CCWAD – Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Volume Two: Meeting a Confidante in the Capital, Secrets Hidden Within the Brothel

Foreword:

“The prosperity of Eastern Capital blinded my eyes, the undercurrents of Fan Lou disturbed my heart. I, with the dust of Liangshan on me, fell into this world of mortal indulgence. I thought it was a meticulously planned approach, but with her single sentence, ‘I recognize you,’ it veered completely off course. It turns out, the word ‘confidante’ is far more formidable than any plot.”

—

Chapter Eleven: I Recognize You

Epigraph:

“As she looked into my eyes and stated with certainty, ‘I recognize you,’ I almost thought my transmigator identity had been exposed. But then she said—’You and I are the same, both trapped souls.'”

—

After Yan Qing blurted out, “The myriad lights disturb one’s sleep,” a peculiar silence fell upon the private room. Only the incense continued to curl and rise at a leisurely pace, infusing the air between them with an even more subtle atmosphere.

Li Shishi no longer mentioned poetry or music, nor did she probe the origin of the bamboo flute. She simply gazed at Yan Qing, her look no longer one of scrutiny and detachment as before, but rather one of… inquiry, even a faint hint of interest, as if encountering a kindred spirit.

Yan Qing felt increasingly uncomfortable under her gaze, her heart in a flutter. The courage born of a quick wit (or rather, desperation) from moments ago had completely dissipated, leaving only the embarrassment of social death and the panic of being discovered. She lowered her head, pretending to examine the intricate embroidery on the hem of her robe, wishing she could chew up and swallow the thoughtless words she had uttered.

“Young Master seems… unaccustomed to this place?” Li Shishi suddenly spoke, her voice still clear and resonant, but with less of its former ethereal quality and more of a near-peaceful texture.

Yan Qing blinked, instinctively looked up, and met those eyes that seemed to see through people. She pursed her lips, deciding to continue maintaining the persona of a “sickly and weak individual with a troubled heart.” In a low voice, she said, “You all must find me amusing. I… have been wild since childhood, and such refined surroundings are indeed somewhat… restrictive.” This was half the truth; compared to the large bowls of wine and hearty meals in the Hall of Righteous Gathering at Liangshan, here, even breathing required careful consideration of every step.

A faint curve appeared at the corner of Li Shishi’s lips, as if she found Yan Qing’s flustered demeanor rather amusing. She rose and walked to the window, pushing open a casement. The slightly cool night breeze of early summer instantly surged in, dispelling the rich fragrance that filled the room and bringing with it the faint, bustling noise of the streets below, alive with the sounds of everyday life.

“Look at this Bianliang city,” Li Shishi said, her back to Yan Qing, as she gazed out the window. Her voice was calm and even. “The myriad lights shine as bright as day, with song and dance, like a celestial realm. So many people sharpen their heads trying to get in, believing this place is a paradise.”

Yan Qing watched her slender but slightly solitary figure, not replying.

Li Shishi slowly turned around, her gaze falling upon Yan Qing once more. Her eyes were sharp enough to peel away all pretense. “But Young Master just said, ‘disturb one’s sleep.’ Why?”

Yan Qing’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t possibly say it was because the bright lights reminded her of modern society’s light pollution, coupled with her guilty conscience, causing her insomnia, could she? She racked her brain, trying to find some pretentious excuse that fit the literary style of the era. “This… beneath the superficiality, it’s inevitable… to feel restless. Moreover, the brighter the light, the deeper the shadow. In the unseen places… I fear there may be ants crying out in hunger and cold.” She felt her performance was barely passable, at least it rhymed!

Li Shishi, however, shook her head. She returned to her seat, sat down again, and looked directly into Yan Qing’s eyes, her tone so certain it was unsettling. “No. You are not lamenting for the world.”

She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice. A sharp understanding appeared on her cool, clear face. “The look in your eyes when you said that, I recognize it. That is not the sigh of an observer, but… the restlessness of someone trapped.”

