The Jingbei Prince’s Mansion in Zhaojing was located at the foot of Fu Mountain in the north of the city. Surprisingly large, it covered hundreds of acres, with ornate beams and painted pillars, intricate lattices and embroidered windows, green tiles, and vermilion ridges—the epitome of luxury. It was said that the Flame Emperor had spent two years building it specifically for the Third Prince’s enfeoffment. The servants of the Jingbei Prince’s Mansion were always proud of their lord’s imperial favor, but only a few knew that it was a gilded cage.
Mei Lin lived in the Frost Forest Courtyard, along with two other women named Jiang Tu and Lian Xiu, who were also Murong Jinghe’s concubines. Surprisingly, A Dai, who had come with her, didn’t live with them.
On the day she moved in, Jiang Tu was sitting by her window doing needlework. She looked up at Mei Lin, startled for a moment, then lowered her head expressionlessly and continued her work. After everything was settled, she brought Lian Xiu over. Their attitude was surprisingly friendly; Lian Xiu even offered Mei Lin some of her newly tailored autumn clothes when she learned that Mei Lin didn’t have many changes of clothes.
“The people in these nearby courtyards aren’t even as good as the prince’s middle-ranking maids. What’s there to fight over?” Jiang Tu said.
Murong Jinghe had many women. Every so often, the palace would bestow a few beauties upon him, and other officials would occasionally send him some stunning women, in addition to those he acquired himself from brothels. All in all, the number of beauties in the vast Jingbei Prince’s Mansion probably rivaled that of the emperor’s harem. No wonder he always looked like he had overindulged in wine and women.
So Mei Lin knew that she was now far from Murong Jinghe, so far that she might spend a lifetime here without seeing him. This possibility made her both relieved and somewhat troubled. If she couldn’t get close to him, the intelligence she could gather would likely be very limited. However, she wasn’t too concerned about this and quickly put it out of her mind.
Jiang Tu and Lian Xiu didn’t stay long before leaving. Mei Lin then walked around her room, very satisfied with the spacious quarters divided into inner and outer sections, fully furnished and bright. This was the first time she had a room of her own, and one with plenty of light at that.
Outside the bedroom window stretched a few old branches with sparse, half-withered leaves. She couldn’t identify the tree, but perhaps in spring, it would bloom with beautiful flower buds.
Thinking of this possibility, Mei Lin couldn’t contain her joy. She carefully closed the door, turned back to the bed, and rolled on the soft mattress a couple of times. Then she lay on her side, resting her head on her arm, smiling as she admired the vermilion window and brown branches, imagining the scene of flowers in full bloom. Everything seemed perfect.
The bedding smelled of sunlight and dryness, subtly enveloping her, and gradually, drowsiness set in.
In her hazy state, she seemed to return to the damp, cold prison. Darkness invaded like a nightmare, the surroundings filled with stench and suppressed sighs, along with curses and laughter…
“Mei, you’re having a nightmare.” Someone shook her rather roughly, with concerned words.
Mei Lin opened her eyes to see a beautiful young woman standing by the bed, frowning and pouting. She was a bit dazed, unable to remember where she was or who this person was.
“Get up quickly, wash your face, and eat.” The woman didn’t wait for her response, turning to walk towards the window. As she closed it, she muttered to herself, “It’s natural to feel uncomfortable in a new place. Don’t sleep with the window open. This is a peach tree; it easily attracts evil spirits…”
Listening to her rambling, Mei Lin’s racing heart gradually calmed down, and she remembered it was Jiang Tu.
“So it’s a peach tree…” she murmured, sitting up, her back cold and damp.
That place, she thought, now that she was out, she would never go back.
Life in the Jingbei Prince’s Mansion was leisurely, with no lack of food, clothing, or daily necessities. It was said that the palace allocated a considerable sum of silver each year for the Jingbei Prince to squander. Recalling the Flame Emperor’s expression when he saw Murong Jinghe, compared to the treatment he enjoyed, it truly puzzled Mei Lin.
