Chapter 57: Mists Rising, Clouds Surging

"What a strange person," Feiyi muttered to herself as she closed the door.

"Did something happen, Feiyi?" Qingshu asked, following behind Gongshen Ling'er. She glanced at the closed door, noting that this room was right next to His Majesty's—a clear sign of the importance he attached to this woman.

"That blind girl is truly odd. I told her to bathe before bed, but she answered with something like, 'Filth is in truth clean, and cleanliness is filth,' just to brush me off." Feiyi frowned, her feelings about the blind girl distinctly unsettled.

There was something about the girl—an aura, a spiritual awareness—that set her apart from ordinary people.

"If she is His Majesty's guest, let her be," Gongshen Ling'er replied coolly, a hint of coldness flickering in her gaze.

The blind girl gave her a deeply uncomfortable feeling—perhaps because she was the one His Majesty had been searching for. As the young mistress of the Dance Kingdom, she knew all too well the significance of the blind girl His Majesty sought. Now that the girl had appeared before her, so indifferent, so quietly elegant, it was galling—no one had ever dared act so freely in her presence!

In the adjoining room, separated by a single wall, everything was in order: an openwork carved desk in the distance, nearby tables and chairs, and truffle sandalwood incense burning beside the bed.

"'Filth is in truth clean, and cleanliness is filth,'" a distant, ethereal voice murmured.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, a loose black robe draped over him, his alluring collarbone sharply defined in the lamplight. His damp long hair hung in tangled strands, a few locks falling across his chest like entwined threads.

"What is it?" He narrowed his fox-like eyes, glancing sidelong at Yunwu, who knelt before him.

"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, though this blind girl is indeed unusual, it would still be prudent to investigate her thoroughly. If those assassins managed to slip in a single dose of poison... I believe we must be vigilant." Yunwu risked his life to voice this counsel.

"Well said, Yunwu. First, you inform Gongshen Ling'er of our whereabouts, and now you wish to make decisions for me?" The man, bewitching as a flower spirit, lowered his beautiful eyes, his tone playful and light, devoid of threat—but his presence still compelled obedience.

"I would not dare, Your Majesty. My only concern is your safety. I fear they might attempt to provoke your compassion on purpose..."

"Withdraw. Were it not for your loyalty, those words would have cost you your life a thousand times over."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Yunwu retreated, leaving Zuo Qiu Liyen alone. He rose from the bed, his long hair falling loose, blending with the black of his robe as if ink had spilled across a scroll, leaving only a swath of shadowy traces.

Lifting a teacup, he approached the window, observing the night lights outside. "Goodness is evil, and evil is goodness. If so, let the world accept my kindness as it will."

Deep into the night, all was silent save for the fierce wind howling past.

Upon the bed, the girl slept peacefully, the little red fox curled by her side, the two nestled together.

Softly, the little fox opened its eyes, its scarlet gaze probing the darkness, alert, as if sensing something amiss.

Rising, it slipped away from Xuexue's side, leaping from the bed to circle a shadowy figure. Its movements were lively, head lifted, eyes shining with anticipation as it made faint sounds of welcome.

The newcomer nudged its head gently with a foot, then strolled unhurriedly to the bedside.

He sat on the edge of the bed, watching the girl sleep soundly, curled up on her side, her face serene and calm.

Suddenly, a large hand gently cupped her cheek, enveloping half her face in its palm.

She seemed noticeably thinner...

"I intend to show you that the world outside is not as simple as you imagine. So, coming obediently back to my side is the right choice." As he spoke, his fingertips lightly pinched her soft cheek, as if discovering something amusing and novel.

In her deep sleep, Xuexue sensed the warmth of his palm, and instinctively nuzzled against it, finding comfort, safety, and a familiar peace in that touch.

If only this warmth could linger a little longer, she thought contentedly in her dream, so she would never feel lonely or lost again. A smile unconsciously curved her lips.

But in the next instant, she awoke abruptly. The warmth lingered on her cheek, but no one was there.

Had someone just been here? Yet there was no sign of anyone, and who could have left that warmth on her face?

She sat up, feeling an involuntary emptiness inside. When her hand brushed something soft and furry on her cheek, she suddenly realized—was it simply because the little fox had slept beside her?

