Chapter 37. Chapter 37. Regret.
Is it okay? Of course not!
Perhaps he suffered from a profound lack of confidence in his own body, and at night he wanted to keep her close by, just in case. She understood his concerns, but she would not tolerate it, especially since this despicable man had ruined her carefully laid traps, making his crime even more egregious!
So she didn't even respond to him, turning and walking into the inner chamber. Her back view was resolute, clearly showing that her anger hadn't subsided and that she wouldn't compromise.
Thankfully, no one from the other dorms followed me in. After washing up, I blew out the candles and went to sleep.
Such sensibility, could there be a trap? Shi Mi pricked up his ears and listened carefully. After listening for a long time, he saw no movement from him. He couldn't take it anymore. Even if it meant his head was about to be cut off, he had to go to sleep.
They kept to themselves that night, and when he got up the next morning, he found that the man had already packed his things and was preparing to go to the council hall.
Shimi stood in front of the shattered silver curtain and looked at him. He turned around and said in a low voice, "I'm busy today. I have to deal with the censor who came, and I also need to go to the spirit path to check on the progress. I may be back later."
Seeing that she still didn't speak, he smiled and said, "Don't set any traps tonight. It would be too much trouble to solve them, and I'm afraid I don't have the energy for it."
Shimi pointed in the direction of his residence, "You can go back to sleep."
A hint of amusement appeared on his face. "It's the first day of the month today, my wife forgot?"
What else is there to say? The Grand Tutor's plans are indeed flawless. Now, even mechanical arts can't stop him. Thinking of this fact, she felt that the road ahead was shrouded in darkness.
To make matters worse, just before he left, he told her, "Today is my birthday. I have ordered the eunuch to prepare wine and food in advance. If I return early, my wife, please have a drink with me."
Of course, she didn't need to agree to this suggestion. After giving his instructions, he lifted his robe and left.
Shi Mi watched him go with a heavy heart, seeing him walk confidently down the porch, his crimson official robes covered by a dark black gauze, and the golden crown binding his hair gleaming in the sunlight. If he weren't so cunning, he could be considered a gentleman of refined elegance.
It's a pity; being hard to fool makes one seem quite unappealing. Shi Mi rolled her eyes, stepped out of the doorway, and squatted down to examine the mechanism. The scattered tenons and mortises had already been cleared away, leaving only two empty bases. She then got up to check the porch, and found it even worse—not even the bases remained; they had been completely uprooted.
Slumped against the pillar under the eaves, utterly dejected and powerless. A quick glance around revealed three figures standing nearby. Ran Dian said, "I really miss the days when Xiao Wu was still Xiao Wu, always grinning like an idiot. Last night we were peeking upstairs at the Grand Tutor solving the puzzle. Just how clever he is, solving it so effortlessly. We were so scared we didn't dare move."
Ali Dao muttered, "Different people have different fates. If I had that kind of brain, I would have become the emperor myself long ago. Why would I be the Grand Tutor?"
Upon hearing this, the three turned around and praised, "Ali Dao, as expected, it's still you!"
This is the most basic wish. Although the Yan people may not understand the greater national and familial righteousness, their intuitive reaction certainly reveals the true nature of humanity.
Shimi didn't have time to continue reminiscing with them. She turned around, went inside to change her clothes, and then had Ali Dao grab a riding whip and send her off to Qichali, where she was to meet the Lady of the Heavy Cavalry.
At that time, Madam Yang had already sent people to wait at the entrance of the teahouse. Upon seeing her appear, they immediately stepped forward to lead her, saying, "My lady has been waiting for a long time. Please come down with me, Madam."
Ascending the winding staircase, we entered the private room on the second floor. Upon entering, we saw Madam Yang weeping. Sensing our presence, she quickly turned away to hide her tears, then put on a smiling face and stood up to greet us. "I was abrupt again, sending you an invitation without permission. Please forgive me."
Shi Mi took her hand and sat her down, saying gently, "What's there to blame me for? I've been idle at home all day, and I'm more than happy that you thought of meeting me." He then carefully examined her face, noticing not only her bloodshot, tear-filled eyes but also a faint blue mark on her left cheek, and pressed, "What happened to your face? Did General Yang beat you?"
