ATLAS TRANSLATES

In the dark corridor, the night lamps clashed with the iron railings. Behind the corridor, buildings hid among dense flowering trees. Looking back, one could faintly see lights like flowing water, illuminating the servant girls moving between tables.

Luo Lingyu covered her mouth and looked down to see Lu Yun clutching her skirt.

For a moment, as the lantern light at the corridor’s end reflected on the water, when Luo Lingyu bent down to look at him, she felt a sense of familiarity. When he lifted his face, with hair clinging to it and bloodstains on his robes, her heart skipped a beat.

Before she could think deeper, she heard Lu Yun’s hoarse voice: “…help me.”

She would definitely save him.

Luo Lingyu made her decision in a single breath. She wouldn’t care if others died before her, fearing the trouble of saving an injured person. But this time, the young lord wore noble silk robes – he was the third son of the Lu family where she was staying. Most importantly, Luo Lingyu had a pure corner in her heart she carefully preserved—

Third Young Master Lu was the Plum Seeking Recluse scholar whom she had admired for years.

How could she not save the Scholar when he fell at her feet?

Lu Yun didn’t expect help from Luo Lingyu. Even in his daze, he was thinking of ways to convince her. Unexpectedly, Luo Lingyu suddenly bent down and struggled to grab his arm, pulling him from the lake onto shore.

Lu Yun looked up in surprise and saw the water from his clothes dripping onto her waist. Her wide sleeves and skirt clung to him, also soaked through. In the dim light, Luo Lingyu’s face was classically beautiful, like a reflection in a mirror or moonlight on water…

Like an immortal or demon.

Third Young Master Lu’s mind went blank for a moment as he stared at her.

Until the maid Lingyu called from the wing room: “Miss, everything is ready here. Where are you?”

Luo Lingyu, who was holding Lu Yun and struggling to pull him from the water, stiffened. She quickly held him against her chest, using her long robe’s wide sleeves to block the view from the wing room.

Her voice carried over melodiously: “I’m taking a walk by the lake. You’ve all worked hard today, go rest early and don’t worry about me.”

Lingyu hesitated, but the maids all agreed. Nearby, Luo Lingyu lowered her head and whispered to the pale-faced Third Young Master Lu, who had a strange flush: “Third Cousin, you don’t want my maids to see you, right?”

Lu Yun leaned in her arms, breathing in the lady’s fragrance. His face was snow-white as he lowered his eyelids as if closing his eyes, and laughed softly: “Little Sister Luo is clever and knows how to handle situations.”

Even at this point she wasn’t panicking, her mind still working… all thanks to Luo Lingyu’s profit-seeking nature.

After that laugh, wounds all over Third Young Master Lu’s body oozed blood, stinging sharply when touched by water. Curled in the lady’s embrace, he let out a muffled groan that scraped across Luo Lingyu’s heart.

She trembled slightly and immediately spoke to him, asking him to cooperate so she could find a way to bring him back to her chambers—”Third Cousin, don’t fall asleep. You’re too heavy, I can’t carry you by myself.”

By the time Luo Lingyu and Lu Yun made it to her chambers, over an hour had passed. Not only had Lu Yun’s injuries worsened during the move, but when Luo Lingyu finally managed to throw him onto the bed, she collapsed beside it, sweating and exhausted.

But there was no time to rest. The young lord lay motionless on the bed. After removing his night clothes, his grey robe underneath was covered in dark red stains, showing how serious his wounds were.

Luo Lingyu’s face flushed. She couldn’t change his clothes – she had no men’s clothing here. That would have to wait until he woke up.

Avoiding the maids outside, she tiptoed in and out, bringing hot water to clean his face. She was clever and skilled – though she couldn’t get medicine without alerting the maids, she managed to find scissors and bandages to dress his wounds. If it had been any other clumsy lady who’d never done this before, Lu Yun would have suffered much more.

After bringing fresh water one last time, Luo Lingyu stood worrying about why Third Young Master Lu was so badly injured. As she reached the screen with the basin, she caught sight of him painfully sitting up, trying to fix his messy clothes.

After removing the blood-soaked grey robe, he wore only an inner garment. His movements were slow, pulled by his many wounds. The young lord’s head was bowed, his half-dried black hair like silk across his shoulders. In his white clothes, his profile pale as snow, he was clearly handsome…

Suddenly her mind exploded with realization!

In that moment, the lord before her overlapped with a memory. Both times emerging from water, both times begging for help. The differences: last time he was nearly dead, this time he could move; last time in coarse white clothes, this time in fine silks; last time pale as a ghost from being in the water too long, this time just weary but still handsome…

Yet in one instant, the two moments merged. As he bowed his head to tie his sash, it reminded her of that glimpse on the boat, when she’d caught sight of his profile…

“Crash!” The basin fell from her hands, hot water splashing her skirts. But the beauty at the screen didn’t move, just stared ahead with wide eyes.

