Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Third Loop – Escape

The window stood half-open, and a peach-pink dress hung from a rack beside it.

It was already soaked with rain.

That meant it had rained before I woke up, but the rain had since stopped.

I shot upright and slammed straight into someone’s chin.

Shanhua, who should have died in the flames, was holding a fan in one hand and clutching her chin with the other as she cried out in pain.

“I let you use me as a pillow out of the goodness of my heart, and this is how you repay me!”

My gaze darted around the room. I was still in the same magnificent, lavishly decorated Chunchao Palace.

I had been reborn again! I was back on July sixteenth.

Before my consciousness returned, my body had apparently carried on as usual, doing everything it was supposed to without giving any sign that something was wrong.

I sat up and met the eyes of Consort Zhan and Chang Yan.

Consort Zhan raised a hand and held up five fingers, while Chang Yan held up four. I raised three.

This was the signal we had agreed upon, saving us the time of exchanging pleasantries.

Consort Zhan closed the book she had been reading and rose. Chang Yan, seated across from her, stood as well. It was time to compare notes.

My third loop had begun.

The three of us gathered around a table inside the hall.

Chang Yan rose to shut the doors and windows.

I lowered my head and picked at the thin blanket spread over the table. It was embroidered with peacocks and slender-waisted women.

There wasn’t a single scorch mark on it.

Chang Yan spoke first. “There was a fire last night. The doors and windows were sealed shut, and I couldn’t escape.”

“Neither could I,” Consort Zhan said.

“Same here. Shanhua was with me at the time, so she can be ruled out as the arsonist.”

The implication was that anyone who had been alone could not be ruled out.

Both Chang Yan and Consort Zhan caught the barb hidden in my words. Consort Zhan shifted her stool closer to me.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “None of us has any motive to start the fire.”

Consort Zhan suddenly said, “Right before I died, I felt something strange. My whole body felt light, as though I were floating.”

Chang Yan retorted, “The soul scatters when a person dies. Of course you felt light.”

Consort Zhan shot to her feet and rolled up her sleeves. I grabbed her and forced her back down. “Our lives are at stake. Think twice before we turn on each other!”

She sat down and smoothly began fanning herself with one hand. “It’s so hot.”

I stared at her in silence.

Then something occurred to me. “His Highness said before that if we closed the doors and windows, he might not be able to hear us.”

“Yes,” Chang Yan said. “What’s wrong with that?”

“The letter did reach His Majesty the King, but it might not have been the only reason he came.”

Consort Zhan said, “You mean His Majesty the King heard what I said and read the letter?”

I nodded. “It’s possible. But there’s an easy way to find out whether he can still hear us with the windows closed.”

Chang Yan immediately understood. “If he intercepts us ahead of time tonight, then he can hear us.”

“That’s not the only mystery we need to solve. There’s also last night’s fire. However…”

“However, we’re escaping before we’re summoned to his bed tonight,” Chang Yan finished. “So we don’t need to worry about him.”

Consort Zhan shot him a sidelong glance and changed the subject. “Who do you think started the fire? Queen Xu? His Majesty the King?”

“None of that matters. What matters is staying alive.”

I continued, “Our goal is to escape the Diannan Royal Palace, not catch the arsonist.”

Who cared who had set the fire? We would simply escape once it broke out.

The palace was heavily guarded, so neither the main gate nor the side gates were viable. A written request to leave the palace would take three days to approve.

“Let’s go.” I stood. “We’ll come up with an excuse and fetch a ladder from the storeroom.”

We walked along the palace’s bluestone paths.

Loose flagstones creaked beneath our feet like a wild beast grinding its teeth.

Pagodas rose throughout the palace grounds, looming in the distance.

The setting sun was as red as blood as it slowly sank below the horizon, its light mostly blocked by the pagodas.

The lingering glow etched the silhouettes of ylang-ylang trees against the sky.

