Chapter 1 Entering the Mansion (1)
The spring mountains are dark green, the leaves are tender and the flowers are just blooming.
It was early spring, and the sun was shining brightly in the capital of Daning. The sunlight penetrated through the gaps between the trees and shone down, casting mottled shadows.
In a corner of the southern city, a mansion is covered in peach blossoms, unable to contain the vibrant spring scenery. Orioles sing, peach trees bloom and willows bloom, but no one is seen tending the garden's flowers and trees.
The most colorful part of spring flowers is the crimson blooms that nourish the grass and trees, making the surrounding spring scenery gorgeous and dazzling.
A dagger pierced the man's abdomen.
The force was not great, but the blade was too sharp. The dripping blood continued to spread, gradually staining the red flowers beside it.
The man stared at the bright woman who had broken into the yard, his face filled with terror. After a long while, he uttered a few trembling words.
"You... who are you..."
The dagger pierced deeper into his abdomen. He endured the piercing pain, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he knew that he was going to die.
"I have no grudge against you, why...why do you want to kill me..."
"No grudges or hatred..." The woman in front of him suddenly sneered, a cold aura beneath her delicate and beautiful face. Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and she looked at the man with a hint of amusement, "Who said there are no grudges or hatred?"
She slowly leaned over, her red lips brushing against the man's ear, and whispered softly like a demon: "You don't even know who I am, how do you know you have no grudge against me?"
Hearing this, the man was confused and full of doubts.
The feeling of panic inexplicably grew stronger, and fear filled his brows. The man still couldn't remember when he had incurred such a deep hatred that caused him to lose his life for no reason.
The smile in her beautiful eyes seemed to be about to overflow, but the woman's smile was fake, and her expression was neither sad nor happy. She was calm, like a bottomless cold pond, so cold that it made people shiver all over.
"Since your death is in my hands, I might as well tell you so that you can die with a clear mind."
She smiled softly a few times, lowered her eyes slightly, and whispered a name.
The woman's eyelashes fluttered, and others couldn't make out her thoughts.
"If you don't know this name, then I'll tell you my identity." The confused look of the man in front of her made her laugh. The woman raised her eyebrows leisurely and curled the corners of her lips.
Then he whispered two or three words into his ear in a very light tone.
“You! You are…”
After hearing this, the man was suddenly startled and stunned. He stared at the pretty girl with a beautiful smile with his eyes wide open. His face turned even paler. He immediately realized that this person came for revenge.
Seeing this, Shuying nodded lightly and murmured softly as if chatting. Then she pulled out the blade without mercy, and blood splattered on the spot.
"On the road to the underworld, remember the person who killed you, otherwise you will be wronged..."
The remote courtyard is full of colorful flowers. After a period of cold, the flowers are in full bloom again, and the beauty and variety make people who appreciate it particularly happy.
The streets outside the courtyard were bustling with people coming and going. No one knew that the dead owner of the house was lying in the corner of the courtyard, blood gushing out, leaving only a dead silence.
Across several alleys and around a bend in the lake, many girls came in an endless stream, with longing on their faces, and entered an elegant palace in the north of the city.
Today is the day when young ladies from aristocratic families from all over the country enter the Siyuefu School for the first time. In order to learn the exquisite art of playing the zither, the nobles from various families are trying their best, just hoping that their daughters can learn the superb skills from Mr. Qu.
If you are appreciated by the master, you will have a good opportunity to enter the palace.
Apart from earning face and fame, what people covet most is being noticed by the royal relatives or high-ranking officials in the palace. The glory gained can make them worry-free for the rest of their lives.
If such a wonderful thing that I have been dreaming about day and night were to happen to me, I would probably wake up laughing in my dreams at night.
However, the woman who could enter the Ministry of Music was not an ordinary woman. At least her piano skills must be outstanding and worthy of being performed in a prestigious place.
Several young ladies of high status walked together in the garden of the mansion for a while, looking around at the pavilions and terraces, and suddenly they were filled with emotion.
"This Music Bureau is much larger than I imagined. It would be a real pleasure to learn here in the future!"
Hearing this, a girl standing nearby looked at the zither hall on the stone steps not far away with her almond-shaped eyes shining brightly. Her face was filled with joy. "Not only that, but the one teaching is Mr. Qu, the world's best zither player!"
"If we can get personal guidance from the teacher, it will be worth our trip to the capital..." The maids beside him echoed frequently, looking around at the elegant flowers, which were refreshing. They felt that this place was worthy of being the famous school in Daning.
"Rumor has it that the Ministry of Music was established by His Majesty's order to the Ministry of Rites to recruit talented individuals. Women who wish to learn the qin can come here to study for several months. Those who excel can even perform at palace banquets..."
Listening to the girls' whispers, the young lady from the Xu family, who was walking slowly towards them, snorted in explanation, disdainfully looking at the audience. She strode forward with a proud and arrogant look on her face: "If I were to be noticed by some noble family, I wouldn't have to worry about my life's glory..."
The women around knew exactly what the man's intention was in coming to the Music Bureau to learn skills, but this was the first time they heard such a noble lady say it openly.
As a result, gossipmongers began to ask where the arrogant girl came from. Upon asking, they learned that she was Xu Anyao, the eldest daughter of the Xu family, and a famous talented woman in Ningdu.
Her beauty and talent have attracted countless young men in the city to covet her. Her family has produced three prime ministers, and now she has been admitted to the Ministry of Music as the best musician. No wonder she is so arrogant.
