The Grandmaster Strategist - Volume 6, Chapter 44: Scattered Far and Wide

Volume 6, Chapter 44: Scattered Far and Wide

In the fifteenth year, with spring transitioning into summer, the Yong military attacked Ba Prefecture with extreme urgency. Yu Mian feared Prime Minister Shang would harm him from within as he endured the strong Yong army from without. As such, he got the idea of surrendering to the enemy and sent diplomatic envoys, gradually divulging secrets. Before the dealings finished, a secret emissary presented the late Duke’s sword and letter to him. Yu Mian read the letter and was so ashamed he was unable to show his face. He drew his sword, wanting to take his own life, but was stopped by a trusted aide. Then he spurned the Yong envoys and vowed to go down with the city. In the ninth month, the Yong army breached the city of Ba Prefecture, and Mian fell on his sword, fulfilling his oath. This was the extent of the Duke’s remaining prestige.

In the winter of the sixteenth year, the Yong military occupied all the land north of the Yangtze River. They ordered the army to attempt to cross the Yangtze River, refusing to sue for peace. Everyone in the nation was terrified, and the King issued a proclamation blaming himself and wished for the soldiers and officers to serve to their dying breath. The generals all tried to redress the Duke’s grievances, going straight into the royal palace and arguing vehemently. It was too late for the King to repent, so he removed Weijun from his post as prime minister and restored the Duke. A temple was built in Jiangxia, where the Duke was ceremonially reinterred. He was given the posthumous title of “Loyal Courage.”

The Duke’s first wife came from the Wu family, a woman of an influential family. She was loyal to a fault, solemn, and respectful. She ran a tight ship at home. When Her Ladyship first learned the news of the Duke being imprisoned on false accusations, she dismissed her menservants and maids with a calm mind.

Prompted by the death of the Duke, the family migrated a long distance. With a weak constitution, Her Ladyship entered the tropical-disease-ridden lands and kept house and educated her children like normal. In the spring of the sixteenth year, an epidemic devastated Dingyuan. Her Ladyship gathered herbs to make an elixir and went to the trouble of walking all over town to save the infected. The survivors saved by Her Ladyship’s medicine numbered in the multitudes, and they all called her “Mother” instead of her title.

In the spring of the seventeenth year, Chu was subjugated. The Yong emperor, touched by the Duke’s loyalty, dispatched an envoy to Fujian to decree that Her Ladyship visit Chang’an to be nursed. Her Ladyship declined, “My late father-in-law and late husband were both subjects of Chu, and your servant is also a subject of Chu. She dares not obey an imperial edict of Great Yong.”

The emperor sighed endlessly but relented and did not indict her.

Her Ladyship resided in Fujian for nearly two decades and died in Ting Prefecture. When she passed away, her sons returned her coffin to Jiangxia, where she was buried with the Duke. The people of Fujian remembered Her Ladyship’s grace and erected a cenotaph in Dingyuan. To this day, the incense still burns.

Commentaries say, “Ever since the fall of the Jin, many nations vied for supremacy. The world was in turmoil. Among the well-known states, only Chu, Yong, and Han sought out famous generals skilled in warfare, of which there are too many to enumerate. They sought those who were versed in both civil and military affairs, those who were both loyal and righteous. So many in one generation!”

As a twenty-year-old young man, the Duke defeated the formidable foe, fighting in one place and another over long distances, with rarely a defeat. His military strategy and tactics were enough to hold sway over the region. Yet this still was not enough to praise the Duke.

The Duke went north, trying to retake Xiangyang. Before the battle concluded, he received a royal order to withdraw the troops. He wept into the wind words steadfast and loyal that came from the bottom of his heart. The King did not investigate and branded him a rebel. Thereafter, the Duke wielded his tiger tally¹ to rein in three armies, his power and influence exceeding his peers, and he allowed himself to be arrested without putting up a fight. He calmly went to his death. Such action is truly difficult!

Afterwards, each and every member of the Duke’s household stayed loyal, and Chu was subjugated. When the Yong emperor selected skilled individuals to serve as officials in the court, Chu citizens flocked to join up, all of them forswearing the former grace given. The emperor decreed the Lu family could enter the court with high office, but all the Duke’s sons refused. Such loyalty was repaid with King Min killing them.

Such injustice! Such injustice!—Southern Chu Dynastic Records, Biography of the Duke of Loyal Courage

Cold wind blew. Although it was already early spring, some snow still hadn’t melted. Lu Feng sat on bluestone beside Cruel Dragon Lake, clutching his knees, bored. His eyes were blank. Ever since his elder brother had forced him to escape from Zhongli, he learned of the enormity of the world. He had nowhere to go, so when Wei Ying dispatched people to find him, he didn’t oppose Wei Ying’s arrangements. After meandering through many places, he was delivered to this location that was essentially cut off from the world.

