Chapter 2: Journey to the Yellow Springs

  By the river of oblivion, a sea of red flowers stretched out before her, like a blanket of hatred. On the platform overlooking the village, a mirror shone brightly. Pong Luo Xue walked along the path, treading on the red petals of the flowers, until she reached the mirror's edge. In her heart, she thought: "The hunchbacked old woman ladled out bowl after bowl of soup to travelers, just like Meng Po's soup of forgetfulness. Drinking it would make one forget past and present lives, and bowing their head, they would no longer have a flat stomach devoid of children. A belly full of hatred - no, I must not forget, I will make them pay the price."

  The hunchbacked midwife handed a bowl of soup to Pang Luoxue, her eyes full of hatred turning into bloody tears dripping into the soup, she raised her head and drank it all.

  Having crossed the Naihe Bridge, one must reach the afterlife; she definitely cannot forget, definitely cannot.

  "Alas, foolish child, after crossing the Naihe Bridge, go left, don't look back." Behind her came Meng Po's hoarse sigh. To the left was a blurry expanse with no road in sight. Only a thick, grey mist spread out aimlessly...

  "Grandma, why do you want to guide that girl towards the road of reincarnation?" Heibai Wuchang asked curiously. "It's all karma, this girl has too much resentment in her body, tears and blood dripping into the soup, she can't forget her past life. The hometown mirror glows, perhaps there will be a strange fate."

  I don't know how long I've been walking, it's as if I've walked the path of my entire life. The fog seems to be alive, guiding me step by step like a ray of light...

  Pang Luoxue only felt a splitting headache, opened her eyes to find the sunlight piercing, looked up and saw that this was not her boudoir before she got married. She picked up the copper mirror and took a fright, this hairpiece had clearly not been worn since she came of age. On the dressing table lay an exquisite embroidery, seemingly already half-finished, with peonies on both sides interpreting the process of blooming in different angles. It was because of this painting that Pang Luoyu won the favor of the empress and became the number one talented woman back then. So she had returned to seven years ago, ah, sister, ah sister, I wonder if you have the fate to enjoy the title of the first talented woman in this life? The Pang Luoxue in the mirror smiled sinisterly.

  "Sister, sister are you there?" Pang Luoyu walked over with a fan in hand, her smile radiant. It had to be said that the already-adult Pang Luoyu's attire suited her elegant and refined demeanor perfectly. The plum blossom makeup on her forehead set off her snowy white skin, and the flowing tassels under her hair ornaments were adorned with crystals of the same color, refracting a kaleidoscope of colors in the sunlight.

  Pang Luo Xue took a deep breath and tried to suppress the hatred in her heart, slowly approaching Pang Luo Yu with a smile. "Sister, why do you have time to come see me today? Are you thinking of me? Coincidentally, the flowers in mother's courtyard bloomed yesterday, so I drew a picture for mother, but she insisted that I embroider it for her to test my embroidery skills." Pang Luo Xue then handed the embroidered piece to Pang Luo Yu.

  As expected, upon seeing the embroidery, her face instantly stiffened and a flash of jealousy passed through her eyes. So, sister, you've always had ill intentions towards me, and I just didn't notice it before. Your acting skills are really good, aren't they? Since heaven thinks my life shouldn't be cut short, this lifetime will definitely make you sisters experience the pain I've endured. Thinking of this, Pong Luo Xue cleverly raised her head, still with a hint of childishness at just thirteen years old, and smiled sweetly at Pong Luo Yu, saying "Sister, do you think it's good? I wonder if mother will like it or not. Sister, can you please put in a good word for me?"

  "It's really beautiful, Xue'er's embroidery skills are truly worthy of her mother's teachings. Mother will be delighted to see this, after all, she favors you and didn't teach me even half of these skills. After it's finished, can you let sister take a look first? If there's anything not quite right, we can make adjustments before giving it to mother, who won't tolerate any imperfections." Pang Luoyu said with sincere eyes fixed on me.

  "Hmph, do you still think I'm the naive and gullible Pang Luoxue from back then? You're probably thinking of using this to attend the Empress's annual Peony Banquet. Ah, yes, the Peony Banquet! Since you want to make a name for yourself, as your sister, I'll have to help you out."

  "Then I'll have to trouble you, sister. Little sister will embroider it well and definitely go give it to you first, thank you, sister."

  Pang Luo Yu smiled lightly and pulled me saying "Today I want to go with my sister to pay respects to mother, let's hurry up, if we're late again we'll be punished."

  "Sister said so, and younger sister was just about to go too. Our ancestors' body is not feeling well, mother has been like that recently as well, let's hurry up and go."

