Liu Qingxi noticed that Duan Hongning had been watching Hua Yitang and Lin Sui’an continuously — from the moment Lin Sui’an stepped into the boudoir: the application of makeup, the change of clothes, the wager, the high-platform battle. She observed not only their words, expressions, and behavior, but paid particular attention to their interactions with each other.

When she saw Lin Niangzi fight her way through all five sect leaders and emerge victorious, the Ninth Niang’s expression was one of relief and delight. When she saw Lin Sui’an and Hua Yitang work in seamless coordination, the Ninth Niang’s brow furrowed faintly, as though somewhat displeased. Occasionally, the Ninth Niang’s gaze would settle on Hua Yitang’s face — her expression distant and unfocused, as though looking through him at something else, or somewhere else, or someone else — even carrying a trace of hatred.

After Lin and Hua departed with the five sect leaders to the third courtyard, Duan Hongning went to the Appreciation Pavilion in the second courtyard. The pavilion’s upper floor overlooked the third courtyard, which naturally included the Lingbo Pavilion where everyone was meeting in private.

Duan Hongning sat perfectly upright, staring fixedly outward. Liu Qingxi did not understand why, for the Appreciation Pavilion was still some distance from the third courtyard — one could barely make out hazy silhouettes, let alone hear any sound, or distinguish the specific expressions of specific people.

Very soon Liu Qingxi understood: Duan Hongning did not seem to be trying to see what was happening in Lingbo Pavilion. She simply wanted — to be watching.

Pale moonlight slid across Duan Hongning’s face like threads of silk — hatred, grief, pain, relief, hesitation… emotions of every kind flickered past and vanished. In the end, what settled was a resolve staked on a single throw.

Hua Yitang and Lin Sui’an escorted the five sect leaders to the gate of Duan Jiu’s estate. The five sect leaders had arrived with aggressive bluster and left with reluctance, their faces full of reverence. Duan Hongning accompanied them the whole way, her face wearing a flawless professional smile. After seeing the five sect leaders off, she first invited Liu Qingxi to take Lin Sui’an back to her room to change and freshen up, then personally brewed a cup of finest Hundred Flowers Tea and sat down across from Hua Yitang.

Hua Yitang lounged against the armrest, languidly flapping his little fan, and asked with a smile, “Miss Duan has something to say?”

Duan Hongning was direct. “Does Fourth Young Master like Lin Niangzi?”

Hua Yitang’s fan gave a small stutter. His smile grew even more radiant. “I do.”

Duan Hongning’s eyes shifted subtly, as though she too had been moved by Hua Yitang’s smile, and the corner of her mouth lifted. “And Lin Niangzi?”

Hua Yitang’s throat worked. He slowly sat up straight, gazed steadily into Duan Hongning’s eyes, and asked, “In Miss Duan’s observation — how does she… feel about me?”

Duan Hongning thought for a moment, then shook her head.

Hua Yitang’s whole bearing dimmed. He lowered his lashes, his fingertips clicking against the fan.

Duan Hongning: “Ahem — Fourth Young Master has misunderstood me. What I mean is, Lin Niangzi is not entirely without feeling for Fourth Young Master —”

Before she could finish, Hua Yitang’s entire person lit up like a lamp doused in oil — with a snap, his fine eyes blinking. “Miss Duan, do you truly mean this?!”

Duan Hongning could not hold it in — she burst out laughing.

Hua Yitang was displeased. “Is Miss Duan mocking me?”

“Red Ingot would not dare mock the far-famed Fourth Young Master of the Hua family.” Duan Hongning waved her hand repeatedly. “What I mean is, Lin Niangzi has not yet discovered her own feelings — or rather —” Duan Hongning paused, “Lin Niangzi does not want to discover her own feelings.” Another pause. “Of course, this is only a woman’s intuition on my part — I am not entirely certain.”

Hua Yitang sat motionless, staring at Duan Hongning. “Please speak freely.”

