March 12.
Everyone in Fan Jin Ye City, from the royal family down to the Commoner Clans and ordinary citizens, knew that Princess Lanling was hosting a Peach Blossom Banquet today at Yulin Garden, located five miles outside the city.
Yulin Garden was a royal garden built along the banks of the Weak Water River. Nestled between mountains and water, the shifting shadows of blooming flowers concealed its whitewashed walls and upturned eaves, while soft, budding willows draped over its carved beams and painted pillars. Every step offered a new vista, each as picturesque as a framed painting.
They say spring rain is as precious as oil. The once clear, cloudless sky had unknowingly begun to mist with a fine drizzle, permeating the damp air with a scent unique to early spring.
Liang Wan stood by the riverbank, gently taking in the scent. It was the distinct, earthy aroma of soil mingled with vegetation, yet laced with the sweet fragrance of Taohua. Unlike the bitter, biting cold inherent to ice and snow, this scent seeped into her lungs, opening her heart and soothing her mind. It was the scent of life. Liang Wan closed her eyes. It was a sensation only those who had died could truly understand.
After a long while, footsteps echoed on the wooden pier behind her. Without turning her head, Liang Wan guessed it was Feng Qingyue; they had agreed to meet here. She pondered how to approach the subject. Even if she couldn't explain everything clearly, she had to warn Qing Yue to be careful—Cui Hao was not a good man. How she could bring it up in a way that sounded believable, she hadn't figured out yet.
As she was lost in thought, a sudden warmth wrapped around her waist, carrying a faint scent of ink. She knew this smell all too well! Her entire body went stiff and numb as a wave of intense disgust flared in her heart.
"Awan?"
Caught off guard by her forceful struggle, Cui Hao stumbled slightly. He had barely spoken when a heavy slap landed across his face, leaving a stinging, fiery pain. Liang Wan turned around and glared at him coldly.
"Awan, it's me. W-What's wrong?"
Cui Hao cradled his cheek, utterly bewildered. He didn't know if it was an illusion, but the woman standing before him was Awan, yet at the same time, not Awan. In the past, her beautiful eyes had sparkled with every glance, and her faint smiles had radiated an innocent, candid charm, giving her an indescribable, radiant beauty. But right now, she seemed like a ball of fire straight out of Purgatory. This was especially true of her reddened eyes; even through the cold, misty drizzle, the dense hatred burning within them could not be obscured. A chilly breeze crept down his collar and slipped under his clothes, making him shiver. For a moment, Cui Hao didn't quite dare to look at her.
"A-Are you blaming me for not showing up on time the other day? You know my mother's health is poor, and she happened to suffer a relapse that day. Did you run into some kind of danger?"
Seeing the person in front of him remain silent and stare unblinkingly at him, Cui Hao's heart began to drum with apprehension. He wondered if her reaction meant that Zhang Shi had succeeded. But wasn't he dead? Could she have killed Zhang Shi? But how could a pampered young lady like her possess that kind of strength? It couldn't be that she knew the whole thing had been orchestrated by them, right? No, it was absolutely impossible for her to know. Besides, if she really knew, how could Chun'er still be perfectly fine? Cui Hao swallowed hard, suppressing his unease, and managed a forced smile. "Are you feeling unwell somewhere?" His voice was clear and bright, yet laced with a deliberate attempt to curry favor.
Liang Wan snapped back to reality. She lowered her head, fighting to drag her remaining reason back from the brink of pure fury. Beneath her sleeves, she slowly clenched her fists. Only after concealing her violent aura did she raise her eyes to look at him again. Her tone was completely frigid. "Although Cui Xiaolang comes from a Commoner Clan, you are still considered a well-read scholar of the sages. How is it that your private words and actions are so vulgar and reckless? To boldly disregard propriety and call me by my given name—are you trying to ruin my reputation?" Her gaze was as placid as an ancient well. Beneath this calm certainty, it felt as though all his hidden, shameful intentions were being ruthlessly exposed to the light of day.
