Lin Xiao and Jiang Sanlang arrived at Risheng Tower. The head manager, seeing that these two guests were among the most distinguished in all of Chang’an, immediately put on his most beaming smile and led the party to a private seat upstairs.
Risheng Tower faced directly onto East Fifth Avenue, Chang’an’s most bustling thoroughfare. The street was lined not only with wine houses and teahouses, but also with a good number of jewelry, accessories, and clothing shops, and was always thronging with people — a lively and animated scene day after day.
The two ordered their food and wine, then told their attendants to push open the latticed screens. Gazing casually out the window, they found it happened to be the third day of the third month — the Festival of the Daughters — and the street below was filled with elegantly dressed young ladies going about in groups, flowers in their hair and spring on their faces.
Across the street stood a jewelry shop called the Moon-Plucking Tower, whose ornaments were crafted with far greater distinction and value than those elsewhere. It had long been a favorite among the noble ladies of Chang’an. Jiang Sanlang glanced over and noticed quite a few carriages parked before its entrance. He started slightly, then asked the floor manager, “What day is it today? Why are there so many people on the street?”
The manager followed Jiang Sanlang’s gaze out the window, then smiled. “Today is the Festival of the Daughters, my lord. I imagine there are quite a few young ladies out adding to their wardrobe and jewelry collections.”
“The Festival of the Daughters?” Jiang Sanlang murmured thoughtfully to himself, then looked up and instructed the manager, “Go find the manager of the Moon-Plucking Tower and ask him to select a few of his finest pieces and come see me at once.”
The manager gave a knowing smile and went off to carry out the instruction.
Lin Xiao looked over at Jiang Sanlang. “Oh? Going to shower gold to win a beauty’s smile?”
Jiang Sanlang raised his eyebrows and said carelessly, “What does it have to do with you?”
Lin Xiao gave a smile, leaned back against his chair, and said lazily, “The Moon-Plucking Tower’s jewels routinely cost upward of a thousand taels of silver — a single pearl hairpin runs to half a mansion in Chang’an. Your devotion to this A’Miao of yours is truly quite out of the ordinary.”
Jiang Sanlang looked out the window, was quiet for a moment, then said, “Mind your own business. Look down at the street — isn’t that your stepmother getting out of that carriage?”
Lin Xiao heard this and looked down, and indeed he saw Cui Shi, dressed in fine and lavish robes, being helped down from Prince Lan’s carriage by a maidservant. By the look of things, she had also likely come to Moon-Plucking Tower to purchase jewelry.
Standing beside Cui Shi was a slender, graceful woman wearing a veiled hat. Jiang Sanlang watched for a moment, then laughed softly. “Isn’t that your stepmother’s niece from her own family? Judging by her figure, her appearance can’t be lacking — you’ve already acknowledged her as a cousin, so why maintain such pretenses? You might as well go along with it and simply marry her as your principal consort.” As he spoke, he broke into a mischievous grin.
Chang Rong had been standing nearby, refilling Lin Xiao’s cup — and when he heard these words, he was half-annoyed and half-amused. He looked toward Lin Xiao, but saw that Lin Xiao appeared not to have heard a word of what Jiang Sanlang said at all. He was staring fixedly out the window at the street below.
Chang Rong followed his master’s gaze and looked outward. Before the Moon-Plucking Tower, people came and went — mostly women in lavish, elegant dress. Cui Shi had her arm around a young woman named Ling Ling as they entered the shop, a whole retinue of maids and servants following behind them — nothing appeared unusual.
He was just puzzling over this when suddenly a familiar figure entered his line of sight. The young woman had skin white as snow and bright, limpid eyes, and was warmly and affectionately helping a middle-aged woman down from a carriage — she was unmistakably the female Daoist they had encountered in Mangshan.
The Young Lord was staring at that female Daoist without blinking. Watching as she too entered the Moon-Plucking Tower, he turned back and told Chang Rong, “Go take a look.”
Chang Rong was one hundred percent unwilling. They had only just barely managed to put this female Daoist behind them — how could they have run into her again, of all the terrible luck?
He shuffled his feet and dragged his heels, making no move to go.
Lin Xiao looked back at Chang Rong with a raised eyebrow and urged, “Why aren’t you going?”
The one who had entered the Moon-Plucking Tower arm in arm with her mother was none other than Qin Yao.
Since the day her master had set out for Luoyang with A’Han, a full half month had passed without any news. It was only two days ago that her master finally sent a letter from Luoyang to the temple, telling her that all was going well and that he would be returning before long.
The worry she had been carrying was finally set to rest. Thinking that the Festival of the Daughters was the day after next, she decided to make a trip home to see her brother and parents.
Ziyu’s health, aided by the inner core of the snake demon, had long since transformed beyond recognition. In barely half a month, he had even been able to go out riding, taking in the full splendor of Chang’an in a single day.
