Charlotte Cloud's mind was in a daze, as if her soul had wandered away.
That nightmare of a night ended with her fainting, and when she opened her eyes again, it wasn’t a pitch-black dungeon or some cruel demon’s lair she saw, but her own familiar boudoir. She shot upright, panic in her eyes as she scanned the room, only to realize she really was at home. Bright windows, sunshine pouring in, the bustle of servants, maids whispering gossip—those familiar sounds flooded her ears, making her feel like she’d been reborn.
Then she remembered something, her expression changed, and she frantically patted herself down. After checking up and down in a panic, she finally let out a sigh of relief—nothing was out of the ordinary.
It was as if everything that happened last night really was just a dream, and once she woke up, it all faded away.
"Right, the door’s broken, come fix it and take it away. Be gentle, don’t disturb Miss Chu’s rest!" a familiar voice called out. Charlotte Cloud looked up and saw her personal maid bustling about, organizing repairs for the damaged door. Charlotte’s eyes narrowed, locking onto that broken door. After a long pause, she finally let out a resigned sigh.
None of it was a dream—no use lying to herself.
Thank goodness, at least she was still untouched. Not everything was beyond repair—as long as the White-Haired Bandit Queen kept quiet, the temple shaman kept quiet, and—her eyes settled on her little maid—she kept quiet. As long as they all zipped their lips, and kept them zipped forever, there’d be no rumors, no scandal, and no trouble at all.
She didn’t dare think about the White-Haired Bandit Queen, but she could probably handle the rest.
How could she make sure they kept their mouths shut?
Women love to gossip. If you want them to keep a secret forever, the only way is... Charlotte’s gaze turned cold, and something ruthless flickered behind her eyes. But then she suddenly shuddered, clutching her head in agony. What am I thinking? What on earth am I thinking?! Even in that mess, my maid still protected me—so how could I even consider such a thing!
It was—so disgusting it made her want to puke!
A voice suddenly echoed in her mind: Strip away your dazzling costume—what's left of you?
That terrifying voice kept echoing in her mind. Pale-faced, she interrogated herself: Yeah, what do I have left? Is it only these filthy, ungrateful thoughts?
"Miss, are you feeling unwell?" The maid dismissed the other servants and entered the bedroom, finding Charlotte Cloud in a bad state. She rushed to the bedside, her voice full of concern. Charlotte, sweating and silent, just stared at her maid, her gaze loaded with questions and words she dared not voice.
The maid reassured Charlotte, explaining how she secretly brought her home and negotiated with the priestesses at Lady Mother's Temple. "Miss, don't worry. I snuck you back, no one saw. I spoke with the priestesses at Lady Mother's Temple—they won't talk about us, and we won't talk about them. As for that bandit queen, she's keeping quiet too. No rumors, no trouble. Miss, I'd rather die than betray you!"
Charlotte stared at her maid for a long moment, then finally hugged her tightly, trembling all over. She was so helpless now, needing comfort—and the only person she could trust was this maid.
But she wasn't just a weak girl—she was the Chu Family's true daughter. She had a mission and couldn't stay soft for long. So, after a moment, she took a deep breath, shoved aside her doubts, and forced herself to calm down. "Any word from Father?" she asked.
"Miss, Master left the house early this morning—he only left a letter." The maid handed over a carefully sealed envelope. Even for a message at home, it was sealed so tightly, showing how important it was. Charlotte took the letter, but found her hands weak, unable to open it herself. She hadn't noticed in her panic, but now, relaxing, her limbs went limp—the medicinal wine's effects hadn't worn off yet.
After the maid opened the envelope, Charlotte unfolded the letter and began to read.
The letter contained only a few words.
[The imperial entourage draws near. His Majesty comes to Putian not only for the Fengshan Ceremony, but also to select new consorts. Your reputation has been cultivated for years, and all connections are in place—there should be no obstacles to entering the palace. Yet, with three thousand beauties in the harem, no one can guarantee favor. Thus, you must strive to stand out before His Majesty. If you receive a personal decree from the Emperor, you will have a great advantage. My daughter, Yunluo, this is a critical moment. A lifetime of hard work rests on this—do not slacken. Do your utmost to win the Emperor’s favor.]
'A lifetime of hard work, all depends on this... do your utmost to win His favor...' Charlotte Cloud stared blankly at the final lines, repeating them under her breath. They were meant to encourage her—a father's push for his daughter. But Charlotte was dazed, haunted by the bandit queen's words: You're just selling yourself!
'All this effort, just to fetch a better price...' Charlotte's eyes went blank, her voice barely audible: 'Strip away the dazzling costume, what do I have left... just a courtesan selling herself...'
From that moment, Charlotte Cloud fell into a long, hazy trance.
After a brief rest and some ginseng soup to restore her energy, Charlotte began her preparations. She practiced calligraphy, painting, music, chess, and poetry critique—her usual routine. But none of it could hold her focus; no matter what she did, that voice echoed in her mind.
She felt her mind had been hollowed out, and every word from the bandit queen turned into grit rattling inside her skull. No matter how she shook her head, those words just crashed around louder, like a maraca.
