruian did not answer her quickly; instead, he answered her question with action.

He wrapped one arm around her slender waist, while simultaneously placing her hand on his own waist.

His eyes, hazy with desire, tempted, “Let’s see if my kidney is truly deficient or not.”

“You...” Di Jiang’s eyes widened abruptly. Instinctively, she kicked him in the stomach, simultaneously letting out a thunderous roar, “Get out of here—!”

Wu Ruian cried out in pain, clutching his stomach and rolling onto the cushion, instantly sweating profusely.

The atmosphere in the carriage was somewhat strange. Seeing that he couldn’t get up for a long time, Di Jiang suddenly became worried and asked, “Are you alright?”

Wu Ruian held back his tears, his eyes glistening as he choked out, “Now, I’m afraid I really will have kidney deficiency...”

________________________________________

Extra: Taixiao Sword Sheath

It was early June when they arrived in Baima City, a time of beautiful scenery, with mountains covered in lush wild flowers and green leaves, truly a sight to behold.

Di Jiang’s group of five set up camp by a stream outside the city, eating and drinking whatever they found locally.

The stream water was crystal clear, and small fish could be seen swimming around. Wen Yao and Wu Ruian built a fish trap by the stream, and from time to time, Wen Yao’s anxious shouts could be heard: “Prince, how can you be so clumsy! The fish we finally got away again because of you!”

Even Wen Yao, who usually adored Wu Ruian, couldn’t help but yell at him, which goes to show that his fishing skills were probably no match for Di Jiang’s.

Di Jiang accompanied Zhong Xu in eating vegetarian food, so she picked some wild vegetables in the forest and cooked them with white rice. A pot of vegetable porridge was quickly served. Meanwhile, Wen Yao and Wu Ruian still hadn’t caught a single fish.

“Are you two okay? If not, come have some porridge. It’s almost dark,” Di Jiang called out to them.

Wen Yao shook her head defiantly. “If I don’t catch a fish today, I’ll starve to death here! Prince, you can starve with me, after all, in the credit for not catching fish, your contribution is the greatest!”

Wu Ruian sighed helplessly and had no choice but to accompany Wen Yao in continuing to wait.

Another half an hour passed before the two of them finally caught a fish, barely half a pound.

“Are we eating this tonight?” Wu Ruian pouted.

“Otherwise?” Wen Yao put her hands on her hips and said angrily, “We share blessings and endure hardships together. Since you chose to stand with me today, even if you want porridge, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow!”

“Alright, that’s the only way.” Wu Ruian resignedly spread his hands and began to help Wen Yao start a fire.

The firewood Chang Sheng used to cook porridge had already gone out, and Wu Ruian and Wen Yao had to start all over again.

By the time the fire was finally lit, Wu Ruian and Wen Yao’s faces were covered in ash and soot, and they were starving.

“Tomorrow, let’s just eat vegetarian food with them,” Wu Ruian said, poking the campfire with a stick, trying to make the scattered flames larger.

Wen Yao looked at the roasted fish, which had been cooking for a long time but still wasn’t done, and nodded in agreement. “At this point, I think vegetarian food is actually pretty good.”

Di Jiang and Zhong Xu sat nearby, looking at the two disheveled figures, both finding it somewhat amusing.

“What kind of look is that?” Wen Yao complained. “Not lending a hand is one thing, but mocking us is just wrong!”

Chang Sheng chuckled, “Who was it who kept telling us, ‘I’m a master of wilderness survival’? Now you’re blaming us for laughing at your misfortune?”

“You!” Wen Yao’s face turned green with anger, but she couldn’t retort. She could only turn back to urge Wu Ruian, “Prince, can you get this fire going or not? Don’t let people laugh at us for nothing!”

“Soon, soon, it’ll be ready right away,” Wu Ruian bent down, poking the firewood and blowing hard. Di Jiang looked at him like this, finding it incredibly amusing—the dignified Grand General Shenyou of Xuanwu Kingdom, the legitimate prince of Emperor Chen, actually willing to join them for a picnic in the wilderness and do everything himself? No one would believe it if she told them.

At this moment, Di Jiang suddenly noticed the stick he was using to poke the firewood.

It was a stick of unknown material, flat and round, about two feet long, and it looked like a stalactite column from a cave.

Di Jiang squinted and asked curiously, “Prince, where did that stone stalagmite in your hand come from?”

“Stalagmite?” Wu Ruian straightened up, looking at the stick in his hand, and realized, “It does look like a stalagmite from a cave.”

At this moment, Wen Yao also said in surprise, “We haven’t been to any caves on this journey, how did this stick suddenly appear?”

Wu Ruian shook his head. “I brought it out of the Sword Tomb.”

“What?” Di Jiang was startled, then quickly returned to normal and smiled, “I hadn’t noticed that you were carrying such an item when you emerged from the sword gate...”

“It, you know, when I was in the Sword Tomb, I dreamed I was always holding it. I don’t know why I was holding it, but it seemed the closer I was to it, the safer I felt... And after leaving the Sword Tomb, it only seems to appear when I think of it...” Wu Ruian said, shaking his head again, “But how can there be such a thing in this world? It must be that I usually pay too little attention to it, causing me to mistakenly believe it only appears when I need it.”

“Who says it isn’t so,” Di Jiang nodded with a smile.

Wu Ruian lowered his head, staring at the stalagmite for a long time, then smiled at the stalagmite, “How about you disappear now and show me?”

However, after a long moment, the stalagmite remained unchanged.

Wen Yao chuckled, “How can a stone disappear! Prince, are you confused from catching fish?”

“Perhaps it really was just an illusion...” Wu Ruian scratched his head, offered an apologetic smile, and then continued to poke the firewood with the stalagmite.

But at this moment, Di Jiang was no longer calm. She stood up from beside Zhong Xu, walked over, snatched the stalagmite, and stroked it like a treasure. She then said to Wu Ruian, “No matter what, it accompanied you in the Sword Tomb for two years, didn’t it? There are many things in this world that cannot be explained, and the Sword Tomb is one such existence, isn’t it? Even if it’s just a stone, you should cherish it. After all, it was once a protective charm for you in the Sword Tomb.”

When Di Jiang finished speaking, everyone looked at her strangely.

“Shopkeeper, it’s just a stone, you’re making too much of a fuss!” Wen Yao scoffed.

Chang Sheng also nodded, “It truly looks unremarkable.”

And Zhong Xu still maintained his perpetually unchanging stoic face. He sat on the pile of grass, embracing his sword, and though he said nothing, his eyes revealed a hint of strangeness—strange why Di Jiang would act so seriously about a mere stone.

Before Di Jiang could speak, Wu Ruian nodded in agreement, “Doctor Di’s words make me feel incredibly ashamed. Now that you’ve said it, I realize I’ve truly been a bit excessive. I should indeed preserve it carefully.”

Di Jiang nodded approvingly, then returned the stalagmite to Wu Ruian.

Wu Ruian took it, then took off his outer coat, carefully wrapped the stalagmite completely, and then placed it under the carriage seat, storing it properly. After doing all this, he finally said, “When I return to the Prince’s residence, I’ll find a high place to enshrine it.”

“It’s good that the Prince understands, then the suffering endured on this journey won’t have been in vain.” Di Jiang’s eyes curved in a smile, clearly a genuinely radiant one.

Wu Ruian was lost in her smile until Wen Yao shouted from behind, “Prince! If you don’t come now, the fire will go out! What will we eat tonight?”

“Coming right away!” Wu Ruian responded, walking towards the campfire. He turned back three times, his eyes never leaving Di Jiang.

After nightfall, everyone had rested. Wu Ruian and Chang Sheng slept on a pile of straw, Di Jiang and Wen Yao slept in the carriage, and Zhong Xu sat on the straw pile, keeping watch.

As dawn approached, Di Jiang still tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She simply got out of the carriage and sat by the river, watching the setting moon.

Di Jiang’s movements caught Zhong Xu’s attention. Zhong Xu watched her for a long time, seeing her constantly looking up, her eyes seemingly lonely. This was a look he had never seen before.

Zhong Xu slowly walked over to Di Jiang and sat down beside her.

Di Jiang turned her head, glanced at him, offered a small smile, and then turned back again.

“Doctor Di can’t sleep?” Zhong Xu asked.

“Hmm.”

“Something on your mind?”

“Hmm.”

After Di Jiang spoke, Zhong Xu asked no more questions.

He was not a nosy person, and Di Jiang’s demeanor clearly showed she didn’t want to talk, so he decided not to press further.

The two sat by the river, silent but not awkward.

It wasn’t until the moon became faintly visible over the mountaintop, and the sky began to show streaks of dawn, that Di Jiang seemed to gather her courage and spoke again, “Do you know about the Taixiao Sword?”

“Yes, the Ghost Realm Marshal, Taixiao Emperor Monarch’s accompanying sword.”

“That’s right,” Di Jiang nodded. “The Taixiao Sword has no physical form; it can transform into any appearance according to its master’s will.” At this point, Di Jiang paused, then continued, “It can be a wooden sword, or an iron sword, even transparent like glass, it’s not impossible.”

As Di Jiang spoke, the sword in Zhong Xu’s arms suddenly trembled violently. His hand gripping the sword also tightened abruptly.

Di Jiang sensed his change and continued, “Furthermore, the Taixiao Sword has no sheath. Too many souls have died by its blade; no sheath can contain such malevolence. In the past, before the Taixiao Emperor Monarch ascended, his body was the sheath. After his ascension, the entire Qingyun Mountain became the sheath. And the essence of Qingyun Mountain, after countless transformations over eons, eventually condensed into a single stalagmite.”

Upon hearing this, complex emotions erupted in Zhong Xu’s eyes.

“So, that stone pillar that Prince Wu used as a fire poker is now the sheath of the Taixiao Sword?” Zhong Xu’s tone was speculative, yet carried a hint of certainty.

Di Jiang nodded, confirming this statement.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Xu remained unsettled for a long time, just like Di Jiang, who usually loved to sleep, also suffered from insomnia tonight...

Zhong Xu was the head of Baiyun Temple. He knew better than anyone what Baiyun Temple had been doing for the past century, and what the sword in his hand represented became suddenly clear today, thanks to Di Jiang’s explanation.

At this moment, Di Jiang turned to look into his eyes and said solemnly, “Can you fulfill the Taixiao Emperor Monarch’s last wish?”

Zhong Xu nodded. “Slaying all demons and purging all ghosts has always been my belief.”

Di Jiang, however, curved her lips and shook her head, “Exterminating demons and evil is not the goal, but a means to achieve a goal. You still need to think more about the Taixiao Emperor Monarch’s hope.”

“...”

Zhong Xu looked at Di Jiang, silent for a long time, seemingly pondering why Di Jiang would ask such a question.

Di Jiang’s identity remained a mystery, elusive and perplexing, but he was not in a hurry to uncover it, for he had a premonition that one day, she would tell him herself who she was and what her purpose was.

And that day, he feared, would come soon.

________________________________________

Extra: Lady White Bone

(1)

Early summer dusk, night fell. Zhong Xu and Chang Sheng drove the carriage, speeding along the provincial road, raising clouds of dust.

Before and behind them, within a radius, there was no sign of human habitation. On both sides of the provincial road stretched endless grasslands, with occasional mounds of graves, overgrown with weeds, appearing to have been unattended for a long time. In the tranquil time, they were the only group of people chatting and laughing between heaven and earth. The sounds of five people in a carriage talking and laughing formed a stark contrast with the lonely atmosphere around them.

Wen Yao lifted the carriage curtain, and the scenery outside was clearly visible. She sighed, frustrated, “It seems we’ll be camping outdoors again tonight.”

“Since we’re here, let’s make the best of it. It’s all life experience,” Wu Ruian comforted her.

“Sigh... I can only think that way.” Wen Yao nodded, helplessly drooping her head against the carriage pillar, looking utterly disheartened. Di Jiang, who was feigning sleep nearby, heard Wu Ruian’s words, and a smile silently crept onto her lips.

She was greatly surprised by Wu Ruian’s change.

If this were in the past, he would definitely join Wen Yao in complaining. No, perhaps his complaints would be even more dramatic than Wen Yao’s.

After nightfall, Zhong Xu, as usual, cooked a pot of plain porridge, accompanied by pickled vegetables and flatbread brought from Baiyun Temple. It was another meal that Wen Yao found hard to swallow.

“When will these days end?” Wen Yao wiped her mouth after finishing three flatbreads and two bowls of porridge, then spat, “It’s always clear soup and bland water. I’ve lost several pounds!” She said, nudging Di Jiang, her meaning clear: she hoped Di Jiang could use her powers to shorten distances and return with a spell.

However, Di Jiang pretended not to notice and said with a faint smile, “For my beloved, I wither away, my belt loosens, yet I have no regrets. Isn’t it a joyous thing to wander the mountains and rivers with your Prince? Why are you already complaining after only a few days?”

“I don’t want to either! Who said this road we’re on doesn’t even have a soul? Can’t we find a road with towns, where we can travel leisurely, stopping along the way, to truly enjoy the beautiful spring scenery of Jiangnan!”

“Bear with it a little longer. It’ll be fine once we cross the Yellow River,” Di Jiang said, then ignored her.

Wen Yao pouted, and seeing that Di Jiang still had more than half a bowl of porridge left, she loudly mocked, “You admit it too, don’t you!”

“Admit what?” Di Jiang was startled.

“You can’t eat it either!” Wen Yao pointed at her bowl and laughed heartily, “Isn’t it especially bland? Especially light? Especially like water?”

“Alright, shut up,” Di Jiang chastised her, then smiled at Zhong Xu, “Wen Yao has a loose tongue, don’t take offense.”

Zhong Xu shook his head. “I’m not very good at cooking, I’ve made you laugh.”

“Don’t listen to Wen Yao’s nonsense, she just doesn’t appreciate good food. What you made is delicious, I really like it,” Di Jiang said, drinking the white porridge in her bowl in one gulp.

Faced with Di Jiang’s differential treatment, Wen Yao was unhappy but could only endure it. She knew very well that in Di Jiang’s heart, Zhong Xu held a special status, and compared to him, she stood no chance.

After the group finished dinner, Chang Sheng was responsible for washing the dishes, and Wu Ruian was on duty for the night watch.

