The last of the fireworks faded, leaving a haze of pale blue smoke drifting over the Yue River.
The sacrificial ceremony was drawing to a close. The Emperor, accompanied by the ritual officials, retreated to the upper seats of the high platform.
The lights on the platform shifted. Countless palace attendants entered carrying flower lanterns, illuminating the central sacrificial altar where square and circle intertwined. Performers wearing wooden masks and robes of multi-colored feathers stepped into the circle and took their positions. Musicians sat in the square pool surrounding the circle, playing drums, flutes, large pipes, and reed organs, creating the prelude for the upcoming Nuo opera.
Since ancient times, Nuo opera had been a ritual dance used to depict gods driving away pestilence and demons. Over time, these performances had evolved to include narrative plots, becoming highly ornamental ritual plays.
Now, as the finale of the ceremony, the Nuo opera served as the signal for the officials to take their seats.
The civil and military officers waiting on the stone barges flanking the platform began to move toward the high stage. However, Xiao Nanhui, hiding in her private room in the Listening Wind Tower, had no desire to move.
According to the original plan, she should have finished her meal with Xiao Zhun by now and followed the crowd onto the platform.
She tossed the empty wine jar aside with her left hand and grabbed a handful of candied peanuts. She told herself that after finishing this handful, she would go downstairs immediately—without a moment's delay—to join the others on the platform.
The banquet for the officials would host dozens, if not a hundred people; at a glance, it would be hard to distinguish one person from another. Yet the seating was strictly assigned. If she didn't show up, there would be a conspicuous gap in the Guangyao Camp’s section. If the Emperor decided to be pedantic about it, she would be the one to suffer the consequences.
Her hand, poised to pinch a peanut, froze. An awkward expression crossed her face. She propped herself up with one hand and peered through the gap in the window lattice toward the platform on the river.
They were separated by dozens of yards, with a chaotic, noisy crowd packed between them, yet she spotted him instantly.
All the lanterns on the sacrificial altar seemed to revolve around him. He had changed into ceremonial robes of green and white, topped with a nine-tasseled crown. He sat cross-legged in the center of an embroidered silk carpet, the massive vine and floral patterns beneath him spreading outward like a great firework blooming upon the ground.
The blue smoke in the air had not yet dissipated, but Xiao Nanhui felt she could see every subtle expression on his face, every dark current in his shifting gaze.
She couldn't look away. When she finally managed to shift her eyes slightly, she noticed the person sitting beside him.
It was a black-haired beauty whose face was obscured by a beaded veil. She wore elegant robes of green and white just like his. When she bowed her head, the patch of skin where her neck met her chest showed a sliver of snowy white, dazzlingly bright. She sat quietly by the Emperor’s side, like a white swan resting beside a lotus.
The peanut between Xiao Nanhui’s fingertips crumbled without her noticing.
She was used to seeing Ding Weixiang by his side, but she had almost never seen a woman near him. As time passed, she had forgotten his status as Emperor—that he was meant to be surrounded by a cluster of flowers, circled by bees and butterflies.
Yet, for some reason, a sudden tightness gripped her chest.
Memories of her experience in the traveling palace two nights ago flashed through her mind. Xiao Nanhui stood up abruptly, stumbling back half a step and accidentally colliding with the side table behind her.
The plum vase newly placed on the table toppled and shattered with a sharp crack.
Staring at the mess on the floor, Xiao Nanhui was dazed for a moment, unable to regain her composure.
She slowly raised a hand to pat her chest. Her heart was still beating there, but it felt strange, as if it had fallen ill.
A set of footsteps sounded outside the room, interrupting her thoughts.
She assumed it was a waiter from the Listening Wind Tower coming to investigate the noise. Just as she was feeling embarrassed about how to explain and worried that the vase might be worth a fortune, the waiter’s voice came from outside the door.
"Guest, there is a visitor who wishes to see you. Is it convenient?"
Xiao Nanhui froze. The room fell silent for a moment.
Was it Xiao Zhun?
Hadn't he... said he wasn't coming?
From the distant river came the sound of the performers singing. The lyrics went: *"From this day forth, I care no more for lovely nights; let the bright moon descend the west tower as it will..."*
She was suddenly at a loss, unsure how to face the person standing outside.
