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Yan Chu quietly recuperated from her injury, not leaving Maple Garden for several days. In the blink of an eye, April arrived. The Flame Emperor, as usual, hosted a banquet for his ministers, and the Empress Consort specially arranged a flower viewing party. All the king’s consorts and ladies dressed up elaborately and entered the palace early in the morning. At dawn, the Prince Ding’s residence’s entourage followed Xiao Qi into the palace for court.
The banquet was held in the Imperial Garden, with screens and curtains separating the inside and outside. It was the season of full bloom, with a bright sun overhead. Amidst the colorful flower bushes, warmth and fragrance mingled, carried by the intoxicating breeze. The female officials coming and going were splendidly adorned, and a glance revealed a vibrant tapestry of colors.
Accustomed to tranquility, Yan Chu originally did not wish to come to such an occasion. Fortunately, her current status required no socializing. At this moment, she kept her distance from everyone, sitting in the shade of the flowers and complaining to Hongye: “You silly girl, tell me what’s so good to see that you ignore my injury.”
“Miss has a good constitution; the wound healed so quickly,” Hongye said, squatting down to rub her leg and chuckling, “This time, there’s a rare and distinguished guest making an appearance. Miss, you haven’t seen how much they all want to come!”
Yan Chu asked, “What rare guest?”
Hongye replied, “Lord Xiling of the Eternal Realm.”
Yan Chu was stunned.
Xiling, the most noble surname in the Five Spirit Realms, has always represented only one person. His history is a testament to a glorious era, a legendary story that, like the name ‘Eternal Realm,’ has circulated throughout the Five Spirit Realms for millions of years, enduring and thriving.
Yan Chu collected herself and said, “Lord Xiling actually came to the Flame Kingdom?”
“Absolutely true!” Hongye said with a giggle, “Miss, you’re afraid of noise, so wait for me here. I’ll go ahead and see if he’s arrived, then come call you.”
Once she left, Yan Chu grew even more bored. After resting for a moment, Yan Chu simply got up and walked along the small path, wandering aimlessly through the garden.
Unknowingly, she arrived at a secluded spot. There were figures by the pond ahead.
Discovering it was a man and a woman, Yan Chu was secretly startled and quickly slipped behind a willow tree, using its branches and leaves to conceal herself. Upon closer inspection, she saw that one person was dressed in a dark-edged crimson robe, with a refined and elegant demeanor—it was none other than the Southern King, Wen Zhu Chengjin. The woman standing before him was exquisitely graceful and elegant, her attire alone clearly indicating her identity: a palace concubine of no low status.
She heard the Southern King speak: “I’ve been out for so long, I should return, otherwise my imperial brother might become suspicious.”
Concubine Dan hummed in assent.
The Southern King sighed softly, saying, “I don’t know how long I can stay in the capital this time, Danxia. You are my greatest worry.”
Concubine Dan said, “His Majesty seems to have noticed something about us. I fear he might... You should come to the palace less often.”
“I understand,” the Southern King said, “I wanted to meet today to know if you are well. The banquet is about to begin. You should go back first.”
Concubine Dan nodded tearfully, then turned and left along the small path.
Seeing that the Southern King remained rooted to the spot with no intention of leaving, Yan Chu knew he had discovered her. She calmly walked out from behind the tree and bowed.
The Southern King said, “What did you overhear?”
Yan Chu chuckled, “Your Highness having a private affair with a palace concubine, that’s no small offense.”
The Southern King said, “You are even bolder.”
Yan Chu gazed in the direction Concubine Dan had departed, saying, “Your Highness has put on quite a splendid show; even Yan Chu was nearly deceived, let alone others.”
The Southern King turned to face her upon hearing this, saying, “This king is beginning to regret giving you away.”
Yan Chu said, “Your Highness is most generous with women; how could you regret it?”
“Are you blaming this king?” The Southern King suddenly pulled her closer, secretly giving her a meaningful look. “I heard Xiao Qi is neglecting you?”
Yan Chu immediately understood, quickly sank her face, and tried to pull away: “What does that have to do with Your Highness!”
The Southern King forcibly drew her back into his embrace.