Madam Yang had originally intended to cover it up, but seeing her question, she could no longer hold back her sobs and began to recount, "I had another argument with that vile woman, and she falsely accused me of hitting her. I never expected that the beast surnamed Yang would lay a hand on me without even asking what happened. Madam, don't laugh at my haste, but I've come to ask you, have you mentioned the matter I asked you to do that day to the Grand Tutor?"
Shimi nodded repeatedly, "Of course I told him. Knowing there was discord within your household, I spoke with my husband that very night, asking him to have a good talk with General Yang and persuade him to turn back as soon as possible. Since returning from Shangdu, I've been overwhelmed with official duties at the Jiuzhang Prefecture. General Yang has been assisting with the trial these past few days, so my husband took the opportunity to have a heart-to-heart talk with him... Oh dear, could it be that we meant well but made things worse? General Yang resents you for disturbing the Grand Tutor, and his resentment has only intensified, which is why he took action!"
Upon hearing this, Madam Yang was heartbroken. "That brat is beyond redemption. He's no longer the person I knew when I was young... I might as well get him drunk one day, and then we'll die together, one stab for him and one stab for me."
So the time was almost right, and everyone wanted to die, so what was there that couldn't be discussed?
"Why do you want to die? You haven't done anything wrong," Shimi said. "My mother taught me from a young age not to punish myself for other people's mistakes. If someone makes you unhappy, you should make them unhappy in return. Since you're willing to risk your life, you should be willing to let go of this relationship."
Madam Yang smiled bitterly, "What affection is there left? I have given birth to two children, both of whom died when they were very young, so I have no sons to this day. That wretch is taking advantage of having a son and is determined to bring me down. My days in this general's mansion are getting harder and harder. I met with you today, Madam, but I'm afraid I will never see you again."
Upon hearing this, Shi Mi sighed, "Has it really come to the point of life and death... If that's the case, as long as you're ruthless enough, there's still a chance to turn things around."
Madam Yang was wiping away her tears when she heard this, and her tears flowed even more freely. She said in despair, "Even the Grand Tutor has intervened, but it's no use... no use at all! What else can we do!"
Shi Mi pretended to consider for a moment before lowering her voice and saying to her, "Do you remember the strange things that happened at the Umbrella Festival? You know there are puppeteers in this city, right? I've heard that puppeteers can carve people's hearts and minds, bringing back those who have wronged you, and making them obedient to you. I've sent people to investigate, and the information is very reliable. Now it's up to you whether you want to risk your life."
Madam Yang was clearly unsure about such supernatural matters. "Isn't the puppeteer a puppeteer...? And it's always just a rumor. The Six Guards have been searching for so long, but they haven't found any trace of him."
Shimi didn't have much patience to discuss it with her. "Just tell me if you want to give it a try. If you do, I'll do my best to find a way for you. If you don't, then you can continue living your life as before. Consider today's conversation as a tea party between sisters, and then we'll go our separate ways."
Madam Yang was silent for a moment, then made a decision immediately. "Madam has done everything she can for me, but I'm just a coward. That would be too unfair to your efforts. Going back to my old life... how can I live like this! If they conspire to poison me, and that Yang family keeps my death a secret and buries me directly, my family can't dig up my grave. Who can I complain to then? Rather than waiting to die, I'd better strike first. I just don't know how to befriend Yan Shi."
“I have an acquaintance who I met at the Ghost Market,” Shimi said. “We shouldn’t be trying to associate with such a recluse, but for my sister’s sake, we can’t worry about that now.”
Madam Yang was immediately moved to tears, grasping her hand tightly and saying, "I will follow Madam's arrangements in everything. Please tell the intermediary that you only need to name a few words to ask for money. I will reward you handsomely, even if I have to sell everything I own." After saying this, she remembered to ask, "But... how will the puppeteer handle this? Will he make a puppet to replace me?"
"I don't know the secret either..." Shimi teased her, "If we really made a puppet to replace him, I'm afraid you wouldn't be willing to do it."
Madam Yang chuckled, “What’s there to be reluctant about? Haven’t you been beaten enough? If you really can make a puppet to replace him, could you ask the puppeteer to make a better-looking one? I’m tired of that ugly face. If you replace it with a handsome one, even a fake one would be pleasing to the eye.”
It's clear that when a woman hardens her heart, she's no less capable than a man. Once her heart is broken, when she has no heart left, what's the point of being soft?
