These words were like a massive stone thrown into a lake.
The already rippling waves in Pei Xiaoyun’s eyes instantly surged into a tempestuous storm.
He stared fixedly at Bi He, his gaze burning with a fierce, crimson fire, filled with hatred and rage toward another person, as if he wanted to throw that person into the flames, to burn and torment them until not a trace remained.
As the night wind swept in, he sat in the shadows, lowering his head and letting out a low, hollow laugh.
The laughter was short and muffled, chilling to anyone who heard it, like the tearing of flesh with a blunt knife.
Bi He felt a cold shiver run down her spine, trembling all over, certain that in the next moment, she would be skinned and have her bones ripped out.
Pei Xiaoyun, carrying a sword, walked alone to the main courtyard, his entire being exuding a sinister chill.
A maid outside the courtyard stammered, her voice trembling, "Eldest Master, Madam… Madam has already retired for the night."
Pei Xiaoyun’s face twisted with ferocity as he kicked the maid aside. She tumbled down the steps, spitting out a mouthful of bloody sweetness. The other servants, seeing him armed with a sword, dared not obstruct him further. Their faces turned ashen as they knelt one after another, kowtowing frantically.
Disturbed by the commotion outside, Lady Lan threw on her robe and went to investigate. Just as she reached the flower stand, a flash of sword light sliced through the beaded curtain.
She stumbled backward in terror, scrambling away on the ground as Pei Xiaoyun advanced step by step.
"What… what are you doing? You unfilial son!"
Pei Xiaoyun twisted his wrist, pressing the sword against her chest. His voice was hoarse, dripping with danger: "Where did she go?"
Lady Lan’s face alternated between green and red. So he had found out after all. In that case, there was no need to hide it any longer.
Her hair disheveled, she laughed like a madwoman, not forgetting to twist the knife in his heart: "What are you pretending to care for now? You murdered your father and brother, and now you point a sword at your own mother. Do you truly believe a cold-blooded madman like you could ever be wanted by her?"
She had heard from the servants that he had gone to Qingmeng Mountain to mourn a handful of yellow earth and even foolishly lit a lamp at Baimasi. Seeing him so lost and desolate had brought her immense joy!
Pei Xiaoyun’s powerful hand gripped the sword hilt so tightly it seemed it might shatter.
"That day, she came begging me, even knocking her head until it bled." Lady Lan watched his increasingly frenzied eyes with a sense of triumphant vengeance, speaking slowly and deliberately. "She said she didn’t want to be with you. She knelt outside the door, begging me to spare her life."
Each word pierced his ears. Pei Xiaoyun felt a surge of blood rise to his throat as he swung his sword, shattering the antique shelf behind Lady Lan.
Lady Lan screamed, covering her ears, but the gleam in her eyes could not be suppressed. She stretched her neck and raised her voice: "My people said she fell into a mass grave and was devoured by wolves, not even her bones left! Hahahaha!"
Lady Lan’s mouth opened and closed, still spewing words.
But Pei Xiaoyun’s vision went dark, and his body was once again wracked with bone-deep pain. He shouted, "Someone!"
Staggering out the door and down the steps, he pointed behind him and ordered, "Announce that she has gone mad and is not long for this world. Send her to the estate immediately."
Even after taking medicine, Pei Xiaoyun’s head still throbbed with pain. Closing his eyes, his mind conjured images of her accompanying him during late-night studies, adding fragrance to his sleeves.
He rose and swept all the brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones off the table, his eyes crisscrossed with winding red veins.
Fine. Very well.
How dare she play him for a fool, making him mourn her death so pathetically for a year, losing sleep over such absurdity.
Devoured by wolves?
He let out a cold laugh. He wished she had been torn apart by wolves. But if she was truly dead, how could she have appeared on a boat heading to Suzhou?
What a clever scheme, to have deceived so many people.
Unwilling to stay with him? An ungrateful wretch! If not for him, she would have long been dead, or become a prostitute in Mianyuelou, a Slender Horse of Yangzhou for all to toy with.
The mere thought that her obedient demeanor when she was by his side was all an act, that while lying beside him on the pillow, she was plotting her escape in her heart, made him wish he could reach out and strangle her.
"Someone!"
"Eldest Master." Kong Qing had also heard that Ming Ying was actually not dead, and he feared being caught in Pei Xiaoyun's wrath.
"Send people to Suzhou to search every inch of the ground. If she is found, break her legs and bring her back bound."
It was the first time in his life he had been so thoroughly fooled.
He swore that once he found her, he would not let her off. He would make her taste what he had endured this past year, and repay her a thousand, ten thousandfold.
She had left without a sound, resolute and determined. The men he sent could only start by tracing the travel pass she had used.
But that travel pass, Ming Ying had long since stopped using.
Suzhou.
As dusk fell and the government offices closed for the day, Ming Ying was finally released.
Descending the steps, she saw a carriage parked by the roadside not far away, and beside it stood a man with a familiar figure.
Recognizing him as Lin Xian, she unconsciously raised her hand to wipe the dust from her face and walked toward him.
"Why has Mr. Lin come?"
