Xiuyu Peony Tower.

“Mmph mmph mmph mmph mmph, mmph mmph mmph mmph mmph…”

In room number five of the Peony Tower, on a brocade couch, a person was tied up like a rice dumpling with mulberry paper pasted over his mouth, still cursing incessantly. Another person stood coldly to one side, holding a teacup and quietly drinking tea. A red-robed young maid stood nearby, unable to help covering her mouth and laughing, “What is he saying?” The tea-drinking person said coldly, “Nothing but nonsense like ‘let your grandfather go’ and such.” The red-robed maid giggled softly, looking at the person on the bed, “I heard he fought several hundred moves with the Master—a very formidable enemy. I also heard he’s Sister Bai’s fiancé.”

“The Master is a hundred times better than him.” The tea-drinking person wore plain white robes with a sword at her side—this was Bai Suche. “He’s just a fool.” The red-robed maid said, “Sister Hong told you to watch him. If he escapes, she’ll definitely give you trouble.” Bai Suche said flatly, “So—I won’t let him escape.”

Chi Yun on the bed fell silent instead, staring coldly at the ceiling beams with wide eyes, motionless. The red-robed maid brought up a bowl of bird’s nest soup and slowly withdrew.

Bai Suche pressed her hand on her blade and slowly walked to the bedside, looking at Chi Yun whose martial arts were sealed and who was tied up completely. Chi Yun looked at her coldly once, then closed his eyes and mouth, treating her like a stone.

When they first met years ago, this person was arrogant and dashing, with one blade having the momentum to block ten thousand troops. However… even when he was at his most glorious, she had never fallen in love with him. Bai Suche stared intently at Chi Yun. What she wanted was a man stronger than herself who could guide her direction forward. Unfortunately, she herself was already too strong.

Chi Yun… was a child with very high martial arts. She… didn’t have the patience to wait for a child to grow into a strong person.

She gently touched the mulberry paper pasted over Chi Yun’s mouth, then stood straight and gazed out the window, lost in thought.

Through the mulberry paper, her fingers could still feel a trace of warmth. Chi Yun closed his eyes. What kind of woman was Bai Suche exactly? He had never seriously tried to understand her. His previous impressions were also vague—she was just Bai Yuming’s daughter. Shouldn’t Bai Yuming’s daughter be a wealthy young lady with weak martial arts and only beauty, or a refined lady from a great family? Why was she this kind of woman who betrayed her homeland without care, who was in an evil cult wielding significant power? How could Chi Yun’s wife be like this? However… if this evil woman wasn’t so scheming and bloodthirsty, this way would be much better than a wealthy young lady or refined family daughter… But why did she have to join the Romantic Shop… He suddenly opened his eyes. Bai Suche wasn’t looking at him as he had imagined, and his heart was immediately filled with dissatisfaction. What exactly was she thinking about?

“If you could guess what I’m thinking, perhaps—I would marry you.” Bai Suche gazed into the distance and suddenly said coldly, “Too bad—you’ll never guess.” She could count clearly what Chi Yun was thinking. Chi Yun suddenly spat, using force to expel the mulberry paper stuck to his mouth, and coughed, “Cough cough… am I really that simple?” Bai Suche slowly turned around, looking coldly at him on the bed, “What do you think?”

“I think—even if I’m as simple as a cabbage, I’m still a hundred times better than an ungrateful, shameless woman.” Chi Yun said coldly, “You’re fucking completely worthless!” Bai Suche raised her hand with a “slap” and gave him a slap. Chi Yun glared angrily, “Stinking woman! Bastard!” Bai Suche raised her palm again, “Say one word and I’ll slap you once. How many slaps you get depends on your mouth.” Chi Yun cursed furiously, “Damn it, when have you heard of Boss Chi being threatened by anyone? Stinking woman!” Bai Suche’s face showed no expression as she delivered another heavy slap to Chi Yun’s face with a “slap,” immediately raising bruises.

Just when Chi Yun thought this stinking woman would slap him to death with another palm, Bai Suche suddenly withdrew her hand. A light “click” sound came from outside the door as a blue-robed woman slowly entered, “Susu, what are you doing?” Bai Suche said flatly, “Nothing.” The blue-robed woman walked lightly. Chi Yun forced his swollen eyes open and saw the newcomer had snow-white skin and clear, refined features—very familiar. After a while, he cried out in recognition. He remembered who this person was! This blue-robed woman was the household courtesan who made the Ice Leopard Marquis abandon his wife and children, and after the Ice Leopard Marquis died, this woman was taken by the black-robed pipa player. Her name was A’Shui.

She was Fengfeng’s mother…

Under the candlelight, the blue-robed woman approaching lightly still had proper features. Though far inferior to Miss Hong’s sorrowful charm, Bai Suche’s ethereal grace, or Zhong Chunji’s delicate beauty, she had her own bearing that made observers feel at peace and calm. This was A’Shui. Chi Yun glanced at her once and turned his head away. Though this woman’s appearance was merely refined, she was naturally possessed of inner beauty—better to look less.

