The little maid went and returned, but brought back news that there was no one beside the guqin.

Everyone was in an uproar. The performance of “Guan Shan Yue” was complete, yet the person who had played the qin was nowhere to be found—no one knew who it was. This seemed like a very elegant mystery. Someone said, “Perhaps it was some expert. In plays and stories they always write it this way—these experts all have their own peculiarities and don’t wish people to discover their true faces.”

“Indeed, indeed, how refined and elegant!”

People spoke this way, yet the sweat in Xiao Deyin’s palms only increased.

That person was nowhere to be found? How could that be? This was just the Scholar’s Manor—such a small place, where could one hide? Since they didn’t plan to meet anyone from the start, why play at all? Xiao Deyin vaguely felt that the qin melody had clearly been played for her to hear. Apart from herself, not a single person could recognize the familiarity of the melody. Of course, apart from herself, not a single person had ever heard Xue Fangfei play “Guan Shan Yue.”

Could it be Xue Fangfei’s ghost coming to warn her? Xiao Deyin felt her head growing dizzy. In fact, ever since the incident with Xue Fangfei, she had never once set foot in the Shen family home. Today was the first time. After so long, Xiao Deyin had thought she had long forgotten about this matter, that everything could be treated as if it had never happened.

But she hadn’t expected that nothing had passed—it was even tormenting her with increasing intensity.

Her complexion was extremely pale. The young lady beside her noticed and asked, “Teacher Xiao, what’s wrong? Why are you sweating so much?”

“It’s nothing.” Xiao Deyin waved her hand with difficulty. “Just feeling a bit dizzy.”

“Could you have caught a chill from the wind?” A concerned madam quickly pulled her to sit further inside. “Don’t sit outside anymore, lest you catch a cold.”

Before her was a warm brazier, around her were lively voices. This inexplicably appearing and disappearing qin melody was quickly cast aside by the crowd—it was just a small matter.

For Xiao Deyin, however, it was far more than just a small matter.

…

Jiang Li had long since left that room.

When the Emperor had just bestowed this manor, the Shen family had moved in with infinite joy. She had been the same—the happiness back then had always been so simple. Sometimes she would walk through every corner of the manor, every inch filled with pride, only thinking how capable her husband was, feeling honored by association.

Looking back now, it all seemed like a joke. But her understanding of this manor had never changed. She knew how to navigate every path, and also knew where there were no servants.

Liu Xu hadn’t returned yet, so Jiang Li walked to the edge of the garden to wait for her. The Shen family’s garden wasn’t as lively as the Duke’s Manor garden. It seemed that ever since Xue Fangfei’s death, no one in the manor had the heart to tend to these flowers and plants. For Madam Shen and Shen Ruyun, tending flowers and plants was inferior to looking at more jewelry, while Shen Yurun had even less leisure time to do such things. Therefore, by winter, the flower beds were desolate and very cold and quiet.

Just at this moment, someone suddenly called out “Fangfei”!

Jiang Li was startled. That voice was both strange and familiar, extremely close to her. She could be certain that person was definitely calling her. Jiang Li quickly turned around, but as far as her gaze reached, there wasn’t a single person.

The flower bed was empty, without even a servant. How could someone be calling her name?

Jiang Li steadied herself. Although the matter of her becoming Second Miss Jiang was itself strange enough, for some reason she herself didn’t believe in ghosts and spirits. Therefore, she didn’t believe this was the result of supernatural forces—she simply took it as someone trying to test her. Just as she stood still, that voice rang out again: “Fangfei, Fangfei!” This time it was even clearer, also mixed with some fluttering sounds.

She heard clearly—the voice was coming from beside a pillar under the eaves. Jiang Li paused, not thinking anything of it, and lifted her foot to walk that way.

Drawing closer, she saw a copper birdcage with a completely jet-black myna bird inside tilting its head to look at her. Suddenly, its bean-like eyes blinked and it cried out loudly, “Fangfei, Fangfei!”

