That day, Xin Mei still didn’t get to take her bath. Lu Qianqiao confined her in the Returning Flower Hall, and the two of them spent the afternoon staring at each other in silence.
“What exactly do you plan to do?” Xin Mei propped her chin on her hand, feeling somewhat helpless. “Keep me tied up until I die?”
Lu Qianqiao rubbed a piece of low-quality, multicolored jade between his fingers, remaining silent for a long while before finally speaking. “There are still three months left. During these three months, I must ensure the Imperial Mausoleum remains undisturbed. If by then… I’m still here, I’ll naturally let you go.”
Xin Mei was shocked. “And if you’re not?” Would she be left tied up in the Imperial Mausoleum until she starved to death?
He didn’t answer, merely staring pensively at the multicolored jade in his hand, his gaze deep and unreadable.
Suddenly, she recalled what Fu Jiuyun had said at the tavern that day—that half of the War Ghost Clan died before crossing the threshold of their twenty-fifth year. She didn’t know the specifics, but Lord Meishan had mentioned he was a War Ghost. So… in three months, he would turn twenty-five and die?
Xin Mei scratched her head, racking her brains for something to say. “W-Well, heaven never seals off all exits… Don’t be too upset. You should know that death is different for everyone. Some die as lightly as dust, while others as weighty as mountains. You should strive to make yourself heavier…”
Lu Qianqiao’s fingers froze. He looked up at her and asked, “…Are you trying to comfort me?”
“Yes, yes!” She was impressed he could recognize her good intentions. “Maybe when you turn twenty-five, you’ll just wake up one day and everything will be fine! Don’t overthink it!”
At least those last two sentences sounded somewhat comforting.
He stood up and walked to the window, pushing it open. The lively sounds of gongs, drums, and string instruments poured in. A stage had been set up over the pond—it seemed Zhao Guanren’s new operatic script was premiering tonight. A crowd of demons sat by the pond, chattering away, some cracking melon seeds, others pointing and commenting, carefree and utterly delighted.
“Puppet show?” Xin Mei leaned over to look, her eyes instantly lighting up. “I’ve never seen this one before!”
Zhao Guanren’s scripts were always melodramatic. Before the show was even halfway through, the audience was already in tears.
Tao Guoguo hid beneath the Returning Flower Hall’s windowsill and made a bet with Si Lan. “Dog-blood Zhao is still using the same old tropes—killing off the protagonist, their parents, and their best friends. I win, Brother Si Lan. You owe me money.”
Si Lan, his face dark, handed over a string of coins. Zhao Guanren had previously thumped his chest and sworn that this new play would be completely different from his past works. Yet here he was, recycling the same old clichés. Never again would Si Lan believe his nonsense.
By the way, this time, Zhao was using the twelve puppets the General had made in his spare time. With such a thunderously clichéd plot, wouldn’t the General fly into a rage?
Si Lan stealthily turned around, only to see the General standing by the window, his expression calm but tinged with a hint of helplessness—and within that helplessness, a trace of bewilderment—as he looked down at Xin Mei, who was sobbing uncontrollably beside him.
“Oh… so moving… so classic…”
Xin Mei covered her face with a handkerchief, which was already soaked through and dripping. Lu Qianqiao glanced around, hesitated for a long moment, then finally took out a handkerchief from his own sleeve and handed it to her.
“…Is it really that good?” he asked uncertainly.
She took it and blew her nose. “It’s amazing! I’ve never seen such a touching play before! Especially those puppets—they’re so well-made, just like real people.”
Rumor had it that the General had made those twelve puppets himself… This girl had good taste.
“Is that so?” Lu Qianqiao’s expression softened instantly. “There’s another puppet show tomorrow night. They’ll be using the same puppets.”Si Lan stiffly withdrew, slapping himself hard across the face. That must have been an illusion just now, right? Yes, definitely an illusion...
Xin Mei's eyes were red from crying, resembling a rabbit's, as she gazed earnestly at Lu Qianqiao: "Can I get Zhao Guanren's autograph? And the master who makes the puppets?"
