📖 Song of the Withered Grove

I still remember that day, fifteen years ago, when we were all but children, abducted by the Gaunt Stallion Sect after being drugged with Tendon Softening Powder. Limbs weak, we were tossed about in a damp and filthy cage cart. Despair and fear gripped us, and we dared not even cry out under the whip of the driver. During a rest stop, they discussed our "distribution." "That girl in silk clothes is the daughter of an official. Leave her to the Leader!" "I wonder what the Leader is thinking. Abducting the Magistrate's daughter?" "Hmph, officials like those Magistrates or Prefects all have countless concubines and a dozen children. Why would they care about one girl?" "Ha! The girl is untouchable, then what about the boys?" The man stroked his long whip, inspecting each child, and finally fixed his gaze upon me. I trembled in fear, trying my best to lower my head. As he reached for me, the girl in the red silk dress suddenly opened her eyes, seemingly just recovering from the sleeping potion. She raised her voice to question the man. "What are you doing?!" The man chuckled, "Little girl, don't be anxious. You'll have your fun once you're in the Leader's hands." Despite her youth, she was well-educated and quick-witted. She responded: "My father is Huang Xingzhi, the Magistrate of Yangzhou. How dare you, petty human traffickers, act so presumptuously? If my father flattens your den, and we are all unharmed, you may escape punishment. But if you harm even one of us, you will be as guilty as your leader!" Her intimidation seemed to work. In my daze, the man cursed and threw me back. And so, the journey continued without further incident. But due to my cowardice, I didn't get to speak with her, and thus never had the chance to thank her. This scene remains vivid in my memory. Even as the girl who stood up then grew into a cunning and sly woman, I still feel she retained a trace of that resolute spirit, though it had transformed from a faint righteousness into an imposing presence, as cold as frost. Later, I learned from the escorts that she was indeed the beloved daughter of Huang Xingzhi, the Magistrate of Yangzhou, and her name was Huang Mengtong. The past, like a dream, faded away.

In time, I was sent to train in martial arts with several boys, practicing the skills of a sacrificial warrior and cultivating a heart hardened by ruthless slaughter. It was there that I met Yi Zhusheng a quiet one, like me. While the other boys played together, he always sat aside, whittling a piece of green bamboo. The technique taught by the Gaunt Stallion Sect would greatly deplete our vitality. It was easy to learn, even for those with congenital deficiencies, for it consumed one's life force in exchange for strength. After all, besides the children kidnapped, most here were orphans left to die in the wild, many born with some defect. After a few months, we'd grown capable enough to be assigned tasks. A junior leader took Yi Zhusheng, a few others, and me to escort a new batch of captured children. The moment I saw them, I realized just how much suffering we had escaped, thanks to Huang Mengtong. All of the children bore whip marks. The youngest was only three to five years old, gagged, blindfolded, and tied aside. The eldest looked about our age, twelve or thirteen, frail and filthy, with disheveled hair hiding their face. I couldn't tell if they were a boy or a girl. Their pant legs were soaked with the black-red blood. Without Mengtong, that might have been me. I couldn't help but see myself in them, longing for a chance to free at least this one. But the opportunity never came. The time we returned to the main base was already afternoon, and the leader left to report in. I heard Yi Zhusheng say, "You're all tired from the day. Go rest. I'll keep watch here." The others, too weary to resist, left. But I was still thinking about the child. I pretended to leave but doubled back, hiding behind a tree. I saw Yi Zhusheng whisper something to that child. Then, he took off his outer robe, rolled it in the mud, and dressed the child in it. He also cut off their chignon and smeared charcoal across their face. I suddenly understood. The leader had been sitting in the front carriage the entire way. He wouldn't recognize any of the children. And the other escorts were gone. I guessed Yi Zhusheng had asked the child if they were a boy or a girl. If a girl, she would be trained as a prostitute, facing endless torment. If a boy practiced martial arts by burning his life force, he'd at least stand a chance to protect himself. Yi Zhusheng was disguising the child as a boy. As long as no one removed the robe and looked too closely, they could pass. His plan worked. That child followed Yi Zhusheng back to our branch, while the youngest ones were sent elsewhere for nurturing, beyond our reach. I suddenly thought of Mengtong. In this cold and merciless Gaunt Stallion Sect, perhaps she and Yi Zhusheng were the same. People like them like pearls buried deep and jade hidden in the earth still managed to gleam, even faintly, in the darkness. They were like pine trees that stand unwavering through winter, like bamboos that stay strong even in the storm.

