Teng Yu’yi descended into the realm of shadows. Pain left her, consciousness slipped away, and she became like a mote of dust, drifting without thought or awareness.
As she wandered in this hazy state, one day sounds reached her ears. Someone lifted the black cloth before her, revealing the scene beyond.
Having dwelt in darkness for so long, Yu’yi’s mind remained clouded upon awakening. When she finally discerned her surroundings, she realized this place was familiar.
It was a solemn ancestral temple, with several palace servants cleaning the main hall.
“You haven’t been in Chang’an long, so it’s no wonder you don’t know who is enshrined here. This is the renowned Duke Jin of State, Teng Shao. His military achievements were illustrious in life, but because he advocated suppressing rebellion and reducing feudal power, he was unfortunately killed by traitors. It’s been three years since his passing.”
Yu’yi was stunned. So this was her father’s memorial temple. If her father had been gone for three years, where was she?
“I heard that at the time, the Crown Prince had already requested imperial permission and was only waiting for Duke Jin’s daughter to complete her mourning period before taking her as Crown Princess. Who could have known such a beautiful life would be cut short—Duke Jin’s daughter was also killed not long after.”
Yu’yi felt ice cold throughout her body. Looking down at herself, she saw nothing. Turning toward the altar table, she saw several memorial tablets. She stumbled over and, seeing the character “Duke Jin” on the tablet, tears immediately welled up.
“Hush…” the eunuch said, “The Crown Prince waited until this year to marry, and he’s still in the honeymoon period. Don’t speak of such things—be careful not to upset the Crown Princess.”
Another person said, “Right, right, right. The palace has been full of joy lately. After three years, the rebels in Huaixi have finally surrendered. The four garrisons in the northwest are battling Tibet, and the Prince of Cheng’s heir has won a victory. Good news keeps coming from all directions—His Majesty and Her Majesty couldn’t be happier.”
One eunuch said cheerfully, “Speaking of the Prince of Cheng’s heir, two years ago when he went to war, I saw him once. His archery on horseback never missed, and his skills were so elegant. The young lord was only seventeen or eighteen then. Who would have thought that in just two years, he’d be able to independently lead troops against the barbarians?”
“Indeed! These past two years, the young lord has struck left and right, killing barbarian chiefs. Tibet has suffered repeated defeats. They say now that whenever the barbarian army sees the banners of the Shuofang Army or Divine Strategy Army, they’re ready to flee at the mere sight.”
Yu’yi listened with bitterness. She and her father had been dead for three years. And in these three years, so much had happened.
“I heard the Empress and the Princess of Cheng are planning to arrange a marriage for the young lord. Is this true?”
That person narrowed his eyes and said, “The young lord contracted a strange illness in childhood that hasn’t been cured for many years. The Crown Prince is already married, but the young lord remains alone. He’s been fighting the northern barbarians for two years, and now he’s finally returning. Not just His Highness the Prince of Cheng and his Princess, but even His Majesty and Her Majesty are anxious. They say Her Majesty and the Princess of Cheng have chosen several virtuous young ladies, but who knows if it will work out this time.”
An older eunuch came in from outside, his voice piercingly shrill: “Well, well, so this is where you’re all hiding to slack off! Don’t say I didn’t warn you—when Duke Jin died for his country, His Majesty said that after Huaixi was pacified, he would come to the temple to pay respects. Now that the traitors have retreated and the realm is at peace, His Majesty will visit in the next few days. Before His Majesty arrives, hurry and clean everything. If I find one spot that’s not clean enough, you’ll be beaten in the courtyard!”
Suddenly there was chaos outside, and two more eunuchs rushed in saying, “Terrible news! Something’s happened!”
“What is it, Master Liu? Why are you so agitated?”
“Hurry, hurry, the palace is in chaos!”
“We can’t understand if you speak so frantically, Master Liu. Don’t panic, explain slowly.”
Liu stomped his foot, “What do you mean explain slowly? A disaster has occurred! The army just sent urgent news—while the young lord was facing off against Tibet at Binning, tens of thousands of barbarian troops crossed the Heng Mountains and launched a surprise attack on Fufang. Fufang Prefecture had insufficient provisions, so the young lord withdrew his forces to rescue them. He finally relieved Fufang’s siege, but when entering the city, a soldier shot him with a poisoned arrow!”
The eunuchs were shocked: “Assassinated? By one of our soldiers?”
