The biting wind of the twelfth lunar month whipped across the eaves of the Shen Estate like the sharp claws of a ferocious beast, driving fine snow before it. The icicles outside the window of the Jade Pavilion emitted a faint, brittle cracking sound in the fierce gale, as though they might snap and plummet at any moment. Shen Mingyue leaned sideways on the sandalwood couch, her fingertips clutching a gilt-lettered invitation while the candlelight flickered unsteadily in her eyes. Lu Huaijin’s vigorous Slender Gold calligraphy cast a cold sheen under the candlelight; the characters reading "Sincerely inviting Miss Shen to our humble estate to celebrate my birthday" seemed to possess invisible hooks, preparing to drag her into a trap that had long been laid. Her gaze swept over the cinnabar seal at the bottom, the scarlet hue smarting in her eyes and fleetingly recalling the memory of the blood her mother had coughed onto a silk handkerchief before she drew her last breath.
"Miss, the errand boy sent by the Lu Residence to deliver the invitation has wine lees from the Zuixian Tavern in the West City stuck to the soles of his shoes," Chuntao said as she stepped in lightly and cautiously, her voice lowered as if she feared startling a watcher lurking in the shadows. She gently unfolded an embroidered handkerchief; its corner still retained dark red stains resembling dried blood. "Xuanying secretly investigated and discovered that the errand boy had a clandestine meeting with 'Black Crow', a squad leader of the Blood Fiend Alliance, three days ago. Under the dim moonlight, they hid in the shadows of the alley behind Zuixian Tavern for the space of two full cups of tea. Xuanying heard that squad leader say, 'We must make sure Shen Mingyue never returns from this birthday banquet.'"
Shen Mingyue brought the invitation close to the candle flame, its gold-threaded edges instantly curling into ash, while the rising wisp of blue smoke twisted into a bizarre shape in the air. She recalled the mysterious symbol discovered on Gu Jinghong's jade pendant when the Jiang Estate was raided three days ago—it was identical to the pattern in the account books hidden in the secret compartment of the Lu Residence's storehouse. Those seemingly scattered clues gradually pieced themselves together in her mind now, forming a vast web of conspiracy. "Go invite the master of Tianji Pavilion, and tell him I have an 'old debt' to settle with him." She stroked the shattered piece of jade left behind by her mother, its icy touch making her thoughts all the more clear, though her fingernails dug crescent-shaped bloodstains into her palm. "Tell the pavilion master that once the matter is successfully accomplished, I will present him with both hands the blueprints for the clandestine weapons forged by the Lu Residence."
At the third watch of the night, the sound of the night drum penetrated the biting cold wind. The black jade token of Tianji Pavilion emitted a faint, eerie glow on the desk, resembling a dormant fierce beast. The pavilion master was clad entirely in black robes shrouded in shadows, the glutton mask on his face rising and falling slightly with his breathing as though it might come to life at any moment. "Miss Shen has quite an appetite. Do you think half a musical score is enough to trade for ironclad evidence capable of overthrowing the Lu Family?" His voice sounded like bubbles floating up from the bottom of a deep pool, laden with bone-chilling cold, every single word seemingly wrapped in ice shards. "Don't think I don't know that you hold something far more important than that score. You must have gotten your hands on the keys to the Lu Residence dungeon long ago, haven't you?"
Shen Mingyue drew half of a tattered musical score from her sleeve—the very same piece whose symbols matched the map of the Blood Fiend Alliance found in the Jiang Estate study. The musical notes marked with cinnabar on the score resembled bleeding wounds under the candlelight. "The second half of this score conceals the secret code for the clandestine weapons forged by the Lu Residence." She paused, watching the pavilion master's pupils suddenly contract, and deliberately lowered her voice. "But the confidential letter I want must make everyone in the Capital believe that Shen Qingyao has long been colluding with the dark guards of the Northern Frontier. Furthermore, the tone and handwriting of the letter must be identical to Shen Qingyao's usual paperwork, without the slightest flaw. If the pavilion master can accomplish this, the account books and weapon blueprints from the Lu Residence dungeon will be presented together in three days."