Cruel Dragon Lake was a lake downstream of the Huai River. It stretched for a dozen li² and nurtured a tract of fertile land. However, decades ago, the Yellow River captured the Huai River in a flood. Cruel Dragon Lake no longer received the flow of the Huai River and slowly silted up. Now, it had become a marsh, and it was all sandy soil extending out to twenty li³. The five grains⁴ couldn’t grow here, so people gradually left. Precisely because of this reason, Wei Ying built a secret base several li away from the Cruel Dragon Lake and also constructed a hiding place within Cruel Dragon Lake. The purpose was to hide here from enemies once something unforeseen occurred.

After Lu Feng was sent here, he would practice swordsmanship by the lakeshore if he had free time. It was the style from the swordsmanship manual Wei Ying had specifically left him. Perhaps he worried Lu Feng would have nothing better to do. Lu Feng knew the journey would be arduous, so he practiced diligently and intently. Besides, if he didn’t find something to do, he wouldn’t be able to keep his mind off the pain. His father had been framed, his relatives were scattered, and he was powerless. A normal person couldn’t withstand this situation.

However, Lu Feng truly couldn’t do anything. Even if he wished to raise an army and seek revenge, his father and elder brother had ordered him to do no such thing, first of all. Second, he was still young. He had no prestige among his father’s former subordinates. If it were his elder brother, Lu Yun, it would be different. He could raise an arm and yell, and he would gain a large following. The powerlessness Lu Feng felt made him gradually pine away. He was clearly a youthful man, but he was lifeless.

After staying there for an indefinite amount of time, dusk slowly fell, and the cold wind blew ever colder. Lu Feng stood up and walked toward his dwelling place. Dozens of zhang away from the thatched cottages, Lu Feng suddenly smelled a hint of blood in the wind. He grew fearful and clutched his sword, slowed his gait, and scrutinized the area. Normally at this time, the cottages would have smoke rising out of the chimneys, but the smoke was not visible right now. Moreover, the door to the central room was unlatched, not securely closed, which was somewhat unusual.

Lu Feng took a deep breath. Appearing to be unaware, he walked toward the cottages and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Uncle Zhao, I’m back!” He pushed open the door and walked into the central room, pretending to be unwary. The moment he raised the curtain to enter, he caught a glimpse of the glint of a sword silently striking out from the corner of his eye.

Lu Feng was long since ready, and he dropped to the floor, then rolled onto his back. He whipped his right hand around, and three spring-loaded darts shot out of his sleeve at his ambusher. His ambusher exclaimed in surprise and drew their long sword back, deflecting all three darts. Lu Feng had jumped to his feet already and was staring at the person.

His ambusher was a woman. Although she looked stately, her temples were graying, and crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes were visible and distinct. Even though it was difficult to speculate, Lu Feng could determine for certain the woman wasn’t young anymore. The woman’s eyes were glowing as she stared at Lu Feng coolly and said, “What a nimble kid. Since you knew something would happen, why did you risk entering?”

Lu Feng took a deep breath and replied, “When I noticed the aberration, I was already in your line of sight. If I fled then, I wouldn’t get the chance to find out who came to kill me, even if I avoided death. As such, I risked returning. But with your martial arts at such a high level, it looks like I trapped myself.”

The woman sneered, “If not for those four wastrels having a tiny bit of skill and forcing me to bleed, you wouldn’t have noticed anything was wrong. However, it wouldn’t have mattered regardless of whether you entered. It’s just that, this way, it saves me from running around. Seeing as you have some smarts, I’ll leave your whole body intact.” With that, the woman gently thrust the long sword in her hands.

Although the sword moved slowly, Lu Feng felt like the long sword was sealing all avenues of escape. He recognized the move. This move, “Subdue Without Fighting,” was in the swordsmanship manual Wei Ying gave him. The more proficient a fighter’s swordsmanship, the more the feeling of being unable to resist grew. If the woman had struck with a different move, Lu Feng might only have been able to retaliate with desperation. However, the swordsmanship manual Wei Ying gave him contained a counter to this move.

Though Wei Ying’s martial arts weren’t as good as the martial arts of the pure direct disciples of the Fengyi Sect, to mislead spies back then, the Fengyi Sect master secretly taught him several counters she had intensively studied. The sword moves were mostly odd and ruthless and lacked dignity. Because it didn’t fit with the Fengyi Sect’s style of resplendent and aboveboard swordsmanship, nobody except for Wei Ying received the teachings. In addition, Wei Ying was the son of a prime minister. He normally met with many eccentrics and extraordinary people. And he read many books on swordsmanship in the Great Yong Imperial Library.