Yan Qing froze, her blood seeming to turn to ice.

Li Shishi observed her suddenly constricted pupils and the blood draining from her face, knowing she had guessed correctly. She leaned back into her chair, regaining her languid posture, but her tone carried an imperceptible resonance. “This Fan Lou is merely a golden cage. The Bianliang outside is a larger cage. You come from Hebei, and I presume… you have your own cage.”

She paused, then spoke, each word hitting Yan Qing’s heart clearly. “Young Master Yan, or rather… whoever you are. You and I are the same, nothing more than… trapped souls.”

“Boom—!”

Yan Qing’s mind went blank, her ears buzzing. She… she knew? She saw through me, that I’m not the original? Impossible! This is too absurd! But her words, “trapped souls”… they clearly meant something!

The immense shock and fear left her almost unable to think. She could only rely on instinct to maintain her composure, forcing out a smile that was more like a cry. “You all… you all jest… I… I don’t understand…”

“Don’t understand?” Li Shishi chuckled, a laugh tinged with self-deprecation and the playful amusement of an observer. “It matters not. Just consider it my ramblings.”

She did not press further, but instead brought up another matter. “Young Master mentioned earlier that you wish to find a renowned physician. I do happen to know an old imperial physician who is highly skilled, especially in treating difficult and complicated ailments, though he has a rather eccentric temperament and is reluctant to act without good reason.” Her gaze swept over Yan Qing’s slender neck and wrists. “Young Master’s ‘ailment’ might… he might be able to diagnose something.”

A sudden turn of events! Yan Qing was almost stunned by this unexpected information. One moment she felt doomed, the next she saw a ray of hope? This Lady Li’s thoughts were more unpredictable than the June sky!

But she immediately realized this was an opportunity, a perfect chance to interact with Li Shishi reasonably and to get an “officially recognized” diagnosis for her body! As long as that imperial physician could “confirm” her “yin-cold palm force and damaged kidney meridian,” all her abnormalities would have the most authoritative endorsement, and even Lu Junyi’s side could be thoroughly stabilized!

“Truly?” Yan Qing tried hard to suppress her inner joy, aiming for a tone of appropriate surprise. “If you can introduce me, I would be eternally grateful! Whether it succeeds or not, I will repay this kindness!”

Li Shishi looked at the light that instantly ignited in her eyes, and her guess became three parts more certain. This reaction was far from that of an ordinary patient. She smiled faintly, a smile tinged with the satisfaction of a plan succeeding. “It’s a small matter. Three days from now, at the same time, Young Master, come here again. I will then inform you of the specific arrangements.”

This was a polite way of asking her to leave.

Yan Qing immediately and wisely rose and bowed solemnly. “Thank you, Lady! My gratitude is beyond words, Yan Qing will remember it in her heart!”

Exiting the private room and walking down the brightly lit yet eerily silent corridor of Fan Lou, Yan Qing’s heart was still pounding. The back of her clothes was already soaked with cold sweat, clinging to her skin, chilling her.

Li Shishi’s last few words echoed in her mind like a spell.

“Trapped souls”…

“Whoever you are”…

How much did she truly know?

Yan Qing felt an unprecedented palpitation. This Li Shishi was far more terrifying than she had imagined. Unlike the straightforward heroes of Liangshan, her thoughts were not written on her face. Her danger was hidden in the depths of those clear, bottomless eyes, hidden beneath those seemingly casual words and clever turns of phrase.

Could she truly handle this interaction with her? Was she perhaps leaving a tiger’s den only to enter a wolf’s lair?

But she had no other choice.

That old imperial physician was the lifeline she absolutely had to grasp.

Three days later… Yan Qing clenched her hands in her sleeves, her fingernails digging deeply into her palms. Whether the path ahead was an opportunity or a trap, she could only brace herself and move forward.

—

(End of Chapter Eleven)