Though Yin Manor’s luxurious bedding and silk quilts were extravagant, as the old saying goes, no golden or silver nest compares to one’s dog kennel. Ming Shu finally felt truly relaxed lying in her canopy bed.
After sleeping soundly in her own “kennel,” her recently over-exhausted energy was fully replenished. By the time she got up, it was nearly noon. No one had come to disturb her, and Ming Shu felt that no other young lady could be as lazy as her. With conflicting feelings of being pampered with joy and guilt over sleeping in, she quickly washed up and got out of bed.
Today the weather was fine, with sunshine spreading everywhere.
“Brother! Mother!” she called while going downstairs. After calling twice, only Zhao Bao came wagging its tail and trotting over excitedly.
The puppy, which was tiny when first brought home, had doubled in size in just a month and now ran joyfully around Ming Shu. She walked a few steps into the hall but didn’t see Mother Zeng. Instead, she ran into Lu Chang, who was coming out from behind the kitchen curtain.
Lu Chang still wore his light cyan robe with two green bamboo stems embroidered at the hem. His long hair was neatly tied, and his features were exceptionally fresh and handsome.
Ming Shu knew that his clothes were originally plain without embroidery, but after wearing them for a long time and getting damaged, Mother Zeng would mend them by embroidering green bamboo each time. Now almost all his clothes had bamboo patterns.
Thanks to Mother Zeng’s excellent embroidery skills, the bamboo looked lifelike, and one couldn’t spot any torn edges at all.
If she had money, the first thing she would do would be to make new clothes for her brother.
With this thought, she asked, “Where’s Mother?”
“She went to deliver embroidery work.” Lu Chang put what he was carrying on the table and was about to return to the kitchen.
Ming Shu blinked, suddenly noticing that Lu Chang was carrying two bowls of vegetarian wontons. With Mother Zeng away, was Lu Chang cooking today?!
She immediately followed him into the kitchen and indeed saw Lu Chang with his sleeves rolled up, skillfully lifting a basket of steamed buns from the stove.
“What are you staring at?” Lu Chang turned to see Ming Shu and glanced at her before continuing to walk out.
“You’re cooking?” Ming Shu asked while reaching out to help him carry the buns.
Her hand was quickly swatted away by Lu Chang.
“Hot!” Lu Chang shook his head, “What’s so strange about me cooking?”
Ming Shu circled from Lu Chang’s left side to his right, saying, “I’m just thinking, what kind of divine brother are you! You can study, fight, drive a cart, cook… is there anything you can’t do?”
“Flatterer!” Even someone as typically reserved as Lu Chang couldn’t help but smile at Ming Shu’s sincere compliments.
“Even if it is flattery, it’s my heartfelt praise for you. Others wish they could receive such praise but can’t.” Ming Shu sat down with him, each having a bowl of wontons, eating them with pickled vegetables and steamed buns.
Halfway through their meal, someone arrived outside.
Tao Yi Qian had come on behalf of his aunt to bring Ming Shu money.
A box of silver ingots, six pieces in total, neatly arranged inside, conservatively worth about one hundred taels.
Ming Shu’s eyes lit up at the sight. After exchanging a few polite words, she tucked the box into her arms. She invited Tao Yi Qian to stay for a meal, but he had urgent matters to attend to and couldn’t stay long, so he quickly took his leave.
“We’re rich!” After Tao Yi Qian left, Ming Shu sat back at the table, opened the box, and touched each silver ingot.
One hundred taels of silver was indeed an unexpected fortune.
“Brother, take these.” After she’d had enough of touching them, she grabbed three silver ingots to give to Lu Chang.
Lu Chang didn’t accept them: “Keep them for yourself. I don’t need them.”
“Brother, don’t lie to me. The money you bring home is from doing manual labor at the academy, right?” Though she couldn’t figure it out while at the academy, Ming Shu understood everything after thinking it through.
How could an examination candidate about to take the metropolitan examination still be doing manual labor at the academy? It was Lu Chang’s request.
Lu Chang simply said: “Ming Shu, I know what I’m doing. This silver was earned through your two risky ventures, so keep it for yourself.” His attitude was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
Ming Shu didn’t insist. Giving and receiving required willingness from both parties; otherwise, it would just be forcing the issue.