Di Jiang and Wen Yao slept in the carriage. Before midnight, snores could be heard from inside the carriage, but beneath the snores, listening closely, one could also hear faint “gurgling” sounds, and beneath the gurgling, someone tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Wu Ruian sat on the roof of the carriage, hearing Wen Yao’s slightly muffled voice from below—

“Shopkeeper, why aren’t you asleep yet? What time is it?”

“Can’t sleep...” Di Jiang sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hungry...” Di Jiang’s voice was full of grievance, but Wen Yao clearly didn’t take it seriously.

“Go to bed early. You won’t be hungry once you’re asleep.”

“I want to eat Lantern Chicken Ding...”

“Mmm, tomorrow I’ll catch a chicken and butcher it... then we’ll have meat...” Wen Yao grumbled a couple of times, probably not taking it seriously either, then rolled over and went back to sleep.

(2)

The next day, as they approached Fengzhou, the main road gradually saw more people, but it was limited to scattered travelers and merchants. The roadside tea houses offered nothing but plain noodles.

Di Jiang sighed, but Wen Yao was too lazy to even sigh...

That night, the group rested by the roadside. Wu Ruian, however, had no intention of resting. He said to Wen Yao, “I’m going to wander into the forest and see if I can hunt some game to make you a non-vegetarian meal.”

Wen Yao was overjoyed at the news, repeatedly hugging him and shouting, “Long live the Prince!”

After Wu Ruian left, he entered the forest. The forest was very quiet; he walked for over half an hour without hearing a single sound of birds or beasts. Wu Ruian felt disappointed and was about to return when he suddenly caught a glimpse of some light deep within the forest. He pushed aside the bushes and saw a small bamboo hut, with faint candlelight emanating from inside.

Wu Ruian walked up and knocked on the bamboo door, asking loudly, “Is anyone home?”

He asked repeatedly, but received no response.

Wu Ruian had just turned to leave when he heard a creak behind him. He turned around and saw the bamboo door open inwards, and a beautiful young woman in a red dress emerged from it.

The woman had captivating features, with alluring red lips, possessing a beauty that rivaled the courtesans of Taiping Prefecture.

Wu Ruian was slightly surprised.

How could such a beautiful woman be in this desolate wilderness?

And when the woman saw Wu Ruian, her eyes also froze. Clearly, she had never seen such a handsome man either.

She was stunned for a long time before asking, “Young master, may I help you?”

“Actually, it’s nothing...” Wu Ruian scratched his head and chuckled, “I’m just a bit hungry and was looking for something to eat nearby. But I wandered around for a long time and found no wild game to catch. I’m truly sorry for disturbing your rest so late. I’ll leave now.”

Wu Ruian bowed to her, and just as he was about to leave, the woman quickly caught up, took his wrist, and said, “Young master, please don’t be in a hurry to leave. I will prepare fine wine and delicious dishes for you right away.”

“No...” Wu Ruian really wanted to refuse. After all, a single man and woman alone in a room was not appropriate for someone with a family. But for some reason, his usual strength seemed to fail him. He couldn’t even struggle, and in a few steps, he was pulled into the house by the woman.

After entering the house, Wu Ruian was pressed down to sit at the table, and then the woman flashed into the backyard.

Wu Ruian saw that the house was well-decorated, very clean and elegant, so he settled in and quietly waited for the woman to bring out the food.

Soon, the woman served plate after plate of exquisite dishes onto the table.

Four dishes and one soup were neatly arranged, like the provisions of a wealthy household.

“Did you make all of these yourself?” Wu Ruian’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes,” the woman nodded.

“Your cooking skills are superb, I’m truly impressed!” Wu Ruian sincerely praised.

“Don’t call me young lady anymore. My name is Jiang Meinang, just call me Meinang. Please try it, is it delicious?”

“Alright! Then I won’t be polite!” Wu Ruian said, immediately picking up his chopsticks and quickly tasting each dish.

Meinang watched Wu Ruian eat with a greasy mouth, her smile deepening.

Wu Ruian ate a few bites, repeatedly exclaiming “delicious,” but after a short while, a worried expression crept onto his face.

“Why aren’t you eating anymore?” Jiang Meinang asked.

“Meinang... I have a presumptuous request, I don’t know if I should say it.” Wu Ruian put down his chopsticks and sat up straight. He stared at Jiang Meinang with a worried expression.

Jiang Meinang’s beauty was captivating, and few in the world were more charming and alluring than her. She was used to men’s gazes and did not find it offensive; instead, she thought it natural. She propped her chin on her hands, gazing at Wu Ruian with an admiring expression, and softly replied, “Young master, please speak. If Meinang can do it, she will not refuse.”

Wu Ruian decided not to beat around the bush and went straight to the point: “I’d like to ask you to teach me how to make Lantern Chicken Ding!”

“Wh-what?” Jiang Meinang’s hand trembled, and her chin accidentally knocked against the table.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Jiang Meinang shook her head. She never expected that she, so beautiful, would be asked to teach him how to cook?!

Jiang Meinang recovered from her initial surprise and then smiled, “May I ask why young master wishes to learn this dish?”

“My wife has been eating very light food recently and enjoys dishes with a slightly stronger flavor. She was dreaming about this dish last night,” Wu Ruian continued, “It’s embarrassing to say, but I’ve eaten chicken for so many years, yet I’ve never seen what a chicken looks like. Please don’t be offended.”

Jiang Meinang smiled and shook her head, “Young master is so noble, yet now you’re willing to humble yourself to learn cooking from me, that makes it even more touching. Since you want to learn, then I shall teach you.”

After saying that, she led Wu Ruian into the backyard.

There was a small kitchen in the backyard, impeccably clean, as if it had just been built, with no trace of cooking fumes.

But Wu Ruian didn’t notice these details; his entire focus was on Jiang Meinang, who was chopping vegetables.

“Cut the chicken breast into small pieces, add a little starch, salt, five-spice powder, and yellow wine, mix well with a spoonful of water, and marinate for about half an hour. Then, heat cold oil in a hot iron wok, add peanuts, and sauté them until fragrant.”

Wu Ruian observed carefully, asking, “How do you know if the peanuts are fragrant?”

“You can’t see the fragrance; you can only smell it.”

“Oh...” Wu Ruian nodded ambiguously, but it was clear he didn’t quite understand what the smell of toasted peanuts was like.

Jiang Meinang covered her mouth and chuckled, then added, “Or, you can listen with your ears.”

“Listen with my ears?” Wu Ruian was startled.

Jiang Meinang nodded. “After the oil heats up, you’ll hear a ‘crackling’ sound. At that point, you can scoop out the peanuts and set them aside.”

“Okay!”

Jiang Meinang scooped up the peanuts, then added cold oil to the wok again and put in the previously marinated chicken. Once the chicken changed color slightly, she scooped it out and placed it on a side dish. The chicken breast was white, tender, and glistening with oil, looking very delicious.

Wu Ruian watched and chuckled secretly, his mind completely preoccupied with how to surprise Di Jiang and allow her to taste a heartwarming hot dish in the wilderness. Then, Jiang Meinang brought out a plate of bright red bell peppers from somewhere, and Wu Ruian was greatly surprised, “You truly are a living immortal! In this desolate wilderness, you have everything one could ask for!”

Jiang Meinang said nothing, only smiled. Soon, she magically produced other ingredients like carrots, cucumbers, lotus roots, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, and sesame seeds. Wu Ruian watched with wide eyes.

In a short while, she had chopped the carrots, lotus roots, and cucumbers into cubes, minced the garlic, and placed them all on separate plates.

“Add a little oil to the wok, then add minced garlic, bell peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns. Once fragrant, add the lotus root, carrot, and cucumber dices. After they change color, add the pre-prepared chicken pieces. Once the sauce thickens over high heat, add chopped scallions and it’s ready to serve.” Jiang Meinang finished speaking, placing the Lantern Chicken Ding on a plate. A dish with perfect color, aroma, and taste was now complete.

“Thank you, young lady! Your great kindness will never be forgotten!” Wu Ruian said his thanks, picked up the plate, and ran out.

Jiang Meinang watched his retreating figure, her eyes flickering with complex emotions—resentment, reluctance, sadness, but more than anything, envy.

“Sigh…” A faint sigh escaped her lips. Regardless of whether Wu Ruian would return, in the end, she still didn’t intend to make things difficult for him, letting him leave safely.

(3)

By the time Wu Ruian returned to the carriage with the plate of food, it was already daylight.

“Prince, where were you all night?” Wen Yao anxiously crowded around him, and even Di Jiang couldn’t help but scold, “Do you know how worried we were?”

“I went to find you some delicious food! Come and taste it!” Wu Ruian presented the Lantern Chicken Ding as if it were a treasure. Wen Yao’s eyes lit up at the sight, Chang Sheng silently swallowed, while Di Jiang and Zhong Xu remained relatively calm.

“Quick, try some.” Wu Ruian handed Di Jiang a spoon. Di Jiang, who usually had no appetite in the morning, coupled with the mysterious origin of the food, took two bites and then put it down.

“Is it delicious?”

“Yes, let them all eat some,” Di Jiang said, handing the plate to Chang Sheng and Wen Yao.

“Where did you get this treasure! It’s too delicious!” Wen Yao said, smacking her lips as she ate. Unfortunately, there was too little on the plate, and by the end, she wished she could eat the plate itself.

From beginning to end, only Zhong Xu didn’t eat a single bite. His explanation was ‘abstaining from the five pungent foods,’ a very legitimate reason that no one could refute, so they didn’t try to persuade him further.

Finally, after Wen Yao had licked the plate clean, Wu Ruian reclaimed it and said, “I’ll go return the bowl to them. Wait for me for a moment.”

“Hmm.” Di Jiang smiled and nodded unnaturally.

After Wu Ruian left, Di Jiang felt something was amiss, so she took Wen Yao and headed in the direction he had gone. Before long, she discovered a bamboo house deep in the forest. The words “Jiang Manor” were written on the lintel of the house.

“Could this be Mrs. Jiang’s residence?” Wen Yao asked in surprise.

“How could there be a Mrs. Jiang in the wilderness? Are you perhaps also muddle-headed?” Di Jiang snapped, then slapped Wen Yao on the forehead. Wen Yao shuddered, as if waking from a long dream.

She looked at the continuous piles of weeds around her and said in astonishment, “W-where am I?”

“Jiang Manor.”

“Jiang Manor?!” Wen Yao’s voice suddenly rose in surprise, “Where is there any sign of a manor here?”

Wen Yao’s eyes widened. She looked around for a long time and found nothing but continuous trees; everything just now had been an illusion.

“Where’s the Prince?” Wen Yao asked blankly.

“He’s over there,” Di Jiang said, pointing.

Wen Yao looked in the direction she pointed and saw a pile of white withered bones beneath a bamboo tree, wrapped in red clothes. Because the red clothes on the bones had been exposed to the wilderness for years, they looked tattered and ruined.

Wu Ruian sat by the red-clad bones, cupping his hands and smiling at the skeleton, “Thank you for your guidance, Miss Jiang. After I went back and my wife ate what I brought, her spirits improved greatly. However, we are in a hurry to travel, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to continue learning cooking from you. When I have some free time in the future, I’ll bring her to drink and chat with you.”

Wen Yao couldn’t hear what the red-clad skeleton said, but Di Jiang could.

She said, “To have such a good husband, your wife is truly blessed for three lifetimes, deeply fortunate. Meinang wishes you a long and happy life together, with love as true as ever.”

After she finished speaking, Di Jiang felt a chill run through her body.

Within the skeleton’s empty eye sockets, there seemed to be a pair of eyes, staring unblinkingly at her.

“Let’s go,” Di Jiang said softly to Wen Yao.

Wen Yao’s teeth chattered, “Just leave like this? Will the Prince be in danger?”

“She won’t harm the Prince.”

“Is that so... Then, that’s good.” Wen Yao turned back every three steps, pondering whether she should tell the Prince about this matter, but after much thought, she decided not to.

Such a beautiful memory, if broken, would become a terrible nightmare. It’s better not to destroy the beauty in people’s hearts...

When Wu Ruian returned, he acted as if nothing had happened.

Neither Di Jiang nor Wen Yao spoke of it, pretending it hadn’t happened either.

However, Wen Yao still had a question, one that bothered her throughout their journey. She finally couldn’t hold it in and asked, “Shopkeeper, what did we eat?” After she said that, she couldn’t help but purse her lips, fearing she had eaten some strange snakes, insects, or rodents.

Di Jiang chuckled and shook her head, “That was a dream created by someone’s thought. It’s nothing important.”

“That’s wonderful...” Wen Yao felt a weight lifted from her heart when she heard that.

The five set off again, but Di Jiang’s mind was constantly filled with a woman’s voice—she said, “I was originally tricked out of all my money by a heartless man, and then sold into a brothel by his parents. Unable to endure the humiliation, I committed suicide in this bamboo forest. I regret, I resent, I blame. I have lingered here for several years, harming countless lives of those who coveted my beauty...”

“I had also wanted this young master’s life, but not only was he unmoved by my beauty, he even asked me for cooking lessons. A single night only to prepare a delicious hot dish for you...”

“Today I spared him, and I ask you, madam, to treat him well and not to deceive him...”

“I know, I know.” Di Jiang waved her hand, and the voice in her mind finally dissipated.

“Shopkeeper, who are you talking to?” Wen Yao asked, confused.

Wu Ruian also looked around and asked, “What did you know?”

I know you’re very good to me...

Di Jiang thought to herself, but she didn’t answer him aloud.

She smiled and shook her head, gently tapping her right index finger, sending Jiang Meinang, who had been exposed in the wilderness for a long time, on her way home...

________________________________________

Extra: The River God’s Marriage

When Di Jiang and her group crossed the Zisha River, it happened to be the time when the riverside village was holding its triennial River God’s Marriage ceremony.

The Zisha River banks had deep gullies and steep terrain. A girl, dressed in a red wedding gown and veiled with a red head covering, sat on a bamboo boat. Beneath her lay a large red quilt, and she was carried by two people, slowly walking along the cliff edge. Behind the bride were the villagers who came to watch, about two to three hundred people. Their clothes were very simple, some had several holes and patches all over their bodies.

“It seems this village is very poor...” Wu Ruian sighed.

“Extremely poor,” Wen Yao added, nodding.

“How can such a poor village throw so much food into the river? What a waste!” Chang Sheng pointed at the villagers, unconsciously swallowing.