Hearing the noise, Lu Yun looked up, meeting Luo Lingyu’s terrified gaze. Her eyes filled with shock, fear, embarrassment, shame – so many emotions mixed together, making her dark eyes complex with feeling.

Seeing her expression, Lu Yun’s heart sank as realization struck:

She had recognized him.

Luo Lingyu’s voice shook: “Th-th-third… who are you really?”

She stepped forward to the bed, trembling so hard her teeth chattered. Under extreme stress, her face went as pale as the injured Lu Yun’s.

Lu Yun watched her for a long time, then said slowly: “Are you wondering if I’m the man you saved on the boat when you first came to Jianye?”

Luo Lingyu’s mind went blank: “…”

Lu Yun stared at her intently. Though weak from his wounds, he had to stay alert, his gaze never wavering. Third Young Master Lu seemed to smile at fate’s humor: “Yes, I’m the man you saved onto the boat, then forced to jump back into the water to fend for myself when we were still half a day from Jianye.”

The truth hit her like falling dust, and Luo Lingyu collapsed to the ground, her mind reeling—

It was him, it really was him!

That’s why he disliked her from the start, humiliating her several times. Her sister must have recognized him later, trying to warn her. But Luo Lingyu had barely looked at that man… if Third Young Master Lu hadn’t fallen into water and needed saving again, she never would have remembered.

She’d lied to her sister, saying that man left because his injuries hadn’t healed. In truth, she’d forced him off the boat when no one was looking. Third Young Master Lu was too proud to argue – when she wouldn’t let him stay, he jumped into the water and left.

Then he returned to the Lu family and spent half a month recovering… The Lu family was so powerful, with countless medicines and doctors, yet it still took Lu Yun that long to heal. Surely some of that was because she’d made him leave the boat early, worsening his injuries.

And through all that… Lu Yun never said a word!

Just watched her from the shadows with that half-mocking smile…

When she tried every trick to build a relationship with him, how ridiculous she must have looked to Third Young Master Lu! He stood in the darkness, watching her act refined and kind, moving between the young lords and ladies of the Lu family, surely mocking her again and again in his heart.

He never said a word – didn’t tell the Lu family she’d abandoned him, that they shouldn’t take in such a heartless woman. Didn’t tell her “I know who you are, I’ve been watching your schemes.”

She’d been dancing like a fool before him for almost a month!

Her most shameful self, her most heartless side… had been exposed to Lu Yun from the very start. No matter how she tried to make up for it later, it wouldn’t help much.

No wonder he was never moved by her beauty, even if he didn’t want to marry her. No wonder he kept warning her not to pursue the Lu family’s young lords, thinking she had ulterior motives…

She should even thank him! Thank him for not telling the Lu family at the start that they couldn’t keep such a cousin!

Luo Lingyu’s expression kept changing, growing worse and worse. Her hands hidden in her sleeves, her long fingers dug into her palms until they bled. She sat rigid, unmoving – Lu Yun had seen the most real Luo Lingyu, leaving her feeling utterly ashamed, regretful and afraid.

A young lord knew her true self. If she couldn’t marry him… she should kill him, let the secret never see light. Of course she couldn’t kill Lu Yun, but she could choose not to save him.

He appeared in this state, not wanting others to know – clearly he was in big trouble. If she didn’t help him, would he die…

Luo Lingyu’s eyelashes trembled, her fingers shook, her heart twisted in conflict as her shoulders quivered with fear.

Lu Yun: “…”

Though weak, he watched Luo Lingyu’s changing expressions with interest. He did feel some pleasure – from the first time he saw this cousin at the Lu family matriarch’s, he’d been waiting for this moment.

Waiting to see Luo Lingyu’s expression when she learned the truth, to see her afraid and utterly ashamed, to know what she looked like when embarrassed… but his current injuries dampened much of that pleasure.

Making it feel somewhat heavy.

The joy lasted only at first. Seeing Luo Lingyu’s eyes grow more conflicted and darker, Lu Yun sighed. He actually felt some reluctance to watch her struggle so much. More keenly, he realized if she couldn’t think it through and abandoned him… the fewer people who knew about his current trouble, the better.

Third Young Master Lu leaned forward. Luo Lingyu trembled and leaned back. Lu Yun’s cold fingers produced a brown pill from somewhere. As Luo Lingyu’s eyes widened in fear, his handsome face pressed close to hers.

One hand reached behind her neck to pull her forward while the other pushed the pill toward her mouth. Luo Lingyu clenched her teeth, refusing to accept it. His slender fingers pressed under her jaw, making her mouth open involuntarily. The pill went in. Lu Yun pushed her jaw again, forcing her to swallow it.

Luo Lingyu shoved Lu Yun away hard, clutching her throat and coughing. She asked in terror: “What… what did you make me take?”

Third Young Master Lu’s voice was cold: “Poison.”

Luo Lingyu whirled around, eyes wider than ever, staring at him in disbelief. Lu Yun sat on the bed, bent parallel to it, looking down at her. The young lord said carelessly: “If you don’t save me and I die, you’ll accompany me in death.”

