Hua Manting froze for a moment as she stared at the large crimson flower in her hands.
Xie Ziyin, his mouth slightly agape, was equally stunned.
The woman in black extended the bamboo lot container toward her, yet she did not place it upon the table, as though urging her to act.
Hua Manting casually withdrew a slip, but before she could discern the words inscribed upon it, the woman in black snatched it away.
"Do you have someone you fancy?" the woman in black read aloud, then turned her gaze upon Hua Manting, waiting for an answer.
Xie Ziyin's eyes were fixed upon her as well.
"Ah…" Hua Manting furrowed her brows and scratched behind her ear. "If by 'fancy' you mean in the ordinary sense, then I have many I fancy—my father, my mother, my brother, my sister-in-law, even my unborn nephew… countless people I care for."
"And if it refers to a romantic fondness for a man?" the woman in black pressed further.
"That," Hua Manting raised an eyebrow, "is an entirely different question."
The woman in black stared at the slip in her hand, eyes wide, frozen for a long moment before finally tossing it back into the container with a resounding clang. "The game is over."
Over?
A collective sigh of relief swept through the room.
The woman in black strode to the head of the table, turning to survey each person in turn.
"Have some tea, rest a while," she paused, then added, "The night is long and the hour still early. Shortly, I shall treat you all to a shadow play."
"A play?" Hua Manting muttered, "What is she up to now?"
Without further explanation, the woman in black ascended the stairs. The maids removed the cooled tea and replaced it with freshly brewed cups, thoughtfully selecting floral infusions meant to calm the nerves.
Yet no potion, however potent, could truly still the unease lingering over the guests. After all, two had already perished merely from a game of passing the flower.
The anticipation of the forthcoming performance sent a shiver of apprehension through everyone's hearts.
Hua Manting sipped her tea. "Mmm, fragrant… sweet." She tilted her head back and drained the cup in one gulp, then tossed it onto the table and rose from her seat.
During this brief respite, the Netherworld Cauldron remained silent.
She walked to stand between Xie Ziyin and Sir Chen, leaning against the table opposite Xie Ziyin and reaching out her hand. "Give me your hand."
Xie Ziyin instinctively offered his right hand, paused at her palm, then switched to the left. "Why the change?"
"Easier on this side—if I used my right, I'd have to twist my body," he explained, glancing again at his palm, a flash of unease crossing his expression before he clenched his fist.
Hua Manting recoiled slightly, eyes wide. "What's the matter? I'm merely checking your pulse—did my nail scratch you?" She examined her nails. "A bit long, but… your skin's really that sensitive?"
She rubbed each fingertip along his thumb's pad. "No jagged edges either."
Pausing, she bit her lip, regarding Xie Ziyin a moment before leaning close to murmur, "You're… embarrassed, aren't you?"He said nothing.
"Look at you—flushed cheeks, pink ears, even your neck," she clicked her tongue. "You don't have to be embarrassed—just a pulse check."
Xie Ziyin tilted his head, clearing his throat. "You're standing this close—of course my face's going to turn red."
Hua Manting waved a hand theatrically. "This is close? You're supposedly surrounded by beauties every day. I heard the Imperial Noble Consort even handpicked attractive palace maids to attend you when you were young, so you'd learn discernment and not be bewitched later."
"Yet your face reddens so easily," she murmured, her tone gentle but teasing. "Seems the consort's efforts had little effect."
"I've walked among myriad flowers without touching a leaf," Xie Ziyin retorted with a glance.
"That implies you've encountered many women yet remained unentangled," Hua Manting remarked lightly, her pulse-taking deceptively sharp, sending a shiver down his spine.
"I didn't mean it that way," Xie Ziyin hurried to clarify.
"Don't fidget," she admonished, pressing lightly on his shoulder. "Relax. I'm merely speaking casually—no need for such heightened emotion; it disrupts your pulse."
"Can I remain calm? You twist my meaning," he protested. "I haven't indulged in a single tryst—my heart only…"
"Come to the rear hall to watch the play," the woman in black interjected abruptly, cutting him off.
"Nothing grave," Hua Manting reassured, patting his shoulder, then rose to lead the way.
Xie Ziyin quickly followed, with Sir Chen close behind.
The boy had already stationed himself, ready for Hua Manting. She approached, and he clung to her, refusing to be separated, much to Xie Ziyin's exasperation.
The little girl leapt from her seat, joyfully tugging her mother's hand.
The young mother, forcing a small smile, followed, the girl in tow, with Hua Manting also proceeding.
Under the scrutinizing gaze of the woman in black, the lanky youth lagged behind, uncertain where to sit. Avoiding the central table entirely, he slunk to the young mother's table and plopped down brazenly.
"Everyone's here. Let's begin," the woman in black announced.
Music swelled, lively and vibrant, accompanied by narration, dialogue, and singing, captivating the little girl completely.
