Night had fallen deeply. The lights in the courtyard were extinguished, save for a single glowing lantern at the entrance, like a firefly perched on leaves, ready to take flight at any moment.

Ying Xiang approached with a lantern, saying, “Fourth Young Master.”

Chu Zhao lifted his head to look at her. “Didn’t I tell you not to wait for me?”

“This servant couldn’t sleep,” Ying Xiang said softly. “I came out with a lantern to look around and happened to meet you.”

Chu Zhao entered the room without a word. “You may leave.”

Ying Xiang bowed slightly and withdrew, closing the door behind her.

Chu Zhao sat at the table, pressing his temples. The words Xu Jingfu had spoken earlier at the Xu residence echoed in his mind.

“Zilan, I only have this one daughter. In the future, you must not bully Pingting. If Pingting comes home to complain to me, even though I’m your teacher, I won’t let you off easily.”

Xu Pingting had pouted, “How could Brother Zilan ever bully me? But Brother Zilan is so handsome, that countless girls in Shuo Capital fancy him. After I become Brother Zilan’s wife if any shameless vixens throw themselves at him,” she raised her eyebrows, her voice soaring, “I’ll skin them alive!”

“A young lady shouldn’t always talk about violence. What kind of behavior is that?” Xu Jingfu said that he showed no intention of stopping Xu Pingting.

The seemingly warm scene between father and daughter filled his mind, making him double over as nausea churned in his stomach, causing him to retch several times.

Before going to the Xu residence today, Chu Zhao had instructed Ying Xiang to stay in the room. In fact, since returning to Shuo Capital, he had consistently kept Ying Xiang within the Chu Manor, telling her not to go out unless necessary. Now that his marriage to Xu Pingting was nearly official, Ying Xiang would be in even greater danger.

In his youth, he had taken Xu Jingfu as his teacher, and thanks to Xu Jingfu’s influence, Madam Chu no longer dared to openly harm him as before. Xu Jingfu had treated him well, giving him the respect a child deserved. Being Xu Jingfu’s student has brought him many advantages in his social interactions. As for Xu Pingting, being Xu Jingfu’s daughter and of a similar age to him, Chu Zhao initially didn’t despise her so much.

In her younger years, Xu Pingting was already the pearl of the Xu family, getting everything she wanted. Apart from being somewhat spoiled, she treated Chu Zhao quite well. She would always follow behind him like a tail, constantly calling him “Brother Zilan.” Sometimes she would tell Chu Zhao: “Pingting will marry Brother Zilan in the future. Brother Zilan will belong only to Pingting.”

He had dismissed it as childish jokes until he turned fourteen.

Chu Lingfeng was known as one of the most handsome men of Xiao Zhongwu’s generation. Even without his title as Earl of Shijin, his good looks alone could capture many young ladies’ hearts. Chu Zhao’s mother, Ye Runmei, was also a great beauty. Chu Zhao inherited the best features from both parents and by age fourteen, his appearance could rival the two Xiao brothers. His gentle and considerate personality, combined with his attentiveness to others, attracted many young ladies’ affection.

Among them was Miss Qian, whose bold and passionate nature, coupled with particularly alluring phoenix eyes, set her apart from other shy ladies in Shuo Capital. After meeting just a few times, she directly expressed her feelings to Chu Zhao. Though he refused her, she persisted, not by pestering him but by frequently sending gifts to the Chu household. When they occasionally met in the capital, friends would tease them, and Miss Qian wouldn’t deny it, just staring at him intently, often leaving him at a loss.

Not long after, Miss Qian met with tragedy. While out on a spring excursion with friends, she was allegedly attacked by bandits. Her death was brutal – both eyes were gouged out, shocking the entire capital. Miss Qian’s father, merely a seventh-rank official, reported the case, but the culprit was never found. When Chu Zhao learned of this news, he was stunned for a long time, unable to believe that the girl who used to wink at him playfully had vanished so silently.

Six months after the incident, while visiting Xu Jingfu, he passed by a small hall and overheard Xu Pingting speaking to her maid.

“She was just a commoner, yet dared to compete with me! She didn’t know her place, so I gouged out her eyes. Let’s see how she can seduce Brother Zilan now! In the future, if any other blind women dare to cling to Brother Zilan, I won’t be as merciful as before!”

The young lady’s laughter was sweet and innocent, yet filled with bone-chilling malice. In casual conversation, she had destroyed another girl her age.

Chu Zhao felt a chill run from head to toe.

Now, he was to be bound to this woman, to grow old together in supposed loving harmony – how ironic.

