The two men, dressed as disciples of some sect, one carrying a knife and the other a sword, naturally spotted Hua Wuduo standing by the water in the moonlight, but did not approach rashly.
The man with the sword called out loudly, "Who are you, young master?!"
Hua Wuduo chuckled softly, then suddenly turned around and, with a hint of drunkenness, smiled at the two of them, saying, "Am I the young master?"
Under the moonlight, the two men were stunned by the sight of such stunning beauty, unable to hide their amazement. But in the blink of an eye, they suddenly burst into laughter, then turned and ran like madmen into the depths of the woods, laughing wildly and throwing things as they ran. First they dropped their weapons, then they stripped off their clothes. Hua Wuduo stared dumbfounded at the two men, who were almost completely naked before they disappeared.
Unsure where the two crazed figures had vanished, Hua Wuduo, after a moment of stunned silence, looked around curiously, finding nothing amiss. He touched his face in bewilderment; could his true appearance really have such an effect? The thought seemed utterly unbelievable, and he couldn't help but laugh. The more he thought about the scene, the funnier it became, until he laughed uncontrollably. He burst into loud, heart-wrenching laughter. In the valley, his laughter seemed to shake the heavens and earth; the wind rustled the trees, and fallen leaves swirled on the ground.
Just then, someone said, "Young Master, shall we kill her?"
Then another person said, "She's been afflicted by the Mad Laughter. If she laughs three more times, she'll end up like those two!"
Upon hearing the sound, Hua Wuduo suddenly had a very bad premonition. He stopped laughing in surprise and looked up to see a person in the dappled shadows of the trees: Tang Ye.
Absolutely do not laugh
Hua Wuduo looked at Tang Ye in surprise, and recalling Tang Ye's words just now, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.
Hua Wuduo has always been a flexible person who can adapt to changing circumstances. When things are not going her way, she can often compromise. But tonight is different. She is facing Tang Ye.
Tang Ye was a special person to her. From a young age, she knew he was her future husband. Although she didn't have a clear concept of it as a child, she knew he existed and was closely related to her future. As she grew older, Tang Ye became increasingly different to her. She still harbored a sliver of girlish fantasy about Tang Ye, but after learning more about him indirectly, and witnessing the Tang Clan's attempts to ruin her reputation after the annulment of the engagement, her feelings towards Tang Ye became complicated.
When Hua Wuduo first met Tang Ye at the Prince of Jin's residence, perhaps because of the many people present, or perhaps because Tang Ye was carrying that undergarment that made her extremely nervous, she could still ignore the strangeness Tang Ye gave her at that time. But now, with the bright moon in the sky and the clouds light and the wind gentle, when she looked at the pair of cold and indifferent eyes that were also looking at her through the dappled shadows of the trees, when their eyes met, she was so startled that she took a step back. Her heart was beating very fast, perhaps because of the alcohol!
Time seemed to stand still. Her mind went blank for a moment. Looking at Tang Ye, she momentarily forgot about her poisoning. He seemed different tonight than when she last met him. Gone was the sickly boy she first saw; the eerie aura of the "Poison King" title had vanished. His black clothes blended into the night, exuding an unfathomable mystery. Only his eyes, under the moonlight, remained as devoid of desire and emotion. There should be someone else nearby besides Tang Ye, but even knowing their presence, Hua Wuduo couldn't pinpoint their location. A chill ran down her spine. Tang Ye had poisoned two people with a flick of his wrist, and with her martial arts skills, she hadn't sensed any killing intent. She didn't know when they had arrived or how long they had been there. Clearly, both the person hiding in the shadows and Tang Ye's martial arts were superior to hers! Hua Wuduo wondered: What should she do? Her first thought was her usual plan: escape! But then she realized, no! She was poisoned; how could she escape without the antidote? Does that mean I'll never smile in my entire life? What's the point of living then? The more critical the moment, the more calm I need to be. Hua Wuduo secretly steadied himself, taking deep breaths repeatedly, when he heard Tang Ye's cold voice enter his ears: "This is the antidote."