However, these matters were not for her to worry about. On the first night of her arrival, she used the method instructed in the silk pouch to screen and summarize the various pieces of information she had obtained and passed them on. The antidote she received in return only began to take effect a full day after the poison in her body had acted up.
The best antidote would take effect as soon as the poison acted, allowing one to feel no pain at all. The next best would take effect within two hours, then four hours, eight hours, and finally, a day. This proved that her efforts, which had cost her some mental energy, were completely worthless. That day, to avoid frightening others, she had to find an excuse to lock herself in her room until the effects of the poison subsided. The next day, after eating her fill, she became lively again, feeling no remorse for her perfunctory behavior.
It wasn’t that she had any fondness for Murong Jinghe or was too afraid to plot against him, but rather that she felt the bit of pain was bearable and there was no need to take excessive risks. Perhaps it was her strong ability to endure pain that made her an anomaly among the dead soldiers who were not allowed to have their thoughts.
Mei Lin thought she would continue to idle away her days until the mission ended, or until the organization could no longer tolerate it. But reality often fails to meet expectations. No matter how much she followed the rules and kept a low profile, she still ended up catching someone’s attention.
The person who took notice of her was none other than Mu Ye Luo Mei, with whom she had briefly crossed paths before.
It turned out that after that day, the two hadn’t met again, and Mu Ye Luo Mei had forgotten about her. Who would have thought that at a banquet in the capital after their return, she would encounter Murong Xuanlie, who inadvertently mentioned the incident from that day? Only then did she learn that the seemingly helpless woman had managed to walk out of the forest unscathed, which immediately piqued her interest. So she found an opportunity, while Murong Jinghe was trying to curry favor with her, to ask to borrow someone. For such an insignificant person, Murong Jinghe naturally had no reason to refuse, and immediately sent Qing Yan to fetch her.
To be honest, Murong Jinghe couldn’t remember who Mu Ye Luo Mei was asking for, but Qing Yan remembered clearly; otherwise, it would have taken quite some effort to find her.
Qing Yan was a favorite of Murong Jinghe, and there were few in the mansion who didn’t know him. When he walked into the Frost Forest Courtyard, the nearby courtyards were visibly stirred, all guessing the purpose of his visit.
Mei Lin was hiding in her room, earnestly flipping through a tattered medical book she had acquired from somewhere. She couldn’t leave the mansion and didn’t have extra money to find someone to detoxify her body, not to mention that the organization’s poison wasn’t something an ordinary person could neutralize. So she could only rely on herself. Of course, she knew that for someone with no medical knowledge, this was practically impossible, but since the outcome couldn’t be worse, it was worth a try.
She only heard Qing Yan after he coughed twice at the door. Looking up to see the fair and handsome young eunuch, her brows furrowed imperceptibly before she smiled, stood up, and bowed.
“Greetings, Sir Qing.” She quite liked this sharp-tongued and often arrogant internal attendant, but liking him didn’t mean she was happy to see him appear. After all, he was someone who stayed by Murong Jinghe’s side and wouldn’t come to see a woman of no status in the back courtyard without reason.
It must be said that after being trained as a death soldier for so many years, Mei Lin indeed had an unusual sensitivity to her surroundings.
Qing Yan glanced at the book in her hand, then at the simple and clean room, before slowly saying, “Pack up your things and come with me.”
Mei Lin was stunned. She wanted to ask but stopped when she saw his downcast eyes, indicating he didn’t intend to say more. Turning back into the room, she packed two changes of clothes and the book, cast a lingering glance at the peach branches outside the window, then resolutely turned away and walked out.
“Sir Qing, where are you taking Mei?” Jiang Tu and Lian Xiu were waiting outside. Seeing Mei Lin with her bundle, they couldn’t help but ask.
Qing Yan held his chin high, not even glancing at the two women from the corner of his eye. He said coldly, “Didn’t anyone teach you when you entered the mansion that it’s best not to ask questions you shouldn’t?” As he spoke, he had already reached the courtyard gate.
The two women were left speechless and could only look at Mei Lin helplessly.
Mei Lin shook her head slightly, indicating she didn’t know either. Qing Yan was already urging her, so she had to hurry to catch up.