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She sang, danced, and spun her sleeves in graceful arcs, but her eyes were empty. She felt like a marionette, moving soullessly on strings.
The sun went from high noon to sunset, the sky from blue to black. As night fell, the maids lit the lamps as usual—but Charlotte, after a long daze, suddenly darted over and frantically snuffed out every lamp.
For the first time, darkness enveloped the boudoir of the girl who feared the dark.
Now, the young lady feared more than just the dark.
Curled up on her bed, Charlotte hugged her knees and shoulders, trembling. In the silent night, the voices in her mind grew louder. She couldn't close her eyes—horrors would appear—and she couldn't stay up late, or her skin would lose its glow and she'd be off her game.
With the consort selection imminent and the imperial entourage approaching, how could she afford not to be at her best? The Chu family's fate rested on her shoulders.
No one knew how she survived the night. When her maid arrived the next morning, she was shocked—Charlotte's face was as withered as autumn leaves, her eyes hollow, dark circles rimmed her eyes, her lips cracked and pale. She sat motionless, arms wrapped around herself, like a puppet with no performance to give.
'Miss!' The maid was so startled her hair stood on end. 'Are you okay? Is that—has the medicine wine not worn off? Miss, you should see a doctor! Those thugs could've put anything in that stuff. There's a new clinic called 'Women's Health Master' in town, and the doctors there are said to be excellent. Let me help you go!'
'No need, I'm fine. I still have to...' Charlotte forced herself up to practice, but as she lifted her brush to copy 'Travelers Among Streams and Mountains,' her hand froze in midair. Staring at the blank paper, then at the sky and flying birds—even the buzzing insects—she suddenly felt a surge of impulse.
She'd felt this urge before, but always suppressed it. Today, tormented by those voices, for the first time, she didn't want to fight it.
'Strip away the dazzling costume, what do I have left...' The brush clattered onto the paper, splattering ink everywhere. For the first time, Charlotte's dazed look was tinged with something new. 'Prepare the carriage—I want to go out.'
At such a critical time, she really shouldn't show herself and risk trouble. But her maid just nodded and obediently went to prepare.
Charlotte spent hours wandering the city. She didn't go far, just strolled around Putian. At first she rode in a carriage, then walked on her own. She took in the sights and sounds, and though she'd toured the city many times before, this spontaneous walk made her feel she barely knew it at all.
She saw peddlers and porters, brothel girls, and wandering swordsmen with blades and straw hats.
She heard talk about the Women's Health Master clinic, and rumors about heads on Long Street. Two swordsmen gravely mentioned a name—Jia Tengying—which made her realize at last who the white-haired bandit was. Jia Tengying, the number one flower thief in the world, now the most wanted criminal.
'Whose heads are those?' 'No idea, but they say they're not Central Plains folk.' 'There's news—Poison Ghost Shao Qi's body was found, with a note from Jia Tengying!' 'Shao Qi? Good! Heaven has eyes, that old villain finally got what he deserved!' 'But Jia Tengying's reputation is even scarier—even the old demons wouldn't dare cross him now...'
Eavesdropping on those open discussions, it seemed every swordsman in town was stirred up by the news. Putian was full of outsiders, all hunting Jia Tengying. She hoped they'd succeed, but knew deep down it was impossible. Jia Tengying's words still echoed in her mind like a curse, driving her to madness.
In her daze, she overheard people mention a familiar name—the Celestial Arts Ensemble.
At that moment, she snapped out of her haze. Right, today was the day the Celestial Arts Ensemble arrived in Putian—the day she'd planned to give them a hard time. Glancing at the sky, she realized it was about time, and headed for the pier.
The sunset blazed as a great ship, shaped like a soaring phoenix, approached from afar.
Recalling stories from her picture book, Charlotte suddenly felt a strange sense of anticipation—she wanted to see for herself. No challenges, no duels—just as a regular guest.
But she was late, and a long line had already formed. Luckily, she wasn't just any guest.
'Sister Charlotte, you really came!' Cynthia Liu spotted Charlotte in the crowd and grabbed her hand. 'Why are you here? It's packed—you can't get on the boat from here. Come on, a friend saved a spot up front. Follow me, Sister Charlotte.'
In her daze, Charlotte let Cynthia lead her to the very front. There, a dark-skinned heroine fiercely held her spot. Some rich girls sent servants to negotiate, offering favors, but she refused them all.
The servants threatened her, but the heroine drew her sword with a clang, leaving them flustered. Seeing Charlotte arrive, they quickly found an excuse to withdraw, claiming they didn't know she was the young lady and apologizing as they left.
The heroine grinned at them, her white teeth gleaming against her dark skin. 'Cynthia, mission accomplished! Those lackeys thought they could make me give up my spot? They'd better ask my sword first!'
Looking at the heroine, Charlotte felt something trying to break free in her mind, but she couldn't grasp it.
After exchanging greetings, the Wutong Tower ship docked. Night fell, lights blazed, and the ship looked like a real phoenix, its feathers burning bright. The ramp landed with a thud. Lotus Drunk and her girls, dressed in cheongsams like hostesses, came out. She smiled sweetly and said, 'Ladies only today—please come aboard.'