Three carriages stopped at the Zhu Manor gate.

After stepping down, Yan Sanhe’s gaze swept around and noticed two people were missing.

“Xie Fifty took Zhu Qing to the ministry. After two months away, the ministry is in chaos.”

Young Master Pei walked before Yan Sanhe. “He’ll come after his shift ends. He said not to worry about him.”

Who’s worried?

Yan Sanhe looked at Pei Xiao. “Isn’t your Clergy Registry Bureau in chaos?”

Young Master Pei shot Yan Sanhe a reassuring look. “My Clergy Registry Bureau is in perfect order—doing great!”

Yan Sanhe said no more, turned around, looked up at the Zhu Manor’s dark red gate plaque, then ascended the steps.

At the gate waited an elderly white-haired man.

Around sixty years old, very well-maintained, dressed quite respectably—likely someone with some authority at Zhu Manor.

Eldest Brother Zhu introduced: “This is our manor’s old steward, Zhu Jing.”

Zhu Jing bowed to Yan Sanhe. “Everyone’s assembled, just waiting for you, Miss Yan.”

“No rush.”

Yan Sanhe stepped across the threshold. “First take me to see Old Master Zhu’s courtyard and study.”

“Yes!”

All along the way, the old steward led while introducing things. Yan Sanhe listened while observing.

She’d seen many grand residences—wealthy ones like the Ji family, noble ones like the Xie family, both wealthy and noble like Yan Ruxian’s residence.

The Zhu family’s manor…

She couldn’t quite describe it.

It seemed neither wealthy nor noble, but every landscape feature was ingeniously arranged.

Ordinary households also had artificial mountains and flowing water, but they all looked monotonously similar, failing to catch Yan Sanhe’s attention.

But Zhu Manor’s artificial mountain was reflected by bamboo groves, flowing water accompanied by rocks—mountains within bamboo, bamboo within water, water within rocks…

It was ingenious beyond ingenious.

“Who designed this residence?”

“In response to Miss Yan, this residence is the Zhu family’s ancestral home. After the old master took charge, it was renovated once. Many features were designed by the old master himself.”

Yan Sanhe frowned slightly. “So your old master was also well-versed in feng shui?”

Zhu Jing, being mature and experienced, didn’t rush to answer. Instead, he turned to glance at the eldest master. Seeing him nod, he replied with a smile:

“Our old master was not only versed in feng shui but proficient in the Five Elements, Eight Trigrams, astronomy, and geography—all without exception.”

“Such a person should be very intelligent.”

“Miss doesn’t know—the Zhu family selects its head regardless of legitimate birth or age. The capable rise. For our old master to lead the Zhu family, he naturally possessed first-rate intelligence.”

Yan Sanhe immediately caught the implications. “What was Old Master Zhu’s birth order among his brothers? How many brothers did he have?”

“My late grand master had five sons and two daughters.”

Zhu Jing continued, “The old master ranked fourth and was the only son born of a concubine.”

A concubine’s son rising to lead?

Then Old Master Zhu must have been truly exceptionally intelligent.

Yan Sanhe asked again, “At what age did Old Master Zhu receive the mantle from Old Grand Master Zhu?”

“The Zhu family rule is father dies, son inherits.”

Zhu Jing calculated on his fingers. “The grand master has been dead nineteen years. The old master is forty-nine this year. The old master took charge of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau at age thirty.”

Nineteen?

Forty-nine?

Yan Sanhe also turned to look at Eldest Brother Zhu. “Eldest Master, for those who understand the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, is the number nine auspicious or inauspicious?”

“It can be either auspicious or inauspicious.”

Though Eldest Brother Zhu didn’t understand why she was asking this, he explained patiently.

“Nine is the largest of all numbers, called the extreme of yang numbers, and represents authority. Thus the Son of Heaven is also called the Supremacy of Nine-Five.”

Yan Sanhe’s mind worked very quickly. “So in other words, ordinary people cannot bear the weight of this number?”

“Miss is truly clever.”