Upon hearing the sound, Hua Wuduo suddenly looked up and saw Tang Ye holding a white pill between two fingers. Under the moonlight, it shimmered like a dewdrop, as if it would be crushed with the slightest force.
Hua Wuduo stood there quietly, gazing at the pill, her emotions shifting rapidly. This man had once been her fiancé. From the time she was old enough to understand, she had known of his existence and significance. Although she didn't know him personally, he was special to her. But not long ago, he had not only discarded her like trash (broken off the engagement), but had also given her a rude awakening at their first meeting (with a bellyband). This time, under the moonlit mountain, he had gone even further (poisoning her), and now he was threatening and bribing her with an incredibly beautiful pill (the antidote). How could Hua Wuduo's emotions not be complicated? If it were anyone else, the eloquent and cunning Hua Wuduo would have already prepared several responses. But facing Tang Ye, Hua Wuduo only sighed suddenly, murmuring a phrase that was easily misunderstood: "A tragic fate..."
Under the moonlight, a breeze occasionally blows, leaves fall and wither, the mountain stream babbles but no insects chirp, that one tragic fate... seems to carry the heavy and helpless sigh of a person's entire life, leaving one speechless.
Just then, something was suddenly thrown from the shadows. It wasn't very fast, and before it got close, Hua Wuduo saw that it was a scroll. She understood and reached out to catch it, but she didn't expect the scroll to carry such a great force that it almost made her fall backward. In an instant, she used all her inner strength to catch it, and as she turned around, she released some of the inner force, and only then was she able to catch it steadily.
A voice rang out from the shadows: "Not weak." Then silence fell. Hua Wuduo tried to pinpoint the source of the voice, but when he looked up, he still couldn't see who was in the shadows.
Just then, Tang Ye said, "Make this person's mask according to the diagram, and exchange it for the antidote at the Qinglin Inn in Luoyang in three days." After saying that, he turned around and disappeared silently into the shadows of the trees.
Tang Ye had been gone for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, and Hua Wuduo, who was standing there stunned, finally shivered. Looking at the dappled, swaying shadows of the trees around her, she felt they were somewhat menacing and wondered to herself: Is this place haunted?
By lighting a strong fire, Hua Wuduo finally made it to dawn. Before setting off the next day, she opened the scroll and glanced at the portrait. The portrait depicted a middle-aged, wealthy man she didn't recognize. She was still struggling with the decision: should she wear the mask or not? If she didn't, there was no antidote. But if she did, she could feign weakness and beg for an answer from others. But that person was Tang Ye! Tang Ye, who had discarded her like trash! How hateful!
That afternoon, Hua Wuduo stopped to rest at a teahouse on the outskirts of the city. Despite its unassuming appearance, the small teahouse was conveniently located on a major route south to Luoyang. The teahouse was packed, and unable to find a seat, Hua Wuduo reluctantly shared a table with a scholar. The scholar had a round face and round eyes, and was also a traveler. Seeing that the man had a friendly, smiling face, Hua Wuduo politely offered him a seat and they sat down together.
Meanwhile, another group of people arrived at the teahouse. They were armed with swords and appeared to be江湖人士 (jianghu figures, figures of martial arts and chivalry). Their arrogant behavior caused two tables of people to leave immediately upon their arrival. Among them were two beautiful women, one seemingly the mistress and the other the servant. Their presence instantly made the large teahouse feel crowded. Hua Wuduo glanced over unintentionally and was startled to find that their clothing and appearance were remarkably similar to the two people who had suddenly appeared and been poisoned the previous night, raising suspicions within him.
Hua Wuduo, with her keen senses, quietly listened to what the people were saying after they sat down in the small teahouse. She overheard the maid saying, "Miss, what do you plan to do? Last night, both Senior Brother Liu and Senior Brother Du were killed by him. This man is truly ruthless." The maid poured tea and whispered to her mistress, her words tinged with resentment.
Upon hearing this, the young lady replied calmly, "No matter where he is, I will find him." Her voice was soft, but her determination was unwavering.
