RBBPM Chapters 31 to 35

 CHAPTER 31

In the Xia Marquis Mansion in the middle of the night, Su Qian'an was playing two roles in the house for Xia Chu.

It turned out that in the afternoon, Du Ming, the second son of the Prime Minister's Mansion, found out that Qiu Zhiting had gone to see Bingwen. He took some people to Bingwen and asked them about the details of their meeting.

Bingwen didn't panic at all when he saw Du Ming coming over with someone. On the contrary, there was a cold air about him, completely different from his long-standing scholarly elegance, humility, and courtesy. He looked at Du Ming as if he were a poisonous snake spitting out venom—it was very scary.

Xia Chu smiled when she heard this and asked, "And then?"

Bingwen asked who was coming, whether he had an official position, who sent him, and whether he had documentation. That Du Ming was stunned by Bingwen; he had probably never seen anyone be so rude to him. Gritting his teeth, he said that he was the son of Prime Minister Du Cheng and that he was ordered by Prime Minister Du to inquire.

Bingwen didn't even smile—just showed contempt. Xia Chu was reassured.

Su Qian'an nodded in amazement and imitated Bingwen: "Yes, Bingwen just smiled like that." Then he replied, "It turns out to be Prime Minister Du Cheng questioning. I am just a scholar who came to the capital for the Spring Examination. I arrived early and usually made a few pleasant friends here to discuss poetry and literature. The person Du Cheng is asking about, I’ve only met a few times. It was merely casual encounters."

"Bingwen is talking nonsense, one line after another." Xia Chu smiled and said, "Du Ming must have gotten angry after hearing that."

Su Qian'an had a strange feeling that the Young Master was at the scene at that time...

Then Du Ming snorted and said that Bingwen had a clever mouth. He wanted to take him back to the Prime Minister's Mansion to see if he would still be so hard-mouthed. After Su Qian'an finished speaking, he straightened his waist, beat his left chest with his right hand, and raised his head proudly, saying: "Then I stepped in according to your instructions and took out the Marquis Mansion token you gave me. I told him that this place belongs to the Young Master. If he wants to take someone away from this establishment, he should speak to you."

"Well done." Xia Chu nodded, praised him, and then asked, "Did Du Ming leave?"

"No, but he was much more polite and courteous. He even asked whether Gongzi Bingwen would be interested in discussing poetry together."

"This Du Ming is really boring." Xia Chu didn’t need to think to know that he must have been rejected.

Bingwen held his poise, looked Du Ming up and down, and sneered in the end: "I don’t think you’re suited for it, please leave." When Su Qian'an recounted this, he couldn’t help but laugh. After regaining his composure, he continued: "Later, this Du Ming rushed downstairs, stood at the door for a long time, and then flicked his sleeves and left angrily."

Xia Chu thought, right now, Du Hanfei can't be touched. Let him vent and be angry through his son—it’s fine.

"Young Master, what should I do next?" Su Qian'an asked.

"Wait."

"Wait?"

"Don’t worry, unless something unexpected happens, it's time to wait for tomorrow..."

"Yes."

"You go back and rest first."

Su Qian'an answered yes and retreated.

Xia Chu thought as she knocked on the table that the curtain had been lifted and the main event was about to appear. Now, she should be getting impatient and wanted to cut off Du Hanfei's right-hand man first...

In the early morning court session on the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, the hundred officials were divided into three factions.

One faction, headed by Prime Minister Du Cheng, claimed that the culprit, Qi Haizhou, the Shou of Runan County, had gone to Dali Temple last night to confess his guilt. Master Zhu was really framed by someone and imprisoned unjustly, so he should be acquitted and his innocence restored.

One faction, headed by Grand Tutor Wu, argued that this matter was extremely strange. Lord Lu had been wronged for more than half a year, sentenced to be beheaded with his entire household, and no one had paid attention to it. Zhu Chenlin had just been imprisoned, and now Qi Haizhou turned himself in. The case must be riddled with corruption and should be thoroughly investigated.

There was also a faction headed by Lord Xu, the servant of the household department, who remained neutral and did not offend either side.

Actually, Grand Tutor Wu's side couldn’t be called a full faction. In addition to Grand Tutor Wu, a few influential officials had joined him.

At present, a few voices were not enough to overcome the majority, and the trend was showing a one-sided inclination.

At this time, Xiao Yanjun stepped out of the queue and added the final straw. Facing the emperor, he said: "Your son believes that since Qi Haizhou has surrendered, this matter should be concluded. Lord Zhu has always been an honest official and fulfilled his duties. As the second grade minister of the Xiao Kingdom, he must not continue to be detained in prison and slandered."

After Xiao Yanjun finished speaking, he glanced at Prime Minister Du Cheng with his peripheral vision, and when he saw him bowing slightly, he raised his head and looked at the emperor sincerely.

The emperor's brows furrowed into a river, his face darkened, and he was about to speak.

"Your son's opinion is slightly different." Xiao Zimu, who had always been concerned about court affairs, stood up at this time.

CHAPTER 32: The Early Dynasty 

"Erchen" (儿臣) is a humble way for a prince or royal child to refer to themselves when speaking to the emperor, usually their father.

Taifu means Grand Tutor

The emperor looked at Xiao Zimu with a surprised expression, and the words that came to his mouth were changed to: "Oh? What do you want to say?"

"Erchen just heard what the fourth brother said, Lord Zhu is an honest official. But the people of the capital are now rumoring that he has been looting the people's food and medicine for a long time, and the people of Jiangzhou are miserable."

"That's all rumors, how can you take it seriously." Prime Minister Du Cheng glanced at Xiao Zimu and retorted.

Everyone echoed one sentence after another: "Yes, how can you take it seriously? Seriously! I can't think it's true......"

Xiao Zimu smiled when he heard this and did not argue with them. He turned to Xiao Yanjun and said, "Since Qi Haizhou, the magistrate of Runan Prefecture, has confessed, and Lord Zhu, as the second-rank governor of our Xiao State, cannot continue to be wrongfully detained and slandered—then why has no one suggested acquitting Lord Lu, the third-rank prefectural magistrate of Xiao State, up until now?"

Xiao Zimu has always been gentle and courteous in dealing with people, and he has never even spoken loudly. At this moment, he suddenly spoke forcefully. The surrounding area fell silent, and the people who were jesting were speechless.

After a long time, the hundred officials came back to their senses, and only echoed resignedly: "It's time to let Master Lu go first."

"As for the case of embezzlement of official silver, Erchen and Grand Tutor Wu have the same opinion. Rumors are spreading in the capital. A strict investigation is needed to return Lord Zhu's innocence." Xiao Zimu retracted the sharpness of his tone and regained his usual warmth, and said slowly.

After hearing this, the officials on Taifu Wu's side had already opened their mouths excitedly: "What His Royal Highness the Seventh Highness said is very true, and the Emperor Wanwang will see it......"

Prime Minister Du Cheng immediately spoke up again and again: "Since Lord Lu is to be released, then all the more reason Lord Zhu should be as well. Otherwise, it would damage Lord Zhu's official reputation even further based on unfounded rumors..."

The emperor watched the ministers below fight and quarrel. It was like a shrews fighting in the market, pointing fingers and screaming hoarsely. With a black face, he smashed a purple stone canal inkstone, and said angrily: "In the court and in front of me, you behave like this!"

The crowd was silent, and they all bowed their heads in fear.

"Pass along my decree: Zhu Chenlin and Lu Mingxi are to be acquitted. The final decision shall be made at three o'clock in the afternoon on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month of Qihai Zhou (Calendar year)."

“The emperor is wise.” Hundreds of officials bowed in unison.

One official stepped forward as if to protest, but was stopped by Taifu Wu.

The emperor flung off his robe and left the hall in anger. Just as he stepped down from the dragon throne, he turned and ordered Eunuch Li to prepare a residence for Lu Mingxi and send an imperial doctor to check on his condition.

Eunuch Li acknowledged the command and left the palace on the emperor’s errand.

The ministers in the court supported each other to their feet, and those aligned with Prime Minister Du Cheng and the Fourth Prince left together.

Lord Xu also led a group of officials to bid farewell to Wu Taifu and Seventh Prince before departing.

Only Taifu Wu and Xiao Zimu remained. They exchanged a glance and smiled before walking out of the palace gates side by side.

“Your Highness the Seventh truly impressed this old man today,” Taifu Wu praised as they walked.

“Not at all. After all, Master Zhu has been released,” Xiao Zimu said with a touch of regret.

“At least Lord Lu has also been freed. It wasn’t all for nothing.”

“Yes, and my father has rewarded him with a residence and sent an imperial doctor. It should at least bring some comfort to Lord Lu.”

“The emperor has always been compassionate toward loyal ministers, and he also meant to warn Du Hanfei. In truth, His Majesty sees everything clearly, but because of pressure from the collective appeal of so many officials, he decided to give Du Hanfei some face.” After saying this, Mrs. Wu snorted coldly and spat in the direction where Prime Minister Du Cheng and his faction had gone. “Officials protecting officials—it makes things difficult even for the emperor…”

Xiao Zimu watched Taifu Wu, amused by his righteous anger.

He thought to himself, why hadn’t he realized before how endearing Taifu Wu could be?

Later that day, two groups of people stood outside the gates of Dali Temple. One was Du Kun and his men, sent to retrieve Zhu Chenlin and bring him home. The other group was led by Eunuch Li, who had brought Imperial Doctor Xiang Chengfang to escort Lu Mingxi to the residence arranged by the emperor.

Caught in the middle was Hu Yingmao, the secretary of Dali Temple, who found himself in a very awkward position. On one side was the son of Prime Minister Du Cheng—a man not to be slighted. On the other was Eunuch Li, the emperor’s close attendant, who likewise couldn’t be neglected.

Hu Yingmao’s head throbbed from the pressure. He finally stepped back a few paces and gestured to both groups.

“You’ve all waited a long time. It’s windy outside. Why not come inside and enjoy a hot cup of tea?”

“No need. This old servant is on duty and dares not accept such hospitality,” Eunuch Li replied with a polite bow, though his voice was clearly cold.

Upon hearing that, Du Kun had no intention of entering either.

Left alone in the wind, Hu Yingmao stood awkwardly, his face stiffening from the cold. He quickly ordered his assistants to hurry up, and they went to escort the two officials.

After about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Zhu Chenlin and Lu Mingxi finally emerged from Dali Temple one after the other, just as Hu Yingmao had hoped.

Unaware of the full situation, Zhu Chenlin assumed Prime Minister Du Cheng had pulled some strings to release him. Seeing Eunuch Li waiting outside, he mistakenly thought the emperor had sent him as a gesture of comfort. He rushed toward Eunuch Li, tears brimming, and wailed pitifully: “His Majesty is wise and just! Even personally sending Eunuch Li to escort this humble servant—this minister is deeply moved.”

Du Kun, standing nearby, looked like he had a toothache. His face darkened, and just as he opened his mouth to say something, Eunuch Li cut in with a sharp voice: “Lord Lu has suffered severe injuries and hasn’t uttered a word. And you, Lord Zhu, unscathed as you are, what are you howling for? The young master of Prime Minister Du Cheng is here to take you. This old servant is here for Lord Lu. Go back to the Prime Minister’s Mansion and show your gratitude there.”