When Chang Sheng said this, everyone realized that at the end of the crowd, there was a group of people carrying several large basins piled high with steamed buns. As they walked, they kept throwing the buns into the water. They muttered something, but because it was a local dialect, Di Jiang and the others didn’t quite understand.

These five people hadn’t had a full meal for many days, so seeing such a scene naturally caused a considerable shock in their hearts.

“What a waste, what a waste, if they don’t eat it, give it to me!” Wen Yao’s eyes turned red, as if she was truly heartbroken and unbearable.

Zhong Xu drove the carriage behind them, offering no comment on the matter, but he couldn’t help but say, “Instead of worrying about the steamed buns, you should worry about that bride.”

“Why?” Wu Ruian asked curiously.

“If I’m not mistaken, once they finish throwing the steamed buns, it’ll be time to throw the bride.”

“What?!” Wen Yao, Chang Sheng, and Wu Ruian all changed expression, greatly alarmed.

Even Di Jiang looked surprised, saying, “How can that be? That’s a living person!”

Zhong Xu remained expressionless and slowly said, “There have been precedents of sacrificing to river gods since ancient times. Furthermore, some even went so far as to sacrifice a woman’s life, letting her marry the River God as a concubine, in exchange for good weather in the coming year.”

“Who is the River God?” Wu Ruian asked, confused.

“A deity in the river.”

“Marrying a deity is a good thing! But why throw her into the river? Won’t she drown!” Wen Yao looked terrified, seemingly extremely unwilling to believe such a thing could happen.

Zhong Xu said calmly, “The villagers were deluded by evildoers, thinking that by doing so, her soul would belong to the River God, and the River God would protect their peace.”

“I absolutely cannot stand by and watch this happen, it’s utterly absurd!” Wen Yao rolled up her sleeves, pointed at the bride, and said to Di Jiang, “Shopkeeper, let’s go save her!”

“Too late,” Di Jiang looked at the mountaintop, and saw the villagers suddenly kneel down in unison.

They prostrated themselves on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, mumbling many words they couldn’t understand, likely some local incantations for prayer.

At this moment, the two sedan chair bearers stood at the edge of the cliff, ready to throw her into the Zisha River.

The bride in the sedan chair sat upright, showing no signs of crying or fussing, not even a slight tremor of fear. She appeared extremely calm and composed.

Even at the moment she was thrown into the river, she neither cried nor made a fuss.

With a “splash,” the sedan chair arced through the air, then plunged with a “plop” into the swiftly flowing Zisha River. It sank straight to the bottom without even a few bubbles rising.

As the bride fell, a corner of her red head veil was lifted by the wind. From Di Jiang’s position, they could just make out her slightly upturned lips—a somewhat eerie smile.

Seeing this, Di Jiang’s previous gloom vanished, and she unconsciously let out a light laugh.

Wen Yao, being closest to her, quickly noticed her change and asked curiously, “Shopkeeper, what are you laughing at?”

Di Jiang shook her head and said faintly, “I’m not worried about this bride anymore. On the contrary, I’m more worried about the River God.”

“Why?”

“Later tonight, I’ll take you to a show.” After saying that, Di Jiang ignored all of Wen Yao’s pleas and coquetry, and simply got into the carriage for her afternoon nap.

Zhong Xu was not one to meddle in others’ affairs, so naturally, he refrained from commenting.

Wu Ruian and Wen Yao, however, were unsettled. They insisted on going to the village to get a clear explanation. Chang Sheng was also quite curious, so he followed along.

(2)

The three followed the crowd to the village at the foot of the mountain. After the villagers returned, they all went to work in the fields, with only one old man, walking with difficulty, returning to his house. From the respectful glances of others, the three knew that he should be the village chief.

Wu Ruian pointed to the wooden fence gate and said, “Go ask him what exactly happened. If this was truly his instruction, I will bring him to justice right now!”

“I’ll go immediately!” Wen Yao nodded fiercely, then split open the village chief’s door with a slap. The three entered one after another, startling the village chief.

“Who are you?” the village chief asked in surprise.

“Those who have come to take your dog’s life!” Wen Yao glared angrily, and pounced on him with bared teeth and claws.

The village chief was over fifty years old; how could he be a match for Wen Yao? He barely had time to move his legs before Wen Yao picked him up.

“Speak! Why did you harm her life!”

“I, I, I... I didn’t!”

“Didn’t?” Wen Yao narrowed her eyes. “We saw with our own eyes you throwing a young girl into the river! Is that not harming her life?”

“I was doing it for her own good! It was marrying her to the Dragon God in heaven!” the village chief explained, “We bathed her, washed her hair, made new clothes for her, let her live alone in the best sacrificial altar, and provided her with good food and drink, sewing her wedding clothes and quilts, treating her like our own daughter.”

“Would you throw your own daughter into the river?” Wen Yao interrupted with a sneer, “Would you marry your daughter to a river god who doesn’t even exist? Have you ever seen a river god?”

“I...” The old man’s face showed sadness, and he sniffled, just about to speak, when Wen Yao continued, “You haven’t seen the River God either, have you? Just carelessly throwing her into the river like that, aren’t you afraid of retribution? You have a daughter too, don’t you? The bride today is probably about the same age as your daughter, isn’t she? How about I throw your daughter in too? Marry two at once, and the Dragon God should be so happy that he’ll double your harvest next year!”

The village chief ignored Wen Yao’s sarcastic remarks and merely lowered his head, sobbing with his hands covering his face.

“You still have the nerve to cry? It’s not your daughter who died!” Wen Yao said, slapping the old man on the head, sending him tumbling to the ground.

“Well hit! That kind of person should have been beaten to death long ago!” Chang Sheng and Wu Ruian clapped and cheered from the side.

After being hit, the village chief neither retaliated nor defended himself, just kept crying.

His cries grew louder and louder. Wu Ruian and the others exchanged glances, all wondering if his act was a bit overdone?

“Hey, why are you crying?” Wen Yao walked up to him and nudged his body with her foot.

The village chief’s hands, which had been covering his head, finally lowered after a long while. When he had cried enough, he slowly raised his head, lamenting, “My... my daughter died long ago! She was the first girl chosen by the River God, and the day she died was her thirteenth birthday!”

“What?” Wen Yao and the other two changed expression.

They had not expected that the person planning the River God’s marriage in the village would be the first to offer his own daughter to the River God.

“Why would you do that?”

“I... if I didn’t do that, this village would have ceased to exist long ago!” the village chief cried. “I saw with my own eyes the Dragon God raise monstrous waves that submerged the forests. His roar shook the heavens, and with a single breath, he could uproot flowers and trees... He said if we didn’t marry a wife every three years, he would drown us all!”

“Is that truly the case?”

“Yes! Everyone here saw it with their own eyes!”

“Then why don’t you leave this place?”

“Our ancestors have lived here for generations. If we went somewhere else, we might not even have a foundation for survival! Furthermore, to prevent us from escaping, the River God placed a miasma in the forest, obscuring our vision. No one in our village can leave. All we can do is pray day by day, praying that heaven will send a savior to rescue us. And before the savior descends, we can only make sacrifices every three years... My daughter... my daughter! I still remember, she kept crying in the sedan chair. I watched her sedan chair float in the water for a long time without sinking, until half an hour later, the River God appeared and swallowed her and the sedan chair whole...” The village chief burst into loud sobs again at this point.

Wen Yao’s heart tightened, and she immediately comforted him, “Don’t cry, we are your saviors, we will save you!”

“You are not his match, hurry and leave! If it’s too late... I’m afraid even you will be sacrificed to the River God! There are no more young girls in this village! Please leave quickly!”

Upon hearing this, the three could no longer bring themselves to trouble him further.

Judging by his appearance, he must have been heartbroken and furious, but utterly helpless to resist...

After Wen Yao returned, she told Di Jiang everything she had seen and heard, begging Di Jiang to help them. But Di Jiang remained unhurried, smiling faintly, “When night falls, I’ll take you to be guests at the River God’s home.”

“Really?” Wen Yao’s eyes lit up.

Di Jiang nodded, “Hmm.”

(3)

After nightfall, everyone rested. Di Jiang and Wen Yao, guided by the moonlight, quietly walked to the Zisha River.

Di Jiang borrowed a water-repelling talisman from a friend and recited an invisibility spell. The two then boldly walked into the riverbed.

The river water before them was like sheets of glass. The further down they went, the clearer the water became.

Upon reaching a reef at the bottom of the river, a colossal crystal palace stood before them.

On the plaque at the entrance were four large golden characters: “Pearl Shell Palace.” Inside the Pearl Shell Palace were jade towers and shimmering halls, strangely shaped and uniquely styled. The floor was paved with purple fish scales, and the walls on both sides were adorned with countless pearl shells, appearing radiant and dazzling.

And in the River God’s bedchamber, incense burned in precious tripods, purple mist wafted, and five-colored crystal glass surrounded a large shell bed, like a scene from a celestial palace.

The bride sat upon that clam shell.

Beneath her was a golden threaded soft pillow, like flowing clouds, exceptionally luxurious.

“The common people here are so impoverished, yet as a river god, he lives a wealthy and extravagant life,” Wen Yao said, her mouth slightly agape, revealing a look of envy.

Di Jiang chuckled, “It remains to be seen if he’s a true god.”

The two hid behind a crystal pillar, subtly observing the bride on the bed. The bride seemed to have heard someone speaking, and several times turned her head to look in their direction.

But she never lifted her veil, seemingly waiting for someone.

Just then, a man with a broad head, large ears, and a face like a catfish strode into the bedchamber. He had a bulging belly, and his figure was four times the size of Wen Yao’s!

“What is this thing?” Wen Yao simply couldn’t believe that such an ugly person could be a celestial deity; he was practically a toad with a catfish head!

“Zisha River River God,” Di Jiang’s lips curled slightly, uttering two words.

The flowing water sounds around them, the River God didn’t notice their conversation; his whole heart was set on his newly wedded wife.

The catfish monster walked over and sat beside the bride, opening his wide mouth and grinning hideously, “My dear wife, I have come to consummate our marriage.”

“Mmm.” The bride nodded slightly, without any trace of shyness or pretense. This was very different from previous brides.

The River God was excited and eagerly lifted her veil.

Beneath the veil was an exceptionally beautiful face—phoenix eyes with slanted corners, a delicate nose bridge, cherry-red lips, and a clear radiance emanating from her eyes. Every feature exuded an air of noble dignity.

“My dear wife... you are truly beautiful!” The River God’s drool ran down the corners of his mouth. He licked his tongue and said, “So beautiful that I don’t even want to eat you!”

“Heh... is that so?” The woman’s pearly teeth parted, and she grinned fiercely, “Although you don’t want to eat me, I really want to eat you.”

The River God’s expression changed. “What did you say?”

“You’ve used my prestige to commit heinous acts, so I shall leave no trace of your bones!” As the woman spoke, she opened her blood-red mouth, and the Zisha River Dragon King, adorned in yellow robes, was instantly swallowed into her belly.

Before her, he didn’t even have a chance to fight back.

He didn’t even have time to utter a single word of injustice.

Clearly, she had thoroughly understood his actions, and his use of the Dragon God’s name to obtain wives had pushed her beyond endurance.

After swallowing the River God, the woman transformed into a golden light, soaring directly into the sky and exhaling clouds and mist across the firmament.

Di Jiang and the other quickly returned to the shore. Looking up, they saw a massive dragon body swirling in the clouds. Her body was like constantly flickering lightning, flashing across the sky.

The next moment, torrential rain poured down. The slopes, river valleys, and canyon walls were scoured by the heavy rain, causing landslides on both banks. Large amounts of sediment and rocks were swept into the river, causing the Zisha River’s water level to rise and flood the official road.

“This Dragon God has quite a temper!” Wen Yao exclaimed.

Di Jiang glanced at Wen Yao and said, “Having your reputation slandered and being involved in heinous acts, anyone in such a situation would probably not have a good temper, wouldn’t they?”

Wen Yao thought about it, then smiled and nodded, “The shopkeeper is right.”

“Let’s go, or we won’t be able to leave later,” Di Jiang said, and then was the first to get into the carriage...

________________________________________

Extra: The Dragon God’s Night Feast

The heavy rain continued to fall, leaving many potholes on the road. Chang Sheng struggled to drive the carriage, but the horses weren’t strong enough to pull the people in the carriage forward. Zhong Xu and Wu Ruian joined forces at the back to push the carriage, but it still lacked power. In the end, Di Jiang and Wen Yao also got out of the carriage, and finally, just before the flood submerged them, they managed to drive the carriage to safe high ground.

Di Jiang and Wen Yao followed behind the carriage, but their eyes never left the Dragon God soaring through the night sky.

“She’s so cool!” Wen Yao exclaimed, excitedly waving her arms. Fortunately, due to the heavy rain, others couldn’t hear her excited voice.

Di Jiang sighed and said, “Cool or not, my shoes and socks are soaked.”

“Soaked is soaked. Being able to witness such a scene, let alone getting wet, even losing oneself would be worth it!” Wen Yao blurted out. Di Jiang was stunned for a while before she understood what Wen Yao meant by the two ‘shi’ (wet and lose oneself). She was incredibly relieved now that the Dragon God was a female; otherwise, if Wen Yao wasn’t even afraid of ‘losing herself’ and rushed forward indiscriminately, who knew what kind of trouble she might cause.

Wen Yao then added, “Later, you can take off all your clothes and shoes and socks, and I’ll help you wash them clean!”

“Hmm,” Di Jiang nodded.

“Shopkeeper, compared to her, who is more powerful?”

“Guess?” Di Jiang said, annoyed.

Seeing her like this, Wen Yao wisely shut her mouth. Di Jiang continued to walk with her head down. She really wasn’t in the mood to chat about trivial things with Wen Yao in such harsh weather. She just wanted to quickly find a dry place and dry all the sticky things on her body.

Di Jiang rubbed her forehead, walking along the muddy mountain path, feeling utterly exhausted.

But as the old saying goes, when it rains, it pours; misfortune never comes alone. Just then, a loud “rumble” came from overhead. The next moment, a bolt of lightning struck a large tree beside Di Jiang. The charred wood had just caught fire, but it was quickly extinguished by the torrential rain falling from the sky.

