Su Luoyun was deeply grateful for the help her good friend Lingxiu had once given her. And since her own household also had a candidate studying for the examinations, she understood her friend’s feelings well.

And so, after thinking it over, she decided to follow Lu Lingxiu’s advice: there was no need to say anything harsh — better to coax Lu Shi away first and deal with the rest later.

“Young Master Lu… you currently hold neither official rank nor any particular accomplishment to your name. Is it not a little premature to be saying such things to me?”

Hearing a hint of room for negotiation in Su Luoyun’s words, Lu Shi was overjoyed beyond all expectation. Unable to help himself, he stepped forward and said: “Luoyun, as long as you are willing to wait for me, I will certainly earn my rank and return!”

Su Luoyun sighed and said in a measured tone: “The examinations are almost upon you, yet you still have time to come wandering over here. By my reckoning, you don’t look like someone who’s going to pass…”

Seeing that Su Luoyun thought so little of him, Lu Shi grew urgent at once: “Please don’t be angry — I’m leaving right now. I only came today to make my feelings clear and to ask you to wait a little longer for me. I… I will certainly give you a brilliant future!”

With that, he drew a small packet of medicine from inside his robe and held it out to Su Luoyun. “This is a remedy for improving eyesight that I found in an old text. The medicinal ingredients were ground into powder by my own hand… Take care of yourself in the days ahead. This time, I will not disappoint you…”

Su Luoyun had no wish to accept it. She had just moved to push the medicine packet back when Lu Shi had already turned and left in high spirits.

He was not expecting Su Luoyun to agree all at once. So long as she was no longer cold as ice toward him, there was still hope between them!

Left with no other choice, Su Luoyun could only hold the medicine packet and turn back toward the lane.

But just as she was about to head into Sweet Water Lane, Xiangcao murmured behind her: “Eldest young lady, the Shizi is standing at the corner of the lane entrance…”

Xiangcao was merely alerting her mistress, and naturally could not say too much — such as the fact that Han Shizi looked as though he had lost money gambling somewhere, his expression cool and a little out of sorts.

Su Luoyun was momentarily taken aback. When she counted carefully, she realized she had not crossed paths with this gentleman in over ten days. But running into him by chance was nothing remarkable.

The Shizi seemed disinclined to see her, and she had the good sense to read the room. So she simply curtseyed in the direction Xiangcao had indicated and prepared to turn and go home.

“It seems Miss Su has no wish to speak further with me — concerned, no doubt, about interrupting this gentleman’s studies?” He had clearly been standing at the corner of the lane just now and had overheard what Young Master Lu had said to Luoyun, and was now teasing her with it.

The illustrious Shizi of Beizhen — why would he need to sit the imperial examination alongside a man of humble origins? Besides, was it not he who had been avoiding her?

But with a person of such rank and power, there was no point in reasoning. Su Luoyun could only curve her lips into a small smile, signaling that she had been amused by the Shizi’s wit, and then each of them could go about their own business.

Yet Han Linfeng appeared to be in no hurry today. He remained standing before her, gazing at her face — which seemed to have grown a little fuller — and said: “It has been some days since I last saw you, Miss. I also forgot to ask after the cat I gave you. As I have nothing pressing at the moment… might I come to your residence to look in on it?”

Su Luoyun had not expected him to suddenly propose paying a visit. After a moment of speechlessness, she had no choice but to agree.

Come to think of it, the two had been neighbors for quite some time, and Han Linfeng had always come and gone by leaping over the wall — he had never once entered through the front gate of the Su family’s small courtyard.

When the Shizi stepped over the threshold, swept aside his long gown, and seated himself at ease in Su Luoyun’s main hall, he glanced at the little snowball Xiangcao was cradling in her arms. He casually picked up a small stick nearby, wound with colorful ribbon strips and hung with a string of little bells, and began dangling it to tease the kitten, Little Snow.

Su Luoyun listened to the bells on the little stick jingling without cease, and for the life of her could not tell how long the Shizi intended to tease the cat and stay as a guest.

