The maid attending to breakfast that morning was Yangzhi, her head bowed low as she ladled out the congee.

The Shi Family’s three daily meals were never extravagant. The Marshal came from a military background and understood how hard-won food could be, so the Shi Family’s descendants had always been taught not to waste.

“Where is Yangliu?” Yan Qing picked up a chopstick of cold-dressed lotus root slices.

Yangzhi’s eyes shifted evasively at the question. “Yangliu is doing needlework. Is there something you need her for, Young Mistress?”

Yan Qing glanced at her and smiled. “Just asking. There’s no need to be nervous.”

“Yes, Young Mistress.” Yangzhi stepped to the side, her eyes betraying a panic she was desperately trying to conceal.

After breakfast, neither Shi Ting nor Yan Qing went out. Instead, they nestled together in their own little corner of the world.

Shi Ting was reviewing documents from the Military Police Division, while Yan Qing leaned against his side, cradling a book in her hands.

Though neither spoke, the air between them carried the tranquil ease of a life well-lived.

It was not until midday, when a servant came from Zhuo Xinyuan’s courtyard summoning them to lunch, that Yan Qing set down her book and stretched lazily.

She changed into a lotus-pink dress. The color was neither too vibrant nor too subdued—perfectly appropriate for this kind of family gathering.

Shi Ting, for his part, dressed simply in a dark ink-colored long robe, clean and unassuming.

When the two of them arrived together at Zhuo Xinyuan, the dining room was already filled with people.

Er Yitai Luo Huaimeng had also come. She sat quietly, a string of Buddhist prayer beads in her hand.

Yan Qing greeted everyone with a bow and naturally seated herself beside Luo Huaimeng.

Luo Huaimeng’s hands paused for a moment. Though her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, she said nothing to send her away.

“The Seventh Young Mistress is looking rather well these days,” San Yitai Du Linghua said, covering her lips with a handkerchief as she smiled. “It seems the Seventh Young Master dotes on her greatly. Your complexion is far more rosy than when you first arrived.”

Yan Qing heard this and gave Du Linghua a shy smile without saying much in return.

It was Shi Yutong, standing beside Du Linghua, who let out a loud huff. “It’s nothing but seductive tricks.”

Before Yan Qing could respond, Luo Huaimeng’s cool voice cut through: “San Yitai, is that how you raise your daughter? She’s young and not yet married—what kind of talk is that for a girl her age?”

Du Linghua shot Shi Yutong a reproachful glance. “Children don’t know any better. Please don’t take offense, Er Yitai and Seventh Young Mistress.”

As she spoke, she pinched Shi Yutong under the table. Shi Yutong glared at Yan Qing and turned away.

Yan Qing paid Shi Yutong’s words no mind, but Luo Huaimeng’s reaction surprised her. Though Luo Huaimeng had not so much as looked at her, this instinctive act of defense warmed something in Yan Qing’s heart.

Before the exchange had even settled, Madam Shi and the Marshal walked in together, followed by Shi Guang and Yan Qin. Yan Qin’s eyes were red and swollen, as though she had been crying just moments before. As she passed by Shi Ting, her gaze drifted involuntarily toward him.

“Ahem!” Madam Shi frowned and shot her a warning look.

Once everyone was seated, the Marshal cleared his throat. “Today is a reunion banquet. Let us all remember the teachings of our ancestors: no matter the circumstances, we are family. Only by standing united can the Shi Family remain unbreakable.”

He swept his gaze across the room and picked up his chopsticks. “All right. Let us eat.”

Seeing him begin, the others took up their chopsticks in turn. The women exchanged almost no words among themselves, while Shi Qian and Shi Guang murmured quietly between them.

Just as the reunion banquet was nearing its end, the Shi Family’s butler came rushing in.

“What is it?” The Marshal set down his chopsticks. Everyone turned to look.

“Marshal, there are people causing a disturbance outside. A crowd has already gathered at the gate,” the butler said urgently. “They claim to be looking for someone.”

“Outrageous.” The Marshal’s voice rose in anger. “Looking for someone at the Marshal’s Mansion? Have the guards drive them away at once.”

The butler’s expression was troubled. “Those people are completely unreasonable. They’re making a scene and stirring up bystanders to watch. They say that if the Shi Mansion doesn’t hand over the person they’re looking for, they’ll dash their heads against the gate right there. I’m afraid that if we’re too forceful with them, it will invite the public’s criticism.”

“Marshal,” Shi Qian spoke up, “perhaps it would be better to first find out what this is about. There are many eyes on the Mansion’s gate, and letting this escalate will do no good.”

The Marshal considered for a moment, then instructed the butler: “Bring the ringleader inside. I want to see what could possibly be so important.”

As the butler turned to leave, Shi Ting cast an unobtrusive glance at Yan Qing. She was holding her teacup, sipping from it in small, unhurried movements, appearing entirely unconcerned by the unfolding events.

He smiled inwardly and picked up his own cup of tea.

Before long, the butler led a young man inside. The man wore an old Western-style suit that wrapped loosely around a gaunt frame. His complexion was sallow, and his eyes were vacant and unfocused, as though he had not quite woken up.

Shi Ting sized him up with a single glance and immediately knew: this man was a full-fledged addict who spent his days haunting opium dens.

The young man entered the courtyard looking all around, like someone who had never seen such a grand place.

“So this is the Marshal’s Mansion. What wealth, what wealth indeed.”

