Zhong An saw Zan Jin stand beside Mo Zi, tall and imposing, quite formidable, and asked, “Brother Mo, this face is unfamiliar.”

Zan Jin puffed out his chest and pulled in his stomach, saying proudly, “Brother Mo is my mas—”

Mo Zi would never let Zhong An know she’d taken on such a person, immediately cutting in, “His name is Zan Jin, he’s a guard at Wangqiu Tower.”

“Seeing Brother Mo’s impressive entourage these days, I imagine you’ve been promoted step by step.” Zhong An thought highly of Mo Zi. “Your master truly knows how to employ people. This Zhong really wants to meet him—he must also be an extremely capable person.” One could judge the master by looking at the servant.

“My master constantly travels about, least of all liking to stay in one place. If Mister Zhong An wishes to meet him, I’m afraid it won’t be easy to catch him when he’s home. Let’s leave it to fate.” Mo Zi spoke skillfully.

Zhong An had only spoken casually, so being politely declined, he didn’t particularly mind. Thinking she truly couldn’t go to Wu You Pavilion, he stopped insisting. “Brother Mo, where do you reside in the capital? When I invite you again another day, I should have a place to send the invitation.”

Hearing that Zhong An seemed genuinely intent on inviting her again, Mo Zi had a flash of inspiration and said, “Mister Zhong An, my master’s Wangqiu Tower will be opening soon. If you visit regularly then, we’ll naturally be able to meet.” Quickly advertising.

“Oh, Wangqiu Tower is opening in the capital? I’ll definitely go.” Zhong An’s words weren’t empty promises. “What date, and where?”

“Not far at all—walk west along Tongyu Street to the end and you’re there. We’ll open in about a month. Mister Zhong An, please be sure to bring friends to support us.” As for that young general, it wouldn’t matter if he didn’t come. Mo Zi thought to herself.

“Definitely, definitely. Truly excellent vision, opening in Yuhe Ward—wealth will come rolling in. Moreover, with Wu You in the east and Wangqiu in the west, won’t there be beauties on both sides? Delightful, most delightful!” When not carrying out secret missions, Zhong An was like most scholars—loving elegance and beautiful women, a hedonist who composed wonderful poetry in gentle embraces.

Having said this, Zhong An cupped his hands and was about to take his leave.

“Mister Zhong An.” There was something, pressed under her tongue, that Mo Zi had wanted to ask since seeing him.

“Brother Mo, what is it?” Zhong An turned back.

“…” Is the number one corrupt official currently alive or dead? “Tonight… enjoy yourself.” After holding it in for so long, she still couldn’t ask it, instead saying an awkward modern blessing.

Yuan Cheng had been escorted to the capital by Zhong An, and Zhong An was a court official, so he should know how Yuan Cheng was doing now, right? But likewise, if she asked, she’d probably be asking in vain—Zhong An wouldn’t tell her. Their group had operated so secretly, not even daring to alert the local authorities, forced to consort with smugglers. At that time, she’d told Young Master Jin to wait for the public parading and execution at the Meridian Gate. Thinking back on it afterward, it was Young Master Jin who’d been right in saying the Emperor didn’t need grand fanfare to execute someone. It was just that she was too stubborn, always believing that such a person wouldn’t disappear quietly without a trace.

Zhong An suddenly smiled. “Brother Mo, do you want to ask about a certain person’s situation?”

No matter how much he displayed a debonair appearance fond of amusement, this person was still very clever.

Mo Zi’s eyes brightened as she quietly waited for Zhong An to continue.

“I only know that when I delivered him inside, he was still alive. Moreover, thanks to your two hundred taels of silver, he saw good physicians, took good medicine, and completely recovered his formerly detestable appearance. How he is now—it’s not that I won’t tell you, I truly don’t know.” Having finished speaking, Zhong An waved his fan. Very close to the entrance now and not bothering with the sedan, he walked along the wall for a stretch before turning into Wu You Pavilion.

Though she’d already learned from Jin Yin that the number one corrupt official had entered the imperial palace, being able to hear more detailed news at this moment, Mo Zi gave a deep bow. Regardless of whether the departing Zhong An could hear her or not, she said, “Thank you for informing me, sir.”