Eldest Brother Zhu continued, “Apart from the Son of Heaven, especially for men, this number signifies misfortune. Men struggle to pass the Nine Gates—as the saying goes, eighty-one tribulations, returning to one through nine nines—all validating this principle. My father also couldn’t pass this threshold.”

Yan Sanhe: “Then for women, this number would be auspicious?”

Eldest Brother Zhu nodded. “Nine is the extreme of yang numbers. Women are yin. If used well, it represents yin-yang harmony—greatly auspicious.”

“Young Master Pei.”

Yan Sanhe: “Did you hear that? Be careful when you encounter nines in the future.”

Young Master Pei’s eyes brightened. He habitually nudged the person beside him with his elbow: See that? While dissolving thoughts and resolving demons, the spirit medium can still arrange benefits for her own people.

Don’t touch me.

Li Buyan quickly dodged aside: My head is aching right now. All this yang and yin talk—I don’t understand.

Yan Sanhe asked, “What is Old Master’s surname and given name? Does he have a courtesy name?”

This question the old steward dared not answer directly. Eldest Brother Zhu answered for him. “My father’s name is Xuanjiu, courtesy name Jingzhi.”

Yan Sanhe: “Which ‘jiu’?”

Eldest Brother Zhu: “The ‘jiu’ meaning long-lasting.”

Yan Sanhe: “Are all of Old Master’s generation the Xuan generation?”

“Correct, all are the Xuan generation.”

Eldest Brother Zhu continued, “My eldest uncle is called Zhu Xuanguang, second uncle Zhu Xuangui, third uncle Zhu Xuanyuan, fifth uncle Zhu Xuanjia. The Zhu family names are all based on their birth charts.”

Yan Sanhe was about to nod when her gaze fell on those bamboo plants, showing slight surprise.

“Why have they withered?”

“Yesterday after removing the arrays, overnight all the flowers, grass, and trees in the manor withered.”

Eldest Brother Zhu sighed. “It seems the Zhu family’s misfortune has begun again.”

“It’s a good thing.”

Yan Sanhe glanced at Eldest Brother Zhu. “At least it didn’t target people again, giving us time to respond.”

“Miss Yan, is this true?” Second Brother Zhu’s well-like eyes showed a glimmer of hope.

“It’s true.”

Yan Sanhe: “But the time to respond is limited. We must hurry.”

Hearing “limited,” the old steward quickly quickened his pace. “Miss Yan, please follow me.”

…

In early winter, all things withered.

The dead trees and grass of Zhu Manor added several degrees of bleakness to this desolation.

Forget those who understood feng shui—even those who didn’t, like Young Master Pei and Li Buyan, could sense this was a sign of the Zhu Manor’s decline.

Ordinary family residences were divided into left, middle, and right sections.

The left section was also called the east section, the right section the west. The middle section’s first two courtyards were the main hall and reception hall for entertaining guests, with the rear two courtyards for living quarters.

Those of high status in the family generally lived in the east section.

Old General Zheng’s manor, Xie Manor, Ji Manor… all followed this pattern.

The most prestigious person in Zhu Manor was Zhu Xuanjiu. Logically, he should live in the east, or at minimum in the middle section. Strangely, the old steward was leading Yan Sanhe westward.

“Why did Old Master Zhu live in the west section?”

The old steward quickly explained, “Before the late grand master passed, the five brothers hadn’t divided the household. The old master, being born of a concubine, lived in the northwest corner.”

“Later when they divided, my father said he was accustomed to living in that courtyard and didn’t want to move.”

Eldest Brother Zhu added, “Since I’m the legitimate eldest son, Father had me live in the east section.”

“What about Madam?”

Yan Sanhe asked again, “Did Madam also live with him in the west?”

Eldest Brother Zhu: “Madam lived in the middle section.”

Oh?

Yan Sanhe’s brow furrowed. “Have they slept separately all these years?”

This was difficult to explain.

Eldest Brother Zhu’s expression showed some difficulty.

“Speak the truth, Zhu Yuanmo.”

Yan Sanhe called him by his full name.

“You know the manor’s situation better than I do. We no longer have time for hesitation, evasion, and hedging.”