When he stepped into the main hall and saw it full of people, he swallowed nervously. But he quickly said, “I—I’m only here to look for someone.”

The butler turned to him. “Who are you looking for? Look around you—this is the Marshal’s Mansion. It is not a place for you to cause trouble.”

“I’m looking for two shameless women,” the young man said, his eyes darting about. “I heard they came to the Marshal’s Mansion.”

“What is your name, and who are you looking for?”

The young man answered, “My name is Xu Shiyong. My family runs an oil mill. The two women I’m looking for are called Yangliu and Yangzhi—they’re twins.”

Only at the sound of those names did Yan Qing lift her gaze from her teacup, looking over with mild surprise.

“What is your relationship to them?” Madam Shi was equally startled and lowered her voice to ask.

Xu Shiyong said, “Those two women were purchased by me from the south. From a young age they were raised and trained like merchandise. They’re skilled in chess, music, calligraphy, and painting, and they’re attractive. Most importantly, they have quite a talent for pleasing men.”

That last remark cast an awkward pall over the room, and the atmosphere grew distinctly strange.

“I originally bought Yangliu and Yangzhi for my own entertainment, and I did favor them for a time. But our Xu Family soon fell on hard times. We could barely feed ourselves, let alone keep them. So those two shameless women secretly ran off to seek their fortune elsewhere.”

Madam Shi let out a cold sound. “If your Xu Family couldn’t afford to keep them, why can’t they go and make their own living?”

Xu Shiyong said, “Originally I hadn’t planned to track them down. Even if I found them I couldn’t afford to keep them. But now I must find those two women and hold them accountable.”

“What do you expect two women to be accountable for?”

Xu Shiyong’s voice was laced with resentment. “If not them, then who? They’re the ones who infected me with this disease.”

As he spoke, he yanked open his collar to reveal his chest, which was covered in dense clusters of red rashes—a deeply unpleasant sight.

Everyone in the room had just finished eating, and the sight turned their stomachs.

“And these rashes on my chest are nothing—you haven’t seen what’s down below…” Xu Shiyong began reaching for his waistband.

“All right, all right, that’s enough,” the butler interrupted hastily, preventing him from actually undressing before a roomful of people. “What—what disease is this?”

“A venereal disease, of course. Those two shameless women infected me with it.” Xu Shiyong declared loudly. “My wife left long ago. Those two were the only ones left serving me in the house. If they didn’t infect me, who else could have? Who knows how many men they’d been with before I brought them home?”

The butler, at a loss for words, turned his gaze toward Madam Shi.

Everyone in the Mansion knew that the pair of twin sisters had been brought back by Madam Shi from outside and were now serving in the Seventh Young Master’s courtyard.

“What in the world is going on?” The Marshal’s gaze bore down furiously on Madam Shi. “Is this the kind of person you brought into this house?”

Madam Shi had never anticipated anything like this and hastily defended herself. “Marshal, don’t listen to this man’s wild accusations. Yangliu and Yangzhi are decent young women. How could they possibly have contracted such a disease? I believe he’s simply here to defame us and extort money.”

At this moment, Luo Huaimeng’s voice sounded, calm and measured: “If what he says is true, then one or both of Yangliu and Yangzhi must show symptoms similar to his. We need only summon them here for an examination, and the truth will be plain.”

Before Madam Shi could speak, Yan Qing’s expression turned to one of alarm, her voice carrying a faint tremor: “Whatever shall we do? Those two have been personally attending to Xingzhi, right at his side. They even served breakfast this very morning. If they truly have such a disease, then Xingzhi… heavens, could I have also…”

“That’s enough.” Luo Huaimeng cut Yan Qing off with visible displeasure. “What is all this panic about? Whether they have the disease or not—simply bring them here and find out.”

Yan Qing let out a meek sound and maintained her frightened expression.

“There’s no need for you to be afraid,” Luo Huaimeng said. “If those two women have done something wrong, Madam will see justice done for you.”

Yan Qing immediately turned to Madam Shi. “I ask Madam to see justice done.”

Caught between the two women staring at her, Madam Shi could only steel herself and say, “Go and bring Yangliu and Yangzhi here.”

Before long, Yangliu and Yangzhi were brought in.

The two had never seen anything like this before, and had no idea what had happened. They immediately dropped to their knees in fright.

Madam Shi pointed toward Xu Shiyong and asked, “Do you two know this man?”

Yangliu and Yangzhi quickly looked over, and their faces betrayed everything—it was unmistakably clear that they recognized Xu Shiyong.

Yangliu was still deliberating whether to flatly deny it when Xu Shiyong lunged forward, grabbed her by the hair, and slapped her hard across the face. “You shameless women! You go around ruining yourselves and then infect me with your disease! I’ll beat you both to death!”

Yangliu cried out from the blow and crumpled to the ground.

The butler quickly signaled for people to step in and pull Xu Shiyong away. “Do you still want to get to the bottom of this or not?”

Xu Shiyong let out a derisive grunt. “It’s those two, all right. When I brought them back from the south, I also took them along to several gatherings—plenty of people know their faces. Don’t think you can wriggle out of this. And don’t imagine that just because you’re inside the Marshal’s Mansion I can’t do anything about it. The Marshal’s Mansion upholds justice, doesn’t it?”

The Marshal was deeply displeased by the spectacle unfolding before him. He turned to the butler: “Have someone conduct an examination.”

—