Chen Baoxiang had never intended to compete in the first place.

What a joke — she wanted to climb to higher branches, not hang herself from a single one in the Pei Family’s tree. Pei Ruheng did suit her tastes, but given how things had played out, if she still went to fight over him, wouldn’t that truly make her the lowly one?

Besides, competing was the surest way to drive up a person’s worth. Contested goods fetch higher prices; contested people command greater value. Her own worth had yet to be raised — why would she help inflate Pei Ruheng’s?

——She could think it through clearly enough, yet the low spirits were still there.

The clear sky seemed to rain only over her head. From the Lu Family home back to Xun Yuan, the whole way was a thin, cold drizzle, a chill seeping into every inch of her.

Zhang Zhixu felt her mood and could think of nothing comforting to say. He could only steel himself and press on with talk of food: “That dish called Whole Lamb, Perished Goose — you take an entire goose, skin and pluck it, stuff the goose’s belly with glutinous rice and spices, then stuff the goose inside a whole lamb to roast.”

Chen Baoxiang responded with an unfocused gaze: “That method is rather clever — you get to eat goose and lamb both.”

“This dish is only meant for the goose.” He explained. “The lamb on the outside is discarded and not eaten.”

“What?” Her focus snapped back in an instant. She nearly leapt to her feet. “The lamb — an entire lamb — is just thrown away?”

“The lamb in this dish serves as a vessel. The goose is what matters.”

In the Great Sheng dynasty, goose meat was costly. A single goose weighing seven catties could go for two or three thousand coins, while a whole lamb was only seven or eight thousand — using it as a vessel was considered ordinary enough.

Only, the moment he finished saying it, he sensed a tidal wave of grief and outrage surge up inside Chen Baoxiang — so powerful it drowned out even the earlier dejection.

“That’s meat! Meat that many families only get to eat a handful of times in a whole year, and you just throw it away?”

Chen Baoxiang was on the verge of furious tears. “Why do you wealthy people enjoy wasting food so much!”

Zhang Zhixu had grown up accustomed to such waste. In the past he might have said, It’s bought with my own money, how I eat it is my own business. But now, Chen Baoxiang’s outrage surged into his heart as well, and he found himself overcome with shame.

“It would be good to give the lamb to the servants.” His voice grew quiet. “Or at the very least, send it to a beggars’ den…”

Chen Baoxiang calmed herself down.

She clutched her coin pouch and asked, “How much does this dish cost?”

“Depends on how many people are eating — you have to stuff geese into the lamb’s belly according to the number of guests.” Zhang Zhixu’s mind conjured up an abacus and began calculating. “The most expensive version for a table won’t exceed seventy or eighty thousand.”

Seventy or eighty thousand! For one table!

Chen Baoxiang pinched the air with her fingers: “Why did you have to argue with Lu Qingrong over that!”

Zhang Zhixu thought back on it and found it amusing too. He had never been one to quarrel with people — how was it that whenever it came to Chen Baoxiang, he grew so easily provoked?

“Xun Yuan’s cook knows how to make this dish. He was a person gifted to Zhang Zhixu by the Divine Physician Sun — if you bring money and the token Sun gave, and go to request him, he will certainly agree.” Zhang Zhixu continued, “Besides the main course, you’ll likely need twelve side dishes as well. The ingredients all have to be purchased in advance. You need to set out right now.”

Layer upon layer of expenses came crashing down, and Chen Baoxiang had no room left to grieve over Pei Ruheng. She snatched up her skirts and went to make the arrangements exactly as instructed.

The Immortal had never once deceived her — but the Immortal truly knew how to spend money.

Hiring household servants and a steward, engaging the cook and assistants, buying tea, pastries, and all the necessary ingredients — after several trips back and forth to the East Market, silver poured from her coin pouch like water.

One good thing, though: the Immortal hadn’t asked her to rent a house. Instead, he pointed her directly in a direction.

When Chen Baoxiang arrived hauling large and small packages, her mouth fell open in astonishment.

The front faced a lively market street, but across the bridge before her lay an exquisitely trimmed garden. Deep within the grove stood half-hidden gates — upturned eaves with guardian beasts, pavilions that seemed to touch the clouds.

