Baozhu returned to Nishang Academy in a daze. The other dancing girls were already accustomed to this, and those about to perform on stage began preparing their makeup and costumes, creating a busy scene. Having only practiced the zhizhi dance for a few days, without Mi Moyan’s guidance, Baozhu couldn’t complete it at all, and no one summoned her to participate in group dance performances.
Due to all she had witnessed tonight, Baozhu was completely unsettled. Deep in her heart, she had actually sensed the key issue but dared not think deeply about it out of fear. She paced restlessly, breaking into cold sweats, dragging her ankle shackles as she walked circles in the room several times, feeling she should do something to relieve her anxiety. So she took hers and Mi Moyan’s sweat-soaked dance clothes to the courtyard.
Since departing Chang’an, she had lost the luxury of changing into new clothes daily. Throughout the journey, she had hired inn laundresses to wash clothing – she had never washed anything by hand in her life. Now she put the dance clothes in a basin and rubbed them carelessly, not knowing she needed to wring out the water, hanging them dripping wet on the drying pole while splashing herself half-wet in the process.
By hai hour, the dancing girls who had performed on stage gradually returned, but Mi Moyan was still nowhere to be seen.
She grabbed a dancing girl who was about to enter the room to rest and asked: “When can those accompanying the drinking return?”
The other looked troubled and said tactfully: “That’s uncertain – it depends on whether they’re kept overnight.”
Baozhu looked completely confused, murmuring: “He said the time would be short…”
It wasn’t until chou hour that Baozhu had dozed off when she suddenly heard intermittent golden bell sounds from outside the door. She jolted awake and sat up from the couch, seeing a bean-sized candlelight slowly moving along the corridor – it was Mi Moyan.
He supported himself on the doorframe with one hand and held a candlestick with the other, quietly entering the room. Baozhu rubbed her sleepy eyes and said: “I’ve prepared water – I confirmed it’s clean drinking water.” After sharing quarters for several days, she had learned her roommate’s habits. Only after completely finishing the day’s duties would he dare to drink water with peace of mind.
However, Mi Moyan didn’t rush toward the water jar as eagerly as usual, only responding with a low sound. Baozhu noticed he kept his back hunched and moved slowly with abnormal behavior. In the weak candlelight, his makeup was smeared, with tears at the corners of his mouth, his face full of pain.
Seeing this, Baozhu couldn’t help asking angrily: “Were you beaten again?”
Mi Moyan slowly shook his head and walked with difficulty to the sleeping couch in that strange hunched posture, placing the candlestick on the small table. His entire being showed a state of wanting to sit but unable to sit down, wanting to lie but unable to lie flat.
Looking at his beautiful but haggard face, Baozhu didn’t know what to be concerned about. Noticing that only one of the glass ornaments on his earlobes remained, she said hesitantly: “You lost one of your earrings.”
“I didn’t lose it – it’s still on my body.” Mi Moyan finally spoke. He lowered his eyes to hide his sad and shameful expression, softly pleading: “Could you go out for a while? I need to take it out.”
Baozhu was stunned. She vaguely realized that she couldn’t say things like “Let me help you” at this moment. He needed to be alone. Baozhu hesitated briefly, then turned and walked out of the room, gently closing the door.
She stood in the corridor waiting for a long time, so long she even wondered if Mi Moyan had died inside, before he finally opened the door and came out. Under the moonlight, she clearly saw the youth’s face covered with tears of humiliation, sparkling with cold light in the clear moonlight.
“I remember that bastard’s appearance,” Baozhu said coldly.
“Forget him, go to sleep. The night is already deep, and tomorrow we still need to practice dancing,” Mi Moyan said. He walked to the large water vat, scooped out water to wash up, rinsing his mouth while vomiting, as if he had eaten a plate of dirty ice tonight.
After a long while, the two could finally rest on the couch. Mi Moyan could only lie on his side, while Baozhu silently stared at the beams on the ceiling.
Her chest felt like boiling water, unable to calm down. She couldn’t help asking: “How can you be so submissive, without any temper? At least imagine how to escape, or plan revenge.”
“In the first year, I was as stubborn as you. Even when castrated, in agony, I never gave up the hope of going home.”
“And then?” Baozhu pressed.
“Then I got my wish to see my family.”
Baozhu opened her eyes wide in surprise, turning to look at Mi Moyan, but saw his expression was calm as still water.
