Chapter 14: The Moon Falls into the Clouds
When Yun Yuan slowly opened her eyes, dusk had already fallen. A crescent moon, like a silver hook, was quietly disappearing into the veil-like clouds. She found herself lying on her back in a patch of soft grass, surrounded by the bitter aroma of medicine.
In the dim moonlight, she recognized that the weeds beneath her were not ordinary grasses - dragon's breath grass with star-shaped leaves, moon vine with a faint blue hue, and phoenix fern that had only been seen in ancient books... These rare herbs actually grew in patches here, and it was obvious that someone was cultivating them carefully.
Just as she was in doubt, a burst of sobbing came with the wind. The sound was intermittent, like a wounded animal or a lost soul, and it was particularly creepy in the silent valley.
Yun Yuan held her breath and looked in the direction of the sound. Under the moonlight, an old man in plain clothes knelt in the center of the clearing, his fingers stained with mud as he dug something with his bare hands. His movements were frantic yet ritualistic, and after every few strokes he would beat his chest and cry, his hoarse sobs echoing through the valley.
Just as Yun Yuan was hesitating whether to show up, the old man suddenly looked up, and his turbid tearful eyes pierced straight into her hiding place.
"Who is spying?!"
Yun Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and she had no choice but to rise from the bushes. The moonlight, like water, finally illuminated the old man's face clearly—his wrinkled face was stained with tears, his tangled white hair was still stained with grass debris, and his coarse linen clothes were covered in mud.
"I, the junior, have lost my way and disturbed your meditation. Please don't blame me."
The old man, seeing her emerge, ignored her again, continuing to dig at the dirt with his calloused hands. A black cat lay stiffly by the pit, its fur stained with wet blood.
When the pit was ready, he trembled and gently placed the cat's body in, his movements as gentle as if he were placing a baby. Suddenly, he burst into a heart-wrenching howl, and turbid tears mixed with snot dripped onto the new soil.
"How cute..." He cried while stroking the cat's corpse which was gradually covered by the mud, "It's so cute..."
"My condolences, old man. You are so kind-hearted. I'm sure you took care of it when it was alive, so its life was worthwhile."
"It wasn't cute when it was alive, and it couldn't be killed no matter how hard it was tortured."
Yun Yuan was stunned.
"Now that he's dead, how adorable! It's true that he's still adorable when he's dead!"
Yun Yuan subconsciously took a half step back, the moonlight piercing the clouds at that moment. Her pupils suddenly constricted—behind the old man lay several human-shaped shadows, some already rotting to the point of bone, while others appeared to be fresh corpses.
Yun Yuan's heart suddenly tightened, and a chill ran down her spine. The old man spoke softly, his voice too hoarse to be alive: "Girl, did you break in on your own... or were you sent here?"
"What's the difference?" She forced herself to remain calm.
The old man slowly raised his head. His wrinkled face looked eerie in the moonlight—his eyes were dark, like two bottomless whirlpools that swallowed up all light. Suddenly, his mouth twisted into an exaggerated grin, revealing unusually neat white teeth that shone coldly in the moonlight.
"No difference." He said softly.
Before she finished her words, a sudden sound of breaking air erupted! A silver light, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, instantly pierced Yun Yuan's chest. She felt her legs go limp, and she fell heavily to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
The old man slowly squatted down, and just as his dry branch-like fingers were about to touch Yun Yuan's pulse, a gust of wind suddenly blew. He paused, raised his eyebrows slightly, and slowly stood up.
"Interesting..." He turned his back to the moonlight, his face hidden in the shadows, and only his voice could be heard faintly, "A mere servant actually allowed the Third Young Master to enter the forbidden area."
Feng Yanyuan had already stood several feet away, his sleeves fluttering with the momentum of his swift steps. He bowed and said, "This maidservant is new to the Feng family and is unfamiliar with the rules of the forbidden area. I'm sorry to bother you, uncle."
The old man laughed strangely, "The Third Young Master's girl is extremely restless."
Feng Yanyuan didn't respond, but took another step forward: "She is not a criminal slave. Please allow me to take her back, uncle."
"It's too late..." The old man shook his head and sighed, waving his sleeves and pointing to the shadows around him. "Anyone who enters Wangyue Valley always ends up as a drug tester. Look, these are all useless." He suddenly leaned in, staring at Feng Yanyuan with cloudy eyes. "I don't have the antidote either, so if you take me out, I'll just be a corpse. Why not... stay here and nourish my herb garden?"
Feng Yanyuan remained silent, taking another step forward. The moonlight finally illuminated his stern profile, and a cold glint flickered in his eyes.
The old man's face was turned away from the moonlight, hidden in the shadows of the night, his expression unclear. A moment later, he burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the valley. "That's all! What the Third Young Master wants, there's nothing he can't take away?" He stepped aside, his sleeves billowing like the wings of a night owl.
Yun Yuan's consciousness faded like a candle in the wind. In a trance, she felt her body lighten as she fell into an embrace with the delicate fragrance of pine and ink. Her last sight was Feng Yanyuan's tense jawline and the old man's back in the distance, fading into the darkness.
