Chapter 137: Ten Secrets
The young man in dark blue riding attire retrieved the flag, leaped from his horse, and landed on the ground—a feat so smooth it was astonishing.
The stable owner was not a stingy man. He handed the purple jade whip to Xiao Jue, praising, "Young master, what remarkable skill! In recent years of the Wind Chase, you are the fastest to retrieve the flag!"
Cui Yuezhi couldn’t help but clap his hands. "Huanqing, before you arrived, I heard your adoptive father had hired a martial arts master for you. Now it seems that master taught you with great care. Such skill is rare even in Jiyang City."
Xiao Jue nodded with a faint smile. "Uncle, you flatter me."
He Yan thought to herself that Cui Yuezhi had no idea Xiao Jue had held back during that performance. If he had truly gone all out, he would have shocked everyone and risked exposing his identity.
As she pondered this, Xiao Jue walked over and tossed the purple jade whip into her arms.
He Yan was both surprised and delighted. "Th-thank you."
She couldn’t help but feel that Xiao Jue was very different today—unusually approachable and kind-hearted.
But she couldn’t figure out why, so she shook her head.
"Now that you have the purple jade whip," Aunt Wei said with a smile, "why not go to the riverside festival? It’s very lively, and you can receive offerings blessed by the Water God. Eating the offerings and being bathed in the sacred water will bring blessings and protection for the entire coming year."
Cui Yuezhi slapped his forehead. "Right, right! I almost forgot about that. Huanqing, Yuyan, you should both go and seek good fortune! How can you come to the Water God Festival without attending the Water God Festival?"
What was the Water God Festival? He Yan was utterly confused, but it was hard to decline such enthusiasm, so she followed the crowd toward the canal. As they approached, she saw a large open area cleared near the canal, with a round stage set up. Many masked people were singing and dancing on it, likely performing Jiyang folk songs. The melody was cheerful, and the atmosphere was lively, with people of all ages gathered around.
As soon as they stopped, a woman’s voice called out, "Master Cui."
They turned to see Ling Xiu, the young lady from the Ceremonial Office who had visited the Cui residence a few days earlier and played the zither for everyone. Standing beside her was Yan Min’er, who was glaring at them with unfriendly eyes.
Ling Xiu was dressed in her finest today, wearing a pink fitted gown and small boots typical of Jiyang women, her long hair tied into delicate braids, giving her a gentle yet playful appearance. She smiled warmly. "Min’er and I just arrived here and happened to run into you, Master Cui. What a coincidence—it must be fate."
Cui Yuezhi also smiled. "Ah Xiu, Min’er, where are your parents?"
"Father and Mother are on the boat. Min’er and I brought our servants and guards to stroll around, hoping to see the festival and bring back some offerings." Her gaze fell on Xiao Jue, but he was looking toward the stage, not sparing her a single glance. A shadow of resentment flickered in Ling Xiu’s heart.
In truth, she and Yan Min’er had not first seen Xiao Jue here. They had spotted him earlier during the Wind Chase at the stables. The young man’s elegance was as radiant as the moon, breathtakingly handsome, and the way he had seized the flag with a light smile had instantly imprinted itself in their minds, impossible to forget. Yet such a man, making such a grand display in front of everyone, had done it all to win a whip for that woman—the one she liked.
Ling Xiu was consumed with jealousy.She was beautiful, talented, and a noble lady of high status. Many young talents in Jiyang admired her, yet she looked down on every one of them. Then one day, a man appeared who outshone everyone in the city. Unfortunately, he was already married and treated his seemingly ordinary wife with such devotion. If at first, Ling Xiu was merely angered by Xiao Jue's disregard for her, after repeated encounters, she began to resent He Yan as well.
If it weren't for that Wen Yuyan, if she had met Qiao Huanqing first... the outcome would have been entirely different. What was so great about that woman? Qiao Huanqing must have been blinded by foolishness to mistake a fish eye for a pearl.
He Yan watched the dancers and singers on the stage with great interest and asked Aunt Wei, "Why are they all wearing masks?"