Zhu Chenlin looked at Eunuch Li in embarrassment, then turned to Du Kun’s darkened face.

His mind went blank for a moment. He quickly wiped away the tears that were about to fall and was yanked aside by Du Kun, whose fury was barely contained.

Meanwhile, Lu Mingxi, supported by Hu Yingmao, stepped forward and bowed deeply to Eunuch Li. When he learned that the emperor had sent him personally, his heart swelled with emotion.

Eunuch Li’s face softened into a smile. He reached out to steady Lu Mingxi and said, “Lord Lu, there’s no need to be so formal. His Majesty knows what you’ve endured. He has ordered Imperial Doctor Xiang to care for your injuries and has granted you a residence where you can recover in peace. Please allow this old servant to take you there.”

On the other side, Du Kun could no longer watch the emotional exchange. He nodded his farewell to Hu Yingmao and Eunuch Li, and escorted Zhu Chenlin away.

Lu Mingxi watched their retreating figures for a long moment, finally convinced that he had truly been released. He recalled Eunuch Li’s words and turned to kneel in gratitude, but Eunuch Li stopped him.

“The emperor knows you are injured, so he spares you the formalities. Let’s head to the house first, shall we?”

Lu Mingxi nodded, tears glistening in his eyes, and was gently helped into the carriage by Imperial Doctor Xiang and Eunuch Li.

CHAPTER 33: Happiness and Complaints 

In Wentian Pavilion, Bingwen summoned Su Qian'an to the second floor and asked, "Young Master, when will he see me?"

"The Young Master said he’ll visit your courtyard after the lantern market tonight."

"Okay, then Bingwen will wait for the Young Master."

"The Young Master also said he might go later—you could head to the lantern market yourself. You might run into each other by chance." Su Qian'an nudged Bingwen with his shoulder.

Bingwen's eyes lit up, and he saluted Su Qian'an.

"Why are you in such a rush, and won’t even tell me what it’s about?" Su Qian'an asked curiously.

"It’s nothing serious. The Young Master will be leaving the capital tomorrow. Before that, I just want to see him."

But Bingwen didn’t merely want to meet. Ever since the four decrees were issued yesterday, he had been longing to see Xia Chu.

He wanted to drink and talk with her.

Zhu Chenlin’s downfall, Du Hanfei’s resignation—
The boulder that had weighed on his heart for so long had finally cracked, leaving a gap. At last, he could breathe.

His joy couldn’t be shared. But his hatred could.

Only with Xia Chu...

Bingwen looked at Su Qian'an and said with envy, "I really want to trade places with you. I want to follow the Young Master too."

"Don’t even think about it. I can’t do your job." Su Qian'an quickly waved his hand and backed away.

Bingwen gave a bitter smile,"No need to envy me. The Young Master is leaving tomorrow. From now on, we’ll have to support each other." Su Qian'an saw Bingwen’s furrowed brow, stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and offered comfort.

As Su Qian'an headed downstairs, he ran into Qiu Zhiting, who had come looking for Bingwen.

Qiu Zhiting went up to the second floor.

Upon seeing Bingwen, he bowed deeply and respectfully handed over the final payment of four hundred thousand taels, along with the signed contract for the two batches of adult goods.

Bingwen accepted them and helped him up.

"There’s no need for such formality."

"It’s only proper. Thanks to Young Master Bingwen, the Anfeng Dart Bureau not only earned a good reputation but was also named the Imperial Dart Bureau. Our master said that if you ever need an escort from Anfeng, just show your seal. Of course, this isn’t part of the previous agreement. It’s simply a token of our gratitude to Young Master Bingwen."

"Thank you." Bingwen didn’t decline the offer.

"There’s one more thing."

"Go ahead."

"I was also asked by Lord Lu to extend an invitation. Would Young Master Bingwen be willing to visit Luomei ju so Lord Lu can thank you personally?"

"That’s not necessary."

Qiu Zhiting wanted to say more, but Bingwen raised a hand to stop him. Disappointed, Qiu Zhiting bowed again and prepared to leave.

"Lord Lu is a good official. What I did was minor. Please tell him I hope he recovers quickly and returns to Jiangzhou to serve the people." Bingwen took a box from the nearby bookshelf. Inside was an elixir Su Qian'an had brought from Xia Chu.

Qiu Zhiting accepted the box, bowed deeply, and left Wentian Pavilion.

Back at Luomeiju, Qiu Zhiting relayed Bingwen’s message and presented the box.

"I should thank him in person," Lu Mingxi said, accepting the box with a sigh.

"My lord, you can’t even leave your bed. And Young Master Bingwen might not want you to come in person—it may not be good for him. Everyone knows it’s not necessarily in his best interest." Qiu Zhiting tried to comfort him.

"Lord Lu, Imperial Doctor Xiang has arrived."

A young attendant called from outside. Qiu Zhiting bowed and stepped back as Lu Mingxi gave the order for the doctor to enter.

Imperial Doctor Xiang entered, bowed, and approached to check Lu Mingxi’s pulse. Lu Mingxi set the box aside and extended his hand.

"Doctor Xiang, please be honest. How long will it take me to recover?" Lu Mingxi asked seriously.

"Well..."

After a pause, Imperial Doctor Xiang decided to speak truthfully.

"Lord Lu, your wounds are healing, but your vitality was deeply harmed by the torture in prison. With proper care here in the capital, you might recover in three to five years."

"That’s too long. The people of Jiangzhou can’t wait. Spring is already here; the summer floods aren’t far off."

"Your heart is admirable, but your body can’t bear the strain."

"If I just return home to recuperate, how long would that take?"

"At least a year."

"Truly? Can’t it be faster?"

"Lord Lu, neither I nor any other doctor could speed it up. The key is proper recovery so you can resume your post in Jiangzhou and serve the people."

"Return to Jiangzhou and serve the people..." Lu Mingxi repeated. That was what Qiu Zhiting had said earlier, relaying Bingwen’s words. He looked at the box and handed it to Xiang Chengfang.

Imperial Doctor Xiang was puzzled and asked solemnly, "Lord Lu, I’m a doctor first. If this is a bribe, I cannot falsely report your recovery."

"No, it’s not that. This box contains an elixir from a friend. I don’t know if it will help." Lu Mingxi couldn’t help chuckling at the seriousness.

"What kind of medicine could..." Xiang Chengfang began, then froze as he opened the box and sniffed the pill. "This is..."

Lu Mingxi grew alarmed. "Is something wrong with it? Doctor Xiang, are you alright?"

Imperial Doctor Xiang suddenly hugged the box to his chest, walked to the center of the room, stomped his foot, and lifted the box like a sacred relic.

Lu Mingxi was bewildered. Unable to get out of bed, he called for the young attendant outside.

Imperial Doctor Xiang stopped the boy, silently pushed him out, and closed the door.

"Imperial Doctor Xiang?" Lu Mingxi asked cautiously.

Imperial Doctor Xiang shut the door, straightened his robe, composed himself, and returned to the bedside. He bowed deeply and solemnly asked, "Could Lord Lu introduce this friend of yours to me?"

Lu Mingxi wasn’t sure what he meant, and didn’t want to reveal Bingwen’s identity. "Is something wrong with the medicine?"

"Yes!"

Lu Mingxi was alarmed. "What will happen if I take it?"

"Someone actually refined this elixir! How?! Lord Lu, if you take this pill, you’ll be up and walking in under two months. With proper care, you’ll be fully healed within a year!"

Lu Mingxi raised his hand to stop him.

"Isn’t that a good thing? Why make it sound so dramatic?"

"It is!"

"Then why say there’s a problem?"

"I mean—the person who made this is the problem. No ordinary person could create this."

"Speak plainly."

Imperial Doctor Xiang took a deep breath, paced, then sat back down.

"This elixir is extremely rare. With it and the right herbs, you’ll be walking in two months. Follow my prescription for a year, and you’ll be fully healed."

He paused, then added with a hopeful grin:

"There are many rare medicinal ingredients in this pill—things I’ve never seen in the Imperial Medical Bureau. Some of them usually conflict, but this person blended them perfectly. I truly admire their skill. If you could introduce me, I’d be forever grateful."

Lu Mingxi finally understood, but didn’t dare promise. He hadn’t expected Young Master Bingwen’s gift to be such a miraculous remedy.

"Doctor Xiang, my friend is a traveler. You know how these masters are. If I see him again, I’ll be sure to mention it."

Imperial Doctor Xiang looked disappointed but accepted the response.

He bowed again and solemnly urged, "If you do see him, Lord Lu, please remember to introduce me."

Lu Mingxi could only nod and reply, "I will..."

CHAPTER 35: Gate of Marquis Mansion

At dinner, Xia Chu was eating rice balls with Marquis Xia in the Wuyuan Courtyard.

Marquis Xia saw that the corners of Xia Chu's mouth were stained with sesame filling, so he wiped it for her with a handkerchief.

"Dad, why don't you eat it?"

Xia Chu noticed that there were still many rice balls in Marquis Xia's bowl, and yet she had been eating alone just now.

"After tomorrow, your father will begin to eat alone again," Marquis Xia said sentimentally, putting down the handkerchief.

"Dad, didn’t you say you wouldn’t be sad?"

Although Xia Chu also felt reluctant, she couldn’t bear seeing Marquis Xia look as if they were parting forever at every meal for the past few days.

"It’s fine, but I just can’t help it as your father."

Marquis Xia knew Xia Chu’s departure must be of great importance, and from the incident with Lu Mingxi, he was deeply impressed by her capabilities.

He knew he could stop her.

But he still couldn’t bear it.

Marquis Xia looked at Xia Chu's embarrassed expression, forced a smile, and began eating the rice balls.

"Earlier, I asked Zimu and the Ninth Princess to visit the lantern market," Xia Chu said quickly when she saw Marquis Xia begin eating.

"When did you get so close with His Highness the Seventh? You’re calling him by name now?" Marquis Xia frowned.

"I’ll find a chance to explain things to the Ninth Princess this evening." Xia Chu didn’t respond to his question directly and changed the topic.

"Alright, but be careful not to break her heart. She’s such a lovely girl," Marquis Xia instructed.

"Of course. I treat her like a younger sister."

"Hmm. Now that you’re handling matters, your father can rest easy." Marquis Xia said, then paused before asking, "Do you know what the emperor spoke to me about yesterday in the Imperial Garden before Lu Mingxi arrived?"

"It was nothing more than his frustration over Du Hanfei’s tyranny, and you soothing his wounded pride from the morning court, right? You used to be quite heroic."

Marquis Xia shook his head.

"The emperor discussed with me who might have stood against Du Hanfei and helped overturn the case for Lu Mingxi."

"And what did you say?"

Marquis Xia glared at Xia Chu.

"How could I dare say anything? I just listened to him analyzing this and that."

Xia Chu was amused under his glare. "The emperor suspects something."

Marquis Xia shook his head again.

"He went over several names, rejecting them one by one. In the end, he realized there was no one in court capable of doing such a thing. He was furious. I had to comfort him, saying whoever did this was serving him in secret, and he shouldn’t be too concerned."

"And Father’s heart?" Xia Chu looked at the corner of Marquis Xia’s mouth, smiling.

