Nine Nights Owl Song

The first day of the second month in the eighteenth year of Yong'an.

Luoyang, the imperial city.

Emperor Yong'an sat in his study, a secret report spread out before him. The report was very long, several pages densely covered with writing. He spent a full hour reading it, word by word, until he finally put it down, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.

Gao Dequan stood to the side, not daring to breathe. He had served the emperor for thirty years and had seen the emperor angry, sad, and overjoyed, but he had never seen the emperor with this expression.

There was no anger, but rather self-blame—the self-blame of a father who realized he had never truly understood his son.

The secret report stated—

The sixth prince, Xiao Yan, appears to be a playboy and unruly, but in reality, he secretly controls the Thousand Machine Tower and is the head of the world's number one intelligence organization.

The Thousand Machine Tower—Emperor Yong'an knew this name.

The largest underground intelligence organization in the Great Liang Dynasty, with tentacles reaching all corners of the land, knowing everything from the imperial court and the military to local authorities and the martial arts world.

He once sent people to investigate the background of Qianji Tower, but after three years they found nothing.

The owner of Qianji Tower was too cautious and left no trace.

The secret report stated that Qianji Tower had a deep cooperation with the Dark Pavilion, and that the leader of the Dark Pavilion was Su Jiuge.

Emperor Yong'an opened his eyes and looked at the secret report.

"Gao Dequan".

"This old servant is here."

"Tell me, what's the point of someone pretending to be useless for over twenty years?"

Gao Dequan knelt down. "Your Majesty, this old servant dares not speak ill of the prince."

Emperor Yong'an did not make things difficult for him.

"Rise. I ask you, what do you think of the Sixth Prince?"

Gao Dequan thought about it.

"His Highness the Sixth Prince is filial to His Majesty, loving to his brothers, and kind to the court officials. This old servant has never seen His Highness the Sixth Prince argue with anyone."

Emperor Yong'an remained silent for a moment.

"He's amiable to everyone, yet distant to everyone. I can't understand this son of mine."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the sky outside the Imperial Study.

"I have more than ten sons. The eldest is too soft, the second too hard, the third is dead, the fourth too kind, and only the sixth... I don't know what kind of person he is. I used to think he was a good-for-nothing, and I was even relieved. A good-for-nothing is good; a good-for-nothing won't fight for the throne, won't turn against his brothers, and won't make things difficult for me. Now I know he's not a good-for-nothing. He's better at pretending than all my sons."

Emperor Yong'an turned around.

"The Crown Prince pretends to be virtuous, the Second Prince pretends to be brave, and the Fourth Prince pretends to be benevolent. The Sixth Prince pretends to be useless, and he does it the best and for the longest time. For more than twenty years, I have been deceived by him for more than twenty years."

Gao Dequan kept his head down.

"Your Majesty, although the Sixth Prince has concealed his strength, he has never done anything to harm the court or Your Majesty. Although the Thousand Machine Tower is an underground organization, it has helped the court investigate many cases and arrest many important criminals over the years."

Emperor Yong'an looked at him.

"Are you speaking up for him?"

Gao Dequan knelt down again.

"This old servant wouldn't dare. This old servant simply..."

"Just what?"

"I just feel that the Sixth Prince has had a tough time these past few years. For a prince to have to pretend to be a useless person just to survive, how terrifying must the court be?"

Gao Dequan kowtowed.

"This old servant deserves to die for speaking out against state affairs."

Emperor Yong'an did not punish him.

He looked at Gao Dequan's graying head and remained silent for a long time.

"You're right. If a prince has to pretend to be a useless person just to survive, then I, as emperor, am doing a pretty pathetic job."

Emperor Yong'an sat back behind his desk, picked up the secret report and read it again, then stuffed it into the pile of memorials.

"Don't make this public for now," Gao Dequan agreed.

"I want to see what this sixth prince is up to."

Emperor Yong'an picked up his vermilion brush and continued to review the memorials, but stopped after reviewing two.

"Gao Dequan".

"This old servant is here."

Do you think Su Jiuge knows Lao Liu's identity?

Gao Dequan thought about it.

"This old servant does not know."

Emperor Yong'an wrote a single character on the paper—

"Keep".

The same character was used in the imperial edict a few days ago regarding the marriage proposals from the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, and the Fourth Prince.

