Entangled Love GL - Chapter 8
The bamboo grove is on the other side of Dragon Elephant Mountain, separated by six peaks. Going through the winding paths will take almost two shichen (four hours).
There were indeed only Duan Min and Yang Mei on this journey.
Pingping steamed a basket of plum blossom cakes, hot, fragrant, and soft, and packed four for them to take. Yang Mei had been eating extremely plain food for the past two days, lacking oil and salt and utterly tasteless. Seeing this basket of exquisite pastries gave her a feeling of being in another world, and she realized that the previous meals were deliberately made coarse.
They hadn’t walked far when Duan Min opened the oil paper: “Why don’t we eat this little bit while it’s still hot?”
Yang Mei had the same intention, so the two ate as they walked, quickly finishing them off.
Yang Mei wiped her mouth, her eyes sly: “Min-jie, didn’t you eat enough this morning?”
Duan Min looked at her, a difficult expression on her face, turned away for a while before nodding, with a slight hint of complaint: “Since I came here, there hasn’t been a single meal where I felt full.”
Yang Mei chuckled: “Min-jie, I feel much better hearing you say that. Turns out I can’t be blamed for having a big appetite!”
Yang Mei was in a great mood. The mountain was empty and deserted here, and the further they walked, the more it felt as if they alone possessed a piece of spring scenery. Fragrant flowers and birdsong, flourishing trees and blue sky. Yang Mei wouldn’t wish for this tranquility to last forever, but she truly cherished this moment, this instant, and this person, just walking together like this.
“Min-jie—”
Duan Min turned to look, her gaze quiet.
A surge of indescribable emotion suddenly rose in Yang Mei’s heart. She just stared fixedly at her, unable to speak.
Seeing her in a daze, Duan Min smiled: “What are you thinking? Why are you suddenly spaced out?”
Yang Mei was brought back by the question, withdrawing her gaze and hiding the stirring emotions. Her eyes curved as she put on a smiling face: “Min-jie is truly beautiful. If I were a man, I would definitely marry you!”
Duan Min glanced at her with a smile, not speaking, with a rather meaningful look, and then walked straight ahead, leaving Yang Mei behind, her heart tickling, desperately wanting to ask—but even she didn’t know what she wanted to ask.
It was spring, and the mountain was a lush expanse of green bamboo. Some were deeply solid dark green, others were still tinged with tender yellow sprouts. On the ground were un-sprouted bamboo shoots and dried bamboo sheaths.
A scenic spot in the local pavilion was called the Scattered Moon Bamboo Grove. The bamboo groves Yang Mei had seen before in various courtyards and gardens were all quite similar. Only when she arrived here did she realize that those barely counted as a “grove”: a grove is one growing into two, two into three, and three into countless; it is gazing up and seeing no boundary, being in it and unable to distinguish directions.
The two searched for a long time in the grove before finding a few broken bamboo stalks, the main trunks severed at about half a person’s height, with thin branches growing beside them. The marks of many years of cutting with knives and axes were clearly visible.
Duan Min casually stroked the severed end, and a sharp pain stung her fingertip where she grazed a bamboo splinter. A bl00d drop slowly seeped out and solidified on her finger. Yang Mei was startled and hastily reached out to grab her wrist. “I’m fine.” Duan Min withdrew her hand, touched her tongue to the bl00d, and walked deeper into the bamboo grove.
Just then, a breeze passed, and countless bamboo branches swayed like waves to one side. The friction of the bamboo leaves created a unified rustling sound. Yang Mei had a fleeting sensation of ringing in her ears. The surrounding scenery seemed distant, and she just stood there blankly, watching Duan Min walk far away into the sparse and dense bamboo forest.
Not seeing her follow, Duan Min turned back to look, then walked back to her, saying, “Do you like it here? It’s fine to rest a bit.”
It took Yang Mei a while to find her voice. She smiled: “Buddhists talk about suiyuan (following one’s destiny/circumstances), and you are truly one for suiyuan.”
Hearing this, Duan Min also smiled: “I don’t deserve that.”
“Why not? I really think you are a strange person. After thinking about it, that’s the only word that can barely describe you.” Yang Mei spoke with a beaming smile, but her heart was earnest. The more she looked, the more she felt that Duan Min was like an immortal in the forest, responding to everything with composure, yet without obsession, detached in her worldly dealings, and at the same time, direct and frank…
“I truly like your eyes. They are different from others—clean, calm, truly wonderful.” Yang Mei sighed softly, carefully watching her expression and reaction.