Later, in command of the North Star Hall in Southern Chu, he roped in many experts and took care to befriend them. In terms of knowledge on swordsmanship, nobody in the world could compare. The swordsmanship manual he gave Lu Feng compiled all the best sword moves he’d gathered over the years, as well as some he developed himself. Although it was messy and disorganized, it gave succinct details on nearly every swordsmanship style in the world, which allowed Lu Feng to read about a possible counter to this attack. If Wei Ying had dedicated himself to swordsmanship, he absolutely would not have been powerless to resist Ling Yu’s sword attacks.

Thus, Lu Feng was delighted and held his long sword diagonally, easily tackling a difficult issue. It was like an army suddenly attacking. This move, “Strolling Through Danger,”⁵ was a move Wei Ying obtained by happenstance, and he believed it could counter the Fengyi Sect’s ultimate move, so he recorded it in the swordsmanship manual. Because of this, Lu Feng memorized it by heart.

The woman didn’t recognize it. If Wei Ying had been fighting her, she would have been cautious and on guard and wouldn’t have let Wei Ying succeed easily. However, she utterly disregarded Lu Feng, a small child. Due to her carelessness, Lu Feng’s sword broke up her attack and crashed through the window, and he charged out of the cottage. The woman was stunned. Although she hadn’t readily acted in many years, her skill with the sword progressed further with each passing day. She had believed barely anyone rivaled her, but this young man actually stopped her attack.

However, even though she lost, she quickly regained her senses. She exited the cottage to see the young man making a mad dash in the direction he came from. She exerted her qinggong to pursue.

Lu Feng had been training hard in swordsmanship and internal energy under Wei Ying’s tutelage for the past several days. His qinggong had also significantly improved. He was very familiar with the route too. The woman wouldn’t be able to catch up to him for some time, but the distance between the two of them was closing.

Lu Feng felt the pain in his chest swell to tremendous proportions, but he could only run for this life. Cruel Dragon Lake finally appeared before his eyes. He was almost scrambling and crawling to plunge into the marsh. As he was jumping up, he heard the whistling of a sword. Then he felt intense pain in his back. By the time he landed on firm ground, he was in such pain he almost passed out. However, he couldn’t care about all that. He rolled once and jumped to his feet and sprinted into the marsh.

The woman’s brows were tightly knit together. She watched where the young man’s feet fell, tracking them. The young man only worried about fleeing with a full head of steam, but he knew the path, traveling smoothly in this perilous location where one could drown at any time.

She couldn’t know Wei Ying had dispatched people here in the past to carefully uncover a path through the marsh. After Lu Feng came here, he spent some time nearly every day with the map, familiarizing himself with the terrain, and he amended the map as needed. It was for a situation just like the current one. He had memorized every location he could step by heart, so he was able to fly through the area.

That may have been the case, but before he could run a few li away, the woman saw the young man suddenly slip and fall on the ground. Revealing a sneer, she knew the young man had been gravely wounded and couldn’t sustain himself anymore. She flitted over, about to take the young man’s life, when she heard the coils of springs snapping shut the moment she landed. Her right foot was caught in something. The woman screamed and drooped over.

Right at that moment, Lu Feng, who’d been lying on the ground pretending to be dead, did a kip-up. He flew into the air and landed several zhang away, then fled.

The woman looked down to see a snare trapping her ankle. Blood was seeping through her clothes, and any slight movement pained her to the bone. She knew the trap had broken her leg. Although her internal energy was refined and her swordsmanship brilliant, she was still a woman. She may have fought in bloodbaths in many places, but she’d led a life of luxury for many years. She’d long ago been unable to endure such torment.

Nearly passing out from the pain, she finally managed to remove the trap. She gazed around, seeing only overgrown brush, mud, and muck. It was deserted. With no other choice, she found two dead branches and made a split for her broken bone. She found another branch to use as a walking stick, going back the same way she came. Although she only had one good leg, her qinggong was outstanding, so it wasn’t impossible for her to travel.

Fortunately, she’d memorized the route during pursuit, and there were footsteps she could identify. Coupled with cautious probing, she made it over halfway with no issue. Although her broken leg sent pain shooting through her body, likely nobody would know she had died if she couldn’t get out of the marsh. As a result, she had to power through. However, she felt even more regret. She didn’t expect to fail miserably at a simple task.

All of a sudden, the woman felt a foreign object squirm underfoot. She glanced down and shrieked. Countless venomous snakes were moving in the marsh next to her, and her foot was stepping on a venomous snake. The woman was afraid of snakes by nature. Frightened, she leaped to the side, but she forgot she was in a marsh. The ground underfoot gave way, and she was sucked into the mud.

