The Duke of Lu’s estate was separated from Prince Lan’s manor by only a single street — half an incense stick’s worth of riding on horseback.

The night had grown deep, and the servants who came to answer the gate were inwardly full of grievances, but the moment they saw that the visitors were Lin Xiao and his attendant, how could they dare show displeasure? They immediately mustered their fullest attentiveness and welcomed the two men inside.

There was no need for many questions — they knew Lin Xiao had come to see the Third Young Master of the estate, and so they led the two directly toward Third Young Master’s courtyard.

This Third Young Master of the Duke of Lu’s estate bore the name Jiang Huiyue. He was the third legitimate son of the Duke of Lu’s eldest branch, and his mother, the Duchess of Lu, was the elder sister of Lin Xiao’s birth mother — the two young men were proper maternal cousins. Furthermore, being close in age with matching temperaments, they had been inseparable playmates since childhood, and their bond ran far deeper than that of ordinary cousins.

Lin Xiao and Chang Rong made their way into Bamboo Clarity Garden, the compound where Jiang Huiyue resided. They had barely sat down in the main hall when they faintly heard the sounds of flirtatious laughter drifting from the inner chamber — a man and a woman, teasing each other.

Lin Xiao had long grown accustomed to this and simply pretended not to hear it. Chang Rong, however, rolled his eyes extravagantly. From the looks of things, Jiang Sanlang had most likely acquired another beautiful concubine and was currently thoroughly occupied with her.

Footsteps approached from a distance, growing nearer. The door curtain was lifted, and in walked a young gentleman of sixteen or seventeen, his lips crimson, his teeth white, with rosy color blooming across his cheeks — strikingly handsome. At the corners of his brows and eyes there resided a languid, unhurried air, and his every movement and gesture exuded the word “rakish.”

By contrast, Lin Xiao was more like a piece of exquisitely carved white jade — surpassingly handsome, yet with a cool and detached quality, far less approachable than Jiang Sanlang.

Jiang Sanlang smiled as he glanced at Lin Xiao, then casually flipped up the hem of his robe and sprawled into a seat beside him. “You returned today?” he asked. “How was it? Did the trip out of Chang’an go smoothly?”

Yet when Lin Xiao and Chang Rong actually laid eyes on Third Young Master, they were both secretly startled — how was it that after barely half a month apart, Jiang Sanlang’s complexion had deteriorated so noticeably?

Chang Rong could not help blurting out: “Third Young Master, what happened to you? Have you been feeling unwell lately?”

Jiang Sanlang puzzledly rubbed his jaw and said with surprise, “I’m perfectly fine — why does everyone say my color looks poor? My health feels wonderful.”

Something seemed to occur to him, and he curved his lips into a smile. “Ah, right — I’ve recently acquired a darling, and the pleasures she offers are not something to share with outsiders. I’ve been unable to tear myself away and have indulged a few too many times. Perhaps that’s caused a bit of depletion.”

He looked up and caught the expression of disdain on Lin Xiao’s face, then raised an eyebrow and said, “Don’t be so haughty. You simply haven’t tasted those pleasures yet. The day you do, I’d wager you’d be even less able to tear yourself away than I am.”

Chang Rong inwardly sneered. The Young Lord was absolutely not that sort of person — he was strict with himself and never indulged in women. Nothing at all like Jiang Sanlang, who was the same age as the Young Lord yet had already taken in seven or eight concubines, not counting all those nameless brief liaisons from the pleasure houses and taverns.

“This darling of yours — where did you find her? Peony Pavilion? Heavenly Fragrance Court?” Lin Xiao lifted his teacup and took a sip, asking in a seemingly casual tone.

Jiang Sanlang was momentarily taken aback. What had come over Lin Xiao today, that he was actually taking an interest in the women in his household?

“She was not brought from any pleasure house.” He eyed Lin Xiao with suspicion and said, “Last month I accompanied my mother to Dayin Temple to burn incense. Along the road I came upon her being harassed by a group of ruffians, and not being able to stand by and watch, I stepped in and rescued her. I later learned that both her parents had passed, and that only she and her younger brother remained in the household. She was making silk flowers to sell in order to support her little brother. Seeing how pitiable her circumstances were, I felt moved by compassion.”

“So you brought her into the household as a concubine?”

He seemed genuinely intent on getting to the bottom of it — Jiang Sanlang stared at Lin Xiao, his puzzlement deepening. “I did not,” he said. “She told me that though her origins were humble, she would absolutely never become a nameless concubine with no formal standing. I found her stubbornness endearing — she had a certain dignified backbone — and so I had the proper documents drawn up and took her in as a formal honored concubine.”