They walked in silence. Just before reaching their destination, Qing Yan finally spoke.
“No matter what happens, don’t forget your place as a servant.”
Your place as a servant…
Mei Lin was slightly stunned, then immediately realized he was giving her a hint. She hurriedly responded respectfully, feeling even more grateful to him.
As the saying goes, “One takes on the color of one’s company.” For Qing Yan to become Murong Jinghe’s closest confidant, he certainly wasn’t a kind person. To offer even this brief advice to a lowly woman was already an exception. This was because his deep-seated inferiority complex, developed from his physical defects, had made him sensitive. From the beginning, he had never detected in Mei Lin that kind of contempt hidden beneath reverence that most people had. If it were anyone else, he probably wouldn’t have bothered to say a word.
Qing Yan led her to the third floor of the north building of Dan Yue Pavilion. After reporting, he left to attend to other matters, leaving Mei Lin to enter alone.
From the outside, Dan Yue Pavilion appeared to be a single, plain, and sturdy three-story wooden building. Only upon entering did one realize it was composed of four interconnected wooden buildings surrounding a medium-sized courtyard. Only the north building had three floors; the east, south, and west sides were all two stories. The entire second floor of the south building was covered with red carpets and hung with golden tassels—it was a theater stage. Without guessing, one could deduce the purposes of the other three sides.
At that moment, an unknown play was being performed on the south building’s stage. A qingyi (female role) was waving her water sleeves, singing in a high-pitched voice. In the autumn afternoon sun, it made one drowsy.
The third floor of the north building was also one large open space, covered with thick, soft, and colorful brocade carpets. There was no furniture, only layers of lake-green thin gauze curtains creating a hazy sense of space. Soft cushions were casually strewn on the floor, and vases of autumn chrysanthemums were faintly visible behind the gauze. Incense smoke curled upwards, permeating the autumn chill.
Murong Jinghe leaned against a soft cushion, one hand resting on a carved wooden railing, the other holding a cup of wine. His gaze passed over the roof of the south building, falling on the emerald lake surface not far away. The lake rippled, the mountains were shrouded in green, and the blue sky was vast. He squinted slightly, somewhat intoxicated. The sunlight fell on him without any obstruction, its warm temperature made his complexion seem a bit better. Beside him, A Dai sat with her legs folded, holding a small fire-red marten in her arms. At some distance from them, Mu Ye Luo Mei stood leaning against the railing, holding a folding fan, dressed in a blue scholar’s robe with a square headscarf—a complete male attire.
Mei Lin hesitated for a moment, then took off her shoes and stepped onto the brocade carpet, her skirt falling to cover her plain-colored socks.
“This slave greets the Prince,” she bowed from afar, not moving closer.
This immediately drew the attention of all three. Mu Ye Luo Mei unconsciously tapped her closed fan on the railing in front of her, her beautiful eyes gleaming with intense interest. Though the movement was slight, it didn’t escape Murong Jinghe’s notice. The corner of his lips curled into an ambiguous smile as he turned to Mei Lin.
“Come here,” he commanded.
Mei Lin was very reluctant in her heart. Perhaps A Dai posed no threat, but the other two were enough to make her feel dangerous. She hadn’t forgotten the previous incident; if it had been someone else, they might have already entered another reincarnation by now. However, this understanding didn’t allow her to refuse the Jingbei Prince’s order.
Suppressing her helpless emotions, she lowered her head and slowly walked in. When she raised her face again, it bore a gentle smile.
Murong Jinghe examined her carefully for a moment, feeling she looked familiar, but couldn’t remember more than that. He looked at Mu Ye Luo Mei and said, “The person is here. Feel free to instruct her as you wish.”
Mei Lin was slightly stunned, looking bewilderedly at Mu Ye Luo Mei, who appeared even more coquettish in male attire. She thought to herself: What does she want me for? Even if she’s jealous, it shouldn’t be directed at me, right?