On the second day of the second lunar month, the dragon looked up.

Su Jiuge went to Jinxiufang to retrieve her waist seal.

Gu the tailor's craftsmanship was indeed excellent. The waistband was made of the finest cowhide, wrapped in a layer of dark blue silk. It was about four inches wide and fit perfectly around the waist, covering the abdomen.

The inside of the belt had seven hidden pockets of varying sizes, just enough to hold her seven treasures. From the outside, they were invisible, making it look like an ordinary belt.

She stood in front of the bronze mirror, fastened her waistband, and stuffed the seven items one by one into the hidden bag.

She patted the waistband; everything was there, not bulging, not wobbling, and not in the way.

She no longer had to look like a peddler with a bag full of stones.

When I stepped out of Jinxiufang, the sun was shining brightly, and Luojing in early February already had the feel of spring.

The willows sprouted new buds, a few forsythia blossoms opened, and the wind, no longer as harsh as in winter, became gentle.

Su Jiuge walked on the streets of Dongshi. Shen Qing followed her from three steps behind. When she walked, he walked; when she stopped, he stopped; when she turned a corner, he turned a corner.

Like her shadow, a silent shadow.

Su Jiuge turned into an alley.

She sensed that someone was following her.

That person's aura was very light; their lightness skill was excellent.

He could easily rank in the top ten among the Dark Pavilion's top assassins.

She stopped without turning around, and Shen Qing's hand was already on the hilt of the sword.

"Come out," Su Jiuge said.

A person emerged from the shadows at the alley entrance—dressed in a black outfit, with an ordinary face, the kind of ordinary that would be easily lost in a crowd.

He walked over and knelt down in front of Su Jiuge, holding a letter in his hands.

"Master, the King of the Underworld sent this to me."

The people of the Dark Pavilion. Su Jiuge took the letter and opened it. There was only one line on the letter—

"I'm dying, come back to see me one last time."

The handwriting was even more illegible than before, with trembling strokes, as if the hand holding the pen was no longer steady.

Su Jiuge folded the letter and tucked it into her waistband.

"Okay, you can go back now."

The man stood up and vanished into the shadows at the alley entrance in a flash.

Su Jiuge stood there in silence for a moment, then turned around and continued walking towards the Marquis's residence.

Shen Qing followed behind her.

"Sect Leader, shall we return to Cangwu Mountain?"

"Okay. I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yes."

Su Jiuge quickened her pace.

Hades is dying, the one who has been chasing the old drunkard for thirty years, the one who entrusted the Dark Pavilion to her.

She couldn't describe how she felt; there was no sadness, and she had no feelings for Hades.

It wasn't a relief, but she no longer hated him.

It's something indescribable, like a string that's been stretched for many years suddenly loosening, making a muffled hum.

When they returned to the Marquis's residence, Xiao Yan was already there.

He sat in the main hall drinking tea, with a plate of osmanthus cake in front of him. The plate was half empty; he had already eaten quite a bit.

Su Jiuge went in and sat down opposite him.

Why didn't you use the main entrance?

Xiao Yan walked out from behind the moon gate.

"I didn't bring anything with me today, so I'm sorry to use the main entrance."

Su Jiuge looked at him.

"You never brought anything with you before, and you never seemed embarrassed when you came in through the main entrance."

Xiao Yan choked for a moment.

Su Jiuge did not continue the topic.

"I'm going to Cangwu Mountain tomorrow."

Xiao Yan put down his teacup.

"What's wrong?"

"Pluto is going to die."

Xiao Yan remained silent for a moment, without asking "What are you going to do?" Su Jiuge was the head of the Dark Pavilion, and the Underworld King was the previous head. It was only natural for them to meet before they died.

He asked, "Do you want me to come with you?"

Su Jiuge shook her head.

"No need. I'll handle the Dark Pavilion's affairs myself."

Xiao Yan nodded.

"When are you coming back?"

"Not necessarily. Hades is dead, and there's a funeral to be held. He'll come back after it's over."

Xiao Yan fell silent again.

He picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, took a bite, and chewed for a long time before swallowing. Su Jiuge didn't know what he was thinking; the expression on his face was unfathomable. He had worn the mask for too long and couldn't take it off anymore.

