Prince Chun’an of Jun took a sip of tea and spoke slowly:

“The Lin’an Marquis Manor was known for its exceptional beauty, with a large lotus pond in the back garden. Chengyou, determined to win at hide-and-seek, set his sights on the flower pond.

“Though he couldn’t swim at the time, his boldness knew no bounds. He found a hollow reed to bite between his teeth and secretly submerged himself in the lotus pond. When his playmates couldn’t find him in the garden, they rushed off elsewhere in a crowd. Chengyou waited for a while, assuming his victory was assured, and emerged from the lotus pond. However, he hadn’t counted on the water weeds at the bottom, which immediately entangled his feet.”

At this point in the story, Prince Chun’an gently caressed his crystal-clear white porcelain teacup from the Xing kiln. He had heard this tale three times before and remembered it quite clearly.

Lin Chengyou struggled in the water for a few moments, eventually losing even the reed from his mouth. He called for help, but having earlier sent away his servants to avoid discovery, he was alone. Though one servant had secretly returned to look for his young master, he mistakenly assumed Chengyou was with the other young lords.

Just as Chengyou was desperately thrashing about, a little girl appeared from behind the flowers. Seeing someone drowning, she frantically threw her kite into the water but being too weak, she nearly fell in herself on her first attempt. On her second try, the girl was cleverer – she tied the kite string to a tree on the bank. Though the knot wasn’t particularly secure, Chengyou had already learned some basic martial arts by then and managed to climb out using what little support it provided.

When the servants finally heard the commotion and rushed over, they found Chengyou sitting beside a little girl behind a flower bush on the bank, the two of them engaged in conversation, though no one knew how long they had been talking.

The servants wanted to approach and attend to them, but Chengyou, angry at their tardiness, ordered them to stay back. Knowing their young master’s temperament, they quickly dispatched several people to inform the Princess Consort of Cheng, while the rest stood anxiously by.

This was how the servants came to know what the young master and the little lady had discussed.

At the time, Chengyou was soaking wet, wiping water droplets from his face as he asked the girl: “Were you just passing by? Or were you already here?”

The girl, clutching a cloth doll, refused to answer.

Chengyou pressed on: “Why is your face covered in snot? Oh, I get it – you were crying behind the flowers. Why were you crying? Where are your father and mother?”

The girl grew angry and shoved Chengyou hard.

Surprisingly, Chengyou didn’t get angry. He just smiled and said: “Tell me who upset you. I believe in repaying debts of gratitude, and you just saved my life. I can help you get even.”

The girl still wouldn’t speak. Chengyou studied her: “Your doll is so dirty – why don’t you ask your mother to sew you a new one?”

The girl burst into tears with a loud wail.

Chengyou panicked and quickly removed the fragrance pouch from his waist: “Don’t cry. Here, these are pear blossom candies made by our manor’s cook. They’re really good – my sister loves them. The candy didn’t get wet, try some.”

The girl slowly sucked on the candy, and seeing that she liked it, Chengyou gave her the entire packet: “My sister can’t walk yet, or she could play with you. Her name is Azhi. What’s your name?”

After eating candy for a while, the girl finally spoke: “I’m called Agu.”

“Agu?” Chengyou asked curiously. “Who would be named Agu?”

The girl grew upset: “Agu is Agu, what’s it to you!”

Chengyou smiled: “Alright, it’s none of my business. But you did save my life, so I can’t just leave you here alone. You miss your mother, don’t you? I’ll help you find her.”

The girl, with candy still in her mouth, inexplicably started crying again. Chengyou was at a loss: “How about I take you to meet my mother? She loves children, especially little girls like you. Plus, she knows many noble ladies – maybe she’ll know where your mother is.”

Agu thought for a moment and agreed to let Chengyou help her up. They had only walked a few steps when the group of young lords returned. Seeing Chengyou holding a little girl’s hand, they all shouted: “Big Brother, your divination was accurate! You’ve only just met this girl, and you’re already taking the initiative to play with her.”

Chengyou protested: “Nonsense! I’m only looking after her because she seemed pitiful all alone.”

The boys continued teasing: “But you’re holding her hand. Big Brother, tell us – are you ready to take a wife? The divination said you were destined to fall for a girl. Is this where it begins?”