Duan Hongning was thoughtful for a moment. “I have been in the pleasure quarters for over ten years and have observed countless people — women in particular. I can always discern something of their thoughts. On the surface, Lin Niangzi is open and cheerful, kind to others — but in truth, she is not skilled at forming deep connections with anyone. To put it in terms of a metaphor: she seems to have a thin, delicate shell around her. Everyone is kept outside that shell. For friends and family, this is tolerable — there is still a closeness, even through the barrier. But to go one step further — that is very difficult.”

The light in Hua Yitang’s eyes dimmed again. He looked rather pitiable.

Duan Hongning sighed and gazed toward the deep darkness outside the window, her expression somewhat faraway. “The one who can pass through that shell must be someone she trusts with her whole heart — such affinity and such a moment cannot be sought, only encountered by chance. Perhaps it would take the separation of life and death for her to understand; perhaps it would take an entire lifetime to come to know it —”

Hua Yitang’s eyes gradually brightened. He rose to his feet and snapped his fan open with a crisp clap. “It does not matter. We are destined to be together for a lifetime regardless — sharing life and death, never parting!”

Lamplight and moonlight fell into the young man’s dark pupils — clear and ardent. It was the promise of a lifetime. The most pure-hearted sincerity.

“Hua Yitang, time to go home.”

Having changed back into her own clothes, Lin Sui’an stood freshly washed in the garden and called out to him. The girl’s posture was straight and tall, her eyes clean and bright — one could not help but think of that blade-flash that swept all evil and demons before it. Ten thousand malefic forces, a thousand demons and monsters — all could be purified. Hence: “Ten Purities.”

Duan Hongning watched quietly, something faintly warm stirring behind her eyes. She came back to herself, then called out to Hua Yitang once more, with deliberate gravity: “In matters of love, destiny is paramount. To the east of Da Ci Temple there is a shrine to the God of Matchmaking — it is said to be most efficacious for matters of marriage. Fourth Young Master might as well go and try.”

Hua Yitang was overjoyed. He folded his fan and bowed to Duan Hongning with proper formality, then practically skipped after Lin Sui’an.

Duan Hongning watched the two figures disappear and exhaled softly:

If it were them — she was willing to make one gamble.

“It’s the middle of the night — why are we going to Da Ci Temple?” Lin Sui’an asked.

“Do you still remember that Hua mentioned Duan Hongning having some mystery about her?” Hua Yitang said.

“And then?”

“Today, you and Hua joined forces and defeated the five major sect leaders. Duan Hongning’s eyes when she looked at us changed — she seems to trust us a little more now.”

“So?”

“Just before we left, she suddenly mentioned the Matchmaking God’s shrine at Da Ci Temple — quite out of the blue.”

Lin Sui’an suddenly understood. “She was hinting that there are clues to the Mi Nina case at the Matchmaking God’s shrine?”

“Perhaps more than just Mi Nina.” Hua Yitang said. “I have always felt that even Xiao Lian’s case is connected to her.”

It sounded perfectly reasoned, yet Lin Sui’an had a persistent feeling that something, somewhere, was not quite right.

Hua Yitang’s head swayed gently with the rocking of the carriage, his eyes curving into two crescent moons, the corners of his mouth unable to help curling upward — three parts smug and pleased, three parts self-congratulatory, four parts with ulterior motives.

This person is definitely planning mischief again! Lin Sui’an thought to herself.

“Fourth Young Master Hua, Lin Niangzi — shall we get down at Xiaofoshi, or go directly to the Matchmaking God’s shrine?” the hired driver asked.

It had to be said, the top courtesan of Red Beauty House truly knew how to handle every situation — saying it was dark and the road was far, she had even specially sent a carriage to escort them, and the driver happened to be the page boy who had delivered the message for them earlier, named Pixi. He handled the carriage quite skillfully — apparently he was the most familiar with Yidu’s roads among all of Duan Jiu’s estate’s drivers.

Hua Yitang: “Hua has only heard there is a Great Buddha Market outside Da Ci Temple — what is this Little Buddha Market?”

