“Brother Mo.” Zan Jin caught up.

Mo Zi made a sound of acknowledgment from inside the carriage.

“I struck that tail’s pressure points and threw him in a stinking ditch. He won’t be able to move for at least three hours.” Zan Jin had dealt with Ye’er’s guard.

“Very good.” Mo Zi lifted the cloth curtain. “Did your sword drink its fill?”

“Where would I need to unsheath it? Just one fist was enough to knock that fellow down.” Zan Jin curled his lips. “Why haven’t I encountered any really formidable masters until now?”

Mo Zi curved her lips with a smile. “That person who struck your sleep pressure point—I think he was quite formidable. Entering and leaving your room twice, once to make you sleep, once to wake you, yet you didn’t even catch a glimpse of his shadow.”

Sharp light burst forth in Zan Jin’s eyes. “Such a thing will absolutely never happen a second time. Following Brother Mo, with good food and drink, life being too comfortable—that’s why I let my guard down.”

So it was related to her? Mo Zi smiled openly. “Zan Jin, you must know there are people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens. In my view, right now that person is indeed more formidable than you, but in the future, that’s not necessarily so. How old are you again?”

“Nineteen.” Zan Jin raised his head and puffed out his chest. “No need to wait too long. I’ll surpass him.”

“Are we returning to the shipyard now?” Chouyu, who was driving the carriage, asked.

“Chouyu, switch with Zan Jin to drive. You and Minsong return first. I still have a place to go. Moreover, tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival and the mistress will be returning to the mansion. Tonight I need to go see if there’s anything that needs attending to, so I won’t return to Hongyu.” Hongyu had now taken on its first job and couldn’t be left for even a day. Mo Zi didn’t know what arrangements Qiu Sanniang would have.

“Your mistress is returning to the mansion, so why does an outside steward like you need to rush to see her?” In Minsong’s view, since Mo Zi was the person who could make decisions at Hongyu, why did she need to return to the mistress’s place every few days? “Could it be your mistress is a refined and handsome young master, and Brother Mo has secretly given her heart away?”

Chouyu, who had switched positions with Zan Jin, heavily slapped Minsong’s back. “Just mind your own business. Why are you managing who Brother Mo gives her heart to?”

Having said this, he cracked the whip twice, separately landing on the two horses’ rumps.

The horses neighed and in a blink had run far away.

“Brother Mo, where are we going?” Zan Jin drove the carriage.

“Yuan Mansion.” Mo Zi lowered the cloth curtain. The rain was still falling, pattering in her ears. She slowly clenched her fist, her fingertips pressing hard against her palm. Now that Ye’er had seen her, he would know she was still alive. She didn’t know how much time she would have to prepare, but this time she absolutely would not fight alone.

An hour later—

Outside Yuan Mansion.

Zan Jin came to the carriage and returned Mo Zi’s calling card to her, shaking his head.

Mo Zi’s mouth hung half open, somewhat unable to believe it. “He won’t see me?”

A closed-door rebuff?

A closed-door rebuff!

“Ming Nian said the eldest young master has guests at the mansion and can’t get away. If there’s business, leave a message. If there’s something to deliver, hand it in—” Zan Jin’s words cut off because he discovered Mo Zi’s willow eyebrows standing on end looked somewhat fierce.

“If there’s business, leave a message; if there’s something, hand it in?” Was this like when no one answers the phone and it goes to voicemail—please leave a message?

“Yes, Ming Nian is still waiting.” Zan Jin waited for Mo Zi’s instructions.

Mo Zi had just bent down to get out of the carriage when she saw Yuan Mansion’s main gate tightly closed with the small door unopened. She squinted half an eye, then suddenly changed her mind, sat back in the carriage, and lowered her head in thought for a long while.

“Zan Jin, go to Lujiao Alley.” If because she’d said something to him once, he was still angry with her today and found such a lousy excuse to block her outside the door, then he was an absolute petty miser. She’d planned to apologize to him. Hmph—she wouldn’t bother now!

“Brother Mo, Ming Nian—” was still waiting at the door.