Lu Qianqiao found her rabbit-like eyes more adorable and endearing than ever before. Clearing his throat discreetly, he unconsciously loosened the Demon Binding Rope by a few inches and led her outside to get Zhao Guanren's signature.
Tao Guoguo fumed beneath the windowsill: "That wicked woman is seducing Brother Qianqiao! Brother Si Lan, why aren't you chasing her away?"
Si Lan could only choke back his words in silence.
At that moment, Zhao Guanren was directing the little demons to organize props, sweating profusely from the effort. A rat's tail peeked out from beneath his clothes for some air. The Imperial Mausoleum housed countless burial treasures, and the props he used in his plays were all genuine artifacts. If anything got damaged, the general would surely yank his tail off and stuff it up his nose.
"Be careful! That Mirror of United Hearts is fragile!"
Seeing a little demon stumble over a pebble, Zhao Guanren shouted in alarm. Startled by the yell, the demon trembled, and the Mirror of United Hearts tumbled to the ground, rolling straight to Xin Mei's feet and striking her ankle with a sharp pain.
"...A bronze mirror?"
Xin Mei bent down to pick up the foot-long mirror. Its surface was rough and dull, unable to reflect even a shadow.
"Did it break when it fell?" She handed it to Lu Qianqiao.
Before he could take it, a sudden flash of white light burst across the dull mirror, scattering like fireflies. The once-rough surface now turned as dark as midnight, reflecting the image of a man and woman embracing tenderly.
Fireflies shimmered like dewdrops on their hair, glowing softly... The scene was undeniably intimate and moving.
But... but the two people embracing seemed to be her and Lu Qianqiao!
Xin Mei stared in shock.
Zhao Guanren roared ecstatically: "The Mirror of United Hearts! After all these years, it's finally revealed its power! Heaven has opened its eyes! The general's destined Celestial Maiden is right here!"
The demons erupted into an uproar. Si Lan, unable to withstand the shock, fainted on the spot.
The embracing figures in the mirror soon vanished. Xin Mei hesitated, clutching the mirror, wondering if she should look again. Zhao Guanren had already rushed over in tears, grabbing her sleeve and shaking it fervently: "Miss, you must treat our general well..."
The Mirror of United Hearts was flung into his face as Lu Qianqiao dragged a bewildered Xin Mei away.
"What was that about?" she asked cautiously.
His expression remained blank: "Go back. Sleep."
His mood seemed to have soured again... Xin Mei sealed her lips, wisely keeping silent this time.
From that night onward, Lu Qianqiao's mood never seemed to recover. Where he once exchanged a few words with her, he now treated her like thin air. Whether busy or idle, he would summon people to the Returning Flower Hall for secret discussions, leaving her tied to a tree outside.
On this sunny day, Xin Mei sat in the courtyard basking in the sunlight, idly tossing pebbles at the Returning Flower Hall's window.
Suddenly, the window was flung open. From afar, Lu Qianqiao looked down at her with restrained frustration.
Xin Mei quickly waved: "Are you done talking?"
She needed to eat, drink, relieve herself, bathe...
"...Quiet." He slammed the window shut.
She threw another pebble. It struck the window with a "thud," but no further sound came from within.“Haha, has Brother Lu been angry with Miss Xin these past few days?”
A light chuckle came from behind. Xin Mei turned her head to see a beautiful girl in a pink silk dress standing under a tree, covering her mouth as she looked at her.
“Tied up like this, you look just like a dog.” Her laughter was perfectly timed.
Xin Mei thought hard for a moment before finally recalling her name: “Sister Hong Lian, standing under the tree in that outfit, you look just like my aunt—so familiar and warm.”
“It’s Ying Lian!”
Ying Lian took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and forced a smile while touching her face. She… surely wasn’t that old yet, right? How could she resemble her aunt?
Perhaps it was because the little girl before her was too fresh and tender—her plump, snow-white cheeks, her pure and delicate eyes, carrying that unique innocence and charm only mortal teenage girls possessed. Demonesses could never have such guilelessness. Ying Lian couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow.
