Concubine Liu’s bright eyes held a trace of timidity, but even more worry: “There must be a reason why the Master and Madam didn’t summon you. Why don’t you have dinner here with me tonight?”

Having been raised under the First Madam’s care, and never officially transferred to Madam Yang’s name in the family registry, Yang Jingyuan had always been clear about his position. Yet being reminded so cautiously by his birth mother still made him uncomfortable. “I’ll return to Mingyue Residence. After the evening banquet, it will be late, and Father will need to rest. I’ll come to pay my respects to him tomorrow.”

Looking at her son’s handsome face, Concubine Liu’s eyes reddened: “I didn’t mean anything by it. I don’t know what you’ve been busy with these past two weeks. Your father has mentioned several times that he doesn’t see you at dinner in the main hall, always coming and going at odd hours… In two months, you’ll be taking a wife. Madam and the two young madams are busy preparing for your wedding. Remember to pay your respects to Madam, don’t let her grow cold-hearted… or your future wife might suffer for it.”

Worried that Madam wouldn’t like her, worried that Ji Yingying would face resentment after marriage. Despite being favored, the concubine still lived as if treading on thin ice. Yang Jingyuan felt a moment of self-loathing for his idleness. He smiled, “Son understands.”

He strode away, then turned back after some distance. Concubine Liu stood in the wide corridor, the setting sun casting a warm orange glow upon her. The pink shawl around her arms fluttered in the evening breeze, creating a scene of incomparable beauty with her gentle smile.

Yang Jingyuan returned to Mingyue Residence and sent Xiangyou to gather information.

Sheng Fengze hadn’t come alone. He was accompanied by Magistrate Ning from the prefecture office, Commander Stone (Yang Madam’s elder brother), and the head of the Jinye Guild, among others.

The Yang family had invited Qin Sisi from the Imperial Musicians’ Office to perform at the evening banquet. Yang Jingyuan stood in the shadow of a tree. As the lanterns were being lit, the main hall blazed with triple the usual number of candles, making the magnificent building as bright as day. Even from far away, Qin Sisi’s enchanting voice carried on the wind. The notes from her pipa fell like pearls, continuously stirring Yang Jingyuan’s heart. Climbing his own family’s wall, scaling his own family’s roof to peek through the back window of the main hall… impossible. Sheng Fengze’s guards stood outside the main hall, watching even the serving maids bringing dishes. Sheng Fengze himself was skilled in martial arts. If he discovered someone, it would bring great shame to the Yang family.

He wanted to know Sheng Fengze’s purpose for coming. Attending an evening banquet couldn’t simply be about buying the Yang family’s brocade. Yang Jingyuan quietly stopped a serving maid and asked her to pass a message to Xueting, Madam Yang’s maid. He then went to wait at the lakeside pavilion.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Xueting hurried over: “Third Young Master, Madam is entertaining the officials’ wives and can’t spare anyone. I can’t stay long.”

Yang Jingyuan sat casually on the corridor railing, looking quite dissatisfied: “Dear Xueting, I have no other business, I’m just curious. Isn’t that Nanzhao prince buying brocade everywhere? Coming at this time doesn’t seem like he’s here to buy from our family. During the Lantern Festival, the Nanzhao people were too arrogant, and we even got into a fight with them. What’s he doing here?”

Xueting, thinking Yang Jingyuan was upset about not being invited to the banquet, quickly explained: “The Nanzhao Prince Sheng has been buying Shu brocade in Yizhou, and went to the Zhao family at Sandaoyan first. It’s been over half a month, yet he wouldn’t come to our Yang family. All the brocade merchants in the city were laughing at the Yang family. That’s why Madam asked the Old Master to invite him here. Madam knew that you and the Zhou family’s Seventh Young Master had overturned Prince Sheng’s sedan chair that night, that’s why she didn’t invite you to the banquet. Please don’t take it to heart. I must go now.”

She curtseyed to Yang Jingyuan and hurried back.

So it was his stepmother who couldn’t swallow this pride and specially invited Sheng Fengze.