“Letting His Majesty mistakenly believe he holds a trump card is the beginning of his underestimation. Even I must admire Your Highness,” Yan Chu whispered while struggling. “It’s a pity that that lady’s devotion is being exploited by Your Highness. Women are always so foolish.”
“The Imperial Brother is suspicious, it’s rare to make him believe he holds my weakness,” the Southern King leaned down, using the ambiguous proximity to mask his lip movements. “Be careful in everything. In your current situation, this king cannot help even if I wanted to.”
“Your Highness cares about me that much?”
“This king cares. Has Xiao Qi touched you?”
Yan Chu stopped joking: “I’m in the Prince Ding’s residence, Your Highness cannot control that, but matters outside...”
“If you need anything, just ask,” the Southern King said, “You can fully trust this king.”
“I believe His Highness cares deeply about the Yue army,” Yan Chu said, then suddenly pushed him away with great force, coldly saying, “Since Your Highness has already given me away, why are you acting like this?”
“This matter is all Xiao Qi’s fault,” the Southern King cooperatively said. “He insisted that you were his first wife. If this king were to forcibly reclaim you, it would be taking his wife. For now, this king doesn’t want to break ties with him; it was truly helpless. I originally intended to send you to the palace to serve the Imperial Brother and enjoy wealth and glory, but who knew the Imperial Brother would bestow you upon him again.” Seeing Yan Chu ignore him, he smiled and comforted her: “Since Xiao Qi has no interest in you, I will take you back when there’s an opportunity.”
“Who says he’s not interested in me!” Yan Chu, flustered and angered, turned and walked away.
The Southern King pursed his lips and followed her.
From behind the flower bushes, two people slowly walked out.
The Flame Emperor glanced at Xiao Qi and said, “My royal brother has quite a way with women. If you don’t keep a tighter watch, I’m afraid this woman will willingly sacrifice herself for him.”
Xiao Qi looked in the direction they had gone, saying nothing.
“My royal brother sending her back to you surely has a purpose,” a ruthless glint appeared in the Flame Emperor’s eyes. “You want to confirm her identity, but this might also be my royal brother’s wish. If she has that identity, she can gain the trust of the Yue army, and if she’s used by my royal brother... I don’t need to remind you what to do, do I?”
Xiao Qi averted his gaze and said, “Your Majesty, rest assured, this subject will not allow her to cause trouble outside.”
The Flame Emperor said, “Even if she truly is your wife, abandoning her Princess Consort status means she has developed a different loyalty. After all, the death of General Yue and his son... keeping her remains a variable.”
Xiao Qi said, “This subject understands.”
The Flame Emperor nodded: “Let’s go.”
The Southern King directly bypassed the screens and went outside. Yan Chu returned along the original path to the spot where she had been waiting for Hongye.
If a woman merely claimed to be a princess consort who had died years ago based solely on her appearance, the former generals of the Yue army would certainly not believe it easily. This woman, emboldened by Xiao Qi’s indulgence, was lawless, and they might even be angry. But if Xiao Qi killed a woman who was suspected of being the princess consort and had amnesia, the Southern King would certainly not hesitate to spread more rumors for them to hear. For now, Xiao Qi should not do anything to her.
The Southern King was right; her current situation was indeed unfavorable. The further she went, the closer she got to danger, and she had to proceed cautiously at every step.
Just as Yan Chu finished organizing her thoughts, Hongye hurried over, pulling her excitedly: “Miss, quick, let’s go!”
With the arrival of the Eternal Realm’s Master, the Flame Emperor likely lowered a section of the screen specifically to satisfy the ladies’ curiosity. At this moment, everyone was gathered there. The consorts and madams, mindful of their status, stood discreetly at a distance, observing, while the princesses and palace maids crowded at the front.
Xuan Arts were prevalent in the Five Spirit Realms, with the Taoist sects holding supreme authority. The Eternal Realm was the most famous among them. Longevity, a dream for countless people since ancient times. As the most mysterious and powerful existence in the Five Spirit Realms, the Eternal Realm, not subject to reincarnation and free from lifespan limits, had already earned the world’s reverence.
