Chapter Six: The Performer

By the time they entered the city, every household was aglow with light. The scent of food and the rich aroma of wine drifted from taverns along the busy streets. Qin Xiaomo, exhausted and famished, followed behind in a sorry state, her mouth watering involuntarily as she caught the delicious smells. Jiang Wei, being a martial artist, kept a brisk pace, but after a few complaints from Qin Xiaomo, he adjusted his steps to keep pace, neither too far nor too close.

“We must first report back before we can eat,” Jiang Wei suddenly remarked.

“I want to take a bath!” Qin Xiaomo, bothered by the sweat clinging to her skin and her once white dress now a dull grey, felt bathing was more urgent than food.

Jiang Wei’s cheeks flushed slightly, though the blue twilight concealed it. Here, it was rare for an unmarried young woman to speak so openly of bathing in front of a man.

“We’re almost at the prince’s manor.”

Once they returned, Jiang Wei settled Qin Xiaomo in a guest room before rushing off to report to Qian Mubai.

“Seer, are you telling the truth?” Qian Mubai, dressed in a pale blue silk robe, stood with his back to Jiang Wei before a carved window, pondering Qin Xiaomo’s identity.

He wore no half-mask tonight, revealing the vermilion mole at the corner of his eye—the mark of disaster in Mirror City. Because of it, the old prince had always been cold toward him since childhood, though never truly cruel. Thus, Qian Mubai still felt the bond of father and son.

But the official wife was domineering, her family powerful, and even the old prince had to yield at times. Unable to protect mother and child, Qian Mubai and his mother suffered many humiliations from the prince’s wife and her son, even nearly losing their lives.

To survive, Qian Mubai began feigning illness and indifference at the age of four. The old prince found him a secluded two-story courtyard, Lotus Moon Pavilion, claiming it would spare the official wife’s eyes but truly to protect and nurture him. The courtyard stood apart from the main residence, separated by a vast lotus lake, with rock gardens, magnolias, lotus ponds, and a martial arts platform—a small paradise of peace. Only a single arched bridge linked it to the main house, and since it was far from the main gate, the old prince allowed a side door in the garden wall for easier coming and going.

Few visited the courtyard; even when someone did, their presence was immediately known. The handful of attendants were all trusted by Qian Mubai, making life quieter and more comfortable over the years.

“It is true. I said nothing, but she recounted exactly how I was ambushed and how I came to serve you, in clear detail. So I did not act against her and brought her here for you to decide,” Jiang Wei reported honestly.

“Then let her live for now.”

“Would you like to see her, young master?”

“There’s no need to rush. You just said a high-rank beast appeared at the seventh-tier Earth grade mountain, and there was a stampede. That’s unusual. I fear it’s not only Earth grade beasts we’re facing.” Qian Mubai’s brows furrowed deeper.

“If it’s a Heaven grade divine beast, then…” Jiang Wei began, but a spy burst in before he could finish.

“Young master, the Fengtian Wheel has vanished!”

“What!” Qian Mubai spun around, shock in his eyes.

“Fengtian City is in chaos. Beasts of every rank are killing each other—higher devouring lower. When the low ranks are gone, they’ll flood into the city. It will be hell on earth,” the spy said, panic in his voice.

Qian Mubai frowned, thinking quickly. “Where are the three seventh-tier Heaven rank elders of Fengtian City? They should be able to contain this.”

“It happened so suddenly. I only heard they were summoned at once and hurried back to report,” replied the spy.

Upon hearing the elders were summoned, Qian Mubai’s heart eased slightly. With their power, far beyond mortals, restraining mere beasts should be simple. Regaining his composure, he said, “Understood. Go. Report any new developments immediately.”

“Yes!” The spy bowed and withdrew.

Jiang Wei, standing by the door until the spy was gone, quietly asked, “Young master, what is the Fengtian Wheel?”

“It’s the secret treasure of Fengtian City, known to none beyond its walls. The city’s preeminence among the three counties is due to the wheel. When it’s active, all other cities are unprotected; beasts and divine creatures of any rank can enter at will. The wheel always kept the beasts at bay, ensuring our peace. The threat isn’t only from the beasts—without the wheel, power struggles between the cities will flare up again.”

Qian Mubai gazed into the distance, recalling strange events from recent days. Linking them to the Fengtian Wheel’s disappearance, he suddenly understood—none of this was mere coincidence. He turned and said, “Where is this seer you mentioned? Bring her now.”