The maid was taken aback by these words and then said nothing more. The others in the group also buried their heads in their tea and remained silent.
While munching on her steamed bun, Hua Wuduo pondered to herself, "Was the 'he' those two mentioned earlier Tang Ye? Senior Brother Liu and Senior Brother Du must be the two guys who were poisoned by the 'Crazy Laughter' last night. Tang Ye killed their senior brothers… Are they going to seek revenge? Yes, definitely seeking revenge." Thinking this, Hua Wuduo couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, a surge of joy rising at the thought of Tang Ye being in trouble. Just then, the friendly-looking round-faced scholar at the same table struck up a conversation, "Brother, what are you laughing at? What's so funny? Could you tell me and share it with me?" This question was no small matter. Hua Wuduo suddenly touched the corner of her mouth—it was upturned! Oh no, she had unknowingly laughed. She remembered Tang Ye mentioning three laughs! If she laughed three times, she would strip naked and laugh madly until she died. Good heavens, she had used one laugh so easily. Hua Wuduo felt a chill run down her spine, cold sweat pouring down her face. This incident made Hua Wuduo make a painful decision: to exchange her mask for the antidote.
Seeing this, the kind-hearted scholar asked again, "Brother, are you feeling unwell? Why do you look so pale?"
Hua Wuduo hurriedly replied, "It's nothing, I'm fine. I just suddenly remembered something that needs to be done urgently, so I'll take my leave now." After saying this, he got up and bid a hasty farewell to the scholar he had never met before, and hurriedly headed towards Luoyang.
As the sun set, Hua Wuduo arrived in Luoyang and found a place to stay not far from the Qinglin Inn. After dinner, the sun had completely set, and the moon was gradually climbing above the willow branches. Hua Wuduo hid in his room, closed the doors and windows, and opened his precious toolbox for making masks, intending to begin. While searching for masks, he suddenly realized something: the Song Zixing mask he had made that day was gone! Hua Wuduo was shocked. He searched repeatedly but still couldn't find it. He couldn't help but wonder, when did the mask disappear? He wasn't a careless person; he carefully collected every mask he made, and all the others were still there. Why was only the Song Zixing mask missing? When exactly did it disappear? He couldn't remember for a moment.
The next morning, Hua Wuduo left the inn and arrived at the entrance of the Qinglin Inn across the street. She paced back and forth. The agreed time was tomorrow, but she was already impatient to get the antidote. Not being able to laugh was truly agonizing. But going in to exchange for the antidote now seemed too obvious, and Tang Ye might look down on her. While she hesitated, she saw the round-faced scholar who had sat at the same table as her the day before emerge from the Qinglin Inn. Upon seeing her from afar, he first exclaimed "Ah!" and then greeted her with a smile as warm as a spring breeze. Hua Wuduo was about to respond with a friendly smile when he immediately stopped herself, turned around, and ran away. She couldn't laugh, absolutely couldn't laugh!
After walking a few steps, he could still hear the round-faced scholar calling after him, "Brother, do you still remember me? We're destined to meet... Brother..."
"Fate my ass!" Hua Wuduo cursed unhappily.
***********
The streets of Luoyang were bustling with activity, teeming with people from early morning. The cries of vendors filled the air. Reaching a stone arch bridge, Hua Wuduo stood at the bridgehead, gazing at the morning light and sighing. Just then, a group of beggars emerged from a small alley, beginning their quest for alms. Hua Wuduo initially paid no attention, but after standing there a while longer, just as he was about to leave, a little beggar tugged at his sleeve. The yearning, clear eyes of the beggar stirred Hua Wuduo's compassion. Remembering his own unbearable ordeal of not being able to laugh, he thought to himself that perhaps he should do more good deeds. He took out a few copper coins and tossed them into the little beggar's bowl. Before he could finish, seven or eight beggars immediately surrounded him. A group of little beggars surrounded her, some even clinging to her legs, pleading, "Brother, brother, please give me some money! I haven't eaten for days! Brother, you're such a kind person, such a benevolent person, please have pity on me and give me some money!" Hua Wuduo was annoyed. She checked her pockets and thankfully had brought plenty of copper coins with her. Just as she was about to give each of them a few, a sudden inspiration struck her. While giving them money, she said kindly, "Brother sees how pitiful you are. My young master's surname is Tang, and his given name is Ye. He's a famously benevolent person. Tomorrow morning, come to the Qinglin Inn and beg him in the same way. He will definitely give each of you a silver ingot. Remember that?"