“No one knows who sent that soldier. He had been hiding in the young lord’s army these past two years. After shooting the young lord, the young lord cut him down from his horse immediately, but the villain was prepared and bit into poison to kill himself. The arrow’s poison was deadly—the young lord must have known his chances were slim, but when the soldiers reported, he still pretended nothing was wrong, saying life and death are natural, and told his parents not to grieve. He also said Daoist Master Qingxu is elderly now, so if he dies, don’t let the master know.”
Several eunuchs’ eyes reddened: “The young lord is still so young and not yet married. If something happens to him, how could His Highness the Prince and Princess bear it? Daoist Master Qingxu is nearly eighty—he may not survive this shock.”
The frontman spat: “Stop this chatter and hurry back to the palace. The young lord is blessed by heaven—he will surely be fine.”
Another said, “His Highness the Prince and the Crown Prince have already left for Xingping with the imperial physicians who specialize in treating poison. Prince Chunan and Daoist Master Qingxu went with them. If they can arrive in time, there may still be hope.”
They felt hope was slim and all rushed out in panic. Yu’yi’s untethered soul unconsciously followed.
“The messenger said the common people of Fufang are waiting outside the camp, either bringing medicine or doctors and can’t be driven away. They say the barbarians besieged the city for half a month—they thought all would be lost, but then the young lord came to break the siege. Before they could properly thank this young general, this happened.”
Yu’yi listened in a daze. She had no good feelings toward Lin Chengyou in life, but who could have known he would meet the same tragic end as her? After listening for a while, she suddenly realized—as she wandered here, where were her father and mother? It had been three years since their deaths, why could she still not see her parents?
She grew anxious and began floating toward the exit. Just as she was about to drift past the temple gate, an elderly voice chanted in her ear: “Teng Yu’yi!”
That voice was exceptionally clear, piercing through the clouds.
“Teng Yu’yi!”
Yu’yi looked around in confusion.
The elder said: “Still unwilling to return?”
Yu’yi felt as if someone had grabbed her collar. Her body jerked backward and with a splash, she seemed to fall back into the pond. But this time, instead of icy pond water, she was surrounded by warm currents.
She floated there, gradually feeling warmth flow into her chest. The water rippled before her eyes as if shadows were moving.
In an instant, the sounds in her ears grew louder, becoming a familiar voice.
“Yu’er! Yu’er!”
Yu’yi’s eyelids felt sticky—she couldn’t open them no matter what. Her body felt weighted down by thousands of stones, leaving her unable to move.
“My dear child, what’s wrong?”
Someone began shaking her shoulders. Yu’yi’s fingers trembled slightly as if someone had removed the massive stone from her chest. She suddenly gasped for air and opened her eyes.
Before her was her aunt’s worried face.
“Yu’er.”
Joy immediately spread across her face: “She’s awake, she’s awake, finally awake!”
Yu’yi opened her eyes wide in confusion, looking around. The slightest movement caused tearing pain in her chest.
Lady Du bent down and took Yu’yi into her arms: “Did you have a nightmare? You look so frightened.”
Yu’yi was still shaken. She tentatively reached to touch her aunt’s face but started trembling before making contact, afraid this was another dream and she was still in the cold pond.
Lady Du had never seen Yu’yi like this. She grabbed Yu’yi’s hand: “What’s wrong? Auntie is here. Don’t be afraid, there’s nothing to fear.”
She then turned to the servants: “Yesterday the two Daoist masters, Juesheng and Qizhi, left talismans for dispelling fright. Quickly brew the water for Yu’er to drink. She was frightened in the bamboo grove the night before last—looking at her now, she’s terrified.”
Yu’yi’s tears wouldn’t stop flowing. Her aunt’s palm was warm and dry, truly and tangibly holding her hand. Thank goodness she had come back to life—this feeling of returning from death was something no one could understand.
She choked back tears and hugged her aunt tighter: “Auntie.”
Lady Du was both surprised and heartbroken: “Quick, go to the Azure Cloud Temple and ask the two Daoist masters to come to perform rituals—tell them Yu’er has been frightened.”
Yu’yi shook her head against her aunt’s shoulder, but her tears flowed even more fiercely: “It’s nothing, I just… I just had a very long nightmare.”
Lady Du was extremely worried and kept patting Yu’yi’s back: “What kind of nightmare scared you so badly? Yesterday at noon you said you were going to take a nap, but once you fell asleep, you slept through the entire night.”
She turned to take a towel and comb from a servant, wiping Yu’yi’s sweat while saying: “This morning Chunrong and Biluo saw you still hadn’t woken and came to ask me several times. I said you were tired from traveling, and after encountering that creature in the bamboo grove the night before, you probably just needed rest. Who knew you’d show no movement even by noon? When I came to check on you and saw how pale you were, I became worried. If we couldn’t wake you, your uncle and I were going to request the Daoist masters.”