She let out an awed cry: “Immortal, did you conjure this out of thin air?”

“Go knock on the door and you’ll know.”

Full of excited anticipation, Chen Baoxiang knocked on the small side gate.

An elderly man opened it: “Who are you looking for?”

Before Chen Baoxiang could speak, she heard her own voice say warmly: “Uncle Xu, I’ve been sent by Steward Jiuquan to take over watching the courtyard for you — he said you need to return to your hometown these next few days.”

“Ah, you’re the person Steward Jiuquan mentioned? But weren’t you supposed to arrive in a few more days?”

“He was worried you’d be anxious.” Zhang Zhixu passed over the wooden token Jiuquan had given earlier. “Please check it.”

Uncle Xu verified the token and nodded. “Come in then. Leave your things in the side room — someone will come to relieve you in a few days. You only need to sweep up the fallen leaves in the front and back gardens and give the front courtyard a good cleaning. The master has been busy these past days, so this whole courtyard is just you — sorry for the trouble.”

Chen Baoxiang: ?

She hoisted the burlap sack with trembling hands, wailing inwardly: Immortal, in my usual life I just deceive people here and there for show. Since you arrived, never mind that I’ve tricked my way to over ten thousand in silver — now I’m supposed to deceive someone out of their entire mansion too?

Zhang Zhixu was entirely unconcerned: It’s a Zhang Family property. You’re borrowing it for two days — what’s the deception?

How are you even more shameless than I am.

Muttering under her breath as she went in and set down her things, Chen Baoxiang steeled herself and accepted the keys, watching Uncle Xu leave.

The residence was vast and imposing, but her knees were shaking as she stood in the doorway.

“With such a faint heart, what do you expect to reel in?” Zhang Zhixu scoffed. “Call those servants you hired to come — I’ll brief them in advance. Otherwise, if you’re exposed tomorrow, your story will spread even wider than Cheng Huaili’s.”

Chen Baoxiang: “……”

She went to see to it without delay.

After a whole night of frantic bustle, dawn broke and she began overseeing the kitchen’s preparations. Chen Baoxiang hadn’t spared a single thought for Pei Ruheng.

She changed into the dress the Immortal had chosen, then, following his instructions, filled the several large incense burners set around the courtyard with silver-thread charcoal.

The display was extravagant beyond all reason, yet it somehow gave her a solid surge of confidence. When the midday guests arrived, Chen Baoxiang held her chin high like a proud little peacock.

At her side, twelve servants stood in a row, bowing in unison: “Welcome, honored guests.”

Lu Qingrong stepped out of her carriage and was startled by the reception.

She looked back at the residence before her, gave a twitch of her lips, and said in an irritable tone: “What’s with all this ostentatious formality — it’s not like I don’t know where the door is.”

Then she peered suspiciously to the left and right: “All of this…is yours?”

The courtyard walls stretched as far as the eye could see — grey brick and white tiles, auspicious cloud patterns delicately carved along the eaves. The grand double doors bore six rows of gate nails, with bronze beast-head ring-pulls, their gaze solemn and commanding.

She found it hard to believe: “Your family holds no official rank?”

“That’s right, no rank — but wealth more than makes up for it.”

Seven or eight more carriages arrived behind her. Chen Baoxiang glanced over and understood at once. “Elder Sister Lu, you were so eager to make sure no one missed how well-off my family is, you even invited people I barely know.”

Lu Qingrong had always bristled at Chen Baoxiang’s arrogance, constantly waiting for a chance to expose her lies.

Yet to her surprise, this new residence of Chen Baoxiang’s was genuinely this impressive — several times larger than her own home, which she had always been so proud of.

Reluctantly, she lifted her skirts and stepped inside, catching a servant’s arm: “Did your mistress actually buy this place?”

The servant gave the answer Zhang Zhixu had coached them on: “It’s not our place as servants to ask about the master’s affairs. Still, we’ve all served noble households, and we’ve never once heard of living somewhere without having bought it.”

Lu Qingrong’s face darkened.

The guests filed out of their carriages one after another. Chen Baoxiang had intended to greet them all and show off her new Wanbao Pavilion purchase along the way.

But when the curtain of the fifth carriage was drawn back, the one who stepped out was Pei Ruheng.