Because everyone had rushed out, Desheng Pavilion suddenly became quiet.
Cheng Jiao-niang and her maids stood on the staircase, seemingly still in shock.
They had actually been left behind!
As invited guests, they had been abandoned by the very people who had invited them!
Wang Shi’qi-lang had run out, and his servants, worried about their young master, had followed him, leaving the four of them — mistress and maids — behind.
“This is outrageous!”
The maid shouted, her face flushed with anger.
“Why don’t we just go into the room first?” Ban Qin suggested.
Although many people had left, quite a few still remained, and they stood out standing on the stairs in the main hall.
At this point, there was nothing else they could do. The maid angrily called over a receptionist of Desheng Pavilion.
“A room booked by Young Master Wang?” The receptionist looked them over upon hearing this.
When women came to Desheng Hall, it was either because they had made the reservation themselves or someone had done it for them.
If it was a self-made booking, there would be no need to ask. And if someone else had made it, there would normally be someone there to receive them.
But now these ladies only knew the name, not the room, and had stopped a receptionist to ask…
Could they be from some household trying to stir up trouble?
“Everyone ran outside just now to see the courtesan! We’re just going into the room to wait,” the maid said irritably, clearly seeing what the receptionist was thinking, and growing even more annoyed.
Well, that made some sense. The receptionist held back a laugh, nodded, and asked her to wait a moment while he trotted off to check. He returned shortly.
“There’s no room booked under Young Master Wang,” he said, his expression clearly a little awkward.
No room?
That scoundrel! Was he toying with Miss on purpose?
The maid stomped her foot in anger.
“If there’s no room, then forget it,” Cheng Jiao-niang said. “We’ll just go outside and watch like everyone else.”
There was no other choice.
As several receptionists looked at them strangely and whispered among themselves, the maid felt her head buzzing and her face burning with shame.
This was the most humiliating moment of her life!
They had actually been played—by such a useless scoundrel, no less!
Cheng Jiao-niang’s expression remained composed as she lifted her foot and started down the stairs. She had only taken a few steps when someone let out a surprised sound.
“You’re here too?”
Someone said with a laugh.
Cheng Jiao-niang stopped and looked up, only to see Qin Shi’san-lang entering at a leisurely pace with a few attendants behind him. Upon spotting her, he quickened his steps and approached.
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled and gave a slight curtsey in greeting.
“Leaving already, and so early?” Qin Shi’san-lang asked, unable to hide the surprise and delight in his tone.
He hadn’t expected to run into her again after leaving Heavenly Street. He had only wanted to find a quiet, pleasant place, yet here she was.
A smile bloomed uncontrollably across his face.
Could this be fate?
“No, just going out to take a look,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
Going out to take a look?
Qin Shi’san-lang’s gaze shifted slightly, scanning around.
“Young Master Wang…” he asked tentatively.
“He left,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.
He left?
Qin Shi’san-lang was somewhat surprised. Cheng Jiao-niang’s expression remained unchanged—it was impossible to read any emotion from her face. But the expressions of the maids beside her were a different story; they couldn’t hide a thing.
Left? That ungrateful fool!
So many people had been eager for a chance to meet this young lady, and he, who actually had the honour, just left her behind?
Qin Shi’san-lang didn’t know whether to call him lucky or simply an idiot.
“Well, a chance encounter is often better than a planned one. Desheng Pavilion is the best place to view the river lanterns. This is actually my first time here. Would you care to join me?” he said with a slight smile.
“Sure,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.
No hesitation, no polite refusal. She said what she meant and never dodged or deflected.
Qin Shisan-lang believed that if he were to ask her what had happened between her and Young Master Wang, this girl would surely answer him directly, without the slightest attempt to hide anything. But—what good would asking do?
Wouldn’t it only spoil the mood?
Wasn’t this the time to enjoy the beautiful scenery? To savour the unexpected joy that had arrived just when he thought it was out of reach?
“Come with me,” he said with a slight smile.
Fireworks burst in the sky near and far, while all kinds of lanterns floated gently down the river, transforming the water into a galaxy of stars. With the mist rising above the surface, the scene felt like something out of a dream.
“This is truly wonderful,” Qin Shi’san-lang said with a hint of emotion. “It really is different.”
“What’s different?” Cheng Jiao-niang asked.
Qin Shi’san-lang leaned against the window, gazing out at the river of stars.
“In past years, I also came to see the lanterns—and I was happy, too. I thought my mood was the same as everyone else’s,” he said. Then he chuckled. “But now that I’ve recovered and come again, I’ve realized that this is what true joy feels like for a normal person. It’s completely different from what I imagined.”
As he spoke, he continued to look outside, his expression hazy and soft, like the mist and lantern light over the river.
He didn’t need to turn his head to know that the girl beside him had turned to look at him.
This was the second time she had looked at him so seriously. The first time was when she treated his illness. But back then, he had been anxious and unsettled, and hadn’t paid any attention to how she had looked at him.
To better enjoy the lanterns outside, several of the lights inside had been dimmed on purpose. The room was cast in a gentle gloom, and the occasional burst of fireworks lit up their faces in brief, shifting flashes.
