Tian Si said, “I, I haven’t, thought about that.” He asked, “A’Ting, why—why do you ask?”

Yun Xi said, “Wang’an came of age this year, so by rights he ought to start a family. A’Ling has also just passed her coming-of-age year. I think the two of them are a good match in age, and they already know each other well. I wanted to ask what you think?”

Tian Si froze for a moment. “I—I see.”

He neither agreed nor disagreed. He lowered his eyes and sat there without speaking.

In front of Yun Xi, Tian Si had always said whatever was on his mind. It was rare for him to hesitate like this.

Seeing him hesitate, Yun Xi could understand it well enough.

Tian Si had devoted his whole life to Tian Ze. Back when they first came to Jinling and struggled to gain a foothold, in order to let Tian Ze study in peace for the imperial examinations, Tian Si had gone to the Jingzhao Prefecture to look for work with nothing but a smattering of poor martial skills. He knew a few characters, and working as a copyist in the prefecture office was enough to get by. Because the clerks’ wages were somewhat higher, he wanted to save what was left over to buy brushes and ink for Tian Ze, and ended up getting beaten black and blue by several of the runners at the prefecture office, yet still stubbornly insisted on staying on as a clerk.

Tian Ze was gifted in his studies, and had already earned the rank of provincial graduate. Once the spring examinations were over, if he placed on the list of successful candidates, he would surely rise far in the future. But the Marquis Zhongyong’s household had fallen into decline, and A’Ling had been born into hardship. Marrying her would do nothing to help Tian Ze’s career—and with Yun Shuguang’s name not yet cleared of wrongdoing, it might even harm Tian Ze’s future prospects.

Yun Xi said, “If you feel they aren’t a good match, that they don’t suit each other, you can say so plainly. I won’t mind.”

“A’Ting, you, you mustn’t misunderstand—I don’t think they’re a poor match at all,” Tian Si said hurriedly. “That’s a, a separate matter entirely. Even if—even if Wang’an, later on, becomes accomplished, he ought to remember the manor, remember the kindness we owe you all.”

“It’s just, it’s just—” Tian Si hesitated, “this is, this is Wang’an’s own affair, only he can, can decide for himself. I think—once the exams are over, I’ll ask him what he thinks. I just don’t know if, if Miss A’Ling can wait that long.”

“Then I’ll go ask Uncle Bai,” Yun Xi said with a smile. “In any case, I’ll start preparing A’Ling’s dowry now. Even if she doesn’t end up marrying Wang’an, she’ll need to marry someone eventually. The spring examinations are only a month or two away—let Wang’an focus on his studies without worry.”

As she spoke, she called Zangzang over, took the wooden ball from his mouth, and held it up high to make him jump for it.

Tian Si looked at the hollow wooden ball in Yun Xi’s hand and said, “This wooden ball—was, was it a gift from, from the Third Young Master before?”

He added, “It’s been a while since we’ve seen the Third Young Master.”

Hearing this, Yun Xi’s movements paused slightly.

After a moment, she tossed the ball out again and said, as if it were nothing, “He was promoted to Attendant Censor at the start of the year, and I hear he’s about to be made Heir Apparent to the princedom. He’s probably busy.”

Tian Si nodded—this was one of the major events at court since the New Year began, and he knew of it.

Previously, Emperor Zhaoyuan had remained undecided about who would be named to the crown prince’s position. After the Grand Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, news that the Consort of Prince Yun was pregnant had spread like a stone dropped into still water, stirring up a thousand ripples at once. Several pillar ministers of the court hastily drafted memorials overnight, jointly submitted under the names of the Minister of Personnel and Privy Councilor Yao Hangshan, requesting that His Highness Prince Yun be named Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. Emperor Zhaoyuan had initially given no clear answer, but as the memorials kept arriving one after another, he finally relented on the night of the New Year’s Eve, telling the ministers who had come to pay their respects, “The matter of the crown prince is of great importance—let it wait until the warmth of the third month. Give the order: have the Ministry of Rites, the Court of State Ceremonial, and the Imperial Clan Court begin the preparations, and settle Chang’er’s position as Heir Apparent.”

As he spoke, he casually issued a decree promoting Cheng Chang from Inspector of the Capital to Attendant Censor.

