As the song ended, Jiang Ci returned to her seat with a smile, picking up her wine cup to drink. Cui Liang approached, offering her a tea cup instead, and softly said, “You’ve just used your voice, don’t drink alcohol.”
Jiang Ci quickly set down the wine cup and accepted the tea, gulping it down. “Thanks,” she said with a smile.
As she sat down, she noticed another hairy crab on the plate, which puzzled her. She had thought she’d eaten all the crabs earlier. How did another one appear?
With delicious food before her, she didn’t dwell on it and reached out again, but the silver tongs were missing. As she bent down to search under the table, a slender hand appeared, offering her the tongs.
Jiang Ci straightened up and said, “Thank you, Young Master Cui.”
Cui Liang smiled gently, “No need for such formalities between us. From now on, I’ll call you Xiao Ci. If you don’t mind, you can call me Big Brother.”
Jiang Ci grinned, “Alright, Cui Big Brother.” She sat back down, cracking open the crab shell and prying apart the legs.
As she was enjoying her meal, she suddenly heard Cui Liang call out beside her, “Xiao Ci.”
Jiang Ci responded with a muffled “Mm?” as she turned her head, her mouth full of crab meat. “What is it, Cui Big Brother?”
Cui Liang couldn’t help but smile, “The hairy crabs are good, but don’t eat too many. Be careful not to upset your stomach or break out in a rash later.”
Jiang Ci quickly drank a cup of chrysanthemum wine and said, “Don’t worry, I’ve eaten hairy crabs before without any problems.” She was about to refill her cup.
Cui Liang reached out and took the wine pot from her hand. “No, you’re just recovering from a serious injury. You can’t drink anymore.”
Jiang Ci turned to look at him. By now, she had drunk no less than ten cups of chrysanthemum wine. Her cheeks were flushed, and her bright eyes were slightly hazy with alcohol. Yet her lips still curved in a coy smile.
She tugged at Cui Liang’s collar a few times, pleading, “Cui Big Brother, just let me have one more cup.”
Cui Liang hid the wine pot behind his back, smiling but saying nothing.
Meanwhile, Su Yan said something that made Prince Jing and Pei Yan roar with laughter, while the two of them seemed oblivious, still playfully tussling over the wine pot.
Pei Yan glanced at the two with an amused smile, a flash of satisfaction in his eyes.
After their playful struggle, Jiang Ci’s cheeks were even redder, her gaze somewhat drowsy, and her speech more slurred. Her hand, which had been gripping Cui Liang’s collar, gradually fell. Cui Liang noticed something was amiss and was about to reach out to support her when she suddenly collapsed onto the table.
Cui Liang hurriedly propped her up, calling out, “Xiao Ci!”
Su Yan, noticing from the side, quickly came over and said softly, “How did she get so drunk? This child, drinking as if it were water. Young Master Cui, you should have stopped her.”
Cui Liang gave a bitter smile but said nothing.
Su Yan reached out to support Jiang Ci, but Jiang Ci suddenly raised her head and shouted, “Master, don’t hit me! I won’t dare to drink again next time!”
Su Yan laughed, “She’s not completely drunk yet, still afraid of her master!”
Cui Liang held Jiang Ci and called, “Xiao Ci!”
Jiang Ci opened her eyes in confusion, staring at Cui Liang for a moment before suddenly turning to the side and vomiting. Though not much came out, it still stained her lotus-colored skirt.
Su Yan shook her head, “Look at her, drinking herself into such a state. What a shame to ruin such a fine crystal ice silk dress from Jing Prefecture.” She turned and beckoned, and two maidservants came over.
After a moment’s thought, she instructed, “Take Miss Xiao Ci to my room and change her into the new crimson outfit I bought yesterday. Also, have someone prepare some sobering soup.”
The two maidservants supported Jiang Ci and headed behind the screen. Jiang Ci leaned weakly against them, dragging her feet. As they passed by Pei Yan, her right foot slipped, and the maidservants couldn’t steady her in time. She fell towards Pei Yan.
Pei Yan caught a strong whiff of alcohol and vomit. His brow furrowed slightly as he flicked his sleeve. Jiang Ci fell to the side, her head hitting the edge of the table. The pain sobered her momentarily. She looked around and saw that “Hairy Crab” was looking at her with a mixture of disgust and contempt. Anger flared in her heart, and she glared fiercely at Pei Yan.
Sensing the situation was turning sour, Su Yan hurriedly came over to help Jiang Ci up and handed her to the two maidservants to take inside.
Prince Jing, finding the scene amusing, laughed and said, “Young Lord, why bother getting upset with a little girl?”
Pei Yan smiled and changed the subject. Prince Jing didn’t mind, and with Su Yan joining in with jokes, the pavilion was once again filled with laughter and merriment.
Supported by the two maidservants, Jiang Ci walked along the corridor and entered the northernmost room of Lan Yue Tower. The room was exquisitely furnished, with carved wooden windows, an ivory bed with soft pillows, and a faint fragrance of incense.