"A little proud," Marquis Xia laughed, then added, "Later, the emperor kept praising that person’s talent, saying if only he could bring him into service."

After a pause, Marquis Xia scolded with a hint of reproach, "You really had to arrange for Lord Lu to enter the palace personally, still dressed in a white robe soaked with blood. It was too tragic a sight."

"Well, we needed to give the emperor a shock. I asked Bingwen to send over a pill—it should help."

Marquis Xia nodded.

"That’s fine."

When Xia Chu saw that Marquis Xia had finished eating, she instructed the servants to clear the dishes and bring out the tea set for the study.

Marquis Xia pulled her back.

"No need for tea. It’s getting late. Go change your clothes and enjoy yourself tonight."

Seeing that she couldn’t persuade him, Xia Chu had no choice but to retreat.

"Be careful on the road tomorrow morning..."

After Marquis Xia said this, he stopped looking at her and went straight to the study.

Xia Chu watched his back disappear and softly replied, "Yes."

Xia Chu returned to Yunqi Courtyard and saw Su Qian'an waiting at the door. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why are you back so early today?"

Su Qian'an lowered his head and glanced at Xia Chu.

"I knew the Young Master was going out tonight, so I came back early to wait."

Xia Chu nodded without speaking and went inside to change her clothes.

Su Qian'an, seeing he wasn’t scolded, felt slightly relieved.

About half an hour later, Mo Xiang came rushing in from outside the courtyard, clearly panicked.

"Young Master, hurry up! Come outside quickly, someone’s here from the palace!"

"What’s the panic? It’s someone I arranged to meet," Xia Chu’s voice came from inside the house.

"Huh? Wait, all of this is because of the Young Master?"

Xia Chu thought for a moment. Could it be that Zimu and the Ninth Princess ran into each other? She opened the door and came out, saying, "Yes, I made the arrangements."

Mo Xiang swallowed nervously, her face pale with fear.

"The Ninth Princess visits often. It’s not your first time seeing nobles and royalty, so why are you so flustered?"

"Yes."

Mo Xiang looked at Xia Chu and Su Qian’an’s retreating backs and pouted.

Could anyone really blame her for being so nervous?

News had already spread—never mind the Marquis Mansion, the entire capital would be shaken.

As Xia Chu walked through the house, noticing the strange atmosphere and the people whispering, her expression became increasingly puzzled.

Could Xiao Zimu’s visit really be that shocking?

But when she left the mansion herself, even she was taken aback.

Lined up outside the Marquis Mansion gate were Xu Wenlan, son of the Minister of Revenue, Xiao Mubai, King of Mo, Xiao Muhong, the Ninth Princess, Xiao Zimu, the Seventh Highness, Xiao Yanjun, the Fourth Highness, and Xiao Xuqing, the Eighth Highness.

Xia Chu suddenly understood everything. No wonder Mo Xiang had panicked and the household was acting strangely.

"The Four Gentlemen of the capital are gathered at the gate of my Marquis Mansion. What an honor."

"Little Marquis still knows about the Four Gentlemen of the capital?" Xu Wenlan asked with surprise.

"Of course. It’s widely known." Xia Chu nodded and then said to Xu Wenlan, "Master Xu is skilled in music. It’s said that upon hearing a tune from Yayue Pavilion, you scattered all the blossoms of Chang’an—how romantic."

Xu Wenlan felt a surge of pride but maintained a humble expression. "You flatter me."

Xia Chu smiled and turned to Xiao Mubai.

"His Highness King Mo has been a chess prodigy since childhood, undefeated even among scholars. You’ve spent a lifetime playing alone—how dull it must be."

Xiao Mubai, distant as always, replied coldly, "It’s fine."

Xiao Yanjun, thinking it was now his turn to be praised, leaned in slightly, waiting eagerly. But Xia Chu turned to Xiao Zimu with a gentle tone:

"His Highness the Seventh’s paintings are always exquisite. In the capital, your brushwork is unmatched..."

At first, Xiao Zimu frowned when Xia Chu addressed him as "His Highness the Seventh," but his expression softened with a smile by the end. He was delighted, not by the compliment, but because in front of everyone, Xia Chu had called him "Zimu." He remembered their last meeting in the palace, under the filtered light and shadow, and how different Xia Chu felt from others.

"If you like them, Zimu will paint a picture for you."

"Good. When I come down from the mountain, don’t forget."

"Of course. I won’t forget." Xiao Zimu smiled and agreed.

Xiao Yanjun watched their exchange and felt irritated. Surely it was his turn now?

Sure enough, Xia Chu glanced at him. But then she snorted and said flatly, "The rest of you just read a few more books..."

Xu Wenlan chuckled. But after realizing no one else was laughing, he quickly quieted down, embarrassed.

Xiao Yanjun’s face turned blue, and beside him, the Eighth Highness, Xiao Xuqing, scoffed,"The Little Marquis must think highly of himself, keeping us waiting here for hours."

Xia Chu didn’t even look at him and sneered, "Did I invite you?"

Xiao Xuqing was humiliated and stepped forward as if to argue, but was held back by a stern-faced Xiao Yanjun.

Xia Chu frowned and looked at Xiao Zimu. "Did you bring those two?"

Xiao Yanjun quickly composed himself and forced a smile. "Our father asked me to consult the Seventh Brother. When I saw him heading out to meet the Little Marquis, I thought I’d follow."

Xia Chu ignored him and looked at Xiao Mubai.

In her previous life, at the lantern market during the festival, neither Xiao Mubai nor Xiao Muhong had appeared. The Ninth Princess was the one she had arranged to meet. But based on Xiao Mubai’s nature, he wouldn’t usually join such outings.

Xiao Muhong, seeing her gaze, quickly said, "I had to pull my brother out. It’s rare he agreed."

Xia Chu nodded politely to Xiao Mubai.

Xiao Mubai wasn’t someone to be trifled with, and he wasn’t aligned with Xiao Yanjun. Xia Chu didn’t want to cozy up to him, but she didn’t want to offend him either.

Xu Wenlan noticed Xia Chu nodding and quickly added, "I came with Mubai."

Xia Chu glanced at him with a cold, distant look, then turned to Xiao Zimu with a smile.

"Shall we go, then?"

Xiao Zimu smiled and nodded.

As soon as Xiao Muhong saw they were heading out, she grabbed Xia Chu’s left hand and Xiao Mubai’s right.

So the group split into three lines.

Xiao Yanjun and Xiao Xuqing walked in front. Xiao Muhong was in the center, holding Xia Chu and Xiao Mubai’s hands. Xiao Zimu walked to Xia Chu’s left, and Xu Wenlan walked to Xiao Mubai’s right. Behind them followed Su Qian’an and several attendants.

The three rows of people made their way toward the lantern market, under the astonished gazes of passersby.

Welcome!!

 Welcome to *Yaazh* — a space strung with stories.

I’ll be posting MTL-edited translations here, cleaned up for a smooth read. I’m not a pro translator — just someone who loves c-novels and wants to share them.

Thanks for visiting ✨

– Yaazh TL

Rebirth of the black bellied Princess Mo: Table of Contents

RBBPM Chapters 26 to 30

 CHAPTER 26: Price Increases 

"Huh?" Bingwen was stunned by Xia Chu's words.

Lu Mingxi had feared that if he took the official route, the disaster relief silver would be siphoned off layer by layer. By the time it truly reached Jiangcheng, there might be little left. So, he found an escort from the Anfeng Dart Bureau and switched to the waterway. After the official silver went missing, Lu Mingxi knew he was finished. He was quite principled and never said a word about Anfeng Dart Bureau, likely hoping they would remain uninvolved and avoid being implicated.

"Then why didn’t Anfeng Dart Bureau come forward to clarify things?" Bingwen couldn’t help asking, feeling sorry for Lu Mingxi’s current state, now knowing he was a decent official.

"It would be useless, and the implications would be too great. As a dart bureau, they hold no authority to argue. They've already done their best—they’re even willing to spend 500,000 taels just to protect Lu Mingxi’s entire family. Do you know who really took the silver?"

"If the dart bureau aren’t the pirates, then who is?" Bingwen asked.

Xia Chu sighed, looked at Bingwen, and said, "It was Jiangzhou’s navy in disguise."

In her past life, the truth behind the missing silver came to light three years later—after Zhu Chenlin had long held power over official silver. Yin Zhi had reported it to Xiao Yanjun, but it was suppressed. Zhu Chenlin was a man supported by Prime Minister Du Hanfei, and Xiao Yanjun didn’t want to create a public rift. He sold it as a favor, which became a future weakness. When Xiao Yanjun later got drunk and confided in Xia Chu, he told her the full story.

Xia Chu felt that life was truly cyclical. In this lifetime, it was her turn to tell it.

Bingwen was shocked as he listened to her. He had known Zhu Chenlin was Du Hanfei’s man but hadn’t realized Zhu was so bold.

"Was Du Hanfei involved in all this?" Bingwen asked, a bit agitated.

"He must’ve known—and pocketed the money." Xia Chu saw Bingwen’s eyes light up and patted his hand. "But dragging him down through this incident alone won’t do much. Don’t worry, his fate shouldn’t be this light. No matter what, I’ll see him buried with your family."

Bingwen’s eyes flickered between bright and dark. After hearing Xia Chu’s words, a new light flickered in them again, before eventually calming.

"Yes, I was too hasty," Bingwen said, taking a sip of tea and apologizing.

Seeing he had calmed, Xia Chu continued, "Go ask Qiu Zhiting for one million taels, plus Lu Mingxi’s token."

"I doubt they can come up with one million taels..." Bingwen said, unable to hide his concern for Lu Mingxi’s fate, and finding it odd that Xia Chu didn’t seem like someone who would hit a man when he was down.

"It’s fine if they can’t. The remaining 500,000 taels can be converted into 20% of their annual profit from the dart bureau." Xia Chu saw Bingwen hesitate, so she raised her hand and gestured for him to listen.

"500,000 taels in silver notes, 20% of annual profits, the dart bureau’s seal, and Lu Mingxi’s token. With that, I’ll help overturn the case. And I’ll have Lu Mingxi seated as Governor of Jiangzhou." Xia Chu smiled, leaned in toward Bingwen, and said, "Ask them—doesn’t 20% annual profit buy the dart bureau a future reputation? Doesn’t it also buy a great favor from Lu Mingxi, Governor of Jiangzhou? This deal is more than worth it."

Bingwen, who had just calmed down, felt himself startled again. He thought if he stayed around Xia Chu any longer, he’d become numb to shock.

He nodded meekly.

Seeing him nod, Xia Chu didn’t delay any further. She stood up and took her leave.

Outside the house, she signaled Su Qian’an, who was waiting outside. The two flew back to the Marquis Mansion.

Upon returning to Yunqi Courtyard, Xia Chu told Su Qian’an to rest while she walked to a hidden corner and called Bian Ding.

Bian Ding descended, ready to kneel, but recalling her earlier instruction, he instead made a hand gesture and said, "Young Master."

Xia Chu didn’t waste time. "Find someone to go to Jiangcheng and bring a navy soldier named Cai Wenyong to the capital. Also, there’s a bronze mirror on my aunt’s dressing cabinet in the eighth room. There’s a letter hidden behind that mirror. Be sure to find it and send it to me first."

