“Xiao Zhi, I heard there are new tie-dyed silk flowers at the market—bring me a few sprigs!”

“Bring me some too, I want emerald green and orange-yellow ones!”

“Half a jin of candied glutinous lotus root from Sifang Studio!”

As noon approached, the ten-mile stretch of rouge houses neared waking. In the small building of Orchid Fragrance House, the voices of warblers and swallows rang out. The young ladies leaned out one after another, calling down to the blue-clothed young servant in the courtyard below who was carrying a basket preparing to go shopping.

The young servant was a distant relative of Orchid Fragrance House’s most popular courtesan, Yin’er. He had come seeking refuge here a month ago. He didn’t talk much but was nimble and observant, much loved by the young ladies.

“Sister Yanhong’s complexion is white with a reddish tint—wearing jade-colored flowers would actually clash. Light pink would be better, enhancing your beauty even more.” The young servant looked up with a smile, then added, “Though glutinous lotus root is good, eating too much causes indigestion. Sister Cuihuan is too gluttonous—be careful of becoming a plump beauty.”

“Cheeky brat!” The young ladies laughed and scolded, yet their expressions showed satisfaction. Yanhong smiled and said, “Xiao Zhi, if you weren’t Yin’er’s distant relative doing odd jobs in our place, I’d really think you were some young master from a wealthy household.”

“How could that be possible?” Yin’er emerged from her room and patted her shoulder. “In our Tiansheng dynasty, the social hierarchy is extremely strict. Even if a young master from a wealthy family fell to become a beggar and starved to death, he would never come to a place like ours.”

She looked at that young servant with a complicated expression. The other person smiled faintly at her, still composed, just as this person’s temperament had always been—seemingly bright and open, yet actually mysterious; seemingly calm, yet acting beyond convention.

Xiao Zhi, the extremely popular Wei Zhi—Feng Zhiwei.

Having taken refuge in the brothel for a month, she performed her odd job duties very well. Of course, this was largely thanks to Yin’er’s care. That woman hadn’t made her truly become a male servant, but had pestered the madam to take her on as a page boy. Although this actually didn’t help much, it was at least a kind gesture. Feng Zhiwei was very grateful. Yet Yin’er thanked her again and again, saying that day had truly been a life-saving grace.

It was just extending a hand to pull her from the river—how could it be so serious as to be life-saving grace? Feng Zhiwei didn’t understand. Yin’er only kept her mouth shut and wouldn’t answer. She had lingering fears about that night’s events. Whenever that man was mentioned, her expression became terrified. Looking at that terror, it didn’t seem to be just because she was pushed into the river—it seemed there was something else.

But Feng Zhiwei had no desire to ask further. That night sharing wine on the bridge, parting in the snowy night—she had no wish to see him again.

However, worldly affairs always went against one’s wishes—just because one didn’t want to meet didn’t mean one could avoid meeting.

She was carrying her basket, just about to leave, when she suddenly saw a large group of people approaching ahead.

Feng Zhiwei was startled and had just thought to hide when someone over there already called out, “Hey, that male servant, the young masters are here—why aren’t you arranging for the ladies to receive guests!”

Feng Zhiwei lowered her head, the corner of her eye catching that those people were dressed luxuriously—clearly all princes and young masters from the capital. Among them was a brocade robe of moon-white heavy brocade with silver bamboo patterns embroidered at the hem—elegant and noble. That color made her eyebrows twitch, and her head immediately hung even lower.

While stepping aside to make way, she turned her head, calling hoarsely toward the courtyard interior, “Ladies, there are guests—”

This call was learned from watching the male servant Zhang De welcome guests before. It wasn’t practiced, the tone somewhat stiff. That group of princes and young masters immediately burst into roaring laughter.

“Where did Orchid Fragrance House get this new male servant? Even welcoming guests sounds like a woman’s mating call.”

“Where did Zhang De go? Replaced by this dawdling fellow?”

The group passed by her side laughing as if she weren’t there. Feng Zhiwei stared at the ground, seeing that robe’s hem also sweep past her side without stirring dust. She had just silently let out a long breath when she heard a young master laughingly point at her, saying to the approaching madam, “Later when we drink and play drinking games, have this lad serve!”

The madam was stunned, reluctantly agreed, shot Feng Zhiwei a meaningful glance signaling her to come over, and said in a low voice, “Be careful! Alas…”

The madam’s expression was worried, with none of the joy of business coming to the door. Feng Zhiwei looked at her with surprise. The madam’s expression grew grave as she said in a low voice, “See that thin fellow in yellow? I hear he’s not a good person. Previously at Crown Flower House, the top courtesan Soft Jade was supposedly maimed by that guy. Crown Flower House’s Madam Gou relied on having backing and tried to make trouble, but within a few days was forced to smash up and close even the courtyard. Alas, why did he think to come here today? Better not cause me any trouble…”

She also instructed Feng Zhiwei, “Xiao Zhi, you’ve always been clever and well-mannered, better than anyone else in the courtyard. Today you must help your madam—at least keep watch.”

