Chapter 53

The silver moon hung in the sky, and laughter within Wuwei Pavilion continued unabated.

Several maids stood in the garden below, hearing the occasional tinkling laughter from above, unable to suppress their whispered murmurs:

“What on earth is Master Xie doing? The Princess is laughing so happily.”

“Maybe he’s telling bawdy jokes. Look how softly he speaks—he doesn’t even want us to hear…”

“I wish I could sneak up and take a peek.”

“Don’t be suicidal—if you see something you shouldn’t, the Princess might marry you off to Master Hou.”

…

In a neighboring civilian residence.

Xie Jinhuan slipped silently over the wall, confirmed no one had noticed his presence, exhaled softly in relief, told Meiqiu to return to the room and sleep, then tidied his robes and quietly crossed the back courtyard wall to reach the terrace.

Inside the sliding door, the room glowed brightly; he could hear Princess Changning’s distinctive, commanding voice—her laughter sounded genuinely delighted, even slightly shy…

What is A Piao doing?

Xie Jinhuan was utterly baffled, but as long as Princess Changning hadn’t noticed anything amiss, he stood quietly on the terrace. He waited only an instant before his ghost bride’s voice whispered in his ear:

“Come in.”

Xie Jinhuan said nothing, quietly slid open the door, and glanced inside.

Whoosh!

The room reeked of wine; two empty wine flasks sat on the carpet, both clustered near Princess Changning’s side—his own position untouched.

Dressed in a home robe, the Princess still sat before the peacock screen, reclining lazily against a soft pillow, her cheek propped on one hand, gazing at empty air with a tender, radiant smile:

“Hehe~…”

Xie Jinhuan tiptoed to the opposite side and sat down; immediately, her voice came again:

“Finish the wine, then just leave the rest scattered around.”

Xie Jinhuan downed a full flask in one gulp; though it burned his scalp raw, he gritted his teeth and endured it, then quietly scattered the wine vessels and gambling tools slightly.

Princess Changning kept her gaze fixed on his direction; after a moment, she seemed slightly dizzy, closed her eyes, and gently rubbed her temples:

“You brute, you made me laugh so hard my head aches~”

Xie Jinhuan knew the illusion had dissolved seamlessly; he adopted the demeanor of someone who’d had three rounds of wine:

“As long as the Princess is happy. It’s late—shall I call the maids to help you back to your room?”

“Eh~”

Princess Changning paused, realized the drunken dizziness had passed, lifted her head, and fixed her luminous eyes on Xie Jinhuan:

“It’s not even midnight yet—how can we end so soon?… Wait, why are you suddenly so proper all of a sudden?”

?

Was I not proper just now?

Xie Jinhuan had no idea what A Piao had done earlier; now he could only go along with her words:

“I was afraid the maids would come up and see. Since you haven’t had enough, I’ll naturally keep you company.”

Princess Changning nodded slightly, sat up straighter, studied him closely, then raised an eyebrow:

“I still prefer you the way you were before—flirtatious and playful. Go back to that.”

Flirtatious and playful?!

Xie Jinhuan stared blankly.

Ye Hongshang clearly anticipated his confusion; now she appeared silently beside the peacock screen, arms crossed, clearly displeased:

“You took half an hour just to kill three people? Did you get lost? I barely managed to stall her this long—hurry up and get wild, don’t blow your cover.”

Get wild?!

Xie Jinhuan had to find targets, scout locations, avoid all sightlines—returning in half an hour was already lightning speed.

He knew his ghost bride had expended tremendous effort to delay things, but how the hell was he supposed to get wild now?

Seeing Xie Jinhuan hesitate, Princess Changning frowned:

“Just now you were so relaxed, didn’t even treat me like a Princess—why are you so stiff now? I feel like you’ve become someone else.”

Because you’re right—I *have* become someone else!

Xie Jinhuan felt his “Righteous Young Hero” image had completely collapsed; to avoid exposure, he could only silently beg his ghost bride for help.

Ye Hongshang didn’t abandon him—she began teaching him on the spot how to get wild.

Xie Jinhuan looked up and saw the dazzling, seductive demoness: her crimson gown had transformed into a sheer robe revealing her waist, a veil still covering her face; her hips swayed gently, her hands glided across her chest, rising and falling, her full figure moving with irresistible rhythm…

Fuck!

Did I just dance that damn thing?!