The pretty girl who had just spoken seemed very unhappy with the words. She straightened her body and replied in a serious tone, "I'm different from you. I came here specifically to see Mr. Qu! Apart from you, no other man in this world is worth my attention!"
The one who spoke was Meng Ying'er, the only daughter of the Meng family. Her mansion was in a county far south of the capital. Although she was not as prominent as the Xu family, she was also a well-known person in the local area.
Seeing her righteous words, the girls passing by on both sides whispered to each other as they walked away: "You speak so noblely, haven't we also come here to witness the gentleman's elegance..."
How could other people's feelings for Mr. Qu compare to hers? Meng Ying'er didn't continue talking and went to her boudoir with her personal maid, thinking that she could take a nap for half a day at this time.
Spring is in the air, with bright flowers and charming willows.
Before he had taken two steps, the maidservant beside him saw a frail woman walking in front of him. She was walking alone, carrying a bag on her back, and without even a maid.
He was quite out of tune with the girls who came into the mansion.
"Master, whose young lady is that? She is so delicate and weak. She came into the mansion today without even a maid..." The maid was quite surprised. She looked back at her master unconsciously in amazement.
Meng Ying'er followed his gaze and indeed saw a simple and elegant figure walking slowly forward under the spring sun.
She is as frail as a willow, swaying in the wind, and has no bones. The burden on her thin shoulders seems to be about to crush her.
Normally, she couldn't stand seeing a frail woman without help, so she couldn't just ignore the sight. She quickly stepped forward and reached out to take the backpack, but was coldly rebuffed. "Young lady, are you still able to walk? It's still early. Let me help you to your room."
The woman took a step back indifferently and bowed lightly to show her respect. "It's okay, I can do it myself."
The moment she raised her eyes, a light breeze blew by, and peach petals fell from the branches. She was suddenly stunned. Seeing the girl with a beautiful face, slender eyebrows and delicate head, she was even more bright and beautiful than the spring flowers in the garden. Her eyes could not help but linger for a few more moments.
When her peripheral vision faded, she saw the woman holding the jade token that the nanny was distributing to the boudoirs. Meng Ying'er suddenly glanced and saw that the room number revealed was right next to her own.
She quickly took out the house card and waved it lightly in front of the woman.
"What a coincidence! I live next door to you," she said, her eyebrows suddenly smiling brightly at the girl. "Our room numbers are next to each other, look!"
"My name is Meng Ying'er, you can just call me Ying'er. Could you tell me your name, young lady?" Since they were neighbors and had just met on the road, it was fate sent by heaven. As soon as Meng Ying'er said this, she felt impolite and quickly added, "If you find it presumptuous, please don't say it. I'm not good with words and sometimes I can't keep my composure."
There was a beauty in her eyes but she said nothing. She bowed her head again and walked silently towards the elegant room.
"Why did she leave without even saying a word..." The maidservant was furious at the situation. She stood up for her master and angrily said to the woman's back, "Master, you are kind enough to help me out of kindness. But she is so sickly, looking like you owe her something."
Meng Ying'er's pretty face darkened upon hearing this, and she sternly reprimanded, "Yu Lan, don't be rude!"
This scolding made the beautiful figure slowly stop. The woman did not look back, but only opened her lips softly and answered the question she had just asked.
"Chu Qingluo." The woman's voice was as clear as spring water, but her tone was as cold as frost. After a long while, she continued.
"My name."
The valuables brought into the Siyue Mansion were very few, so the woman quickly packed up her boudoir.
Before she could think clearly, she walked quietly and cautiously along a path deep in the mansion.
Chu Qingluo walked calmly, holding something tightly in his sleeve.
This back mountain was a place she had previously ordered people to explore. It could be reached directly from Siyue Mansion. It had been deserted for a long time and was overgrown with weeds. It was a precious land that she could use temporarily.
The mountains are quiet and deep, lush and green, with no signs of human life. A few green pines and cypresses are hidden in the clouds, making it easy for travelers to lose their way.
She quietly walked to the top of the mountain and took out the thing hidden in her sleeve.
It was a dagger stained with blood.
She had just left in a hurry, and she couldn't leave the murder weapon in the house. There had been several theft and murder cases recently, and the government was investigating them strictly, so she had no choice but to use this to cover up the murder weapon.
The blood on the dagger had not yet dried, staining her slender hands. She casually threw it into the weeds, turned around calmly, and went down the mountain as if nothing had happened.
When looking back, Chu Qingluo suddenly saw a young man standing as elegant as a jade tree, with an ethereal appearance and jade-like complexion, clear and flawless, and a sense of loneliness and coldness in his body.
He seemed colder and more solemn than any man she had ever met.
Yet beneath his solemnity, a subtle youthful aura emanated. This aura, originally incompatible with composure, blended perfectly with this young man, creating a magical and indescribable harmony.
This person should be about the same age as her, or only two or three years older than her.
At the first glance, I felt that the young master should observe all the etiquette.
She lowered her eyebrows and smiled, thinking that he must have seen her throwing it away. She asked calmly, "If you saw it, why didn't you ask?"
The young man seemed not to care, his cold expression remained unchanged, and he continued to focus on stroking the tender leaves on the branches. His every move was appropriate, and he seemed to have no interest in her behavior at all.
"This back mountain is not under the jurisdiction of the Music Bureau."
After a while, he replied in a cold voice, his tone as chilling as his pure and detached temperament.
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