"Have you watched shadow plays before?" Hua Manting munched on sunflower seeds, conversing casually with Xie Ziyin.
"Yes, every year in childhood," he replied, grabbing a handful of seeds. "The palace staged at least two each year—on the fifteenth day of the first and eighth lunar months. Shadow plays, puppetry, acrobatics—all for the children."
"My parents enjoyed these too. Our household may be small, but lively nonetheless," Hua Manting remarked. "This production is impressive—the stage is exquisite, the shadow figures detailed, the singing skilled."
"Well, your mind remains at ease amidst this chaos," Xie Ziyin observed.
"At home, everyone except my brother is broad-minded," Hua Manting yawned, reclining lazily. "My brother fusses endlessly; my mother even calls him 'granny.' By now, if I don't return, he's probably searching the world over for me. Do you think he might suspect you spirited me away?"
"Unlikely," Xie Ziyin replied, mimicking her relaxed posture. "Even with your absence, within days, you'd come willingly. I'd not need to kidnap you."
Hua Manting, half-amused, half-indignant, flung a seed at him. "What do you mean, 'come willingly'?"
"I misspoke. Truly, it was your brother who delivered you!"
Her barrage of seeds continued like rapid-fire, leaving him scrambling to collect each one.
"You see? Even as a prince, I end up residing in the princess's mansion post-marriage, relocated from Yun Du to your Five Rhythms Mountain. In our nation, no princess has ever married outside the realm, let alone a prince destined to oversee the Divine Palace."
"You sound aggrieved," Hua Manting teased, biting into a crisp peach. "Not bad—just the type I like."
"I'm not aggrieved," Xie Ziyin protested, catching her arm.
Hua Manting tried to pull away. "Aren't you embarrassed, so publicly?"
"I'm hardly doing anything improper," he said, moving closer.
Anticipating his intent, she dodged. "Talk then—stay seated."
"Important matters, let's not shout. Come closer," he urged.
"Do you have any leads on the mistress of this place?" Xie Ziyin asked. "She knows you, your preferences—soft or crisp peaches. Must be someone close."
Hua Manting shook her head. "Not quite. She knows a little, but not enough. For instance, I seldom eat sweets, and I rarely have dessert, even tangyuan—only on Lantern Festival."
"Also, who would dare kidnap both of us? That risks angering the entire cultivation world, even Heaven, and the strongest nations."
"Indeed," Xie Ziyin nodded. "Most curious is the audacity, yet intentions remain hidden. Unreasonable."
"Focus on the play; perhaps clues will emerge," the woman in black intoned, eyes unwavering from the stage, startling the whispered pair.
"The story may hold hints?" Hua Manting murmured.
A noblewoman rescues a slave, educates him, introduces him to the prince, aiding him in campaigns—an ordinary tale, yet she sensed significance in its retelling.
"The pattern suggests the slave performs a heroic deed, aiding the prince to victory," Hua Manting conjectured.
"But slavery has been abolished for centuries. How does this relate?" Xie Ziyin murmured, taking a bite of his peach. "Sweet though it is."
"Who knows?" Hua Manting huffed. "Were we brought here merely to solve his riddles?"
"The answers likely reveal his intent," Xie Ziyin explained. "No need to fret; he'll guide us eventually."
"Overly mysterious!" Hua Manting scoffed. "Who has time for riddles?"
"Since we're here, let's make the best of it," Xie Ziyin said, collecting her peach pits and offering her a handkerchief. "Food, drink, games—it's all enjoyable."
"Enjoyable?" she said, glancing at the boy and the young mother and daughter. "Do they also relate to the answers?"
"Perhaps, or perhaps another design entirely," he said, tossing her some seeds.
Hua Manting declined. "I'm full."
Xie Ziyin ate in quiet, advising, "Don't overthink. Watch the play—observe what he's orchestrating."
"By the way," Hua Manting suddenly asked, "your hair is wet. Did you go out?"
"Yes, while you were unconscious, I scouted the hall—found nothing useful. Behind that screen, there is no door, only a wall. Upstairs, nothing as well," he explained.
"Ah?" Hua Manting widened her eyes.
"No matter. Compared to the Netherworld Cauldron, it's trivial—sleight of hand, perhaps a relocation spell. The cauldron, when I used it as a brazier, felt ordinary. Who knew its true power?" Xie Ziyin frowned, concealing his worry.
"I found nothing useful inside, so I ventured out. Too dark—beyond five steps, nothing visible. Since you were inside, I dared not stray far," he continued.
Hua Manting coughed lightly, averting her gaze, pretending to watch the play.
"Yet I did make one discovery," Xie Ziyin said, shifting his eyes forward.
"What?" Hua Manting asked.
"From the outside, this building appears only two stories, but in lightning, at least seven to nine floors can be discerned," he remarked, still feigning attention to the stage.
"Oh." Hua Manting turned her gaze back to the performance.