Chapter 350: The Fox Plays the Rabbit

Lady Calico, her head brimming with questions, glanced at the Daoist.

The Daoist, however, was looking elsewhere—

Normally, the space outside Hexian Pavilion would be bustling with people, even on rainy days. There were always those who loved the guqin or sought excitement. However, after the princess’s downfall, Lady Wanjiang rarely played the

guqin

at Hexian Pavilion. Naturally, fewer people gathered below to listen to the

guqin

, seek excitement, or use the opportunity to connect with influential officials and nobles.

Diminished, but not disappeared.

Song You’s gaze landed on a somewhat familiar figure among the remaining onlookers.

It was a young man dressed in a simple blue robe. Compared to his appearance in Song You's memory, he now carried the marks of a few more difficult years, but his face was still recognizable—

Back when Song You first came to Hexian Pavilion, seeking a meeting with the great demoness upstairs, he had been both drawn by her reputation and following someone’s request. While drinking downstairs, this very man had approached him for a chat.

Thanks to him, Song You learned the process for getting to the second floor. In return, Song You gave him some wine. When Song You went upstairs, this man had even watched over his umbrella.

It was a wanderer who scammed for wine and seating. But he was also a music lover obsessed with the

guqin

yet couldn’t afford wine or the steep costs of Hexian Pavilion.

Now, his face was deeply lined with worry. Song You’s mind drifted into memories.

This man... wasn’t his surname Zhai?

Around them, the conversations of Changjing’s nobles continued uninterrupted.

“Even if we can’t claim to be confidants of hers, we’ve been following her out of admiration. I just hope that with so many of us old admirers gathered here, it might persuade Lady Wanjiang to make an appearance. Even just to let us see her.”

“If Lady Wanjiang is truly gravely ill, she should rest well. The weather is so cold; we wouldn’t want her to catch a cold.”

“That’s true...”

“Hmm? What’s that smell? It’s wonderful!”

“Yes, it is...”

Following the enticing aroma, the crowd turned their eyes to the Daoist. Lowering their gaze, they noticed the basket in his hand. Inside, they could vaguely make out what appeared to be a chicken.

The crowd exchanged puzzled looks.

Could this man also be an admirer of Lady Wanjiang’s

guqin

, coming to visit her out of concern for her illness?

But why would he bring a chicken emitting such a tantalizing aroma?

Could it be that this person didn’t know? Lady Wanjiang had always only loved fruits and vegetables. She could subsist on nothing more than fresh produce, quenching her thirst with morning dew and sunlight. She never consumed worldly food or touched meat.

The young man surnamed Zhai also noticed them. His expression shifted, and recognition flickered across his face. In an instant, he recalled this gentleman.

“Eh? Mr. Song?”

“Mr. Zhai, what a pleasure to meet you here.”

“You still remember me?”

“You guided me, watched over my umbrella—how could I forget?”

“When... When did you become a Daoist?”

“I’ve been from a Daoist temple all along. I just wasn’t wearing Daoist robes the last time we met.”

“Is that so! I never would’ve guessed you were a Daoist practitioner, Mr. Song. My apologies for any past offense!” The man surnamed Zhai bowed respectfully before asking, “Are you here to visit Lady Wanjiang as well, after hearing about her illness?”

“Her illness?”

“Indeed, the heavens envy the talented,” Zhai lamented. “No one knows what illness she has. It’s said that countless renowned physicians have tried and failed to treat her. Unfortunately, Doctor Cai wasn’t in Changjing earlier, so her condition has dragged on. In the past, Lady Wanjiang would still occasionally play the

guqin

upstairs for her amusement, but she’s been playing less and less lately.”

“And you, Mr. Zhai, are you here to visit her as well?”

“I’m hardly qualified for that. I’m just wandering around out of boredom, hoping by some miracle to hear her play the guqin one more time. If that happens, I’ll consider myself lucky.”

“You truly have a deep love for music.”

“

Sigh...

” The man surnamed Zhai let out a wistful sigh. “Back when I could frequently hear Lady Wanjiang’s music, I felt like I was living in a celestial realm. Now, without her music accompanying my days, I’ve come to realize just how wonderful those times were.”

Song You nodded thoughtfully at this.

The little girl, however, grew even more confused.

