Near the shore, ice floes were scattered everywhere, frozen in the very shape of the waves. It was as if a master had cast a spell of frost and snow in an instant, stacking the white breakers that had been churning only a second ago into layers of jade steps. The ice stretched intermittently toward the center of the lake for about a mile or two before giving way to open water. The azure lake water lapped and licked at the jagged edges of the ice, producing a rhythmic splashing—slow and husky. The water was so clear it seemed weightless, making one wonder if its blue was merely a reflection of the sky rather than its own color. Like the sky, it was vast and boundless, far beyond the reach of our sight. I suddenly felt that the ancestor who named this place "Qionghai"—the Jade Sea—must have first arrived here in winter.
It was the hour of the day’s best sunlight, yet even the sun could only tint a corner of the Jade Sea. The already pale orange hue blurred into the water, leaving only a few trembling glints of golden yellow, which made the ice shards near the shore sparkle with an extraordinary brilliance, as if the ground were paved with crushed silver.
While I was still gasping in a daze, Wei-daren had already drifted down from her horse. She smiled and patted my arm, gesturing for me to get down and walk. Hong Lu and Xue Su were already on the ice by the shore, spinning their horses around in playful pursuit.
Luo Cheng resumed his usual stoic demeanor. After parking the carriage, he stepped forward to take our reins. "Rest easy and go ahead, My Lord, My Lady."
"Careful," she said, holding my hand as she watched me take the first step onto the ice.
The ice was indeed cold; the chill, combined with the tiny shards of ice, made the soles of my feet feel tingly and numb. The sensation was so novel that I couldn't help but start running. Tugging her along, I forced her to run with me. She could only shake her head with a helpless smile.
"I want to go play with the water!" Having run enough along the shore where there was nothing but ice, I pointed toward the vast open waters in the center of the lake.
"Don't complain about the cold then." She nodded with a smile and reached out to brush a bead of sweat from the tip of my nose. "You'll need to use your movement techniques. Go on, A-Zhi."
I gave a sweet reply and activated my Snow-Vanishing Steps. After a few leaps, I turned back to look at her with a giggle. Wei Qingming watched me for a moment with her hands tucked in her sleeves before summoning her flying palanquin. She soon caught up and followed behind me.
The lake water was indeed bone-chilling. When I scooped some into my hands, the cold sent a shiver through my entire body. I cried out at the thrill, and just as I was about to splash around some more, I noticed a few glints of white light vanishing beneath the surface.
"Fish! Fish!" I jumped up, grabbing Wei Qingming’s sleeve, incoherent with joy. "Is it the... the legendary White Carp of the Jade Sea... the most delicious kind!"
She was amused by my excitement. "Let's have Hong Lu catch a few to see."
"Brother Hong Lu—!" I cupped my hands around my mouth like a megaphone and shouted, "Brother Hong Lu! Xue Su! Come catch fish! Big Brother Luo, you too—"
Before I could finish, I spotted Luo Cheng sitting on a small stool in the distance, casting a line. Apparently, he had been fishing for quite some time...
Hong Lu ran over and studied the water for a bit before deciding to use a net. He walked along the shore for a while, picked a suitable spot, and cautiously cast his net. Xue Su was even more remarkable; she simply manifested ice spikes to spear the fish. However, the White Carp of the Jade Sea were not at all foolish; they often managed to dodge nimbly at the critical moment. Xue Su continued to spear in silence, though it was unclear whether she was competing with the fish or simply honing her martial skills...
Having run to my heart's content, I happily hopped onto Wei-daren’s fragrant and warm flying palanquin, curling up beside her with my knees hugged to my chest. The distant lake waves surged with a rhythmic, splashing sound.
"This is wonderful," I said, looking at the lake scenery with a smile. "I wonder what it looks like in summer?"
"It is also very beautiful," Wei Qingming said teasingly. "And the varieties of fish are even more diverse."
I raised a hand to playfully threaten her, only to be pulled into her arms with a smile.
"I truly want to see all fourteen provinces with you."
"We will."
"We could buy a pasture in the outskirts of Anlan City..." I began counting on my fingers. "Ideally close to the lake. We could raise horses, go fishing, and design a tent even larger and more magnificent than the Princess's..."
Perhaps it was because the sound of the splashing water was so gentle and pleasant, or perhaps because Wei-daren was so warm and fragrant, but I eventually drifted off to sleep. My plan to buy luxury estates in all the beautiful spots of the fourteen provinces was still clutched tightly between my fingers, refusing to let go...
When I woke up, the sun was already slanting toward the west, and the entire lake was shimmering with gold.
