None among the assembled guests had expected that a woman could infuse a single rendition of “Autumn Waters” with such an expansive spirit, and amid their astonishment they could not help but feel admiration. Just then, a man’s voice rang out clearly: “I have long heard that the eldest daughter of the Li family expresses her intentions through the zither, and that from a young age she has admired the noble purity of plum blossoms. Hearing of it a hundred times cannot compare to seeing it once — might the eldest daughter of the Li family join me in appreciating the flowers?”

At these words, delight lit up Madam Li’s face, and her voice trembled: “A’Lei — it’s, it’s the Crown Prince himself inviting you!”

Qinglei seemed as though in a dream, smiling faintly in a daze. A’Luo and Qingfei quickly nudged her awake. “Eldest Sister, answer him! It’s the Crown Prince himself extending the invitation.”

Only then did Qinglei come to her senses. She looked at Qingluo, tears welling in her eyes. “A’Luo, I — this piece wasn’t…”

A’Luo cut her off firmly. “Eldest Sister, you played this zither, you sang this song. Answer him, quickly!” With that, she and Qingfei helped her to her feet together.

Princess Huguo let out a hearty laugh. “Wonderful, wonderful! With the Crown Prince leading the way, you gentlemen should go and seek out the ladies who’ve caught your fancy. And you, ladies — would you care to take a stroll with me?”

The various wives rose in response: “It would truly be an honor.”

The Princess said playfully, “We’re old — let’s leave first, so as not to cramp their style.”

Laughter broke out on all sides, and the atmosphere relaxed at once.

Beyond the gauze curtain, a young man stood outside the tent with his hands clasped behind his back. A breeze stirred, lifting the gauze, revealing him dressed in a reddish-yellow robe, tall and slender in build, with bright brows and starlike eyes, his bearing calm and composed. A’Luo marveled inwardly — ancient handsome men! It seemed that a well-built man looked all the more dashing in such a long robe.

Qinglei looked deeply at Qingluo, took a deep breath, raised her jade-like hand, swept aside the gauze curtain, and stepped out.

In the tent across the way, curious heads had already poked out, all straining to catch a glimpse of this remarkable woman who had won the Crown Prince’s favor and outshone even Chancellor Gu’s daughter. Everyone had already witnessed Gu Tianlin’s extraordinary bearing, never expecting that Li Qinglei too would prove peerlessly cold and elegant. Qinglei’s appearance drew a wave of admiring exclamations. The Crown Prince himself seemed momentarily entranced, saying softly, “Miss Li’s beauty rivals autumn waters, and her talent surpasses others. I have long admired you.”

Li Qinglei’s cheeks flushed crimson. She glanced quickly up at the Crown Prince’s face, meeting a pair of eyes dark and gleaming like lacquer, then hastily lowered her head, answering in a voice sweet as an oriole’s song: “This is but a trifling skill — how could it possibly deserve Your Highness’s regard?”

A’Luo and Qingfei, listening from within the tent, covered their mouths, not daring to laugh aloud. Only after watching the two of them walk side by side toward the flower grove, growing distant, did they burst into laughter. This was the moment of greatest closeness between Qingluo and her two sisters.

Qingfei looked outside — a crowd had already gathered opposite, with no shortage of young women among the onlookers — and pulled Qingluo along to go watch the excitement. A’Luo glanced around, and not seeing the swordsman anywhere, felt her courage grow. She thought to herself that the local customs here were remarkably open, no less so than the mass matchmaking gatherings she’d once seen in parks back in the modern world. She took Qingfei’s hand and walked over.

It turned out they were engaged in a couplet-matching contest. A’Luo was instantly reminded of antiphonal folk singing and the north-south drinking games from before. Except here, the men all appeared quite gentlemanly — if a woman failed to answer, or answered incorrectly, they would offer a courteous line such as: “That the young lady deigned to respond at all is already this humble student’s great fortune.”

The two of them squeezed into the crowd. A’Luo, being short, couldn’t see what was happening inside, so Qingfei lowered her voice to fill her in: “There’s a young gentleman who’s offered an opening couplet, and he seems quite pleased with himself — it looks like no one can match it.”

