For a long time, Zhang Zhixu had been trapped within a nameless melancholy. Others felt that he had been born into good fortune, but he himself felt only that the road ahead was dark and the world around him empty, each day and night a quiet torment.

His elder brother called him overly dramatic — what was there to suffer when food and drink were taken care of? Xie Lanting would only pat him on the shoulder and say that listening to some music and finding some amusement would set things right.

Only Chen Baoxiang would carefully sense the shape of his feelings, and then, as if by chance, begin speaking of her own experiences to offer him comfort.

— We only get this one journey through the world. You might as well find something that makes you happy, don’t you think?

— Immortal, you truly are the finest, kindest person.

— You cannot die. Neither you nor I died here the last time, and we cannot die here this time either.

That bright, clear voice flickered like a candleflame, casting warmth into the lines gradually softening between his brows.

Zhang Zhixu looked at his knuckles pressed against the floor, and smiled to himself — a person should fight at least once for what they truly want.

If he gave up on himself again, the way he had before, then what meaning would his meeting with her have had at all?

…

The household was large, with over three hundred servants alone. The main hall was in tremendous commotion, and quite a few of them had gathered to watch. Zhang Yuanchu’s rebukes were loud and his blows heavy. Members of the other branches of the family had come upon hearing the news and were trying to intervene — only to be turned away at the entrance, one and all.

Some who did not understand the situation asked in low voices what had happened. Others looked on with open shock before quietly slipping away.

Before long, word that Zhang Zhixu had broken with the Zhang Family and was to be driven out spread all through Shangjing.

Chen Baoxiang was in the palace and heard nothing.

She walked out of the palace gates with a piece of jade coral — a new imperial gift — cradled in her arms and a string of amber beads bestowed by the Empress hanging around her neck, surrounded by a crowd offering her flattery.

“Commissioner Chen has truly earned the Emperor’s deepest favor — your future is boundless.”

“We will depend on you to look after us from here on.”

“We are all colleagues — looking out for one another is only right. Take care on your way, Commissioner.”

After parting from that group, Chen Baoxiang settled into her carriage and immediately dropped the cheerful facade. “Bikong — hurry, we need to go to the Princess Imperial’s residence again.”

Bikong turned around in surprise. “Didn’t Lord Zhang tell you to rest properly? Mind that the wound doesn’t open up again.”

“A wound opening up is nothing compared to a rift opening up between the Princess Imperial and me.” She waved her hand. “Quickly, quickly — no more dawdling.”

If the past few days had left her uncertain of what this Emperor was after, then today’s shower of rewards should have made it perfectly clear.

His Majesty wanted to draw her into his own camp. Regardless of whether he would succeed, he had made his intentions plain enough.

How long had she been in service to the Princess Imperial? Her loyalty had barely been tested, and she had earned only a little of the Princess Imperial’s trust to begin with. If word of today’s situation spread — what then?

If the people carrying the message along the way added even a little embellishment, she would have no path to survival at all.

And so she raced to the Princess Imperial’s presence without pause. The moment they met, she prostrated herself: “This official has words to submit.”

The Princess Imperial had recently acquired a new male favorite from a foreign land — golden-haired and blue-eyed, tall and well-built. She had just been about to accept a piece of fruit he was offering when Chen Baoxiang’s voice gave her such a start that she coughed.

“You really do have an unerring talent for choosing the worst possible moment to show up,” she said, vexed.

“This official begs Your Highness’s pardon.”

“Enough.” She waved the male favorite aside. Li Bingsheng looked at her with an oblique gaze. “If you hadn’t come on your own, I would have summoned you. So then — how many rewards have you collected lately?”

Chen Baoxiang immediately held out all the items. “Everything is here — please, Your Highness, take inventory.”

Li Bingsheng swept them with a glance and smiled. “I was only asking casually. What is all this?”

“His Majesty’s favor is more than this official deserves. These are ultimately all items belonging to the Imperial Family — it would be more fitting to return them to their proper owner.” She clasped her hands and looked up. “Placing these in Your Highness’s hands is naturally far more appropriate.”

Li Bingsheng rose with a soft laugh and stepped around the pile of objects to stand behind her. “Who wants any of this rubbish? I didn’t ask to see you just to rob you.”

Chen Baoxiang turned to face her and continued to kneel. “Your Highness must accept them. If you do not, I fear we will have played right into His Majesty’s scheme to drive a wedge between us.”

“Chen Baoxiang — you have some nerve, daring to say such a thing.”