“Are you alright?” Wu Ruian, who was walking ahead, heard the sound and quickly ran over, asking with concern. As he spoke, he carefully checked Di Jiang all over, only relaxing when he saw she wasn’t injured.

Di Jiang stood still, expressionless, trembling all over.

Wu Ruian thought she was scared silly and quickly hugged her, comforting her repeatedly, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here. I’ll hold your hand later; if there’s lightning, I’ll be struck first.”

Wu Ruian’s words brought Di Jiang’s thoughts back. She felt the Prince was very thoughtful, but her trembling didn’t stop.

Di Jiang wasn’t actually scared; she was angry.

It was one thing for the Dragon God to act so arrogantly here, but she even struck lightning carelessly right beside her!

This was a blatant provocation!

Di Jiang took deep breaths, calming herself for a long time, and finally loosened her clenched fists. She smiled at Wu Ruian, “I’m fine now, let’s go.” With that, she took Wu Ruian’s sleeve and walked ahead of him.

Wu Ruian looked at her holding his sleeve, feeling a warmth in his heart.

Being led by her like this... why did it feel like she was protecting him instead?

Oh well, whatever, as long as they can get closer, it’s a big step forward!

Wu Ruian’s heart bloomed with joy, but he didn’t know that Di Jiang was thinking about something else—that dragon in the sky, flying around, was a bit dazzling. Should she drive her away?

There are so many people here, it wouldn’t be good to offend her, would it?

It’s better to endure for a while and find peace...

As Di Jiang thought this, a “rumble” echoed overhead again.

“Get behind me quickly!” As Wu Ruian spoke, he pulled Di Jiang into his arms, shielding her. Immediately after, a bolt of lightning struck less than a foot in front of them, leaving a charred pit half a person’s height in the ground.

The charred pit emitted green smoke, which matched Di Jiang’s greenish face quite well.

Wen Yao saw their predicament and immediately ran back, asking with concern, “Shopkeeper, are you alright? Did you do something wrong? Why does the lightning keep striking near you?”

“This is unbearable,” Di Jiang said faintly, her face ashen.

“What did you say?” Wen Yao and Wu Ruian were both startled, not quite understanding the meaning behind her words.

“I said... beyond endurance, then there’s no need to endure anymore...” Di Jiang finished speaking, then suddenly widened her eyes. A chilling glint appeared in her pupils, and the entire aura around her seemed to press down. At this moment, even Wu Ruian, who was holding her, felt the sudden drop in temperature.

Just as Di Jiang was pondering whether she should properly settle mortals like Zhong Xu, Chang Sheng, and Wu Ruian before a thorough battle with the Dragon God, the dark clouds in the sky suddenly dispersed, and the heavy rain stopped overnight.

The sky cleared, becoming as blue as sapphire.

In an instant, the sun’s rays shone directly from the sky, dazzling them so much that they couldn’t open their eyes for a long time.

“This weather is really strange. One moment it was windy and rainy, how did the sun come out so quickly?” Wu Ruian rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn’t mistaken before letting go of Di Jiang, allowing her to stand upright on the grass.

At this moment, two serving maids suddenly appeared in front of them. They wore plain gauze dresses, with two buns on their heads, appearing to be in their late teens.

“Auntie, please don’t be angry. My mistress says that what happened just now was an unintentional mistake. To show our apology, we would like to invite you all to our residence as guests.” The maids’ voices were singular, but both opened their mouths simultaneously, as if every word and action was synchronized.

Di Jiang and the others exchanged glances, and in the end, they all looked at Di Jiang—it was clear that the “Auntie” was directed at her.

“Should we go?” Wen Yao asked tentatively.

“Go, why not?” Di Jiang snorted coldly, “Since it’s an apology, we’ll accept it graciously!” She finished speaking and was the first to stride forward.

Zhong Xu and Wu Ruian followed behind her, both showing faint signs of worry. After all, these two suddenly appearing people didn’t seem like good news. But Zhong Xu knew they were at least not demons or ghosts, because he couldn’t detect any demonic aura from them. On the contrary... they seemed to have a faint, almost imperceptible immortal aura drifting around them.

Di Jiang followed the maids forward. She didn’t ask them where they were going, and Wen Yao suppressed her doubts, just following her.

They walked for a very, very long time, so long that they completely forgot how they had arrived. But miraculously, they didn’t feel any aches or pains in their backs or legs.

When they came to their senses, they were already standing in front of a cave.

The cave was enormous, twice as large as the main gate of Daming Palace. Standing before the cave entrance, a profound sense of insignificance permeated the hearts of everyone present. Of course, except for Di Jiang.

Di Jiang consistently maintained an expression of composure, as if Mount Tai were collapsing before her. Within her chest was a perfect calm.

“Please, ladies and gentlemen—” The maids stood on either side of the cave entrance, making a welcoming gesture towards the group.

Di Jiang didn’t stand on ceremony with them and strode directly inside. Chang Sheng followed Zhong Xu, and Wen Yao followed Wu Ruian, then entered the cave one after another.

The world inside the cave was a realm of its own. Candles along both sides of the path were lit one by one, and they realized that the space inside the cave was much larger than the entrance. Upon entering the depths, they found that the plaza, large enough to accommodate ten thousand people, had only a dozen tables in the center, with the rest of the area covered in dry grass. The neatly arranged dry grass made the cave look like a gigantic bird’s nest, and the sunken areas in the piles of grass were precisely shaped like a dragon.

“Have we arrived at the Dragon God’s lair?” Wen Yao whispered to Di Jiang, marveling.

Di Jiang, however, remained unfazed. She still had her hands clasped, and without waiting for the maid’s invitation, she walked directly to the uppermost table and sat down.

“Since it’s a banquet of apology, how can we keep the guests waiting?” Di Jiang tapped the table, then said to her companions, “You all sit down quickly too. After so many days of hunger, we can finally have a good meal.”

After Di Jiang spoke, maids came to assist the others in taking their seats. Zhong Xu and Wu Ruian sat at the tables beside Di Jiang, Wen Yao sat next to Wu Ruian, and Chang Sheng sat at the outermost table.

All the maids here looked exactly alike, as if carved from the same mold. Facing them, one might feel as if they were standing before a mirror.

The maids entered in a steady stream, carrying fine wines and delicious dishes: roasted chicken, roasted duck, roasted goose legs, eight-treasure exquisite fish meat soup, steamed buns, mantou, spring rolls, bird’s nest, shark fin, and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. As for dessert, fruits and vegetables were all sliced and arranged into fruit platters half a person’s height, with one placed on each person’s table.

The abundance was so great that even Wu Ruian couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, “This is too extravagant!”

“Yeah, who could eat so much?” Chang Sheng had just finished one mantou when he realized that the mantou here were much denser than those outside. Once one was eaten, there was no room for anything else.

Zhong Xu advised, “Rest for a while, then eat something else. There’s no hurry with the mantou; you can pack them to go.”

Di Jiang listened to them talking and saw that they were all very happy, which finally slightly assuaged the anger in her heart.

Wen Yao, on the side, had no time to speak, or perhaps, she had no free time to speak. She was happily gnawing on a chicken leg in her left hand and a pig’s trotter in her right, oblivious to the passage of time.

Not far in front of them, there was a high platform, and on the platform were several tables, arranged in a line, exuding an imposing aura. Di Jiang glanced out of the corner of her eye and noticed that there were exactly nine tables.

The Dragon King of the Flood Dragon had nine sons, each outstanding, which was a celebrated tale in the immortal realm. People often teased the Dragon King, saying, “Among those born with immortal bodies, two or three out of ten are incompetent, one or two out of ten are muddle-headed, and three or four out of ten are banished as exiled immortals. So, the remaining good immortals are just a few of yours.”

As Di Jiang thought this, she saw a group of people enter in a steady stream. They walked directly onto the high platform, not even glancing at Di Jiang and her group. Only the woman at the very end nodded and smiled at Di Jiang.

The figures of these people were no different from ordinary humans, but their clothes appeared somewhat worn, not like those of a wealthy family. This was very consistent with the cave, but it seemed out of place with the food on their tables. For mortals, a grand feast was nothing more than this.

“Greetings, Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother.” After the Dragon Maiden finished her bows, she took her seat. After taking her seat, she then nodded to the five people on the other side individually, “Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother, Eighth Brother, Ninth Brother, long time no see, are you all well?”

“All well, all well,” they all nodded in agreement.

After the pleasantries, the eldest brother, who was leading the group, slightly sternly said, “I heard you ate a monster in the Zisha River, causing quite a stir, even alarming the one beneath the ground. Wasn’t that a bit excessive?”

“Fourth Sister feels ashamed. That’s why I immediately invited you to this banquet, to apologize,” the Dragon Maiden said, then looked at Di Jiang.

Di Jiang and her group hadn’t noticed them at all, only focusing on their meal, but the eldest brother was startled and repeatedly exclaimed, “Even she was persuaded by you, Little Sister, you truly have great abilities.”

“Thank you for your praise, Eldest Brother. So... regarding the rain in Yuzhizhou Island half a month from now... can I take a leave of absence?”

“Why another leave?” The eldest brother frowned slightly and asked in a low voice, “What’s the reason this time?”

“This time, it’s truly for a good reason! You see, I had to subdue the Zisha River water demon and then cook for the venerable one. Aren’t both of those difficult tasks? After they leave, shouldn’t I report to the Ghost Monarch and have a word with him?”

“This... also has reason, but...”

“But what?” The Dragon Maiden didn’t wait for her eldest brother’s answer. Her eyes flashed, and an idea struck her. She turned to her seventh brother and asked, “Are you free this year?”

“No, I’m not,” the seventh brother nodded blankly.

“Then you can go in my place!” The Dragon Maiden finished speaking, then said to her eldest brother, “Seventh Brother has already agreed. You can decide what to do.”

“You... sigh! Alright, let him go in your place then,” the eldest brother said with a sigh. His gaze then met Di Jiang’s. He was startled at first, then a wide smile bloomed on his face. He raised his wine cup to her, making a gesture of ‘I’ll drink first as a sign of respect.’

Di Jiang, however, merely nodded slightly, as if to acknowledge the greeting.

Meanwhile, Wen Yao had devoured all the food on her table. She then sidled over to Di Jiang’s table, clinging to her and fawning, “Shopkeeper, I see you don’t have much appetite. Let me eat for you!”

“Hmm,” Di Jiang nodded, setting down her chopsticks.

Wen Yao continued to clear the plates, occasionally exclaiming “So delicious,” while Di Jiang unconsciously rubbed her forehead, looking at her with an expression of speechless resignation.

“Why are you looking at me? Eat more!” Wen Yao said, then took away a plate of fish from in front of Di Jiang. She held the fish by its tail and directly tilted her head back, putting the entire fish into her mouth.

Wu Ruian and Zhong Xu, who were nearby, stopped eating their own food and stared at her in shock.

“Eat slower, everyone’s watching you,” Di Jiang couldn’t help but remind her.

“Huh?” Wen Yao, her mouth full of fish, looked around and saw that indeed everyone was watching her. She couldn’t help but get angry and snapped, “What are you looking at? Don’t you know I’m hungry?”

Zhong Xu, Wu Ruian, and Chang Sheng then turned their heads and ate from their own tables.

Di Jiang, meanwhile, lowered her head, looking utterly helpless.

When Wen Yao finally ate and drank her fill, letting out a loud burp, she then slumped down and said to Di Jiang, “Shopkeeper, if the Prince asks later, what should I say?”

“Ask what?”

“Ask who lives in this cave!”

“Oh, for Wu Ruian, it’s just a fleeting dream, like a passing cloud. He won’t remember, you don’t need to worry.”

“What about Zhong Xu?”

“Zhong Xu will remember.”

“Why?”

“Since he knows about ghosts and spirits, he must also understand that there are immortals and deities in this world. He will inevitably come into contact with this aspect sooner or later, and letting him warm up beforehand won’t do any harm.”

“Sigh... The Prince is truly pitiful.”

“What do you mean by that?” Di Jiang asked, confused.

“It feels like he’s trying so hard to be with us, yet we don’t tell him anything. The way he tries to fit in is truly! Lonely!”

“...” Upon hearing this, Di Jiang suddenly fell silent.

This was something she had always worried about, and something she hadn’t wanted to think about recently. Now that Wen Yao brought it up, she realized that she wasn’t the only one worrying. The people around her, the people around the Prince, perhaps even Zhong Xu, were thinking the same thing.

She had no appetite, so she pushed her bowl of soup towards Wen Yao, saying, “I’m full. All of this is yours now.”

“Thank you, shopkeeper!” Wen Yao was overjoyed, eating everything edible on the table until it was clean.

However, after Wen Yao had eaten and drunk her fill, her face suddenly fell again. “Why are they eating up there?”

“Because they are Dragon Gods, of noble status, how could they share a table with us mortals and little demons?”

“Since they invited us, how can there be such a logic?”

“Just be content. You’ve eaten so much of their food, and you’re still talking nonsense?”

Wen Yao pouted, finally ceasing her complaints.

She wasn’t really complaining; she just felt... admiration.

She really wanted to talk to that Dragon Maiden, to shake her hand, but the Dragon Maiden remained high and mighty, appearing unapproachable, not even having any intention of coming down to exchange a few pleasantries, which made her both angry and disheartened...

After leaving the Dragon Clan’s lair, Wen Yao remained in a daze. Di Jiang asked her several times what was wrong, but she wouldn’t say, only becoming more dejected day by day.

By the third day, when Wen Yao still only ate two bowls of rice for dinner, Di Jiang finally called her aside and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

“Sigh... I feel somewhat disheartened with life...”

“Why disheartened with life?”

“You see, we’re all four-legged creatures, but she can fly freely in the sky, and has eight brothers to play with. She’s so lucky! And me... I can only be a gecko, a gecko that can’t even transform into its true form! Tell me, how can I be so useless?” Wen Yao blurted out her frustrations in one breath. The more Di Jiang listened, the funnier she found it, until she finally burst out laughing.

“Shopkeeper! At a time like this, you’re still laughing at me!” Wen Yao stomped her feet in anger, seemingly truly upset.

Di Jiang recalled her recent lack of appetite and gradually restrained her smile, saying, “You don’t need to envy her. She’s just a small dragon, and in my opinion, still underage.”

“What? She’s like that and still underage? Then what am I...?”

