The four companions—Tang Lici, Yu Tuan’er, A’Shui, and Lin Bu—left the inn. Originally, they intended to escort Lin Bu to the main road so he could return home. However, Lin Bu absolutely refused to leave alone; he was determined to first help Tang Lici find the carriage holding Shen Langhun captive. A’Shui also couldn’t leave, as only she knew what patterns were carved on the horseshoe irons of Bai Suche’s two fine steeds. Since none of them were willing to part ways, the four people and one infant had to travel together, arriving at the valley bottom that had been burned beyond recognition by the great fire the night before.
Everything that had once existed in this valley bottom had been reduced to ashes. The sand, stone, and rock walls were charred black and cracked from the heat. Trees had turned to charcoal, and fragments of tent cloth hung from the blackened branches, fluttering lightly in the wind, creating a desolate and bleak scene. There was only one road leading away from this place. Tang Lici handed Xiao Taohong to Yu Tuan’er, asking her to protect the safety of the three companions, then walked ahead along that road for a distance before quickly returning.
As soon as Fengfeng saw him, she turned her head and burrowed into A’Shui’s embrace, unwilling to look at him again. Tang Lici’s eyes seemed to never acknowledge Fengfeng’s presence. He smiled gently and said, “There are too many hoofprints on the road ahead. Finding a clear hoofprint would be very difficult and time-consuming. But there’s only one road. If we go to where the road forks and the horses from the Pleasure House split up, we might be able to find some clues.”
“Then let’s go to the crossroads,” Yu Tuan’er replied without hesitation. “If we find the carriage, we can find Brother Shen.” Tang Lici said softly, “But ahead is a mountain path—a very long mountain path that goes through dense forests and streams. Miss A’Shui and Master Lin, I’m afraid…” His gaze slowly swept across both their faces, stopping on A’Shui’s face. “Miss, please draw the horseshoe patterns for me to see, then I’ll escort you both back.”
Lin Bu immediately shook his head. “Traversing mountains and crossing waters is commonplace for me.” A’Shui pondered for a moment, then also shook her head. “Perhaps seeing the traces will help me remember more clues that could help you find the Pleasure House’s current hideout. After all, I lived in the Pleasure House for several months. I’m very familiar with the Eastern Princess, Western Princess, and even Yu Qifeng.”
“In that case, let’s do this,” Tang Lici smiled slightly. “Miss Yu will carry you on her back, and I’ll carry Master Lin. This way we can move more conveniently.” A’Shui was startled, but Yu Tuan’er had already clapped her hands and laughed, “Excellent! This way we won’t have to wait for you two to walk slowly.” A’Shui nodded, securely fastening Fengfeng to her back with her sash. Yu Tuan’er carried her on her back, Tang Lici carried Lin Bu, and the two of them deployed their movement techniques, leaping forward along the forest trail.
The long, muddy trail was covered with hoofprint traces and wheel ruts from carts. But since hoofprints pressed over the wheel tracks, and footprints were on top of the hoofprints, it was impossible to distinguish which horse or which cart had left which traces. However, judging from the marks left behind, quite a few people and horses had fled from this place.
After pursuing for more than three li, Yu Tuan’er was beginning to breathe slightly heavily. Tang Lici slowed his pace a bit, supporting her lower back with his right hand to help her sprint forward. Running while carrying someone relied most heavily on waist strength. With his assistance, Yu Tuan’er rallied her spirits and rushed straight ahead. The two of them ran without stopping, crossing over a mountain ridge to reach the crossroads of the mountain path.
At the crossroads, the hoofprints and footprints still headed in the same direction. There were fewer footprints—perhaps some people had leaped through the treetops—but the cart tracks remained clearly distinguishable. Among the countless hoofprints, several were slightly larger than ordinary horses, with groove patterns at the front edge that resembled flowers yet weren’t flowers, resembled grass yet weren’t grass. A’Shui nodded to Tang Lici. This was Bai Suche’s carriage, pulled by two snow-white, magnificent, tall horses.
The road became increasingly spacious, and Bai Suche’s horses’ hoofprints were clearly discernible. Soon, these wheel and hoof tracks turned toward another fork in the road, separating from the human footprints and entering a dense forest. Tang Lici and Yu Tuan’er penetrated the forest. The road was overgrown with weeds, making the hoofprints no longer clearly visible, but they could see the crushing marks extending inward. At another crossroads, the hoof and wheel tracks suddenly split in two directions. However, on a tree branch at the rightward fork, a wisp of white silk fragments was hanging. Tang Lici smiled slightly and went right. Before them lay a downward mountain road. After crossing this ridge, they could see a small town spread out before their eyes.