Yan Chu had lived in the Eternal Realm for many years, yet had never truly met its renowned master. At this moment, she couldn’t help but feel some curiosity. She followed Hongye a few steps closer and peered out, seeing that the tables outside were mostly filled with court ministers. The various kings sat in order, with the Southern King in the sixth position, and the Flame Emperor at the very top. A special empty seat was set beside the Flame Emperor.
The atmosphere had subtly lost its cheerfulness and become solemn.
Finally, an attendant came to announce the name, and the scene fell silent. Everyone looked up.
The bright sun quietly receded from overhead. Under the overcast sky, a cool breeze wafted through. The large expanse of flowering plants seemed to come alive, bowing in the same direction.
A faint blue appeared at the end of her vision, slowly moving towards them.
Wide sleeves reaching the ground, long hair flowing, carrying the elegance of falling frost flowers, the coldness of silently congealed ice, the style of a recluse, the demeanor of a king.
Each step was casual, yet each step was solemn.
He walked upon a path of fallen flowers, cloaked in a subtle fragrance. His wide robe sashes billowed long behind him, rising and falling with the wind. The simple color surpassed the sky after rain, with faint glows shimmering upon it, clear as the waves of the Milky Way.
In an instant, the surroundings seemed to play the sound of clear flowing water, or perhaps the rustling of wind and snow, and a cool atmosphere diffused through the venue.
Only when the Flame Emperor personally rose to welcome him to his seat did everyone regain their senses.
“Lord Xiling, it’s Lord Xiling,” Hongye exhaled a long breath, sighing wistfully, “Who knows his name...”
Xiling, the noble surname, already represented his identity; he never needed a name to distinguish him, so much so that his name had long been lost to history, no one knew when.
Fallen flowers everywhere, clouds beneath the cliff, the sound of a zither in a dream—all reappeared with his arrival. In her eyes, there was nothing else, only his figure completely filling her vision.
Yan Chu unconsciously spoke: “Fengqi, Xiling Fengqi.”
In the history of the Extreme Ice Kingdom, there was once a Xiling clan, renowned for their strategic prowess and battle skills. Unexpectedly, they angered the Ice Emperor, and the clan was annihilated overnight, with only one young boy escaping.
No one expected that young boy to become the figure who would later shake the Five Spirit Realms. A century later, he became the new Ice Emperor. Another century later, he unified the Five Spirit Realms, leading to the title of “Venerated Emperor Xiling” being passed down to this day, ushering in the first and only glorious golden age of the Five Spirit Realms.
Equally famous as his political achievements were his iron-fisted methods. From reclaiming the throne upon his return to the kingdom to conquering the Five Spirit Realms, his actions could almost be described as cold and brutal, nearly earning him the reputation of a tyrant.
Especially the legendary Chess Battle of Sai City, which remains one of the most horrifying historical events in the Five Spirit Realms to this day.
After the Xiling clan was annihilated, he fled to the Leize Kingdom to escape the Ice Emperor’s pursuit. Passing through Sai City, he heard that there were many chess players in the city and that a chess battle was being held. He went to participate, but the City Lord Rong Muqi, seeing his youth, publicly scoffed, “Ignorant child, how can you be a chess player?” and expelled him from the battle.
Years later, the new Ice Emperor ascended the throne, raised armies against the four kingdoms, initiated a war of unification, and attacked Sai City in the Leize Kingdom. Claiming himself as the Venerated Emperor of the Five Spirits, he issued an edict giving the city’s inhabitants three days to surrender. Rong Muqi naturally refused. Three days later, the army attacked the city, bodies littered the ground, blood flowed like rivers, and Sai City fell. Rong Muqi’s family and dependents were all captured. The new Ice Emperor allowed no one to plead for them, ordering his three sons to be executed on the spot, their remains ground into three hundred sixty-one bone chess pieces. Then he personally hosted a chess battle, inviting all the famous scholars of Sai City to play, promising to pardon the entire city if he won.
In this world-renowned chess battle, the new Ice Emperor played against a hundred opponents and won.
Facing the ashen-faced crowd, he merely discarded the human bone chess pieces in his hand and chuckled lightly, “Ignorant people, are they worthy of being chess players?”
On that very day, the city was massacred.
