Chapter 88 Looking down, "He can bind me for a while, but he can't keep me trapped forever..."
Following the guidance of the Soul-Seeking Lamp, Bai Yuheng arrived at a tent. She concealed herself inside and happened to overhear a tense argument.
They also heard about the events in Hualien that should have been in Jiangzhou Prefecture, but were now in this heavily guarded military camp, and even heard about the love and hatred between them.
Bai Yuheng immediately understood; Shaoling must have disguised himself as Hua Lianshi to deceive Lord He and the others.
She hid in the tent, touching the violently trembling Soul-Seeking Lamp with one hand, while using her divine sense to explore her surroundings.
That's strange.
Bai Yuheng peered out from the tent door, which had been slightly opened, and observed everyone present.
Just as his divine sense was about to touch someone, it suddenly recoiled, as if it had been scalded by a raging fire.
Soul-Avoiding Bead?
How could a mortal possess a soul-repelling pearl?
Bai Yuheng sized up the people present and tried to release her divine sense again. A snake darted out of the tent, seemingly unconcerned as if it were in an empty place.
The golden snake tried to approach each person once, rushing straight through their bodies without any hindrance.
In the end, only one person remained: a thin, cold, and gloomy man sitting silently in a wheelchair.
Bai Yuheng squinted as she peered in.
The little golden snake slowly approached, but was blasted away by a force when it was only half a foot away from the person. It quickly flew back into her hand, pitifully flicking its tongue.
The Soul-Seeking Lamp flickered briefly before returning to stillness.
Bai Yuheng stared intently at the person, seemingly deep in thought.
The man seemed to notice her subtle gaze and looked straight at her, causing Bai Yuheng to dodge.
After they finished speaking, Bai Yuheng took the opportunity to hide behind the bed and looked at the woman who walked in through the layers of gauze curtains. She was tall and had a heroic appearance.
Although I haven't seen the Hualien incident, I've heard Xiao Can describe her appearance, so it's highly likely that it's her.
Remembering Xiao Can's praise and combining it with what those people had said earlier, Bai Yuheng had other thoughts in her mind.
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“Miss Bai, I’m sorry, I probably can’t help you with this.” Ling Yu frowned, looking very apologetic, but her attitude was firm. “I don’t want to see that person again, and I don’t want to provoke him. I can’t even pretend to be friendly with him. If you want me to do this before you’re willing to rescue me, then forget it. Thank you for your kindness.”
Bai Yuheng was somewhat surprised to hear this. If she disliked it so much, why didn't she want to escape this place quickly? If she couldn't leave, wouldn't she just keep running into it?
"May I ask why? Forgive my intrusion."
“He killed my family, my lover, my child…” Ling Yu said, her brows furrowed with intense hatred. “He also deceived me… With such deep hatred, how could I possibly pretend to be friendly with him again? Besides, if I were to actively seek him out, it would probably attract his attention, and I’m afraid it would be a loss for me.”
Bai Yuheng understood, and seeing that she was unwilling to say more, she wisely kept quiet and didn't ask any more questions.
"Don't you want revenge?"
Ling Yu laughed, her voice filled with both pain and resentment: "How could I not want to?"
"But he has powerful backing, how can I, an ordinary citizen, resist him? I only wish to be as far away from him as possible, and it would be best if we never saw each other again in this life."
Bai Yuheng: "Then do you know that he might be the mastermind behind the Yueqing Town case?"
Ling Yu looked up at her, somewhat shocked: "Really?"
She knew a little about what had happened in Yueqing Town. The government had dispatched thousands of soldiers and several ships to sea. News had spread that monsters had appeared in the waters around Yueqing Town, a large number of missing people had been discovered, and the missing people had been killed.
Bai Yuheng saw that her eyes were wide open and her pupils were trembling; her shocked expression did not seem fake.
"Yes, it's true. The day they kidnapped you, we followed the clues to the brothel and saw the evidence of their crimes."
"I... I was drugged and kept unconscious until the day they suddenly evacuated. In the rush, I didn't notice anything wrong..."
"All I know is that they dug many tunnels in Jiangzhou City, which were interconnected and so winding that we left the city before we even knew the way."