He slowly sat up straight, remembering words spoken to him one night while he was still in Liangzhou. Lin Shuanghe, grandson of Lin Qingtan and known as the White-Robed Divine Hand, had told him:

“Fourth Young Master Chu, if you truly care for Sister He, stay away from her. Your family has a tigress, and our Sister He doesn’t want to become the second Miss Qian.”

His eyes flickered with complex emotions as he gazed at a flat, horse-shaped stone lying by the brush holder. Through the stone, he seemed to see a girl casually wiping sweat from her brow in the night, seriously chopping away with a knife before handing him the stone.

Whose voice was that, so clear and bright like spring water?

“Zhao means ‘brightness.’ Zilan means ‘fragrant grass.’ The person who named you must have loved you deeply, hoping for you to maintain noble character and have a bright future, to give you such elegant names.”

He had been in darkness for many years.

But when the first ray of light appeared, even knowing it didn’t belong to him, he still wanted to greedily hold it in his palm.

[……]

He Yan intentionally woke up late the next morning.

After breakfast and bidding farewell to Bai Guo, He Yan unhurriedly left. It had been several days since her last visit to the Xu household. That servant called Fu Wang must have been eagerly awaiting her.

She kept the remaining reward silver from His Majesty in her sleeve. When dealing with people, money was essential. Although she was now a minor official, her finances were far from abundant. After a few more payments, she would have nothing left. He Yan considered borrowing from Lin Shuanghe and then trying her luck at Le Tong Manor. However, having won money there last time and offended the house, she might be turned away this time.

While pondering this serious question of where to get money, He Yan arrived at the teahouse where she had previously met Fu Wang. She first smiled and gave some loose silver to the attendant at the teahouse entrance, casually asking, “Has anyone been looking for me these past few days?”

The attendant quickly pocketed the silver and smiled, “Yes, yes! That young man who came with you last time has been here three times a day. Please have a seat – he should be back again soon.”

He Yan smiled, “Then please bring up some tea.”

She went straight to the private room where they had met last time and sat down.

Having kept Fu Wang waiting for so long, He Yan had guessed he would grow impatient, but she hadn’t expected him to be so restless. This was good for her though – Xu Zhiheng’s methods of winning people over were too crude. Or perhaps he only focused on winning over those above him, forgetting to cultivate relationships with those below.

Sure enough, less than a quarter-hour after He Yan sat down, someone knocked on the door. He Yan said, “Come in.” The door opened, and Fu Wang entered, closing it behind him.

“Young Master!” Seeing He Yan, he was excited, “I thought you’d left Shuo Capital. These past days have been torture!”

He Yan gestured to him: “Sit.”

After Fu Wang sat down, she spoke unhurriedly, “I’ve been occupied with important matters these days and only found time to come here today.” She poured Fu Wang some tea, her tone very gentle, “You’ve been so eager to find me – do you have news?”

“News… of course I do.” Fu Wang showed a troubled expression.

He Yan understood and placed a silver ingot before him.

“Young Master is truly kind, thank you!” Fu Wang beamed, quickly tucking the silver into his clothes before speaking, “I’ve been paying attention to what Young Master asked about. However, when Concubine He met with trouble, all the servants from her courtyard were gone – some left the mansion, and some were sold off until finally, not one remained. I’ve had to piece together information bit by bit from servants in other courtyards.” He lowered his voice, looking around nervously, “Actually, all those servants… they’re dead!”

At these words, he tried to gauge He Yan’s reaction, but the person sitting opposite him had their face concealed under a veiled hat, making it impossible to see clearly. However, seeing how calmly they continued drinking tea, they… didn’t seem particularly surprised.

“Young Master, do you know what it means when all servants in a courtyard are put to death?”

He Yan smiled slightly, “Silencing witnesses?”

Having intended to build suspense, but finding his revelation immediately understood, Fu Wang felt somewhat deflated. He lost his desire to keep them in suspense and answered honestly, “Indeed. I found out that Concubine He committed an unforgivable crime, so the so-called ‘family punishment’ was meant to kill her. All the servants in her courtyard knew the truth, so none were spared.”

When Fu Wang had learned these things from others, even now thinking about it made his spine tingle with fear. Even though the servants’ contracts were in their masters’ hands, dozens of lives – even in Shuo Capital – were a major incident. Moreover, for the scholarly Xu family to calmly silence dozens of people was terrifying. It also made one curious – what terrible crime had Concubine He committed?

Adultery? That wouldn’t warrant killing all servants in a courtyard. There were guards in the courtyard – surely they wouldn’t have stood watch while Concubine He had an affair? What grave crime could require everyone in a courtyard to know about it, yet necessitate death to keep the secret?

