Xiuyu Town.
Hibiscus Pool.
Tang Lici sat alone with wine beside a pond full of lotus flowers, sipping from a shallow cup, gazing at the hibiscus and breathing in the floral fragrance with great contentment. The white porcelain cup in his hands was flawless and lustrous, gleaming like pearls and jade in the moonlight. On the ground, a slender-necked narrow-waisted wine pot was painted with white crane patterns, extremely elegant. These two items alone were already rare masterpieces of the world. Tang Lici had picked a lotus pod from the pond and was drinking wine while peeling lotus seeds, his face slightly flushed with intoxication, quite attractive.
Someone approached slowly from afar, “Young Master Tang is in fine spirits.”
Tang Lici set out another white porcelain cup and smiled, “Miss A’Shui, please sit. I took the liberty of inviting you tonight out of necessity—please forgive me.”
A’Shui smiled slightly, “Young Master Tang sent someone with a message saying I could see my child tonight. I wonder if he…”
“He’s not currently here. To be honest, I had other motives in asking you to come tonight.” Tang Lici poured her a cup of wine, “This is Lotus Flower Emerald—it won’t make you drunk.”
A’Shui sat on the ground. The pond full of lotus flowers in the night seemed like a fairy dream. A gentle breeze came, carrying the light, sweet wine fragrance, creating an atmosphere both real and illusory. “I understand. Young Master Tang invited me here tonight for Young Master Chi Yun.” She took a sip of Lotus Flower Emerald. The wine was sweet and clear with no alcoholic bite, carrying a hint of lotus flower’s fragrant bitterness. “You want to trade me for Young Master Chi.”
“Correct.” Tang Lici peeled open a lotus seed and placed it in her hand, “So there’s no child tonight—I deceived you, miss.”
“How is he?” A’Shui asked gently. Though she had anticipated this, she still felt somewhat disappointed, “I haven’t seen him for a long time. Does he… does he still remember me?”
“It’s been over five months since you entrusted him to my care…” Tang Lici said gently, “He’ll be speaking soon, but… I’m afraid he no longer remembers you…”
“Following Young Master Tang, he must be happier than following me.” A’Shui gazed at the lotus pond, her refined features tinged with the weariness of one deeply touched by worldly affairs, “And safer than following me.”
A strange expression slowly passed through Tang Lici’s eyes. He raised his wine cup and drained it, gazing at the lotus pond. Unlike A’Shui’s weary expression, his gaze was always much more complex, now especially unpredictable. “If…”
“If what?” A’Shui asked in a low voice.
“If one day he unfortunately dies because of my involvement, what then?” Tang Lici asked slowly, “Would you… would you hate me?”
A’Shui shook her head, “In the martial world, who can protect whom for an entire lifetime… The kindness of entrusting an orphan will never be forgotten… I won’t hate you. It’s just that if he dies, I wouldn’t need to live anymore either.” She said flatly, “A’Shui’s inauspicious existence—the only reason for living in this world is to see him grow up safely and carefree. Though I can’t raise him personally, there’s always hope that perhaps someday there might be an opportunity to be together… If he dies, I…” She looked at the lotus flowers, her gaze very calm, “Living would be meaningless.”
“As long as Tang Lici lives, your child won’t die.” Tang Lici poured himself another cup and took a small sip, “Miss A’Shui, you are pure of character. Though you’ve suffered calamities for half your life and often been unable to help yourself, there are always some people who think well of you, who hope you’ll always live, hope you’ll smile, hope you’ll be happy.”
“Who?” A’Shui smiled faintly, “Are you talking about Liu Yan?”
“No.” Tang Lici picked up the white porcelain cup she had placed on the ground after drinking and slowly poured half a cup of Lotus Flower Emerald. A’Shui stared intently at him, watching as he raised the cup to drink from the same spot where she had just drunk. His red, vivid lips pressed against the snow-white jade-like porcelain cup, the hard, delicate cup wall highlighting the softness of his lips, filled with the wine’s fragrance… He slowly drank that mouthful of wine, “I mean me.”