“After the Yao family troupe became an ‘ascension family,’ they became the most famous music and dance troupe in the city. Big sister, as the pillar, was once hired to perform for entertaining guests. She excelled at zhizhi dance – whenever there were beauties in Luoyang who could dance zhizhi, the master would find opportunities to bring them to have a look. At that banquet, I was serving nearby and wasn’t hidden in the back quarters. They didn’t care at all about secrets being discovered by a powerless female entertainer.”
Baozhu couldn’t help but be dumbfounded: “You mean Yao Jiangzhen actually knew you were abducted into this courtyard?!”
Mi Moyan said lightly: “That time, only she came from the Yao family troupe. When big sister saw me, she suddenly realized the truth about ‘ascension.’ Her face immediately became ashen. After reluctantly finishing a dance while distracted, she knelt down and kept kowtowing, begging the master to let me out, until her forehead was bloody.”
“The master found her disruptive to the atmosphere and casually ordered guards to drag her out. From that time on, I stopped struggling and obediently submitted to whatever happened. Even if heaven showed mercy and I miraculously escaped, my family would never dare shelter me – I would harm all of them. I can never forget big sister’s desperate and guilty expression when she left… Buddhist scriptures say the sea of suffering is boundless – I can never go back…”
Baozhu’s heart was like huge waves, unable to calm for a long time.
After learning the secret, Yao Jiangzhen indeed dared not reveal it to anyone, not even telling Mi Moyan’s biological brother Mi Falan. That unknowing boy was still eagerly participating in the Guanyin servant selection, hoping to escape the bitter sea of being a lowly musician through ‘ascension’ and follow his brother to the carefree heavens above. How could he know that behind that beautiful bait lay an even more sinister trap?
Baozhu thought secretly: Yao Jiangzhen outwardly supported Mi Falan’s participation, but she didn’t know how she would operate to prevent Mi Falan from repeating the same mistake. Recalling Yao Jiangzhen’s complex eyes full of grief when she accidentally threw the holy divination at Changqiu Temple, she finally understood what that was about.
“Besides, my body is already like this. Even if I become old and lose my looks in the future, no other place would be willing to shelter a eunuch. Staying here, at least I don’t worry about food and drink.” As if to comfort himself, Mi Moyan changed to a gentler tone.
The collective punishment system actually made no distinction between inside and outside, like an invisible net that always enveloped Mi Moyan and the Yao family troupe. In this net, he could never escape. The identity of this mansion’s master was getting closer and closer to someone she suspected. If it really was him…
Baozhu controlled the fear in her heart, clenched her fists, and said softly: “My family isn’t afraid of threats. All three of them are very smart – they’ll definitely notice the clues I left and come to rescue me in time.” This was said both for Mi Moyan and for herself to hear.
“When I leave here, I’ll definitely help you find a respectable position where you can eat at the table.”
Mi Moyan laughed softly and said with genuine feeling: “How strange – you, this bird that flew from Chang’an, clearly don’t understand anything, yet when you speak, you make people feel like you’re omnipotent.”
Baozhu said proudly: “After leaving here, I will be omnipotent.”
Mi Moyan suddenly asked: “Then do you know how to avoid getting pregnant with a guest’s child after accompanying their drinking?”
Baozhu’s expression immediately turned to horror: “How is that possible?! Why should I? There’s no marriage contract!”
The two had been whispering together, but her exclamation disturbed the neighbors next door, who politely knocked on the partition.
Baozhu had to lower her voice and demand: “Even if forced to have relations with someone, shouldn’t they take you home and make a contract before bearing children?”
Mi Moyan thought: She really knows nothing. If she went to the meeting so ignorant, it would actually be better for her. Otherwise, during these final days, she would only sink into despair and fear.
“Let me tell you – no agreements are needed at all. When two people lie together, little babies appear from nowhere and quietly burrow in through the soles of your feet at night, crawling into your belly. As long as you wear socks, you won’t get pregnant.” He said this with complete seriousness.
Hearing this, Baozhu immediately sat up and quickly put silk socks on her feet, tying the sock ribbons tight. Still feeling uneasy, she simply put on her shoes as well. Though this sounded absurd, coming from Mi Moyan’s mouth, it had a convincing power. Her roommate had already lost the ability to impregnate others, but in this dangerous enemy territory, she had to do everything possible to protect herself.
The shoes and socks seemed to become a reassuring pill, and before long, Baozhu really fell asleep. Mi Moyan quietly gazed at the girl’s peaceful sleeping face, envying that even in such dire circumstances, she could still maintain the ability to eat and sleep.
“There’s only one way to escape from here – may you quickly overcome this tribulation and suffer less torment,” he sincerely whispered a prayer in her ear.
