The banquet table fell into a silence like death.

Pei Ruheng was famous for never letting anyone best him with words — yet this was the first time he had ever been silenced mid-jab, left with nothing but a darkened face and no reply.

It wasn’t that Chen Baoxiang was so formidable. The weight of the name Zhang Zhixu alone was crushing enough — just the seven strokes of the character “Zhang” was sufficient to make everyone at the table too afraid to lift their eyes, let alone the two characters after it, which represented the youngest top-placed scholar the Great Sheng dynasty had ever produced since its founding.

Xie Lanting even added fuel from the side: “I stand behind that. If Fengqing has told you everything, then naturally I count as your friend too.”

He still wore his crimson-collared official robe, a gold-set blade at his waist — gifted by the Emperor himself. His words carried more weight than gold, and no one at the table dared to argue.

“Miss Chen does have remarkable qualities.”

“Quite — just her attire today is uncommonly refined.”

“The food is excellent too — Young Master Pei, do have some more.”

The well-born young women who had barely glanced at her before were now busily smoothing things over, covering up Pei Ruheng’s sharp edges.

Chen Baoxiang raised her brow and smiled: Immortal, only you could needle someone so satisfyingly.

You manage it well enough on your own — you only forget how whenever you’re around him.

Zhang Zhixu said, with a touch of exasperation: If you hadn’t struck back just now, you’d be lying awake until midnight regretting it.

That was quite true.

Chen Baoxiang picked up the main course with great satisfaction and put it in her mouth.

How delicious!

The roasted meat oozed with its own oils, soaked through with the fragrance of Western-region spices and lamb fat — not gamey, not dry. Combined with the glutinous rice inside, it was a transcendent taste she had never encountered in her life.

Her eyes narrowed with pleasure as she savored it slowly, utterly content.

Zhang Zhixu reminded her: That Young Master Pei of yours seems quite put out — he’s been very pointedly placing food in Cen Xuanyue’s bowl.

With something this delicious to eat, what man is worth worrying about?

Chen Baoxiang was perfectly at peace: Let him serve whoever he likes — as long as he doesn’t steal from my bowl.

Look at your priorities — it’s just food.

That was easy for him to say, yet all of a sudden he found the dish quite remarkable too. The meat was tender, the seasoning generous, and the flavour lingered.

Zhang Zhixu reached over and helped himself to another chopstick-full to try.

The guests at the table were all thoroughly dazzled, and compliments poured out freely. But across from them, Lu Qingrong grumbled under her breath, unwilling to be impressed: “It’s not that much better than braised pork knuckle.”

With Xie Lanting present, she hadn’t dared say it too loudly — she only wanted to take a little jab at Chen Baoxiang.

Yet to her surprise, Xie Lanting looked up anyway: “I heard someone say that the Lu Family was originally from Yuexian County?”

Lu Qingrong startled, terrified he would say something like Chen Baoxiang had about her family’s butcher origins. She jumped in quickly: “Yes, yes — but we followed General Cheng to the frontier during the Chongde reign.”

“The Chongde reign…” Xie Lanting counted on his fingers, a thoughtful look on his face.

Worried he might not believe her, Lu Qingrong added: “It was the village head who came to conscript soldiers. My father and General Cheng were both men of heroic mettle — so even though we were accompanying with the whole family, the village head and the camp both agreed.”

Zhang Zhixu’s thoughts sharpened at once. He spoke up immediately: “How could they permit a whole family to come along? Wouldn’t that be an extra drain on the army’s grain supplies?”

“What do you know.” Lu Qingrong bristled the moment she was facing Chen Baoxiang. “When my father and General Cheng enlisted, they already had quite a number of men with them — calling on us meant gaining a hundred-strong elite force. What’s the fuss over bringing along two or three children?”

“Your father had two or three children?” Zhang Zhixu pressed. “Aren’t you the only daughter of the Lu Family?”

“Of course my father only had me. The other two children were from the Cheng Family — nothing to do with me.”

Xie Lanting ran a finger along the rim of his cup, smiling but saying nothing, his gaze resting on Lu Qingrong — warm and lingering.