But that sensation was not something the little fox could have given her, she thought, confused. The fox slept soundly beside her, its warm fur brushing her hand, bringing her back to full wakefulness.

Unable to fall asleep again, she sat on the bed hugging her knees, her thoughts drifting. It had all felt so real—too real for a mere dream.

How ridiculous, she thought with a wry smile. For a moment, she had believed Ji Wu Qing had come...

She must truly be losing her mind.

At dawn, she bathed and changed into fresh clothes—a cool-toned, water-blue dress adorned with bellflowers, a sheer gauze robe layered atop, pure and elegant, her presence as delicate as a fragrant orchid.

The little fox lay lazily nearby, yawning but its eyes bright and lively.

She pushed open the door. The sky was barely light, a thin mist shrouding the outdoors. Distant scenery was obscured, nearby shapes blurred and indistinct.

Sensing the cool clarity of the air, she lifted her skirts and descended the stairs with the little fox. The air was damp, and she waved her hand through it—such humidity was unusual; was it fog?

She surmised as much, and noticed that the secret guards watching her had drawn closer than usual...

Something must be obstructing their sight. If it truly was fog, it might work to her advantage.

She had always believed that opportunity was not given, but created.

From the upper floor, a beauty watched her from the window, veiled in mist, observing as she slowly walked away.

She seemed just to have risen from bed, her hair loose around her waist, her eyes reflecting the pale fog, making her appear as indistinct as the mist itself.

"What are you watching, Young Mistress?" Qingshu approached, draping a cloak over her shoulders and gently gathering her hair.

"I'm watching His Majesty's prey. The prey is likely still thinking of a final struggle. We should give her the last blow, so she gives up hope completely." She gazed down at the receding blue figure, her eyes tinged with curiosity.

"Do not worry, Young Mistress. The area is thick with His Majesty's guards. Whatever thoughts that blind girl may harbor, there's nothing she can do." Although the blind girl seemed extraordinary, so what?

She was just a blind girl. No matter her talents, she couldn't grow wings and fly.

"True, and I have no wish to meddle. Since she is his little Xue, it's for him to watch over her." Gongshen Ling'er covered a yawn, a touch of leisure in her demeanor. "Has His Majesty risen? No, he's always a late riser. He must still be asleep."

"I wouldn't know..." Qingshu replied awkwardly. She would never dare inquire about His Majesty's affairs, not even in passing.

Elsewhere, in the adjacent room, gauzy curtains hung low, cold wind slipping silently through the window, swirling the drapes in graceful arcs.

On the bed, the man slowly opened his fox-like eyes, a trace of sleep's confusion lingering in his gaze. He tilted his head, watching the swaying curtains, and shivered as the cold air touched his arm exposed outside the covers.

Yet he seemed unconcerned, instead sitting up lazily, his long hair curving over the edge of the bed in a striking silhouette.

"Your Majesty is up so early. Did you not sleep well last night?" Yunwu had been waiting and now asked through the veil of curtains.

"Through all these countless nights, when have I ever truly slept peacefully?" He sat at the head of the bed, smoothing his hair, his alluring face touched with languid grace.

Such beauty and manner—charming but without affectation, soft but not falsely so—his was a natural, masculine elegance.

"Shall I call someone to assist you with your morning toilet? The blind girl is already downstairs for breakfast—she was the first to rise today." Cleverly, Yunwu steered the conversation away from his master's restless nights, instead reporting on Xuexue's activities.

Though he remained suspicious of the blind girl's true identity and purpose, and even though she had yet to make any suspicious moves, he was ever cautious.

"No need to watch her so closely. Perhaps someone connected to her will take this chance to seek her out." He threw off the brocade covers and rose from the bed, his black robe looking as fresh as if untouched by sleep.

"Your Majesty means..." Yunwu's expression shifted as he recalled his master's mercurial nature.

Last night, he'd seemed utterly unconcerned about the blind girl's identity—yet now, was he interested?

"She is quite intriguing, is she not?" He wanted to know more about her, for he knew absolutely nothing about her, and that lack of control unsettled him.

Moreover, her cool, lotus-like aloofness piqued his curiosity; if he could strip away that mask of indifference, it would surely be great fun.