Anyway, with the money in her hands, she could find other ways to spend it on Lu Chang. There was no need to force the silver on him directly.
“Brother, what do you think I should do with these hundred taels of silver?” Ming Shu stared at the box of money again, lost in thought.
Having money indeed brings its worries, just as having none does.
A hundred taels of silver wasn’t exactly a fortune, but it wasn’t a small sum either. It was more than enough to improve their living conditions, but if she wanted to buy a large house, get two maids for Mother Zeng, or rent a shop to start a small business, it wouldn’t be enough.
She was keen to make money grow money, but after renting a shop, there wouldn’t be enough left to stock merchandise, making it difficult to succeed.
“Do whatever you want with it.” Lu Chang responded instinctively, but as soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them.
With Ming Shu’s daring nature, letting her do whatever she wanted could lead to rebellion.
“I want to start a small business, but a hundred taels isn’t enough…” Her ambitions were big and wild, thinking about opening a large shop. As she pondered, her attention turned to the gold bracelet on her wrist.
Lu Chang immediately understood her intention and quickly extinguished her spark: “Don’t even think about pawning that bracelet. It’s what Father left for you, it can’t be pawned.”
In fact, during their previous difficult times on the road, Ming Shu had considered pawning the bracelet but was stopped by Lu Chang. When she fell from Cloud Flower Mountain, besides this bracelet she always wore, she had some earrings and hairpins which were kept by Mother Zeng to avoid raising suspicion, and they remained untouched.
This gold bracelet was a love token that Old Master Jian had given to Ming Shu’s mother, which was later passed to Ming Shu, making it extraordinarily meaningful to her. Since her mother’s passing, Ming Shu had worn this bracelet constantly without ever removing it. If she still had her memories, she would never consider pawning this gold bracelet, and now Lu Chang wouldn’t let her sell it either. As for the other ornaments, they were also her items, and he had no right to dispose of them. Unless necessary, he would never pawn them.
“Oh.” Ming Shu was somewhat curious about who this father was, and who could afford such a precious bracelet.
Seeing that she had abandoned the idea, Lu Chang didn’t say more, only stating: “I’m returning to the academy tomorrow.”
Ming Shu immediately lifted her head, eyes bright as she stared at him: “Leaving so soon?”
“You seem very happy that I’m returning to the academy?” Lu Chang’s sharp eyes saw right through her heart.
“No, no! How could I bear to part with Brother?” Ming Shu quickly waved her hands, though the joy of a bird about to break free from its cage still showed on her face.
“Then I won’t go.” Lu Chang said.
“Don’t do that!” Ming Shu immediately grabbed his arm, “No matter how much I’ll miss you, I can’t hinder Brother’s prospects. Brother, your career comes first, you should return quickly.”
“…” Seeing her eagerness to send him away, Lu Chang felt frustrated again.
His face immediately half-darkened as he said: “Lu Ming Shu, don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. I’ll let this Yin family matter slide since it was your first offense, but if you dare to hide dangerous activities from me again, I’ll…”
Halfway through his sentence, he couldn’t continue. What could he threaten her with? It seemed there was nothing he could use to threaten her.
As her brother, he was probably just a paper tiger in front of her.
“I won’t dare, I won’t dare.” Ming Shu’s attitude was consistently good.
Actively admitting mistakes, positively stating her position, and then…
Never truly repenting.
With only a month and a half left until the metropolitan examination, Lu Chang truly couldn’t delay any longer. Early the next morning, he set out to return to Song Ling Academy.
With idle money in her pocket, Ming Shu couldn’t hold back. She immediately took Mother Zeng shopping for fabric to make spring clothes, choosing the most for Lu Chang—besides spring clothing fabric, there were items like folding fans, fan pouches, and fragrance sachets. Whatever caught her eye, she bought without hesitation.
After spending the silver, her mood improved, and she just waited for the clothes to be made so she could send them to Lu Chang.
After all, someone about to achieve scholarly success should dress properly.