“You!” Jiang Li was simply speechless.

During the winter of the first year after arriving in Yanjing City, one morning when she got up, she discovered a frozen-stiff myna bird lying outside her window. By its appearance, it should have been someone’s pet that had escaped when the cage wasn’t properly closed. Yanjing’s winters were cold, and it had frozen stiff after flying here.

She had someone pick up this myna bird and place it in a box lined with a handkerchief, then put it by the brazier. With the warmth, the myna actually revived. Later when Shen Yurun returned home, he simply found her a copper birdcage and they raised this myna bird.

The myna stayed at the Shen Manor for several years, from the small shabby house to the Emperor-bestowed residence, a full several years. It had also learned quite a few phrases and was very spiritually aware. Whenever it saw Xue Fangfei, it would call “Fangfei, Fangfei,” but when other people approached, it wouldn’t call like this. Shen Yurun had even joked that this myna could recognize people.

Under these current circumstances, with the myna suddenly blurting this out, it startled Jiang Li badly, only for her to discover it was a false alarm. She was both annoyed and amused. “Stop calling!”

The myna still tilted its head looking at her, then suddenly flew to the side of the cage closest to Jiang Li. Its two claws gripped the cage door tightly as it called out loudly, “Fangfei, Fangfei!”

This was serious. Jiang Li looked at it with surprise. By rights, her appearance had long since been completely changed. Even standing before Shen Yurun or Xue Huaiyuan, no one would recognize her as Xue Fangfei. How could this myna recognize her and keep calling her “Fangfei”? Could animals be better at recognizing people than humans? Or was it that her appearance had changed but her aura hadn’t, so this myna could still recognize her?

No matter what, she couldn’t stay here long. If others saw her standing here while this myna kept calling “Fangfei” at her persistently, although somewhat incredible, it would inevitably make people think too much. If Shen Yurun found out, he might very well discover something.

Jiang Li never underestimated Shen Yurun.

Just as she was about to lift her foot to leave, a voice suddenly sounded behind her, saying, “When you encounter this kind of situation, naturally you should silence the witness. What are you standing there in a daze for?”

Jiang Li turned around and saw Ji Heng in his red robes standing a few steps away, looking at her with a faint smile.

“Duke?” she asked. “How did you get here?”

“I was passing by and saw it was lively here, so I came in to look around,” he said quite casually. “The Shen family was very welcoming.”

This was almost the same explanation as when Princess Yongning had entered. For a moment, Jiang Li didn’t know what to say.

“This bird seems to know quite a lot,” he said lightly.

Jiang Li’s heart jumped, but on her face she smiled and said, “I don’t know either. It suddenly started calling ‘Fangfei.’ I’ve heard the Scholar’s wife was named Fangfei—perhaps it’s missing its mistress.” This was an explanation, but before Ji Heng this explanation seemed somewhat forced.

Ji Heng also smiled, walking to the birdcage and extending a finger to tease the myna. The myna moved to peck at his finger, but Ji Heng avoided it and tapped its head.

“No matter what… it missing its mistress while facing you will cause misunderstandings,” Ji Heng raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t I teach you not to leave anyone alive?”

Jiang Li: “…”

She naturally knew this, but this was just a bird. There were other methods—just avoiding it would suffice. Why must its life be taken? Ji Heng’s finger scratched the myna’s feathers. The myna seemed very comfortable, not avoiding him, tilting its head slightly to look at him—perhaps bewitched by his captivating beauty, very docile.

But Jiang Li knew that attractive finger could take this bird’s life at any moment.

Sure enough, Ji Heng smiled and opened the birdcage, catching the myna in his hand.

The myna had been raised in the Shen Manor for several years and had long grown very close to people. Faced with Ji Heng suddenly taking it out, it didn’t struggle much, lying dully in Ji Heng’s palm, also quieting down.

Jiang Li watched as Ji Heng slowly tightened his palm.