Duan Min frowned slightly: “You… you might have the wrong impression of me.”
“Oh? Why?” Yang Mei pressed closer, asking in a soft whisper, very gently.
“I… I act according to my own ideas—which are not always clean actions.” Duan Min’s gaze was calm, looking directly into her eyes. She paused, then said, “The way you look at me is wrong, so the person you see is not the real me. Should I be blamed for this?”
Yang Mei’s face flushed. She lowered her eyes but did not retreat: “Perhaps I don’t know you well enough, but I feel very comfortable when I’m with you. Whatever you need done, I will do it for you. You can just stay by my side and live like these past few days. Isn’t that nice?” Yang Mei raised her eyes to look at her, “If there’s anything you want to do, you can tell me. I consider myself to have some capabilities here in the capital.”
The bamboo grove was exceptionally quiet. Duan Min did not reply, slightly tilting her head to look at the broken bamboo beside her, revealing a hint of troubled emotion.
“Don’t overthink it,” Yang Mei gently tugged at her sleeve. “Just stay this way, don’t change. I already think you are wonderful. Even if you’ve been putting on an act and deceiving me, I won’t blame you.”
Duan Min glanced at her, turned slightly to avoid her a little, and asked: “I heard that this pavilion has a close relationship with the current Crown Prince?”
Yang Mei looked a little surprised, then answered: “Yes,” then immediately corrected herself, “That’s not the right way to put it. The Crown Prince is the nation’s heir, with a noble status. This pavilion is willing to serve him, that’s all.”
“Why do you ask about this? What does it have to do with you?” Yang Mei moved in front of her, and as she pressed the question, she had already considered several types of grudges, from the Crown Prince himself, to his mother Empress Cao, to the Empress’s family, Minister of Personnel Cao Gui and his associates. The more she thought, the less she could figure out what connection Duan Min might have with them.
Duan Min said plainly: “The Crown Prince has four older brothers. The Emperor is in his prime; it’s hard to say what will happen in the future.”
Yang Mei’s expression hardened: “Those are not words for us to speak.” She paused, then elaborated, “Empress Cao has enjoyed the Emperor’s exclusive favor since entering the palace. His Highness the Crown Prince has always been gentle, respectful, and filial, with the demeanor of a wise ruler of a flourishing age. Furthermore, His Highness was established as the Crown Prince from birth, and his influence has been substantial for twenty years. How could he be shaken by others?”
Duan Min smiled dismissively. Yang Mei asked again: “Do you have a grievance with the Crown Prince? Or some enmity with Minister Cao’s family?”
“No.”
“Then, for no reason, why would ordinary folks going about their lives care about these things?” Yang Mei was truly curious, staring intently at her, hoping for an explanation.
Duan Min, however, had no intention of explaining. She looked up at the sky: the midday sun filtered through the bamboo grove, scattered and weak, barely allowing one to discern that the sun was directly overhead.
“Such a beautiful day might suddenly bring thunder.”
Yang Mei was pondering the meaning of her words when a muffled sound was heard from far away, in the direction of Dragon Horn Peak, sounding like a huge rock collapsing.
Yang Mei was greatly alarmed: “What happened?!”
“Something that has nothing to do with you. Don’t worry about it. Just pretend it was thunder.”
Duan Min turned to walk on, but Yang Mei rushed forward to stop her, her expression complex, and she stated firmly: “Let’s go back and see.”
They returned to the small courtyard near dusk. Folding Wind Pavilion had completely crumbled. The rocks behind the building had rolled all over the ground, piling up into a high stone wall. Beside it, the Listening Dawn Pavilion stood still and unshaken.
They saw it from afar: Dragon Horn Peak had dramatically changed. The foot of the mountain suddenly recessed inward by a large section, ten zhang high (about 33 meters), with a massive, long rock leaning out sideways. The peak, which had originally looked like a seamless whole, now resembled a dragon horn obliquely piercing the clouds even more.
Yang Mei’s face was pale: “What is this? What happened?”
Duan Min sighed: “So this is the real Dragon Horn Peak…”