If she had calmed down at this time, she would still have had a chance to escape, but when she gazed around, venomous snakes were wriggling everywhere. Terrified, her hands and feet went limp. With just this hesitation, the venomous snake bit her. Venom paralyzed her, and she sank into the mire. She could no longer change her destiny.

Meanwhile, Lu Feng, standing in the distance, callously watched the woman struggle for her life and slowly lose consciousness, submerging into the muck. He suffered through the pain to bait the woman to the place he’d set traps to catch wild animals in the marsh to seriously injure her. After he escaped, he circled back to the return path and concealed the true route. He left a fake trail to lure the woman to the gathering area of the venomous snakes. Cruel Dragon Lake wasn’t named that way for nothing.

Eventually, he got the woman killed in the marsh. He watched with rapt attention for a long time. Only once the woman’s head disappeared did Lu Feng walk out of the marsh.

Although he killed a formidable foe with the marsh, he didn’t relax in the least. They may have only exchanged one blow, but he could tell the woman belonged to the Fengyi Sect. He didn’t believe Wei Ying had sold him out. If Wei Ying wanted to kill him, he could just covertly order the people protecting Lu Feng to do it. He definitely wouldn’t be able to prevent it. It was likely Wei Ying had been caught in a quandary. Thinking of how Wei Ying had cherished him in every possible way and even bound all his knowledge into volumes to impart to him, tears uncontrollably fell like rain from Lu Feng’s eyes when he thought of the possible danger he was in.

When he finally returned to the cottage and reached the wings, he saw four bloody bodies inside. Lu Feng grew even more sorrowful. These four people had lavished every care on him for many days, but they died at the hands of that woman. Although he was grieving, he dared not tarry when he thought of how the enemy might return at any time.

He found some wound medicine and applied it to his wound, then buried the Sanguine Guardsmen next to the cottage. He stored on his person the silver, gold, and scrolls hidden in a secret compartment, then departed from his brief dwelling palace. Although his future was unclear, Lu Feng had made up his mind. He wanted to find a location to live in seclusion and practice swordsmanship diligently.

The state of the world could not be controlled. Since he couldn’t lead an army onto the battlefield to take revenge, it was better to travel the world as a swordsman. This might even give him a chance to happily get vengeance.

***

The flame of the solitary lamp was burning out, the individual alone and haggard. Yan Wushuang reclined on a soft couch with eyes closed, convalescing. Her gorgeous face looked slightly sickly, her complexion pale as snow. She occasionally coughed a few times.

The nearby maid serving her wasn’t a disciple of the Fengyi Sect. The current Yong invasion was consequential, so she gave all of her forces to Ling Yu. It wasn’t that she didn’t know of Ling Yu’s hunger for power; rather, if Ling Yu could restore the Fengyi Sect’s former glory, Yan Wushuang didn’t mind sacrificing some power.

Of all the Fengyi Sect disciples, Ling Yu and she were most highly regarded by the former Fengyi Sect Master. Both of them had the ambition of inheriting the important position, but in the end, Ling Yu obtained the position of sect master. Yan Wushuang refused to accept it, and she teamed up with Ji Xia and Wei Ying to partition Ling Yu’s authority. However, in comparison to the other two, Yan Wushuang was still the one loyalest to the Fengyi Sect. As such, struggling for power against Ling Yu was in part because she didn’t trust Ling Yu could manage the general situation.

This time, Ling Yu had convinced her with the importance of the big picture, which made her decide to personally assassinate Shi Guan, as well as handing over all of her forces to Ling Yu to command. She remained in the back room of the Moonlight Pavilion to recuperate.

She heard footsteps. The visitor’s stride was exceptionally frenetic. At the same time Yan Wushuang suspiciously opened her eyes, a stunningly beautiful woman around nineteen walked in. Although the visitor had done her best to hide her identity, whether the hairpin and earrings on her head, the bracelet on her fair-skinned wrist, or the quality and cut of her clothing, they all demonstrated she was eminently respectable. However, extreme panic covered her face as she scurried over to the couch and said in a plaintive tone, “Senior apprentice sister, it’s bad, everything’s gone haywire. Something’s happened to Master and all of them.”

Yan Wushuang felt like her delicate body was falling into a crevasse. She propped up her infirm body, grabbed the other woman’s alabaster wrist, and said in a stern voice, “Lingxiang, what are you talking about?”

