The Left Virtuous King's mansion was located in the northwest corner of You Prefecture, only about three li from the imperial city. To the right of the imperial road was the imperial city, and to the left were the mansions of the Left Virtuous King and other high-ranking officials.
In front of the mansion stood two glazed lanterns, each over two meters high. The ornate gatehouse towered above, and a black silken nanmu plaque hung above the vermilion gate, inscribed with four gilded characters: "Guan Ning Prince's Mansion."
A pair of fierce, majestic stone lions, male on the left and female on the right, guarded the Left Virtuous King's mansion.
The mansion was heavily guarded, making it difficult for outsiders to approach. However, those within the mansion were another matter entirely.
With a creak, a small side gate on the left of the mansion opened, and two figures slipped out. The mansion guards pretended not to see them, for the two were Murong Rui, the third son of the mansion, and Princess Ziyue, Murong Huiying.
"Ziyue, return soon. If my father finds out, it will be difficult for your third brother to explain," Murong Rui said, still reluctant as they both slipped out of the mansion. He clutched Murong Huiying's arm and urged, "I can't be at ease... It's almost dark. What important matter do you have? Ziyue, you haven't told me where you're going! Are you going to Pi Jin City? Sigh, why are you still so obsessed with that person? I shouldn't have helped you today. But that gold-inlaid jade Xuanwu... it should be a pair, right? Hehe... if it's a pair, it's not impossible to negotiate."
Murong Rui, the third son of the Left Virtuous King Murong Bolie, was completely different from his elder brothers. He disliked military affairs and only enjoyed antiques, calligraphy, paintings, and bronze artifacts. Murong Bolie had reprimanded him countless times, calling him a prodigal son, but Murong Rui treated it as wind passing by his ears, dissipating with a single blow. Over time, Murong Bolie let him be, too lazy to manage him anymore.
Murong Huiying was confined to her home by Murong Bolie. She tempted Murong Rui with an exquisite gold-inlaid jade Xuanwu divine turtle and, with Murong Rui's assistance, escaped from the mansion.
"Miser!" Murong Huiying rolled her eyes at Murong Rui. She took out another exquisite gold-inlaid jade Xuanwu divine turtle and handed it to Murong Rui, saying, "Here, take it. Now they make a pair. Are you satisfied now?"
This pair of gold-inlaid jade Xuanwu divine turtles were ancient artifacts made of gold, inlaid with jade and gems, exquisite and valuable. Murong Rui held them in his hands, admiring them with joy as he said, "Thank you, little sister. But you still haven't told me where you're going? Pi Jin City?"
"Pi Jin City? I won't go there. Let him die in there..." Murong Huiying said hatefully.
Murong Rui was immediately relieved. As long as she wasn't going to Pi Jin City, she could go anywhere else.
During this period, she had been confined to her home and was quite bored, Murong Rui thought to himself.
Murong Huiying nodded, mounted her horse, and galloped away.
......
"Sister Ziyue, you've arrived?" At a street corner in You Prefecture City, Murong Xiaoxiao, who had been waiting for a long time, said happily upon seeing Murong Huiying.
"You're going too?" Murong Huiying asked, glancing at Murong Xiaoxiao.
"Can't I go?" Murong Xiaoxiao said anxiously. "I was the one who told you the news. You can't just abandon me now."
"Hmph, let's go," Murong Huiying said from her horse.
Murong Xiaoxiao then happily responded, mounted her horse, and rode alongside Murong Huiying towards the back mountain of the imperial city.
I really don't know why she's going to Pi Jin City to see him, Murong Huiying thought to herself, glancing sideways at Murong Xiaoxiao. Is he alright? How is he doing in prison? He must be suffering terribly.
Hmph, he deserves to suffer. So impulsive, so reckless, so brutal and ferocious, he truly deserves it. Riding on her horse, Murong Huiying felt both angry and resentful. But him? Sigh, why so hasty? Why didn't he wait for me to return? I would have found a way. Yet, he committed such a major crime when I wasn't in You Prefecture. Now, he's killed over two hundred people. He's practically doomed.
Even if Zhou Fugui is an unforgivable villain, Murong Huiying still wants to save him. But how to save him, Murong Huiying has no idea, she can only try her luck.
Murong Huiying was lost in thought.
......
"Puff... puff..."
"Ah?"
There is a mountain behind the imperial city, named "Wanling Mountain."
Wanling Mountain is where the Grand Tutor of Great Yan, the Shaman High Priest or Great Shaman, resides. His palace is on the summit of Wanling Mountain.
After passing the mountain gate, Murong Huiying and Murong Xiaoxiao walked towards the Great Shaman's palace on the summit.
Riding a horse up the mountain would be disrespectful to the Great Shaman, so Murong Huiying and Murong Xiaoxiao walked up.
It should be known that the Shaman Great Shaman is the Grand Tutor of Great Yan, and his words carry considerable weight in Great Yan, even influencing court affairs.