“Is that all?” He Yan asked.

“That’s all,” Fu Wang replied.

He Yan smiled slightly. “Brother Fu, what you’ve told me seems like a secret, but in reality, it doesn’t help my cause. If this is all you can find, there’s no need to continue our arrangement.” She stood up. “Thank you for your trouble these past days.”

She made to leave without hesitation, causing Fu Wang to tense up and blurt out, “Young Master, please wait!”

He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Business was business, but sometimes it was more than just business – it was about who could keep their composure. Fearing the loss of this source of income, his eagerness to retain He Yan had exposed his hand.

He Yan turned to look at him. “Could it be that Brother Fu has more news left untold?”

Knowing he had been seen through, Fu Wang pressed on, “Please sit down, Young Master, there’s more to discuss.”

He Yan smiled and sat back down.

“I found out that among the servants who were supposedly executed, one person might still be alive.”

He Yan smiled. “Go on.”

“That person is Concubine He’s wet nurse, Madame Qin. Before Concubine He’s incident, her wet nurse said she was going home to visit her grandson, but she never returned to the manor after the expected time. When Concubine He sent people to check, her family said she hadn’t returned home. The manor searched for her afterward, but there was never any news.” Fu Wang said, “I believe Madame Qin might still be alive.”

He Yan watched him silently.

Fu Wang grew uneasy. “Young Master?”

“You say no one can find Madame Qin now,” He Yan said leisurely, “so you might not be able to find her either. What value is there in a person who has vanished, even if they’re still alive but without any trace?”

Fu Wang was secretly alarmed – did this person possess mind-reading abilities? He had indeed found some traces of Madame Qin’s whereabouts, information that had cost him dearly. However, in this transaction, he was the one trying to maintain the relationship, while the other party could walk away at any time. If he couldn’t show complete sincerity, this person might never meet with him again.

With this in mind, Fu Wang steeled himself. “This servant discovered that Madame Qin had been widowed early on, and while serving as Concubine He’s wet nurse, she had a lover. Nobody else knew about this except for a water-boiling maid in the manor. That lover now lives outside the city. I want to try – perhaps Madame Qin is still there.”

That’s more like it, He Yan thought, her tone becoming more appreciative. “My judgment wasn’t wrong. You’re truly remarkable, Brother Fu, finding information that others couldn’t discover.” She continued, “I’ll await your good news. If you find Madame Qin’s whereabouts, don’t startle her – just quietly inform me.” She added, “After this matter, I can help you break free from servitude. Then, with plenty of silver in hand, you can leave Shuo Capital and live without worry.”

These words stirred Fu Wang’s heart deeply.

“I have urgent matters to attend to, so I won’t stay longer,” He Yan stood up. “Please remain here and finish your tea and snacks before returning.”

“Young Master, wait!”

Fu Wang’s voice came from behind. As He Yan turned, she sensed someone approaching, attempting to lift her veiled hat. However, in the next moment, that hand was easily caught in He Yan’s grip.

Fu Wang: “Ouch, ouch, ouch…”

He Yan released his hand and continued walking without looking back, saying only, “If Brother Fu wishes to see my face, there’s no rush. When this matter is settled, I will remove the veiled hat myself.”

The door closed behind her, leaving the private room empty as if the secret meeting had been just a dream. Only the two teacups on the table indicated someone had indeed been there.

Fu Wang slumped down at the table, taking a sip of tea to calm his nerves. Who exactly was this mysterious person who knew the Xu family so thoroughly?

[…]

After leaving the tearoom, He Yan felt considerably lighter, a smile gradually spreading beneath her veiled hat.

She hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly with Fu Wang – someone who had witnessed the truth in that courtyard had survived. For Madame Qin to have anticipated Xu Zhiheng’s intention to silence witnesses, she must be clever. A clever person fleeing for their life might have some cards up their sleeve. With all his calculations, Xu Zhiheng probably hadn’t expected Madame Qin to run. After all, with her children and grandchildren in the capital, if she fled, the Xu family wouldn’t spare her family.

But Xu Zhiheng had miscalculated one thing: when facing death, no one is fearless. The desire to survive supersedes everything else. While some in the world sacrifice themselves to protect their families, others selfishly save themselves in times of crisis. Moreover, Madame Qin’s flight made her family safer. If Xu Zhiheng harmed her children and grandchildren, Madame Qin might reveal the truth to everyone in revenge. With her whereabouts unknown, Xu Zhiheng had to be cautious.

She needed to find Madame Qin before Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei did.