At that moment, the man surnamed Zhai sniffed the air, his gaze drifting downward to the basket in Song You’s hand and the clay pot wrapped in thick cloth in the little girl’s arms. He seemed about to ask why Song You had brought a young girl along or why he was carrying a chicken to visit Lady Wanjiang, but his words were cut off by the commotion from inside the building.

He immediately craned his neck to look, catching sight of a petite and graceful figure emerging from the back of the main hall. Although she was delicate and charming in appearance, her face bore no expression, and there was a faint trace of sorrow between her brows.

She walked with measured, elegant steps, her movements calm yet apologetic as she made her way through the hall, passing by the gathered nobles and officials who were bombarding her with questions. At the entrance, she paused, her gaze settling on the Daoist, then on the little girl looking up at her.

“Sir, please come inside.”

“Thank you,” the Daoist replied with a nod. He also gave a polite nod to the man beside him with whom he had once crossed paths, then followed her inside.

“How is Lady Wanjiang?”

“Why would they call for a Daoist?”

“Could it be that she’s possessed?”

“Forgive my presumption, but I have a monk in my household...”

“...”

The maid, her expression somber, walked to the boundary between the main hall and the inner courtyard. There, she turned and spoke apologetically, “My apologies, esteemed guests. My mistress’s health is truly poor. It may be... it may be impossible for her to come out and meet you.

“I beg the forgiveness of all you distinguished gentlemen and scholars. The weather is bitterly cold, and snow is falling outside. Please do not let yourselves catch a cold; I urge you to return home and rest early.”

Her tone, in addition to conveying sorrow and regret, carried a faint trace of despair.

“

Sigh

, in that case, I shall not intrude further,” one gentleman said.

“I must stay and keep Lady Wanjiang company,” another declared.

“We only wish for Lady Wanjiang to take care of herself...”

“May she recover soon.”

“I’ve heard that Doctor Cai has already returned to the capital and is offering free consultations at the foot of Mount Beiqin just outside the city. I’ve sent someone to invite him!”

“...”

The crowd was abuzz with their own speculations, voices overlapping in a cacophony of sound.

The maid just turned and glanced briefly at the middle-aged man who mentioned having sent someone to Mount Beiqin to fetch Doctor Cai. Her expression was complicated, but she said nothing. Instead, she turned and lifted the curtain, inviting Song You into the courtyard.

She then led him all the way upstairs.

As they climbed the stairs and rounded a corner, her demeanor abruptly changed. The sorrow and worry vanished from her face, replaced by an entirely different energy. Her quiet, ethereal air transformed into something lively and spirited.

“I should have been at the door to greet you upon your arrival, sir,” she said, her tone animated. “But your timing was unfortunate. My mistress and I were in the middle of washing up when you had already arrived at the street corner. In our haste, my mistress and I quickly dressed and dried our hair, which caused a slight delay. We ask for your understanding, sir.”

“It is I who should apologize for this unannounced visit,” Song You replied.

“Mistress has been awaiting you upstairs.” The maid led him to the top floor.

The layout of the upper level was much as he remembered—pillars on all sides without walls, railings and sheer curtains marking the boundaries. From the edges, one could look down at the streets of Changjing below. The wind still blew, lifting the white curtains, though the spring drizzle from years ago had now turned into a mix of snow and sleet, deep with winter’s chill.

The tables and seating that had once occupied the upper floor were all gone, likely removed after the princess’s downfall. It seemed few had come to hear Lady Wanjiang’s music up close since then. Only a single ebony table remained in the center.

A woman dressed in simple white sat beside it, the hem of her gown spread out on the floor like the petals of a flower.

The entire second floor was impeccably clean. Despite having only one table and one person, the open space filled with the movement of wind did not feel empty—it felt balanced, even perfect.

“Please, take a seat, sir,” the maid said from behind.

The Daoist took a seat across from the woman at the table and placed the basket he had been carrying onto its surface.

The woman sat kneeling, while the Daoist sat cross-legged.

The basket was covered with a layer of white gauze to protect it from snow and dust. The Daoist removed the covering, revealing half a braised chicken.

Lady Calico, seeing his movements, walked over and placed the clay pot she had been carrying on the table as well. She pulled away the insulating cloth, then shifted her small body to the side, leaning against the Daoist as she sat down beside him.

