On the way back, Lin Xiao escorted the Emperor, Consort Yi, and the rest of the imperial party, while the carriages carrying the students of Yunyin Academy remained under Commander Xu Shenming’s escort as before.

Qin Yao had been preoccupied with the wicked creature in the Jade Spring, but Wang Yingning and Pei Min kept drawing her into conversation, and with a lively Liu Bingyu who loved to talk and laugh sharing the carriage, there was simply no room to sit quietly with her own thoughts.

It was the height of summer. Wang Yingning and the others were all dressed in light silk, cool and airy, and Liu Bingyu felt even that was not quite enough — she pushed open the carriage window and a cool mountain breeze poured in.

Pei Min gazed at the beautiful scenery outside the window and gave a wistful sigh: “In youth we delight in new companions; in our declining years we long for old friends. We are in the most splendid season of our lives, and we came to know each other precisely because we study at the same place — what a wonderful thing that is. I wonder, once the Academy term ends next year, whether the few of us will still be able to gather together and spend time like this.”

“We all live in the capital — what difficulty is there in coming out to enjoy ourselves?” Liu Bingyu popped a grape into her mouth and said with a sidelong smile at Pei Min, “Unless you get married next year and end up with a husband who keeps a tight rein on his wife.”

Pei Min’s face turned crimson. She raised her folding fan and made as if to strike Liu Bingyu. “What nonsense from the daughter of the Chief Justice — honestly!”

Liu Bingyu laughed and dodged. Pei Min refused to let the matter drop, and the two became entangled. With the carriage so cramped, Qin Yao and Wang Yingning had nowhere to escape and were caught up in the fray.

By the time all four climbed out of the carriage, their faces were still flushed with the giddy afterglow of the scuffle. Fortunately they remembered to straighten each other’s hairpins and clothing before stepping down, so that Female Official Lu and the others would see nothing out of the ordinary.

Just as they were heading toward the Academy gate, Xu Shenming rode past on horseback in front of them — and once again, without giving Pei Min so much as a second glance.

Qin Yao and Wang Yingning both paused slightly, then quietly looked at Pei Min. But she was gazing ahead with steady eyes and a calm expression, and there was none of the restless, embarrassed air she had shown before.

Qin Yao sighed inwardly. The several encounters at the Jade Spring Mountain had given Pei Min enough to clearly see someone for who they truly were. Too proud to continue pitying herself, she naturally would not let herself go on wallowing in that sorrow.

Back at the Academy, life resumed as before, with all the young women diligently studying their books and practicing the zither each day.

Word had it that the Flower Goddess Festival was only a few days away and the Academy would have several days of holiday. Amid the excitement, Qin Yao and the others could not help feeling a little restless.

On the day the holiday began, carriages from various households had already arrived at the Academy gate early that morning.

Qin Yao spotted Qu Chen Shi and Qu Ziyu at once and ran toward them with a smile. “Mother! Brother!”

Qu Chen Shi pulled Qin Yao close for a thorough look-over. She had not seen her daughter in half a month and found her even more radiant and lovely than before. She smiled until her face ached. “Good child — let Mother take a proper look at you. Good, good, good — you haven’t lost weight. In fact you’ve grown taller.”

Qu Ziyu ruffled Qin Yao’s hair with a smile. “Mother was so worried at home she couldn’t sleep or eat properly. She can finally relax now.”

The three of them were just about to board the carriage and head home when Qu Ziyu happened to glance to the side and called out, “Ziqi.”

Qin Yao turned and saw Wang Yikun, her brother’s fellow student and colleague. He was standing cheerfully in front of a carriage not far away, speaking with someone, and the young woman beside him happened to be none other than Wang Yingning.

“Wenyuan!” Wang Yikun was visibly delighted. He immediately brought Wang Yingning over. “I had been thinking I might run into you here today — and indeed I have!”

The brother and sister together bowed to Qu Chen Shi. “Greetings, Madam Qu.”