“I knew it. If he wanted to buy brocade, he would have come to the Yang family anyway. He’s deliberately keeping the Yang family waiting. Later, Mother will have to sell him our finest brocade at a discount to save face. How cunning!” Yang Jingyuan knew that in public, Sheng Fengze would certainly maintain his elegant composure, so there was no point in eavesdropping. He spat and returned to Mingyue Residence.

Thinking about convincing his father and eldest brother tomorrow to raise funds for repairing the city walls, imagining Sheng Fengze’s expression would surely be spectacular, Yang Jingyuan felt waves of satisfaction.

During the banquet, Second Master Yang remained distracted. Sheng Fengze’s face overlapped with that of the mysterious man from the mountain cottage before the new year. When greeting him, Second Master Yang’s legs nearly gave out.

The mysterious man who had advised him to destroy the main branch and seize the Yang family headship was the White King of Nanzhao. Seeing Sheng Fengze’s gentle smile, Second Master Yang broke out in a cold sweat that soaked through his clothes.

He showed no sign of recognizing him. His eyes were as deep as the sea; one glance reminded Second Master Yang of their meeting in the plum garden. He couldn’t forget the black-clad figure appearing like a ghost in the plum garden, couldn’t forget those sharp, gleaming arrowheads. He absent-mindedly maintained a smile, continuously recalling that day’s scene.

“Second Brother, you don’t look well,” First Master Yang naturally inquired.

Second Master Yang was so startled he almost dropped his wine cup: “Do I look unwell? Perhaps because I went to bed late last night, and there were many matters at the shop today, I haven’t rested properly.”

First Master Yang shook his head: “Look at you, your complexion is worse than mine.” He leaned close and whispered, “I’ve finished the wine you sent. Do you have any more? If you do, bring it out to entertain our guests tonight. Send some more later.”

Wine! This was his elder brother. Should he send more?

Sheng Fengze had only sent one dan of wine. One dan equals two hundred jin of wine, said to be a great tonic, more than sufficient. He had only bottled two small jars to send to his elder brother.

Second Master Yang nodded mechanically. He watched Yang Jingshan confidently step forward with the guild head to toast Sheng Fengze. He looked at his own Fourth Young Master. Not to mention compared with Yang Jingshan, he was far inferior even to Second Young Master Yang Jingyan in bearing and dignity.

“The Yang family head…”

Amidst the exchange of drinks, Second Master Yang faintly heard these words. Looked again at his elder brother, wrinkled and grey-haired but ruddy-faced, wearing a satisfied expression. Big Brother would retire, and the eldest son would succeed him. When he grew old, his Fourth Son would probably not even match up to his nephews. The second branch would gradually move further from the center of power in the Yang family’s brocade business.

Second Master Yang made an instant decision: “Little Brother calculated that Big Brother must have finished the wine, and I happened to have just purchased some. I’ll send someone to fetch it now.”

Soon the wine was brought and warmed before being poured into cups.

Second Master Yang hadn’t dared to drink until now, but seeing Sheng Fengze drink it down readily. There shouldn’t be poison in it. He had said it was a secret brew that no one could detect.

“Excellent wine!” First Master Yang drained his cup and contentedly poured another. “Second Brother, why are you in a daze? Let me tell you, tonight you’ll understand this wine’s wonder.”

Second Master Yang trembled, spilling some wine from his cup. He threw his head back and drained it. The hot, spicy wine rushed down his throat, and a wave of warmth rose from his stomach. Second Master Yang’s face flushed, and his spirits lifted.

Sheng Fengze raised his cup and smiled: “This wine is truly exceptional. It’s been a long time since the Prince has tasted such a fine brew! We must drink three hundred cups!”

“The Prince has such literary talent! Bottoms up!” Magistrate Ning and Commander Stone heard Sheng Fengze quote Li Bai’s poem, their faces brightening as they praised loudly and raised their cups in accompaniment.

Watching his elder brother drink cup after cup without showing any fatigue, becoming more and more spirited, Second Master Yang’s heart slowly sank, then slowly hardened.