Each of the little beggars received a copper coin from Hua Wuduo, and upon hearing this, they cheered and said, "Thank you, brother! Thank you, brother! We'll definitely be there tomorrow morning."
Seeing the little beggars disperse, Hua Wuduo was about to chuckle, but he immediately suppressed it.
Hua Wuduo continued strolling through the streets, looking around. He came to the entrance of a silk shop and saw a large crowd gathered there, seemingly watching something. Curious, he approached and saw a red notice posted on the wall. It read: "My mother is afflicted with a strange illness and is now on the verge of death. I am deeply saddened by my helplessness. I hereby post this notice seeking renowned doctors from all over to come and cure my mother's illness. A thousand taels of gold will be offered to anyone who can do so." The crowd pointed and whispered. Someone said, "In Luoyang, besides the Li family, the Jin family is probably the wealthiest. The Jin family's young master is indeed filial, but what good is wealth if fate is predetermined? Old Mrs. Jin..." "Now she's afflicted with a strange illness, and despite seeing so many famous doctors, she can't be cured. I'm afraid she won't survive this winter." Hearing this, others sighed, "Yes, Old Madam Jin was a kind and benevolent person in her lifetime, and now she's suddenly contracted this strange disease..." Before they could finish speaking, a young man calmly pushed through the crowd and stepped forward to remove the notice. All eyes were on the young man; he had bright eyes, a tall and slender figure, and elegant manners, exuding a captivating charm. At this moment, a servant respectfully stepped forward and asked, "Young master, do you have a way to cure my old lady's illness?"
The young man replied, "It is not me, but my young master who can cure the old lady's illness. I am not boasting, but if there is only one person in the world who can cure your old lady, then it is none other than him." Seeing his confidence and certainty, the servant dared not be negligent and replied, "Please wait a moment, young master, I will go and invite the young master out to discuss this in detail."
The young man raised his hand to stop him, saying, "No need. My young master will arrive in Luoyang tomorrow morning. You can have your young master come to Qinglin Inn to invite my young master in person tomorrow morning."
After saying this, he was about to leave when a servant hurriedly followed behind and asked, "May I ask what your young master's name is?"
The young man turned around and whispered to the servant, "My young master's surname is Tang and his given name is Ye. Do not reveal this to anyone else. Only let your young master know."
The servants felt even more that this was an important person who could not be ignored, and they quickly nodded in agreement.
The crowd at the entrance gradually dispersed, and the servants hurriedly rushed into the inner hall, presumably to report. Hua Wuduo subconsciously wanted to raise the corners of his mouth in a smug smile, but immediately stopped himself, patting his cheeks to remind himself, "I can't laugh, I mustn't laugh!"
Sigh, even when life is going well, you can't laugh; life is truly meaningless.
Hua Wuduo strolled along the street, marveling at Luoyang's historical significance as a major commercial hub, its prosperity and bustling atmosphere truly remarkable. Just then, he noticed a crowd gathered ahead, and faint cries could be heard from within. Hua Wuduo rushed over to see what was happening. Among the onlookers was a disheveled young woman selling herself to bury her father. The crowd was large, but everyone was pointing and whispering, and no one was willing to offer money to help or buy the girl. Hua Wuduo felt his purse, then tossed out ten taels of silver, saying, "I'll buy you. Use the money to bury your father today, and come to the Qinglin Inn tomorrow morning to find the young master surnamed Tang."
Without lingering, she turned and left, ignoring the girl behind her who was kowtowing and bowing profusely in gratitude, wanting to repay her kindness.
