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At dawn, two carriages sped out of the city, heading south. Through the carriage windows, the scenery outside was visible, and the route was clear and straightforward, not difficult to remember. Xiao Qi clearly had no intention of hiding anything.
About an hour later, the carriage stopped at the foot of a mountain.
Yan Chu looked at the heavily guarded mountain below and gave a wry smile.
She had still overlooked something. No wonder he was so confident in bringing her here; it was because he simply didn’t need to hide anything. Neither she nor the Southern King’s people following behind could easily approach this place. To prevent anyone from having designs on the Yue army, he had to “protect” the old general’s safety. This reason was sufficient, and the old general would find it hard to refuse.
Several military officers, having received word, personally came out to greet them. Xiao Qi ordered them to retreat, and he and Yan Chu got out of the carriage to walk up the mountain.
The mountain scenery was serene and lush. Halfway up, there were no longer any guards visible, but Yan Chu understood that countless eyes were hidden all around. From the moment they entered the mountain, every step they took was under surveillance. Operating in such an environment would be extremely difficult.
Passing through forests and over streams, a small house came into view: mud walls and thatched eaves, in the style of an ordinary farmhouse. Stone slabs formed steps, various farm tools were placed under the eaves, and the door was ajar.
Xiao Qi stepped onto the steps, bent his finger, and knocked on the door: “Is the old general in?”
After a moment, a cold snort sounded from inside.
Xiao Qi asked no further and pushed the door open, walking in.
There was no one in the room. Exiting through the back door led to a small courtyard. In the courtyard sat an old wooden table and several stools. An old man, with white hair and beard, wearing a blue cloth shirt, sat there. His simple appearance could not hide his severe aura. He was none other than Lu Shanchi, the former Deputy Commander of the Yue army.
His gaze, like lightning, coldly swept over Xiao Qi, then he continued weaving the bamboo strips in his hands.
Xiao Qi respectfully bowed and greeted him: “Is the old general well?”
“Well,” Lu Shanchi suddenly tossed aside his work, stood up, and glared at him, his voice loud and angry, “I heard the Prince Ding married a new madam. Very good!”
Seeing Xiao Qi about to speak, he sharply cut him off: “Don’t try to fob off this old man. This old man will not let your Yunze family die out, but I know exactly what kind of ceremony you used to marry that concubine! The flower crown ceremony! Where did you put A Luo?! Did you think the Yue family had no one, so you could bully us as you pleased?!”
This matter had, of course, been mentioned to him by several generals in their letters. Xiao Qi already knew about it and didn’t argue: “It was my junior’s oversight. I’ve come specifically to accept responsibility. Yan Chu, greet the old general.”
She finally reached this moment, yet dared not act rashly, for both their lives were in the hands of others. Yan Chu smiled and stepped forward to bow: “Yan Chu greets the old general.”
Having experienced many things, Lu Shanchi’s reaction was not as intense. His gaze merely showed a hint of shock. After a moment, he lightly snorted, “Is this the dancer?”
Xiao Qi nodded: “Seeing her, I remembered... and therefore asked His Majesty for her from the palace.”
Lu Shanchi looked at Yan Chu with surprise and suspicion for a moment, his expression softening slightly: “This old man thought you had long forgotten A Luo.”
Yan Chu said, “The Prince Ding’s deep affection for the Princess Consort has greatly benefited Yan Chu.”
“Even so, you shouldn’t have asked His Majesty for her; you were confused!” Lu Shanchi reprimanded him a couple of times. Because of his dissatisfaction with Xiao Qi and Liu Yu, he looked at Yan Chu with much more favor. “This girl doesn’t seem as arrogant as the rumors say, does she?” He deliberately shouted loudly towards the inside: “Didn’t you see the Prince Ding has arrived? Why haven’t you poured tea?!”
A young soldier then walked out of the door with a grin and poured hot tea for the two of them.
Lu Shanchi waved Yan Chu over: “Come sit.”
He was clearly deliberately ignoring Xiao Qi. Yan Chu pursed her lips and obediently sat at the table. Xiao Qi didn’t feel awkward either and followed suit, sitting down.
