Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying sat inside the room, quietly watching Prince Chun perform opera.

Prince Chun was cross-dressing as a female character[1] and performed The Case of Chen Shimei.

Every aspect of the performance was impeccable. Prince Chun portrayed Qin Xianglian[2] with striking depth, and Lu Chunying's eyes welled with tears as she watched.

Tears welled up in Xiao Yeci's eyes too, but it was out of fear.

No matter how afraid she was, she had to watch the performance to the end. Lu Chunying had offended Prince Chun, and to make it up to him, he had made a simple request—sit through his opera performance.

It did not seem like a big deal, but Xiao Yeci was truly terrified.

Seeing her trembling nonstop, Lu Chunying cautiously reminded her, "Mom, if you can't hold it in, say something right away. I'll take you to the latrine. This prince cares about cleanliness. We mustn't cause any more trouble."

Li Banfeng sat inside the Pocket Dwelling, quietly watching the Gramophone and Hong Ying.

Pop... crackle... pop...

The Gramophone spoke first. "Husband dear, did Prince Chun tell you everything? That old fella is a cunning fox. You can't trust everything he says."

Hong Ying let out a soft sigh. "Among all the officials in court, who isn't a cunning fox? Compared to them, Prince Chun counts as one of the better ones."

The Gramophone let out a mocking laugh. "In your eyes, he's more than just decent. He's a good man who is unmatched in the world."

Hong Ying fell silent for a long time before speaking. "I was never close to Prince Chun, nor did we share any bond. The emperor issued the decree, and I had no choice but to marry him. That has nothing to do with the grudge between you and me."

Li Banfeng had been meaning to ask about this. "Why did the two of you fall out in the first place?"

The Gramophone sneered. "You should ask that wretch. I still can't make sense of it."

Hong Ying sounded agitated as she replied, "If you don't understand, then think carefully. I followed you without question on the battlefield, risking limb and life with you. Before armies of thousands, when have I ever been ambiguous about my intentions? I killed you because you deserved to die. I had no choice but to do it. I did nothing wrong!"

The Gramophone and Hong Ying fell silent again.

Li Banfeng lay on the bed, gently stroking the Gramophone. He asked, "Wifey, you've been fighting the Blightlanders all this time. Where exactly is Blightland?"

Pop... crackle... pop...

"I don't remember. Ever since that wretch harmed me, I've forgotten many things. If I force myself to recall them, it feels like my soul will disperse."

Hong Ying snapped, "You vile woman, don't pin everything on me. I can't remember anything about Blightland either. If we're going by that logic, wasn't I harmed by you too?"

They had forgotten—all of them. Prince Chun could not say where Blightland was either. He could not even say where the Great Huan Dynasty was.

Whether it was the Gramophone, Hong Ying, or Prince Chun, they had all died once before.

After experiencing death, it was only natural that they lost most of their memories.

Li Banfeng pulled the Gramophone into his arms. "Enough, enough. No more thinking about it. We fought through the night in the rain. I'm freezing."

The Gramophone released a burst of steam and wrapped it tightly around him. "I'm fortunate to be loved dearly by my husband. Unlike that wretch, who deserves to suffer for the rest of her life."

***

After finishing The Case of Chen Shimei, Prince Chun was already considering what to perform next.

Xiao Yeci trembled as she said, "Your Highness, didn't you say you would let us go after we finished watching you perform an opera? We're in a hurry to continue our journey."

Prince Chun's expression darkened. "I let you listen to an opera for free, yet you feel like you've been wronged? Let me tell you this. As long as the rain doesn't stop, you won't be able to move quickly. And if you can't move fast enough, you can forget about leaving this Old Land."

They waited for a full day before the heavy rain finally stopped.

Li Banfeng gathered everyone and left Prince Chun's Manor.

Prince Chun stood in the central building of the central courtyard. He placed the record onto his gramophone's turntable and quietly listened to Zhao Xiaowan's "Changban Slope."

After the song ended, he carefully put the record away. He stood at the doorway, gazing into the distance.

A script is ultimately just a script. It cannot be entirely dismissed, nor can it be fully believed. How much is false and how much is true depends on whether there is someone who can distinguish the truth clearly. And it depends on whether you are that person.

***

Li Banfeng led the group for more than half a day before they finally walked out of the Old Land.

Using the map Prince Chun had given him, Li Banfeng drew out routes for everyone.

"Xiao Niu, take those couple of people back to the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs. Xiao Fang, take your group to Medicine King Gully. You all know the routes you need to take, right?"

The routes Li Banfeng drew for them were simple and clear. Niu Guangda knew the route he was supposed to take, but he did not want to leave.

He said, "Benefactor, I don't want to go back to the Ridges of Bottomless Stomachs."

"Why?"

"When my dad sent me here, he slapped me twice and said I couldn't endure hardship, that I'd never amount to anything. If I go back now, he'll slap me again and send me right back, no matter what I say. He won't believe a word of it."

Li Banfeng replied, "Go home and talk to him properly. If he still doesn't understand, just slap him. Tell him a bearded man told you to do it."

Niu Guangda shook his head repeatedly. "That's my dad, 'ey. How could I dare?"

Li Banfeng thought about it for a moment. "Come back to Greenwater Bay with me then. I'll take you to slap him another day."

Niu Guangda was overjoyed. "From now on, I'll follow you, Benefactor. My life belongs to you."

Since Niu Guangda was following Li Banfeng, the others followed as well.

Using the map Prince Chun had given him, Li Banfeng led the group toward Greenwater Bay.

The route marked on the map matched the memories of Xiao Yeci and her daughter. In less than three days, the group left the Worry-Free Flat and arrived at Guangming Town.