Outside the window, the protracted cry of a night owl suddenly pierced the air, startling the accumulated dust on the rafters into falling in a flurry. The pavilion master remained silent for a long time, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the tabletop, producing a steady "tap-tap" sound like some mysterious secret code. Finally, he spoke: "The hour of Chou in three days, pick up the goods at the Ruined Temple in the West City. However, Miss Shen had better think carefully. Once this confidential letter comes to light, Lu Huaijin will never let the matter rest. The assassins he harbors are each possessed of extraordinary skills, and he has the Blood Fiend Alliance backing him up. Are you certain you want to do this? The 'Thirteen Nether Fiends' of the Lu Residence are all merciless figures capable of taking on a hundred opponents single-handedly." When he stood up, the hem of his garment swept past the candlesticks, causing the flame to leap high and cast a terrifying, hideous glow upon the glutton mask on his face, as though it were about to swallow Shen Mingyue whole.
After seeing the pavilion master out, Shen Mingyue unfolded the topographical map of the Lu Residence. On the yellowed xuan paper, the red dots marked by the shadow guards covered every location like venomous sores—the concealed crossbows behind the rockery, the entrances to the underground passages beneath the covered corridors, and the mechanical false ceilings above the banquet hall. She heavily circled the main banquet hall with a cinnabar brush; the instant the brush tip pierced the paper, she felt as though she could already foresee the outcome of Lu Huaijin's spreading sea of blood. "Chuntao, go call Nanny Liu. For this birthday banquet, all the maidservants in the estate must change into newly made moon-white ru skirts, and silver needles must be sewn into the hems of their skirts. The stitches must be fine and dense, leaving not the slightest trace visible. In addition, have the kitchen prepare some pastries laced with sleeping powder, just in case. Tell Xuanying as well to have the shadow guards infiltrate the Lu Residence two hours early and mark their positions at all the mechanical traps."
On the day of the birthday banquet, the Lu Residence was adorned with festive lanterns and colorful streamers, their gilt lanterns dyeing the snow-covered ground a bizarre, ominous crimson that resembled a frozen sea of blood. Shen Mingyue was dressed in a plain white brocade ru skirt woven with gold thread, the soft sword hanging at her waist cleverly concealed by a cloud-brocade sash, the jade pendant on the sword hilt swaying gently with her footsteps. The instant she stepped through the estate gates, she sensed at least seven cold, piercing gazes fixed upon her from the shadows, making her feel as though she were standing on pins and needles. A faint sound of metal scraping came from behind the rockery—the cocking mechanism of a concealed crossbow; though the sound was faint, it exploded in her ears.
"Miss Shen honoring us with her presence truly adds brilliance to our humble dwelling." Lu Huaijin was dressed in a peacock-blue brocade long robe, the suet-white jade pendant at his waist swaying slightly with his strides to emit a crisp sound. He reached out his hand to help Shen Mingyue down the steps, but his cuff revealed a strip of dark red tattooing—the exact counterpart of the "Nether Guide" totem on Gu Jinghong's cuff. His smile was like the warm sun of spring, yet his eyes concealed hidden ice blades. "Miss Shen's attire today is truly refined and elegant, yet this plain white color makes it look rather like you are attending a funeral. Could it be that there has been some other misfortune in Miss Shen's household?"
Shen Mingyue effortlessly avoided his hand, her fingertips brushing against the Su-embroidered screen hanging beneath the corridor. Beneath the silk embroidered with twin lotus flowers, the raised mechanical buttons were faintly discernible. Her fingernails lightly scraped across the surface of the silk; the texture was rough, clearly indicating it was newly replaced fabric. "Since it is Young Master Lu's birthday, I naturally should present a generous gift." She withdrew a sandalwood box from her sleeve, the brass lock on its lid gleaming with a cold light. "It is a pity that when this humble commoner was sorting through old belongings recently, I discovered some rather interesting things. As for Young Master Lu, however, the tattoo on your cuff bears a striking resemblance to the legendary 'Nether Guide,' and I wonder how you might explain that?"
Lu Huaijin's pupils abruptly contracted, though his face still maintained a smile. "What does Miss Shen mean by this? Could it be that you intend to put on a play for everyone at my birthday banquet? Surely you aren't still trying to frame me for being associated with martial arts outlaws?" The steward standing behind him quietly retreated half a step, his hand already resting upon the short blade at his waist, his knuckles turning white from the force of his grip.
"Young Master Lu might do well to take a closer look." Shen Mingyue pushed the confidential letter forward; its scorched edges still retained words like "Northern Frontier iron cavalry" and "internal and external coordination," and the burn marks on the paper varied in depth, as though they had been deliberately scorched. "This was recovered from the personal maidservant of Shen Qingyao. The 'opportune moment of the birthday banquet' mentioned in the letter—I wonder if it has anything to do with today? According to that maidservant's confession, Shen Qingyao has long been corresponding with the dark guards of the Northern Frontier, and this very letter is the ironclad proof of their agreed-upon action. Young Master Lu interacts closely with Shen Qingyao; surely you cannot be entirely unaware of this matter?"