Hua Wuduo did a lot of good deeds along the way, but unfortunately, none of the names left behind were his own.
It was almost noon, and with nothing to do, Hua Wuduo was looking for a decent restaurant to have a good meal when he heard someone shouting in the street, "Master Chu's second daughter, Chu Tianxiu, is throwing her embroidered ball to choose a husband! Master Chu's second daughter, Chu Tianxiu, is throwing her embroidered ball to choose a husband..." The person's voice was extremely loud, and he shouted it over and over again. Suddenly, the crowd in the streets and alleys all flowed in one direction, and in no time, the streets and alleys were almost empty. Who was this Chu Tianxiu? Why was throwing an embroidered ball attracting so much attention? Hua Wuduo was the kind of person who always wanted to join in the fun, so he hurriedly followed.
The Chu family must be a prominent and influential family in Luoyang. Their mansion was luxurious and grand, and the area where Chu Tianxiu threw the embroidered ball was also very spacious. Not to mention the crowds climbing the walls to watch the spectacle, there were at least a hundred unmarried men standing in the open space, which was several dozen feet wide. Hua Wuduo walked in without hesitation. Before entering, the steward of the Chu family handed her a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, asking her to write down her name, place of origin, and other simple self-introductions. Next to the steward was a middle-aged scholar who picked up the paper that Hua Wuduo had written, read it, and saw that it read: Tang Ye, from Sichuan, eighteen years old. He looked at Hua Wuduo and nodded with considerable appreciation. The steward then allowed her to enter. Hua Wuduo's handwriting was not as delicate as that of ordinary girls; it subtly revealed an unruly nature and a free and lively spirit rarely seen in girls. Hua Wuduo's handwriting was once praised by the teacher at Nanshu Academy. The teacher said: "A person's handwriting represents a person's temperament. Hua Wuduo is free and unruly, so she must be a good young man." Unfortunately, the teacher was completely wrong. She was just an imposter.
Under the blazing sun, after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Chu Tianxiu gracefully made her entrance. Standing atop the pavilion, dressed in white, her long hair flowing like clouds, her flowing robes made her appear like a fairy. While Hua Wuduo had seen countless beauties, this one was truly extraordinary, a rare beauty. Hua Wuduo sincerely praised her. The crowd below held their breath from the moment Chu Tianxiu appeared; the silence was almost inaudible. Chu Tianxiu stood on the second floor, frowning as she looked down. At that moment, a maidservant handed her a red embroidered ball. The crowd instantly snapped out of their daze, jostling and pushing, some nearly starting a fight, others shouting, "Miss Chu, over here! Miss Chu, over here..." Hua Wuduo stood on the outermost edge, not joining the push, thinking to herself: I must catch this embroidered ball. Tang Ye, you'll have to thank me properly for such a beauty! Thinking this, she almost smirked but quickly suppressed it. She couldn't laugh! Absolutely do not laugh!
Secretly meeting with her lover
The moment Chu Tianxiu threw the embroidered ball, Hua Wuduo leaped up to catch it, thinking he was sure to catch it. However, unexpectedly, someone else also leaped into the air and pounced on the embroidered ball. Hua Wuduo recognized the person as the round-faced scholar who had sat at the same table at the teahouse in the suburbs. He suddenly had a bad feeling. Sure enough, the scholar's martial arts skills were quite good. He touched the embroidered ball before Hua Wuduo, but it seemed that he had lost his grip and failed to catch it. The embroidered ball fell to the ground, and the crowd below immediately became chaotic.
There were other people present who knew some martial arts, but none of them were as skilled as the scholar and Hua Wuduo. The fight for the embroidered ball had been over in an instant, and everyone's attention was focused on the ball, so no one paid any attention to them.
The two stood at the eastern and western corners of the crowd, staring at each other across the crowd vying for the embroidered ball, gazing at each other and assessing each other's strength.
The person opposite him smiled at him. Although the person had a round face and round eyes and seemed kind, Hua Wuduo felt a sense of provocation, and his competitive spirit was unconsciously aroused. He subtly tucked his fingers into his sleeves, activated the golden ring on his hand, and with extremely fast speed and strange movements, he dodged past the crowd scrambling for the embroidered ball, shooting silver needles towards the ball.