“He’s already had his pressure points sealed. Why do you still need to tie him up?” A’Shui approached the bedside, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, “Did he tie these?” Bai Suche said flatly, “Correct.” A’Shui untied the ropes, “If he asks, tell him I untied them.” Bai Suche picked up the bowl of bird’s nest soup and took a sip, “You’ve always been bold. Don’t think that just because the Master always indulges you, maybe someday…” A’Shui smiled faintly, “Are you warning me?” Bai Suche turned her head away and said coldly, “Not a warning, just a caution. Relying on the Master’s favor and acting so carelessly, someday no one will be able to protect you. You’ll be torn to pieces by those women who are infatuated with him.” A’Shui smiled slightly, “I’m an inauspicious person. Being torn to pieces might be good for everyone. By the way, I came to notify you that Young Master Tang is coming for the feast tonight. Fu Cui says… you should arrange troops and kill Young Master Tang.” Bai Suche placed the bird’s nest soup on the table and said flatly, “Oh? Besides Little Hong, the Eastern Princess also wants to try a different approach to test me—whether I’m the traitor from the Azure Mountain Cliff defeat?” A’Shui’s eyes flowed, “Maybe…” Bai Suche said coldly, “You also want to test whether I’m a traitor?” A’Shui smiled slightly, “Maybe in their hearts, I’m the most likely to be a traitor, but they just can’t say it.” “That’s also true. You were never one of us to begin with.” Bai Suche said flatly, “You’d better go back to the Master’s room to sweep the floor, lest he return and not find you, then lose his temper again.” A’Shui nodded, glanced at Chi Yun once, and slowly left.

Hearing her departure, Chi Yun suddenly spat on the ground, “If Bai Yuming heard what you said, he’d definitely commit suicide on the spot! Killing Tang Lici—you’re fucking daydreaming!” Bai Suche’s expression didn’t change as she said coldly, “My mother was virtuous and kind, completely different from me. You can curse me when you’re angry, but why curse my mother?” Chi Yun was speechless with anger, having been retorted by her and finding himself unable to respond. Bai Suche drew her Severing Vows blade, the blade light flickering coldly on the edge, “Why couldn’t I kill Tang Lici? To kill someone, one doesn’t necessarily rely entirely on martial arts. Just like if I wanted to kill you…” She gently placed the blade edge against Chi Yun’s neck, lightly cutting a bloody line, “That would also be very easy.”

Chi Yun looked at her coldly, as if looking at a madman.

Just then, another light “click” came from outside the door as someone walked into the room. Though this person walked in, Chi Yun heard no sound at all, as if only his eyes saw this person enter while his ears had no response—the only sound heard was the door opening.

Bai Suche turned around to look at the newcomer. The person wore pink clothing with light peach blossom embroidery, elegant in style with exquisitely beautiful needlework. A pair of white embroidered shoes were adorned with bright pearls. Tall and slender in build, this was an absolutely beautiful young woman. Bai Suche said flatly, “Western Princess.”

The pink-clothed peach-robed woman nodded slightly, “Tang Lici will definitely come to rescue this person tonight. What are your plans?” Bai Suche raised the Severing Vows blade in her hand. After being stained with blood, the blade had a strange green glow, “I’ve applied Spring Water Jade to this person. As long as Tang Lici touches him once, he’ll be poisoned. Then I’ll arrange eighteen white-robed assassins to surround and kill him. After he fights his way out, I’ll pretend to rescue him, then finish him off at the end.” The peach-robed woman was noncommittal, her bright eyes moving slightly, “I heard Little Hong tried the bowstring killing technique on this person but failed?” Bai Suche said, “Who knows if she really gave her all? However, some people in the world are naturally tone-deaf, which is also helpless.” The peach-robed woman took the Severing Vows blade from her hand for a look, then suddenly said, “For tonight’s plan, you need not act.” She said gently and quite gracefully, “I’ll handle it.” Bai Suche looked at her once, retrieved her Severing Vows blade, and bowed slightly, “As the Princess commands.” The peach-robed woman left with hands behind her back. From when she entered to when she left, she never even glanced at Chi Yun.

“Who is this person?” Chi Yun had stared at her firmly for a long time and couldn’t help asking, “Is she a man or woman?” Bai Suche looked at him strangely, “In what way does she resemble a man?” Chi Yun said, “She looks exactly like ‘One Peach Three Colors’ from the ‘Seven Flower Cloud Wanderers.’ I’ve fought with that boy, so naturally I recognize him.” Bai Suche said curiously, “You’re saying she is One Peach Three Colors?” Chi Yun stared, “The One Peach Three Colors I know is a man, but she’s a woman. Maybe they’re siblings.” Bai Suche’s expression gradually became deep as she pondered, “She… is called Xifang Tao. The Romantic Shop has Eastern and Western Princesses. The Eastern Princess is Fu Cui, and the Western Princess is this person… So she, she is One Peach Three Colors… But…” She seemed to suddenly have countless questions but couldn’t answer them. Her expression changed several times before she slowly said, “You absolutely cannot speak of this matter.” With these words, her fingers struck like wind, sealing Chi Yun’s mute pressure point again.

