Who am I? Where am I? What happened?

Why break into song without warning?

Downstairs, Zhao San stood with his back to the small building on the covered walkway, listening to the faint singing drifting down from above.

Back then, he had also stood in this very position, listening to this same song.

He had also been upstairs, watching a pair of drunkards embracing each other, saying they wanted to sleep.

He had also been driven out of the room together by this pair of drunkards.

At that time, both he and Mu Si were there. His Majesty’s cross-dressing career was still thriving, busily deceiving and being deceived by the male-dressed boss.

At that time, Chi Xue and Dan Shuang were both there. Dan Shuang and Mu Si were like a pair of increasingly fierce trolls, hurling insults with flashing swords and sabers, while he and Chi Xue worked together to extinguish fires, mediate, smooth things over, and say nice things for the two trolls.

At that time, all four of them thought about dying for their master’s humiliation, all staring fiercely at the other side, all thinking about how to seek compensation if their own master was taken advantage of.

In the blink of an eye.

Coming like wind and rain, departing like fine dust.

From then on.

The parted phoenix harbors resentment, the passing geese carry no letters.

Upstairs, Tie Ci changed to another tune: “Jade brazier, ice lily, mandarin duck brocade, powder melting fragrant sweat flowing on the mountain pillow, the sound of pulley outside the curtain, frowning and smiling in surprise; willow shade misty and vast, low temples and cicada hairpins falling, must make a lifetime’s gamble, exhaust all of today’s joy…”

In the flower beds in front of the covered walkway downstairs, there was also the sound of slight breaking.

Zhao San lowered his eyes.

This sound was extremely faint, but suddenly a gust of wind swept down, its momentum heavy and surging, rushing past and causing Zhao San, who was standing at the stairway, to stagger.

Before he could steady himself, he saw the Great Qian Emperor had already swept into the flower garden outside the covered walkway, silent as she flicked her sleeve.

With a whoosh, a fierce wind arose, mud splattered, flower branches rose and fell, and broken petals and scattered leaves flew everywhere in the sky, with clods of earth and debris rustling down on Zhao San’s head.

Zhao San: “…”

Was this breaking into a tantrum and overturning the flower garden?

Turning to look at Di Yiwei, Di Yiwei was also dumbfounded.

Since she had known Tie Ci, no matter what storms and hardships came, she had always seen a composed and dignified Tie Ci.

One could say she was a steady model who remained unchanged even if Mount Tai collapsed before her.

But tonight, the Tie Ci in Di Yiwei’s heart seemed to be slowly crumbling.

Drinking, singing, singing risqué songs, and now having a drunken fit while digging up flower gardens.

What’s next, stripping naked and dancing the Paradise Dance?

In the flower garden, Tie Ci didn’t move at all, with broken branches and scattered leaves also falling on her head.

Only leaving behind a patch of empty land.

Tie Ci silently looked at that patch of land. After a moment, she made a strange gesture.

She bent down and smelled that patch of earth.

Di Yiwei’s vision went dark, thinking, it’s over.

Now she’s completely lost it.

However, what made her feel relieved was that after Tie Ci finished smelling the earth, she straightened up.

She gazed at the dark night ahead and the lights of the mortal world in the distance beyond the darkness. Her eyes were black and deep, seeming to hide the night’s obscurity and countless secrets that were close at hand yet impossible to unveil.

Finally, she slowly turned around.

The moment she turned.

The mud, earth, and flower leaves on her hair and clothes all fell away, and her rolled-up sleeves dropped down.

Her steps returning were calm and steady, even the distance between steps was exactly the same.

As if that composed and tranquil emperor had returned.

Except she was draped in moonlight and carried the fragrance of wine on her sleeve.

…

Zhao San didn’t dare to speak with the Great Qian Emperor, not knowing whether she was sober or not, and focused on being a tool person to lead the way.

Ahead was a village.

Tie Ci looked for a while, then took the lead and walked in.

When she had walked down that road to Lingquan Village back then, her eyes had been damaged by smoke and she couldn’t see the road clearly, but she remembered the terrain.

“Auntie, my husband and I got lost while crossing mountains to find relatives. Where is this place?”

“Lingquan Village! Oh, there’s a spiritual spring nearby? Since we’ve encountered it, let’s go soak in it too.”

“Ah, you ask why the man is holding the child? That’s my son-in-law who married into the family – if he doesn’t hold the child, who will!”

