The Peony Pavilion

Night Curtain falls, stars illuminate the Yanzhi River. In the center of the river, flower-adorned and brightly lit boats gradually moor at the shore, welcoming guests aboard for entertainment.

Of course, the number of boats on the river is limited, so the busiest wharves in the commercial districts where high-ranking officials, celebrities and scholars gather, are naturally reserved for the most famous and highest-ranking courtesan in the previous courtesan election.

In fact, if the boat hadn't been chartered by Prince of Lu for a banquet in advance, the flower boat procession every night would have been led by the large boat "Flower Dragon". The flower boats, like a long dragon, would have sailed down Rouge Pool in a grand manner, heading west out of the Li River to enjoy the view of the river and admire the moon, before turning back at dawn. This was Xingye's most famous nightlife activity, "Flower Dragon Tour".

As dusk falls, crowds have gathered on both banks of the river. Leisurely people and tourists who have come from afar flock to the banks, while many passenger boats and small boats follow the fleet on both sides, occasionally picking up and dropping off guests to go up to the tower to enjoy the flowers.

And among this fleet of ships, painted with vibrant colors and brimming with youthful beauty, there was a ghost ship adorned with large red lanterns.

Every now and then, the ghost ship would stop and start, picking up passengers from the riverbank. Most of these people were scholars who had come to study at the four great academies of Xun Kingdom. Some were from poor families in the area, while others were from other places who had fled the war in the Central Plains. But at a glance, it was easy to see what they had in common.

First, they were poor and had no money, so they could only look on in awe. Second, they were all young and full of youthful vigor, which is why they came to admire the sights. Third, they were all scholars, physically weak, yet self-righteous and full of empty talk about propriety and morality, so they also only dared to admire the sights.

As soon as the ghost ship stopped at the shore and the bright red lanterns shone on it, the poor scholars on the shore all trembled, literally as if bewitched. With smiles on their faces, they boarded the ship and entered the Peony Pavilion one by one. Their faces were flushed red by the lanterns, and they were immersed in a blissful illusion, feeling as if they were in heaven and death, unable to extricate themselves.

Li Fan stood to the side, staring blankly at the poor scholars who boarded the ship, each going to their own private room.

This is unbelievable... Is this all? Where's the ghost?

No way! You lured these poor scholars aboard the boat to drain their yang energy, so at least bring out a couple of female ghosts as a token gesture, right? They've already drained their yang energy onto you, so let them have a proper go, give them some sweetness, okay? Oh! In the end, you still expect them to take care of themselves? That's too much! Thumbs down!

Li Fan rubbed his temples. Well, at least he had observed the operation and routine of the ghost ship catching people, and after taking out the Bagua mirror to look here and there, and doing some calculations with his fingers, he had roughly figured it out.

No wonder he didn't notice the problem at first. The ship itself wasn't actually faulty. At most, the lanterns outside had some kind of mind-altering illusionary array, but it was ineffective against the blind, so it didn't fool Li Fan. Besides, in the past, when encountering such strange events, if his mood suddenly dropped, Li Fan could still be alert. But now that Gui Xu Nascent Soul, his mood was improving, and frankly, he was enjoying the company of the courtesan so much that he didn't notice anything amiss.

In short, strictly speaking, calling the boat at the Peony Pavilion a ghost boat isn't entirely accurate, because there are indeed no ghosts on board.

Ghosts, generally speaking, are souls without any support or anchor; under the rules of this Taiji world, they cannot exist independently.

Unless one cultivates to the Nascent Soul stage to entrust Nascent Soul Stage primordial spirit, or obtains a magical artifact similar to the Zen Robe for disintegration at the Golden Core stage, no matter who you are or how much resentment or obsession you have, after seven days you will be reincarnated and vanish into thin air. It is not impossible to exist in the world for a long time without a physical body, but it requires setting up a very complex formation and relying on stable spiritual veins of heaven and earth to maintain magical power.

Rouge Pool is a bustling place, and calling it a golden waterway wouldn't be an exaggeration. But to call it a spiritual vein suitable for cultivating immortality is a bit of nonsense. It's under the very nose of the Xun Kingdom; how could there be so many wronged souls and wandering ghosts, brazenly abducting scholars and draining their yang energy without attracting attention?

Therefore, the one causing trouble in the shadows is not a 'ghost,' but a person, or at least, someone who is about to become a 'human.'