Guangming Town was located in the northern part of Greenwater Bay and quite far from Greenwater City. Nevertheless, it was still a bustling town. Passing merchants often stopped there to rest, and it had a full range of inns, restaurants, and shops. There was even a cinema.

Li Banfeng arranged everyone's accommodation first. Then he bought two sets of men's clothing and gave them to Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying.

The others were not an issue, but it was different for Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying, as the Lu Family was searching for them.

Dressed in men's clothing, ordinary people would not recognize them. However, the Lu Family had many extraordinary people in their ranks, so this was not a long-term solution.

Li Banfeng asked, "Be frank with me. Do you plan to return to the Lu Family?"

Lu Chunying shook her head. "No. The Lu Family won't accept us."

Xiao Yeci shook her head at Lu Chunying. "Not 'us.' It's me they won't accept. You should go back. If you keep following me, you're destined to go nowhere, eh."

Li Banfeng did not know the reason for what they said, so Lu Chunying explained everything that had happened with the Lu Family.

After hearing the full story, several questions arose in Li Banfeng's mind.

The first question Li Banfeng had was regarding Lu Xiaolan. Monkey Qiu had been the one who released her, and Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying had been the ones who had gotten Monkey Qiu involved. Li Banfeng knew that.

However, Lu Xiaolan had not known that Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying would go to her rescue. She never admitted to writing them any letters. Whenever this was mentioned, Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying would become furious, believing Lu Xiaolan to be heartless and ungrateful.

Nonetheless, Li Banfeng believed Lu Xiaolan was not lying. At the time, she had been trapped inside the He Family's old residence. Aside from the hook on Li Banfeng's phone, she had no way to contact anyone else.

She could not have written to Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying. Even if she could send out a letter, she would have written to her mother to ask for help, not Xiao Yeci and Lu Chunying. However, if Lu Xiaolan was not lying, then who had written the letters that Lu Chunying and Xiao Yeci had received?

Lu Xiaolan had been trapped in the He Family's old residence. Aside from her and me, who else knew about this?

The second question was in relation to Lu Dongliang. Xiao Yeci said she had witnessed the entire attack on Lu Dongliang. He Yuxiu had struck first, followed by Zhuo Yuling, then Lu Dongjun. Next, Lu Dongliang had pushed He Yuxiu, and the two of them had been sent flying.

Lu Dongliang was a level-nine Wanderlust Cultivator. Did he use a Wanderlust ability?

In the end, Lu Dongliang had flown straight into Li Banfeng's hands. Had Lu Dongliang arranged this in advance?

Then a third matter of concern came up. It was something Lu Chunying had heard on her way to the Lu Family's main residence.

"Lu Xiaolan told Monkey Qiu that she was going to kill someone named something Qing on the train. But that Qing person had pushed her, and she had been sent flying straight into the He Family's old residence. Monkey Qiu didn't believe her. The Lu Family didn't believe her. I thought she was talking nonsense too. But then I saw my father push He Yuxiu, and she went flying as well. So, maybe what she said was true..."

Li Banfeng's cheek twitched for a moment. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a stiff smile.

Back in university, anyone who knew Li Banfeng understood that this stiff smile was an indication that he was about to have an episode. At times like this, it was best to stay far away from him.

Li Banfeng steadied his tone and asked, "The one you mentioned, the Qing person. Is it He Jiaqing?"

Lu Chunying considered it for a moment and nodded. "That sounds like the name."

Li Banfeng asked again, "Is it He Jiaqing?"

Lu Chunying said, "It should be him."

Li Banfeng asked once more, "Is it He Jiaqing?"

Lu Chunying grew a little frightened and did not respond.

Xiao Yeci interjected, "Benefactor, she might not remember clearly. Let me think about it."

Li Banfeng just kept repeating the same question. "Is it He Jiaqing?"

This time, Xiao Yeci grew frightened as well. "Benefactor, what's wrong with you?"

"Is it He Jiaqing?" Li Banfeng said yet again.

He then turned and left the room, stepping into the corridor. He did not want to hurt the mother and daughter.

Li Banfeng kept repeating the same words as he entered his room.

"Is it He Jiaqing?"

"Is it He Jia—"

Li Banfeng covered his mouth. He was having an episode. He kept repeating the same sentence, and he could not control himself.

With one hand, he took out his house key and entered the Pocket Dwelling. He kept his hand on his mouth, even as his face flushed red.

Seeing that, the Gramophone asked with deep concern, "My dear, what's wrong?"

Li Banfeng kept saying the same sentence, but now, the words were just sounds that vibrated through his nose.

"Mmm... mmm..."

He could not stop repeating the sentence. Even covering his mouth did nothing!

So, Li Banfeng covered his nose as well. He pressed tightly over his mouth and nose. His face turned bluish-purple. He was suffocating himself.

"My dear!"

The Gramophone rushed into action and used a swirl of steam to pull his hand away. She wrapped him tightly in a shroud of steam.

Li Banfeng shouted hoarsely, "Is it He Jiaqing?"

In the sixth room of the Pocket Dwelling, Crimson Lotus heard Li Banfeng's cry, and layer after layer of dewdrops formed across her petals.

1. The raw mentions this as 旦角 dan jue, which can be translated as “dan role”. It refers to the leading female roles in Chinese opera. They were traditionally played by specialised male actors. ☜

2. Qin Xianglian is the wife of Chen Shimei in The Case of Chen Shimei. She is a loyal woman who supported her husband while he studied for the imperial examinations. However, after achieving success, Chen Shimei abandoned her and married a princess for status. Qin Xianglian later traveled to the capital with her children and sought justice from the famous judge Bao Zheng. Despite Chen Shimei’s high status, Bao Zheng upheld the law and ordered his execution. ☜