The Mad Beauty

The capital city remained a place of song and dance, as extravagant as ever. Chen Haizhou remained the same Chen Haizhou—a figure who commanded fear.

The invitation card in Xia Yunhe’s hand, inscribed with the formal request and signed with Chen Haizhou’s prominent name, seemed to sting her eyes with its gilded ink. She silently folded the card and turned her gaze to the short performer standing before her. When she had first visited Xiahe Village, this man had taken five gold leaves from her.

The short performer sniffled, grinning, "Hehe, Master Xia, you must come."

Seeing his fawning smile, Xia Yunhe handed him another gold leaf. The performer paused, accepted it without hesitation, offered a string of auspicious blessings, and skipped away in high spirits.

After he left, Zhenniang emerged from the room and said, "Young Master, the child I encountered at the West Market earlier was this dwarf in disguise."

Hearing this, Xia Yunhe understood the situation a little better.

It was the Dragon Boat Festival. San Niang had dressed in her finest early that morning to attend to Noble Consort Wan at the palace, while Xia Yunhe and Zhenniang had spent the time hanging mugwort under the eaves and wrapping rice dumplings. As noon approached, the short performer had arrived at the residence. Pondering the dwarf's words, she said to Zhenniang, who was busy scrubbing the steamer, "I am going out for a while."

The woman replied, "Very well. I’ll put the dumplings on the steamer shortly; they’ll be ready by the time you return. By the way, there have been rats in the kitchen lately, so I bought some poison bait. I thought I might place some in your bookcase, just in case the mice start gnawing on your books."

Xia Yunhe nodded; Zhenniang was meticulous, sparing her the trouble of worrying about domestic trifles.

"The capital has been quite chaotic lately, and I hear they are catching thieves again. You must keep your purse safe, Young Master; you lost one just last time."

Xia Yunhe frowned. "Last time?"

Zhenniang continued her work. "Ever since you returned from Xiahe Village, you lost that purse, and your clothes were left in a mess—such a pity about the gold thread embroidery on that bag. Have you forgotten?"

Xia Yunhe dared not say more; she had given that embroidered purse to San Niang, and she had no idea where the girl had left it. She offered a dry laugh, changed into loose-fitting robes, and stepped out to meet Chen Haizhou.

Upon arriving at the Five Flavors Pavilion, she was led to the same room as before. The interior was opulent enough to make one’s head spin. The only difference was a simple plate of spicy lotus root slices placed on the table, looking starkly plain against the backdrop of the table runner’s large, embroidered floral patterns.

Xia Yunhe sat on a round stool and waited for the duration of a tea break, but Chen Haizhou was nowhere to be seen. She tapped her fingers on the table, sighing in boredom.

A lazy voice drifted from across the round table. "Master Xia, please stop tapping; he will be here soon."

Startled, she scanned the room, but saw no one. Suddenly, the man stood up on his chair, and she raised her brows in surprise.

"It is you?"

The short performer grinned, standing proudly on the chair. "I thought you might have seen me, Master Xia."

He jumped down, vanishing below the level of the table, leaving only the top of his dark head bobbing near the edge. "Wait a little longer, Master Xia. Mr. Xu will be here shortly."

"Hm?" Xia Yunhe tilted her head slightly. "Xu Xing? Isn't this an invitation from Chen Haizhou?"

The performer chuckled evasively. "It’s all the same; the two of them are inseparable anyway." With that, he hopped onto the stool, picked up his chopsticks, and began to shovel food into his mouth, gasping between bites.

Xia Yunhe laughed and looked at him. "You are quite bold, daring to impersonate a government official to deceive others."

The performer was unfazed. After finishing his meal and three cups of tea, he hummed, "I am doing a righteous deed. You will see once Mr. Xu arrives."

Another stick of incense burned away, but there was still no sign of Xu Xing. Xia Yunhe raised an eyebrow at the performer. "Where is he?"

The short performer grew anxious, jumping off the chair to peek outside. He muttered under his breath, "I hope the big guy doesn't mess this up."

Xia Yunhe struck the table, causing the performer to jump. She looked at him with a cold expression. "Are you playing games with me?"

"Please be patient, Master Xia. Chen Haizhou keeps a tight leash on Mr. Xu."