…

Tie Ci suddenly chuckled.

Her laugh made Di Yiwei look at her in surprise, thinking she was having another drunken fit.

After entering the village, Tie Ci walked into the first small courtyard on the left.

Lanterns hung on all four sides, illuminating this area like daylight.

Tie Ci skillfully found the string of garlic hanging on the wall, rubbed off the skin, went into the house to find oil and perilla leaves, coated the garlic with them, lit a fire, and casually drew Di Yiwei’s sword, placing the garlic on it to roast.

Di Yiwei: “…”

Although my sword is generally just for show, it’s still a general’s sword, not a roasting pan, okay?

If you roast my sword, what am I supposed to use?

Also, which bastard did you learn this trick from? Using a sword to roast garlic? Aren’t you afraid of divine retribution?

But without asking, Di Yiwei knew who she had learned it from, and couldn’t help but sigh.

Indeed, someone deserving of divine retribution.

Di Yiwei thought about how she had once briefly taken a liking to that person, thought carefully for a moment, and smacked her lips regretfully.

Honestly, she still quite liked him now.

…

Tie Ci was roasting garlic but couldn’t help letting her mind wander. Suddenly smelling a faint burnt odor, she quickly withdrew the sword, but the garlic was still burnt.

She wasn’t regretful and casually threw the garlic onto a clean wooden table, telling Di Yiwei she’d compensate her with a meteoric iron sword later, then went to rummage through someone’s pot again. Sure enough, she found several cold steamed buns and tucked them into her sleeve to take away.

The satisfied Di Yiwei followed behind her, chattering about what style she wanted her meteoric iron sword to be while secretly trying to steal that roasted garlic to taste what it was like, only to have her paw precisely swatted away by Tie Ci, who didn’t even turn her head.

After Tie Ci pocketed those steamed buns and left, she turned a corner and reached Dong Dezi’s house. Anyway, the route, layout, and even the details of the houses were all the same. A fire burned in the stove, and six people’s bowls and chopsticks were set on the table, as if the owners were still there and would come to eat at any moment.

Dong Dezi’s kitchen was in a small shed built outside the house. Tie Ci glanced at it, then looked at the transplanted large tree at the entrance of Dong Dezi’s house. This tree was actually about the same species as the one at the entrance of Dong Dezi’s house in Lingquan Village back then.

Di Yiwei watched in amazement as His Majesty the Emperor climbed the tree, then watched in even greater amazement as Tie Ci felt around and pulled out a nest of bird eggs from the tree.

What kind of weather was this for bird eggs to be available?

Di Yiwei couldn’t quite figure out this problem and woodenly watched Tie Ci pocket the bird eggs and enter the kitchen. The fire was already lit in the stove. Tie Ci personally cooked, slicing the steamed buns, cracking and beating the bird eggs, coating the steamed bun slices with them, oiling the pan bottom, and frying them one by one.

Tie Ci didn’t mess up this dish. The aroma wafted out, and Di Yiwei felt hungry. However, looking at the fried bird egg steamed bun slices and roasted garlic served on the table, she wisely didn’t reach for them this time.

After Tie Ci finished making this dish, she thought for a while. Back then, Murong Yi had also used wild bird eggs to make soft-boiled eggs mixed with seasonings, which had an exceptional flavor. However, considering the difficulty of soft-boiled eggs, she didn’t replicate it.

Among the dishes Murong Yi had made, the one she was barely most familiar with was braised goose, which she hadn’t eaten for three years.

Looking out from the kitchen window toward the back, she could indeed see a small mountain behind, with a cave faintly visible halfway up the mountainside.

Opposite the kitchen was a narrow side room with no furniture inside, only a floor bed made of spread branches. Tie Ci stared at that neat and tidy floor bed for a while. Di Yiwei leaned against the doorway, puffing clouds of smoke while looking up and down at the blackened and mottled walls and rough bedding, clicking her tongue in wonder. After a good while, she asked: “You didn’t actually sleep on this bed, did you?”

Tie Ci smiled.

Di Yiwei looked at that single floor bed, thinking: one bed, two people – this sleep was quite… compromising!

You emperors really know how to have fun!

Tie Ci wandered around the village some more, from Aunt Li’s house to Ah Hei’s house, from the shepherd boy’s house to Lady Sun’s house, climbing over the wall behind Lady Sun’s yard to look at the pond where the fishing old man often fished.

