Volume One: The Youngest Among Three Hundred Chapter Twenty-Five: Clues Amidst the Peach Blossoms

In front of the ruins of Spring Cloud Pavilion in Huaiyuan Ward, Princess Changning’s delicate brows knitted slightly upon hearing the maid’s report. “I nearly forgot I need to paint the holy portrait for my mother the Empress. Quickly, let’s return at once.”

She then turned to Li Shu, Ye Lin, and the others, instructing, “You all continue your investigation. The culprit must be found before the Longevity Festival. There are still matters to attend to at my residence, so I must return.”

Hua Mulan, Li Shu, and Wu Yuanheng all bowed deeply. “Rest assured, Your Highness. We will do our utmost to uncover the truth.”

Ye Lin merely saluted and remained silent.

Hua Mulan, who held Ye Lin in high regard, asked him, “What’s your next step in the investigation?”

Ye Lin pondered and replied, “First of all, Xiao Lian’s death is connected to the headless corpse. The murderer beheaded the victim to prevent us from identifying them. The key to this case lies in the identity of the deceased.”

“This round stone inscribed with the words ‘Together Forever’ must have been a token of love exchanged between the headless corpse and the courtesan named She Yue. Let’s use this as a clue and ask around to see if we can learn anything.”

“Yes, for now, that’s all we can do.” Hua Mulan nodded.

Li Shu and Wu Yuanheng lifted their chins at a forty-five-degree angle. “Let’s hope Chen Chang’an can glean some useful clues from Xiao Lian.”

When Princess Changning returned to her residence, a man in his forties awaited her at the gate. He wore a pale blue robe, a black gauze cap, had a long face with short stubble and broad shoulders. His surname was Xu, given name Hezi, and he was famed as the greatest painter in Damin.

“Greetings, Your Highness!” Seeing her from afar, Xu Hezi stepped forward to bow.

Changning beamed at him. “No need for such formality, Master Xu. Please, come in. With the Longevity Festival approaching, I’d like you to paint a holy portrait of my mother the Empress as a birthday tribute.”

Before each royal birthday, the princes and princesses prepared special gifts. Changning had decided to commission Xu Hezi for a painting and an inscription as her offering.

She sighed at the thought, “It was Xiao Lian who suggested I make this painting for my mother. It’s a pity she’s gone now…”

“What did you say, Your Highness?” Xu Hezi asked.

Changning quickly gathered herself and dismissed her sorrow. “It’s nothing. Please, come inside, Master Xu.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

With a respectful bow, Xu Hezi followed her into the main hall of the princess’s residence. He opened his wooden case and took out inkstones filled with colored inks, along with brushes of various lengths and thicknesses.

After carefully arranging his tools, he unrolled a large sheet of paper and smiled with delight. “Your Highness, look—this is called tung oil paper. It is impervious to water and fire and can endure for centuries. Painting Her Majesty’s likeness on it will ensure it is preserved for generations.”

Xu Hezi spoke with cheerful ease, clearly in high spirits. Yet, when Changning saw the so-called everlasting tung oil paper, her radiant face lost its color for a few moments.

Noticing her reaction, Xu Hezi bowed again. “Your Highness, is there something you dislike about my preparations? If there is anything amiss, I shall amend it at once.”

Changning quickly composed herself and waved her hand. “No, it’s fine. Thank you, Master Xu. This painting is my Longevity Festival tribute for my mother the Empress—please see that it is done well.”

Xu Hezi bowed with hands clasped. “Rest assured, Your Highness. I will give it my utmost care!”

“Very well. I’ll leave you to your work. If you need anything, the maids are waiting outside—just call for them.”

With that, Changning and her attendants quietly withdrew, closing the door behind them. Inside, Xu Hezi spread open the large sheet of tung oil paper, rolled up his sleeves, dipped his brush in colored ink, and began to paint with vigorous, sweeping strokes.

…

In a certain alley of Huaiyuan Ward, a swirl of silver light rose and Chen Chang’an’s figure vanished. After a dizzying journey through a kaleidoscopic spatial vortex, he reappeared at the entrance to the Fragrant Courtyard. He strode straight to the seven-story pagoda. “Sister Peach Blossom, it’s me—Chen Chang’an!”

The view inside was clear; no more mosaic.

A faint creak sounded as the vermillion door on the first floor opened. Peach Blossom rose languidly from her bed, donning a sheer robe that hinted at her graceful silhouette and snowy skin. In a soft southern accent, she said, “Come in.”