A’Luo asked curiously, “What’s the opening line?”

Qingfei recited it softly: “A crescent moon like a bow, a waning moon like a bow — the rising-string bow, the setting-string bow.”

A’Luo looked at Qingfei’s expression and grinned slyly. “Second Sister can surely answer this, can’t she?”

Qingfei smiled with self-assurance. “What difficulty is there in this!”

A’Luo asked again, “Which family’s young master posed the riddle?”

Qingfei shook her head. “It’s a very young gentleman — I don’t know who he is.”

A’Luo teased, “Is he handsome?”

Qingfei’s face reddened, and she nodded slightly, fearing others might overhear, and shot Qingluo a glare. A’Luo suddenly called out loudly, “This couplet is nothing hard — my young mistress can match it!”

Her voice rang out clear and bright, and the people in front all turned to look. A’Luo had already ducked behind Qingfei, who, being tall, was suddenly exposed to the crowd’s view. Every eye lit up at the sight of a young woman in crimson, her face tinged with peach-blossom pink, wearing an endearingly bashful expression. The young gentleman who had posed the couplet quickly raised his hand in greeting: “This humble official, Cheng Shiyue of the Ministry of Rites — might I ask if it is this young lady who can answer the couplet?”

With no way to back out now, Qingfei answered with a faint smile: “Morning glow like brocade, evening glow like brocade — the eastern-river brocade, the western-river brocade. I wonder what the gentleman thinks of this?”

Cheng Shiyue, who prided himself on his outstanding literary talent — having placed first in the imperial examinations at eighteen — heard Qingfei’s answer and, seeing her elegant bearing and refined talent, could not contain his delight. “Miss, this is a perfect match! I am truly impressed. I have a painting here — might I ask the young lady to compose an inscription for it?”

A’Luo suppressed a laugh — calligraphy, of course, was one of Qingfei’s finest talents. Without even breaking a sweat, she could leave him utterly dazzled.

Qingfei agreed readily and stepped up to the table, where she saw a painting of a rain-swept mountain scene resting on the desk. After a moment’s thought, she picked up the brush and, smiling, wrote an inscription in the blank space.

Watching Qingfei wield the brush, Cheng Shiyue could already tell she was a master of the art. Looking closely at the characters on the painting — soft and slender, graceful — they carried something of the flavor of apricot blossoms and spring rain south of the river, blending seamlessly with the painting’s mood. Utterly won over, he bowed deeply to Qingfei. Straightening up, he asked, “I also enjoy calligraphy and am fond of chess — might I invite the young lady to a game?”

All around, people covered their mouths, stifling laughter. Though normally outgoing, this was Qingfei’s first time attending such a gathering, and she felt thoroughly flustered and embarrassed. She turned and walked off toward the flower grove. A’Luo followed a few steps behind, then turned back and, seeing Cheng Shiyue still standing there dazed, watching after them, waved him over, gesturing for him to follow.

Cheng Shiyue, ranked among the Five Young Gentlemen of Wind City, understood such romantic cues perfectly well. He cupped his hands to those around him and stepped away from the group, heading toward Qingfei. When he drew near, A’Luo winked at him and slipped off to the side.

Qingfei had already entered the flower grove, far from the crowd, when she said, “A’Luo, this is all your fault — making me stand out like that, how embarrassing.”

From behind her came Cheng Shiyue’s voice: “With such talent as yours, Miss, how could it be embarrassing? If anyone should be embarrassed, it’s me.”

Qingfei covered her mouth to stifle a startled gasp, turning to find Cheng Shiyue watching her with a teasing look, her heart suddenly racing.

A’Luo watched from a distance as the two of them chatted happily beneath the flowering trees, occasionally catching the silvery sound of Qingfei’s laughter. She thought to herself that in the modern world, plenty of women would have thrown themselves at such a wonderful match — and it was likely the handsome gentleman himself who’d be blushing! She wondered, too, if these were the Five Young Gentlemen of Wind City, having now met two, what could the other three possibly look like?

