In the days that followed, Alice Lu and Olivia Yin continued to make inquiries about the fate of the Lu family.
Daylight slipped away swiftly; as dusk approached, the two women found lodging at a modest inn. After days of travel by land and water, fatigue weighed heavily upon them, and they had eaten little. While Olivia Yin went to ask the innkeeper to prepare supper, Alice Lu sat alone in the room.
On the table lay the poria cake that Olivia Yin had bought from the old woman. The paper wrapping was carelessly unfolded, and the faint lamplight blurred into a soft, amber haze.
A chill flickered in Alice Lu's eyes.
She had spent seven years in the mountains, living with almost nothing—her most precious possession being her medicine chest. She had returned home with hope in her heart, only to be greeted by devastation.
Her father had always been stern in his teachings; when one child erred, all three were punished. Once, when Alan Lu quarreled with another boy and spoke rudely, he was flogged twenty times with a cane, and their father went in person to apologize. All of Changwu County knew the Lu family for their strict discipline—how could such a family be accused of theft and assault?
The death of Emma Lu was a mystery; the shipwreck that claimed her father's life was stranger still. The route from Changwu to the capital was short and calm—no tales of sinking had ever been heard. How, then, could tragedy strike the very moment he journeyed north? And her mother… Alice Lu's gaze darkened.
A family of four, ruined within a single year—no coincidence could explain that.
Her hands tightened slowly at her sides.
Her mother's body had never been found. The people of Changwu spoke in riddles; the truth behind Alan Lu's case must lie within the records of the capital's yamen. And Emma Lu…
Perhaps all the answers awaited her in the capital.
Footsteps sounded outside. Olivia Yin entered, carrying a porcelain bowl, her voice soft and weary. "You haven't eaten since noon, my lady. I asked them to make some hot porridge… please, take a little to warm yourself."
She set the bowl upon the table and added gently, "The side dishes will be here shortly."
Alice Lu's gaze rested upon the bowl, unmoving for a long while.
Seeing this, Olivia Yin hesitated, then murmured, "My lady… please accept fate with peace."
She knew Alice Lu had been gone from home for many years, and now that she had returned to find everything lost, grief was inevitable. Yet no words seemed fit for comfort; she could only offer such awkward solace.
Alice Lu asked quietly, "Olivia Yin, how long have you been with me?"
Startled, Olivia Yin replied, "It has been… about half a year."
"Half a year…" Alice Lu's eyes lingered on the flickering lamp.
A faint unease crossed Olivia Yin's face. After a moment's silence, Alice Lu's voice came again, calm and distant: "Then let us part ways here."
"My lady!" Olivia Yin stared in disbelief.
She had once been a courtesan, sold into the brothel by her gambling father. Though she was clever and beautiful, misfortune clung to her; at sixteen, she had contracted a venereal disease. The madam refused to pay for her treatment and, disgusted by her condition, ordered her wrapped in a mat and thrown onto the desolate burial hill at Luomei Peak.
At death's door, Olivia Yin had met Alice Lu, who carried her back to the mountains and nursed her to health.
To this day, Olivia Yin never knew why Alice Lu was at the graveyard that night, nor did she ever ask. The young woman's calm, distant eyes hid many secrets. From that night onward, she had followed her faithfully. Though Alice Lu once told her she could leave, Olivia Yin had no home, no kin, and no wish to return to the brothel. Staying by Alice Lu's side was her only peace.
Never had she imagined being sent away once more.
"My lady," she said, falling to her knees, "have I done something wrong? Why do you drive me off so suddenly?"
Alice Lu gave no reply. She walked to the window.
Night had fallen; the once-bustling streets of Changwu lay silent beneath the dim glow of lanterns.
"You heard it today," she said softly. "My family—all dead within a year." The lanternlight shimmered across her pale face, lending her beauty a ghostly clarity.
"I do not believe in coincidences."
"It all began with my sister's death. Now that no one in Changwu remains who knew the Lu family, to uncover the truth, I must go to the capital and confront the Ke family myself."
Her voice was resolute. "There is something deeply amiss—I must go."
"To the capital?" Olivia Yin cried, forgetting her fear. "Then let me go with you! Why must you send me away?"
Alice Lu said nothing. She closed the window and returned to the table.
The poria cake lay broken on the table—crumbled from a day of travel, its powdery remains scattered like frost under the lamplight.
Her voice was cool, distant as mist. "Didn't that woman say it herself? My second brother went to the capital and became a thief and a villain. My father sought justice and drowned en route. My mother, innocent of all, was consumed in fire. Tell me, Olivia Yin—if I go to the capital, how can you be sure you won't be next?"
Olivia Yin froze. When the meaning struck her, a shiver crept down her spine.
The Lu family's demise reeked of foul play. It was not the curse of evil spirits, but the work of human hands—someone powerful enough to erase an entire bloodline.
Alice Lu's tone remained calm. "The road to the capital will be fraught with peril. To uncover the truth, I must face whoever orchestrated this. You have no bond with my family—why risk your life for ours? Leave now, and live quietly."
"Then I cannot leave!" Olivia Yin raised her head, her eyes bright with resolve. "You will need help on such a journey. I may be clumsy, but I can talk to people, gather news—surely that counts for something. Two travelers stand a better chance than one."
Seeing Alice Lu's silence, she pressed on, earnest and trembling: "And besides, my lady knows I have nowhere else to go. Though you healed me, my illness could return at any time…" Her voice broke. "In this world, you are the only one who does not despise me."
Once tainted, a courtesan's name was forever marked; people shunned her, scorned her, or looked on with pity. Only Alice Lu treated her as an equal. Only beside Alice Lu did she feel truly human.
"You saved my life, my lady. It belongs to you now. Even if the road leads through fire or storm, I will follow you to the end."
Her words were bold, yet her voice trembled. She waited, breath held, for Alice Lu's answer.
Silence filled the room. At last, Alice Lu said quietly, "Rise. You may come with me."
Joy lit Olivia Yin's face. Fearing her mistress might change her mind, she hurried to the door, laughing lightly. "Then it's settled! You mustn't go back on your word. The dishes should be ready soon—I'll urge them to hurry. My lady should eat and rest early. The road to the capital is long; you'll need your strength…"
She left in a flurry of chatter.
Inside, Alice Lu stood still.
The lamp on the table burned low, the wick barely glowing orange. She lifted the lantern before her; the faint flame quivered and went out.
A spark leapt from the dried oil, scattering into tiny embers that glimmered like fragile blossoms.
A lamp's bloom—a sign of fortune.
Alice Lu gazed at the fading glow, her dark eyes reflecting the golden light, fierce as fire against the night.
A lamp flower smiles…
A propitious omen. It seemed that her journey to the capital was destined to begin well.