Li Fan took out the Bagua Mirror and traced the direction of the yang energy that the scholars had been sucked out of. He found the roof of the Peony Pavilion, which was probably the boudoir that originally belonged to the courtesan.

Of course, it was still completely deserted, not a soul in sight. But after taking out his Si Nan and examining it, Li Fan finally found the culprit.

It must be the box that was placed on the bed.

This looks like a jewelry box, similar to a cage for holding gold ingots, but larger. It's made of sandalwood and looks quite old. It has seven layers, with gold decorations on the edges and corners. The carvings are large clusters of peonies, and the gold leaf is applied to two butterflies in pairs.

The yang energy of the entire ship was being continuously drawn into the treasure chest.

This must be the 'object'.

'Objects' are different from people. Although this treasure chest is not yet fully formed, its cultivation level is probably extremely high, perhaps even at the Nascent Divine Transformation stage. Otherwise, it would have been obtained by the cultivators of Xun Kingdom long ago.

Everything has a spirit, and it is a rare opportunity that this fellow Daoist is willing to reveal his true form. Li Fan thought for a moment and decided that he shouldn't ruin the harmony right away, so he should try to be courteous first and then resort to force.

So he took out his own Celestial Devil Statue, bowed before the treasure chest, sat cross-legged on the spot, and his primordial spirit left his body, actively escaping into the illusion.

When Li Fan opened his eyes again, he found himself standing on the shore, still on the 'Flower Dragon', but this time the Peony Pavilion was the first Dragon Head of the Flower Dragon, coming with the waves.

The beautiful young woman standing atop that flower boat must be this year's Flower Dragon.

Adorned with jade hairpins and gold bracelets, jeweled hairpins and earrings, a brocade floral skirt, and phoenix-embroidered shoes, she was elegant and beautiful, exuding a delicate fragrance. Her eyebrows were like distant green mountains, and her eyes were bright and clear like autumn water. Her face was like a lotus calyx, clearly resembling Zhuo Wenjun, and her lips were like cherries, no less beautiful than Fan Su of the Bai Family.

She was truly a beauty that could topple kingdoms, an unparalleled beauty.

Teacher Li Fan gave this student a score of 96, and couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, "What a pity that a flawless piece of jade has been mistakenly fallen into the dust and brothels of the world."

"Fellow Daoist is right."

Li Fan turned his head and saw a young girl standing behind him. Her eyes and eyebrows were exactly the same as the maid he had just seen standing behind the courtesan. She was wearing a red dress embroidered with a peony, and her hair was styled in two buns with two golden butterflies in it, just like the accessories on the box. This was probably the 'fellow Daoist' that caused the trouble.

"My young lady was the most beautiful courtesan in the Peony Pavilion, surpassing all others in beauty. From the age of thirteen, when she entered the pavilion, she was the 'Flower Dragon' of Crouching Dragon Pool. It's just a pity that in the end, she couldn't escape the misplaced love. A bright pearl and a beautiful jade were given to a blind man. All the kindness and affection turned into flowing water. It's such a pity."

Li Fan stroked his beard, then realized that it was his primordial spirit with a bare face. He coughed and asked, "Could it be that you are taking your anger out on those scholars because of your former master?"

The maidservant with the treasure chest sneered, "That's right. These scholars spout platitudes about benevolence and morality, their words flowing like flowers, but in reality, they're all ungrateful scoundrels who forget morality for the sake of beauty. If they were truly diligent in their studies, they wouldn't have come to Rouge Pool my boat in the first place. They're just pleasure-seeking, greedy scoundrels who eagerly squeezed in, only wanting a night of pleasure. Such scum should die sooner rather than later. If they were to become officials, they'd only be parasites that oppress the good and kind."

Li Fan was embarrassed by her retort, "Isn't that a bit biased? Love between men and women is also a great principle of yin and yang complementing each other. Reproduction is a natural human instinct. Being too repressed and getting sick is not a good thing. Fellow Daoist, just teach them a lesson. Why be so extreme and take their lives?"

The maidservant scoffed, "Fellow Daoist, you're mistaken. What business do I have with them here? They can come and go as they please on this ship. It's just that they can't control their desires and refuse to leave. Even if I threw them all off, the next day they'd think they'd had a romantic encounter and been appreciated by a beauty, becoming even more unable to resist, and might even gather a group to come here because of their reputation."