In the main hall of Xiuyu Peony Tower where tea was served, two women sat tonight—one in white robes with a simple hair arrangement, one in emerald robes with pearl ornaments. The white-robed woman was elegant as a fairy, the emerald-robed woman fat as a pear—one beautiful, one ugly, extremely conspicuous. Tea customers at other seats kept glancing over and discussing quietly.

They were waiting for Tang Lici, but unexpectedly, even after the last customer left Xiuyu Peony Tower and the moon passed overhead, Tang Lici never came.

Miss Hong looked thoughtfully at the tea that had long grown cold on the table. Fu Cui had already reduced the roasted suckling pig before him to a pile of white bones and was picking his teeth with fine bones. He laughed coolly, “Could it be that both of us calculated wrong? Chi Yun doesn’t count as bait to him?” Miss Hong lightly pressed her lips, “Or—it’s too obvious as bait, so he doesn’t dare come? But with Tang Lici’s confidence, it shouldn’t be…” She spoke halfway when she suddenly started, “No, he must have already come!” Fu Cui made a sound of acknowledgment, “How so?” Miss Hong stood up, “We were careless and negligent. Quickly go upstairs to see what’s happened…”

Before Fu Cui could respond, someone was already hurrying down from upstairs, “Miss Hong! No one broke into Xiuyu Peony Tower tonight, but… but A’Shui is missing, and there’s a letter left on the table in the Master’s room…” Fu Cui extended his hand. Though clearly still two zhang away, the person suddenly saw stars and the letter in his hand had vanished. Fu Cui unfolded the letter. The paper was first-class water-dyed snow paper, but the writing wasn’t very good. Though the character bones were proper, the ink application and brush technique were somewhat lacking—this was Tang Lici’s writing. The letter read: “Clear wind and bright moon, lotus dropping dew, beneath the hibiscus pool, meeting a beauty. Rising sun warm and bright, red pavilion ten li, under the lovesick tree, trading person for person.” Below was the character Tang, written with some flair.

“I calculated everything, only planning for him to come to the appointment, never thinking he would secretly send someone to deliver a letter and lure A’Shui out.” Miss Hong gritted her teeth, “How does he know that girl is… is…” She turned her head away, unwilling to continue. Liu Yan was absolutely beautiful with a unique melancholic and bewitching temperament. His behavior was casual and unrestrained—sometimes gentle and considerate, sometimes cold and indifferent, sometimes bold and unrestrained, sometimes melancholy and deep. He truly made many inexperienced young women lose their souls, especially since Liu Yan was talented and romantic, playing qin and composing poetry, singing compositions into songs, making people utterly enchanted. Though Miss Hong had a heart full of schemes and strategies, she was still captivated by Liu Yan. Yet Liu Yan inexplicably became infatuated with a woman who was not only unremarkable in appearance but also had no particular talents. Moreover, this woman was not of pure status but was another’s household courtesan of extremely humble position. How could this not make her deeply resentful? Fu Cui laughed heartily, “How does he know that girl is Little Liu’s heart’s treasure? I think Tang Lici is also a frequent visitor to pleasure quarters. Maybe with more experience, he can tell with one glance what kind of relationship Little Liu and A’Shui have, hahahaha…” Miss Hong’s face turned pale as she secretly gritted her teeth and lowered her head without speaking. Fu Cui tsk-tsked, “Poor woman’s heart—even though that person is clearly a love rival, for Little Liu’s sake you still have to think of ways to get her back. Actually in your heart you wish she were dead—truly tragic, tragic.” Miss Hong said in a low voice, “You never… never…” Fu Cui laughed loudly, “I never became infatuated with any handsome young man, so I don’t understand the feeling in your heart? Even when I used to like women, I would reach out and grab them, killing them if they didn’t comply—quick and decisive. Where was such motherly trouble?” Miss Hong bit her lip, avoiding an answer, the expression between her brows becoming increasingly melancholy.

“Speaking of which, where did that Western Beauty go?” Fu Cui put one fat foot on the chair, seeing Miss Hong’s distress seemed to make him quite happy, “With such a big mistake upstairs, didn’t she notice? Haha.” At the stairway, Bai Suche slowly descended, saying flatly, “A’Shui is missing, and the Western Princess is also missing. I guess she saw A’Shui go out alone, became suspicious, and followed.”

“That means—perhaps we haven’t lost everything.” Fu Cui smiled more and more like a fat pig that had stolen pork, “Maybe there’s still a chance to turn things around.” Miss Hong’s brows furrowed slightly. Regarding Xifang Tao pursuing and following, she seemed to have no confidence.