The main gate of the Lu family mansion stood open, with spring sunlight streaming diagonally into the residence. Half of the hall basked in the warm rays as the day grew increasingly hot.
Today, Ming Shu and Lu Chang went out and wouldn’t return for lunch. Madam Zeng didn’t need to prepare meals, so she took the rare opportunity to enjoy some leisure time. She brewed herself a bowl of Eight Treasures tea and sat in a shady corner, playing with Zhao Bao who lay at her feet to pass the time.
Though having children around was lively, occasional moments of tranquility were also pleasant. As the saying goes, “stealing half a day’s leisure from life” – this was exactly such a moment.
After playing for a while, Madam Zeng leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes while sipping tea. Suddenly, someone burst through the door.
“Mother!” Ming Shu’s clear voice rang out. “When did Brother get engaged? Who is my future sister-in-law? Why didn’t you ever tell me about this!”
“Pfft!” Madam Zeng nearly spat out her tea. “Engaged? When did this happen? I don’t know anything about it!”
Lu Chang followed Ming Shu across the threshold, his face full of helplessness. Ming Shu had been questioning him about this the entire way home.
The news of him achieving Hui Yuan paled in comparison to her shock over his supposed engagement.
Ming Shu recounted what happened at the examination results board. Madam Zeng’s attention was naturally drawn to the “engagement” matter, and she looked at Lu Chang suspiciously. Lu Chang didn’t explain, only turning his head away.
“Brother said he won’t marry anyone but her!” Ming Shu said anxiously. “Quick, tell me, what kind of lady is she?”
“There is no engagement. He’s never been engaged – he was just making things up outside,” Madam Zeng scolded Lu Chang.
Ming Shu looked at Lu Chang in surprise: “Brother, you lied? This is about your marriage – if word gets out, no one will marry you!”
“It’s not entirely a lie,” Madam Zeng patted Ming Shu’s hand and sat back down in her chair, taking a sip of tea. “There is indeed a young lady from a good family.”
“Brother’s sweetheart?” Ming Shu sat on a small stool beside Madam Zeng, listening attentively as if to a story.
Her heart was beating unusually fast for some reason.
Perhaps her brother’s story was truly moving.
“That young lady has known him since childhood. She’s beautiful and has a good temperament, the daughter of a wealthy family. She’s liked him since they were young. But he was proud and arrogant, and because he disapproved of her father’s actions, he distanced himself from her as well. Before leaving for the capital, the young lady personally asked him about his feelings, but he rejected her. Now that he’s changed his mind, she might not be waiting for him anymore – she might already be betrothed to someone else. His talk of ‘won’t marry anyone but her’ is just his wishful thinking.”
Madam Zeng spoke slowly and deliberately. Lu Chang remained silent, though his gaze grew distant.
Only Ming Shu, with her clear bright eyes, listened with genuine emotion – her chest felt tight as if something was tugging at it.
This story seemed to resonate deeply with her.
“Ming Shu, if you were this young lady, would you wait for him?” Madam Zeng stroked Ming Shu’s head, asking the question that was in Lu Chang’s heart.
Ming Shu shook her head: “No, I wouldn’t.”
Why wait for someone who had already left? Especially when that person hadn’t even given her a reason to wait.
Lu Chang closed his eyes: “Let’s stop talking about this.”
Ming Shu suddenly felt sorry for him: “If Brother goes back soon enough, maybe she hasn’t gotten engaged or married yet. Life is unpredictable – perhaps heaven has left you a glimmer of hope.”
“If it were you, if you were still unmarried when we met again, would you be willing to turn back?” This question came from Lu Chang.
Ming Shu, leaning against Madam Zeng, instinctively wanted to shake her head, but seeing Lu Chang quietly watching her as if she were that young lady he spoke of, her heart tightened again. It was as if his intangible gaze had transformed into a large hand gripping her heart, and her answer changed before it left her mouth.
“If it were someone like Brother, perhaps… I might want to turn back…” Ming Shu wasn’t sure if she was just comforting him or if this was truly what she believed. After blurting this out, she quickly added, “But I’m not that young lady, why do you keep asking me? Come to think of it, do I even know her?”
“You do know her,” said Madam Zeng.
“Mother?” Lu Chang frowned, not knowing what Madam Zeng intended to say.
“That young lady…” Madam Zeng paused.
Ming Shu’s heart suddenly suspended, though she didn’t know why.
“Her surname is Jian.”
Ming Shu suddenly dropped her head heavily, pressing her hand against her temple, her brows tightly knitted. The sudden pain in her head and the chaotic images made her cry out involuntarily.
“Ming Shu?!” Lu Chang rushed to her side to support her.
Madam Zeng sighed.
It still wasn’t working – these memories… wouldn’t be easy to recover. They would need to take a longer-term approach.
