Just the external configuration alone took three years.

What about the interior?

Hearing this, Yan Sanhe couldn’t help but reevaluate the Zhu family members.

She even somewhat understood why Zhu Yuanmo, despite knowing she was a Demon Resolver, still didn’t quite trust her.

Because this craft of the Zhu family required time and effort even for the most spiritually gifted person.

“Then what makes Madam’s courtyard good?”

She asked, “Why did Old Master Zhu originally choose that location?”

Zhu Yuanmo took a sip of tea. “My mother’s birthday is the first day of the first lunar month. In her five elements, she lacks water. My father used her eight characters, then used a compass to determine the position, and finally settled on that particular location.”

“Location?”

Yan Sanhe, ever meticulous, caught this: “So that residence wasn’t previously inhabited?”

Zhu Yuanmo was already accustomed to Yan Sanhe’s intelligence.

“That place was originally a small garden.”

Zhu Yuanmo continued, “My father examined all the water mouths before choosing this location.”

Yan Sanhe asked, “What are water mouths?”

“Well…”

Zhu Yuanmo didn’t know how to explain it more simply.

“Water mouths are the entry and exit points of water flow. For ordinary households, water mouths refer to the flow direction of groundwater. In feng shui, water is the dragon’s blood vessels and also represents wealth. That garden is surrounded by water on four sides, and my mother lacks water in her five elements, so it’s extremely beneficial for her.”

“How exhausting!” Li Buyan said coldly, arms crossed.

“Outsiders find it exhausting.”

Zhu Yuanmo nodded. “But for those of us in this profession, we’ve been accustomed to it since childhood. Which direction benefits me, which hour benefits him—everything must be calculated clearly.”

Third Master Zhu had only returned three days ago and didn’t understand Li Buyan’s importance to Yan Sanhe. He only took her for an ordinary maid.

For a maid to interrupt was intolerable.

To rebuke his elder brother was even more intolerable.

Third Master Zhu set his teacup down heavily on the table and said coldly, “Do you know how many people in this world could change their fate because of this bit of effort?”

Yan Sanhe shifted her gaze to look directly at Third Master Zhu. “According to what you’re saying, Madam’s fate changed after moving into that courtyard?”

Third Master Zhu was left speechless.

“Miss Yan, it’s not that exaggerated.”

Zhu Yuanmo shot Third Brother a meaningful glance. “But after my mother moved into that courtyard, her energy and spirit did indeed improve considerably. The water nourished her.”

Previously it nourished, but now perhaps not.

Yan Sanhe asked, “Your mother’s courtyard was carefully calculated by Old Master Zhu. What about you three brothers?”

Zhu Yuanmo answered, “All of them were.”

Yan Sanhe pressed, “Were there never any miscalculations?”

If not for the oddity in his mother’s courtyard, Zhu Yuanmo would definitely have given her two definitive words: None.

After pondering for a long while, he gave a carefully considered answer: “Almost none.”

Yan Sanhe wasn’t quite convinced.

“Then I must trouble you three masters to calculate carefully again for your mother, or bring out the compass to divine whether that courtyard truly benefits her or not.”

The three brothers’ gazes fell on Yan Sanhe almost simultaneously.

After moving their mother out of that courtyard, the three had huddled together to discuss—once it was late at night and Yan Sanhe had returned, they would carefully recalculate the courtyard’s Four Symbols.

“I’m going outside for some air.”

Yan Sanhe glanced at Li Buyan, and the two walked out one after another.

Inside the room, silence fell.

Zhu Yuanmo took out his compass from his robe…

Zhu Yuanzhao spread out a Taiji Bagua diagram…

Zhu Yuanhao asked a maid to bring paper and brush, preparing to draw the twenty-four mountains of that courtyard…

…

In the courtyard.

A cold wind blew past. Yan Sanhe felt indescribably comfortable. Before she could gather her thoughts, Pei Xiao hurried in.

“How did it go?”

