WBICDPH Chapter 32 Part 1

Chapter 32: Behind the Curtain, Before the Stage

“The Third Miss never once did anything immoral or wicked. In her spare time, she taught the girls how to read and write, how to play music and paint. Whenever any of the girls ran into trouble, she was always the one who helped the most and cared the hardest. If someone was punished by Madam, she would always steel herself and step forward to plead on their behalf—every single time getting flayed alive by that unforgiving mouth of hers.

“She was such a good person. Even the lowly servants who did menial work in the house often benefited from her kindness. She deserved the best ending—but instead, on that snowy night, she died for no clear reason in that little shack. If you ask me, there isn’t a single person in this world worthy of her, nor a single one who treated her right. The people she sincerely cared for, the ones she helped escape—once they left, they were gone for years, without even a word. It’s not that anyone expected them to repay her in some grand way, but even if just one of them had come back to take a look, or at the very least sent a couple of lines through someone else, the Third Miss wouldn’t have been so heartbroken.”

As Zhuìtáng spoke, her eyes grew redder and redder.

“When the Third Miss was still alive, she helped so many girls. Among the women who left Mantingchun, whose ransom money didn’t include the jewelry she gave them? The world treated her so cruelly. She suffered such enormous injustice, and before she died, she clearly said she would torment those who wronged her one by one—but after she truly became a ghost, didn’t she still hesitate to harm anyone?”

Zhuìtáng raised her hand to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. Her voice choked slightly.

“No one knows where Madam threw the Third Miss’s body. Back then, word spread that Old Marquis Qin wanted to take the Third Miss as a concubine. Madam must have been afraid of powerful people coming to investigate, so she made up an excuse, saying the Third Miss refused to marry and ran off with her lover. We prostitutes who survived under her roof didn’t dare speak the truth—no one would’ve believed us anyway—so all we could do was secretly search for the Third Miss’s whereabouts.

“Later, by pure chance, I discovered that the Third Miss had become a ghost. She still looked exactly as she did that day—her eyes blindfolded, her clothes torn and tattered, her hair crooked. I thought she’d come back for revenge, but instead, she only took one person from the small building.

“That was a newly arrived girl, who had just finished mourning for her family, so she was wearing white.

“When the Third Miss was alive, she never said anything outright, but every snowy night she would sit by the window watching the snow fall. How could I not understand what she was thinking? She was waiting for someone—someone who promised to write to her, who promised to watch their ideals come true together, yet once they left, never returned. I think that’s where her obsession with white clothing came from.

“Later, I even put on white myself and waited for her to take me. That time, she didn’t hurt me. She brought me to a pitch-black place, then let me go, and even gave me a revised household registry.

“That was when I understood—she stayed not to seek revenge, but to wait for someone, and to save others.

“I could’ve taken that registry and left, started a new life under a new identity. But after thinking it over, I gave up. If the Third Miss wanted to save people, how could I not help her? If she was waiting for someone, how could I not keep her company? And I still had to find her, had to restore justice for her.

“From then on, whenever new girls came to Mantingchun, I watched them quietly. If the girl came of her own will, I left her be. But if she had been wronged like the Third Miss, forced into this life, I taught her to wear white on a snowy night. Once that night passed, she would be reborn.

“Unfortunately, Madam discovered this method not long after. At the time, I had just become the top courtesan and was still very useful to her, so she didn’t punish me. She only ordered that from then on, no one in the house was allowed to wear white, and confiscated all clothing and fabric even close to that color. From then on, the Third Miss and white clothing became a shared secret. Older girls told the younger ones, who then told the even newer girls. Everyone knew that wearing white on a snowy night meant escape—but no one dared to try.

“Some thought that even if they got out, they wouldn’t know how to make a living. Others were afraid of causing trouble for the Third Miss. And Madam checked our belongings constantly—she even kept a close watch on us when we went out to buy things—so scraping together white clothing became nearly impossible. After Madam found out, years passed. Only three years ago did a girl who truly wanted to die appear. Seeing a life at stake, we unanimously decided to send her away. Yaoniang was clever—she came up with a plan. She tore the white lining out of a quilt and draped it over the girl. After the girl left, we all admitted fault together. Madam couldn’t find the ringleader, and she couldn’t punish so many of us at once, so she had no choice but to drop it.

“And then there was Miss Shuang’er the other day. Forgive me if this sounds laughable, but the despair and emptiness in her eyes reminded me of the Third Miss at her lowest point. So I took out the Third Miss’s cloak—the one I’d hidden for years—and told her to wear it and sweep a basket of snow in the back courtyard.

“What happened after that, you already know. Miss Shuang’er left, and I was punished by Madam, and then I happened to meet all of you. Now I only ask that you immortals save the Third Miss—restore justice for her, and free her from this hopeless obsession.”

As she finished speaking, Zhuìtáng stood up, as if to bow deeply, but Lin Jin quickly reached out and stopped her.

“You don’t need to do that, miss. This is our duty—we will do everything we can. It’s just that…”

Lin Jin lowered his voice, murmuring to himself,

“Chū Jì… why does that name sound so familiar?”

Han Ao didn’t catch what Lin Jin said. He was focused on another issue entirely.

“If that’s the case, then what exactly is Miss Xu Third’s obsession? Is it Miss Chū Jì? Is it the humiliation and injustice she suffered throughout her life? Or is it the oppression and disregard women face in this world? As far as I know, in recent years, the court has already allowed women to study, take the imperial examinations, enter office, and build careers just like men. Miss Xu Third’s original wish—”

“Wait!”

Lin Jin, still racking his brain over where he’d heard the name “Chū Jì,” was jolted awake by Han Ao’s words.

“That’s it—Chu Ji! Don’t you remember? Zuixian Tower! ‘Miss Chu Gracefully Rejects Prince Rui’!”

“What?” Han Ao was completely lost.

“Oh, come on!” Lin Jin snapped, both exasperated and realizing this wasn’t something he could explain quickly. He turned and ran off.

Han Ao watched him babble nonsense and suddenly sprint away, utterly baffled. He glanced at Qiuqiu, who was still squatting on the table.

“Hey! You’re just leaving your dog behind?!”

“Watch him for me—I need to confirm something. I’ll be right back!”

Han Ao pursed his lips and, unable to resist, flicked the tip of Qiuqiu’s ear.

“Well then, looks like your dad abandoned you.”

The next instant, Han Ao let out a shrill scream. His offending finger now bore a neat little bite mark.

Qiuqiu frowned, disgusted, and spat out the trace of blood—far inferior to the flavor of Huaiyu’s sacred body.