CCWAD – Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Killing Intent Under the Lanterns

Epigraph:

“During the Lantern Festival, she insisted I go out. Under the myriad of brilliant lanterns, she brushed the falling snow from my shoulders, like ordinary lovers. Until an arrow split the air, and she pushed me away with no surprise in her eyes—it turned out this assassination was part of her game all along.”

—

My shoulder wound was gradually healing, the New Year had passed, and blink, it was the Lantern Festival.

The Lantern Festival in Eastern Capital Bianliang was renowned as the most prosperous event under heaven. As soon as night fell, the entire city transformed into a world of glazed porcelain and vast treasures. Along both sides of the Imperial Street, colorful lanterns shone as brightly as daylight, towering lantern displays stood tall, music and singing filled the air, and countless citizens poured into the streets, shoulder to shoulder, their laughter and chatter echoing. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of pastries and the unique scent of burning lamp oil.

Yan Qing originally had no desire to venture out at this time; too many eyes and ears, making it easy for things to go wrong. However, Li Shishi was uncharacteristically enthusiastic. Early on, she sent Mozhu with a brand-new, deep blue brocade robe and insisted Yan Qing accompany her.

“Staying cooped up in that small courtyard all day will make you sick even if you’re not,” Li Shishi personally came to the small courtyard. Seeing Yan Qing still hesitant, she said lightly, “Moreover, the storm surrounding our ‘attack’ has not yet subsided. If we keep hiding, it will only arouse suspicion. It’s better to show ourselves openly, which demonstrates a clear conscience.”

Yan Qing knew her words were reasonable. She also had a vague feeling that Li Shishi’s actions had a deeper meaning, and it was by no means a simple outing. In the end, she agreed, changed into the overly bright robe, and, along with Li Shishi who had also dressed as an ordinary wealthy young lady, concealing her peerless beauty, they merged into the vast throng of lantern viewers.

Along the long street, trees of fire and flowers of silver, dragons and fish danced. Various lanterns competed for beauty; revolving lanterns spun endlessly, lotus lanterns floated on the river, and there were enormous lantern towers, adorned with colored silk and gold foil, dazzling and breathtaking. The sounds of hawking, laughter, music, and exclamations intertwined into an ocean of joy.

Li Shishi seemed genuinely immersed in the festive atmosphere. She would occasionally stop to guess lantern riddles, buy a pair of delicate rabbit lanterns to give to Yan Qing, or point at a cleverly crafted lantern display, whispering and smiling at Yan Qing. Today, she wore no makeup. In the lamplight, her beauty was unparalleled. Her eyes, lacking their usual cool detachment, surprisingly held a touch of girlish charm and brightness.

Yan Qing walked beside her, initially maintaining her vigilance, her gaze occasionally sweeping the surroundings. But the crowd consisted of ordinary people, families, and joyful smiles. The atmosphere was warm and peaceful, and her taut nerves involuntarily relaxed. Watching Li Shishi’s rare genuine smile, the doubts and calculations in her heart were temporarily set aside. Perhaps, it wouldn’t be so bad to occasionally forget her identity and the danger, and steal a moment of leisurely enjoyment.

As they reached a relatively open area in the middle of the Imperial Street, the crowd became even denser. A fine snow had begun to fall from the sky, landing on the colorful lampshades, adding to the hazy ambiance.

Li Shishi stopped, looked up at the falling snow and the brilliant lights, and exhaled a soft puff of white mist. She turned, and naturally reached out, brushing a few specks of snow from Yan Qing’s brocade robe onto her shoulder. Her movements were gentle, her gaze focused, and a faint smile played on her lips.

In that moment, the lamplight was soft, the snow fell silently, and the warmth of her fingertips was faintly felt through the fabric. Yan Qing looked at her face, so close, and her heart inexplicably stirred, giving her a moment’s illusion that they were indeed a pair of ordinary lovers enjoying the festive occasion together.

However, this illusion lasted only a fleeting instant.

Just as Li Shishi’s hand had not yet fully retracted from her shoulder—

“Whoosh!”

A faint, yet sharp and piercing sound tore through the joyful clamor, heading straight for Yan Qing’s back!