She had been taken in for questioning by the authorities this time because she had neither an identity tag nor a travel pass. The officials labeled people like her as "unregistered households," suspecting she might be a fugitive from somewhere.
Originally a slave by status, she lacked the identity tag that free citizens possessed. After using Ling Shuang's travel pass once to board the ship, fearing complications, she never used it again and had long since found her cousin to return all her belongings.
This past year, she had been living in Shen Yao's home, and the neighbors all believed she was a distant relative of the Shen family.
But last month, the court suddenly issued a new law requiring the re-registration of household registries across all prefectures. Government officers went door to door, and though she hid for several days, she was eventually discovered and imprisoned for three days.
For some reason, they had politely released her.
Lin Xian turned around, his gaze sweeping over her several times before he said, "They didn't give you any trouble, did they?"
Ming Ying shook her head, a warmth spreading in her palm. "No."
She was now a musician at Baili Qing, and Lin Xian was also a regular there. She saw him almost daily, and his care for her filled her with immense gratitude.
"Take these." Lin Xian handed her two items. "These are a newly issued identity tag and travel pass under your name, Shen Ying. If anyone questions you again, having these will prevent any trouble."
His voice, carried by the chilly night wind, sounded clear and gentle.
The warmth in Ming Ying's palm spread to her heart, and she instantly understood. The reason no one had harmed her in prison was because he had arranged it in advance. He had obtained the travel pass for her and had even come specifically to fetch her.
Over the past year, he had taken great care of her. She had said "thank you" to him so many times that the words now felt pale and inadequate.
"Let's get in the carriage. The wind is strong outside," Lin Xian said first.
Ming Ying followed him into the carriage. In the confined space, the sound of their breathing was clearly audible.
He had escorted her home many times. At first, she had politely declined and dared not openly accept his care.
Lin Xian did not know why she kept her distance. He told her that although he was a distant relative of the Pei family, they had long since ceased contact. The past was over, and she need not avoid him.
As she spoke and acted more, gradually, Ming Ying no longer felt that trace of unease.
She caught a faint scent of fresh bamboo spreading through the carriage. Unlike the overpowering sandalwood incense, this delicate bamboo fragrance calmed her mind and brought a sense of comfort.
She tightened her grip on the two items in her hand, lowering her head quietly.
The carriage stopped in a narrow alley. Lifting the curtain, she could smell a subtle floral fragrance.
Ming Ying no longer lived with Shen Yao. Shen Yao had found someone she loved, and the man often came to visit her. It was no longer convenient for them to share a residence, so Ming Ying had moved out.
"Are you settling in well here?" Lin Xian asked, looking at her.
Ming Ying stepped out of the carriage and smiled faintly, her eyes downcast. "Very well. It's spacious and clean. I can grow many flowers and plants here, and it's close to both the shop and Baili Qing."
When she first moved out, she couldn’t find a suitable place right away. The house she now lived in was one Lin Xian had arranged for her through connections.
To express her gratitude, she had sent him gifts, but he refused to accept them, only keeping a sachet she had made herself.
More than once, she had tried to guess his intentions, but she quickly brushed those thoughts aside.
Yet, when she thought of all these things, she couldn’t deny the light, drifting melancholy that lingered in her heart, along with a hint of discomfort.
Lin Xian escorted her back, gave a few reminders, and was about to turn and leave.
Feeling the warmth of the objects in her hand against her palm, Ming Ying suddenly called out to him, "Mr. Lin, please wait. Let me treat you to a meal."
Spring passed and autumn came, and another two years slipped by.
That winter, the Wuhuan tribe, which had risen in the Northwest borderlands, repeatedly invaded the six northwestern regions. Pei Xiaoyun led troops to repel the foreign invaders, temporarily securing the border’s stability.
During this campaign, he saved two people.
One was a female assassin who had been poisoned by the Wuhuan people’s Gu Poison, losing all emotions and desires. Skilled in martial arts, Pei Xiaoyun kept her by his side as a shadow guard.
The other was a young wandering physician named He Lianqing, whose medical skills were exceptional. He could concoct pills that effectively suppressed the onset of Pei Xiaoyun’s poison.
Ever since Ming Ying "died," the poison in his body had shown signs of becoming increasingly difficult to control. The previous medicines had only been temporary fixes, like drinking poison to quench thirst. Only the pills in He Lianqing’s hands proved effective.
Pei Xiaoyun had just removed his armor and returned to his residence when the secret agent he had sent to Suzhou to search for someone came back to report.
The agent shook his head—still no success.
"Keep looking."
Pei Xiaoyun gazed at the orange-red embers in the charcoal brazier. The glow reflected in his eyes, casting a sharp glint.
For some reason, even though he knew she wasn’t dead, she still frequently appeared in his dreams over the past two years.
He had not only sent people to search Suzhou but also to Yangzhou, Hangzhou, throughout Jiangnan, and even to the northern regions. Yet, there was no trace of her.
Every cold winter, he wondered if she might have died somewhere.
It would be better if she were dead. She deserved to be dead.
She abandoned her child, betrayed her master, and fled. Did she think she could hide somewhere and live peacefully? Or perhaps she had found a husband…
If she dared, he would strangle her with his own hands.
