To open a shop, the premises naturally had to be cleared out first. Leaving the marquis’s manor required the use of a carriage, and the person overseeing household affairs had to be informed and arrangements made — but Lang Jiuchuan did not stir anyone up. She slipped out quietly.

The small property with a shop front that Old Madam Lang had given her was located in the Western Quarter on Xunxiang Lane, a modest two-courtyard dwelling. The current tenants had come from the north and dealt in furs and medicinal herbs, so the shop front had been divided in two — one side handling furs, the other selling medicinal herbs, with the shop manager also serving as the proprietor.

When Lang Jiuchuan arrived, the shop front was already in a half-emptied state, looking rather desolate.

The proprietor, Zhuang Quanhai, was a man past fifty. He lived in the rear quarters with his family of seven, and seeing Lang Jiuchuan, he was somewhat surprised. But once he heard she was the shop’s owner and had reviewed the lease documents, he said, “Young miss, your timing is perfect. I was actually planning to come find you — my lease expires in just a few days, and I’ve decided not to renew.”

Lang Jiuchuan asked him, “Is business not going well?”

Zhuang Quanhai smiled slightly. “It’s not that business is poor. It’s just that a man gets old, and there’s always the feeling of wanting to return to one’s roots. Wu Jing is a fine city, but it’s not a place where small, out-of-town folk like us can truly put down roots. Going back home to run a modest little enterprise, with the whole family together under one roof — that’s enough to feel content.”

Lang Jiuchuan looked the shop over thoroughly, and seeing that although it had been divided into two sections, it was kept very orderly and did not feel cluttered at all, and the shop itself was well-maintained and looked quite new. She then studied his physiognomy and said, “If you’re going back home, set out after the first month of the new year. Do not leave the capital in the twelfth month.”

Zhuang Quanhai was taken aback. Their plan had been to leave the capital after vacating the shop, perhaps even making it home in time for the Lantern Festival — it would count as celebrating the New Year back home.

“Your household is about to have an addition to the family. The twelfth month is bitterly cold, the journey is long, and travel will be difficult. It is not auspicious for the family’s new arrival.” Lang Jiuchuan said evenly, “Clear out your goods from the shop — I’ll be taking it back to make a few small renovations. If you’ll keep an eye on the work for me, I’ll let your family stay in the rear quarters rent-free until after the Lantern Festival.”

An addition — an addition to the family?

Who?

Zhuang Quanhai’s household numbered seven: himself and his wife, two sons, two daughters, and his eldest son’s wife. His eldest son had been married for many years without any news of a child, and with business being only middling, they had decided this place simply did not favor them — especially after having nearly caused a serious offence to someone of importance, which had further convinced them to go back home and lie low.

But this young miss before him was saying their household was about to have an addition?

“Stay until after the Lantern Festival? No rent?”

“That’s right — on the condition that you oversee the work for me.”

Zhuang Quanhai thought of his youngest daughter, who had been quietly glum these days about having to leave the capital, and said, “All right. I’ve already arranged for a fellow trader to take the furs off my hands. I’ll clear out the medicinal herbs within a few days. As for how you’d like the renovations done, please say the word. I also have a carpenter I know well — solid work and fair prices.”

Lang Jiuchuan said, “Let me take a look at the medicinal herbs.”

His herbs were all stored in the cabinets, so Zhuang Quanhai took some of them out.

Lang Jiuchuan swept a glance over them and said, “No need to clear out the herbs either. Leave them all — we’ll settle on a price, and I’ll take them.”

Zhuang Quanhai was somewhat surprised and asked tentatively, “Is the young miss thinking of opening an herbal medicine shop?”

Lang Jiuchuan shook her head. “I need them for my own use.”

Zhuang Quanhai: “……”

Well, that was fair enough. This young girl’s constitution did look far too fragile.

Lang Jiuchuan followed him through the shop inside and out, already forming a clear plan in her mind. She asked him for paper and brush, and with quick, fluid strokes, she drew out a layout modeled on the formation of the Taiji Eight Trigrams Yin-Yang array, marking what needed to be changed in the shop and what was to be simply removed.

