Chapter 6: Cui Liang of Pingzhou

Jiang Ci felt as if she was being tormented day and night in a cauldron of raging fire. Every part of her body ached, constantly burning. Her vision was perpetually blurred, yet she seemed to see countless illusions. Her master, senior uncle, and senior sister kept appearing and disappearing in the mist, sometimes clear, sometimes hazy.

She didn’t know how long she had been tossing and turning in this mist and fierce fire. Finally, one day, the pain in her chest subsided, and the mist gradually dispersed. She opened her eyes and saw a blurry figure.

“She’s awake, she’s awake!” A crisp voice seemed to echo near her ears, and the figure she had just seen disappeared with that voice. “Quick, report to the Head Steward, she’s awake!”

Jiang Ci tried to open her mouth, but could only make a gurgling sound. She began to feel drowsy again, her eyelids threatening to close once more. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her hand.

A sharp pain surged through her chest again, causing her consciousness to blur. Her eyes closed, and she fell back into the mist.

Pei Yan released Jiang Ci’s wrist after checking her pulse. He glanced at her pale, rigid face, furrowed his brow slightly, and stood up. “Continue with the medicine as instructed by Shennong Zi.”

He took the silk handkerchief offered by a maid, wiped his hands, and walked out of the room. Steward Pei Yang followed behind, respectfully saying, “My Lord, An Chen has just reported that they’ve investigated everyone in the manor that night. No one recognizes this young lady, and after a covert inquiry, it seems she doesn’t belong to any sect.”

Pei Yan gave a light “Mm” and asked, “Is Song Tao being watched closely?”

“Yes, An Chen has arranged for the Changfeng Guards to keep an eye on him. If Song Tao is truly suspicious, he’s bound to slip up eventually.”

“If he’s a fake hero, he’s been playing the part quite convincingly for so many years. We mustn’t be careless or slack off.”

“Understood.”

Pei Yan crossed the moon gate. An autumn breeze blew past, and the autumn sun felt warm, giving him a sense of contentment.

He stood with his hands behind his back under the osmanthus tree in the garden, gazing at the vibrant begonias blooming in the western part of the garden. He smiled and said, “That person escaped quite quickly. It’s a pity we didn’t see his true face. I’d like to see what the real ‘Starry Moon Sect’ Leader looks like to captivate so many!”

Pei Yang also smiled, “If it weren’t for this young lady obstructing you for a moment, My Lord, that scoundrel would never have escaped.”

Pei Yan said calmly, “He’ll have to show himself eventually. It’s rare to have such a skilled opponent to play with. Wouldn’t it be boring to uncover his identity too quickly?”

“Indeed.”

Pei Yan pondered for a moment, then said gently, “Uncle Yang, you’ve been managing the manor affairs for me these past few years. It’s truly been hard on you.”

“My Lord, I don’t deserve such praise,” Pei Yang hurriedly bowed.

Pei Yan smiled and helped him up. “Now that we’ve come to the capital, I’ll entrust you with overseeing everything in my residence. Let An Chen focus solely on the Changfeng Guard matters.”

He paused for a moment and continued, “I finally convinced my mother to come to the capital. She prefers tranquility and doesn’t want too many people serving her, but as her son, I must fulfill my filial duties. Select a few more clever and nimble maids to serve her, and personally oversee all matters in the Butterfly Garden.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Pei Yan brushed his green gauze robe and walked a few steps forward, then turned back, “This young lady is not from the Yueluo Clan, and her background is very suspicious. Keep a close eye on her when she wakes up. She might have seen the true face of the Starry Moon Sect Leader. Assign more guards, and don’t let anyone silence her. Have An Chen transfer An Hua to be this young lady’s maid.”

“Understood.” Pei Yang watched Pei Yan’s figure heading towards the Butterfly Garden and let out a long sigh, only then realizing he was covered in cold sweat.

He wiped his forehead, thinking haphazardly: This child, whom I watched grow up, why do I fear him so much? Coming to the capital with Madam this time and taking charge of the residence affairs, I wonder if I can meet the expectations of this smiling King of Hell. It seems I must be on my utmost guard.

