Seeing Chu Linlang’s brazen lack of ceremony, Lord Situ’s rare moment of bewilderment gradually dissipated.

He washed his hands at the water well and calmly sat down, picked up his rice bowl, then said to Guanqi, who was standing beside him drooling: “Come and eat with us.”

Guanqi had been waiting for exactly these words. He scrambled to the table, grabbed his chopsticks, and stuffed a large piece of braised pork into his mouth.

Not bad at all — it melted in the mouth, fork-tender. It even had a hint of the flavor from the restaurants in Lianzhou! The egg was well-made too — perfect eaten with steamed buns!

And so in that modest front room, two completely unrelated households sat mixed together without distinction of rank, and made do with a meal.

Xia He and Dongxue had never eaten at the same table as their mistress before, and both felt rather too shy to reach out with their chopsticks.

As for Chu Linlang — after marrying into the Zhou household, she had always maintained more proper table manners in front of her mother-in-law, and during banquets she would rather not eat at all than compromise the elegance of an official’s wife. But now, in front of Lord Situ, she dispensed with all pretense and simply buried herself in eating, chopsticks striking swift, sure, and hard.

Situ Sheng ate little. Whenever he noticed which dish Madam Chu seemed to be reaching for most, he would shift the plate — nudging it a little closer toward the hard-working Madam Chu.

The only one who could match Chu Linlang for appetite was Guanqi. He had missed his mealtime on duty that day and ate with wolfish speed, cheeks bulging blissfully as he shoveled food in alongside the steamed buns he had bought himself.

When Guanqi raised his chopsticks toward the last duck leg, he received a sudden kick under the table.

He looked up in confusion, then caught his master casting him a calm, sidelong glance. In his moment of hesitation, Chu Linlang’s chopsticks swooped in and claimed the duck leg.

She stripped the meat from the bone without a trace of self-consciousness, then divided it between Xia He and Dongxue.

This made Guanqi feel deeply aggrieved — he was a servant too, so why did his own master not show him the same consideration!

After dinner was finished, Situ Sheng finally remembered his duty as a host and personally boiled water to brew clear tea for Chu Linlang.

This Lord Situ may not have cared much about food or lodging, yet he invested considerable effort in the art of tea. The tea set laid out on the table was nothing but an ordinary purple clay pot and cups, yet the surface gleamed smooth and rich from constant handling — proof that someone had put them to daily use.

Situ Sheng prepared the tea with fluid, unhurried movements — impossible to describe as anything less than elegant and graceful. Even the unrefined Chu Linlang, who knew nothing of appreciating such refinements, was transfixed by the sight.

These refined arts seemed to be things Zhou Sui’an had little understanding of, yet Situ Sheng performed them with effortless composure and perfect ease.

Chu Linlang recalled something Xia He had once said — that this pest’s mad mother had been a woman from a distinguished family. It seemed that was no lie. No matter how much one fell on hard times, the bearing of someone born into a noble household was something that could not be erased from the bone.

Situ Sheng finished preparing the tea and handed a cup to Chu Linlang. She took small sips and could not help but nod appreciatively.

No wonder men of letters were so fond of fussing over these little teacups. When drunk with such careful attention and appreciation, the flavor truly was different from a bowlful of ordinary tea.

But the window paper had been pasted, the meal had been eaten, and the tea had been drunk. The hour was now quite late. She ought not to overstay, so she would take her leave of this gentleman now and head back.

Just as she rose to leave, the sound of carriage and horse came suddenly from outside the main gate, followed by urgent knocking: “Is Lord Situ at home?”

A junior minister of the Court of Judicial Review truly had a busy social life — even this late, there were still visitors. But Chu Linlang had no business being caught in the company of Lord Situ in a private residence.

After all, she had not yet finalized her separation and still bore the name of a Zhou household wife. If someone stumbled upon her here and word reached the Zhou family, it would stir up misunderstandings and only cause more trouble.

But the rear gate of the residence was blocked by a pile of odds and ends stacked against it — there was no opening it in a hurry.

Situ Sheng gestured to her not to panic and indicated she could slip into the side room to hide.