After shopping like this for two days, Mother Zeng couldn’t walk anymore, and Ming Shu also grew tired of it. She returned to her state when she first arrived in the capital, sitting idly at home staring at Zhao Bao.
It was quite boring.
That afternoon, she sat listlessly in the hall, chin propped on both hands, staring into space. For a moment, she even regretted helping the Yin family resolve their problems so quickly; otherwise, she could have been a companion reader for longer. She wondered how Yin Shu Jun and Yin Liang Jun were doing…
Just as she was thinking, Zhao Bao, who had been curled up sleeping by the door, suddenly rushed to the entrance and started barking, bringing Ming Shu back to her senses.
Several footsteps approached from afar, and Zhao Bao’s alert barking suddenly turned into coquettish whimpering. A slender figure stopped at the door, and seeing Zhao Bao, she couldn’t help but crouch at the doorstep, her hand hovering in the air, wanting to pet but not daring to, only asking Ming Shu who was already looking over: “Hey, does your dog bite?”
Ming Shu yelled at Zhao Bao: “You shameless Zhao Bao, you only know how to curry favor with pretty girls, what’s the use of me raising you?”
It was Zhao Bao’s problem—fierce as a wolf when seeing men, soft as a cat when seeing girls, without any backbone.
Coincidentally, today’s visitor was the most beautiful Yin Shu Jun from the Yin family.
Hearing Ming Shu’s words, Yin Shu Jun felt reassured enough to pet Zhao Bao’s head. Ming Shu remained seated, with no intention of getting up to welcome her. Now that she wasn’t the Yin family’s little companion reader, and she and Yin Shu Jun were no longer in a master-servant relationship, she didn’t feel like paying respects.
Having spent many days together, although they had never been close, Yin Shu Jun had somewhat figured out Ming Shu’s temperament. After playing with Zhao Bao, she brought her two maids inside and sat down opposite Ming Shu.
“Lu…”
Her words had barely begun when Ming Shu interrupted.
“Taking someone’s money means doing their work. I just helped your mother with a matter, and now that the money has been settled, we’re even, so you don’t need to thank me.” Ming Shu didn’t want to hear sentimental words in her ear; it made her uncomfortable.
Yin Shu Jun had prepared her speech all night and was still carefully choosing her words on the way here, but all of it was scattered by Ming Shu’s single sentence.
“Who wants to thank you?” She lifted her chin, still somewhat arrogant, “I’m here to tell you about Liang Jun’s outcome.”
“Go ahead.” At this mention, Ming Shu showed some interest.
“She and her concubine mother have been sent to the countryside estate, and they won’t be able to return for three to five years.” Yin Shu Jun said concisely, “Are you satisfied with this result?”
Being banished to a countryside estate at marriageable age, along with her birth mother, not only cut off all of Yin Liang Jun’s paths back to the capital but also severed her chances of making a good marriage in the capital. With both future and past paths cut off, her days ahead would not be easy.
This outcome couldn’t be called good or bad; it was a common solution in the inner quarters. Ming Shu had no particular satisfaction or dissatisfaction, and even if she was dissatisfied, she couldn’t make the Yin family send Yin Liang Jun to an official investigation.
Let it be like this.
She shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
The conversation between them died again. Yin Shu Jun sat quietly for a moment before Ming Shu suddenly said: “If you’ve said what you came to say, why aren’t you leaving? Expecting me to invite you for a meal?”
Yin Shu Jun had been planning to leave, but this comment provoked her rebellious spirit: “I won’t leave! Why are you like this? Can’t you speak nicely? Even if I’ve offended you before, haven’t you… always gotten the better of me?”
Hearing this, Ming Shu finally laughed “Pfft”: “You’re a wealthy young lady, what could I possibly discuss with you? You don’t lack for gold or silver, while I still worry about every tael.”
“You still need money?” Yin Shu Jun’s eyes brightened.
“What, do you have a way to make money?” Ming Shu glanced at her sideways.
Yin Shu Jun teased her, looking her up and down before beckoning her with a finger, and whispering one word in her ear when she leaned in.
“Yes!”
Ming Shu was extremely skeptical of Yin Shu Jun’s supposed money-making opportunity, but Yin Shu Jun seemed excited.