A’Shui didn’t answer, still watching his red lips drinking wine. After a long while, she said softly, “Thank you.”
Tang Lici finished the wine but held the cup gently biting the rim. His features were beautiful, his teeth like pearls, and this gentle holding…
Wind passed over the lotus flowers, green leaves swaying slightly. The two were momentarily speechless.
After a long time, a light “crack” could be heard as the white porcelain in Tang Lici’s mouth broke off a piece. He bit the broken porcelain, showing his teeth in a gentle smile, with droplets of blood from the cut seeping from his lips like fresh red lotus dew.
It was like a white-furred fox that had set a trap and waited by the trap for prey to fall into the net, licking its own lips—so luxurious, languid, moving, full of the taste of conspiracy. A’Shui exclaimed “Ah!” and said, “What happened?”
Tang Lici gently held the broken porcelain piece, slowly placing it back into the cup he had bitten and broken, then raised his sleeve to wipe the blood droplets from the corner of his mouth, “Which friend is hiding in the lotus pond? Tang someone has been rude.” It turned out that when he bit the porcelain cup just now, it was because someone in the lotus pond had shot an extremely small hidden weapon, which he caught. However, his injuries from falling off the cliff hadn’t yet healed and his true qi was unbalanced. After catching the hidden weapon, he was slightly shaken and bit through the porcelain cup.
Wind blew the lotus leaves. In the pond, lotus flowers seemed numberless, graceful and elegant like hundreds of beauties, making it impossible to tell who exactly was inside. A’Shui turned around and smiled slightly, “Western Princess?”
From deep in the lotus pond, someone rose stepping on leaves, with beautiful bearing, slowly walking toward the shore. Her peach robes were exquisite, her sleeves fluttering lightly. Among the lotus flowers and clear waves, she appeared like an immortal—this was the Romantic Shop’s Western Princess Xifang Tao.
When she slowly walked to the shore, she suddenly paused slightly, “It’s you—”
Tang Lici raised his right hand, a very thin golden hairpin held between two fingers. He was also quite surprised, “Miss Xifang Tao…” This Western Princess Xifang Tao was precisely the courtesan he had paid one cup of pearls to meet at Vermillion Bird Black Tortoise Platform years ago, whom he had asked her name before she was taken away by a black-masked man. But if Xifang Tao was the Western Princess of the Romantic Shop, how could she have been selected as a courtesan selling herself for a thousand gold at Vermillion Bird Black Tortoise Platform? According to what Bai Suche said, the Western Princess of the Romantic Shop practiced a strange skill that transformed men into women. If the Western Princess was originally male, she couldn’t possibly have been selected as a courtesan at Vermillion Bird Black Tortoise Platform.
A’Shui had originally caught a familiar subtle fragrance different from lotus flowers, so she knew it was Xifang Tao. Seeing the two looking at each other in surprise, “You know each other?”
“Miss, your golden hairpin was thrown without malice. May I guess that you have something to say?” Tang Lici saw that Xifang Tao’s expression was strange, “Tang someone doesn’t regard you as an enemy. If you have something to say, why not sit down and share a cup of wine?” He took another white porcelain cup from his sleeve and poured for her.
“A’Shui,” Xifang Tao slowly sat down but didn’t drink the wine, “is this person good or bad?”
At this question, A’Shui smiled slightly, “Young Master Tang is intelligent and clever. Though he often doesn’t want to reveal his true inner thoughts, he’s certainly a good person.”
Xifang Tao gazed intently at Tang Lici, “But he doesn’t seem like a hero who takes the world as his responsibility, nor like a saint who would sacrifice himself to save all living beings from suffering. Why intervene in martial world affairs? Why oppose the Romantic Shop? What are you truly plotting in your heart?”
Tang Lici glanced at Xifang Tao and smiled slightly, “I just want to be a good person.”
“Perhaps—you’re someone worth gambling on…” Xifang Tao said slowly, “You could force Little Hong to blow up the Yu Family Sword Manor, help Wanyu Yuedan achieve eternal merit, maybe you really can destroy the Romantic Shop.” She looked at the small golden hairpin in Tang Lici’s hand, “There’s a great secret within the Romantic Shop.”