Di Yiwei had no interest and focused on smoking. Occasionally she’d lift her head for a glance, thinking that even if it was a replica, it was just reminding oneself that things remained but people had changed – what was the benefit?

Then she shook her head again.

What is this thing called love that moves the world? Among them are especially foolish children.

She leaned against the door, her back to the northern summer night. In the distance, voices were bustling, and nearby, the Pagoda of All Beings was brilliantly lit. It was clearly a very lively place, but somehow, watching that figure, she couldn’t help but think of many past events, and many feelings of desolation arose in her heart.

As if someone was still leaning on her shoulder, with warm breath from temple hair brushing past her cheek, gradually growing cold in an instant.

“I hate that you never loved me.”

The murmur was close to her ear.

Di Yiwei lowered her head and took a puff of her cigarette, exhaling a cloud-like smoke ring. In the smoke ring, her face was pale and her eyes were misty.

Like seeing a dream that had long been startled awake.

…

Coming out of Lingquan Village, a river appeared ahead.

An arched bridge curved like the moon over the river, with light boats coming and going below.

On the light boats were mostly mountain women, with various mountain goods and fruits loaded at the stern.

Long, soft branches were inserted into the railings on the bridge, with various exquisite small lanterns tied to the branches and half strings of copper coins hanging from the tips.

Some people stood on the bridge, all wearing masks.

Some lowered the branches with copper coins tied to them from the bridge, and the mountain women in the boats would pull the willow branches, take off the money strings, and then tie small baskets of wild fruits made of rattan to the willow branches.

Their fingers were slender and long, and their gestures of taking money and tying objects were like threading flowers. Moonlight leaked through the gaps between their fingers, and the small lanterns on the willow branches illuminated their flower-like smiling faces.

The entire bridge was hung with lanterns, flowing light like a waterfall.

The lanterns dyed the curved bridge rouge red.

That night had once been carved into the beautiful dreams of so many people.

Tie Ci looked up at that bridge and stopped there for a very long time.

Just when Zhao San suspected she didn’t plan to climb the bridge, she finally slowly ascended.

Di Yiwei had already climbed the bridge first without any taboos, taking up the willow branch lantern strings with great interest to “fish” for the boat ladies below.

But the boat ladies didn’t cooperate, dodging with giggles, and some even chided with a smile: “Oh my, you clumsy thing, you hooked my nose!” Di Yiwei wasn’t angry either. After playing for a while, she leaned against the bridge railing and swayed over to Tie Ci’s side, whispering in her ear: “They all spoke – they’re all women, that person isn’t here.”

Tie Ci lay against the bridge railing with her hands clasped together, not taking up the willow branch lantern strings.

Even if the scenery was replicated, even if the same boat lady from Lingquan Village really came floating down the river, she wouldn’t lower the willow branches again.

Constantly indulging in the past only meant losing hope for the future.

She only looked forward.

She stood on the bridge, gazing at the wine house on the other side of the bridge. Even the wine house where she had once hosted guests had been moved here exactly as it was.

She remembered that there had been a storyteller downstairs in that wine house, and the story had revealed the whereabouts of Murong Duan, the second prince of Liaodong who was trapped at the time. Now suddenly thinking about it, Tong Rushi had once listened to the storytelling alone downstairs. Looking back now, this storytelling was probably done at his instruction.

He had arranged for the storyteller to reveal Murong Duan’s whereabouts, which attracted the Liaodong people and also brought assassination attempts against herself.

Some things had shown signs early on, but at the time they were shrouded in clouds and mist, and her eyes could only see that charming and enchanting boat lady.

Tie Ci slowly smiled.

Her gaze inadvertently turned to the distance. This area was separately enclosed, with walls separating it from the market outside. At this moment, she stood high and could see far, so she saw that beyond the wall, several people were curiously poking their heads around, and then Great Feng soldiers came forward to drive them away.

Not knowing which side had a bad attitude, they actually started arguing, drawing Tie Ci’s attention.

Tie Ci’s gaze sharpened.

She saw a familiar figure.

…

Qi Yuansi stood by the wall, his mask already lifted, desperately pulling at Naren Aya’s sleeve while continuously saying: “Enough, enough, that’s enough, let’s go, let’s go…”

Naren Aya resolutely pulled his hand away. She had clear-cut features and spoke decisively without appearing irritable, only staring directly at the Great Feng soldier in front of her and saying: “You must apologize to him.”

