Chapter Sixty-Nine: Sleepless Night

“What does ‘Madam’ mean?”
After hearing Wan Qi’s words, Xu You first inquired about Zhan Wenjun’s attitude. Logically, Zhan Wenjun had a deep bond with Bai Hua, and in such a matter, she should not have remained indifferent.

“Madam said little, only that she had Bai Hua confined to the Bitter Spring, where Shi Shu is personally interrogating him…”

“Bitter Spring?”
Xu You glanced at Zuo Yun, who shook his head to indicate ignorance. As for Qiufen, raised in the secluded chambers of Yixing, she knew nothing at all. For such a secret family matter, they had to ask He Ru, who had a penchant for prying.

“Qiufen, go and bring Shi Yi here. Tell him I have matters to discuss.”
Qiufen obeyed, and Xu You turned to Wan Qi. “What is this Bitter Spring? Could you explain a bit?”

“Sir has already seen the Boat Pavilion, which is responsible for gathering intelligence throughout the land. The Springs Hall governs all family laws, divided into nine springs: Feng Spring punishes the Celestial Demons, Ya Spring punishes the Officers, Han Spring punishes the Jianghu forces… Bitter Spring punishes the traitors. Bai Hua has betrayed the family, so by customary law, he must be handed over to Bitter Spring for interrogation and punishment…”

A flicker of surprise passed through Xu You’s eyes. People often spoke of the “Nine Springs Below,” but the number nine originally symbolized an extreme, not a literal count. It was only in the Taoist classic *Supreme Mysterious Origin Three Heavens Jade Hall* that the names and duties of the nine springs were formalized. Guo Mian, with his grand ambitions and complex background, secretly established the Springs Hall and the Tribunal to intimidate others. It was not surprising—but curiously, he chose Taoist terminology for naming, arousing suspicion.

If the Taoist Priests were actively scheming against the Guo family, with Guo Mian’s fate uncertain, Xu You almost suspected he might be colluding with the Taoist Priests, hiding some unspeakable dealings.

“Madam’s silence is due to her own difficulties,” Xu You reassured. “The Guo family is now in a turbulent time, with unstable loyalties. Bai Hua’s misdeeds only make things worse. If Madam were to openly take sides, it might spark great upheaval. So this matter must be handled carefully. We wait for the storm to pass, then find a way…”

Wan Qi despondently replied, “Sir, you might not know that Shi Shu and Madam have never gotten along. Because you accidentally trespassed at the Absolute Cliff Waterfall the other day, Shi Shu killed two guards stationed there without authorization—one of them an old servant who had followed Madam for years…”

No need to strike a loud drum twice; Xu You immediately understood the implication. His brow furrowed slightly. Who was this Shi Shu to be so overbearing? To act independently, even killing Zhan Wenjun’s trusted aides without permission?

“How long can Bai Hua survive in Bitter Spring?”

Wan Qi shook her head. “No one who enters Bitter Spring ever comes out alive. Shi Shu is harsh, merciless to traitors. If the interrogation is thorough and the confession true, he might not even last the night!”

Xu You stood up, pacing the room a few steps before suddenly asking, “Could the one coercing Bai Hua be a spy for the Taoist Priests?”

Since the Taoist Priests had set such a grand trap, they surely wouldn’t abandon the old trick of planting spies within the Guo family. Before his words finished, the door opened, and He Ru walked in first, gloomy and muttering, “It’s not the Taoist Priests!”

Xu You saw his expression and knew he had been rudely woken from a pleasant dream—he was displeased. But Xu You had many ways to handle He Ru, so he smiled, “You’re quite sure, yet you don’t even know what happened, and you dare babble nonsense?”

He Ru instantly shook off his weariness, retorting, “A sage can deduce a boat from floating driftwood, a carriage from flying thistle, and writing from bird tracks. They can sense the year’s end from a falling leaf; how could they wait to see Mount Tai before knowing its height, or the Northern Sea before knowing its depth? When I came, I asked Qiufen a few questions and already have a rough idea. I know what you’re asking, what you’re thinking. I answer with evidence; how is that nonsense?”

Xu You smiled faintly. “Very well, your reasoning is sound!”

He no longer took a combative tone, which bored He Ru. He moved to the table, sitting cross-legged on the floor in a rather undignified manner. But He Ru didn’t care. Raising his cup of tea, he drank it down in one gulp. “The coercion of Bai Hua happened a month ago. Although the timing overlaps with the Taoist Priests’ action against the Guo and Zhan families, if the Taoist Priests truly had a spy as crucial as Bai Hua, Zhan Wenjun would never have escaped so easily when seeking aid in Fuchun County. Moreover, the culprit’s purpose was only to have Bai Hua investigate anomalies within the mansion. He showed no interest in Zhan Wenjun’s movements or strategy. If you were a fraud like Du, would you dodge the main issue and issue random orders?”

Zuo Yun clapped his hands in applause, “Exactly! Lord He’s few words are as convincing as eyewitness testimony! So, the person coercing Bai Hua likely has no relation to the Taoist Priests. But why investigate the mansion’s affairs? What is his real intent?”

“His intent is not hard to guess,” He Ru said casually. “We stayed several days at Mingyu Mountain. What did everyone find most strange? Qiufen, what do you think?”

Qiufen, who had been silent all this time, was startled at being called upon. After hesitating, encouraged by He Ru’s gaze, she said, “The person we met at the waterfall… isn’t that strange?”