In front of the town stood a stone tablet inscribed with the two characters “Chengfeng” (Riding the Wind). This small town was probably called Chengfeng Town.
A carriage draped with white curtains and pulled by two snow-white horses was emerging from the gates of an estate titled “Wangting Manor,” turning eastward. Yu Tuan’er exclaimed, “Is that the carriage? But look how lightly the hooves are running—the carriage must be empty.” Lin Bu climbed down from Tang Lici’s back. “The red string hanging from the window is gone.” A’Shui also dismounted from Yu Tuan’er’s back and asked quietly, “Red string?”
“There used to be a thin red string hanging from this carriage’s window,” Lin Bu pointed in the direction the carriage had gone. “But now it’s missing.”
Perhaps the red string was used to indicate whether there was anyone inside the carriage. All four sets of eyes turned toward “Wangting Manor.” If this ordinary-looking courtyard was one of the Pleasure House’s strongholds, then Shen Langhun was very likely inside.
“Master Tang, what do you plan to do?” Lin Bu gazed at the manor, feeling somewhat restless. “There are probably ambushes inside. I think it’s not wise to force our way in.” Tang Lici looked at the manor with an extremely gentle smile. “I won’t force my way in.” He patted Lin Bu’s shoulder, pushing him behind A’Shui. “You three find a place to hide first. Don’t cause trouble.” Yu Tuan’er’s eyes flickered. “I’ll protect them.” Tang Lici smiled and patted her head. “You must listen to your Sister A’Shui.” Yu Tuan’er gripped the hilt of Xiao Taohong. “How will you get inside?”
Tang Lici took a silver pellet from his robes and handed it to A’Shui. It was a smoke bomb that, when thrown forcefully to the ground, would not only release smoke but also explode into a red signal shooting skyward—used for emergency contact by the Central Plains Sword Society. A’Shui accepted the silver pellet, having seen this item on Haoyun Mountain and knowing its purpose. Tang Lici didn’t explain the signal flare’s function. He similarly reached out to stroke A’Shui’s head, his five fingers seeming extraordinarily gentle as they caressed. A’Shui didn’t dodge, only sighed and asked with a smile, “How will you get inside?”
“By knocking on the door,” Tang Lici said softly. “I’ve never been a malicious visitor.” His right hand had just lifted from her head when he reached into his robes again, taking out another item and inserting it into A’Shui’s hair knot. A’Shui was slightly startled. Yu Tuan’er leaned over to look—it was a silver hairpin shaped like a ruyi scepter. Though simple in design, its patterns were intricate. It was a very antique and magnificent silver pin that bore some resemblance to the “Bone-Cleansing Silver Bracelet” on Tang Lici’s wrist. “It’s a hairpin…” She had always loved beautiful things, and seeing A’Shui suddenly possess such a lovely hairpin filled her with envy.
Tang Lici said softly, “This hairpin is called ‘Heart-Cleansing Ruyi.'” A’Shui reached up to steady the silver pin. Her face had been smiling, but now she could no longer smile. Before she could speak, Tang Lici took out a small jade bracelet from his clothes and smiled at Yu Tuan’er. “This bracelet is called ‘Never Abandon,’ meaning love deep as the sea, never leaving, never forsaking.” Yu Tuan’er accepted the jade bracelet and put it on her hand. The bracelet was crystal clear and translucent, colored like water, and extremely beautiful. Yu Tuan’er was overjoyed and couldn’t help laughing. “Such beautiful, beautiful things…”
Seeing her dancing with joy, Tang Lici smiled faintly. The mountain wind blew, causing his clothes and hair to flutter as he turned and headed toward Wangting Manor down the mountain.
The Heart-Cleansing Ruyi hairpin and Never Abandon bracelet—although A’Shui had never heard the great names of these two accessories, since they were in Tang Lici’s possession, these two items were undoubtedly extremely valuable. People say that young masters exchange a single pearl for a beauty’s smile or light beacon fires that topple kingdoms—such things are absurd and demoralizing, but…
But actually, for women, having someone willing to do such things, regardless of what thoughts motivate them, is always… very… very…