After Lady Zhuwu consumed the filial pheasant without any adverse effects, Ling Tao also invited a local renowned physician to examine the remaining filial pheasant soup. The conclusion was also that it was non-toxic and safe for women in confinement to consume. Ling Tao then believed that Lady Xuejiu’s bleeding was unrelated to the filial pheasant. Lady Zhuwu suggested a thorough investigation of Lady Xuejiu’s daily activities that day. Soon after, a servant woman came forward to report that at noon that day, she had seen Mei helping Lady Xuejiu out of her bedroom to stroll in the small courtyard. Lady Zhuwu turned pale and said, “Lady Jiu is still in her confinement month and absolutely cannot leave her room! In such cold weather, for a servant to encourage her to go out and be exposed to wind – no wonder this happened!”

Ling Tao immediately interrogated Mei. Crying, Mei admitted that Lady Jiu had been confined to her room for many days and felt bored, repeatedly begging her, so she had helped Lady Jiu out to the courtyard. She defended herself saying, “But before going out, I had Lady Jiu put on a thick cloak, wrapping her body completely. It was at noon when the sunlight was strongest, with no wind. We were out for less than half an incense stick’s time before returning to the room. The lady felt no discomfort at all. It was truly after eating the filial pheasant that she started bleeding.”

Lady Zhuwu sneered, “The renowned physician invited by the general has already concluded that the filial pheasant is non-toxic. You wretched slave, it was clearly you who incited Lady Jiu to go outside and catch cold, making her ill. To cover up your crime, you’re pushing the blame onto Second Miss. Your heart deserves death.” She then advised Ling Tao, “This girl is cunning. Keeping her by Lady Jiu’s side will only mislead her and easily cause trouble, disturbing the household peace. It seems she cannot be kept.”

Ling Tao quite agreed, ordering people to severely whip Mei. Despite Lady Xuejiu’s pleas for mercy, he quickly sold off this personal maid who had served Lady Jiu for many years.

After Mei was sold, Lady Xuejiu washed her face with tears daily. Whenever she saw Ling Tao, she would cry with resentment. Ling Tao became annoyed and gradually stopped visiting her quarters.

Lady Zhuwu’s mood improved considerably, and she increasingly showed favor to Madam Yuan and her daughter. Every few days she would bring gifts, chat with Madam Yuan, and whenever she saw Feng Xian, she would hold her hand and exchange pleasantries, praising Feng Xian from appearance and temperament to culinary skills and needlework as if she were a treasure unmatched in heaven or earth.

But after experiencing the previous incident, Feng Xian became more cautious. She wouldn’t give her mother any food brought by outsiders, and personally went out to purchase all ingredients and medicinal materials for Madam Yuan. Fortunately, they didn’t live in the main Ling residence, and there weren’t many people watching them, making her daily outings relatively convenient.

One day, Feng Xian went to the medical hall to buy some medicinal materials for her mother. As soon as she stepped out, she heard someone calling “Miss Ling” from not far to the side. Feng Xian turned to look and discovered that standing under the willow tree was Zhao Huaiyu, whom she hadn’t seen for many days.

Feng Xian was startled, then walked over to bow and ask why Zhao Huaiyu had come here. Zhao Huaiyu said, “I’m traveling to the capital for the imperial examinations, passing through Jingnan. Thinking of you, I made some inquiries and learned that you’re temporarily staying here, so I walked over. I didn’t expect to be so fortunate as to see you again.”

Pujiang wasn’t far from Lin’an, but Jingnan was to the west of both Pujiang and Lin’an, nearly two thousand li away. There was no reason why traveling from Pujiang to Lin’an would pass through Jingnan. Feng Xian asked in surprise, “From Pujiang to here, then to Lin’an – such a long journey would take one or two months on the road. Wouldn’t this delay your studies and examinations?”

Zhao Huaiyu shook his head slightly, “Success in examinations depends on ten years of diligent study, not on these one or two months.”

“So…” Feng Xian hesitated, “Young Master came here specifically to tour Jingnan?”

Zhao Huaiyu made a sound of agreement, hesitating for a long time before saying, “Also to visit you… Although you’ve returned to your birth parents’ home, since you haven’t seen them for many years, I wondered how they would treat you. Thinking it over, I couldn’t feel at ease, so…”

Upon saying this, Zhao Huaiyu’s face turned red, and he lowered his eyes, not daring to look at Feng Xian.

Feng Xian also felt quite uncomfortable. Looking around, she quietly asked Zhao Huaiyu to follow her for a private conversation. Zhao Huaiyu understood, maintaining a distance of more than two zhang, following her to a secluded small tea house before they sat down to talk again.

