Hearing Situ Sheng invite her to drink tea, Chu Linlang gave a polite smile and said she had eaten her fill tonight and could not manage another drop.

After the pleasantries, the two fell silent again — one seated, one standing — both tilting their heads to gaze seriously at the spider spinning its web from the ceiling beam above.

Perhaps feeling that this was too awkward, Situ Sheng finally found a topic and said in a measured tone: “The father-in-law of the Sixth Prince is a shrewd man who knows how to navigate the world. Though he is a military officer, he is not the sort to bully and oppress others. As long as you leave some room in your dealings, Madam need not worry that his household will resort to any truly despicable schemes against you. However, this area has been rather unsettled of late and is not a place to linger. If Madam wishes to find lodgings outside the Zhou residence, you may come to the Court of Judicial Review the day after tomorrow — by then, someone will help you find a more suitable place to stay.”

Chu Linlang understood. Situ Sheng pitied her situation and was extending a kindness, pointing out the path ahead for her.

The Xie family was, after all, a law-abiding household of high standing. As long as her terms for separation were not too unreasonable, they should not bother to move against a woman who had been cast aside.

As for his suggestion that she find new lodgings, Chu Linlang expressed her gratitude but still politely declined.

She had not yet completed the separation from Zhou Sui’an. If she accepted Situ Sheng’s goodwill at this moment, it would instead give others a handle to use against her — malicious-minded people would pour filth all over her.

Seeing her politely refuse, Situ Sheng said no more. The tea had been drunk dry. He slowly rose to his feet and said to Chu Linlang: “If Madam has any need, feel free to come to the Court of Judicial Review to find me.”

With that, he made to leave.

But Linlang reached out and tugged at the sleeve of his robe, looking rather embarrassed as she gestured at his lips: “The tea was somewhat over-roasted… Your Honor… would you perhaps like to wipe your mouth?”

Situ Sheng had been so absorbed in tasting the tea that the corners of his mouth were now ringed with a dark ‘beard.’ If he went out looking like that, it would be most undignified.

Having said this, she quickly handed over her own handkerchief and let Situ Sheng wipe his mouth.

Just at that moment, someone suddenly came calling for Situ Sheng, saying that a certain person had been apprehended. Situ Sheng had no time to return the handkerchief — wiping his mouth as he went, he strode away in great haste.

Xia He shut the front gate, which had just been repaired, and said to Chu Linlang with lingering fear: “Miss, we are unfamiliar with this part of the capital. Would it not be better… if you went back?”

Chu Linlang shook her head. She absently picked up the tea cup and tasted a sip of the tea she had roasted herself. But the very next moment, she wrinkled her brow and spat it out.

Heavens above! How could it taste this terrible! Did that man have no tongue? How had he managed to drink two full cups of it?

And at this hour, elsewhere in the capital, besides this alleyway being disturbed by officials and soldiers who kept anyone from sleeping soundly, in the master’s chamber of the Xie residence on the other side of the city, all the lights were blazing and no one could rest either.

General Xie Sheng had worked himself into such a rage that he had developed a migraine. The acupuncture needles had barely been removed from his head before he impatiently resumed his tirade against his second daughter.

“My face! It has simply been hung up on the city gate tower by you! Not only committing adultery, but then having the other woman’s husband lodge a complaint at our door! I never should have given birth to such a wretch of a—”

Before General Xie could finish his scolding, the kneeling Xie Youran suddenly leapt to her feet and said with a cold laugh: “Who asked you to give birth to me? Did you not abandon me in the countryside on the word of some fortune-teller? Do you think I wanted to come back? In this household, who has ever truly cared about me? I was nothing but a prop to put on a show, a trade for someone else’s advancement. You may beat me to death right now if you like. In my next life I would rather be reborn as an ox or a horse than be human!”

These utterly outrageous words made the mother, Su Shi, standing nearby wish she could sew her second daughter’s mouth shut. Meanwhile, General Xie had already flung off the sandal from his foot and jumped up to grab the sword hanging on the wall.

Summoned by her mother’s call, the Sixth Prince’s consort Xie Dongli had rushed back to her family home — and had she ever seen such a scene? Frightened, she hurried over to hold her father’s arm, urging him to calm down and not lower himself to her younger sister’s level.