Pei Yan entered the Butterfly Garden. Maids had already raised the soft curtains. He stepped into the main hall and saw his mother reclining on a soft couch, a chessboard set up on a small table in front of her, playing against herself.

He approached and bowed, smiling, “Mother, you must finally be experiencing the loneliness of being an unrivaled master in the world.”

Madam Pei didn’t look up as she placed a piece, saying softly, “Where did you learn such glib talk? If it were a few years ago, I would have cut out your tongue.”

Pei Yan lightly lifted his robe and sat across from her. He looked at the chess formation on the board and shook his head, “Mother’s chess skills have become even more profound. I’m in awe. It seems there’s truly no one in this world who can match you now.”

Madam Pei tossed the chess piece in her hand, her face showing no emotion. She paused for a moment, then sighed lightly, “There is still one person in this world who could defeat me, but unfortunately—”

Her expression became momentarily bewildered as she looked up at the ceiling, then suddenly laughed as if mocking herself.

Pei Yan quickly stood up, not daring to say more.

Madam Pei laughed, “You don’t need to be so formal in front of me. You’ve grown up now, a dignified Minister of State and a Marquis enfeoffed by the court. I’ve been watching all you’ve done these past few years. Not bad, you haven’t disappointed me.”

She sighed leisurely, “From now on, make your own decisions on how to handle things. Although I agreed to come to the capital with you, I just want to live a quiet life. You’re busy, so you don’t need to come pay your respects every day.”

Pei Yan responded with a respectful smile, “Yes, Mother.” He continued, “I wanted to inform you that I’ll be busy negotiating the peace treaty with the Huan Kingdom envoys in the coming days. Apart from the Changfeng Cavalry, the martial artists in the garrisons across the land will need to rest and prepare for the Alliance Leader selection. The Ministry of War will be overwhelmed. For the next half month, I won’t be able to pay my respects morning and evening. Please forgive me, Mother.”

Madam Pei didn’t look at him but picked up her teacup and gave a light “Mm.” Pei Yan clasped his hands, bowed, and retreated from the main hall.

He stopped at the entrance of the Butterfly Garden, looked back at the black plaque with the dancing characters “Butterfly Garden,” and the smile gradually faded from his face.

A moment later, he suddenly smiled again, shook his sleeves, and strolled towards the Clear Garden.

Jiang Ci was still struggling and tossing in the vast mist and scorching fire, but she could never move her feet or break out of this mist, nor could she jump out of this cooking pot.

However, she could faintly hear people talking beyond the mist.

“It looks like she can’t be saved.”

“Head Steward, what should we do? Should we report to the Lord?”

“The Lord is so busy he can’t even touch the ground. How can we bother him with such a small matter? If it weren’t for the clue to finding the Starry Moon Sect Leader that lies with her, the Lord wouldn’t even bother keeping her alive!”

“You’re right, Head Steward. But now— why don’t we invite ‘Shennong Zi’ to come and take a look? If she dies, it might be difficult to explain to the Lord.”

“There’s a plague in Yujian Prefecture, and ‘Shennong Zi’ has rushed there to treat patients. It’s too far to help with our urgent need.”

“Then, should we request someone from the Imperial Medical Academy or ‘Huichun Hall’—”

“No, this young lady’s background is unknown and of great importance. We can’t let outsiders know about her situation. This is truly troublesome.”

“Oh, Head Steward, what about that Young Master Cui living in the West Garden? Isn’t he skilled in medicine? The Lord once praised him, saying his medical skills are on par with the Chief Physician of the Imperial Medical Academy.”

“Ah, yes, I had forgotten about him. Quick, go to the West Garden and invite Young Master Cui to come and take a look. The Lord has always valued him and has been wanting to recruit him. It’s fine to let him examine her.”

“Yes, sir!”

Jiang Ci hated this state of being unable to open her eyes yet hearing people talking around her. She reached out, trying desperately to push away the mist before her eyes. In her frantic waving, she felt someone firmly grasp her hand.