After what felt like a long while, the Shizi finally finished teasing the cat. He then unhurriedly picked up a teacup and skimmed the floating tea leaves from the surface with the lid. “Just now, I inadvertently overheard Miss’s conversation with that young gentleman. It would seem that Miss’s star of romance is stirring — after the autumn examinations, you will be giving thought to marriage?”

Every time Su Luoyun spoke with this man, she exercised the utmost caution, for fear of mishearing any undertone in his words.

This time, upon hearing him ask whether she was planning to marry, she understood at once: he was worried that once she wed and moved away from Sweet Water Lane, beyond his watch, she might say things to her husband’s family that ought not to be said.

So she immediately went along with his reasoning and replied: “A blind woman like me — would I not just bring misfortune to any man I married? In all likelihood, I will never marry in this lifetime.”

Han Linfeng let out a brief laugh. “At your age, it is far too early to say you will never marry… I see that young gentleman is quite sincere. If in time he rises in official rank and comes to your door with a phoenix coronet and embroidered cape, a tall sedan chair and fine horses, could you truly turn him away?”

Su Luoyun gave a self-deprecating smile. “I have my own shops and business — I can support myself without marrying. Besides, even if I were to marry, I would not seek out a man of too high a station. First, because I could never reach that height; and second, because such households are not easy to get along in.”

She had meant these words to set the Shizi’s mind at ease — to assure him that even if she married, she would not wed into an official family and risk exposing his secrets.

But to her surprise, the Shizi seemed somewhat dissatisfied with this answer. His voice dropped a note, and he pressed her: “What makes such households so difficult to get along in? Tell me.”

Su Luoyun struggled momentarily to follow the Shizi’s line of thought, but after a brief pause she worked out that he was asking what made prominent households difficult to navigate.

This answer required no thought at all — it was ready-made. Su Luoyun needed only to repeat word for word what the Second Young Lady of the Duke of Lu’s family had told her to her face.

So she smiled and quoted Second Miss Fang: “My looks are passable, and my situation is pitiable enough — it is possible some noble person might take a fancy to me and elevate me into a marquis household or a great family. But in those deep inner courtyards, even as a servant or a concubine, one must have eyes in the back of one’s head and live every moment on a knife’s edge. I have no eyes at all — both of mine are utterly dark. How would I ever manage?”

This time Han Linfeng said nothing. He simply set his teacup back on the table and remarked coolly: “You do have a measure of self-awareness…”

At that, it seemed there was nothing left to say between them.

Han Linfeng had now sufficiently checked in on Little Snow. His visit concluded, he passed the kitten back to Xiangcao, rose without another word, and took his leave.

Xiangcao followed behind her mistress, seeing the Shizi respectfully to the door. When she closed the gate, she let out a long breath and asked in a low voice: “What came over the Shizi today? Surely he doesn’t regret giving the cat to you, miss, and came looking for an excuse to take it back?”

Su Luoyun thought Xiangcao’s guess was rather off the mark. The Shizi was the sort of magnanimous person who could give away a fist-sized lump of frankincense resin without a second thought — he would never be so petty.

Xiangcao turned and looked at her own mistress’s beautiful, flower-like face, and ventured another guess: “Could it be… that the Shizi has a tender regard for you, miss?”

This time Su Luoyun burst out laughing. She reached out, felt for Xiangcao’s forehead, and tapped it. “Have you been reading too many operas? That gentleman did not even think the daughter of the Duke of Lu worthy of his notice. Would he also be blind — setting his sights on a blind merchant girl like me?”

Xiangcao had seen Second Miss Fang in person and knew she was a true beauty — lips red, teeth white, a real stunner. Though she privately thought her own young mistress was even lovelier than Second Miss Fang.

Still, any man of sound mind would surely choose a wealthy beauty like Second Miss Fang — from an illustrious family, free from ailment and hardship.

* * *

After Han Linfeng made his way back out from Sweet Water Lane, his expression was as calm as still water. Yet Qingyu, who had served him for many years, felt that the Shizi was somehow in low spirits.

It was not that his face was overcast — rather, his steps as he walked were slightly heavier than usual, lacking the nimble lightness of ordinary days.