The Sixth Prince’s consort was two months pregnant, so even if General Xie had been maddened with rage, he had to hold himself back, fearing he might jar the belly of his eldest daughter.

Once the sword had been wrested away by his eldest daughter, he stretched the veins on his forehead taut and said: “There is no need for you to be throwing your life away. Just on account of the scandalous deeds you have committed becoming known — every person hurling a rotten egg would be enough to flatten you into an ox or horse on the spot! Did I fail to find you a decent family? That Zhou… Zhou Sui’an — what sort of lineage or character does he have, to have you throwing yourself at him so shamelessly?”

Xie Youran said coldly: “He has no distinguished lineage, but he passed the imperial examinations through his own efforts alone. And because of his outstanding talents, he earned my brother-in-law’s admiration and was promoted to the capital. Though his appearance cannot compare to Pan An, he is absolutely a refined and gentle gentleman. Except for lacking a father who is a Censor, in what respect is he inferior to that toad from the Wang family?”

Though her father had drawn his sword in a fury, she was not afraid. Father, though he always scolded and berated Mother and glared and intimidated people, had never laid a single finger on either of his two daughters.

Never mind that he was drawing the sword with such imposing authority — as long as Mother and Elder Sister were here, he could not bring it down!

Besides, not everyone was as terrifying as Chu Linlang when she flew into a rage.

The Sixth Prince’s consort was dumbfounded by all this, only now realizing why her younger sister had earlier spoken well of Zhou Sui’an to the Sixth Prince and asked him to step in on Zhou Sui’an’s behalf in arranging a higher-grade residence.

She had originally thought that Zhou Sui’an had bribed her sister with silver in exchange for favorable treatment — after all, he had come from Ji Province, so showing him a little consideration seemed harmless enough.

But she had never in a million years imagined that what Zhou Sui’an had used was not silver, but the charm of his person!

Mother Su Shi was also filled with regret. She truly should not have agreed back then, letting an unrelated man travel back with them all the way.

That Zhou Sui’an had appeared so proper and dutiful — how could he have carried on such vile behavior?

But regretting now was too late. All they could do was think of how to cover up this scandal. She let out a long sigh: “But he already has a wife and a concubine. You throwing yourself at him like this — what does that even make you? Listen to me. It is best to quietly have that abomination in your belly gotten rid of, and then seek a proper husband.”

Xie Youran lifted her chin and said plainly: “In this life I will marry no one but Zhou Lang. If you dare touch the child in my womb, kill me first. Moreover, that Chu woman has already said she will separate from Zhou Sui’an and make way for me to take the position of principal wife.”

Even the Sixth Prince’s consort was greatly astonished: “How is that possible? Did the lady herself tell you this directly? Or… did Gentleman Zhou pressure her into requesting the separation?”

Xie Youran said impatiently: “Sui’an is by nature the most gentle and accommodating of men — how could he possibly do something like setting aside his wife to remarry? That Chu woman, feeling inferior to others, believes herself unable to bear children and feels she has failed the Zhou family, so she went and sought the separation on her own initiative!”

Su Shi felt a little relief upon hearing these words. She had heard that this Chu woman was of low birth. If she left without causing a fuss, quietly completing the separation, her daughter’s scandal could still be concealed…

Xie Sheng, who had been stewing in solitary fury, heard this and once again flung his tea cup toward his younger daughter, eyes wide: “Brainless thing! ‘Sought it on her own initiative’? She has already named a grand price and is waiting for our family to go begging! Just look at those shop fronts she listed — which one of them could the Zhou family afford to buy? It would have to be the Xie family footing the bill! Your elder sister just married into a prince’s household, and the dowry for that already cost no small sum. Where would we find such a large sum of money now? Even using your dowry to fill the gap would not be enough!”

Xie Youran said indignantly: “Why is it that marrying Elder Sister off came with gold and silver aplenty, but now there is suddenly no money for me? I simply refuse to believe that a mere five shop fronts cannot be scraped together between our family and the Zhou family!”

Su Shi had by now also read Chu Linlang’s letter, and drew in a sharp breath: “She only just arrived in the capital — how does she know the market so well? These shop fronts are all premium properties worth a fortune!”

