A gentle breeze swept past, lifting the hem of his white magnolia-embroidered robe in her direction.

Chen Baoxiang let out a quiet sigh and said flatly: “Young Master Pei is here too? Please, come inside.”

Pei Ruheng looked at her, then raised his eyes toward the lintel above the gate, a faint furrow in his brow, as though he meant to say something.

The carriage behind came to a stop. He held back his words and turned to help someone down first.

Cen Xuanyue took his hand and stepped out, bowing politely to Chen Baoxiang: “Congratulations on your move to the new residence.”

Chen Baoxiang had been meaning to speak with her, but the moment Cen Xuanyue looked up, she too furrowed her brow: “This gatehouse structure…”

“You noticed it too?” Pei Ruheng asked under his breath.

She gave a complicated nod, then managed a strained smile: “Let’s ask inside. We can’t keep blocking someone’s doorstep.”

Chen Baoxiang had no idea what silent exchange they were having, and no interest in asking. She turned and led the guests inside.

The side dishes were already on the table, and the cook had set up a roasting rack in the center of the courtyard to prepare the main course there and then.

Lu Qingrong wrinkled her nose in disdain: “Smoky and greasy — why bring it out into the front courtyard?”

Lin Guilan quickly tugged at her sleeve and murmured, “Elder Sister Lu, this is the banquet style most beloved by the great families of Shangjing. Precious dishes are always prepared in the open — it lets the guests feast their eyes, and it also shows the host’s honesty: nothing hidden, nothing concealed.”

“……” Lu Qingrong had nothing more to say, and turned to Cen Xuanyue instead. “Miss Cen is a woman of the world — what do you make of this menu?”

Cen Xuanyue watched the cook stuff the goose into the lamb’s belly, her expression growing more and more astonished: “This dish is a famous palace recipe. It used to be made only when the Emperor bestowed a gift. Later, His Majesty showed his grace and allowed the recipe to circulate among the noble houses.”

Even then, not just any noble house could obtain it — only those with genuine power and influence.

She turned to Chen Baoxiang: “I meant to ask at the gate just now — has your family ever been granted a title of nobility?”

At that, not only Lu Qingrong and the others gave a start — even Chen Baoxiang herself was startled: “What title of nobility?”

“You don’t hold one?” Cen Xuanyue’s delicate brows drew together. “But the gatehouse architecture here is of the highest rank — six nails and yellow lacquer, which is reserved for ennobled families. And then there’s the Single-Cage Golden Milk Pastry, the Cold Toad Soup, the Chopstick-Point Spring Blossom — all of them palace banquet dishes.”

Without a noble title, wouldn’t this be overstepping?

Chen Baoxiang hastily waved her hand: “No, no, there’s nothing like that — this house was purchased with money, and the dishes are just whatever my cook happened to make.”

“As if Miss Cen’s eyes could be wrong.” Lu Qingrong laughed coldly. “If you don’t explain yourself clearly, it looks very suspicious. One report to the authorities, and we could all end up in prison.”

“Exactly — with no explanation, I don’t dare touch my chopsticks either.”

Everyone exchanged glances, then turned them all on Chen Baoxiang.

Zhang Zhixu watched the scene with cold eyes, thinking that the world was indeed full of people who bullied the weak and deferred to the strong. When he had hosted banquets here before, no one had ever dared say a word. Yet today, the guests had come to bully the host.

Pei Ruheng sat among them, making no move to speak up for her. Instead, he sided with Cen Xuanyue: “The architectural regulations of a noble household are not the sort of thing money can simply purchase.”

“Exactly — if you’re going to make up a story, at least make it convincing.”

Chen Baoxiang was growing flustered, wanting to explain but unable to say anything clear about her parents’ background and standing.

She was just about to invoke the Immortal’s name to save herself when a voice rang out from the entrance: “A young gentleman from the Xie Family of Dongrong Prefecture has arrived——”

Everyone froze. Before they could even turn their heads, a laugh rang out — clear and bright, like jade striking jade: “Miss Chen, how could you not invite me to celebrate your move?”

Chen Baoxiang looked up in stunned disbelief. Xie Lanting came striding in, official robes still on, only his hat removed. He swept a glance over the assembled guests and clasped his hands toward her first: “I had affairs to attend to today and brought no gift — I’ll deliver one in person tomorrow.”

Everyone at the table rose to their feet.

Chen Baoxiang stood too, her tongue completely tangled: “Sir, I — you — you?”