Before Pei Xiao could even stand steady, he recounted everything First Madam had said, down to the smallest detail.

As expected, there were no findings.

“Then it’s Third Miss’s turn.”

Yan Sanhe recalled the woman she’d briefly glimpsed that day.

“Mingting, ask her in detail about why Zhu Weixi and Zhu Weijin don’t get along, and also ask why she hasn’t married yet.”

Divine granny, you’re asking for Young Master Pei’s life!

Who asks an unmarried young lady why she hasn’t married yet?

Third Miss might just slap him!

“Then I’ll have to put on the appearance of a proper gentleman.”

Pei Xiao straightened his clothes. Just as he was about to turn, his steps suddenly halted.

“Yan Sanhe, I have a feeling, but I don’t know if I should tell you. If I do, I’m afraid you’ll scold me. If I don’t, it’s sitting in my…”

“Speak!”

“I keep feeling that Third Madam and First Madam both have quite large courage, daring to pour out any words to me.”

Pei Xiao lifted his chin. “It could also be because I’m handsome, good-tempered, and soft-natured.”

“Pfft—”

Li Buyan burst out laughing. “Young Master Pei, don’t flatter yourself. Those two are just stifled.”

Young Master Pei gritted his teeth. “How are they stifled? I didn’t notice.”

Li Buyan said, “In the inner quarters, the main gate never opening, the second gate never stepping through, just guarding their own little plot of land, like golden canaries—well-fed and clothed but knowing nothing of the outside world.”

“Don’t all women in this world live like that? What’s there to be stifled about?”

Young Master Pei saw Li Buyan’s face darken and quickly made his escape. Reaching the courtyard gate, he still turned back to shout:

“Not everyone is like you two.”

“Dog of a man.”

Li Buyan cursed softly, but the corners of her mouth lifted.

Yan Sanhe looked at her, then at Young Master Pei in the distance. A thought surfaced: This one is better than any Imperial Prince or Imperial Grandson!

“Miss Yan.”

The door opened with a creak. Zhu Yuanmo emerged. “We’ve finished calculating.”

Yan Sanhe turned. “How is it?”

Zhu Yuanmo said, “There are no problems whatsoever. Whether using the compass, Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, or the twenty-four mountains, everything shows that residence matches my mother perfectly, like a seamless garment.”

This was strange indeed.

Yan Sanhe frowned and strode into the room.

Inside the room, the Eight Trigrams diagram and such hadn’t been cleared away, spread across the entire table.

She settled into a grand master’s chair. “Buyan, fresh hot tea.”

Once the hot tea was served, Yan Sanhe picked it up and slowly drank half a cup before speaking.

“Zhu Yuanmo, I heard you were all beaten by Old Master Zhu from childhood to adulthood?”

Now the formal questioning truly began.

Zhu Yuanmo nodded. “Yes. I received fewer beatings, Third Brother received more.”

Third Master Zhu said, “My brother has spiritual aptitude. He learns everything quickly, unlike me—I’m slow at everything.”

Yan Sanhe asked, “What do you all have to learn?”

Zhu Yuanmo replied, “Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, Five Elements of Yin and Yang, Four Seasons and directions, the twelve zodiac animals and hours… Too many to list.”

Yan Sanhe pressed, “What are the beatings based on?”

Zhu Yuanmo answered, “Performance in assessments.”

Yan Sanhe was somewhat surprised. “Your profession has assessments?”

“Yes!”

Zhu Yuanmo said, “Otherwise, how would we distinguish who’s good and who’s bad?”

Yan Sanhe asked, “How are these assessments conducted?”

“Assessments in our profession come in many forms. Take what you just asked us three brothers to calculate regarding my mother’s residence—this is called in our trade堪舆 ‘kānyu’, commonly known as feng shui, or house divination.”

Zhu Yuanmo continued, “House divination assessments are divided into yang residences and yin residences.”

Yan Sanhe said, “Yang residences are houses, yin residences are tombs.”

Zhu Yuanmo confirmed, “Correct.”