Yu’yi’s body was still trembling. The scenes from her previous life were vivid before her eyes. Whenever things grew quiet, she could faintly hear the sound of rushing water.
Remembering how her father died, remembering her despair before death, the desolation in her chest refused to disperse.
Lady Du was puzzled, noticing Yu’yi was completely soaked through. She hurriedly arranged to change her bedclothes.
Yu’yi remained motionless, letting her aunt tend to her. When she no longer felt so cold, she slowly raised her head to look around.
Sunlight shone through the window screens, filling the room with brightness. A pink and white peach blossom branch sat in a white Xing kiln porcelain vase on the table, its delicate fragrance drifting through the air.
As Lady Du continued talking, Chunrong brought over Yu’yi’s outer clothes. When she came close, Yu’yi could almost see the fine hairs on the maid’s forehead.
Everything before her was so real—real enough to slowly calm her chaotic heart. She took the clothes and lowered her head to put on her shoes, trying to stand, but her legs were weak: “Auntie, what time is it now?”
“It’s already past noon.” Lady Du personally helped Yu’yi put on her clothes. “You’ve slept a day and night—you must be starving. Your sister came to see you early this morning. Seeing you weren’t awake, she stayed with you for quite a while. I saw she was tired and made her rest. We just finished lunch, but the dishes are cold now. I’ll have them make some fresh dishes to bring over.”
Lady Du left to make arrangements. Yu’yi washed up and went to the adjacent room to see Du Tinglan. Du Tinglan’s face was buried in the brocade quilt, clearly sleeping soundly.
Yu’yi quietly withdrew and went to Song Jun Hall to see Duanfu.
After resting one night, Duanfu was notably better. When Yu’yi entered the room, he was sitting upright on the couch, silent as a pine tree. Seeing Yu’yi, he stood up: “Young Miss.”
Yu’yi remembered how Duanfu died tragically in her previous life, and her eyes inexplicably stung with tears. This old servant had been so loyal that he protected her until his final moment of life.
Seeing Yu’yi’s unusual expression, Duanfu’s voice deepened: “Young Miss, what’s wrong?”
Yu’yi looked away, pretending to examine the room’s furnishings: “Nothing, just got some sand in my eye and it’s uncomfortable. You’re doing well—please sit down. Your wound has been bandaged, why aren’t you walking around?”
Duanfu said: “Yesterday Young Miss ordered this old servant to rest in the room.”
“So you won’t take even one step?”
“The Master told this old servant to protect Young Miss. Now with a broken arm, the physician won’t let me move around. Each day I’m not well is another day I can’t be by Young Miss’s side. This servant only wishes to recover quickly.”
Yu’yi was unusually quiet. When she first woke up on the boat half a month ago, she only remembered how her cousin had been murdered in the bamboo grove in her previous life, so her mind was entirely focused on rushing to Chang’an to save her cousin. But yesterday’s dream had reminded her of many forgotten details from her previous life.
“Duanfu, I remember you came to my side when I was five years old. Before that, you were always Father’s death guard.”
Duanfu said: “Yes.”
“Back when you were still with Father, did you ever see him associate with a man surnamed Wu from Nanzhao?”
Duanfu was silent for a moment before saying: “This old servant only served the Master for three years before being assigned to Young Miss. During that time, I only saw one person surnamed Wu—a woman named Wu Yingying.”
Yu’yi nodded. Duanfu would not lie, so it seemed that besides Wu Yingying, Duanfu had not seen the Master associate with anyone else surnamed Wu.
Could those letters from Nanzhao that she had seen in Father’s study on the night she was killed in her previous life have truly been written by Wu Yingying?
“Do you remember when this Wu Yingying came to Father’s side?”
Duanfu lowered his brows: “Ten years ago, when the Master returned to court from Fengxiang, Wu Yingying was brought to the military camp by a group of secret guards. At the time, Wu Yingying was injured, and the Master ordered people to find a physician and an old woman from town to care for her. When Wu Yingying recovered, the Master sent her directly to Yangzhou.”
Yu’yi’s heart twisted into knots. That was the beginning of her mother’s tragedy. She had investigated these matters in her previous life, and hearing them again now still felt bitter with irony.
“How were the secret guards who escorted Wu Yingying dressed, and what accent did they speak with?”
“They came in the dead of night and left before dawn. Their leader spoke with the Master alone in the tent for a long time—the Master had specifically dismissed everyone else.”
Yu’yi paced back and forth, suddenly remembering the scene from her dream. Father had hidden those letters in his study—to know who wrote them, she only needed to go back to the manor’s study to look.
