◎She said: “Would you like to try drawing the blade out yourself—”◎

Yu Qingwu did not move out of the residence his teacher had purchased for him.

He continued living there and still greeted his teacher whenever he saw him at the Hanlin Academy, smiling as he called out to him.

Wu Qingchuan observed this with indescribable feelings. On one hand, he felt Yu Qingwu had matured and finally possessed the air of “navigating the outside world,” managing not to tear their relationship apart. Yet there was also a sour bitterness—he felt Yu Qingwu was using the very skills he had taught him against himself, which filled him with melancholy. Melancholy piling upon melancholy, he went to seek consolation from Old Madam Shou.

“Sister-in-law, do you think I made a mistake?”

He held his tea with a dejected expression and asked, “Will Qingwu eventually come to understand? He’s still young now—in a few years, he might regret this.”

Wasn’t he himself filled with regret? His regret had come too late, which was why he had remained unmarried all these years.

He sighed: “I keep thinking, if only I had remained a wastrel back then, I wouldn’t have to worry about these matters.”

“I have nowhere else to speak of these things, only here with you, sister-in-law, can I talk about them.”

Old Madam Shou rolled her eyes.

After seeing him off, she received an invitation from Zhu Shi, saying she wanted to visit.

Nanny Qian rolled her eyes.

She said sarcastically: “Oh my, what is she coming for? I’ll bet it’s nothing good!”

Old Madam Shou’s spirits had been poor lately and she wasn’t keen on entertaining guests, but she still nodded, “She is Shanjun’s mother after all, I must show her some consideration.”

After thinking for a moment, she said: “I know Qingwu hasn’t been coming lately—he barely has the energy to attend to other matters now. But why hasn’t Shanjun come to see me either?”

Having aged another year, Old Madam Shou increasingly felt her life was nearing its end. At such times, one particularly treasured younger generations with whom one felt affinity, feared loneliness, and especially loved their youth and liveliness.

Nanny Qian said: “Isn’t Duke Songguo’s residence hosting a flower-viewing banquet in a few days? She’ll be seventeen this year—the perfect age for matchmaking. Zhu Shi must be preparing her appearance.”

For young ladies’ preparations, there was much to do.

“From hair ornaments to clothing, which doesn’t require careful selection? Time for preparation?”

Old Madam Shou smiled, “I had forgotten about that. Don’t I have some sets of hair ornaments? Send them to her.”

Nanny Qian’s eyes shifted, “Perhaps wait on that—you can give her the ornaments later.”

She sat down to sort vegetables, “Old Madam, what do you think about the matter we discussed last time?”

Old Madam Shou remembered.

She sighed, “I had intended to ask Qingwu about it, but with recent events between him and Wu Qingchuan… how can I bring it up?”

Nanny Qian: “No matter how monumental other matters may be, marriage must take precedence!”

She tossed vegetable leaves into the basket, “Otherwise, if we miss these one or two months, the opportunity will be gone. By the time he comes to his senses, Shanjun will have several children already!”

How regrettable that would be.

The old woman felt heartache just thinking about it. She said: “If he had no feelings whatsoever, I’d let it go, but I can see he has some interest. Otherwise why would he send books and silver?”

She pulled out ten taels of silver from her bosom, “Look, his newly received salary—he brought it all here, not keeping a single coin, asking me to deliver it to Shanjun.”

Before even marrying, he was already contributing household funds. This made Nanny Qian even more convinced they were well-matched.

She counted on her fingers, “Both are from Shuzhou, whether speaking official dialect or Huailing dialect they understand each other. Their heights match perfectly too—Qingwu is tall, and ordinary young ladies would appear short standing beside him, but Shanjun is quite tall herself.”

“Qingwu carries scholarly refinement, while Shanjun’s features show heroic spirit—hey, they’re quite complementary.”

“Most importantly, they share the same tastes in food.”

Old Madam Shou smiled: “Since you’re minded to be a matchmaker, go ahead and arrange it.”

Nanny Qian: “I certainly will.”

But before she could approach Yu Qingwu, Zhu Shi came asking Old Madam Shou to be a matchmaker.

She said: “Would you keep an eye out and see if you can arrange a good match for her?”

Her face reddened: “In the past, even without leaving home, countless people would come seeking marriage proposals. But now you know what state Duke Zhenguo’s residence is in. My maternal family has also fallen into decline—I can’t even marry my daughter back into my own family.”

Old Madam Shou consoled her: “Marriage is about mutual affection. We must consider what kind of gentleman Shanjun herself prefers.”