When Chu Linlang led her two maids into the pitch-dark room to hide, she couldn’t help but let out a rueful internal laugh — she had come with good intentions to deliver furniture, and somehow it had taken on rather the air of being caught in an illicit affair.

Just then, the main gate had already been opened by Guanqi. They heard a man’s bright, laughing voice: “The junior minister’s residence is truly hard to find — I nearly lost my way just now.”

From behind the room’s door, Chu Linlang heard Situ Sheng reply steadily: “Not knowing the Fourth Prince was gracing us with his presence, I failed to come out to welcome you properly.”

So it seemed Situ Sheng was currently a prized rising figure in the court — even at this late hour, the Fourth Prince himself had come knocking at his door.

What followed was a volley of courtly platitudes and polite formalities.

It appeared the Fourth Prince was deeply grateful that on the night of capturing the assassin, Situ Sheng had been willing to look the other way and go easy on his barracks’ men.

Had the man been taken alive, and had he then been made to say something under pressure, it would surely have been used by the Crown Prince to pin the blame on the Fourth Prince, accusing him of sending someone to assassinate his own elder royal brother.

After all, the assassin had once been the Fourth Prince’s former close attendant — a choice of suspect so obvious it reeked of a frame-up. Any way one looked at it, it seemed as though he had hired someone to murder the Crown Prince.

As for the old grudge of Situ Sheng having previously helped the Sixth Prince bring down their uncle Prince Tai — which had in turn implicated the Fourth Prince’s mother consort and landed her in the cold palace — the Fourth Prince did not breathe a word of it. He expressed nothing but solicitous concern for Lord Situ’s comfort, and from the looks of it, intended to send some stewards and servants to Situ Sheng.

The Fourth Prince was currently out of favor. Although His Majesty still kept him occupied with duties, his influence was nothing like before.

And so, while making himself smaller and keeping his head down, the Fourth Prince inevitably had to seek out capable new people and find ways to rebuild his standing.

This court newcomer Situ Sheng, newly elevated by the Emperor — though of humble origin, and appearing outwardly rigid and inflexible, like a loyal and solitary minister — was, in Fourth Prince Liu Zhen’s assessment, actually extremely slick and clever.

Now that Situ Sheng had already fallen out with the Sixth Prince and had not aligned himself with the Crown Prince either, Liu Zhen saw no harm in taking the initiative to show goodwill and test whether this man might one day be made useful to him.

Upon hearing the Fourth Prince’s proposal, Situ Sheng replied steadily: “I am grateful for the Fourth Prince’s kindness, but I have already engaged household servants, and with my limited stipend, I cannot afford to keep this many people…”

The Fourth Prince countered: “You are a fifth-rank official — one young manservant is surely not enough. As for the matter of money, my lord need not concern himself. The people I am sending all have permanent contracts. Their monthly wages need not come from you either — it is merely a matter of a few extra bowls of rice. It will not cost you much.”

With that, he waved his hand, and in no time a steward and three servant girls had taken up their positions in the courtyard.

Fourth Prince Liu Zhen had come prepared. He had long since made inquiries and ascertained that Situ Sheng kept no stewards or servants in his home. By personally delivering them today, even if Situ Sheng wanted to refuse, he would find it difficult to do so.

As long as Situ Sheng kept the people, this very act would weave subtle threads of connection between the Fourth Prince and Lord Situ.

Situ Sheng had already offended the Crown Prince on his behalf, and had also fallen out with the Sixth Prince. Surely he could not afford to walk himself into a dead end and make an enemy of yet another of His Majesty’s sons?

His Majesty was advancing in years. If Situ Sheng was a clever man, he should understand the importance of meriting reward for helping the right prince rise to the throne.

And so, right after Situ Sheng claimed he had already hired household servants, Liu Zhen gave a light laugh: “If you have already hired people, why has no one brought tea for so long? Lord Situ, this excuse of yours is rather halfhearted. Tell me — does this humble prince’s goodwill in gifting you a few people cost you your very life?”