Having succeeded in today’s task, He Yan returned to the manor earlier than usual, in high spirits. Before reaching the courtyard, she heard a familiar voice: “Sister, do you not know where that Brother He has gone?”

Bai Guo, barely reaching his waist, looked up and answered, “Second Young Master told us servants not to ask about Master He’s affairs.”

Lin Shuanghe closed his fan. “Your Second Young Master is quite thoughtful.”

He Yan called out “Brother Lin” from a distance. Lin Shuanghe turned, his eyes brightening upon seeing her. He quickly approached, “I just arrived and was wondering where you were. You’ve returned at the perfect time, Brother He. I came specifically to see you.”

Since returning to Shuo Capital, He Yan hadn’t seen him. Compared to his time in Liangzhou, Lin Shuanghe dressed much more flamboyantly now. Perhaps he had been more restrained in the military camp, but now back in Shuo Capital, even the eyes of the cranes on his clothes were decorated with small gems. From his fragrant sachets to jade pendants, nothing was missing – his whole appearance screamed two words: wealthy.

“Brother Lin, have you found anything about the house?” He Yan was still thinking about the task she’d entrusted to him. However, at these words, Lin Shuanghe choked slightly, clearly having long forgotten about this matter.

He laughed awkwardly, “About the house… it’s not easy to find one recently. I want to find something suitable for Brother He, so naturally, I can’t be careless. Um, I came for other matters, let’s talk inside.”

He Yan was speechless.

After leading Lin Shuanghe inside and closing the door, he walked around the room, remarking, “Not bad at all, this room is right next to Huaijin’s. I think it’s better than Liangzhou. Sister He, are you comfortable here? If anything’s inconvenient, just tell Huaijin, don’t suffer in silence.”

He spoke as if this were the Lin manor rather than the Xiao family’s home. He Yan poured him some hot water. “Brother Lin, surely you didn’t come just to check on my living conditions?”

“Oh,” Lin Shuanghe smacked his forehead, “I almost forgot the main purpose.” He pulled out an invitation from his sleeve and handed it to He Yan. “This is for the palace banquet. Huaijin has left the city and probably won’t make it back in time. Before leaving, he asked someone to tell me to take care of you. In three days, I’ll come to the Xiao manor to escort you. Since it’s your first time entering the palace, it might be inconvenient without someone guiding you.”

He Yan was startled. “The Commander has left the city?”

“Yes, he left today. He left in a hurry and had his people send me a message. Originally, he planned to take you to the palace banquet himself, but since he can’t make it back this time, I’m filling in for him.”

He Yan recalled that Xiao Jue had indeed mentioned leaving the city in the next few days, but she hadn’t expected it to be so sudden, without even a chance to say goodbye.

But… he had kept his promise, truly including her in the palace banquet as he’d said he would.

“What are you thinking about, Sister He?” Lin Shuanghe waved his hand in front of her face. “I brought several outfits today. You need to dress impressively for the palace. You don’t know how judgmental those people are there. You might need to frequent the palace in the future, so it’s important to make a strong first impression. I had servants buy these – all fine materials, very luxurious. Choose one to wear; we can’t let down Huaijin’s face.”

He Yan: “…Thank you.”

“Also, Sister He, I suspect that when Huaijin takes you to the palace, His Majesty might reward you generously, considering your previous contributions. If you receive an official position or something, don’t be too surprised. Well, I’m just saying, it’s not certain.”

He continued chattering about various things to note about the palace banquet until a servant came to hurry him to his next social engagement, finally bidding farewell. After Lin Shuanghe left, He Yan sat down before the mirror.

The clothes he had brought lay on the table, new and pristine, with exquisite embroidery. He Yan looked at herself in the mirror. In her previous life, she hadn’t entered the palace before revealing her female identity, so it was He Rufei who had entered the palace, met the Emperor and received the title of “Flying Swan.”

Now, she would finally enter the palace again as He Yan. At this palace banquet, Xu Zhiheng and He Rufei would likely be present, and perhaps she would even see He Yuanliang and He Yuansheng. Those people who had entangled her previous life would finally appear before her again and in such a manner.

The girl in the mirror now had a different face, with features bearing no resemblance to her past self. Only her eyes retained that burning flame, as if ready to incinerate all evil deeds, bright as ever.

He Yan lowered her head, lost in thought for a while, before slowly curling her lips into a smile.

In three days, it would be time for He Rufei, Xu Zhiheng, and the He family to become reacquainted with the name “He Yan.” When these people with guilty consciences heard this name again, would they be so frightened they couldn’t sleep at night?

Perhaps Xiao Jue’s absence was fortunate.

She could act more freely now.