Moreover, the Mirror of United Hearts had actually reflected her and Lu Qianqiao’s figures…
Ying Lian sighed, a mix of envy, anger, and a touch of pity swirling within her.
“Seeing you tied up like this is pitiful. Do you want to leave?” she asked with a smile.
Yes! Xin Mei nodded vigorously.
“Then… how about I secretly let you go… alright?”
Yes! Xin Mei’s eyes welled up with tears of gratitude.
Ying Lian lowered her long sleeves, covering the tree trunk, and looked up at her with a faint smile—one filled with smugness and schadenfreude.
“Follow the illusory red lotus I’ve conjured, and you’ll reach the northwest side of the Imperial Mausoleum, where my friend the Bear Demon lives. Stay with him for now. Once everything settles, I’ll secretly send you away.”
Xin Mei clutched the lotus petal in her hand and, after walking a long distance, turned back to look. The kind Sister Ying Lian was still waving goodbye to her from afar.
In reality, it was said that a rather infamous Bear Demon lived northwest of the Imperial Mausoleum. Female demons in the vicinity, from one to a hundred years old, would pale at the mention of him.
—Of course, Xin Mei knew none of this. She was crouched by the roadside, plucking petals from a wildflower.
“Go back… don’t go back… go back… don’t go back…”
The last petal plucked, the heavens’ decree to her was: Don’t go back.
Xin Mei rubbed her eyes, stood up, and continued walking.
Qiu Yue, I’m sorry, I’m really not a good owner… Hold on, and whatever you do, don’t get roasted into pelican jerky before I find someone to save you!
Xin Mei was feeling melancholic, wiping her tears as she followed the illusory red lotus forward.
Suddenly, a tall, burly man dressed in black appeared ahead, floating as if on clouds. He passed by her, glanced down, and abruptly stopped.
“Little girl, are you lost?” The strange, burly uncle gave a benevolent smile.
Xin Mei didn’t even look up. “Go away! I’m in a bad mood!”
“So fierce!” The uncle was taken aback but quickly resumed his kindly smile. “Uncle likes spirited little girls. How about coming to my place? I’ll buy you some candied hawthorns.”
Xin Mei looked up tearfully. “Really?”
The uncle nodded emphatically. “As true as gold!”
“…I want roasted meat and rice noodles.”
“You’ll have it all!” The uncle happily took the little girl’s hand and led her home…
—It was said that Bear Demon had a particular fondness for beautiful women, often luring innocent girls with cheap tricks like candied hawthorns and delicious food.
That little girl must have been successfully lured by now, right?Ying Lian had just dealt with both her romantic rival and an annoying suitor, feeling as if she had shed dozens of pounds from her body. Humming a tune, she headed back to the pond for her afternoon nap. Suddenly, Tao Guoguo dropped down from the treetop, frowning at her.
"Sister Ying Lian, how could you send a mortal to her death at the Bear Demon's place?"
He had been eavesdropping for a while and couldn't condone such behavior in the slightest. That Bear Demon was lecherous and crude, with terrifying strength, yet he loved to pretend to be refined. All the demonesses near the Imperial Mausoleum avoided him at all costs—yet she had sent Xin Mei straight to him.
Ying Lian showed no alarm, merely smiling. "Have you forgotten how she knocked you out cold?"
Tao Guoguo flushed. "That's a different matter! She hit me because... because I was in the wrong first, trying to steal her soul to boost my power. But pushing her toward the Bear Demon is something else entirely—that's setting her up!"
Ying Lian laughed carelessly. "Being fooled just proves the fool is too stupid. And she actually made the Mirror of United Hearts respond... What a joke. How could I lose to her?"
"Sister Ying Lian!" Tao Guoguo grew frantic.
She patted his still-youthful cheek and leaped into the pond, transforming into a blooming red lotus.
"Guoguo, you're still too naive. When women face romantic rivals, they can think of the most vicious schemes. When you grow up, don't ever get involved with women—just spend your life with your little brother instead."
Ah, time to sleep... The relief of a heavy burden lifted from her heart felt wonderful.
OpenNovel