Her heart tensed and she couldn’t help saying, “No!”

Ji Heng raised his eyes to look at her, saying slowly, “Why not?”

Jiang Li couldn’t speak. After all, she had also raised this myna for three years—it was she who had picked it up back then. After her death, everything in the Shen Manor had nothing to do with her anymore, and there was no one who truly cared for it. The myna was just a bird, but it was possibly the only thing left in the Shen Manor that had no ulterior motives toward her.

Even if it was just a bird.

Ji Heng still smiled, but his gaze held a certain coolness.

Jiang Li took a breath and said, “Perhaps Miss September has a muting drug.”

“Poison a bird mute, Jiang Li,” he rarely called her full name like this, and when he did, there was a kind of amused indifference. He said, “Are you alright?”

Jiang Li also knew this idea of hers was truly somewhat excessive. For someone as “moody and unpredictable” as Ji Heng, to expend such effort on a bird? How could that be possible? He might not even have such patience for people. Silencing witnesses—just kill them. What nonsense was this?

Before Jiang Li could speak, she saw Ji Heng’s palm quickly close, and that myna disappeared from his palm.

He glanced at Jiang Li and said, “Don’t be foolish.”

Jiang Li sighed silently in her heart, looking at that empty birdcage, and fell silent.

After walking a few steps with her away from the empty birdcage, Jiang Li said, “Duke, I need to wait here for my friend Liu Xu, so I’m afraid I can’t walk with you. Moreover…” Moreover, walking together with Ji Heng at the Shen family would probably attract curious stares from others.

Ji Heng looked at her. His gaze seemed as if it wanted to see through Jiang Li. He suddenly said, “What do you plan to do about Xiao Deyin?”

Jiang Li was startled. Ji Heng said, “That ‘Guan Shan Yue’ you just played completely unnerved Xiao Deyin. Although I don’t know the reason,” he rubbed the handle of his folding fan, “you played it for her.”

He even knew this. When exactly had he arrived? Jiang Li looked at his probing gaze, thought for a moment, and said, “This matter has a long story. That melody was indeed played for Xiao Deyin. What I want to do next is also very simple. I want Princess Yongning to feel that Xiao Deyin’s existence is a hidden danger, and that she must silence her.”

“You can’t stop Yongning from silencing Xiao Deyin,” Ji Heng hit the nail on the head. “She won’t give you a chance to save Xiao Deyin. And you have no reason to save her either.”

Ji Heng could always see the crux of the problem at a glance. Jiang Li smiled slightly and said, “So I don’t plan to actually let Princess Yongning silence her, because if Xiao Deyin truly died, Xue Fangfei’s case would lose a witness. I won’t let that happen.” She said, “I just need Xiao Deyin to believe that the person trying to kill her was sent by Princess Yongning.”

“You want to sow discord?” Ji Heng’s lips curved upward, as if praising a small beast he raised for finally learning to bite. “Clever girl.”

“I suppose so. I need to make Xiao Deyin believe that Yongning will make a move against her. And make Yongning believe that Xiao Deyin is unreliable. Of course, I’ll find a way to keep Xiao Deyin alive. She should live to accept punishment, not die and still cause trouble for people.”

She rarely had such indifferent moments. Most of the time, she always wore a gentle smile, as if she could accept all suffering and injustice. But in this moment, the hatred that flashed through her eyes was still captured by Ji Heng.

He looked at Jiang Li thoughtfully for a while and said, “Since you already have a plan in mind, who do you intend to have do this?”

“The Duke means the person pretending to silence her?” Jiang Li smiled. “I won’t hide it from you—my uncle is a man of the jianghu who has many friends. When the time comes, spending some silver to have people put on a show won’t be difficult.”

“Are you planning to make your move against Yongning and Young Master Shen now?” Ji Heng asked.

“It’s time.”