Just then, Mu Ye Luo Mei’s lips curled slightly, and she suddenly swung her fan like a knife toward Mei Lin’s neck. Her movement was extremely fast and sudden, giving no time for thought. If it had been the old Mei Lin, she would have instinctively dodged or countered based on her martial arts training. But now, even as Mu Ye Luo Mei withdrew her fan, Mei Lin still stood dazedly in place, completely unaware that she had just brushed with death.
Mei Lin wasn’t entirely unaware. Her martial arts skills were gone, but her eyesight was still sharp. It was just that her reflexes were too slow; before she could react, the other party had already stopped. So she decided to play dumb. However, she became greatly uneasy inside, worried that her identity might have been suspected.
While she was feeling anxious, Mu Ye Luo Mei suddenly opened her fan with a “swoosh” and began walking out, fanning herself.
“I’m taking her with me,” she said to Murong Jinghe, but without even glancing at him.
Mei Lin hesitated, unsure whether to follow or not. She still didn’t understand what was going on.
“What are you dazed about? Follow me!” Noticing that Mei Lin hadn’t followed, Mu Ye Luo Mei turned back and snapped impatiently.
Mei Lin felt cold sweat beginning to trickle down her back. She involuntarily looked towards Murong Jinghe, hoping he would give her a clear instruction.
Fortunately, this time Murong Jinghe didn’t fall into his usual deep contemplation. Catching Meilin’s questioning gaze, he smiled slightly and suddenly reached out to grasp her ankle hidden beneath her skirt, pulling her towards him. Meilin lost her balance, swaying twice before nearly falling, but he caught her in one swift motion.
“I can’t let you take her away,” he finally spoke. His hand, still holding the wine cup, encircled Meilin’s nape, pouring the remaining half cup of wine into her mouth.
As he finished and looked up, he met Muye Luomei’s beautiful eyes, burning with dangerous anger.
“You’d better give me a reasonable explanation!” She felt she had been toyed with.
Murong Jinghe, knowing her well, wasn’t intimidated by her anger. Instead, he lowered his head to kiss Meilin’s brow, suddenly noticing a tiny vermilion mole there. Now that she was reclining in his arms, her hair had slid away, fully revealing the mole. It looked incredibly adorable in the sunlight. Distracted by this discovery, he couldn’t help but lovingly lick it with his tongue.
“Murong Jinghe!” Muye Luomei’s voice gritted through her teeth, echoed through the empty third floor, sounding unusually harsh and angry against the backdrop of the gentle, alluring qingyi singing from across the way.
Murong Jinghe snapped back to attention. After examining the woman in his arms for a moment, he looked up and smiled, “How can Jing dare to give away something bestowed by the Emperor, unless…” He left the rest unsaid, but his meaning was clear – unless she became part of his family, then she wouldn’t be considered an outsider.
Understanding his implication, Muye Luomei was furious. Yet, knowing his words were true, she glared at the man who did not attempt to hide his intentions, saying hatefully, “Keep dreaming.”
Murong Jinghe smiled, unperturbed. His thumb unconsciously caressed the small red mole at the corner of Meilin’s brow as he drawled, “I’ve been dreaming for long enough. How much longer will you make me dream?”
Meilin’s body involuntarily stiffened. She wanted to push his hand away, unsure what was on her brow, but finding this touching and caressing too strange, too… intimate. Hearing his words seemingly whispered right next to her ear, even knowing they weren’t meant for her, she couldn’t help but tremble inwardly, instinctively turning her head away.
Feeling his finger slip from the small mole, Murong Jinghe frowned slightly, but his attention was quickly diverted by Muye Luomei.
Whether touched by his words or reminded of certain memories, Muye Luomei’s eyes softened for a moment, only to be quickly filled with coldness again. Avoiding the question, she turned to leave, tossing back words as she went.
“If you won’t lend her, so be it. Bring her to the hunt at Zhongshan in the west of the city the day after tomorrow.” As she spoke, her silhouette became increasingly faint behind the layers of gauze curtains.
Murong Jinghe watched the breeze blow the cyan gauze back and forth, the air still lingering with her unique fragrance. A trace of melancholy crossed his features as he murmured, “Then let’s keep dreaming.” Suddenly, he flipped over, pressing the woman still in his arms down, reaching out to brush her slightly disheveled hair.
