[To Become a River of Stars] Dong Xiange - Chapter 14

The group headed to the side courtyard in the southeast. Before they even got close, they could see the exceptionally high walls. The white walls and blue-grey tiles framed the sky into a small, well-like space, creating an oppressive and confined atmosphere.

The steward bowed and reported, “After the irregularities were discovered, this courtyard was placed under strict supervision. Aside from daily meals, no one has been allowed inside.”

“And before that?” Shiliu asked.

“Although it wasn’t as strict as it is now, since this was the residence of female attendants, only maids, older serving women, and young boys under twelve were assigned here. On ordinary days, the women were allowed to go out, but never alone. All comings and goings had to be reported to the gatekeeping matrons.”

Shiliu found this somewhat surprising. If such measures were taken only after the incident, it would be understandable, but to enforce such strictness even under normal circumstances seemed rather incongruous with the image of a lavish, pleasure-seeking den she had imagined. It sounded more like a disciplinary institution.

The steward unlocked the door and waited at the entrance for the others. Wang Qi stepped in first, but Shiliu, peering through the overlapping spaces under the eaves, caught a faint glimpse of pale, tender yellow blossoms clustered densely like strings of bells.

It was pagoda tree flowers.

She frowned almost imperceptibly and continued inside, only to suddenly feel the ground give way beneath her. The sensation of losing balance made her heart skip a beat, and she instinctively grabbed the person behind her.

Once she steadied herself, she realized she had inadvertently grabbed hold of Prince Ding himself. His posture was equally awkward, clearly having missed his step just like her.

But instead of glaring at the offending doorstep, Prince Ding fixed his gaze on Shiliu’s hand, which was still tightly clutching the front of his robe. Then he lifted his eyes to meet hers. His beautiful lashes swept downward—soft and resilient, yet sharper than the finest blade.

Even someone as thick-skinned as Shiliu felt a pang of embarrassment. She withdrew her hand and quickly reassumed the dignified demeanor of a demon-hunting Taoist.

Still, her mind wandered briefly, distracted by a thought she couldn’t suppress: This little prince… actually feels quite nice to the touch.

The steward hurried over to apologize. “Do be careful, master. The inner courtyard is lower than the outside. My apologies for not warning you beforehand.”

Shiliu found this strange. The courtyard housed enchanting attendants—surely the Prince should have been familiar with it. Why had he nearly stumbled like a stranger? Then it dawned on her: given the Prince’s status and temperament, why would he ever set foot in a side courtyard reserved for such attendants? He would naturally summon them to his quarters.

Ignoring whether Prince Ding was still watching her, she entered the courtyard and surveyed it carefully.

The ground was low and flat, abruptly descending from the higher land outside the walls, forming a depression. Fortunately, the southeast side received ample sunlight, creating a strikingly contrasting scene within the courtyard.

Depressions tend to retain moisture, yet the sunlight here was intense and brilliant. The two forces contended, making it difficult to distinguish between yin and yang—an unusual place indeed.

The side courtyard was enclosed by high walls, and within it, smaller yards were further separated by fences. Her gaze fell on a large pagoda tree in one of the yards, its branches hung with tiny bell-like flowers. A small swing chair dangled from a horizontal bough. Though there was no wind, the chair seemed to sway ever so slightly.

“It’s over there,” she stated with certainty.

The steward glanced at Shiliu with newfound respect. “Yes, it was Qiuxin, who lived in that courtyard, where the irregularities were discovered. She has been detained. But how did you, Taoist Master…?”

“Mu (wood) and gui ( ghost) form huai ( pagoda tree). When a pagoda tree stands in a courtyard, and a swing hangs beneath it, what leans against the wood becomes a ghost, not a person. This is an ominous sign,” Shiliu explained briefly. Then she instructed, “Bring everyone here. I need to question them all.”

The steward glanced subtly at Li Xuanci. Seeing that the Prince was watching the young Taoist without objection, he complied.

When the women arrived, Shiliu couldn’t help but marvel inwardly: Wow, what a gathering of stunning beauties.

There were those as slender as willow branches, their waists seemingly ready to snap; others with full, curvaceous figures, their fairness captivating to the eye. Some were as elegant as lotuses, while others were as vibrant as blazing fire—a collection of the world’s most captivating beauties that stirred envy deep in one’s heart.

The women bowed gracefully, their eager eyes fixed on Li Xuanci. Shiliu glanced sideways and saw that the little prince, surrounded by such fortune, appeared even more indifferent. He didn’t bother uttering a word of acknowledgment, merely lifting his chin slightly to signal them to rise.

The courtyard was filled with a flock of enchanting women, yet one stood alone to the side, her eyes glistening with tears like solitary stars. She knelt down and kowtowed as if pouring out her heart in sorrow.

“Your Highness, I am well aware of my unworthiness, hardly deserving of your glance. But I would never dare to act against virtue or morality, much less like Luru, who carried another’s child. I do not fear death, but I could not bear to tarnish Your Highness’s reputation. It is only for the sake of clearing this matter that I have endured until today. Whatever the outcome of the investigation, I am willing to die to prove my innocence. I beg Your Highness to see the truth.”