Xiao Yan looked at her.

"Is your waist belt finished?"

Su Jiuge looked down at her waist. "Hmm."

Is it easy to use?

"It works well."

Xiao Yan nodded and said nothing more.

Su Jiuge stood up.

"I'm leaving. I'm going back to pack my things."

Xiao Yan also stood up.

"I send you."

Su Jiuge did not refuse. The two walked side by side out of the main hall, through the covered walkway, through the garden, and to the side gate of the Marquis's residence. Neither of them spoke along the way. The sunlight shone down from above, casting their shadows on the ground, one on each side, walking side by side.

Su Jiuge opened the side door and walked out, while Xiao Yan remained inside without following. Su Jiuge stopped but did not turn around.

"Xiao Yan".

"Um."

"Whether you pretend or not is none of my business." Su Jiuge paused, "But if you're getting too tired of pretending, you can stop pretending in front of me."

There was a long silence behind me.

Su Jiuge left without waiting for his reply.

The door behind me closed slowly, the sound of the latch falling was dull and long.

Xiao Yan leaned against the door, looking up at the sky. This man's words always left people speechless. He closed his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The third day of the second month in the eighteenth year of Yong'an.

Su Jiuge went to Cangwu Mountain.

When she left, it was still dark. Madam Shen was still asleep, the old drunkard was still asleep, and Su Zhentian had not yet finished his court session.

Without alerting anyone, she led Shen Qing on horseback out of the south gate and headed towards Cangwu Mountain.

The snow on Cangwu Mountain has not yet completely melted.

When Su Jiuge arrived, it was evening. The setting sun bathed the black stone buildings of the main altar in a dark red light, making it look like a castle stained with blood. When she entered the King of the Underworld's hut, the old man was lying on the bed.

Hades was thinner than the last time she saw him.

The skin was almost transparent, and the blood vessels underneath were clearly visible, like a piece of paper that had been soaked in water.

His eyes were closed, his breathing so faint it was almost inaudible. He wasn't asleep; he opened his eyes at the sound of footsteps. Su Jiuge's face was reflected in his cloudy eyes, and his lips twitched.

"Here I am." The voice was hoarser and softer than last time.

Su Jiuge sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at him without saying a word.

Hades looked at her, and a glimmer of light suddenly appeared in his cloudy eyes.

"Your master... is still alive?" Hades' voice came out intermittently.

"To live."

"Does he...hate me?"

Su Jiuge thought for a moment. "I don't hate you anymore. He said he didn't want you to die."

Hades' lips twitched.

It wasn't a smile; it was like someone who had waited a long time finally getting an answer, even though the answer wasn't what they expected, they were content.

Hades stared at the ceiling. "The Dark Pavilion is now in your hands."

His voice grew fainter and fainter, fading into the distance.

"The Black Lotus Token... keep it safe."

His eyes slowly closed.

Su Jiuge held that hand until it was completely cool.

She didn't cry. She sat by the bed for a long time, so long that the sky outside the window changed from dusk to night, and from night to deep night. Then she stood up and walked out of the small house.

Ghost Hand stood outside the door, head bowed.

He had followed Hades for many years, ever since he was a young assassin.

He had hated him for many years, hating him for usurping the throne, hating him for hunting down Yin Wuji, and hating him for turning the Dark Pavilion into a killing machine.

Now that he's dead, all that hatred has dissipated.

"Vice Pavilion Master," Su Jiuge called to him.

Ghost Hand looked up at her, and Su Jiuge said:

"Holding a funeral. According to the rules of the Dark Pavilion, when the former Pavilion Master dies, the entire Pavilion wears mourning clothes. He was the Pavilion Master of the Dark Pavilion, regardless of what he did."

The ghost hand clasped its hands in a fist salute. "Yes."

Hades' funeral lasted for three days.

The entire Cangwu Mountain was draped in white mourning. The assassins of the Dark Pavilion, dressed in white linen robes, knelt before the main hall for three days and three nights. Su Jiuge knelt before the spirit tablet, also dressed in white linen robes, and did not weep.

The old drunkard didn't come; he didn't want to. Su Jiuge didn't force him.

He hated Hades for thirty years, hated him to the bone, but now that Hades is dead, his hatred has dissipated.