Because the Gaunt Stallion Sect segregated men and women into separate branches, I seldom saw Huang Mengtong. Perhaps she was trained as a gaunt stallion, but I heard that her father ordered a crackdown on the sect to rescue her. The operation threw the sect into chaos, sending many members fleeing. Later, I saw only the heads of those who had escaped, hanging high outside the Leader's tent. A faint hope stirred within me Yangzhou is a prominent city, and its Magistrate is no minor official. If even such authority cannot suppress these traffickers, then these villains must operate beyond His Majesty's reach. This sliver of hope was shattered by the execution that shook the entire province that autumn day. Magistrate Huang not only failed to save his daughter but also lost his entire family. It's unclear what connections Feng Xueya used, but when Magistrate Huang raised troops to purge the Gaunt Stallion Sect, he was accused of amassing forces for rebellion. His Majesty was furious and ordered the execution of Huang Zhixing's entire family. Huang Mengtong, however, survived ironically as she was in the bandits' lair at the time. The mastermind behind her family's demise was none other than the owner of this very lair. That day, Feng Xueya made all the children abducted by the Gaunt Stallion Sect witness the execution as if to flaunt his power and serve as a warning. He forced Huang Mengtong to stand at the front. I dared not look, but I remember the sound of the guillotine falling, the heads rolling. I remember the river of blood, the glaring red. I remember how they gagged Huang Mengtong, forcing her to keep her eyes open to witness the guillotine severing heads, to watch her kin die unjustly. She was only eleven or twelve then too young to understand loyal ministers wronged, interests traded, or political strife. All she saw was the guillotine taking her kin's lives. She only knew one thing she could never return home. She had no home left. No family. She would remain forever in this abyssal, sunless hell. She had nothing left. A sharp wail tore from her throat gagged and bound like a beast, helpless to reach Feng Xueya, her enemy, standing just inches away. When the cloth was torn from her mouth, I heard her trembling, angry shriek. "Was it you? What were you doing!" "...You devil! One day, I'll make sure you die without a burial place!" ...Something slid down her face blood or tears, I couldn't tell. Feng Xueya laughed heartily, looking at her as if she were a disobedient animal. "Ha... such spirit! All right, I'll be waiting for that day!"

For a time, I feared Huang Mengtong might succumb to grief and seek death. So I always tried to take on quests that let me stay near her, protecting her in secret. I discovered someone else was also concerned about her Yi Zhusheng. Later, I learned that on the day of the execution, Feng Xueya had led his men back to the Gaunt Stallion Sect, abandoning Huang Mengtong at the edge of the execution grounds leaving her alone amidst the blood and flesh of her kin. She had been determined to die, but Yi Zhusheng, sensing something wrong, turned back midway and had a long talk with her. Afterward, Huang Mengtong no longer sought death. Though her sincerity remained uncertain, she submitted to Feng Xueya, claiming herself now homeless. If she continued to bear this name, she would have no face to meet her family in the afterlife. Thus, she renounced her past entirely taking the name Feng Huanchao. Perhaps she intended to feign submission to relax the vigilance and seek an opportunity to escape. But this only intensified Feng Xueya's oppression and humiliation of her. Fortunately, there was still Yi Zhusheng. At that time, the Gaunt Stallion Sect's Cizhou outpost was short-handed. Mengtong, Zhusheng, myself, and a dozen others were sent to reinforce its guard. These were rare moments of leisure, and everyone scattered to seek their own joy. Hearing that Azalea Valley was in full bloom, I made plans to go. Before I could clearly see the fiery red blooms in the distance, the faint strains of zither and flute music had already reached my ears. The zither wept like a lament for life itself, while the flute's drone murmured its discontent. Lost in the music, I unknowingly wandered into Bloomfield. Then, I spotted two familiar figures Huang Mengtong and Yi Zhusheng. I saw Mengtong raise her sword and cut down two sections of green bamboo. Then, the two of them engraved words on them and exchanged them with each other. ...I watched as they bit their fingertips and swore a blood oath. I heard them say that one day, they would escape this hell together. ...Though it was a scene of true affection and beauty, I couldn't help but feel a bit desolate. Because one confidant is enough and simply being able to stay by her side was already a great fortune. I thought, well, these two were always alike. Perhaps one day, they'd actually escape.