How to secretly convey messages to the person in front of her, avoiding Xiao Qi’s notice, was the greatest challenge at the moment, and she absolutely could not rush it. Yan Chu thought as she drank her tea, finding the tea to be extremely bitter. She then deliberately shook her head and chuckled, “I heard that the bitter tea from Yueyi Mountain is the most famous.”
The familiar appearance, the familiar movements, made Lu Shanchi pause, his expression softening a bit more. He sighed, “I’m old now. I often remember the days when I ventured out of Yueyi Mountain with my elder brother, and I even thought we’d retire together someday. Who knew...” Noticing his loss of composure, he quickly suppressed his sadness, straightened his face, and sternly lectured, “I heard you’re acting terribly in the residence, relying on Xiao Qi’s indulgence?”
Yan Chu pushed Xiao Qi: “I didn’t do anything. If Old General doesn’t believe me, ask the Prince Ding.”
Lu Shanchi glared: “A Luo had the best temperament. Now that Xiao Qi indulges you because of her, you should also restrain yourself, or else I will certainly not forgive you.”
The three drank tea and chatted. When it was time, the young soldier brought out the meal, which was simple fare. Yan Chu ate with great relish and told some jokes, gaining more favor from Lu Shanchi. After the meal, Xiao Qi excused himself. Lu Shanchi was indeed no longer as stern with him as before, personally seeing him out the door and saying, “This girl is good; she gets along well with me. Bring her next time too.”
Xiao Qi smiled and agreed. After walking two steps, he suddenly turned back and said, “I see your table is old, Old General. I’ll take it now and send someone to deliver a new one tomorrow.”
Yan Chu immediately looked up at him.
Xiao Qi waved his hand, and two young soldiers quickly moved the table out. Lu Shanchi didn’t insist, merely snorted, and went back into the house.
Neither of them spoke again. They hurried down the mountain on foot. In front of the carriage, Xiao Qi motioned for the young soldiers to place the table down and withdraw, while he stood there, not moving for a long time.
Yan Chu said, “Is the Prince Ding not getting into the carriage yet?”
Xiao Qi said, “Does it have to be this way?”
Yan Chu’s smile was a bit unnatural: “What do you mean by that?”
Xiao Qi did not answer. He slowly walked to the old table, then abruptly lifted his palm. The table immediately flipped over, revealing four characters carved clearly on its back, the fine scratches apparently made with a hairpin.
Seeing the characters, Xiao Qi was stunned.
“Xiao Qi is annoying,” the four large characters were extremely clear, containing a hint of teasing and ambiguity. The atmosphere instantly shifted from tense to awkward.
With a hint of sarcastic smile on her lips, Yan Chu leapt into the carriage without looking back, settling comfortably inside.
Not long after, Xiao Qi also lifted the carriage curtain and entered. The carriage began to move.
Yan Chu said, “The Prince Ding has his own carriage; why bother squeezing in with me, a mere servant?”
Xiao Qi said, “I apologize; I was too suspicious.”
Yan Chu said, “Is the Prince Ding guarding against me, or your Princess Consort? You don’t wish for her to return alive, do you?”
“Of course I wish for her to return, but if there are malicious individuals who want to act in her name, I cannot but be wary,” Xiao Qi paused, then whispered, “After all, I failed her. If she were alive, she might hate me, but no matter what, I don’t want to reach that point with her, where there’s no turning back.”
Yan Chu chuckled: “Who cares about your affairs? In any case, I’ve pleased the old general for you, so my task is complete.”
________________________________________
Outside the city, by a small river, beneath a simple wooden bridge, the water flowed silently. The maids had been sent far away, and Liu Yu stood alone at the head of the bridge, her hands tightly gripping her fan, occasionally glancing around nervously.
The surrounding scenery suddenly changed. Before her, a person stood with hands behind their back on a cliff.
Liu Yu quickly bowed towards the figure’s back: “I was fortunate to receive your assistance then. I never imagined Your Excellency would be Lord Xiling.”
Lord Xiling said, “You wish to see me?”
Liu Yu hesitated, then said, “Since Lord Xiling helped me, why did you save her again?”