“You really don’t need to worry about this,” Di Jiang interrupted her, consoling her, “One day, you will also grow dragon claws, not a four-clawed flood dragon, but a five-clawed true dragon. Your head will also grow majestic antlers, and one of your scales will be even larger than her entire dragon body.”

“Really?” Wen Yao’s eyes widened in surprise, and she excitedly asked, “Can I really become the divine dragon you speak of?”

“Yes. After all, even carp can transform into dragons, can’t they? You’re at least a gecko, compared to that carp... you’re much more like a dragon.”

When Di Jiang finished speaking, Wen Yao’s face darkened even more...

________________________________________

Extra: The Dragon God’s Night Feast (End)

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Extra: Farewell

Lin’an Prefecture was the largest town in Mingzhou, and a necessary route to Taiping Prefecture. At noon that day, Di Jiang and her group had already reached the borders of Lin’an Prefecture, so they decided to press on quickly by carriage, hoping to reach the city and rest before curfew.

In the evening, the city gates of Lin’an Prefecture were in sight. Di Jiang and Zhong Xu suddenly heard a few cries for help.

“Help... Is anyone... coming to save me...”

“Please... save me...”

“I want... to go home...”

It was a woman’s cry for help, her voice weak and fleeting. If one didn’t listen carefully, they might mistake it for an illusion.

“Whoa—” Zhong Xu stopped the carriage and pulled back the curtain. Inside the carriage, Wen Yao and Wu Ruian were sleeping. Di Jiang’s face was solemn, her eyes revealing a hint of doubt.

Zhong Xu knew Di Jiang must have heard the call too, and said directly, “Should we save her?”

Di Jiang thought for a moment, then nodded, “Save her.”

Outside Lin’an Prefecture, there were three moats. The river water was emerald green and flowed slowly; these were ancient river channels. By this day, Xuanguan had unified the world, and they no longer served as defensive barriers. Additionally, high embankments had been built upstream for flood control, so some sections of the river frequently exposed rocky beaches due to low water levels.

Di Jiang and Zhong Xu found her on the rocky beach closest to Lin’an Prefecture.

Her body was already bloated and decomposed, her hands still desperately clutching a large stone in front of her, her fingernails turned outward and dry. She looked as if she had been dead for some time.

Her right ankle was folded at an impossible angle, appearing to be a fracture caused by falling from a height.

Di Jiang looked around and found a high ground in front of the rocky beach, about ten zhang away from the female corpse. There, a jade green embroidered shoe had fallen.

She discovered that the place where the woman fell was actually not far from Lin’an Prefecture; if anyone had come looking for her, they would have certainly found her.

However, for some unknown reason, she died there.

“She probably broke her leg there, then crawled all the way here, and finally died of starvation due to severe injuries and inability to move forward. She kept crawling forward until her death,” Di Jiang sighed. “Let’s go into the city and find someone to collect her body.”

“Okay.” Zhong Xu nodded. After speaking, he invited Di Jiang into the carriage, then said to the air, “You should come up too.”

In the air, a cold gust of wind suddenly swept by. The next moment, behind the carriage, a woman in a jade green dress gracefully appeared. Her clothes were similar to those of the female corpse on the rocky beach, but her expression was vastly different. Her face was blank, utterly devoid of pain.

Her left foot rested on her right, swinging idly, seemingly in a good mood.

Just like that, the carriage slowly drove into Lin’an Prefecture, carrying five people and one ghost.

It was dusk, and in Lin’an Prefecture, smoke curled from every chimney, a scene of peace and harmony. Passing by the household registration office, Di Jiang specifically instructed Zhong Xu to stop and let him check if there were any missing person notices.

The answer was negative.

Zhong Xu was afraid the woman would be sad to hear it, so he just gently shook his head.

Chang Sheng couldn’t see the woman at the back of the carriage and didn’t understand why they were so silent. He said directly, “A living person has been missing for so long, and no relatives have come to look for her?”

Di Jiang sighed, “Perhaps she was alone.”

After Zhong Xu dropped Di Jiang, Wen Yao, and Wu Ruian off at the inn, he took Chang Sheng to report to the authorities.

After the officials sent someone to collect the body, they quickly found the deceased Zhang Yingying’s husband, Zhang Mojun.

Indeed, she had relatives.

They had been married for three years, treating each other with respect and deeply in love. Besides the man frequently traveling for business, there were no other problems. Neighbors had never even heard them argue.

In every aspect, Zhang Yingying diligently fulfilled all the duties of a wife. However, she had one fatal flaw, the only reason she was criticized: she was once a courtesan in a brothel. Although she sold her art and not her body, her reputation was still not as good as that of a proper lady. Neighbors speculated that perhaps this was why her husband was reluctant to come home often.

The next day, the Zhang family set up a mourning hall.

In front of the mourning hall hung a pair of elegiac couplets, which read: “Life at ease, parting in haste, repenting and longing for a wisp of wind, to see your face and smile again, no regrets for the hasty departure.”

The elegiac couplet was handwritten by Zhang Mojun. He possessed some literary talent, appearing outwardly like a scholar, but he also carried a hint of commercial shrewdness, suggesting he had later shifted from literature to business.

“You said that from the first time you saw me, you liked me. You liked to see my mischievous smile, you liked that I was just the right height, a head taller than you. But I... I repeatedly neglected you. You said you didn’t mind that I loved others, only asking to be by my side, to wash my clothes, cook my meals, serve me tea and water, to bear me a child or two. But I... I’m sorry... I married you, yet I couldn’t even fulfill your most basic wish! I...” Zhang Mojun choked up several times as he spoke.

“I’m sorry... I shouldn’t have avoided you, I shouldn’t have been gone for half a month without coming home... and even more, I shouldn’t have failed to look for you when I found you weren’t home... Shocked by the bad news, I regret it now! Wife... my wife!” Zhang Mojun wrung his hands and pounded his chest, crying until he almost fainted.

But Di Jiang looked at his grief-stricken figure and only found it amusing.

His own wife had been dead for nearly a month without him noticing, and now he had the nerve to cry?

Call him devoted?

Simply ridiculous.

And equally grief-stricken as him was Zhang Yingying’s former friend, Ma Wenhui.

Ma Wenhui was a former friend of Zhang Yingying. The two were once close, but after Ma Wenhui married Magistrate Liu as his second wife, she rarely contacted Zhang Yingying. She feared Zhang Yingying would ask her for favors, so she gradually distanced herself. Zhang Yingying visited her several times or wrote to her, but Ma Wenhui consistently claimed illness and refused or ignored her.

However, Zhang Yingying actually never had any ulterior motives; she simply wanted someone to talk to, nothing more.

But for those who came from brothels, “don’t forget your old friends when you get rich” was simply a joke.

No one wanted to mention the unmentionable past. Perhaps for Ma Wenhui, just seeing the other’s face would bring back those dark and miserable days. This made her unable to hold her head high among the other ladies. Thus, Zhang Yingying lost her last friend.

Just a few days ago, Ma Wenhui attended a garden party. Because she arrived late, she overheard the ladies’ conversation about their past—the indignities of the past, even masked by their current wealth and jewels, could not be erased. The ladies’ words were more vulgar than those of a courtesan. It was then that she realized she would never be able to truly fit into the circle of wealthy wives, and this had nothing to do with whether she associated with Yingying or not.

Ma Wenhui cried all night, wanting to confide in Yingying, but she couldn’t find her. She thought Yingying had gone on a business trip with her husband, so she didn’t pay much attention. Who knew that a few days later, she would see her corpse.

Ma Wenhui was in tears, too distraught to utter a single word.

There is no greater pain in the world than being separated by life and death; no barrier is larger than that between life and death.

Di Jiang looked at them, now weeping outside the mourning hall, and felt as if she could sense the sorrow welling up from their hearts. She also forgave their past indifference.

“I once read in a book that a person dies three times in their life. The first time, when your heart stops beating and your breath vanishes, your body is declared dead; the second time, when you are buried and people attend your funeral in mourning attire, they declare that you no longer exist in this society, you vanish from the network of human relationships, you quietly depart; and the third death is when the last person in this world who remembers you forgets you.” Di Jiang pointed at the two grief-stricken people beside the coffin and said to Zhang Yingying’s soul, “Look, they still remember you, they are still crying for you, you are still alive in their hearts.”

Zhang Yingying’s lips curved upward, and she remained silent.

“Do you want to see them one last time?” Di Jiang said, “I can help you.”

Zhang Yingying’s face fell, and she shook her head.

Di Jiang was slightly surprised. Just as she was about to ask, she heard her say faintly, “In this life, one can care for only a few people, and those cherished in one’s heart are also just a handful. If I had received more care when I was alive, I wouldn’t have been found dead on the rocky beach for so long. If it weren’t for your appearance, perhaps they would never have discovered my death. Only now can I see them worried about me, saddened for me, and at this moment, I am happy. Genuinely happy.”

“But... I no longer wish to see them,” Zhang Yingying said, then paused and added, “Seeing them again means nothing to me, because when I was alive, I loved them well and cherished them. It was they who didn’t cherish me. Why should I appear and make things easier for them? They are only sad for me this once, aren’t they?”

“Don’t talk about the next life. There is only this life. In the next life, whether I am still me or not, I will no longer be the me of now.”

“...” Di Jiang and Zhong Xu exchanged glances after hearing this, realizing that it was indeed true.

As she said, if one has done everything they could in life, death would not be so difficult to accept.

“If this makes them feel better, then let them continue to stay there,” Di Jiang said, feeling a slight tightness in her chest, and quietly walked out.

Outside the mourning hall, she happened to see Wu Ruian and Wen Yao approaching. Wen Yao held ten strings of candied hawthorns in her hand, while Wu Ruian held a bag of osmanthus cakes.

“I bought these osmanthus cakes for you, do you want some?” Wu Ruian presented the pastries as if they were treasure, but Di Jiang looked bewildered.

Wen Yao scoffed from the side, “I told you long ago the shopkeeper doesn’t like sweets, yet you still insisted on buying them.”

Wu Ruian looked at Di Jiang’s indifferent expression, so sad he was almost in tears, and said pitifully, “Are you really not eating them? I specially bought them for you...”

“Eat, of course I’ll eat, why wouldn’t I?” Di Jiang said, not only accepting the osmanthus cakes but also grasping Wu Ruian’s outstretched hand. Her face instantly broke into a bright smile, “Seize the present moment, then you won’t have lived in vain.”

...

________________________________________

Extra: Farewell (End)

________________________________________

Extra: Cat Maiden

(1)

The inn where Di Jiang and her group stayed was located in the center of Lin’an Prefecture, at the southern end of Lin’an Avenue. It was called Yunlai, meaning “guests like clouds.” Unfortunately, this name did not quite match the actual situation of the inn. The innkeeper was a middle-aged man in his early fifties, alone, with no children. Neighbors had never heard of him marrying, and for years he had lived alone in the innermost room on the first floor of the inn.

The corridor on the first floor was dark and somewhat eerie, but opposite his room was a dark room. It was called a dark room because, from the outside, it had no windows at all. It was perpetually dim and pitch-black inside, and the door was only one-third the size of a normal room’s main door. No one knew its specific purpose. Due to its eerie darkness, the business of Yunlai Inn became increasingly poor. Later, at midnight, groups of wild cats would prowl around the inn, their wails sometimes sounding like a baby crying, and at other times like hungry wolves, and so on, too numerous to mention.

Gradually, rumors spread that a female ghost lived inside the inn. The female ghost was said to subsist on raw cat meat and enjoyed devouring human souls.

The rumors were terrifying and chilling. No one was willing to stay at this inn. The room rates kept dropping, so when Di Jiang and her group heard that a room only cost three copper coins, they immediately asked for five rooms without much thought. They ignored the dissuasion of neighbors and small vendors, directly moved all their luggage into the superior rooms, intending to stay there for a longer period to rest well and also take the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful early summer scenery.

“Ah, in this day and age, there are actually still people not afraid of death.”

“Just wait and see the show; they’re not the first, and they won’t be the last.”

“I heard that a few days ago, someone even saw a cat demon inside, a huge one with two tails!”

“Yes, yes, I heard that too! The aunt next door saw it with her own eyes! That cat demon’s ears were big and pointy, and its teeth were serrated! It was so scary! If anyone got bitten by it, their neck would definitely break!”

“Those people just now didn’t listen to us; they’ll regret it sooner or later!”

“Isn’t that right! Just wait until they run out of there, scared shitless. Then we can have a good laugh!”

“It’s not certain if they can even run out. Maybe tomorrow we’ll have to collect their bodies!”

The neighbors’ sarcasm did not bother Di Jiang and her group. They became even more aggressive, recounting all the past events of Yunlai Inn, yet still not feeling satisfied, wishing for Di Jiang and the others to die without a trace inside.

Di Jiang and her group were staying on the second floor. At this moment, they were resting in their respective rooms, their ears constantly filled with the excited discussions of the onlookers. Even if they didn’t want to listen, they heard everything.

“These old women are so annoying,” Wen Yao mumbled, and in a fit of pique, she cast a spell, transforming her face into a cat’s.

After her transformation, Wen Yao stood in front of the mirror, baring her sharp fangs. She was very pleased with her appearance. She then opened the window and snarled at the curious onlookers below, “Are you noisy idiots ever going to shut up? If you say one more word, I’ll eat you all!”

“Ah—there’s a monster!”

“Help—”

The onlookers scattered like birds and beasts, and Wen Yao, in a great mood, put her hands on her hips and laughed heartily as she closed the window.

Di Jiang guessed that Wen Yao hadn’t done anything good, but for the sake of peace and quiet, she didn’t take it seriously and let her do as she pleased.

In the evening, as dusk approached, after half a day of strolling in Lin’an Prefecture, the group found a seemingly clean noodle stall and ate a bowl of local specialty dalumian.

It was early summer, and the weather was a bit muggy, initially dampening their appetite. However, the fragrant dalumian, combined with the chewiness of the hand-pulled noodles, under the double impact of sight and smell, immediately made everyone feel ravenously hungry.

“Give me three large bowls, and ten more tea eggs!” Wen Yao waved her hand grandly, startling everyone on the street who then stared at her.

The noodle stall owner’s face looked a bit strange, and after hesitating for a moment, he said, “You have five people, and you only want three bowls of noodles?”

“No, just me, I want three bowls.” Wen Yao extended three fingers and added, “They each just need one bowl.”

