Many years later, when asked whether he regretted meeting Shen Bozhou, Tao Mian would always fall silent first, then let out a breath of quiet acceptance.
He would say, what was there to regret or not regret? The wind happened to be clear and gentle, and the stars happened to be bright. Amid a river of a thousand lanterns and ten thousand lights, that person simply appeared. That was all.
Of course, those were reflections from many years later. The present Tao Mian still very much wanted to strangle the foppish young master making things difficult for him.
The young man before him was none other than Shen Bozhou, the second son of the master of the Demon Realm’s Phantom Truth Pavilion. Second Young Master Shen was notorious for his arrogance and rudeness-even Xue Han got headaches dealing with him.
But removing the mask was out of the question.
Xue Han was the sort who smiled like a tiger. The angrier he was inside, the broader he smiled on the outside.
He said, “Today, this Xue was stood up by a beauty, so I had no choice but to bring a servant from my residence as company. Such a trifling matter-no need for Young Master Shen to concern himself.”
Shen Bozhou sneered.
“Shopkeeper Xue, you and I are both sensible people, so let’s not beat around the bush. Bringing a male attendant to the Singing Tower-everyone knows exactly what that means.”
Tao Mian, lumped into that “everyone”: …What does that mean?
He turned to look at Xue Han. Even through the mask, Shopkeeper Xue could feel the bright, intensely puzzled stare flickering behind it.
Now was not the time for explanations.
The hand hanging at his side pressed downward slightly, signaling Tao Mian not to ask.
“Merely a coincidence.” Shopkeeper Xue gave two light coughs. In public, he always put on an air of frail health to lower other people’s guard.
Shen Bozhou was not about to believe his “coincidence.”
“Fine. Since Shopkeeper Xue refuses to admit it, then asking him to remove his mask should be a perfectly reasonable request, shouldn’t it?”
Thousand Lantern Tower held a special standing in the Demon Realm and operated by its own established set of rules. Though the guests who came and went were all nobles and powerful figures, if Thousand Lantern Tower did not wish to conduct a transaction, it had every right to refuse.
The guests were unwilling to offend Thousand Lantern Tower or the forces behind it, so on the surface they still abided by its customs. Verifying one’s identity before entering the tower was one such rule.
Only when trading certain special items were guests permitted to conceal their identities. Under all other circumstances, covering one’s face was not allowed.
This was precisely what had put the big-headed Manager Meng in a difficult spot moments ago. But considering that Xue Han was an honored guest who had spent no small fortune at Thousand Lantern Tower, and that an attendant was merely an appendage of his master-since the master’s identity was already laid bare, a single servant could be overlooked with one eye open and one eye shut.
If not for Shen Bozhou barging in halfway, today’s matter would not have been a matter at all.
Xue Han himself was equally baffled. He had no dealings or grudges with Shen Bozhou-no reason for the other party to make things this difficult. Besides, Phantom Truth Pavilion had business ties with Shopkeeper Xue. Even if Shen Bozhou’s own father came, he would still have to show a measure of courtesy.
Shen Bozhou, a mere illegitimate son…
At this thought, Xue Han grew somewhat displeased.
Could it be that Tao Mian had somehow provoked the man again without anyone noticing?
Shopkeeper Xue turned and gave Tao Mian a long, meaningful look.
Tao Mian: ?
Why was he glaring at him?
He truly knew nothing.
Tao Mian’s inner world was bright and sunny-he didn’t have all those twists and schemes rattling around in his head.
Since the young man opposite wanted him to remove his mask, then he’d remove it.
He raised a hand to the edge of the mask. Xue Han gave a slight shake of his head in disapproval.
He saw no need to yield to a reckless brat.
But an immortal naturally had an immortal’s ways.
Tao Mian’s fingers touched the edge of the mask. Under Shen Bozhou’s faintly oppressive stare, he lowered his hand back to his side.
“I…” He tilted his head. “Just look like this.”
