Chapter 9
Xiao Yu stood guard outside the bamboo forest, and the two had agreed to use the sound of the flute as a signal in case of any situation. A Luo slowly walked towards the wall at the edge of the bamboo forest
Liu Jue's eyes widened: "Investigate!"
At this moment, Liu Jue is painting, while the maid carefully grinds the ink, her eyes fixed solely on the ink stick and the inkstone. She applies even pressure, neither too fast nor too slow, being careful not to splash the ink and to avoid making any scratching sounds while grinding the ink
Liu Jue caught a glimpse of the expression on Si Hua's face from the corner of his eye, noticing how a fine painting was marred by her gaze. He reached out as if to crumple the painting, but upon touching her eyes, he hesitated. After a long pause, he instructed Si Hua: "Make sure to mount it well."
Alo must first visit the commercial district. She needs to make money, gather information, and understand this unfamiliar land, as undeveloped areas often conceal hidden paradises. Alo firmly believes that she will surely find one
Within each district, tea stalls, wine shops, and restaurants are densely scattered. In the commercial area, there are vibrant entertainment streets and merchant inns. The highest-end restaurants and guesthouses, as well as the most prestigious brothels, are located here. There are also top-tier foreign trade shops. Beyond the East Gate, numerous painted boats can be found on the Dongning River. Overall, this place is a bustling international metropolis with clearly defined functional zones.
Alo helped Xiaoyu up and said: "From now on, you will be my sister, and we are family. Wherever we go, we will never leave you behind." From that day on, the seventh lady also taught Xiaoyu to play the flute, in case one day Alo left the residence and needed Xiaoyu to play the flute in the bamboo forest instead.
Liu Jue looked at the painting with satisfaction, then focused intently, preparing to outline the eyes of the beauty. It is said that adding the eyes brings a dragon to life; with this stroke, Gu Tianlin would surely step out of the painting. A pair of translucent, sparkling eyes quickly flashed through Liu Jue's mind. He closed his eyes to recall Gu Tianlin's gaze, then opened them and swiftly put pen to paper. Once the painting was completed, he examined it again and was left in a daze, holding the brush.
The sound of the xiao appeared about a month after Qingluo played the flute in the bamboo forest. Every morning, when Qingluo came here and the flute began to play, the sound of the xiao would follow in response. At first, Qingluo's skills were not yet proficient, but gradually, as she accompanied the xiao, her playing improved remarkably. Lady Qi said with satisfaction, "San'er, the qin, xiao, and di are all part of the same family. Your qin playing has already surpassed your mother's in her youth, and you are learning the flute quickly as well, which is enough to satisfy your father."
Xiao Yu clapped her hands joyfully, and A Luo shushed her. The two of them then picked up a smaller stone to begin arranging.
Alo embraced her and said, "If we are to leave, we shall leave together; I will not leave you here alone."
The Wind City has only three city gates, solidly fortified by mountains and rivers. It is separated from the State of An by a vast forest, ensuring no concerns from the rear. It serves as the last line of defense for the State of Ning, having enjoyed prosperity and peace for several hundred years
On the second day, Lady Qi personally stood guard outside the bamboo forest, while A Luo and Xiao Yu brought two thick sticks to the place from yesterday. Xiao Yu looked at the exquisite stone, feeling at a loss: "Miss, this usually requires several strong men to move, can we do it?"
Alo laughed and said, "We are using leverage, so there is no need to exert too much force. Archimedes said, 'Give me a fulcrum, and I can move the Earth; what are these few stones in comparison?'"
The young prince once invited the most renowned Hongyu girl from the Huanhua Tower in Fengcheng to sing at the Songfeng Hall. The Hongyu girl returned, saying that the young prince's residence was tranquil and elegant, and that he treated his guests with refinement and courtesy. Thus, the Songfeng Hall was once again depicted as a sanctuary in the hearts of young women, who hoped to share a lifetime of love with the young prince there
Si Hua bowed her head in response
Alo laughed proudly and said, "It took Xiaoyu and me a lot of effort to move the vines here to cover it."
The Seventh Lady and A Luo secretly poked their heads out. Outside was a small street, and beyond that, a small river. There was no one around. The two of them chuckled as they climbed down from the wall. They went around to the front, and the Seventh Lady praised, "From the front, there was no hint of anything at all."