“Then I won’t concern myself with your affairs,” Ji Heng said, hands behind his back, looking at her. “Good luck.” After saying this, he truly turned and walked away without any reluctance. This also made Jiang Li pause—she had thought Ji Heng would say more. But thinking about it, she felt relieved. Originally, Princess Yongning’s matter had nothing to do with Ji Heng at all. He always loved being a spectator—when had he ever actively entered the play? She had pulled him in step by step, but that didn’t mean it should be taken for granted.

Since he could stay far away, then let him stay far away. After all, this was her battle alone.

Before long, Liu Xu came out. Seeing her, she walked over and said, “How did you end up here? I just came out and didn’t see you on the corridor. I searched for a long time before finding you—I even thought you’d gone back. Huh,” she looked toward the empty birdcage hanging by the pillar under the eaves. “Why is there an empty birdcage here? Is there no bird inside?”

Jiang Li looked at the empty birdcage and shook her head. “I don’t know.” In her heart, she sighed quietly. This last object in the Shen household connected to her past was ultimately also lost.

There was after all a trace of melancholy.

By the time they reached the pavilion corridor, quite some time had passed. Many young ladies who had been strolling the garden had already returned. Jiang Li noticed that Xiao Deyin was no longer there. She walked to Lu Shi’s side and asked, “Where is Teacher Xiao?”

“She said she felt unwell, possibly caught a chill. Her face was as white as paper. She’s already gone back,” Lu Shi explained, thinking Jiang Li was concerned about the academy teacher.

Jiang Li sneered inwardly. She had originally thought that since Xiao Deyin could conspire with Princess Yongning to harm Xue Fangfei, she should be a bold person. Looking at it now, she was as timid as a mouse—just one scare and she showed her true colors. If she wanted to use her against Princess Yongning, it wouldn’t be very difficult.

She also noticed that Princess Yongning wasn’t among the crowd. However, no one here dared inquire about Yongning’s whereabouts, and where she went was even less their concern. Jiang Li knew that Princess Yongning right now was probably with Shen Yurun. Having finally found such an opportunity, she would naturally pour out her feelings. Only based on Jiang Li’s understanding of Shen Yurun, seeing Princess Yongning probably brought more annoyance than joy, more disgust than happiness.

Speaking of which, Ji Heng and Shen Yurun were two completely different people—one liked watching plays, the other excelled at acting them. The former seemed too callous, the latter too sentimental. But Jiang Li felt she would rather face the detachment of the spectator than become the target of the actor’s deception.

Joy and sorrow all beyond one’s control, even becoming a joke for others to watch.

Thinking this way inevitably brought sadness to her heart.

Liu Xu beside her nudged her, frowning. “Why does Shen Ruyun keep looking at you?”

Jiang Li was startled and looked toward Shen Ruyun, just in time to see the disgust in Shen Ruyun’s eyes before she could withdraw it. Understanding in her heart, she said, “Probably because of Fifth Sister.”

Shen Ruyun was about to marry Zhou Yanbang, but before that, Jiang Yu’e had already entered the Zhou family. With Shen Ruyun’s nature of not tolerating any grain of sand in her eye, she definitely wished she could properly deal with Jiang Yu’e. Seeing Jiang Li and thinking that Jiang Li was also a young lady of the Jiang family, she hated Jiang Li along with her. Of course, perhaps it was also because before this, Jiang Li had also been betrothed to Zhou Yanbang.

“What a lunatic,” Liu Xu said. “What does Jiang Yu’e’s matter have to do with you? Everyone at Mingyi Hall knows Jiang Yu’e doesn’t get along with you. She really knows how to make random connections.”

“It’s fine. I don’t care either. Just ignore her,” Jiang Li comforted Liu Xu. In fact, she didn’t hold out much hope for Shen Ruyun’s days after marrying into the Zhou family. Although on the surface it seemed Shen Ruyun was getting her wish by marrying her sweetheart, and the Zhou family would treat her well because of Shen Yurun’s relationship—at least on the surface they would be cordial to Shen Ruyun—what kind of person Zhou Yanbang was, Jiang Li had now seen clearly. Zhou Yanbang was fundamentally a petty person who didn’t truly love Shen Ruyun, while Jiang Yu’e was no pushover either. With these three people together, just thinking about it, every day would be chaos with flying chickens and barking dogs, truly headache-inducing.