Situ Sheng lowered his eyes, trying to think of how to decline, when from not far away in the side room came a woman’s clear, unhurried voice: “My lord, this servant nodded off just now. Has a guest arrived in the front room? This servant will get dressed and come out to prepare tea at once!”

Situ Sheng started for a moment, then immediately grasped the situation and called out in a raised voice: “The steward is already asleep — there is no need to rise. Let the maids attend to the guest!”

In no time at all, Dongxue and Xia He, both wearing carefully blank expressions, emerged from the room. They collected hot water and teacups from the kitchen and brought them into the front room.

Situ Sheng replied steadily: “I trust the Prince sees clearly — I truly have already engaged a steward and purchased maids. Your Highness has also seen for yourself that my lodgings are humble and cannot accommodate too many people. I ask for your understanding. As for His Majesty’s generous intent, I accept it with gratitude in my heart… The hour is late and I do not manage well on little sleep. If the Fourth Prince has further matters to discuss, perhaps they might be saved for tomorrow at court.”

With that, he stood up and regarded the Fourth Prince with a composed smile.

Such a blatant dismissal — even the most brazen of guests could not stay seated any longer. The Fourth Prince’s expression darkened as he surveyed the two maids who had appeared out of nowhere, knowing he had no way to keep pushing.

He had no desire to fall out openly with Situ Sheng. After all, Situ Sheng was currently in the Emperor’s favor, and even in winning someone over, one had to proceed with care and take the long view.

Still, to have his face so plainly rejected was deeply irritating. His expression turned as dark as the bottom of an iron pot.

Situ Sheng appeared not to notice the Fourth Prince’s expression at all. He walked ahead to lead the way, and as he did, said casually: “I have heard the Fourth Prince excels at swimming in rivers and understands that in great rivers and waterways, one must move with the current — never fight it upstream. The waves are high at present, and Your Highness’s strategy of biding your time and keeping a low profile is truly wise. But you must also know — this energy should be expended where it is truly warranted. It should not be spent in this poor man’s narrow lane and humble dwelling…”

Liu Zhen’s mind moved quickly, and he caught at once what this Lord Situ was alluding to. He paused and asked, with probing eyes: “Your meaning is…”

Situ Sheng’s expression remained tranquil as ever. He said quietly: “As people grow older, they become attached to what they already know. Clothing is better when new — but with people, old is better. The Fourth Prince would do well to think carefully on why His Majesty holds different expectations for you compared to the other princes. In this subordinate’s humble view, Your Highness ought to stop expending effort uselessly in the court…”

Liu Zhen’s expression shifted, his eyes slowly widening. He understood at once what Situ Sheng meant.

The Emperor had many sons. The very reason Liu Zhen had been able to stand as a counterweight to the Crown Prince was fundamentally because his mother consort had been deeply beloved by the Emperor.

But regrettably, he had let impatience get the better of him and leaned on Prince Tai as his great pillar of support, believing it would let him stabilize his position in court and accumulate influence. Instead, the fallen prince had dragged him down with him, and he had lost everything in one move.

Now, his mother, Consort Jing, had been implicated and demoted to the cold palace. He himself was like a rat crossing the street in court — even his closest attendants aside, officials avoided him on all sides.

He had assumed Situ Sheng was also a creature of vanity and self-interest, and that was why he had been given such a cold reception. But the words Situ Sheng had just spoken were clearly full of implication — pointing him in the right direction!

His Majesty in his old age growing nostalgic for old things? Not wasting energy in the court? That meant directing his energy to the inner palace instead…

With that, the Fourth Prince’s mind was suddenly illuminated. He couldn’t restrain himself from clasping his hands to Situ Sheng in a deep, sincere bow: “Teacher! You are a man of extraordinary talent!”

After that, he put aside any thought of giving Situ Sheng the cold shoulder, and with a face full of genuine warmth, spoke of a banquet a few days hence, pressing Lord Situ to attend without fail. Then, taking the servants back with him, he bid farewell and departed.

Once everyone was gone, Situ Sheng finally opened the door to the side room. Chu Linlang was sitting calmly on a bench cracking sunflower seeds.