"Yes." Bian Ding accepted the order and disappeared again...

The next morning, Xia Chu first went to Su Courtyard and asked the maid to bring the four treasures of the study, then dismissed everyone else.

Su Qianle looked at her in confusion.

"I’ll speak, you write," Xia Chu said while grinding ink.

Qianle nodded and carefully copied down a plea, word by word.

Xia Chu dried the ink and nodded with satisfaction. "Good job."

Su Qianle smiled brightly. "It’s good to be of help to the Young Master. If there’s anything else, just tell me."

Xia Chu nodded and left.

In the evening, Su Qian’an returned home and came to Xia Chu with a new fold from Bingwen. Inside was a silver ticket for 100,000 taels and confirmation that Anfeng Dart Bureau had accepted the conditions. The 100,000 was a deposit, accompanied by the bureau’s seal and Lu Mingxi’s token. The remaining 400,000 silver notes and the contract for two parts of the annual profit would be presented once the matter was complete.

Xia Chu glanced at the seal and the token, which was a moon-shaped wooden pendant with engraved characters on the back.

She thought to herself that anything of value in that prison had long been confiscated. This pendant must’ve been overlooked for being worthless wood. That was likely why Lu Mingxi was able to keep it as a token.

She burned the fold, then put away the seal and pendant. She handed the silver ticket and the written plea to Su Qian’an.

"In the future, just deliver the token. Let Bingwen collect the silver notes himself. If I need it, I’ll ask him. As for this plea, have Qiu Zhiting make a copy and burn the original. Then, let Qiu Zhiting bring the copy to Dali Temple along with the evidence. Also, prepare the handwritten contract where Lu Mingxi requested Anfeng Dart Bureau to escort the silver—but don’t hand it in yet. Wait for my order."

Su Qian’an accepted the task and left to carry it out. Xia Chu, in turn, left the house to go find Marquis Xia.

CHAPTER 27: Arrest 

Entering the study, Marquis Xia was playing against himself. Seeing Xia Chu coming in, he said, "You disappeared for these past two days and ran off, and now you've come to me—there must be something."

Xia Chu sat down opposite Marquis Xia, nodded, and said, "Is there a spy from our mansion in Grand Tutor Wu's mansion?"

Marquis Xia withdrew his hand from the chess piece and asked, "What do you want to do?"

"No, it's not a big deal, just a little guy. I need him to report something to Mr. Wu tomorrow."

"What's the matter?"

"His son, Wu Yuren, is being sued."

Marquis Xia frowned, confused.

Xia Chu sorted out her wording, then said, "Here's what happened. I want to send Mr. Wu to Dali Temple tomorrow afternoon. Think about it, how can this Grand Tutor end up at Dali Temple? I’m planning to find someone to make a report tomorrow. Afternoon, someone will go to Dali Temple to accuse Wu Yuren of whatever reason—bullying women, maliciously harming others, etc. Then, that person inside Wu’s household will spread word to Mr. Wu and tell him to go to Dali Temple."

"And after he goes?"

"After he arrives, he finds out it’s a misunderstanding—someone else acted in the name of his son. Mr. Wu has always cherished his reputation, so he won’t make a scene in Dali Temple."

"Then why are you going in such a big circle?" Marquis Xia listened for a long time and didn’t find the matter difficult—why all this fuss?

"You’ll find out tomorrow." Xia Chu rested her cheeks on her hands and looked at Marquis Xia with a bright expression.

"Well, I’d like to see what you can pull off tomorrow."

"Don’t forget to pass the message on time, at the third watch." Xia Chu offered one last reminder as she walked away.

"Got it," Marquis Xia replied to her departing back.

On the twelfth day of the first lunar month, something big happened in the capital. Hu Yingmao, Secretary of Dali Temple, and Grand Tutor Wu personally went to the Prime Minister's Mansion and arrested Zhu Chenlin, the Governor of Jiangzhou. The officers and soldiers of Dali Temple lined up in two rows and escorted Zhu Chenlin to prison.

It had been a long time since an incident of leading troops to arrest someone occurred in the capital—especially someone like Prime Minister Du Cheng’s protégé and a second-rank official. The people were in an uproar, and there was much discussion.

In the Mo King’s mansion, Xu Wenlan rushed into the study, grabbed the teacup from Xiao Mubai’s hand, and drank it all.

He gasped and said, "Did you know Zhu Chenlin was arrested?"

Xiao Mubai nodded. He had already sent Han Sa to investigate, but he hadn’t returned yet.

"You know what happened?"

Xiao Mubai frowned slightly.

"Could it be because of the disaster relief funds?"

"You already know this, huh? I came here to inform you, and now I’m tired." Xu Wenlan groaned.

"I’m just guessing. Tell me," Xiao Mubai raised an eyebrow.

"You guessed that?" Xu Wenlan looked at Xiao Mubai discontentedly.

Xiao Mubai glanced at him. Xu Wenlan retracted his gaze, sat down, and said, "This afternoon, at the Shen hour, Dali Temple received a pleading from the dart bureau in Jiangzhou. The writing was brilliant, impressive."

"Get to the point." Xiao Mubai’s gaze grew two degrees colder.

"This is the point. The pleading detailed how Zhu Chenlin had long been exploiting the people, accepting bribes, and disregarding lives. Most importantly, the disaster relief silver was robbed by sailors he disguised as pirates from Jiangzhou."

"Guanyin Temple has been found?"

"Yes. The pleading described in detail that the silver was buried beneath a deserted Guanyin Temple, a hundred miles north of the city, and private soldiers disguised as farmers were guarding the surrounding area. Master Hu led troops to arrest those ‘farmers’ who bore seals on their bodies, and they dug up two million taels of silver beneath the Buddha statue."

"Hu Yingmao is majestic." Xiao Mubai snorted.

"He didn’t dare do it on his own. Even after finding the silver, he still went to inform Prime Minister Du Cheng, wanting to send Zhu Chenlin over for questioning."

"Was he reprimanded by Grand Tutor Wu?"

"You know everything." Xu Wenlan sounded a bit frustrated.

"It’s not hard to guess. Although they received the pleading, found the silver, and arrested the private soldiers, they could still be handled internally. But Zhu Chenlin is Du Hanfei’s protégé and a second-rank official. If they swept the matter away in a day and called it a setup, it would appear to be a frame-up. Hu Yingmao is just a third-grade Dali Temple official—he still wants to keep his head."

Xu Wenlan was listening intently, and when he saw Xiao Mubai pause, he hurriedly refilled his tea cup.

Xiao Mubai took a sip, then continued, "But Grand Tutor Wu is different. He was the emperor’s companion from youth. Besides their bond, his rank matches Du Hanfei’s. He also prides himself on being clean and upright—he detests corruption and nepotism. Naturally, he scolded Hu Yingmao."

Xu Wenlan nodded.

"Fortunately, he happened to be at Dali Temple today. Otherwise, this matter might’ve been buried. Now, with Grand Tutor Wu escorting Hu Yingmao to the Prime Minister's Mansion to arrest someone in front of the emperor—it can’t be suppressed."

"How did Grand Tutor Wu just happen to be in Dali Temple? Coincidence?"

"I heard it was. Someone accused his son of molesting a woman. He went to Dali Temple and found it was a misunderstanding—someone impersonated his son. Just as he was about to leave, the Dart Bureau came to sue Zhu Chenlin for embezzling disaster relief funds and framing Governor Lu Mingxi of Jiangcheng. He heard it and stayed to watch."

"Coincidence, right?" Xiao Mubai smiled playfully.

Xu Wenlan asked in surprise, "Don’t tell me you’re suspicious... No way, who could stage something so elaborate?"

Xiao Mubai looked at Xu Wenlan’s confused expression, then muttered, "Yes, who’s so generous?"

After calming down, Xu Wenlan looked at Xiao Mubai, whose eyes were deep in thought, and asked, "Mubai, do you think Zhu Chenlin will be convicted?"

"If this is all there is, probably not. Zhu Chenlin will deny guilt, and Du Hanfei could easily find someone to take the fall."

"Then wasn’t all this for nothing?" Xu Wenlan pouted.

"Unless there’s evidence—ironclad evidence."

"Will there be?"

"There will be. I want to see just how capable this person is—what kind of evidence they can produce."

Xu Wenlan saw the determined look in Xiao Mubai’s usually indifferent eyes. For some reason, he felt a surge of excitement, curious about how the case would unfold.

"Then I’ll return home now and monitor my father’s reaction. I’ll come back with any updates." Xu Wenlan got up and said goodbye.

After he left, Xiao Mubai summoned Han Hong and instructed him to investigate who exactly accused Zhu Chenlin and who falsely accused Grand Tutor Wu’s son.

Han Hong accepted the task and departed.

Xiao Mubai picked up a chess piece by the window, then gently placed it down. But it didn’t fall... not for a long time.

CHAPTER 28: Dissemination 

On the second watch, Xia Chu was about to take Su Qian'an out and bumped into Marquis Xia, who had just returned from the palace, at the door.

Marquis Xia glanced at her and said, "You come with me."

Xia Chu ordered Su Qian'an to go back and wait first, then walked two steps to keep up with Marquis Xia.

Entering the study, Marquis Xia looked at her and said, "You are so generous."

"The words written on the pleadings are true, and Yunyi thinks she has done nothing wrong." Xia Chu straightened her waist and replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"With this little thing, Zhu Chenlin can't be convicted."

"I know."

"Do you know and still do this, waiting for Du Hanfei to support him to fight back?" Marquis Xia slapped his palm on the table with a bang.

"Father, don't worry. What I do know is that the official money alone will definitely not be able to defeat him. If you add something else, it may not be..." Xia Chu smiled meaningfully.

Marquis Xia looked at her suspiciously.

"Can you guarantee a hit?"

"Yes." Xia Chu's tone was firm.

"What else can father do for you?"

Marquis Xia knew that he couldn't stop her when he saw her determined expression, so he chose to help her.

"I was just about to go to Aunt Li's and ask her to help me spread some news." Xia Chu saw that Marquis Xia was relieved, and her tone softened.

"What's the news?"

Xia Chu told Marquis Xia the ins and outs of the whole thing, and Marquis Xia was also shocked after hearing it.

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

"So you want to scatter some of Lu Mingxi's words about the market, that he was dedicated to the people but was tragically framed by traitors?" Marquis Xia said in a word.

"Yes, my father is wise." Xia Chu made a move.

"Sensei, give me this horse. Since this matter is true, the emperor has his own decision. Why do you bother to do this?" Marquis Xia frowned.

"Because I want to arouse the anger of the people, and I want to build momentum for Lu Mingxi."

"Momentum? If Zhu Chenlin is sentenced, Lu Mingxi will be reinstated."

"Father, isn't a good official like Lu Mingxi worthy of the position of governor of Jiangzhou?"

Marquis Xia was silent for a long time before he looked at Xia Chu and said, "If what you said is true, and you also can make it known, then I will protect his position."

"Dad, you have found a good official for the emperor. You are talking as if I picked up a bargain." Xia Chu sneered.