Later, some youthful naivety kept me from Huang Mengtong. I heard she became Feng Xueya's concubine, no longer using the name Mengtong and enduring daily torment. I also heard, renamed Feng Huanchao, she became ruthless but in a den of demons, who wasn't? I kill, Yi Zhusheng kills, and she kills too. The Gaunt Stallion Sect never raised any saints. But I believed she still had principles. Until I worked under her, engaging in the slaughter of a minor official's family. It was the first time I had seen her in years. In her red dress, she ordered her men to take away all the children and planned to execute the official and his concubine. The two begged for mercy, offering their children's lives for their own. She smiled coldly, turning to the terrified children and said, "Did you hear that? Your parents chose their lives over yours. Are you willing?" Then she shook her head as if suddenly realizing. "Ah, I forgot... you don't have the right to choose." "Shall I make the choice for you?" She swung her sword, and the two's heads fell to the ground. Suddenly, a child attacked her. The thrown sword tore her sleeve, revealing the shocking whip marks on her arm. Afterwards, she ordered all the adults' death with a twisted smile on her face. We came to a Buddhist hall where an old woman was kneeling and praying before the Buddha. Seeing us, she stretched her neck, ready to die. Feng Huanchao raised her sword, but Yi Zhusheng stopped her. After a brief struggle, Feng Huanchao sneered, "Her life is mine. Why worship Buddhas instead of me?" She raised her hand, and the sword fell, blood gushing forth. It splattered on the incense, spirit tablets, and the compassionate smile of the Buddha statue. Slaughter before the Buddha.

Over the years, Feng Huanchao had greatly won the favor of Feng Xueya, gradually becoming the second most important figure in the Gaunt Stallion Sect. I followed Feng Huanchao, serving as a pawn under her command. Although Yi Zhusheng knew her heart was not as it once had been, he still wished to protect her as did I. On this day, the Gaunt Stallion Sect had planned to present a generous gift to Cai Yun, but its loss sent Feng Xueya into a fury, leaving everyone in the tent on edge. At this moment, Feng Huanchao gracefully stepped forward. "Leader, the lost tribute intended for Cai Yun was my responsibility. Permit me to deliver the gift and apologize to Prefect Cai personally. I have means to fully appease his wrath." Upon hearing this, Feng Xueya's fury erupted. He heavily smashed the wine token in his hand. "Everything you possess the silk on your back, the skills you've mastered, even the food, water, and your bed which of these was not given by me? You're nothing but a common seductress, yet you dare to think of climbing into Cai Yun's bed? Look at what you really are!" Then, as if realizing he might have overthought it, he sat down and waved his hand. "Hmph... a pet should know its place. Fine, go ahead. If you can quell Cai Yun's anger, do as you please." I accompanied her to Cai Yun's residence. "Is it just you?" Cai Yun slowly looked her up and down, his gaze lewd. "That might not be enough." Feng Huanchao chuckled softly, taking two steps forward. "It's not just me. I... am merely an appetizer for the Lord." "But before tasting, I ask the Lord to hear me out. I've been in the sect for a long time and have long known that Feng Xueya intends to make a fresh start. This time, the stolen tribute was actually embezzled by Feng Xueya himself, yet due to his accumulated authority, no one dares to speak out." Cai Yun's brow furrowed slightly. He seemed unsurprised and did not get angry, only asking: "Oh? You want me to help you overthrow Feng Xueya? What can you offer me as a show of sincerity?" "Exactly. Not only will the Gaunt Stallion Sect's tribute be delivered to the Lord in full, but the Lord will also gain merit by claiming Feng Xueya's head. In the future, whatever Feng Xueya could provide, I can provide; whatever he withheld, I will grant. Moreover, the Lord will gain a Feng Huanchao who is utterly at his command." "Oh? So it's not the entire Gaunt Stallion Sect at my beck and call?" "Heh... without Feng Xueya, the Gaunt Stallion Sect will be my Feng Huanchao's Gaunt Stallion Sect." Cai Yun agreed gladly.