Shi Mi laughed, "With a different face, Sister, your time as the general's wife is over. If you want to maintain your wealth and status, then hold his life in your hands and make him need your help. When the concubine dares to cause trouble and harm you, he will be the first to object. You won't even need to say a word; he will kill her on his own."
These words warmed Madam Yang's heart. "I've been so humiliated for so long, it's time for me to finally stand up for myself. Please enlighten me on how to handle him."
Shi Mi naturally wouldn't reveal that Yan Shi was going to switch bodies with the Heavy Cavalry General. As long as he cooperated well with Madam Yang, even he himself wouldn't be able to tell whether he was the real person or the imposter. He felt different from before, probably only that his limbs would feel weak for a while, there was a red line on his chest, and he got drunk more easily.
After all, if they knew that he could change his shell, wouldn't the reason for Lu Min's sudden recovery become as obvious as a louse on a bald man's head? Now is not the time for the truth to come out.
So he told another lie to cover it up: "Trip him up, make him dependent on your medicine to stay alive, that's more effective than holding a knife to his throat."
"So it was poison." Madam Yang suddenly realized, and even felt it was a pity. "What a waste of the puppeteer's unique skill. Why didn't they use puppetry?"
Shi Mi chuckled, "I don't know the specifics of how to do it either, but Yan Shi has his own unique methods. Don't worry about that. The most important thing is to snatch General Yang back and completely subdue the concubine."
Madam Yang repeatedly agreed, without bothering to investigate further. Her only goal was to keep her husband in line and maintain her position as the principal wife. So she solemnly said to Shimi, "It's settled then. I'll leave everything to you, Madam. Just tell me what you need me to do, and I'll await your news."
Shimi nodded. "I will give my sister an answer as soon as possible. Let's make do for the next two days and not provoke him or make him take action."
Speaking of physical punishment, Madam Yang looked ashamed and said, "Everyone else has official titles and is a respectable lady, but I am the only one who gets beaten by my husband."
Heaven knows how much torment it must have been for a free-spirited woman like Shi Mi to advise a woman suffering in her marriage. Not only that, she had to find a way to speak eloquently and painstakingly comfort her: "There's nothing you can do about meeting someone like that. If you don't help yourself, who else will care for you? I only sympathize with your plight, otherwise I wouldn't have risked getting involved in this matter. The court is still investigating Yan Shi's whereabouts, and yesterday Bai Yujing sent an imperial censor to Zhongdu to assist. If this gets out, do you know what will happen to you and me?"
Madam Yang nodded blankly, "I understand. Even if not for myself, I have to think about my family in Shangdu. Please rest assured, Madam, I will keep this secret to the death."
Shi Mi, of course, believed her. Having been neglected by her husband for so long, the return of his long-lost obedience was like a child getting candy—she couldn't bear to ruin this delightful feeling. However, she also had a backup plan. If things came to Lu Min's attention, she could simply cut ties. As long as the heart nourished the body long enough, the body would develop a memory, and manipulating subordinates with the physical form would be sufficient; the heart could then be discarded.
Is it cruel? It really is cruel. Of course, she didn't want to come to this point, which is why she tried her best to hide it.
She took out a small bottle and placed it in Madam Yang's hand, saying softly, "Keep this safe. After I send someone to deliver the message to you, find the right moment to drip a drop into the general's food. This medicine is potent; one drop can make someone faint. Then, you just need to find a way to secretly smuggle him out of the mansion and to the agreed-upon place. Leave the rest to someone capable."
Madam Yang agreed, gripping the medicine tightly in her hand. Her previous gloom vanished, and her face lit up with excitement. "I never thought I would actually survive."
Seeing her like this, Shi Mi frowned and chuckled dryly, "Getting married is really utterly boring."
Anyway, Madam Yang couldn't wait to start imagining her happiness. She had already thought about how to deal with the hateful concubine and how to give that hateful illegitimate son a good beating. Shi Mi sat with her for a while longer before leaving the teahouse. Before leaving, he drank a whole pot of tea, and even as he went downstairs, he felt his stomach rumbling with water.
Before returning to Jiuzhang Prefecture, she took Alidao to the East Market, where they browsed a few shops so he could familiarize himself with the route. She also bought Alidao a few feet of satin to take back so he could practice his needlework.