Zhu Shi: “What would an inexperienced young lady know about such matters? It still requires your discerning eye.”

Old Madam Shou neither refused outright nor agreed, but said: “Have Shanjun come visit me, and I’ll ask her intentions.”

Zhu Shi sighed in agreement, then added shyly: “Recently, she’s even been quarreling with me.”

Having lived to such an age, Old Madam Shou immediately understood her meaning and said: “Is that so? I haven’t heard anything about it.”

Zhu Shi’s heart settled somewhat, feeling she hadn’t lost face before Old Madam Shou. Returning to the residence and thinking it over, she felt confident this matter was indeed beneficial with no downsides, so she said to Lan Hui: “Call your Sixth Sister over, will you? I have something to tell her. What has she been busy with lately?”

Lan Hui: “I just came from her quarters—she’s sleeping.”

Zhu Shi’s heart felt as if drenched with cold water, and she said quietly: “She’s avoiding me.”

Huihui smiled and said: “How can Mother think that way?”

Zhu Shi: “Every time I’ve gone to see her recently, she’s been sleeping!”

Huihui gave her mother a sidelong glance, “You mustn’t think that way. I’m actually worried myself.”

She said: “Besides sleeping, Sixth Sister just sleeps more, and can never seem to sleep enough, as if making up for all the sleep she missed before.”

This seemed abnormal.

But Sixth Sister had gently stroked her head and said: “Huihui, since arriving in Luoyang, I haven’t been able to sleep well, but now I can sleep, and I want to sleep more.”

Lan Hui sighed deeply, “Sixth Sister is so pitiful.”

Zhu Shi felt guilty but couldn’t help defending herself: “I haven’t mistreated her. I’ve given her the best of everything. Even when visiting Old Madam Shou’s residence, I didn’t make her bring you along for fear of making things difficult for her. Why couldn’t she sleep?”

She grew more aggrieved: “I’ve calculated—we’ve only argued three times in total. The first was because of your grandmother. I didn’t reproach your grandmother, but she’s an elder—how could I? When she refused to apologize, I didn’t press her, and even pleaded her case with your grandmother.”

As for the other two times, she said: “Both were caused by your Third Brother! But I haven’t completely sided with him either. Both are my children—how could I be entirely partial? I haven’t given him a pleasant expression these past days either.”

“Moreover, I’ve tried to repair our relationship. As the elder, I’ve humbled myself, but she continues avoiding me—what else can I do? Should I simply do nothing and just sleep? Don’t I still need to find her a husband?”

Zhu Shi: “I humbled myself to plead with Old Madam Shou, yet no one understands my heart—I receive no kind words!”

She sighed at this point, “Huihui, tell me, are Sixth Sister and I simply fated to have no affinity?”

Lan Hui quickly said: “Time reveals a person’s heart, Mother. Don’t lose hope.”

Zhu Shi shook her head, her spirits truly dampened: “Hearts are unfathomable. I’ve heard before of biological mothers and daughters becoming bitter enemies. I don’t want to reach that point with her. In the future, I’ll simply do what I ought to do, then keep my distance from her—that way we won’t quarrel.”

Hearing this, Huihui stared in shock, then cried out loudly: “What is Mother saying!”

She felt utterly sorrowful, “In that case, what difference would she be from a relative who came seeking refuge?”

Zhu Shi sighed repeatedly, “I have no other choice.”

She said, “I’ll only tell you this. Once I’ve found her a good husband, I can finally wash my hands of it all.”

Huihui stood up with a loud thump, “Mother had better not tell me such things! Last time Sixth Sister asked why someone my age worries and thinks so much—now I realize it’s because Mother tells me everything!”

She stormed out angrily, leaving Zhu Shi dumbstruck, her eyes eventually reddening, “This little ancestor! What tantrum is she throwing now!”

Lan Shanjun knew nothing of this. She woke groggily from sleep, struggling to rise, then walked to the window and took a deep breath.

Madam Zhao came over and said: “Miss, someone from Madam’s quarters came earlier with a message—Old Madam Shou requests you visit tomorrow.”

Lan Shanjun nodded and said gently: “It has been a while since I last went. I should indeed spend time with the old lady.”

She had expected that after learning the old monk’s identity and roughly deducing the truth about why she was sent to Huailing, she would feel anxious and unsettled. Unexpectedly, she felt neither apprehensive nor lost—her previously restless heart had actually grown calm.

She had finally been able to sleep well.

From the moment she became a caged beast, she had suffered daily torment, speculating about who Song Zhiwei was involved with that wanted her killed to make room, reflecting on whom she had offended to deserve such a fate—from quarrels in Luoyang to accidentally stepping on an ant one day—she repented daily, and thus could not sleep peacefully.