You're shrewd, and you benefit just fine. Don’t pretend you don’t know exactly what you’re gaining from all this," Marquis Xia sneered.

"The person who sued Wu Yuren has been properly settled?"

Xia Chu touched her heart and said, "I found the person from the market, and after leaving Dali Temple, I gave him a sum of money to let him out of Beijing."

Xia Chu nodded, "Then I'll go find Aunt Li first?"

"Before this case is over, you should go out less to show off, so as not to attract attention." Marquis Xia stopped her.

"I'm a weak boy who is about to go back to the mountains to recuperate, so why can't I be suspicious?"

Xia Chu put on a sickly look.

"Stop, be cautious. Li Xinlan: I'll find someone to inform you."

Marquis Xia found more and more that his daughter was really witty and clever.

"Then I'll go back and let the guards spread rumours."

"You should be careful with your proportions..." Marquis Xia shouted.

"It's safest to let the guards do it." After Xia Chu finished speaking, she retreated, leaving the marquis in the room to blow his beard and stare at her.

Xia Chu stopped on the way back to Yunqi Courtyard and found a secluded corner to call Bian Ding.

Bian Ding appeared, saluted and asked, "What does the young master command?"

"Has the person sent to Jiangcheng arrived?"

"I just received the news, and they should be there early tomorrow morning."

"People can be escorted slowly, take the handwritten letter and send it back first."

"Yes."

"You gather all the secret guards in the mansion again, and tell them to go to the gathering places of the major beggars and wanderers in the capital to spread the news for me."

"All the Dark Guards?" Bian Ding was a little surprised.

"Well, you have to be careful not to let people find out who you are. Leave the money and explain it clearly, and evacuate immediately."

"What's the news?"

Xia Chu motioned for Bian Ding's ear to come over, and after whispering for a while, Bian Ding received the order and disappeared.

Xia Chu, humming a little song, slowly walked back to Yunqi Courtyard. Su Qian'an had been waiting at the door, and when he saw her coming back, he greeted her.

"Go back and rest, there's nothing to do with us."

"Huh?" Su Qian'an opened his mouth wide.

Xia Chu tiptoed and patted Su Qian'an on the shoulder.

"Go to bed early, get up tomorrow and watch the play..."

CHAPTER 29: The City Knows

In the Prime Minister's Mansion on the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, Du Hanfei, who had just left the court, was furious in the study.

Yesterday, Grand Tutor Wu actually brought Dali Siqing to his Prime Minister's Mansion to arrest people, and he entered the palace overnight to reason in front of the emperor. But after all, the official silver was dug up. Those farmers still had Zhu Chenlin's private messages on them, and it was inevitable that they would be detained, but fortunately, they could still be saved.

He was already making some connections, and he had arranged for someone to question this matter in the morning court. He planned to find someone to take the blame in a day or two, and the matter of replacing Zhu Chenlin would come to an end.

As a result, on the way back to his home after leaving the court, he could hear the people talking about it. There were even some homeless children singing ballads: "Zhu Chenlin, the governor of Jiangzhou, corrupted the law and harmed Governor Yin. The honest officials were unjustly sent to prison, and there is no reason for traitors to run rampant. How tragic!"

Although it was well known that Zhu Chenlin was arrested yesterday, he pressed it fast enough and blocked the news. The people should only know that he was in prison, but not the reason why. Overnight, the whole city knew!

With a "snap," another piece of blue and white porcelain was smashed.

"Find out—have you found out who spread the news?" Prime Minister Du asked his confidant, Mingyi.

Mingyi knelt on the ground, the blue and white porcelain broken at his feet, and replied stubbornly, "Xiangye, I really can't find it. We've asked around the capital, and the only useful news is that there was a masked man in black who left silver and taught that song before disappearing. No features, no appearance to identify. He only said one line. Subordinate truly doesn't know where to start."

"Father, don't be embarrassed. He really can't find," Du Kun, the eldest son of Prime Minister Du Cheng, spoke out and persuaded.

Mingyi glanced at Du Kun gratefully.

"Then, according to the eldest brother, what should we do now?" Du Ming, the second son of Prime Minister Du Cheng, sneered.

Du Kun glanced at Du Ming, then turned to Prime Minister Du Cheng and said, "The most important thing now is to get Zhu Chenlin out."

Prime Minister Du nodded and said to Du Kun, "I will leave this matter to you. Arrange for someone to go to Dali Temple in the evening to confess his guilt."

"Yes." Du Kun said goodbye and went out to run errands.

Du Ming walked up to Prime Minister Du Cheng and asked, "Dad, this matter is not going to be investigated?"

"Check, why wouldn't I check? Go and check for me who delivered the petition," Prime Minister Du Cheng said angrily.

"Yes."

Du Ming's neck shrank, and he also retreated.

"Smack." There was a cracking sound in the study. The entire Prime Minister's Mansion was shrouded in gloom, and the people were also cautious and frightened.

In the imperial study, the emperor asked Eunuch Li beside him while flipping through the memorials: "I heard that the people of the capital are quite concerned about Zhu Chenlin's case?"

"Yes. There's a little more talking."

"Where did the news come from?"

"This, maybe it was too ostentatious when Dali Siqing arrested people yesterday."

"What do you think about this?"

Eunuch Li glanced at the emperor's expression and said, "The emperor has his own decision in this matter."

The emperor snorted coldly and scolded, "Old fox."

 Eunuch Li smiled and said, "The old slave will make a new pot of tea for the emperor."

Eunuch Li, who came out of the imperial study, was surrounded by the concubines and princes of various palaces. Everyone wanted to know the emperor's attitude to decide which side their master should support.

A silver ingot was stuffed into Eunuch Li's arms, buthe was not confused at this critical moment. Now that he was caught in the middle of Zhu Chenlin's matter, he didn't dare to collect any cash.

He pushed away the silver, took a few steps back, and said to everyone: "The sacred heart is unpredictable, and the old slave doesn't know. Everyone, please return." With that, he turned and walked away.

In the Yufu Palace, Concubine Li said to Xiao Yanjun: "Jun'er, I think this matter is also thunderous and rainy. Prime Minister Du Cheng has been an official for many years, has many protégés, and has a huge influence. Zhu Chenlin's kind of thing will end with a scapegoat. I think you should say something good for him in front of the emperor and sell favours."

"Mother, this matter has already caused a stir among the people." Xiao Yanjun didn't want to have a bad reputation at this time by speaking for Prime Minister Du Cheng.

"After all, it's just the commoners. Can they bring down Prime Minister Du Cheng? Since they can't, at this time, we should support him, and he will remember this favour."

Xiao Yanjun thought about it. As long as Zhu Chenlin was acquitted in the end, naturally, the rumours would die down. The public opinion of the people would ultimately be determined by the outcome. As soon as he thought of this, he replied, "Yes, son understands."

Concubine Li nodded with satisfaction.

In the Yongning Palace, Xiao Zimu was holding a letter in his hand. It said that Zhu Chenlin's matter could be linked with Grand Tutor Wu. The handwriting was wild and rough.

If it weren't for the fact that this letter was given to him by Marquis Xia, he really wouldn't have believed it came from Xia Chu.

He rubbed it in his hand repeatedly, and after a moment, he finally took it and burned it.

CHAPTER 30: Mystery 

At this time, in the Mo Wang Mansion, Xu Wenlan was sitting on the round stone bench in the courtyard with his eyes closed, shaking his head and singing the market ballad that everyone in the capital knew.

"Xu Wenlan."

Xiao Mubai sat on a chair three feet away from him, reading by candlelight.

"Huh?"

Xu Wenlan opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Mubai. Seeing him dressed in an inky robe, the moonlight shrouded him, the light of the candle flame occasionally danced, and the shadow hit his astonishing brow.

"Can't you hear the sound of water until now?" Xiao Mubai frowned slightly and asked coldly.

"The sound of water? What is the sound of water? Where is the sound of water?" Xu Wenlan looked around and asked puzzledly.

"The water in your head." Xiao Mubai replied with a little disgust.

"Huh?" Xu Wenlan chewed the meaning and reacted after a while. He jumped up and pointed at him and said, "Xiao Mubai! You! Scolded! Me!"

Xiao Mubai finally looked at him and said with sarcasm in his eyes, "The reaction is quite fast."

"It's so boring to be friends with you." Xu Wenlan muttered.

Xiao Mubai glanced at the courtyard door and motioned for him to walk slowly and not send it off.

Xu Wenlan twisted his neck and said stiffly, "I am your brother, how can you be like this ?"

Xiao Mubai put down the book and teased, "It turns out that you are an illegitimate son of my father? Call me brother then."

"Ahh!" Xu Wenlan spat at him and said, "You know I didn't mean that."

Xiao Mubai looked at him and didn't say anything.

Xu Wenlan was deflated when he saw his tepid appearance and simply diverted the topic.

"Today's capital, inside and outside the palace, can be described as two scenes."

"All the officials in the palace are on Du Hanfei's side, and the people outside the palace are on Lu Mingxi's side." Xiao Mubai finally became a person and didn't continue to let Xu Wenlan's words fall to the ground.

Xu Wenlan was moved in his heart. They were finally able to communicate normally and then asked, "What do you think of the ballad that was sang?"

Xiao Mubai held his forehead and said after a while, "The words are a little rough, but fortunately, they are easy to understand and easy to pass on by word of mouth."

"Have you found out who is behind it?"

Xiao Mubai frowned and shook his head.

"Do you have a candidate in mind?"

Xiao Mubai filtered some people in his mind and felt that it was unlikely.

After Han Sa came back last night, he reported that Zhu Chenlin was accused by the well-known Anfeng Dart Bureau in Jiangzhou. This person is a branch master in the Dart Bureau, surnamed Qiu, Mingzhiting, and his background is fine and clean.

After coming to the capital, he had been living in the Angui Inn, and he would go to the cell head every other day to make Lu Mingxi's life a little better. He usually had nothing to do with others, only one point—he had been to Wentian Pavilion and met Bingwen Gongzi.

Then, this Bingwen Gongzi rejected him and started a business with Qiu Zhiting.

Come to think of it, this Bingwen Gongzi suddenly appeared in the capital a few years ago. Inexplicably, rumours spread in the capital. He had sent someone to investigate carefully but found that this person had no source to be found, and there was no record of entering or leaving the city gate.

The son of Bingwen seemed to have fallen from the sky, and the moment he came, it was already a legend. The people of the capital all respect him as a gongzi, thinking that there is no news he doesn't know, only money you can't afford. Or maybe he's willing to tell you.

Xiao Mubai also had news that he wanted to know. Therefore, he had personally met this Bingwen Gongzi. Although his hopes were not high, the final reply of  Bingwen still made him lose hope.

It's like you've been in the dark and have lost your thirst for light. Suddenly, a voice appears telling you that you may see the light. You're anxious, but you're looking forward to it. But in the end, he tells you that, unfortunately, you can only stay in the darkness forever with that sense of loss.

"Mu Bai. Mu Bai! Xiao Mubai?" Xu Wenlan's noisy shout sounded in his ears. Xiao Mubai closed his eyes and endured the urge to slap him to death with a palm.

"I can hear you."

"You're obviously in a daze. I just screamed a lot." After Xu Wenlan was aggrieved for a moment, he asked curiously, "Who do you think of?"