Shen Bozhou: ?
Xue Han: …
Second Young Master Shen was so angry he laughed. He said, listen to yourself-don’t you think that sounds absurd? Who in the world has a mask for a head? Read the latest chapters at novelping dot com.
Tao Mian glanced toward Manager Meng nearby, the wooden-headed one bowing and rubbing his hands together, and put on an expression of hesitant reluctance, as though he dared not speak.
……
The silence at that moment was deafening.
Yet Shen Bozhou still refused to let go.
“Manager Meng is a Moon Hill yaksha. Could it be that you, too, are of the yaksha race?”
“I… could be.”
Tao Mian answered with deliberate hesitation. Beside him, Xue Han was struggling so hard to hold back his laughter that he half-opened his folding fan to shield his face, lest he laugh too openly and further provoke Shen Bozhou.
Shen Bozhou’s complexion turned green.
The few of them had not been speaking loudly. The demons, monsters, and ghosts passing by merely assumed they were exchanging pleasantries.
Only those involved could sense the undercurrent surging beneath the surface.
Manager Meng was a smooth, worldly demon. He could not allow two honored guests to come to blows at the tower entrance and ruin the harmony.
Rubbing his two small, rough hands together, he stepped forward.
“T-two honored guests, the Singing Tower is about to begin. Why not step inside first and have a look at today’s rare goods?”
Xue Han smiled pleasantly and took the step down that Manager Meng offered.
“Then I’ll trouble Manager Meng to make the arrangements.”
Manager Meng said “You’re too kind, Shopkeeper” several times over, then cautiously turned to look at Shen Bozhou, whose expression remained sour.
“What does Second Young Master think?”
Shen Bozhou gave a cold snort, unwilling to keep dragging things out.
“Lead the way, Manager Meng. Aren’t we here to see the goods?”
Manager Meng felt a wave of relief, and a layer of damp sweat broke out across his back. He quickly called over two young servants to lead the honored guests into the tower.
Xue Han lifted the hem of his robe and stepped over the threshold, walking at the front.
Tao Mian followed close behind.
In an instant, a sharp gust of wind swept across his face. One side of the mask lifted uncontrollably, pried open by the force of the wind.
Pat… the white mask fell to the ground and swayed lightly twice.
Throughout the entire thing, Tao Mian’s hands had not moved at all-as though he hadn’t even realized someone had struck, and couldn’t catch it in time.
Shen Bozhou raised his eyes to look at that person’s face-
A face wearing the exact same mask met his gaze.
……
Tao Mian’s tone was perfectly flat, carrying the air of “I already told you so.”
“Young Master Shen, I said it. I was born looking like this.”
As if that weren’t enough, he added one more line.
“I’m probably a bit different from Manager Meng, though. He doesn’t have as many layers of face as I do.”
Only after thoroughly making the disagreeable brat choke on his own words did Tao Mian leisurely step over the threshold and catch up with Shopkeeper Xue ahead.
Once the two of them could no longer sense Shen Bozhou’s presence, Xue Han quietly asked Tao Mian.
“How did you do that?”
Tao Mian’s mask was dyed in shifting colors by the warm glow of the glazed lanterns.
He seemed to let out a brief, soft laugh.
“Just a tiny little trick.”
Xue Han knew what he meant.
“Maintaining a face takes too much effort. I can’t be bothered.”
“You really are lazy.”
While speaking in low voices, the two wound their way upward along the long, spiraling staircase. Thousand Lantern Tower had an ingenious layout, open from top to bottom. At the center of every floor was the circular Singing Tower stage, with private rooms and elegant boxes lining the perimeter. The center was bright; the surroundings were dim. Tao Mian looked toward the thin platform in the middle, decorated with entwining lotus patterns. Judging by its size, it could hold only three or four people standing upon it. He did not know what sort of technique had been laid upon it, but without any supporting pillars or wooden framework at all, it hovered suspended in the very heart of the tower, like a leaf floating in midair.