“No need for any fine materials — just wood that is resistant to insects and moisture will do.” Lang Jiuchuan handed over the new floor plan. “The cost of the renovations will be deducted from this year’s rent — any shortfall will be paid, any surplus returned. I’ll leave it to you.”

Zhuang Quanhai took it, looked it over, and found the plan drawn clearly and plainly, easy for anyone to understand. Looking at the decor, it could only be described as rather spare. Just looking at it like this, one truly could not tell what this shop was meant to be for.

“Young miss, are you truly leaving all of this in my hands entirely? This is our first meeting — aren’t you afraid I’ll pocket the difference?”

Zhuang Quanhai felt somewhat moved. Being trusted by a complete stranger left him rather at a loss.

Lang Jiuchuan said, “If you trust someone, you employ them; if you doubt them, you don’t. Besides, my eyes, when it comes to reading people, tend to be accurate.”

Zhuang Quanhai: “!”

After saying all this, Lang Jiuchuan took her leave.

Zhuang Quanhai saw her off to the doorway. The girl in the plain pale-blue cloak, her frame slight and slender, disappeared quickly into the long street. He stood holding the floor plan, slightly dazed.

“Father, Father.”

Zhuang Quanhai turned around. His eldest son came rushing toward him with an expression full of joy, seized him by the shoulders, and said with elation, “Father! Xiu Niang is with child! The physician says she is two months along. Father — you’re going to be a grandfather!”

Zhuang Quanhai froze, then abruptly pushed him aside and ran to the doorway. Facing the direction where Lang Jiuchuan had disappeared, he clasped his hands together and bowed deeply at the waist.

Young miss — what a blessing you are.

Lang Jiuchuan walked along the long street, scanning the shops on either side, trying to find some familiar landmark in the signs — but there was nothing.

Her mind was a blank. The original owner’s memories were gone, and her own were no different. Had she, in her previous life, been cultivating deep in some mountain wilderness?

If that were the case, how would she have managed to offend someone enough to be killed and suppressed?

Truly a mystery!

“Where are we going?” Jiangche crouched on her shoulder and asked.

“Tongtian Pavilion.”

Jiangche started.

Tongtian Pavilion was a place where information was bought and sold. Was she going there to purchase intelligence?

Lang Jiuchuan said, “The original owner died a wretched death in the mass grave behind the manor’s mountain, her soul and spirit entirely gone. I have no memories of her life before. If I want to help her avenge that blood debt, I would inevitably have to go back to the manor and investigate the people she interacted with. Right now, living in the marquis’s manor, coming and going is inconvenient. Even with the two of us capable of moving around freely, going back and forth would still take considerable time and effort, and the investigation might not even be thorough — that’s not worth it. You mentioned there’s a Tongtian Pavilion here that can learn of all things beneath heaven, so why not go there and place a commission?”

“You want Tongtian Pavilion to investigate the original owner’s life history?”

“Exactly. Pay them in silver to investigate — they may well turn up more than we could on our own.”

“But the silver you’ve gathered so far might not be enough. Information at Tongtian Pavilion is very expensive. You’re a pauper, heh.”

“As long as the information is useful, no price is too high — provided it’s actually useful.” Lang Jiuchuan paused, then said, “But you do have a point. How about — you go investigate instead?”

“Tired. Going to take a nap.” Jiangche vanished into the spiritual platform with a whoosh.

Working was simply out of the question, and working for free was even more impossible!

Lang Jiuchuan let out a quiet snort. Out on the street, she hailed an old wandering spirit and had him show her the way, cutting through a shortcut until the facade of Tongtian Pavilion came into view.

She raised her head — the dazzling golden signboard nearly stung her eyes with its brightness.

To think it was made of actual gold. Were they not afraid of attracting thieves?

But then again, the signboard had thunder-and-fire talismans engraved upon it. She supposed that anyone who dared come to pry it loose would likely be blown to smithereens.

Truly ruthless!

Lang Jiuchuan flexed her itching fingers. Whether or not it was real gold, she wasn’t particularly interested — mainly, she wanted to exchange a few blows over those talismans.

“Young miss, would you care to come in for a cup of tea?” A young man in a long robe stood smiling at the doorway, greeting her with a cheerful air.