Er… Such an inviting scene makes it hard for a man to control himself. Chen Chang’an swallowed, scratched his head in embarrassment, and averted his gaze. “I—I ran into a case outside and wanted to ask if you have any leads!”

The faint hope in Peach Blossom’s eyes faded, and she replied, “I see. Come in, then. Tell me what happened.”

Chen Chang’an inwardly cheered. As long as she didn’t refuse him, all was well. He hopped over to the table, sat down, and began with a pitiful sigh, “Sister, I know you might have to make sacrifices, but I had no choice this time.”

He then recounted everything—from Xiao Lian’s death to the fire at Spring Cloud Pavilion—in meticulous detail.

“I understand,” Peach Blossom replied succinctly. She took out a porcelain bowl, filled it with clear water, and with slender scallion-like fingers formed intricate hand seals as she chanted softly.

As her incantation gained power, the water in the bowl reflected a scene like a mirror. Chen Chang’an watched intently.

He knew this vision was crucial to the case—after all, last time, Peach Blossom had shown him Princess Changning stepping out of her sedan chair before the Hall of True Purity at Sanyuan Temple, cutting straight to the truth.

Ripples formed on the water’s surface, revealing two figures: Princess Changning and a man.

The man, gravely ill, lay on his bed. He clutched Changning’s hand, coughing harshly. “Don’t… Don’t cry, little sister. You must stay cheerful!”

Changning wept all the harder, tears streaming down her cheeks. “But, brother, the imperial physician said… they said your injuries are too severe—there may be no cure, brother!”

“It’s… it’s nothing.”

Still smiling from his sickbed, the man spoke gently and fondly, “Changning, when I traveled to Liangzhou, I chanced upon… *cough*… a certain book. Inside it are records of the secrets and misdeeds of nearly a hundred high-ranking officials at court.”

“Though our mother now sits the throne in Chang’an and rules the nine provinces, many hidden factions still plot to overthrow her. After all, how could a woman be allowed to rule?”

“I’ve hidden this ledger in the Hall of True Purity at Sanyuan Temple. After I’m gone, if ever the court’s situation changes, remember to retrieve the book. Only with it can you remain safe amid the shifting tides of political intrigue.”

As his words ended, the porcelain bowl shattered with a crisp clang. The water within hissed into mist and dissipated. At the same time, Peach Blossom doubled over, coughing up a mouthful of blood, her face deathly pale. Outside, the peach tree in the courtyard, which had just begun to sprout new buds, withered once more.

“Sister, are you alright?” Chen Chang’an rushed forward to support her, his hands resting lightly on her delicate, smooth shoulders.

Peach Blossom forced a faint smile and shook her head. “I’ll be fine. The Fragrant Courtyard and your world are subtly linked, but are, in essence, two separate realms. Probing into certain events violates the laws of heaven and earth.”

“The first time, a simple offering sufficed as fair exchange. But this time, I forcibly peered through the veil, and the backlash from my cultivation art was inevitable.”

Chen Chang’an felt her rapid, shallow breaths against his ear, and seeing her chest heave, his heart ached for her.

“I’m so sorry, Sister Peach Blossom. I had no idea the consequences would be so severe. I wouldn’t have come if I’d known,” he said apologetically.

Peach Blossom’s expression remained serene. “Don’t worry. If I wished, I would help you even without your asking. If I didn’t, no amount of pleading would move me.”

In other words, she had helped him of her own will; it had nothing to do with him. Poor Peach Blossom—she’s fallen in love, thought Chen Chang’an, oddly delighted as he helped her to bed.

Peach Blossom let down the pink curtains, separating them. From behind the drapes, she said, “I’ll be fine after a few days’ rest. Don’t worry about me.”

“Alright, Sister Peach Blossom. I came in a hurry and brought nothing with me. Once this case is resolved, I will thank you properly.”

Chen Chang’an bowed with sincerity before quietly leaving the building. He exited the Fragrant Courtyard and, after a bout of dizziness, found himself back in the alleyway. Apart from the dimming of the world before his eyes, nothing else had changed.

“So… that’s how it is.”

He found a teahouse near the alley, tossed a gold tooth onto the table, and cheerfully ordered a pot of Dragon Well tea, preparing to piece together what he now knew of the case.

Thanks to what he had witnessed at the Fragrant Courtyard, many of his doubts were cleared. At first glance, the parting of Princess Changning and her brother seemed irrelevant to the case—but in truth, it was the key.

“It feels good to have a cheat on my side!”