Tears were streaming down Ji Lingxiang’s face, and she recounted the news that came from southern Fujian. Although all members of the Fengyi Sect had been buried on the Xianxia Mountains, with nobody returning to report the news, after Lady Lu and her entourage arrived at Pucheng, they told the authorities about the bandits they encountered en route and about the loss of all the royal guardsmen. This type of major event was naturally reported to Jianye through a six-hundred-li urgent report. As a noble consort of Southern Chu, Ji Lingxiang was always waiting upon the king, so she quickly learned of the news. By herself, she could read between the lines to guess the truth. If members of the Fengyi Sect remained, they would never have allowed Lady Lu and her entourage to arrive safe and sound in Pucheng.

Sick at heart, she waited several days and received confirmation from Shang Weijun. The bodies on the Xianxia Mountains formed mounds, piled together to form a victory monument, and terrified countless travelers. After Ji Lingxiang received definite information of the Fengyi Sect’s complete annihilation, she stole out of the harem, taking advantage of King Zhao Long sleeping in the Queen’s Palace tonight to report to Yan Wushuang.

Yan Wushuang’s heart was racked with grief, and she couldn’t control herself. She opened her mouth to speak, but a spurt of blood gushed out. Ji Lingxiang hastily grabbed the teacup on the table and served Yan Wushuang.

Yan Wushuang slightly calmed down. She drank the warm tea a couple times, holding the teacup. She was about to raise her head and make inquiries when she suddenly felt intense pain in her chest. Stunned, she looked down to see an ivory hand clutching a short sword. The entire blade of the short sword had sunk into her chest.

Yan Wushuang threw a palm strike, sending Ji Lingxiang crashing into the door. After a while, Ji Lingxiang stood up, blood spilling out from the corner of her mouth, her beautiful face white as a sheet. She laughed heartily, “Good, good, senior apprentice sister wasn’t lightly injured, or else that palm strike would’ve taken my life.”

Yan Wushuang said with indifference in her eyes, “Why did you do that?”

Malice took over Ji Lingxiang’s alluring face, and she viciously replied, “Because I want to keep living. I don’t want to be your pawn. I, Ji Lingxiang, am a dignified noble consort now, but in the face of you all, I’m but a common soldier. I’m unwilling, but I dare not resist. I know that if you all want me to die, it would be a breeze. However, it’s different now. Master and Sect Master, they both died. They can no longer threaten me.

“The only one who makes this concubine unable to eat and sleep well is Senior Apprentice Sister Yan. Your group aren’t like me. You all are direct disciples of the Fengyi Sect. Once news of the death of Master and the others is sent back, the Fengyi Sect will be in your pocket. If you wish to revive the Fengyi Sect, you’re certain to make things difficult for me. If you don’t wish to revive it, you can possess millions in gold and silver. Who doesn’t love glory and riches?

“I, Ji Lingxiang, don’t want to tread the same route back with you all who are on your last legs. I also don’t want to relinquish such tremendous wealth. If you die, Ling Yu and I will be all that remains of the Fengyi Sect. That girl, Ling Yu, is devoted wholeheartedly to music. Her martial arts are subpar, and she has no power. She’s a piece of cake to deal with. Then, all this will be mine. With immense wealth in my palms and with Father-in-Law’s as well as His Royal Majesty’s pampering, I can do as I please. If I don’t kill you, how could I make it up to myself?”

Yan Wushuang gave a distressed smile. “Okay, all right, you’re ruthless enough. You’ve proved you’re a disciple of the Fengyi Sect. Unfortunately, the lands of Southern Chu are in imminent danger. I would like to see how long you can run amok.” Then she pulled the short sword out of her chest, blood spraying out. Yan Wushuang snapped her hand forward fast enough to create a rainbow, the sword grazing Ji Lingxiang’s cheek and burying itself in the door.

Ji Lingxiang felt a chill on her face, and when she touched her cheek, her delicate fingers were covered in blood. She got terrified. She looked over intently to see that Yan Wushuang had passed away, her eyes closed. Only then was she willing to go before the bronze mirror to examine the wound on her face in detail. Fortunately, it was just a line of blood. If she applied the wound medicine the palace secretly manufactured, it would heal in ten days, which enabled her to rest easy.

The slightly blurry figure of the beautiful woman in the bronze mirror beamed from ear to ear, then a glint of light flashed. A throwing knife embedded itself in the body of the trembling maid hiding in the corner of the room. A short scream reverberated through the room.

***

Smoke from sandalwood incense rising in swirls, the spring wind wafting through the bed canopy, Ling Yu played the zither with great focus, the piece “O, the Integrity of the Orchid” flowing from her fingers. When the piece ended, Ling Yu sighed softly, once again remembering how the handsome man who called himself the fourth young master gave her advice on playing the zither. She sang quietly:

6

She unconsciously brushed the zither strings, heartfelt worries being played. Although she lived alone in the building, ignoring events in the world, she still could sense the disquiet inside and outside the Moonlight Pavilion. She had not seen her senior apprentice sisters in a long time.