Seeing Hua Wuduo's movement, the scholar also leaped into the air and plummeted straight down towards the embroidered ball. The crowd was shaken apart, and once again, he caught the embroidered ball with his feet before Hua Wuduo could react. Hua Wuduo raised his arm, and a silver needle from his sleeve stabbed straight at the scholar. The scholar was forced to retreat and dodge, no longer caring about the embroidered ball under his feet. At the same time, a man in blue in the arena tried to take advantage of this opportunity to grab the embroidered ball and keep it for himself, but was suddenly stepped on by Hua Wuduo and fell flat on his face.
At this moment, the Chu family's estate was bustling with activity. Fights raged as they scrambled for an embroidered ball, which seemed incredibly difficult to catch. The Chu family watched in awe, their eyes wide with fear, and gasps of surprise rose and fell. Just as everyone's hearts were rising and falling with the ball's trajectory, suddenly, it was tossed high into the air. The scholar was already in mid-air, about to catch it, but unexpectedly, Hua Wuduo's silver needles arrived. Seeing the needles aimed at him, the scholar dared not meet them head-on, but instead suddenly swung his palm, knocking the ball towards Hua Wuduo. Hua Wuduo, seeing this, was about to smile triumphantly, but he fiercely suppressed it. He mustn't laugh! He must never laugh! But unexpectedly, the moment the ball landed in his hand, it shattered, scattering red petals across the ground.
Everyone present was stunned. Hua Wuduo was also taken aback, looking at the red stains on the ground with a sense of helplessness. Sensing the strange atmosphere around him, he quickly put the silver needles back into his sleeve, turned around, and fled. Even after running ten paces away, he could still hear the steward and his entourage chasing after him, panting and calling, "Young Master Tang... please wait..."
As Hua Wuduo ran, he turned back and called out, "Qinglin Inn...find me."
That day, everyone in the streets and alleys of Luoyang, in teahouses and restaurants, was talking about the incident. They said that a young man surnamed Tang had broken the embroidered ball of Chu Tianxiu, the second daughter of the wealthy Chu family, who was always arrogant and beautiful like a fairy. Not only that, he ran away on the spot, as if discarding a worn-out shoe, not even daring to look at that fairy-like beauty.
Hua Wuduo slipped into the inn, avoiding all eyes and ears. But then, realizing that the innkeeper and waiters all recognized him, he checked out of his room for safety's sake. He carried his bundle out of Luoyang, found a secluded spot outside the city, changed into women's clothing, and then walked into Luoyang with an air of nonchalance.
Not only that, they also moved into the Qinglin Inn.
Qinglin Inn is the largest inn in Luoyang. Luoyang is the most prosperous city in the world besides the capital. The largest inn is indeed extraordinary. The courtyard is grand, with not only small bridges, flowing water, pavilions and towers, but also different levels of accommodation. In addition to ordinary rooms, there are courtyards with private gardens and elegant and secluded pavilions. Hua Wuduo never likes to treat himself poorly, so he chose a secluded but spacious pavilion to stay in. All the rooms in the pavilion are currently empty, and only Hua Wuduo is there. Hua Wuduo is very satisfied with this.
The night was enchanting. I sat alone in the attic, gazing at the bright moon and stars, a chicken leg in one hand and a gourd of wine in the other. I ate meat and drank wine heartily, feeling utterly content.
After eating and drinking his fill, he let out a satisfied burp and then went into the house with a smug look on his face. He thought to himself that he would have a tough battle with Tang Ye tomorrow, so he needed to get a good rest tonight to recharge. Before resting, he removed his mask, applied some medicinal mud, and fell into a deep sleep as soon as he closed his eyes.