This time it wasn’t just Lin Xiao — even Chang Rong raised his eyebrows in astonishment. One had to understand: though Jiang Sanlang had many concubines, a properly documented honored concubine was an absolute first. How many people in Chang’an had tried every means to curry favor with the Duke of Lu’s estate without success — and yet he had just… taken in a flower-selling girl with that title?

Lin Xiao held the teacup at his lips for a moment before drinking, then said, “Did your mother not say a single word? She simply let you carry on in this manner?”

Jiang Sanlang narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Lin Xiao earnestly, as if trying to see straight through him. “What’s gotten into you today — taking such an interest in matters inside my household? And come to think of it, it’s strange: my mother has never approved of any of my concubines before, always dismissing them as coquettish and flirtatious. Yet she has taken an inexplicable liking to A’Miao — that is the given name of this darling of mine — she’s utterly fond of A’Miao, not the least bit bothered by her humble origins. She keeps saying that A’Miao is gentle, kind, and refined in manner, and she tells me to treat her well.”

Gentle and refined in manner? Lin Xiao gave Jiang Sanlang a peculiar look. The laughter that had floated out from the inner chamber just moments ago had been so seductive — where was the “refinement” in any of that?

He couldn’t help letting his gaze drift toward the door curtain, as though he could see through its heavy folds to the woman called A’Miao within.

Jiang Sanlang felt a flash of irritation. “Did you come here today just to aggravate me? You’ve come back and haven’t said a single sensible thing, treating me as if I’m some poor fool who’s been bewitched. Am I the kind of man who loses all judgment to beauty? Before I brought A’Miao home, I had already sent someone to make thorough inquiries at her family’s home. Her family has lived in Fule Alley beside Dayin Temple since her grandparents’ generation — surrounded for decades by neighbors who know them well. Even Abbot Yuan Jue of Dayin Temple had long been acquainted with A’Miao and her brother. When her parents passed away, Yuan Jue, seeing the siblings left alone and helpless, even had his disciples gift them some silk and money to help cover the burial.”

As he spoke, he raised his eyebrows at Lin Xiao in a show of defiance, as if to say: let’s see what you can say to that now.

Chang Rong nearly burst out laughing. These two masters of his — both were regarded in Chang’an as prodigiously talented young men whose word was law — yet whenever they got together, there was never a shortage of bickering and squabbling.

Sure enough, Lin Xiao curled his lips with contempt and said, “I merely noticed your color looked poor and asked a few extra questions. The fact that you’re already defending your darling so urgently — if that isn’t losing all judgment to beauty, what is it? If I said any more, I imagine you’d be drawing a blade on me before long.” At that, a peculiar thought suddenly surfaced in Lin Xiao’s mind. When he had encountered the snake demon in Mangshan, his sword at his waist had sounded its warning bell several times — clearly it had some capacity for detecting demons. Why not provoke Jiang Sanlang into bringing this A’Miao out, and test her with the sword?

With that in mind, he feigned disdain and said, “Just a flower-selling girl, and yet you treat her like a celestial beauty and guard her like a treasure. Even if her looks are slightly above average, her bearing and manners might well be unbearably small-natured and common. You should have some measure of limits to your taste for novelty.”

Jiang Sanlang looked at Lin Xiao with a half-smile and said, “Don’t try to provoke me — I know what you’re scheming. Very well, today I’ll have A’Miao come out so you can see her. If, after seeing A’Miao, you can’t find a single fault with her, then you’ll have to call her ‘Young Sister-in-Law’ most respectfully. How does that sound?”

Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow in acceptance of the challenge. “Today I’d like to broaden my horizons. Fine — as you say.”

Jiang Sanlang rose and departed. Shortly after, the faint sound of Third Young Master’s voice drifted from the inner chamber — his tone was gentle and accommodating in a way that was difficult to describe.

Lin Xiao and Chang Rong exchanged a glance of mutual astonishment. For a concubine — someone who in Jiang Sanlang’s eyes had always been little more than a plaything — was he really being this careful and considerate?

A moment later, the door curtain was lifted, and Jiang Sanlang came out leading a young woman of graceful figure.

The woman held a silk fan that half-concealed her face, revealing only one half of her countenance — brows and features exquisitely drawn like a painting of a hibiscus blossom. Her looks were genuinely one-in-ten-thousand, and what was rare was the grace and elegance of her bearing — soft and willowy. Compared to the fashionable noble ladies who pursued voluptuousness above all else, she appeared all the more fresh and lovely.

Jiang Sanlang led A’Miao up close to Lin Xiao and murmured in her ear, “This is the Young Lord of Prince Lan’s estate.” His every movement was full of tender care.