She said to Duanfu: “Rest well these few days. When you’re better, I want you to teach me some deadly self-defense techniques.”
Duanfu was taken aback: “Young Miss, what do you mean by deadly self-defense techniques?”
Yu’yi walked to the door and looked back: “The kind that can take a life with one strike—the more lethal, the better.”
She remembered that night in her previous life when master and servant were killed—that person in the black cloak who appeared on the outer wall, that bone-chilling aura as if from the netherworld. She had many things to do now, but first, she would start by finding out who that cloaked figure was.
Yu’yi left after dropping these words. Duanfu rarely showed emotion, maintaining the same expression whether happy or angry, but this time, he stared at the door with his mouth half-open, taking a long while to recover his senses.
Meanwhile, the meal had been set out. Lady Du poured yogurt over the sesame rice and pushed it in front of Yu’yi, speaking softly: “This was your favorite when you were little. Auntie made it early, just waiting for you to wake up and eat.”
Although Yu’yi was anxious to return to the manor, she couldn’t bear to disappoint her aunt’s thoughtful arrangements. Moreover, just going out once had already made her break into a sweat. Remembering she hadn’t eaten since falling asleep at noon yesterday, she sat cross-legged at the table: “Auntie, eat with me.”
Lady Du sat down across from her as requested, looking at Yu’yi with loving care.
“This morning your uncle went to see the Prince of Cheng’s heir as you suggested, determined to tell him about your sister meeting Lu Zhao’an in the bamboo grove that night. This way, whether that creature had any connection to Lu Zhao’an could be investigated through the young lord’s efforts. But the Azure Cloud Temple’s doors and windows were tightly shut—who knows what happened inside. Your uncle waited for a long time but no one came to answer the door, so he had to leave.”
Yu’yi found this strange: “Hasn’t the Azure Cloud Temple always been bustling with worshippers? Why would it suddenly close its doors?”
“Your uncle only said it was unusually quiet inside as if no one was there. He thought it was suspicious at the time but had no way to investigate. He returned home for lunch and went back to the Azure Cloud Temple in the afternoon—who knows if he’ll be able to see the young lord this time.”
Hearing the words “Prince of Cheng’s heir,” Yu’yi suddenly remembered what she had seen and heard in her father’s memorial temple after she died in her previous life. That scene had been so dreamlike, completely different from her previous life’s personal experience. After waking, she had forgotten most of it, unable to distinguish what was real and what was illusion.
She vaguely remembered that in the third year after her death, Lin Chengyou seemed to have been assassinated in the northern frontier, but she hadn’t heard whether he survived or perished before an elder called her back.
Who was that elder who called her name? That aged voice had come like a great bell, pulling her out of that long, heavy nightmare in an instant.
She picked up her chopsticks absent-mindedly and said to her aunt: “That night after the Prince of Cheng’s heir drove the tree spirit from Lady An’guo’s body, she seemed to be at death’s door. I wonder if the Azure Cloud Temple’s sudden closure has anything to do with saving Lady An’guo.”
Lady Du wondered: “Could they be performing rituals behind closed doors?”
After finishing her meal and washing up, Yu’yi said: “I left in such a hurry the other night, many things are still at home. Auntie, I need to return to the manor for a while.”
Lady Du started, hurriedly following her out: “Take more people with you. Just get what you need and come back. Shaotang seems to have something to discuss with you—he came by several times this morning. I asked the child what it was about, but he refused to say.”
Yu’yi responded vaguely and hurried to the Teng manor with her servants. Since Teng Shao had been serving posts away from home for years, although the manor was cleaned daily, it still felt somewhat damp and desolate.
Outside the garden, Yu’yi’s steps faltered.
Biluo asked: “Young Miss, what’s wrong?”
Yu’yi walked to the edge of the pond. It was early spring, and the garden was like an embroidered tapestry. The green willows by the pond swayed in the wind. A warm breeze passed by, causing ripples across the clear water.
She looked at the pond with bitterness. The terrifying feeling of floating in the icy water before her death remained vivid and tangible.
After standing silently by the pond for a long while, until the horrifying feeling in her heart slightly diminished, she finally looked up in another direction. Originally only fragments of memory remained in her mind, but this dream had confirmed her suspicions.
When she was on the brink of death, someone had indeed jumped into the pond to save her, but unfortunately, she died before they could rescue her.
That person didn’t seem like a barbarian soldier or guard. From their silhouette in the darkness, they appeared to be a young nobleman.