Just as the boundless darkness completely engulfed her, a blazing flame suddenly erupted in the distance. Tongues of flame licked the night sky, burning the thick clouds a blood-red. In the blazing light, she could clearly see the towering pavilion in the distance—its vermilion beams twisted and collapsed in the flames, its gilded plaques crashed down, and finally, it was completely engulfed by the surging waves of fire.
In this purgatory-like scene, the hand that had been tightly holding her suddenly loosened. She looked around in panic, but the overwhelming flames disappeared in an instant, and the surroundings returned to darkness, so thick that it seemed to be touchable. She wanted to scream, but her throat seemed to be strangled by an invisible hand. She could only open her mouth in vain until the suffocating fear completely overwhelmed her.
"ah!"
Yun Yuan's eyes snapped open, her chest heaving violently. Before she could recover from the nightmare, she felt someone beside her. She turned hastily, only to be met with Feng Yanyuan's face, so close—he was sitting beside the bed, half hidden in the candlelight. His usually indifferent eyes now stared at her with an unpredictable emotion.
Yun Yuan was startled to realize she was lying on Feng Yanyuan's couch, the faint scent of agarwood still lingering beneath the brocade quilt. She hurriedly shrunk back until her back rested against the carved bed rails, the shiver from the nightmare still lingering in her fingertips, causing them to tremble unconsciously.
Feng Yanyuan suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, pressing his fingertips precisely on her pulse.
"Yes... sir, it was you who saved me?" Her voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible.
Feng Yanyuan let go of his hand, and when he stood up, his sleeves carried a cold fragrance: "I don't have this ability, I just picked you up."
He did try to save her.
His knuckles turned white as he pressed against her back, his inner energy surging like a tide, yet it seemed to hit an invisible barrier, unable to flow into her meridians. Her body temperature gradually drained away under his palm, her fingertips turning purple, and her lips faded to a pale white.
The feeling of helplessness washed over him like a tide. Just as he was about to give up, the cold body under his palm suddenly began to heat up.
The heat had come with a strange urge. But in an instant, her entire body flushed red, as if she'd been plunged into boiling water. Sweat dripped down her face, soaking the quilt. He futilely wiped her with a wet towel, watching her convulse in agony before gradually calming down and finally murmuring like a normal dream. All symptoms had vanished, save for the slightly erratic breathing. She looked as if she'd just experienced a nightmare.
Feng Yanyuan stared at her cheeks that had regained their color, frowning slightly - was it the strange poison from Wangyue Valley, or was she... hiding some secret?
"I thought... that the young master didn't want Yuan'er anymore." Yun Yuan lowered her head and whispered, her long eyelashes casting a shadow under her eyes, and her voice was so soft as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Feng Yanyuan hadn't expected her to act this way. He was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. His laughter was filled with a hint of helplessness and self-mockery: "Pharmacists are truly extraordinary. Even strange poisons can't do anything to you."
"Didn't you, sir, detoxify me?" She looked up suddenly, her eyes full of surprise.
"I don't have that ability."
"That could be the young master. It was Haofengwei who threw this servant into the valley."
Feng Yanyuan said coldly, "Young Master wants to kill you and save you at the same time?"
Yun Yuan raised her eyes, a hint of certainty flashing in her eyes: "Because I am still useful to the young master. When they rescued Qiutang that day, they took me to see the young master and asked me to monitor his every move." She told him everything in one breath, fearing that he would not want to listen to the end.
The room suddenly became quiet, with only the ticking of the clock to be heard.
Feng Yanyuan suddenly chuckled: "You are quite honest."
Yun Yuan's fingertips twisted the corner of the quilt tightly, and her voice became a little softer: "In order to make this servant obedient... the young master even forced this servant to take poison..."
"Poison?" Feng Yanyuan's eyes suddenly turned cold.
"It's said to be... half a month." She said with a wry smile.
His heart suddenly shook.
He knew this half-month poison all too well—when it took effect, it felt like ants gnawing at one's bones, flames burning one's heart; within a day, flesh and blood withered, the body emaciated; and at the end of life, it was as if Yama had taken one's soul, one's hair and beard turning white, one's appearance resembling an octogenarian. Hence the name "Impermanence," and hence his brother's nickname, "Black Judge."
He originally thought that the young master wanted to monitor him just to threaten the families of those maids... As long as none of them had a chance, that person would eventually give up and let them become ordinary slaves.
I didn't expect that he would be so cruel as to use such a secret poison.
Over the years, those maids who were neglected by him either jumped into wells or hanged themselves... Could it be that they were in so much pain when the poison took effect?
Thinking of those wronged souls, his fingertips felt cold.
Yun Yuan couldn't understand his expression. After a moment's pause, she continued, "But the young master has been so distant from me these days that I can't get close to him... So I'm guessing..." The shadows of the bamboo outside the window suddenly swayed violently, casting a mixture of light and dark on her face. "Perhaps this is the young master's self-torture tactic. If the young master rescues me, he'll naturally trust me more." She carefully observed Feng Yanyuan's expression and continued, "Since he wants me to be his spy... why would the young master really let me die? That old man's poison... must have been just a scare tactic."
