Chapter 23: Moonlit Lake Scenery

Li Bai’s expression grew solemn. He walked to the door, glanced outside to ensure no one was there, then returned to sit beside Chen Yage, his face serious. “Don’t you find this Peach Blossom Valley a little odd?” he asked.

“Odd? What’s strange about it?” Chen Yage was puzzled by Li Bai’s words. In this valley, peach blossoms bloomed everywhere, stretching for ten miles. Distant mountains lay like dark brows against the horizon. The lake was as smooth as a mirror, the stream tinkled, ancient trees stood tall and lush, and the residents were honest and simple, working at dawn and resting at dusk—a utopia everyone longed for. What could be strange about it?

“Yage, where are you from?” Li Bai asked.

Chen Yage looked at him in confusion, unsure how to respond. She was, of course, from the modern world, but would Li Bai believe such an absurd and fantastic thing? After some hesitation, she decided to lie. Sometimes, the peace of this world depended on well-intentioned falsehoods.

She lowered her gaze and whispered, “I don’t remember where I’m from, nor who my parents are. I only know my name is Chen Yage—nothing else comes to mind.”

Li Bai pressed, “You truly recall nothing about your past?”

Chen Yage nodded firmly. She would never admit the truth. Perhaps one day, when fate allowed, she would reveal her secret.

Li Bai sighed. “Maybe I’m just being paranoid. Go rest for a while—you’ll need your strength tonight. I’ll prepare some items to ward off evil, just in case.”

“Brother Bai, I want to go with you. A woman’s intuition can be helpful; I’m afraid you might forget something important. If we really encounter a female ghost, it might be hard to handle.”

“Alright, another pair of hands will help.” Li Bai stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in white like an immortal. He sighed again, “I hope we find something tonight, but I also hope there’s nothing much to discover.”

To Chen Yage, Li Bai was a gifted poet, a free-spirited wanderer. When he uttered, “A thousand gold pieces scattered, yet they return again,” he was the epitome of boldness. But now, Li Bai was shrouded in melancholy. Chen Yage understood: tonight at Moon Lake, they hoped to encounter the female ghost, to prove that Chaoyun and Dujuan had not lied. Yet, they also wished not to meet her; if there truly was a ghost, their journey might end in disaster.

Night descended, the wind was high, and a solitary moon hung at the edge of the sky, casting a gentle glow. Silence reigned; the tranquil Peach Blossom Valley continued in perfect order.

Chen Yage and Li Bai walked under the moonlight, each lost in their thoughts, reaching Moon Lake without exchanging a single word.

Moon Lake was beautiful, like a fairyland. White mist cloaked the surface, resembling clouds in the sky, light yet tinged with magical hues.

They stopped beneath a peach tree by the shore, exchanged cautious glances, and stepped gingerly toward the water’s edge.

The lake was still, like an unpolished bronze mirror. The moonlight spilled softly across its surface, refracting into a dazzling beam. Occasionally, the night breeze skimmed across, yet the lake’s movements were hard to discern.

“Brother Bai, this lake is so beautiful! In the day, peach blossoms and faces shine red, but it’s nothing compared to this swirling mist and moonlight, as if we’re in a celestial realm,” Chen Yage exclaimed, unable to contain herself.

Li Bai, who had wandered the world for ten years and seen countless landscapes, remained alert despite the beauty. Unlike Chen Yage, who could sleep through thunder, she was now utterly enchanted by the scene, forgetting the purpose of their visit.

Li Bai lowered his voice, scanning their surroundings. “The scenery is lovely, but don’t let your guard down.”

Li Bai’s words jolted Chen Yage from her reverie. Embarrassed, she stuck out her tongue; she had indeed been careless. She widened her eyes, searching the lake but finding nothing. Glancing behind them, she saw no movement and whispered, “Brother Bai, do you think there really is a female ghost? Why is there no sign at all?”

Li Bai shushed her. “Be patient! We must stay vigilant. No sign may be a good thing—if there is, we might be fighting for our lives.”

Li Bai’s words sent a chill through Chen Yage. Without another word, she hooked her arm through his, feigning fear as she leaned closer, though secretly she was delighted.

The air was so still that they could hear the wind brushing by and their own breathing.

The wait felt endless, as long as the burning of a stick of incense.

Chen Yage was not a patient person, especially on a strange night like this. The surroundings remained silent. She looked up at the lonely moon and sighed, “The lone star and moon hang low—sleepless, the wanderer roams afar!”

Li Bai also gazed at the solitary moon, pondering, then recited:

“When I was young, I did not know the moon,
I called it a white jade plate.
I thought it was a mirror from the Jade Terrace,
Flying at the edge of the azure clouds.
Immortals hang their feet,
How round the laurel tree stands.
The white rabbit pounds the elixir—
Who is it meant for?
The toad eats away at the bright disk,
The night’s brilliance fades.
Once, Yi shot down nine suns,
Now, heaven is peaceful and clear.
But in this confusion,
There is little worth seeing.
What can one do in sorrow?
The heart is crushed with grief.”

Romance in the Tang Dynasty: Poet Immortal, Please Stay!
Chapter 023: Strolling by Moon Lake—Update Complete!