The next day at court, a memorial from the Suzhou Prefecture arrived before the emperor.
The memorial stated that since the elimination of the Kongchan Sect leader two years ago, the sect had resurged like weeds in the spring wind. Last month, a large number of Kongchan Sect followers had been spotted roaming the area, even infiltrating the residence of the Suzhou Tongpan, killing his family members—an act of extreme audacity.
Pei Xiaoyun had originally dispatched officials from the Ministry of Justice and several supervising censors to Suzhou to investigate and capture the Kongchan Sect followers. However, just before their departure, he called them back.
He silently repeated the two words "Suzhou," pondering for a long time before saying, "I will go there myself this time."
Suzhou.
At night, the Baili Qingfeng Pavilion was filled with the sound of flutes, singing, and dancing, a scene of revelry.
After Ming Ying finished her performance, applause surged from the audience, and cheers threatened to lift the red silk curtains.
This was a piece specially composed for her by Lin Xian, a birthday gift that had captivated the entire hall and propelled her to fame. Many women who cherished the art of the qin flocked to Baili Qing to learn from her.
"Instructor Shen, teach me first. I've been waiting for three days."
"I was here first! Don’t you know how to queue? Go to the back!"
Ming Ying smiled. "Your skills are already quite good. I’ll teach this piece to all of you together, but I’ll have to leave in another hour."
Today was her birthday. Lin Xian had reserved a private room at Tianxiang Zhai to invite her for dinner, and she had only made time to come to Baili Qing tonight.
A woman in red who had come to learn the qin teased her, "Instructor Shen, are you rushing off to have dinner with Mr. Lin?"
Nowadays, everyone knew that over the past two years, Instructor Shen and Mr. Lin had grown increasingly affectionate, likely nearing the stage of discussing marriage.
"Ah, I’m not feeling well. Can’t I just hurry back to sleep?" Ming Ying blushed as she chided them, then added, "I won’t be here tonight. You can go find Hua Rao."
"I don’t want to find her. She plays terribly. All her votes come from her admirers," the woman in red muttered.
Hua Rao walked alone from the back, overhearing these words. She stared fiercely at Ming Ying’s retreating figure, the fan in her hand snapping in two.
Ming Ying straightened her expression and shook her head. "Don’t spread rumors about things you haven’t seen with your own eyes."
After correcting the fingering techniques of the two women, she left Baili Qing and headed to Tianxiang Zhai.
Lin Xian had been waiting inside for a long time. He poured her a cup of hot tea. "Ah Ying, why are you so late? I was about to come pick you up."
Ming Ying looked at the table full of her favorite dishes and smiled brightly. "The piece you wrote for me was so wonderful that the guests refused to leave and demanded an encore. That’s why I was delayed."
"I’ve written three more for you," Lin Xian said, serving her food, his gaze lingering on her.
The candlelight made Ming Ying’s face glow even more crimson. She lowered her head and ate the food he had placed in her bowl.
Halfway through the meal, his gentle voice drifted over her head. "Ah Ying, how about setting the wedding date for next month?"
Ming Ying choked abruptly, the tips of her ears turning red. "As… as you wish."
It truly had come to this.
When Lin Xian first said he wanted to marry her, she had found it unbelievable.
Two years ago, she was still struggling to emerge from the shadows and had rejected him, afraid to accept his feelings. Yet he had remained silently by her side.
Three years—even a heart of stone would have softened, let alone hers. She was not unfeeling; she was flesh and blood.
She no longer dwelled on the past, except perhaps in the quiet of the night, when she occasionally thought of the child she had never truly seen.
But all of that was behind her now. People must move forward, and she was ready to embrace her new life.
Days passed like this for over half a month. She and Lin Xian had agreed to marry in Suzhou, and the wedding day was drawing near.
One night, just after returning home from Baili Qing, Shen Yao knocked weakly on her door.
"What’s wrong with you?" Ming Ying asked, concerned by her listless appearance, and welcomed her inside.
Shen Yao looked rather unwell as she got straight to the point: "Ah Ying, I've suddenly caught a chill and feel completely drained. I forced myself to come find you, and I'm afraid I won't recover in just a day or two. Could you cover for me in tomorrow night's dance?"
Ming Ying hadn't danced for some time and worried that her skills might have slipped, potentially affecting others. She hesitated to take on the task lightly. "But I've been busy teaching the qin lately and haven't practiced dancing at all. What if I don't perform well? Why don't you just take a day off? Missing one person shouldn't be a problem."
"It won't do—not a single person can be missing!"
Shen Yao shook her hand weakly, truly ill and speaking with little strength. "Steward Liu said there's a high-ranking official from the capital coming tomorrow night, and this dance is for him. We absolutely cannot afford to be careless. Don't worry—even if you just go up and dance casually, you'll outshine a whole group of others."
Unable to resist her pleading, Ming Ying nodded. "Alright then, I'll give it a try. You should hurry back and rest to recover."
Author's Note: This story involves forced possession and a fierce pursuit, followed by a fiery path to reconciliation. [dog head]