Mo Zi’s neck, up until now, had been held at blade-point, gripped, pointed at, and cut. From this she drew the conclusion that in ancient times, the matter of losing one’s head leaving only a scar the size of a bowl happened with incredible ease.

“Borrowing the path? From Prince Jing’s mansion? Ha ha—” Not knowing what was so amusing, the man laughed endlessly. “Yes, yes, that Prince Jing’s mansion is vast and deep—going out isn’t easy. Yuan Cheng, you erected a ladder willing to provide convenience to others. Is it because you’ve set your heart on this little maid, or are you trying to curry favor with Old Man Xiao? If it’s the former, I’ll help you go ask for her hand.”

Hearing she was about to be given away, Mo Zi turned around abruptly.

The Yuan estate was now very different. Aside from this patch of grassland and the broken house and small gate to the north, everywhere else was undergoing construction—building pavilions, digging ornamental lakes, creating courtyards. The scent of wood carried on the wind could easily be identified as top-grade timber.

However, this northern area remained in its original state, which made Mo Zi very happy. That meant her comings and goings from the Prince’s mansion were still free. Xiao San thought that confining them to the inner quarters would make them behave, not knowing they had already established good relations with the neighbor. A bird with plucked feathers, during the period when the feathers grew back, could still climb walls and hop on ladders to run out. This was called “though the bird is disabled, its will is strong, and determination conquers all.”

Outside the old stone pavilion stood five or six men in ordinary silk robes, but their eyes shone with sharp light and their temples bulged high. They appeared to stand casually, yet positioned themselves perfectly with the pavilion as the center, providing a three-hundred-sixty-degree view with everything in sight. The two who had just held swords to her neck from left and right were facing the direction of the ladder.

Four people were in the pavilion. Two stood—short in stature, pale-faced and beardless, wearing brocade robes and beautiful caps, hands tucked in sleeves, expressions respectfully submissive. Two sat—one was Yuan Cheng, the other a middle-aged man.

Yuan Cheng wore his usual crow-black that required no detailed observation, while the middle-aged man wore a sky-blue and cloud-white broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted robe. His beautiful beard was kept in a dashing manner, his eyes held a smile, his countenance was gentle, but between his brows lay an air of nobility.

Mo Zi walked with small steps to outside the pavilion and curtsied slightly. “Greetings to Administrator Yuan, and to this—”

“My surname is Huang,” the middle-aged man smiled. “I’m your neighbor Administrator Yuan’s superior.”

Can’t you come up with something new? Mo Zi lowered her head and pressed her lips together. Emperors on incognito tours always loved to say their surname was Huang when it should really be Wu. If you truly wanted to conceal your identity, you shouldn’t bring these imposing guards, nor these ominous-looking palace eunuchs. Such a combination immediately led people to guess an extremely noble identity. Moreover, this person addressed Yuan Cheng as “Qing.”

“Greetings to Administrator Huang.” Of course Mo Zi wouldn’t foolishly disturb someone’s incognito private visit.

“What is your name, girl?” Administrator Huang saw that although Mo Zi’s ladder-climbing manner was lively, her etiquette toward people was proper. She seemed not only unlike what Yuan Cheng said about being foolish, but rather quite clever, and he immediately felt pleased.

“I’m called Mo Zi.” Raising her eyes slightly, she revealed a smile. This wasn’t her first time seeing the nation’s highest leader, so she knew well how to handle the situation. Emperors who considered themselves wise and enjoyed incognito visits generally also liked others to be both awed by their innate dragon aura yet maintain a certain frank authenticity. She guessed this one was likely just such a person.

Sure enough, “Administrator Huang,” seeing her respectful but unafraid, smiled even more warmly and said to Yuan Cheng, “I just spoke incorrectly—this girl isn’t foolish. Not only not foolish, but very clever. Mo Zi—”

“Yuling peony.” Yuan Cheng, from the moment Mo Zi walked over, hadn’t looked at her once, holding a black game piece in his hand, seemingly focused on the chess game on the stone table.