Seeing him enter, Linlang brushed the seed shells from her hands and said: “Good, it truly is late. Since my lord is fond of retiring early, I’ll take my leave now.”

Situ Sheng pressed his lips together and said: “Thank you for speaking up just now to help me out of the tight spot. Only… you were far too reckless. If he had seen you, what would become of your reputation?”

Chu Linlang had not expected that she had done him a good turn, and now he was turning around to lecture her.

She shot Situ Sheng a sideways glance: “Because I knew you were quick-witted — even without rehearsing a story in advance, you would certainly handle it and not need me to show my face. Besides, what reputation does a woman on the verge of being cast off have left to speak of? I just didn’t want to drag you down with me and give you a reputation for chasing flowers and courting rouge.”

It was deep autumn, nearly winter. The temperature difference between morning and night was vast. Chu Linlang was not too lightly dressed, but in the night air she had begun to shiver. She had not anticipated staying so long, and had not brought a proper thick cloak.

Speaking of coincidences — the very day the separation was made final happened also to be Linlang’s twenty-fourth birthday. And counting from here, she and Zhou Sui’an’s marriage had stretched eight full years.

Situ Sheng replied with cool clarity: “Putting on a cloak does not compromise one’s reputation. And as for ‘a woman on the verge of being cast off having no reputation left’ — taking ill and spending money on medicine and tonics, is that preferable?”

While she was preparing to leave, her elder sister Chu Jinyin and her brother-in-law came looking for her. It turned out that Chu Jinyin, upon hearing that her younger sister had left home and moved out, had gone to the Zhou residence, initially intending to mediate.

This kind of skill at playing people’s hearts — it was truly masterful!

When Chu Linlang led her two maids to the main gate, she was just about to take out the key to unlock it when from the shadows beside her came a voice crackling with fury: “Who is that man! Why were you walking home with him so late at night?”

She just stared with downcast eyes. It was then that Situ Sheng also seemed to catch himself at his own loss of composure. After all, what he had just been speaking of was Chu Linlang’s daughter — not his own younger self…

This black cloak, though old, still held its owner’s warmth. Wearing it about her shoulders, she was enveloped in a comforting heat.

Chu Linlang finally lowered the cloak and let out a desolate laugh toward the sky: “That’s right — I was the one who said it. But since you no longer wish to walk this road with me, what more can I do…”

Zhou Sui’an had been pampered and spoiled by Zhao Shi since childhood. He had never in his life been struck like this.

So she declined his offer again: “She has her grandmother and her father to cherish her. In the future she will have a new official mother. It is better not to take her away…”

Zhou Sui’an was caught off guard, stumbled from the blow, and immediately covered his head to dodge the next.

Chu Linlang did not answer, and only asked: “Have you discussed it with your mother? When will we sign the separation agreement?”

Linlang jolted and looked up, and found it was Zhou Sui’an addressing her in a blazing fury.

He could only press his back against the wall, arms over his head, and rage with humiliation: “Linlang, how can you do this — I haven’t even given you the separation papers yet, and you’re already freely walking about at night with a man. What kind of—”

She was still thinking to herself when all of a sudden a great dark cloak was draped over her.

Situ Sheng’s heavy brows knitted together. It seemed he restrained himself for a moment, but in the end said with cold hardness: “Are you afraid you cannot take her with you — or afraid that having a child will affect your prospects for remarriage? Think about it — a child without her birth mother: who in that household would ever show her any tenderness?”

Who would have thought — she had learned this from her sister-in-law’s husband’s own mouth. It turned out Chu Jinyin had heard that her younger sister had left home and moved out, and had gone to the Zhou residence that very evening. The two of them had intended to sign the documents that night.

Zhou Sui’an stared blankly at her, seeing the resolute light in her eyes, and at last despaired and understood: his wife had truly made up her mind to separate from him.