“What secret?”
A’Shui suddenly shuddered slightly, “Western Princess, you know the secret behind that door?”
Xifang Tao didn’t answer. After a long while, she said, “Young Master Tang, do you know that the Eastern and Western Princesses of the Romantic Shop practice the ‘Face Like Jade’ strange skill, and when practiced to the ninth level, men transform into women?”
“I don’t know.” Tang Lici smiled, “There are such strange things in the world?”
“But I am genuinely a woman.” Xifang Tao said slowly, “One Peach Three Colors of the Seven Flower Cloud Wanderers was originally a woman.”
“Then why does everyone think you were originally a man?” Tang Lici asked gently, “Have you always been a woman disguised as a man?”
“I don’t want to rely on the beauty of my appearance to achieve what my actual abilities should earn.” Xifang Tao said flatly, “I’m very clear that I’m a beauty—that’s not something I could choose, but my abilities should far exceed my appearance.”
“Miss is also a heroine among women.” Tang Lici smiled as he looked at her, “But what exactly happened to the Seven Flower Cloud Wanderers? Why does miss hold the position of ‘Western Princess’ while Meihua Yishu and Kuanglan Wuxing have become killing puppets?”
“Because they’re not women.” Xifang Tao said coldly, “In the Romantic Shop, there’s a door… No one knows what exactly lies behind that door. On the surface, the Romantic Shop is led by Liu Yan, but there are actually two people who control the fate of those in the Romantic Shop—one is Liu Yan and Liu Yan’s pills; the other… is behind that door… Liu Yan doesn’t manage anything. The two people who command and lead in the Romantic Shop are Little Hong and Fu Cui, and Fu Cui—what Fu Cui expresses is the will of the person behind the door.” She said expressionlessly, “The person behind the door and Fu Cui both like women. Little Hong controls Meihua Yishu and Kuanglan Wuxing with ‘bowstring killing technique,’ but they’re not beautiful women, so they can only serve as killing puppets. And I—because I’m beautiful in appearance and deeply favored by the person behind the door, he taught me the ‘Face Like Jade’ divine skill, planning to abuse me once I transformed from man to woman. But I’m originally a woman and simply can’t master that skill. Though I dress as a woman, everyone thinks I have a man’s body.”
“Does Liu Yan know?” Tang Lici asked gently, “And those white-robed women who are infatuated with Liu Yan—are they also abused by the person behind the door?”
“No, those women are crazily infatuated with Liu Yan,” Xifang Tao said coldly, “They would rather commit suicide than be abused by the person behind the door. The Romantic Shop has separate red-robed attendants who are the person behind the door’s special favorites. The red-robed attendants are directly commanded by him and practice illusion, seduction arts, and soul-capturing formations.”
“A strange door, a man who seeks a sense of achievement through women.” Tang Lici said, “I’m afraid the person hiding behind the door isn’t as mysterious and terrifying as everyone thinks. I guess… he must have certain defects and is very jealous of Liu Yan.”
Xifang Tao nodded slightly, “The internal situation of the Romantic Shop is complex. Complete eradication won’t be easy, and many of those white-robed and red-robed attendants come from famous righteous sects in the martial world. Once their veils are torn away, it will surely cause greater grudges. Moreover, the Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills have endless poison. Unless an antidote is found, all poisoned people are the Romantic Shop’s lurking forces. Though Biluo Palace won the battle at Azure Mountain Cliff, it hasn’t shaken the Romantic Shop’s foundation. Young Master Tang is intelligent and should understand what to do next.”
“The key lies only in the antidote for the Crimson Ghost Nine Heart Pills, and the two people—Liu Yan and the person behind the door.” Tang Lici smiled, “Miss Tao entrusts this matter to me—do you have thoughts of leaving?”