“Let this prince see what about you has caught her interest…” he teased irreverently, all emotions hidden once more, again the dissolute, fickle prince.
Meilin inadvertently met his half-squinted, lecherous eyes, but unexpectedly saw two beams of cold, emotionless light.
Of course, Murong Jinghe couldn’t discern what about Meilin had attracted Muye Luomei, but he kept her in his quarters nonetheless, having her attend to him for two consecutive nights. Even while sleeping, his finger remained on her brow, as if suddenly utterly captivated by her.
During the day, Meilin found an opportunity to look in a mirror, finally realizing she had a flat, vermilion mole the size of a grain of rice between her brow and temple. She had never noticed it before. Of course, this wasn’t the main point. The point was that he could be so fascinated by such a tiny mole… it seemed rather childish.
Furthermore, she noticed his sleep wasn’t good. Each night, he would exhaust himself before finally falling asleep. At first, she thought he was simply enthusiastic about carnal pleasures until she inadvertently caught sight of his cold, emotionless black eyes during one encounter. Paying closer attention, she realized he had never been truly engaged. It seemed he only did those things to fall asleep. And once asleep, even the slightest change in breathing rhythm could easily startle him awake.
Meilin suddenly felt pity for this man.
She used to be like this too, always on guard because a single moment of carelessness could mean never waking up again. When she lost her martial arts skills, she suddenly lost this worry and could finally sleep peacefully until dawn. Murong Jinghe, outwardly appearing glamorous and indulgent, was unexpectedly so vigilant in private, even worse off than a common civilian.
Of course, this sympathy was only momentary. Meilin wouldn’t forget that her life was still in his hands. It was clear that Muye Luomei had grown suspicious of her, a risk she had to take when choosing to return to Murong Jinghe’s side in the forest. But she had no choice but to return; even if the antidote worked slowly, it was still an antidote. Without it, she would die an ugly death, as countless predecessors had proven to her.
Staring fixedly at a brightly lit corner of the room, Meilin thought about the trials she might face the next day and suddenly felt her luck was truly poor. They had been brought back together, so why didn’t A’dai have as many troubles as her? Could it be that she shouldn’t be too compliant? She pondered, her body lying on its side, not daring to move.
The man’s chest pressed against her back, his breathing steady and long – he seemed to be sound asleep. His slightly rough fingertip persistently pressed on the corner of her brow. Due to this position, nearly half of her face was covered by his warm palm. It wasn’t very comfortable, but not unbearably so. Only the candles burning all night made her uncomfortable, unable to fall into a deep sleep.
She couldn’t extinguish the lights, couldn’t sleep face-to-face with him, couldn’t lie behind his back, couldn’t turn over… The man had many quirks, so many that sleeping with him was undoubtedly a torment. It also proved how guarded he was.
Realizing this, Meilin had to admit how naive her plan to obtain the antidote here had been.
The next morning, when Murong Jinghe arrived at the appointed place with Meilin, they were met with an unexpected scene of fluttering banners and glinting armor – a grim, martial atmosphere.
Murong Jinghe raised an eyebrow, tightening his arm around Meilin’s waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. He mused in an odd tone, “What kind of show is this?”
Unlike his mix of doubt and interest, Meilin felt a strong sense of foreboding. She wished she could flee right then, rather than slowly approaching the drilling soldiers on horseback.
Muye Luomei, clad in soft black armor with a light blue battle robe, rode towards them, followed by an attendant carrying silver armor. Further away, an unexpected figure – Murong Xuanlie – waved a greeting while having his attendants fasten his battle robe.
“Today, let Muye see if the once-feared War Prince still retains his former glory,” Muye Luomei said coolly as she approached, gesturing for her servant to present the armor before Murong Jinghe’s horse. Despite her cold demeanor, the anticipation in her eyes was hard to conceal.
However, Murong Jinghe didn’t even glance at the armor. With a tug on the reins, he steered around them and continued forward.