Situ Sheng paused: “When parents separate, there are many cases where the children are left to be raised by the mother. What if I spoke to Zhou Sui’an, and had him agree to let you keep the child for now? When she is grown and ready to marry, she can then return to the Zhou household…”

She only said calmly: “All we have at home are women. We are afraid of thieves, so we hang up men’s clothing to frighten them off… As for your situation — that other one’s belly cannot wait. You should move quickly as well. If there are no other issues, tomorrow we can ask a guarantor to bear witness and sign the documents.”

He had not expected this before — how could she be such a capricious, fickle woman?

She had seen things no ordinary girl would see in a lifetime. After all, how many girls had nearly been bound and thrust into a bridal sedan chair by their own father?

Xia He assumed her young mistress was heartbroken. But in truth, Linlang had been turning something over in her mind the entire time — Zhou Sui’an had let something slip mid-speech the previous night: “…just as Lady An from the Xie family said…”

In the early morning, a scattering of fine snow began to fall. Xia He boiled red-skinned eggs for her young mistress and made a bowl of longevity noodles — a quiet birthday celebration.

Zhou Sui’an had never before found this Chu woman so infuriating. She had always been so good at sparing him anxiety. But now, he hadn’t even handed over the separation papers yet, and she was already casually coming home late at night in the company of a man.

Chu Linlang had no desire to continue this thread. Her affinity with Zhou Sui’an was spent — but little Yuan’er was blameless. She did not wish to expose the truth that Yuan’er was not her own birth child, lest that child be burdened with the name of an illegitimate daughter.

Chu Linlang had been accused of moral failing by two men this day alone, and was nursing a belly full of suppressed resentment. She raised her slender arms and swung the shoulder pole with a fierce, sweeping force.

Chu Linlang had not expected to hear such a furiously charged accusation from this lord’s lips. She could not help but stop in her tracks, staring at Situ Sheng in bewilderment: “Lord Situ, you…”

This was a family scandal, and the Xie family themselves did not dare come forward — they had only sent the Sixth Princess Consort to pressure her and keep her in check. What business did some roundabout aunt have coming to the Zhou household?

His eyes glistened with tears at the corners as he spoke in an aggrieved voice — and she could still dimly make out in him the traces of the Zhou family young man she had once deeply admired.

For a moment, she could not tell whether her back hurt more — or his masculine pride.

These experiences had left Chu Linlang, whenever she felt unsafe, hypersensitive and ready to see threats in every shadow.

Even the money-obsessed Zhao Shi, after weighing the pros and cons and considering her son’s future prospects, had steeled herself and surrendered those two shops.

With that, Situ Sheng stopped in his tracks, cupped his hands in a parting bow, and turned away coldly. They parted on bad terms.

…Thinking of the final outcome of the Xie family’s frequent visits and the discussions that aunt and his mother had been holding these past few days, Zhou Sui’an quietly clenched his fist: Chu Linlang, your heartlessness leaves me no choice but to be ruthless!

He knew now that his and Chu Linlang’s bond as husband and wife had truly reached its end.

Chu Linlang gave a bitter smile and cut in: “No need — it is better she stays with her own family. Why ask her to come and suffer hardship with me?”

Only Zhou Sui’an still clung to a last shred of hope, counting on Linlang having a change of heart.

The alleyway entrance was just ahead, and the thread of their conversation had reached a dead end.

She had often kept company with the Sixth Princess Consort and old Madam Xie back in Jizhou. When women gathered, conversation would sometimes wander far afield, and a word or two about a home aunt would slip out in passing.

What was more — the one who had struck him was the very woman who had once revered him like the sky above her!

His back burned as though on fire — but the pain had, at least, shocked him awake.

After separating from the Zhou household, she would have no carriage of her own either. Even going out would be inconvenient for her clothing and effects…

Chu Linlang thought it over, calculated the silver on hand, waved Dongxue off to hire two people from the nearby escort agency — specifically the most ferocious-looking, biggest-built ones. Ideally they should be from beyond the frontier and unable to understand the official dialect.

Hearing this, Zhou Sui’an stiffened, then said coldly: “My mother has already agreed. Come to my residence tomorrow evening to settle what lies between us. Only… you had better not come back regretting it!”

With that, he did not wait for any refusal and sent Guanqi off to fetch a lantern.

