Mudan smiled and said, “Thank you for your kind offer, but I’m in no hurry. Please attend to your business first.”
Princess Qinghua unexpectedly stepped forward and grabbed Mudan, saying, “Don’t be so polite. I have some private words to share with you.”
Knowing Qinghua’s ill intentions, Mudan had no intention of going with her. Thinking quickly, she looked at Princess Kangcheng and said, “This humble woman hasn’t yet thanked the Princess for her kindness. Perhaps the Imperial Princess could find another time?”
Princess Kangcheng frowned slightly and said calmly to Qinghua, “Qinghua, find another time to speak with her. Today, I’d like her to accompany me for a walk and conversation.”
Qinghua thought to herself that her aunt was always meddling, acting as if she were the Goddess of Mercy, showering benevolence on all. She curled her lip in a slight sneer and said, “Your niece obeys.” She bowed to Kangcheng like a man, took the riding crop from her maid, and strode out of the pavilion.
Mudan bowed deeply to Princess Kangcheng, who accepted it graciously and said, “Come to the Princess’s mansion in Anxing Ward at the hour of Si tomorrow. I’ll have someone accompany you to collect the divorce papers from the Liu family.” She then stood and said to the group, “Weren’t we going to enjoy ourselves? Let’s go.”
The women erupted in laughter and chatter, surrounding Princess Kangcheng as they left the pavilion. Mudan lagged behind, calling Yuhe over. She gestured to Madam Xue and the others who had been anxiously waiting, indicating they should return home. They all sighed in relief, but Mudan lamented the waste of such a fine day, forced to accompany unfamiliar people.
Outside, the streets were ablaze with lanterns. People gathered in groups of five, some watching performances, others donning animal masks and dancing to their own drumbeats, while some chased each other playfully. It was a lively scene. As they approached Pingkang Ward, the group began to disperse to seek their own entertainment. Lady Bai approached Mudan and said, “The Princess knows you’re uncomfortable and says you may leave.”
Mudan smiled, “It’s not convenient for me to visit your residence to thank you, so I’ll have to wait for a more appropriate time. Princess Kangcheng probably wanted to help Qinghua, but without your mediation, it wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.”
Lady Bai waved her hand dismissively, “Don’t worry about it. It was just a fortunate coincidence that you caught the Princess’s eye.”
Suddenly, a young man in a crimson round-collared robe and a demon mask crept up behind them. He playfully blew a puff of air onto Lady Bai’s neck and chuckled, “My dear wife, I had no idea you were so helpful. How does it feel to do such things behind my back?”
Lady Bai’s face stiffened slightly, but she turned to face Pan Rong calmly, saying nothing. Pan Rong’s eyes glittered behind his mask. Mudan felt extremely awkward but couldn’t say anything, so she just stood by.
After a moment of tense silence, Pan Rong finally gave in. He removed his mask and grumbled, “No fun at all. I wore this to scare you, but neither of you reacted. Listen, women should act like women. Don’t think that just because you wear men’s clothes and ride horses that you’re actually a man. You should still be afraid when it’s appropriate. That’s what men like.” He then turned to Mudan aggressively, “You’ve disrupted our marriage. Don’t you want to do something to make amends?”
Mudan decided to feign ignorance and deflect blame onto Princess Qinghua, reasoning that Qinghua must have asked Princess Kangcheng for help. She blinked innocently and said, “What did I do? Is it wrong for me to speak with your wife?”
Pan Rong said impatiently, “Come on, women are born liars. I don’t believe either of you. I’m not stupid.”
Lady Bai said, “Danniangm you should go now.”
Pan Rong sneered, “Oh, ‘Danniang,’ how intimate! Do you call her Axing too?”
Before Mudan could answer, Lady Bai said, “That wouldn’t be inappropriate. Danniang, from now on, call me Axing. Don’t call me ‘madam’ anymore; it’s too formal. I’ll come visit you again soon. Remember what you promised me.”
Feeling completely disregarded, Pan Rong’s anger flared. He threw his mask to the ground forcefully. Seeing Lady Bai’s usual cold indifference, he stomped his feet in frustration and turned to leave. After a few steps, he ran back, his face dark, and said to Lady Bai, “Your husband orders you to accompany him for a stroll!” Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her arm and dragged her away.
