Chapter Seven: Red Jade

Yun Cuixian leaned against the door, gazing out with eyes full of worry. From noon to dusk, and finally to a torrential night, she had struggled countless times within herself that day.

That piece, "The Brocade Zither," lingered ceaselessly in her mind. The poem was magnificent and sweeping; the dream of Zhuangzi as a butterfly captured the bewilderment of life, the longing of the Emperor of Spring reflected persistent pursuit, the tears of a sea dragon spoke of vast loneliness, and the warmth of the jade field conveyed a gentle, hazy joy.

The more she pondered, the more awestruck she became. If this poem were composed by one of those renowned talents, it would surely shock the world and be recited everywhere, bringing its author the coveted aura of literary grace. And yet—such a poem, such a poem!—had been written by the very man she had always regarded with inner contempt.

He possessed such grand talent, yet for so many years had never revealed anything out of the ordinary. Most likely, it was the suppression of the Duchess of the Chu Princely Manor that kept him hidden; had his talent been discovered, he would probably have perished long ago.

Chu Youcai concealed his brilliance and kept a low profile. She herself failed to understand him, always evading and dismissing him; surely he harbored unspoken grievances.

Now that he had written such verses, had he truly been driven to the edge, forced into one final desperate struggle? If he failed, she feared she would never see him again...

Staring at the "final words" written on the page, Yun Cuixian’s heart was a tangled mass of sorrow, impossible to express.

"If only he returns—if only he returns—I will do my utmost to treat him well, to share his burdens!" The pain in her heart cut to the bone.

Just then, she heard a knock at the door. She completely forgot to call for her maid, Ju Xue, and hurried to the door, her voice trembling, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Cuixian." That familiar voice sounded, and at this moment, it brought tears of joy to her eyes. She opened the door as quickly as she could.

She felt she had countless things to say to Chu Youcai, but the moment she opened the door, she froze. Chu Youcai stood there cloaked, a long spear in hand, and beside him was a pure, white-clad girl holding a dagger.

"Heat some water, help her bathe, give her clean clothes, and let her sleep with Ju Xue tonight," Chu Youcai instructed, gesturing to the girl.

"All right," Yun Cuixian replied, looking at the man before her. At this moment, a resilient, sword-like aura emanated from him, making her feel, more than ever, that he was her support.

As for the girl, whom she was meeting for the first time, her lotus-like air evoked a faint sense of fondness. She sent the maid to heat water and help the girl bathe, but no matter what she asked, the girl answered nothing, her eyes full of wariness and doubt.

After the girl was washed, dressed, and put to bed, Yun Cuixian returned to her room. She had a thousand words she wished to say to Chu Youcai, wanted to ask about the girl as well, but found him already asleep on the bed.

Extinguishing the kerosene lamp, she undressed and lay softly beside him. Through the long night she could not sleep, her eyes filled with tender affection.

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The next morning, the girl Hongyu awoke. It had been a long time since she had slept in a comfortable bed and found true rest. She did not know where her future lay, nor how long such peace would last, but she knew that a hot bath and new clothes had been a distant luxury for so long.

Long ago, the former gang leader had treated her well at first too, but soon began confining and imprisoning her. The man from yesterday had only taken her in because he wanted something—how was he any different from that leader? Surely, once he got what he wanted, he would discard her like refuse.

Maid Ju Xue entered with a bath bucket when she saw Hongyu awake, helped her freshen up and get dressed. Hongyu thought her patience remarkable. After rinsing her mouth, she was led to the hall, where Yun Cuixian awaited her. On the table were vegetables, rice, and even a little meat soup—a luxury Hongyu hadn't seen in ages. After the meal, the ever-gentle Yun Cuixian said, "Sir Chu, who saved you, is in the courtyard."

Hongyu thought to herself, so the time had come. She went to the courtyard and saw Chu Youcai wielding his silver spear—the spearwork was as fluid as a dragon, with a faint dragon's song, swift and invincible. She stood quietly, saying nothing, waiting for Chu Youcai to speak.

After a night’s rest, Chu Youcai’s exhaustion had lifted. In the world of the Crocodile Dragon, he had scarcely slept well for a year, always fearing the Northern Abyss Bear at night. So this morning, he immediately practiced what he had learned of the Crocodile Dragon Palm, applying it to spearwork.

A weapon in hand would surely increase his strength.