Yesterday, she had gone to Head Yan as usual to send her well wishes, but she learned Yan Wushuang had already left the Moonlight Pavilion. She knew Yan Wushuang’s injuries were grave and couldn’t stop from feeling suspicious. The managers who handled affairs in the pavilion were also all mysterious. Although she never cared about affairs in the pavilion, the managers should have given her a few answers if she asked, what with her status. However, when she questioned them yesterday, those people brushed her off. She didn’t get any answers whatsoever. This odd situation made her uneasy. Today, she decided not to entertain guests and hid inside the building, playing the zither to amuse herself.

Right at this time, Ling Yu’s maidservant, Luan’er, ran staggering in, shouting, “My Lady, things are bad! Myriad Flower Tower’s people have come! They said the Moonlight Pavilion has been sold to them. The ladies are all in a tizzy.”

Ling Yu stood up in shock. She walked out the door and gazed out, leaning upon the balcony. As expected, chaos reigned in the courtyard. Burly men wearing the uniform of the Myriad Flowers Tower were roving everywhere. Ling Yu paced in a circle a few times at a loss. She couldn’t think of who to inquire about this. When she thought of the manager of affairs’ hemming and hawing yesterday, it had to be because he knew of the events happening today. Bewildered, she walked back into her room and fell backwards onto a drum-shaped stool. Eventually, she spoke, “Luan’er, invite the Myriad Flowers Tower Lord over. Tell him I have something to inquire about.”

Luan’er hastily agreed. Just as she was about to leave, a tender voice came from outside the room. “There’s no need to invite me; I have come. Lady Ling Yu was honored as a popular courtesan, so I ought to personally invite you over.” A middle-aged man wearing finery walked in while speaking, a broad smile on his face. He seemed like a merchant whose affability brought in wealth, not like a tycoon who controlled half the brothels in Jiangnan.

Ling Yu stood up and curtsied, saying, “Ling Yu has met the Myriad Flowers Tower Lord before. Because I have some doubts in mind, I had to invite you over to ask you. I don’t understand how the Moonlight Pavilion became property of the Tower Lord’s. Although Second Miss passed away, the Moonlight Pavilion naturally had people take over. It shouldn’t have landed in an outsider’s hands.”

“Lady Ling Yu presumably doesn’t know that the true owner of the Moonlight Pavilion has been buried on the Xianxia Mountains on the border of Fujian and Yue Commandery,” the middle-aged man sighed. “This news has spread throughout Jiangnan. Moonlight Pavilion has no roots anymore. I spent five million silver taels to buy all the bordellos owned by the Moonlight Pavilion. Your Ladyship is also among them. If Ling Yu doesn’t believe me, you can read these contracts.”

Ling Yu felt like her delicate body was on the verge of collapse. Although she didn’t have deep feelings for the members of the Fengyi Sect, she had still lived with them for many years. If not for the Fengyi Sect, she would’ve just been a female orphan in a sea of people. Even though she’d long since felt alienated from them, it would be impossible not to be distraught.

Luan’er hurried over to keep her standing. Ling Yu forced herself to calm down, then curtsied. “Your servant breached etiquette. Please permit your servant to examine the contract documents. If it’s true, your servant can’t stop the Tower Lord from taking control of the Moonlight Pavilion.”

The Myriad Flowers Tower Lord placed a bundle of documents on the desk under the window. Ling Yu went over and carefully read them, realizing the contracts were all genuine. Though she didn’t pay attention to the affairs of the pavilion, she knew few people could get their hands on these items. She gave a mental sigh. If Third Miss had truly done this, her master dying in the Xianxia Mountains was confirmed with all certainty.

Ling Yu was even more surprised when she read the contract indenturing her. Xiao Lan originally bought her, but after Ling Yu was recruited into the sect by Ji Xia, the contract became useless. Moreover, she didn’t believe the Fengyi Sect would set her free and didn’t pay any attention to the indenture contract. She didn’t expect Ji Lingxiang to be so merciless, even selling her off to the Myriad Flowers Tower. She was left to the mercy of others. With this train of thought, anxiety flared up within her, and she felt her delicate body go limp, fainting into the bosom of Luan’er.

In reality, this was due to Ling Yu never considering herself to be part of jianghu. She never thought of using physical force to solve her problems. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be impossible for her to escape if she wished, even though her martial arts weren’t excellent.

