Chapter 141: Attending the Appointment

The spring river tide connects to the sea, and the bright moon on the sea rises

If one were to ask what the most famous place in Nanhua Cheng is, it is, of course, the Hantian Lou.

The Hantian Lou is divided into three floors, with carved eaves, painted beams, and cloud-soaring bracket sets, decorated with great luxury.

This building is also built on the edge of a sea cliff; looking out, one sees the vast, misty ocean. The scenery is excellent, and it has always been the best place in the city to climb high and drink wine.

On this night, the bright moon hung high, and the sound of the sea waves was constant.

Outside the Hantian Lou, the voices of people were noisy, and it was extraordinarily boisterous.

Inside the Hantian Lou, there were string and wind instruments, bells and chimes, and light songs and graceful dances.

The top floor of the Hantian Lou.

Incense warms the silk curtains, and candlelight illuminates the hall.

Delicacies are placed on silver tables, and golden cups are filled with nectar.

Silk-clad feet step on jade stairs, and embroidered robes carry an exotic fragrance.

A beauty speaks in a soft voice, and Mo Guang pours out his heart.

By the window, Zhang Xingyu held his head high, gazing at the bright, clear moon in the sky, and softly began to recite Su Shi's "Prelude to Water Melody."

When will the moon be clear and bright? With a cup of wine in my hand, I ask the blue sky. I do not know what year it is tonight in the celestial palaces on high. I wish to ride the wind and return there, yet I fear the jade towers and crystal halls would be too cold at such a height. Dancing to play with my clear shadow, how can this compare to the world of men?

It turns around the vermilion pavilion, lowers its light through the silk-latticed windows, and shines upon the sleepless. It should have no grudges, so why is it always full when people are apart? People have sorrows and joys, partings and reunions; the moon has brightness and dimness, waxing and waning. This has been hard to perfect since ancient times. I only hope that people will live long, so that we may share the beauty of the moon even a thousand miles apart.

At this very moment, he missed home.

At this very moment, he missed his family and friends.

Bring in the wine, do not stop the cups.

Without realizing it, Zhang Xingyu became drunk and fell over.

When he opened his eyes again, he only felt a splitting headache.

"Ah, it hurts so much."

While gently rubbing his throbbing temples, he looked around.

Everything around him was pitch black; he could see nothing.

The air was cold and damp, and the ground was bone-chillingly cold.

It felt just like sleeping in an ice cave.

What place is this?

How could he be sleeping on the ground?

Zhang Xingyu stirred his magic power, wanting to cast a Fireball Technique to provide light.

The magic power was stirred, but the fireball did not appear.

Strange?

Just at this moment, a crisp clanging sound came from afar.

Immediately following, a series of clattering footsteps approached from the distance.

Before long, a candle flame lit up in the darkness, and a figure holding a candlestick appeared in his field of vision.

When the person arrived close by, Zhang Xingyu examined them carefully.

He saw that he wore a square-cornered hat, was dressed in scarlet robes, and had a long key hanging from his waist.

He looked like a jailer.

Borrowing the dim candlelight, Zhang Xingyu finally figured out the environment he was in.

This was a prison.

All around were small, narrow cells.

Cold stone walls, black iron bars, and huge iron locks.

The cells were filled with groups of gaunt, disheveled, and filthy prisoners.

Seeing someone enter, the prisoners became restless.

Some prisoners shouted that they were wronged, some begged in low voices, and some bumped against the bars.

The cell where Zhang Xingyu was located was low and damp, and a few people were also lying in the corner of the cell.

These few people were fast asleep.

Zhang Xingyu walked over and saw one big and two small people; they were exactly Mo Guang, Zhang Kaixin, and the little fatty.

What the hell?

How could they have been caught and thrown into a prison?

He remembered that before he got drunk, he was staying at the Hantian Lou.

Looking at the picturesque scenery, enjoying fine wine and food, and watching the light songs and graceful dances.

How could it be like this? Could it be...

"Hey, where is this? Why did you arrest us and bring us in?"

Zhang Xingyu shouted at the jailer.

"Behave yourself! What are you shouting for!"

The jailer first spat on the ground, then glared at Zhang Xingyu and scolded him in a low voice.

"Where is this? Why did you arrest us and bring us in?"

Zhang Xingyu continued to ask.

"Where? It's a prison, of course. You ignorant things, you offended people from the City Lord's Mansion and still dared to stay in the city to eat, drink, and have fun."