Lady Qi looked at A Luo with concern: "You will only be thirteen next month, and you rarely leave the house. How can your mother feel at ease?"
Fengcheng is situated to the south of the Duning River. To the west lies the plain, which extends all the way to the borders of Qiguo. To the east is Yucui Mountain, where the Shicui Villa of the Princess of the Protectorate is built in the foothills, and the royal gardens are also located there. Beyond Yucui Mountain is the vast and boundless Heishan primeval forest, and further on is the Mangdu Plain, which marks the boundary between Ningguo and Anguo. Continuing eastward leads to the Yue Li Sea
Si Hua stole a glance and thought to herself that she was a beautiful woman, but those eyes carried a wildness, lively and seemingly ready to speak, which did not seem to belong to such a dignified and virtuous young lady.
Xiao Yu was completely baffled: "What ball, what chicken virtue, miss, what are you talking about?"
A Luo walked to the bamboo forest behind the house to practice her flute. The air in the bamboo forest was fresh in the morning, with birds chirping and no one around. After playing for a while, she heard the sound of a xiao (a type of Chinese flute) coming from outside, harmonizing with her flute. A Luo felt invigorated; it was back again. She slowly finished a piece, put down her flute, and the sound of the xiao gradually faded away, disappearing.
The seventh lady covered her mouth with her hand, looking at A Luo's triumphant expression, feeling a mix of anger, amusement, and surprise: "A Luo, this is great. If it really comes to it, you can leave the Xiang residence and probably escape on your own."
To the south, after crossing the Duning River, one passes through thirty towns to reach the Han River, beyond which lies the State of Chen
Lady Qi said: "Staying in the Xiang residence will ultimately jeopardize your lifelong affairs."
Liu Ying bowed and hurriedly departed
Liu Jue lightly tapped on the painting table for a long time, then spoke: "How many families can bring their maids and servants to the Peach Blossom Banquet? Hmm?"
Alo no longer pays attention to playing the flute; she thinks it is necessary to go out and see the world. She aims to familiarize herself with Wind City as soon as possible and plans to arrange an escape route in Anhe * Map * Book.
Every month, the combined allowance of Madam Qi and Qing Luo amounts to no more than three taels of silver, barely covering the expenses of Tang Garden. Since Li Xiang learned that Qing Luo possesses skills, the monthly allowance has skyrocketed to ten taels. The silver notes obtained from Liu Jue were carefully examined by Madam Qi and found to have no special markings, which she secretly had Zhang Ma exchange at the bank, totaling over four hundred taels. Comparing oneself to others can be disheartening; Liu Jue casually carries hundreds of taels in his pocket, enough to sustain the four residents of Tang Garden for several years. A Luo firmly believes that having money is the ultimate truth; wherever one goes, Kong Fang is the best diplomat.
Alo laughed and said: "You don't need to understand, just follow my lead." As she spoke, she taught Xiaoyu to insert the stick into the crevice under the stone, searching for a hard rock. Alei pressed down hard, propping up the exquisite stone, while Xiaoyu stepped forward and pushed, causing the exquisite stone to roll gradually towards the wall.
Xiao Yu is already sixteen years old. Madam Qi took out fifty taels of silver and urged her to leave the mansion and find someone to marry. However, Xiao Yu refused, crying as she said: "Xiao Yu has no relatives left in this world. Back then, it was entirely thanks to Madam that I was able to bury my mother with the silver you provided. Now, where am I supposed to go?"
Liu Ying had been kneeling in the outer room for a full hour. At this moment, upon hearing the young prince speak, she replied in a low voice: "The princess has invited seven households from the royal family of Ningguo, fourteen households of ministers and their families from the court, and a total of fifty-seven maidservants and female attendants. Additionally, twenty-three young gentlemen from Fengcheng were invited, none of whom brought maidservants. I have verified that among the fifty-seven individuals, there is no sign of that little girl. The princess took eight maidservants with her, and there are one hundred and forty-six maidservants in the other courtyard, but none are present there either."
A few days later, when Lady Seven arrived at the wall, she only saw a few clusters of bamboo and some vines, and there was no visible path leading out of the mansion. While she was puzzled, A Luo pulled her around to the back, where a pile of exquisite stones was arranged in a staggered manner, making it easy to climb up to the top of the wall along the stones
Liu Ying noticed that the veins on the young prince's hands were bulging, and she understood that this was his great humiliation. She had hesitated, thinking that the master might have ulterior motives. How could someone of the master's skill be knocked unconscious by a little girl? Yet, she had not found anyone. After a brief hesitation, Liu Ying mustered her courage and said: "My lord, could it be the daughter of a hunter from a nearby village?"