Am I turning into a male striptease dancer?!

Xie Jinhuan thought Ye the Great Demoness danced beautifully—he’d love to have her perform at home later—but he’d never learned this.

Seeing Princess Changning watching him expectantly, Xie Jinhuan, desperate to conceal his identity and avoid suspicion from the landlady, had no choice but to improvise:

“That was just a silly dance—it’s boring to keep doing it. How about I play you a tune instead?”

“Oh?”

Princess Changning studied him with interest: “You can play music? Just how many hidden talents do you have?”

Xie Jinhuan knew countless pieces; he said nothing, stepped out, retrieved Dodo’s pipa, sat on the stool, and tested the tone briefly:

“Since childhood, I’ve trained hard—I can play every instrument, though I’m no master, I can manage. Women’s pipa playing emphasizes clarity and smoothness, like flowing water. But men playing pipa must convey the might of the Four Heavenly Kings…”

“Dang, dang-dang—”

As he spoke, he swept his fingers across the strings, gradually building intensity; the pipa’s notes carried hidden menace, evoking a sense of peril, his gaze sharp as blades!

Princess Changning was startled by that fierce, threatening stare; realizing Xie Jinhuan truly knew his craft, she exclaimed in surprise:

“Excellent, excellent—your talent, wasted as a concubine, would be a crime against heaven.”

“Your Highness flatters me.”

Xie Jinhuan’s childhood skills, though aimed at dominating the locals, amounted practically to *The Art of Being a Concubine*. Since he needed to please girls, he couldn’t play anything too violent; he thought better of it and switched to gentle finger plucks:

“Ding-dong~ ding-ding-dong…”

The pipa whispered like a soft confession, tender yet tinged with melancholy.

Princess Changning listened intently, then looked surprised:

“You play Su Baiyu’s ‘Pipa Lament’ well—but this piece is too refined, dull. Do you have anything more… vulgar?”

More vulgar?

Seeing the landlady insisted he get wild, Xie Jinhuan had no choice—he switched to rapid fingerwork:

“Dang-dang-dang~ dang-dang…”

The melody was lively, rhythmically infectious.

Princess Changning blinked, tilting her head:

“What piece is this?”

Xie Jinhuan smirked slightly, raising an eyebrow:

“Great Qian Electric Sound! Like it?”

“Huh?!”

Princess Changning was electrified by this sudden, unexpected style, her eyes wide with wonder as she listened.

Though Xie Jinhuan’s vibe still differed from before, this learned, wild performance was far more interesting than his earlier, effeminate flirting.

“Excellent, excellent—never heard anything like it. But what’s ‘electric sound’?”

Electric sound requires electricity.

Xie Jinhuan felt the pipa wasn’t “hot” enough; he had a sudden idea, channeled his qi, and sparks of blue-white electricity crackled from his fingertips—the melody instantly transformed into:

“Zi-dang zi-dang zizizizi~…”

Honestly, it had some effect—the lights flickered dimly and brightly, though still lacking vibrant colors…

Princess Changning stared at this blasphemous, heaven-reversing spectacle, her eyes filled with awe:

“You’re truly a genius—if the Imperial Music Academy’s masters saw this, they’d spit blood three pints and cry, ‘This is outrageous!’”

“Just for private amusement—no one would dare play like this in public.”

Holding the “electric pipa,” Xie Jinhuan sensed the atmosphere was perfect—but he needed a dance partner. He turned his gaze to the exquisite little Princess:

“How about I teach you to dance?”

Princess Changning had already witnessed “Xie Jinhuan’s” dancing; she hesitated:

“That… dance again?”

“That was boring. I’ll teach you something prettier.”

As he spoke, Xie Jinhuan stood, pipa in his left hand, right hand tapping the beat, beginning instruction:

“Dang-dang-dang…”

“Come on, follow the rhythm—rise on your toes, spin twice, lift your waist, thrust your hips—yes… relax, don’t be shy…”

“Eh…”

Princess Changning had spent her days with those frivolous young ladies, but she’d never seen nightclub seductresses dancing; she tried his moves, blushed furiously, and muttered:

“You’re so flirtatious~ What kind of nonsense is this?!”

Didn’t you just tell me to get wild?