After the jailer finished cursing, he ignored Zhang Xingyu and went about lighting the torches on the four walls with his candle.

The jailer lit the torches, then cursed and stomped away.

"Wake up. Wake up."

Zhang Xingyu reached out to shake the two little ones awake, and then kicked Mo Guang's butt a few times.

Zhang Kaixin pouted, looking unhappy.

"Zhang Xingyu, I haven't slept enough yet. Why are you waking me up?"

The little fatty squinted his eyes, smacked his lips, and kept muttering.

"Where is my chicken leg? My chicken leg is gone."

Mo Guang glared at Zhang Xingyu with a face full of anger.

"I was having a good dream, what are you making noise for?"

Zhang Xingyu had black lines on his face.

"Good dream my head, take a look at what kind of place this is."

He kicked Mo Guang a few times hard and shouted loudly.

"What kind of place is this?"

Mo Guang touched his smooth black head and asked in confusion.

Before Zhang Xingyu could answer, a series of light footsteps sounded outside again.

Before long, the jailer who had just left led a woman inside.

The woman was enchanting and charming, with a beautiful face; she was exactly the woman Mo Guang longed for day and night, Wu Youshi.

Wu Youshi swayed her water-snake waist, took small, dainty steps, and carried an exquisite food box in her hand.

"Miss Wu, it's me, Mo Guang." Mo Guang shouted at Wu Youshi through the iron bars.

Wu Youshi, however, acted as if she hadn't heard him and continued to sway her waist as she walked forward.

"Miss Wu, Miss Wu..."

Mo Guang called out a few times, but Wu Youshi didn't even look at him.

She walked straight toward the opposite cell.

"A-Fei, I've come to send you off."

Wu Youshi said to a burly man locked inside.

This burly man named A-Fei was tall and handsome, wearing handcuffs and leg shackles.

He didn't speak, nor did he shout; he just looked at Wu Youshi quietly.

"A-Fei, you are the man I have loved most in my life."

Wu Youshi said while opening the food box.

The food box was filled with delicacies and fine wine.

Wu Youshi poured a cup of fine wine and handed it to A-Fei inside the iron bars.

A-Fei did not take it.

"Drink it, my love. Drink the Soul-Severing Wine and eat the Soul-Severing Meal, so you will have the strength to walk the road to the Yellow Springs." Wu Youshi persuaded softly.

At this time, A-Fei spoke.

"Wu Youshi, I want to know why?" A-Fei stared at Wu Youshi and asked.

Wu Youshi smiled, a sorrowful smile, like a withered rose.

"Because this is fate. It is your fate, and it is also my fate. I was adopted by the City Lord since I was a child and trained in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and prose. My fate is to bewitch people and clear away dissenters for the City Lord, and you are a dissenter."

"Then what about our feelings? What about our vows of eternal love? Are they all fake?" A-Fei roared.

Wu Youshi's eyes were filled with tears.

"Our feelings are, of course, real. Our vows of eternal love are also, of course, real. In this life, I will only ever like you." Wu Youshi looked at A-Fei and said solemnly.

"Then why don't you run away with me? Let's fly away together and live the life we want." A-Fei asked unwillingly.

"Fly away? Everything in this Nanhua Cheng is under the control of the City Lord; where could we possibly escape to? A-Fei, I don't want to live a life of hiding like a rat."

A-Fei sat on the ground in despair, and equally despairing was the bewildered Mo Guang.

Having listened for so long, he finally understood that this Wu Youshi was simply a married woman who was about to personally send her lover to the Yellow Springs—a poisonous scorpion of a woman. And as for him, Mo Guang, he probably didn't leave the slightest mark in this woman's heart.

Wu Youshi held the wine cup and waited silently.

In the candlelight, she was like a standing poppy, beautiful and poisonous.

A-Fei sat on the ground for a long time, then held onto the iron bars and stood up.

He reached out and took the wine cup, drinking it in one gulp.

"Clatter."

The wine cup fell and shattered on the ground, making a crisp sound.

A-Fei looked up at the sky and laughed incessantly.

"Haha, fate, haha, fate, haha, fate..."

The laughter stopped, and A-Fei slowly fell to the ground.

His eyes were wide open, as if he were unwillingly questioning the heavens.

Wu Youshi walked into the cell and gently closed his eyes for him.

"Sleep, sleep, my love."

She stroked A-Fei's face and whispered softly.

Wu Youshi left, taking away Mo Guang's love and bringing Mo Guang's loss.

"How could it be like this, how could it be like this..." Mo Guang was devastated.