Chapter 51: Returning to Dragon Seclusion Mountain

Once everyone had gathered, today's centerpiece—the rainbow parrot—finally made its grand appearance.

True to its name, it bore all seven colors in brilliant, vividly layered plumage, and possessed a voice as clear and melodic as tinkling jade.

"Madam Hua is as lovely as a blossoming flower... May Madam Hua be blessed with auspicious fortune..."

The flattery brought such sheer delight to Madam Hua that the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes bunched right up.

Whether fond of birds or not, everyone who laid eyes on this parrot showered it with praise.

"As expected of a creature from the imperial palace; even a mere bird is so sweet-tongued."

"Indeed, indeed! I have heard plenty of birds that could speak human words, but this is the first time I've ever seen one so breathtakingly gorgeous and so eloquent."

"Thanks to Madam Hua's good fortune, we truly get to broaden our horizons today!"

...

Compliments flowed endlessly, as one would expect.

Su Yunqing gazed at the parrot and remarked, seemingly in passing, "This Eunuch Wang must be a man of refined leisure and exquisite taste. Now holding the high post of Grand Director of the Inner Palace, attending upon His Emperor day and night, and toiling away till dawn, yet he still remembers Madam Hua's fondness for parrots—that is truly rare!"

"Who's to say otherwise?" Madam Hua wore an expression of smug complacency. "Eunuch Wang is a most ambitious man. He was originally a distant relative of our household who had finished his period of mourning; due to poverty, he chose to become a eunuch and enter the palace. It was only because I urged my brother-in-law to give him a few promotions that he attained his present position."

Su Yunqing looked astonished. "So that was how it came to be! Then this Eunuch Wang is truly grateful and mindful of favors, proving worthy of your patronage."

Madam Hua nodded. "Indeed. He is also an avid bird lover. He keeps numerous mynas, hill mynas, and parrots at his estate, but whenever he acquires a fine specimen, he invariably sends it to me first for my amusement."

Su Yunqing listened with rapt interest, smiling gently. "Oh, hearing you speak of it makes me quite eager to witness the demeanor of this Grand Director. They say those who serve by the Emperor's side differ from ordinary mortals, possessing a natural majesty of their own—yet this Eunuch Wang turns out to be so uniquely distinct!"

Madam Hua gently patted her hand. "You wish to meet him? That is hardly difficult! On the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, we celebrate my birthday. Every year on this day, he personally comes to offer his congratulations. If you attend the birthday banquet then, you will naturally get to see him."

With that, she leaned close to Su Yunqing's ear and whispered, "He is also deeply fond of your Cheng Family ceramics..."

Su Yunqing nodded with a knowing, sweet smile, their mutual understanding tacit.

Her flattery was utterly flawless, and a sweet smile graced her dignified and beautiful face.

Moreover, the parting gifts she presented were exceptionally lavish—far more generous than what Madam Cheng had bestowed when she attended banquets in the past.

Su Yunqing quickly won Madam Hua's affection, with the elderly matron declaring that she would soon visit the Cheng residence to keep her company.

She even mentioned that her daughter had been unable to come today because she was newly pregnant and suffering from severe morning sickness; once her pregnancy stabilized, she intended to introduce Su Yunqing to her, confident that with Su Yunqing's lovely disposition, the two would hit it off famously.

When the banquet concluded and it was time to return home, Su Yunqing expressed deep gratitude and reluctance to part, prompting Madam Hua to escort her all the way to her carriage before turning back.

Today's banquet had not been in vain.

Wang Hong was a distant relative whom Madam Hua had patronized. Whether he remembered her kindness or sought to curry favor with Imperial Uncle Zhang through her, Wang Hong would personally pay a visit on the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month—Madam Hua's birthday.

Wang Hong loved birds!

He loved birds that could speak!

It was now the eighth day of the eleventh lunar month, leaving forty days until the eighteenth of the twelfth month.

She had to make another trip to Mount Longyin.

Mount Longyin not only harbored the Dragon Saliva Herb, but also the Jet-Feathered Macaw.

The Jet-Feathered Macaw was an extremely rare species of large parrot. The last time she was searching for the Dragon Saliva Herb beneath the precipitous cliff with Meng Hu, she had heard their distinctive calls.