As I stretched, I kicked something. I picked it up and saw it was Wei-daren’s book. It was written entirely in the Spirit Language, which I couldn't understand, so I set it aside. She had clearly been reading it before setting it down. She herself had stepped off the palanquin and was sitting not far from me, carving a piece of ice that was as clear and translucent as blue jade. I couldn't help but smile; it was actually in the shape of a snow lion, the kind common children often built in winter.
Hearing that I was awake, she looked back with a smile and gestured casually with her carving knife. "Just in time. The fish should be about ready."
I wasn't in a hurry to eat fish, though. I first reached out to ask for the ice lion. "Wait a moment," she said. She carefully adjusted a few subtle details, blew away the frost powder, and then handed it to me. Since she couldn't use magic and had to prevent her body heat from melting the ice, she had attached an Ice Talisman to the bottom of the little lion.
I praised it profusely, holding it endearingly as I prepared to go eat fish with it. Wei-daren found this both amusing and adorable; she couldn't help but reach out to pat my head. "It won't survive the heat of the fire. Leave it here."
"Don't we have Xue Su?" I pouted, refusing to let go.
Hong Lu and the other two were each perched on a small stool, sitting by a fire in the sunset. The crimson, passionate flames were even more vibrant than the evening clouds. Seeing us approach, Hong Lu smiled and waved urgently. Luo Cheng, who was busy whittling wooden sticks into skewers, looked up and smiled before returning to his work. Xue Su sat blankly, lost in thought. I tossed the ice lion to her; she stared at me for a moment before obediently applying a frost spell to it and placing it securely on a rock. The five of us—and the lion—began to eat.
The White Carp is a fish unique to the Jade Sea. Its body is white with a hint of red, and its scales are very fine and thin, making it edible with minimal preparation. Hong Lu’s skills were excellent; the fish oils sizzled, and the aroma was so enticing I couldn't even bring myself to sit down. I finished the first fish while standing. As expected, the fat was rich, the meat tender, and the flavor fresh and sweet. There was also a pot of loach and wild mushroom soup bubbling on a small rack. We ladled out the steaming soup and clinked our bowls together.
During the post-meal tea time, Hong Lu produced a pipa from somewhere and began to play a tune with a distinct Northern flair. Although his technique was slightly unrefined, it perfectly matched his own cheerful and rustic style. The music drifted upward against the setting sun, eventually dissipating among the clouds.
Luo Cheng occasionally picked up a thin shard of ice and skipped it across the lake.
Everyone sat in silence, listening, until the night wind grew stronger and the first snowflake shattered against a shoulder. Only then did Wei Qingming speak softly. "Let us go."
Braving the wind and snow, we continued our journey westward.
Although Anlan was a provincial capital, its predecessor was a logistics and supply hub for the three major armies west of the capital. During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, it was designated as a military garrison. Anlan flourished because of this, and the provincial city rose. However, being situated on the edge of the Jade Sea with rugged mountains and waters, it was not ideal for habitation. The true center of beauty and prosperity in Langganze was Pinglang City, located south of the Jade Sea deep within a cluster of lakes. Before the War of World-Ending, Pinglang was already a major city in the Western Territory and had served as the seat of the Marquis of Xiping. More importantly, Pinglang City sat atop a fire-element spiritual vein, resulting in abundant hot springs and a mild, comfortable climate. Every late autumn, the reeds would rustle, persisting through the winter, blooming as they withered. That beautiful scenery of flying blossoms reflecting the snow was truly "a thousand miles of reeds, ten miles of isles."
Before night had fully fallen, our flying carriage sped into the outskirts of Pinglang. During the New Year season, this "Qinhuai of the West" was brilliantly lit with lanterns, and the city was as heavily adorned as the countless beautiful women within it. As a place of luxury and pleasure, it naturally saw a constant flow of wealthy merchants and scholars. Furthermore, since the Feng and E provinces of the Western Territory were famous for producing beauties, the pleasure districts of Pinglang had grown to a grand scale—"Pinglang," or "Impoverished Groom," for did it not leave the "grooms" impoverished?
Although the courtesans of Pinglang had long enjoyed a glamorous reputation, frequently ranking high in the triennial beauty elections, a strange thing had happened this year. As the year drew to a close, the one being chased by the pleasure quarters was a rising newcomer. Within just a few days, from princely banquets to common tea tables, everyone was salivating and scratching their heads in frustration, desperate for a glimpse of her true face. This outsider woman had completely stolen the spotlight!