But she knew some things couldn't simply dissipate with death. She waited for them to dissipate on their own.

After the funeral was over, Su Jiuge stood on the mountain path of Cangwu Mountain, preparing to descend.

The ghost hand came to deliver her.

"Sect Master," Ghost Hand called to her.

Su Jiuge looked at him.

"Before Hades died, he told me to tell you this—from now on, the Dark Pavilion will only listen to you. No matter who comes to you or what price they offer, the Dark Pavilion will not accept any missions that are against you."

Su Jiuge remained silent for a moment.

"I see."

She turned and went down the mountain.

Shen Qing followed behind her, three steps away. After walking for a while, Su Jiuge suddenly stopped and looked back.

Mount Cangwu was still shrouded in mist, with the black stone buildings appearing and disappearing in the fog.

Hades is dead, but the Dark Pavilion hasn't disbanded, and it won't. She turned and continued walking.

The 7th day of the second month of the 18th year of Yong'an.

Su Jiuge returned to Luojing.

Uncle Fu was sweeping the floor at the entrance of the Marquis's mansion when he saw her and called out with a smile, "Miss is back."

Su Jiuge nodded and went inside.

In the main hall, Madam Shen was doing needlework, and she stopped when she saw the needle and thread in her hand.

"You're back? You've lost weight, haven't you been eating properly?"

Su Jiuge sat down opposite her.

"have eaten."

Madam Shen felt sorry for him. "Mother will make you something nice to eat. What would you like?"

Osmanthus cake.

Madam Shen smiled, put down her needlework, and went to the kitchen.

Su Jiuge leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

The mist of Cangwu Mountain, the corpse of the King of the Underworld, the white mourning clothes of the Dark Pavilion, and the tears of the Ghost Hand replayed in my mind.

She opened her eyes and looked at the roof beams above her head.

The old drunkard poked half his body in from outside the door.

"Girl, you're back?"

Su Jiuge looked at him. "Mm."

The old drunkard walked in and sat down next to her, holding his gourd of wine but not drinking. He remained silent for a long time.

"Hades is dead," Su Jiuge said.

The old drunkard's hand trembled.

"I know."

Su Jiuge looked at him, but the old drunkard didn't look at her; he kept his head down, staring at the ground.

"He asked one question before he died—Do you hate him?" Su Jiuge's voice was very soft.

The old drunkard's Adam's apple bobbed.

"What did you say?"

"I told you you don't hate him anymore, and that you don't want him to die."

The old drunkard closed his eyes.

His lips trembled, a suppressed sound came from his throat, and tears seeped from his tightly closed eyes.

He didn't speak, and Su Jiuge didn't say anything either; she just sat silently beside him.

The aroma of Shen's osmanthus cake wafted from the kitchen, sweet and tangy, a mixture of sweetness and the saltiness of tears, creating an indescribable flavor.

Outside the window, the February spring breeze caressed the eaves of the Dingyuan Marquis's residence. Forsythia was in bloom, willows were sprouting new buds, and spring was coming.

Su Jiuge sat in the main hall, Shen Qing stood under the corridor, the old drunkard was crying, and Shen Shi was making osmanthus cake.

In the Prince Zhao's mansion in the east of Luoyang, Xiao Yan stood by the window of his study, looking at the plum tree in the courtyard.

The flowers have bloomed and are beginning to wither.

Petals fell one by one, carpeting the ground like a pink and white snowfall.

Bai Yu stood behind him.

"My lord, His Majesty summoned the Crown Prince last night. They talked for a long time."

Xiao Yan did not turn around. "What did you talk about?"

"I don't know. His Majesty dismissed everyone, not even Gao Dequan."

Xiao Yan remained silent for a moment.

Xiao Yan looked at the plum tree.

"With Hades dead, the Dark Pavilion is now entirely Su Jiuge's. The Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion stands behind her, and the Thousand Machine Pavilion stands behind her. She is now the most untouchable person in Luojing City."

Bai Yu said:

"She was someone you shouldn't have messed with anyway."

Xiao Yan smiled.

He reached out and caught a falling plum blossom petal.

"Is she back?"

Bai Yu was taken aback.

"Who?"

Xiao Yan did not speak, placed the flower petals on the table, turned around and walked back to the dark corner of the study.