“Miss, the clothes, accessories, and cosmetics are all here.” The two maids were sent by Yin Shu Jun to fetch a large bundle of items from home.
Now all three of them were crowded in Ming Shu’s small room.
“My friends aren’t ordinary people. If you want to take on profitable work from them, you need to look presentable first.” Yin Shu Jun pressed Ming Shu into a chair and ordered the maids to open the bundle. “Here’s an outfit I had made before the new year. We’re similar in build, so it should fit you. There’s also a set of pure gold accessories. Let me dress you up.”
Ming Shu was surprised and about to speak, but Yin Shu Jun quickly added, “Don’t think too much, I’m just lending them to you.”
With that, she and the two maids set to work on both sides, pressing Ming Shu into the chair, doing her hair and makeup, and changing her clothes. After a full half-hour of busy work, Yin Shu Jun stared at the formally dressed Ming Shu, stammering, “Indeed, clothes make the person as gold makes the Buddha. Lu Ming Shu, you…”
She knew Lu Ming Shu was beautiful, but hadn’t imagined that after formal dressing, Lu Ming Shu would look like a completely different person. Her every gesture and expression showed no trace of coming from a humble family. If Yin Shu Jun hadn’t personally seen the Lu family’s circumstances and known about her money troubles, she would have thought Lu Ming Shu was a young lady from some noble family.
Yin Shu Jun was herself a beautiful girl, but seeing Ming Shu now, she had to marvel.
She was truly beautiful.
There was no mirror in the room, so Ming Shu couldn’t see herself, but she knew she must look beautiful.
The clothes of the Yin family’s legitimate daughter were first-rate in both fabric and tailoring, and the accessories were exquisitely designed, rarely seen in public. Once dressed, Ming Shu felt like a general donning armor before battle, no longer able to be as casual as before.
Some habits are ingrained in the bones and cannot be forgotten.
After briefly explaining to Mother Zeng, Ming Shu left with Yin Shu Jun, boarding the Yin family’s carriage and heading toward the Bian River.
“Today I’m taking you to broaden your horizons! This Wan Jia Tower is the capital’s most famous restaurant, with the strongest wine, the most beautiful dancing girls, the best food…” In the carriage, Yin Shu Jun couldn’t contain her excitement, words flowing endlessly.
Ming Shu had naturally heard of Wan Jia Tower’s reputation. It was where the capital’s nobility loved to go, and even the Emperor had visited in disguise. It was full of wealthy patrons who spent money like water.
Yin Shu Jun talked the whole way, and Ming Shu listened the whole way.
When they arrived at Wan Jia Tower, the sky had darkened. The tower was brilliantly lit, gleaming like a celestial palace. It had three floors and was built by the water, with lights reflecting on the surface, creating a dazzling view. Everything about it exuded luxury.
“This place… are you paying when we go in?” Ming Shu felt her hundred taels of silver weren’t worthy of this place.
Yin Shu Jun rarely had the chance to show superiority before her, and immediately said, “Following this young lady, how could I let you spend money?”
“Oh.” Ming Shu nodded and walked toward the restaurant entrance.
Many people were standing scattered at the entrance, bowing to entering guests. Yin Shu Jun pointed at those people and said, “Those aren’t restaurant staff, just idlers…”
Before she could finish, an idler came forward, bowing to the two of them saying, “Blessings to the two ladies. Please mind your step, these stone stairs are steep, so be careful not to trip. Wan Jia Tower is crowded today, and noble ladies like yourselves surely dislike the bustle inside. Why not let this humble servant assist you and make arrangements?”
The idler spoke considerately and pleasantly, his face full of smiles, very attentive.
Yin Shu Jun knew these idlers weren’t restaurant staff, but people who made a living around the restaurant by flattering and arranging matters for guests in exchange for tips. Their services required payment. Although Yin Shu Jun came from a high background, as an unmarried young lady, her monthly allowance was limited, and she didn’t want to spend money on idlers, but…
“Alright, you’ll do.” Ming Shu had already spoken. Her face showed no trace of being new to such places, and she gracefully waved her hand, walking while saying, “Find us a good private room, with a good view but not noisy. Bring two portions of opening soup, five kinds of wine fruits…” She suddenly turned back to ask Yin Shu Jun, “Any dietary restrictions?”