This peerless beauty was called "Mei Niang." At first listen, the name seemed ordinary. But when linked to her given name, "Xuanyan," it became something extraordinary. "Xuanyan" was taken from Lin Bu’s poem: "Amidst the fallen blossoms, she alone is warm and beautiful, monopolizing all the grace of the small garden." This was the source of the immortal lines: "Sparse shadows slant across the clear, shallow water; a hidden fragrance floats in the moonlit dusk." It was said she first became famous on the Preliminary Eve when she made a fleeting appearance, earning the praise of both the former Chancellor Lü Heng and the great poet Lu Guanwu with a zither piece titled *Moon on the Plum Branch*. The elderly Chancellor, whose hair was whiter than reed blossoms, had clapped his hands and sighed with regret: "Such ethereal grace should not enter the haunts of youth." He was also quoting Lu You’s poem on plum blossoms, but his lament meant that the artistic conception of Mei Niang’s zither was too profound for the superficial youths of the pleasure quarters to appreciate; only an old man like him could savor its true flavor. Lu Guanwu had even composed three poems on plum blossoms: "Jade bones grieve amidst the frost and mist; noble sentiments dawn in the empty clouds." He wrote of the flower and the woman alike, causing countless romantic rogues who couldn't read a single word to chant the lines incessantly, their hearts hanging on her every move.
The local beauties were naturally indignant and pushed forward Lady Shuolan, who was widely considered the best zither player, to challenge her. Shuolan was someone who had ranked in the top thirty of the great zither competition. Yet, after hearing only a few notes from Mei Niang behind a curtain, Lady Shuolan’s expression changed drastically. She turned and left, not daring to compete. Truly, "Amidst the fallen blossoms, I alone am warm and beautiful, monopolizing all the grace!"
Pinglang was surrounded by lakes on all sides, the most beautiful being Reed Lake to the north of the city. Once autumn arrived, the sky-filling, drifting white reed blossoms would all bloom overnight, first laying a soft, fluffy blanket of snow upon the world. Groups of high-ranking officials and retired dignitaries seeking rest would arrive one after another. By day, they would soak in the mountain hot springs and eat a bowl of Jade Sea stewed fish soup; at dusk, they would rent a painted boat and moor it for the night on Reed Lake, dreaming a dream as light and unhindered as the reed blossoms.
The ground in Pinglang was warm; no matter how large the snowflakes, they melted upon hitting the ground and could not accumulate. The lake water, moreover, did not freeze in winter, gurgling like a flowing stream. In the cold night, brightly lit orchid boats shuttled back and forth. Amidst the sounds of clinking dishes and cups, there was no shortage of regretful sighs like this: "Just what kind of divine being is this Mei Niang!"
Even the most refined scholars could not escape such worldly interests; or rather, it was precisely because they were scholars that this habit was most pronounced. On this large, colorful boat—over thirty zhang long—rented by the friends of the East Society, the creaking of the sculls could not drown out a resentful remark. The words carried both fervent longing and a sour, dismissive chill; they had, as expected, come from the mouth of Yu Yingmin. In his eyes, the fact that Mei Niang had shaken the Jade Sea within three to five days of her arrival was nothing more than the clever cultivation of a hollow reputation.
The others chimed in with their agreement. After meeting in the capital, this group of sons from wealthy and noble clans had come to stay at the Jade Sea, joining insightful men from all directions for the East Society’s grandest gathering in five years. The host was Zhang Fangying, the son of a local Pinglang merchant and a student at Lianshan Academy; this double-storied painted boat with twin flying sparrow wings and gold-powdered beams was his family’s property. Tonight, with all his distinguished guests gathered, Zhang Fangying had intended to show off his influence by inviting Mei Niang to attend. To his surprise, ever since Mei Niang had displayed her stunning skill at the former Chancellor’s small banquet, she had vanished without a trace. Shuolan, the only one to have interacted with her through a curtain, explained that she and Lady Mei had agreed to a duel at a tavern that night, and she did not know where Mei Niang resided.
Beside Yu Yingmin, Shuolan’s sister, Xianglan, smiled and said, "People just love something new. That *Moon on the Plum Branch* is said to be only a partial score; how can one verify its authenticity or correctness? It is likely just—"
Before she could finish, amidst the sky full of swirling, tumbling, and fluttering heavy snow, there came a zither note as ethereal and profound as reed down. The sky was dark, and there was no moon tonight, yet the Moon on the Plum Branch had descended without warning.
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Dreams of the Ancient Mountain: The Cat's Masquerade | Chapter 189 | Moonlight on Plum Branches | Novela.app | Novela.app