Qu Chen Shi had long known of her son’s friend Wang Yikun and was aware that he was the son of the Minister of Revenue. She had met him on several previous occasions and had always approved of his modest and approachable manner. Wang Yingning, however, she was meeting for the first time.

She took in the young woman’s outstanding looks and graceful bearing and thought at once: what a fine young woman. She felt an impulse to draw her forward for a closer look, but held back out of deference, since Wang Yingning was the daughter of a minister. Instead she simply could not stop looking her up and down. “A fine child, a fine child indeed. It is a great thing that A’Yao has had the good fortune to study alongside you. If A’Yao should ever be at a loss or in the wrong, please do not hesitate to guide her.”

“You are far too modest, Aunt. A’Yao is wonderful — there are still so many things I need to learn from her,” Wang Yingning said, taking Qin Yao’s hand and smiling warmly.

Qu Chen Shi listened to her gentle, composed manner of speaking and marveled inwardly: the Wang family was indeed a distinguished old clan of a hundred years, to have raised such a poised and accomplished daughter. She wondered which family would be fortunate enough to take her in as a daughter-in-law someday.

She glanced at her own son standing beside her — tall, handsome, the top scholar of his year, whose name was now known throughout the capital — and felt a quiet pang of regret. Her son’s caliber was beyond question, but their family’s social standing was simply too modest. A match with the Wang family was something she could never aspire to.

After exchanging a few words, they all said their farewells. As Qin Yao was boarding the carriage, a perfectly round pearl on her hair ornament slipped loose and dropped to the ground, rolling right to Wang Yingning’s feet.

Wang Yingning had already turned to leave, but felt something rolling against the hem of her skirt, recognized it as the pearl from Qin Yao’s hair, and paused in surprise. She bent down to pick it up — at that very moment, Qu Ziyu came hurrying over, having chased after it. They both reached out at once, and their hands touched.

Wang Yingning looked up and saw it was Qu Ziyu. Her face went red in an instant, and she quickly withdrew her hand.

Qu Ziyu, completely unprepared, caught a faint drift of orchid fragrance at the tip of his nose. His heart gave a single heavy lurch — like something weighty dropping to the floor and striking a loud, resonant boom that left his ears ringing.

Coming back to himself after a dazed moment, Qu Ziyu quickly picked up the pearl, not daring to look at Wang Yingning. He stumbled out a word of thanks and turned to walk back to the carriage in rapid strides.

Because the Flower Goddess Festival was only a few days away, the very next morning Wang Yingning, Liu Bingyu, and the others sent calling cards to the Qu household, inviting Qin Yao to come out and enjoy the festivities in the streets that day. Qin Yao replied to each one with her acceptance.

Only after she had finished writing did she think it odd that Pei Min had not stirred at all. On reflection, it made sense — Pei Min had not seen her brother in over a year, and she was probably busy enjoying their reunion these past few days, with little inclination to join her fellow students in their merrymaking.

Qu Chen Shi, with both her children away from home these past days, had been at leisure and had sewn many garments and shoes for Qu Ziyu and Qin Yao. She had even included A’Han, making him two pairs of summer cloth shoes.

After breakfast, Qin Yao took the shoes she’d brought for her martial uncle and went to Qingyun Temple to see her master and A’Han.

On the way, passing by Sancao Teahouse, she stopped the carriage to buy some Silver Needle white tea for her master, and picked up some tea-snacks for the little Daoist acolyte, Fuyuan.

Arriving at Qingyun Temple, Qin Yao could see from a distance that a number of monks were standing at the temple gate. She recognized one of them — someone she had encountered when dealing with Luo Cha — as a disciple of Yuan Jue, and could not help feeling a quiet flicker of surprise. Had Yuan Jue already subdued the creature from the Jade Spring and come back down the mountain?

She jumped out of the carriage, gave a nod of greeting to the monks at the gate, and walked briskly inside.

Just as she stepped through the moon gate into the rear courtyard, she saw A’Han and Fuyuan sitting side by side on the corridor steps. Both were resting their chins in their hands, wearing blank, drifting expressions, gazing at two sparrows squabbling on the ground.