That person held her wrist to check her pulse. His voice sounded pleasant: “The previous prescription was indeed excellent. However, using the same dosage for so long was a grave mistake.”

“Young Master Cui, in your opinion—”

“I think we don’t need to change the prescription. Just reduce the current one by half. I’ll also perform acupuncture on her twice daily.”

“Yes, Young Master Cui. This woman is someone the Lord specifically ordered to be saved. We’ll have to trouble you to come and check on her every day.”

“Understood. I’m indebted to Lord Pei, so I’ll do my best.”

The weather turned cooler, the wind picked up, and it started raining. At last, it wasn’t unbearably hot anymore.

Jiang Ci smiled contentedly and slowly opened her eyes. Ah, the mist had cleared too. How wonderful. She blinked hard, and suddenly a pair of bright black eyes appeared before her.

“She’s awake! That’s great. Young Master Cui, come quick and take a look!”

Jiang Ci turned her eyes in confusion, and her right wrist was already held by someone. A moment later, the pleasant voice she had heard two days ago spoke: “Mm, there’s improvement. From today, reduce the medicine by half again. I estimate in a few more days, she’ll be able to get out of bed.”

So she had been sick. No, not sick, but injured. Jiang Ci slowly remembered that night in front of Changfeng Manor: In the moonlight, Pei Yan had stepped into the chrysanthemum garden with an elegant smile, then suddenly flew towards the big tree. That person had pushed her down from the tree, and Pei Yan had struck her chest with both palms.

Then, there were those people talking by her ear, sentence by sentence, all rushing into her mind. She cried out “Ah!”, startling everyone in the room.

Jiang Ci closed her eyes, thought through everything again, then opened them and looked at the young man who was taking her pulse. She frowned slightly and asked in confusion, “Who are you? Where is this?”

A young maid came over, her smile as bright as flowers: “Miss, you’re finally awake. This is the Left Minister’s residence. My name is An Hua, and this is Young Master Cui, who has been treating your illness and injury.”

Jiang Ci groaned painfully, “So I’m not dead. I thought I had arrived in the underworld.”

Young Master Cui smiled slightly, “Do you think I look like the King of Hell, or like the ox-headed and horse-faced guardians?”

Jiang Ci closed her eyes and muttered, “I think you look like the judge of the underworld.”

Young Master Cui was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, tossing his acupuncture kit aside. “I think we don’t need to continue with acupuncture. If you can see that I look like a judge, your life is saved.”

The night was cool as water. Jiang Ci leaned on the windowsill, looking at the yellow leaves covering the courtyard ground.

Light footsteps sounded, and the young maid An Hua entered with a bowl of porridge, her voice as crisp as bells: “Miss Jiang, you’ve just recovered. It’s not good to be in the wind like this.” She put down the porridge and went to close the window.

Jiang Ci groaned, lying back on the bed and covering her face with the blanket, mumbling, “It’s no fun, no fun at all. This isn’t allowed, that isn’t allowed. I’m dying of boredom.”

An Hua smiled and said, “Don’t be impatient. When you’re fully recovered, I’ll accompany you to go out and play. What would you like to do?”

Jiang Ci lifted the blanket and smiled, “What’s fun in this capital city?”

An Hua thought for a moment and said, “There’s plenty. I’ll take you out for a walk another day. By the way, what did you enjoy doing before?”

Jiang Ci sat up, took the chicken porridge from her hands, and drank it in big gulps, speaking indistinctly, “Nothing much, just going to the mountains to hunt pheasants, catching fish in the river, watching plays during festivals.”

“Oh, what kind of plays did you watch?” An Hua helped her pin-up her loose hair, speaking softly.

“Just some local plays from the countryside. You probably wouldn’t know them if I told you. Oh right, I heard that there’s a place called Lanyue Tower in the capital, where they perform a different play every day. They say it’s amazing. That Su Yan is from Lanyue Tower. An Hua, take me to see it someday. I didn’t get enough of Su Yan’s performance at Changfeng Manor that day.”

