Chapter Thirty-Four: The Art of Hypnosis

Tail Spoon Qingyu understood why Luo Yanqing had come. Using the excuse of dressing up, she sat before the vanity, closed her eyes, and gently exhaled. Today, she would make Luo Yanqing confess the truth about the great fire at Shuiyue Pavilion.

Tail Spoon Qingyu spent nearly half an hour arranging her appearance. Her black hair was coiled into a returning heart bun, and she changed into a soft, water-blue silk gown with an embroidered cloak. Still veiled, she looked gentle and elegant, yet carried an air of mystery as she slowly emerged from the Prince of War's residence.

She spoke to Qingxia and the others, saying, “The prince mentioned that Drunken Jade Tower has a new chef. As the princess, I’ll take you all to try the dishes!”

Outside the residence, Luo Yanqing was dressed in smoke-colored robes, but having rushed over, her hair was disheveled, making her look like someone fallen from grace. Since she had sneaked out, her clothes barely kept her warm, utterly failing to guard against the winter chill. She shivered, her face pale—if not for the luxurious attire, she would have been indistinguishable from a beggar suffering in the cold.

Qingxia ignored Luo Yanqing's pitiful state and stepped forward to ask, “Miss Luo, are you here to see our princess? She’s going to Drunken Jade Tower for lunch today. Would you like to join us?”

Her tone was neutral, as if inviting Luo Yanqing to dine, but in truth, it was as though she was offering food to a beggar.

Tail Spoon Qingyu seemed not to notice Luo Yanqing and boarded the carriage, which soon rolled away.

Luo Yanqing ground her teeth in anger, thinking that the Marquis of Western Bo had already withdrawn the marriage proposal; she could wait no longer. She followed Qingxia, step by step, toward Drunken Jade Tower.

Tail Spoon Qingyu knew Luo Yanqing's impatient nature and guessed she would follow.

Drunken Jade Tower was the most famous restaurant in Yue Capital, frequented only by the wealthy and noble. Tail Spoon Qingyu chose this place not just for the excellent cuisine, but for another important reason.

Upon arrival in the reserved private room, she had just settled in when Xuechun stepped out and encountered Qingxia and Luo Yanqing at the stairway in the main hall.

Raising her voice, Xuechun called, “Miss Luo Yanqing, you’re here! Our lady is waiting for you inside!”

Luo Yanqing’s name had become infamous throughout Yue Capital; as soon as Xuechun spoke, everyone in the hall turned to look. Seeing Luo Yanqing so destitute, they regarded her as if she were a beggar.

Inside the private room, Tail Spoon Qingyu’s lips curled into a mocking smile. On the sixth day, Xuechun had been insulted, and Tail Spoon Qingyu, fiercely protective, would not let Luo Yanqing—the instigator—go unpunished.

Hearing Xuechun announce her full name, Luo Yanqing understood the intent of Tail Spoon Qingyu and her servants. Though she gritted her teeth in hatred, she could only swallow her anger.

Unable to speak, Luo Yanqing followed Qingxia upstairs to the private room.

Entering, Luo Yanqing found Tail Spoon Qingyu calmly sipping hot tea, never once glancing at her.

Looking at the steaming tea in Tail Spoon Qingyu’s hands, Luo Yanqing longed to warm her own cold hands, but no one offered her tea.

In the room, there were only the two of them. Tail Spoon Qingyu would never pour tea for Luo Yanqing, and there were no other cups around for her to help herself.

Tail Spoon Qingyu was genuinely here to dine and had no desire to let anything disturb her mood. She spoke: “Go on.”

“I received a letter two years ago!” Luo Yanqing, knowing their relationship had soured, said bluntly, “I’ll give you the letter. You persuade Yunming to marry me!”

Tail Spoon Qingyu could not fathom Luo Yanqing’s peculiar logic—why did she think she could control Yunming’s marriage?

“Xuechun, fetch the letter!” Tail Spoon Qingyu, unconcerned with Luo Yanqing, spoke softly. Xuechun entered immediately.

Luo Yanqing’s eyes widened in disbelief that with just a word, Tail Spoon Qingyu had ordered someone to seize the letter.

Watching Xuechun approach, Luo Yanqing recalled the slaps she had received in the ruined temple and retreated in fear, trembling and stammering, “You…”

Ignoring everything else, Xuechun reached for Luo Yanqing’s sleeve.

Luo Yanqing, fearing her clothes might be disheveled and her reputation irreparably ruined, quickly relented, “Don’t come any closer. I’ll give you the letter!”

She pulled the letter from her sleeve and tossed it to Xuechun, who handed it to Tail Spoon Qingyu.

Tail Spoon Qingyu paused for a moment, took the letter, and immediately splashed a cup of tea onto Luo Yanqing, then commented indifferently, “Miss Luo’s clothes are wet. Someone fetch her new attire!”

Luo Yanqing had never seen anyone behave like Tail Spoon Qingyu—every gesture and word as casual as discussing the taste of pastries.

Her mouth hung open, speechless for a long while, suddenly realizing that all the tension was hers alone; Tail Spoon Qingyu had never regarded her as an equal.

