Xue Tao had two banknotes in her possession. One was what Yin Minghui had just given her; the other was one Yin Minghui had previously entrusted to her for a different errand.

The difference in the amounts on the two notes was more than fivefold.

What Yin Minghui did not know was that every time Xue Tao went out to handle something on her behalf, she would always substitute the larger amount for a smaller one. Over time, Xue Tao had built up her own private treasury, and was actually living more comfortably than Yin Minghui herself.

Xue Tao tucked away the banknote that had originally been meant for Jin Shan and went to find him with the other one.

Jin Shan lived in the courtyard the Shi Mansion provided for its attendants. As a trusted member of Shi Ting’s household, the courtyard he was given was neater and cleaner than those of the other servants — a row of main rooms, two rows of side rooms, housing the more respected attendants of the Shi Mansion.

Jin Shan shared a room with Di Huai. When Xue Tao arrived, Di Huai was not in. Jin Shan was sorting through some odds and ends. On being told someone was asking for him, he set down what he was holding and stepped outside.

Xue Tao had not dared to enter the courtyard but had instead arranged to meet Jin Shan in the bamboo grove not far behind the rear courtyard.

It was already deep into winter. The bamboo leaves had long since fallen and covered the ground, leaving only bare stalks. Here and there stood decorative garden rocks, tall enough to conceal two figures from view.

When Jin Shan caught sight of Xue Tao waiting there, his brow furrowed instinctively. He did not recognize her.

“You are…?”

Xue Tao said, “You’re Jin Shan, aren’t you?”

“I am.” Jin Shan nodded, looking at her with puzzlement. “And you?”

“I’m Xue Tao, Miss Yin’s maid.”

“Miss Yin?” Jin Shan’s mind worked quickly. “The Miss Yin from the Qian family?”

Seeing that Jin Shan recognized Yin Minghui, Xue Tao felt she could skip some of the roundabout preamble.

“I can see you’re close to twenty — at that age, a man really ought to be thinking about taking a wife and starting a family.” Xue Tao smiled. “Have you bought any property for yourself in this city?”

In a place like Shun Cheng, only people with money had any hope of buying property. Housing was plentiful in the city, but it was almost entirely controlled by wealth, and ordinary people could mostly only rent.

Jin Shan quickly grasped Xue Tao’s intention, but he kept up a look of complete innocence. “What are you trying to say, Sister Xue Tao? Feel free to be direct.”

Xue Tao looked around once more, satisfying herself that no one was nearby, and then pulled a banknote from her pocket. “This is a small token of goodwill from our Miss. With money like this, you could set yourself up with a modest place of your own.”

Jin Shan made no move to take it. Instead he said, “Miss Yin and I don’t know each other — why would she show me such generosity?”

“You’re a smart man. There’s no need to dance around things with smart people.” Xue Tao leaned in closer and dropped her voice as low as it would go. “Our Miss would like to know Seventh Young Master’s whereabouts.”

Jin Shan put on an expression of understanding. “That doesn’t sound difficult.”

Seeing him respond this way, Xue Tao knew she had a prospect, and pressed the banknote into Jin Shan’s hand. “For you it’s naturally no trouble at all — a few words out of your mouth can earn you a house. No worries about getting married and starting a family either. And our Miss has said that if you do well, there will be other rewards too. At any rate, wealth and comfort won’t be in short supply.”

“It’s just… I couldn’t quite accept this in good conscience.” Jin Shan hesitated and gently pushed it back. “There’s no such thing as an unearned gift.”

Xue Tao pushed the banknote back again. “You’ll have plenty of chances to earn it — our Miss is counting on you. Just accept it.”

“Only, why would Miss Yin want to know Seventh Young Master’s movements?” Jin Shan put on a look of wariness. “I do have a responsibility to Seventh Young Master’s safety.”

“Jin Shan, you’ve misunderstood. Our Miss has no intention of harming Seventh Young Master. To be frank with you — after our Miss was rescued by Seventh Young Master, she fell for him on the spot. When you care for someone, the last thing you want to do is harm them.”

Jin Shan looked genuinely surprised. “Miss Yin has feelings for Seventh Young Master? But Young Master already has a Young Mistress — how could Miss Yin…”

Xue Tao gave him a look that said he was being utterly unsophisticated. “What man doesn’t have three wives and four concubines, especially a man like Seventh Young Master? Wouldn’t it be a waste to have only one woman? Look at the Marshal — he has two wives and two concubines, enjoying the blessings of a full household to the very utmost. And you yourself — if your circumstances allowed for it, would you truly be satisfied with just one wife? When you see a beautiful woman in full bloom, doesn’t your heart stir?”

Jin Shan seemed to feel she had struck on something, and nodded. “What you’re saying does seem to make a sort of sense.”

“So I’m not trying to harm Seventh Young Master. I’m acting in his interest. And think about it further — Miss Yin is the Qian family’s niece. Madam Qian treats her practically like her own daughter. Marry a woman like that and the Qian family’s wealth would flow right into your hands.” Xue Tao gave Jin Shan a wink. “This is a deal where you don’t lose anything — you get paid, and you help Seventh Young Master at the same time. Why wouldn’t you?”

Jin Shan thought it over for a moment, then slowly tucked the banknote away. “Since you’ve put it like that, I suppose I’ll humbly accept. You can count on me — I’ll handle this well.”

“Then I’ll be waiting for good news from you.”

After Xue Tao left, Jin Shan let out a quiet snort of amusement and went straight to Shao Lan Garden with the banknote.

Yan Qing was embroidering with Jing Zhi. Hearing that Jin Shan had come, she glanced at Jing Zhi. “Is he here to see you?”