He had already noticed the girl, Hongyu. He felt a kindred pity for her—she was about the age of his own younger sister, yet had suffered so. Her hands were cold as ice; no matter how he tried to warm them last night, he could not. He pitied her and did not wish to force her into anything she didn't want. If she was unwilling to reveal the gang leader’s identity, he would not compel her.

Thus, he deliberately lost himself in his spearwork, as if oblivious to the world around him.

Who knows how much time passed before a heavy knocking came from outside, followed by a loud voice: "Is Chu Youcai here?"

Yun Cuixian and the maid Ju Xue both started in alarm. Could Wang Hai have come again? The voice sounded hostile.

Chu Youcai signaled Yun Cuixian with a glance to take the girl, Hongyu, into the inner room, then set the spear aside—within easy reach—before asking in a deep voice, "Who is it?"

"We’re from the gambling house!" came the impatient reply from outside. "Open up, quickly!"

"The debt’s not due yet," Chu Youcai said as he unbolted the door, seeing a tall, thin man standing there.

The man leaned arrogantly, holding a portrait. He snorted at Chu Youcai and said, "A girl went missing from our gambling house yesterday—have you seen her?" He showed the portrait; the girl depicted was unmistakably Hongyu.

Chu Youcai glanced at it and replied without hesitation, "No."

The man’s gaze lingered lecherously on Ju Xue, then swept the room, a sinister smile on his lips. "The boss said, anyone with news of this girl gets five hundred taels reward—bring her in and you get three thousand. But if anyone hides her, we’ll ruin their family."

Chu Youcai’s expression did not change. "Understood. Is there anything else?"

"Tsk tsk, do you not realize your situation?" the man sneered. "If I were you, I’d be out searching for her right now—catch her and three thousand taels will pay off your debts, and you won’t have to sell your wife. Otherwise, if you disturb our boss, you’ll pay dearly!" He seemed to be waiting for Chu Youcai to take the portrait and make a move.

A murderous glint flashed in Chu Youcai’s eyes. "Get out!" The predatory look in the man’s eyes was clear; Chu Youcai’s face darkened, an aura like a drawn blade ready to kill.

The tall, thin man was so unnerved by Chu Youcai’s glare and shout that his heart leapt in terror. Normally a bully, he now felt as if he faced a great bear, about to be smashed to pulp. He suddenly remembered that Chu Youcai was the third young master of the Chu Princely Manor—rumored to be a notorious rake, but definitely not someone he could afford to provoke. In panic, he hurried away, only regaining his senses after going a long distance. He spat, "Damn it, let’s see how long you can hold out!" But as he glanced back at Chu Youcai’s walled compound, he walked on, trembling with fear.

Chu Youcai closed the door, but the murderous intent in his eyes did not fade. The other’s threats, his designs on Yun Cuixian, all made the danger feel ever more real. He knew that though his own power had grown, to oppose a gang leader linked to the Chu Princely Manor’s gambling house alone was far beyond his reach.

The sense of urgency within him grew stronger—he had to become stronger as quickly as possible.

He was also surprised by the girl—the reward for her was three thousand taels, a fortune. In Yan Prefecture, a single slave might fetch only a few dozen taels. Clearly, the girl was priceless to that leader.

He must not let her be captured.

He resumed practicing his spear. As the saying goes, mastery of one art leads to mastery of many; the more he practiced, the more his spear exuded the aura of the Crocodile Dragon, and the more obsessed he became.

Worried that the madam might arrive at any moment, he trained in the courtyard until noon.

Meanwhile, Hongyu realized that the portrait must be of her. Ordinary people, upon hearing of a three-thousand-tael reward, would have been blinded by greed—especially since she had overheard that Chu Youcai still owed gambling debts and was even forced to sell his wife. She was certain she would not escape this time. Yet, Chu Youcai had not betrayed her.

She guessed perhaps Chu Youcai meant to find out the gang leader’s identity first, then take her to claim the reward. She could only regret her weakness, her inability to protect herself.

At noon, the meal before her was a plate of noodles and a large bowl of meat broth. She ate without tasting it, but so did Chu Youcai and Yun Cuixian; their meal was identical, and no one spoke. Afterward, Chu Youcai returned to the courtyard to practice martial arts.

She was full of wonder—did they truly have no intention of selling her?

A thought crossed her mind: could they be good people?

But then a trace of bitterness welled up. Even if they were good people, what difference did it make? That gang leader’s power was far beyond what ordinary people could imagine. No matter how strong Chu Youcai became, he would not last a single round against him...