The maidservants helped her sit in a chair. One removed her stained outer robe and long skirt, while the other took out a set of crimson gauze clothes and silk skirt from a red wardrobe. She said with a smile, “Just yesterday, Sister Su was saying this crimson didn’t suit her. Today, it’s found a suitable owner.”
“I’ve always said crimson doesn’t suit Sister Su. She didn’t believe me, but when she tried it on, she regretted it.”
The maidservant holding the clothes suppressed a smile as she helped Jiang Ci change. She said, “You don’t know, but don’t tell anyone I told you this. Sister Su heard from somewhere that Third Young Master Wei likes this color.”
“Really? Hasn’t Third Young Master always worn white clothes? How come he suddenly likes crimson? Sister Su cares about Third Young Master—” Before she could finish speaking, this maidservant fell backward.
The other one exclaimed in shock, “Hua’er, what’s wrong?!” She was about to help Hua’er up when she felt her waist go numb, and she fell straight to the ground.
Jiang Ci laughed heartily, sitting up from the chair. Realizing her laughter was too loud, she covered her mouth and giggled quietly.
She crept to the door and peeked through the crack. Seeing that this bedroom was at the very end of the corridor and that she would have to pass through the flower hall where they had been drinking and eating crabs to sneak out, she knew it was impossible with “Hairy Crab” there, given his superior martial arts skills.
She muttered angrily, “Damn Hairy Crab, tomorrow I’ll make you choke on water, choke on food, stuff yourself with vegetables, and drink yourself to death!”
She looked around the room, her gaze settling on the slightly open latticed window. Her eyes lit up as she stepped to the window and peered outside. She saw that this bedroom overlooked the lake, with the water below shimmering in the moonlight. The autumn breeze brought a gentle chill.
Jiang Ci thought for a moment, then chuckled to herself, muttering, “No choice, looks like I’ll have to escape by water.”
She turned back, propped up the two maidservants to face the corner, and sighed, “Sisters, I have no choice. My life is at stake, and if I don’t escape now, I won’t survive. I’ve only sealed your acupoints; they’ll release on their own shortly. Just tell the truth when you go out. I’m truly sorry, please don’t blame me.”
The two maidservants, their mute acupoints sealed and facing the corner, were inwardly distraught. They heard the young woman behind them seemingly getting dressed, then footsteps approaching the window. A moment later, they heard a “splash” of something falling into the water, indicating she had jumped into the lake to escape.
In the hall, Prince Jing was in high spirits, engaging Pei Yan and the others in a drinking game. Pei Yan wore a smile, draining his cup with every round, appearing relaxed. Cui Liang seemed somewhat distracted, performing poorly in the drinking game and being forced to drink several cups by Su Yan. His gaze kept drifting towards the screen.
As the drinking reached its peak, Pei Yan frowned and said, “Sister Su, you should train your girls better. It’s taking them far too long.”
Su Yan was taken aback. “You’re right, how could changing clothes take so long?”
Pei Yan’s expression changed abruptly. He threw down his wine cup, leaped to his feet, and rushed behind the screen. Cui Liang and Su Yan hurriedly followed, leaving only Prince Jing in the hall, looking somewhat bewildered.
Pei Yan ran to Su Yan’s room and kicked open the door. After a glance around, he sneered, “This girl, she escaped quickly!”
With a slight sway of his body, he flicked his sleeve, releasing the acupoints of the two maidservants in the corner. He barked, “Where did she escape to?!”
Maidservant Hua’er quickly replied, “We heard it clearly, she jumped into the lake to escape.”
Cui Liang stepped to the window and looked down. All he saw was the autumn lake, cold and misty, deep and chilly.
Pei Yan let out a cold snort and stepped out of the room. He returned to the main hall, bowed to Prince Jing, and said, “Your Highness, I need to catch someone tonight. I must take my leave now, and I’ll make it up to you another day.”
Without waiting for Prince Jing’s response, he had already descended the pavilion. At the second-floor landing, An Chen and other guards came to meet him. Pei Yan’s face regained its composure as he said, “That girl escaped by jumping into the lake. Pass down the order to search the entire city. Simultaneously, quickly seal off the city gates. If the Imperial Guards ask, say we’re pursuing a wanted criminal.”
An Chen acknowledged the order and hurriedly left Lan Yue Tower with several men.
Pei Yan descended Lan Yue Tower, ignoring the bowing Master Ye who was seeing him off. He walked briskly for several dozen paces before stopping in the middle of the winding bridge. With his hands behind his back, he gazed at the cold moon in the sky. Turning his head slightly, he saw Cui Liang standing to one side and sneered, “Ziming, tell me, this girl, is she truly naive? Or is it all an act?”
Cui Liang looked at the moonlit lake, then lowered his head, remaining silent.
