Tricked 135: Ninth Concubine

The dividing line on Xi Jueyun’s face was especially startling.

The left side was as picturesque as a painting—melancholy eyes, deep red lips, slender willow-leaf brows lifted high, rose-colored makeup staining the ends of her eyes, lending her a haunting, unusual beauty. The right side, however, was a bare skull, the eye socket a deep hollow, an empty black hole exposed to the air. With no lips or gums, every root of her teeth was visible, and the tidy teeth clacked together. If you looked closely, you’d see her mouth had no tongue.

Jiang Yan looked around and located five chairs in the corner.

She tiptoed through the bones, carefully dragging the chairs to the stage front and sitting down.

With no solution at hand, better to see what would happen next. The others followed her lead, taking seats as well.

“Tap tap tap tap tap…”

With the music’s rise, Xi Jueyun spun her sleeves and pointed fingers, her expression shifting from joy to sorrow. Fortunately, a missing tongue didn’t hinder her singing—a thread of mournful opera drifted from her lips. With the Mandarin Duck Sword, she traced flowers with the blade, her two fingers sliding along its edge, and then, spinning and bending low, she used the sword as a pivot to dance across the stage.

Strange, yet beautiful.

Yu Renwan’s fear faded, and she whispered, “If she had survived and left Lingren Village, she’d become famous.”

“She’d be in the annals of Peking opera.”

Pingping nodded, “Don’t understand a word, but it sounds nice. If you ignore the right half of her face, she’s actually very beautiful.”

“No wonder Jin Yuebai said I’d never study during a Xi Jueyun performance.”

An opera like this would normally take hours, but whether because everyone was so absorbed or because time itself accelerated, they all sat quietly and watched the entire show.

Princess Yu was about to take her own life.

Xi Jueyun drew a sword shining with cold light, raising her eyes to look at the audience.

The group froze.

Jiang Yan’s heart skipped a beat. She and Xi Jueyun locked eyes for a moment, and then she saw the left half of Xi Jueyun’s face turn skeletal too. Blood gushed from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Jiang Yan started to rise, intending to dodge.

But at that moment, her body was no longer under her control.

Xi Jueyun stepped down from the stage, sword in hand. She first approached Shen Huanhuan, and without hesitation stabbed her through the neck from behind. Shen Huanhuan’s neck cracked audibly.

It happened so suddenly.

Agonizing pain struck—Shen Huanhuan’s pupils contracted, then slackened completely.

As she sat, her head thudded onto her lap, her neck swaying with inertia. It looked as if a headless woman was cradling her own head in sleep.

Xi Jueyun stabbed a terrified Shen Xiaoxiao second.

She thrashed desperately, trying to get up, but could neither move nor speak. Soon, Xi Jueyun’s sword pierced her heart, and white maggots squirmed from the wound, spilling to the floor.

Yu Renwan, seated beside Shen Xiaoxiao, earned a more elaborate death. Xi Jueyun turned, smiled at her, and proceeded to slice at her bit by bit—left, right—until, after the sixteenth cut, Yu Renwan stopped breathing.

A small pile of wafer-thin flesh lay at her feet.

Next, Xi Jueyun turned to Pingping.

Pingping knew none of them had really triggered any death conditions, so she wouldn’t truly die, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t afraid. She watched Xi Jueyun nervously, and then her own skull was lopped off with a stroke.

Jiang Yan: “…….”

She could only hope Xi Jueyun would be quick about it. Maybe her wish was granted; Xi Jueyun skewered her belly and hooked upward.

Three seconds later, Jiang Yan’s body fell in two to both sides.

…

When Jiang Yan came back to herself, she was as good as new, sitting at the very back of the main hall.

The other four sat at her table, all visibly rattled. Shen Xiaoxiao was sweating buckets and breathing deeply. Suddenly, thunderous applause broke out in the hall, shouts of “Bravo!” ringing in their ears.

Jiang Yan glanced at the stage. Every performer had come forward to take a bow.