Yun Xi rose to her feet, took the wooden ball Zangzang had fetched back, and set it up high, saying, “I’m going out for a while.”

Tian Si, remembering it was the Lantern Festival, followed after her and asked, “A’Ting, you—you’re going out to see the lanterns?” He glanced at the sky—it was only just past three in the afternoon. “It’s, it’s still a bit early.”

He felt that on such a joyous festival, it seemed rather lonely and pitiful for Yun Xi to go out to see the lanterns all by herself, and added, “Let me come with you, come with you.”

Yun Xi smiled and said, “I’m not going to look at lanterns. I’m just going to buy a couple to bring back for my sister-in-law and A’Ling.”

Fang Furan was ill, and A’Ling needed to stay in the manor to look after Uncle Bai. On such a fine festival, with lanterns and decorations everywhere, they couldn’t go out to see any of it—so she might as well just buy two to bring back. In a few days, once Fang Furan had recovered and A’Ling had some free time, she would take them out to release lanterns themselves.

Yun Xi added, “It’s the perfect time to go out now—otherwise, once it gets late, the streets will be packed, and there’s no telling when I’d make it home. You don’t need to come with me either. Wang’an needs to study, so go keep him company.”

With that, she walked briskly out through the manor gate.

Throughout the entire city of Jinling, the finest lanterns were not to be found on Zhuque Street, but in Tongzi Lane in the western part of the city. Tongzi Lane sat along the banks of the Qinhuai River, and though it was called a “lane,” it was in truth a sprawling district with paths running every which way. All manner of small vendors lined the streets, painted pleasure boats moored along the water, and deeper into the lane one could find shops selling paintings and calligraphy, workshops crafting jade, and establishments offering less savory trades. On ordinary days, these shops and stalls kept to themselves, minding their own business without interfering with one another. But on the fifteenth of the first month, every single one of them lit lanterns through the entire night. The glow of the lanterns began at the tallest towers and cascaded downward, spilling over the deep alleys and long streets, over the teahouses and taverns, all the way down to the waters of the Qinhuai. Seen from a distance or from a height, it looked like countless stars densely falling to earth—breathtakingly beautiful.

Although Yun Xi had set out early, an unusually large number of people were out on the streets to see the lanterns that day, and by the time she hurried her way to Tongzi Lane, dusk had already begun to fall.

The banks of the Qinhuai were lined with vendors selling lanterns. She stopped at one stall and first picked out a lotus lantern for her sister-in-law, then a rabbit lantern for A’Ling, and after a moment’s thought, decided she ought to buy one for herself as well.

She held some rather lovely wishes in her heart—some within reach, others far beyond it. Since night was falling soon anyway, she thought she might as well release a lantern by the riverside before heading home.

As she was thinking this and bending her head to choose a lantern, a figure flickered at the edge of her vision.

She turned to look and caught sight of a brown-robed figure vanishing in an instant among the crowd.

A brown robe?

Yun Xi suddenly remembered what Zhao Wu had said that morning—

“There’s always been someone in a brown robe, his face covered, lingering around the alleys outside the manor. From his build, he looks very much like the young master who passed away.”

Yun Xi’s hand trembled involuntarily.

She steadied herself, set down the lantern in her hand, and walked on along the banks of the Qinhuai as if nothing were amiss, using the reflections on the water and the nearby glass lanterns to keep watch on what was happening behind her.

Sure enough, before long, a figure in a brown robe with his face covered came following after her again.

Yun Xi’s heart began pounding uncontrollably.

She hesitated where she stood, not daring to confront him right away. Zhao Wu had said this brown-robed man was extremely alert and skilled in martial arts—the moment anyone drew close, he would flee.

Yun Xi was planning to lure the brown-robed man into an alley and cut off his escape there. But just as she hesitated, the man in brown seemed to sense something and turned to head back the way he’d come.

Panic seized her, and she immediately gave chase.

What Zhao Wu had said was true.

Even with his face and build hidden beneath the brown robe, just from his build alone, he really did resemble her brother.

Night had fully fallen, and all ten thousand lanterns of Tongzi Lane blazed at once. Crowds of lantern-viewers pressed together, shadowy lantern-light reflected on the water and against the night sky, dazzling and riotous with color, unlike anything of this earthly world.