In the dead of night, Hua Wuduo was sound asleep when she was disturbed by an incessant buzzing noise outside. First, it was the sound of a flute, and then, even more blaringly, the sound of a zither joined in. Hua Wuduo knew nothing of music, and now, her sweet dreams were even more disturbed. She couldn't help but feel furious. She covered her head with the blanket and tossed and turned in bed, but the annoying buzzing kept her awake. Finally, she gritted her teeth and leaped out of bed! The anger from being woken up almost made her head steam. Who was it?! Who on earth was it?! How could they be so wicked! Playing the zither and flute at her door in the middle of the night, preventing her from sleeping!
He put on his shoes and socks while still angry, not caring that the black grime on his face would scare a bunch of people if he went out at night. He stomped to the door, kicked it open, and yelled, "Which bastard disturbed my sleep!"
No sooner had the words left her lips than a woman in white, her bright eyes and white teeth captivating, stood below the pavilion. A zither rested on her lap, her fingers still on the strings. She too looked up at Hua Wuduo, her eyes filled with undisguised surprise. Then, her gaze shifted slightly to the rooftop on the opposite side.
Hua Wuduo was startled by the stunning beauty before her, secretly surprised. Wasn't this Chu Tianxiu, the second daughter of the Chu family? What was she doing here? A thought suddenly crossed her mind: This scene seemed like a romantic rendezvous under the moonlit flowers, a secret meeting with a lover?! Thinking this, her gaze followed Chu Tianxiu to the opposite rooftop, where she was astonished to see a figure sitting on the eaves, dressed in black with a purple belt, holding a long flute in his hand, his gaze cold and aloof, also fixed on her. Upon recognizing this person, Hua Wuduo's head suddenly buzzed, and she felt a little dizzy. This person was none other than Tang Ye. She wondered what she had said when she kicked open the door. No, her head was too dizzy to remember anything. She should hurry back inside. With this thought, Hua Wuduo suddenly closed her eyes, raised her arms, and slowly turned around, muttering to herself as she turned, "I'm sleepwalking, sleepwalking..." Then, with extremely slow movements, she groped her way into the house, closed her eyes again, and groped her way back to close the door. Everything went smoothly from beginning to end, and Tang Ye did not embarrass her because of his earlier offense.
As soon as the door closed, Hua Wuduo opened his eyes, subconsciously wiping the cold sweat that was pouring down his forehead. Then, he hid in the corner under the window and poked a hole from the inside out. He pressed his eyes against the hole and desperately looked out. He saw a moment of silence outside, and then Tang Ye on the opposite roof got up as if to leave. Just then, he heard Chu Tianxiu downstairs say, "Chu Tianxiu came here to meet the Poison King Tang Ye. I originally thought that the Poison King, who is famous all over the world, would be someone extraordinary. Today, I see that he is nothing special. Farewell." After saying that, he put away his wooden zither, his white robes fluttering, and he gracefully left before Tang Ye.
Upon hearing this, Hua Wuduo couldn't help but feel immense admiration for Chu Tianxiu. To be honest, even she wouldn't dare say these words to Tang Ye's face; this stunning beauty truly had a unique personality.
At this moment, Tang Ye suddenly turned his head and looked over. For some reason, Hua Wuduo, who was clearly hiding in the shadows, still broke out in a cold sweat, as if Tang Ye had discovered her spying. She felt a pang of guilt. Tang Ye's turn was only for a moment, and his figure disappeared into the night in the blink of an eye. Seeing Tang Ye leave, Hua Wuduo secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then beat her chest and cursed herself for being useless. She should have learned from Chu Tianxiu and seen how magnanimously he spoke to Tang Ye—how satisfying! She was fine when she left, but when she came back in… never mind!
Hua Wuduo had no idea that Tang Ye was in a position where he could clearly see the projection of half of her head by the window. The shadow swayed left and right, up and down, showing that the person inside was desperately trying to see what was outside. Tang Ye was indeed looking at her, not Chu Tianxiu.
The next day, when the sun was high in the sky, Hua Wuduo got up. Although he hadn't slept well for half the night, he still felt refreshed and stepped out of the pavilion. Just as he was about to ask a waiter for some food, he saw two waiters carrying a stretcher out of the west courtyard. As they walked, they sighed and said, "This is the thirteenth person to go in upright and come out horizontal."