“Alright!” The owner’s eyes lit up at the big business, and he couldn’t stop smiling as he immediately went to prepare the food.

After Di Jiang and the others took their seats, Zhong Xu said, “Don’t you feel that Wen Yao’s appetite has grown, especially recently...”

“No matter,” Di Jiang chuckled and shook her head, “She’s growing right now, being able to eat is a blessing.”

“...”

Zhong Xu and Wu Ruian exchanged glances, both showing some concern. They weren’t worried about Wen Yao’s nutrition; on the contrary, they were more worried about whether her stomach could handle it. But apparently, they worried too much. After Wen Yao finished three bowls of noodles and ten tea eggs, she also added two more bowls of tangyuan. After the meal, the boss gave her a thumbs up, “This girl must be a big eater!”

Wen Yao let out a hearty laugh, “I’ve been on a diet recently, so I haven’t eaten much. If it were my normal appetite, it would be much more than this.”

“Incredible! Truly incredible!” The boss beamed, and before sending off this patron, he even gave her two large steamed buns, saying he was afraid she hadn’t eaten enough and could have them for a late-night snack.

Di Jiang walked along, glancing sideways and teasing, “How can these be late-night snacks? At most, they’re after-dinner snacks, barely enough to get stuck in your teeth...”

“You really understand me, shopkeeper!” Wen Yao said, and before they even walked back to the inn, she devoured them one by one.

Upon returning to the inn, they had tea in the courtyard for a while, and then each returned to their rooms to rest as darkness fully descended.

Before parting ways, Zhong Xu patted Di Jiang’s shoulder and asked, “Did you smell it?”

“Hmm,” Di Jiang nodded.

“What are you going to do?”

Di Jiang stroked her chin thoughtfully, and finally smiled, “As long as it doesn’t harm me, and as long as it doesn’t harm others, I’ll pretend not to know.”

Zhong Xu nodded, then put away his Taixiao Sword and returned to his room as if nothing had happened.

The large inn had only five of them staying there. Once they each returned to their rooms, the courtyard became empty.

On an early summer night, the occasional sound of cicadas chirped, and a cold wind blew, rustling the leaves in the courtyard. Di Jiang, walking last, unconsciously pulled her clothes tighter, feeling as if a pair of eyes were constantly watching her from behind.

Although she couldn’t feel any murderous intent from the person behind her, she always felt a sense of being spied upon, which made her very uncomfortable, and even gave her the sensation of not wearing clothes on her back, which was extremely unpleasant.

And this feeling did not disappear until she returned to her room...

(2)

“Meow—”

At midnight, a series of horrific cat cries echoed near Di Jiang’s ears. Fortunately, she was never asleep, otherwise she would have been startled by these piercing wails.

For the past two hours, Di Jiang had felt the temperature in her room drop to freezing point, with dew forming on the door and windows. She had originally intended to endure it, following the principle of “less trouble is better,” and had wrapped herself in two quilts she found in the wardrobe. But now that the cat cries had begun, she could no longer bear it.

The person’s face was hidden in the darkness, making it difficult to see clearly, but their figure was distinctly female.

“Shopkeeper! I found her lurking outside your room!” Wen Yao grabbed the person by the collar, pulling a few times but failing to drag her out. In that moment of inattention, the person bit Wen Yao’s wrist—”Ah!” Wen Yao cried out in pain, releasing her hand. The shadow then flickered and quickly darted away.

“I’ll chase!” Wen Yao said, just as she started to run, she heard Di Jiang stop her, “Don’t chase. Her movements are agile, you won’t catch her, and besides...”

“Besides what?”

“And she... seemed to be walking on all fours when she escaped?”

“What?!” Wen Yao was shocked. “Did you see clearly?”

“Absolutely certain.” Di Jiang smiled and said, “Although she escaped, her aura is still here. Since she went to such lengths to attract my attention, I will fulfill her wish and go seek her out myself.”

“Take me with you!” Wen Yao said, then scratched her head with a smile and added, “It’s so late, I’m afraid it’s dangerous for you alone...”

“You’re clearly just curious.” Di Jiang glanced at her, sighed, and finally said, “Come with me, and remember not to talk too much. She seems a bit shy with strangers.”

“Understood!” Wen Yao was satisfied, smiling brightly as she followed Di Jiang out.

After going downstairs, the two walked through the long corridor, passed through the courtyard, and finally stopped at the end of the first-floor hallway. Before them was the dark room, with a door so small it could only accommodate a cat.

Wen Yao looked at the small door and pouted, “She definitely can’t fit in here. I’m sure she’s an adult!”

“But her aura is strongest and most concentrated here.”

“Aura?” Wen Yao frowned. “Why can’t I smell anything?”

Di Jiang raised the corner of her mouth and waved her sleeve in front of Wen Yao’s eyes. In that instant, Wen Yao smelled a strong scent of milk.

“Can you smell it now?” Di Jiang said faintly.

“Is this... a dairy farm?”

“Why would you think that?” Di Jiang asked in surprise.

“The smell of milk is a bit too strong! If you didn’t know better, you’d think there were a hundred dairy cows hidden inside!” Wen Yao pinched her nose, looking disgusted.

Di Jiang chuckled and shook her head, “This isn’t the smell of milk; this is the smell of ‘motherly love.’“

“What?!” Wen Yao was shocked.

“She must love her children very much.”

No sooner had Di Jiang’s words fallen than the door behind them creaked open. The innkeeper stood in the doorway, holding a woman of about thirty in his arms.

Although the woman’s facial features were unclear, her skin was fair, suggesting she was a lady who had been pampered for many years.

“We heard some movement downstairs, so we followed the sound to check. We apologize for disturbing your rest so late.” Di Jiang lowered her head, expressing apology.

The innkeeper waved his hand, smiling unnaturally, “It’s nothing here, go rest.”

“Alright then, Di Jiang won’t trouble you further.” As she finished speaking and turned to leave, the woman in the doorway suddenly reached out and blocked her path.

The woman emerged from the darkness, startling both Di Jiang and Wen Yao.

They saw that her ears were cat ears, and she had long whiskers on her cheeks. Behind her, there were two long, thick cat tails. Her eyes were slightly red, as if she had just cried.

“Her ears are so beautiful!” Wen Yao exclaimed with great curiosity, stepping forward to touch her tail. “Her tails are beautiful too, pure white and seemingly glowing!”

The innkeeper seemed relieved to see that they were not afraid, and explained, “She doesn’t glow. It’s because her body is so clean that under the candlelight, it appears as if she’s glowing.”

Wen Yao and Di Jiang both nodded and praised, “She’s truly beautiful!”

The innkeeper’s face was filled with satisfaction, not at all finding it abnormal that others were not surprised or strange upon seeing a cat woman, but instead showered her with praise.

Judging by his expression, he seemed to believe that his wife was the normal one.

“Yingniang cannot speak, but her personality is very gentle, like a cat. She also likes to eat fish usually,” the innkeeper added.

“Hmm, I can tell,” Wen Yao nodded, but earned a glare from Di Jiang.

“It’s true, though...” Wen Yao mumbled, but dared not interrupt again.

The innkeeper smiled, not catching the teasing in her words, and continued, “In the three years I’ve known her, she usually cooks and I wash the dishes. When there are no guests in the shop, we chat and read together. When guests arrive, she goes back into the dark room and doesn’t come out. Firstly, to avoid scaring you, and secondly, she doesn’t want others to know of her existence. After all, not many people can accept her appearance.” The innkeeper finished speaking with a chuckle, and tightened his grip on the cat-faced woman’s hand a little more.

It was evident in their eyes that they loved each other, and they were very affectionate, but for some reason, Di Jiang always felt there was an lingering gloom and bitterness in her smiling eyes.

“Is your wife ill?” Di Jiang couldn’t help but ask.

“Ill?” The innkeeper frowned, shaking his head. “She’s not ill. Her complexion is naturally this pale.”

“May I take her pulse?” Di Jiang smiled. “To be honest, I’m a doctor and I run a pharmacy in Taiping Prefecture.”

“So you’re a doctor...” The innkeeper nodded, thought for a moment, then nodded again, offering his wife’s hand to Di Jiang and saying, “Coincidentally, my wife has been feeling restless lately. I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you.”

“No need to be polite. Taking pulses and treating illnesses, that’s a doctor’s responsibility.” As Di Jiang spoke, while extending her hand, she discreetly inserted a needle into the woman’s wrist.

Yingniang frowned slightly but made no sound. The innkeeper and Wen Yao, who were nearby, did not notice this small action.

Di Jiang did this because in Yingniang’s eyes, there was a plea for help—she seemed to have some unavoidable hardship and was asking for her assistance.

“How is Yingniang’s health?” The innkeeper asked with concern.

“Nothing major, she just eats too little, so her body is a bit weak. If she eats more in the future, her complexion will naturally improve.”

“It’s good that there’s nothing wrong; I’m relieved then,” the innkeeper said with a sigh of relief. “You know, with Yingniang’s appearance, I wouldn’t dare invite other doctors. If someone spread rumors about Yingniang, it would disturb our peace, and we would never have good days again, sigh...”

Di Jiang understood the innkeeper’s meaning and comforted him, “Don’t worry, Di Jiang is just passing through here and will leave in a couple of days. And I won’t spread anything about your wife.”

“Then I am most grateful.” The innkeeper’s smile was sweet and honest, completely unlike the fierce and malicious rumors circulating outside.

Di Jiang and Wen Yao exchanged glances, mentally cursing those gossiping busybodies once more.

On the way back to their room, Wen Yao couldn’t hold back her curiosity and asked, “What exactly is she? Is she a demon?”

Di Jiang shook her head.

“A ghost?”

Di Jiang still shook her head.

“It can’t be an immortal, can it?” Wen Yao stuck out her tongue, her face filled with disbelief.

Di Jiang pondered for a moment, then slowly said, “She is a nekomata.”

“Nekomata?” Wen Yao asked in surprise, “What is a nekomata?”

“A nekomata is a type of cat demon.”

“So it’s still a demon then...”

“That’s not wrong,” Di Jiang nodded and said, “Nekomata often disguise themselves as beautiful women or old women to deceive passersby. However, the prerequisite for doing so is usually that they have previously eaten the person they are transforming into. This way, they can possess an immortal body and a human-like appearance. And she...” Di Jiang stopped speaking here.

“What about her?” Wen Yao asked anxiously.

“She doesn’t seem to be an ordinary cat demon; she’s more like a human.”

“How is that possible? She has two cat tails and ears, and long whiskers on her cheeks!”

Di Jiang nodded and said, “I mentioned earlier that nekomata eat people to maintain their power, and they also transform into the appearance of the mortals they’ve eaten to approach others and find their next victim. But now... it seems the mortal they ate has taken over the nekomata’s body, and the nekomata is suppressed by the mortal’s power, causing it to only show some nekomata features but be unable to control its own body.”

“What?! There’s actually such a powerful mortal?”

“Sometimes, human will can change many things. Even life and death, perhaps, are just a thought away.” Di Jiang said profoundly, then took the lead, walking and saying, “Tomorrow, let’s inquire around and see what exactly happened to this Yingniang.”

“Alright!” Wen Yao’s eyes lit up, looking extremely excited.

If this had happened to ordinary people, they would have been too scared to go near this inn again, but they were not ordinary people.

Especially Wen Yao, who had always been bold, meticulous, and kind-hearted, and was very interested in such unusual matters.

Judging by her demeanor, she was probably too excited to sleep all night...

(3)

The next morning, Di Jiang and Wen Yao left the inn.

Following Yingniang’s bloodline, they found themselves in front of a grand mansion with tall gates.

The mansion appeared to have been abandoned for many years; its plaque was covered in cobwebs, and its lanterns were coated in dust, looking nothing like a place where people lived.

The two inquired at a nearby noodle stall and learned that the family had moved out long ago.

“Yingniang doesn’t look very old, why does no one know about her?” Wen Yao mumbled.

The owner of the small noodle stall, an old auntie in her fifties, immediately brightened when she heard them asking for Yingniang and said, “You’re looking for Yingniang?”

“Yes, we are her distant relatives, here to visit, but we don’t know...” Di Jiang trailed off, glancing at the abandoned mansion.

“Yingniang is a woman of bitter fate!” The old auntie immediately frowned upon hearing that the two were Yingniang’s relatives, and complained through sobs, “She suffered greatly for her children, but they... they have estranged themselves from her! What a sin!”

“What exactly happened?” Wen Yao took the old auntie’s hand, sat her down on a low stool, and asked with concern, “Don’t get agitated, speak slowly.”

“Sigh, whenever she’s mentioned, who among us doesn’t sigh?” The old auntie wiped her tears and said, “When Yingniang was young, she was extremely beautiful, a renowned beauty in our area, and her family background was quite good. But the man she fell in love with was very poor. No, not just poor, he was simply inhuman!”

The old auntie spoke eloquently, choking up several times during her narrative. Di Jiang listened for a long time before she could somewhat piece together Yingniang’s story—Yingniang had once defied her parents’ objections and insisted on marrying Liu Wencheng, a poor scholar. Although they had to borrow money for their wedding and to build their marital home, they lived a harmonious and happy life after marriage, treating each other with respect. During this time, they also gave birth to a son and a daughter. To outsiders, their lives seemed colorful, apart from being a bit poor.

Later, Liu Wencheng abandoned his studies for business. With the help of Yingniang’s family, the couple started a fabric business. Yingniang brought good fortune to her husband, and Liu Wencheng was indeed shrewd in business. In just ten years, the couple amassed a fortune, their family wealth even surpassing Yingniang’s maiden family’s by a great deal.

At this point, Liu Wencheng not only showed no gratitude but also became unfaithful, taking several concubines. One of them was even the daughter of the county magistrate from a subordinate county of Lin’an Prefecture. Although she was a concubine’s daughter, she was very ambitious and unwilling to remain a subordinate. She frequently bullied Yingniang. The most outrageous incident occurred when the entire family went on a pilgrimage to Mount Nan Yue, and on the way, they casually found an excuse to abandon her. Yingniang returned to Lin’an Prefecture hobbling after more than half a month. Her appearance was clearly that of a beggar. But when she returned home, she found that the Liu mansion was holding a funeral for her, and that concubine was already sitting in the position of the head wife.

“Liu Wencheng! How could you do this to me?” Yingniang cried out in agitation, but no one recognized her. She was blocked outside by the house guards, and even her own children looked on with cold indifference.