Yin Shu Jun dumbly shook her head.
“Then I’ll decide. It’s spring, mandarin fish is good.” Ming Shu said, then ordered a list of soups and fruit plates for the idler, things like mandarin fish soup, dark sugar plums, red fruit cake, chestnut yellow, and such.
These were just the appetizers.
“That’s all for now, go arrange it. We’ll order the main dishes later.” Ming Shu said after ordering.
The idler bowed, saying “Very well,” but didn’t move.
Ming Shu turned to look at Yin Shu Jun: “What are you staring at? Give him a tip!”
Without a tip, he wouldn’t work hard.
Yin Shu Jun gaped as she gave a small piece of broken silver, only then realizing she’d been treated like a maid. She was quite annoyed and was about to explain, but Ming Shu had already gone upstairs.
Soon, they were led to a private room upstairs.
“I’ve arranged this room for the two ladies, I’m sure you’ll be satisfied. It’s quiet here but you can see below. When the poetry gathering starts downstairs, the ladies will have an unobstructed view. If you’d come by yourselves, you wouldn’t have gotten such an excellent position.” The idler explained after arranging everything, still smiling.
The position was on the second floor, directly facing the red stage in the main hall on the first floor, indeed excellent.
“What poetry gathering?” Ming Shu was puzzled.
As the idler was about to speak, Yin Shu Jun couldn’t take it anymore. If they let this idler stay longer, her purse might end up empty, so she waved him away and explained to Ming Shu herself.
“Before each metropolitan examination, they hold a poetry competition here, competing for the title of Poetry Champion, as a good omen. The selected poems will spread among the common people and become famous works, so it attracts countless talented scholars from the capital. And in the past few examinations, at least one of the top three places has been won by the Poetry Champion from this gathering.” Yin Shu Jun looked around at the positions circling the red stage on the second floor, “Look at this circle, tonight it’s all occupied by young ladies. They’ve all come early to see the capital’s young talents.”
Ming Shu looked too, and indeed, behind all the curtains sat women.
“I had originally arranged to meet someone here to watch the excitement, lucky for you.” Yin Shu Jun added.
The person she had arranged to meet was someone she planned to introduce to Ming Shu, but that person hadn’t arrived yet.
“What’s so interesting about it?!” Ming Shu was unimpressed.
Among all the talented scholars in the capital, who could compare to her brother? Her brother definitely wouldn’t participate in such a boring competition, so she wasn’t interested either.
“Young talents, maybe future husbands, how is that not interesting? Moreover, I heard Song Qing Zhao will come tonight.”
“Who’s Song Qing Zhao?” Ming Shu hadn’t heard of him.
“The great talent from Song Ling Academy, the legitimate grandson of the Marquis who Protects the Nation, the number one hot candidate for the golden list – Song Qing Zhao!”
Song Ling Academy? The same academy as Lu Chang?
“If Song Qing Zhao is first, then who’s after?” Ming Shu asked again.
“Second place seems to be Xie Xi, third place is the Jiangning provincial examination champion, Lu Chang, fourth…”
“What? Lu Chang is only ranked third? What qualifications do Song Qing Zhao and Xie Xi have to rank above Lu Chang?” Ming Shu slammed the table and stood up.
“Why are you so excited, I didn’t make these rankings, you…” Yin Shu Jun hurriedly pulled her to sit down, but before she could finish, a commotion arose from below, and all the young ladies sitting around the second-floor gallery stood up.
Ming Shu looked toward the sound too. A group of scholars had entered below, and at the front was one wearing cyan robes and a jade crown, standing like a green bamboo, hands behind his back.
Ming Shu rubbed her eyes and rushed to the railing.
She hadn’t seen wrong, it was the young man she’d seen at Song Ling Academy that day.
“Look, that one walking in front is Song Qing Zhao,” Yin Shu Jun’s voice sounded beside her ear.
So that’s his name… Song Qing Zhao.