Just as Qian Xuelang was about to explain, a fourth voice drifted through the sea-viewing pavilion.
“Hai Chao’er, I’m home. Where are you?”
The voice seemed to approach from far away, yet also to murmur directly beside their ears. Ren Yijue tensed involuntarily. When Jiufang Ziming boasted about Jiufang Ce’s abilities, I didn’t think much of it. It seems I underestimated him. With skills like these, he willingly shut himself away here with his wife. He’s certainly devoted. But others would inevitably lament that his attachment to love has blunted a hero’s ambitions.
Qian frowned. “This man talks so clingingly.”
“Oh no!” Shui Wuchen exclaimed. She hurriedly stood, gathered her skirts in one hand, and went down the steps, beckoning them to follow with the other. “I lost track of time. I’d better see that dreadful husband of mine before he turns the whole residence upside down looking for me.”
Neither man understood, but they followed. Qian asked, “What’s going on?”
“Oh, Brother Xue! You’ve grown much more thoughtful, but in this respect you’re still the same blockhead you were decades ago. Look at me. What do you see?”
Qian studied her back for a while and noticed nothing unusual. After some thought, he asked, “What should I see?”
Ren, however, understood at once and stepped forward. “Actually, I was about to ask. Miss Wuchen, why do you have none of the features of a half-demon? How are you able to maintain an ordinary human appearance?”
“Thank goodness young friend Ren is here, or I was about to wonder how to perform this tragic one-woman play by myself.”
Shui Wuchen sighed in relief, hopped down the last few steps, and headed briskly along the winding corridor. Her voice remained mild despite her hurried pace. “He’s only just met me, yet understands my condition better than you. Brother Xue, don’t you think you ought to reflect on that?”
“You already looked like this when I met you.” Qian sounded genuinely puzzled. “Were you not born looking this way?”
Shui Wuchen was aghast. With exaggerated solemnity, she exclaimed, “Heavens! To think such a terrible friend exists! If I didn’t need your help right now, I’d sever our friendship this instant. I only look this way because I’ve sealed my demonic blood. And naturally, the seal has greatly weakened my strength—”
Now Qian was interested. “How strong are you when the seal is lifted?”
Shui Wuchen faltered. “Not as strong as you.”
“Oh,” Qian said, immediately losing interest.
Ren smoothly picked up the conversation. “I imagine sealing your demonic blood must have caused some difficulties, Miss Wuchen?”
“More precisely, my troubles truly began after I was identified as the murderer.” Shui Wuchen sighed. “After Ce-lang left the Jiufang clan, we withdrew here. He often went out to investigate clues on my behalf. Afraid of stirring up anger and panic, I stayed inside for a very long time. Yet some people still wanted to rid the world of evil, so the residence was rather lively back then. We had visitors every month.”
She spoke lightly, but the danger was obvious. Although it had happened many years ago, Ren could not help worrying for her.
“With the residence’s formations and my own abilities, there was generally no danger.” Shui Wuchen paused, as though remembering something, then continued. “But as the saying goes, a thief may scheme for a thousand days, while you cannot guard against thieves forever. One day, someone did break in and severely injure me.”
Something stirred in Ren’s mind. Why did Miss Wuchen hesitate? Could Jiufang Ce be poor at formations? No… that’s not it. Of course. The intruder wasn’t here to rid the world of evil. They came to rid the Jiufang clan of a problem. Someone from the Jiufang family would naturally know its own formations, which is why she’s being evasive and won’t say it outright.
“No wonder you guided us with your music,” Qian said.
“Let me make something clear. I wasn’t doubting your abilities. I was only afraid you’d get lost and I’d have to go looking for you. If I happened to catch you in a bad mood, you might demolish my whole residence. Better to avoid unnecessary trouble.” Shui Wuchen smiled, then returned to her story. “In any case, I was so badly hurt that I had no choice but to break the seal. Only then did I manage to hold on until Ce-lang returned.”
Perhaps it meant little to Miss Wuchen, Ren thought, but it must have been a terrible shock to someone as devoted as Jiufang Ce.
“Ever since then, he’s been frightened. If he comes home and can’t find me, he inevitably worries that I’ve quietly died somewhere.”
As they talked and walked, the three soon reached the front hall, where a young scholar was coming toward them.
He was about Qian Xuelang’s height, with a tall formal crown on his head. Beneath an outer robe of deep-red gauze, he wore a high-collared black gown. His clothes differed slightly from those of the Jiufang disciples, but the resemblance was unmistakable.
Jiufang Ce’s face had been faintly troubled. The moment he saw Shui Wuchen, his expression relaxed, and as his tightly pressed lips softened, he looked almost as though he were smiling.
Ren was privately amused. Heavens, what a sense of humor. Looking like that, Jiufang Ce would be taken for a habitual womanizer by ten people out of ten, if they didn’t know what a hopelessly devoted man he is.
“Hai Chao’er, you have guests?” Jiufang Ce glanced at the two men, then quickly came forward and naturally gathered Shui Wuchen into his arms. The couple leaned their heads together. Looking only at his beloved wife, he asked gently, “Have I interrupted your reunion?”
Shui Wuchen smiled and placed a hand on his wrist. “Yes, a little. Fortunately, my friends are very generous and would never make a fuss over you.”