For ten years after Yingniang got married, her beauty faded due to her tireless work day and night, and she also lacked the family background and support that a concubine had. Thus, she could only endure being bullied.

She ‘died,’ and the name Jing Ying was removed from the Liu family, disappearing from this world.

She became a non-existent person.

Yingniang went to the prefect to report the case, but was instead imprisoned for three days. After spending three days in jail, she was ambushed by the concubine upon her release—the concubine called more than ten household guards who held her down and beat her. After half an hour, they were still not satisfied. Over ten people used small knives to cut her face. In the bustling marketplace, onlookers could seemingly hear the sound of Yingniang’s facial skin being sliced open.

For a full hour, they inflicted over a hundred cuts on her face. Finally, they sent the dying Yingniang to a mass grave, intending to simply wrap her in a straw mat and be done with it, without bothering to check thoroughly.

Perhaps heaven had eyes, for Yingniang did not die. She opened her eyes amidst the pile of corpses, vowing to seek justice.

She knew the Prefect of Lin’an Prefecture could no longer be trusted, so she appealed to the Grand Governor. Upon hearing of such a matter, the Grand Governor immediately sent men to Lin’an Prefecture to arrest people. However, less than a day after Liu Wencheng was brought back, he was released.

Yingniang was beaten by the Grand Governor and released. This time, Liu Wencheng and his concubine did not intend to kill her. The concubine even declared in front of everyone in Lin’an Prefecture, “Since you can survive, consider yourself lucky. I will not kill you again. I’ll see what tricks you can pull! I will poison your voice, so that you can only open your eyes and watch me and Wenlang live happily ever after, unable to do anything else! I want you to suffer daily, unable to speak your mind, unable to express your grievances, unable to find justice!”

From then on, Yingniang became mute. In this world where officials protected each other, she had no chance of winning. Later, Yingniang gave up hope, wishing only to take her daughter and son away; she wanted nothing else. But Liu Wencheng disagreed, and even claimed that the children did not want to go with her.

Yingniang knelt outside the Liu mansion for four days, unable to see her children. After ten months of pregnancy and more than ten years of raising them with hardship, she couldn’t believe her children wouldn’t want to go with her, or even see her.

Until the fifth day, when the Imperial Inspector-General, on an incognito visit, heard about this appalling case of a beloved concubine causing the demise of a wife from the common people. Without question, he immediately dismissed and investigated the county magistrate, prefect, grand governor, and others one by one. Liu Wencheng and his concubine were publicly beheaded.

Finally, someone avenged Yingniang, but Yingniang still couldn’t find happiness. As soon as she returned home, she discovered that her two children were missing.

The children left a letter at home, stating that their mother, Jing Ying, was their father’s murderer and wished never to see her again in this life.

Yingniang grieved immensely, not only refraining from blaming their double standards, but also defending their inability to distinguish right from wrong, simply believing they were too young and ignorant of worldly affairs. She tried every method to find her children. For half a year, she squandered her family fortune, only wishing to see her children again in her lifetime and relive the joys of family.

“After that, Yingniang disappeared. No one knows where she went, and there has been no news of her two children...” The old auntie finished speaking, her clutched handkerchief almost entirely wet.

It was evident that she truly cared for and pitied Yingniang from the bottom of her heart, and she was likely not an isolated case.

It’s probable that everyone on this street who witnessed that past event would remember Yingniang vividly...

(4)

By the time Di Jiang and Wen Yao returned, it was already evening. Wu Ruian stood at the door, and seeing them approach, he began waving from afar: “Why did it take you so long to come back? I was so worried about you.”

Di Jiang bowed slightly and smiled, “I’m sorry, I made you worry.”

“Next time remember to take me with you, otherwise... I can imagine a hundred scenarios where you get hurt,” Wu Ruian mumbled, which earned him some chuckles from the two women. The lingering feeling of oppression in their chests eased a little.

“I had the innkeeper warm your food on the stove. Go eat first.” Wu Ruian welcomed the two inside. Di Jiang, however, shook her head and said as she walked, “I’m a bit tired today. I’ll go back to my room and lie down for a while. I’ll eat later.”

Wen Yao also nodded, saying, “My appetite isn’t good, I don’t really feel like eating.”

Wu Ruian heard this and found it quite peculiar, asking curiously, “What in the world have you two been doing? Wen Yao, the food-lover, actually has times when she has no appetite?”

“Sigh,” Wen Yao let out a long sigh, “It’s a long story...”

“Then take your time.”

Wen Yao glanced at Di Jiang. Di Jiang had no intention of stopping her, so Wen Yao decided to reveal everything, saying, “Yesterday, we met a woman with a cat’s face...”

“What?!” Wu Ruian was startled and immediately looked at Di Jiang, examining her up and down, “Are you hurt?”

Di Jiang shook her head, “No.”

“Oh, Prince, just listen to me first!” Wen Yao frowned, showing her displeasure. Seeing that Wen Yao and Di Jiang were both calm, Wu Ruian quickly regained his composure and made a “please” gesture, saying, “Continue.”

“This cat-faced woman is named Yingniang...” As the three ascended the stairs, they recounted everything they had seen and heard over the past two days to Wu Ruian.

“Why didn’t they recognize Yingniang?” Toward the end, hearing him, he pounded his chest in righteous indignation.

Di Jiang thought for a moment and said, “Perhaps they feared Yingniang would hinder their prosperity.”

“What?!” Wu Ruian said angrily, “There are many ungrateful men in the world, but such shameless children are unheard of! Not only did they acknowledge a thief as their mother, but they also completely disregarded their biological mother’s affection. This is truly heinous!”

“Isn’t it?” Wen Yao rolled her eyes and sneered, “I really want to tie up those two children and make them prostrate themselves before Yingniang, kowtowing until their heads bleed, but even that wouldn’t be enough to appease her!”

Di Jiang shook her head with a wry smile: “I’m afraid even if we did tie them up, Yingniang wouldn’t bear to see them kowtow until their heads bled, would she? Children are flesh and blood of their mother; a mother feels the pain, but they might not feel hers.”

After chatting for a while, they each returned to their rooms to sleep, agreeing to find a way to help this poor woman the next day.

The next day, Di Jiang, using Yingniang’s aura as a guide, sent out a flock of birds to search.

The birds spread the word, one to ten, ten to a hundred, a hundred to thousands and tens of thousands. In a short time, they practically turned the entire Xuanguan Kingdom upside down, but still found no news of her two children. Perhaps they had already starved to death somewhere, or were killed by villains, or succumbed to a plague and returned to the underworld.

In short, if even Di Jiang couldn’t find them, it could only mean they had vanished from these three realms.

“What should we do now?” Wen Yao asked anxiously.

Di Jiang shook her head: “Let me think.”

Just then, Wu Ruian suddenly led several middle-aged people in. Leading the way were a man and a woman, followed by two children each, and then others leading their own children. Upon closer inspection, even Chang Sheng was at the very end of the procession.

Di Jiang immediately knew what had happened, but Wen Yao looked surprised, “This is… Mmph…” Before Wen Yao could finish speaking, Di Jiang immediately covered her mouth, signaling her not to say anything.

Wen Yao nodded, covered her mouth, and stood aside to watch the show.

They went into Yingniang’s room. During the day, she could only lie in the dark room. Di Jiang finally persuaded the innkeeper to bring her out of the dark room and help her onto the innkeeper’s bed.

She wore a white stole, which completely covered her, so outsiders couldn’t see her true appearance.

At this moment, among the people Wu Ruian brought, the leading man and woman suddenly knelt down with a “thud” before Yingniang’s bed, crying out in great sorrow: “Mother—your unfilial children are here to see you now!”

Wu Ruian chimed in, “These are Yingniang’s children, Lan Jing and Lan Shuang. I obtained their names from the prefect and sent many people to search for them before finding them in the neighboring county.” Wu Ruian paused here, then walked to Yingniang’s bed and said, “Yingniang, quickly open your eyes and see, these are your son and daughter, and their own children. They have all married and had their own children, and thus know the difficulties of being parents. As soon as they heard I was entrusted by Yingniang, they immediately came along!”

“R-really?” Yingniang laboriously sat up from the bed, opened her eyes, and looked at the people prostrate on the ground. She heard the man at the front stammer, “Mother, please forgive Jing’er for being unfilial. When we wanted to come back to you, you were already gone.”

“Mother, forgive Shuang’er. I was ignorant before and shouldn’t have taken my anger out on you!” Lan Shuang also cried, tears streaming down her face. “Two years ago, I had my youngest child, and she has a red mole on her neck, just like you. I even told my husband, ‘Look, this is mother reincarnated; it’s my time to repay her kindness.’ We couldn’t find you and thought you were living a good life. Who would have thought you were in such a dark, sunless p-p-place…” The middle-aged woman choked up here, unable to continue speaking.

“Good, good… you’ve finally forgiven your mother. Now I can die in peace…” Yingniang said, her body suddenly going limp again and falling back down. She closed her eyes and could not open them again.

“Mother—”

“Mother!”

Cries of sorrow echoed through the small inn. Yingniang’s body, amidst these cries, transformed into a pile of white bones.

“Why did she turn into this?” Wen Yao’s eyes widened.

Di Jiang sighed and slowly said, “Yingniang actually died long ago.”

“What?!”

“She might have died during her search for her children, but because of her yearning for them, she couldn’t close her eyes. Her corpse attracted a nekomata. After the nekomata consumed her bit by bit, she instead came back to life within the nekomata’s body. She took control of the nekomata’s body and continued to search for her children until three years ago when she returned to Lin’an Prefecture. Perhaps she gradually couldn’t suppress the nekomata within her, revealing its feline form, and finally had to hide in Yunlai Inn. Thanks to the innkeeper’s kindness in taking her in, she lived a life hidden from the sun.”

“What about the cats near the inn?”

“She probably summoned them, asking them to help find her children. Because of her obsession with her children, she couldn’t rest in peace. Now that she has seen her children again, she has finally let go of the ties in her heart. When the will that sustained her disappeared, she could no longer sustain herself and finally turned into a pile of white bones, returning to her rightful form.”

Below Yingniang’s white bones, a cat was vaguely curled up. The cat had two tails, pointed ears, and fangs, but it was breathing more out than in, clearly not having much longer to live. To drag a nekomata to its death, Yingniang was probably the first in this world…

“G-g-ghost—” The two ‘children’ and the crowd behind them, seeing this scene, immediately took off running.

“You haven’t taken your money yet!” Wu Ruian followed, shouting at the top of his lungs, but those people were clearly so terrified they even forgot about the money, vanishing in an instant.

“Your Highness, what are you doing?” Wen Yao asked, puzzled.

Wu Ruian sighed and said, “Yingniang searched for her children for so many years and couldn’t find them, so how could I find them in one day? So, I hired a few actors at a high price. If it could save Yingniang, that would be wonderful. Even if it was exposed, it wouldn’t matter, would it?” Wu Ruian chuckled self-deprecatingly, looking at the white bones on the bed, and said, “However, it seems this method did work.”

Di Jiang looked at him, her eyes filled with admiration.

Wu Ruian did not shy away, smiling generously at Di Jiang, his eyes seeming to ask: “Did I handle this beautifully?”

“Beautifully. Even I can’t help but praise you,” Di Jiang replied with her eyes.

The silent exchange of glances between the two made Wen Yao stick out her tongue, covering her face and exclaiming, “That’s just eye-watering…”

________________________________________

Extra: Cat Maiden (End)

________________________________________

Extra: Baoguang Zen Temple

Ten li outside Lin’an Prefecture, there is a large mountain, and in the mountains lies an ancient temple named Baoguang Zen Temple.

Baoguang Zen Temple boasts beautiful scenery, quiet serenity, and is dedicated to Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Goddess of Mercy. It is the largest temple within the jurisdiction of Lin’an Prefecture, enjoying abundant incense offerings and proving remarkably efficacious, granting every wish and holding a highly revered status in the region.

After hearing about this place, Wu Ruian insisted on sending Yingniang’s remains to the temple for prayer and absolution, to ward off misfortune.

Di Jiang and Zhong Xu advised him several times, saying, “When a person’s heartfelt wishes are fulfilled, they will no longer have lingering attachments and can reincarnate peacefully.” But Wu Ruian was unwilling, replying, “Yingniang suffered her entire life, and even in death, she has no good resting place. How can that be? Since no one gave her a proper funeral, let her stay in the temple, like the Bodhisattva, enjoying centuries of incense. Only then can she be compensated, and let future generations see the dignified appearance of those revered in my Xuanguan Kingdom, as a warning to posterity not to repeat such mistakes.”

Di Jiang was moved by his words and decided to agree with him, going with him to Baoguang Zen Temple to donate funds for the casting of a pagoda for Yingniang, so that she could enjoy centuries of incense offerings after death. Wen Yao and Chang Sheng were happily playing in Lin’an Prefecture, so Zhong Xu took Chang Sheng and Wen Yao to stay there. They agreed to return to Taiping Prefecture the next day.

Early the next morning, Wu Ruian and Di Jiang set off for Baoguang Zen Temple. Along the way, they saw devout worshippers prostrating themselves three times and kowtowing nine times, showing great piety. The scent of incense drifted far, further affirming the temple’s esteemed reputation.

The abbot of Baoguang Zen Temple, whose Buddhist name was Huixiu, was a middle-aged man around fifty years old. Upon hearing their purpose and Yingniang’s story, he immediately waved his hand and shook his head, saying, “No.”

“No?” Wu Ruian frowned, about to get angry, but then he heard the abbot say, “Amitabha, Yingniang embodied a mother’s incomparable radiance. You two benefactors need not be so courteous; this is our duty, and we must not accept your money. This humble monk will repair the pagoda for her free of charge, ensuring her eternal peace.”

Wu Ruian and Di Jiang were immediately filled with admiration, clasping their hands together in return, “Thank you, Abbot.”

“However, it’s already late today, so I’m afraid we can only hold the ceremony tomorrow. Please, two benefactors, rest here for the night. It will not be too late to depart after the ritual is complete tomorrow.”

Di Jiang and Wu Ruian were not in a hurry anyway, so they agreed.

Huixiu immediately instructed his disciples to prepare rooms for the two. After their vegetarian meal, he led them to their respective rooms.