“So those are the characters? A good name!” “Administrator Huang” praised. “The girl’s appearance is also good. Using a flower name for a person—it can be matched. I’ve heard that in Prince Jing’s mansion, there’s a young lady of beauty that makes fish sink and geese fall. Seeing how outstanding you are, I imagine it’s not merely rumor.”

The Xiao family’s Miss Mingrou would enter the palace for the consort selection next spring.

Mo Zi had originally imagined the emperor as an old man. Seeing him in person—forty or fifty years old, with black hair and black beard showing no signs of age, an affectionate and charismatic uncle figure—she felt quite embarrassed. Although matching eighteen with fifty meant the woman’s side was at a great disadvantage in terms of age, he was the emperor after all, looked quite good, and appeared healthy. To a certain degree, heaven had blessed them.

“Administrator Huang” saw that Mo Zi didn’t speak a single extra word about the young lady of her own mansion. He secretly nodded, inwardly praising her again, and called to her, “Girl Mo Zi.”

“Yes, Administrator Huang.” The person before her had seen countless beauties, yet sitting in such a lofty position could still be warm to a maid. Mo Zi’s impression was also good, her tone slightly lighter.

“Have you come again to borrow the path from Administrator Yuan?” “Administrator Huang” had never seen such an interesting matter.

“No.” Mo Zi removed the pack from her body, placed it on the ground, opened the cover, and was about to take something out.

“Hey—what are you doing?” A thin, sharp voice—the distinctive falsetto of eunuchs.

Immediately, two guards stepped forward in a posture ready to draw swords.

Afraid she was Jing Ke? Mo Zi brought both hands out and spread them open before these people, saying quite innocently, “Nothing much. It’s just that the festival is here, and having troubled Administrator Yuan so much on ordinary days, I’m sending over a box of mooncakes to suit the atmosphere.”

“Liu Ning, I already said there’s no need for alarm.” “Administrator Huang” slightly deepened his voice. “Someone jumping over from Prince Jing’s mansion—could they possibly be an assassin?”

Liu Ning hastily lowered his head and bent his waist, saying yes.

“Girl, quickly give it to Administrator Yuan. With gifts, what’s most important is the sentiment—size and value don’t matter.” “Administrator Huang” waved his hand, and the two guards stood farther away.

Mo Zi thought to herself: this tone is exactly the same as a certain Mr. Yuan’s—both sound nice but make gift-givers feel awkward. Thinking this, her hands weren’t slow. She quickly took out a square box.

“Gentlemen, these are homemade mooncakes with twelve different fillings. If you don’t mind, during tonight’s moon-viewing and wine-drinking, please use them as dessert.” Mo Zi held the box with both hands.

“I see this box isn’t large—can it hold twelve mooncakes?” “Administrator Huang” asked. With him present, Yuan Cheng had no chance to speak.

“Exactly right, twelve pieces.” Mo Zi smiled sweetly.

“Administrator Huang” beckoned her into the pavilion. “Open it and let me see how they can fit.”

Mo Zi obeyed, walking before the two men, placing the mooncake box at the corner of the stone table and lifting the lid.

Twelve small balls the size of a child’s fist, in four columns and three rows, were arranged on paper depicting a moonlit night in ink-wash painting. There were golden-yellow ones, rice-white ones, pink ones. They were also decorated with sesame seeds, crushed red beans, peanut slices, and so on. In short, the overall shape was the same, but each one looked different.

“Administrator Huang” found it very novel. “These are mooncakes? Neither round nor square, no characters stamped on them, and so small.”

“We’re young ladies’ household, and we always felt that ordinary mooncakes are made too large—eating half makes you full, and throwing away the other half is a waste. But the Mid-Autumn Festival is a reunion festival—cutting such auspicious mooncakes into several portions doesn’t have good symbolism. So we made these small mooncakes. Two or three bites each, pretty and delicious. If Administrator Huang doesn’t believe me, try one. The ones with sesame on top have sesame filling. The ones with peanuts have peanut filling…” Mo Zi introduced them one by one.

At some point, Yuan Cheng’s gaze had left the chessboard and moved to that box of exquisite mooncakes.

“Good, I’ll try this salted egg yolk one.” “Administrator Huang,” looking at these small mooncakes, already had an appetite and reached out to pick one up.