Li Fan frowned. Indeed, this ship only had illusion arrays and no sealing methods, but the other party was being somewhat unreasonable. After all, the level of this box was so high; how could a mere mortal possibly see through the difference between fantasy and reality and walk out of the illusion on their own?

If this were a hermit practitioner, it would be fine, but for these scholars who cultivate themselves in the world, asking them to see through the illusions of the mortal world is tantamount to asking them to deviate from the established doctrines, abandoning their Confucian studies to become monks or Daoist priests. Besides, if one were to truly kill people with lust, how many men would remain?

So Li Fan smiled and advised, "Ahem, it's just that your cultivation level is too high, and ordinary mortals would probably find it difficult to regain their senses. Why don't you cultivate somewhere else? It's been so many years, your young lady's resentment should have subsided by now, right?"

Just consider these scholars as ignorant; treat it like a fart and let them go.

The maidservant with the treasure chest looked at Li Fan and asked, "Fellow Daoist, are you planning to teach me a lesson?"

Li Fan still smiled and said, "You've harmed quite a few people, so I'll give you one night to pack up and leave Rouge Pool. If I catch you harming people again, I'll destroy your primordial spirit and smash your box for firewood."

The maidservant and Li Fan stared at each other for a moment, then she shrugged. "Do you think anyone wants to stay in this godforsaken place? But as you can see, I'm just a box. I didn't set up this formation. I'm waiting for someone too."

"Waiting for someone?"

"Okay, wait for him."

Li Fan frowned and looked in the direction the other person was pointing. He saw that Yang Si'an was there too. He was reading in the Wangjiang Pavilion by the river, using the light from the Flower Dragon lanterns that made it as bright as day. He didn't even look up to see the passing boats and the beautiful women on them.

The courtesan of the Peony Pavilion seemed to have noticed him as well. As the flower boat passed by, she couldn't help but turn her head to look at the scholar on the shore, who was completely absorbed in his studies. However, Yang Sheng never looked up at her once.

Wow, that was quite a show-off...

"I was originally just a living being, but later I was enlightened by a deity and taught the method of Moon Worship and transforming into a human. I am waiting for a destined person to recognize me as their master at Rouge Pool. As long as he can pass the test of this illusion, I will become his master and ensure his wealth and honor in the mortal world. When his lifespan ends, he can go to the immortal's cave to become a disciple and cultivate the Great Dao."

The maidservant with the treasure chest also sat down on the stone steps, resting her chin on her hand and gazing at the bustling scene in the Yanzhi River.

Li Fan frowned. "How do you know he's the one with destiny?"

"I'm guessing. Actually, every scholar who boards the ship enters this illusionary realm for a dream, undergoing trials by the immortals. However, they are all fake scholars, indulging in women, and none of them can escape. So far, I see only this Yang Sheng is a true scholar, and he has the best chance of breaking the formation." The maid glanced at Li Fan. "You know him, right? Last time it was almost done, but you barged in and interrupted it. This time, please don't ruin things. Wait a bit, and there will be a result. It's not too late to fight then."

Seeing the scene changing rapidly, Li Fan knew it was the maid speeding up the footage. He wasn't in a hurry to act, so he glanced at her and asked, "What kind of trial is this?"

"It's nothing much, you saw it yourself, it's just what happened to my young lady back then. My young lady once fell in love with a scholar, redeemed herself from servitude, and married him. She even used her own money to help him pass the imperial examinations. But that scholar not only refused to study, but also coveted petty gains. For a mere thousand taels of gold, he sold my young lady to a prince of Xun Kingdom as a slave. So my young lady was heartbroken, embraced me, and drowned herself in the river, dying with resentment. This matter has always been an obsession in my heart."

Therefore, the wise man who enlightened me set up this scheme. If other scholars could break free from this calamity and change the young lady's fate, I too could break free from my obsession, achieve enlightenment, and attain human form. However, I have been on the river for ten years, and not a single person has been able to break free from this calamity, until today."

Li Fan couldn't help but retort, "... I feel like I've heard this story somewhere before. Is your young lady surnamed Du?"