After an indefinite amount of time, Ling Yu slowly regained consciousness. She heard a crisp, pleasant voice say, “Tower Lord, this is all your fault. Brothels have their own rules. When the Most Popular Courtesan Pageant was held in Qinhuai, it said in black and white terms that a woman needed to be emancipated to participate, as she couldn’t qualify to be one of the best courtesans if she weren’t free. Moreover, since time immemorial, the overwhelmingly beautiful women who have been able to be crowned as famous courtesans have never been coerced into doing so.

“Even if this indenture contract is real, it ought to be ripped up. What’s more, it might not even be real. If Tower Lord refuses to abide by the rules and tries to use this contract to harass Miss Ling Yu, I’m afraid you’ll disillusion the girls. Us women who’ve been driven into prostitution all yearn to make an honest living one day. If the second place Miss Ling Yu still can’t earn her freedom, I’m afraid all the girls’ hopes of getting married will die.”

Ling Yu heard the familiar voice and opened her eyes to see herself lying on the soft couch in a bedroom. Through the bead curtain, she could just barely make out a graceful figure speaking bluntly and confidently. She sat up and saw Luan’er tearfully gazing at her beside her. She asked in a low voice, “What’s going on?”

Luan’er sobbed, “After My Lady fainted, the Tower Lord ordered for this maidservant to put My Lady to bed. This maidservant knows My Lady’s thoughts and requested help from the sisters of the Pavilion. Nobody had any solutions. Still, Lady Yuerong said Lady Rumeng was brave and tender, always helping her sisters sort out their problems. In addition, Lady Rumeng can speak directly to the Tower Lord. If she could be persuaded to step in, it might take a turn for the better. Although this maidservant knows our Moonlight Pavilion has always been on bad terms with Lady Liu, the few times we met at zither festivals, Lady Rumeng always recognized the worth of My Lady, so this maid thought of a way to send a letter to Lady Liu.”

A current of warmth flowed through Ling Yu, and she forced herself to stand up. Seeing the clothes on her body still appropriate, she walked through the bead curtain, supported by Luan’er. She saw the lord of the Myriad Flowers Tower sitting across from Liu Rumeng. Rumeng had turned twenty-six this year. If it were another prostitute, she’d most likely have lost her good looks already, but Rumeng was different. Compared to when she won first place in the courtesan pageant, she hadn’t lost any of her charm.

Rumeng was wearing a floor-length dress the color of the blue sky after rain. Her fine black hair was tied up on the back of her head, falling like a waterfall. Her body was as thin and lithe as a willow, her face as beautiful and elegant as spring flowers. Her bright eyes were roving, looking around charmingly, emitting light throughout the whole room.

Ling Yu and Liu Rumeng didn’t know each other well, having only met a few times at zither festivals. The Moonlight Pavilion and Rumeng often had ill will with each other, but Rumeng was generous and never was sarcastic with them. Therefore, they had some contact. She didn’t expect Rumeng, almost a stranger, to appear and help in this predicament, whereas her own junior apprentice sister had sold her out. Unwittingly, sorrow arose within her, and she only managed to shout “Lady Liu” before choking up with sobs.

Rumeng stood up and pulled Ling Yu into an embrace, her long, shapely eyebrows rising in anger. She said to the Myriad Flowers Tower Lord, “Rumeng has always respected Tower Lord’s business conduct. If Tower Lord must make things difficult for Miss Ling Yu, Rumeng cannot sit idle and watch even though she is weak and of low status. If Tower Lord will give a way out, I believe that if there’s help needed in the future, neither Rumeng nor Miss Ling Yu will refuse to help.”

The Myriad Flowers Tower Lord’s mind was racing. If Liu Rumeng issued a call to action, the prostitutes under his banner would probably respond. Most of the ladies on the Qinhuai River had received benefits and favors from Rumeng. Even if he could browbeat those women into yielding, they definitely wouldn’t be willing, and disturbances would be inevitable. Further, if he got a reputation for harshness and heartlessness, he would probably lose more than he gained. Upon thinking deeply, he said with a smile, “Since Rumeng says so, how could I not respect Your Ladyship?”

Ling Yu was ecstatic and could hardly speak. Rumeng saw it and released her, gently pushing her forward. Only then did Ling Yu remember to bow low and say, “Many thanks for Tower Lord’s grace.” She hesitated, then asked, “Tower Lord, may I ask if the events in Xianxia truly took place?”

The Myriad Flowers Tower Lord said with significance, “If it weren’t true, I’m afraid this one wouldn’t have the courage to take over the Moonlight Pavilion. Your Ladyship and they are not on the same path, merely meeting occasionally. You were simply in the same boat for a period of time. From now on, Your Ladyship ought to discard the association and live freely.”