They must have been married for decades, yet they behaved like newlyweds. Their affection was so open and ardent that even though they were doing nothing improper, watching them was enough to make one’s face flush and heart race.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Ren shifted closer to Qian Xuelang. No wonder Miss Wuchen lets people call her by name without worrying about her husband’s jealousy. ‘Hai Chao’er’ must be either a childhood name or an endearment reserved for him, just as I call the Jade Beauty…
His breath suddenly stopped. His mind went utterly blank. Qian nearly thought a living corpse had appeared behind him and turned to look in bewilderment.
By the time Ren recovered, the sweetly affectionate couple had exchanged a string of utterly inconsequential remarks, and neither seemed inclined to return to serious business.
Qian Xuelang, meanwhile, was no different from one of the flowering trees in the courtyard. Rather than give the couple privacy, he had seated himself on a railing and was watching them coldly, as though the two homeowners had taken over his property and were wasting his time.
Miss Wuchen’s description of him as the owner of the whole world had been entirely accurate.
Ren found Qian’s impatience entertaining. Just as he was about to break the stalemate, a head cautiously poked out from the front hall. “Lord… Lord Dingtao… have you finished your important business?”
It was a familiar face: Jiufang Ziming.
Ren saw him, and of course Ziming saw the two of them. Shock and resentment flashed across his face. “What are you two doing here?!”
Sensing something amiss, Jiufang Ce asked without revealing his thoughts, “You know each other?”
“We happened to travel together for part of the road,” Ren replied with a dignified smile and the effortless grace of a noble family’s scion. “There was a small disagreement.”
Shui Wuchen studied them, then gave Ren an amused glance. “Young friend Ren, you’re so well-mannered. Why were you bullying these children?”
Since his wife had already spoken, Jiufang Ce did not press the matter and silently waited for an explanation.
Jiufang Ziming was quick to react. “It was nothing.” He promptly tried to retreat.
His guilty behavior was obvious to anyone. Jiufang Ce had initially been inclined to defend his own, but now he narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, ‘nothing’?”
As Jiufang Ce spoke to Shui Wuchen, his voice was exceptionally tender and affectionate, as Qian had said, almost clingy. But when he turned to serious business, it became smooth as silk. Though still soft, it carried a cold note of authority.
Seeing Jiufang Ziming so flustered, Ren felt a streak of wickedness unexpectedly rise from the depths of his nature and tug at his reason. He said unhurriedly, “Only a small matter. These children said the Jade Beauty couldn’t judge people properly. I was displeased, so I taught them a lesson.”
“Couldn’t judge people properly,” Jiufang Ce repeated slowly.
Jiufang Ziming simply backed away again.
If such an accusation had offended someone enough to provoke punishment, it surely meant the disciples had spoken ill of that person’s friend. These were strangers who had met by chance. Unless the disciples knew the person involved, why would they speak so carelessly?
And with Qian Xuelang standing right here, there was little need to explain whom they had meant by the ‘person’ in question.
Everyone present could understand the implication. Shui Wuchen did not dwell on it. “Since the children came looking for you, the Jiufang family must have business for you. Go attend to it.”
“They shouldn’t have come to me.” Jiufang Ce gently touched his forehead to hers and sighed. “Coming to me is what truly shows poor judgment.”
Shui Wuchen was helpless. “Must you make those words about yourself too? How old are you?”
She raised her hands to cradle his face. “I have good news. Brother Xue has found a clue to the massacre all those years ago. Perhaps the truth will soon come to light. Why don’t I entertain Brother Xue and young friend Ren in the front hall while you finish the Jiufang family’s business in the study? Then come back. I’ll wait for you, all right?”
After a few soothing words from her, Jiufang Ce finally relented and led the disciples to the study. Once the front hall had quieted, Shui Wuchen brought the two men inside.
Several little spirits that still partly resembled flowers and plants were hopping about, replacing the teapot and cups. Once they had set out fresh tea things, they waddled away.
The couple kept no serving boys or maids, so they had awakened a few little spirits to perform ordinary sweeping and cleaning.
Qian seemed untroubled, but as soon as Ren sat down, curiosity got the better of him. “Miss Wuchen, does the Jiufang family often come seeking advice?”
“Brother Xue’s heart is as pure and cold as snow, while young friend Ren has a wonderfully perceptive mind.” Shui Wuchen smiled over her tea. “What you really want to ask is why, when relations are so unpleasant, I still allow these disciples inside.”
Ren flushed. “That’s right.”
“The Jiufang family believes I’m a murderer, and even if I’m not, I’m still a half-demon. Being with me ruined Ce-lang’s good name and, in their eyes, his entire life. It’s only human for them to hate me. Ultimately, they want what’s best for him.” Shui Wuchen spoke calmly. “During the demonic calamity, countless cultivators suffered at the hands of Heavenly Demons. Are my joys and sorrows the only ones worth caring about? Do other people’s not matter?”
Ren disagreed inwardly, but knew it would be impolite to say so.
Shui Wuchen continued, “The Jiufang family gave Ce-lang life and raised him. He broke with his clan for my sake. Do you think he doesn’t miss them or worry about them? The Jiufang family forced him to choose between me and them, and he chose me. What more could I ask? Should I also force him never to speak to his family again for the rest of his life? Why would that be necessary? I only hope that one day he can reconcile with them and have more happiness and fewer regrets.”
Qian could not help glancing at her, something stirring in his eyes. Ren listened silently and said nothing more.