Di Jiang’s room was near the mountaintop, not far from where the abbot resided, while Wu Ruian’s room was further away. Led by a young novice monk, he had almost reached halfway up the mountain before he saw any dormitory. He couldn’t help but ask, “Why haven’t we arrived yet?”

“To avoid suspicion, male and female disciples need to reside separately, so it’s built a bit further. Please forgive us, benefactor. It’s not far ahead.” The young novice monk finished speaking, and Wu Ruian felt even stranger, though he couldn’t pinpoint why, only an indistinct unease.

“It must be the stress from continuous travel recently,” Wu Ruian comforted himself and continued to follow the young novice monk.

After half an hour, they finally reached a row of courtyards at the foot of the mountain.

There were few people in the courtyard; including Wu Ruian, there were only three men, all around Wu Ruian’s age.

“Are you all here to offer incense?” Wu Ruian approached them and asked.

The three nodded, proudly saying, “We brought our wives here for consecration.”

“Consecration?” Wu Ruian was suspicious, vaguely feeling that the ‘consecration’ they spoke of was different from what ordinary people understood. He then asked, “Are you consecrating jade pendants?”

The few shook their heads, smiling even more broadly.

“Or necklaces?” Wu Ruian asked again.

They still shook their heads, and one of them even had a hint of disdain, chuckling, “The consecration given by the abbot is not something ordinary people can enjoy. Though you are richly dressed and have fine features, young master, you are ultimately not as wealthy as us, and thus do not have such a缘分 (karma/affinity). It’s better not to ask.”

Wu Ruian felt that these few people were acting suspiciously and oddly, so he stopped talking to them.

In the evening, at dinner time, it had been a good half-day since Wu Ruian and Di Jiang were separated.

As the saying goes, “one day apart feels like a lifetime; half a day feels like two autumns.” Wu Ruian couldn’t resist and started walking up the mountain. The mountain grew deeper, the dew heavier, and a misty haze permeated the air, lending an aura of an ancient temple that inspired awe.

“What a beautiful mountain, beautiful water, beautiful scenery, and a beautiful temple!” Wu Ruian praised in his heart. Just then, he heard a shout from behind—

“Benefactor, please stop.” A young novice monk quickly caught up, saying anxiously, “The mountain path is difficult to walk at night. Please return to your courtyard to rest; dinner will be served soon.”

Wu Ruian frowned and said, “Can’t I go up and see?”

“It might not be appropriate at night; please go tomorrow,” the young novice monk clasped his hands together and led Wu Ruian back.

As the young monk said, they soon brought dinner.

The vegetarian food at Baoguang Zen Temple was excellent and renowned far and wide. Each person’s meal was packed in a food box and delivered to their respective rooms.

Wu Ruian received braised radish in two colors, mustard green soup, and white jade tofu. Though simple, it looked delicious, and he even tasted the long-lost flavor of meat. He couldn’t help but praise in his heart: “It’s the first time I’ve encountered vegetarian dishes made to taste like meat.”

After Wu Ruian finished his meal, he felt his head grow heavy, and soon he became drowsy.

The young novice monk outside the door glanced at the sky. Seeing the moon hanging above the willows, he entered the room, quietly removed the food, and covered Wu Ruian with a quilt before leaving.

At the same time, Di Jiang on the mountaintop was also having dinner. Before she could finish, she began to feel her eyelids grow heavy, very heavy… and soon fell into a deep sleep.

(2)

The five-watch drum sounded, startling Wu Ruian awake from his dream.

In his dream, he saw Di Jiang being缠绕 (entangled) by a fat, big-headed snake.

The large snake confined Di Jiang, its forked tongue licking her body, removing her clothes one by one.

Wu Ruian was drenched in sweat. As soon as he woke up, he heard the voices of several people chatting in the neighboring room—

“Originally, my wife was ranked first, but I heard the young monk say that suddenly another woman appeared and wanted to cut in line.”

“Yes, so my wife was also delayed and has to wait until three days later for her turn.”

“That woman seems to have come with that richly dressed gentleman just yesterday.”

“They must have deep backgrounds, otherwise why would the abbot consecrate her first?”

“My poor wife fasted and bathed for half a month, and now she has to wait another day!”

“Good things take time, after all, something like human body consecration can only be done by a highly accomplished monk…”

Wu Ruian didn’t catch the rest of their conversation; only the words ‘human body consecration’ struck him as a secret he shouldn’t have known. Then, recalling Abbot Huixiu’s gaze fixed on Di Jiang yesterday, he immediately understood: that was no benevolent, enlightened monk; he was an absolute lecher!

Wu Ruian flipped out of bed and, lightly touching his toes, darted towards the mountaintop.

At this moment, Di Jiang was still asleep.

Although her body was still in a dream, her soul sensed that something was wrong. She floated in mid-air, watching two young monks hesitantly enter her room, carry her out, and finally place her on the abbot’s bed.

“Abbot, the person has been brought,” the young monk respectfully bowed.

Huixiu nodded and said, “Leave.”

“Yes.”

After the young monks left, Huixiu sat by the bed, reached out, and stroked her cheek, saying, “A beauty of heavenly grace, I can’t let you escape.” After speaking, he completely stripped off his clothes and lay down beside Di Jiang.

Di Jiang’s eyes widened, looking at the lecherous appearance of the man before her, vastly different from the enlightened monk he had seemed during the day.

Before the old monk could reach into Di Jiang’s clothes, Di Jiang quickly blew a breath towards his mouth and nose.

The old monk didn’t even have time to grunt before he fell into a deep, unconscious sleep.

Di Jiang quickly woke up and jumped off his bed. But seeing him in a state of beautiful dreaming, she couldn’t help but wonder what he was dreaming about.

Di Jiang refocused her mind and entered Huixiu’s dream.

In his dream, Di Jiang was completely naked.

He, too, was naked, slowly sucking on Di Jiang’s skin, from her earlobe to her neck, all the way down, lingering on her chest.

“What?!” Di Jiang’s face turned pale with shock, and she quickly woke up from his dream.

The old monk still lay on the bed, wearing an obscene smile, continuing his sweet dream.

“Simply… outrageous!” Di Jiang was furious. She extended her hand, pointed a finger, and a red light vanished into his celestial cap. His smile became forever fixed on his face.

He died still dreaming, never to wake again.

Di Jiang trembled all over, too enraged to compose herself for a long time. She looked at the abbot’s corpse, wondering if she should go forward and kick it a few more times? Outside the door, Wu Ruian’s shouts rang out: “Di Jiang—Di Jiang!”

Soon, Wu Ruian pushed open the abbot’s door with a palm strike and strode into the room, only to see the old monk lying naked on the bed, and Di Jiang trembling beside him.

“Di Jiang! Are you alright? I…” Wu Ruian, seeing her trembling with tension and fear, immediately recalled the three men’s talk of ‘human body consecration.’ Rage surged within him. He brought his palm down on the old monk’s shoulder, sending the entire corpse flying. Its head struck the wall, instantly shattering into pieces, with blood splattering everywhere.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, it’s all right now, he’s dead by my hand.” Wu Ruian gently comforted Di Jiang, yet her body still trembled uncontrollably.

Di Jiang wasn’t scared, but angry. She was furious, hating and saying, “He disgraced the pure land of Buddhism. He doesn’t deserve to be a human!”

“Yes, I’ve killed him; he can’t harm you anymore!” Wu Ruian stroked Di Jiang’s back again and again. Di Jiang gradually calmed down in his embrace.

Wu Ruian’s embrace was different from the old monk’s.

In his embrace, there was only tenderness, no lust.

Within his tight embrace, there was only endless remorse and heartache.

Di Jiang could feel it.

Perhaps this is what plays talk about: liking can be unrestrained, but love is restraint.

Once Di Jiang had somewhat calmed down, Wu Ruian carried her and walked out the door.

They walked down the path, reaching the steps at the main gate of the temple, when they heard a cry of alarm from behind—

“The abbot, he, he, he… he has passed away!”

Before leaving, the two heard the frightened shouts of the young novice monks, but neither of them paid it any mind.

They walked out boldly from the main gate of Baoguang Zen Temple, and the temple gate closed heavily behind them.

But soon, the gate reopened, and a group of monks with staves chased out. However, they seemed to not see Di Jiang and Wu Ruian, continuously muttering strange words: “They just left a moment ago, how could they have vanished so quickly?”

Wu Ruian carried Di Jiang, walking unhurriedly on the bluestone path. Soon, they reached the stream. Zhong Xu, Chang Sheng, and Wen Yao had been waiting there for a long time. This was their prearranged meeting point.

The carriage had been thoroughly cleaned by Chang Sheng and seemed to glow under the sunlight.

After the two got into the carriage, Chang Sheng shouted “Giddy up—” and with a flick of the reins, the carriage galloped forward, leaving behind a cloud of dust and a group of bewildered young monks...

Di Jiang didn’t care what would become of Baoguang Zen Temple in the future; such an abbot, left in the world, was simply a menace. In his next life, he deserved to live worse than a dog.

No, even if he were never reincarnated for all eternity, it wouldn’t be too much…

________________________________________

Extra: A Spring Dream of Nanke

Many, many years later, Wu Ruian resigned from his official position and found a beautiful, idyllic spot in the suburbs of the capital, where he secluded himself with Di Jiang, the beloved of his heart.

The estate was filled with flowers and greenery. In spring, there were red apricots, peach blossoms, and peonies. In summer, there were pomegranates, lotus flowers, and osmanthus. In autumn, chrysanthemums, crape myrtles, and magnolias were admired. In winter, jade orchids, narcissus, and winter sweet bloomed in defiance of the frost. They lived a life like a paradise.

On their wedding night, in the bridal chamber, a pair of dragon and phoenix candles burned brightly. Di Jiang, wearing a phoenix coronet and embroidered robes, sat gracefully on the bed covered with a large red quilt. Beside her stood Wen Yao and Shuxiang, smiling as brightly as spring flowers; they had been waiting in the room for over half an hour.

Outside, the watchman’s drum sounded, and Lu Chenfei and a group of old subordinates helped a slightly tipsy Wu Ruian into the room. They supported him to the bedside, and with the help of Wen Yao and Shuxiang, lifted Di Jiang’s red veil.

“Wishing the newlyweds a hundred years of harmony and many sons soon!”

The two drank the wedding cup wine and ate five-spice fruits under the gaze of a few close relatives.

After the wedding rituals were completed, the rest of the people filed out.

Only Di Jiang and Wu Ruian remained in the bridal chamber.

Wu Ruian leaned against the bedpost, his face flushed red, his eyes fixed on Di Jiang, his expression hazy and full of seduction.

“I’m thirsty,” Di Jiang swallowed, staring blankly.

“I’ll get it for you,” Wu Ruian smiled mysteriously, then got out of bed.

Di Jiang had just begun to breathe easier, but soon after, he returned.

Wu Ruian’s face held a slight teasing smile, but his hand held no teacup.

“Water…” Di Jiang hadn’t finished speaking when Wu Ruian suddenly pulled her into his embrace, pressing her onto the bed.

He kissed her lips, feeding the water in his mouth into hers little by little.

Di Jiang felt her whole body growing hot, her mind becoming increasingly hazy. At this moment, even breathing felt heavy, yet she weakly pushed against his chest, saying, “W-what do you want to do?”

“What do you think?” Wu Ruian gave an evil charm smile, gently biting her earlobe, and asked, “You are now my lawfully wedded wife. What do you think I want to do? Hmm?”

“Isn’t it... too fast...” Di Jiang stammered, a fire burning in her lower abdomen. She struggled to twist her body but couldn’t escape Wu Ruian’s embrace at all.

“Not fast at all. I’ve been waiting for this day for six years.” Wu Ruian stopped his assault on her ear. His right hand gently opened her robe, and soon, she was stripped bare like a little white rabbit. Truly translucent and pure white.

“You are truly beautiful.” Wu Ruian’s lips found Di Jiang’s chest, taking one of her rosy nipples into his mouth. He was tall and broad-chested. Under him, she could only let him do as he pleased. And she found that she didn’t resist such intimacy; in fact, she was very willing for him to do it.

“I want…”

“Hmm? What do you want?” Wu Ruian looked up, his eyes slightly hazy and full of lust.

“I want you…”

Di Jiang’s voice was as faint as a mosquito, but to Wu Ruian, it was like hearing a divine command. He eagerly entered her body little by little. Cautious yet full of resolve.

This happiness, full and rich, made her want him to go deeper, faster.

This bittersweet sensation made her unconsciously moan…

“Why is the shopkeeper smiling in her sleep? And why does she look like she’s crying now? What kind of dream is she having?” Inside the carriage, Wen Yao frowned, looking at Di Jiang, whose face was still flushed in her sleep, her expression filled with confusion.

Wu Ruian made a “hush” gesture and whispered, “Let her sleep a little longer.” As he spoke, he pulled the blanket higher over Di Jiang’s shoulders, afraid that if it wasn’t covered properly, it would disturb her beautiful dream.

Wen Yao looked at Wu Ruian blankly, feeling that the tenderness in his eyes was about to melt the shopkeeper. She felt a bit redundant staying there, so she pulled back the curtain and walked out.

But Wen Yao’s departure still woke Di Jiang. She groggily opened her eyes, and the moment she saw Wu Ruian, a blush rushed to her cheeks.

“Your Highness…”

“You’re awake?” Wu Ruian leaned in, resting on his side beside her, and smiled, “Did you have a good dream? Did you dream of me?”

“You…” Di Jiang didn’t know how to face him for a moment, so she simply pulled the blanket over her face, refusing to look at him.

Her little heart was still pounding wildly, and below, she was a vast ocean. Fortunately, Wu Ruian didn’t notice anything amiss, merely thinking she was a bit afraid of human contact after a recent illness.

At this moment, Wu Ruian simply lay beside her, gently embracing her from behind, and softly comforted her, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here to protect you. I won’t let anyone bully you again.”

Wu Ruian’s magnetic voice echoed above her, making Di Jiang even more shy.

Ahem, she wasn’t scared because of the Baoguang Zen Temple incident.

She was purely scared by her own dream.

A transient dream of Nanke was one thing, but why was it a spring dream?

Di Jiang was completely bewildered and decided not to think about it. She didn’t want to talk for now, so she just let Wu Ruian hold her. Wu Ruian’s scent and body odor surrounded her, and soon, she fell into a deep sleep again.

In her dream, she had a sequel…