“Let him wait until next year.” Mo Zi thought, he could see clearly through the door crack anyway. “Let’s go.”

As soon as Mo Zi left, Ming Nian, who was indeed pressed against the door crack, immediately ran in small quick steps toward the garden in back. As he ran, his heart was uneasy, wondering why these two were both the type who didn’t like to speak plainly.

In Lujiao Alley, Tian Da told Mo Zi that Qiu Sanniang had taken Bai He, Hong Mei, and the other two to eat at Wangqiu Tower.

Mo Zi had business with Qiu Sanniang, so she didn’t waste time waiting. She had Zan Jin drive the carriage to Wangqiu Tower.

Cen Er was in the main hall today. Seeing the two arrive, he was very happy, especially toward Zan Jin. “Brother Zan, guess who came from Luo Zhou?”

“Who?” Before Zan Jin could ask, Mo Zi was more curious.

“Me!” came a shout full of vigor.

Zan Jin jumped up, turned around, stretched out both arms toward the newcomer, grabbed his shoulders, and laughed heartily. “Cen Dalang, you fellow finally came!”

“Zan Jin, you fellow have been living so comfortably in the capital—do you still think of your brother?” Cen Dalang, Cen Er’s older brother, grasped Zan Jin’s arms in return.

In the blink of an eye, the two seemed to have exchanged a move or two.

Mo Zi looked toward Cen Er.

Cen Er told her that when Zan Jin came from Nande to find Wangqiu Tower, he happened to arrive late that evening. Zan Jin was clamoring to see Brother Mo. His father didn’t know the situation and, fearing someone had come looking for trouble, called his older brother out from the back. The two couldn’t communicate, so they had a fight. Fortunately, he arrived in time, or his brother would probably have been sent flying. Not knowing each other without a fight, during the several days Zan Jin stayed temporarily at Wangqiu Tower, he and his older brother became so close—to put it crudely, they had the kind of brotherhood where they could wear the same pants. When Zan Jin set out with him for the capital, his brother accompanied them for several stages before turning back.

“My father only agreed to let him come because my brother pestered him until he couldn’t stand it.” Cen Er gestured toward those two big fellows slapping each other. “Look at that physique, that build, that vigor in speaking—they’re the real brothers. I was picked up somewhere.”

Mo Zi was thoroughly amused. After greeting Cen Dalang, she had Zan Jin stay at Wangqiu Tower tonight to catch up with his good brother.

Zan Jin hesitated. In front of Cen Dalang, he pulled Mo Zi aside. “Brother Mo, recently it hasn’t been peaceful around you. I can’t not stay close.”

Mo Zi smiled gratefully but said, “Tonight I’m returning with the mistress. There are guards from Prince Jing’s Mansion watching outside the courtyard—it couldn’t be safer. You just stay at Wangqiu Tower. If there’s anything, I’ll have Cen Er notify you.”

The closer it got to times like this, the more the benefits of following Qiu Sanniang showed. It would be easy for Ye’er to investigate her identity. Having lost a thousand pine logs for nothing, Zeng Hai would definitely reveal her affairs quite readily. But so what if they traced it to Hongyu? She wasn’t the owner, just a steward. If they wanted to strike at her through Hongyu, that would be futile. And even if they traced it to Qiu Sanniang, the truth that she was Third Mistress of Prince Jing’s Mansion would make people hesitate. She could advance—attacking as she had today, leaving the opponent powerless to resist; or retreat—hiding in the prince’s mansion’s inner quarters disguised as a rough-work maid. At least for now, she had nothing to worry about.

“Cen Er, where is the mistress?” Using both soft and hard persuasion, finally having dealt with Zan Jin, Mo Zi asked.

“At Jingui Pavilion. Speaking of this, I’m a bit puzzled and was just wanting to ask you.” Cen Er led her into the garden. “I heard that Third Master Xiao has been living in Lujiao Alley since the mistress left the prince’s mansion, and was supposed to return to the prince’s mansion tomorrow for Mid-Autumn Festival. Why did he suddenly bring Bai He and the others to drink wine today? Had the servers send two jars of Daughter’s Red, and before half an hour passed, ordered more sent.”