The Great Feng soldier glared fiercely and said: “This is my Great Feng’s important territory. Idle people are not allowed to approach within three zhang. It’s written clearly in black characters on white background on this wall. You didn’t look and barged in randomly. We didn’t pursue the matter, which is already good enough. What face do you have to ask me to apologize?”

Naren Aya stood her ground and said: “We didn’t come here on purpose. We were pushed over by the crowd. Your wall doesn’t have black characters on white background – it has white characters on white background, which can’t be seen clearly at all in the dark. Even if we were pushed to the wall, that was an unintentional mistake. It would be fine if you advised and drove us away, but how could you whip people? Aren’t you afraid of destroying the hard-won peace between Great Qian and Great Feng?”

When this was said, the soldier sneered coldly: “Peace? Don’t try to scare people with official talk. This Broken Mirror City was originally conquered by us and is a surrendered city offered by your Great Qian. Rightfully, my Great Feng should take precedence. The area inside here is forbidden territory designated by my Great Feng’s Majesty. If you approach, you should be imprisoned. Whipping you once is already light punishment!”

A captain-like person beside him looked at Naren Aya sideways and said sternly: “Exactly right. Get lost! Keep nagging and we’ll arrest you first!”

Qi Yuansi had originally been mediating on the side. He came from a powerful family in the capital and wasn’t usually someone who would keep the peace. It’s just that Broken Mirror City’s situation was special, and now it was the first night of the city opening celebration. He didn’t want to create any discord because of them that would make His Majesty’s job difficult later, so he had been trying hard to pull away the stubborn Naren Aya.

But hearing these words, his hand suddenly loosened.

Then he pushed Naren Aya behind him, stood in front of her himself, and pointed at the Great Feng soldiers opposite: “Broken Mirror City was never a surrendered city. It is Great Qian territory. At your country’s Majesty’s request, my country’s Majesty agreed to cooperate with Great Feng in building this city. The original peace negotiations were proposed by you, building Broken Mirror City was also first mentioned by you, and the continuous investment in the city was also your willing choice. Now you’re acting like what kind of king? Broken Mirror City is divided into north and south, with east and west markets – Great Qian and Great Feng each occupy half, and no one can overstep the other. If you insist on ranking high and low, then I am the host and you are the guest! On what basis does your Majesty unilaterally designate territory in the city? Then today I also want to designate territory in this city on behalf of my Majesty!”

He pointed with his hand, drawing a circle around himself, saying: “This is territory designated by my Majesty. Please also get far away from here!”

Coming from a noble background, he naturally had the bearing of a young master. With such harsh words spoken with righteous indignation, he immediately silenced the opposition.

The Great Feng soldiers were quiet for a moment, then the captain flew into a rage and shouted: “What are you? How dare you designate territory on behalf of the Great Qian Emperor!”

“I am the Great Qian Special Envoy to the Western Rong with full authority, Ministry of Works Principal Clerk, and General Manager of the Hanli Hanmo Project,” Qi Yuansi said coldly. “This minister cannot replace His Majesty, but I imagine that with one written petition from this minister, His Majesty would not object!”

The opposition burst into laughter: “What nonsense – a mere Principal Clerk dares to boast wildly.”

The captain cracked his whip, making an explosive whip flower in the air, and lashed straight down at Naren Aya’s face: “So what if I whip you? Call your Majesty to object!”

The whip cracked explosively.

Qi Yuansi turned and embraced Naren Aya.

Naren Aya raised her hand to protect his head.

The wind sound instantly reached overhead.

Suddenly all around fell silent.

Qi Yuansi waited for a while. The expected pain didn’t come, and the atmosphere around seemed somewhat strange.

He turned back to see that the gate in the wall had opened, and two people had appeared at some unknown time – a man and a woman.

The woman held a tobacco pipe, smoking, with lowered brows and eyes, a pale and indifferent face that looked both lazy and weary.

The man stood on the other side, having already seized the captain’s whip in his hand, with rare anger showing on his handsome face.

Qi Yuansi recognized both of these people. The former – he had once been an intern student under her. The latter – during these years when he was at Hanli Hanmo and the other was supervising construction in Broken Mirror City, they inevitably had some dealings.

The latter was fine – he was currently Great Feng’s highest administrator in Broken Mirror City, so it was normal for him to appear here.

But the former bore the heavy responsibility of guarding the northern frontier. How could she suddenly appear here?