Was it the Crown Prince? After Father’s death, the Crown Prince came to pay respects, saying Father was his honored teacher and that she could come to him for help with anything in the future. But she had never once sought the Crown Prince’s help and strictly forbade her household from associating with the imperial clan. Still, when the manor was attacked that night, it wouldn’t be strange if Old Cheng had sent someone to find the Crown Prince in his panic.
But the night had been too dark, and her vision had already blurred before she died. She only vaguely felt that the person’s figure didn’t look like the Crown Prince’s. Thinking about it now, could it have been one of Father’s subordinates?
To recover more memories, Yu’yi slowly walked around the pond once. Seeing it was getting late, she returned to Father’s study.
Outside the study, the pine and cypress trees were a deep, glistening green, with clear springs winding around the steps. Everything was so familiar, as if nothing had changed.
Yu’yi walked silently to the study door, raised her hand, and pushed it open without hesitation. Seeing the scene inside, her throat suddenly tightened.
That night when she had stormed out after arguing with Father, it had been snowing outside. The world was completely silent, with the snow-laden pine and cypress trees rustling. Father had remained in the room, presumably listening to her footsteps fade away just like this.
She had walked quickly through the snow, filled with hatred for her father. How could she have known then that it would be the last time father and daughter would see each other?
She turned to those behind her and said: “Wait outside.”
“Yes.”
Yu’yi closed the door and looked up at the bookshelf. Although there were quite a few books on the shelf, they were far fewer than before. She thought that since Father had not yet officially returned to Chang’an, many books must have remained at the Yangzhou residence.
She searched up and down but couldn’t find her mother’s zither anywhere. She walked back and forth through the room, searching almost every corner, but to no avail.
She collapsed onto the couch, sweat beginning to form on her forehead. Did Father perhaps carry that zither with him? If he hadn’t returned to Chang’an, naturally the zither wouldn’t be in the manor.
Yu’yi thought for a moment, then got up and walked to the curio cabinet. If she remembered correctly, this was where the zither had been placed later. Currently, there was a small ink landscape screen on it. She took down the screen and felt around in the place she remembered, soon finding a sliding panel.
Her heart began to race as she carefully pried it open with a paper-knife. After loosening it and lifting the cover, she was stunned—it was empty. Forget the letters, there wasn’t even a single hair inside.
***
Back at the Du manor, Yu’yi was still pondering this matter. Either her memory was wrong, or Father hadn’t yet placed the letters in the hidden compartment.
But since waking up on the boat, almost everything had matched her previous life, so it probably wasn’t her memory that was wrong. The most likely possibility was that Father considered those letters important and carried them with him even in the military camp.
Lost in thought, she stepped down from the carriage. One of Shaotang’s old servants seemed to have been waiting for a long time and mysteriously approached as soon as he saw her: “Miss Teng, the young master asked this old servant to give you this. He said the Cai Feng Tower is hard to find, so this is a detailed map drawn by his classmate. He instructed that when you go, you must take him with you, and said this paper absolutely must not be seen by the lady, or neither of you will be able to go.”
Yu’yi took the rough map from the old servant. The Cai Feng Tower was indeed a brothel, located in the southern section of Pingkang Ward. The map marked all the nearby restaurants and wine shops.
“Thank Shaotang for me,” Yu’yi smiled, hiding the paper in her sleeve.
Returning to the inner courtyard, she didn’t go to see her aunt and cousin but went straight to her room, pulling out the jade sword from under her pillow.
Since this sword had come into her possession, she had slept peacefully every night. But last night she had not only had continuous nightmares, but they had been so real and terrifying. She wondered if this had anything to do with the sword’s spiritual power being sealed. If so, she needed to restore its power as soon as possible.
She tucked the sword into her sleeve: “Yesterday I asked Old Cheng to inquire about Daoist temples and priests in Chang’an. I wonder if there’s any news.”
“Old Cheng sent word back early this morning. There’s a Dongming Temple in Puning Ward that has a hundred-year history. There are five old Daoist priests there known as the Five Beautiful Immortals. They say their Daoist arts are quite powerful and they’ve always had some reputation.”
Five Beautiful Immortals? What a strange title.
Yu’yi looked at the sun outside the window. Lin Chengyou was not someone to be trifled with, and unless necessary, she didn’t want to deal with him. Since the Dongming Temple priests were also quite capable, she might as well try her luck there first.
“Prepare a set of men’s barbarian clothes for me. I’m going to Dongming Temple to meet these Five Beautiful Immortals.”
Du Tinglan, hearing that Yu’yi had returned, came to the neighboring room to find her. Upon entering, she saw Yu’yi dressed in barbarian men’s clothing and exclaimed in surprise: “Yu’er, why are you dressed like this? Are you going out?”