A’Miao gave a small nod, dipped into a graceful half-curtsy before Lin Xiao, and said softly, “Greetings, Young Lord.” The hairpin ornaments adorning her temples swayed with her movement, producing a pleasant musical sound as gold and jade clinked together.

Chang Rong, standing behind Lin Xiao, caught a clear look at the hair ornaments on the woman’s head and inwardly clicked his tongue in amazement. Such precious jewels and gems — even women of the imperial family often had none to compare. It seemed that Jiang Sanlang’s regard for this honored concubine of his was truly extraordinary.

Lin Xiao’s eyes rested on A’Miao, but his attention was fixed on the sword at his waist. Good — the sword was utterly silent, not offering its master even the slightest face.

He felt somewhat deflated, and at the same time quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He looked up to find Jiang Sanlang regarding him with a raised eyebrow, and he gave a self-deprecating smile. Rising to his feet, he returned A’Miao’s courtesy with a proper, respectful bow and said with a smile, “Lin Xiao pays his respects to Young Sister-in-Law.”

Qu Qin Yao had been quite busy at home these past few days. Ever since that day when she had helped her brother consume the inner core of the snake demon, her brother had first burned with a high fever for a full day and night. Once the fever finally broke, he then broke out in a dense rash all over his body. Frantic with worry, she had run through the night to Qingyun Temple to find her master.

To her surprise, when her master learned of the situation, he was not at all alarmed — he simply said that the inner core had belonged to a thousand-year-old snake demon and was extraordinarily potent in its toxicity. Even a person of robust constitution would find it difficult to properly absorb, let alone Qin Yao’s brother with his fragile, sickly body.

He instructed Qin Yao to go home and draw a talisman on her own, dissolve it in realgar wine, and give it to her brother to drink — the serpent toxin would then naturally recede.

Qin Yao went home and did exactly as she was told. Within one hour, her brother’s rash had vanished entirely, and he came out of his stupor and regained consciousness. A few more days passed, and not only had the coughing stopped — his appetite had also improved markedly compared to before.

Watching Ziyu grow stronger day by day, the Qu couple and Qin Yao were beside themselves with joy — the Qu couple most of all. They had never done any evil in their lives, and yet they had been given two ailing, frail children, one after the other. At one point they had felt life was utterly hopeless. Who could have imagined that more than a decade later, their family would receive such a blessing?

All of this was thanks to Qing Xuzi’s profound cultivation! In their joy and gratitude, the Qu couple discussed how to properly thank Qing Xuzi in a fitting manner. It happened that on that very day Qin Yao was returning to Qingyun Temple for her training, so the Qu couple joined her in the carriage — and the carriage was packed to the brim with the gifts they had prepared for Qing Xuzi.

Qin Yao saw her parents’ enthusiasm and had no heart to dampen it. Inwardly, though, she quietly complained: Father, Mother — you’ve quite misjudged this. Instead of all these gifts, you would do far better to just give Master money directly, because what he loves most in this world is money! Money! Money!

The family, each harboring their own thoughts, arrived at Qingyun Temple. They had barely stepped down from the carriage when they saw Qing Xuzi hurrying out with a thick-browed, large-eyed Daoist — the two of them looking as though they had urgent business to attend to.

Qin Yao quickly stepped forward and called out, “Master! Senior Brother! Where are you both going?”

The thick-browed, large-eyed, somewhat dense-looking Daoist was Qing Xuzi’s eldest disciple — A’Han, the abandoned infant that Qing Xuzi had once found in the middle of a frozen wasteland, now grown into a sturdy young man of seventeen or eighteen.

Seeing Qin Yao, he split into a wide grin of delight. “A’Yao, you’re back!”

Qing Xuzi spotted the Qu couple and inwardly exclaimed in dismay. He quickly turned back and made to clap his hand over A’Han’s mouth — but he was a step too slow. He heard A’Han announce at full volume, “Peony Pavilion has a ghost! The proprietress has invited Master to go catch it — we’re heading out right now.”

The moment the Qu couple heard the words “Peony Pavilion,” first came a flash of bewilderment, then a brief silence. Qu Enze had spent many years navigating the world of officialdom and was quicker-witted than anyone present. He immediately let out a string of awkward laughs and, grinning at the red-faced Qing Xuzi, said, “This, this — it seems we’ve come at an inconvenient time, catching the Reverend just as he’s about to head out. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.”

Qin Yao had never heard of Peony Pavilion before, but seeing the reactions of her parents and her master, it was not difficult to guess it was nothing more than a pleasure house of some sort. She felt not the slightest bit surprised — only a faint sense of exasperation as she looked toward Qing Xuzi: Master, oh Master — in your pursuit of money, there truly is no establishment whose business you won’t accept.