Currently, the mother and daughter are discussing finding an opportunity to exit the residence through a spot in the wall behind the bamboo forest, and A Luo will first go to the city for a stroll
Xiao Yu simply shook her head: "Madam and Miss treat me like family, please keep me here, the young lady is still so young"
Alo combined the illustrations from the book with those drawn by Lady Seven, which allowed for a comprehensive understanding of the panoramic view of Wind City
Upon returning indoors, Lady Qi carefully recalled and sketched the location of the residence. She speculated that the river outside the wall flowed from the imperial city of Yuxiang Mountain, and that the small river would merge into the Duning River upon exiting the eastern gate. Based on her memories, she also drew a map depicting the general layout of Fengcheng as she remembered it
Madam Qi was still not at ease, and A Luo had no choice but to take Madam Qi to the bamboo forest. When she faced a thick bamboo, she struck it with a knife-hand, splitting it apart. Then she demonstrated some punches and kicks, sending bamboo leaves flying, creating quite an impressive scene. Madam Qi was momentarily stunned. A Luo smiled and held her hand: "When I was little, there was a day I couldn't sleep and ran to play in the garden. I met a big uncle who practiced punches and kicks, and he taught me. After teaching me the practice methods, he left, reminding me not to mention it to anyone. Mother, you are the only one in this household who knows. The last time, it was that young prince from the Anqing Wangfu who I knocked out with a strike."
To the north of Wind City lies Mount Yuxiang. The imperial city is built against the mountain, with the peaks of Mount Yuxiang piercing the clouds, perpetually covered in snow. The spring, formed from the melting ice and snow, flows through the imperial city year-round, branching out to various parts of the city as a source of water. Behind Mount Yuxiang is the Black Mountain Forest, which borders the state of Anguo.
A Luo said: "I have heard a lot about the customs and culture of Fengcheng, secretly sought out many books and illustrated books, so I am not completely ignorant about Ningguo. Besides, is A Luo's wisdom really like that of a thirteen-year-old child?"
In the northeast corner of the Anqing Wangfu, within a brightly lit three-story building nestled among the trees, all is silent. It is said that there was once a curious young girl who, while passing through the woods of Songfeng Hall, saw a small rabbit and chased after it, never to return. The people within the estate then took to circumventing the area, regarding it as a forbidden place.
A straight avenue leads from the location of the imperial city to the southern gate, intersecting with the avenues leading to the eastern and western gates. The city is naturally divided into four sections. The northwest is the location of the official offices and administrative area. The northeast is the residential area for royal relatives and ministers, including the embassies and the affluent district. The southwest is the impoverished area, where the common people reside, while the southeast is the commercial district
The walls of the governor's residence are eight feet high, constructed of blue bricks with no gaps whatsoever. A Luo secretly cursed the absence of shoddy construction at this moment! She carefully walked around the edge of the wall but found no openings. Just as she was feeling disappointed, she suddenly noticed several large exquisite stones piled near the wall, likely remnants from the garden's repairs. They had been stacked for quite some time, and moss and weeds had already begun to grow on them
Liu Jue meticulously sketched the figure of a young girl on paper, her flowing skirt seemingly lifted by the wind, yet held down by the jade pendant on the silk ribbon at her waist. She appeared slender, with delicate shoulders and a graceful neck, her hair styled in a misty cloud bun, adorned with a blue orchid jade hairpin. Her elegance was striking, perfectly capturing the image of Gu Tianlin, the daughter of the Gu family.
A Luo rolled up her sleeves to lift the exquisite stone. Although the stone was light, its large size likely weighed over one hundred kilograms. A Luo took a deep breath and exerted her strength to lift it, and the exquisite stone moved slightly, which filled her heart with joy. She looked at the position, walked out of the bamboo forest, and smiled sweetly at Xiao Yu.
Liu Jue's expression grew increasingly grim as he recalled how that little girl had managed to ensnare him twice in a single day, and yet he could not find her. The esteemed Prince of Anqing, the young lord, had been knocked unconscious and tied to a tree by her, and she had even stolen his silver. If this were to spread, it would be better for him to jump into the Duning River and end it all.