Let others deal with headache-inducing matters. She wouldn’t concern herself with that. Although she hadn’t found any remaining evidence at the Shen family today, this was because Shen Yurun had already cleaned everything up. The entire Shen Manor had almost no evidence that she had ever existed. However, she now knew what she should do next.

This was also no small gain.

That day, by the time evening arrived, the Shen family’s banquet finally dispersed. On the way back to the manor, Old Madam Jiang wearily closed her eyes to rest. Lu Shi didn’t dare speak and disturb her, also sitting quietly. Jiang Li rarely had a chance for peace and quiet, sitting and thinking about her own matters.

After returning to the Jiang Manor and then to Fangfei Garden, when Tong’er and Baixue saw her return, they brought hot water and served hot tea. Tong’er recounted everything that had happened in the manor during the day, selecting what she felt was useful to mention. Jiang Youyao still had no news. Now the entire city had been searched upside down. The authorities suspected Jiang Youyao had used some method to secretly slip out of the city, but Jiang Yuanbai didn’t believe it. Jiang Youyao had never left Yanjing City before—she didn’t have such audacity. She must still be in Yanjing City, just somewhere unknown.

So the search had to continue.

Tong’er asked, “How did Miss feel about going to the Shen Manor today? Is the Shen Manor large? I heard it’s a residence bestowed by the Emperor—is it even more beautiful than our manor? It’s such a pity this servant couldn’t go, otherwise I should have broadened my horizons.”

“Baixue, go close the door,” Jiang Li interrupted Tong’er’s words. Baixue closed the door and together with Tong’er walked before Jiang Li, knowing she had something to say.

Jiang Li retrieved a box from under the table and opened it. Inside was a neat stack of banknotes. She didn’t lack silver now—the Jiang family, to compensate her, had more than doubled her monthly allowance. There was also when returning from Xiangyang, when Old Madam Ye had secretly stuffed a large pouch into her luggage, roll after roll all banknotes. Normally she had no major use for them. Now, Jiang Li counted them and pulled out five notes.

“Take these five hundred taels of silver to do something for me,” she placed the banknotes in Tong’er’s hands.

Tong’er held the banknotes, looking at Jiang Li’s expression, and couldn’t help but grow nervous. “Whatever Miss orders, this servant will certainly accomplish. What is it?”

Jiang Li had her lean in close and whispered a few words in her ear. Hearing this, Tong’er’s expression was puzzled, but she still said, “Miss can rest assured, this servant will go handle it shortly.”

“This matter must be kept secret,” Jiang Li said. “No one can know.”

“This servant understands,” Tong’er nodded firmly.

“Baixue, I also have something for you to do.” She whispered a few more words in Baixue’s ear. Hearing this, Baixue also showed the same astonished expression as Tong’er, then nodded. “This servant knows.”

“I’m entrusting this matter to you both,” Jiang Li sighed. “The only people I can truly trust are you two.”

Ji Heng’s people were certainly useful, but she was too embarrassed to use them again and again. Jiang Li felt she already owed Ji Heng much, so matters she could handle herself—it was best not to involve him. He was different from Shen Yurun. He didn’t owe her anything at all, so there was no need for him to contribute.

From outside the window among the branches came the faint chirping of birds. But in this season, where would birds come from? The Jiang family also didn’t specially raise birds. It was probably her imagination.

Involuntarily, Jiang Li thought again of that myna that had died at Ji Heng’s hands, and her eyes dimmed.

What a pity.

…

At the Duke’s Manor, lamplight burned in the study.