It was a unique sound recorded in *An Encyclopedia of Birds*, an eccentric book she had once read.

If Cheng Ji knew she intended to return to Mount Longyin, he would undoubtedly raise vehement objections. She decided to inform Madam Cheng first and keep it from Cheng Ji for the time being.

Because Su Yunqing had not only successfully found the Dragon Saliva Herb last time but had also returned safely, Madam Cheng, though harboring lingering anxieties, could not resist the temptation of the herb and ultimately consented.

For the Dragon Saliva Herb was Cheng Ji's sole remaining hope; only with it would Cheng Ji stand a chance of standing up again. She yearned far too desperately for Cheng Ji to recover.

"Since you are going this time, take plenty of people with you so I can set my mind at ease. Otherwise, if Ji'er finds out, he will blame me." Madam Cheng was deeply considerate of Cheng Ji's state of mind.

"Mother, Mount Longyin is still cordoned off by government soldiers. Last time, it was only through sheer difficulty that I managed to find a spot with lax defenses to slip up the mountain. Furthermore, Song Lang's people are inside the mountains as well. The more people we bring, the larger the target, and the more complicated matters will become."

Madam Cheng fell silent for a moment. "As for this Song Lang of Mount Longyin, I am not particularly afraid of him; my only worry is that we might be discovered by imperial soldiers and slapped with the charge of collaborating with bandits. That would spell disaster for our family."

"Indeed!" Su Yunqing appealed to her with reason and emotion. "Song Lang drove away the Japanese pirates and rescued the hostages—who does not speak well of him? Once I successfully slip past the government soldiers at the foot of the mountain, it will actually be safer inside."

The temptation of the Dragon Saliva Herb proved far too powerful for Madam Cheng!

"Then take a few people to the foot of the mountain and have them wait for you there, just in case..."

"Rest assured, Mother, I shall be careful!"

Su Yunqing entered the mountain once again through the previous entrance, though this time she did not encounter Song Jia halfway. Seeking no one, she headed straight for the trail Meng Hu had led her along before.

Although her head had been covered during the previous journey, she had roughly memorized the direction and distance traveled. Besides, being deep in the mountains, that cave was the sole passage leading to the base of the cliff.

She recalled the path being exceptionally narrow, which indicated that carving a route through this mountain had been no easy feat; thus, there could not possibly be many branching paths.

Once the search radius narrowed, her objective quickly materialized before her eyes.

She spotted the massive mouth of the cave.

Swaggering forward, she greeted the guards on duty and, hoisting a pre-prepared iron bamboo hat onto her head, slipped smoothly into the cave.

With thousands of people residing on Mount Longyin, the guards could hardly memorize the face of every single individual. Moreover, the bamboo hat in her possession was unique to the mountain folk, and this specific entrance was known only to the insiders of the stronghold.

Naturally, the guards harbored no suspicions whatsoever.

Upon reaching the base of the cliff, she imitated Meng Hu's tone from before: "Help me prepare a boat; I need to make a trip out to sea."

The guards harbored no doubts and saw her onto a boat just as they had done the previous time.

"How is it that your face looks so unfamiliar to me?" the guard asked while untying the mooring rope.

"I previously always went in and out alongside Uncle Kun or Brother Hu and the others. Naturally, you wouldn't have noticed me when they were around. Today Brother Hu is busy and sent me down to fetch something."

Su Yunqing's expression remained completely unperturbed, her tone righteous and bold.

The guard pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Fair enough. Do mind your safety!"

Su Yunqing donned her iron bamboo hat, protective bracers, and shoulder guards, then rowed the small boat out of the cave.

It was now midday. Remembering the lesson from when she had been stumped by Song Jia's questions, she had specifically consulted information regarding oceanic tides after returning home, learning that these waters experienced two high and low tides daily, and she had memorized the exact hour of the ebb tide.

She planned to descend and search for the Dragon Saliva Herb after the daytime tide receded, and simultaneously use echolocation to locate the nest of the Jet-Feathered Macaw. Once night fell, she would figure out a way to capture the creature.