Pixi: “The Great Buddha Market is outside Da Ci Temple. The Little Buddha Market is outside the Matchmaking God’s shrine. The Great Buddha Market sells things for offering incense and paying respects to the Buddha — especially fresh fruits in the morning, cheaper than any of the major markets. But at this hour the Great Buddha Market has long since ended, unlike the Little Buddha Market, which carries on past midnight.”

Lin Sui’an was curious. “Is the Little Buddha Market also a night market?”

“It is — and it isn’t.” Pixi smiled. “The Little Buddha Market is on Xiao Yue Lane, the only road to the Matchmaking God’s shrine. It sells things for seeking a good match — incense pouches, red cords, marriage-luck plaques, wish-fulfillment red banners, sky lanterns, river lamp boats — everything. As the saying goes, ‘when the moon hangs above the willow tips, lovers meet as evening falls.’ If sweethearts in Yidu want to court, it’s either the Yufei Rainbow Bridge with its moonlit flowers, or the red-lucky Matchmaking God’s shrine. So the Little Buddha Market is at its liveliest after dark.”

Rainbow Bridge? Lin Sui’an’s temple gave a twitch. Could it be that bridge from last time, the one packed with trysts and secret meetings?

She glanced at Hua Yitang. He was fanning himself higher and higher, concealing his face behind it.

Pixi continued: “But the two of you should beware — the marriage-luck bells in the Little Buddha Market are all counterfeits. They love to swindle outsiders. To buy the genuine article you need to go inside the Matchmaking God’s shrine. The ones the temple priest sells are authentic — most efficacious for seeking a good match!”

Hua Yitang’s enthusiasm surged at once. He pointed his fan forward with a commanding air. “Go directly to the Matchmaking God’s shrine!”

Lin Sui’an regarded him with a sideways look. Hua Yitang laughed sheepishly twice. “We are here anyway, and there is nothing else to do — might as well have a wander.”

Lin Sui’an: I must be out of my mind to trust you!

As they spoke, the carriage gradually slowed. Outside, voices clamored and vendor calls rang out in waves. The wheels rolled on, and hooves kicked up dust.

Lin Sui’an lifted the window and looked out — ahead stretched a lane over two zhang wide. The vendors had taken over nearly half the street. Red paper lanterns dangled from the stalls, and the shelves were hung with dazzling arrays of goods — exactly as Pixi had described: red cords, marriage-luck plaques, incense pouches, sky lanterns, and stalls selling collections of love poetry — the Yidu Five-Year New Edition, the Eastern Capital Exquisite Edition, the Yangdu Romance Edition, the Guangdu Practical Edition…

Most abundant of all were the wind bells — in forms of every imaginable shape: long ones, round ones, square ones, triangular ones; in materials of every kind: bronze, silver, gold-plated, glazed glass; trailing long tassels or paper slips below. Some paper slips had writing on them, others were blank. When the night wind blew through, they rang ding-ding-dang all the way down the lane.

The passers-by were nearly all couples — mostly young people, though there were middle-aged pairs too. Lin Sui’an even spotted a few couples whose hair had gone entirely white, supporting each other as they walked slowly through the crowd — most romantic of all.

Pixi called and shouted to clear a path through the vendors blocking the road, squeezing into every gap, nudging through every opening — it took a full half-hour, but at last the carriage drew to a smooth stop before the main gate of the Matchmaking God’s shrine. By now it was past the first half of the hour of the Dog, yet the shrine’s entrance was still bustling and lively.

Hua Yitang was strikingly handsome and dressed in fine silk — the moment he stepped down from the carriage, every eye turned his way. The door-keeping temple page took one look and knew at once that a wealthy patron had arrived. He hurried to summon the temple priest, who came out to personally receive Hua Yitang and Lin Sui’an inside.