Qingyu carefully fell in behind him and asked: “Shizi, if you are feeling low, perhaps a visit to Swallow Lake might lift your mood? Miss Hongyue sent word through someone asking after you, saying she has practiced two new pieces and wishes to play them for you.”

Miss Hongyue was the celebrated courtesan Han Linfeng had recently been frequently seen out and about with. Though this beautiful woman had been cornered and mocked by Second Miss Fang on several occasions — berated to the point of nearly weeping her eyes out — she nonetheless felt that, however lowly her station in life, she held herself above the daughter of the Duke of Lu’s household.

At the very least, it was she who accompanied the Shizi out to drink and enjoy himself, not that so-called daughter of a great family.

Moreover, the Shizi was rakish without being vulgar, and treated women of her world with perfect courtesy and decorum. And so Hongyue had resolved to exert herself a little more and coax Han Linfeng into redeeming her contract and taking her into the Shizi’s residence as a concubine.

She would have someone deliver a sentimental letter to the Shizi’s residence every few days — or a silk handkerchief or fan painted with a poem, that sort of thing.

Han Linfeng had evidently already lost interest in her, however. He told Qingyu: “Give the messenger boy some silver, and have him carry word to Hongyue’s madam. The next time I go to drink, bring someone new — do not send Hongyue to attend me.”

As he spoke, he had already entered the residence. Just then, the household steward came quietly to report that a fur merchant from the north had come to call, bringing several rare pelts for the Shizi’s inspection.

Han Linfeng understood immediately upon hearing this, and simply directed the steward to bring the man to his study.

When the visitor entered, he proved to be a short, stocky fellow with a thick, full beard covering his face so that barely any features could be made out. He hauled a large wooden crate through the door with both hands, paid his respects to the Shizi, then opened the crate to display the valuable pelts inside.

Han Linfeng waved the tea-serving attendants out of the room, then personally closed the study door. Outside, his trusted guards kept watch — no one was permitted to approach.

When he turned back, the fur merchant had already peeled away his thick false beard, revealing a sun-darkened face beneath.

Before Han Linfeng could speak, the man dropped to his knees and greeted him: “Shizi is well. My elder brother sent me to convey some urgent matters, and I have come without proper notice — I beg the Shizi’s pardon.”

This man was Cao Sheng’s sworn younger brother, called Yuan Xi. He was primarily responsible for procuring military supplies for the rebel army, and so he presented himself to the outside world as a fur merchant — and had not yet appeared on any wanted list.

Han Linfeng made no move to rebuke him. He stepped forward quickly, took the man by both hands and helped him to his feet, then asked warmly: “I heard that some days ago you all fought a great battle, badly defeating the Tiefu cavalry and capturing a hundred warhorses. After such a fierce engagement, is your elder brother well?”

After Yuan Xi was guided to a chair and sat, he leaned close to the Shizi and lowered his voice: “Elder Brother has recently gained a fierce new commander — only nineteen years old, yet his martial prowess is exceptional. He brought a band of brothers with him when he defected to our cause, truly like adding wings to a tiger. But with so many extra mouths to feed all at once, provisions for the coming winter are likely to be a problem…”

Han Linfeng listened without betraying any reaction. “How much is needed? Let me see what I can manage to scrape together for you.”

Yuan Xi had long heard his elder brother speak of this descendant of the sage and virtuous emperor — a man of royal blood, yet full of the free and unrestrained spirit of the rivers and lakes. Now that he saw it for himself, he knew the words were true.

He pressed his fist in gratitude, and then with a slightly guilty expression said: “I did not come to ask for provisions. Rather, I came to give the Shizi a warning. One of Elder Brother’s trusted men was procuring medicines for injuries in Yizhou when he accidentally let something slip. He was seized by the local authorities and loaded into a prison cart that very night, now being escorted under guard to the capital.”

Han Linfeng’s brow creased at this. Yuan Xi continued: “The transfer happened too quickly — we had no time to stage a prison break.”

Han Linfeng lowered his gaze. “Does he know of me?”