Lost in thought, she wandered off toward a quiet, secluded spot. In her six-plus years here, this was the first time she’d had contact with nature, and in such a beautiful place besides — once the sky darkened further, she wouldn’t be able to see any of it. The voices around her gradually faded away. A’Luo made note of the direction she’d come from, then noticed a few branches of peach blossom extending out from behind a large rock. Circling around to look behind it — and then checking what lay ahead — she found it a natural shelter. She lay down beneath the flowering tree; nearby, a stream flowed past, and the grass beneath was thick and lush. Looking up from the ground, the pink of the peach blossoms wove together with the deep blue of the sky. A’Luo sighed with admiration: “How truly beautiful!”

“It certainly is!” a voice cut in.

A’Luo’s heart gave a start, but she didn’t move, closing her eyes and saying, “If it weren’t for that cockroach interrupting with nonsense just now, it would be even more beautiful!”

The voice laughed. “If someone were to end up a drowned rat, that wouldn’t just ruin the scenery — it would be a terrifying scene indeed!”

A’Luo knew the swordsman had arrived, and she certainly couldn’t beat him in a fight. This was Princess Huguo’s private estate, so presumably he was just another young talent attending the gathering, and probably wouldn’t do anything too drastic to her. Emboldened, she kept her eyes shut and ignored him.

Seeing that she wouldn’t speak, the swordsman said, “What if I really throw you into the stream? Not afraid?”

A’Luo, hands pillowed behind her head, one leg crossed over the other, kept her eyes closed and said lazily, “It’s improper to stare — upon seeing a young lady resting here, a man who knows propriety ought to apologize and turn away, blushing. That would be the proper thing to do!”

The swordsman snorted. “Looking at you, you’re no proper young lady of a noble household! Whichever household’s maid you are, if you were in my household, you’d have long since been beaten into shape with the rod.”

A’Luo thought to herself — she’d been out of the household exactly once in six years, and even wanting to properly enjoy the flowers and scenery, she kept getting interrupted. What rotten luck! From the way he spoke, he too seemed to be someone of considerable standing — not someone to provoke. Better to just avoid him.

A’Luo jumped up, brushed the dirt off herself, checked up and down to make sure no grass had stuck to her clothes, and, with her back to the direction the man’s voice had come from, walked forward, saying as she went, “The spot’s all yours — stingy!”

A flicker before her eyes, and the man was standing right in front of her. A’Luo stepped back, thinking — using lightness skill just to jump out and scare people! She looked him up and down again — solidly built, about the same height as the Crown Prince, a handsome face with well-defined features, sharp and spirited between the brows. She’d only noticed a handful of men today, and every single one seemed to be prime specimens?

The man crossed his arms. “Speak — whose maid are you?”

Seeing he couldn’t be more than twenty-two or twenty-three, A’Luo thought — does he really take me for some little brat? She crossed her own arms and tilted her head. “You speak first — whose brat are you, you rascal?”

The man’s eyes widened, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Only this many households came to the peach blossom banquet today. Either tell me yourself, or I’ll have you found and brought to my household — I’ll see how you’re disciplined then! Ungrateful little maid! To take a beating without repaying it is one thing, but to secretly attack me — I hate nothing more than someone who strikes from behind!”

A’Luo mirrored his cold smile. “Whose fault is it for staring where you shouldn’t? Sounds like Ning Guo law has a statute about gouging out the eyes of those who leer improperly at respectable women. You should count yourself lucky I didn’t report you to the authorities. Such a beautiful place, and I’d rather not see something so cruel happen here — you pervert!”

No sooner had she finished than the man reached out to grab her. A’Luo dodged sideways, then flicked out with the tip of her left foot in a kick. The man tilted his head and dodged it, eyebrows lifting. “So the wildcat has claws after all. Again!” His fist swung out, a gust of force rushing straight at her face.

A’Luo groaned inwardly — the man knew the legendary lightness skill, this was no ordinary street brawler without martial training — how could she possibly win? She shouted even as she dodged, “A good man doesn’t fight a woman! Bullying a child like this — what kind of hero are you!” Relying on years of practiced karate reflexes, she managed to dodge several strikes in quick succession.

