The two descended through a secret passage from the prince’s mansion. When they emerged, they were in an ordinary courtyard where a team waited silently. They changed to a horse carriage at the gate and traveled all the way out of the city.
Shuyu Manor was located at Kuang Mountain, seven li from the city outskirts. The manor was built against the mountainside, spiraling upward following the mountain’s natural contours with an inherent elegance. Exquisite pavilions and towers nestled among green trees and brown rocks. At the mountain peak, a flowing spring cascaded down like white silk, flowing through the entire manor. The whole mountain echoed with the sound of splashing pearls and jade—hence the manor’s name.
One truly couldn’t tell that the Second Prince, such a crude person, owned such an elegantly refined building.
In the carriage, Feng Zhiwei carefully studied the information Ning Yi had given her about the Huang couple. After thinking, she couldn’t help asking Ning Yi, “Since that Commissioner Huang Zhiqiu is a subordinate of Shannan Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Xu Minglin, they must spend time together daily and be quite familiar. Human skin masks can only fool strangers. How can we deceive Xu Minglin, who knows Huang Zhiqiu so well?”
Ning Yi smiled. “This Commissioner Huang doesn’t work at the Shannan provincial capital. He’s stationed at the branch office in Weiming County, Puzhou Circuit of Shannan. He doesn’t see his superior even a few times a year. If not for this case of bandits gathering in the mountains occurring in Weiming County, requiring him to submit case files to the capital, he would never have had this chance to curry favor with his superior, much less receive an invitation from a prince to dine together.”
Feng Zhiwei couldn’t help smiling. “Looks like tonight Your Highness must play a country bumpkin well.”
“I’m actually looking forward to Lady Huang…” Ning Yi leaned close to her ear, laughing softly. “Unlike Lord Huang who is soft-hearted but stubborn, not very good at adapting, this Lady Huang is said to have lost her mother young and been sold by her father to a theater. Having endured all worldly hardships, she’s extremely fierce and capable. What’s more…” He laughed, his breath stirring the loose short hairs at Feng Zhiwei’s temples. “Lord Huang only went to the theater once. Before that he was an unromantic, crude fellow, but after encountering Lady Huang, the very next day he redeemed and married her… Some say Lady Huang forced herself on Lord Huang…”
Feng Zhiwei choked, nearly coughing. After a long while she slowly turned her head, staring at Ning Yi with a sinister smile. “You did this on purpose?”
“How could that be?” Ning Yi smiled innocently. “The key point is that among those who received invitations this time, only Xu Minglin and Huang Zhiqiu were included. You can’t possibly expect me to impersonate Xu Minglin, can you?”
He leaned back, spreading his arms and legs, looking at Feng Zhiwei with a smile. “Wife… to prevent you from exposing yourself, shall we rehearse in the carriage now?”
Through the carriage curtain, a thin line of pale moonlight filtered in. Within that moonlight, the man in apricot robes reclined lazily, his dark hair spread out, his robe collar unfastened, faintly revealing a smooth expanse of chest. Though wearing another’s face, his bearing was still that of the capital’s most captivating figure—a single pose was a heart-stopping seduction.
Feng Zhiwei smiled faintly, gently reaching out her hand… grabbing his collar, gently fastening the buttons, gently patting his face, saying, “My lord, you’re directing your charms at the wrong person. When you have a chance, you should seduce those young, beautiful women instead. Your old hag at home—just keep her on display.”
Ning Yi seized the opportunity to grab her hand, rubbing it carefully against his face, smiling quietly. “Among three thousand weak waters, I take only one ladle from you… I must thank Second Brother for his night banquet—otherwise how would I have the chance to let my wife personally arrange my husband’s clothing?” While rubbing, he found fault with wearing another’s face, lifting the mask to guide Feng Zhiwei’s fingers to his own face.
Feng Zhiwei frowned at him, thinking this man was truly greedy. They were about to reach the manor gates, yet he still wanted to remove his mask—what if someone saw? Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, she suddenly heard rapid hoofbeats approaching quickly. Outside the carriage, someone laughed, “Is this Lord Huang? His Highness specifically ordered us to come receive you.” Without waiting for a response, he strode over and reached to lift the curtain.