Xie Sheng threw up his hands helplessly: “When shop fronts change hands in the capital, it is all out in the open — no buyer can hide. When the time comes, we would purchase premium properties at top price and then hand them over to that Chu woman. Once word gets around, who could fail to guess what is going on? I, Xie Sheng, have always kept a low profile, seeking only peace and stability — and yet in the end I am left with a reputation for indulging my daughter’s outrageous behavior and spending silver to drive away another man’s rightful wife… My old face! I should have died at the Battle of Broken Water and given my life for my country alongside General Yang!”

The Battle of Broken Water was a national humiliation. In particular, the fact that Yang Xun’s son had surrendered to the Jing Kingdom was the Emperor’s great heartache. Xie Sheng had been so consumed by rage that he had actually spoken such words — this so frightened Su Shi that she rushed over to cover her husband’s mouth.

But all the shouting about killing and dying was useless. Now that the wayward daughter was with child, it was impossible to force her into an abortion and remarriage to another man, yet neither could they bring themselves to send her to a nunnery.

If they did not think of a solution, the family scandal could no longer be contained. In the end, it was the Sixth Prince’s consort who decided to act as intermediary and first have a talk with the Chu woman.

The Xie family’s thinking was that they also did not want Chu Linlang to formally separate — not only because they could not meet her demanded price, but also because many of the officials who had returned to the capital from Ji Province with the Sixth Prince were acquainted with the Zhou family. If Chu Linlang were driven away, the reputations of both the Xie family and the Zhou family would be ruined together.

Since the Chu woman had shown a willingness to yield, it would be best if she could demote herself to the status of a concubine. The Xie family would then supplement her with some additional personal silver. Even if she did not wish to remain in the Zhou household, they could arrange a house for her back in her hometown of Jiangkou, letting her live independently. Would that not be an arrangement satisfactory to all?

But no sooner had this idea been raised than Xie Youran reacted as if she had been bitten by a dog, angrily declaring that the Chu woman was a vicious and heavy-handed schemer who absolutely could not be allowed to stay.

Xie Sheng found her only adding to the chaos and ordered the household servants to keep watch over her, locking her in her room. The remaining matters he handed to his eldest daughter to mediate, and to first sound out Chu Linlang’s position.

But when the Sixth Prince’s consort sent someone to the Zhou residence to relay a message, she discovered that Chu Linlang had actually taken her two personal maids with her and moved out.

The prince’s household’s manager traced one path after another until he finally learned Chu Linlang’s whereabouts, and only then sent someone to invite her to the royal residence.

Seeing Chu Linlang bow in greeting, the Sixth Prince’s consort wore a look of faint embarrassment and personally helped her to her feet: “It was only two days ago that I came to know of this…”

At this point, the Sixth Prince’s consort could not bring herself to say more. Fortunately, Chu Linlang stepped in and took over the words in time: “The bond between Zhou Lang and me has simply run its course. It is no one else’s fault.”

Originally, the Sixth Prince’s consort had looked at the list Chu Linlang had written and believed she did not truly wish to separate — that she was deliberately making things difficult, setting conditions and demanding an outrageous sum just to obstruct things.

She had not expected Chu Linlang to be so entirely contrary to her expectations — not a trace of the grieving wife’s weeping and wailing, not a word accusing Xie Youran of moral failings, only magnanimously taking all the blame upon herself.

This left the Sixth Prince’s consort’s entire prepared speech lodged in her stomach, without a single line she could use.

When the Sixth Prince’s consort conveyed the Xie family’s wishes to Chu Linlang, Chu Linlang said calmly: “Money and silver — enough for me to make a living is sufficient. These past two days I have also thought it through clearly. Since Zhou Lang has his heart set on the Second Miss, why should I not help bring them together? Oh, and the day I met Second Miss Xie — I was upset in the moment and my behavior was somewhat improper. I hope the consort will forgive me. In truth, as long as the Zhou family is willing to return to me the two shop fronts I earned myself, the other properties I will not demand… As for demoting myself to the status of concubine, there is simply no need for that.”