In a flash, Yan Qing didn’t even have time to react before she felt a strong force from the side! It was Li Shishi! Her face changed drastically, and the smiling eyes instantly froze over. Without a hint of hesitation or surprise, she used all her strength to shove Yan Qing fiercely to the side!

“Thud!”

A muffled sound of metal piercing flesh!

Yan Qing stumbled and fell to the ground. She looked back and saw Li Shishi groan, her left sleeve torn, a bloodstain instantly spreading. And behind where she had been standing, an arrow was embedded in the lantern post, its tail still trembling!

“Assassin!”

“Murder!”

The surrounding crowd froze for a moment, then erupted in terrified screams. The orderly flow of people instantly descended into chaos, people shoving and trampling each other, cries and curses erupting into a cacophony.

Yan Qing’s mind went blank, her heart almost stopped beating. She struggled to get up and rushed to Li Shishi’s side, only to see her face pale, her right hand tightly covering the wound on her left arm, blood continuously seeping through her fingers.

“How are you?!” Yan Qing’s voice was strained with fear.

Li Shishi didn’t even look at her wound. Her gaze was sharp as a falcon’s, rapidly scanning the chaotic crowd, finally settling on a dimly lit second-floor window diagonally opposite. There, a dark figure seemed to flash and disappear.

“I’m fine, just a scratch,” Li Shishi’s voice was unusually calm, even carrying a hint of indifference from a plan succeeding. “Help me leave here, quickly!”

Yan Qing instantly understood. Li Shishi had anticipated this assassination! Her insistence on going out, placing herself in the open, was precisely to lure out this hidden killer! And her action of pushing her away just now, so decisive and… practiced!

A chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, more piercing than the wind and snow of this Lantern Festival night.

She had no time to think. She helped Li Shishi up, using the chaos of the crowd as cover, and quickly left the scene of trouble. Behind them, the boisterous sounds of panic continued, along with the arrow deeply embedded in the lantern post, a testament to the killing intent.

Back in the secluded courtyard, Yan Qing frantically cleaned the wound, applied medicine, and bandaged it for Li Shishi. Fortunately, the arrow had only grazed her, not injuring bone or muscle, but the skin was torn, and she had lost a lot of blood, making it look quite frightening.

After tending to the wound, silence fell in the room.

Yan Qing looked at Li Shishi’s face, even paler from blood loss, and finally couldn’t help but ask, “You knew someone would try to assassinate you?”

Li Shishi leaned on the couch, her eyes closed in thought. Hearing the question, she slowly opened them, her gaze clear, without any trace of panic from a near-death experience. “Not exactly knew, but I was prepared.”

“Who?”

“Perhaps Tong Guan, thinking I’m in the way and wanting to shake the mountain to move the tiger, or perhaps to simply eliminate me, an unstable factor who might affect his plans. Perhaps Cai Jing, wanting to stir the waters further and solidify Liangshan’s ‘unruly bandit’ reputation. Or perhaps… others who dislike my actions.” Li Shishi’s tone was flat, as if speaking of something unrelated to herself. “Who it is doesn’t matter. What matters is that after this arrow, some people will be unable to sit still, and some threads… will begin to move.”

She looked at Yan Qing, her eyes deep. “This arrow was shot at me, and at you, and at the alliance we have just formed. It is a warning, and a test. And we cannot retreat.”

Yan Qing looked at the thick bandages wrapped around her arm, recalling the unsurprised look in her eyes when she pushed her away under the lanterns. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions. There was lingering fear, anger, and an indescribable shock. This woman could be so ruthless even to herself, making herself a pawn in her own game.

“Next time…” Yan Qing’s voice was hoarse. “Next time you have such a plan, can you… inform me first?”

Li Shishi paused slightly, looking at the lingering shock in Yan Qing’s eyes and the genuine concern. After a moment of silence, she softly said, “Mm.”

Outside the window, the revelry of the Lantern Festival continued, but it seemed as if an invisible barrier separated it. Inside this small courtyard, only the smell of blood and conspiracy silently permeated.

—

(End of Chapter Twenty-One)