Light flashed. Ning Yi’s mask wasn’t yet properly smoothed. Feng Zhiwei’s heart leaped with alarm. With a swish, she flipped over, mounting Ning Yi’s body.
The guard captain sent by the Second Prince to receive them lifted the curtain to see Lord Huang lying in the carriage with Lady Huang mounted on top of him. Lord Huang’s face couldn’t be seen, but they could see Lady Huang with her back to the carriage door, straddling her husband, reaching to grab her husband’s collar while saying viciously, “Those vixens—you’re not allowed to look at a single one!”
Lord Huang, pressed down by his wife, cried out in protest, saying angrily, “Let go! Let go! What kind of behavior is this!”
Lady Huang tossed her head back. “I don’t care! Look at you, old fool! So pleased with yourself tonight! They invited Lord Xu—what are you so pleased about? Isn’t it because you heard Shuyu Manor has lots of women? You old lecher, eating from your bowl while eyeing the pot!”
The guard stood dumbstruck. Lady Huang suddenly turned her head, glaring at the guard captain, shouting loudly, “A married couple’s bedroom pleasures—what are you looking at?”
Lord Huang roared from beneath, “You shrew! Get down! Get down!”
The guard swiftly dropped the curtain, covering his mouth as he scurried back. The waiting guard squad immediately erupted in low, rumbling laughter.
“…Bedroom pleasures? Carriage pleasures?”
“More like the pleasures of the lioness from Hedong!”
“Don’t be so direct—she’s the lioness from next door to Hedong!”
“Hahaha…”
Inside the carriage, the pinned Lord Huang continuously roared angrily, “Let go! Let go! What kind of behavior is this, woman!”
While tightly gripping his Lady Huang’s hand.
Sternly shouting, “Get down! Get down! You shrew!”
While embracing his Lady Huang’s waist tightly.
Inside the carriage, Lady Huang struggled several times but couldn’t reclaim her hand, tried climbing down several times but couldn’t dismount. The carriage trembled and swayed in their struggle. The furtive laughter around them grew louder.
“Lady Huang is truly fierce…”
“Poor Lord Huang with those thin bones of his…”
“Wonder if every night’s bedroom pleasures also use this position…”
Inside the carriage, “Lady Huang” could endure that deceitful scoundrel Huang no longer, viciously pinching the soft flesh at his waist.
Ning Yi beneath cried “Ow!” The sound carried outside the carriage, earning another round of knowing laughter from outside.
At least he released his grip. Feng Zhiwei resentfully straightened her clothes, knowing full well this fellow had done it deliberately, even calculating her likely reaction.
“Now they’ve all seen your fierceness.” Ning Yi laughed softly in her ear. “The first hurdle is passed.”
Feng Zhiwei shot him a look, unceremoniously pushing him away.
The carriage curtain was suddenly lifted again.
Feng Zhiwei’s hand pushing Ning Yi away immediately wrapped around Ning Yi’s neck instead, saying weakly, “Husband, help me down.”
Ning Yi coughed, thinking this woman’s tone was quite enchanting—just the wrong location.
The guard stood dumbstruck at the carriage door again, watching that lioness from Hedong suddenly transform into a clinging vine, thinking the legend that Lady Huang came from the pleasure quarters and was quite fierce was indeed true. Look at old Huang—even his face had turned yellow.
Lord Huang cleared his throat, raising his head, solemnly helping his wife down from the carriage. Strange, half-smiling, half-not glances shot over from all sides. Lord Huang held his head high and chest out, though his old face inevitably felt feverish.
Lady Huang, however, remained composed and self-possessed, imitating the airs of an Imperial Capital noblewoman, gracefully being helped down by her husband.
This pair who had never studied acting but possessed superior skills descended from the carriage under the manor steward’s reception. Lord Huang stood with hands behind his back, gazing at the manor’s tall gate tower with scholarly bearing, reciting loudly, “In the central courtyard rise cliffs and valleys, jade-washing sounds descend in ripples. Who says the cinnabar hills are far? Lodged symbols fulfill the heart’s expectations. How could one not value bells and tripods? The highest aspiration lies in the mysterious void. Only at the Penglai Pavilion does the spirit phoenix return with ceremony—good name, good name!”
