Chapter Seventy-Seven: Fragrant Jade and Crimson Snow

At this moment, Chu Youcai recalled a story from “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.” It spoke of the Xiaoqing Palace at the foot of Mount Lao, where a wintersweet tree stood twenty feet tall, and a peony grew more than ten feet high. One day, a scholar named Huang from Jiaozhou, enamored by the serenity of the Taoist temple, borrowed a room to use as his study.

One afternoon, as Huang was reading, he suddenly glimpsed two young maidens outside his window, radiant and dazzling, their beauty unparalleled as red and white hues mingled. Huang, captivated by them, pursued their fleeting figures, but caught only a lingering fragrance as they vanished. Deeply enchanted, he composed a quatrain on the tree. To his surprise, when he returned to his study, the maiden in white entered, smiling and said, “You seemed fierce just now, like a bandit, but I see you are a refined poet after all.” She introduced herself as Xiangyu, and they began meeting regularly, exchanging verses and poems.

Yet after some time, Xiangyu, her face sorrowful, told him their parting was at hand. Huang pressed her for the reason, and through tears, she replied it was fate. At dawn, Xiangyu departed. The next day, a scholar named Lan arrived at Xiaoqing Palace, saw the white peony, and fell in love with it, digging it up and taking it away. Huang then realized the truth but was too late for regret.

Later, Huang heard that the peony had wilted and died. Grieving bitterly, he went to the pit where the peony once stood and wept, whereupon he encountered the maiden in red, Jiangxue. Jiangxue, surprised by his sincerity, befriended him, and he discovered she was the wintersweet tree.

After a while, moved by his deep feeling, the Flower Spirit allowed the peony to reincarnate at Xiaoqing Palace. Huang cared for the seedling, and the peony bloomed once more, reviving Xiangyu.

After Huang’s death, a robust red sprout grew beneath the peony, bearing five small leaves—this was him. But the disciples of Xiaoqing Palace, heedless of its value, cut it down. In the end, the white peony withered, and the wintersweet tree died as well.

Thinking of this, Chu Youcai’s heart stirred. Could these two newly incarnated demon maidens be Xiangyu and Jiangxue?

He carefully observed his surroundings.

He soon noticed countless peonies, yet only a single wintersweet tree.

“If this formation is the work of the wintersweet tree, then let her be summoned!”

Recalling the scene from “Strange Tales,” he searched nearby for mugwort, bundled it together, and placed it beneath the wintersweet tree. He took fire and began to roast it.

As the flame caught, a gust of wind extinguished it instantly.

Chu Youcai immediately reignited the fire.

Suddenly, a fragrant breeze swept forth, and a radiant maiden in red leapt out, seized the mugwort and tossed it aside, fuming, “Are you trying to burn someone? Who are you, after all?”

Seeing this, Chu Youcai said, “You are Jiangxue, aren’t you?”

The maiden in red was startled. “How do you know?”

Her gaze was filled with suspicion.

“Is Xiangyu not here?” Chu Youcai didn’t answer, but pointed to the many white peonies.

“She…” Jiangxue hesitated, remaining silent, her voice melodious. “Who are you really? Even the Willow Spirit doesn’t know our names—how do you?”

Hearing that Xiangyu wasn’t present, Chu Youcai replied coldly, “You depend on Xiangyu, but with her life hanging by a thread, you’re here alone setting up formations—how lamentable.”

Jiangxue’s expression changed. “What are you saying? How could something happen to Xiangyu?”

Chu Youcai said, “You demons are fickle—why concern yourself—”

“Nonsense!” Jiangxue trembled with rage. “Tell me now—where is Xiangyu?”

“She was captured by the newly arrived locust demon.” Chu Youcai said, “Why didn’t your formation trap that locust demon?”

“That demon’s magic is powerful—I couldn’t hold him!” Jiangxue’s eyes were full of anxiety. “He’s gone too far. Xiangyu and I lived quietly, yet he behaved so vilely!”

Her form shifted, and the surrounding formation vanished. She turned and darted westward—toward the monastery of Guiyuan Temple.

Chu Youcai moved like lightning and plunged into Guiyuan Temple.

But once inside, Chu Youcai found it deserted, searched everywhere, but found no trace of anyone.

Guiyuan Temple was surrounded on all sides by lakes, with no other path nearby.

Chu Youcai felt uneasy. The formation was gone—where were Second Madam and Yan Yunfei? And the locust demon and Willow Spirit?

Just then, he heard heart-rending cries from the west side of Guiyuan Temple.

Instantly, he arrived at the western side.

Looking up, he saw the maiden in red lying on the ground, weeping bitterly, her voice desolate as if her very soul were wounded.

Beside her lay a half-broken white peony, alluring yet uprooted, sprawled in disarray.

Chu Youcai hadn’t expected his words to become prophecy. Wishing to comfort the maiden in red, he found her oblivious to the world.

She wept, her tears staining the earth red.

Jiangxue wept for a long time. With her finger, she traced the ground until blood appeared, and wrote a verse: “At dusk, rain falls on the mountain courtyard; I sit by the window, curtain lowered. I long for someone unseen; in the deep night, my tears flow in pairs.”

After writing, her sorrow deepened, nearly causing her to faint.

But then, she heard a gentle voice behind her: “Where is my companion? A lone lamp lights the evening window. Alone in empty mountains, my shadow becomes my only friend.”

Startled, Jiangxue looked up to find Chu Youcai before her, his verse matching hers exquisitely.

Chu Youcai spoke softly, “Xiangyu once said your nature is quiet and reserved, unlike her passionate ways. Yet I didn’t expect your affection for her to be so deep, so true.”

“You know Xiangyu?” Jiangxue exclaimed, “She never mentioned you.”

Chu Youcai nodded. “Were it not for her, how would I know you fear mugwort fire most? Or that four feet six inches from the base of your trunk lies your ticklish spot?”

Hearing this, Jiangxue shrank back, then relaxed, her expression easing. “So she even told you that…”

Seeing Jiangxue’s spirit calm, Chu Youcai was reassured. He then produced the white ampelopsis and sulfur stone he had found, ground the ampelopsis into powder, mixed it with sulfur stone, added water, and poured it into the original pit, placing the white peony back and gently smoothing it.

Soon, the peony sprouted tender shoots, and its petals became firmer.

Jiangxue touched the peony and found it moist and vibrant, tears of joy streaming down her face as she turned to bow to Chu Youcai. “Thank you, sir, for your rescue. I am deeply grateful.”

Chu Youcai smiled. “Her vitality is still weakened, likely harmed by the locust demon. Use this mixture daily; within a month, she should recover.”

“Understood.” Jiangxue glanced at the white peony, then stood up suddenly. “Sir, let me take you to find the locust demon! I must avenge Xiangyu!”

“Very well.” Chu Youcai was pleasantly surprised by Jiangxue’s initiative.

Jiangxue extended her hand, sending countless branches and leaves cascading from her body. Numerous peonies blossomed from the branches, spreading farther and farther.

Jiangxue closed her eyes to sense, then her gaze became icy as she pointed south. “Three miles to the south! The Willow Spirit is gravely injured, and a man and woman are trapped as well. The locust demon was badly hurt but is recovering fast. We must hurry!”