"Each mask represents an identity, and these are all legends related to the Water God. Dancing and singing during the festival is a way to convey the stories of the Water God," Aunt Wei explained with a smile. "If Miss Yuyan is interested, you can also go on stage to dance and play one of the roles. Toward the end, the elders will sprinkle blessed water on everyone using willow branches. Being bathed in this blessed water is believed to bring good fortune after hardship."
He Yan had never heard of such a custom and remarked, "How fascinating."
Ling Xiu stepped forward and smiled. "Does Lady Qiao also wish to join the performance?"
He Yan waved her hand. "I was just saying."
"Min'er and I also want to dance on stage. If you would join us, it would surely be livelier," Ling Xiu said, staring at He Yan with a gentle and considerate smile. Yet, for some reason, He Yan instinctively felt uneasy. She wasn't particularly adept at navigating the subtle undercurrents among women and could even be considered careless, but she could generally distinguish between ordinary hostility and friendliness.
Ling Xiu harbored an unmistakable hostility toward her. He Yan racked her brains but couldn't recall ever offending this young lady.
"You're all around the same age," Cui Yuezhi chimed in with a smile. "Yuyan, why not join them? The Water God Festival in our Jiyang is simple and not difficult. If there's anything you don't understand, Axiu and Min'er can teach you."
Since Cui Yuezhi had spoken, refusing further would seem disrespectful to Jiyang's customs. He Yan reluctantly agreed, "Alright then. But I don't know how to dance, so please don't laugh at me."
"Of course not," Ling Xiu said sweetly. "We'll all teach you." With that, she took Yan Min'er's hand and headed toward the stage. "Let's go get the masks first."
He Yan sighed inwardly. Well, even if Ling Xiu and Yan Min'er held hostility toward her, they weren't skilled in martial arts and couldn't possibly do anything serious to her. At most, it would be harmless pranks. If she stayed alert, it shouldn't be a problem.
As she pondered this, she heard someone beside her speak. "Why didn't you refuse?"
Surprised, He Yan turned to look. Xiao Jue's gaze was fixed on her face, his expression unreadable. He remarked lightly, "You clearly don't like it, so why didn't you refuse?"
"It wouldn't be appropriate," He Yan hesitated. "If I refused, Lord Cui might be displeased."
He chuckled, as if disagreeing with He Yan's approach. "If you don't like it, refuse. You have the ability to do so, Miss He," he reminded her. "You can't please everyone."
That was true, but still...Striving to please everyone and achieve a perfect outcome seemed to have become a habit.
On the other side, Yan Min'er pulled Ling Xiu aside and whispered, "What do you mean by this? Who wants to dance with her? I can't stand her! I'm not going!"
"Wait," Ling Xiu grabbed her arm. "Hear me out."
"What is it?"
"I've heard about what happened at the Embroidered Silk Workshop."
Yan Min'er's face flushed red instantly. After a moment of stunned silence, she exclaimed, "How did you know about that?"
"Everyone knows by now; it's already spread far and wide." Ling Xiu smiled at her. "Don't be upset. Of course, I'm on your side. Besides, I don't like that Wen Yuyan either. So, how could I possibly let her off easy?"
"What do you plan to do?" Yan Min'er asked irritably.
"It's a dance, isn't it? We'll just make sure she doesn't steal the spotlight. It'd be better if she made a fool of herself." Ling Xiu pointed to the masks nearby with a smile. "Let her suffer the consequences of her own actions. The girls of Jiyang aren't so easily bullied."
...
"I've never seen Madam dance before," Lin Shuanghe fanned himself meaningfully. "Today is a rare opportunity to witness it. I'm truly looking forward to it."
He Yan thought to herself that she couldn't dance at all—at most, she could wield a sword. However, as an outsider, even if she danced during the ritual, others wouldn't be too harsh on her. She just hoped to avoid making any major mistakes and join in the festivities.
As she was thinking this, Ling Xiu and Yan Min'er approached. Yan Min'er held several masks in her hands, while Ling Xiu carried a wooden box. When they reached He Yan, Ling Xiu wore a troubled expression and said, "I just asked the ritual master. There are many people attending the ceremony today, and only these masks are left. I'm not sure how to distribute them. How about drawing lots?"