Lady Huang, facing a pool of still water beside the manor gate tower, primped her hair while admiring her reflection, smiling with satisfaction. “This water is so clear, it shows me quite beautifully.”
“…”
Entering through the manor’s side gate, strangely there were no halls or pavilions visible. Behind the tall gate tower was still the mountain wall, draped with tangled vines and deeply craggy.
The steward, all smiles, bowed to them both. “Lord Huang, Lady Huang, the manor entrance is rather special. Ordinary carriages and horses can go no further from here. Our manor has prepared convenient sedan chairs with vine frames for guests. Please change to these.”
He clapped his hands. People carried over two sedan chairs topped with gauze canopies. Calling them sedan chairs—they were merely tiny two-person carriers where one person sitting would find it difficult even to turn around.
Several guards had already lifted aside some vines. Behind the vines was a neat, secluded cave entrance faced with cloud stone, shaped like a moon gate. Inside, however, was deep and cool, twisting and turning without light penetrating through. Far away came wind carrying moisture, refreshingly pleasant against one’s face.
This was an ingeniously designed feature, though it required tunneling through the mountain—the Second Prince had spent lavishly.
More critically, this meant the two would have to separate in that winding, dimly lit place.
Ning Yi and Feng Zhiwei exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing before each looked away.
Ning Yi helped Feng Zhiwei to the sedan chair, personally settling her into her seat, lowering the light blue gauze curtain for her, smiling. “This sedan is slippery. Wife, be careful not to fall.”
“Lord and Lady Huang are truly devoted,” the steward smiled. “Please rest assured, we will certainly attend to Madam well.”
Each took a sedan. Two bearers leisurely lifted them, while the steward and guards didn’t follow but remained standing with smiles.
Watching the two small sedan chairs disappear into the cave, a guard smiled. “Steward Jin, if you ask me, why go to all this trouble and caution? There’s clearly another route they could take.”
“What do you know?” Steward Jin sneered coldly. “These days are already troubled times with all sorts of monsters and demons running rampant. His Highness said that anyone attending the night banquet who isn’t from our mansion must go through the Phantom Cave. Those with clear consciences will naturally pass through safely and enjoy the scenery. Those with guilty consciences…”
He sneered coldly, his voice suddenly turning savage.
“Let them come but not leave!”
The small sedan swayed gently. The winding cave was deep.
This was a cave that already existed within the mountain, further opened by human hands, becoming the manor’s current guest reception passage. Strange rocks hung from the cave ceiling. Water murmured through the cave. The damp rock walls reflected deep blue light under the lamps, cool and jade-like.
Lamps were embedded in rock crevices, positioned at every corner, illuminating both ahead and behind with a hazy glow. The pale red lamplight drifted past like rosy clouds.
After traveling only a short distance, she could no longer see Ning Yi’s sedan ahead. This cave twisted considerably. Feng Zhiwei suspected that inside wasn’t actually a single path.
“Is Madam cold?” A bearer suddenly asked her. Without waiting for her answer, he smiled, “This humble one nearly forgot—this mountain cave is a bit cold and damp. The manor has specially prepared straw capes and thin cloaks for guests. Let me fetch one for Madam.”
Without waiting for Feng Zhiwei to respond, the two actually set down the sedan.
A cold smile touched Feng Zhiwei’s lips, but her voice called out anxiously, “Hey, you two young men, don’t go! I’m not cold. If you leave, I’ll be… frightened…”
The two bearers paid no attention, turning a corner and disappearing.
Feng Zhiwei’s outstretched hand stopped in midair. After a long while, she slowly withdrew it. She glanced around somewhat timidly, hunching her shoulders and drawing her cloak tighter.
The lamplight ahead had somehow changed color to a ghastly green, floating eerily.
In the terrifyingly silent space, a small pool beneath the lamplight suddenly began gurgling and bubbling. The hollow, muffled sound of gurgling water amid the thick, pervasive fishy smell made one think of certain sinister objects being boiled.