Shadows of swaying branches danced across the vermilion palace walls. Cicadas shrilled incessantly, setting everyone’s nerves on edge.

“When I first entered the palace, I heard that many people were once recruited to work here,” I said. “Later, quite a few of them were dismissed.”

Consort Zhan warily seized my wrist. Was that something I should be saying? He might be listening!

Chang Yan said, “Diannan suffered a severe drought in the past, and the fields yielded no harvest. Royal Father couldn’t bear to see his people starve, so he recruited many farmers to serve as guards.”

I smiled. “I see. Once the drought ended, the farmers returned home to work their fields.”

Chang Yan offered his flattery in a roundabout way. “Royal Father made offerings to countless gods and Buddhas to pray for rain. Fortunately, Heaven blessed us. He truly is Diannan’s lucky star.”

When we reached an intersection, several temples came into view.

Dust-covered statues sat inside their shrines, the colored paint on their bodies peeling and mottled.

Diannan was home to many ethnic groups and just as many faiths, but His Majesty the King revered Buddhism alone.

Rumor had it that during the great drought, he had prayed to a great number of deities.

Only after he worshiped the Buddha did rain finally fall across Diannan, and his health improved as well.

From then on, he was deeply grateful to the Buddha. Within the palace, there was a pagoda every three steps and a Buddhist temple every five.

These dust-covered statues of other faiths represented the gods who had failed to bring rain.

Useless deities had been cast from His Majesty the King’s mind, their temples left to decay in desolation.

Whenever night fell, the smiles on those statues became especially chilling.

We all quickened our pace simultaneously. Before us, the view suddenly opened up, and the royal palace’s storehouse came into sight.

Chang Yan greeted the attendant guarding the storehouse, explaining that a kite was stuck in a tree and they needed a ladder to retrieve it.

Withdrawing supplies normally required a written order from Queen Xu.

The palace attendants wouldn’t do it for the Third Princely Heir, but they would for the Princess Consort.

Seeing that Consort Zhan had come in person, they all turned a blind eye and let her pass with a few vague words.

The young attendant was shrewd. “If Your Highness wants them, we naturally must provide them. But if Queen Xu asks…”

Consort Zhan’s expression turned haughty. “If she asks, just say that I requested it to retrieve a kite.”

The young attendant stepped aside and allowed us into the storehouse to choose, looking utterly deferential.

But we all knew perfectly well: he didn’t want to get involved for fear of being blamed by Queen Xu later.

Inside the storehouse, no lamps were lit; darkness sealed everyone’s eyes.

Chang Yan withdrew and asked for a fire striker. With a swift motion, he struck it, producing a flame.

The wick of the lamp was lit, making a soft hissing sound.

“Clang-”

As I looked around, I felt as if a huge bell had been installed inside my head and someone had struck it fiercely.

My mind buzzed, and I even heard phantom sounds.

In a flash, it was as if thousands of people were wailing, murmuring, and screaming in my ears.

In the lightless storehouse, tens of thousands of divine statues were piled up.

Some sat upright, some stood, some crossed their legs, some reclined on their sides-their lightless pupils staring at me.

They were haphazardly stacked on both sides, almost forming a small mountain.

Chaotic and disorderly, yet seemingly orderly, because they all faced us, like a host scrutinizing intruders.

Consort Zhan grabbed my hand tightly. “They’re… they’re…”

Looking at me. They’re looking at us.

It seemed no matter what we said or did, we couldn’t hide.

Quick as a flash, I covered her mouth.

When faced with strange things, it’s best to ask no questions and pretend to know nothing.

That was the only way to stay alive.

I pulled her, turned my back, and headed toward where the wooden ladders were stored.

Chang Yan held the lamp and followed us closely.

His lips were pressed tight, his expression guarded, his back slightly arched, poised for action.

We selected a sturdy wooden ladder.

The fire strikers were on the other side. Thinking it wouldn’t hurt to take some, each of us grabbed a few.