“Yes!”

A flurry of urgent knocking sounded.

“Who is it? I’m already in bed!” Qin Xiaomo called from beneath her blanket.

“Miss Qin, my young master requests your presence,” Jiang Wei replied politely.

“Tomorrow, please. I’ve walked all day—my body’s so sore I can’t move,” Qin Xiaomo answered feebly.

“I apologize, but the matter is urgent. Otherwise, we wouldn’t dare disturb you so late. Please, come with me,” Jiang Wei insisted, his tone both courteous and firm—impossible to refuse.

“Fine… Wait for me while I change.” Qin Xiaomo stretched her legs, sat up, and glanced at the corner of the bed, where a little white bundle slept soundly, snoring now and then—clearly exhausted.

Moving quietly, Qin Xiaomo dressed neatly and checked her face in the mirror. Without makeup, she looked truly haggard, but after rummaging about, she found a white veil and draped it over half her face.

“Let’s go.” She felt just like a celebrity out in public without makeup, using a mask to hide herself.

Her room was in the southern wing, a hundred meters from Qian Mubai’s main residence. In moments, they reached his door. Jiang Wei knocked, and from inside came a magnetic, cold voice: “Enter.”

Qin Xiaomo stepped in. Qian Mubai stood with his back to her, gazing out over the lake toward the prince’s manor, while Jiang Wei closed the door behind her.

“You wanted to see me?” Qian Mubai was silent for some time after she entered, so Qin Xiaomo, unwilling to waste time, spoke first.

At her words, Qian Mubai turned around, still wearing his half-mask. She glanced at her own veil and inwardly laughed—two people hiding behind masks, neither truly sincere.

“You’re the seer?”

“More or less,” Qin Xiaomo replied modestly.

“Then tell me, why do I wear a mask?”

“To test me?”

Qian Mubai said nothing, which was answer enough.

“What do I get if I answer?” Qin Xiaomo was no fool—what if it was a trap?

“I won’t kill you,” Qian Mubai said, squeezing out the words.

“I want three hundred taels of silver as well.”

Qian Mubai stared her down. She was bargaining with her life in his hands, yet she showed not a flicker of fear. His presence was overwhelming; Qin Xiaomo’s nerves tensed. He stood at least a head taller than her, and she suddenly felt rather small. After a moment, Qian Mubai’s cold voice said, “Deal.”

Qin Xiaomo secretly sighed in relief, feigning calm. “You wear a mask to hide the vermilion mole by your eye, don’t you?”

At that, Qian Mubai suddenly removed his mask. Qin Xiaomo had seen this face countless times in the game, but seeing it now, her heart still skipped a beat—especially that mole at the corner of his eye, the perfect finishing touch. Was this a game, or a dream?

“You are the first outsider to see my true face,” Qian Mubai said, narrowing his eyes like a beast studying its prey.

“So… do I have to marry you now?” Qin Xiaomo blurted, swallowing nervously—after all, that’s how things always played out on television.

Qian Mubai paused, then stepped closer, cornering her against the wall. His face drew near.

A faint magnolia scent reached Qin Xiaomo, perhaps because he was so close. Such an alluring face made her blush and her heart race. “If you want to talk, just talk. Why come so close?”

Qian Mubai’s smile was both charming and dangerous. “Do you want to marry me that badly?”

Qin Xiaomo’s cheeks reddened. She turned away. “Of course not—don’t flatter yourself!”

“But at Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, you declared before everyone that you were my woman—and even carrying my child…” Qian Mubai’s words grew closer, his face nearly touching hers.

Hearing this, Qin Xiaomo wanted to crawl into a hole. It hadn’t seemed so mortifying at the time, but hearing him say it now felt like being watched while bathing—nowhere to hide, and impossible to face. She shoved him away and clapped her hands over her ears, shouting to mask her embarrassment, “It was a ruse! A ruse!”

“By now, the whole region probably knows,” Qian Mubai straightened, no longer teasing.

“I’m the one suffering here, aren’t I?” Qin Xiaomo rolled her eyes.

“From now on, you’re a performer in my household.”

“I thought I was a seer!” Qin Xiaomo protested.

“That depends on your abilities.”

“Or else?” Qin Xiaomo noticed a pattern—he always spoke in threats.

“Death,” Qian Mubai replied through gritted teeth.