They were just masks, after all. He Yan didn't pay it much mind and asked, "What's the difference between them?"
"Different masks represent different roles. In the myths and legends of the Jiyang Water God, there are also villains and clowns..." Ling Xiu paused briefly before smiling again. "But it's unlikely that Madam will draw the clown role. It probably won't happen."
He Yan hummed in acknowledgment and modestly said, "You two draw first."
"Madam isn't from Jiyang, so you should draw first," Ling Xiu insisted with a smile.
There was no point in going back and forth over such a trivial matter. He Yan replied, "Alright." With that, she reached into the wooden box Ling Xiu was holding and pulled out a folded slip of paper.
She opened the slip and saw the words "Fox Deceiver" written on it.
"Fox Deceiver... what does that mean?" she asked hesitantly.
Cui Yuezhi was taken aback, and Aunt Wei also looked surprised. As for Ling Xiu, she covered her mouth and exclaimed, "It's actually Fox Deceiver! Madam, today... you're truly unlucky."
"Is it that bad?" He Yan asked, utterly bewildered."As I mentioned earlier, in the myths and legends of the Jiyang Water God, there are plenty of villains and clowns—Lihuang is one of them. He is a liar who deceives with every word, committing countless evils along the watersides of the mortal world, swindling many families out of their wealth, sparing neither the elderly nor children. He has done the most shameless things imaginable, and the heavenly deities could no longer stand by. They sent a fairy, a subordinate of the Water God, to subdue him. Though this liar could deceive others with lies, before the immortal and her divine powers, he could only speak the truth from his heart. He confessed ten secrets about himself and was ultimately imprisoned by the fairy in an underwater dungeon, never to set foot on land again."
As He Yan listened, she unconsciously put herself in the story. When she heard the part about never being able to return to land, she couldn't help but say, "How tragic."
"It is quite tragic," Yan Min'er replied with a forced smile. "But since you've already drawn the paper slip, you can only play the role of Lihuang. If you decide to participate in the Water God Festival and then back out midway, you'll face punishment from the Water God."
He Yan wanted to ask how the Water God would punish her, but then she thought—didn't she die in the water in her previous life? She wondered if it was just a coincidence.
She said, "Then let it be the clown. In this world, someone has to play the clown, right?"
Cui Yuezhi still seemed hesitant. "But Yuyan, that mask..."
"What about the mask?"
Ling Xiu took the mask from Yan Min'er and handed it to He Yan. "This is Lihuang's mask."
When He Yan saw the mask, she finally understood why Cui Yuezhi had looked so uneasy earlier. Lihuang's mask resembled a raccoon dog—an especially ugly one at that. It was painted with a fierce and menacing expression, but a large area around the eyes and nose was painted white, making it look both cunning and hideous. No girl would willingly wear such a thing on her face. Moreover, the mask was heavy and cumbersome, making the head appear unnaturally large when worn.
He Yan weighed it in her hand. "It's fine."
She had never cared much about appearances. Aunt Wei, however, looked displeased. Over the past few days, she had spent time with He Yan and found her gentle, cheerful, and amiable. While others might not notice, having grown up in the inner chambers, Aunt Wei was well-versed in the subtle rivalries among women. It was clear that Ling Xiu was deliberately making things difficult for He Yan.
Just imagine—playing a clown in front of someone you admire, having to perform all sorts of ridiculous and laughable actions. Regardless of what others might think, any woman would feel deeply ashamed and humiliated. What woman wouldn't want to appear as stunning as Xi Shi or Diao Chan in the eyes of her beloved?
Aunt Wei spoke up, "How can we let Miss Yuyan play the clown? Can't we speak to the ritual master?"
"It's fine," He Yan said with a smile. "In matters of ritual, sincerity is what matters. There's no need to fuss over trivial details."
Cui Yuezhi, unaware of the underlying tension, laughed heartily at He Yan's words. "Well said! Yuyan is truly straightforward!"
On the other side, Lin Shuanghe and Xiao Jue both frowned simultaneously.