Chengyou kicked the speaker: “You’re talking rubbish!”

The young lords quickly fell into a brawl. Servants rushed in from all directions to break up the fight, while Agu, still clutching her doll, tried to help Chengyou but was too small to get close.

After they were finally separated, the servants hurried to change Chengyou’s clothes. Agu ran after him with the candy package: “Young Brother, your candy.”

Seeing this, his companions started teasing again: “Big Brother, your wife is giving you candy.”

Chengyou, embarrassed and angry, turned to the girl and said: “Stop following me.”

After changing clothes, he rushed back to the pond to look for Agu, but she was gone. The Princess Consort wondered why her son was searching everywhere, so the servants told her everything that had happened.

Yu Fengyu, listening to this point, couldn’t help but interject: “Who was this little lady Agu?”

Prince Chun’an shook his head: “When Sister-in-law heard about this, she immediately ordered people to help Chengyou find his little savior. However, there were too many guests at the manor that day – several hundred family members just from the old Marquis’s former subordinates alone, and countless young lords and ladies. Strangely, none of the officials who came to the manor that day were from Yangzhou.

“Sister-in-law thought that since the accents in the Jiangnan region were similar, and Chengyou had never been to Yangzhou, he might have misheard. But after questioning all the noble ladies who attended that day, no family had a daughter with the nickname ‘Agu.’ They also inquired about anyone who brought a cloth doll to the banquet, but there was no news.

“The search went on for half a year. When Chengyou’s classmates at the Chongwen Academy learned he was looking everywhere for that little lady, they teased him about it whenever they met. Chengyou had never been at a disadvantage among his peers before, but this incident made him the target of repeated mockery.

“It happened to be around the time when Daoist Master Qingxu began teaching Chengyou talisman techniques. While browsing through the observatory’s ancient texts, Chengyou accidentally discovered a box containing an ancient manuscript and a copper awl. This was the beginning of his affliction.”

Yu Fengyu exclaimed in surprise: “An ancient manuscript? Was it about talisman techniques? And what was the copper awl?”

Prince Chun’an replied: “I know nothing about Daoist talismans, only that these were particularly sinister. They were passed down by an evil Daoist from Kunlun Mountain a hundred years ago. It’s said that this evil Daoist fell deeply in love in his youth and was tormented by unrequited love. After trying numerous methods without success, he couldn’t bear the suffering and vowed to master all evil arts. Through years of practice in bitter cold and scorching heat, he finally created a curse technique called ‘Wang Jiu Bu Ju.’

“‘Wang Jiu Bu Ju?'” Juesheng Qizhi exclaimed, “Isn’t that a type of hexagram?”

Prince Chun’an said sarcastically: “Though it bears the name of Daoist Yi Jing, it’s connected to witchcraft and corresponds to the nine-three line, with the copper awl containing curse worms.

“These curse worms were originally used by the witch empress of Nanzhao to punish the unfaithful. The evil Daoists incorporated them into the Daoist Five Elements and Yin-Yang arts, truly evil upon evil.

“Once the copper awl pierces the skin, the curse worms enter the bloodstream. They suppress the initial six line and damage the six-two line. If a young man practices this art, even when he reaches the age of understanding romance, the curse worms will wreak havoc in his heart meridians, making him completely devoid of emotion.”

Yu Fengyu listened with widening eyes and clenched fists. No wonder the young heir had never been with women despite being eighteen – they had thought he was simply immature, but there was such a tragic story behind it.

He slapped the table: “Outrageous, truly outrageous!”

Juesheng and Qizhi looked at each other in shock. What kind of vicious curse was a “complete emotional void”? Was the pain of unrequited love worse than having one’s heart eaten away? Otherwise, why would the evil Daoist do this to himself?

Prince Chun’an continued: “The evil Daoist wasn’t content with just practicing it himself; he wanted to harm others. To tempt future generations into learning this evil art, he deliberately wrote about its thousand benefits in the manuscript. Chengyou was still young and impressionable. After reading what the evil Daoist wrote at the beginning of the scroll, he thought: ‘If I learn this technique, I won’t be confused about women when I grow up. Then the predictions in the hexagram won’t come true. Once I master it, I’ll return to Chongwen Academy and cast another divination in front of everyone – let’s see who dares laugh at me then.’