"I will not argue with you, and I have no more time to wait." As Xia Yunhe prepared to leave, the performer blocked her path. Despite his short stature, he moved with remarkable agility, firmly obstructing her exit.

"Move," Xia Yunhe said coldly.

The performer shook his head. "Wait a little longer. My brother works slowly, but he is reliable. You cannot go back on what you promised Mr. Xu."

Xia Yunhe narrowed her eyes. "What promise?"

"The promise you made to help Mr. Xu leave, of course. Master Xia, Mr. Xu is a good man. He used to write letters home for many people in Xiahe Village. Even though he’s dirt poor, he never took a single cent of the money or goods we sent home. Even if we had no money, he would still write for us. Now he is in trouble, and while it isn't our place to interfere, we can't just stand by."

He paused, his round eyes wide as he panted, his posture full of righteous indignation. "But you promised to help him, and you cannot break your word. I haven't read as many books as you, but I know the weight of a promise."

Xia Yunhe chuckled and sat back down. "Though I hold a post in the Hanlin Academy, it is but a hollow title. I cannot help much."

The person behind her remained silent, and Xia Yunhe sighed, rising to leave once more.

A voice, however, stopped her in her tracks.

"Master Xia, I, Xu Xing, have never begged anyone for anything. Every word you said in the past, I have engraved in my heart."

Turning around, Xia Yunhe saw that Xu Xing’s complexion was rosy, looking much more spirited than he had before the year’s end. He was a refined man, and although he looked travel-worn with a light sheen of sweat on his brow like morning dew on a flower, his eyes were clear and filled with determination.

The host had arrived, and the wine and feast were reset.

Xu Xing ordered a large spread, covering the table with delicacies. Xia Yunhe frowned; it was a waste to set such a lavish table for only three people.

As if reading her mind, Xu Xing said, "There is one more coming."

The performer, squatting on his stool, chimed in, "My brother, the big guy—you’ve seen him before, Master Xia. He has a large appetite."

"Are you not afraid that Chen Haizhou will settle accounts for such behavior?"

The performer tore off a chicken leg, sucking his fingers as he chewed. "We have his permission to help Mr. Xu move his books. It is only natural that he treats us to a meal. Chen Haizhou suggested using his own men, but Mr. Xu claimed he didn't know them, and Chen Haizhou had to let it go."

With that, he looked smug, tearing into half a chicken. He peeled off the golden skin, sucked on it, smacked his lips, and swallowed before biting into the thickest part of the meat, chewing loudly and sucking on the bones. The juices of the chicken flowed down the back of his hand, leaving his cheeks glistening with oil.

Xia Yunhe lowered her gaze and sat quietly. Xu Xing poured her tea, and she nodded in thanks.

Before long, the stairs thundered, the door was kicked open, and a burly man squeezed inside with a bookcase tucked under his arm.

Xia Yunhe looked over and recognized him as the shirtless man from Xiahe Village she had seen during the winter. He was now dressed in coarse hemp clothing.

The man set the bookcase down with a heavy thud, causing the floor to vibrate, and collapsed into a seat beside the performer. He panted heavily. "Good heavens, why is this so heavy? Master Mobai said it was heavy, but I didn't believe him."

The performer handed him two cups of tea, which he gulped down in one go. Wiping away his sweat, he let out a long sigh, collapsing onto the stool like a small mountain.

Once he had rested, he said to Xu Xing, "Mr. Xu, after this, Chen Haizhou won't be able to say anything. It’s only natural we move slowly with such heavy things."

Xu Xing bowed. "Many thanks to you, Jichu and Peiping, for your generous help."

Jichu, the performer, waved his hand. "It’s nothing. This is all we can do to help."

With that, he and the burly Peiping buried their faces in the food, eating and talking. "Brother, eat this. Thanks to Mr. Xu, we are going to eat our fill. Put it all on Chen Haizhou's tab—it feels so satisfying."

The two ate for a while, cried a little, wiped their tears, and then went back to eating.

Xia Yunhe watched the scene, then turned her gaze to Xu Xing, who sat silently drinking tea without touching his chopsticks.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Everyone froze. Jichu gestured to Xia Yunhe, "Master Xia, come here, stand behind Peiping."

Unsure of what they were planning, Xia Yunhe followed suit and hid behind the burly man.