Yu’yi was fastening her belt while examining Du Tinglan. Her cousin’s complexion was much better than before. She nodded reassuringly: “I need to go out for a while—these clothes are more convenient. Sister, tell me if there’s anything you want to eat, and I’ll bring it back for you.”
Du Tinglan came closer to adjust Yu’yi’s barbarian hat. Because they were in a hurry to leave, Chunrong and Biluo hadn’t been as careful as usual. Yu’yi’s hair wasn’t properly arranged, with several strands falling onto her shoulders. Du Tinglan patiently braided them into a small plait and tucked them back into the barbarian hat. Still not satisfied after looking from all angles, she frowned: “Why don’t I fix your hair properly?”
Yu’yi had hidden various poisons and concealed weapons in her belt, and replied casually: “No time today—let Sister help me with my hair tomorrow.”
Du Tinglan’s gaze softened as she remembered when Yu’er first came to the Du manor, like a small creature covered in thorns. At first, whenever she tried to get close to her cousin, Yu’er would push her away.
Once, when Mother was doing her hair, Yu’er watched silently for a while before suddenly running outside. She chased her to the garden, where Yu’er was holding a cloth doll on the swing.
She knew her cousin must have been missing her aunt and was in a bad mood, which was why she was so mercurial. Thinking that if her mother were gone, she would probably be even more upset than Yu’er, she went over and patted Yu’er’s head: “Your hair is messy. Let Sister fix it for you.”
Yu’er snorted heavily and pushed her away, jumping down from the swing.
She pushed Yu’er back onto the swing and took out a small comb to style her hair into two round buns. From then on, whenever Yu’er stayed at home, she did her hair.
“Don’t bring me anything to eat—I can’t stomach anything. When will you return? Will Old Cheng accompany you?” Du Tinglan asked softly.
Yu’yi glanced at Du Tinglan in the mirror. Though her cousin appeared fine, there was still worry in her eyes, showing how angry she was about the Lu Zhao’an incident.
“Sister, Old Cheng is already arranging to deal with Lu Zhao’an. Just wait patiently for news.”
Du Tinglan’s face reddened slightly as she turned to look out the window: “Because I foolishly trusted that scoundrel, I’ve caused the whole family to worry and fear. I’m still haunted by that night’s events. Be careful when you go out. Since Duanfu is injured and can’t leave the manor, remember to take more people with you.”
“Don’t worry, I understand.” Yu’yi handed Du Tinglan a fake beard, “Help me put this on, Sister.”
Du Tinglan fiddled with it on Yu’yi’s face for a while. The fake beard was black and broad, instantly covering half of Yu’yi’s face.
“How is it?” Yu’yi asked her cousin.
Du Tinglan nodded with satisfaction: “Though one can still tell you’re a woman, at least no one will recognize who you are at first glance.”
Yu’yi adjusted the curved sword at her waist and strode toward the door: “If you see Shaotang, tell him I probably won’t go to Cai Feng Tower today. If he insists on going, we’ll discuss it tomorrow.”
Du Tinglan asked suspiciously: “Cai Feng Tower?”
“I’ll explain in detail when I return.”
Outside the manor, Old Cheng wasn’t there today, but he had arranged for Huo Qiu and several other capable old servants to wait.
Yu’yi got into the carriage and told Huo Qiu to hurry.
Huo Qiu drove without stopping to Dongming Temple. After dismounting, they brought generous gifts to visit the Daoist masters. There were few worshippers in the temple, but there were five senior Daoist priests managing affairs.
On this long spring day with nothing to do, the priests were busy eating pears out of boredom. Hearing the young acolyte’s report, they were unwilling to meet visitors.
“Tell them we’re in closed meditation and send them away.”
The acolyte said: “But the carriage outside looks noble—probably from some prominent Chang’an household.”
“Prominent household?”
The five senior priests’ eyes brightened slightly as they put down their pears and rushed out eagerly. Arriving in the courtyard, they indeed saw a well-dressed guard.
They coughed and lined up in the courtyard, waving their whisks as they introduced themselves:
“This poor Daoist is named Jiantian.”
“This poor Daoist is named Jianxian.”
“Named Jianmei.”
“Named Jianle.”
“Named Jianxi.”
Yu’yi and Huo Qiu were startled by this display.
Among the five old Daoists, the one called Jianxi was the fattest: “This poor Daoist is the temple’s abbot. May I ask what brings the patron here today?”
Yu’yi touched the large beard on her face. The temple’s food must be quite good—all the old Daoists were plump and well-fed, and they paid attention to their appearance, each wearing neat robes and shoes.
