Ming Huashang heard that perfectly enunciated, resounding “Baby” and felt her whole being falter. She looked at Ming Huazhang and Xie Jichuan in astonishment. Xie Jichuan smiled and pointed toward the snarling lynx ahead of them.

The lynx was a full four feet long, could rear up to the height of a person when it pounced, and its claws on all four paws were sharp as needles — a single swipe could finish off a Ming Huashang entirely. How on earth did such a ferocious and agile killing machine resemble anything like a “Baby”?

Ming Huazhang lowered his voice and explained to Ming Huashang, “Jiang Ling is a person of… limited reading. After he got the lynx and the leopard, he became extremely fond of them — he named one ‘Baby’ and the other ‘Babe.'”

The corner of Ming Huashang’s mouth twitched. She suddenly understood how Ming Huazhang must have felt upon hearing the names of her maids.

Jiang Ling’s naming sense was on par with her own Zhao Cai and Jin Bao — and only with those two.

Jiang Ling received word from a servant and came rushing out, and sure enough, he saw someone attacking his precious Baby. He gnashed his teeth in fury and bellowed, “Who are you to dare lay hands on this young lord’s beloved pet? Stop this instant!”

Ordinarily this approach of Jiang Ling’s was infallible. The moment he announced his name, whoever faced him would either immediately bow and fawn, or swiftly back down. Even the most principled censors would seethe but dare not speak. After all, Jiang Ling was the eldest son of Marquis Jiang’an, and to offend Marquis Jiang’an was to offend Princess Taiping. If Princess Taiping were displeased and went to say a word or two before the Empress — well, that entire family could look forward to calamity.

But today Jiang Ling’s tactics were useless. After he announced his household, the other party did not stop. The spear thrusts came even more densely. Jiang Ling assumed this country bumpkin didn’t recognize his face, so he shouted once more, loud and clear: “This young master is Jiang Ling, the heir of Marquis Jiang’an! Will you not kneel and beg for mercy at once?”

Ren Yao had despised spoiled noble scions her entire life — especially someone like Jiang Ling, a good-for-nothing who, simply by virtue of being male, could obtain everything. She flourished a spear-flower, swung her red-tasseled spear onto her back, and said with a cold laugh, “So this wretched beast belongs to you. Then I must rid the world of this plague on behalf of Heaven all the more!”

With that she swung her arm up and lifted the red-tasseled spear high overhead; the force behind it was clearly tremendous. The lynx sensed the danger and bolted toward Jiang Ling, but Ren Yao had no intention of letting it escape. She let out a fierce shout, put her whole body into it, and hurled the spear hard at the lynx.

Jiang Ling had seen only someone twirling a spear, making it whistle through the wind, and had instinctively assumed it was a man — only now did he see clearly that it was a woman! Jiang Ling’s eyes went wide as he stared in shock at this woman throwing her spear with a force utterly unlike any woman’s, launching it at the lynx.

Ren Yao’s spear carried killing intent and broke through with the force of splitting bamboo. The people from Marquis Jiang’an’s household had no time to block it whatsoever. Jiang Ling watched helplessly as the spearhead closed in on his beloved pet Baby, his mouth falling open without his realizing it.

Just as Jiang Ling was in despair, a flash of gold streaked across the snow. Then came a sharp metallic ring, and the spearhead was knocked aside by several inches — grazing the lynx’s fur and plunging deep into the snow.

The shaft shuddered violently; the red tassel buried itself in the snow, its color so bright it hurt the eyes. Only then did Jiang Ling realize he had been holding his breath. He drew a long deep breath and hurried to receive his beloved pet: “Oh, Baby, are you all right? Let me see — why so many wounds on you? A whole patch of fur is gone, oh dear…”

Jiang Ling held the lynx and sighed lamented endlessly, but aside from the servants of Marquis Jiang’an’s household, nobody present cared the slightest about Jiang Ling’s feelings.

It was midday at that moment, with noble guests arriving one after another; the mountain villa was already a constant stream of people coming and going. The commotion here was considerable and quickly drew many gazes. Everyone who had witnessed the scene a moment before was simultaneously shocked and awed, and for a while no one spoke.