Between the circular stage and the private seating stretched a considerable expanse of empty space-pitch-black, seemingly containing nothing, yet somehow giving the impression that something lurked within.
The Singing Tower had not yet begun its proceedings. Upon the circular stage, a famed courtesan danced gracefully, her long water sleeves swaying with languid charm.
Tao Mian glanced at her briefly, then withdrew his gaze.
A servant in the tower led them to the fifth floor. Xue Han took a hand lantern from him. A candle burned within, giving off a ghostly green glow-later, when the glazed lanterns were to be lit, it was precisely this flame that would be used.
The private rooms were separate compartments. The side facing the circular stage appeared open, but in truth secret arts had been laid upon it: those outside could not see what happened within, while the guests inside could clearly observe every movement beyond.
On the openwork carved pillars to either side hung one exquisite glazed lantern after another, quietly awaiting the guests’ flame.
After entering the private room, Xue Han visibly relaxed. The privacy here was evidently well done. Things that could not be said outside could now finally be discussed.
Tao Mian said little and simply busied himself eating, while Xue Han’s voice drifted unhurriedly by his ear.
Xue Han said Thousand Lantern Tower had a history of several hundred years-not as long as Tao Mian had lived, but old enough to count as venerable. The nobles of the Demon Realm all acknowledged it, numerous rules and all.
In a moment, an official of the Singing Tower would come to recite the tower’s rules. He needed to listen carefully.
There were unusually many guests tonight. It was hard to say whether some precious treasure had been placed above the seventh floor. They needed to keep a low profile.
Also-Shen Bozhou was a pervert. Best to stay away from him.
Tao Mian raised his brows in surprise.
“A pervert calling someone else a pervert. How refreshing.”
Xue Han merely smiled.
“I’m the sort who knows when to stop while I’m ahead. Shen Bozhou is not. Relying on his family’s backing, he’s done quite a few filthy things. Whatever you do, don’t get entangled with him.”
Tao Mian said he knew, he knew.
“Don’t brush me off. That Shen Bozhou-“
Xue Han’s words cut off mid-sentence. Tao Mian was just wondering why when suddenly, he too sensed something strange.
The noise outside seemed to be swallowed in an instant by some enormous, invisible sack. The guests’ laughter and chatter, the sounds of instruments being plucked and struck, even the shouts of the running servants as they hurried through the halls-all of it vanished.
Tao Mian lifted his gaze toward the suspended circular stage at the center.
Dong.
The crisp, forceful sound of a frame drum struck by fingers called back the wandering attention of every guest present, turning all heads toward the empty platform in the middle.
Dong.
Another sharp beat rang out. The lights in the tower burned brighter still, casting the patterns on the platform’s base into sharper relief.
Dong-
The final drumbeat shook the air. Upon the nine-tiered circular stages, nine figures appeared simultaneously-all clad in black robes. They were of equal height, somewhat thin, and the nine of them had nearly identical builds, as though cast from the same mold. Among them were men and women, old and young, yet all wore eager smiles, the curve at the corners of their mouths set at almost exactly the same angle. The smiles looked friendly, yet stiff-as though deliberately trained into place, like rigid puppets.
All nine began at once, reciting the same opening words with identical pauses and cadence. Male and female voices layered together, lilting and drawn out like performers in an opera troupe.
The Singing Tower official on the fifth floor was a young man of about thirty. Upon the circular stage he raised his hands and turned in place, orderly and composed, his voice measured and rhythmic.
“Above stands the mirror of the jade terrace; below stands Thousand Lantern Tower.
Within this tower are three prohibitions. Esteemed guests, listen well.
First prohibition: no lighting of private lanterns. Violators shall be fined ten thousand in gold.
Second prohibition: no drawing of arms against those within the same walls. Violators shall be barred from entry forevermore.
Third prohibition: no immortal may ascend the tower. Violators shall suffer the death of a thousand cuts-their souls sealed and their spirits bound!”