But Yun Xi had no heart to admire the Lantern Festival’s splendor. The man in brown had already spotted her—he paused for the briefest instant where he stood, then quickened his pace and broke into a run.

Without time to think, Yun Xi shouted, “Stop!” and gave chase without a second thought.

The man in brown’s martial foundation was truly impressive—even with the streets packed shoulder to shoulder with people, he still moved with astonishing speed.

But he seemed unfamiliar with the layout of Tongzi Lane. After cutting through several small alleys, he found himself at the end of a long street with no way forward, and in his desperation, he knocked over a nearby lantern stall and leapt into the narrow alley behind it.

Lanterns of every shape and size scattered across the ground. Yun Xi had meant to stop and help pick them up, but though the narrow alley ahead was a dead end, someone with the man’s skill could easily scale the wall and escape. Terrified of losing him, she rushed forward in pursuit, inadvertently crushing several more lanterns underfoot as she went.

The vendor stared, dumbstruck, then bellowed after her, “You—you—you, what do you think you’re doing! You’ll pay for my lanterns!”

Yun Xi had no time to answer. The narrow alley was a back lane, pitch black inside. She heard no sound of anyone scaling the wall, so she slowed her steps and began feeling her way forward carefully.

The man in brown had apparently hidden himself somewhere. Yun Xi crept further in without a sound, one hand reaching for her fire-striker, when suddenly a gust of forceful wind swept past her ear. She tilted her head to dodge it, and in the next instant, a palm strike came at her from the front.

Her eyes had already adjusted to the darkness, and she recognized that the person she was now grappling with was indeed the man in brown. Gritting her teeth, she instantly dropped her guard entirely and reached recklessly to yank back his hood.

The man in brown clearly had no intention of hurting her—having already struck out with one palm, he saw her drop her guard and forcibly pulled the strike back, and for a moment found himself thoroughly outmaneuvered by Yun Xi’s reckless, all-or-nothing technique.

“Your Honor, over there!”

Shouting suddenly rang out from the mouth of the alley. The man in brown looked back—it was the vendor from before, leading the city patrol censor over.

“All right, all right, that’s enough fighting!”

The man in brown stepped back three paces, then reached up and threw off the cloak covering him.

The brown robe fell to the ground, and in the light carried by the officer’s torch nearby, there stood clearly before her a tall, slender woman.

She wore her hair in a ponytail, just as Yun Xi did. Her two long brows arched slightly upward, and though her eyes were single-lidded, they were shaped like crescent moons, quite lovely. When her lips pressed tightly together, the corners still turned up, carrying a hint of a smile and a touch of stubborn charm.

Yun Xi recognized the person before her and cried out in delight, “A’Jiu!”

A’Jiu seemed rather pleased with herself, hooking an arm around Yun Xi’s shoulders. “Not bad skill, you’ve improved—but still not quite up to mine!”

Yun Xi glanced around and asked, “Are you here alone?”

“Huh? Who else would there be?” A’Jiu followed Yun Xi’s gaze and looked around as well. “Who did you think it’d be?”

Yun Xi fell silent for a moment, feeling a twinge of disappointment. But then she thought again—her brother had been gone four years now, and it had only ever been an unrealistic hope to begin with. That A’Jiu had come back was already more than enough.

Yun Xi brightened again and asked, “So it was you lurking around the Marquis Manor these past few days?”

“That’s right,” A’Jiu said.

“Didn’t the Ministry of War say you all wouldn’t arrive in Jinling until February? How did you get back so fast?”

“I’m quick on my feet—Old Zhong and the rest couldn’t keep up with me.” A’Jiu lifted her chin proudly. “I wanted to get back first and surprise you. It took some doing to find out the way to the manor, but when I finally went to look, half the people there were strangers to me. There was one who looked fair and delicate, almost like a young lady—no idea who that was.”

Yun Xi laughed, about to explain that the fair, delicate-looking one was Tian Si, when a voice came from behind them: “Here, right here—it’s these two who knocked over my stall.”

It was the lantern vendor from before, arriving with the city patrol censor.

By the light of the lanterns, he got a good look at Yun Xi and A’Jiu, let out a “Hah!”, and beat his chest, stamping his feet. “Just look at them—two perfectly fine young ladies, and what do they go and do? Ruin an honest man’s livelihood! Your Honor, you must see justice done for me!”