At mao hour, the morning bamboo clappers sounded again. Mi Moyan had rested half the night but was still listless.
After Granny Zhao was seriously injured and carried away, no news came at all. Everyone tacitly understood and no longer mentioned her. The new instructional matron hadn’t had time to establish authority yet. Having heard of this Guanyin servant’s special “talents,” she didn’t dare scold her casually. When she asked to take a day off for her roommate to rest in bed instead of practicing dance, the matron agreed readily.
Yu Hu took over teaching the zhizhi dance. Mi Moyan had already simplified the choreography considerably, but Baozhu still couldn’t complete it alone – she would forget the later moves after doing the earlier ones. Yu Hu couldn’t help but worry.
She could see this girl had strong limbs, powerful waist and abdomen, and good rhythm. If she studied seriously, her progress couldn’t possibly remain this poor. “You’ll never practice well while resisting from the heart like this,” she said.
“If I can’t practice well, I won’t have to participate in the Golden Osmanthus Banquet, right?” Baozhu asked with a last glimmer of hope.
Yu Hu shook her head and sighed softly, saying gently: “No matter what, you must attend the banquet. It’s just that if you dance too poorly… Mi Moyan and I will probably be punished along with you.”
“Ha! Collective punishment again.” Baozhu was filled with righteous anger with nowhere to vent, her chest ready to explode. Even this strategy of being perfunctory and delaying couldn’t succeed. She really didn’t know what else she could do to save her dignity without implicating others.
“There’s another way – I can dance with her.”
Baozhu turned around and saw Mi Moyan sitting in the corridor, quickly asking: “Why did you get up? I said I’d get your morning meal for you.”
Mi Moyan said: “Remember to collect the washed clothes, or others might take them by mistake.”
Baozhu made an “oh” sound, thinking she had completely forgotten about that.
Yu Hu asked: “Change it to a duet?”
Mi Moyan nodded: “I’ll demonstrate beside her, and she can copy me. Even if she dances averagely, at least she won’t forget the moves.”
Yu Hu secretly observed Mi Moyan’s expression, wondering if he didn’t know the risks involved. However, he seemed completely unconcerned.
With things having reached this point and no other options, it was decided. After Mi Moyan recovered somewhat, they changed the choreography to a duet and practiced for another two days. Finally, they received orders for this term’s Guanyin servant and all dancing girls to go to Auspicious Cloud Hall to pay respects to the master.
This time it was daytime. The house entertainers held their breath and sat kneeling in two rows in the courtyard before the projecting room, quietly awaiting the master’s presence. Baozhu was arranged in the front row so he could see her at first glance.
Heavy footsteps came from the back hall. Attendants lifted the curtains, and a man in purple robes and brocade boots sat down.
Everyone bowed in prostration. Baozhu couldn’t lift her head to look directly, but the gilded lamp stands beside the sitting couch came into view. On the base, two coiling dragons showed their fangs and claws, riding clouds and driving mist, winding and spiraling up the lamp posts. Though it was daytime, the tallow candles burned continuously. Only princes of true dragon bloodline could possess implements of such design and specifications – other imperial clan members couldn’t use them without permission. Her brother Li Yuanying owned two similar lamps.
In that instant, Baozhu’s heart turned to ashes. The worst outcome she had imagined had truly occurred: only one imperial clan member in Luoyang was qualified to use these coiling dragon lamps.
“Raise your head,” the man said.
Baozhu bowed respectfully. As her forehead touched her hands, she had already made up her mind – no matter what life-or-death predicaments, bullying, or humiliation she encountered, she would never shed a single tear or break down crying before this villain.
She slowly straightened up. Within her line of sight was an aged face and a pair of disgusting, sinister eyes. Many years ago, she had seen this person once at a palace banquet when she was still a child with double buns.
Later, she had seen this person’s statue in the Hall of Returning to Permanence at Great Toad Light Temple. Because she didn’t have her brother’s photographic memory, she hadn’t recognized him when seeing the statue of the patron in monastic robes.
He was her close relative and the current emperor’s brother. If Princess Wanshou were still alive today and met him in her true identity, she should call this man “Imperial Uncle.” This was Luoyang’s aging sun, radiating chilling twilight.
Eastern Capital Guardian, Prince Qi Li Yu.
“What is your name?” He looked down from his high position at this group of beautiful dancing girls who belonged to him in the courtyard.
Baozhu’s expression was calm as she answered composedly: “My name is Danniao, courtesy name – Longnü.”
Author’s Note: Do you still remember those two lamps in Wang Ying’s room?