Feng Yanyuan's eyes darkened. He understood his brother's plan all too well: leaving his second brother to report the news was a clear guess that he would rescue the people from the valley—a violation of the ironclad rule set by the head of the family. This was a trap set for him. If he hadn't arrived in time...
His heart tightened. His second brother had only appeared to report the news after he had brought the person back to Yuanfeng Courtyard. Perhaps... it was because he had been one step ahead that he had been able to save Yun Yuan's life. After all, his uncle had a habit of torturing the medicine man: he would always leave some room for the poison when first testing it. If he had really waited for his second brother to report the news before going...
"Young Master?" Yun Yuan called softly. Seeing his expression soften, she continued, "Young Master is betting on your kindness. If you leave me in danger..." She trailed off, "If I die, I die. You will just treat me as a criminal executed. You won't learn of the mystery, and you won't... hurt our brotherly bond."
"Brotherhood?" Feng Yanyuan's lips curled up in a mocking arc. "He really underestimated you. After just a few encounters, you can understand the young master's thoughts so thoroughly?"
Yun Yuan whispered, "I am of humble origin, not a delicate flower kept in seclusion." She raised her eyes, a glint of sophistication unbecoming of her age in them. "Brothels are full of such drama. Besides, the young master said 'it hurts our brotherly bond'... He said it to me personally."
"Since you've hooked up with the young master again and are working for him, you're bound to get benefits. So why are you telling me all this? Aren't you afraid that I'll... punish you right now?"
Yun Yuan's eyes reddened as she listened. "I was terrified and trembling, only wanting to save my life. How could I even dare to think of clinging to someone else? Qiutang isn't a slave of Yuanfeng Courtyard, so how could I ask the Yuanfeng Guards for help and cause them to break the rules? The Haofeng Guards took their anger out on Qiutang because they failed to frame me last time. How could I just sit back and watch?"
Feng Yanyuan was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice: "The antidote is only in the hands of the young master. I can't save you."
Yun Yuan was slightly stunned, then lowered her head again, "Then please at least believe me, sir, I have no intention of deceiving or betraying you."
The room fell into a long silence. Feng Yanyuan's expression was indistinct until the candlelight crackled, then he suddenly spoke, "Do you...know martial arts?"
Yun Yuan was startled. Although she didn't understand what was going on, she answered honestly, "The dancers at Qiluan Pavilion all build their foundation with Qinggong. I... did learn some basic leg and foot skills. But they were all just fancy tricks..."
Seeing her frank answer, he added, "It takes at least half an hour to walk from Haofeng Courtyard to Yuanfeng Courtyard, but Yuan'er can fly and arrive in just a quarter of an hour. This is no mere show."
Yun Yuan's heart skipped a beat. Although she was extremely anxious that day, she had clearly avoided all eyes... How did he know so much?
"I was so frightened..." Her voice tightened, her fingertips digging into her palms. "I ran for my life..."
Feng Yanyuan remained silent. Over the years, the young master's methods of sending him maids had become increasingly unpredictable, and he didn't know what to think at the time. And Yun Yuan's unexpected agility as she rushed back to Yuanfeng Courtyard was like a thorn in his heart.
It was not until last night when Ruyue came to report in a panic that Yun Yuan was missing again, and she said unintentionally in her mumbling, "If it were Master Xuan, he would definitely not bury her unique skill of lightness training and send her to sweep the yard..." that he suddenly remembered - the world-famous skill of the dancer in Qiluan Pavilion was lightness training.
The rustling shadows of bamboo outside the window made his features flicker. Seeing him remain silent for a long time, Yun Yuan muttered softly, "I didn't expect that you, with all your erudition, wouldn't be unaware of the well-known Qiluan Pavilion's unique skills..."
Feng Yanyuan heard the hint of sarcasm hidden in her words and snorted coldly: "Mr. Xuan really understands everything. If you go to Xuanfengyuan, it will be less of a worry."
Yun Yuan immediately lowered her head and fell silent. Her long eyelashes cast a shadow in the candlelight, hiding the emotions in her eyes.
"You..." Feng Yanyuan suddenly spoke, but then paused, his eyes wandering to the gradually brightening sky outside the window, "Have you changed your mind?"
Yun Yuan looked up blankly and met the cold and hard outline of his profile.
"...Do you want to go to Xuanfengyuan?" His voice was very soft.
She shook her head without hesitation: "I don't want to." Her fingers unconsciously clenched the corner of her clothes, "Besides, now... only by being with you, sir, can I..." She pursed her lips and finally did not say the second half of the sentence.
Feng Yanyuan's brows, which had just relaxed, suddenly furrowed tightly, and the candlelight cast flickering shadows in his eyes.
Outside Mulan Pavilion, an early oriole just broke the morning silence with its song.
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