She had Huo Qiu present the prepared generous gifts, then explained her purpose and laid the jade sword in her palm: “I wonder if the masters can help restore its spiritual power.”
The priests gathered around to look for a long while but couldn’t determine the sword’s origins: “Breaking the curse isn’t difficult. The sword probably lost its spiritual power because it was contaminated by something unclean. Cleansing the impure qi should suffice.”
With that, they began a ritual, placing the sword on the altar. After much ceremonial sword-waving and talisman-throwing, the sword remained dim. The old priests whispered among themselves for a while before saying dejectedly: “If we’re not mistaken, this sword has been bound by a Spirit-Killing Ring.”
“What is a Spirit-Killing Ring?”
Though the five priests had long recognized Yu’yi as a woman, they still addressed her as “young master”: “Young master must know of Azure Cloud Temple?”
“I’ve heard of it.”
Jianxi said: “This is a spell invented by Qingxu’s sect. Years ago, a young priest went astray and used Daoist implements to commit robbery. The priest was already quite skilled, and with magical implements at hand, he became completely unrestrained. To deal with this evil practitioner, Qingxu of Azure Cloud Temple devised a spell called the Spirit-Killing Ring. He had someone disguise themselves as a beautiful woman to approach the evil practitioner and cast the ring when he wasn’t paying attention. The evil practitioner’s implement was destroyed, and he was brought to justice soon after.”
“So the Spirit-Killing Ring, though called a curse, is a righteous technique for promoting good and eliminating evil.” The priests examined Yu’yi suspiciously, “Azure Cloud Temple’s priests don’t cast this spell lightly unless they sense the implement user has ill intentions. Young master, you—”
Yu’yi internally cursed Lin Chengyou while maintaining her smile, casually making up a story: “To be honest, I only arrived in Chang’an recently. While drinking at a tavern, I encountered the Prince of Cheng’s heir. I was slightly drunk at the time and heard him discussing Daoist implements with his two junior apprentices. I foolishly bragged about my jade sword, speaking rather competitively, and inadvertently offended him. Not long after leaving the tavern that night, my sword became like this. It was truly an undeserved calamity.”
As she spoke, she sighed. The priests exchanged glances—so it was Master Qingxu’s grand disciple, no wonder.
Jianmei looked at Yu’yi sympathetically: “So that’s what happened. Unfortunately, we can’t break this spell. If Master Qingxu were here, the young master would only need to bring the sword to Azure Cloud Temple and explain the situation—he would surely break the curse. But now that’s impossible. Since it was his disciple who cast the spell, we can only wait for Qingxu to return from his wanderings.”
“This—” Yu’yi forced a smile, “What if Master Qingxu doesn’t return for a year or more?”
“Then you’ll have to wait a year or more to break the curse.” The priests shrugged, “Young master, of all people to offend, why did you have to offend Qingxu’s grand disciple? That boy, tsk—”
That “tsk” was drawn out meaningfully, saying everything without words.
Yu’yi’s smile froze on her face. It seemed she had no choice but to visit Cai Feng Tower.
The priests’ eyes flickered—they had accepted generous gifts but couldn’t break the Spirit-Killing Ring. Would this young lady demand everything back? They grinned and pulled out a bunch of gaudy talismans from their sleeves: “Young master, these are the ‘Five Beautiful Immortals’ Talismans.’ These talismans can ward off evil and protect homes. They’re usually the temple’s treasured possessions, rarely shown unless someone offers a high price. Today, this poor Daoist feels an immediate connection with young master—we must be fated. Let these talismans be a gift to you, young master. Please accept them—no need for additional payment.”
How could Yu’yi not guess what these priests were plotting? But seeing it was getting late and having no time to argue with them, she played along: “Since the masters offer these divine talismans as gifts, how could I refuse? Several elderly people in my household sincerely follow the Dao. Being new to the area, today’s visit was not only about breaking the curse but also about checking the temple for my elderly relatives. If these talismans work well, I’ll often bring family members to burn incense here in the future.”
The old priests tensed internally. This young lady was generous—she must have significant backing. If they deceived her too badly, it might bring trouble to the temple.
Better to leave her with a good impression this time, which could lead to regular income later. Master Jiantian swished his whisk and pulled out something else with a stern face: “Young master, don’t leave yet. Since you have such a connection with our Dongming Temple, this poor Daoist has one more gift.”
Yu’yi took it and saw it was a worn-out brush. She had heard Dongming Temple had some reputation, but who knew these old priests only knew how to swindle money?