The priest was a man past forty — slick-haired, powdered face, even a flower tucked behind his ear — smiling so broadly that his eyes and brows were all scrunched together. He launched into a rapid string of words, then seemed to feel something was not quite right, and at once changed his phrasing: “Look at this young gentleman — elegance personified — and this young lady — so spirited and bold. What a perfect pair heaven has made! Please, both of you, come inside!”

Lin Sui’an looked on with great interest. The deity enshrined in the Matchmaking God’s shrine was, naturally, the God of Matchmaking — but his form was entirely different from what she had in mind. He was a chubby figure full of charm, with no beard, dressed in red, tadpole-shaped eyes, and both hands each holding a wind bell aloft.

Hua Yitang: “Are those bells in the God of Matchmaking’s hands the legendary marriage-luck bells?”

Temple priest: “Young gentleman, what an eye! These marriage-luck bells are unique to our Matchmaking God’s shrine at Da Ci Temple. The bell in the God’s left hand is the male bell; the bell in his right hand is the female bell. The man holds the male bell, the woman the female bell. No matter how far apart the two bells may be, when one bell rings, the other will answer from a distance. As they say: ‘longing without end, spanning a thousand miles to carry feelings.’ Looking at you two, I would say you are a golden boy and jade girl descended from the heavens — a thousand-mile bond threaded by a single strand of fate — truly rare. I would like to offer the two of you the marriage-luck bells our shrine has kept enshrined for ten years, to ensure your love endures and you grow old together hand in hand.”

Lin Sui’an: “And they are free of charge?”

The priest grinned with all eighteen of his teeth on display. “The bells, naturally, are free — but the ten years of incense offerings and prayers cannot be omitted. Otherwise they won’t work.”

Lin Sui’an glanced sideways at Hua Yitang: See that? He thinks we’re easy marks.

Yet Hua Yitang waved his fan and produced a pouch of gold leaf, tossing it to the priest. “A pair, please — the most efficacious ones!”

Lin Sui’an: “Hey!”

Hua Yitang raised an eyebrow and widened his eyes, mouthing: trust me, it’s useful!

Lin Sui’an: “……”

I trust you as far as I can throw you!

The priest’s mouth stretched to his earlobes. He called the temple page to fetch the marriage-luck bells, and attended upon Hua Yitang as though serving a living ancestor. “How would the young gentleman like the marriage-luck blessing applied?”

Hua Yitang’s eyes brightened. “How do you apply it?”

“The most common method is to hang a poem slip from the bell — write out the two of you a love poem.”

Hua Yitang immediately recalled the mishap of reciting poetry as a confession on the Rainbow Bridge last time, and felt intensely awkward. He shook his head repeatedly. “This — this this this — let’s skip that one.”

The priest understood and produced a copy of The Complete Collection of Love Poems: The Matchmaking God’s Shrine Secret Edition. “If the young gentleman cannot think of suitable words at the moment, you may consult this poetry anthology.”

Hua Yitang: “Ahem — are there other methods of applying the blessing?”

“Yes indeed!” The priest said eagerly, “If the two of you have a token of affection — something like a jade pendant or jade tablet — hanging it from the bell is also very efficacious.”

Lin Sui’an: In utter bemusement — what token of affection? Were they to hang a string of gold leaf? Far too ostentatious.

Hua Yitang heard this suggestion and was very tempted. His hand quietly slipped inside his lapel, where a small fragrant pouch rested — inside the pouch was a “keepsake” he cherished greatly. If he were to hang that —

The priest saw that both parties seemed hesitant, and grasped the situation at once. His eyes rolled thoughtfully. “You may also have both your names carved on the inside of the bell. With the wind turning the bell and the bell ringing, it would be as though the bell itself were calling out each other’s names — most efficacious of all.”

“No engraving!” the temple page burst out from inside, running over with the red-lacquered box and announcing in a loud voice. “Engraving causes trouble!”

“Why can they not engrave names?” Lin Sui’an asked, intrigued.

