Wei Shubin felt as if he were walking through a dream wrapped in a morning glow.

Early that day, they packed their belongings and left Xianyang’s borders, crossing the Wei River and sneaking back into the forbidden garden. Li Yuangui led them eastward, passing roughly through the northern area of the inner palace and the western garden, until they reached north of the Eastern Palace before turning south. After rounding a mountain bend, they saw clouds and rosy mist ahead – it was an expansive peach grove in full bloom during mid-spring, its dazzling colors overwhelming to the senses.

Li Yuangui’s face lit up as he said “This is it” and ducked into the peach grove, with everyone else following closely behind. Their feet treading on fragrant grass, shoulders catching scattered petals, and even the sunlight filtering through the treetops took on a pink hue, while the fragrance penetrated deep into their hearts. Everyone unconsciously slowed their pace. Chai Yinglu moved close to Wei Shubin’s ear and softly chuckled:

“I suddenly remembered something I needed Yang to help me with. You and Fourteenth Uncle go on ahead…”

“Sister Ying!” Wei Shubin grabbed her sleeve, refusing to let go. She was just teasing Li and Wei again.

Li Yuangui, walking ahead, turned back to look at the two women. His ears had always been sharp:

“Yingniang, stop fooling around. Time is tight, and we’re not even sure if Ouyang Shugen is home. It’s getting late – we need to hurry and take care of business.”

The previous night, they had discussed who to consult about verifying the handwriting in the letter left by Yiniang that Chai Yinglu had brought. Among the three great calligraphers of their time, Yu Shinan was elderly and bedridden with illness, Chu Suiliang was busy attending to court matters at the emperor’s side, but the Eastern Palace’s Updating Director Ouyang Xun, though nearly eighty, had always been in good health. Moreover, he was exempt from official duties by imperial decree and spent his days practicing calligraphy in leisure – bothering him seemed most appropriate.

However, there was one problem – Chai Yinglu didn’t know where the old master currently lived.

“If we can find the old master, given my mother’s connection and the Empress’s decree, Master Ouyang probably won’t be able to refuse me,” the Daoist priestess said. “Master Ouyang’s calligraphy was already famous during the Sui dynasty, and he was a frequent guest at the Supreme Emperor’s residence back when he was Duke of Tang. Around the start of the Wude era, my mother took me to seek his guidance. Master Ouyang was very kind – my mother half-jokingly asked me to become his disciple, which made the old master laugh heartily. Later, too many people came seeking his teachings and requesting calligraphy, including envoys from Goguryeo, Silla, and Japan, as well as many court nobles. Master Ouyang’s official rank was never very high, and he couldn’t refuse them all, so he appealed to His Majesty. The Emperor specially decreed that ‘Ouyang Xun shall not write for others without imperial command,’ but that still couldn’t control it. A few years ago, I heard His Majesty had arranged a secret residence for the old master. Master Ouyang took only a few trusted servants and left home to live in seclusion, focusing on his calligraphy practice without concern for worldly affairs. His family mansion in Daozheng District houses only some of his children and grandchildren – no one knows the old master’s whereabouts.”

This place – a peach grove in the northeastern forbidden garden – was the secret residence the Emperor had arranged for Ouyang Xun.

This location was provided by Li Yuangui.

“Last year, I offended His Majesty and was punished for copying the Classic of Filial Piety twenty times,” the young prince said with a wry smile. “After I submitted the copies for review, a few days later the Lizheng Palace attendant returned them, conveying His Majesty’s verbal decree scolding me again, saying my handwriting was too poor and unbearable to look at… The attendant also brought two scrolls of His Majesty’s calligraphy practice copies, ordering me to take them to this small courtyard in the peach grove to hear Master Ouyang’s evaluation in person. I stayed for several days to learn calligraphy techniques.”