“Your Highness, this official is a rough person — an impulsive soldier. Every time I have something to say, I say it plainly to Your Highness. I do not know how to dance around things with elaborate roundabout speech.”

She looked up, wearing an expression of genuine grievance. “Would Your Highness not prefer to teach this official how to say it in a more delicate way?”

Amusement rose in Li Bingsheng’s eyes. She pulled Chen Baoxiang to her feet. “All right. I know what kind of person you are — say what you mean to say. You could see through his intentions, so you clearly aren’t stupid. And since you’re not stupid — answer me: how do you think we should handle this?”

Chen Baoxiang blinked. “What can this official do? I only have one head — I cannot refuse His Majesty’s summons, and I cannot refuse to accept His Majesty’s rewards. All I can do is bring these things to Your Highness as a token of my loyalty.”

“That said — objects can be refused, but if His Majesty decides to transfer and promote me into the Forbidden Army or the Western Camp, I will be helpless. My residence is far from Your Highness’s, and messages passing back and forth are prone to misunderstanding. The more this goes on — even if my loyalty is as clear as the moon, misunderstandings are bound to arise.”

Li Bingsheng listened and nodded. “There truly is no easy remedy for that.”

“There is one remedy, but it would be presumptuous of this official to say it aloud.”

Li Bingsheng raised an eyebrow. “What you just said was already presumptuous enough. Could there be anything more presumptuous than that? Let me hear it.”

Chen Baoxiang dropped swiftly to her knees: “This official humbly requests that Your Highness grant me the small courtyard near the Princess Imperial’s residence.”

Li Bingsheng: “…” That truly was rather presumptuous.

She laughed despite herself. “Do you have any idea how expensive the properties around here are? And you simply open your mouth and ask me for one?”

“But only if this official lives nearby can everything remain seamlessly connected with Your Highness. No matter what position I am promoted to in the future, no rift will ever form between Your Highness and me.”

It was a rather cheeky proposal — but the reasoning behind it was sound. If she lived directly under her watchful eye, it would mean she was voluntarily placing herself within her control, staking her life and livelihood entirely on her.

And a gift of a residence — grand as that was — was far more meaningful than all the petty favors and small kindnesses the new Emperor had been dispensing.

Furthermore, thinking over Bikong’s recent reports… this woman might just draw Zhang Zhixu in as well…

Her fragrant fan clicked shut. Li Bingsheng said: “Very well. I will grant this for now. But do not bring me such presumptuous requests in the future.”

“Wow—” Chen Baoxiang’s eyes lit up with delighted surprise. “Your Highness actually agreed? You are truly too generous! This official will devote every drop of her blood and fiber of her being in service to you — protecting you and ensuring you achieve all your desires.”

“Flattering tongue.” Li Bingsheng shook her head with a smile. “If even half my male favorites were as skilled at honeyed words as you, I wouldn’t have to swap them out every single day. All right — have Bikong take you to move your things. I need to rest.”

“Many thanks to Your Highness—”

Chen Baoxiang left the Princess Imperial’s residence in high spirits. Having obtained the courtyard, she sent Bikong off to pack up the old place, while she herself, unable to contain her eagerness, set out to find Zhang Fengqing.

But the moment she reached the Zhang Mansion’s gate, she saw a group of people loading things onto an ox cart.

The cart was immaculate — the ropes used for lashing the load were new, the knots tied with near-perfect precision, and even the oilskin paper used to cover everything looked freshly cut. Not a speck of dust anywhere.

Whoever the owner was clearly had a streak of fastidiousness.

She walked around one of the carts, intending to see who the owner was, and found herself looking at Jiuquan, who was in the middle of settling accounts with a steward — and beside him stood Ningsu.

Chen Baoxiang: “…”

“Commissioner Chen.” Ningsu spotted her. His expression shifted at once. He slipped around and drew her off to a secluded corner.

“What’s happening?” Chen Baoxiang asked, baffled. “Is your master going on a long journey?”

“No.” Ningsu shook his head. After a moment, he said: “The master refused the marriage arrangement, and the Zhang Family has driven him out. He has nowhere to go right now.”

What?

She was stunned. “That imperial marriage — he just outright refused it?”

“He hasn’t yet reported it to the palace. It was only an argument with the elders at home.” Ningsu heaved a long sigh, his dark face a picture of distress. “Lord Zhang the elder insists on severing the father-son relationship.”

Chen Baoxiang drew a sharp breath. “Where is he now?”

“He was injured by the elder master. He’s gone to the physician’s clinic at the head of the street.”