The page puckered his lips, “A year ago, a fickle official bought eight pairs of marriage-luck bells and gave them to women in several different pleasure houses, all with names engraved. When it came to light, those women didn’t just give the official a beating — they came storming to the Matchmaking God’s shrine as well, saying we had been carelessly tying together mismatched fates, and were no kind of respectable establishment. They beat the temple priest too. After that, our Matchmaking God’s shrine dared never engrave names again.”

Lin Sui’an: “Ha — !”

Hua Yitang: “……”

The priest dabbed away sweat. “Acolyte — mind your words!”

The acolyte: “But it was you yourself who made this rule!”

“Circumstances change —”

“Has the priest forgotten how those eight women knocked off the God of Matchmaking’s beard?”

“Hahahahahahaha —” Lin Sui’an doubled over with laughter.

Hua Yitang seized the moment to pull the priest aside. “Let us talk more about the hanging of the token of affection —”

The priest saw clearly that this pair was a case of “the king’s heart willing, the goddess’s heart unwilling” — and immediately classified Hua Yitang as a priority customer. “Add another string of coins, and I guarantee you and this young lady will be as sweet as honey.”

Hua Yitang flung out a second pouch of gold leaf without hesitation. The priest’s gaze toward Hua Yitang instantly elevated to that of a God of Wealth. “Young gentleman, may I take a look at the token of affection?”

Hua Yitang glanced back at Lin Sui’an. She had laughed her fill and was now grabbing the acolyte, eager to get a look at the fabled marriage-luck bell up close — with no attention to spare for anything else. This was the perfect opportunity. He at once reached inside his lapel, carefully drew out a fragrant pouch, and with great tenderness removed the keepsake from within.

The priest was taken aback. Given how carefully this young gentleman had wrapped it — dousing it in perfume, treating it with such solemnity — he had thought it must be some precious heirloom. Who could have expected it to be nothing but an ordinary bamboo tube, half-long, half-green, half-yellowed, with nothing whatsoever to distinguish it from any other piece of bamboo.

Temple priest: “This… is your token of affection?”

Hua Yitang looked utterly delighted. “She split it from bamboo with her own hands!”

Temple priest: “……”

Very well, as long as you are happy.

“No problem — leave it with me. I need only hang this on the bell, then have it consecrated at the shrine for forty-nine days — seven times seven — and naturally the incense offering fee is extra —”

Before the priest could finish, Lin Sui’an suddenly let out a sharp cry: “Hua Yitang, look!”

Hua Yitang jolted in alarm, hurriedly concealed the bamboo tube, spun around. “What is it?”

Lin Sui’an held up the marriage-luck bell the acolyte had taken from the red-lacquered box, gave it a shake — its sound was clear and resonant, ding ding ding. The bell was cast in bronze, narrow at the top and flaring at the bottom like a trumpet, its surface patterns quite unlike the counterfeits outside. A blank moss-green paper slip hung below it.

Hua Yitang’s pupils contracted sharply. He remembered — hanging under the eaves of Xiao Lian’s house was a rusty bronze bell, and its shape was identical to this one.

Lin Sui’an raised an eyebrow. “Xiao Lian was sold to Wu Zhengli a year and a half ago — the man she loved must have met her even earlier than that. Do you think there are names carved inside her bronze bell?”

Hua Yitang smiled. “Let us go and see.”

No sooner had he spoken than the two of them swept out of the Matchmaking God’s shrine like a gust of wind.

The priest was left in a daze. “What did that young lady just call that young gentleman?”

The acolyte’s mouth fell open. “It sounded like… Hua Yitang…”

“Hua Fourth Young Master?”

“That’s right.”

“Fourth Young Master of the Hua Clan of Yangdu?”

“That’s right!”

“The grandfather of Hua Ermu?”

“That’s right!”

“Quickly! Prepare a carriage at once — bring these marriage-luck bells to the Hua Clan’s Ninety-Nine-Mansion Estate!”

“Yes!”

Side Skit

Hua Yitang: Oh no, oh no, oh no — forgot to take the marriage-luck bells, forgot to hang the token of affection — I am beside myself!