Chu Linlang had so easily yielded, not demanding the Xie family’s sky-high compensation — this surprised the Sixth Prince’s consort yet again.

The woman who had her husband taken away had neither raged and poured out her grievances, nor demanded money and silver from the Xie family as recompense. She was willing to vacate her position. And all she asked for were the shop fronts she herself had diligently built up after marriage.

This was the compassionate heart of a bodhisattva, a broad and generous spirit!

If the Xie family still pressed this living female bodhisattva to demote herself to a concubine for the sake of both families’ reputations, they would be worse than beasts.

Right then and there, the Sixth Prince’s consort confirmed that Chu Linlang’s determination to separate was unwavering. She offered warm words of comfort to Chu Linlang, gave her younger sister a thorough scolding, and promised that the Xie family would send someone to mediate with the Zhou family’s elder mistress. Even if Chu Linlang did not want the additional shop fronts, the Xie family would separately provide a sum of silver, and would certainly ensure that Chu Linlang departed with dignity. Only then did she personally see Chu Linlang to the door.

After seeing Chu Linlang off, the Sixth Prince’s consort turned back inside. Her mother Su Shi had been in the adjacent room all along, listening.

But accompanying Su Shi was Su Shi’s own younger sister.

This woman had married into the household of a minor official in the capital surnamed An. Her husband had pursued a scholarly career, but his advancement had not risen as high as her brother-in-law’s, who had begun as a mere military junior officer. This made Aunt An quietly feel dissatisfied. From time to time she would come to take advantage of her elder sister and brother-in-law’s good fortune.

She considered herself shrewder than Su Shi, and was the sort who liked to show off and meddle in other people’s affairs. Having learned of this matter from her elder sister’s lips, she had come to help her elder sister devise a plan.

Aunt An had also heard the exchange between the Sixth Prince’s consort and Chu Linlang, and was not satisfied. She felt that her niece, as the consort of a prince, had apologized to a common merchant’s daughter of low birth — it had not been carried off with nearly enough imposing authority.

After the Zhou family handed over the two shop fronts, what would be left? Elder Sister and her husband truly were not looking out for their second daughter’s interests.

If she had been the one handling it, she would certainly have gotten that Chu woman thoroughly under control, subdued and obedient, walking away with nothing but the clothes on her back!

Su Shi only sighed: “Enough. It is best that this matter is quietly settled without a scene. It is also fortunate that the Chu woman is decent and reasonable.”

Aunt An let out a cold snort: “Yes indeed, she has quite the good fortune — to encounter a family like yours. You gave her the shop fronts, and yet you still have to give the Xie family’s silver as well — what kind of logic is that! If only you had told me about this sooner…”

Aunt An was in the midst of speaking with increasing enthusiasm when she caught the look the Sixth Prince’s consort cast in her direction, and finally fell silent with an ill-pleased air. She followed her elder sister and left the royal residence.

Now, when Chu Linlang stepped out through the royal residence’s main gate, she let out a soft breath of relief.

No one knew better than she did what her mother-in-law Zhao Shi was like. If she herself had tried to take the two shop fronts away, that mother-in-law would likely have used her inability to bear children as ammunition again, pressing Zhou Sui’an to simply dismiss her outright and send her away with nothing.

But now, having first made outrageously extravagant demands and then magnanimously stepped back, she had earned a measure of guilty gratitude from the Sixth Prince’s consort, and had generously shown she would protect the Xie family’s reputation.

In due course, the Xie family would naturally step in and apply pressure, making the Zhou family hand over the shop fronts along with the separation document. This was far better than fighting it out alone against that mother and son…

After all, what leverage did she have to contend with the powerful and privileged households of the capital? Being practical, being accommodating and understanding — this was the only way to protect her own interests as much as possible…

She was still thinking about what she should do next when, with one glance, she saw a tall man standing across from the royal residence with a young attendant, looking in her direction.

His Honor Situ? It was the time of morning when officials of the various departments would be conducting their business — how was he here idling about?

Remembering that he had repaired her gate two days ago, Chu Linlang walked over to return his greeting.

Hearing Chu Linlang ask why he was here, Situ Sheng answered honestly: “Today I came to return the handkerchief, but only found Miss Dongxue at home. She told me you had come to the Sixth Prince’s residence, so I came here to wait for you.”