Seeing Mo Zi perform such a formal bow, Zan Jin quickly followed her example with his own deep bow.

The two mounted their horses and continued forward. With the sky growing somewhat dark, they urged their horses to go faster.

“What excitement did you see?” Mo Zi remembered to ask.

“I thought it was a acrobatic performance, surrounded by three layers inside and three layers outside. When I got closer, I saw they’d just posted an imperial proclamation. I can’t read, but I heard someone reading that the borders are in turmoil, the people of Great Zhou and the refugees from Yuling are supporting each other, requiring the strength of talented and ambitious people throughout the realm to overcome this difficulty together. The current Emperor’s grace is boundless, granting amnesty to all under heaven—those sentenced to death are spared, heavy sentences are reduced…” Zan Jin couldn’t read, but with exceptional natural intelligence and extraordinary memory, having heard it once, even without understanding, he could recite it perfectly.

“Zan Jin, you just said the Emperor’s grace is boundless, granting amnesty to all under heaven, those sentenced to death are spared?” Mo Zi suddenly tightened the reins, and the horse beneath her neighed and stopped.

“That’s right.” Zan Jin didn’t know why Mo Zi had stopped her horse, so he stopped as well.

Mo Zi laughed aloud, feeling very pleased. As expected, the number one corrupt official’s life shouldn’t end—as long as he didn’t die, she could obtain the Water Purification Pearl. Though she herself was destitute and empty-handed, at least she hadn’t wasted her efforts saving this person. In the future, she wouldn’t have to worry anymore about this matter being left undone. Do what humans can do, and leave the rest to fate. However, she had a somewhat stubborn streak of refusing to accept defeat. Unless encountering major events, this deeply hidden aspect of her nature wasn’t visible at all in ordinary times.

“Zan Jin, today good fortune comes one piece after another!” She squeezed her legs, lightly touched the horse with her spurs, and the horse started running again.

Zan Jin furrowed his brow, unable to think of what good fortune there was, much less one piece after another. But since accepting Mo Zi as his master, he’d decided that whatever she said was truth. He shook his head, kept it to himself, and said nothing.

“I know you want to ask, but this horse is jostling me so much I really can’t talk. I’ll tell you later.” Mo Zi feared that talking too much would increase the likelihood of biting her own tongue.

Zan Jin made a sound of acknowledgment and said admiringly, “Brother Mo, you always know what I’m thinking, but I never know what you’re thinking.”

Rather than say his thoughts were simple, lest he mistakenly think she was calling him stupid and become discouraged, Mo Zi replied this way: “You’ve been with me for a short time. Wait a bit longer, and then just one look or one gesture from me, and you’ll understand clearly.” That’s how they acted on television.

Zan Jin took this very much to heart, nodding emphatically with an expression that said he would continue working hard.

Arriving at the abandoned mansion, Mo Zi first moved the brick to check if there was a note from Qiu Sanniang threaded through the wall crack. Finding nothing, she had Zan Jin take word back to Cen Er that there was nothing major with the master today.

Changing clothes, washing her face, and combing her hair took nearly half a shichen. Mo Zi then imitated a cat’s meow to call Xiao Yi out.

“Miss—I mean Madam—why didn’t you go into the garden today?” Xiao Yi asked before taking her over the wall.

“I don’t know. We just went to look at a house that Manager Tian had found, three courtyards deep with a beautiful garden, seven hundred taels of silver. The young lady paid in full on the spot, had Manager Tian negotiate with Cen Er about making furniture, and then returned. ” Xiao Yi thought about it. “Most likely the fortune teller said something inauspicious and the young lady was unhappy. After returning, she shut herself in the study the whole time, letting no one in, saying she wanted to copy sutras.”

For Xiao Yi to say so much, Qiu Sanniang truly had been abnormal today.

“Xiao Yi, can you take me outside Mozhi Residence? If I return empty-handed, Hong Mei will definitely find it strange.” Qiu Sanniang had sent her to find books.

Xiao Yi had already memorized this wall thoroughly. She nodded and led Mo Zi to a more distant corner of the wall.