"Master Bingwen."

"Ah, is that the Master of the Wentian Pavilion, the recently famous Bingwen?" Xu Wenlan looked like he knew that person.

Xiao Mubai nodded.

"He must have something to do with Lu Mingxi's case. However, there are people behind him."

"And... person? Who else could there be?"

"I checked the background of Gongzi Bingwen. He suddenly appeared in the capital a few years ago. Later, he bought a house and lived alone. Slowly, a few more servants were bought to serve. The servants were ordinary people, and they were clean. If the person behind the scenes is Bingwen Gongzi, then how did he do it alone, and it was known all over the city overnight, and the songs were spread by word of mouth?"

Xu Wenlan nodded frequently, and then asked, "What about the people behind him?"

"How do I know?" Xiao Mubai looked at him as a fool.

"Hey, it's not. How can there be anything you can't find? Why don't I believe it?" Xu Wenlan firmly conveyed his affirmation of Xiao Mubai's ability.

Xiao Mubai frowned.

"Not to mention the person behind him, there is no clue about his origin."

"So weird? What about where he lives, what about Wentian Pavilion? Have you checked it too?"

"The place where he lives is a normal courtyard house. As for Wentian Pavilion, it was an old shop before, but it was later rented by the attendants of the little marquis and changed its name. The second floor was also subleased to Bingwen, and they didn't know each other before."

"Little Marquis? Could the person behind the scenes be the little marquis?"

Xiao Mubai snorted coldly and asked, "How old is the little marquis this year?"

"Thirteen. No, it's fourteen after the New Year," Xu Wenlan replied seriously.

"He has been weak since he was a child, stayed in the mountains for thirteen years, and returned to Beijing for less than two months. Can you have a little brain?" Xiao Mubai scolded Xu Wenlan, but Xia Chu's face appeared more and more clearly in his mind.

The little marquis of Xiahou Mansion has only been down the mountain for two months. Why does he hate Xiao Yanjun, why does he favour Xiao Zimu, and why does he love Xiao Muhong? Xiao Mubai felt that Xia Chu was also a mystery, just like Bingwen, a mystery that could not be solved for the time being. Could these two mysteries come together? It can't be. He dismissed the idea, even felt that he was as ridiculous as Xu Wenlan.

Xu Wenlan was reprimanded, touched his head, and felt that he was still a little bit of this thing.

"Aren't you curious?" Xu Wenlan wanted to encourage him to continue to investigate.

"Curious. So, go and help me find out." Xiao Mubai patted him on the shoulder.

"Hmph. Who are you looking down on? Just watch me check." Xu Wenlan was not to be outdone.

Xiao Mubai gave him a perfunctory look that said, "You could."

Xu Wenlan turned his neck and walked away with a majestic spirit...

RBBPM Chapters 21 to 25

 CHAPTER 21: Chinese New Year Dinner

"Here we are," Xia Chu called out and beckoned to them.

Su Qian'an and Bingwen each bowed to the three of them. Marquis Xia nodded, and Xia Chu motioned for them to sit down.

Bingwen and Li Xinlan sat together, exchanging some news about the capital. Su Qian'an sat next to Xia Chu, and Xia Chu told him that she had already visited Qianle, so he could rest assured. Marquis Xia leaned back in the main seat for a while...

Finally, the wine and food were all ready, and Marquis Xia coughed and said, "The dishes are ready."

The two groups stopped talking and sat upright.

Xia Chu looked at Marquis Xia and smiled sweetly. "Father, today is Chinese New Year's Eve. I don't want New Year's money. Let’s be practical—I want to ask you for two people."

"People? Who?"

Marquis Xia didn’t react at first, and the others were also surprised.

"The people in the house—aren’t they yours to give?"

Xia Chu rested her hands on her cheeks and blinked a pair of clever eyes.

"You can use the people in the house as you like. What’s there to give or not give?" Marquis Xia smiled, thinking it was nothing serious.

"I'm not using them. I'm asking for them." Xia Chu emphasized the distinction.

"There's a difference?" Marquis Xia raised his eyebrows.

"Of course. If I'm using them, they still answer to you. If I'm asking for them, then they only answer to me." Xia Chu was quite serious.

"That precise?" Marquis Xia looked slightly displeased.

"It's not like I'm trying to divide things with Father. But there are some matters where I need to be their only master to command."

Xia Chu pouted, looking aggrieved.

Marquis Xia thought there was nothing wrong with her reasoning. Glancing at her adorable expression again, he waved his hand.

"Granted."

"Then I’d like Father to assign me two secret guards," Xia Chu said with a bright smile.

Marquis Xia’s hand stiffened. He had thought Xia Chu just wanted someone like Mo Xiang or the capable attendants like Cong Ting. He hadn’t expected her to ask for secret guards.

"How do you know there are secret guards in the house?"

"Which prince or noble doesn’t have their own secret guard?" Xia Chu responded nonchalantly.

Marquis Xia nodded, realizing she had a point.

Xia Chu continued, "The one who’s been following me is named Bian Ding, right? I want him. You can assign one for Bingwen. One to ensure his safety, and also to help us exchange information once I leave the capital."

As Xia Chu spoke, Marquis Xia’s expression grew more serious. Knowing about the existence of secret guards was one thing—but knowing one by name? That was something even the emperor might not know.

Marquis Xia asked sternly, "How do you know his name is Bian Ding?"

"Now you see how remarkable our Gongzi Bingwen is," Xia Chu said casually, throwing the blame onto Bingwen without hesitation.

In her past life, there had been two moments she remembered clearly.

The first was when Xiao Yanjun was nearly assassinated, and she had been with him. That was when Bian Ding appeared to save them, and she realised someone had been watching over her. The second and last time was when she was placed under house arrest by Xiao Yanjun, her limbs crippled. Bian Ding had shown up again—but never after that.

"Gongzi Bingwen truly lives up to the rumours," Marquis Xia said, glancing thoughtfully at the disguised Bingwen.

Bingwen, hearing all this, felt his mind go blank. Now that he was being praised so highly, and with Marquis Xia’s gaze on him, he didn’t know how to respond.

"Isn't this reputation all thanks to you?" Xia Chu saw Bingwen’s discomfort and quickly jumped in to help.

"Hurry and summon the two guards."

"Bian Ding, Bian Hao," Marquis Xia called out.

A knock sounded at the door almost immediately.

"Come in," Marquis Xia said.

With a creak, the door opened, and two men in black entered.

"Marquis Xia." Both knelt and saluted.

"Rise. From now on, you will serve the Young Master," Marquis Xia commanded.

The two looked at each other and replied in unison, "Yes."

"Bian Ding, you will continue to follow me. Bian Hao, you will accompany Bingwen."

The two turned to Xia Chu and acknowledged her orders.

"I know you may have doubts. As secret guards, you're not supposed to appear before anyone but your master. But everyone in this room is someone close to me—and I hope that includes you two as well. In the future, you’ll inevitably cross paths with the others. You should know one another."

"Understood," the two replied.

Xia Chu nodded.

"Since you understand, let’s sit down and have New Year's Eve dinner together."

The two were startled and looked at Marquis Xia.

"Who is your master?" Xia Chu’s left hand rested on her cheek, her right index finger tapping the table. Her expression was relaxed, but her tone was stern.

The two quickly retracted their gazes, knelt again, and replied, "The Young Master."

"Then why were you looking at Marquis Xia after I spoke?"

The aura Xia Chu released made the two guards tremble. They quickly answered, "We know our mistake."

"Sit," Xia Chu said.

At her word, the two immediately rose and sat obediently.

Marquis Xia glanced at Xia Chu with a mix of displeasure and admiration.

Xia Chu knew he wasn’t entirely pleased that she hadn’t told him in advance. But some things required a balance of grace and authority. These people needed to know who they were to follow. She poured a glass of wine for Marquis Xia.

"Father, won’t you start the feast?"

Marquis Xia understood her intentions. He wasn’t truly angry, and at her invitation, he raised his glass.

"I hope everyone here will drink this Tusu wine—and that all goes smoothly in the future."

Fireworks in the courtyard flared as everyone raised their glasses and thanked Marquis Xia.

"I figured you wouldn’t prepare anything for yourself, so I bought a few outfits for you." Xia Chu said, pulling out new clothes she had bought for Bingwen and handing them over.

Bingwen got up, accepted them respectfully, and thanked her.

Earlier, Bingwen hadn’t known why he’d been called. He had asked Su Qian’an, who didn’t know either. Both thought there might be an urgent matter requiring a disguise.

He hadn’t expected that Xia Chu simply didn’t want him to spend the New Year alone. His heart warmed. And now, seeing that she even brought him new clothes, his emotions were hard to contain.

Xia Chu noticed Su Qian’an’s envious gaze and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don’t stare. Yours were delivered to your house in the Marquis Mansion."

Su Qian’an withdrew his gaze in embarrassment. Everyone got up, toasted, and thanked both Marquis Xia and Xia Chu.

Then Xia Chu pulled out more sachets, handing one to each person.

Bian Ding looked stunned. "We get one too?"

"Of course. Didn’t I say? Everyone here is someone close to me—including you two."

Bian Hao was overwhelmed and accepted it with gratitude. Everyone raised their glasses to Xia Chu again.

"Hey, Bingwen’s sachet is different," Marquis Xia noticed. Everyone else had red sachets with auspicious embroidery, but Bingwen’s was blue with pink blossoms. Marquis Xia glanced at Xia Chu with curiosity.

Xia Chu, unaware of Marquis Xia’s thoughts, said dismissively, "The ones you all have were bought by the Marquis Mansion. Bingwen was brought down the mountain by me."

"The Young Master is so biased," Su Qian’an muttered.

Xia Chu rewarded him with a flick to the forehead.

"If someone sees Gongzi Bingwen wearing the Marquis Mansion’s sachet, they might as well call him mine."

Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere warmed further. Even Marquis Xia smiled and sniffed the sachet.

"It has a unique fragrance."

Xia Chu looked proud.

"The sachet isn’t rare—but the incense inside..." She deliberately trailed off. Then added, "You can’t buy this anywhere in the capital."

It was made from Lan Yu Yinghua. Not only the capital—but even the entire world likely didn’t have it.

Everyone raised their sachets, sniffed carefully, and stored them away with care. They had thought the sachets were just symbolic—turns out they were truly precious.

Xia Chu couldn’t help but think of Blue Mountain. In past years, she spent Chinese New Year's Eve in the mountains. Even if Bai Ruofei didn’t prepare much, he’d always gather the four of them to celebrate. They’d drink Tusu wine, paint poems with Lan Xilin, and play the qin while she and Lan Yu Yinghua clapped along...

Her eyes swept across everyone present, including Marquis Xia. On such a day of reunion, these were all people who used to be alone.

With that thought, she stood and raised her glass: "In the past, you may have been alone. But I hope that from this year forward, year after year, we can reunite like this on Chinese New Year's Eve. Remember—you are not alone anymore..."

Everyone initially felt a little awkward, but as Xia Chu spoke, their eyes began to mist. Their hearts softened.

"How long are you going to make me hold my glass?" Xia Chu raised an eyebrow.

Everyone came to their senses and hurriedly raised their glasses.