"In the end, I was still almost caught by you. It was Shaoling who disguised himself as me and that's how I managed to escape."
Bai Yuheng thought that since she knew these people, she must know something, but she found out that they knew nothing about her.
Do you know the Painted Skin Immortal?
Ling Yu was stunned for a moment: "I don't know about the Painted Skin Immortal, but I know about Painted Skin..."
Bai Yuheng exclaimed in surprise, "Tell me about it!"
"It's just a supernatural tale written by a scholar..."
Ling Yu recounted in detail the strange tales she knew, about a wicked ghost who wore a painted human skin to lure people with his beauty, but was actually a vengeful spirit who would disembowel and rip out hearts and lungs. ①
“This story is quite novel and interesting,” Bai Yuheng said. “You told him this story?”
Ling Yu bit her lip tightly, her body trembling slightly: "No... I only told my husband..."
Bai Yuheng was taken aback.
Ling Yu immediately grabbed her arm, her eyes bloodshot and filled with tears, trembling as she said, "Miss, my... my lover isn't dead! He must have been captured by them! Please save him! I'll help you! I'll help you get that thing!"
"Calm down." Bai Yuheng pressed an acupoint on her body. The guards kept glancing over, and Bai Yuheng was afraid that they would notice her unusual behavior.
"Miss Bai, I beg you, please help me! My husband is definitely in their hands!"
"Are you really sure he's not dead?" Didn't you just say he was killed by that person? How did it become that he's in his hands?
Ling Yu lowered her head dejectedly, her eyes dim: "But if he weren't still alive, if he weren't still in Wei Que's hands, then how would he know about my intimate whispers with my husband?"
“He must still be alive! Wei Que must know! I'll help you!” She stared at her intently. “What are you looking for? I'll get it for you. Promise me you'll help me find my husband…”
Bai Yuheng frowned, feeling a little dizzy from her rambling, and had no choice but to agree: "Okay, I'll help you find it."
"Th-thank you!" Ling Yu wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said solemnly, "I'll help you carry it. Just tell me where it is."
Bai Yuheng hesitated for a long time before saying, "Let's not move for now. If that thing leaves his body, he will die immediately. We still don't know the purpose of what they did in Yueqing Town... and we have no clue about your husband's whereabouts either. Let's put it aside for now and continue as usual."
"good."
Ling Yu could only rely on her, and nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Bai Yuheng thought to herself, "That Soul-Avoiding Pearl can drive away chaotic and impure souls that want to possess the body. It can also extract and stabilize the soul... It seems that person has lost their soul. No wonder her little golden snake can't get close. The two wandering souls, temporarily residing in the body and unstable, will resist and harm each other under the effect of the Soul-Avoiding Pearl."
This is the Soul-Avoiding Bead protecting the body and soul that are bound to the soul.
Who exactly has the fragments of the square mirror?
Bai Yuheng slipped out of the tent.
-
Is your master here?
The young master stared wide-eyed at the woman before him, momentarily stunned and wondering if he was seeing things or imagining things. Why would this person take the initiative to come to find the young master?
He grumbled inwardly, his eyes lingering on her, fearing she might be hiding a weapon and might strike his young master again in a fit of rage. He suppressed his surprise and asked, "What is it? If it's nothing important, you can just tell me."
Ling Yu scoffed, understanding his meaning, and said coldly, "Naturally, it's something I can't tell you."
"..."
Seeing that he didn't speak, and his sharp eyes hidden behind the mask scrutinized her, Ling Yu frowned: "Forget it, it's not a big deal. Just tell him that I'll be waiting for him at the back mountain. Tell him everything, and he'll give up. Then you won't have to worry about me always stabbing him in the back."
The young maid glanced at the four maids following behind her. Seeing nothing amiss, she nodded and said, "Alright, I will convey this to the young master when he returns." After saying that, she couldn't help but question and warn her, "You'd better want to cut ties cleanly and not have any other ideas."
Ling Yu sneered, ignored him, and turned to leave.
The young master held his breath, this woman was still so stubborn. If it weren't for the fact that the young master couldn't let go of her, he would have gotten rid of her long ago, so as to save her from constantly disturbing the young master's mind.