The whole family was overjoyed. Ziyu had missed several imperial examinations in past years because of his health, and now that the examination period was approaching, what reason was there not to apply himself with full force? He had thrown himself wholeheartedly into exam preparation at home.
On the day of the festival, Qu Enze urged his wife and daughter to go out and browse the jewelry shops and, if they saw something they liked, not to be sparing with the money — the family had so many things to celebrate, and it was only right to mark the occasion properly.
So many things to celebrate? Qin Yao had felt somewhat puzzled, until on the way to Moon-Plucking Tower her mother finally told her with an air of mystery: her father was going to be promoted. Barring any unexpected turn of events, her father would soon be elevated to the position of Grand Treasurer, and would henceforth be a sixth-ranked official.
“Really?” Qin Yao broke into a smile. Seeing her mother glowing with happiness, she pulled her into a hug and said, “No wonder you’ve brought me to the Moon-Plucking Tower of all places today, of all your own accord! Your daughter was actually wondering — you’re usually so careful with money, never willing to add even a few extra sets of clothes for me. Today it really is the sun rising in the west, isn’t it?”
“Impudent child!” Qu Chen Shi feigned anger and tapped Qin Yao on the nose. “Growing up, has this family ever left you wanting for food or clothes? You ungrateful little thing.”
Laughing and joking, they arrived at the Moon-Plucking Tower. Stepping inside, Qin Yao was greeted by a vision of imposing and elegantly dressed Chang’an noblewomen — the room shimmering with the gleam of pearl and jade ornaments. The upper floor also had private rooms reserved for the rest and comfort of ladies from households of the highest standing.
Qin Yao accompanied her mother in looking at several jade bracelets. Qu Chen Shi, unwilling to indulge herself, had the shop girl bring out some pearl and gem hairpins suitable for young women, saying she wanted to pick a few for Qin Yao.
Qin Yao had barely begun to object when the shop girl eagerly said she would and went to the back storehouse to select hairpins. After waiting for half an incense stick’s worth of time, the shop girl had still not returned, but from upstairs came the faint sound of women’s voices — and then the stairs gave a creak, and someone came down from the second floor.
The woman leading the way appeared to be around eighteen or nineteen, with graceful, arched brows and fine white teeth, a warm and dignified bearing. She wore a phoenix-shaped hair ornament on her head, and was dressed in a wide-sleeved silk robe woven with flowing colors and auspicious cloud patterns in Shu brocade — her entire appearance was breathtakingly lavish and grand, clearly a lady of great distinction.
The young woman at her side appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen, and her looks were even more outstanding — her eyes luminously bright, her smile as she spoke naturally captivating, drawing one’s attention without any conscious effort.
Just then the shop girl came over carrying a tray of hairpins, and noticing Qin Yao and her mother gazing at the two noble ladies, she smiled and lowered her voice. “That is Prince Lan’s consort — our very top patron. The young woman at her side is said to be her niece from her own family. The two of them are very close — Her Highness has been bringing her niece here quite often these days.”
Prince Lan’s consort? Qin Yao gave a small start. The Young Lord of Prince Lan’s estate she had encountered in Mangshan appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen — and the consort before her now could not be more than one or two years his senior. The two of them could not possibly be mother and son under any circumstances. She reconsidered — of course, it must be that the Young Lord’s birth mother had passed away, and this consort was his father’s second wife.
The group came closer and closer. As they were about to pass by, the young woman beside the consort suddenly stopped and smiled. “Auntie’s phoenix ornament has shifted a little to one side.”
As she spoke, she raised her right hand to help the consort adjust her hairpiece. The pale pink wide sleeve slid back toward the crook of her arm with the movement, revealing a length of soft, pale, lotus-white arm.
Qin Yao was standing nearby, and glanced up without thinking — and saw a golden line on the young woman’s arm, faintly visible beneath her snow-white skin, winding its way along until it disappeared at the center of her palm.
Qin Yao felt her hair stand on end. She watched as the young woman followed the consort out through the door, then said urgently to her mother, “Mother, I’ve just remembered that there’s something Master left for me to do at the temple that I haven’t finished yet. I need to go back first — may I borrow the family carriage?”
With that she rose to her feet and strode quickly toward the door in pursuit.
“She followed Cui Shi’s carriage all the way to our manor?” Lin Xiao set down his wine cup in surprise.
“Yes.” Chang Rong was equally baffled.
Jiang Sanlang, in the middle of selecting jewelry from a purple sandalwood tray carved with auspicious cloud patterns, heard this and looked up at Chang Rong with an amused smile. “Your master spends his days mocking me for being bewildered and entranced by a flower-selling girl, yet here he is, having gone and taken a fancy to a female Daoist himself. And now things have come full circle — she’s found her way to his door. What are you still standing there for? Hurry back and go salvage the situation, won’t you?”
Lin Xiao frowned. “Your mind goes to the strangest places.” Thinking that it would take too long to explain in the moment, he rose to his feet and said, “I’ll tell you in detail another day.”