“Really? His Majesty truly shows great favor to you, Fourteenth Uncle. I’ve never heard of the other uncles receiving such grace,” Chai Yinglu had said with a smile. She probably meant nothing by it, but Li Yuangui couldn’t help glancing at Wei Shubin. The two understood each other silently, their hearts stirring with waves of emotion.

Ever since that day when Li Yuangui had confided his doubts about his origins to Wei Shubin, they couldn’t help but think more deeply whenever they encountered such matters, even though they knew thinking was futile. Perhaps Li Yuangui would never escape from this whirlpool of thoughts in his lifetime?

A gust of wind blew, scattering flower petals like rain.

The slender figure leading the way stepped onto a stone path. Not far ahead, a small bamboo-fenced courtyard suddenly appeared among the dense trees. The compound had only front and back buildings, neither very large, somewhat similar to the thatched cottage in the vegetable garden where they had stayed for several days, though this was more elegantly constructed with white walls and black tiles, surely more comfortable to live in.

At the courtyard gate, a pair of young servants were sweeping. Seeing the group emerge from the grove, they first froze, then joyfully called out “Fourteenth Young Lord” and curtseyed to Li Yuangui. Here, even the normally arrogant Prince of Wu of the Great Tang put aside his usual haughty expression, exchanging greetings with the young servants. He had just asked a few questions like “How is Master Ouyang’s health?” when the wooden door of the main hall behind them creaked.

Wei Shubin turned to look and was startled to see a stooped, white-haired ape in clothing shuffle out of the building.

This old ape was quite aged, with white hair tied in a small bun at the back of his head, but not only was he not wearing a headwrap, but many broken strands of hair hung down in disarray. His wrinkled face was extremely ugly, with an upturned nose and thundergod-like mouth. His robe was covered in ink stains, and he walked hunched over with a wooden staff, his staff-holding hand having long, thin fingers with dark, dirty skin – truly frightening to behold. Wei Shubin couldn’t help letting out a small cry and stepping backward. The white-haired old ape looked at her and burst out laughing:

“Whose young lady is this…”

“Master Ouyang!” Li Yuangui and Chai Yinglu stepped forward together to bow, with Yang Xinzhi following behind. The old ape – no, looking carefully it was still an old man, though his appearance was indeed extraordinarily peculiar – laughed and returned their greetings. This was the Eastern Palace Updating Director, Hongwen Academy Scholar, and Count of Bohai County, Ouyang Xun, whom they had come seeking.

Wei Shubin had seen some of Ouyang Xun’s handwritten letters in her father’s study – they showed solemn style and vigorous strokes. People said “calligraphy reflects the person,” so she had imagined he would be a dignified, serious old scholar who rarely smiled. Seeing him in person, not only was she startled by his appearance, but after hearing Chai Yinglu’s formal greetings, he immediately started joking:

“…I heard in Lizheng Palace that His Majesty had secretly established a palace and kept beauties in this forbidden garden, often lingering here – it turns out to be true! As soon as we entered this misty grove, Yinglu had a premonition of heavenly beings appearing. As they say, ‘peach leaves reflect red flowers, swaying without wind’…”

Rather than being annoyed, the octogenarian laughed heartily at these words:

“Heavenly beings appearing? Bird-beaked feathered immortals or sea-patrolling yakshas? After all these years, you’ve grown more and more beautiful, little Miss Chai and your tongue has gotten even sharper…”

As the two were bantering, suddenly there was a loud boom in the distance, like mountains splitting and rocks cracking. Wei Shubin and the others were startled. Looking up, they saw white smoke rising far beyond the treetops and dispersing into the clouds.

“What happened over there?” Chai Yinglu asked, shading her eyes with her hand. “Is someone refining elixirs? Did their furnace explode?”

Ouyang Xun first shook his head and sighed, then showed a smile that should have been gentle and kind but his features only appeared strange and frightening – like a grandfather watching his grandson being mischievous. Instead of answering the question, he tremblingly invited them:

“Come, come, let’s go inside and talk…”