For fifty taels she could rent a grand estate worth tens of thousands—and then hire a few maids and stewards to put on appearances. Wouldn’t that be far more impressive than spending several thousand taels outright?

Her mind made up, Chen Baoxiang turned to leave.

But Xuanwumen lived up to its reputation as a neighborhood packed with prestigious families—she had barely stepped outside when she walked into a magnificently adorned carriage. She lowered her head to step aside, but the carriage stopped right in front of her.

“You again.” Lu Qingrong lifted the carriage curtain.

Chen Baoxiang looked up. Well—a carriage full of young noblewomen. Not only were Lin Guilan and Sun Fuyu inside, but there were several other unfamiliar faces as well.

Sun Fuyu smiled and greeted her: “Is Baoxiang here for the Lu Family’s housewarming banquet too?”

“I didn’t send her an invitation.” Lu Qingrong frowned, then suddenly remembered something, and leaned out to look past her. “Is this your family’s residence?”

Oh no—the lie she’d told in prison, about having her home near Xuanwumen.

Chen Baoxiang laughed awkwardly: “It is… I think.”

That expression was a dead giveaway. Lu Qingrong let out a contemptuous laugh, stepped down from the carriage, glanced at the property broker standing nearby, and sneered: “Isn’t this residence up for sale?”

The broker immediately called out a price: “Nine thousand two hundred taels—would you like to take a look, Miss?”

“Gladly.”

Having finally caught Chen Baoxiang in a lie, Lu Qingrong crossed her arms and called back to the carriage: “Everyone come down and have a look—the Chen Family residence is going up for sale.”

Lin Guilan was quick to climb out. She stood on her tiptoes to examine the entrance and said: “This residence is nothing special—nowhere near as large as Elder Sister Lu’s new purchase.”

“Why would you be selling? Has the family fallen on hard times?”

The few noblewomen who got down behind her were dressed in unmistakably refined fashion—Chen Baoxiang didn’t know their backgrounds, but had a vague sense their families must be in government.

She immediately responded: “Our family has moved to an even better residence—this one just doesn’t measure up to our new standards.”

“Oh?” Lu Qingrong fixed her with a scrutinizing look. “And where did you move? Since we happen to have everyone here today, why don’t we go take a look at your new residence?”

“That’s hardly necessary—it would only delay your housewarming banquet.”

“We’ll just have a quick look. What’s there to delay? The banquet doesn’t start for some time yet.”

“The thing is…” Chen Baoxiang said, steeling herself, “my new residence isn’t near Xuanwumen.”

At that, several of the noblewomen broke into laughter: “Everyone knows Xuanwumen is the most prosperous area—anyone with money sets up their household here. Yet here you are, unwilling to settle for this location and moving elsewhere instead?”

“Let me guess where you moved.” Lu Qingrong covered her smile with her hand. “Not Heyue Quarter, surely?”

“Of course not.”

Chen Baoxiang’s mouth denied it, but inside she was already in a panic.

Lu Qingrong took great delight in savoring her agitation, and even looped an arm through hers: “Come along then. Today I’ll treat you to my housewarming banquet, and tomorrow you can return the favor. After all, you’ve just moved—we should all come help you celebrate properly.”

Lin Guilan caught on and chimed in, stirring up the crowd, and introduced Chen Baoxiang to the assembled noblewomen: “This Baoxiang is extraordinary—immensely wealthy, from a family of distinguished lineage on her mother’s side, accomplished in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. It’s not easy to get acquainted with her. The housewarming banquet tomorrow—you must all come.”

“Oh.” Sun Fuyu pointed ahead. “Master Zhou and the others have already arrived.”

Zhou Yannian turned to look, saw a group of people surrounding Chen Baoxiang, and raised an eyebrow: “What’s all this about now?”

“Have you not heard, Master Zhou?” Sun Fuyu smiled. “Baoxiang is inviting us to her grand residence tomorrow. Baoxiang is so fond of Master Pei—why don’t you pass on an invitation on her behalf and ask Master Pei to come along tomorrow as well?”

“He’s inside. Baoxiang can go tell him herself.” Zhou Yannian gestured toward the inner hall.