And on the other hand — go to the ruined temple in the western part of the city and see how many beggars were there…

The matter had come this far. Better to bring it to a close sooner rather than later — the Second Miss Xie’s belly was not one that could afford to wait.

Chu Linlang gave him a sharp look. This man loved nothing more than throwing her own words back in her face.

But he had spoken sense. Tonics and medicines cost money, and she could not afford extra expenses right now with funds running low.

She couldn’t help but frown: “This late, what brings you here?”

In these past few days, both the Xie family and the Sixth Prince had been sending people continuously with pressure — urging them to surrender the shops to Chu Linlang as compensation and bring the matter to a swift close.

But that was when Zhou Sui’an — mid-speech — suddenly fell silent as Chu Linlang glanced around her, then seized the shoulder pole a neighbor had left by their door for carrying dung buckets, and brought it down hard across Zhou Sui’an’s back.

What was more — he had just peered through the gap in the gate and spotted men’s clothing hanging on the drying rack in the courtyard!

Chu Linlang finished her noodles, then shook her turtle-shell divination tool with a clatter — the sound of a mind in restless turmoil.

Linlang turned back in surprise and found Situ Sheng had placed his black cloak over her own shoulders.

It was too dark, and a fog had settled in on top of that. Zhou Sui’an was standing at some distance and had not made out who had been walking alongside Chu Linlang — but this did not stop him from turning his fury on her: “You know it’s late? Then why were you out walking with a man? Who is he?”

Just then, Situ Sheng said once more, slowly: “These past few days I have been thinking — you are so resolute about this separation, but the Zhou family may not be willing to let your daughter go. She is still young and cannot do without her mother. Would you like me to help think of some way…”

Chu Linlang, hearing his accusation, understood — he must have spotted the shirt of Situ Sheng’s that Dongxue had been washing.

Hearing such heartfelt, fiercely emotional words from this lord’s mouth, she couldn’t help but pause mid-step and stare at Situ Sheng in astonishment: “Lord Situ, you…”

The family scandal was not one the Xie household dared to expose. They had only sent the Sixth Princess Consort to come out and apply pressure to keep her in check. A roundabout aunt at one remove — what business had she suddenly appearing at the Zhou household?

Now she fully understood. This Lord Situ was indeed masterful at managing people’s hearts. He had plainly just snubbed that Fourth Prince right to his face — and yet with just a few cryptic, cloud-wrapped words, he had sent the man away perfectly content.

Zhou Sui’an bit out: “Chu Linlang, I want a straight answer from you — is this separation because you are angry with me, or because you got involved with some wild man behind my back long ago? Lady An of the Xie family was right — how could we let you take whatever you pleased… hey, stop — I’m talking to you — what do you think you’re—”

And so it was that as night fell, Situ Sheng walked through the evening frost, escorting Chu Linlang home.

They had been husband and wife once. They had not lived to see their hair turn white together — and yet it had come to this, the end of their affinity.

Zhou Sui’an refused to believe her explanation. His eyes slowly reddened. What he had just witnessed had made even his teeth ache with bitterness.

Chu Linlang hated it most when people blew hot and cold at her. She directed a resentful mutter straight at Situ Sheng’s retreating back: “Remarrying — what utter nonsense! Do you men think your trousers hold the treasures of the deep sea? I’ve just managed to shake off one of you, and I’m supposed to go fish for another?”

This was the first time Zhou Sui’an had said of his own free will that he would agree to the separation.

As she swung the pole, she ground her teeth and muttered in fury: “That will teach you to go around calling me a ‘wild man’s woman’! That will teach you to go around talking about me ‘getting involved with someone’!”

This simply would not do. Chu Linlang quickly moved to take it off, all the while murmuring that it was not proper.

Hearing her use the phrase “discarded woman” in such self-deprecating jest, Situ Sheng’s heavy brows creased slightly. He seemed to want to say something, yet in the end restrained himself, and only said: “It is late. I will walk you back.”

Chu Linlang had no patience for the implication in his words, so after setting the shoulder pole back where it belonged, she walked into the courtyard without a backward glance.

—