The grand hall suddenly plunged into dead silence, the sound of guests whispering among themselves receding like the tide. Lu Huaijin's complexion instantly turned ashen, as though all the blood had been drained from him. He abruptly knocked over the tea cup on the table, the celadon shards splashing onto the hem of Shen Mingyue's skirt and leaving dark, smudged stains on the plain white silk. "Shen Mingyue! You are making false accusations! I have always been on good terms with Shen Qingyao; how could I ever do such a thing! You are clearly jealous of the bond between her and me, and are deliberately framing and slandering me! Do you think you can bring down my Lu Residence relying merely on this tattered letter of unknown origin?"
Just at that moment, a commotion suddenly erupted outside the door. More than a dozen assassins in black broke through the windows, their blades poisoned with a faint blue luster that cast an eerie color in the candlelight. The leader, the "Black Crow" squad leader, gave a cruel smile, his curved saber drawing an arc through the air. "Shen Mingyue, today is your day to die!" Shen Mingyue had been prepared for this and swiftly drew her soft sword; the blade collided with the assassin's curved saber, and the resulting sparks illuminated Lu Huaijin's terrified face. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the curtain of the second-floor private chamber shifting—that was where the most elite death-assassins of the Lu Residence were hidden. Her heartbeat suddenly accelerated, yet she forced herself to calm down, sweeping her gaze across the battlefield like a falcon.
"Protect Miss Shen!" Xuanying's voice came from the roof, laden with a sharp, wind-breaking force. Dozens of shadow guards materialized like ghosts, the long swords in their hands gleaming coldly in the moonlight. The "Black Crow" squad leader brandished his curved saber to strike directly at Shen Mingyue's throat; Shen Mingyue sidestepped to evade it, her soft sword striking out like a nimble serpent toward his wrist. The squad leader flipped his wrist, the back of his saber striking against the soft sword, and the tremendous force made the web of Shen Mingyue's hand go numb. Leveraging the momentum, she leaped backward, her toes lightly touching the tabletop as she grabbed a handful of pastries and scattered them around her. The pastries laced with sleeping powder immediately caused the approaching assassins to stumble in their footing.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Lu Huaijin retreated toward the direction of the secret chamber, his flustered footsteps causing him to knock over a screen with a tremendous crash. Behind the screen, amidst the rockery stones, a concealed door was revealed, its door handle still bearing fresh fingerprints. Seizing the right moment, Shen Mingyue flicked the silver needles from her sleeve. The silver needle accurately struck Lu Huaijin's calf, sending him stumbling to the ground with a cry of painful groans. Seeing this, the "Black Crow" squad leader abandoned the other shadow guards and lunged toward Shen Mingyue with his saber, the air current whipped up by the blade's force blowing her stray locks into disarray.
At the very moment of imminent peril, a dark shadow flashed past. Xuanying's long sword barred the way in front of Shen Mingyue, clashing with the curved saber of the "Black Crow" amidst flying sparks. "Xuanying, go guard the secret door and don't let Lu Huaijin escape!" Shen Mingyue shouted loudly, executing a dazzling sword blossom with her soft sword to strike directly at another assassin's lower stance. At that moment, the mechanical false ceiling of the banquet hall suddenly sprang open, and dozens of concealed arrows came piercing through the air. Shen Mingyue tapped her toes against the ground, leaped up onto the beams, and danced her soft sword into a protective screen of blades that deflected the incoming concealed arrows one after another.
Just as the combat reached a stalemate, a troop of imperial guards suddenly burst in, led by none other than the Second Prince's trusted aide. The imperial guards wore dark armor and wielded long lances, resembling a black torrent that instantly flooded the entire hall. "Lu Huaijin, someone has reported you for colluding with enemy nations and plotting treason." The commander of the imperial guards unfurled the imperial decree, his voice echoing through the great hall like heavy mallets striking upon Lu Huaijin's heart. "By order of the Second Prince, the Lu Residence is to be sealed immediately!"