“Helping you and saving her are for the same reason; you don’t need to understand it,” Lord Xiling said. “You have already obtained what you desired. Be careful. My assistance has long since ended. You wouldn’t want Xiao Qi to know these things.”
Liu Yu dared not speak further, replying, “Yes, I understand.”
In a flash, the cliff and the person vanished, and Liu Yu found herself back by the stone bridge. She softly hushed her startled maids and hastily got into the carriage to return to the city.
________________________________________
It had only been three days since returning from Lu Shanchi’s place when Prince An’s side suddenly sent an invitation to Xiao Qi. It turned out this Prince An was also a blood brother of the Flame Emperor. His martial arts were mediocre, but he was exceptionally fond of horsemanship and archery, often hosting banquets to invite people for archery competitions. The various kings and generals were also willing to attend, treating it as entertainment. When Yan Chu saw the invitation, she casually mentioned wanting to go. Xiao Qi, perhaps due to his previous misunderstanding of her, didn’t object and actually let her go disguised as an attendant.
The next day, the weather was excellent, with many clouds and no glaring sunlight, cool and comfortable, perfectly suited for such activities.
A viewing stand was set up outside the archery field, with fruits, fine wine, and other items laid out. About a dozen attendants poured wine and served. Prince An, Xiao Qi, and others sat in the center, all dressed in attire suitable for horsemanship and archery. Inside the arena, some warriors performed first, but there was nothing particularly exciting.
While Xiao Qi was being pulled away by Prince An to drink, Yan Chu walked down from the viewing stand. She stopped at a secluded spot, and sure enough, not long after, footsteps approached from behind.
Yan Chu looked at the approaching person and sighed: “Your Highness doesn’t need to speak; I already know the outcome.”
Having shed his formal robes, his crimson arrow sleeves interwoven with dark patterns, the Southern King’s enchanting face showed a hint of heroism. He said, “I sent my men to follow, but it turned out to be a wasted effort. Shouldn’t you show some appreciation?”
Yan Chu heard the playful innuendo and retorted without ceremony, “I also didn’t expect His Highness to be so incompetent.”
His handsome face slightly darkened, the Southern King pushed her against the wall: “A presumptuous woman always needs a little lesson.”
Before she could speak, her red lips were seized.
It wasn’t a kiss; there was no tenderness or consideration, just unconcealed plunder, an aggressive playfulness. Soon, Yan Chu felt pain in her lips.
Yan Chu was annoyed and kept her mouth tightly shut to prevent him from succeeding further.
The Southern King finally lifted his face, his beautiful eyes clear as usual, devoid of desire, only warning and the certainty of capturing his prey: “Those guarding there are the Fourth Division of the Yue army. You know the capabilities of the Yue army best. To sneak up the mountain past them, let alone my men, even Xiao Qi himself couldn’t do it. I’ve already sent people to inquire about this. This cooperation is merely to go along with your wishes. You are far from being able to deal with Xiao Qi.”
Yan Chu coldly said, “Infatuated to the point of folly, Yan Chu also overestimated Your Highness.”
“You underestimated this king,” the Southern King said. “Xiao Qi’s military tactics are famous. Back then, the spies from the Mufeng Kingdom could easily infiltrate the camp and switch secret letters, and supporting provisions would fail to arrive. The deaths of General Yue and his son might have been an accident, or perhaps... someone believed it would be safer if the Yue army was in their own hands. If you want revenge, your opponents are not just Xiao Qi. You cannot do it alone.”
He looked at her lips, now even more vibrant from the kiss, and said with a smile, “This king may not need you, but you must cooperate with this king. Understand this relationship, and do you think this king still needs to make concessions to you?”
Yan Chu said, “Is Your Highness sure you don’t need to cooperate with me?”
“I do need to, so this was just a small lesson, to let you know the consequences of being presumptuous,” the Southern King’s hand slid down. “Being this king’s woman is your best option.”
“I only know that Your Highness won’t touch me now.” Yan Chu slapped his hand away. “And also, illicit affairs disgust me.”
She no longer looked at the Southern King, walking back the way she came to the viewing stand and standing behind Xiao Qi.