Dongnuan entered with fresh clothing to help Luo Yanqing change, but Tail Spoon Qingyu stopped her.

Tail Spoon Qingyu splashed another cup of tea onto Luo Yanqing’s face, smiling, “I recall Miss Luo enjoys tasting tea this way!”

On the day of the palace banquet, Yinghong had poured tea on Tail Spoon Qingyu; she had not forgotten.

Luo Yanqing’s face reddened with rage and she could not help but curse, “You—”

But before she could finish, Xuechun stuffed her mouth with a rag, and Dongnuan forcibly changed her clothes, finding two more letters hidden. Dongnuan couldn’t help but admire her mistress’s foresight.

Tail Spoon Qingyu had no intention of listening to Luo Yanqing’s ramblings; she wanted to cut straight to the truth.

Qingxia, who had been waiting outside, entered to report, “Miss, the prince will arrive in a quarter of an hour.”

Hearing this, Tail Spoon Qingyu crushed a dried leaf from her sleeve and tossed it into the incense burner. Dongnuan removed the rag from Luo Yanqing’s mouth, and everyone left the room, leaving Luo Yanqing alone.

Tail Spoon Qingyu tightly gripped the three letters, clutching Qingxia’s sleeve, her mind swirling.

She glanced at the letters, then looked away, but recognized the handwriting on the envelope as Feng Jinye’s.

Standing outside the private room, Tail Spoon Qingyu gazed at the bustling crowd below. Among them, clad in dark robes with a heavy cloak and holding a warming pouch, Yunming entered Drunken Jade Tower and headed straight upstairs.

Regaining her composure, Tail Spoon Qingyu smiled faintly, “He’s not at all recognizable as Young Lord Yun.”

Today, Yunming was disguised as Feng Jinye to avoid exposing the young lord’s feigned illness too obviously.

“She’s inside. Let’s go in,” Tail Spoon Qingyu said, tucking the letters into her sleeve.

She gently pushed open the door, and Yunming, resigned, followed her in.

Upon entering, Yunming saw Luo Yanqing sitting on the floor, her gaze empty. He felt a strong urge to use his fan to wake her, but under Tail Spoon Qingyu’s stern look, he refrained, softly calling, “Miss Luo?”

Luo Yanqing appeared dazed, clearly affected by the leaf Tail Spoon Qingyu had burned.

“Miss Luo, you must be tired. There’s a lawn outside with a rocking chair—why not rest there?” Following Yunming’s cue, Luo Yanqing slowly stood and walked toward the rocking chair.

Yunming’s voice was deep and resonant, following Tail Spoon Qingyu’s script: “The lawn is quiet; a gentle breeze blows as flowers bloom around you. Close your eyes, sit in the rocking chair, and feel it…”

Tail Spoon Qingyu moved lightly, quickly jotting down notes with a charcoal pencil, handing them to Yunming.

“How do you feel, Miss Luo?” Yunming asked as prompted.

“The lawn is comfortable. Your voice is pleasant,” Luo Yanqing replied, lying back in the rocking chair, completely relaxed.

Hypnosis—this was why Tail Spoon Qingyu had asked Yunming for help. Her own voice would provoke Luo Yanqing’s resistance; if anyone could bypass it, it was Yunming.

With Tail Spoon Qingyu’s guidance, Luo Yanqing, drifting between wakefulness and sleep, followed Yunming’s instructions, recalling the day of the great fire at Shuiyue Pavilion.

A group of men in black threw torches into Shuiyue Pavilion; Luo Yanqing watched in shock. The leader approached: “Miss Luo is born with the Phoenix fate—a phoenix that cannot be burned by fire.”

“Don’t move, Miss Luo. Someone will come to save you; Tail Spoon Qingyu is inside!” The man whispered into her ear.

Luo Yanqing stood outside the pavilion, stunned by the words, “Phoenix fate—a phoenix that cannot be burned by fire.”

The flames grew swiftly, soon engulfing the building. Tail Spoon Zhantian arrived with soldiers and rescued the dazed Luo Yanqing.

Looking at her rescuer—Tail Spoon Qingyu’s father—Luo Yanqing recalled the words of the man in black and urgently said, “Miss Tail Spoon is inside!”

Upon hearing this, Tail Spoon Zhantian rushed into the blazing Shuiyue Pavilion.

Luo Yanqing, lying in the rocking chair, wore a faint smile—the most satisfying moment of revenge against Tail Spoon Qingyu in her memory.

Tail Spoon Qingyu wept, the charcoal pencil in her hand snapped, her fingernails digging into her flesh as she struggled not to strangle Luo Yanqing.

Her eyes reddened, she slowly relaxed her fists, picked up the broken half of the pencil, and quickly wrote: “Letter.”

“Miss Luo, there is a letter for you. Open it and take a look,” Yunming said, unable to comfort Tail Spoon Qingyu in words, doing his best to assist her.

“It’s a letter from the Prince of War,” Luo Yanqing replied, sending Yunming’s mind reeling.

“The letter says the Phoenix fate can be realized, the engagement with the Marquis of Qinbo can be broken, as long as I say I personally saw Tail Spoon Qingyu burned to death in Shuiyue Pavilion!” Luo Yanqing murmured with a hint of excitement.