“If I hadn’t happened to pass by and seen so many carriages stopped outside, I wouldn’t even have known you’d moved here.” Xie Lanting gave her a reproving look, then glanced around. “Fengqing bought this plot some years ago and left it empty — a waste, really. Why not have him sell it to you outright?”

Cen Xuanyue’s eyes widened slightly: “This place…was purchased by Young Master Zhang?”

“That’s right.” Xie Lanting looked over at her with a smile and clasped his hands. “This lady looks unfamiliar — are you also a friend of Fengqing’s?”

“No, no.” She shook her head quickly. “I only had the same tutor as Young Master Zhang once — I’ve merely heard of his name.”

“Ah.” He turned his gaze back to Chen Baoxiang. “What are you so anxious about? Sit down.”

How could she not be anxious?

Chen Baoxiang swallowed hard, felt her way to a seat, and felt as though there were needles pricking her from beneath the cushion.

What luck was this — secretly using Zhang Zhixu’s residence to host a banquet, and of all people to walk in, it was his closest friend. If this fell apart, never mind Shangjing, the entire Great Sheng dynasty would be telling her story.

Fortunately, the other guests had even more questions than she did, and spoke over one another: “Sir Xie, is this not a residence built to the regulations of a titled noble house? How can it belong to Young Master Zhang?”

“You may not be aware.” Xie Lanting smiled. “During the late Emperor’s reign, there was a great drought one year. The treasury was lean and silver was short everywhere. The late Emperor could not bear to increase the people’s taxes, so he had this long-vacant marquis’s residence put up for sale to private buyers — highest bid wins.”

“At the time, the Zhang Family, wishing to relieve the country’s distress, offered an extraordinary price. Once they took possession, they removed all the imperial dragon motifs and edicts, replacing them with ordinary furnishings. So while this residence was built to the standards of a noble house, it does not in fact exceed proper bounds.”

“I see.”

Cen Xuanyue immediately inclined her head toward Chen Baoxiang: “I gave great offense just now — I hope you’ll forgive me.”

“Not at all.” Chen Baoxiang gathered herself. “Miss Cen only spoke her doubts aloud — there was no offense in it.”

Pei Ruheng watched her, lips pressed together, then suddenly asked: “A residence with such an extraordinary history — why would Zhang Zhixu sell it to you?”

“Oh? Miss Chen hasn’t told them?” Xie Lanting’s interest was piqued. “Fengqing and Miss Chen are the closest of confidants — even closer than he and I are. He wouldn’t part with something for just anyone, but if Miss Chen asked, he would certainly be willing to yield it.”

Chen Baoxiang lunged toward him to cover his mouth — too late.

A chorus of sharp, stunned gasps swept through the table.

“Baoxiang hasn’t mentioned Young Master Zhang at all lately,” Sun Fuyu murmured. “I thought she must not be that close to him—”

Thought she must not have much standing in Zhang Zhixu’s eyes.

Yet now it seemed she could put expenses on the Zhang Family’s account and live in the Zhang Family’s house?

Certain impossible suspicions were beginning, slowly, to look like they might be real. Sun Fuyu swallowed and said no more.

Across the table, Pei Ruheng’s brow furrowed. He was clearly hearing this framing for the first time: “Zhang Zhixu? Chen Baoxiang?”

These two names, no matter how he thought about it, had no business being mentioned in the same breath.

Chen Baoxiang’s every thought was fixed on how to keep Xie Lanting from discovering she had borrowed the residence without permission. She had little room left to care about Pei Ruheng — and in fact felt a flicker of irritation.

She’d invited him to such an expensive banquet, and he still kept making things difficult for her.

Recalling what the Immortal had said before, she quickly feigned an aggrieved expression: “When I met Fengqing in Jiangnan, he said the world is full of people who follow power and flatter the influential, and told me not to speak of our friendship. He didn’t know that sometimes, saying nothing only makes people more suspicious.”

Pei Ruheng’s expression grew darker still.

He picked up a palace dish from before him with a contemptuous smile: “When it comes to following power and flattering the influential, who could surpass you?”

Chen Baoxiang choked.

Zhang Zhixu had long since grown displeased with the way the conversation was going. Seizing the opening, he immediately spoke: “Funny you should say that — I’ve said the same thing to Fengqing myself. I told him I’m exactly the sort who follows power and flatters the influential, and that he’d do well to keep his distance from me.”

He spread his hands with an exaggerated sigh. “And yet he wouldn’t listen. He insisted on keeping up our friendship — giving me fine houses, good servants, ten thousand in silver — and said that in Shangjing, his friends are my friends.”

Then came another long, drawn-out sigh: “When things like this happen to me, I find it very troubling indeed.”