“This child feared neither heaven nor earth. Once he made up his mind, he immediately tried it. By the time Daoist Master Qingxu rushed over, Chengyou had already gone into qi deviation. The master initially didn’t know what had happened until he discovered a red mark on the child’s nape and realized he had been infected by the curse worms.

“Afterward, despite exhausting all his supreme skills, Daoist Master Qingxu could never drive the curse worms from Chengyou’s body. This is why he created the famous Six Elements Pills, but even those could only cleanse demon poison and had no effect on the curse. Every year when Chengyou’s condition flares up, they can only temporarily suppress the curse worms with medicinal decoctions.”

There was a click as the side room door opened from within, and Duke An’guo emerged with a worried expression: “Young Daoists, are the talismans ready?”

Prince Chun’an smiled slightly and said no more.

Juesheng and Qizhi delivered the talismans inside, only to be shooed out by Lin Chengyou: “If today’s matter isn’t handled well, come back obediently to receive punishment.”

Juesheng and Qizhi slunk away and boarded their carriage, their minds full of what they had just heard.

“We forgot to ask His Highness if Senior Brother ever found that little lady called Agu.”

Juesheng shook his head: “Probably not. If he had, the Prince wouldn’t have kept referring to her as ‘little girl’ – he could have just told Yu Fengyu whose daughter she was.”

“That’s true. Senior Brother got infected by the curse before finding Agu, and after he recovered, perhaps he had forgotten all about it. Strange though – ‘Agu,’ ‘Agu’ – who would be named ‘Agu’? If Senior Brother didn’t mishear, could the little lady have been deceiving him?”

Juesheng held his head: “Let’s not think about that now. When we get to the Teng residence, we still have to trick Lady Teng as Senior Brother instructed.”

Qizhi wiped his sweat with his sleeve. This was their first time deceiving someone, and he wasn’t sure if they could succeed. Lady Teng didn’t look easy to fool, but she had offended their Senior Brother, and in all the time they’d known him, they’d never seen Senior Brother fail at scheming against someone.

Qinren Ward wasn’t far from Qingyun Temple, and they arrived in less than half a shichen. Juesheng and Qizhi went to the Teng residence first, where they were told that Teng Yuyi was staying at her aunt’s house, so they changed course for the Du residence.

When they arrived at the gate, the Du household’s doorkeeper was already waiting.

Juesheng and Qizhi stated their purpose and the doorkeeper was unusually enthusiastic: “Please come in, Daoists. The Madame and Young Lady have been waiting for quite some time.”

***

Though Du Furen had sent Teng Yuyi to rest the previous night, she hadn’t slept well. Just before dawn, she vaguely heard someone cry out in the neighboring room. When she suddenly opened her eyes, Yiyun and Bilo lifted the curtain and entered: “Young Lady, Miss Du has awakened.”

Teng Yuyi threw off her covers and got out of bed: “Where are Dunfu and Baizhi?”

“Dunfu is resting in the outer courtyard, and the steward hasn’t sent any news yet. Baizhi and Hongnü are already awake.”

Teng Yuyi took two steps at a time to the neighboring room, where servants were coming and going with washbasins and combs. Du Tinglan was leaning over the edge of the bed, vomiting.

Remembering how her cousin had died tragically in her previous life, Teng Yuyi hesitated, fearing this scene before her was just an illusion that would dissolve at her touch.

Du Furen thought Teng Yuyi was simply overwhelmed with joy: “Yuyi, come quickly, your sister has been asking for you.”

Du Tinglan raised her head and said softly: “Ayu.”

Teng Yuyi rushed over to pat Du Tinglan’s back, asking worriedly: “Why are you suddenly vomiting?”

Du Tinglan wiped her face clean: “My chest feels a bit tight. I’ll feel better after throwing up.”

Her complexion was haggard, with fine beads of sweat covering her forehead. Though clearly unwell, she still didn’t forget to comfort her mother and cousin.

Du Furen asked worriedly: “With such vomiting, should we perhaps summon a court physician?”