In the silence, Ming Huashang scratched at her somewhat loosened hair bun and said hesitantly, “Well, um… my hairpin…”

It was solid gold and quite valuable — could she pick it up?

Just now, when Ren Yao’s spear had been flying straight at the lynx, Ming Huazhang had reached over in that split second, drawn Ming Huashang’s hairpin, and flung it at the tip of Ren Yao’s spear — knocking the red-tasseled spear off course by an inch or so, just barely enough to preserve the lynx’s life.

Ren Yao had practiced the spear for many years; the Ren family’s spearwork was her faith and her pride. Today, it had been casually neutralized by a young man?

He had not even used a weapon — he had pulled a hairpin from the woman standing beside him. To Ren Yao, this was an utter humiliation.

Ren Yao pulled out her spear with a cold expression and said to Ming Huazhang, “Who are you?”

“I am Ming Huazhang.” Ming Huazhang felt not the slightest sense that he had just done something alarming. It was as though he had merely plucked a flower in passing. He clasped his hands behind his back and said placidly, “This is Princess Taiping’s estate, and the fifteenth has not yet passed — it is not a fitting time to draw blood. A lynx is a life after all. Since it has not harmed anyone, a light punishment and stern warning is sufficient; there is no need to kill it outright.”

Ren Yao’s expression was extremely ugly. She put force into her arm; the spearhead shook out a piercing whistle of wind and scattered the snow on the ground. She pointed her spear at Ming Huazhang and said, “The Ren family’s spearwork would sooner break than bow. I swore an oath before the founder’s monument — I dare not concede defeat without a contest. You were able to deflect my spear, which shows you are no ordinary person. Please enlighten me.”

Ming Huazhang was about to reply when his arm was suddenly seized. He started, instinctively looking back — and found Ming Huashang clutching his sleeve tightly, her eyes speaking for her as she gave him a slight shake of her head. Then she walked toward Ren Yao with a smile, her tone light and cheerful: “Meeting here is a matter of fate — why resort to fighting? Miss Ren, thank you for rescuing me just now. You use your spear so magnificently. I have never seen such an imposing spearwork before!”

Ren Yao could face Ming Huazhang without the least courtesy and issue him a challenge outright — but when a delicate, beautiful young lady walked over smiling warmly, Ren Yao could neither keep her cold face nor raise a hand, and said stiffly, “This is a matter between him and me. Do not come over — weapons have no eyes, and if you are hurt, I will not be responsible.”

“My second elder brother also has a kind heart and cannot bear it — he had no intention of targeting Miss Ren. Are you also going to put away your luggage? Which courtyard are you staying in? Perhaps we are going the same way.”

Ming Huashang ignored the bright, cold spearhead in Ren Yao’s hand entirely and walked toward her smiling. One cannot raise a hand against a smiling face; Ren Yao also could not bring herself to point her spear at Ming Huashang, and could only put away her red-tasseled spear and say, “Courtyard Wuyin.”

Ming Huashang’s eyes went wide with surprise, and then she broke into delight: “What a coincidence — same courtyard as me. Miss Ren, let us walk together. If you have time, could you teach me a few self-defense techniques…”

Ming Huashang affectionately took Ren Yao’s arm. All these years, Ren Yao had always regarded herself as a man, and there were many women who detested and mocked her — but those who took the initiative to approach her the way Ming Huashang did were absolutely none. Ren Yao’s body went stiff, and she was somewhat at a loss as she was pulled along by Ming Huashang.

Only once Ming Huashang actually took her arm did she realize how great the difference was between a heroic woman and a useless one like herself. She strained to pull Ren Yao along, not forgetting to shoot a quiet look at Zhao Cai.

Her hairpin was still sticking in the snow — it absolutely had to be retrieved!

Passing Ming Huazhang, Ming Huashang tilted her small face upward and gave him a sweet smile: “Second Elder Brother, Brother Xie — Miss Ren and I happen to be in the same courtyard. I’ll go with her, so you needn’t see me off.”