She also feared falling asleep and never waking again.

How regrettable that would be—she still wanted to live.

Now, she was alive, and all was well. This was truly wonderful.

She said, “I want to bask in the sun.”

Not to think about all those troubles, but simply to enjoy the sunshine.

She stuck her head out, and the sun outside illuminated her face, rippling across it in scattered points like water marks dancing in the wind.

Madam Zhao and Madam Qin were naturally delighted to see this. Old Madam Shou also felt Lan Shanjun had improved.

She said: “Exactly. A young lady shouldn’t carry so many worries.”

Nanny Qian gave Old Madam Shou a meaningful look, then said: “Miss Shanjun, Young Master Yu is also coming today. Since you’ll both be here, you can dine together. What would you like for lunch?”

Lan Shanjun smiled: “Nanny, just call me Shanjun.”

Nanny Qian refused, “I’m merely a servant!”

The old woman had her principles. She continued asking: “What would you like to eat?”

Lan Shanjun relented: “I’d like tender ginger tofu and pan-fried pork belly.”

Nanny Qian: “Oh my! Young Master Yu loves those two dishes too!”

Lan Shanjun: “Really? I suppose it’s because we’re both from Shu.”

Nanny Qian: “Yes, people from the same place share similar tastes.”

She walked away cheerfully. When Yu Qingwu arrived, she asked him too: “What would you like to eat?”

Yu Qingwu smiled: “Pea-fried pork and Eight Treasures tofu.”

All common dishes—Nanny Qian was very satisfied. Too complicated and she wouldn’t want to bother.

To facilitate matchmaking, she personally took charge of the kitchen today.

She said: “Oh my! Miss Shanjun loves those two dishes too!”

Yu Qingwu: “Really? Those aren’t Huailing dishes though.”

Nanny Qian: “Does it have to be Huailing cuisine to share tastes?”

Yu Qingwu replied with amusement, “You’re right.”

He hesitated slightly, “Nanny Qian, that silver…”

Nanny Qian immediately pulled the silver from her bosom, “Right here. Since you’ve come yourself, deliver it yourself. I’m very busy.”

She hurried off. Yu Qingwu looked at the silver pressed into his hands, feeling inexplicably as if it were burning.

He walked into the courtyard where Lan Shanjun was chatting and laughing with Old Madam Shou. Seeing him arrive, she turned slightly and nodded to him.

Yu Qingwu suddenly remembered that at the White Horse Temple, she had once nodded to him and his elder brother in the same way.

His heart ached with sudden tenderness.

Perhaps because these recent days had been truly difficult, perhaps because even the two encouraging words Miss Lan had given him before were no longer sufficient to soothe his current pain—wanting more comfort, he found himself walking over almost eagerly to sit beside her.

Having sat down, he didn’t know what to say, so he simply extended the silver, “Miss Lan, I received my monthly salary.”

Lan Shanjun politely declined, “How could I accept? As I said before, if you truly wish to give it, keep it with you for now. When I need it later, I’ll ask you for it.”

Yu Qingwu urgently wanted her to accept this silver, yet her expression made him afraid to press further. Too insistent might make her think him stubborn; too casual might make her think him hypocritical, merely going through the motions.

He had never interacted with young ladies before and momentarily didn’t know what to say.

Old Madam Shou watched with a beaming smile, feeling content, but Nanny Qian was dying of frustration! This green youth couldn’t even continue a conversation. She had been bustling in the kitchen but couldn’t resist coming to look, still holding a large scallion. Hearing this, she immediately rushed over with her scallion and said: “Miss Shanjun, please accept it. If you don’t, he’ll likely lose sleep tonight.”

Coming on so forcefully, Lan Shanjun found it difficult to refuse and could only take the ten taels of silver, saying: “Thank you.”

“But this is enough.”

Nanny Qian: “Not enough, not enough. Though officials’ salaries are only ten taels, they receive plenty of tribute from below.”

Yu Qingwu dared not appear corrupt before Lan Shanjun and quickly said: “But I also have fields, properties, and shops in Shuzhou.”

Nanny Qian: “Oh my, fields, properties, and shops too.”

Lan Shanjun couldn’t say anything more.

Yu Qingwu’s face showed embarrassment—truthfully, his fields and shops weren’t numerous.

When he spoke just now he didn’t think much of it, but once the words left his mouth, he worried Miss Shanjun might think him boastful.

Nanny Qian was displeased with his demeanor and gave Old Madam Shou a meaningful look, “Didn’t you say yesterday you wanted to show Shanjun some swords?”