Teng Yuyi thought for a moment: “Sister was harmed by evil spirits. Ordinary medical arts might not be suitable. Since the young Daoists from Qingyun Temple will be visiting anyway, we should wait for their assessment before deciding. That way we won’t risk using the wrong medicines that might interfere with dispelling the remaining poison in her body.”

Du Furen nodded: “Yes, yes, the young Daoist specifically warned us last night not to take any medicine carelessly. Qingwan, go to the front courtyard and tell the master and the eldest young master that Yiniang has awakened. Have them come to the back courtyard.”

The servant acknowledged and left.

Du Tinglan gently patted the edge of the bed: “Ayu, sit down. Let your sister have a good look at you.”

Teng Yuyi complied, and meeting Du Tinglan’s gentle gaze, found many words stuck in her throat. She simply took the handkerchief from the servant and softly wiped Du Tinglan’s sweat: “Sister, are you feeling any better?”

Du Tinglan held Teng Yuyi’s hand and said softly: “I don’t know what happened to me. I only remember going to Jingfu Temple with Mother to pray. I can’t recall anything after that. Your letter said you wouldn’t arrive for several days – why did you come so early? Mother said you returned to the manor with us. Were you also at Qujiang yesterday—”

At this point, she seemed to remember something, and the color instantly drained from her face.

Teng Yuyi’s heart pounded violently. In her previous life, she had searched futilely for the murderer, but now her cousin was alive before her eyes, and perhaps she would soon learn the truth.

She carefully asked: “Sister, what’s wrong?”

Du Tinglan remained dazed, her face pale, large beads of sweat forming on her forehead.

Du Furen seemed to realize something and hurriedly dismissed the servants: “Yiniang needs rest. Wait outside for now, and when the Daoists arrive, bring them in immediately.”

Teng Yuyi hardly dared breathe. While she longed to know the truth, she also feared that too much anxiety might leave her cousin with lasting illness. After a moment’s hesitation, she helped Du Tinglan lie down: “Sister, rest first. Whatever you need to say can wait until you’re better.”

Du Tinglan suddenly grabbed Teng Yuyi’s hand: “I remember now. Last night… last night I encountered an evil spirit in the bamboo grove.”

She trembled all over, her words becoming broken and intermittent.

“My child, why are you confused?” Du Furen said with reddened eyes. “Didn’t Mother just tell you that Yuyi and Dunfu arrived in time last night and rescued you?”

“Yes, Sister,” Teng Yuyi tried her best to comfort Du Tinglan. “That thing was revealed in its true form by the Crown Prince of Cheng last night – it was just an old tree stump. There’s nothing to fear. You’re safe at home now, and with us here, no one can harm you.”

But Du Tinglan buried her head in her mother’s embrace, trying to make herself as small as possible in terror: “That thing chased after me, saying it would devour me. Mother, I’m so scared…”

She couldn’t help but sob. Last night she had nearly lost her life in the forest, and that helplessness and despair of being near death had seeped into every pore. It had been suppressed during her unconsciousness, but now it all came rushing out.

Du Furen’s heart was breaking. Since this child had come of age, when had she ever lost composure like this?

She repeatedly stroked her daughter’s back: “You’re confused from the fright. We must ask the Daoists for some talismans to collect your soul and calm your spirit.”

Du Tinglan suddenly seemed to remember something else and clutched at Teng Yuyi: “Ayu, were you also in the bamboo grove at that time?”

Teng Yuyi held Du Tinglan’s hand: “Yes, I was there. Sister, that thing was nothing to fear. As soon as Dunfu and I arrived in the grove, we cut off the monster’s right claw.”

Du Tinglan’s lips went white. She looked Teng Yuyi up and down, and after confirming her cousin was unharmed, nodded in relief. Then she seemed to sink into confused memories, becoming dazed once again.

Teng Yuyi and Du Furen leaned forward to tuck in Du Tinglan’s quilt. In her current state of shock, they couldn’t question her further.

As they were busy with this, Du Tinglan looked around anxiously with wide eyes and suddenly asked: “Ayu, besides the monster, did you see anyone else in the grove?”

Teng Yuyi’s heartstrings instantly drew taut. She sat back down by the bed and held her breath as she asked: “Sister, who else was in the grove at that time?”

The words caught in Du Tinglan’s throat, her face growing increasingly pale and her breathing more erratic.