Seeing Qin Yao, both instantly lit up and jumped to their feet.

“A’Yao, you’re back!” A’Han strode forward to meet her, smiling broadly, his eyes full of warmth. Whatever he was mindful of, he kept his voice low.

“Senior Sister Yuanzhen,” Fuyuan chimed in, running over as well.

“Where is Master?” Qin Yao noticed the chamber door was tightly shut. She passed the tea-snacks to Fuyuan and asked.

Before A’Han could answer, an uncontrollably furious shout came from behind the closed door — Qing Xuzi’s voice: “What does it matter if a mountain of gold and silver is thrown at me? As long as I draw breath in this world, I will not stand by and watch his spiritual essence be depleted until he becomes an imbecile! Su Jianfu, go ahead and follow your own conscience and play your role as this so-called ‘National Preceptor Wuda’ — just stop coming to my humble, ramshackle Qingyun Temple to throw your weight around!”

The door burst open. Qing Xuzi thrust an arm out furiously, pointing outward. “Get out!”

Qin Yao and the others were at a loss, frozen in place.

After a brief silence, a figure slowly emerged from within — robes neat and clean, bearing serene as clouds. It was Yuan Jue.

He came out with eyes lowered, not looking at Qin Yao or the others in the courtyard, and walked in a straight line from the steps to the gate, and left.

Qin Yao had originally been intending to ask Yuan Jue about the wicked creature in the Jade Spring, but after this eruption from her master, she no longer dared hold onto that hope. She stood awkwardly for a moment, then said, “Master, I’m back.”

Qing Xuzi saw Qin Yao, and his angry expression eased slightly. He flicked his sleeve and stomped back into his room, still fuming.

Qin Yao quickly pulled A’Han along and followed him inside.

Inside, two cups of tea sat on the table, not a drop drunk, already stone cold. It was clear the conversation between the two men had gone badly from the very start.

Su Jianfu — Qin Yao stood quietly to the side, listening back over her master’s ranting, turning the name over in her mind. Could this Su Jianfu be Yuan Jue’s name before he took monastic vows?

It seemed her earlier guess had been right after all: her master and Yuan Jue had known each other for a long time.

But what was the “mountain of gold and silver” her master had spoken of, and who was the “him” being referred to?

Having vented for a while, Qing Xuzi’s mood was finally subsiding. His gaze swept the room, and he noticed Qin Yao was stealing glances at him. The moment he turned, she immediately broke into a sweet smile. “Master, I brought you some tea.”

His heart softened. He gave a grunt through his nose and said, “Have things been all right at the Academy these past days?”

Qin Yao nodded eagerly. “Perfectly fine! Perfectly fine! Master, can’t you see I’ve filled out a little?”

Seeing that Qing Xuzi’s face had fully returned to normal, she quickly brewed the tea she had brought for him, then tiptoed to store the rest in the cupboard beside his bed.

When she was finished, she brought out the shoes Qu Chen Shi had made for A’Han and had him try them on.

As soon as Qin Yao began bustling about like this, the previously heavy atmosphere of the room was like a stream of cheerful, flowing water poured into it. The last trace of frustration in Qing Xuzi’s chest dissolved entirely. He quietly sipped his tea, and said, keeping his face stern, “All sweaty — stop fussing and sit down for a rest. A’Han — bring out yesterday’s summer fruits from the Ningyuan Marquis household and give them to your martial sister.”

A’Han said yes, and took a lacquered box of exquisitely crafted pastries from the cupboard, presenting it to Qin Yao. “Since yesterday, Master has been saying you’d be back soon. He said these pastries looked delightful and told me not to eat them, to leave them all for you.”

Qin Yao glanced at Qing Xuzi, whose face had instantly gone dark again, and suppressed a laugh. She popped a pastry into her mouth and narrowed her eyes in appreciation. “Delicious. Truly delicious.”

They were still talking when Fuyuan’s voice came from outside the door: “Daoist, Daoist! There’s a gentleman outside with the family name Pei who says there’s a ghost haunting his household and wants to ask you to come and drive it out!”