Having listened to Young Lord Yin the Fifth’s long performance of “pledging his loyalty,” Pei Shaohuai knew he would not be rid of this stubborn plaster of a person any time soon. He decided to simply play along, feigning great interest, and following on from Yin the Fifth’s words, said, “If they are all doing the same work, they are all flies and maggots — what distinction between high and low is there? Or could it be they are gilded flies?”

“Young Lord Pei is truly well-read! ‘Gilded fly’ — what a vivid phrase, so alive in the imagination.” Yin the Fifth shifted his stool and sat down quite naturally. Placing his round-headed folding fan on the table, he leaned his body closer to Pei Shaohuai and said in a low voice, “These gilded flies set their sights specifically on golden eggs. Wherever there is the smallest crack, they can burrow in and make a nest. And yet their faces have two large characters written across them — on the left is ‘elegance’ and on the right is ‘refinement’ — while up their sleeves they are hiding two other characters entirely…”

His voice grew lower and lower, clearly drawing out the suspense, his little eyes darting around as he put on the air of someone revealing some extraordinary secret.

Chang Zhou, standing nearby in attendance, had already been drawn in, his eyes following Yin the Fifth’s every movement.

Even Pei Shaohuai could not help but admire inwardly: this Young Lord Yin the Fifth’s technique was truly refined to perfection. He both understood how to gauge others’ psychology and stir their curiosity, and knew exactly when to string them along and lead them step by step with subtle enticement.

To have employed Yin the Fifth to “draw in” Pei Shaohuai — whoever was behind this had put a great deal of thought into it.

Since he was going to perform, he might as well perform it fully. Pei Shaohuai opened his own folding fan, covered his mouth with it, and asked with apparent curiosity, “Which two characters?”

Yin the Fifth did not answer; instead he gave himself several pretend slaps on the face and said, “Listen to my mouth — I have said the wrong thing… What golden eggs or yellow eggs — this humble one has absolutely no intention of saying that Young Lord Pei is also some kind of egg. As the saying goes, ‘warm and smooth as a beautiful jade, pairing culture with valor’ — that describes Young Lord Pei precisely. You are a flawless, pure jade — cultured on the outside and wise within, destined to one day be proclaimed at the Golden Hall — I have misspoken, I have misspoken.”

“Never mind, I am not the sort to take issue with such things.” Pei Shaohuai let a look of delight cross his face and pressed eagerly, “So then what are these two characters hidden up the sleeve? Are they ‘mediocre’ and ‘vulgar’?”

He already knew the answer, of course — but today he simply wanted to measure his acting against Yin the Fifth’s and see in the end who had drawn whom in.

“Not at all, not at all.” Yin the Fifth shook his head. He reached out to pour wine, then discovered there was no wine jug at hand, and so asked, “What kind of wine does Young Lord Pei prefer?” — calling wine by the literary name “the Gentleman of the Bent” — Yin the Fifth was speaking in a lofty, literary style in everything he said today.

“I drink tea. Order whatever you like for yourself.”

“In summer drink green tea, in winter drink yellow — Young Lord Pei, have something warm.” Yin the Fifth waved over the server and called, “Server — bring Young Lord Pei a cup of Jun Mountain Silver Needle. Remember to use a white porcelain snow-top cup — don’t let the tea’s spirit be tainted. And bring a pot of Jinhua wine. Tell the proprietor it is my order — don’t try any tricks… Young Lord Pei’s silver did not come on the wind either.”

The tea came, and the wine came.

Pei Shaohuai took a sip, eyes crinkling in pleasure, and praised, “Smooth and mellow on entry, tea fragrance spreading in all directions — excellent tea.”

Yin the Fifth shut the room door, drank several cups of the Jinhua wine in succession, putting on the air of someone gathering his courage. Only then did he lean close to Pei Shaohuai’s ear and say, “Those two characters hidden up the sleeve are ‘official’ and ‘money’ — and those little golden insects wield power that is quite considerable. Truly it is a world in decline…”

Pei Shaohuai parted his lips and looked at Yin the Fifth in apparent surprise. “Is that truly so?”

“Naturally it is true — would this humble one dare to say such a thing just to startle Young Lord Pei?” Yin the Fifth said with feeling. “But these crooked paths of theirs will ultimately never match the righteous path of the imperial examinations, Young Lord Pei. This humble one will be waiting to see the day Young Lord Pei rises high and uses his authority to give these people a good reckoning.”

“What abilities do they have, to make young men from prominent families linger with them and submit to their will?”

Yin the Fifth continued, “The little ditty circulating outside says it well — what the imperial family may not have, the Grand Secretary’s household has; what the capital officials may not have, the provincial officials have; what the officials may not have, the wealthy families have… It all comes down to those things hung on the wall, gripped in the hand, spoken by the mouth in daylight, gambled at the card table, and handled in the night — all things that cannot be seen by the light of day. Young men from prominent families become addicted, yet need to protect their reputations, so they keep it hidden — and so they can only let the little golden insects lead them by the nose.”