This thing was meant to deceive people, but throwing it away in front of them would be too harsh. Moreover, it was getting late, and she truly had no time to waste. So she tucked it away with the pile of talismans in her sleeve and smiled meaningfully: “I’ll remember the master’s words and will certainly visit again another day.”
She got into the carriage and ordered Huo Qiu to head straight for the southern section of Pingkang Ward. By the time they reached Pingkang Ward, it was dusk. The drums from Chengtian Gate could be heard in the distance as the various ward gates were closing in sequence.
Yu’yi had prepared for this, taking out her token to show the guard, and successfully entered the ward.
Pingkang Ward truly lived up to its reputation. Though night had just fallen, the brothels had already hung up their brilliant lanterns. The courtesans were openly greeting customers at their doors, and officials and scholars seeking pleasure could be seen everywhere, with unrestrained laughter filling the air.
Yu’yi sat in the carriage looking out, gradually feeling dazzled. She simply took out the map Shaotang had given her and directed Huo Qiu from inside. After winding through several streets, they finally arrived at the entrance of a tall and imposing building. Huo Qiu said from outside: “Young Miss, we’re here.”
Yu’yi lightly brushed off her felt robe and lifted the curtain to step down.
The brothel before her was uniquely styled, with the front building alone rising three stories high. The entrance was crowded with ornate carriages, and those entering and leaving were all nobles draped in fine silks.
Yu’yi stood at the entrance looking around, secretly sighing that this must be the most magnificent brothel in Pingkang Ward. She instructed Chunrong and Biluo to wait in the carriage while she went in with Huo Qiu, but a middle-aged woman suddenly darted out from the building and blocked their way.
This woman had emerald ornaments pasted on her forehead and, apparently recognizing Yu’yi as a woman, smiled and refused to let them pass: “Young master, please stop—our Cai Feng Tower doesn’t serve customers like you.”
Yu’yi ignored her and continued walking inside. The woman’s expression changed slightly: “Young master—”
Before she could finish, something golden suddenly appeared before her eyes. Yu’yi held a piece of gold between two fingers, looking at her with a half-smile: “Will you serve us or not?”
“We will! We will!” The woman’s eyes lit up—this amount was enough to buy a shop in the Eastern Market. Though this place usually had no common customers, those who spent so generously were still rare. She delightedly accepted the gold and turned to lead Yu’yi inside: “Follow me, young master.”
Yu’yi followed behind the woman, observing her surroundings as they walked. The sound of zithers drifted continuously from the private rooms, with customers feasting and drinking at their tables. The young Daoist had said he came here to exorcise evil, but inside and outside the building was full of song and dance—hardly seeming to harbor any evil spirits.
Going up to the second floor, not only was Lin Chengyou nowhere to be seen, but Juesheng and Qizhi were also absent.
Yu’yi asked the woman: “Madam, are there any Daoist priests here tonight?”
The woman covered her mouth with a fan and laughed: “Young master jest—our Cai Feng Tower is famous as a place of pleasure and wealth. How could there be Daoist priests here?”
She led Yu’yi and her servant to a private room by the window on the second floor, warmly introducing herself: “This humble one is called E Ji. Young master, whatever wine you wish to drink, whatever beauty you wish to see, just tell this humble one.”
Yu’yi gave Huo Qiu a look, and he understood, going outside to search for Juesheng and Qizhi.
Yu’yi smiled and asked E Ji: “I hear your Cai Feng Tower has better wine than elsewhere. Do you have grape wine?”
E Ji eagerly arranged things: “Young master has come to the right place.”
She went out to the corridor and instructed the servant: “Quickly tell Baozhu and Juan’er to warm the wine.”
Yu’yi remembered her purpose for coming and unconsciously reached for the jade sword in her bosom, but touched a pile of talismans instead. In her hurry to get here, she had almost forgotten about them. Though the Dongming Temple priests had no real skills, they were quite thorough in their swindling.
Feeling them cumbersome to carry, she was about to ask E Ji to throw them away when with a hiss, the talismans burst into flame at her fingertips.
Yu’yi was startled and threw them to the ground, where they continued to burn for a while before slowly dying out.
Yu’yi looked strangely at the pile of ashes. The Dongming Temple priests had said these talismans could detect and ward off evil spirits—she hadn’t believed a word of it. But why had the talismans suddenly caught fire?
Just as she was finding it strange, a man adorned with flowers and jade passed by outside. He was nearly thirty, handsome and refined in appearance. As he walked, he chatted and laughed with two beautiful young women beside him. He unconsciously glanced into the room at Yu’yi, his gaze unusually bewitching, as if he could see through people with one look.
Yu’yi’s heart skipped a beat. The man threw back his head and laughed, then strode further inside.