We shoved them inside our outer robes for emergencies.

There were many torches, neatly stacked in large quantities.

Seeing my puzzlement, Chang Yan explained:

“There are Yi people in the palace. These are for the Torch Festival.”

I crouched down and ran a finger over them-a thick layer of dust. No one had come to use or replenish them for some time.

Consort Zhan urged, “Let’s go, back to the palace.”

Before leaving, we kept our eyes straight ahead.

That intense feeling of being watched seemed to vanish in an instant.

It wasn’t my imagination.

The oversized Dianrong Hall, the giant golden Buddha, the forest of pagodas, the abandoned divine statues, and the strange king.

The Diannan Royal Palace had become exceptionally eerie.

In my memory, the palace wasn’t like this. Years ago, it was peaceful and harmonious. Years ago…

How many years ago?

I couldn’t recall. It seemed I had forgotten time. I also didn’t remember how long I had served in the palace.

But how could I have kept forgetting?

After returning to Chunchao Palace, I told them about it in the side hall. They said they felt the same.

Our sense of time had grown blurry.

After thinking for a moment, Consort Zhan said, “Forget it. Haven’t we encountered enough strange things lately?”

Chang Yan obliquely agreed with her statement:

“The mysteries can be discussed later. What’s important is tonight’s operation. Shanyue, what do you think?”

I said, “We’ll move three quarters of an hour before the scheduled bed service.”

Consort Zhan understood. “Once I’ve sent away Attendant Wei who will come to deliver the summons, we’ll immediately carry the ladder and flee.”

I nodded. “Yes, we’ll say we’re going to retrieve the kite from the wall.”

The third loop had a clear goal. After formulating the escape plan, we just had to wait for Attendant Wei’s summons.

Consort Zhan hesitated. “But what about the three remaining people in Chunchao Palace…”

I said, “Shanhua is innocent, but we can’t rule out the possibility that the other two are the arsonists.”

The aim of the arson was to burn us to death.

If we kindly took the palace servants with us and the arsonists found out in advance, our plan might fail.

Shanhua is innocent, but she talks too much and can’t keep a secret.

Chang Yan had clearly thought of this too. “We can barely protect ourselves. There’s no need to pretend to care about others.”

Consort Zhan’s expression turned ugly, but she still nodded.

Chang Yan sneered. “Earlier you said you’d take them with you. Now you’re still most concerned with saving your own life.”

I came to her defense. “Avoiding harm and seeking advantage is human nature.”

Consort Zhan squeezed my hand, then stood up. “Let’s go. Pick a suitable palace wall and put the kite on it.”

We left Chunchao Palace once more and found an unguarded stretch of high wall.

The ladder was long enough, and the kite had been hung from the top of the wall. We returned to the palace and waited for Attendant Wei to summon the Princess Consort to attend His Majesty the King in bed.

Night fell completely, and a lone moon hung high in the pitch-black sky.

It looked just like a white-pupiled eye against a field of black.

The heat was stifling, the air oppressive. Only the chirping insects and the evening breeze clung tightly to me.

Attendant Wei’s shrill voice rang out beyond the courtyard.

“Congratulations, Your Highness! Felicitations, Your Highness! I’ve come especially to bring you good news.”

Consort Zhan shot to her feet and strode toward the courtyard gate.

“His Majesty the King has selected your tablet. He will arrive at Chunchao Palace in forty-five minutes.”

She opened the gate, her expression composed. “Thank you for making the trip.”

Attendant Wei beamed. “Then I’ll return to attend His Majesty the King.”

Shanhua muttered, “The way he looks at people is so perv…”

Zhan Yue nearly crushed the cricket in his hand. “Good heavens, watch what you say!”

I sighed and reached out to pat Shanhua’s head.

Chang Yan spoke up at just the right moment. “Royal Mother’s kite is caught on the wall. I’ll go retrieve it.”

“I’ll go with Your Highness,” I said. “You’ll need help carrying the ladder.”