From then on, wherever his army went, it was unstoppable. All who resisted were mercilessly slaughtered. The Ice Emperor finally unified the world, initiating an era of prosperity, becoming the co-ruler of the five nations, and adopting the title of Venerated Emperor. To this day, people in the Five Spirit Realms speak of him with nothing but awe, reverence certainly, but even more so, fear.
However, no one anticipated the end of the story.
In the subsequent century, he made another world-shaking decision: abandoning his subjects, abandoning supreme authority and glory, and retreating into the Taoist sect, establishing the Eternal Realm.
The Master of the Eternal Realm, the two characters “Xiling” represent him. Throughout the world, only he bears the surname Xiling.
As for the name Fengqi, Hongye had never heard of it and asked in surprise, “How does Miss know that?”
Yan Chu suddenly snapped back to reality and smiled: “How would I know? I just thought those two characters suited Lord Xiling, so I said them casually.”
Hongye looked at her with suspicion.
Yan Chu calmly shifted her gaze back to the banquet.
With sharp brows and captivating eyes, he sat there so calmly. Beneath his straight nose, his thin lips held little color, immediately revealing his ice-country constitution. Five plain silk ribbons tied the hair from his forehead and temples, gathering into five strands at the back of his head, then flowing down with the rest of his long hair, like an ink waterfall. His left hand held a white jade chess bowl, and a beautiful jade piece hung from his waist.
Such an appearance was far removed from the legendary tyrannical emperor. Yet, the longer one looked, the more one felt an invisible pressure, inspiring awe and making one hesitant to look directly.
Yan Chu felt a slight suffocation and quickly took a quiet breath.
Red maples covering the mountains, a hint of pale blue... A suddenly appearing image that was not yet clear, then suddenly faded. Before she could react, a soft gasp suddenly sounded behind her, interrupting her thoughts.
The sound was very soft, but because the venue was so quiet, many people around still noticed. Yan Chu found it familiar and looked back, seeing Liu Yu supported by a maid standing not far away, staring directly at Lord Xiling on the seat, her mouth slightly agape, her face revealing undisguised shock. Fortunately, she wasn’t the only one losing composure, so people didn’t find it strange, and after a few jests, they shifted their gaze away.
Realizing her impropriety, Liu Yu’s face flushed red, and she averted her gaze.
Yan Chu didn’t pay much attention either, instead secretly marveling at what had just happened. Fengqi, an utterly unfamiliar name; there were no fragments of it in her memory. She guessed she might have accidentally heard the envoys and maids mention it when she was in the Eternal Realm, and subconsciously remembered it.
She reached out and pulled Hongye: “Let’s go.”
The master and servant turned to leave. Unexpectedly, after just a few steps, a palace maid carrying a basin, for some unknown reason, lost her footing and stumbled towards them!
Yan Chu’s gaze shifted slightly. Without hesitation, she moved two steps sideways and raised her hand to block. A gasp was heard, followed by a “thump.” The golden basin overturned on the ground, splashing water and instantly soaking a patch of the gorgeous palace dress nearby.
Two high-ranking maids quickly came to wipe down the richly dressed concubine, scolding, “Are you looking for death? Who is so ill-mannered!”
The palace maid, frightened, knelt and kowtowed to the concubine: “Consort Ying, please spare my life! It wasn’t me, it was...”
As she spoke, she turned to look for the person who had pushed her. However, there were many palace concubines and madams gathered around, accompanied by their personal maids, so in the confusion, it was impossible to tell who it was! To save herself, she, in extreme fear, cast her gaze towards Yan Chu.
Yan Chu coldly watched a corner of the crowd, seeing Yi Ru casually stand beside Liu Yu, a malicious smile flashing across her face.
Hongye quickly knelt down to beg for mercy. When Consort Ying saw it was her, her expression became somewhat awkward, but she said nothing. She merely fanned her embroidered peony fan and shifted her gaze to Yan Chu beside her. Upon seeing her, she was immediately so startled that she covered her mouth with the fan and stepped back two paces: “You... you are...”
Hongye replied for her: “She is Miss Yan Chu, bestowed upon the Prince Ding by His Majesty.”
“You are that dancer Yan Chu?” Consort Ying looked at the face with surprise and suspicion, gradually shedding her fear, and sneered, “How bold! You actually didn’t kneel when you saw this concubine!”
