Legend of The Frost Blade - Chapter 8
Murong Ai was right, money can indeed make the devil turn the millstone.
Yan Qingqiu and he rode swiftly back to Zhuozhou, arriving three quarters after the Hour of The Rat. Murong Ai first bribed the soldiers guarding the side gate with silver, then entered the city to find a rather grand brothel called “Zui Hongguan”.
Most of the pleasure-seekers had left, and only a few rooms for overnight accommodations still had lights on. Murong Ai knocked on the door discourteously, and the servant, initially full of resentment, immediately beamed upon being presented two gold leaves and eagerly invited them in, then ran upstairs to call the madam down.
The middle-aged woman, who seemed to have been in the process of undressing but hastily clothed herself, came down with her hair still in disarray to serve Caishen Ye. Seeing that Murong Ai and Yan Qingqiu were both handsome and distinguished, she smiled so broadly that her eyes nearly disappeared, praising the girls’ good fortune to meet such fine guests.
Murong Ai took off his coat and hat, instructing: “My Xiongdi and I are tired today, so we won’t bother with any fancy acts. Find us two obedient girls to massage our shoulders and legs and warm our beds. If I’m satisfied, there will be a generous reward in the morning.”
Yan Qingqiu added: “Don’t forget to boil plenty of hot water and fill the bath.”
The madam responded promptly, turning to instruct the doorman before inviting them upstairs to two rooms. The hollow boxwood doors were ajar, and inside stood two women, one in red and one in green. One was as beautiful as blossoming peach and plum flowers, the other as serene as the autumn moon. The madam stepped forward and introduced them: “Today, you two gentlemen are our esteemed guests. As luck would have it, my two most prized daughters are still awake. It seems you are truly destined to meet. Qiluo, Biyao, come and greet the gentlemen.”
The woman in red smiled sweetly, stepped forward, and curtsied: “I am Qiluo. It is an honor to meet you today. I am of humble appearance and insignificant talent, but I wonder if I could catch the eyes of you two gentlemen.”
The woman in green also stepped forward and bowed but did not speak.
The madam quickly said with a smile: “Gentlemen, please excuse her.This daughter of mine is very obedient but unfortunately caught a slight illness, causing a sore throat, so she can’t speak. I hope you won’t mind.”
Seeing Biyao nod and smile without any hint of self-consciousness, Yan Qingqiu felt great affection and said: “Miss Biyao possesses the grace of a goddess of the moon and flowers. Even without speaking, she is captivating enough to make hearts flutter.”
The madam was overjoyed and promptly pushed Biyao forward: “My dear daughter, go and attend to the gentleman’s rest.”
Yan Qingqiu turned to look at Murong Ai and saw him gazing back with a half-smile. Suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed, he quickly said: “If Ruomu Xiong also fancies Miss Biyao, Xiaodi wouldn’t dare to have such hopes.”
To avoid any trouble while traveling out, the pair would use aliases.
However, Murong Ai laughed Ha Ha, reaching out to pull Qiluo into his arms: “Xiandi likes sipping warm wine, but I prefer drinking strong liquor.”
They each entered their respective rooms, and the madam and servant leaving with smiles.
Yan Qingqiu noticed that Biyao’s room was not large but delicately arranged. Incense was burning on a low table, and a bamboo screen separated the carved bed. In the middle was a large wooden tub, with two maidservants adding water. They were not shy upon seeing Yan Qingqiu, one round-faced maid even smiling and saying: “Don’t worry, sir. Please have a seat. It will take a little while for the water to boil ne.”
Biyao motioned to the maid, then pointed to the side. The maid nodded quickly and returned shortly with a tea tray. Biyao gracefully poured a cup and offered it to Yan Qingqiu.
Yan Qingqiu smiled and said, “Thank you for the trouble,” taking the cup and drinking it down in one go.
Although Biyao couldn’t speak, her every expression was full of charm, and her beautiful eyes were filled with affection. Yan Qingqiu often thought of taking out his bamboo flute to play a tune for her, but he knew that this was not the right time or place. He secretly decided that once his current affairs were settled, he would come back to see this mute beauty.