The waiter, receiving no response for a long time, was about to lead the visitor away when Xiao Nanhui spoke up hurriedly.
"Come in."
The waiter acknowledged her and lifted the bamboo curtain outside the room.
After a rustle of fabric, there was the sound of soft shoes treading on the wooden floor.
Strange. The footsteps sounded short and light, not like Xiao Zhun’s.
"Xiao Nanhui."
A woman's voice sounded from behind the screen. A moment later, a slender shadow was cast upon the silk. The shadow rounded the pillar, stepping out from the darkness—it was Bai Yun, dressed in coarse hempen clothes.
"He isn't coming. The one looking for you tonight is me."
The woman stepped into the light. There were faint traces of blood on her clothes, though it was unclear if it was her own or someone else's. Only her eyes reflected the lanterns outside, looking as if flames were burning within them.
Xiao Nanhui could not hide her shock. Looking down, she saw that the shackles on the woman's feet were gone. Her internal alarms blared. "How... how did you get out?!"
Bai Yun had no intention of hiding it. She reached up and pulled a hairpin made of a withered plum branch from her dark hair.
Only then did Xiao Nanhui notice that the part of the pin hidden in the hair had been meticulously carved into the shape of a key.
"They knew my capabilities, so they took away everything made of bronze or iron. It took me some time to grind this shape out of wood, and I didn't know if it would work until today."
Xiao Nanhui stared at that thin, fragile branch that had served such a terrifying purpose, as if she were looking at the fragile yet frightening woman before her.
Yesterday, her appearance at the villa had been an accident, but in that brief moment, Bai Yun had already devised a way to exploit her sympathy, deceiving her with ease.
In the silence, the woman sensed her thoughts and smiled faintly. "You needn't be angry. It is true that I used your sympathy, but it is also true that I cherish this plum branch."
What an exquisite mind, a cold beauty who could kill without drawing blood.
Xiao Nanhui’s gaze turned cold, her hand moving to the dagger at her waist. "I am not my foster father. He might show you mercy, but I will not."
"What? Are you going to kill me?" Bai Yun’s expression remained indifferent, seemingly not at all afraid that Xiao Nanhui would seize her on the spot. "If you kill me, you will miss out on many secrets."
Xiao Nanhui’s movements indeed faltered.
She naturally had no secrets of her own to be held over her, but she thought of Xiao Zhun.
"You are his adopted daughter; you should have been of one heart and mind with him for years. Let me ask you: to what lengths are you willing to go for him?"
The woman didn't finish her sentence, but Xiao Nanhui heard a deeper meaning in her words.
Reclaiming the Green Frontier was a difficult task, but they had achieved it. What remained was the mystery of the Xiao family.
The massacre must have been a matter of great importance. Whether it was uncovering the truth or seeking revenge, neither would be easy. She had understood this since she was old enough to know better.
But to what lengths was she willing to go for Xiao Zhun?
In all these years, she had never considered that question. She simply did her best, never knowing how much she would endure when it came to a matter of life, death, or ultimate loyalty.
She thought of the question Mei Qiao had asked her that day at the Mei estate.
If one day she were asked to commit treason or kill the person she loved with her own hands, would she be willing?
The words tumbled through Xiao Nanhui’s mind, and she could not provide an answer.
The sound of the cheering crowd drifted in from the window again. The Nuo opera on the platform had reached its climax. The performers brandished bronze swords adorned with bells. With their movements, they split open a jade plate symbolizing the full moon. The pearls and jade inside scattered instantly, clattering onto the floor, prompting the crowd below to gasp and scramble for the pieces.
"Are you afraid?" Bai Yun’s voice sounded distant yet near amidst the cacophony. "What a pity. I had intended to tell you the truth."
The truth?
"What truth?"
The noise in her ears gradually turned into a ringing sound. Xiao Nanhui felt as if she were trapped in a coffin, her chest suffocatingly tight.
The seed that had long been buried in the darkness seemed to suddenly stir and sprout, struggling to break through the soil.
"Don't you want to know what really happened during that spring hunt?"