As Murong Huiying and Murong Xiaoxiao walked up the mountain, it was normal at first, with normal mountain paths and forests. But when they reached the mountainside, the surroundings began to change.
Everything around them became distorted, even the air seemed to twist. An invisible force seemed to warp space, like a mirage. The trees swayed as if dancing, emitting strange sounds.
A peculiar, indescribable floral scent permeated the air.
Murong Huiying and Murong Xiaoxiao were immediately terrified. However, the two girls still held hands and continued to walk up the mountain. As they walked, two balls of ghostly fire, one purple and one green, emerged from the forest and lunged at them from left and right. The two girls screamed in fright and clung to each other.
With a "poof," the two balls of ghostly fire, one purple and one green, flew in front of Murong Huiying and Murong Xiaoxiao and then inexplicably disappeared. The purple light made Murong Huiying's face turn purple, while the green light made Murong Xiaoxiao's face turn green...
"Sister Ziyue, why do you look like a ghost?" Murong Xiaoxiao asked Murong Huiying, her voice trembling.
"You look more like a ghost!" Murong Huiying was also quite scared.
"Sister Ziyue, are we still going up the mountain?" Murong Xiaoxiao asked with a tremor in her voice, her courage faltering.
"If you want to go back, leave by yourself. I will see the Grand Tutor today," Murong Huiying said through gritted teeth.
"Pfft!" Murong Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh. "You... for him..."
"What about me for him? I'm merely looking out for him as a meritorious general under my father," Murong Huiying quickly said to cover up.
"Alas, Sister Ziyue, you don't need to explain so much. If you like him, you like him. You and Zhou Fugui are a match made in heaven," Murong Xiaoxiao said with a smile.
"What do you mean a match made in heaven? What do you know? If you dare to talk nonsense again, I'll... hmph!" Murong Huiying snorted.
Never mind, this little girl is so lonely and bored in the deep palace. She only came out for fun, not because she has any feelings for Zhou Fugui, Murong Huiying thought to herself.
"What will you do to me?" Murong Xiaoxiao asked with a smile.
"I'll tickle you to death," Murong Huiying said, reaching out to tickle Murong Xiaoxiao.
"Sister Ziyue, spare me!" Murong Xiaoxiao begged for mercy, tickled uncontrollably.
The two girls played for a while, their fear slightly abated. They then held hands and, trembling, continued to walk up the mountain.
"Jie... jie... jie... jie..."
The higher they went up the mountain, the more terrifying the situation became. A chilling wind blew, shadows flickered, and the sounds of ghostly wails could be heard intermittently.
"Ah!"
This time, Murong Xiaoxiao was truly scared and wanted to go back, but Murong Huiying dragged her up the mountain.
"Chiluo Chuan, beneath Yin Mountain. The sky is like a yurt, covering the four directions..."
As they neared the summit, the situation changed dramatically. Before Murong Xiaoxiao's eyes appeared a blue sky and white clouds, and beneath them, a vast green grassland. In front of a tent on the grassland, a richly dressed noblewoman sang a song, smiling at Murong Xiaoxiao.
"Eji..." Murong Xiaoxiao was stunned for a moment, then burst into tears and rushed towards her.
"Fugui, you're out of prison? Fugui, you... woo woo woo..."
And before Murong Huiying's eyes appeared a clear spring. Beside the spring, Zhou Fugui, clad in imposing armor, stood with his hand on his saber, looking at Murong Huiying with spirited eyes, also smiling without speaking.
Murong Huiying also burst into tears.
"Why have you two little girls come here?"
At this moment, an ancient voice sounded in the ears of the two girls. A short, white-bearded old man, dressed in a high priest's robe, took out a bottle of potion from his robes, gave a sip to each of the hallucinating Murong Huiying and Murong Xiaoxiao, and asked.
"Grand Tutor..." Murong Huiying and Murong Xiaoxiao exclaimed together after regaining their senses and seeing the old man.
Despite his short stature, the white-bearded old man was half a head shorter than Murong Huiying, but his status was extremely noble in Great Yan – the Shaman High Priest of Great Yan.
"Hmph, two little girls who don't know the immensity of heaven and earth, daring to trespass on Wanling Mountain? What business do you have here?" the Great Shaman asked, stooping, as he looked at the two girls.
"I... I... I..." Murong Huiying had planned what to say before coming, but when the moment arrived, she stammered and couldn't utter a word for a long time.
"Come in with me," the Great Shaman said after looking at Murong Huiying.
So, Murong Huiying and Murong Xiaoxiao followed the Great Shaman into the palace on the summit.
The so-called Great Shaman's palace on the summit was actually a large wooden house, intricately carved and painted, quite exquisite and beautiful.
Inside the large wooden house, various animal bones were hung, along with bone divination tools, and many glazed vessels were bubbling with heat.
"Princess Jinglian, Princess Ziyue, have you come seeking a divination from me?" the Great Shaman asked Murong Huiying and Murong Xiaoxiao in the wooden house.