Cui Hao forced a twitch of his lips, putting on a relaxed smile with a hint of innocence in his tone. "What's gotten into you? Haven't I always called you that?" When Chun'er told him the other day that Liang Wan seemed different, he hadn't taken it to heart. Only after seeing her today did he realize it was true. But why had she changed overnight? He couldn't figure it out. "Besides, it's just the two of us here. There are no outsiders."
Watching his darting, unsettled gaze, Liang Wan spoke at a leisurely pace. "Us? Cui Xiaolang, please conduct yourself with dignity. You and I have merely crossed paths a handful of times. By what right do you presume to call us 'us'? Could it be that some past impropriety on my part has given you the wrong impression?"
Cui Hao's expression stiffened. "Wrong impression?"
Liang Wan sneered coldly. "If that is the case, then I will correct it!"
Not wanting to waste any more time dealing with him, she turned to leave the moment she finished speaking, making sure to step widely around him as she passed by. Unexpectedly, just as they brushed shoulders, Cui Hao grabbed her arm. "Have you really set your sights on that Lu Xiu?"
Pulled off balance, Liang Wan glanced down at the hand touching her. Nausea surged from the depths of her stomach, and she shoved him away with all her might. The stone path was already wet and slippery, and Cui Hao was caught completely off guard. Leaning backward, he let out a cry of alarm before falling into the river with a loud SPLASH.
Cui Hao didn't know how to swim. He thrashed endlessly in the water, trying to call for help, but the moment he opened his mouth, icy river water poured in, choking him so badly he couldn't form a single complete sentence. Liang Wan lowered her head and nonchalantly smoothed out the sleeve he had wrinkled, her heart filled with revulsion. If she hadn't been blind and foolish back then, he wouldn't even have had the right to speak to her, let alone touch her sleeve!
"A-Awan, help... help—"
Only after thoroughly adjusting her appearance did Liang Wan turn her head. Looking at the man still flailing in the river, she found herself in an inexplicably good mood.
"The Classic of Mountains and Seas records that north of Kunlun lies a body of water incapable of supporting even a mustard seed, hence the name Ruishui River. A Buddhist Scripture also states that of the three thousand measures of the Ruishui River, one needs only to take a single scoop. Our Ruishui River, of course, is not the Ruishui River mentioned in ancient texts.
"However, it will have to do for now. Just think about it—today, you can drink far more than a single scoop. In fact, you have an endless, inexhaustible supply! Looking at it this way, Cui Xiaolang is truly blessed with good fortune! After all, not everyone gets the chance to drink their fill!"
Water splashed everywhere as Cui Hao mumbled and gurgled with a mouthful of liquid, making it impossible to decipher what he was trying to say. Watching him make such a wretched, embarrassing spectacle of himself, Liang Wan felt nothing but immense satisfaction. Suddenly, she could somewhat understand why that tyrant had always loved watching her struggle. As it turned out, there really was a fulfilling sense of thrill in it...
Liang Wan stopped looking at him and continued walking gracefully, her eyes fixed straight ahead. Icy liquid slid down her cheeks, and it was impossible to tell whether it was raindrops or something else. It wasn't until she reached the end of the stone path that she faintly heard loud cries for help echoing from the riverbank in the distance. It seemed he wasn't fated to die today after all! That was fine too. After all, whatever suffering and torment she had endured back then, he would have to pay back, piece by piece, in the days to come! Death would be too easy for him!
"Awan, you're finally back! The banquet over there is about to start. I was so worried you wouldn't make it in time and would miss the main event!"
Before Liang Wan could get close, Mrs. Zhang hurried over, dragging Liang Jiao along. The gentle smile on her face was different from usual—it was exceedingly perfunctory. Looking further ahead, the street that had been empty just a moment ago was now crowded with people. Mrs. Zhang's anxiety was written plainly across her face, while Liang Jiao's cheeks were flushed pink, looking reserved yet unpretentious.
Liang Wan smiled and replied casually, "Someone fell into the water over there just now. I was busy watching the commotion and accidentally lost track of time."
Mrs. Zhang frowned. "Didn't you say you were going to look for Feng Xiao Niang?"