Chu Linlang was momentarily startled, remembering that he had taken her handkerchief when he wiped his mouth that day.

But to return something, leaving it with Dongxue would have been fine — why had he come here as well?

So she asked: “Your Honor has come all this way — is there something important you wished to say to me?”

Situ Sheng drew the handkerchief from his lapel and handed it to Chu Linlang, saying in a measured tone: “Did Madam not once entreat me to protect your safety? Hearing that you had entered the royal residence alone, I came to keep watch.”

Ah? Chu Linlang did not quite understand at first, and took the handkerchief with a blank expression.

She had completely forgotten that she had knelt by the lakeside and beseeched the great and righteous Lord Situ to act on her behalf. Even less had she imagined that Situ Sheng had taken it seriously and had come, quite solemnly, to escort and guard her.

Looking at the pile of melon seed shells that the young attendant Guanqi had knocked to the ground, they must have been standing here for quite some time.

With this realization, Chu Linlang was truly moved. Looking again at Situ Sheng in his junior minister’s official robes — so upstanding and commanding — he was truly the guardian deity of the capital’s common people, inspiring complete peace and reassurance in all who saw him!

Chu Linlang broke into a tearful smile, and for the first time in her life, she offered Situ Sheng wholly sincere and genuine praise for his impressive and commanding bearing.

Situ Sheng listened patiently to her flattery for a while, then interrupted her words at an opportune moment and asked about how things had gone for her inside the royal residence.

Chu Linlang could never have imagined that, with her and Zhou Sui’an’s separation being hashed out, the person she could discuss it with would be neither her mother far away a thousand li, nor her elder half-sister here in the capital, but this Situ Sheng, who had no connection to her whatsoever.

But since this official already knew the beginning and the end of the matter, she had no reason to conceal anything. After all, she had come to know Situ Sheng even earlier than she had known Zhou Sui’an.

The two of them had no sedan chairs, so they walked like this along the somewhat secluded streets and alleyways, talking as they went.

For most of the time it was Chu Linlang who spoke while Situ Sheng listened in silence.

When he heard her say that after the separation she planned to leave the capital and go look for her mother, Situ Sheng finally spoke: “If you return like this, your family by birth may not be easy to deal with either. If you have no reliable place to settle, it would be better to remain in the capital for now — at the very least, the public order here is better than in other places.”

Chu Linlang thought of the gate that had been kicked down the night before last and did not quite agree with the assessment of the capital’s public order.

But if she said so, she would be slapping the face of this guardian deity of the capital standing beside her.

His Honor Situ himself proactively brought up the matter: “The night before last, there was a dangerous criminal on the loose. Someone spotted him fleeing into the alley where you live, which is why the officials and soldiers came searching. Events like this do not happen too often. But if you were to move to Cuicui Alley in the southern part of the city, the public order there would be considerably better.”

This was the second time he had suggested she move. Chu Linlang was just about to ask why the public order in Cuicui Alley was so much better when the sound of hoofbeats suddenly erupted in the alley. A pair of tall horses came charging in without slowing down.

Seeing the horses rushing forward without any sign of stopping, Situ Sheng acted with swift eyes and quick hands, pulling Chu Linlang and Xia He, who were standing in the middle of the road, out of the way.

Xia He fared somewhat better — she stumbled and crashed into the door panel of a shop to the side. But Chu Linlang lost her footing entirely and slammed straight into the man’s arms…

His official robes also carried a faint fragrance of soapberry pods — just like the scent that had drifted around the tip of her nose in the carriage that time long ago. And how was this man’s chest so hard? The impact made her nose ache?

In the chaos, Chu Linlang even reflexively pressed her hands against his firm, broad chest…

Just at this moment, the burly man who had been leading the charge through the alley reined in his horse, turned his head, and looked coldly at Situ Sheng who was holding a beauty in his arms. He let out a cold laugh: “His Honor Situ, you certainly have it easy. The Court of Judicial Review has everyone working themselves to the bone, and yet here you are having a private tryst with a beautiful woman?”