As the night deepened, the revelry at Lan Yue Tower died down, and the music faded away.
Su Yan entered her bedroom, feeling sore all over. Her maidservant Bao’er came to massage her shoulders, saying, “Sister if you’re feeling tired, why don’t you rest for a few days? Accompanying guests with wine and performances night after night, you might wear yourself out.”
Su Yan let out a soft sigh, gazing at the flickering candlelight on the table. She said in a low voice, “Bao’er, you don’t understand. Even if I wanted to rest, I couldn’t. In this life, there’s always an invisible hand pushing you forward, and ironically, it’s often down a path you neither truly enjoy nor choose. You keep walking and walking, not knowing where the end is or where this path leads. But the day you finally see clearly where this path leads, that’s when your days are numbered.”
Bao’er’s hands stopped, and after a moment’s pause, she also sighed, “Sister, what you say makes sense. I also feel that this life lacks excitement, but at least we have you looking out for us. We can just hide under your protection and take each day as it comes.”
Su Yan said softly, “I don’t know how long I can protect you all, or what might happen in the future.”
Bao’er continued massaging Su Yan for a while longer, then helped her remove her hairpins and other ornaments. She said quietly, “Sister, you should rest now.”
Su Yan gave a soft “Mm” in response. Bao’er quietly retreated, closing the door behind her.
Su Yan sat motionless in the candlelight, her face alternating between light and shadow. After a long silence, she finally blew out the candle and went to bed.
In the deep of night, all was quiet.
As Su Yan’s soft breathing filled the room, a dark shadow quietly crawled out from under the bed, lying flat on the ground and slowly inching forward. Upon reaching the door, it slowly stood up, gently opened the door, tiptoed across the threshold, and quietly closed the door behind it.
The shadow moved as lightly as a swallow, gliding through the dark corridor and swiftly down the stairs. It very slowly pulled open the carved main door on the ground floor and slipped out through the gap. After glancing around several times and seeing no one along the entire lakeshore, it quickly ran across the winding bridge, then southward along the lake for several hundred paces before finally bursting into a triumphant laugh.
After laughing, she looked back at Lan Yue Tower and the direction of the Prime Minister’s residence further north. She raised her right hand proudly and said with a grin, “Hairy Crab, I’m sorry about this. It’s not that I, Jiang Ci, am being dishonorable, but you were unkind first. This young lady has many things to do, so I won’t play with you anymore!”
Earlier, when Jiang Ci realized she couldn’t escape through the flower hall and saw that Su Yan’s bedroom overlooked the lake, a plan had formed in her mind. She had turned the maidservants to face the corner and talked to herself, pretending she was going to escape by jumping into the lake. Instead, she had picked up a decorative Shoushan stone carving from a corner of Su Yan’s room and thrown it into the lake. The “splash” the maidservants heard was the sound of the stone carving falling into the water.
After the stone sank to the bottom of the lake, she muffled her footsteps, hidden under Su Yan’s bed, and held her breath. She had listened as Pei Yan and the others burst into the room, heard Pei Yan leave in anger, and heard the voices fade away. Knowing that “Hairy Crab” had fallen for her trick, she was secretly delighted.
She knew Pei Yan wouldn’t give up easily and would send people to search for her along the lake. If she had left immediately, she would have walked right into their trap. So she decided to rest under Su Yan’s bed for over an hour. Only when she heard Su Yan fall asleep did she use her lightness skill to slip out of Lan Yue Tower, finally completing her daring escape plan.
She felt proud, though she felt a bit guilty about pretending to be drunk and causing Cui Big Brother and Sister Su Yan to worry. But it had been unavoidable.
The cold moon hung in the sky, and frost covered the ground. The flowers, grass, and trees along the lakeshore swayed high and low in the night breeze. Moonlight shimmered on the leaves, casting flickering, cold light.
Jiang Ci swung a branch in her hand as she strolled along the lakeside path. Thinking about how she had finally escaped the confinement and danger of the past month, her heart swelled with joy. However, she had drunk too much earlier, even though it had been an act. It was still the most she had ever drunk in her life, and now, with the lake breeze blowing, her mind was becoming foggy.
She gradually felt her steps growing heavy, and her stomach was somewhat uncomfortable. She decided to sit down under a willow tree by the lake, leaning against the trunk. She grumbled, “Damn Hairy Crab, this young lady will settle accounts with you later.”
She began to worry. With “Hairy Crab’s” power and influence, he would surely search for her throughout the entire capital. How could she sneak out of the city without leaving a trace and continue her life as a wandering knight?
Disturbed in the middle of the night, fatigue mixed with the effects of alcohol surged through her. Jiang Ci yawned, feeling a bit itchy around her neck. She scratched it and was about to relax her body against the tree trunk for a nap when suddenly, a jolt of fear ran through her. She sprang to her feet in shock.
In the moonlight, a shadow with a chilling, frosty aura silently stood before her.