Feng Zhiwei stared at that area in terror, pulling her cloak even tighter, her teeth gradually beginning to chatter.
The vine sedan beneath her suddenly began swaying again. Though clearly no one was around, the sedan started rocking back and forth. Feng Zhiwei cried out in alarm, bolting from the sedan to press tightly against a cliff wall.
Before the cliff wall was the eerily swaying sedan. Beside it was the inexplicably boiling pool. Feng Zhiwei’s position was right in the corner. She desperately kept her eyes shut, not wanting to look, but humans possessed an innate psychological need to explore their fears. Unable to help herself, she opened her eyes a crack, only to see some round object struggling and surging in the pool, as if about to emerge.
“Ah!”
She very reasonably let out a scream. Wanting to retreat but unable to, her body pressed heavily backward. Immediately came a crisp “swish” sound. White light flashed overhead like lightning—from somewhere appeared two sword gleams, scissoring down directly at her head!
The snow-bright sword light reflected extremely terrified eyes. Feng Zhiwei, eyes wide, pressed tightly against the cliff wall like all people who knew no martial arts—not only not daring to move, unable even to scream.
“Clang!”
The sword lights crossed overhead, carving two bright white arcs. They flashed once in the blue-green, shadowy cave, then plunged into the pool and disappeared.
Feng Zhiwei stared blankly at the pool, as if unable to process what had just happened, as if completely unable to see that those two sword lights weren’t sword lights at all, merely strong light projected through small holes in the cave wall by the internal formation—merely “phantom swords.”
Martial artists possessed instinctive reactions to danger beyond their own control. In this tense, unsettling, oppressive environment, facing suddenly appearing vicious swords, any warrior would reflexively counterattack or flee.
But Lady Huang knew no martial arts.
Feng Zhiwei covered her face, appearing to collapse from fright, slowly sliding down the cliff wall to crouch. But between her palms, those eyes glittered coldly—merely this level of test? They underestimated her far too much.
The sword light vanished. All around fell silent again, only her tense, rapid breathing drifting eerily in the vague, floating watery atmosphere.
The moisture seemed denser than before, though the fishy smell seemed lighter. The air carried a strange odor—neither foul nor fragrant, heavy and sluggish, making one recall all life’s unpleasant experiences.
The pool stirred.
Ripples spread across the water’s surface. That round object that had been struggling and surging, seemingly disturbed by the sword light, finally struggled and writhed, emerging from the water in sticky, slimy movements, gradually revealing a person’s upper body outline. Facing away from Feng Zhiwei, with long scattered hair, wearing what might be mud or clothing—both hair and form indistinguishable as male or female.
Feng Zhiwei seemed to hear the commotion but desperately hugged her head, crouching by the cliff wall, not daring to raise her head.
Yet a deep, ethereal voice of indeterminate gender wound forth.
“My child…”
The voice was hollow and cold, words indistinct. Though still at a distance, it seemed to sound right beside one’s ear.
Feng Zhiwei, face buried in her knees, suddenly raised her head.
“My child…” That voice drifted eerily closer, its tone profound yet confused, hollow and elusive, tightening one’s heart upon hearing it, calling forth all the hesitation and hidden pain buried deep within.
That shadowy figure also slowly moved, dragging mud and water as it floated from the pool. Its entire body continuously dripped pale red mud and sticky liquid that looked like congealed blood.
Wind passed through the cave’s upper reaches, howling like weeping.
“My child…” That voice floated throughout the entire cave, inescapable. “…Where are you…”
Everyone in the world has a mother.
Everyone in the world once acted coquettishly and received affection in their mother’s embrace.
Everyone in the world once entrusted life’s earliest attachments to that milk-fragrant embrace.
Everyone in the world regarded that embrace as the soul’s ultimate refuge, pouring out a chestful of worries when the spirit was most vulnerable.
“…My child… you’ve suffered…”
That shadow slowly approached.
Feng Zhiwei remained motionless, crouching.
She stared at the blurred figure in the dim light, a faint pallor spreading between her brows, her eyes pained and dazed.
Ning Yi’s bearers hadn’t mentioned fetching him a straw cape.