The spring of the thirty-ninth year of Suiyuan, the spring when the Xiao family suddenly met with disaster.
She didn't understand how someone could commit such atrocities while pretending as if nothing had happened.
"It was your Bai clan that rebelled, massacring the Black Feather Guards and the Subei garrison. Fearing that Prince Shuo would catch up with his troops, you struck a lethal blow..."
Her words were cut short by Bai Yun’s laughter.
There was no mirth in that laugh, only shrillness and despair.
"A fine 'Bai clan rebellion,' a fine 'lethal blow'!" She stopped laughing instantly and stared intently into Xiao Nanhui’s eyes. "Did you see it with your own eyes? Did you hear it with your own ears? Did the historian who wrote that passage in the records see it with his own eyes or hear it with his own ears?!"
Reason told Xiao Nanhui that the woman before her was mad.
But in a corner deep within her heart, she couldn't help but want to know this so-called truth and the answer.
"I don't like talking in circles. If you know something, say it now. Otherwise, I will treat this as nothing but nonsensical rambling."
"Have you thought this through? Currently, the only ones who know of this matter, besides me and my father, are the ones who committed the deed. If you know, you will have to make a choice. Will you stand with him, or will you abandon him and become his enemy?"
After a long silence, Xiao Nanhui took a deep breath. "I cannot make such a promise to you. Even if my foster father were standing here right now, he would be unable to grant your request."
Bai Yun gradually grew quiet. The mole at the corner of her eye seemed to come alive, lending her a tragic, desperate beauty.
"You truly are the one he raised. Even your temperament is exactly the same."
Was Xiao Nanhui like Xiao Zhun? It seemed she was. But she had not experienced what Xiao Zhun had. They were destined to be different.
"If the truth you speak of is not a delusion, why not explain it to my foster father instead of speaking in riddles here?"
Bai Yun lowered her eyelids halfway, her voice soft.
"If it were years ago, I would have risked my life to tell him the truth. Unfortunately, after so many years, his ties to this place have grown too deep. I cannot bear to see him suffer. But you are different." Bai Yun paused, emphasizing each word. "You never belonged here anyway, did you?"
The moment those words were spoken, Xiao Nanhui felt like a fish that had been stripped of its scales, standing there naked, her last shred of dignity torn away.
She gritted her teeth and looked at the woman. "What exactly do you want me to do?"
On the platform outside the window, the Nuo opera was nearing its peak.
The colored flags and banners in the performers' hands flew up and down. The high priest, representing the Fire God Taiyi, spat out plumes of flame. The heat and vivid colors churned the night into a blur of confusion. The drumbeats were as dense as a sudden downpour, and the sound of clashing metal was incessant, carrying a cold glint and murderous intent that shook the surroundings.
Without her noticing, Bai Yun had moved to within a few steps of her, close enough for Xiao Nanhui to clearly see the unmasked hatred on her face.
"Look closely. The one who owes the blood debt to the Xiao family, the one who caused my Bai clan to wander in exile, unable to return home even in death—he sits right there in the center of that platform, where the lights are brightest."
Following Bai Yun’s gaze, Xiao Nanhui slowly looked toward the figure on the platform.
In truth, she didn't need to look to know who the most prominent person was.
He still sat there quietly, the green and white of his robes reflecting the lanterns in halos of light, reminiscent of the continuous, sacred, and revered snow-capped mountains of the North. He was the protagonist of this grand play, yet it was as if the surrounding noise and excitement had nothing to do with him.
The performers on the platform spun rapidly, their colorful robes blooming like brilliant flowers.
"I want you to kill him. Killing him will avenge Xiao Zhun."
The sound of the drums and gongs stopped abruptly. The spinning performers froze in place, raising a still-dripping heart of a blue sheep high above their heads, prostrating themselves to offer it toward the seat of honor.
This was the core of all sacrifices—the "Sacrifice."
Blood dripped onto the pristine silk carpet, rolling into streaks of red, as if foretelling a slaughter about to take place.
The Emperor slowly rose. The embroidery on his robes rippled with arcs of light as he moved. He reached out a finger to dip into that bit of blood and drew an ancient symbol on the high priest’s forehead.