Ren Yao had been challenging Ming Huazhang just a moment before, and now she found herself dragged before the man himself; her expression went rigid. Ming Huazhang swept a glance over Ren Yao, then lowered his eyes to look at Ming Huashang, clearly not at ease. Xie Jichuan unobtrusively pressed a hand to Ming Huazhang’s shoulder and said with a smile, “Then we shall impose on Miss Ren. Second little sister has little strength — please do look after her over the next three days.”

Xie Jichuan delivered the social pleasantries with such familiarity that it was as though Ming Huashang were naturally his own younger sister. After Ming Huashang and Ren Yao had gone, Ming Huazhang shook off Xie Jichuan’s hand and frowned at him: “What was that about? She rarely goes out, and she’s somewhat slow and simple-minded. How could you let her go alone?”

Xie Jichuan said, “Stop worrying. I think second little sister is actually quite clever — she can handle it on her own. I hear that Prince Linzi and Prince Baling have arrived. Aren’t you going to look in on them?”

Ming Huazhang heard those two names and was wholly unmoved; his eyes remained as placid as a clear lake. Jiang Ling finally remembered that there were other people present. Ming Huazhang had just blocked that masculine woman and even spoken up for Baby, so Jiang Ling felt he was one of his own people.

He strode over and said, “Ming Second Brother, thank you for saving my Baby just now. My father always praised you, and I assumed you were just as hypocritical as other noble sons — but you turned out to be someone open and direct. Hey, and this is…”

Xie Jichuan gave Jiang Ling a mild smile and said, “The eldest son of the Xie family — Xie Jichuan.”

Surnamed Xie… Jiang Ling, who had just been denouncing hypocritical noble sons, choked for a moment, then breezily laughed it off: “You helped me today, so you are my friends. If you ever run into trouble from now on, just come find me — I, Jiang Ling, will spare no effort!”

Ming Huazhang remained as aloof and detached as ever; Xie Jichuan smiled at Jiang Ling, his smile appearing warm but with nothing warm behind his eyes.

Though they had heard of each other’s family backgrounds and titles, Ming Huazhang and Xie Jichuan had had no real dealings with a dissolute young lord like Jiang Ling — this was the day they formally made each other’s acquaintance.

Jiang Ling still had a belly full of grievances about what had just happened, but since the other party was a woman there was nothing he could do about it; he could only drag Ming Huazhang and Xie Jichuan along and pour out his complaints at length.

Ming Huazhang’s eyes were cool and detached, too lazy to even respond. Only Xie Jichuan kept his smile and chimed in occasionally.

Jiang Ling recalled how Ming Huazhang had thrown that hairpin, and said with admiration, “I always heard people say you were accomplished in both letters and arms, and I thought it was my father exaggerating. Didn’t expect you actually have real skill. How did you throw it so precisely just now? I couldn’t even see it — and you’d already knocked that masculine woman’s spear away!”

Ming Huazhang had been silent all along. He now replied coolly, “That was the young lady of Marquis Pingnan’s household — do not be disrespectful.”

The expression on Jiang Ling’s face froze; he clearly had not expected that with the woman pointing her spear at Ming Huazhang and issuing a challenge, Ming Huazhang would not mind that but instead rebuke Jiang Ling. Xie Jichuan stepped in with a smile: “Jingzhan here is the most magnanimous of men — he would never concern himself with such a small matter. Though one wonders how many more young ladies’ hearts will be lost to Jingzhan after today.”

Ming Huazhang cast Xie Jichuan a sideways glance — his clear, clean eyes black and white without a trace of either pride or disgust. “Spare me. This concerns a young woman’s reputation. Do not talk nonsense.”

At that very moment, not far away, Ren Yao was similarly cursing Jiang Ling to Ming Huashang: “That spoiled good-for-nothing, that useless waste! He couldn’t last a single move against me, yet a man like him can swagger around openly and become an heir without doing a single thing. Heaven must truly be blind!”

Ming Huashang thought of how Ren Yao wished to inherit the marquisate yet could not do so because of her gender, and understood completely the bitterness behind her hatred for Jiang Ling. The affairs of Marquis Pingnan’s household were not something Ming Huashang could conveniently speak to, so she put on a smile and pointed cheerfully at what lay ahead: “Miss Ren, look — Courtyard Wuyin is here!”