Du Furen’s eyes filled with tears: “Child, why did you go to the bamboo grove? Who has harmed you like this? Why won’t you tell us even now?”

Du Tinglan closed her eyes, seeming both regretful and ashamed. Suddenly, as if triggered by an awful memory, she bent over and vomited again, this time more violently and uncontrollably than before.

Du Furen hurriedly went to comfort her. Such continuous vomiting would eventually cause problems. Teng Yuyi couldn’t remain calm either and quickly stood up: “Aunt, I’ll go call for a physician.”

She had barely taken a step when Du Tinglan grabbed her arm: “I’m fine, I just feel nauseous.”

Teng Yuyi bent down to wring out a fresh cloth to wipe Du Tinglan’s face. Suddenly she felt warmth on the back of her hand and looked up in surprise to find Du Tinglan silently weeping.

“Sister.”

Du Tinglan struggled to sit up and looked shamefully at Du Furen: “Daughter lost her senses and caused Mother such worry. I am deeply ashamed. Please take care of your health, Mother. And Ayu, you just arrived in Chang’an, yet you faced danger last night because of me. Sister has wronged you.”

Teng Yuyi’s heart ached, and she quickly said: “Sister, your spirit is unsettled now. Whatever you need to say can wait.”

Du Tinglan’s tears fell like rain as if her heart was being tortured. After a moment of silence, she suddenly said: “Mother, Ayu, I’ve been fortunate enough to keep my life. If I don’t speak now, I fear it will be too late.”

Du Furen and Teng Yuyi’s hearts instantly jumped to their throats as they watched Du Tinglan, hardly daring to breathe.

Du Tinglan lowered her head to her chest in shame: “Actually, when Red Slave and I left Jingfu Temple, it was to meet someone.”

Du Furen trembled with anger: “I should have known… I should have known… you wouldn’t leave Jingshui Temple without reason…”

Seeing Du Tinglan only silently weeping, she anxiously pushed her daughter: “You child… quickly… who was it?”

Du Tinglan’s face turned blood red, and though she tried to speak several times, the words remained stuck in her throat from embarrassment.

“Child, do you want to worry your parents to death?” Du Furen clutched Du Tinglan’s hand and said tremulously, “That person has harmed you like this, what more do you have to hide!”

Du Tinglan’s heart twisted in pain, and through sobs, she said: “…Mother, don’t be upset… I… I’ll tell you.”

She looked at Du Furen through tear-filled eyes: “Mother, do you remember when Father was an official in Yangzhou? At the Qingming Festival, I went alone with Red Slave to Yinshan Temple for spring outings.”

Du Furen started, then widened her eyes: “That day, Shaotang was supposed to accompany you, but his academy had something come up, so he turned back halfway. What, did you meet someone that day?”

Du Tinglan’s tears glittered: “While I was admiring flowers at the temple, I happened upon a group of scholars having a poetry competition in the peach blossom grove. The winner… was a young gentleman of about twenty.”

At this point, she bit her lip hard, clutching the collar of her robe so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Du Furen nearly collapsed onto the bed. Teng Yuyi hurriedly supported her while Du Tinglan also scared, rose from under the covers. Du Furen shakily pointed a finger at Du Tinglan’s forehead and said through gritted teeth: “Tell Mother exactly how you met this person and how you came to associate with him. Don’t leave out a single detail!”

Du Tinglan’s eyelids were swollen like peaches. After crying for a long while, she finally spoke: “This person was poor and alone, living as a resident student at the temple. He had finally saved enough travel money and planned to come to Chang’an next year for the imperial examinations. I saw that his words were like pearls and jade, and his poetry was especially outstanding. I… I developed feelings for him. Afterward, we met occasionally. He often gave me poems, and fearing discovery, we used colored silk ribbons as letter paper – this way it wouldn’t draw attention and was convenient for passing messages.”

Teng Yuyi was taken aback. She had suspected her cousin was cutting silk ribbons at the temple to pass messages, and sure enough, it was true.

Du Furen nodded, suppressing her fury: “Very well. You met last Qingming Festival, so it’s been a full year now. Let me ask you, in all this time of secret correspondence, did he ever mention marriage?”