In this dusky light, even the usually impassive look on her face had softened quite a bit.
After being reborn, after such a drastic change in fate—surely anyone would feel a deep and lingering sense of tenderness in a moment like this…
“No, I don’t think you’ve changed,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
Qin Shi’san-lang looked at her.
“You really think so?” he asked.
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded.
“You truly aren’t a normal man,” she said.
Qin Shi’san-lang was stunned.
He’d heard those exact words before—back when he was so infuriated by her that he nearly died.
“Lamenting spring and grieving autumn, putting on airs—once something has passed, it’s gone. What’s there to sigh about? Unable to let go, clinging to things—such a person is no true man,” Cheng Jiao-niang continued.
Qin Shi’san-lang was stunned, then burst into laughter, followed by a wry smile.
“Yes, yes, you are right,” he said, straightening up and looking at her. “Being around you truly makes me constantly reflect on myself.”
“That’s not because of me—it’s because of you,” she replied. “What I say depends entirely on what you say first.”
Qin Shi’san-lang nodded, still smiling.
“Speaking with you is better than reading ten years of books,” he said with a laugh.
“Then… where’s my tuition fee?” Cheng Jiao-niang asked, looking at him seriously.
In the flickering interplay of light and shadow, the young lady’s face was earnest and solemn.
Qin Shi’san-lang was momentarily taken aback, then burst into laughter again—laughing harder and harder, until he nearly lost his composure, leaning against the window, doubling over with mirth.
The maid turned her head to look at Ban Qin and Jin Ge’er.
“Is it really that funny?” she asked, puzzled.
Ban Qin and Jin Ge’er were still laughing, and upon hearing her question, looked at her with a dumbfounded “ah.”
“Forget it, never mind,” the maid said, turning back to look out the window.
The sound of silk and bamboo music drifted from afar, and suddenly, a lavishly decorated flower boat swayed gently in the river of stars, approaching from a distance.
“Why is the boat moving away? Why is it turning back?”
Wang Shi’qi-lang shouted in surprise from the crowd, watching the flower boat gradually drifting farther into the river.
He had struggled to squeeze into a good spot on the bridge, waiting for the boat to pass by so he could wave and shout a few times to catch the attention of Lady Zhu.
Of course, many people were shouting too, and Lady Zhu couldn’t possibly see them all. But the key was that he had people on his side to help.
When Chun Ling gave a little reminder, Lady Zhu would definitely notice him.
Thinking about that moment, Wang Shi’qi-lang felt a joyful itch all over his body.
But why had the boat turned around before even reaching here?
“Outsiders wouldn’t know,” someone nearby said with a laugh. “The lantern boats belong to Desheng Pavilion. They’re there to boost its popularity. That’s why Lady Zhu’s boat doesn’t just drift around the city—it gathers people and stops in front of Desheng Pavilion, then performs songs and dances for the hall’s guests.”
Songs and dances?
Wang Shi’qi-lang was a bit stunned.
Lady Zhu’s songs and dances!
“…Those are only for the wealthy to enjoy… If you book a private room at Desheng Pavilion, you can stand by the window and watch everything clearly… But for people like you and me, who don’t have money, just hearing the commotion is enough…” The man rambled on, but before he finished, Wang Shi’qi-lang suddenly shouted.
“You can see it from a private room?”
Wang Shi’qi-lang shouted, grabbing the man’s arm.
“Of course, if you book a private room, you can watch,” the man said, startled.
Wang Shi’qi-lang immediately stomped his foot.
“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier!” he yelled. “If I’d known, why would I have been running around blindly!”
Saying this, he pushed the man aside and hurriedly left the bridge, cursing as he walked back through the overcrowded street.
“Pah, like you even have a private room,” someone on the bridge snapped back after coming to their senses.
By this time, Lady Zhu’s boat had already stopped in the river beside Desheng Pavilion.
The surrounding noise gradually quieted, replaced by a melodious and lively pipa tune spreading across the river like pearls dropping onto a jade plate. When the song ended, applause erupted thunderously.
Kneeling on the boat, Chun Ling quickly smiled and stood up. Her gaze swept over Desheng Pavilion, where the windows of the private rooms on the second and third floors were wide open, revealing rooms filled with people. Small lanterns hung by the windows flickered like countless pairs of eyes watching the scene below.
Suddenly, Chun Ling’s movement froze as she stared in disbelief at one particular window.
At that window, a few people stood watching the song and dance, just like those in the other rooms.
But how could that person be her?
Chun Ling abruptly stood, taking a few steps forward and blinking hard.
The lantern light flickered dim and bright; the room was shadowy again, but she had clearly seen it—it was that girl!
How could she have gotten into a private room?
She had told Wang Shi’qi-lang that she had reserved a private room—she had lied.
How could a mere maid manage to book a private room? Even if she was Lady Zhu’s maid, it wouldn’t be possible. If Lady Zhu herself had arranged it, that would be another matter, but how could she possibly have Lady Zhu’s involvement?
If Lady Zhu grew suspicious, her future would be ruined, not to mention any thoughts of revenge.
Where did they get the private room from?