Xifang Tao was silent for a while, “Going undercover in the Romantic Shop is no easy matter. I’m very tired.” She said slowly, “Little Hong has long suspected me. A few days ago I risked breaking into Little Hong’s room at night. Though I was hit by several poison arrows, I obtained several medicine bottles.” She took three differently colored porcelain bottles from her bosom, “Perhaps among them are medicines to counteract the bowstring killing technique. Meihua Yishu and Kuanglan Wuxing have been poisoned for years. I’ve tried many ways to rescue them but never succeeded. Young Master Tang might be able to think of methods to try. After years of brotherhood, I shouldn’t leave like this, but One Peach Three Colors cannot die within the Romantic Shop…” She said quietly, “With my strength alone, drawing sword in resistance would only result in death under the chaotic blades of red and white-robed attendants. I don’t want to die meaninglessly, so… I entrust everything to Young Master Tang.”
“Having gone undercover in the Romantic Shop for years, miss is admirable and praiseworthy. Leaving safely would be the best outcome.” Tang Lici smiled, “But before you go, may I ask you one thing?”
“What matter?” Xifang Tao’s eyes flowed. With her beauty, she could be called magnificent, yet her gaze showed considerable weariness.
“The whereabouts of the Spring Mountain Beauty Hairpin.” Tang Lici said, “This item concerns someone’s freedom. Miss may name any condition to trade this item with Tang Lici.”
“The Spring Mountain Beauty Hairpin…” Xifang Tao said in a low voice, “This item is not for trade. Farewell.” She flicked her sleeve and left, her back floating away, disappearing into the dark night.
“The Western Princess is actually One Peach Three Colors who went undercover in the Romantic Shop for years. Such strange things in the world are truly amazing.” A’Shui sighed softly, “I always thought she and the Eastern Princess had great rapport and was also a confidant of the person behind the door.”
Tang Lici smiled slightly, “A’Shui, you don’t need to think about scheming matters. Come with me. Tomorrow morning at Ten Li Red Pavilion, I’ll trade person for person with Liu Yan.” He stood up, “I have another matter to ask you. Do you know if Liu Yan recently buried someone and built a grave?”
“A grave?” A’Shui’s eyes moved slightly, “What grave?”
“You’re the person closest to him. I think if he buried someone, besides you, others might not notice.” Tang Lici said softly, “Have you ever seen a blue ice coffin filled with ice spring water, with the person inside having their chest split open and no heart?”
“Blue ice coffin…” A’Shui concentrated and thought carefully, “Blue ice coffin… I don’t remember him ever burying anyone, and I haven’t seen a blue ice coffin. But before he went to Azure Mountain Cliff, he stayed in Bodhi Valley for two or three days, during which no one was allowed to enter and disturb him. Now the Romantic Shop has relocated, and I’m not clear where they’re moving to. If he really buried someone, it would either be in the Romantic Shop’s garden or within Bodhi Valley.”
“Where is Bodhi Valley?” Tang Lici shook his sleeves and walked forward with hands behind his back.
“Drifting Eyebrow Garden.” A’Shui frowned slightly, “I can draw you a map. The Romantic Shop’s stronghold was originally at Drifting Eyebrow Garden. Bodhi Valley is a mountain valley behind Drifting Eyebrow Garden.”
“Thank you.” Tang Lici continued forward, neither turning back nor speaking again.
The person in the blue ice coffin must be very important to him. A’Shui followed behind Tang Lici. When she first met Tang Lici, she felt he was self-appreciating, gentle and romantic. Now, months later, Tang Lici was still radiant, still gentle and composed, even having become a person of great reputation and status in the martial world. Yet she felt that between his brows… besides the original complexity, there was more melancholy.
It was like someone who originally had a hundred worries had now increased to one hundred and ten. Though not much more, the burden was so heavy… heavy enough to make someone who was originally capable of lifting weights as if they were light and acting freely now breathe as if carrying suffocation and fatigue.
But it was only fatigue, not the weariness of giving up. His forward steps remained quick without stopping, as if even with one hundred, one hundred and ten, one hundred and twenty unresolved worries, he still had confidence he could solve them one by one, as long as he persisted and worked hard to the end, everything would be fine.
Following behind him, watching his back, suddenly some admiration, some heartache, some complex emotions she couldn’t understand… slowly surged up. What kind of person had he been? And what kind of person would he become?