He paused for a moment watching her departing figure before leaving the tent and heading to the main tent.
"Young Master is here?" Hua Li greeted him warmly with seductive eyes, only to be pinched on the waist by the man next to her, who gave her a warning look.
The young envoy responded with a haughty "hmm." He couldn't stand this woman's behavior. Not only was she born with such a captivating appearance, but she also used despicable means to make the governor confused and unable to distinguish between superiors and inferiors, just like Ling Yu. Just thinking about it made him grit his teeth in disgust.
"What's wrong?" Wei Que rested his hands on the sides of the wooden wheelchair and looked up at him. "Is something the matter?"
The young envoy suppressed his pent-up dissatisfaction and said, "Hmm."
Wei Que rarely saw him in such a hesitant state, only when he was involved with Ling Yu. His heart sank as if a stone had been thrown into a lake, and a wave of shock surged within him. His eyes and lips twitched as he said, "I'm going back now. I consider today's game lost."
Han Ye could tell what was going on just by looking at his spineless appearance. Although he was disgusted, he was also relieved that his friend had finally softened his stance. His friend had indeed had a tough time these past few years, and it would be good for him to talk things out soon so that he could have a wife, children, and a warm bed sooner.
After the person left, he chuckled and said, "It seems that having you talk to her did have some effect. See, you've come to terms with it now."
Hua Li smiled as she responded, but inwardly she thought: How could she possibly persuade that person? If he could be so easily swayed by her words, why would Young Master Wei have waited for so many years?
Thinking back to that night, and facing Ling Yu, whose situation was similar to hers yet different, she didn't know how to offer advice.
Behind him was the maid staring intently, and before him stretched a magnificent mountain range.
"Your name is Hua Li, right?"
She didn't expect her to speak up first: "I know you were sent by that person. You don't need to say anything more. I won't listen. Don't waste your breath."
Hua Li was stunned for a moment, then looked at the beautiful mountain: "Sister Ling, although I was asked to persuade you to accept your fate, I can't say those words to you."
Ling Yu looked at her with a hint of surprise in her eyes. Her beautiful profile was filled with unspeakable sorrow: "My situation is similar to yours, but also different. I willingly climbed into his bed and became his canary, without having the slightest courage to resist."
"Everyone's circumstances are different, and I cannot judge your choice."
“Thank you,” Hua Li smiled at her, her shallow dimples alluring. “Everyone says I’m scheming and will do anything to climb the ladder, but they don’t see how much I suffer. I need his patronage to gain the protection of the powerful and the people I want to protect.”
"So I think you're very brave to be able to make it on your own. You single-handedly started Hua Family Workshop and made it big and strong..."
Ling Yu lowered her guard a little, smiled and shook her head: "Fortunately, all the suffering is over."
“But you now…” Hua Li looked at her, and the latter shook her head.
"He can bind me for a while, but he can't trap me forever."
Silence fell between them. Now she was imprisoned, in a worse situation than before. Even a fly could hardly enter or leave this military camp, let alone a living person like her.
Hua Li also thought of this and remained silent for a long time.
Seeing that it was almost time, the maid behind her stepped forward to remind her, "Miss, it's time to go back."
Hua Li called out to her, "Miss Ling, there's always a way forward. If you encounter a cliff, why not look down and see what's ahead?"
Ling Yu turned around and looked at her with a puzzled expression, and the latter smiled at her.
"...Thank you."
The person in front of him was clearly lost in thought. He pinched Hua Li's chin and squinted to probe: "What are you thinking about?"
Hua Li nestled snuggled in his arms, using a method he appreciated to distract him.
Han Ye snorted coldly, pinched her cheeks, her cherry-pink lips pouting. His eyes were smiling, but his tone was cold and hard as he said fiercely, "You're not allowed to imitate that person, or else..."
"Otherwise what?"
"You still dare to think about it?"
Seeing her curious expression, Han Ye became enraged and kissed her fiercely, expressing his anger through his actions.
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Author's Note:
①The strange tales are based on the story of Painted Skin in Pu Songling's "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" from the Qing Dynasty. This passage is adapted from Baidu Encyclopedia.
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