I later learned that the extravagant gift the Gaunt Stallion Sect had planned to offer Cai Yun was actually swallowed up by Feng Huanchao's scheme. She shifted the blame onto Feng Xueya, and Cai Yun, suspicious by nature, discarded this expendable pawn without a second thought. Yi Zhusheng disagreed with such tactics. He believed this move would put Feng Huanchao deeper into the sect, making it harder for her to break free in the future. However, considering her thirst for vengeance, he did not stop her in the end. Subsequently, Feng Xueya was captured by the army and exiled to Cangzhou. Feng Huanchao wasted no time purging his old followers and swiftly took full control of the sect. After that, I seldom saw Yi Zhusheng again, only hearing that he had quarreled fiercely with Feng Huanchao before secluding himself on Bamboo Island. Still, Feng Huanchao appointed him as the sect's Second-in-command, granting him a chance to leave, should he choose to. But as for Feng Huanchao herself, she had walked that bloodied path too far. Entangled in an intricate web of grudges and power plays, there was no turning back. Her hands were stained with countless lives. I heard many martial arts came alone to challenge her, not for justice, but in hopes of seizing the red umbrella from her grasp. But in a single instant, they would be reduced to nothing more than remains. Her skills were unmatched, her heart merciless. One blink, one life. The Gaunt Stallion Sect under her rule was no different than before: burning, killing, looting, and trafficking for profit. But her cunning and cruelty even surpassed Feng Xueya's. Few who dared to "crusade" against her and the sect returned alive. Fifteen years passed in a blur, so swiftly that even the name, Huang Mengtong, began to fade from my memory. I almost forgot the reason I followed her was because she had stood up for me. Her righteousness had once been a flicker of light in this hopeless abyss. Now, all that remains in my life is forging blades, slaying, spilling blood, and waiting for the death that will one day come. I think that perhaps Feng Huanchao, too, has abandoned that name. Yi Zhusheng later left for Azalea Valley, leaving behind their old love letter. Maybe some part of him still clung to the hope that the girl who once promised to escape with him was still alive. But that girl may have long since been crushed under pain, blood, tears, humiliation, and slaughter. Until all that remained was a twisted reflection of those who once broke her.

One day, a group of people suddenly stormed the main base. I tried to stop them, but their strength was overwhelming far beyond what a nobody like me could resist. After they overpowered me, I saw them enter Bamboo Island, so I went to report to the leader. On my way, I was intercepted by a young man. We battled for dozens of rounds before I finally seized an opening to escape. But when I reached the main base, everything was over. A minor branch leader shouted at me: "Hey, you! What are you just standing there for? The leader's defeated! Run now! The official troops are coming! Both the leader and the Second-in-Command are down!" My heart trembled as I instinctively refused to believe it. Yi Zhusheng and Feng Huanchao though not unrivaled in the martial world had upheld the vast Gaunt Stallion Sect. How could they have been defeated so easily? ...But when I entered Feng Huanchao's tent and saw the bloodstains amid tattered red silk, I knew she had fallen. Amid the chaos, I spotted a green bamboo segment engraved with the character "Tong." I vaguely remembered this was the bamboo segment exchanged between Yi Zhusheng and her, a youthful promise. In the end, it was like an empty stalk of bamboo: segmented, yet hollow. I could roughly guess what had happened to Yi Zhusheng. Without a soulmate, existence in this world becomes mere agony and desolation. Later, beside his corpse, I found another bamboo segment this one engraved with "Zhu." And the flower note the one that should have been lost lay clutched in his palm, now stained with blood. The phoenix tree cannot be perched upon; the phoenix cannot return. Tonghua has fallen, leaving behind but lone bamboo. Now, the lone bamboo is gone and the phoenix does not return either. The old days of the mundane world and those youthful promises are now blurred. That year's bamboo leaves and Tonghua, the harmony of zither and flute - all are now just memories. Ultimately, the story ends in Yangzhou.