“Where did my royal brother go just now!” Prince An’s voice rang out, half-reproachfully. “I haven’t seen your archery in years, and I haven’t forgotten your skill of ‘two birds with one arrow.’ Today, you are not allowed to hide!”
Over there, the Southern King smiled and took the bow: “Brother King flatters me. I haven’t practiced in years and am quite rusty. ‘Two birds with one arrow’ is probably not possible, but ‘a single arrow felling a goose’ might still be.”
Meeting Xiao Qi’s gaze, Yan Chu’s expression was calm, as if she hadn’t heard anything.
Meanwhile, the competition in the arena reached its climax, but in the imperial harem, the atmosphere grew increasingly somber. The Flame Emperor stood alone by the railing, gazing at a clump of peonies without moving, his eyes dark and sinister.
“What is His Majesty thinking about?” A pair of soft, smooth white arms slid around his waist from behind. Consort Ying leaned against his back. “Is it about that dancer again?”
The Flame Emperor said, “Xiao Qi took her to see Old General Lushan.”
Consort Ying immediately turned to face him: “What, has she revealed herself?”
The Flame Emperor looked at her with a half-smile: “The Yue family was kind to you, after all. Do you very much wish for her to die?”
“Yue Xiluo is already dead,” Consort Ying shifted her gaze uncomfortably. “She’s merely a dancer, foolishly trying to use the Prince Ding’s Princess Consort’s name to control the Yue army. She’s involved with the Southern King in a murky way and is likely his pawn. Moreover, if she really were Yue Xiluo, concealing her identity would be a crime of deceiving the emperor, and she would deserve to die.”
“She is from the Eternal Realm, and cannot be easily touched,” the Flame Emperor said with satisfaction, playing with her beautiful hair. “This time, Xiao Qi took her to see the old general, and she didn’t reveal any flaws.”
Consort Ying sneered upon hearing this: “She’s not foolish; how could she act under Xiao Qi’s nose? Does Xiao Qi not even consider that?”
The Flame Emperor said, “Oh?” “Does my beloved concubine have any brilliant ideas?”
“She dares not play tricks openly, but if she feels safe, I don’t believe she’ll be able to keep her composure,” Consort Ying said slowly, a hint of ruthlessness in her beautiful eyes. “Why doesn’t Your Majesty try to ‘lure the snake out of its hole’?”
________________________________________
The archery competition ended in the daytime. The Southern King, Xiao Qi, and a general emerged victorious. Prince An was overjoyed, and the banquet lasted until late evening. Xiao Qi brought Yan Chu back to the residence. As soon as they entered the main gate, he received a sealed letter. Xiao Qi walked into the hall, opened it, glanced at it, then raised his hand to burn it to ashes. He then called over a guard, gave a few instructions, and then walked towards Maple Garden.
Yan Chu was sitting in a chair, drinking tea. She had just bathed and changed back into women’s clothing. Under the light fabric, the hint of strength from earlier in the day had vanished without a trace. The lamplight added a soft glow to her skin, making her appear even more alluring. Her round fan rested against her chest, much like the image of a lady in the maple forest painting on the wall.
Seeing Xiao Qi enter, she smiled and asked, “Why has the Prince Ding followed me?”
Xiao Qi knew she was doing it on purpose and gestured for the maids to withdraw.
“Perhaps the Prince Ding displayed great skill today and wishes to hear my flattery?” Yan Chu indeed rose and bowed, “The Prince Ding is magnificent, the Prince Ding is heroic.”
Xiao Qi said, “I was not the only one who won. You were using the opportunity to see the Southern King.”
Yan Chu scoffed, “Among all the dancers in the Flame Kingdom, none don’t regard the Southern King as a close friend.”
“You need to know your place,” Xiao Qi said. “I know you won’t admit it, but I trust my feelings.”
Yan Chu laughed: “Do you still believe I am the Princess Consort? Are you very familiar with her?”
Xiao Qi remained silent.
Her fingers lightly traced his chest twice. Yan Chu said, “You are afraid of letting the Madam down, but you let her down even more. You deceived her, tricked her into marrying you, and then secretly met another woman behind her back.”