He had stolen a quick glance just moments ago and caught a glimpse of Chu Linlang’s profile. Good heavens — what a beauty indeed…

Chu Linlang quickly extricated herself from Situ Sheng’s arms. Because those people and their horses were blocking the street, she could not get out for a moment, so she lowered her head to avoid attention and turned to face the shop fronts along the road.

The newcomer looked somewhat unsatisfied as he let his gaze linger a moment on Chu Linlang’s graceful back, then directed his eyes toward Situ Sheng: “Two days ago, the Crown Prince was nearly assassinated. He had specifically entrusted His Honor Situ to make absolutely certain the assassin was caught. Yet during the capture that night, you were nowhere to be found for a long time. Although the troops from the military camp managed to apprehend someone, they carelessly got him killed! How can a dead man be interrogated? You tell me — could it be that someone deliberately silenced him to destroy the evidence?”

Situ Sheng stood with his hands clasped behind him, watching the man who had arrived — this was Chen Fang, the sword-bearing guard of the Eastern Palace Crown Prince, the deputy commander of the horse cavalry.

He was a favored man before the Crown Prince. Like Situ Sheng, the Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, both held the rank of Senior Fifth Grade, so he spoke without restraint — he had not even dismounted from his horse.

Listening to his accusations, Situ Sheng said only in a composed tone: “The soldiers sent by the military camp that day had little regard for proper conduct. They broke into a private residence without authorization and kicked down the gate of someone’s home — leaving a whole household of women, just like that, with no one to take responsibility. They were likely going to be banging on the yamen’s drum the next morning. I gave them a hand and helped repair it a bit. By the time that small matter was done, the military camp’s people had already caught the assassin. When I arrived, the man had already breathed his last. But Commander Chen may rest assured — even with only a corpse, the Court of Judicial Review will certainly follow the clues and track down the assassin’s accomplices!”

Chen Fang looked sidelong at Situ Sheng, giving another cold snort in his heart: What manner of creature is this! In the past he was nothing more than an idle official in the Hanlin Academy, entertaining princes for amusement. And yet he climbed his way up step by step by relying on that good-for-nothing Sixth Prince, then exploited the toppling of the imperial uncle, Prince Tai, to gain standing before His Majesty.

But this Situ fellow was truly slippery and smooth, exceedingly good at reading the situation. Knowing full well that this Crown Prince’s ‘assassination attempt’ ran deep, he had skirted the edges and kept his distance.

As a result, the people aligned with the Fourth Prince had seized the advantage and successfully silenced the assassin.

And Situ Sheng had gotten off cleanly — after all, whether the man lived or died was entirely the responsibility of the military camp that was jointly conducting the investigation. It had nothing to do with the Court of Judicial Review.

Now that the assassin was dead, all the effort the Crown Prince had put into laying this trap had come to nothing.

The original plan had been to catch the assassin alive and prove he had been sent by the Fourth Prince, dealing the Fourth Prince a blow from which he could never recover. But this Situ Sheng had been utterly useless.

It should be noted that when the Crown Prince had heard that Situ Sheng and the Sixth Prince had fallen out, he had intended to draw this newly appointed Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review over to his side, and had even dropped early hints that he should keep a careful watch on duty that night.

What a pity that his good intentions had been placed with the wrong person. Situ Sheng had served the Crown Prince’s interests with such complete lack of enthusiasm. A man with no sense of the important things! Did he not see how many years the current Emperor had left? Among all the princes today, who could match the Crown Prince?

If Situ Sheng was so fond of carpentry work, sooner or later he would be demoted to the Imperial Workshop of Works and spend his days as a laboring craftsman!

With that thought, Chen Fang had no patience to waste further words on this man who was throwing his own future away. He simply cracked his whip, shouted to his retinue, and rode away.

Chu Linlang had been facing the door panel all along, listening quietly. She had understood perhaps seven or eight parts of it.

Though she could not grasp the origins of what had just been said, she suspected that whether the assassin had been caught alive or dead, Situ Sheng would not have come out ahead either way.

No wonder he had been able to drink that horribly bitter rice tea. As it turned out, he had run to her courtyard to lie low and avoid trouble.

Hearing that the others had gone, she could not help but steal a glance at Situ Sheng — only to find that Situ Sheng was also looking at her.