Lu Qingrong was surprised: “Didn’t he say he had matters to attend to and couldn’t come?”

“Now that you don’t know.” Zhou Yannian gave a cool smile. “With the daughter of the Minister Cen here, he’d show up even if blades were raining from the sky.”

Chen Baoxiang froze.

She turned to ask who Minister Cen’s daughter was—but the women nearby were already exchanging meaningful looks and smiles, nudging the noblewoman who stood behind them.

The young woman was exquisitely beautiful—her skin like flawless porcelain, her hair pinned up in a loose bun, her attire rich yet never garish. One look at her and the heart couldn’t help but be moved.

Zhang Zhixu suddenly felt a wave of awkward, cramped discomfort wash over him—as though he wanted to dig a hole and bury himself in it. Something sour stirred in his chest, followed by a faint ache.

He furrowed his brow: What’s wrong?

Nothing.

Chen Baoxiang lowered her head: I’m just not very hungry—don’t want to eat at this banquet.

Then let’s leave.

She wanted to leave, but Lu Qingrong had her arm firmly locked in hers with no intention of letting go.

“Let me make an introduction.” She glanced sideways at her and said: “This is Cen Xuanyue—Master Pei’s classmate from their academy days, and the only woman in the capital’s noble circles to have passed the imperial examinations and earned the title of jinshi.”

In the Dasheng dynasty, men and women alike could sit the imperial examinations. At the dynasty’s height in prior generations, female officials had occupied nearly half the entire court—though in recent years, as attitudes shifted, women had gradually stopped sitting for them as much.

Against that backdrop, a talented woman like Cen Xuanyue stood out as exceptionally rare.

Chen Baoxiang couldn’t help but exclaim with sincere admiration: “Miss is truly remarkable.”

“Not at all.” Cen Xuanyue seemed a little bashful. “Just lucky, really.”

“Then why haven’t you taken an official post?” Chen Baoxiang pressed. “These days, women should still be able to hold office, shouldn’t they?”

She had asked too eagerly—even slightly unlike herself.

Lu Qingrong assumed Chen Baoxiang was burning with jealousy and trying to make things difficult for Cen Xuanyue, and quickly stepped between them: “Don’t start anything.”

“I wasn’t—I only wanted to ask——”

“What’s everyone crowded here for?” Pei Ruheng appeared suddenly.

The scene at the entrance had a certain tension to it. He frowned, took one look, and immediately stepped in front of Cen Xuanyue, turning to Chen Baoxiang: “Have you any manners at all?”

Zhang Zhixu’s brow creased with displeasure.

These young women were just having a conversation here—he hadn’t even intervened. Yet this man was making a show of authority. Coming in without asking what had happened, speaking in that tone from the very start—as though Chen Baoxiang had committed some wrongdoing.

Chen Baoxiang was also taken aback. After a long moment she managed: “I only wanted to chat with her.”

Shielding the person behind him, Pei Ruheng frowned: “What is there for you to chat with her about? She has spent her life studying the classics—she doesn’t understand the scheming ways of women. Whatever you have to say, you might as well say it to me.”

At those words, the doorway erupted into teasing.

“Rarely do we see Brother Pei this anxious.” Zhou Yannian joked. “True testament to the bond of years as classmates.”

“To me~” Lu Qingrong mimicked in a sing-song voice. “So if I want to share intimate talk with Xuanyue, I’d need Master Pei’s permission first, would I~”

“The two of them haven’t seen each other in so long, and yet they’re just as close as ever.”

Cen Xuanyue’s cheeks flushed red, and she murmured softly: “Stop teasing.”

Pei Ruheng didn’t refute any of it. He kept his gaze on Chen Baoxiang—sharp and piercing, with none of the warmth from before.

Zhang Zhixu felt something prick inside his chest—and then it was as though something cracked apart. Cold air poured in through the gap, spreading a chill through every part of him.

What a dreadful feeling.

Chen Baoxiang.

He darkened his expression: You’re usually so capable with words—why are you suddenly struck mute?

It’s useless.

Chen Baoxiang answered softly: Great Immortal, do you know—when a person is not the one who is favored, everything they do, everything they say, is useless.