Hongye said, “Miss Yan Chu, she...”
Consort Ying said, “In front of this concubine, when is it a maid’s turn to speak?”
The commotion inside was too great. Outside, Xiao Qi and the others had long been alerted and all looked towards the curtains. The Southern King calmly picked up his wine cup and took a sip.
Liu Yu saw the situation and came over to plead, “This woman closely resembles the deceased Princess Consort and is highly regarded by my Lord. Please, Your Ladyship, for the sake of the late Princess Consort, spare her.”
Yan Chu’s lips curled slightly.
Who would have known that the most favored concubine in the palace today was once Yue Xiluo’s dowry maid? No matter how much glory she achieved, she couldn’t escape the fact that she once served as a maid to another. A woman in a high position would only see that past as a stain. How could she endure a reminder from someone with ill intent? What a clever way to kill with a borrowed knife. What a pity.
As expected, Consort Ying, upon hearing the old matter mentioned, grew even more ashamed and angry: “The palace has its rules. If an exception is made, how can we gain the respect of the masses? This concubine is helpless.”
Hearing her implication, everyone broke out in a cold sweat.
Yan Chu, however, suddenly acted meek. She knelt down and pleaded guilty: “Yan Chu comes from the common folk and does not know the rules. I unintentionally offended, so I beg Your Ladyship for forgiveness.”
A condescending attitude showed her triumph, her eyes stained with a hint of malice. Consort Ying walked in front of her and slowly said, “This concubine does not wish to punish you, but the palace rules are here, and I must abide by them. Take her out and give her two hundred strokes with the rod.”
A chorus of gasps immediately rose from around. Most women in the Flame Kingdom did not practice martial arts; how could they endure two hundred strokes? Consort Ying clearly intended to kill her. People are so strange; what she could not tolerate was merely this face, because in her own mind, this face constantly reminded her of her past—an inglorious origin, an inferiority complex that extreme power and vanity could not conceal, making her wish for the person in front of her to disappear forever.
Hongye couldn’t help but remind, “I heard the Lord say that Miss Yan Chu doesn’t remember her past, perhaps she is... the Princess Consort.”
Consort Ying said, “The Ding Princess Consort has been dead for a long time; how could she come back to life? Guards, drag her out!”
Hongye anxiously said, “Jiang Qiuying, the Princess Consort was your benefactor no matter what! As master and servant, you...”
Her past as the Prince Ding’s Princess Consort’s maid was exposed publicly. Consort Ying’s face flushed with anger, and she snapped, “Nonsense! What master and servant? Wanfeng, don’t be presumptuous just because you know this concubine. She’s just a dancer, not Yunze Xiluo. How dare a maid like you call this concubine by her given name? Slap her mouth!”
Yan Chu looked at Hongye: “Wanfeng?”
Hongye explained: “My original name is Wanfeng. The Lord ordered me to change it to Hongye.”
A basin of water resulting in a death sentence—such things were not new in the harem. Consort Ying had always been arrogant, growing more brazen due to the Flame Emperor’s indulgence; even the Empress Consort had to give her three points of deference. Several attendants came forward to drag Yan Chu away. Yan Chu did not struggle or resist, instead she proactively stood up and prepared to follow them.
“Wait a moment,” Xiao Qi finally stood up outside. “It was merely a basin of water. The punishment is too severe. I hope Your Ladyship will reconsider.”
“Oh?” Consort Ying lightly fanned herself, but her eyes looked at the Flame Emperor. “Does the Prince Ding seem displeased with the rules of the inner palace?”
“This humble subject dares not interfere with the matters of the inner palace,” Xiao Qi bowed towards the inside through the curtain. “However, Yan Chu is a personal attendant of this humble king. I hope Your Ladyship will consider this humble king’s request and lighten her punishment.”
Consort Ying chuckled sweetly: “This puts this concubine in a difficult position.”
“Your Ladyship’s decision is correct,” Liu Yu stepped forward two paces and said, “Yan Chu offended first. The country has its laws and the household has its rules. The Lord is being overly protective.”
Xiao Qi’s face darkened: “Liu Yu!”