Zhao Huaiyu was very concerned about Feng Xian’s current situation. Feng Xian roughly described the family circumstances and also mentioned the filial pheasant incident. Zhao Huaiyu immediately asked in detail about the other foods Lady Xuejiu had eaten that day. Feng Xian then told Zhao Huaiyu about the sesame, walnut, donkey-hide gelatin, and mushrooms that Mei had mentioned. Zhao Huaiyu nodded, “That explains it…”

He then told Feng Xian that this filial pheasant wasn’t only found in Sichuan – there were also some in Fujian Circuit. Two years ago, he had visited Wuyi Mountain to see his good friend Master Wen Qiao. A local hunter came to Wen Qiao Station carrying a filial pheasant to sell, also mentioning its miraculous qualities and asking if they wanted to taste this mountain delicacy, but they both declined without hesitation.

“We both refused at the same time, then looked at each other and smiled, both feeling the other was truly a kindred spirit,” Zhao Huaiyu recalled that scene, still carrying a faint smile.

Feng Xian nodded, “You are both benevolent gentlemen who couldn’t bear to harm such a precious bird to satisfy your appetite.”

Zhao Huaiyu said, “We both thought that since the filial pheasant feeds its parents when grown, like a filial son, how could we bear to harm it? Although Master Wen Qiao clearly refused to cook the filial pheasant, he still paid to buy it from the hunter and took it to the deep mountains to release it. That night, as we roasted taro and talked around the fire, he mentioned the filial pheasant and told me of a dietary taboo known to people from Fujian: filial pheasant cannot be eaten together with walnuts, wood ear mushrooms, or other fungi. Eating them together causes bleeding.”

Upon hearing this, Feng Xian pondered deeply. Learning this point, many previously puzzling matters were immediately resolved. Too concerned to feel sentimental, she looked up at Zhao Huaiyu again and requested, “Could Young Master Zhao help me buy some medical books?”

Zhao Huaiyu asked what kind of medical books she wanted. Feng Xian said, “I don’t know the specific titles. Young Master Zhao is learned and well-read, so I hope you can help me choose. Books that record the properties of various ingredients and medicinal materials, explaining which food combinations are beneficial and which are harmful would be fine.”

Zhao Huaiyu agreed, arranging to meet her here again in two days.

Two days later, Zhao Huaiyu came as promised, bringing more than ten medical books: “I searched the entire city and found these books that are worth reading. Please look at them for now. I’ll continue to keep an eye out, and if I find good ones, I’ll give them to you next time.”

Feng Xian thanked him and asked how much he had spent, taking out her saved silver to pay Zhao Huaiyu. Zhao Huaiyu quickly declined, “The books are a gift for you. That you’re willing to read them is already a great honor for me. If you have savings, please use them to serve your mother filially. You don’t need to give them to me.”

Feng Xian insisted on pushing the silver toward him, “If Young Master is willing to accept it, it would be doing good and accumulating virtue, helping us mother and daughter by purchasing books. If you don’t accept it, and outsiders learn of this, they would say we are improperly exchanging gifts. I imagine Young Master wouldn’t want to see our reputations damaged.”

Seeing she spoke so seriously, Zhao Huaiyu finally accepted the book money. Seeing that Feng Xian had such deep understanding of propriety, he admired her even more and couldn’t help showing his affection, asking if Ling Tao had already betrothed her to anyone. Feng Xian’s face reddened, and she shook her head.

Zhao Huaiyu immediately felt relieved and said solemnly, “The spring examinations are approaching, and Huaiyu will do his utmost. If I succeed and you are willing, Huaiyu will certainly prepare proper gifts and ask a matchmaker to come propose marriage to you.”

Feng Xian lowered her head slightly, and after a long while said softly, “Marriage is a lifelong matter that naturally must await parents’ decision.”

Zhao Huaiyu took this as her consent and was overjoyed. Feng Xian only felt her face burning and didn’t dare stay long, immediately taking her leave. Zhao Huaiyu escorted her to within a hundred zhang of her home, only stopping at Feng Xian’s repeated requests, bowing deeply to bid farewell. Feng Xian also curtsied in return, saying, “Feng Xian wishes Young Master Zhao success in plucking the laurel from the moon palace.”

At her mother’s request, Feng Xian began visiting the main residence daily to pay respects to her father. When spring arrived with blooming flowers, Ling Tao’s mood seemed to improve with the weather, and he became quite kind to Feng Xian, often keeping her in the residence to chat and play with her other sisters.