"Let’s eat. After all that talking, the food is getting cold." Xia Chu said as she picked food for Marquis Xia.

Su Qian’an, seeing her serve Marquis Xia, picked up his chopsticks to serve Xia Chu as well. Finally, everyone started eating.

Bingwen looked at Xia Chu’s warm smile and wished he could switch seats with Su Qian’an. He also wanted... to offer her a dish.

Xia Chu suggested everyone play drinking games, recite poems, quiz each other, sing, and more. The vegetables and meat bubbled in the pot, laughter filled the air, and wine overflowed...

She continued to pay attention to Marquis Xia, adding food and wine, whispering small things now and then.

Marquis Xia looked around the Marquis Mansion, which hadn’t been this lively in years, and thought—it wasn’t bad having so many people dine together.

The Chinese New Year's Eve meal lasted from early evening until late at night.

Li Xinlan left first; she still had work to handle at Yixianglou.

After everyone else left, Xia Chu stayed behind to keep the New Year with Marquis Xia.

CHAPTER 22: Exploring Spring

The willows under the moon swayed gently as the years quietly changed. Time had passed, and Marquis Xia looked at Xia Chu lovingly.

"Yunyi, you're fourteen now."

Xia Chu sat down next to Marquis Xia, looked at the bright moon outside the window, and said, "Yes, fourteen."

"You’ll come of age next year."

"Father, it's just the New Year, and you're already talking about next year," Xia Chu smiled.

"Yunyi, do you want to return to your true identity as a daughter?" Such a young girl at the age of blooming should want to wear red makeup.

"I don’t! I don’t want to enter the palace." Xia Chu’s face was full of resistance.

"Apart from entering the palace, doesn’t Yunyi want to wear a light silk skirt and delicate makeup?"

"I don’t want that either. This is fine—it’s very convenient."

Marquis Xia looked at her seriously and didn’t know whether to feel happy or sad.

"Father still wants to see Yunyi’s stunning appearance in a women’s dress. It must be extremely beautiful," Marquis Xia said expectantly.

"Father, don’t tease me..." Xia Chu leaned her head on Marquis Xia’s shoulder and rubbed against it affectionately.

That night, the sound of firecrackers in the capital was endless. The drums sounded from time to time, and the noise lasted through the night. Marquis Xia and Xia Chu sat by the fire and chatted with each other, filled with warmth.

It wasn’t until dawn that Xia Chu yawned and stood up to leave, but Marquis Xia grabbed her.

"Go back, wash up, and change your clothes. You’re coming with me to the palace for the Spring Visit."

Xia Chu wailed, pouting as she tried to escape with a coquettish whine.

Marquis Xia didn’t look at her and sighed.

"In the past, it didn’t matter if you weren’t at home. But now, should your father go alone?"

When Xia Chu heard that, she quickly softened and said, "Yunyi will go back, wash, and change clothes..."

Marquis Xia watched Xia Chu’s retreating figure and felt very satisfied.

In fact, he hadn’t visited the Spring Gathering in previous years, only sending flying notes to the palace to express his goodwill. The emperor sympathised with him and never expressed dissatisfaction, still bestowing generous rewards.

Now that Xia Chu was back, he wanted to show her off. Also, since Xia Chu had chosen Xiao Zimu, the Marquis Mansion was no longer neutral. It was time to start visiting the palace…

Marquis Xia timed his entry to avoid the other princes. It wasn’t until the hour of the mao that he entered the palace with Xia Chu.

The emperor was pleased to see Marquis Xia and Xia Chu and rewarded them generously.

Xia Chu expressed her thanks and told the emperor she would return to the mountains to recover after the Lantern Festival.

The emperor approved it. Seeing her fatigued and drained, he pitied her and decreed that she would be exempt from saluting in the future.

Xia Chu was overjoyed and sincerely expressed her gratitude. She truly disliked kneeling in ceremony.

The emperor then spoke privately with Marquis Xia and allowed Xia Chu to rest in the side hall.

Xia Chu felt relieved, walking briskly and longing to lie down. However, just as she went to bed, Xiao Muhong arrived and gleefully dragged her out to set off firecrackers. She pleaded in every way but couldn’t resist Xiao Muhong’s adorable insistence, tears welling in her eyes.

Half-asleep, she was dragged by Xiao Muhong to an open area outside the hall, where the princess directed the eunuchs to light firecrackers. She covered her ears and jumped toward Xia Chu, full of nervous excitement. Xia Chu had no choice but to let her lean against her as the endless popping rang in her ears.

Xiao Muhong was never tired of this—leaning on Xia Chu, hugging Xia Chu, tugging on Xia Chu. Xia Chu wanted to find something to block her ears, but found nothing on her except needles. She held her forehead in pain and sighed.

Finally, when Xiao Muhong was tired of firecrackers, she moved on to fireworks. After lighting enough, she insisted on dragging Xia Chu to tour the Imperial Garden...

Xia Chu followed along, soul drained.

On the way, they happened to run into the Seventh Prince.

Across a long corridor, Xiao Zimu looked at her from a distance. Under daylight, he wore a dark robe with red edges—elegant and festive.

Xia Chu guessed he had heard she had entered the palace and came looking, so she walked toward him.

When Xiao Zimu saw her coming, he stepped forward as well, and they met in the middle of the corridor.

Xiao Zimu smiled warmly, like a spring breeze.

He called, "Xia Chu."

Xia Chu smiled in return. "Zimu, Happy New Year."

Xiao Zimu nodded, then glanced at Xiao Muhong.

"Only Ninth Sister has the face to invite you."

"You could too."

Xiao Zimu looked at Xia Chu at those words and saw the smile in her beautiful eyes.

"I had also wanted to visit the Marquis Mansion. I heard that except for Ninth Sister, everyone else who visited was..."

Xia Chu interrupted him, her gaze earnest. "You’re different."

Xiao Zimu was stunned, frozen in place.

"Ninth Princess, go rest in the pavilion for a while. Let the palace maids bring you some snacks and tea," Xia Chu said, pointing toward a nearby gazebo.

"Then I’ll wait for you," Xiao Muhong replied obediently.

Though she usually acted spoiled around Xia Chu, she understood the situation clearly. Children in the royal family were clever—Xiao Muhong knew the two had something to discuss. That’s why she said, “Wait for you,” rather than “Waiting for you.”

Xia Chu watched her walk away and slowly said, "Zimu, there’s no interest between us. I have nothing to gain from being with you. I’m willing to stand behind you simply because I want to."

Xiao Zimu understood, but he couldn’t quite grasp his own feelings. This sudden fortune dazzled him, making it hard to think clearly.

"I heard you just resigned like your father."

"Yes. I meant to tell you, too. If anything happens while I’m gone, you can send word to my father. I’ve already told him my plans. He’ll do his best to help you."

"Marquis Xia agreed?" Xiao Zimu was shocked.

He had thought this was Xia Chu’s personal desire, and that the Marquis Mansion might tolerate it without supporting it. He hadn’t expected Marquis Xia to fully approve.

"Naturally. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken me to the palace today. Maybe he also wants to plan for the future."

Xiao Zimu’s face, which had rarely shown emotion for years, had already shifted expressions multiple times since meeting Xia Chu…

After composing himself, he said solemnly, "Honestly, I didn’t plan to get involved before. I thought it didn’t matter who sat on that seat, as long as it was a virtuous or idle king."

"Since Zimu carries royal blood, it’s naïve to think that way. A man without ambition is a threat nonetheless. Your existence is an obstacle to others. If you don’t fight, Your Highness, your brothers won’t see you as family. The emperor has many sons, but the only ones he sees as threats are you and King Mo. He fears King Mo, so he’s cautious. But you’re different. You’ve always stayed clear of political factions, avoided favouritism, and kept to your duties. And yet, in all this time, have you ever held real power? If one day, the Fourth Prince strikes at you, will you be able to defend yourself? If you fall, what will your mother do?"

Xia Chu’s words were sharp and struck the heart.

Seeing Xiao Zimu’s calm expression begin to fade, Xia Chu sighed.

"I’m not asking you to be a sword. I just want you to have the power to choose."

Xiao Zimu nodded. Though Xia Chu was thorough and piercing in speech, he knew it was all for his sake.

Seeing his heavy expression, Xia Chu patted his shoulder, smiled, and said lightly, "It’s fine. If you really don’t want to join this bloody struggle for the throne, since King Mo protects Ninth Princess, I can protect you too."

Xiao Zimu watched Xia Chu’s smiling lips curve. The youth before him had calm, unwavering eyes. He felt that Xia Chu was like a warm breeze, sweeping away the darkness clouding his heart. He felt clarity—and smiled.

"Thanks for your words. I won’t become a fish to be cut."

Xiao Zimu’s gaze turned resolute, his anxiety gone.

"That’s good. Ninth Princess is waiting, I have to go."

Seeing Xiao Zimu’s burden lift, Xia Chu prepared to leave.

"Xia Chu," Xiao Zimu called after her. After a pause, he asked, "Tomorrow, shall we go to Tian’an Temple to pray together?"

At the mention of temple visits and incense, Xia Chu’s head hurt. That would mean getting up in the middle of the night to grab the first incense. She thought for a moment, then replied, "Zimu... I’m not making excuses. I stayed up all night with Father and haven’t slept yet. I’m really out of energy. You see..."

Xiao Zimu’s expression fell, cutting her off, "If that’s the case... forget it. Have a good rest. I wasn’t thinking."

"No, I’m not done. What’s so fun about incense? How about watching lanterns together during the Lantern Festival instead?"

Xiao Zimu’s eyes lit up, and a smile blossomed.

After they made their plans, Xiao Zimu said goodbye with joy still lingering on his face.

CHAPTER 23: The Emperor's Grace is Mighty 

Xiao Muhong was sitting in the pavilion with a sad expression. When she saw Xia Chu approaching, her face immediately brightened into a smile as she stood up to greet her. Xiao Muhong pulled Xia Chu down to sit beside her and said, "Why did you take so long?"

Xia Chu rubbed her forehead.

"I talked a bit more, so the Ninth Princess got anxious."

Xiao Muhong, without the slightest hint of temper, took a piece of osmanthus cake and fed it to Xia Chu.

Xia Chu accepted it and took a small bite.

"Brother Chu." Xiao Muhong poured her another cup of tea and said earnestly, "Can you go and meet my mother…?"

Xia Chu choked by the tea she had just swallowed and coughed a few times.

Xiao Muhong quickly patted her back. "Oh, my mother is very kind. She just wants to meet you."

Xia Chu frowned. It seemed she really needed to find an opportunity to explain to Xiao Muhong that her feelings for her were not romantic.

"It's getting late—nearly noon. I have to go back. I suppose the emperor and my father are already looking for me. Ninth Princess, let’s talk again another time." After saying that, she got up quickly and left, not giving Xiao Muhong a chance to speak further.

Upon returning to the Pure Heart Palace, the emperor and Marquis Xia were indeed looking for Xia Chu.

Lunch had already been prepared in the Pure Heart Palace, and they were waiting for her.