  "That's it. Recently, my mother's body has been poor, so I specially let Congzhi cook a nourishing soup for my mother. Hurry up, if the soup cools down and loses its efficacy, it won't be good."

  "Hmph, you're the one who's been harming my mother with your schemes, causing her to be bedridden and allowing your family to dominate the Guo Gong Fu. My own mother was killed by you, and I've been foolishly serving as your stepping stone. Later, I must find a way to tell Mother about what happened to Bo Tang."

  All the way to the main mother's Jinxiu Pavilion, Jinxiu Pavilion is indeed the main mother's yard, and it is true that the sunlight is abundant. Although it is still a bit cold in April, the peonies and tree peonies in the yard have already bloomed vigorously.

  The pavilions and towers were all personally managed by Mother Yang and Father together, showing their deep love for each other. In this loving relationship, they had to share the husband's favor with several concubines. Su's hand picked a pure white peony, holding it in her hand and playing with it.

  "Big sister and second sister have arrived, madam has been waiting for the two sisters, please come in quickly." I followed Pang Luoyu into the house under the escort of the maid, took off my outer cloak, drank the ginger soup handed over by the maid, and then walked inside. My mother sat on the warm bed, looking a bit tired, wearing a fu character forehead sticker, and a mud gold jacket with some embroidered orchids. She raised her head to see us coming in and smiled slightly.

  "I pay respects to Mother," I said in unison with Pang Luo Yu as we bowed.

  "Wow, Snow and her sister are up so early today! You two are dressed so thinly, come over here to warm up." She said, beckoning us over.

  "Xue Er isn't afraid of trouble, is she? Carrying a thermos all the way here and it's already cold. She might as well come to my mother's place to warm up by the heater." I said with a smile.

  "Mother poked my head with her finger and smiled, 'You're always thinking of taking advantage of me. The other day you swindled a painting from me, and today you're here to swindle my warm bed again. You really are bullying me.' But as she said this, she pulled my hand onto the heater, her eyes reddening instantly. She buried her head in Yang's chest, speaking in a spoiled tone, 'This life must be protected well.'"

  "Mother, are you feeling a bit better today? Is your body feeling more comfortable? Yu'er has made the medicine according to the imperial physician's prescription. Cui Zhi, bring it in quickly."

  "Yu'er has been feeling unwell lately, and the imperial physician said it's just due to overwork, nothing serious. She'll be fine after resting for a few days. I'm sorry to trouble you sisters with this. Let Wang Mama handle it."

  "I remember Mother had a blue flower vase, and daughter specially picked a peony to give to Mother." After finishing speaking, she jumped off the bed and walked to the high desk with sea buckthorn, inserting it in.

  "This flower is indeed beautiful and about to bloom. This peony is just right for the painting I did a few days ago. Don't forget your embroidery."

  Pang Luo Xue saw the remaining light of the setting sun and heard that what I embroidered was indeed a peony, a fleeting joy on my face. It's okay, let you think I embroidered a peony. Yang Shi's face was full of doting love, and at this time, Wang Mama also served the medicine well.

  "Put it here, Mother, and Xue'er will personally serve you." She turned around to hold the medicine bowl, just as her hairpin touched a peony that was about to bloom. A flying insect happened to fall into the bowl. Pang Luoxue was startled and the bowl slipped from her hand, shattering on the ground. With a hint of satisfaction in her heart, she showed a tearful expression on her face. "Sister, I...I didn't do it on purpose."

  Yang saw my chubby little face scrunched up and immediately felt heartache, so she smoothed things over: "But you got burned, come quick and let mom take a look. When picking flowers, don't just grab them without looking, there might be bugs on them."

  "As long as my sister is fine, I'll just have to suffer through making the medicine. It's just a bit of trouble for Mother to wait for a moment. It's not a big deal." Pang Luoyu said with a warm smile.

  Pan Luoxue saw her with a face full of unwillingness but had to endure and pretend to be generous, it was really delightful in her heart.

  "Why don't you give the prescription to Wang's mother, I also want to learn, and then just decoct medicine in this Jinxiu Pavilion, no need for you to bring it all the way here, what do you think?"

  Pan Luo Xue smiled harmlessly, and her mother joked, "You know how to care about your sister, it's good that you'll stay here from now on, so your sister won't have to run back and forth. By the way, tomorrow when Old Lady returns from worshiping, get up early to pay respects, don't forget etiquette. Rain can return to her Ming Xue Pavilion after finishing her homework. Pan Luo Xue pouted, but at least she had a legitimate reason to stay."

  "Yu'er can go back to Tingyu Xuan first, since sister wants to learn about medicine, I'll have Songzhi bring the prescription over in a bit." He slightly bowed and left with Songzhi.