They sat idly for a while, and soon the maid had finished filling the bath. Biyao got up, tested the water temperature with her hand, and then returned to Yan Qingqiu’s side, giving him a slight smile.
The maids left towels and other items, chattering as they went out and closed the door.
Yan Qingqiu stood up, and Biyao immediately came over to gently help him undress and loosen his hair. As Yan Qingqiu lay in the hot water, he felt his whole body relax, the coldness leaving him, and even the stench of the tomb was gone. Biyao’s delicate fingers washed his long hair and slowly massaged his shoulders and neck with utmost gentleness.
Yan Qingqiu inhaled deeply, smelling a faint fragrance. Although he knew Biyao couldn’t speak, he still turned to thank her, “Thank you for your attentive service, Miss. I never expected to find such a beautiful lady in this small town of Zhuozhou. I can consider myself fortunate over three lifetimes.”
Just as he finished speaking, he felt a breath like an orchid by his ear. It turned out that Biyao was amused by him. Yan Qingqiu turned around in the bath, took her hand, and said: “Miss, if you don’t mind, I would like to visit again in a few days and ask you to be my guide. How about it?”
Biyao nodded slightly, revealing pearly teeth with a small smile, agreeing. Yan Qingqiu was overjoyed but was pushed to sit up by Biyao. He then felt a tickling sensation on his shoulders and back, which was Biyao writing on him using her fingertips. Yan Qingqiu felt a stir in his heart, thinking this woman was indeed clever and interesting, so he obediently sat still to see what she would do.
Biyao’s delicate fingers moved slowly and steadily as she wrote: “Gongzi favors me, but I have orders to follow, and I dare not disobey.”
Yan Qingqiu smiled and said: “I only ask to honor me with your presence, but I fear that you have many admirers and may not remember a passerby like me.”
Biyao wrote again: “I have no other skills, except for a good memory. I can recognize everyone I’ve met. Kuang Gongzi has such a graceful demeanor, how could I forget you?”
Yan Qingqiu’s heart suddenly stirred, and he casually asked: “If you were born in Zhuozhou City, wouldn’t you have seen half the city’s people?”
“That is indeed the case.”
Yan Qingqiu then asked: “May I test you?”
“Please speak, Young Master.”
“I have an old acquaintance here, named Ning Mengshan. Do you know him?”
Biyao’s fingers paused and then wrote the word “know.” She continued: “Gongzi, you must be here to pay your respects to the deceased, right?”
“Indeed.”
Biyao wrote: “Ning Laoye had kind eyes and a dignified appearance, with a birthmark under his eye.”
Yan Qingqiu thought of the greenish corpse he had seen over an hour ago. Despite only a quick glance, it had a commanding presence, although the head was missing, making the birthmark impossible to identify.
Unaware of his thoughts, Biyao continued to write: “When I was still able to sing, I had the honor of accompanying him and a few guests on an outing. If you had come earlier, you might have met him.”
“Had I known Ning Zhuangzhu entertained guests like this, I would have come to visit more often.”
“Ning Zhuangzhu was an honest and good man, yet he still fell victim to such a malicious act. It shows that heaven’s justice is unfair.” Biyao paused again and suddenly wrote: “Since Gongzi is acquainted with Ning Laoye, there is something I must tell you.”
Yan Qingqiu turned around immediately, and the fatigue disappeared from his eyes: “Please, go ahead, Miss.”
Biyao’s eyes, bright as morning stars, looked at him for a long time. She took his hand and wrote in his palm: “I witnessed this matter personally. At the time, I did not think much of it, but after hearing about the incident with the Ning Clan, I found it suspicious. However, how would the authorities believe a woman of the brothel? Besides, living in such a place, avoiding trouble is already difficult enough, let alone seeking it.”
Yan Qingqiu nodded in agreement.