He Ru laughed heartily. “Qiufen has insight! Indeed, if there’s any mystery in this vast Guo mansion, the first must be the Absolute Cliff Waterfall!”

Qiufen, embarrassed by the praise, instinctively shrank toward a corner. Xu You’s thoughts stirred. He turned to Wan Qi, “Do you know who lives near the Absolute Cliff Waterfall?”

“The mountain path near the waterfall is rugged. Though the scenery is beautiful, it has become almost deserted over the years. Five months ago, my lord returned from Jinling and suddenly ordered the area around the waterfall to be forbidden ground—no outsiders allowed entry, only a mute servant delivers meals daily. The mansion’s rules are strict; some who whispered about it disappeared mysteriously. So no one dares ask or speak of it anymore. Over time, this was forgotten, and no one knows who truly lives there.”

Wan Qi usually paid little attention to such trivial matters. Fortunately, Bai Hua—a big mouth—had overheard some bits and pieces, which she now pieced together for Xu You, sketching a fragmented outline.

He Ru snorted coldly. “From what we saw that day, the elderly man at the waterfall had cultivation reaching the realm of transformation, yet chose to hide there. If anything is strange, nothing surpasses that. So Bai Hua likely encountered either the old man’s enemy or some hidden force seeking his whereabouts—a disastrous misfortune.”

Wan Qi was no fool. Hearing Xu You and He Ru’s analysis, she agreed Bai Hua was caught up in the Absolute Cliff Waterfall’s affairs. “Sir, I am alone and helpless. I beg you, for the sake of these past days, to save Bai Hua’s life…”

Before Xu You could answer, He Ru stroked his chin, eyes half closed. “Wan, you’re not close to the Seventh Master. If something happens, why don’t you ask your lady? Why come looking for him instead?”

Wan Qi was puzzled. She understood neither love nor the subtlety in He Ru’s words. After a long pause, she lowered her head. “Bai Hua was sent to Bitter Spring, and Madam remained uninvolved. In my confusion, for some reason, I thought of Sir Xu. You are intelligent, admired even by Madam, gentle and refined. In these days, nine out of ten pavilions have heard Bai Hua speak of you. So I dared to come, hoping you wouldn’t mind.”

There was a phrase she left unsaid: anyone capable of writing the epic love of White Snake and Xu Xian could not be heartless.

When faced with heartless matters, the one to seek aid from must be someone with heart.

He Ru glanced at Xu You meaningfully, plainly saying, “You’ve tangled a young girl into a mess again.” Xu You ignored him. “Bai Hua is certainly at fault, but not deserving of death. Rest assured, I will handle this.”

He signaled to Qiufen. “You and Qiufen first accompany Lushuang to her room. I’ll make arrangements and soon take you to see Madam.”

Wan Qi knelt in gratitude and left with Qiufen. Zuo Yun closed the door. “Sir, do you really intend to intervene?”

Xu You countered, “What’s your opinion?”

“Bai Hua is a household servant of the Guo family and has committed the gravest crime of betrayal. In any household, that’s a death sentence. Though there may be sympathy, servants’ lives are lowly; no one dares risk violating family law to plead for them. Besides, you are an outsider; meddling in the Guo family affairs might anger Zhan Wenjun…”

“Feng Hu’s reasoning isn’t wrong, just slightly mistaken. A servant’s life and death depend not on sympathy or law, but solely on the master’s will,” Xu You said sternly. “On the contrary, Zhan Wenjun is not cold-hearted; she feels pity for Bai Hua. If I intercede, she would not be displeased—perhaps even indebted to me. The difficulty lies in the presence of Shi Shu!”

He Ru stretched lazily, his eyes gleaming again. “Seventh Master, Bai Hua must be saved—not for anything else, but so that Zhan Wenjun owes you more favors. Little do you realize, favors are the hardest debts to repay. When she can no longer repay, she must pay with her own body…”

Pfft!
Xu You nearly sprayed his tea. “Is this the time for jokes? You can’t be serious?”

He Ru looked solemn, not joking at all. Xu You’s head began to throb uncontrollably.

Knock, knock, knock!
Zhan Wenjun looked up. “Come in.”

The door creaked open, and Wan Qi entered. “Madam, Sir Xu You is waiting in the courtyard.”

Zhan Wenjun was momentarily stunned, then fixed her gaze on Wan Qi. “You went to find him?”

Wan Qi didn’t deny it. “Madam, if you wish to punish me, please do so after meeting Sir Xu. His knowledge is vast, shining like the sun and moon. He will surely persuade you to reconsider.”

Zhan Wenjun shook her head, rose from her cushion, and went to the door, seeing Xu You in the courtyard.

He wore a wide-sleeved robe of moon-white, standing sideways with his hands behind his back. The sleeves naturally hung beside his legs. His hair was tied at the back, his posture upright like a lone pine on a cliff. His eyes flashed like lightning, reflecting the palace lanterns hanging from the eaves. The entire figure exuded elegance, strength, and grace—pleasing to the eye and unforgettable at first glance.

She smiled, lips red and teeth white, delicate beyond compare. “Sir Xu You!”

Xu You replied, turning with a slight smile, “A late-night visit, Madam, please forgive me.”

Though polite, a late-night visit carried an unmistakable intimate undertone. Zhan Wenjun smiled as well. “When sleep eludes, a distinguished guest’s arrival is a delight!”

“Please, come in!”

“Please!”