His thick long lashes covered his eyes. Looking down at someone this way seemed tender and passionate, but was actually cold and heartless. Not a hint of smile showed on his face, none of his usual frivolous private manner. Instead he showed that noble, contemptuous, looking-down-on-all-creation expression. Like snow on a mountaintop, unreachable.

Luo Lingyu’s fingers curled against the floor, her reddened palms hurting more.

The next moment, his lashes lifted to reveal eyes full of laughter. His expression changed completely, becoming that romantic, elegant manner he showed in private.

His hand massaged her neck, his tall nose barely brushing against hers, his breath on her face. Both their cheeks flushed slightly with life.

Lu Yun smiled: “Just teasing you… How could clever Little Sister Luo not help me? I’ll give you the antidote.”

“How could your cousin bear to see such a beauty wither and die?”

After several changes in expression, Luo Lingyu gripped his hand, cold from blood loss, and said softly: “Lu Yun, don’t worry, I’ll definitely save you.”

“Just remember the antidote afterwards.”

Lu Yun’s eyes darkened as he relaxed, knowing he’d handled this Little Sister Luo. He fell back tiredly against the pillow. This battle of wills with Luo Lingyu had kept him constantly alert, trying to keep her under control.

Finally relaxing, the young lord lay on the bed watching her quietly as she collected herself and first wiped the sweat from his brow. Her sleeve fell against his cheek, still full of sweet fragrance.

Getting Luo Lingyu to save him was never easy.

After finishing everything, Luo Lingyu instructed: “Bear with it and sleep on the couch tonight. I’ll sleep in the inner bed… When dawn comes and you’ve rested enough, leave early before the maids come to wake me.”

In this era customs were open, and noble ladies even more bold, with lovers everywhere. Sleeping in the same room as a young lord wasn’t a big deal to them.

After giving instructions, Luo Lingyu turned to leave, but Lu Yun felt somewhat uncomfortable. His fingers lightly caught her sleeve on the bed as he lowered his eyes and said softly:

“Why doesn’t Little Sister Luo call me Third Cousin anymore?”

“And what about your ‘Brother Xue Chen’?”

Luo Lingyu: “…”

Bah!

As if she’d call him that!

She wasn’t a good person, but Lu Yun wasn’t much better. They were equally bad… from now on, she’d stay far away from this Third Young Master Lu. She couldn’t marry him or get rid of him, but surely she could avoid him?

That night the young lord and lady were separated by a screen, one on the bed and one on the couch, in complete silence.

Luo Lingyu lay on her side in bed, looking toward the screen where she could faintly see the young lord’s sleeping form on the couch. Lu Yun did the same, staring through the screen as she dozily fell asleep.

Neither slept well.

As dawn approached, while Mount Zhong’s green peaks still hid in darkness, Second Young Master Lu’s door was knocked by Prince Hengyang.

Cool dew wet the steps, and after a night, the ground outside was covered in moss and fallen flowers.

Second Young Master Lu stood barefoot at the door, looking in astonishment at young Liu Mu in his fitted clothes, hands behind his back, dozens of servants behind him.

Lu Xian’s heart sank and his expression gradually tightened.

Though his dream told him Prince Hengyang would be the future emperor, he didn’t know if the dream was true… and he, Lu Xian, didn’t have the kind of close relationship with Prince Hengyang that would bring him knocking before dawn.

Lu Xian said deeply: “Why does Prince Hengyang seek me at this hour? Is something wrong in Jianye?”

Prince Hengyang stared at the frail young scholar for a moment, then suddenly smiled brightly: “Nothing’s wrong. I just suddenly felt like visiting Mount Zhong, and heard the Lu family’s young lords and cousin ladies were all here. It wouldn’t be right not to pay a visit. I came to invite Second Young Master… after dawn, while the ladies play their refined games, how about the young lords have an archery competition to entertain the ladies?”

Lu Xian frowned: “This…”

Liu Mu: “Second Young Master, I’ve come all the way to Jianye, and made the effort to come to Mount Zhong. It’s not very nice if you won’t even give me this small favor? It’s just archery practice, just for fun, no winning or losing.”

Lu Xian still minded the dream’s prediction and didn’t want to offend Prince Hengyang. He even wanted to curry favor with him. The relationship between royal and noble families was delicate, better to be careful… Second Young Master Lu nodded: “Alright.”

Liu Mu’s smile deepened.

He stared at Second Young Master Lu. The Lu family’s young lords were all handsome, and Second Young Master Lu was naturally elegant, but not to the degree Master Kong described where he could recognize him at first glance. But the Lu family had a Third Young Master, known as the “Jade Young Lord” – who in all of Jianye didn’t know of him?

That assassin’s arm was badly wounded last night. He would find that assassin among all the young lords on Mount Zhong.

He would see if Third Young Master Lu was the assassin from last night!