Biyao continued to write: “Ning Zhuangzhu’s wife and concubines were very beautiful. He rarely visited red-light districts, only inviting our girls from the pavilion over when entertaining his friends. About four months ago, a stranger came to the pavilion and requested my company. He didn’t talk about much, only asked if I had been to Chouchou Manor. I, ignorant, joked and said some things, but that stranger asked everything about the inside of Chouchou Manor. I grew suspicious and stopped talking. The stranger didn’t press further and went to rest after drinking. A month later, Ning Laoye suffered misfortune. The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I felt, convinced that there must be something fishy.”
“Miss, do you remember that person’s appearance?”
“A tall, thin man, over forty, speaking in an official dialect. His appearance was quite ordinary, except for his bony hands that were frighteningly cold.”
“Do you remember his name?”
“He was only called Hu Laoye. I don’t know anything else.”
“Had he ever been to Zhuozhou before?”
Biyao hesitated slightly and wrote, “I dare not say with certainty. Maybe he had been here before, but we never met.”
Yan Qingqiu pondered silently, lowering his head. Biyao stopped writing and waited quietly beside him. Seeing Yan Qingqiu deep in thought for a long time, she tested the water temperature and then wrote on his shoulder: “The water has cooled. Why don’t you head to bed and rest Gongzi?”
Yan Qingqiu came back to his senses, smiled, and said, “Thank you for the trouble.” Biyao dried his body and brought a white robe for him to wear. Yan Qingqiu sat on the bed, Biyao carefully combing his hair. The room was filled with a faint fragrance, silent yet full of spring warmth. Outside, the watchman struck the fifth watch drum. Biyao got out of bed to extinguish the extra lamps and then returned to hold Yan Qingqiu’s left hand, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Yan Qingqiu’s doubts were not resolved, but he didn’t want to refuse the beauty’s intentions. Just as he was about to extinguish the candle, he heard a creaking sound near the door, before it suddenly flung open.
Yan Qingqiu stood up suddenly, reaching for his waist but realizing his bamboo arrows were with his outer clothes. He grabbed Biyao’s hand and shouted sternly: “Who is it?”
A voice laughed loudly: “Who else could it be?”
Yan Qingqiu felt relief in his heart, his tension suddenly dissipating: “It turns out that it’s Mu Da Ge. What brings you here?”
Murong Ai strode into the room, dragging Qiluo along by the hand. He was only in his trousers, his upper body bare, hair loose, and Qiluo was disheveled, half-exposed.
Yan Qingqiu hurriedly adjusted his robe—he had just put it on after getting out of the bath, intending to rest, and didn’t expect to be disturbed, looking rather flustered in his haste.
Murong Ai, undisturbed, entered boldly, pushed Qiluo into the other’s arms, and closed the door behind him.
Biyao quickly helped her sister to the side and covered her with a robe.
Yan Qingqiu asked: “Mu Xiong, why haven’t you rested yet? Do you still prefer Miss Biyao?”
Murong Ai smiled coldly: “Who wants to compete with you for a woman? I see you are so captivated with lust that you’ve lost yourself.”
Yan Qingqiu felt a surge of displeasure: Despite his gentle demeanor, he did not want to be scolded like a child in front of a lady. His face darkened, and he was about to retort when Murong Ai waved his hand dismissively, cutting him off, and pointed at Qiluo: “This wretch just took advantage of my unawareness to rummage through my belongings. It’s hard to say she doesn’t have ghosts in her heart!”
Yan Qingqiu was shocked. He reached out to check Qiluo’s pulse and found that she had no internal strength, but her bl00d flow was blocked, indicating her acupoints had been sealed.
Using his internal energy, Yan Qingqiu unblocked her acupoints and asked: “Miss, please tell me, is this true? This place is a ‘pavilion,’ does this place not care for its reputation?”
Qiluo raised her head, showing no fear, and retorted: “You two, as honorable men, are bullying a woman. Who is truly shameless here is obvious.”
Yan Qingqiu was not angered by her rebuke, but Murong Ai sneered coldly: “I don’t care about men or women. Even a rabbit can come up with all kinds of tricks when it wants to do harm. In this world, it’s either you die or I perish. If you still worry about face and righteousness, your bones will be devoured by wolves long before you even start talking. Now tell me, what exactly were you looking for?”