Liu Ning became anxious and was about to step forward to dissuade him when he heard Yuan Cheng speak.

“Administrator Huang, this lazy maid only knows how to borrow paths to go outside and buy good food. I’ve never heard that she can make food herself. Why don’t I taste it first, lest it look good but taste bad and upset your stomach.” As Yuan Cheng spoke, he picked up one with sesame and took a bite.

Mo Zi thought to herself: right, things the emperor eats must be tested for poison first.

But there was one thing she needed to clarify. “These mooncakes weren’t made by me—they were made by my sister.” Though she had described them to Bai He, and thought the taste was good while the appearance was passable.

“Administrator Huang” held the egg yolk mooncake without putting it down, still smiling broadly. “How does it taste?”

Yuan Cheng ate one bite, paused slightly, then ate two more bites, and that sesame mooncake disappeared from his hand—not even one sesame seed remained.

Isn’t this person supposed to not care much about food and drink? Mo Zi pursed her lips.

“Administrator Huang” naturally dared to speak more than Mo Zi. He laughed heartily. “Yuan Cheng, even at imperial banquets you stop after a bite or two. It seems this mooncake has endless flavor.” As he spoke, he bit off half of that salted egg yolk mooncake in one bite, nodding and giving a thumbs up. “Mm, mm, I… truly have never eaten such delicious mooncakes. This filling has the perfect balance of salty and sweet, the flavor is superb. And unlike ordinary mooncakes, the crust is crispy and thin while the filling is abundant.”

“If the two gentlemen like them, that’s good. Having delivered this Mid-Autumn gift, please allow Mo Zi to take her leave.” Mr. Yuan had a guest, so it wasn’t convenient for her to talk with him. Thus she began to step backward.

“Miss Mo Zi, please stay a moment.” Eyes like black jade finally looked at her as Yuan Cheng smiled slightly.

“Administrator Huang, courtesy demands reciprocity. Since she’s given me such thoughtful sentiment, I should also return her a gift. I wonder if you would mind her staying a moment while we finish this game of chess, then I’ll give her a return gift?” Yuan Cheng asked his “direct superior.”

“That makes sense.” “Administrator Huang” picked up a second mooncake. “After we finish this game, I’ll also give the girl a Mid-Autumn gift—how about that?”

Mo Zi smiled so broadly she could barely contain herself. For one box of mooncakes, she didn’t care about Yuan Cheng’s return gift, but the emperor wanted to give a return gift? She’d struck it rich!

“Thank you, gentlemen. Then Mo Zi will wait.” Because she was carried away with delight, she didn’t bother to hide her elated tone and expression.

“Yuan Cheng, I told you this girl is clever. One box of mooncakes in exchange for gifts from both of us. Look how happy she is—I’d be embarrassed to give her something light.” “Administrator Huang,” accustomed to people’s trembling fear before him, instead appreciated Mo Zi’s bit of frankness.

“Oh?” Mo Zi’s eyes grew even brighter. “Thank you again, Administrator Huang.”

“Administrator Huang” laughed heartily, saying what a clever little sprite of a girl.

Yuan Cheng’s eyes held a faint smile as he narrowed them slightly, glancing at Mo Zi.

Mo Zi saw this and, not to be outdone, smiled back with narrowed eyes.

One said: You’ve about pushed your luck far enough—don’t try to steal a chicken only to lose the rice.

One said: Look at how generous your big boss is. With your greedy nature, you should study hard.

“Girl, do you understand chess?” Not noticing Yuan Cheng and Mo Zi’s contest of wills, “Administrator Huang” asked.

“I understand but am not proficient. On ordinary days I watch my masters play—Mo Zi specializes in collecting the chess pieces.” Mo Zi decided to play dumb to the end before these people for whom playing Go was as easy as eating.

“But I see you’re clever. Come look at this game and see who can win? Guessing is fine too.” If he asked others, they would certainly all say he would win, but this girl might say something different.

Mo Zi fixed her eyes and looked carefully.

These two “gentlemen” ate mooncakes on her left and right.

They eliminated them one by one.