Ming Shu gradually recovered as the headache subsided, and sat properly while holding Lu Chang’s hand: “Brother, I’m fine…”
She wanted to continue their previous conversation, but before she could finish speaking, the sound of gongs and drums came from outside.
Government officials had come to the Lu residence to deliver good news.
The golden notice had arrived.
A large group of people gathered outside the Lu residence to offer congratulations, and Madam Zeng and Lu Chang had to rise to receive them. Lu Chang had placed first in this year’s metropolitan examination, while Song Qing Zhao had placed second.
The palace examination would be in three days. If Lu Chang could win first place there, he wouldn’t just be this year’s Zhuangyuan.
Provincial Examination Champion, Metropolitan Examination Champion, Palace Examination Champion – achieving all three would be the highest possible honor.
————
Fortunately, the palace examination was in three days, which coincided with the end of the three-day period Ming Shu had agreed upon with Lu Chang. She had promised him she would stay at the Wei residence for no more than three days, and would return regardless of what she discovered.
By this calculation, she would make it back in time to see her brother achieve his highest honors.
Early the next morning, Ming Shu disguised herself and left home. Lu Chang followed behind her to escort her to the Wei residence, watching from afar as she knocked on their main gate.
The heavy door was opened from within, and a brown-clad servant emerged, looking suspiciously up and down at the person standing outside.
Wearing a plain cyan Daoist robe, a yellow crown binding her hair, holding a Buddhist whisk, with a peach wood sword strapped to her back – the person at the door was a female Daoist with delicate features but cold eyes.
Ming Shu formed the Yin-Yang hand seal and gave the servant a Daoist greeting, introducing herself as planned. The servant’s expression grew solemn.
Daoism was flourishing at the time, with many seeking immortality and enlightenment. Practitioners could be of either gender, some joining midway through life, others training from childhood in famous schools – the latter being more respected and considered proper cultivators. Ming Shu was disguised as one of these.
“I am traveling the world for training. While staying in Bianjing for several days, I observed unusual signs in the heavens pointing to this location. Upon arrival, I discovered your residence is exactly where the celestial signs indicated,” Ming Shu made a show of calculating with her fingers. “Your master is blessed by the Star Lord of Military Affairs and should have enjoyed military success and continuous promotion these years. A red auspicious light and energy surround your residence, but recently this light has dimmed and the auspicious energy has dispersed, with a gray mist encroaching. There must be some unsettled matter in your household that has persisted for months, affecting your master’s fortunes. I am a person outside the mortal realm, dedicated to exorcising demons and upholding the Dao, seeking no reward. If convenient, could you allow me to take a look inside?”
“Immortal, this isn’t something I can decide,” Though she had hit upon some truth, the servant remained skeptical and naturally couldn’t grant permission.
“Perhaps you could inform your master and allow me to meet with them? I can surely convince them,” Ming Shu suggested.
“The master isn’t home today…” the servant hesitated before adding, “Why don’t you wait a moment while I go ask the Second Master?”
Ming Shu knew the Second Master he referred to was Wei Xian’s younger brother Wei Chao, so she nodded.
The servant closed the door again, and Ming Shu waited outside for about the time it took to drink half a cup of tea before the door reopened. A tall, thin middle-aged man and a plump woman emerged from behind the screen wall. Needless to say, the woman was Second Madam Wei Liu who had previously approached Ming Shu, and the thin man was her husband Wei Chao.
This couple was quite interesting – one tall and one short, one fat and one thin, naturally complementing each other. They came hurrying out while arguing.
“You know your brother’s temperament – he doesn’t like strangers entering the house. Besides, didn’t we just invite a Daoist from the Upper Clarity Temple last month? What are you making a fuss about now? If Big Brother finds out, we’ll be in for it!” Wei Chao scolded in a lowered voice.
“That Daoist from Upper Clarity Temple was just here to swindle money! He took the money but didn’t solve anything. Has the house been peaceful since he left? Look at my head! Look!” She pushed aside her hair to reveal a bruise on her temple. “The other night I was scared so badly I fell on the stone steps – I was lucky not to crack my head open.”
“That was just a cat that scared you!”
“When did our family ever keep cats? Why would a cat suddenly appear to scare me? Have you found that cat anywhere in the garden? It must have been an evil spirit! This has happened how many times now? I’m so scared I can’t eat or sleep, and now that a master has volunteered to come help, you won’t even let them check?”
Ming Shu could hear everything clearly from outside – Second Madam Wei’s voice was still as loud as ever.
“But Big Brother…”
“Big Brother, Big Brother, Big Brother – is he your father? Why are you so obedient? All these years you don’t dare make a sound in front of him, acting like his grandson. Wei Chao, I tell you, if this isn’t resolved, I’m taking the children back to my family’s house!” Liu Shi had married into the Wei family before they became prominent, and her background wasn’t high – she was just an ordinary commoner, so her speech wasn’t particularly refined.