His words were cold and chilling, piercing through Qiluo and causing her to shiver.
Biyao, looking anxious, glanced at Yan Qingqiu, as if pleading.
Yan Qingqiu let Qiluo sit down and gently said: “Miss, please don’t blame us. My Xiongdi and I have to be extra cautious while traveling. Mu Xiong is a cautious person and may have misunderstood. If you have anything to say, please speak freely.”
Despite his kind words, Qiluo only gave him a sidelong glance and turned her head away, showing an expression as if she would rather die than speak again.
Murong Ai, instead of getting angry, laughed and stepped forward: “If you think I’m going to look for your madam, you’ve miscalculated. Why bother ruining so many people’s good dreams in the middle of the night?”
As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed Qiluo’s arm, and with a kā, dislocated her joint. Qiluo let out a scream of agony and collapsed softly onto the couch.
Yan Qingqiu was horrified, not expecting Murong Ai to take action as soon as he made it clear, as well as act so ruthlessly towards a defenseless woman. Seeing Qiluo’s once rosy face turn pale, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat unbearable.
Biyao, her eyes red with anxiety, suddenly knelt down, clutching Yan Qingqiu’s legs, her throat making hoarse sounds as two streaks of tears streamed down her face.
Yan Qingqiu, full of compassion, quickly helped her up and said to Murong Ai: “Mu Xiong, please hold off. I have some suspicious matters to inform you about first.”
Murong Ai smiled again, sat down on the couch, and stroked Qiluo’s hair, saying: “I knew you had a soft heart and couldn’t bear to see this. I have always been a demon, someone needs to play the role of the villain.”
After saying that, without even looking, he grabbed Qiluo’s arm, connecting it back into place. Qiluo only let out a groan, before fainting.
Biyao shook Qiluo’s body repeatedly in a panic. Murong Ai said with a smile: “No need to be afraid, she’s not dead yet ne.”
Previously, Yan Qingqiu had seen Murong Ai show restraint when sparring with renowned masters, and thought it was just his nature. But today, seeing him show no mercy to two defenseless women, he felt a deep sense of disgust.
Murong Ai and Yan Qingqiu locked eyes, and knew the hesitation in Yan Qingqiu’s heart. With no further excuses, he made his way straight to the other side, taking a cup of tea and drinking it himself.
Yan Qingqiu watched Murong Ai’s back. Although his long black hair was loose, some strands fell in front, revealing faint red marks on his back. Yan Qingqiu suddenly remembered the origin of the name “Demon Blade” and felt a chill in his heart—could it be that scimitar tattooed on Murong Ai’s body? Despite traveling together for more than ten days, sharing meals and sleeping quarters, this was the first time Yan Qingqiu saw Murong Ai’s blade, causing a surge of doubt in his mind.
Murong Ai earned this name eight years ago, yet his origins, his master, and his background were completely unknown. How did such a ruthless personality come to be?
FOOTNOTES
Titles
Caishen Ye: Referring to the “God of Wealth” in Chinese culture. Usually used as a compliment, suggesting that the person is wealthy, generous, or capable of bringing good fortune and prosperity to others.
Zhuangzhu: Owner/Master of a manor
Da Ge: Older Brother, can be used for familiarity
Places
Zui Hongguan: “Drunken Red Pavilion”, the name of the famous brothel in Zhuozhou
Objects
Gold leaves: Extremely thin sheets of gold that can be used as currency or tokens, especially in trade and high-value transactions.
Other
“Money can indeed make the devil turn the millstone”: This idiom means that money has great power and can make even the most difficult tasks possible or persuade even the most reluctant individuals.
Fifth Watch Drum: Refers to a traditional way of keeping time in ancient China. The night was divided into five “watches,” each lasting about two hours. The fifth watch, or the fifth drum, would be the final period of the night, typically between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.
“Having ghosts in one’s heart”: An idiomatic expression, suggesting that someone might be harboring secrets, ulterior motives, or suspicious intentions.
Hour Of The Rat: Period of time from 11PM to 1AM. So approximately 12:45 AM.