Old Madam Shou caught her meaning, “Oh yes, I nearly forgot.”

She stood up, “Shanjun, come with me to select a sword. I said I’d give you one earlier but never got around to it.”

Lan Shanjun smiled: “Really? Then I’ll gratefully accept—I do love swords.”

She followed Old Madam Shou. Though no one called him, Yu Qingwu instinctively followed along to look. Nanny Qian’s face darkened, holding her scallion in one hand while grabbing his sleeve with the other, saying respectfully: “Young Master Yu, please go chop firewood in the kitchen for me.”

Yu Qingwu nodded with regret.

After everyone had gone far enough, Nanny Qian said: “Young Master Yu, I have a matter to discuss with you.”

Yu Qingwu returned to attention and asked respectfully: “What matter?”

Nanny Qian: “I want to arrange a match for you.”

Yu Qingwu’s heart immediately began pounding.

He had already sensed something odd about Nanny Qian today but hadn’t thought deeply about it. Now hearing these words, he immediately thought of Lan Shanjun.

His tongue went dry, his throat seemed ready to burst into flames. His parched mouth struggled to produce sound, “Which family’s young lady?”

Nanny Qian’s face lit up with delight, “Look, far away in the horizon, yet right before your eyes.”

She pointed toward Lan Shanjun, who was walking away supporting Old Madam Shou, “Are you willing?”

A ringing sound filled Yu Qingwu’s ears first.

He felt his mind was completely empty, yet heard himself ask, “Has this matter been discussed with Shanjun?”

Nanny Qian: “Not yet. Young ladies have delicate sensibilities—you must speak first. Once you speak, I’ll go ask her!”

Yu Qingwu’s heart threatened to leap from his chest.

He had never considered such things before, but once Nanny Qian mentioned it, without thinking, he felt his heart soften into a puddle, as if about to melt into the earth’s soil, willingly becoming a handful of mud to nourish the roots of Miss Shanjun’s flower. But when a gust of wind brought him back to clarity, he realized he couldn’t marry.

How could he dare marry?

He should remain solitary like his teacher, and even if doomed eternally, not drag anyone down with him.

Thus fire burned mud, inevitably transforming himself into a large-bellied, smiling Buddha. Smiling, he said: “Perhaps not. I have no plans to marry.”

Nanny Qian had arranged matches many times before. With her sharp eyes, she had been invincible—she couldn’t believe today she’d been pecked in the eye by a goose. She asked repeatedly: “Miss Shanjun’s mother came asking Old Madam to arrange her match. Think carefully—you have the advantage of proximity now. Once this village passes, this person will be gone. Even crying later won’t help.”

Yu Qingwu’s heart ached unspeakably, yet he still had to joke with her, “Why would I cry? Miss Shanjun is so wonderful—I sincerely wish for her to marry a satisfactory gentleman.”

Nanny Qian looked at him carefully, still refusing to believe her eyes had failed her.

How sharp her eyes were!

She glared at him, “You’re serious?”

Yu Qingwu lowered his head, “Yes, truly.”

Nanny Qian laughed coldly, “Young Master Yu, go chop firewood!”

Yu Qingwu could only go chop firewood.

The lunch dishes also didn’t include pea-fried pork or Eight Treasures tofu.

Yu Qingwu knew he was at fault and dared not complain. His heart burned like fire, yet he couldn’t show it—it was extremely difficult.

After eating, he hurriedly prepared to leave when he heard Lan Shanjun smile and say: “Minister Yu.”

Yu Qingwu’s feet took root.

She said, “Minister Yu, I’m also about to leave. Let’s walk together partway.”

Yu Qingwu slowly began walking.

Old Madam Shou and Nanny Qian sighed seeing this.

But Lan Shanjun noticed nothing. The two walked side by side along the corridor toward the main gate, neither in any hurry, both walking slowly.

She intended to test him, first making casual conversation with a smile, showing him the sword in her hand, “This is a Shu sword. Old Madam just gave it to me. Look, Shu swords all have a ring on them.”

Yu Qingwu held his breath, “Yes, I’ve used one before.”

Lan Shanjun said several more things, but he heard none of it. He only looked ahead, as if they would soon reach the gate.

The path wasn’t long.

Lan Shanjun: “I recently learned by chance that Minister Xu from the Court of Judicial Review, who is also from Shuzhou, has been blocking Master Su’s case from being closed.”

Mentioning his elder brother, Yu Qingwu immediately came alert.

He pondered and nodded, “Yes.”