“Lower your voice!” Wei Chao hurriedly made a silencing gesture, looking left and right before being forced to compromise. “Alright, alright, let’s meet this person first – they might just be another swindler anyway.”
Liu Shi glared at him before walking to the door and giving Ming Shu a meaningful look.
Ming Shu understood, forming hand seals and bowing to Wei Chao and Liu Shi.
According to Liu Shi, Wei Xian made all the decisions in the Wei household, and he was very strict – not just with servants, but even with his brother whom he would punish for any transgression, which was why Wei Chao feared him so much. Wei Xian disliked outsiders entering the residence, so apart from him, very few people brought guests into the house. Though Liu Shi complained verbally, she also feared this brother-in-law and didn’t dare openly bring Ming Shu into the house, so Ming Shu had to resort to this strategy, secretly coordinating with Liu Shi.
Wei Chao was startled when he saw Ming Shu’s appearance. He never expected such a young and beautiful woman, and his thoughts began to wander. Ming Shu saw through his thoughts immediately and said: “Amitabha. Patron, I know you must have doubts and don’t believe my words. No matter – please just listen to a few things I have to say before making your decision.”
Her voice was clear and crisp, her pace unhurried, carrying quite a convincing immortal air. Wei Chao said: “Go ahead, let’s hear it.”
“Your residence must have had experts set up formations to ward off evil and misfortune, right? Water flowing east like the Azure Dragon protecting the home; mountains behind as the Black Turtle, sitting steadily for peace; lotus pond to the south as the Vermillion Bird; winding path through the side garden to the west as the White Tiger – all four divine beasts complete, truly excellent feng shui. Have I said anything incorrect?”
“…” Wei Chao was stunned for a moment before quickly saying, “The Immortal is truly extraordinary.”
This was indeed how the residence had been built after specifically consulting experts, and she had described it perfectly, which was truly astonishing.
Ming Shu waved her hand modestly: “If the patron feels my words are true, might you allow me to enter and observe? I can explain more details to you.”
“Immortal, please come in,” Wei Chao hurriedly bowed and invited Ming Shu inside.
Ming Shu followed him in, smiling at Liu Shi.
She hadn’t studied feng shui – Liu Shi had revealed these details to her in advance to help her enter the Wei residence. She just added some made-up phrases to convince them.
————
By the lotus pond on the east side of the Wei residence, Madam Wei Du Wen Hui was chatting with someone in a pavilion.
“Ruoyi, are you still angry? Today the examination results were posted, and I heard Qingzhao placed second – this is wonderful news. Won’t you go home to see?” Du Wen Hui gently coughed while trying to persuade her guest.
This person was none other than Madam Xu, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Duke’s mansion – Ruoyi was her maiden name.
Because of the Ming Shu incident, Madam Xu had angrily left the residence. Unable to return to her maiden home, she used the excuse of visiting her close friend to stay at the Wei residence. Though Wei Xian disliked outsiders entering his home, he still had to maintain face with the Duke’s mansion, so he didn’t say anything.
“I won’t go back. I carried my son for ten months only for his heart to turn to outsiders – what’s the point in going back?” Madam Xu had been staying at the Wei residence for three days, but the Duke’s mansion had only sent a steward to fetch her. Not only had her anger not subsided, she felt even more wronged and refused to return.
“In three more days, it will be time for the palace examination. If Qingzhao becomes Zhuangyuan, you’ll immediately become the mother of a top scholar – are you not going back?” Though they hadn’t seen each other for a long time, Du Wen Hui still understood Madam Xu’s proud, face-saving, and stubborn personality, so she tried to persuade her.
The Duke was long-lived, and Madam Xu had been the heir’s wife for over twenty years without reaching the position she awaited. She looked forward to the glory of being a Zhuangyuan’s mother – on the day of the palace examination, she would surely return.
“We’ll see when the time comes.” Sure enough, Madam Xu replied uncomfortably, her gaze wandering randomly before suddenly fixing on the moon gate at the entrance to the small garden. “Who are those people?”
Du Wen Hui looked where she pointed and saw several people entering the garden. From a distance, she could only vaguely make out the second branch’s couple leading someone into the garden.
“Ling Xue, go ask the Second Master who has come,” Du Wen Hui sent her maid to inquire.
The maid returned quickly.
“Madam, the Second Master has brought in a female Daoist to examine the residence. They say… they say she’s here to exorcise spirits.”
“Another wandering charlatan coming to your home to deceive people!” Madam Xu spoke first.
Du Wen Hui’s brows furrowed slightly as she watched the second branch and their companions slowly approaching.