“Don’t know.” Mo Zi answered honestly. She’d been living outside for quite some days. Since Qiu Sanniang hadn’t sent Xiao Yi to call her back, she was happy not to return. “Perhaps after returning tomorrow it won’t be easy to go out, so she wants to drink until completely satisfied.”

“Drink until completely satisfied?” Cen Er thought more than Mo Zi. “Don’t know where Third Master Xiao will rest tonight. If he goes to Lujiao Alley and can’t find the mistress and the maids, what will he think? If she doesn’t return all night, our mistress’s reputation will be finished.”

Mo Zi thought that proximity indeed breeds intimacy. Having followed Qiu Sanniang for a year, she’d originally figured out nine parts of this young miss’s character. Who’d have thought that after just over two months managing affairs outside, Qiu Sanniang’s thoughts had become somewhat like looking at flowers through fog?

A server passed by Mo Zi and Cen Er leading a guest.

Mo Zi was lost in thought and paid no attention.

That person casually glanced over, then looked surprised and called to her uncertainly, “Mo… girl Mo Zi?”

Cen Er looked over before Mo Zi, his tongue suddenly swelling, unconsciously grabbing Mo Zi’s sleeve with one hand. “Th… Third Master!”

Mo Zi looked carefully—wasn’t it Third Master Xiao? Immediately she hurried to curtsey and call him Third Master, then remembered she was wearing men’s clothing. Instantly dark clouds gathered overhead, her expression embarrassed.

Xiao San wasn’t a fool. He’d already seen Mo Zi in men’s clothing three times. If he said Qiu Sanniang sent her out, it seemed far too frequent. Thinking again that Mo Zi’s appearances these past months could be counted on one hand—either demoted to the bamboo grove or said to be ill—it was truly suspicious.

“Mo Zi, why are you in men’s clothing again this time?” His mind organizing the events of the past month or so, his smile took on the same cold quality as Xiao Er’s.

Mo Zi rarely felt distressed inside. Qiu Sanniang had said she’d run into Xiao San once at Wangqiu Tower, but Xiao San hadn’t seen Qiu Sanniang. Since there was a first time, could there possibly be a second?

“Son-in-law, what brings you here?” Deflecting by talking about something else.

“Sanniang invited me.” Xiao San was already thoroughly familiar with Qiu Sanniang’s nature of not liking to be cooped up at home. These past days, he’d also taken her to tour quite a few places. Though surprised when he first received Sanniang’s invitation, he’d accepted it quickly. He thought Wangqiu Tower’s reputation was so resounding that even Sanniang wanted to come see it for herself.

Mo Zi suddenly understood what Qiu Sanniang was trying to do.

“You still haven’t answered me.” Xiao San’s gaze was dark. “As far as I know, what needs managing in your young miss’s dowry are two or three estates and Lujiao Alley. You’re a small maid who doesn’t look like a farmhand—why do you keep going out in men’s clothing? In this, I’m afraid there are things I still don’t know about, right?”

Cen Er began to sweat.

Mo Zi decided not to say too much. “Son-in-law, since my young miss invited you, you’d best hurry to the appointment.”

After two jars of Daughter’s Red, Qiu Sanniang would have quite a lot to say.

Xiao San’s brows furrowed into a river character. “You—”

“Son-in-law, I’ll lead the way for you.” Mo Zi gave Cen Er a look. Cen Er had the server leave with him.

Once Xiao San started using his brain, he was sharp and clear-sighted. “The chief steward of Wangqiu Tower certainly listens to your words.”

Mo Zi still didn’t answer Xiao San, as if truly concentrating on leading the way.

Passing through waterside pavilions and towers, smelling the osmanthus fragrance, entering the osmanthus grove, there was an elegant pavilion raised up on thick wooden posts. The lamplight from the pavilion illuminated the osmanthus flowers golden yellow, like a piece of ethereal golden mist surrounding the pavilion.

Xiao San followed Mo Zi, climbing the steps, and heard a burst of bright female laughter.

The wine fragrance was strong, the intoxication at its height.