Minister Xu wanted to win him over, and he needed Minister Xu’s assistance—they had private dealings.

But he dared not tell Miss Shanjun these things.

Just as he was about to offer some conventional response, he heard her say: “If this matter were used to build momentum before next month’s spring examinations—”

Just as the words left her mouth, she saw Yu Qingwu shake his head.

“Minister Xu has also suggested this.”

He said, “Many people think I would do such a thing.”

But he dared not, nor was he willing.

He said, “Elder Brother wouldn’t want it either.”

He said solemnly: “Shuzhou students have studied hard at cold windows for ten years, exhausting their life’s energy to come here and compete for a place. They are not to be used as tools by people like us.”

One misstep could ruin their entire lives.

How could he dare?

Elder Brother dared not either. Elder Brother seemed to have foreseen today’s situation and once smiled and told him: “Qingwu, you must endure, must restrain yourself. Don’t become the kind of person you despise. Don’t, because of me, stain yourself with others’ blood.”

He could endure, could restrain himself. A gentleman’s revenge—ten years is not too late. One day he too would make Marquis Boyuan’s household and Prince Qi eat the bitter fruit of Lin Ji’s death without being able to speak. Only then would they know how difficult his endurance had been.

But Miss Shanjun still remembered Elder Brother’s death, which filled him with gratitude: “Thank you for still thinking of him.”

Few people still thought of Elder Brother.

Lan Shanjun remained silent for a long time.

She had always wondered how he had ended up taking that final step.

He had achieved most of what his heart desired, yet was still pushed to the executioner’s block in the end.

She caught glimpses of truth in his words and actions today.

She felt regret on one hand, yet couldn’t help but admire his crane-like integrity.

Her feelings toward him initially included some intent to use him. But now knowing the truth—that ahead lay not only Song Zhiwei but also the great tree of Prince Qi—she realized using him merely to deal with Song Zhiwei was insufficient. She now thought of walking alongside him to the very end.

She knew herself to be like a mayfly, unable to topple a tree. Yet she could also be like a mountain tiger—waiting for the right moment to strike with deadly precision.

Her blade was fast enough, but she also needed to get close to those people.

She needed someone to guide her through a stretch of the dark night road.

She and he should be able to walk one stretch of road together.

She had hurdles she couldn’t overcome; he had the two lives of the Su siblings.

They were both walking forward with difficulty. She feared neither hardship ahead nor death. She observed coldly, gauging his resolve. Though she didn’t know what the future held, she could see now that he still carried iron bones, still willing to bear wind and snow as he pressed forward.

His path was a dead end.

Her path was also a dead end.

They were both people who cast divinations, knew the outcome, yet didn’t avoid it.

But he wasn’t like her—he hadn’t lived an extra ten years. He was still like in the previous life, stumbling and fumbling along this road in confusion.

She stood in a patch of spring light and suddenly stopped, extending the Shu sword between them.

She gripped the scabbard, pointing the hilt toward him, “Yu Qingwu.”

Yu Qingwu stopped with her, meeting her gaze directly.

She said: “Would you like to try drawing the blade out yourself—”

She still remembered what he had written in his notes: I should be like a sharp blade, waiting only for the sovereign to draw me from the scabbard, so I may distinguish merit from demerit, suppress chance favoritism, equalize public fields, and strengthen agriculture and sericulture.

He had great ambitions and hadn’t broken his word. Many years later, he had indeed achieved them.

But he had also lost his life.

She said in a low voice: “Would you like to try drawing yourself out, rather than letting the sovereign draw you from the scabbard.”

Yu Qingwu was astonished, not understanding why she would say such a thing. But suddenly in her vibrant eyes he saw a path that belonged to him.

His teacher had said: What accommodates two carts side by side is a road.

He thought of this saying at an inopportune moment—then felt that perhaps he and Miss Shanjun could walk side by side.

But how could someone like him dare walk alongside her?

He didn’t agree with his teacher’s other words, but he did agree with his teacher’s lifelong choice not to marry or have children.

People like them shouldn’t drag down good young ladies.

He reached out, grasped the hilt, and drew the blade, smiling: “Miss Shanjun, I owe you much. In the future, if you point the way, I dare swing the blade down.”

Lan Shanjun had maneuvered with him several times precisely for these words.

But at this very moment, she suddenly felt a surge of melancholy.

She stared at him intently and said: “Yu Qingwu, you must survive.”

Yu Qingwu assumed she was thinking of Elder Brother’s injustice. Gripping the sword, he nodded seriously: “Miss, rest assured. I promised Elder Brother I would live to a hundred years.”