Xiao Nanhui stared unblinkingly at that figure, her fingertips unconsciously tightening.
How could it be him? How *could* it be him?
Could those hands be stained with the blood of the Xiao family?
But... the events of over a decade ago happened when he had not yet ascended the throne. How could a prince with no power or influence be connected to such a thing?
She held firm to her deduction and said with certainty, "How can the deeds of the Imperial House be blamed on a single person?"
"Why not?! When the Su clan brought calamity upon my people, did they ever stop to distinguish between us?!"
Xiao Nanhui was speechless, but she still couldn't give up just like that. "He is different from the others..."
Bai Yun’s movements suddenly stopped. She stared fixedly at Xiao Nanhui, the doubt in her sorrowful, clear eyes gradually turning into realization.
"Could it be that you..." She paused, her doubt turning into certainty. "You love him."
Those light words caused blood to rush to Xiao Nanhui’s head instantly. Her mind buzzed, and even her reflexive denial came out as a stammer. "W-what are you talking about?!"
Seeing the reaction, Bai Yun’s expression became somewhat amused. "I only said it in passing. I didn't expect it to be true."
Xiao Nanhui’s mind was in a state of chaos. She felt that her appearance at the Listening Wind Tower tonight might have been a mistake.
"Leaving the villa without permission is already a serious crime. If you don't want to implicate my foster father, come back with me and explain the situation to the Commander..."
"Xiao Nanhui." The woman suddenly called her name. "I've changed my mind."
In the next instant, Bai Yun suddenly pressed close.
Xiao Nanhui could smell an intoxicating fragrance on her, swirling around her ears with the woman's breath as she spoke.
"How about I help you with something?"
"Help with what?"
She instinctively wanted to dodge, but the woman had already pulled away.
"I'll help you see clearly whether the person in your heart is Xiao Zhun or the man sitting in the seat of honor right now."
Before the words had even finished, Xiao Nanhui saw a blur.
The woman’s movements were incredibly fast. With a pivot of her feet, she was already behind her. Her technique was exquisite and seasoned, far beyond what an ordinary person could achieve.
Xiao Nanhui was already in a state of mental turmoil. By the time she reacted and turned to look, her heart skipped a beat.
The white horn bow she had left standing in the corner behind her was now in Bai Yun’s hands. The woman’s slender, jade-like fingers brushed over the bowstring. For a moment, a look of absolute resolve appeared in her eyes. Then, her fingers spread slightly, and a dark shadow slid from her hand, settling firmly against the string.
The moment she realized what the woman intended to do, Xiao Nanhui felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.
She was going to assassinate the Emperor.
A smile returned to Bai Yun’s face. She looked like a patient who had been bedridden and tormented for years, finally finding liberation in this moment.
The sound of the bowstring tightening was drowned out by the cheers of the crowd outside. The slender, white fingertips released soundlessly, and the bowstring kicked up a puff of dust in the moonlight.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, as if time had stopped.
Xiao Nanhui’s pupils contracted violently. Her body lunged forward like the arrow on the string, throwing herself toward the figure standing by the window.
But it was one step too late. The slender, black-feathered arrow had already left the string.
The arrow turned into a dark streak, darting out of the window lattice and piercing through the cold air, flying straight toward the Emperor upon the high platform.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 傩戏 | Nuo opera | A traditional ritual dance/drama used to drive away evil spirits. |
| 龠 | Yue | An ancient flute-like instrument. |
| 大竽 | Da Yu | A large reed pipe instrument. |
| 匏笙 | Pao Sheng | A gourd-based reed pipe instrument. |
| 九旒冕 | Nine-tasseled crown | A formal imperial crown with nine strings of beads. |
| 听风楼 | Listening Wind Tower | The name of the building where Xiao Nanhui is staying. |
| 绥元 | Suiyuan | An era name (reign period). |
| 黑羽守备 | Black Feather Guards | A specific military unit. |
| 朔亲王 | Prince Shuo | A royal title. |
| 太一 | Taiyi | The Great One; a supreme deity in ancient Chinese religion. |
| 白角弓 | White horn bow | Xiao Nanhui's specific weapon. |
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