Dreams of the Ancient Mountain: The Cat's Masquerade | Chapter 208 | The Journey Home | Novela.app

The lights were brilliant, and the voices were jubilant; the scene of a prosperous age had reached its zenith. A beauty draped in a green fox-fur cloak held a flower lantern, wandering through a forest of thousands of lanterns inscribed with riddles. Hearing the constant chatter of the people around her, she looked back at the red silk hanging high before Xuanle Tower. Unfortunately, the distance was too great to discern who was standing upon it. "Miss, Miss, try this rabbit candy..." Bi Yao ran over happily, handing her a pink and white sugar cake. Yin Deng smiled and answered, taking the candy. She spun it around, admiring it for a moment before taking a small bite of the rabbit's ear. "We shall depart tomorrow," she said suddenly. "To Suizhou." Bi Yao was stunned. "Alright, what kind of errand is it this time...?" Then she laughed again. "But that is a matter for tomorrow! Tonight, we shall play until we drop!" Inside Chunan Tower, the cheers were deafening. The Tower Master sat alone in a small room hidden behind layers of secret passages, holding a scroll. He seemed to be appreciating it, yet also appeared distracted. A confidant approached and whispered into his ear, "It is the Palace Master..." In public, Ling Chunan was warm and socially adept, but in private, he was exceptionally sinister and cold. He smiled knowingly. "Invite him in." In the Fifth Floor Pavilion, Lu Kaifeng was playing chess with Qiao Songlin. The game had reached the mid-stage, and the battle was growing increasingly fierce. Lu Kaifeng twirled a chess piece between his fingers. Hearing the extraordinary commotion outside, he glanced out the window and smiled. "So the willow-shooting has ended. There are many talented people in the capital; it was indeed a lively competition." "Likely some general won," Qiao Songlin replied casually, still deep in calculation. Suddenly, footsteps thundered on the stairs. Zhu Yixin ran up excitedly, shouting, "A-Qing! A-Qing took fifth place!" Only a few streets away from the bustle of the Imperial Street, the lanes of Yun Alley were exceptionally quiet because everyone had flocked to see the lanterns. Four palanquin bearers in red satin carried an exquisitely decorated small sedan, preceded and followed by musicians playing wedding music, heading west. Xue Yishan stood in the middle of the road, dressed in black. Compared to a month ago, her already thin frame had become even more skeletal. The procession was forced to stop. No matter how dazzling the distant lights were, they could not reach this road; only the moonlight, clear as frost, fell silently. After a long time, Xue Yishan struggled to open her mouth, as if to call a very familiar name, but in the end, she could not. She only whispered, "My zither... is destroyed. I cannot... play a piece to see you off." The palanquin curtain remained silently lowered. Only then did she seem to make up her mind, her tone brightening slightly. "I cannot bring myself to see you go, either. A-Yan, can you... look back just once more?" A scoff seemed to come from within the palanquin. Dong Banyuan replied flatly, "Look back? In all these years, haven't I looked back enough?" Xue Yishan was silent for a moment. "It is my fault..." "You and I have spent our lives drifting in this trade; we should know best that the human heart is not large. There will always be a moment when it is worn hollow." She laughed softly behind the curtain. "Thank you, Teacher, for seeing Banyuan off." Having received the rewards bestowed by the Inner Court and finally shaking off the lingering Crown Prince, we no longer rode our horses, deciding instead to walk toward the south of the city. The wind stirred the snowy air, fluttering against our noses. "I'm afraid there will be heavy snow again tomorrow," I said. "Mm. No matter." Wei Qingming reached out to gently tuck in the small mink fur around my neck, smiling faintly. "Let's go home." The brilliant lanterns of this prosperous age continued to rotate tirelessly. In the quiet alleys, the whistling of fireworks and the bright laughter of children echoed, carrying the final wishes of the night. The scent of saltpeter drifted in the air—the unique, festive, and peaceful scent of the New Year. The dazzling light of the Ao Mountain lanterns almost filled the entire sky. The tiny points of light escaping from the children's hands climbed suddenly, illuminating a corner of the night sky that the man-made suns could not reach, falling colorfully upon our clothes, hair, and eyes. Leaving the city's clamor behind us, we walked home side by side, talking and laughing. (End of Part One)