Yuan Xi shook his head quickly: “Elder Brother keeps his counsel close. Apart from him and me, no one else knows your identity. However, when you helped us rescue Elder Brother back then, this man was present — he was the one who stumbled into the room just as you were in disguise with your face covered. It seemed at the time he only caught a glimpse of your back… Elder Brother doesn’t know whether the man can hold out under severe interrogation, so he sent me to give you word and let you make some preparations. If we could find out about his current condition, that would be even better.”

Han Linfeng gave a small nod. Hearing Yuan Xi describe it this way, he did have some recollection.

During that prison break, he had kept his face covered throughout. It was only later, when he had hidden on Su Luoyun’s boat, that he had removed the face covering to bind his bleeding wound.

As long as that man did not know his identity, there was no cause for immediate alarm. As for where the man was being held now — he had not heard even a whisper. It seemed he would have to take pains to make some discreet inquiries.

* * *

Summer was almost at an end. Her younger brother spent every day in grueling study. Now that Su Hongmeng had been stripped of his official post, he had enjoyed a prolonged spell of leisure.

Knowing his hopes of advancement in the civil service were done, he channeled all his passion into his three sons preparing for the children’s examinations, placing the greatest hope of all, naturally, on Guiyan — the most gifted of the three at his studies.

And so Su Hongmeng would come wandering over to Sweet Water Lane every few days. During these visits, he also broached the matter of asking the two of them to move back.

Su Hongmeng was no fool. He knew Su Luoyun had moved out in the first place to escape Ding Shi. Now that Ding Shi had been divorced, and he had not yet found a suitable woman to take as his new wife, the household’s affairs both great and small had come crashing down upon him all at once.

Su Jinguan and Su Jincheng were still young, and Su Caijian was also useless — she did nothing but weep and beg him to take their mother back. Su Hongmeng had it in mind to coax Su Luoyun back to take charge of the household for him.

Su Luoyun naturally saw through her father’s scheming and refused to go back. She used the excuse that the household was too noisy and would disrupt Guiyan’s studies, and so deflected her father’s little plot.

Left with no other option, Su Hongmeng could only keep the matchmakers busy, urging them to find a suitable lady as quickly as possible.

The Su family was wealthy. Even though Su Hongmeng was nearly fifty, finding an unmarried young woman for a second wife was not impossible. But too great an age gap between an old husband and a young wife was ultimately no blessing.

Su Hongmeng was past the age when a pretty face could cloud his judgment. After his experience with the mercurial Ding Shi, he simply wanted a woman of good breeding who could keep a proper household.

After a good deal of searching, the matchmaker turned up the elder sister of the county magistrate of a neighboring county. This woman, surnamed Xie, had a decent enough appearance, but had been widowed at thirty. Her mother-in-law had been too harsh and difficult to bear, and she had not been able to endure the life. Though she had a son, she had left him with her husband’s family and gone out on her own, looking to remarry.

The Xie family were originally of farming stock. The widowed Madam Xie’s late husband’s household had not been well off, and she had endured years of stifling poverty. Then her younger brother had done well for himself — he passed the imperial examinations and became a county magistrate. Madam Xie followed her aging parents to join her brother, and pinned her hopes on a second marriage into a wealthy household, where she might live comfortably as a well-off wife.

It was true the Su family had considerable assets, but after all the recent selling of land and shops, things had shrunk noticeably. Su Hongmeng had taken an interest in the widowed Madam Xie on account of her brother the county magistrate, yet the Xie family in turn wanted to scrutinize the Su family’s holdings more carefully.

Especially upon hearing that Su Hongmeng had a blind daughter who could not be married off, the Xie parents grew apprehensive, feeling that an unmarriageable daughter would ultimately be a burden.

But Su Hongmeng assured the matchmaker again and again that his eldest daughter was remarkably capable — she had her own shops and business and required absolutely no attention from him.

The Xie couple, carrying the particular wariness and shrewdness common to country folk, refused to take the matchmaker’s word alone. They hitched up a donkey cart and came into the capital to see for themselves.