Ali Dao proudly told her, "My first purse is almost finished. Once I've filled it with tassels, I'll give it to you to see."
In Shi Mi's mind, he conjured up an image of Ali Dao staring intently and sticking out his tongue, working diligently under the lamp. Although it was eerie, it was genuine and focused, and Lu Min would definitely like it.
Then, as soon as they got home, Ali Dao presented the finished product to her, pointing to the embroidery on it, "Look, a pair of tigers, majestic and dashing."
After pondering for a while, Shimi asked, "What's that under the tiger's paws? It's a dark, murky mass. Is it chicken droppings?"
Ali Dao said no, “A tiger is coming down the mountain. This is a mountain, one on the left and one on the right, there are two of them.”
This mountain... it certainly took a lot of thought. But it doesn't matter, the important thing is to understand it intuitively. Today is Lu Min's birthday, I'll use this as a birthday gift.
She dismissed the puppeteers as usual and hid in the dark room again. Her happiest times were when she was fully focused on her work, but lately she had been too busy with miscellaneous tasks to even have time for anything productive. No one had told her that the Grand Tutor who once stood on the city wall, so full of authority, was actually so difficult to deal with. Fortunately, the daytime allowed her a moment of respite. She lit a candle and stirred the glue and fine sand, marveling at how wonderful the white sand of the Western Sea was. If stirred thoroughly enough and all the air bubbles were removed, the resulting color could be indistinguishable from real skin.
Just be careful not to let the glue roughen your hands. Lately, I've had too many opportunities to use my hands on living people, whether it's getting close to the generals' wives or the occasional checks on Lu Min... If my hands get rough, it will be noticed. Although I can try to cover it up, it's better to avoid trouble.
She reshaped the human form, sweating profusely, completely absorbed in the process. At this moment, she felt that the fact that the capital had sent an imperial censor wasn't so bad; at least it kept Lu Min busy dealing with the situation, leaving him no time to cause her trouble.
So quiet was a rare treat; she hadn't had a whole day alone in a long time. She enjoyed this tranquility, but the moments she enjoyed were always fleeting. When she went out to check, it was already dark. She quickly tidied herself up, changed her clothes, and went downstairs.
Fortunately, Lu Min was held up and did not return until 7 PM. Shi Mi waited and complained, so she asked the cook to prepare a portion for her and ate her fill first.
Feeling sleepy after a full meal, she swayed and found a recliner to slump down in. The window was open, and she could see the night outside by turning her head.
There was no moon on the first day of the lunar month, but the hollyhocks and pomegranate flowers outside the window were in full bloom. The sky-blue lanterns reflected shimmering light, and the flowers, set against the water's surface, looked exceptionally lustrous and lovely.
After admiring the flowers for a while, her eyelids couldn't hold on any longer and drooped heavily. A woman without emotional burdens also had no habit of waiting for her lover to return home. She pulled a thin quilt over herself and decided to simply spend the night there.
When Lu Min returned, she was fast asleep. He strolled to the recliner and, by the light of the lamp on the table, looked down at her. The woman was young and beautiful, a feast for the eyes. He noticed her slender, fair neck, and even the curves of her neck supported by the high pillow exuded a soft and clear beauty.
However, she always made some careless mistakes. For example, she didn't clean a piece of white sand the size of a fingernail behind her ear, and even washing her hands and changing her clothes didn't help.
Her relationship with the Puppeteer remains a mystery. Actually, there's a way to verify his suspicions. A half-Puppeteer needs the Puppeteer to extend her life; no matter how experienced she is, she can't last more than a month. During this month, they can lock her in a cage, cutting off all contact with the outside world, and then simply wait for time to reveal the answer.
Locking it in a cage, a huge golden birdcage... This thought only occasionally crossed my mind, but for some reason, I found it increasingly difficult to suppress the urge.
He bent down and reached out to stroke her cheek. The delicate touch felt like spring water flowing through his fingertips and into his bones. Further down, he could feel the throbbing and surging of her veins in his fingertips. With just a little force, he could break her delicate neck.
However, we cannot kill them; they are still useful.
His fingers drifted off course, silently wiping away the dirt behind her ear. When she opened her eyes, he was looking at her open collar and murmured, "That time you wanted to take your clothes off for me, but I avoided it. Now I regret it."
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