Jichu ran to open the door. A servant craned his neck to peek inside, seeing only the two men at the table—Xu Xing drinking tea and Peiping gnawing on a pork knuckle.

The servant looked at Xu Xing, bowed, and said, "Madam Chen."

The atmosphere in the room froze. Xu Xing nearly crushed his cup, slamming it down on the table. He rushed to the door and slapped the servant across the face, leaving the man stunned and clutching his cheek.

"Get lost with your 'Madam Chen'!"

The servant scrambled away in a panic, and Xu Xing slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

Xia Yunhe stepped out from behind Peiping and sat back down. Xu Xing’s face was flushed red, and he was breathing heavily, clearly incensed.

Jichu and Peiping had finished eating, leaving the table in a mess. They headed downstairs first, picking their teeth while waiting for Xu Xing outside the pavilion. They had their story ready—that Xu Xing had only left after finishing his pot of tea. Jichu thought to himself, feeling smug, that it was a flawless plan.

Inside the private room, Xu Xing drank cup after cup of tea to calm his temper.

Xia Yunhe covered her mouth and yawned. Seeing Xu Xing pour her another cup and offer it with both hands, his head lowered, she said, "I beg you, Master Xia, you must help me."

She narrowed her eyes, accepted the tea, took a sip, and asked, "Mr. Xu, appearing so openly, are you not afraid of Chen Haizhou?"

"He is injured and too busy recovering to bother with me." A look of hatred flashed in Xu Xing's eyes, and he sneered, "It would be better if he died. The assassin's blade was off-center and only pierced his arm."

Xia Yunhe was startled but kept her expression neutral. Who could have wounded Chen Haizhou?

Xu Xing continued, "Master Xia, I know you are a woman. You promised to help me, and now that you are sitting at the same table as Chen Haizhou, if you do not help me, I will reveal your secret to everyone."

Xia Yunhe was taken aback again. She looked up at him and chuckled softly. "Oh? If you want to file a complaint, go ahead to the Shuntian Prefecture. But you'll have to take the side door, and I fear that by the time Chen Haizhou recovers, you won't even be able to leave your house."

Xu Xing was choked with anger, pointing at her, "As a woman, how can you be so shameless?"

She laughed softly. "Mr. Xu, Chen Haizhou is a close court official of the Emperor, and I am but a mere Hanlin compiler with a hollow title. To assist you now would be like throwing an egg against a stone—it would do nothing to shake him and would only ruin myself. You would be better off going straight to the Shuntian Prefecture to report that I am a woman in disguise; it would save you much trouble."

Xu Xing’s eyes dimmed, as if he were talking to himself. "I have read your calligraphy, Master Xia; it is elegant and graceful, so I thought you were free-spirited and forthright. It seems I thought too much."

He looked up and gave a bitter laugh. "Your character is so hidden and sharp—it doesn't match your writing at all. If you will not help me, I really will go to the Shuntian Prefecture. I have no other choice. I was born to be a free soul, yet my body is locked in a golden cage."

"Chen Haizhou has trapped me at the bottom of a valley. You gave me hope, Master Xia, and now you have extinguished it with your own hands. I will appeal to the Shuntian Prefecture and then depart for the afterlife. If we are to go mad, let us go mad together, shall we? If I cannot have freedom or my heart's desires in this life, I shall go mad and drag you hypocrites down with me."

His shoulders shook as he covered his face and laughed, only to burst into tears.

He was truly mad.

Xia Yunhe pressed her fingertips to her brow. When Xu Xing finished crying, she said, "Mr. Xu, I said I would help you, and I will not break my word. Chen Haizhou is indeed detestable, but he is at the height of his power, and we lack the strength to shake him. It is not that I will not help, but the time is not right. Success requires the right time, the right place, and the right people—all three are essential."

Xu Xing looked up, his eyes rimmed with red. "You are willing to help me?"

"My words remain the same as when we first met." Seeing Xu Xing breathe a sigh of relief, she added, "You may also, at the appropriate time, share more about Chen Haizhou. A just cause enjoys abundant support, while an unjust cause finds little. Public anger is difficult to defy; how could he easily suppress it?"

Xu Xing bowed his head in contemplation for a moment, then looked up and said, "Very well."