Lu Ji had been waiting in the room for quite some time. When he saw Ji Heng enter, he immediately stood up. “My lord, there’s news from Prince Cheng. The troops in Yuzhou are gathering in large numbers. I’m afraid…”

“At the very least it will be after the New Year,” Ji Heng said unhurriedly. He pulled something from his sleeve and placed it in his palm. Lu Ji paused, then saw that in Ji Heng’s palm lay a fluffy black ball.

Suddenly gaining its freedom, the black ball fluttered with a sound, spread its wings, and flew to perch on the hilt of a long sword hanging on the wall, tilting its head to look at them.

Lu Ji examined it for a long while. “Is this a crow?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the black bird began calling loudly at Ji Heng: “Beauty! Beauty!”

Lu Ji: “…” Done for. This bird was done for. It actually had the audacity to flirt with Ji Heng to his face. He wondered which master had trained this creature.

But contrary to his expectations, Ji Heng didn’t get angry. Instead, he seemed amused. He said, “Its mouth is quite sweet.”

Not a trace of being relentless.

Lu Ji felt strange in his heart. Was Ji Heng actually planning to raise this crow-like myna? The Duke’s Manor didn’t raise birds. Old General Ji had once been a bird lover who raised many interesting birds, but every one of Old General Ji’s birds had foul mouths. When not in their cages, they would peck at the flowers in the beds. But how could the flowers in the Duke’s Manor be ordinary flowers? If a person tasted even a bit they would die on the spot—what about birds? So all of the old general’s birds had been poisoned to death by the flowers in the garden. The old general had suffered greatly, but couldn’t uproot all the flower seedlings, so from then on he simply stopped raising birds. In fact, aside from people, there wasn’t a single animal in the Duke’s Manor. With such a large collection of poisonous things in the manor, one careless mistake could cost a life—that would be a sin.

Of course, Ji Heng himself also had no particular affection or patience to care for an animal.

However, right now, it seemed he was treating this myna fairly well.

“Is my lord planning to raise a bird?” Lu Ji said. “You must keep it in a cage and not let it fly around everywhere.”

“Raise?” Ji Heng turned his head to look at the myna. The myna met his gaze for a moment, then opened its beak: “Beauty, beauty!”

Lu Ji thought to himself, this bird acts just like a lecher. Then he saw Ji Heng smile. He asked the myna, “What’s your name?”

Although this myna seemed clever, it couldn’t answer every question. Therefore, it just kept clamoring about “beauty” without being able to say anything else.

Ji Heng said, “Since you have no name, you’ll be called Little Red.”

Lu Ji: “…My lord, this myna is black.”

“Mm,” Ji Heng said. “But it’s called Little Red.”

Lu Ji was speechless. After thinking about it, this wasn’t his bird anyway—why concern himself with it? So he set the myna aside and explained the purpose of his visit today, discussing the next steps of their plan with Ji Heng before finally leaving.

Before departing, he glanced at Little Red, seemingly quite puzzled, then went out the door.

After Lu Ji left, Ji Heng walked to the long sword where Little Red was standing and reached out to grab it down. Little Red tilted its head looking at him, made a cooing sound. Ji Heng placed it on the table, pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve, and spread the handkerchief on the table. Little Red stood on it. He then gathered up the handkerchief, wrapped the bird snugly, and placed it on a small table beside the brazier.

In the freezing cold, inside the room was somewhat warmer than outside. Little Red wouldn’t freeze to death.

Having obtained this warm haven, this small black bird seemed very comfortable. Before long it closed its eyes, as if about to fall asleep. Ji Heng watched it for a while, shook his head, and walked to the other side.

This bird shouldn’t have been allowed to live, but he truly couldn’t bring himself to do as Jiang Li had said and specially feed a bird muting drugs. Better to bring it back. The Shen Manor had only lost a myna anyway. Looking at how noisy this myna was, it probably wasn’t very popular anyway.

He inexplicably had the illusion of hiding a beauty in a golden house.