After making the rounds of the Su family’s shops and businesses, if everything was indeed as the matchmaker said, then they could proceed in confidence.

News that Su Hongmeng intended to take a new wife was met with fierce opposition from Ding Shi, who stirred up Su Caijian and the two boys to pick quarrels with the Xie family.

However, Su Jinguan and Su Jincheng had been lectured by their tutor, who told them that a true man should have broader horizons and that meddling in household squabbles was beneath them.

Strictly managed by their teacher, the two boys were kept in reasonable check. But Su Caijian had always been muddleheaded, and she listened to her mother and made several more scenes with Su Hongmeng.

Su Hongmeng, terrified that this foolish girl would frighten off the widowed Madam Xie, took advantage of the Xie family’s impending visit and simply had an older maidservant take Su Caijian to stay for a few days at the Su family’s small courtyard.

Su Luoyun was reluctant at first, but Su Hongmeng put on a stern face and demanded to know whether she no longer considered herself a member of the Su family. If that was the case, he said, he would go to the clan elders tomorrow and have both her and Guiyan’s names struck from the register.

Su Luoyun felt a small matter like this was not worth trading barbs over with Su Hongmeng. A few days she could endure.

So she relented and allowed Su Caijian to come. However, she told Su Caijian plainly: if she made trouble here and disrupted Guiyan’s studies, she would send her sister straight back to the Ding family.

Su Caijian in fact deeply disliked her two Ding cousins, who whenever they spoke to her always peppered their talk with the sort of crude, suggestive street talk that made her skin crawl. Hearing her elder sister say this, she naturally did not dare to spend all day weeping and wailing.

With an unwelcome younger sister now in the house, Su Luoyun had little desire to sit idly at home. As it happened, the sixth day of the sixth month was approaching — a day when households with examination candidates generally made the trip to the Temple of the Star of Literature on the outskirts of the capital to offer prayers and request a protective talisman for passing, in hopes of the auspicious omen of six-six smooth sailing.

Su Luoyun was perfectly glad of an outing to clear her head, and could seek blessings for her brother at the same time.

Early on the morning of the sixth day of the sixth month, the Su family’s small courtyard was already bustling.

Su Luoyun had people prepare incense, candles, pastry offerings, and wrapped sesame oil donations, and then boarded a carriage with the maidservants and set off out of the city.

Though they had started early, by the time they reached the city gates, the line of carriages and horses heading out was already long.

Xiangcao exclaimed at the sight: “It seems there are quite a few candidates sitting for examinations this year — nearly everyone is heading out of the city to offer incense…”

Hearing this, Su Luoyun let out a sigh on her brother’s behalf. It seemed that this autumn’s examinations would once again be like crossing a single-plank bridge with a thousand soldiers and ten thousand horses — she could only hope today’s incense offering would bring a good omen.

When they arrived at the temple grounds, the Su family’s carriage could not get anywhere near the foot of the mountain. The weather was stifling and hot, and Su Luoyun had no desire to jostle with the crowds. After all, whether one prayed early or late, the Star of Literature would hardly be petty enough to take offense. So Su Luoyun decided to stroll through the cool shade of the hills and wait until the crowds thinned before going to pay her respects.

She had been accompanying her brother in his grueling studies recently and rarely left the city, going only back and forth between the residence and the shops. She had been cooped up for a long while, and it was a rare pleasure to take a walk with birdsong for company and the fragrance of flowers drifting toward her.

But as she walked, she heard waves of laughter and chatter drifting over from behind the mountain. It seemed she was not the only one who had fled the crowds at the Temple of Literature and come here for a leisurely walk.

Su Luoyun wanted quiet and solitude, and had no wish to be standing on this narrow mountain path only to be pointed at and gossiped about by strangers for her blindness.

So she signaled to Xiangcao, who found a large flat rock by a stream at the side of the path. They stepped down from the path and sat there listening to the murmur of the flowing water, tucking away into some peace and quiet to wait for this group of people to pass before she rose to walk on.