Her performance was the picture of pitiable, devoted affection.

But Shiliu’s attention was caught by something else. “Who is Luru?” she asked.

The steward opened his mouth to speak, then hesitated and swallowed his words. Seeing his reaction, Shiliu turned to Li Xuanci and blurted out bluntly, “So there was another… green hat situation?”

Li Xuanci’s gaze instantly turned murderous, sharp enough to flay her alive. Only then did Shiliu realize her mouth had once again outpaced her brain, voicing the question in her mind without filter. She quickly shut her mouth, composed herself, and turned back to the steward with an appropriately puzzled expression.

The steward was utterly dumbfounded. For a mere Taoist to be so insolent—if it were any other day, the Prince would have long since drawn his blade and painted the ground with his blood. Yet now, although his eyes were cold enough to kill, he did nothing.

And this little Taoist! One moment he was spouting such audacious words, the next he was looking at him with perfect seriousness, switching gears so seamlessly it was hard to keep up.

Caught between the two, the steward hesitated for a long moment before finally whispering tentatively, “There was a woman named Luru who also lived in this courtyard. She was found to be carrying an… illegitimate child.”

“Who was the man?” Shiliu asked.

“It was never discovered. Moreover, Luru refused to confess. But during that period, she frequently left the manor during the day, so she was dealt with according to the rules,” the steward replied.

This was rather strange. This time, Li Xuanci wasn’t even in the manor, so if someone was pregnant, it naturally couldn’t be his. But even in the past, when a courtesan in the manor had become pregnant, they had firmly declared it adultery without even finding the man involved, and without a confession from the woman in question.

Shiliu stole a glance at Li Xuanci. Could it be that Prince Ding is actually… impotent?

Li Xuanci watched as this little Taoist, thinking herself discreet, let his gaze stick to him, drifting lower and lower. A fire ignited in his dantian—not desire, but pure rage.

This insignificant creature, whom he could crush with a casual grip, now dared to look at him like this?

Meeting Li Xuanci’s icy, piercing glare, Shiliu immediately dismissed her thoughts. She turned and said, “We need to search the rooms. I’ll trouble everyone to assist. If you find anything suspicious, be sure to report it to me.”

The steward, Wang Qi, and a shrewd older woman summoned from outside the courtyard followed her into the room. Wang Qi went to search the inner chamber and the bed, the woman headed to the bathing area, and the steward examined the rest of the room. Shiliu, meanwhile, became the most leisurely of all, touching here and looking there.

She first went to the bathing area, then carefully inspected the main hall, and finally entered the bedroom. She instructed everyone to bring any items they found suspicious to her for unified examination, while she stayed behind to check for anything missed.

The room was well-appointed, quite elegant. A painting of the four seasons hung on the wall, a jet-black guqin lay on a table, and on the desk was a half-painted fan.

Shiliu lifted the bed curtains. A subtle, delicate fragrance wafted out—so pleasant. So this was what a woman’s bed should be like: scented, the quilt cover embroidered with delicate, winding flowers, a silver bell hanging at the headboard, and an exquisitely carved clay figurine placed beside the pillow.

Shiliu picked up the figurine and examined it closely. It was beautifully molded, somewhat lifelike, and… it actually seemed to resemble him a little.

She set it aside for the moment and felt along the edge of the bed, finding a small box. Opening it, she saw it contained fine plant ash. After a moment’s thought, she placed it back.

After finishing the search, Shiliu went out and reviewed the suspicious items the others had found, but discovered nothing. Her face remained neutral, but a hint of anxiety showed in her eyes.

Seeing that Shiliu had made no progress, Prince Ding didn’t seem angry. Instead, he sneered, “Useless.”

Though it was a reprimand, his eyes held a trace of concealed satisfaction, even pleasure, as if he were already considering where to start flaying her alive.

“Please grant me a few more days, Your Highness. If I still reach no conclusion by then, I will accept any punishment,” Shiliu said, bowing her head. Yet even as she bent, her spine remained straight.

Li Xuanci let out a contemptuous laugh and turned away.

That night, on the flagstone road outside the prince’s manor, the night watchman sounded the third watch. Even the vendor selling late-night wontons had shouldered his carrying pole and gone home. The high walls were stern, the surroundings silent.

A black shadow landed soundlessly in the courtyard, footsteps extremely light. It quickly reached the front of the house, avoiding the door. Instead, a thin blade pried open the window latch. A hand held it steady, carefully pushed the window open, and a figure flipped inside.

Suddenly, the dark, silent room lit up. Shiliu held a fire starter, calmly lighting the candlestick beside her.

“It is you, after all,” she said, looking at the person before her.

As she spoke, she couldn’t resist shooting a glance toward those peach-blossom eyes beside her—a retaliation for being called “useless” by a certain someone that afternoon.