Hearing her words, the man stopped his hand. “Not bad. Surviving a few rounds against me at your young age. Now tell me — whose household are you from? Tell me and I’ll let you go.”

A’Luo lowered her head and murmured something softly. The man, not catching it clearly, leaned in to listen. A’Luo suddenly looked up and cried out, “Ah! Madam!”

The man froze for an instant. A’Luo drove her knee up, striking true, and with both hands chopped down in a sharp strike. The man collapsed, though he had not fully lost consciousness. He forced out two words through gritted teeth: “You, you!”

A’Luo delivered another chop with the edge of her hand, and this time he was knocked out completely. She dusted off her hands and laughed. “My master told me an ordinary man could be knocked senseless by one strike from me. I suppose he’s still young — not enough strength behind it yet! Pervert — who told you to disturb my rest?”

Glancing at the sky, she saw it was getting late, and she’d soon have to return to that little square patch of sky that was the Chancellor’s residence. Who knew when she’d get to see such scenery again? Her irritation flared up a little more. She stripped off the man’s outer robe, tore it into strips, and tied him to a peach tree. Glaring at his disheveled state, the anger in her heart finally eased.

She looked over the items she’d pulled from the man’s robes — several large silver notes, some loose silver, a few gold beans, and a jade token. A’Luo’s eyes lit up at the sight of money — she figured she might as well rob the rich to help the poor, calling it her first pot of gold, and tucked the silver notes into her own robes. But when she looked closer at the jade token and saw the words “Prince Anqing’s Estate” engraved on it, she froze in shock. This man was Liu Jue — son of Prince Anqing, and nephew to Prince Ning himself? No wonder he was so arrogant, the type to repay even the smallest slight in kind! Heavens, how had she managed to offend him of all people?

A’Luo looked at the jade token, then at Liu Jue tied to the tree, and inwardly cursed herself for causing trouble. Fumbling, she began untying him. Halfway through, Liu Jue let out a soft groan, and her hands went weak with fright — what a true master he was, waking up so quickly! She didn’t dare strike him again. But now that Liu Jue was waking, she no longer had the means to subdue him. Steeling herself, and having already loosened most of the bindings anyway, she tucked the jade token back into his robes and took off running.

Before she’d even run out of his sight, Liu Jue had already come fully awake. His eyes followed the retreating blue-green figure in the distance, then he glanced down at himself and, with one twist, snapped the remaining strips of cloth binding him. Liu Jue stood up, rubbing the back of his neck. “Damned girl! Such a young age, and yet she strikes with such precision — what manner of martial art was that? Liu Ying!”

From not far off, a man in tight-fitting garb stepped out from behind the flowering trees and answered respectfully, “It seemed to be Shaolin’s inch-punch, though not entirely — not quite the same!”

Liu Jue patted his robes and found only the estate’s jade token remaining — it seemed the girl had already realized his identity. “When did you get here?” Liu Ying froze for a moment, then answered respectfully, “When the young girl was untying your bonds, my lord.”

Liu Jue laughed coldly. “She used the Shaolin inch-punch to untie me too?”

Liu Ying dropped to his knees with a thud. “This subordinate awaits my lord’s punishment.”

Liu Jue let out a laugh. “Seeing your young lord knocked out by a little girl — hard to believe, isn’t it? You must have thought I had some deeper purpose and didn’t dare act rashly. But then you feared I’d punish you for not stepping in to help — is that it?”

Liu Ying’s face reddened. “My lord sees clearly.”

Liu Jue’s expression turned stern. “Go find out whose household maid she is. How does a girl so young come to have martial skill, and who is her teacher?”

Liu Ying quickly gathered up the torn strips of the outer robe and took them away. In a short while he returned with another robe, which he draped over Liu Jue’s shoulders. Liu Jue walked slowly back toward the banquet, recalling the moment he’d first fished A’Luo out of the stream — how the wind had blown her bangs aside for just an instant, revealing her clear, crystalline eyes. The corner of his mouth curved once more into a faint smile.