Ling Yu entirely relaxed at the words. She had never had any loyalty for the Fengyi Sect. The scant bit of nostalgia she felt was destroyed by Ji Lingxiang’s heartlessness. She already hadn’t wanted to stay in the Moonlight Pavilion, but her future was hazy. She had nowhere to go, so she felt somewhat embarrassed.

Liu Rumeng sensed her feelings and said with a smile, “There’s no need to worry, miss. Although my place is crude, it’s still possible to live there. Miss, why not rest at my place for a few days? It won’t be too late to make a decision after a few days pass.”

“Many thanks, Your Ladyship. This girl will have to trespass on your hospitality,” Ling Yu said gratefully. “Tower Lord, Luan’er has served me for many years. I can’t bear to part with her. If the Tower Lord agrees, Ling Yu is willing to buy Luan’er’s freedom for a hundred gold taels.”

The Myriad Flowers Tower Lord smiled and said, “Lady Ling Yu flatters me. Since Luan’er is Your Ladyship’s maidservant, how can I create obstacles? This one thinks nothing of a mere hundred gold tales. Your Ladyship can take everything with you and slowly pack. I’ll order my subordinates to deliver you to Lady Liu’s residence.”

Ling Yu curtsied once again. The Myriad Flowers Tower Lord returned the gesture and grinned, then left without warning.

When Ling Yu left the Moonlight Pavilion with Liu Rumeng, she didn’t know the Myriad Flowers Tower Lord was with a black-robed Confucian scholar watching the two of them from the shadows. The black-robed Confucian scholar said uncertainly, “Tower Lord, Lord Chen tasked you with looking after Lady Ling Yu. Isn’t giving her permission to leave going to offend Lord Chen?”

“There’s no harm. I ascertained his intentions; a nobleman has taken a fancy to Lady Ling Yu,” the Myriad Flowers Tower Lord said with a smile. “I’ve just been tasked with taking care of her to prevent someone from seizing the chance to tread all over her. Now that Liu Rumeng’s taken her away, it’s both to her liking and doesn’t contradict Lord Chen’s intentions. We just need to have people watch them. What’s more, don’t forget that Liu Rumeng has Song Yu backing her. Although he has a grudge against Lord Chen, it looks like they still have some affection. As long as they keep Lady Ling Yu safe and sound, it’ll be good for us, not bad.”

When Ling Yu entered Liu Rumeng’s bedroom, she caught sight of a line of words hanging on the wall. They were written in cursive, flowing and unrestrained, vivid with rapid brushstrokes. Ling Yu was a talented woman skilled in all four arts—zither, weiqi, calligraphy, and painting—so her eyes lit up at the artistry of the writing. She recited in a quiet voice:

7

It was signed as the “Misty Hermit.” She could help but say, “What somber words. Misty Hermit is presumably the pseudonym of Sir Song, the one by Your Ladyship’s side. Why isn’t there a trace of him?”

Liu Rumeng smiled at the words and said, “He’s a seven-chi-tall adult man. How could he be restrained in the warm arms of a woman for long? A few days ago, he resigned from his position as zither teacher and left Jianye.” Although she spoke indifferently, she slightly knitted her long eyebrows, worry written on her beautiful features.

Ling Yu then knew the rumors in Qinhuai weren’t false. Liu Rumeng truly had fallen in love with that Song Yu, Sir Song. Sir Song had been beside Liu Rumeng for many years, demonstrating he had feelings for her as well. However, she didn’t know why he had suddenly departed, separating in the middle of things.

She wanted to offer advice, but for some reason, she thought of that fourth young master. Full of distress as well, she inwardly prayed, This weak woman knows she is lowly and dares not make unreasonable demands. If I can meet fourth young master again and learn the zither from him, I won’t regret it even if I destroy all happiness and longevity in my life.

Footnotes:

A two-piece object made in the shape of a tiger, used in ancient China as proof of authority. One half of the tally could be issued to a military officer, and this would be matched with the other half when verification was required.About 6 km (around 4 miles)About 11 km (around 7 miles)Wheat, rice, broomcorn millet, foxtail millet, and soybeans履险如夷, lüxian-ruyi – lit. walking across a defile with ease; fig. handle a crisis effortlessly, keep a cool head in a crisis, emerge from danger unscathedThis is a poem entitled “Lyrics for the Zither Tune ‘The Fragrant Orchid’” (琴曲歌辞·幽兰) by Tang Dynasty poet Cui Tu (崔涂). The poet is using the metaphor of an orchid being cast aside to compare his own talents being ignored.This is a poem entitled “Winter Pining” set to the ci “The Foreign Bodhisattvas” (菩萨蛮) by Song Dynasty poet Chen Yunping (陈允平)