The maid shrugged. "Fellow Daoist, you've also heard of Du Wei of the Peony Pavilion? Indeed, she's extremely famous throughout the Xun Kingdom. Miss worked as the Flower Dragon for seven years, and she has countless treasures hidden in my box. People even say that the Flower Dragon hidden in the Crouching Dragon Pool is my young lady."

Li Fan, "..."

"But I think this time, this Yang Sheng should be able to break through the tribulation," the maidservant with the treasure chest seemed quite relaxed, even chatting with Li Fan, "He's different from the others. He's really studying, oh my, he's still studying..."

Li Fan also saw it. This Yang Si'an was truly a bookworm, studying diligently day and night, even using the light of his lamp to read. So much so that when the young lady passed by the river every day, he wouldn't even glance at her, making the other Daoist friends and maids who were watching impatiently wait.

So, at Li Fan's suggestion, the treasure chest maid also cheated, forcibly creating a chance encounter to advance the plot. She created a late-night scene with a scene like, "It's raining heavily! Oh no, I didn't bring an umbrella! Boatman, wait for me! Young master, your clothes are all wet, let me help you dry them." In the end, she managed to force Du Wei and Yang Si'an to come into contact.

Du Wei had been interested in Yang Sheng for a long time. She thought this scholar was honest, hardworking, and diligent, someone she could rely on. She had her eye on him ever since she borrowed his umbrella once.

Yang Sheng was completely bewildered. How could he have been studying so well and suddenly become the mistress of a courtesan? But in the illusion, he had no time to think about it and inexplicably began to live happily ever after with Du Wei.

However, Yang Si'an was indeed capable. He was already at the level of a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) in Li Country, and his writing skills were enough to infuriate the Minister. He also studied for a long time in the illusion. What was the examination in Xun Kingdom compared to him?

So, the Winner fast-forwards, and it seems that Yang Sheng is about to win the hearts of a beautiful and wealthy woman, rise to high office, and reach the pinnacle of life.

But this illusion was ultimately a trial, its purpose being to help the maidservant of the treasure chest break free from her obsession, not to let Yang Sheng lust. So the plot took a sharp turn later on, this time in the illusion, the Ruler of Xun Country took a liking to Yang Sheng's talent and wanted to marry his princess to him.

Although Du Wei was Flower Dragon, she was of lowly status, and the princess of Xun Kingdom was jealous of her beauty. So the king wanted to buy Du Wei as a concubine and asked Yang Sheng to name a price.

Yang Si'an resolutely refused, saying he wouldn't sell for 100,000 gold coins. He added, "If this place doesn't want me, there are plenty of other places that will. I'll just go to Li Country!"

It was something like 100,000 offended the king, cough cough, anyway, in the end, Yang Sheng was accused of cheating in the exam and was forcibly imprisoned.

Meanwhile, Du Wei was also driven away by the princess of Xun Kingdom, who mocked her relentlessly. She felt that her background had ruined her husband's future, and that the emperor was forcing her to marry him. Being a woman of strong character, she would rather die than comply. So, in a fit of anger, she once again embraced her chest and drowned herself in the river.

Li Fan and the maidservant were stunned for a long time, unable to change Du Wei's fate, and were speechless.

But the illusion wasn't over yet. Yang Sheng was released again to marry the princess, but when he learned that his wife had committed suicide, he also threw himself into the river!

But Yang Sheng didn't commit suicide. He was a good swimmer and managed to escape into the river. He even found Du Wei's treasure chest and escaped with it. Then he swore an oath to the chest to avenge his wife's death!

"... That's fine too." The maidservant with the treasure chest thought it was acceptable.

Then Li Fan opened his eyes, exited the illusion, and looked at the maid on the bed in front of him, who wore a pair of golden butterflies on her head and was holding a treasure chest in her arms.

"Fellow Daoist, I bow in greeting. From this day forward, I shall be known as Du Xia."

Li Fan opened his mouth, but before he could speak, he heard an angry roar from the cabin below.

"Ahhh--! I, Yang Fu, swear I will not rest until the Xun Kingdom is destroyed!"

Li Fan, "No... is this trial really for breaking free from obsession? Why do I feel like it's all being transferred to him...?"

Du Xia took a deep breath, her pupils radiating a seven-colored light that shot straight into the sky. She was enveloped in auspicious clouds, serene and enlightened.

"Yesterday's cause, today's effect—it's all the retribution for our own choices. That's just how life is..."