The city patrol censor acknowledged him and was about to ask for details when he took a closer look at Yun Xi, recognized her, and froze. “Commandant Yun?”

He found himself in an awkward spot.

He and Yun Xi held the same seventh rank, but Yun Xi was also the daughter of the Marquis Zhongyong—not someone he could simply deal with as he pleased. After hesitating a moment, he said, “Why don’t we do this—I’ll take you all to see the censor on duty tonight.”

Offices like the Censorate and the Privy Council maintained not only their main headquarters within the outer palace, but also duty stations in the eastern, western, southern, and northern parts of Jinling.

Tongzi Lane lay in the western part of the city, not far from the Censorate’s western station. The city patrol censor led Yun Xi and the others there, arriving at the central courtyard of the western station.

The city patrol censor cupped his hands in salute. “Please wait here in the courtyard a moment—I’ll go announce your arrival.”

Yun Xi nodded. “Much obliged.”

By now night had fully fallen. Looking out into the distance, a lamp burned within the duty chamber ahead, and against the window was cast a quiet silhouette. On the desk before the silhouette sat stacks of documents piled like a mountain, and the figure was reading through them with great focus.

Whoever this official was, he was certainly diligent, holed up working through the night of the Lantern Festival.

While they waited to be announced, A’Jiu nudged Yun Xi with her elbow, finding the whole thing rather amusing. “Hah, just look at this person—the whole of Jinling is out celebrating the Lantern Festival, and here he is, hiding away reading documents all by himself. Working this hard, he’s probably some old bookworm. Well, that’s fine too—if he’s not aiming to rise far in this life, managing to land a post as a censor in the Censorate is already pretty good!”

Yun Xi glanced at her but said nothing.

Seeing that Yun Xi wasn’t paying her any attention, A’Jiu pointed at the silhouette in the window and instead turned to tease the vendor crouched off to the side. “Don’t look so wronged—look, His Honor is about to see justice done for you! If it weren’t for running into us, you wouldn’t even have this good fortune!”

The vendor let out a “Hmph,” tucked his hands into his sleeves, turned his face away, and shuffled a step further off to the side.

The city patrol censor who had gone to announce them soon returned and said to Yun Xi and the others, “The Attendant Censor asks that you come in.”

Yun Xi nodded and led A’Jiu into the duty chamber.

A lamp burned inside the chamber. The moment they stepped in, they heard snoring. Yun Xi looked closely and saw two smaller desks set to either side of the main writing desk, also piled high with documents. Sun Haiping and Zhang Dahu lay sprawled across the documents in an ungainly heap, fast asleep and dead to the world.

Only the person seated at the central desk remained awake. The way he read was focused and calm, like a figure from a painting, or an immortal beneath the moon.

For an instant, it seemed to still everyone’s heart.

“My lord, they’re here.”

Cheng Chang looked up, and upon seeing Yun Xi, was momentarily taken aback as well.

When the city patrol censor had come to announce their arrival earlier, he hadn’t given any names, only saying that some officials had caused a disturbance in Tongzi Lane.

Since it was Yun Xi, there must have been some good reason behind it.

Cheng Chang was about to ask, but before he could speak, the vendor suddenly threw himself to the ground, wailing, “Your Honor, you must see justice done for this humble man!” He shot a glance at Yun Xi and A’Jiu, and recalling that the city patrol censor earlier had addressed Yun Xi as some kind of “Commandant,” assumed she must be the ringleader, and pointed at her. “It was her! She and her accomplice not only knocked over my stall and trampled my lanterns, but while we were waiting outside just now, she insulted me with her words—insulted you too, my lord! She said you were a bookworm who’d never amount to anything in this life! This was clearly them coming to cause trouble on purpose! My lord, a scholar may be killed but not humiliated—you must seek justice for this humble man, and for yourself—”

When Cheng Chang heard that it was Yun Xi causing the trouble, he hadn’t believed it at first. But the more the vendor spoke, the more astonished he grew.

His gaze slowly shifted to Yun Xi, one eyebrow raised.

Yun Xi: “……”

She lowered her eyes and quietly scuffed the heel of her boot against the floor.

She wasn’t sure which was harder—the dagger at her waist, or the brick beneath her feet.

Never mind which was harder—she just wanted the ground to split open and swallow her whole.