Du Tinglan sobbed harder: “He said that without an official position, even if he came to propose, my parents wouldn’t agree. So everything had to wait until after he took the imperial examinations in the capital. Once he had achieved rank, everything would be easier to discuss. Later, when Father was recommended as an Erudite at the Imperial Academy and our whole family was to move back to Chang’an, before leaving I worried his examination travel expenses wouldn’t be enough, so I gave him all my savings. He gave me a gold hairpin passed down in his family, promising he would marry no one but me, and that when he came to Chang’an next year for the examinations, he would certainly come to propose properly.”

At this point, Du Tinglan paused, as if remembering something, the regret in her eyes growing even deeper.

“After arriving in Chang’an, we continued corresponding in secret, exchanging letters every five days to half a month without fail. Three months after our family arrived in Chang’an, he also set out early from Yangzhou. After reaching Chang’an, he stayed at an estate in the southern part of the city. Fearing he was short of money, I had people deliver more of my savings to him. At first, he was still quite attentive, but as he met more and more people, he gradually stopped responding to my letters.

“Recently he achieved the highest score in the imperial examinations. I went to find him at the address from his letters, only to discover he had already moved away. On my way back to the city, I saw him drinking with friends at a tavern, looking quite happy. Those around him wore luxurious clothing – clearly, all were from noble families. I heard that during the examinations, His Majesty and several ministers had highly praised his poetry. Now that his reputation had soared, his friends were no longer those poor scholars of before.

“I still held onto a thread of hope, thinking perhaps he had been too busy with the examinations to reply to my letters. So I had the carriage stop and lifted the curtain to meet his gaze. But he pretended not to know me. His companions, seeing me looking at him, laughed and said, ‘That young lady keeps staring at you – could she be admiring you?’ I was shocked and ashamed, immediately lowering the curtain and ordering the driver to move on. Then I heard that person coldly laugh: ‘Just some flighty woman.'”

Teng Yuyi rose in fury: “How dare that scoundrel!”

Du Furen was also fuming with rage. Her daughter had always been intelligent and dignified – who would have thought she would fall prey to such a young man? She only refrained from scolding because her daughter hadn’t yet recovered. With no outlet for her anger, she could only silently beat her chest.

Du Tinglan, fearing her mother would make herself ill with anger, tearfully embraced her.

Du Furen asked through clenched teeth: “What then? Was it that young man who asked you to meet in the bamboo grove yesterday?”

Du Tinglan wiped her tears and said softly: “My heart turned to ashes then. After returning home, I thought, my savings could be written off as if thrown into a cesspit, but those letters contained many intimate words. If I didn’t get them back, they would surely cause trouble sooner or later. Recently I couldn’t sleep worrying about this matter. I learned that he would attend the new scholars’ feast on the Double Third Festival, and since Mother was also going to Jingfu Temple to burn incense, I went along. While Mother went to watch opera in the West Garden, I had Red Slave disguise herself as a Hu person to stop him in front of Yuedeng Pavilion. This time he readily agreed, arranging to meet me in the bamboo grove beside Yuedeng Pavilion.”

Teng Yuyi listened with burning anger. In her previous life, her cousin and Red Slave had been strangled to death. When the coroner examined the scene, he had found male boot prints near her cousin’s body – so there truly had been a man who arranged to meet her cousin in the grove that night.

She knew that the imperial examinations had always been difficult to pass, and those who achieved the highest score at such a young age were extremely rare. She remembered that in her previous life, there had been a famous young scholar who, after passing the examinations, had also successfully passed the Ministry of Personnel’s selection test and was soon transferred to the Censorate, becoming the youngest remonstrance official. Later, he caught the eye of Chief Minister Zheng and married Minister Zheng’s only daughter.

She remembered when the wedding invitation arrived at the Teng manor – it was only half a year after her cousin had been strangled to death. Because it was the marriage of a daughter from the famous noble Zheng family, the streets were packed with common people watching the festivities on the wedding day.

Though Teng Yuyi hadn’t attended the feast, she had passed by the Zheng manor and seen the bridegroom during the wedding procession. The groom had been handsome and truly remarkable.

Thinking of this, a dark expression crept across Teng Yuyi’s face, and when she next spoke, her tone carried a bone-chilling coldness: “Sister, was that man called Lu Zhao’an?!”