Did the Wang family really have such power?
Chun Ling narrowed her eyes, trying to get a clearer look.
“Chun Ling.”
Someone called softly.
Chun Ling snapped back to attention and saw Lady Zhu reaching out to hand her the pipa. Because of her momentary distraction, a maid beside her quickly took it instead, avoiding an awkward moment.
“Sorry,” Chun Ling said nervously, lowering her head.
“It’s okay, it’s normal to be nervous the first time,” Lady Zhu said with a soft laugh, comforting her.
Chun Ling breathed a sigh of relief and looked up with a face full of gratitude.
The drums and music began to play. Unlike earlier when the lights on the boat were dim, now the surrounding lanterns were all lit, and bronze mirrors were raised, focusing a bright light in the center that was almost like daylight.
In the midst of this, Lady Zhu, dressed in magnificent clothes, danced gracefully. Her flowing skirt and ribbons fluttered in the river breeze, making her look like a fairy from the Moon Palace.
“This young lady dances quite well,” Qin Shi’san-lang said with a smile.
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded.
“She’s clearly put in a lot of hard work,” she said.
Qin Shi’san-lang turned to look at her and smiled slightly.
“How about you? Can you dance?” he asked.
Dance?
“Does Miss know how to dance?” Ban Qin couldn’t help but whisper to the maid, wondering why Young Master Qin was suddenly asking.
“Outsiders watch for fun, experts watch for skill. Since Miss said she’s clearly practiced hard, that means she’s an expert,” the maid whispered back, then glanced at Ban Qin. “You should know better than me whether Miss can dance, right?”
Yeah, right…
Ban Qin gave an awkward smile.
Dance…
Cheng Jiao-niang was silent for a moment, then gently closed her eyes.
In the darkness before her, it seemed as if someone was dancing—just a fleeting image.
“I don’t know,” she said as she opened her eyes.
Did she not know whether she could dance, or whether she danced well?
Though her expression remained as impassive as before, Qin Shi’san-lang seemed to sense a momentary heaviness in her mood.
“I asked something I shouldn’t have,” he said, no longer looking at the river, but with a trace of unease.
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled.
“But this time, it’s not you—it’s me,” she said.
“Then, can I help?” Qin Shi’san-lang asked with a smile, looking at her.
A few fireworks burst by the riverside, their noise drowning out his words.
Cheng Jiao-niang shook her head, saying nothing, and watched the fireworks blooming in the sky.
The brilliant fireworks lit up the sky, making the whole space bright. Chun Ling couldn’t help but step forward a few paces, staring at the window on this side.
Beneath the bright fireworks, the young man by the window looked dazzling and radiant.
The fireworks turned to ashes, and the night sky darkened again.
But the clear smile the young man gave to that girl was etched more vividly in Chun Ling’s eyes.
That wasn’t Wang Shi’qi-lang!
Then who was it?
Why was he smiling at that girl with such genuine warmth?
That girl didn’t show any embarrassment from being abandoned by Wang Shi’qi-lang; instead, another man was showing her attention.
And he was a much more handsome young man than Wang Shi’qi-lang…
Chun Ling bit her lip. Since following Lady Zhu, this was the first time she felt a bit regretful.
Following Lady Zhu, now trapped on this boat, unable to get closer and find out clearly…
It seemed she knew far too little about that fool!
In the flickering light, the young man suddenly pointed in this direction.
Chun Ling couldn’t help but take two steps back and quickly lowered her head, feeling as if her heart was about to leap out.
Had she noticed her? Recognized her?
“Look at her,” Qin Shi’san-lang said, pointing at the boat in the river where Lady Zhu was spinning swiftly, performing the whirlwind snow-drift dance.
“Come to think of it, you and I actually have some connection. You’re even her benefactor.”
Cheng Jiao-niang followed his finger and looked.
The flutes, drums, and cymbals hastened the pace, as the lady in the center spun left and right without tiring.
“That is the very Lady Zhu,” Qin Shi’san-lang said, glancing at Cheng Jiao-niang.
“Have you heard of her before?”
“…was the family of an official who was framed by Secretariat Editor Liu back then. He was falsely accused of a crime, exiled to Southern Province, and died on the way. Then Liu… rap…cough… forced his female family members to their deaths, leaving only a young daughter about eight years old, who was sold to the Music Bureau. At the time, when the official’s wife bit her tongue to commit suicide, she hid a blood-written grievance letter along with evidence in the little girl’s clothes. It was Secretariat Editor Liu’s oversight not to eliminate the root of the problem. All these years, that girl has held onto her hatred, and now, seizing the opportunity, she beat the drum to appeal for justice,” Cheng Jiao-niang explained.
She spoke slowly but smoothly, without a single stammer throughout the entire explanation.
When she finished, everyone in the room, including Qin Shi’san-lang, stared at her in surprise.
“That’s exactly right,” Qin Shi’san-lang regained his composure and looked at Cheng Jiao-niang. “That is indeed Lady Zhu.”
He paused again after speaking.
“But… what does ‘rap…cough’ mean?”
At that moment, the maid who had just come back to her senses and was sipping tea suddenly spat out her drink.