Lin Shuanghe covered his face with a fan and whispered to Xiao Jue, "You, the source of this trouble, have brought misfortune upon my sister He."
Xiao Jue's expression turned cold. He glanced at Lin Shuanghe, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly spoke, "You said earlier that Lihuang's secrets must be confessed to the fairy."Ling Xiu was delighted to see Xiao Jue take the initiative to speak with her. She smiled brightly and said, "Yes. Once Madam ascends the ritual platform, she must reveal ten secrets to the one playing the immortal." She paused briefly before continuing with a smile, "And these ten secrets must all be true. According to legend, the deceitful fox spirit, when faced with the immortal, is compelled by divine magic to speak only the truth. At that moment, Madam must also reveal ten secrets."
He Yan was speechless, suspecting that this so-called immortal was actually a madman who enjoyed prying into others' secrets.
"Even immortals engage in role-playing," Xiao Jue remarked, his gaze cool and detached as it swept over Ling Xiu. "In that case, I'll do it."
"Wha... what?" Ling Xiu was stunned.
He Yan was also taken aback.
"Don't understand?" The man's gaze was sharp as lightning. Though his tone was calm, his expression was icy. "I will play the listener."
He Yan nearly choked on her own saliva. Did Xiao Jue mean he would ascend the ritual platform and dance together? Was Xiao Jue insane, or had the world gone mad? He Yan couldn't make sense of it. If word got out that Second Young Master Xiao would do such a thing, no one in Shuojing City would believe it!
Chi Wu and Fei Nu couldn't believe their eyes either, wondering if their ears had deceived them.
Ling Xiu hadn't expected Xiao Jue to propose this and was momentarily at a loss. But the man's gaze was too cold, making her somewhat fearful. Instinctively, she asked, "Why... why?"
"Because," Xiao Jue replied with a faint, mocking smile, "my wife's secrets should not be known to others."
With just that one sentence, Ling Xiu, who had been slightly fearful moments ago, turned pale with anger.
He Yan: "..."
She felt almost faint, thinking that Xiao Jue was acting very unlike himself today, and it was utterly baffling.
Ignoring He Yan's expression, Xiao Jue asked Ling Xiu, "Which mask is it?"
Ling Xiu pointed to the one in Yan Min'er's hand. Yan Min'er, who was somewhat afraid of Xiao Jue, immediately handed it over. He Yan glanced at it—the immortal's mask was nothing special, just a black half-mask made of iron with a cloud pattern painted on the forehead.
"What do I do?" he asked.
Aunt Wei, sensing the situation, smiled and explained, "Actually, dancing on the ritual platform isn't bound by many rules. Locals naturally understand, but for outsiders, as long as they are sincere in their prayers to the Water God, the form of the dance doesn't matter. The Water Goddess is very forgiving and doesn't fuss over minor details."
Xiao Jue: "Understood."
He glanced at He Yan, who was still holding the mask, and took her wrist. "Come here."
After taking a few steps toward the ritual platform, He Yan looked back and saw Ling Xiu and Yan Min'er staring at her, their hostility even more intense than before. She asked, "What's going on with you? Commander, have you lost your mind?"
"You're the one who's lost your mind," Xiao Jue retorted unhappily. "Why did you agree to her?"
"I already said, since we're here, I didn't want to upset Minister Cui. Besides, it's just wearing a mask and dancing—no swords or spears involved, and it won't cost me a limb. What's the big deal?"
He turned to stare at He Yan and let out a sarcastic laugh. "Why don't I see you being so obedient when it comes to me?"
He Yan: "...Haven't I been obedient enough?"
Xiao Jue was truly too difficult to please!"In the future, if you don’t want to do this kind of thing, you can refuse." Xiao Jue’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. "Don’t make people think you’re compromising and enduring—it looks terrible."
"I’m not compromising and enduring."
"You are." He lowered his gaze to look at He Yan, the corner of his mouth curling with mockery. "You like to deceive others, but are you deceiving yourself too?"
He Yan couldn’t find the words to respond. Instinctively, she wanted to argue, but she faintly felt that Xiao Jue’s words were right.