“The past is gone. Now this prince has a beauty in his arms and wine in his cup – far more carefree and joyous than those days of constant vigilance. General Mei, please don’t make me relive old dreams.” This was the first time Meilin had heard him speak to Muye Luomei in such a distant tone. She was surprised, never imagining that someone who appeared to have been hollowed out by wine and women had once commanded armies on the battlefield.
Muye Luomei had never been brushed off like this before. She stood there, her face alternating between red and white, before finally turning her horse to catch up. Angrily, she said, “Jinghe, do you intend to continue this decadent, depraved lifestyle forever?”
Murong Jinghe’s body tensed slightly. Turning back, he saw her pained expression of disappointment. He couldn’t help but flash a roguish smile, pulling Meilin close by the neck and playfully biting her soft cheek. With a nostalgic look in his eyes, he sighed, “It’s been a long time since you called me by that name. Since you insist, I’ll wear it. If Father Emperor punishes me, I’ll just have to admit I’m henpecked.”
If her face hadn’t been bitten to the point of numbness and pain, and if her identity had been different, Meilin might have laughed out loud.
“If you’re going to wear it, do it quickly. Why so much nonsense?” Muye Luomei said irritably, but she wasn’t angry about being verbally outmaneuvered. Her mood had improved due to his compliance.
“Jinghe need not worry about Father Emperor. General Mei has already sought permission,” Murong Xuanlie said as he approached, adjusting the long sword at his waist.
Murong Jinghe sighed resignedly. He jumped down from his horse with Meilin in his arms, first letting her pay her respects before asking, “How is it that Crown Brother is here as well?”
Murong Xuanlie smiled, personally taking the armor from the attendant and helping him put it on. As he did so, he said, “General Mei wants to play an extremely interesting game. How could your elder brother miss it?”
Game… Meilin, who had been quietly standing to the side trying to minimize her presence, shuddered at these words. She instinctively felt that this game would inevitably involve her.
Murong Jinghe looked at her, saying displeased, “Why are you standing there like an idiot? Come help this prince change!”
Murong Xuanlie maintained his gentle smile, stepping back slightly to make room.
“If it weren’t for His Highness’s intervention, how would His Majesty have agreed to give me full authority over the prisoners of war?” Muye Luomei said.
With her words, Meilin finally noticed that besides the neatly dressed soldiers, there was another group of people in tattered clothes, looking terrified. Their hands and feet were bound together, circled in an open space. There seemed to be three or four hundred of them.
Murong Jinghe glanced at them, frowning as he asked, “What kind of game is worth all this fawning back and forth?” The acidity in his voice made it clear he was in a foul mood. Only Meilin, who had taken over from Murong Xuanlie in fastening his belt, noticed that his half-lowered eyes held no emotion at all.
Seeing that he was almost fully dressed, Muye Luomei couldn’t help but examine him closely, trying to find even a trace of his former self in his military attire. However, Murong Jinghe looked listless and sickly. The gleaming silver armor only served to drown out what little handsomeness he had, making him appear even more ordinary and unsightly.
Disappointment welled up in her beautiful eyes. She turned away, saying flatly, “Rather than keeping prisoners of war and wasting food, it’s better to use them for military training.” At this, she couldn’t hold back her resentment and reproached, “Wine and women have worn away all your ambition!”
With that, she lashed her horse’s rump as if venting her frustration, galloping towards the neatly arranged troops like the wind.
Murong Xuanlie shook his head. “With General Mei’s fiery temperament, Jinghe, you’ll have to work harder if you want to win the beauty.” Leaving these words behind, he too sauntered towards the troops.
Murong Jinghe raised his head, squinting at the woman addressing the soldiers. The morning sun, passing over the green forest, shone on her, making her radiant as if her entire being was glowing.
He smiled self-mockingly, suddenly embracing Meilin who still stood before him. He kissed her lips fiercely, feigning a hurt expression. “This prince has been scorned. What shall I do, what shall I do…” As he spoke, he buried his face in her neck, nuzzling and taking full advantage.
Meilin had to struggle to keep her balance. Knowing he didn’t need her response, she silently gazed over his shoulder at the distant forest, lost in thought.
(End of Chun Hua Yan – Chapter)