An Hua smiled, “Su Yan rarely performs. She only went to Changfeng Manor that day out of respect for our Lord. Miss Jiang, why did you climb up that tree? You suffered for no reason, and it made our Lord feel guilty too.”

Jiang Ci put down the bowl and lay back on the bed, grunting a few times before saying, “I just wanted to climb higher to see more clearly. How was I to know a thief was hiding above me? How was I to know your Lord would think I was that thief? And where’s the real thief? Using me as a scapegoat, causing me to lie here for a month, and your Lord hasn’t even come to apologize. Forget it, he’s high and mighty, and I’m just a common girl. I don’t want to see him anyway.”

“Miss Jiang, you’re wronging our Lord. He’s been very busy lately, not even returning to the residence. He instructed that no matter what medicine is needed or how much it costs, we must save your life,” An Hua said. Though young, only fourteen or fifteen, she was very efficient. As she spoke, she tidied up the room neatly.

Jiang Ci cursed inwardly a few times, too lazy to say more, and once again buried herself under the blanket.

After regaining consciousness, Jiang Ci recovered quickly. Young Master Cui Liang came every day for acupuncture, gradually reducing her medication. An Hua took good care of her with food and drink. Jiang Ci’s complexion visibly improved day by day, and her spirit gradually got better.

Unable to go out and play, she was confined to this small courtyard every day, seeing only An Hua or Cui Liang, feeling quite bored. She was unwilling to become too close to An Hua but gradually became familiar with Cui Liang.

Jiang Ci learned from An Hua that Cui Liang was from Pingzhou. He had been studious from a young age, and well-versed in poetry, history, medicine, astronomy, and geography. At eighteen, he had topped the provincial examinations. However, he didn’t want to compete for the top scholar position and instead traveled around the country. When he reached the capital, he ran out of money and had to sell his calligraphy on the streets.

One day, Left Minister Pei Yan, out to observe the people’s conditions, saw Cui Liang’s calligraphy and greatly admired it. After a conversation, they became friends despite their different social statuses. Minister Pei appreciated his talent and wanted to recruit him into the ministry, but Cui Liang frankly said he didn’t want to enter officialdom. Minister Pei didn’t force him, but instead went to great lengths to invite him to live in the West Garden of his residence, allowing him to come and go freely, and even helped him get a job as a copyist in the Ministry of Rites.

Cui Liang had bright eyes and brows, spoke in a gentle and pleasant voice, and always wore a faint smile, making him approachable. Jiang Ci was naturally gregarious, and in just over ten days, the two became like old friends, talking very well together.

On this day at dusk, when it was already dark, Jiang Ci had been bored all day. Seeing An Hua’s braid was a bit loose, she grabbed her, wanting to do her hair.

An Hua tried to dodge but was caught by Jiang Ci. With no choice, she smiled wryly and let Jiang Ci braid her long hair into what looked like ox horns. Seeing Jiang Ci about to draw her eyebrows, she quickly jumped to the door, refusing to let Jiang Ci apply the makeup.

Jiang Ci was stunned for a moment, then sighed deeply. She took up a mirror to look at herself, and after a while, sighed again, “Ah, I’ve lost so much weight!”

An Hua leaned against the doorway and smiled, “Miss Jiang is naturally beautiful. Once you’re fully recovered, you’ll be as beautiful as before.”

Seeing the table full of rouge and powder, Jiang Ci suddenly became interested. Remembering how her senior sister used to apply makeup, she lightly applied powder, dabbed on rouge, drew her eyebrows, and applied lipstick. An Hua, who had been leaning against the door, gradually stood up straight, and eventually couldn’t help but come closer to look at Jiang Ci’s makeup, shaking her head in admiration, “Miss Jiang, with this makeup, you’re truly stunning.”

As An Hua came closer, Jiang Ci suddenly sprang up and smeared the lipstick on An Hua’s cheek. An Hua cried out in surprise and ran out laughing. Jiang Ci gave chase, and just as she leaped over the threshold, she collided with someone face to face.