Yin the Fifth continued, “They also keep a number of courtesans — living more comfortably than noble young ladies. Willows in front of the door, bamboo behind the house, warm in winter and cool in summer — they can sing arias, and they can compose poetry and verse. With dark hair and plain white garments they seem to transcend the mundane world, arching brows furrowed in gentle sorrow that stirs tender feelings… Whatever it is that young men from prominent families desire, they can cultivate it out of the city of Yangzhou.”

“Ahh—” Pei Shaohuai assumed an air of understanding at last, chopsticks raised in his hand yet never having brought them down, as though thoroughly absorbed in what he was hearing. “So that is how it is. Today hearing you say this has taught me that I will need to grow sharper eyes going forward — lest I get swept away and then thank the very person who took me.”

“Precisely, precisely.”

Yin the Fifth ate with a refined and measured manner, bringing his chopsticks down with propriety and order — clearly having served others for so long that the habit had become second nature.

Though he had been steadily enjoying the food and wine the entire time, one could not have told it in the least.

Yin the Fifth added, “Let this humble one be so bold as to say one large thing before Young Lord Pei — Yin the Fifth will absolutely never engage in anything that harms others for one’s own benefit or goes against human decency. Going out and running errands and talking on behalf of distinguished persons is simply the demands of life and making a living — earning a few coins to support my elderly mother and wife and children at home. I would never dare harbor any ill intentions… Whatever trickles down from between the distinguished persons’ fingers, this humble one catches it gratefully. And if they happen to forget, that is fine too — this humble one simply counts it as having received a share of their distinguished aura.”

There was something rather “righteously indignant” in his tone, as he also played at being pitiable.

Pei Shaohuai “fell into” Yin the Fifth’s trap again and asked whether something difficult had happened in his family.

“Ah, better left unsaid—” Yin the Fifth repeatedly declined with a sorrowful expression, adding, “I would not want to spoil Young Lord Pei’s pleasant mood.”

After several rounds of declining, he finally spoke of the poverty and destitution of his household, of having been forced to abandon his scholarly ambitions and come out to earn a living, of hoping his young son would not follow his footsteps and instead carry on the family’s scholarly lineage — and so forth, and so on.

Truly a masterfully composed tale of wretched circumstances, enough to move an unknowing listener to tears.

Pei Shaohuai took out a silver ingot and slid it across to Yin the Fifth, saying with youthful generosity, “Today I gained much from your words of warning — this is to buy the two little nephews some brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones…”

Yin the Fifth did not rush to accept the silver. Instead, he tilted his head back and “drank deeply” of several more cups of Jinhua wine, and only then, with apparent reluctance, slipped the silver into his sleeve — an act so perfectly performed that Pei Shaohuai nearly failed to hold back a laugh.

At parting, Yin the Fifth said to Pei Shaohuai, “This humble one has only the ability to keep his eyes open and his mouth moving. Should Young Lord Pei ever have a use for me, this humble one will be at your disposal at any time.”

……

In the carriage, Chang Zhou cracked the whip, and his mind had cleared somewhat. He called into the carriage, “Young Master, that Yin the Fifth’s silver tongue is truly something — if I hadn’t known he was a hangers-on, I would have been completely led by him. Everything that comes out of his mouth just sounds so agreeable. Remarkable, remarkable.”

Pei Shaohuai suspected the Earl’s residence harbored a spy, yet he had not yet directed his suspicion toward Chang Zhou.

Chang Zhou knew his movements, true — but he was always at his side. Right there under his eyes, there was no opportunity to pass messages to anyone outside.

“I saw how absorbed you were just now — you even forgot to call for tea. I thought you might not come back to yourself at all,” Pei Shaohuai teased Chang Zhou. “I was just thinking that when we got back, I would take you down to the county yamen and cancel your contract.”

Chang Zhou showed an expression of embarrassment and said, “Young Master has seen me make a fool of myself. I was thinking of that two-courtyard house, and that was enough to keep me from losing my head… I will have to be sharper next time we go out.”

……

……

Zhaolu Courtyard, Jingchuan Earl’s Residence.

Pei Shaohuai went to find his mother, and without specifically dismissing the servants, left the door open and greeted her as he did on ordinary days, then chatted about various household matters as usual.

“Ying’er has still been feeling a little out of sorts these past few days — I inevitably have to divide my attention. You must take care of your own health,” Lin Shi reminded him.

“Your son understands.” Pei Shaohuai asked further, “I went to see my sister yesterday, and she only said her appetite was poor. Are there any other matters that are not right with her?”