Feng Zhiwei helplessly agreed. Living under someone else’s roof—and in a brothel at that—this day was bound to come sooner or later. If she could avoid it, naturally she would. If she couldn’t avoid it, then she’d just see how things went.

That group occupied the courtyard’s best establishment, “Weary Fragrance Pavilion,” and called for the most beautiful young ladies to accompany them, one per person. Laughing and joking, making such a clamor it was unbearable. Yet only one corner did everyone consciously avoid disturbing, making it seem quiet to the point of being eerie.

The place where he was.

A black sandalwood screen embroidered with silver bamboo half-partitioned a tranquil space. Beside the exquisite carpet mat, fine agarwood incense burned in a three-legged black stone small tripod. In the pale, slightly cool smoke, that person’s long hair was slightly loose, his robe collar hanging down. His elbow lazily propped up his cheek, a faint smile on his face as he bent his head over the lady’s fair wrists and jade fingers, drinking the wine she offered from the cup.

Then he gently pinched that woman’s pink cheek, causing Orchid Fragrance House’s top courtesan Miss Lanyi to coyly act coquettish with shy embarrassment.

From that corner came low laughter and the woman’s cooing. Compared to the outer clamor and noise, it instead had a special kind of ambiguous and enchanting mood.

Feng Zhiwei expressionlessly served tea, thinking that if Lanyi had seen that night when he pushed Yin’er into the river, she didn’t know if she could still manage to be bashfully shy.

She also thought that clearly this person was patronizing brothels together with a bunch of princes and young masters, his actions and bearing casual and natural, yet somehow she just felt he was incompatible with them.

Her hands didn’t stop. As she turned back and forth, she kept feeling a gaze sweep over from behind, sticking to her back full of exploration, yet she remained completely composed, never turning her head even once in that direction.

Her attention was on the banquet, because Yin’er’s expression looked very bad. She kept intentionally or unintentionally giving her meaningful looks. Beside her was that pale, greenish-faced thin fellow in yellow, his murky eyes looking rather wrong.

Feng Zhiwei didn’t want to meddle. She just pretended not to see—women of the wind and dust inevitably encountered all sorts of low-class customers. Dealing with them was their required course, not her obligation.

After three rounds of wine, everyone was somewhat drunk. Some people left with young ladies. Yin’er was also led out by that young master. Everyone watching their backs had somewhat strange expressions in their eyes.

Yin’er was embraced in that person’s arms, frequently looking back, her eyes mournful and pleading, as if searching for someone who could help her out of this predicament. Yet everyone turned their eyes away.

Feng Zhiwei furrowed her brow, yet her feet still didn’t move. She always felt that as long as that person was present, she’d better not show off her abilities.

However, as those two embraced and walked past her, through Yin’er’s half-open collar, a patch of deep red and purple bruising on her snow-white skin suddenly flashed past her line of sight.

Feng Zhiwei was stunned. After a long silence, she soundlessly set down the teacup in her hand and quietly slipped out through the side door.

Just as she left, in the elegant room on the other side with its back to her, the elegant man in moon-white brocade robe suddenly smiled and pushed away Lanyi from his embrace.

Lanyi thought he was just teasing and laughingly leaned close again.

That person bent his face down, his devastatingly beautiful features carrying a faint smile. Watching that woman approach without reading the signs, the corners of his lips curved.

Then his sleeve beckoned.

The ordinary-looking guard suddenly emerged from some corner, grabbed the black stone tripod, turned it over, and dumped it directly onto Lanyi’s head.

Scorching smoke and ash tumbled down, accompanied by the woman’s miserable shriek.

The surroundings immediately fell silent, everyone shocked and speechless.

“Ning Cheng, you’ve recently started showing tender feelings for the fairer sex.” The man didn’t even glance at the woman who had fallen to the ground crying out in pain. He smiled and stood up. “I thought you would dump it on her face.”

“That was my original plan.” Ning Cheng leaned over to look at Lanyi. “But I suddenly discovered her face powder was too thick—I was afraid it wouldn’t burn through.”

Smiling lightly, ignoring his treasure of a guard, the man soundlessly swept past everyone’s sides, heading in the direction Feng Zhiwei had left, going out the door.

Where he passed, smoke and ash didn’t rise, and weeping could only be buried in the dust.