Lin Guilan and the others exchanged looks, nudging and whispering, laughing in low voices. Lu Qingrong didn’t understand at first, but when her eyes met Xie Lanting’s, her face gradually flushed red.

Chen Baoxiang clicked her tongue to herself: This Sir Xie is quite the charmer.

Zhang Zhixu gave a quiet laugh: He’s always been one in the past — but today, don’t mistake him. He’s here on official business.

What? Official business?

You’ve forgotten? You told him yourself that the Lu Family is close to Cheng Huaili.

Lu Shouhuai had followed Cheng Huaili for over a decade — he certainly knew things about Cheng Huaili’s past. But he was a seasoned old player, well-tempered in the fires of the world. Getting anything useful out of him would be near impossible.

His daughter Lu Qingrong, on the other hand, was far easier to handle.

“The drinking game tokens are here.” The drinking game attendant stepped forward, carrying the token holder.

Chen Baoxiang brightened and stood with a smile: “These gave me no small amount of trouble — I had a craftsman work through the night to finish them.”

“Is this the same kind of game as last time?” Zhou Yan’nian raised an eyebrow.

“Not quite.” She demonstrated by pulling a few out. “Each token has a forfeit written on it. Guests can choose for themselves — either accept the forfeit and do as it says, or drink wine to pay the debt. Both are acceptable.”

She turned the ones in her hand over to show them. Some read Bray Like a Donkey Around the Courtyard; some read Swear Brotherhood with the Person Below You; and one even said Answer Three Questions from the Person Above You.

Cen Xuanyue was charmed: “I’ve never played this kind of drinking game before.”

“Then let’s start with you, Miss.” Chen Baoxiang tucked the tokens back into the bamboo holder.

Across the table, Pei Ruheng’s brow furrowed.

Chen Baoxiang was sitting directly above Cen Xuanyue. If she drew that last type of token, what sort of questions might Chen Baoxiang ask?

He was still thinking it over when Cen Xuanyue drew a token reading Answer Three Questions from the Person Above You.

His expression darkened and he was about to rise and intervene.

But the person sitting above had already spoken: “First question, Miss — are women in this dynasty still permitted to serve as officials?”

Everyone looked up at once, startled.

Chen Baoxiang’s gaze was fixed and earnest on Cen Xuanyue — not confrontational at all, but carrying a thread of genuine admiration.

Pei Ruheng suddenly recalled the gate of the Lu Mansion yesterday. So she had truly just wanted to ask that question all along?

He stiffened, then slowly settled back into his seat.

Cen Xuanyue answered graciously: “We can — but it is exceedingly difficult. Even after passing the imperial examinations, I have yet to receive any favorable posting.”

“Second question, Miss — what formidable female officials remain in the court today?”

Cen Xuanyue considered, a trace of regret crossing her face: “Since the female Secretary of the Secretariat was demoted twenty years ago, women have rarely been able to enter the Three Departments.”

Zhang Zhixu sensed that familiar grief again — fainter than when she spoke in her sleep, yet far more concentrated than when she had watched Pei Ruheng with someone else.

He suddenly found himself curious about what was going through Chen Baoxiang’s mind.

But she wasn’t speaking to him inwardly, so he had no window into her thoughts. He could only listen as she continued: “Third question, Miss — do civil officials hold sway in this dynasty, or do the military officials command greater influence?”

“The military, without question.” Cen Xuanyue pressed her lips together. “With fighting constantly on the frontiers and generals in short supply, His Majesty has always held them in high esteem.”

Three questions, and Cen Xuanyue answered every one without difficulty — but they left the other guests completely bewildered.

Sun Fuyu was curious: “Sister Baoxiang, are you thinking of entering government service?”

“What a joke — she can’t even read.” Lu Qingrong curled her lip. “Does she really think passing the examinations is easy?”

Pei Ruheng’s expression shifted into something complicated: “She can read. And she’s read quite a lot of books.”

“What? How is that possible — she was—”

“The drinking game is still going.” Chen Baoxiang cut her off, gesturing for the attendant to continue passing the token holder around.

Xie Lanting rose and took the seat directly above Lu Qingrong.