Jing Zhi’s face immediately went red. “Miss, you’re teasing me again.”

Yan Qing also laughed. “Let him in.”

When Jin Shan came in, his gaze swept first to Jing Zhi — a warm look carrying the quiet delight of seeing the person you care about. Jing Zhi felt that gaze upon her and was too flustered to look up, fixing her eyes on the embroidery frame in her hands instead. But the hand holding the needle was visibly unsteady.

“Young Mistress.” Jin Shan gave a bow and presented the banknote.

Yan Qing set down what she was working on and took it. She examined it carefully, saw the Qian family seal on it, and immediately deduced most of the situation.

“From Yin Minghui?”

Jin Shan said, “Yin Minghui’s maid came to find me just now. She wants me to report Seventh Young Master’s whereabouts to her at any time.”

“She’s clever enough to think of coming to you.” Yan Qing smiled. “The amount on this banknote is considerable — enough to buy a modest house. Yin Minghui is rather free with her money.”

“Yin Minghui is really this willing to spend?” Jing Zhi also looked over at the banknote.

Yan Qing said, “Though this is from Yin Minghui, it’s probably not the original note. A sum like this is more than enough to bribe an ordinary attendant — but for someone close to Shi Ting, it’s a rather stingy offer. Which means someone swapped the banknotes.”

“You’re saying someone exchanged one banknote for another?”

“That maid of Yin Minghui’s — Xue Tao — is no loyal servant. Look at her dress: nothing stands out at first glance, but the fabric is always the finest. Yesterday she was wearing a waistcoat made of Huainan golden silkworm thread — a fabric known for its understated luxury. The style and design aren’t showy, but the price is steep. If you’re not looking closely, it’s easy to miss.” Yan Qing had learned embroidery and tailoring from Luo Huaimeng, and under Luo Huaimeng’s guidance she had developed an exceptional eye for fabric. She had once seen a garment made of Huainan golden silkworm thread among Luo Huaimeng’s things.

“And the ring on her hand — the small stone set into it is a pink diamond. This type of diamond is rare, the kind only ladies and misses from wealthy families would wear. The cut and quality of hers isn’t particularly good, and it’s small — but it’s still well beyond her financial means.”

Jing Zhi was genuinely astonished. “A maid with that kind of money?”

“That’s probably all Yin Minghui’s money.” Yan Qing said. “Yin Minghui lives as a dependent in the Qian household. She inevitably has to keep bribing the servants and flattering the ladies of the Qian family — but where those gifts end up after they leave her hands, who can say?”

“That Xue Tao has some nerve.”

“Fortune favors the bold. Xue Tao is that kind of bold person. The wealth she’s siphoned from Yin Minghui over the years has probably outgrown Yin Minghui’s own by now.”

“And this Miss Yin is quite foolish enough — being cheated by her own maid and not even knowing it.”

Yan Qing shook her head. “She doesn’t have much genuine cunning. I’d imagine this idea of bribing Jin Shan also came from the maid.”

The Jin Shan in question couldn’t help but ask, “Young Mistress, what should I do now?”

“You’ve accepted the money. You ought to do the work.” Yan Qing handed the banknote to Jing Zhi. “Keep this. A gift to anyone who’d take it — why turn it down?”

Jing Zhi startled. “Miss, I don’t dare take that. Besides, that courtyard you bought for us is already more than enough — there’s no need for another one.”

“We don’t have to buy a house. There are other uses for it. Jin Shan is doing work for Yin Minghui — of course he should accept what she’s offered.”

Jin Shan was puzzled. “Young Mistress, are you truly having me report Seventh Young Master’s whereabouts to Miss Yin?”

“Every time Shi Ting comes home, go and find Xue Tao. Make sure to report everything faithfully.”

Jin Shan, though uncertain what Yan Qing had in mind, had long since learned that this Young Mistress’s thinking was something he could rarely follow — and yet whatever she did, Seventh Young Master stood behind her without condition, eyes closed, unconditionally and entirely on her side, whether she was right or wrong.

After Jin Shan left, Jing Zhi asked curiously, “Miss, what exactly are you planning? Are you truly going to hand the Young Master over?”

Yan Qing laughed. “Do you think Shi Ting is something I could hand over even if I wanted to?”

“That’s true — the Young Master might as well be glued to you, Miss. You couldn’t shoo him away even if you tried, let alone hand him over.”

Yan Qing picked up her embroidery frame and resumed her work, though her thoughts had already drifted elsewhere. She had been struggling to find an opening — and now Yin Minghui had walked right in and handed her one.

When Yin Minghui heard that Xue Tao had managed it, she immediately rewarded her with a jade bracelet. Xue Tao thanked her profusely and accepted it, while privately thinking that this bracelet wasn’t even as nice as the one she’d bought herself.

By evening, Xue Tao came running in with a pleased expression on her face. “Miss, Seventh Young Master is coming home — Jin Shan just sent word.”

Yin Minghui lit up at once. “Quickly — help me change.”

“Don’t rush, Miss. Jin Shan says Seventh Young Master won’t be back for another half hour. There’s still time to freshen up.”

Yin Minghui finally let out a breath of relief, but still urged eagerly, “Hurry, hurry — bring out the new Western dress Aunt sent me last month. I haven’t worn it even once.”

“Miss, it’s so cold outside. If you wear a dress, what about your legs? The dress is long — you could wear wool-lined trousers underneath and no one would see.”

“Wearing trousers makes you look bulky. It’s fine, just leave them off.”

Xue Tao heard this and said nothing more, and hurried off to find the dress.