Hua Wuduo was terrified upon hearing this. As far as she knew, Tang Ye lived in the west courtyard.
**************
Hua Wuduo rushed forward and reached out to touch the neck of the person on the stretcher. Only after feeling a pulse did she feel relieved. Seeing Hua Wuduo's anxious appearance, the two waiters carrying the stretcher said, "Miss, don't panic. This person is fine. He just fainted and will wake up in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."
Hua Wuduo feigned surprise and asked, "What's going on?"
Both waiters shook their heads upon hearing this. One of them said, "We don't know what happened either. We only know that these people came to see the young master surnamed Tang in the west courtyard, but they ran away or collapsed before they even stepped over the threshold."
"Some ran away, some collapsed?" Hua Wuduo was even more puzzled upon hearing this.
Another waiter chimed in, “A group of beggars burst in early this morning, saying they were looking for Young Master Tang. There were dozens of them, big and small, and we couldn’t stop them. Strangely enough, we don’t know who Young Master Tang in the West Courtyard is or what kind of magic he used, but none of them were able to enter the West Courtyard. Some of them even picked up stones from the roadside and carried them away like gold ingots, while others, like this man, suddenly fainted outside the door.”
Hua Wuduo asked again, "Where are you taking him?"
The waiter said, "Young Master Tang told us to put them in the sunlight at the street corner, saying they would wake up on their own after a while."
Hua Wuduo nodded. The two waiters carried the stretcher away on their own. Hua Wuduo hesitated for a moment, then turned and resolutely walked towards the west courtyard. As he strode along the road, he heard two servants sweeping the courtyard on either side whispering to each other, "This must also be going to the west courtyard. I bet this is the fourteenth."
The other one said, "I said no."
"Alright, this time I'll bet twenty copper coins."
"OK."
There was a red-lacquered wooden door in front of the west courtyard, slightly ajar. At first glance, it seemed normal, but upon closer inspection, a nearly burnt-out incense stick could be seen sticking out conspicuously in the door. Hua Wuduo stopped, staring at the red door from afar. She thought to herself that Tang Ye was skilled in poison, and perhaps those people's abnormal behavior was due to poisoning. Tang Ye's methods of poisoning were bizarre. If she entered through the main gate, she would be in the open while Tang Ye remained in the shadows. She might become the fourteenth person to enter vertically and leave horizontally. Now that Tang Ye had poisoned her, it seemed only for that mask. She wondered if he would kill her to silence her after obtaining the mask. Many doubts weighed on her mind, and Hua Wuduo felt increasingly uncertain. She decided to secretly investigate first. Having made up her mind, she decided to take an unconventional route, winding along the west courtyard wall to a secluded corner.
Looking up, one can see the branches of red maple trees extending beyond the wall. Although most of the red leaves have fallen, some still remain on the branches for concealment. Hua Wuduo looked up and examined the area, thinking it was well hidden. He then leaped up, grabbed the top of the wall with both hands, and slowly peered inside.
It was autumn, and the fallen leaves in the garden seemed to have been deliberately left unswept. A sudden gust of wind blew, causing the red leaves to dance in the air. There was a shallow pond in the yard, almost completely covered with red leaves. As the wind passed, the red leaves rippled on the pond, creating an atmosphere of indescribable tranquility, yet also a touch of desolation.
The courtyard was quiet and deserted. Hua Wuduo paused on the wall for a moment, but did not hear any sound. She thought that Tang Ye might not be there, so she quietly climbed up the wall. As she squatted on the wall, about to jump down, she instinctively sensed something unusual. Looking down, she saw a person looking up at her through the horizontal and slanted branches under the red maple tree directly below.
That gaze...
Hua Wuduo shuddered several times.
Just then, even Hua Wuduo himself couldn't believe it afterward, he actually heard himself say, "I didn't see the door..." He suddenly covered his disobedient mouth, and when he looked at the owner of those eyes, he had an urge to find a tree to smash his head against.