When Mo Zi landed, she saw it was the secluded bamboo grove outside Mozhi Residence. Just as she was about to leave, Xiao Yi held her back and pressed something into her hand. Opening it to look, it was actually a map of Jingfang Garden, drawn extremely exquisitely and in detail. Those pavilions, towers, and buildings were at the level of famous calligraphy and paintings—it was Qiu Sanniang’s meticulous artistic style.

Truly, she’d been so confused that she forgot that since Qiu Sanniang married in, she’d never left Yonggu Studio. If she went out, tonight she’d probably prove Qiu Sanniang right and be unable to return home.

Seeing it was nearly time to light the lamps, she delayed no longer. Studying the map and following the directions marked on it, she took deserted paths and ran as fast as she could, finally arriving at the entrance to Jingfang Garden’s study before sunset, bending over and panting for breath.

How long had it been since she’d done such a long run? In the past, carrying ten kilograms and running ten kilometers had been her most dreaded training item. Sprint running, combat, obstacle courses, push-ups—she could meet the standards for all of them. Only when it came to endurance running, she ranked dead last. If not for her military engineering specialty, she’d probably have been kicked out of the military long ago.

Raising her sleeve to wipe away sweat, she discovered the area in front of the study was completely quiet, with no one around and no lights. She’d always assumed that in a place like Prince Jing’s mansion, the study would have someone specially tending it. Who knew that when she stepped forward to push the door, it opened without even requiring force. She couldn’t hear a single sound—just one large room with a dozen or so rows of bookshelves.

What Mo Zi didn’t know was that this study in Prince Jing’s mansion was for show. Normally when someone in the household bought a book and finished reading it, they’d place it here. With nothing important, naturally no one guarded it. Every ten days or half a month, the steward would have servants and maids come clean it once. Since these were books people had finished reading and dumped here, the masters naturally came very rarely. And books, for most people in this society, were luxury items, so of course they weren’t what the mansion’s servants would read.

The sky darkened. Fortunately, there were candles and flint in the cabinet storing miscellaneous items. Mo Zi lit one, held it in a copper candleholder, and went to the bookshelf planning to find books. Was her attitude very serious? No, it was because Hong Mei could read. Throughout the entire prince’s mansion, there certainly weren’t many maids who could read, but Hong Mei happened to be one especially favored by the Old Madam, so naturally she was special—she could read.

But when she held the candle to illuminate the bookshelf, she was dumbfounded. The books weren’t categorized. Most had been casually straightened and stood upright by illiterate servants and that was that. And books of this era were mostly thread-bound, with only the book title written on the cover, with no writing on the spine. Not categorizing them meant even finding the most common Four Books and Five Classics was hopeless.

The books Qiu Sanniang wanted to find—one was the Book of Songs, one was the Spring and Autumn Annals, very common, very orthodox—but looking at these dozen or so rows of bookshelves, Mo Zi felt helpless and troubled. She couldn’t return after people thought she’d spent the entire day in the study and say she couldn’t find them.

Steeling her heart, she decided to go all in. She found all the candles, lit every single one, illuminating the study brilliantly, rolled up her sleeves, and starting from the first row, began searching!

She didn’t know how long she’d been searching when a white light flashed before her eyes. Immediately after, rumbling thunder rolled across the sky.

Mo Zi raised her head from the middle row and looked out through the open window—pitch black. No wind, low pressure and stifling heat. A thunderstorm was coming.

Just as she finished thinking this, the sound of rain began, crackling and pattering, everywhere.

Gurgle gurgle—her stomach rumbled like thunder.

Fortunately, Bai He had packed her a small bag of peach shortbread. She bit half a piece in her mouth with the other half still stuck there, about to continue her arduous search with her head down.

“How can this rain just start falling like that?” Someone called loudly outside. “Second Master, let’s take shelter in the study. Huh, there’s a fire lit. This late, who else is here?”

Clang! The two doors suddenly flew open, and someone strode in.

Lightning struck down, illuminating Mo Zi’s face snow white.

An image impossible to ignore: half a biscuit in her mouth, head tilted, eyes wide open and staring.