“I didn’t want this,” Xiao Qi stopped her from continuing her movements, speaking with difficulty, “If I had never met Liu Yu, I...”
“You would have liked her,” Yan Chu countered, taking his hand. “Since you believe I am her, then she is your Princess Consort, your woman. You can do anything to her. Her surname is Yunze to begin with. What are you worried about?”
Her familiar eyes made him unable to look directly.
Once upon a time, she was also in his arms, and he merely smiled and stroked her hair, ignoring her expectant gaze. Because of another woman, he could no longer give her the lifelong commitment she desired. Even though the Yue family sacrificed for him, she believed he would be a good husband, yet he abandoned her life for another woman.
Having reached this point, could it truly be salvaged?
Feeling his resistance gradually weaken, Yan Chu leaned into his embrace and softly asked, “Have you touched her?”
Her clear thoughts completely collapsed at this moment; all composure and rationality were shattered by that question.
“Why? Why were you so foolish back then,” Xiao Qi finally hugged her. “You... are you truly still willing to forgive me?”
The person in his arms did not respond.
So he held her even tighter: “I know you are Xi Luo, it must be. You hate me, but I don’t want to go on like this, and I don’t want to hurt you again. What you’re doing will force my hand. Don’t see the Southern King again, don’t continue...” His voice was already filled with compromise and pleading.
He didn’t get an answer. He was interrupted by Yan Chu’s startled gasp: “Madam!”
Xiao Qi was stunned. He turned his head to follow her gaze and saw Liu Yu standing at the doorway, biting her lip and glaring at the embracing couple, her eyes filled with undisguised anger and sorrow.
Yan Chu also turned to look at him.
Facing the reproach of his beloved and the unease of the person before him, Xiao Qi remained silent. The hand around Yan Chu, however, did not loosen.
Liu Yu ran off in tears.
Yan Chu voluntarily left his embrace, her face full of apology: “I couldn’t control my emotions. The Prince Ding should go.”
Her displayed generosity was the same as it had been back then. On their wedding night, to comfort Liu Yu, he had left in a hurry under the pretext of an urgent matter—behavior that any other woman would find intolerable. Yet, she had believed him and facilitated his relationship with Liu Yu. Only now did she know everything.
“Xi Luo.”
“I am Yan Chu, Prince Ding. I don’t remember.”
What did “I don’t remember” signify? Xiao Qi looked at her, his heart gradually chilling, his gaze dimming. Finally, he turned and left.
Yan Chu sat alone for a long time before calling Hongye and the other maids to come in and prepare the bed. Since she had eaten dinner at Prince An’s residence, she didn’t want to go to bed early, so she left Maple Garden alone, intending to wander around casually.
She had initially thought Xiao Qi only wanted to use her to appease the old general and the Yue army, but she didn’t expect him to still cling to the idea of confirming her identity, perhaps because he trusted his “feelings”? Yan Chu scoffed faintly. She had underestimated his conscience; he still felt some guilt towards Yue Xiluo, and would first try to stop her rather than deal with her. Whether it was true affection or pretense, Yue Xiluo had lost to Qin Chuan Liu Yu her whole life, but after her death, she could still achieve a small victory. Perhaps this was the advantage of being dead.
The evening breeze blew, bringing a trace of hesitation and bewilderment to her heart, but soon, her soft heart was once again chilled by the wind, hardening like ice.
Some things could no longer be redeemed, for they were stained with too much blood and tears.
At least, the guilt in his eyes wasn’t entirely fake; it could be her bargaining chip.
Qin Chuan Liu Yu’s timing was perfect. How could Xiao Qi not understand the problem? Seeing the gentle and virtuous woman placing spies in the back garden and playing tricks, what did he feel in his heart? Perhaps he hadn’t noticed so much during their illicit affair.
To gain something and then lose it, Qin Chuan Liu Yu, this is what you deserve!
Yan Chu’s mood unknowingly improved. She idly walked out of the back garden gate and suddenly heard low voices on the veranda. It was two guards talking privately.
“So late, what does the Lord want them to do in the study?”