But because they had stepped off the path, there was now a difference in elevation, and the dense foliage and thick-branching trees formed a canopy overhead. People walking on the path above could not easily notice there was anyone resting below, and even the advance guards clearing the way had failed to spot the mistress and her maid nestled down on the hillside.

The laughter and chatter drew closer, and the voices grew clearer.

A woman’s voice said: “So many people came to pay respects at the temple today — if not for your prestige, Princess Hengshan, the rest of us would likely have been stuck queuing at the temple gate for half a day.”

Hengshan was the title of the Sixth Imperial Prince Han Shen’zhi. So it was the Sixth Prince’s consort, along with several close acquaintances, who were strolling through the hills.

They had not come to seek blessings from the Star of Literature; rather, they were here to pay respects to the Goddess of Fertility, whose shrine was enshrined in the same temple. They had simply had the misfortune of arriving on this particular crowded day. Fortunately, the Princess of Hengshan had enough authority to close the temple for half an hour so that the ladies could complete their prayers before reopening it to the public.

The Princess of Hengshan, Fang Jinrou, accepted the ladies’ flattery with a small smile. “All the people who came today to offer incense are the families of examination candidates. I thought that if I held them up from seeking their talismans, it might damage Hengshan Wang’s reputation — which is why I only reserved half an hour for our party. If it was not enough time, I hope everyone will forgive me.”

Sitting by the stream, Su Luoyun heard the princess’s words and suddenly understood why the mountain below had been so congested — the temple had been reserved for a short time by persons of rank.

But hearing the words of this Princess of Hengshan, she felt that the eldest daughter of the Fang family was quite unlike her younger sister — composed, proper, considerate of others, with a measured and fitting manner in all things. No wonder she had married the Sixth Prince.

Simply in her thoughtfulness toward the families of examination candidates, she was far superior to her willful younger sister Fang Jinshu.

But since members of the imperial family were passing by, Su Luoyun could not very well suddenly pop up and startle them. She could only stay tucked where she was and wait quietly for the group to pass.

Just then, another woman spoke: “But why did Hengshan Wang suddenly take it into his head to bring people to soak in the mountain hot spring today?”

It turned out that beside the temple, a new bathhouse had recently opened. The Sixth Prince had originally been hosting an open-air banquet on a high terrace newly built behind the mountain, and had on a sudden whim invited the male guests in attendance to come soak in the hot spring. Since the men had undressed to bathe and the banquet tables had not yet been set, the ladies were left with nothing to do and had on impulse made their way around to the front of the mountain to pay respects to the goddess.

The princess paused briefly at this, then smiled and said: “The hot springs here are nourishing and beautifying. The gentlemen are all wearied from managing government affairs day in and day out — it is good to take this opportunity to relax.”

Another lady present disagreed: “I noticed that beyond a few gentlemen from the Ministry of War, the rest of the guests the Prince has invited today are all idlers holding nominal posts. Every one of them spends his days being wined and dined at other people’s expense — what exactly are they so worn out from?”

At that, yet another lady laughed: “Do you think being wined and dined isn’t tiring? Take the Shizi of Beizhen — dashing as he is, navigating between one beauty after another, I dare say he must be so exhausted he needs to eat dog kidneys to replenish himself!”

This drew a burst of laughter from the ladies around her.

They all knew that the Shizi of Beizhen had once made Second Miss Fang lose face, and were only too happy to take the opportunity, right in front of the princess, to say a few things at Han Linfeng’s expense.

But the princess did not seem to laugh along. Perhaps the moment she heard that name, she thought of her own younger sister’s continued unreasonable obstinacy and simply could not bring herself to smile.

* * *

The noble ladies in the hills were all mirth and laughter. But at the bathhouse on the far side of the mountain, darker undercurrents were stirring.

The Sixth Prince, Han Shen’zhi, displayed none of the relaxed ease of a man at play. Wrapped in a loose robe, he stood expressionless at an elevated point in the open-air bathing area, his gaze moving methodically over the shoulders of the men soaking in the pool below.

Everyone else had assumed the banquet and the hot spring soak were on a sudden whim. But Han Shen’zhi had planned it all deliberately, with clear purpose, from the very beginning.