“Today is the winter solstice. I prepared two dishes that can’t be found elsewhere. I made more than Lady Calico and I could finish, and since I planned to visit you anyway, I thought it was a good opportunity to bring some along. I hope I’m not intruding and that you won’t find them unworthy,” Song You said.

“Not at all, not at all,” the woman replied.

“You’ve come at just the right time, Daoist Master, and brought just the right thing. If my mistress truly were ill, it would be like a ten-year sickness accumulating within her, and she’d certainly need some meat to satisfy her cravings,” the maid said with a smile.

“And what about the mice I brought you last month? Did you eat those?” the little girl suddenly asked, unable to hold back.

“...”

“...”

The fox and her tail fell silent.

The little girl, however, continued to stare at them intently, her gaze unblinking. Her expression clearly said:

You won’t satisfy my curiosity until you answer.

Yet, as the silence dragged on, Lady Calico seemed to sense that something serious might be afoot. Her own expression grew more solemn.

“The mice you brought were plump and juicy. Both Mistress and I loved them,” the maid finally said with a grin. “Especially Mistress—she loved them very much.”

“...”

The woman remained silent, her expression calm and serene, like that of a divine being.

“And did you eat them?” Lady Calico immediately pressed further.

“...” This time, the maid found herself at a loss for words.

The woman lowered her gaze, staring at the table in front of her.

But Lady Calico wasn’t one to be so easily deterred—

Her small face, tilted stubbornly to one side, soon appeared within the woman’s line of sight. Her clear eyes looked up at her with a defiant determination.

“Lady Calico, please don’t behave like this—it’s very impolite,” the Daoist said gently, patting her small shoulder and pulling her back into a proper sitting position. Then, he turned back to the woman. “I’ve heard that you are gravely ill?”

“It’s just an excuse,” Lady Wanjiang replied.

“It's just a lie,” the maid said.

“Indeed, we’ve taken advantage of those gathered below, but it is a necessity compelled by our debts of gratitude,” Lady Wanjiang explained.

“While there are those among them who admire my appearance, most are drawn by the music. Among these people, there were unparalleled talents capable of producing timeless poetry, worldly scholars with exceptional literary grace and a love for elegance, and the incorruptible intellectual elites of Changjing who refused to conform to mediocrity. Although I made use of them, their admiration for me was, for the most part, genuine.”

She paused before continuing, “But me myself is a life. Now that the princess is gone, it is time for me to leave Changjing in search of freedom. Our paths must part.”

“Mistress did consider openly announcing her departure from the capital, traveling to distant lands,” the maid added with uncharacteristic seriousness. “But she realized such a path was not ideal—dying would be simpler.”

After her solemn words, she couldn’t help but grin. “And conveniently, dying young might make her legend spread even better in your human books.”

“Is this meant as a final act of kindness to those gathered below?” Song You asked.

“Think of it however you wish, Daoist Master.”

“And when will Lady Wanjiang ‘pass away’?”

“Very soon.”

“We had planned to wait a few more days, but unfortunately, Doctor Cai has returned to the capital, and someone has gone to fetch him,” the maid explained. “It’s said his medical skills are godlike—we aren’t confident we can deceive him.”

“I’ve always been curious,” Song You interjected. “Why do others say tat you abstain from meat and eat only fruits and vegetables?”

Lady Calico, just as curious, stared intently at the two.

“For someone like me, with exceptional musical talent, others naturally prefer to envision me as a serene, ethereal woman, untainted by earthly indulgences,” Lady Wanjiang said. “So, I lived up to their expectations.”

“Besides,” the maid added with a cheerful smile, “Changjing has its share of sharp-eyed individuals. We are skilled at concealing our true nature, but there are times when a demon can evade even the divine insight of gods, yet still reveal a flaw in other ways. At such times, we claim to be rabbits—it’s far better than admitting to being foxes.

“Blame those books full of nonsense; in recent years, our kind's reputation has taken a turn for the worse. Few people remember that foxes were once regarded as auspicious creatures.”

“I see,” Song You replied with a nod.

He recalled how, the last time Lady Wanjiang and her maid visited, their departure was followed by a visit from his neighbor, the heroine who had also served Princess Changping. She had remarked on detecting a familiar scent that she attributed to a rabbit demon. Song You had been puzzled then.

Today, the truth was finally revealed.