The opera had ended.

The crowd began to depart in droves, but many lingered to discuss the story and their feelings. Jiang Yan’s group made ready to leave too, but just then, a refined-looking middle-aged man stepped onto the stage, intercepting Xi Jueyun.

“Has Manager Xi given it any more thought?”

Judging by his dress and bearing, this man was wealthy and of high status. Judging by his actions, he was no good.

Xi Jueyun brushed aside his hand politely. “Thank you for the honor, Lord Wang, but I have no plans to marry at present.”

Jiang Yan recalled what she’d heard about Lord Wang.

Earlier that day, two men chatting outside the theater had mentioned Lord Wang was after Xi Jueyun as his ninth concubine, but neither seemed to know what happened next—both had quickly changed the subject and hurried away.

Pingping spoke up quietly, “Lin Xiaotang told me this Lord Wang loves tormenting people, and enjoys snatching pretty vagrant girls. In a single year, he lost three concubines—two dead, one ran off.”

Publicly refused in front of everyone, Lord Wang’s face darkened instantly.

At that moment, Xiao Congye hurried up the stage. She stepped in front of Xi Jueyun, smiling. Given her temperament and looks, Xiao Congye was utterly unsuited for such a fawning air, but now she smiled brightly, took Lord Wang’s sleeve, and whispered a few words.

Lord Wang’s expression visibly softened.

He followed Xiao Congye upstairs to the second-floor parlor. After a few minutes, Fang Xuyu was summoned from home by Lin Xiaotang and quickly joined them.

Thinking of her own character, Jiang Yan started upstairs, wanting to check on Xiao Congye’s safety.

Lin Xiaotang stopped her at once.

“It’s fine, Third Master went too,” he said. “Lord Wang will give him due respect, and not cross the line.”

Jiang Yan nodded.

Ten minutes passed. When the crowds had left with Lin Xiaotang, Jiang Yan doubled back to the second-floor parlor and bent to peek through the doorway.

Xiao Congye was on stage, singing for Lord Wang, who was now the sole audience member.

Lord Wang sat beaming, occasionally spouting interjections that cut off the flow of the song, showering her with praise, spoiling the whole performance.

Yet Xiao Congye was entirely unfazed.

She smiled, placating his every demand, sang new repertoire, and even matched his interruptions with playful or bashful grins.

When the song ended, Lord Wang climbed up and wouldn’t stop stroking her hand.

“Excellent, just excellent.”

“I like your looks too. When Manager Xi agrees, you’ll both marry me. I’ll wed you first—she’s proud, but you’re an understanding girl. I’m sure you’ll see reason.”

From Jiang Yan’s vantage, she clearly saw Xiao Congye’s fists clench behind her back. But seconds later, she forced her hands to relax and both arms went around Lord Wang’s own, giving a little shake.

Lord Wang left, face lit like spring.

With his footsteps fading, Xiao Congye at last let her true feelings show—utter disgust.

Overwhelmed with nausea, she retched several times. Her body trembled as she wiped her hands repeatedly with her handkerchief, scrubbing until the skin turned red and raw.

“What a thing!”

She hissed, “Daydreaming of me, is one thing—but he thinks he deserves the manager?!”

Fang Xuyu sighed. “This isn’t sustainable, playing both sides. Let me talk to my father…”

Xiao Congye cut him off. “No need.”

“It’s better to rely on yourself,” she looked at Fang Xuyu. “You’ve got it hard enough; beg your father and you’ll lose your place here. It’s not that desperate yet.”

A few more low murmured words, then Fang Xuyu left by the side door. Jiang Yan quickly straightened.

She turned to leave, but her health was poor; after so long bent over, standing upright made the world spin. She staggered, slamming into the railing.

“Bang!”

Xiao Congye rushed out at the noise. Her face turned icy as she saw Jiang Yan. “What are you doing here?”

“Didn’t anyone tell you not to wander upstairs?!”