Only that halfway through, one bearer had been hurt by a pebble and couldn’t continue walking. Saying he would find a replacement, Lord Huang then indicated he could walk on his own and properly view the surrounding scenery. The bearers pointed out the way for him.
Lord Huang encountered neither sword lights nor bubbling springs. He traveled leisurely forward, admiring rocks and viewing scenery, occasionally reciting verses—the complete bearing of a scholar.
Not having gone far, suddenly someone emerged from a stone cave at his side. That person had disheveled hair and jingling ornaments—actually a beautiful woman. Seeing Lord Huang, she cried out, stepping backward. Lord Huang was also startled, eyes wide as he stepped back, rebuking, “Who are you? How can there be other women here? Could you be some mountain spirit or fox demon manifesting here to deceive people?”
That woman covered her mouth, staring at him blankly. Distant lamplight shone over. She looked for a long while, then suddenly said with a face full of suspicion, “…Could this be the Huang County Magistrate from Weiming County?”
“How do you know I’m Huang Zhiqiu?” Lord Huang also froze, looking her up and down for a while. “Also, I’m no longer county magistrate. I’ve been transferred to serve as Commissioner at the Puzhou Branch Office of the Provincial Surveillance.”
“Lord Huang.” The woman suddenly smiled, curtsying. “Have you forgotten this humble concubine? This humble concubine is Xiao Mei from Puzhou’s Linglong Tower. I was closest to Hong Ru back then. When you secretly met Hong Ru at Linglong Tower, I was the one who opened the back courtyard gate for you!”
“Ah? Ah!” Lord Huang froze, his face suddenly flushing purple. After a long while he stammered, “Oh… Miss Xiao Mei… please forgive me… what are you doing here?”
“This humble concubine also left that life later.” Xiao Mei smiled, pursing her lips. “I married into the Imperial Capital. My husband earns his living at this manor. This humble concubine also helps manage some miscellaneous affairs. I didn’t expect to encounter you here, my lord. Where is my sister Hong Ru?”
“She should be coming soon.” Lord Huang glanced backward, somewhat uncomfortably stepping back. “You can see each other then.”
“Why is my lord avoiding me like this?” Xiao Mei laughed softly but moved closer, her eyes flowing with glances, saying coquettishly, “After several years apart, doesn’t my lord remember me even a little?”
“Miss Xiao Mei… you have a husband, I have a wife, circumstances are no longer as they were…” Lord Huang fumbled to push her away, his face flushed red. “Please… conduct yourself properly…”
He stepped back, but behind him was the cliff wall. Xiao Mei also stood still, head lowered, fingers playing with a knot on her clothing, saying quietly, “Indeed, the face remains but all feelings have changed. Zhiqiu… we’ve finally met here by chance, and it’s just the two of us. You’re past… why are you still putting on an act?”
Lord Huang’s waving hands stopped. A trace of doubt flashed through his eyes.
But Xiao Mei had already slowly leaned against his chest, toying with his collar buttons, saying softly, “Back then… back then you indicated me originally. It was just that Hong Ru saw you from behind the screen and took a fancy to you. She was domineering by nature, forcing me to claim illness so she could meet you in my place… The next day, seeing you redeem her and leave together, I watched from upstairs, my heart filled with such regret… such regret…”
Her voice grew lower and lower. Lord Huang stopped moving. After a long time, he sighed.
The lamplight gradually dimmed.
Rustling sounds arose in the darkness. All around diffused a faint sweet fragrance. Faintly, Lord Huang hummed, sleeves stirring, his voice softening. “…Xiao Mei… this isn’t right…”
Xiao Mei laughed softly, her laughter sweet and cloying, yet her fingers never ceased unbuttoning Lord Huang’s long robe. Large expanses of jade-colored chest skin gradually appeared in the darkness. Xiao Mei leaned close, her fingers caressing the smooth, full, elastically firm skin, panting softly, “Your body is truly fine… far better than that waste at my home… if not for Hong Ru’s coercion back then, now everything would be mine… good man… the one you actually liked was me, wasn’t it… what was stolen away all those years ago… now the chance is rare… today you must… give it all to me?”