Yet in many situations, sacrificing her own feelings and preferences had become a habit. There were more, more important things to consider. And no one had ever told her that she could refuse, could be willful, could be unhappy.
So gradually, these things faded away.
Seeing He Yan’s listless expression, Xiao Jue paused, then tapped her head. "Hurry up and put it on," he said, picking up the mask in his hand and putting it on his own face first.
The mask was made of iron, polished very smooth, but it was still heavy. Xiao Jue held the mask to his face with one hand while the other reached behind his head to fasten the mechanism, but he couldn’t get it right for a moment. Seeing this, He Yan set aside the "Fox Lie" mask in her hand and said, "Let me help you."
She walked behind Xiao Jue and said to him, "Hold the mask in the right position, and I’ll fasten it from behind."
Xiao Jue was tall, so she had to stand on tiptoe to fasten the mechanism above. As she did so, she remarked, "Haven’t you ever worn a mask before? How can you not even manage something so simple?"
Xiao Jue mocked, "Have you worn many?"
He Yan was taken aback, then laughed. "I may not have eaten pork, but I’ve seen pigs run." Once she helped Xiao Jue put on his mask, she also placed the "Fox Lie" mask on her own face.
The two of them, one wearing a mask that made him look mysterious and noble, the other appearing utterly ridiculous and cunning, seemed comical no matter how you looked at it.
Xiao Jue took her hand, and together they stepped onto the ceremonial platform. The master of ceremonies gave them a slight nod and guided them toward the center of the platform.
All around, masked people were singing and dancing. He Yan couldn’t make sense of it and said to Xiao Jue, "Commander, how do we dance?"
Xiao Jue replied, "I don’t know."
He Yan tried to imitate the people around her for a while, but after a short time, she found it too difficult and gave up. She pulled Xiao Jue to a corner of the platform, a spot where they wouldn’t be noticed, and said, "Forget it, forget it. Let’s not dance. Let’s do something else."
With his mask on, Xiao Jue’s expression was unclear, but it was easy to imagine that beneath the mask, his face was undoubtedly filled with impatience.
"Commander, if we’re this perfunctory, won’t the Water God blame us?"
Xiao Jue asked, "Are you scared?"
"It’s better to believe it exists than to dismiss it."
The man was utterly indifferent. "Then keep dancing."
"I really can’t dance anymore."
After another moment, He Yan said, "Commander... Earlier, Miss Ling said that for the Fox Lie, you have to tell ten secrets to the immortal. Since we’re already up here, let’s see it through. I’ll tell you my ten secrets. That should be enough. Maybe the immortal will see how sincere we are and overlook the fact that we’re not dancing."
Xiao Jue laughed lazily. "Alright, go ahead."
Ten secrets, all of which had to be true. This was truly difficult.
So she began counting on her fingers.
"I used to have a high alcohol tolerance, but now it’s worse."
"I can recite The Art of War by Wu Zi."
"I’m number one in the Liangzhou Guard."
"I really want to join the Nine Banners Battalion."
"I’m the one who pulled the buttons off Cheng Li Su’s clothes—they can be sold for money."That's already five, Xiao Jue found it rather speechless upon hearing this, simply saying, "Boring."
Yet He Yan felt encouraged and pressed on.
"The Commander is a particularly good person in my heart, and I am very grateful to him."
Xiao Jue sneered, "I won't let you into the Nine Banners Battalion."
"Every time the Commander misunderstands me, I feel very sad!"
Xiao Jue replied, "Keep lying."
"The Commander and I were destined in our previous lives!"
Xiao Jue couldn't even be bothered to give her a glance.
He Yan said, "In my past life, I was a female general."
That was even more absurd.
Only one secret remained.
He Yan raised her head to look at the person before her. His face was covered by a mask, his gaze fixed intently on her, revealing only a beautiful jawline with exquisite contours, thin and vivid lips, lazily curved, betraying the young man's indifference and tenderness.
Her own face was also hidden behind a mask, concealed in the shadows, as if in the dark of night, offering an endless sense of security.
"The last secret," He Yan stood on her tiptoes, leaning close to his chin, her voice soft, "I like the moon."
"The moon doesn't know."
(End of Chapter)
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