Lu Huaijin collapsed limply to the ground, watching as the imperial guards subdued his personal guards one by one. He suddenly threw his head back and laughed, his laughter laced with despair and madness. "Shen Mingyue! Do you think you can bring me down this way? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will not let you off! The Blood Fiend Alliance will not let the matter rest either! Their influence pervades the entire Capital, and sooner or later you will pay the price for what you've done today! Once the Crown Prince's men arrive, both you and the Second Prince shall die!"
Shen Mingyue walked up to him, the tip of her sword hooking his chin upward to force him to meet her gaze. "Lu Huaijin, did you really think your illicit dealings were known to no one? From your collusion with Jiang Yanbai to your clandestine forging of weapons, and onward to your wretched alliance with the Blood Fiend Alliance, I remember every single debt clearly. Today is the time for you to repay them. Do you think that having the Crown Prince and the Blood Fiend Alliance to prop you up gives you peace of mind? How utterly naive. Look at yourself now; where is there even a shred of the arrogance of a noble scion left?"
The scene of the birthday banquet was an absolute mess, bloodstains winding across the snow-white carpet like serpents and complementing the crimson hue of the gilt lanterns to compose a bizarre picture. Shen Mingyue gazed out over the chaotic scene, yet her heart remained uncommonly calm. This was a crucial step in her revenge plan; from Lady Cao and Jiang Yanbai to Lu Huaijin now, she would not spare a single one of those who had harmed her and her mother. Her gaze swept over the full expanse of ruins, and in the shadows of a corner, there seemed to be a pair of eyes watching her—a gaze that made her hair stand on end.
Meanwhile, in the shadows, Gu Jinghong leaned against the corner tower of the Lu Residence, toying with the newly acquired secret dossier of the Lu Residence in his hands. He watched Shen Mingyue's composed and steady figure amidst the chaotic situation, a meaningful smile curling the corners of his lips. "Shen Mingyue, you truly did not disappoint me. However, the real good show has only just begun. The Crown Prince's side can no longer sit still, and the Blood Fiend Alliance will not let it go either; are you prepared to welcome a greater storm? Once the Crown Prince makes his move, I fear it will be ten times more spectacular than this array at the Lu Residence." He slipped the secret dossier into his sleeve and vanished into the night, the hem of his robe brushing against the accumulated snow at the base of the wall and leaving a trail of uneven footprints behind.
Upon returning to the Shen Estate, Shen Mingyue sat exhaustedly before the dressing table. In the bronze mirror, her complexion was as pale as paper, bearing the scars left by battle, while stray locks of hair adhered disheveledly to her forehead. Chuntao tended to her wounds with a heart full of distress, speaking softly, "Miss, you took too much of a risk this time. Those assassins belonging to Lu Huaijin are all demons who blink not an eye when taking lives. Especially that 'Black Crow' squad leader—they say countless souls have perished beneath his curved saber, and you almost..."
Shen Mingyue gazed at herself in the mirror, yet her eyes grew all the more resolute. "Without taking risks, how could we ever bring these people down? Lu Huaijin's downfall is merely the beginning. The Crown Prince and the Blood Fiend Alliance—they are the true formidable enemies. Lurking in the shadows for many years with their influence deeply entrenched and intricately connected, how easy could it be to completely eradicate them? But I will not retreat; even if an unfathomable abyss lies ahead, I will leap down without the slightest hesitation. Chuntao, do you know? Amidst the fighting, I could almost feel my mother watching over me from the heavens, granting me strength." She grasped her mother's shattered jade tighter. "Mother, just watch; your daughter will surely make those who harmed you pay a agonizing price. I will let them know that the daughters of the Shen Family are no soft persimmons to be bullied at will."
Outside the window, the wind and snow continued unabated. Shen Mingyue knew that the road ahead remained fraught with danger, but she was already prepared. This victory at the birthday banquet had allowed her to take a solid step forward on her path of vengeance, and had also made her see the true faces of her enemies all the more clearly. Next, what she would face was the massive influence of the Crown Prince, alongside the unfathomable Blood Fiend Alliance. Yet she felt no fear, for within her heart resided faith, a promise made to her mother, and the resolve to seek justice for those innocent victims. Meanwhile, in the shadows, the Crown Prince was flying into a rage within the East Palace, shattering the teacup in his hand. The tea splashed onto the floor, mingling with the porcelain shards like a shattered painting. He knew that Shen Mingyue had already become his greatest threat and must be eliminated as soon as possible. An even greater storm was quietly closing in, and Shen Mingyue was already prepared to meet the challenge.