This, then, was the courtyard Princess Taiping had arranged for them. With so many guests at this banquet, male and female guests naturally had separate lodgings. Aside from the few princes and county princes who had individual courtyards, everyone else shared a courtyard between two people.

Even so, with so many guests today — plus all the servants they had brought — there were probably a thousand or more rooms to arrange.

Ming Huashang had expected that with so many people and being up in the mountains, the lodgings would surely be lacking. But when the door was pushed open, what greeted her were beautifully carved beams and painted rafters, neat stone pathways, two broad and bright main rooms on the north side, a row of side rooms on the east and west for housing servants and luggage, and even flowering plants and trees planted in the courtyard. Though two people shared it, the conditions were no worse than Luoyang.

Ming Huashang exclaimed in admiration: “Even the guest quarters are this orderly — Princess Taiping’s resources are truly immense!”

The Empress’s only daughter, one of the rare members of the Li Tang imperial family still able to enjoy glory and wealth, and also the daughter-in-law of the Wu clan — Princess Taiping’s reputation for wealth rivaling a nation was hardly an exaggeration. The servants of Duke Zhenguo’s household and Marquis Pingnan’s household carried the luggage into the courtyard and then hesitated when they saw the two main rooms side by side on the north.

By convention the left was the place of honor, making the left room more distinguished than the right — and so: who of the two young ladies would take which?

By rank, a duke is certainly above a marquis, so Ming Huashang ought to take the left. But given Ren Yao’s prickly temperament, could she endure yielding to someone?

Ming Huashang was perceptive about social atmosphere. She quickly sensed what the servants were struggling with, and took the initiative: “I felt an immediate affinity the moment I saw you, Miss Ren. You are a year older than me — may I call you elder sister?”

Ren Yao had never been so intimate with a woman her own age; she was somewhat flustered, and nodded stiffly: “Fine.”

Ming Huashang’s eyes curved into crescent moons, warm and bright: “Wonderful. I find the right room rather appealing. Elder Sister Ren, would you let me choose first?”

All these years, Ren Yao had treated herself as a man, constantly reminding herself she must not fall short of any young gentleman. She had spent so much time on martial arts that she was lacking when it came to social graces, and she simply could not connect with the young ladies of Luoyang — naturally, she had no desire to fit in among those refined ladies either.

Yet even with a mind as slow as Ren Yao’s in these matters, she realized that Ming Huashang was offering her a graceful way out, allowing both of them to save face in a very comfortable manner.

Ren Yao grew even more bewildered. This was the first time she had felt goodwill from a peer. Her brothers and male companions of her age were all rivals; refined young ladies mocked her as rough and masculine. In seventeen years, only her grandmother had treated her well.

But her grandmother was old. Even that formidable, shrewd, seemingly all-capable grandmother had said things like “hurry up and get married, find a good household for protection.” Ren Yao had always been lonely and taut as a bowstring. She had thought that women in this world were either like bindweed — knowing only how to rely on others — or like the Empress and her grandmother: iron-handed, sharp and decisive, like a fierce blaze that scorched everyone around them, including family.

This was the first time she had encountered a woman like Ming Huashang — as lovely and beautiful as those women she had always dismissed as bindweed, yet transparent and gentle like water, quietly nourishing everything around her without a sound.

Ren Yao was several beats slow to nod. Ming Huashang smiled warmly and thanked her, then led Zhao Cai and Ruyi into the room on the right.

Ren Yao stood there in a daze for a good while. A maid of Marquis Pingnan’s household stepped forward and carefully asked, “My lady, is there anything that does not suit you?”

Ren Yao came back to herself and shook her head quietly: “Nothing.”

She said it and then realized she had been hesitating. She pinched her arm hard to make herself firm again, and said, “Quickly pack our things — Princess Taiping is holding a welcoming banquet tonight. Such a good opportunity must not be missed.”

The maid crossed her hands and answered cautiously: “Yes, my lady.”