Lin Shi’s expression held a trace of worry. “It really is only that her digestion is not good — it happens now and then. But seeing her grow thinner — as her mother, one cannot help but worry.”

“Your son will go see my sister again in a while.”

When the servants came to set out the evening meal, and the young servants and maids had all moved away, Pei Shaohuai closed the door and told his mother about having repeatedly encountered Yin the Fifth recently. He also shared his suspicion — that someone had placed a spy within the household, and most likely right here in the Zhaolu Courtyard.

Lin Shi was shocked and angry, with guilt mixed in. She said, “It is all my fault for only ever attending to outside affairs — I forgot there could be a lamp casting shadow beneath itself. Thank goodness you are an alert child, Huai, or your mother would truly have committed a grave failing…”

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became at what might have been.

If that spy had been a vicious sort, there was no telling what outrageous things they might have done.

Lin Shi considered for a moment, then said, “Since the spy is right under my own nose, I dare not have anyone from the household investigate. Tomorrow I will go find your elder maternal uncle and have him send some people from the Lin household to watch covertly.” Lin Shiyun was a businessman and had no shortage of rivals — he encountered such matters far more often. There were loyal family retainers within the Lin household who were willing to stake their lives.

Pei Shaohuai nodded and said, “Your son dares not make any commotion. For the time being, I will continue as before — aside from going to lessons, I will only go out once every several days… Since it is a matter of passing information, there must come a moment when they slip up and show their hand.”

……

In the days that followed, Pei Shaohuai went to lessons as normal. Only when lessons let out early would he go out for a stroll — sometimes going through the front gate, sometimes the back gate; sometimes stopping at a tea house for tea, sometimes going up into the hills to take in the scenery. There was no fixed pattern.

After running into Yin the Fifth several more times, Pei Shaohuai became better acquainted with him. Yin the Fifth always had an inexhaustible supply of amusements to delight Pei Shaohuai with. When ordinary folk were throwing dice and drinking, he would play the “Flower Chain” verse game with Young Lord Pei instead. He seemed to engage only in refined pastimes — but though the ditties he sang were melodious and the lyrics sounded elegant, the intent behind them was the spring longings of young maidens.

Clearly a common wine house — yet at any moment, a female musician could be summoned forth, shapely in figure and lovely in features, at the tender age of early girlhood, with expectant and shimmering eyes.

Playing the pipa, the zither, the bamboo flute.

“Today has been thoroughly enjoyable again — truly fine music, and the lyrics are also quite refined and elegant.” Pei Shaohuai said with feeling.

Yin the Fifth smiled and said, “This humble one said so long ago — I only bring Young Lord to do refined things, listen to clear music, and appreciate fine tea. I would never do anything that invites contempt, and I would not dare betray my original intentions.”

He then added, “I only hope to offer Young Lord some diversion when he grows tired from his studies.”

“By the way, last time you mentioned there is a place that is particularly refined and elegant, most fitting for composing poetry — where was that again?”

“If Young Lord is interested, this humble one will take you there another day.”

……

Just over a month later, Lin Shi told Pei Shaohuai that everything had been investigated and confirmed.

“From the time your father left to take up his post at Yuchong County, and I sent Shen Da and Shen Er along with him, I could already see that she was unhappy in her heart — feeling that after I took over managing the household, I only gave preferential treatment to my own people and slighted theirs. Did she think going along would mean eating and drinking in comfort and luxury? Afterward, she came to me again and again asking me to arrange lighter work assignments for her two sons, and thinking that she was an old trusted servant of the Old Madam’s, I gave her some face out of respect for the Old Madam and went along with her wishes — but who would have thought that after changing their assignments twice, she was still unsatisfied with one thing or another, and afterward even had the Old Madam say a few words to me on her behalf. I never imagined that her family would dare harbor such intentions!”

So it turned out to be Nanny Zhou — the Old Madam’s personal attendant.

Nanny Zhou had followed the Old Madam into the Earl’s residence from the day of her marriage, and had served at the Old Madam’s side ever since. When the Old Madam managed the household, Nanny Zhou had been quite a presence in the Earl’s residence — the other servants were expected to treat her as half a mistress.

After Lin Shi took over managing the household, whenever Nanny Zhou spent money or handled matters under the banner of the Old Madam’s name, she would have Lin Shi keeping track of it. She felt aggrieved by this.

“That explains it — last year she suddenly said her eldest son had lamed his leg and could not do heavy work, and could only go to the stable to tend the horses and carriage. Now I understand the real intention behind that.”

“Mother, what do you plan to do?”

“Now that we have found them out, we need not fear anymore. But we cannot move against them too soon — lest the alarm is raised and whoever is behind this arranges another spy in their place, which would be even harder to deal with.” Lin Shi calculated, then said, “I am thinking of what kind of rumor to let slip that would draw the mastermind behind this out into the open, so I can give them a good hard blow.”