“Old General Lushan wants to return to Yueyi Mountain for a trip. Everyone knows his temperament; he won’t allow escorts, so the Lord naturally isn’t at ease...”
Yan Chu smiled faintly and slowly walked away.
Late at night, with everything quiet, the maids in the back garden were fast asleep. Lanterns illuminated the corridor, and occasionally, a few night duty attendants came and went. The attendants and guards of the Prince Ding’s residence never dared to be lazy.
In the northeast corner of Maple Garden, a dark shadow silently leaped over the wall.
Next door was the Yunze ancestral hall. Flame Kingdom ancestral halls usually had an attached side courtyard outside the main hall, for relatives coming to offer sacrifices to rest. The one adjacent to Maple Garden was precisely the ancestral hall’s side courtyard. Only two lanterns hung in the courtyard, not very bright. A crescent-shaped stone gate led to the main hall, where the lights in the main hall could be faintly seen.
Looking at the guards at the side courtyard entrance, Yan Chu felt even more certain about her suspicion.
No matter how important an ancestral hall was, it shouldn’t require special guards, nor was there any reason to place them in the side courtyard. There must be some secret hidden within this ancestral hall. The defense couldn’t be as lax as it appeared on the surface. Fortunately, this side courtyard was only separated from Maple Garden by a wall, making the route bypass the outer guards directly, thus making investigation easier.
A faint tremor came again, and quickly disappeared. The guards showed no reaction, indicating they were long accustomed to it and didn’t take it seriously.
Yan Chu quietly dropped down the wall and felt her way along the shadows, finally stopping by a well.
It was an ordinary stone well, just wide enough for one person to enter and exit. The bottom of the well was pitch black, making it impossible to see the situation. She felt the well wall; it was smooth to the touch, indicating frequent ascent and descent.
Wells were for drawing water. Who would be entering and exiting here?
Yan Chu pondered for a moment, then finally mustered her internal energy and descended into the well, tentatively dropping downwards. Near the water surface, she indeed found a horizontal secret passage.
The secret passage was narrow and dark, and a faint chill emanated from within. Unlike ordinary ground qi, that coldness was too familiar. Her sensitive constitution was affected, and Yan Chu almost immediately recalled the snow cave in the Eternal Realm where the One-Leaf Flower was kept. She couldn’t help but be startled.
Xiao Qi had a solidified snow stone (凝雪石)?
As expected, no mechanisms were set up in the secret passage. Yan Chu still dared not be careless, keeping close to the right stone wall and slowly moving forward. After two turns, firelight finally appeared ahead, flickering, illuminating a small stone chamber.
Upon seeing the situation inside the stone chamber, Yan Chu gasped.
In the middle of the stone chamber, on the ground, lay a person, or rather, something that wasn’t really a person, but a humanoid object. Its gender was indiscernible, and its entire body had no intact skin; it was a bloody mess, its wretched state chilling to the bone. It lay there face down, with two iron chains piercing through its shoulder blades, the ends of the chains fixed to the wall. Just by looking at the luster, one could tell they were no ordinary iron. Perhaps it had been confined for too long, as it seemed very bored, amusing itself with common Flame Kingdom arts. Firelight flickered in its hand, but its power was restrained, making it difficult to fully materialize.
The cold air was also emanating from its body.
Yan Chu was almost certain: this was the secret hidden in the ancestral hall!
Who was this important person that Xiao Qi had to secretly imprison them here, and in such a cruel manner? More importantly, with their shoulder blades pierced and their heart sealed by the solidified snow stone, they could still use magic. Their power was simply beyond common sense!
Yan Chu tried her best to calm herself, intending to turn and leave.
Just then, the person suddenly lifted their face.
A face too horrible to behold! It seemed as if it had been burned by fierce flames, disfigured beyond recognition. Its eyes, ears, nose, and mouth had almost no distinct boundaries; the entire head was like a scarred ball of flesh, utterly terrifying. Where its eyes should have been, there were two red eyeballs, emitting an extremely evil light, shooting directly at her.
“Come out,” the voice was surprisingly pleasant; it must have been a man. His tone carried a hint of roguishness. “Otherwise, I’ll scream.”
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