The eldest daughter of the Ling residence was a concubine’s child who had already married. The third, fourth, and fifth daughters were all born to Lady Zhuwu. Third Miss remained missing without news. Fourth Miss was sixteen, Fifth Miss was fifteen, and at Lady Zhuwu’s request, they spent the most time with Feng Xian. The other sixth, seventh, and eighth daughters were born to different ladies, were still young, and weren’t very close to Feng Xian.

One morning, after paying respects to her father, Feng Xian accepted Lady Zhuwu’s invitation to view flowers in the back garden with her sisters. In the garden, peach blossoms, plum blossoms, crabapple, and even several clusters of competing peonies had bloomed, creating a riot of purple and red colors, everywhere brimming with vibrant spring spirit. Several sisters were playfully picking flowers for flower competitions. They had picked some of every flower in the garden. Finally, Fourth Miss pointed to a branch of apricot blossoms extending from outside the wall into the garden, saying, “We’re only missing apricot blossoms. Our garden doesn’t have any. Who will go cut a few branches from over the wall?”

At this moment, only women were in the garden. They looked at the not-low branches, and their gazes all fell on Feng Xian. Finally, Fifth Miss laughed, “Second Sister, you’re the tallest among us. Could you help us cut some apricot blossoms?”

Feng Xian didn’t refuse. She walked under the apricot branch to gauge its height, then turned back and said, “I can’t reach it either. Get me one of the flower ladders the gardeners use.”

Fourth Miss had her maid fetch the flower ladder. Two maids brought the flower ladder and placed it by the wall, handed Feng Xian the flower shears, then quickly retreated, as if afraid Feng Xian would ask them to climb up and pick flowers.

Only then did Feng Xian realize how undignified it was for these refined ladies of the main residence to climb over walls to pick flowers – even the maids disdained to do it. She looked back at her sisters and saw that some were indeed snickering while others watched coldly, all looking ready to watch a show.

Although Feng Xian felt displeased, with the flower shears in her hand, she was too lazy to think much about it for now. She went straight up the flower ladder and began cutting apricot branches. After cutting them, she handed them to the maids who came to receive them. The sisters became excited again, calling out, “I want some too! Second Sister, cut some more for me.”

Feng Xian quickly finished cutting the flower branches at the top of the wall, but the girls weren’t satisfied and urged her to continue cutting. Feng Xian looked again at the apricot blossoms outside the wall. There were indeed red and white flowers blooming all along the path, about a hundred trees, but those with flowers and buds were quite far from the wall and clearly out of reach. Feng Xian looked troubled, still considering whether to give up and climb down the flower ladder, when suddenly she heard the sound of horse hooves outside the wall. Following the sound, through the apricot blossom sea that looked like glowing clouds and drifting mist, she saw a young man in white clothes riding a glossy chestnut horse, slowly approaching with reins in hand.

He wore a black soft gauze Tang cap, his white clothes whiter than snow, with dark red edges tinged with purple, just like the apricot flower calyxes. Moving through this fragrant snow sea, he quite resembled a celestial being.

Coming to the wall, he looked up and reined in his horse, facing the sun behind Feng Xian. His gaze was half-shaded, sweeping toward the flower shears in her hand, then he showed her a leisurely smile, extending his right hand to indicate she should give him the flower shears.

As if bewitched, Feng Xian stared at him silently, speechless, only following his indication and handing him the flower shears.

Holding the flower shears, he spurred his horse forward, walking leisurely to the flower trees nearby. Occasionally raising his hand, in no time he had easily and comfortably cut many apricot branches. Then he returned to the wall where Feng Xian was, handed her the flower branches, returned the flower shears, and gestured toward his tall horse, smiling, “How does my cloud ladder compare to your flower ladder?”

Feng Xian didn’t answer, bashfully accepting the flower branches and saying softly, “Thank you, Young Master.”

The young man nodded slightly, smiling without speaking, and backed his horse away. Sunlight brushed over his handsome face that had never been worn down by hardship, making his whole being seem to glow with radiance, shining brilliantly in Feng Xian’s gloomy mood that day. Feng Xian thought in a daze that the legendary Eastern Lord could be no more than this.

Feng Xian stood on the flower ladder for a long time, watching him gradually disappear into the distance. She very much wanted to know who he was, yet didn’t dare ask. At this time, a gray-haired Taoist priest with an immortal bearing rode a donkey from the south, approaching the young man. He extended his arms pointing south and laughed loudly, “Second Great Prince, this way please. Jingnan Prefecture is waiting respectfully at the south main gate. Please follow me, Great Prince.”