Seeing this, Mudan knew there was no real danger. She found Pan Rong’s childish behavior amusing and couldn’t help but laugh, earning a fierce glare from him. Mudan and Yuhe walked arm in arm to find He Dalang and the others. They hadn’t gone far when a group of people wearing demon masks and bizarre costumes approached, beating drums and dancing. Mudan, who had been laughing earlier, slowly sensed something amiss. These people were staring at her intently, their gazes unsettling. One man in particular, tall and wearing red baggy pants, kept pressing towards her. His movements were aggressive, his drumming deafeningly loud, and his eyes gleamed behind his mask.
Mudan looked around anxiously. The street was full of revelers, with many similar groups. Some women, having shed their usual restraint behind masks, were also shouting and dancing. Though these men hadn’t made physical contact yet, Mudan felt uneasy. She feared that crying out would make her seem inexperienced and draw no help. Deciding it was best to avoid them, she tugged Yuhe’s arm and ran towards the crowded areas. The masked group exchanged glances and gave chase. In the festive chaos, no one paid attention.
Mudan and Yuhe ran frantically. Suddenly, they heard someone call out, “Isn’t that Danniang? Our young master has been looking everywhere for you.”
Overjoyed, Mudan and Yuhe looked up to see a handsome young man standing by the street. It was Luoshan, Li Xing’s servant. They hurried over, and Mudan asked, “Where’s my cousin?” Looking back, she saw the group had stopped, now just frolicking nearby, not daring to approach. The man in red baggy pants set down his drum, bent over, and lifted a similarly strong companion by the waist, tossing him up and down playfully, demonstrating his great strength.
Assuming Li Xing had been made drunk in celebration of his successful horse dance, Mudan asked Luoshan as they walked towards the viewing pavilion, “Is it serious?”
Luoshan replied worriedly, “Very. The young master has never drunk so much.”
Mudan frowned, “Then why haven’t you taken him home for sobering soup? Why are you letting him wander the streets?”
Luoshan’s eyes reddened, and he choked out, “He came because he was worried about you. Please come see him. He’s eaten something strange and isn’t himself. Brother Cangshan has gone to find a doctor… If anything happens to him, we’ll be beaten to death.”
Seeing Li Xing’s flushed face and weakness, Mudan was shocked. “Cousin, what’s wrong with you?” Without hesitation, she felt his forehead, which was alarmingly hot. This didn’t seem like ordinary drunkenness, but more like an illness.
Feeling the cool touch on his forehead, Li Xing struggled to open his eyes. He smiled weakly at Mudan and said softly, “Don’t be afraid. It’s nothing, I just drank too much.”
Suddenly, they heard a commotion outside. Someone seemed to be searching for someone, and one voice was particularly familiar – it was Liu Chang’s. Li Xing’s expression changed. He instructed Luoshan to check outside and whispered to Mudan, “Run quickly, someone has set a trap!”
Without time to think, Mudan looked around, and she and Yuhe ran to the side, lifted the curtain, and jumped down. Once on the ground, they didn’t linger but ran as fast as they could towards the crowded streets.
Just as Mudan and Yuhe jumped down, the curtain was forcefully lifted. Liu Chang shoved Luoshan to the ground and brandished his sword at the homeowner, forcing everyone back. He looked inside with a cold face, seeing Li Xing’s flushed face and unfocused eyes. Liu Chang laughed coldly, sheathed his sword, and approached Li Xing menacingly. He roughly pulled open Li Xing’s collar, exposing his bare chest.
Li Xing closed his eyes briefly and said softly, “How does harming her benefit you?”
Liu Chang laughed coldly without answering. He raised his sheathed sword and struck Li Xing forcefully about a dozen times, slightly venting his anger. Then, composing himself, he walked to the curtain and said, “He’s here, and he seems quite ill.”
Qi Yuzhu bit her handkerchief repeatedly, but finally stepped inside. Seeing Li Xing’s half-exposed chest, she blushed and turned away slightly, exclaiming, “Cousin!”
A flash of impatience crossed Liu Chang’s brow, but he smiled and said softly, “Think carefully. Once you cross this line, there’s no going back. Instead of finding ways to attend the same banquets as him or secretly watching him near his shop, why not seize this opportunity? You don’t need to do anything, just sit by his side and wait.”
His tone was full of temptation. Qi Yuzhu hesitated, lowering her long lashes and unconsciously biting her handkerchief again. But Liu Chang couldn’t wait any longer. He pushed her aside, lifted the curtain, and jumped down to chase after Mudan. Pan Rong had said it was a dead end, but he refused to believe it. Tonight, he would turn defeat into victory!