Jiang Yan felt she should lie, say she lost her way—her character adored Xiao Congye and wouldn’t want to be disliked. Eavesdropping, especially on such a humiliating scene, was a dreadful thing.

But just as she started to invent an excuse, a “ding” sounded in her ear, interrupting her.

Character about to OOC. Quiz triggered.

Jiang Yan froze, looking up at the air.

[Xi Jueyun’s mother was the previous manager of the theater. Continuing her mother’s work, she lives for the stage, never learned to dissemble, and has made many enemies because of her honest heart. She is fully prepared to be ruined by Lord Wang—she would rather die than fawn. But Xiao Congye is not the same.

Xiao Congye met Xi Jueyun while begging at age eight, fighting vagrants on the street for scraps. Xi Jueyun brought her home as a servant, but discovered her talent for singing; they have lived and eaten together for fourteen years. In Xiao Congye’s heart, Xi Jueyun is perfect and most worthy of respect.

Today, Lord Wang harassed Xi Jueyun again, and Xiao Congye, suppressing her revulsion, endured him for the theater’s safety. She hates being seen this way, but you overheard everything outside, out of concern for her.

Unfortunately, she discovers you at the door and harshly demands to know what you’re doing.

You choose—

1. Make up a perfect lie, pretending to have just been passing by, to protect Xiao Congye’s pride.

2. Tell the truth and admit you came out of concern, swear you’ll stay silent and beg her not to be mad.

3. Look to Xiao Congye with shining admiration, telling her you want to become someone who can protect others, just like her.]

Jiang Yan studied the options.

If at first she’d only vaguely understood her character, now she understood much better.

Because of “Option 3.”

Whether she’d just been passing by, Xiao Congye would judge for herself. Telling the truth meant both understood each other; “she” would never need to worry whether or not she’d been discovered, nor Xiao Congye whether or not she’d been lied to.

But of the honest options, “Option 3” was clearly better than “Option 2.”

Because it delivered emotional value.

Considering how Xiao Congye hated others seeing her like this, she was someone who’d rather die than debase herself, yet now endured it for Xi Jueyun and for all in the theater.

Deep down she loathed her own actions; she needed someone to support her, to tell her she was amazing.

The spirit behind the scene had given Jiang Yan’s character just that role.

So Jiang Yan pressed “Option 3” without hesitation.

In a flash, she saw herself step forward and grab Xiao Congye’s hand. Under Xiao Congye’s puzzled gaze, she cupped that hand in both of hers and blew gently.

“All the bad stuff, blow away—”

She heard herself say, “I was really worried about Sister Xiao, so I came up to check. I know that wasn’t right, so you can punish me as you like!”

“But if you punish me, you can’t punish yourself—because you’re truly amazing, really, really amazing,” Jiang Yan said. “I want to be just like Sister Xiao, to protect the manager, to protect everyone!”

Xiao Congye was silent for a few seconds. “Punish myself? When did I punish myself?”

Jiang Yan pointed at her chafed and bloody hand. “My heart aches for you.”

Xiao Congye gave a cold snort, and jerked her hand out of Jiang Yan’s grasp. “Don’t touch me.”

“My palm’s covered in dust, and you’re dirty too.”

With that, she shook her sleeves and departed to the first floor, and Jiang Yan regained control.

She rubbed her face, frozen in a smile, then imagined how she’d looked just now, smiling so hard her eyes vanished—she couldn’t help but shiver.

Just then Pingping came up to say goodbye.

“I’m off to study, see you around.”

Jiang Yan gave a wave.

Jin Yuebai looked sidelong at Xiao Congye’s retreating figure, then at Jiang Yan, more or less guessing their conversation.

She tried to comfort Jiang Yan. “Don’t be upset. Let me tell you something to cheer you up.”

Jiang Yan: “What’s cheerful?”

Jin Yuebai suppressed a smile, lowered her voice. “Lord Wang is impotent.”

Jiang Yan: ?

Pingping: ?

Pingping clapped her hands over her ears.