Consort Zhan smoothly added, “Mm. I shall supervise the work, then, and scold anyone who slacks off.”

Zhan Zhao said, “I know some martial arts…”

“There’s no need!” Realizing I had overreacted, I deliberately slowed my speech. “There’s no need, Zhan Zhao.”

Zhan Zhao replied, “If you say so, then I won’t go.”

Time was short. The three of us grabbed the ladder and raced toward the wall.

Along the way, we passed countless Buddhist pagodas, shrines, and ruined statues looming like specters in the night.

Each one emerged without warning from the darkness, making our hearts leap into our throats.

The three of us climbed over the wall and escaped the rear palace. When my feet touched the ground, none of it felt real.

If not for the pain from my fall, I would have suspected I was dreaming.

Was it really that easy? Victory had come so suddenly that, for a moment, we could hardly believe our eyes.

Consort Zhan threw her arms around me in excitement. “Shanyue! We did it!”

Cold moonlight spilled across the mortal world.

Had we really? Could we truly escape the curse that kept repeating itself?

All three of us had survived!

I saw tears glimmering in Consort Zhan’s eyes. “Your Highness…”

“We dragged the others into this,” she said.

Seeking advantage and avoiding danger was human instinct, but we had abandoned the other three. That truly was… a regret we would have to bear.

“Let’s go,” I said. “We’ll buy three horses and leave the city tonight.”

One familiar street after another flew past us.

In forty-five minutes, His Majesty the King would discover that the Princess Consort, the Heir Apparent, and one maid had vanished from Chunchao Palace.

We had to get as far away as possible before it sent men out of the palace to hunt us down.

We would reach the border of the royal capital within two days, flee Diannan within a month, and use the valuables we had brought to start new lives somewhere else.

We rode at a relentless gallop for several hours until the Diannan Royal Palace lay far behind us.

It was deep into the night. Everything that was meant to happen on the sixteenth day of the seventh month should have already come to an end. Chang Yan covered his face, dismounted, and asked a night watchman for the time.

The plainspoken man answered cheerfully, “What perfect timing! It’s just about to be the third watch!”

Clouds drifted across the moon, plunging our surroundings into a darkness so complete we could not see our own hands. It was as though we had fallen into an abyss.

My heart pounded violently. A cry like metal scraping against metal rang in my ears.

“Clack!”

That was the night watchman’s first strike. One strike meant the first watch.

“Clack!”

The three of us held our breath and listened in the darkness.

“Clack!”

Consort Zhan’s scream rang out with the final strike of the wooden clapper.

Agonizing pain shot through the top of my foot.

The night watchman panicked. “What the hell is that? What just crawled down my collar?!”

It was the monster. It had not let us go!

Tiny legs rustled across my skin, and cold sweat instantly broke out all over me.

It hurt. My mouth stretched wide, but I could not force out a single moan.

In the viscous darkness and deathly silence, death’s blade already hung above every one of our heads.

Worms thrashed wildly inside my throat and nasal passages, secreting slime.

I gasped for breath as countless round beads pushed out from my slowly swelling abdomen. Were they eggs?

I had become a breeding ground for them!

It hurt. It hurt so much! Why? We had escaped the royal palace and put so much distance between ourselves and that monster. How could it still reach us here?!

Could the territory under its control extend beyond the Diannan Royal Palace?

The royal capital was also in His Majesty the King’s grasp. Perhaps even all of Diannan would eventually be swallowed by a tide of insects.

No matter how fast we fled, was there no escaping its control?

Three times now, His Majesty the King had kept us from surviving until the seventeenth day of the seventh month. Was it afraid of that day arriving?

What secret was hidden on the seventeenth day of the seventh month?

The next time I came back to life, I would not run.

I would find a way to avoid that terrible fire and keep everyone alive until the next day!

I would uncover its secret. I would change this hopeless situation where it could slaughter us at will. I would-

I opened my eyes.