Liu Yu slightly raised her chin, raising an eyebrow to glare back at him, also showing anger.
As the two of them stood at an impasse, no one else dared to intercede. Yan Chu stood with downcast eyes, a trace of a smile flashing across them.
It seemed she didn’t even need to stir up trouble herself; Qin Chuan Liu Yu was already so cooperative. Luckily, Consort Ying’s punishment was so severe, involving a matter of life and death, Xiao Qi would never stand by idly, likely finding himself in a difficult predicament.
Xiao Qi, after all, couldn’t direct his anger at Liu Yu. Suppressing his rage, he turned to the Flame Emperor: “This woman is my beloved concubine. I implore Your Majesty to grant mercy.”
Seeing him openly plead for Yan Chu without regard for his own standing, and even calling her his “beloved concubine,” Liu Yu’s expression changed. She bit her lip and stared at him for a moment, then turned and bowed to the Empress Consort, leaving the garden with Yi Ru without looking back.
The unrest in the powerful minister’s household was something every monarch enjoyed seeing. The Flame Emperor laughed heartily: “The matters of the inner palace are handled by the Empress. Empress?”
The Empress understood: “Spilling water is a minor fault; offending Consort Ying is a major one. However, Yan Chu is not a palace maid and does not understand the rules. Two hundred strokes of the rod is indeed too severe a punishment. Let it be fifty strokes instead.”
Yan Chu had already anticipated this outcome and turned to express her gratitude.
“There has never been a precedent for a disciple of the Eternal Realm to be punished by the outside world,” a voice rang out. “The caning may be waived.”
The clear voice was utterly placid, carrying the coldness of wind and snow, like a frozen lake. Everyone felt a chill in their hearts and simultaneously looked towards its source. They saw the person rise from his seat and walk directly towards them. The Flame Emperor also rose from his seat, leading the other kings as companions, while signaling the attendants to remove the screens.
His pale blue train swept long behind him, yet it showed no trace of dust. The beautiful jade at his waist swayed with his steps. Lord Xiling slowly walked past everyone and stopped in front of Yan Chu.
“She is a disciple of the Eternal Realm?” Not only Consort Ying and the others were surprised; even the Flame Emperor and Xiao Qi were stunned. Only the Southern King beside them shifted his gaze slightly, thoughtfully.
Unexpectedly, he was willing to step forward to protect her. Yan Chu quickly reacted and knelt down, “Master of Go.”
Other matters were negotiable, but no one could afford to offend the Eternal Realm. This favor was granted. Consort Ying’s arrogance immediately deflated a few points, but unwilling to give up just yet, she could only voice her grievances to the Flame Emperor: “Your Majesty, she clearly disdains your concubine. If she is easily pardoned...”
“Are your noble sect’s laws still in effect?” The Flame Emperor interrupted her, looking at Lord Xiling.
Lord Xiling said, “The Eternal Realm does not interfere with external politics. If a disciple violates regulations, they are subject to punishment, and the Eternal Realm will not pursue the matter.”
The implication was that if she didn’t interfere in politics, the Eternal Realm would protect her to the end.
“With Lord Xiling’s words, I am reassured,” the Flame Emperor nodded, turning to Yan Chu with a genial expression, “Rise.”
Yan Chu thanked him, rose, and stood beside Lord Xiling.
Her crimson fingernails dug harshly into the fan’s surface. Consort Ying sneered, “Allowing disciples to be dancers—is this the Eternal Realm?”
“Worldly affairs are like a game of Go; stepping out of the board is eternity.” Lord Xiling said calmly, without looking at her, and led Yan Chu back to the banquet.
Consort Ying choked with anger.
The ungrateful, viperous beauty! The Flame Emperor, however, was in a much better mood. He casually reprimanded her a couple of times, then led the kings back to their seats. Consort Ying’s face flushed and paled, and she stormed off without bowing to the Empress, much to the delight of the concubines she usually bullied.
Soon, attendants set up the screens again, separating the inside and outside. Yan Chu stood with downcast eyes, behaving herself behind Lord Xiling, daring not to move.
“You may go.” The cool voice sounded again; he did not turn around.
“Yes.” Yan Chu respectfully assented and withdrew.
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