After the Start of Autumn, Third Master became impossible to find anywhere in the Xie residence.
In previous years, Xie Daozhi would have had the eldest bring him back nine times out of ten. His youngest son’s soul was shallow—during the seventh month Ghost Month, he feared the boy might encounter something unclean outside.
But this year, Xie Daozhi didn’t say a word.
First, they had a spirit medium at home who could communicate with ghosts and spirits. Second, he also wanted to put on a show for the world to see.
Besides Third Master, another person who was never around was Li Buyan.
Hero Li would scale the wall to leave before dawn and scale the wall to return after dark.
Steward Xie caught her several times. Remembering this person had threatened him with a sword, he scurried to tattle to Third Master when he was home.
After listening, Third Master casually tossed out, “Xie Xiaohua, the manure pit on the estate is very close to you,” then strode away.
After a night of painful reflection, Steward Xie decided that scaling walls was nothing—even if she committed murder and arson, he’d pretend not to see.
How could Xie Xiaohua know that Hero Li scaled walls to leave to save time, and scaled walls to return because after drinking too much tea at the teahouse all day, she was too desperate to relieve herself to use the side gate?
For the first few days, Li Buyan gained nothing.
After seven days, she finally heard something at a teahouse frequented by scholars.
In the twenty-third year of the previous Emperor’s reign, before the spring examinations, a merchant surnamed Qin peddled spring examination test questions to students, selling them for five hundred taels of silver each.
Everyone assumed this man was a fraud trying to swindle money during the examinations. But several students from wealthy families, with a “nothing to lose” attitude, purchased them.
As it turned out, they were indeed the actual spring examination questions.
Students hung their heads from beams, pierced their thighs with awls, studied hard through cold windows for over ten years—all to secure a future.
Blocking someone’s future was like killing their parents.
In fury, the students stormed the Ministry of Rites to raise hell. The matter alarmed the previous Emperor, who ordered the Three Judicial Offices to investigate thoroughly. Eventually, the trail led to Tang Qiling.
Yan Sanhe: “But how were the test questions leaked?”
Li Buyan shook her head, indicating she’d only heard this much.
This was already quite good—at least the framework of this case had taken shape. As for the various details within, ordinary people certainly wouldn’t know.
“By the way, Sanhe, this Tang Qiling is no good person.”
“What do you mean?”
“They say he wore the skin of a great scholar but secretly engaged in thievery and debauchery. He especially loved keeping male actors.”
Li Buyan bit her lip. “They also say he never remarried because he was enamored with his own biological daughter and couldn’t bear to see her marry.”
“What?”
Yan Sanhe was badly shocked. “That… how is that possible?”
“I’m just repeating what I heard. They say Miss Tang is nineteen and still unmarried at home because of this.”
Yan Sanhe was dumbstruck.
Was this fabrication?
Or was there no smoke without fire?
If the former, that was one thing. But if the latter…
Yan Sanhe couldn’t even continue the thought. She pointed at her foot. “Just now when Imperial Physician Shen changed the dressing, he said in seven more days, I can go out.”
She absolutely couldn’t sit still any longer.
Not one more day.
She must personally investigate this Jingchen and the Tang family behind her.
“Oh right, I forgot to mention—these past few days at the teahouse, I’ve often run into Young Master Pei and Huangqi.”
Master and servant leisurely drinking tea, occasionally exchanging jokes with her.
Li Buyan sighed. “No wonder everyone wants to pass the imperial examinations and become officials. An official’s life is just too comfortable.”
Yan Sanhe paused for a moment, understanding dawning in her eyes. “No need to envy him. Buyan, massage my foot for me, then help me walk around the courtyard a few times.”
“Stir-crazy at home?”
“Already died of cabin fever several times over. Never felt days pass so miserably.”
“You…”
“Born to suffer.”
After walking several circuits, aside from her ankle lacking strength, nothing else was abnormal—just as Imperial Physician Shen said, improving day by day.
“When I’m not here, have Tangyuan help you walk around more.”
Li Buyan looked around. “Where’s Tangyuan? She disappeared again in a blink.”
“The fourteenth and fifteenth, the Xie residence is holding religious ceremonies, plus preparing for Third Master’s birthday. The household is short-handed, so the eldest madam called her to help.”
Li Buyan, thinking of Third Master’s feelings, probed, “Sanhe, should we prepare a birthday gift for Third Master or something?”
“No need.”
“Why not?”
“He’s the Xie residence’s treasure. So many people are waiting to give him birthday gifts—ours wouldn’t be missed.”
“They give theirs, we give ours. The sentiment is different.”
“What’s different about it?”
Yan Sanhe looked up at Li Buyan, her expression somewhat confused. “Would what we give make him live a hundred years?”
“Yan Sanhe.”
Li Buyan’s face was full of smiles. “Do you hope he lives a hundred years?”
Yan Sanhe choked.
“If you hope so, then you should give something. Tomorrow when I go out, I’ll stop by the shops on the street and see what would be worthy of Third Master.”
“Nothing too expensive—under ten taels.”
“Third Master is only worth ten taels?”
Yan Sanhe straightened her back, her face serious. “These two heart demons haven’t earned much silver. Save where we can.”
Li Buyan: “…”
As they were talking, Tangyuan entered the courtyard carrying a food box, followed by Third Master Xie and the long-absent Young Master Pei.
Why had Young Master Pei come?
Ostensibly for the Tang father and daughter, but actually because he’d dreamed of Yan Sanhe for three consecutive nights and could no longer sit still.
When their gazes met, Young Master Pei’s scalp tingled.
Why am I the only one wasting away with longing?
This girl had been nourished until fair and delicate, even prettier than before.
The person was still the same person, just no longer coming and going through wind and rain.
Three meals a day, good soup and food, occasionally drinking bird’s nest soup and tonic soups—how could Yan Sanhe not be nourished fair and delicate?
Xie Zhifei also hadn’t visited Jingsi Residence for several days. Seeing the complexion of her face, more beautiful than the full moon overhead, he couldn’t help sighing: Indeed, it’s still our Xie family’s water that nourishes people!
After the three were seated, Tangyuan arranged the fruits and pastries from the food box one by one, then closed the door and left.
Seeing Young Master Pei’s eyes downcast, looking as if he didn’t know where to look, Xie Zhifei could only clear his throat. “Found out some things. Came to tell you.”
Yan Sanhe suddenly felt that the ten-tael birthday gift seemed somewhat unworthy of the man before her.
Better add another ten taels.
“Third Master, please speak.”
“It’s about the Tang family residence.”
Xie Zhifei: “The Tang family residence is on Zouma Street—a grand five-courtyard estate. After confiscation, it changed hands several times and now belongs to Yan Ruxian.”
Yan Ruxian?
Yan Sanhe paused for a moment. “Since Third Master mentions this, you must have investigated?”
“Smart!”
Xie Zhifei was unstinting with his praise. “Yesterday, having nothing better to do, I had Zhuqing and Huangqi investigate.”
“And?”
“Quite extravagant.”
Xie Zhifei laughed coldly. “The residence houses the old eunuch’s one wife and four concubines, each a delicate beauty.”
A eunuch taking a wife and keeping concubines—no wonder he was impeached.
Yan Sanhe asked, “Anything else?”
Xie Zhifei shook his head. “Nothing else, just this.”
“Young Master Pei drinking tea during the day, Third Master investigating the Tang family’s old residence at night—you two…”
Yan Sanhe paused. “Truly not afraid at all?”