Since Xie Jinhuan could no longer play the righteous hero, he dropped all restraint—his gaze bold and direct, he began coaching the landlady:

“I learned this from my Master on the mountain. Don’t worry—no one else is here. Come on, follow the beat… yes, clever, faster now—twist your waist more, yes, yes, you’re learning fast…”

The Princess of Changning’s regal aura was completely subdued; she now looked shy, swaying slightly to the rhythm, yet blushed so hard she wanted to punch this irreverent young master.

But Xie Jin’s gaze and manner held no hint of flirtation—he praised her without a trace of groveling flattery, as if speaking to a close friend—and gradually, she relaxed, learning his movements step by step.

Meanwhile, Ye Hongshang stood to one side, surprised to see Xie Jin truly let loose; his expression clearly conveyed:

Oh my~ He really knows how to charm a girl. Saying he never had a romantic elder sister before? I don’t believe it…

Look at those little eyes—between us two, who’s really the succubus?

Yet Ye Hongshang was no rigid ghost; after listening a while, she joined in the dance, her movements bold and fluid, her gaze hypnotic, her limbs supple as a plump, boneless serpent.

Fuck…

Xie Jin’s eyes lit up; had he not feared exposure, he’d have given her a thumbs-up.

But just as the two and the ghost were getting into the groove, hurried footsteps echoed from the alley behind, faintly accompanied by Yang Dabiao’s shouts:

“Jinhuan? Jinhuan?!”

Xie Jin’s pipa notes halted—he knew the tavern incident had been exposed. He turned and slid open the door, scanning the buildings behind:

“Big Brother Yang?”

“Hey? You’re still drinking?”

“Yes…”

“Who was just playing the pipa so wildly? The windows kept flickering on and off like they were having a fit…”

“Uh…”

The Princess of Changning pulled on her wide-sleeved outer robe and stepped onto the terrace, glancing over with mild annoyance:

“What is it?”

Yang Dabiao had just leapt onto the wall; seeing the princess appear, he startled and hastily bowed from afar:

“Your Highness, a major case has broken out on East Street. Battalion Commander Zhou He of the Crimson Lin Guard and two attendants were murdered—each killed with a single throat-cutting strike.”

The Princess of Changning frowned, instinctively glancing at Xie Jin beside her.

But since dusk, Xie Jin had been drinking with her the entire time, thoroughly enjoying himself—he had motive but no opportunity. She spoke sharply:

“When did they die?”

“No more than twenty minutes ago.”

“Who did it?”

“Not yet determined. The killer is highly skilled, left-handed, and wields a blade. I couldn’t discern much—so I came to ask you to come take a look.”

The Crimson Lin Guard were the Emperor’s eyes and claws; Zhou He and his men had been sent to Danshan to assist in investigating the Li family case, yet were assassinated by unknown assailants—this could be construed as treason if blown out of proportion.

The Princess of Changning knew this was a hot potato—anyone entangled would be ruined. She snapped:

“Are there no officials in the government office? Must you rely on an outsider like Xie Jin for everything? What good are you then? Go fetch Master Tie.”

“Yes!”

Yang Dabiao dared not speak further and leapt down from the wall.

Hearing the news, the Princess of Changning lost all appetite for drinking:

“I heard you stayed up all night at the government office yesterday. It’s late—go back and rest well. Tomorrow at the Peony Pool, if you defeat me, you won’t just lose the Martial Dao Divine Scripture—you’ll have to play music and dance daily at Wuwei Pavilion to entertain us!”

Xie Jin didn’t mind amusing his landlady, but publicly, he had to maintain his image as a righteous young master. He whispered:

“That was just for fun—don’t let it get out, or people will laugh. The princess alone need know…”

“Relax. I’m not some uncultured fool. If word got out about your talents, I’d have to queue behind wealthy ladies just to see you.”

“?”

Xie Jin felt his reputation was utterly shattered. He bowed and retired, leaping back into his courtyard.

The Princess of Changning watched from the terrace until Xie Jin vanished beneath the eaves, then leaned forward for one last peek, murmuring to herself: He knows so much… no wonder Qingmo follows him everywhere…

After calming down slightly, the Princess of Changning rubbed her temples and returned indoors:

“Duo Duo, what wine did you serve today?”

“Apricot Blossom Spring. Is there a problem?”

“It’s stronger than usual.”

“Perhaps it’s not the wine that intoxicates, but the company. If I were alone with Master Xie, I’d be drunk after three cups.”

“Hmph~ Little flirt…”

…

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(End of Chapter)