…

The first few days after the New Year arrived were very lively every day. Children playing could be seen everywhere on the streets, wearing new clothes, pants, shoes, and hats, holding candied hawthorns in their hands, all noisy chatter full of festive joy.

During Mingyi Hall’s New Year, students didn’t need to attend school, so the main gate was tightly closed. The teachers also rarely had leisure time—either gathering with two or three good friends, or having time to do their own things. In any case, it was very relaxing.

But not for Xiao Deyin.

She lived alone in a manor, not together with her family. People said it was because she possessed a tenacity no less than that of men. She didn’t plan to marry in this lifetime. Although born gentle and beautiful, with quite a few young masters from official families admiring her, her ambition was to be a qin master, devoting her life to the guqin. The Xiao family had urged her at first, but later stopped urging.

People gradually changed from initial incomprehension to admiration. After all, a beautiful woman who didn’t covet fame and fortune, didn’t wish to marry, but simply purely wanted to be a good qin master—this wasn’t something ordinary people could achieve. People respected her, students revered her, and as a teacher she wasn’t strict either. Her reputation in Yanjing City was extremely good.

Although the Startling Swan Immortal Lady also excelled in qin playing, after all she had a past of being in a brothel, not as pure as Xiao Deyin. Moreover, the Startling Swan Immortal Lady was now married. The title of Northern Yan’s First Qin Master deservedly fell to Xiao Deyin.

If it were New Years in the past, Xiao Deyin would have long since been visiting qin friends everywhere, everyone playing qin and composing poetry together. But this year’s New Year, Xiao Deyin politely declined all invitations, only saying she had caught a chill and shouldn’t go out.

To be precise, it was only after that day at the Shen family banquet that Xiao Deyin “caught a chill.”

In the courtyard, a maid asked Xiao Deyin, “Teacher, are you not going out today either?”

Xiao Deyin looked at the weather. Rarely was it such nice weather—no snow had fallen, instead the sun had come out. The sunlight was warm and soothing, as if penetrating to the bones, also seeming to dispel much of her gloom from recent days.

She hesitated for a moment, then said, “In that case, let’s go out and take a look.”

Always staying in the manor without coming out to see people would inevitably arouse suspicion. Rather than that, better to go out for a walk—just come back early.

Thinking this way, Xiao Deyin had the maid arrange her hair, apply some powder and rouge, and selected clothing that would make her complexion look better to wear.

At the manor gate were remnants left by many children setting off firecrackers, quite lively. For peace and quiet, Xiao Deyin’s manor was also in a small alley. The alley normally had sparse foot traffic to begin with, appearing especially quiet. Xiao Deyin was just about to go out for a walk when she suddenly heard a familiar qin melody coming from not far away.

It was “Guan Shan Yue”!

Her hand trembled, her heart shuddered, and she grabbed the maid beside her, asking, “Did you hear it?”

The maid was startled and asked uncomprehendingly, “What is Teacher referring to?”

“Qin music! It’s qin music! ‘Guan Shan Yue’!”

The maid understood: “There is indeed qin music, just not far away.”

Only then did Xiao Deyin relax. It wasn’t just her hearing it—it wasn’t encountering a ghost. And listening more carefully, the qin music didn’t sound like Xue Fangfei’s playing. It seemed much more ordinary.

Before she could breathe a sigh of relief, two passersby in the alley heard her words and turned around. “This young lady also knows ‘Guan Shan Yue.’ Today in Yanjing City, a mysterious qin master appeared. Their performance of ‘Guan Shan Yue’ was superb and divine. Those who heard it are all imitating it—it’s everywhere these past few days.”

One of them even laughed and said, “Speaking of which, some people say this mysterious person’s qin technique is even more brilliant than Northern Yan’s First Qin Master Xiao Deyin. Who knows if it’s true or false?”

Xiao Deyin’s vision went black.

Author’s Note: The Duke inherited his mother’s (that is, mine) terrible naming skills…