Xia Chu looked at the mountain of food in her bowl and then glanced at Marquis Xia. She looked again at the pile of food in the serving dish, then turned to the emperor. Ever since Marquis Xia gave Xia Chu the first dish with his chopsticks, the two of them had kept going back and forth—if one picked a dish, the other had to follow. Finally, Xia Chu couldn’t hold back and put down her chopsticks with a sigh.

"What are you two doing?"

The emperor stopped Marquis Xia’s hand mid-reach and glared at him. "Wait your turn."

Then he turned to Xia Chu with a smile. "Chu’er, just eat a bite first."

Xia Chu had no choice but to pick up her chopsticks again.

Both their eyes landed on the tiny mountain of food in her bowl. "Look, the first piece of beef I picked is already there," Marquis Xia commented.

The emperor pouted, "So what? Your piece was just easier to grab."

Xia Chu was speechless. To ease the situation, she quickly picked a mushroom the emperor had set aside and ate it. Only then did the emperor’s expression soften slightly.

Xia Chu held her forehead in frustration. These two men, well past middle age, were behaving like children over who gave her which food. She gave up and put down her chopsticks to ladle out two bowls of chicken soup, handing them to them both.

The emperor looked at the bowl in front of him, considered for a moment, then swapped it with the one Marquis Xia was holding.

"What are you doing?" Marquis Xia asked, confused.

"This one was served first," the emperor said smugly.

This time, even Marquis Xia couldn’t help but laugh.

Xia Chu’s head felt like it was going to explode. She had known that Marquis Xia and the emperor were friends from their youth, but she didn’t realise their bond was so strong that they didn’t even use formal titles with each other. She also knew the emperor liked her, but not that he liked her this much. Though the emperor had been fond of her in her past life too, she’d spent all her time around Xiao Yanjun and had never seen this side of him.

The emperor’s affection was overwhelming—it was honestly hard to bear…

With great effort, Xia Chu finally made it through lunch.

Afterwards, the emperor wanted to continue chatting with Marquis Xia. Xia Chu quickly explained that she and her father had stayed up all night for the New Year, and neither of them had slept. Her father’s health couldn’t take it, and neither could hers. The emperor relented and allowed them to leave the palace.

Xia Chu hurriedly dragged Marquis Xia away. Seeing her father looking so lively along the way, she couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: Father’s health is really incredible…

Finally back at the Marquis Mansion, Xia Chu dove straight into bed. Before sleeping, she told Mo Xiang that she didn’t want to see anyone. Then she drifted off to sleep to the sound of firecrackers outside.

She slept straight through to the third watch of the night. When she woke up in the middle of the night, she was wide awake, tossing and turning without a hint of sleepiness. She gave up and got up, running over to knock on Su Qian’an’s door next door.

Su Qian’an had already returned to the mansion. When he’d heard from Mo Xiang earlier that the young master had returned in the afternoon, he figured he would want to rest undisturbed. After checking in on Su Qianle in the Su Courtyard, he returned early to bed.

Now, hearing Xia Chu’s knocking, he climbed out of bed, threw on some clothes, and opened the door.

Xia Chu stood there holding two jars of wine and some side dishes from the kitchen, bathed in soft moonlight. She looked at him and asked, “Drink?”

Su Qian’an quickly stepped aside to let her in. After closing the door, he finished dressing and sat down with her.

Xia Chu had already flipped over two teacups to use for wine and laid out peanuts and cucumbers. Seeing Su Qian’an seated, she motioned for him to drink.

The two of them chatted as they sipped.

But Xia Chu soon realised something—Su Qian’an was really not a good drinking companion. At this moment, she truly missed someone else. If she’d known it would be like this, she would have made time to bring that person along instead…

CHAPTER 24: Competition

Su Qian’an had no idea what Xia Chu was thinking. Whatever the Young Master asked, he answered. When the Young Master drank, he drank. When the Young Master ate, he simply watched her eat...

After Xia Chu had gotten herself a little drunk, she couldn’t bear it any longer. Wiping her oily hands, she looked at Su Qian’an and asked, “Do you want to fight?”

Su Qian’an paused for a moment and asked, “Does the Young Master want to learn from me?”

Xia Chu snorted.

“I told you I only know some light work. Everything else is just surface-level.”

“Then?” Su Qian’an’s face was full of confusion.

Xia Chu ignored him, stood up, opened the door, and called out a command.

With a “whoosh,” a dark figure landed, knelt before Xia Chu, and saluted.

“No need to bow anymore,” Xia Chu helped him up and instructed.

Bian Ding made a gesture and acknowledged with a yes.

“You two fight a few rounds. I want to watch,” Xia Chu pointed to Su Qian’an, who was still stunned inside.

The two glanced at each other, said nothing, and walked into the courtyard one after the other.

After saluting, they each drew their weapons. Su Qian’an unsheathed his sword, and Bian Ding did the same.

“That’s enough,” Xia Chu called from the stairs. “No weapons.”

The two silently sheathed their swords, readied their stances, and prepared for hand-to-hand combat.

Su Qian’an struck first, leaping forward. With his right hand, he threw a punch toward Bian Ding. Bian Ding twisted aside swiftly and countered with a quick kick. Su Qian’an barely rolled in midair, managing to dodge the blow.

Su Qian’an panted heavily but didn’t retreat. He stepped in close again, sweeping his left hand across Bian Ding’s neck. Bian Ding didn’t evade. He raised his right arm to block and then hit Su Qian’an in the stomach with his left. Su Qian’an hurriedly caught the blow with his right hand, but Bian Ding twisted his wrist and pulled forward—Su Qian’an fell, face first into the ground, like a dog eating mud.

Xia Chu couldn’t bear to watch and closed her eyes. She may not be proficient in martial arts, but she could still read the outcome clearly. From the very first move, the winner was decided. Everything that followed was just Bian Ding giving pointers.

She had always known Su Qian’an’s martial level but had never truly seen Bian Ding in action. In her past life, she’d only known that Bian Ding was deeply formidable. But in the end, it was she who had harmed him. He’d fallen into Xiao Yanjun’s trap and died.

Now, looking at Bian Ding in his prime, Xia Chu thought: such a master... In her past life, Xiao Yanjun had paid a steep price to eliminate him. In this life, perhaps it was time for Bian Ding to drive a sword through Xiao Yanjun.

The sound of Su Qian’an hitting the ground continued from the center of the courtyard. Xia Chu looked at his increasingly bruised figure and, seeing the ruthlessness in Bian Ding’s moves, finally couldn’t bear it anymore.

She called out, stopping Bian Ding.

Bian Ding immediately withdrew and helped Su Qian’an up. He turned to Xia Chu and asked, “Does the Young Master have any further orders?”

“No,” Xia Chu replied, giving him a thumbs up.

Bian Ding, emotionless, disappeared with a “whoosh.”

Xia Chu looked into the dark night and silently retracted her thumb. She smiled and muttered, “There’s always something about the truly skilled... hidden beneath a humble name.”

Su Qian’an groaned twice. Xia Chu quickly turned around, helped him into the house to sit down, then went to fetch the medicine box and returned to apply medicine.

Su Qian’an bared his teeth in pain but never cried out.

Xia Chu examined him and saw that the injuries were only superficial. She reassured him, “It’s nothing serious. Just apply some ointment for a couple of days.”

Su Qian’an nodded gloomily.

“He’s the top secret guard in the Marquis Mansion. There’s no shame in losing to him.”

Su Qian’an’s mood improved a bit. But then he suddenly frowned. “So, the Young Master just wanted to see me get beaten?”

Xia Chu paused in applying the ointment and gave an awkward smile. Then, continuing to apply it, she replied matter-of-factly, “Sparring with masters helps you improve faster. Look around—everyone strong in martial arts was beaten into shape by someone else.”

Su Qian’an nodded earnestly. “That’s true. Then once I’m ready, I’ll ask him to spar again.”

Xia Chu’s hand trembled slightly. After a pause, she said, “No need. After this match, you should reflect on where you lost. That’s how it’ll make sense.”

Su Qian’an nodded thoughtfully. “Then wait for me—I’ll get it next time!”

Xia Chu tossed the ointment on the table and rubbed her brow. Taking a deep breath, she said, “I’m a little tired. After you finish applying the medicine, rest up too.”

Su Qian’an trembled as if to get up and see her out, but Xia Chu pressed him back down. He had no choice but to watch her leave...

Xia Chu returned to her room, lay down for a nap, and slept off some of the alcohol. By the time she was woken up by firecrackers in the morning, she could still vaguely hear the lively voices outside.

Xia Chu called Mo Xiang inside and asked what was going on.

“Young Master, it’s the second day of the New Year. Everyone’s just returned after paying homage to the God of Wealth and borrowing ingots,” Mo Xiang bowed and replied.

“Borrow... ingots?” Xia Chu tilted her head and looked at her in confusion.

“They’re paper ingots. Every time someone earns a certain amount of money, they go to the temple and borrow a pair of yi ingots—not ‘buy’, but ‘borrow’. When returning them, they decorate them with colorful paper as offerings to gain a good omen for the year,” Mo Xiang explained patiently.

Xia Chu nodded in understanding.

Mo Xiang then asked if she needed to wash. Xia Chu instructed her to prepare everything.

After getting dressed, Xia Chu went to find Marquis Xia.

Marquis Xia was flipping through prayer posts in the study. When he saw her enter, he pointed to a mountain of posts on the other table and said, “Look, your prayer posts now outnumber mine.”

Xia Chu pursed her lips. “Except for the Ninth Princess and the Seventh Highness, I won’t see anyone else.”

Marquis Xia glanced at her and asked, “Have you explained things clearly to the Ninth Princess? The emperor mentioned yesterday that Concubine Qi wants to meet you.”

Xia Chu had originally thought she wouldn’t be in the capital for long. But now it seemed she had to clarify everything before leaving.

“I’ll find a chance to talk to her before I go.”

Marquis Xia nodded.

Seeing him still buried in the prayer posts, Xia Chu asked, “Is there anyone among these you’d like to meet?”

Marquis Xia replied disdainfully, “It’s all political posturing and mutual flattery—I have no interest in it.”

Xia Chu laughed and agreed, “Then I won’t meet them either.”

Marquis Xia pulled out one prayer post and said, “Now that you’ve chosen the Seventh Highness, you’ll still have to meet Lord Xu of the Ministry of Revenue.”

“When?”

“We’ll have dinner with him today.” Marquis Xia replied as he waved his pen, wrote the response, and ordered the post sent.

Xia Chu read in the study until noon, then had lunch with Marquis Xia. In the afternoon, she went to Su Courtyard.

When it was nearly time, Mo Xiang came with a message: Xu Wenlan, son of Lord Xu, had arrived. Xia Chu told Mo Xiang to reply that she was “recovering from illness” and remained in Su Courtyard without showing her face. Only after Lord Xu had left did she emerge and go find Marquis Xia.

Marquis Xia had had some wine. His face was ruddy and his expression a bit foggy.

Xia Chu instructed the maid to prepare a bowl of hangover soup. She walked up and asked him irritably, “Why didn’t you stop Xu Wenlan from coming? Why did you let him look for me?”

Marquis Xia looked at her and smiled. “Lord Xu has good character. He’s an upright official, very rare these days. The son he raised can’t be too bad either. I think Xu Wenlan is a fine young man—refined and elegant. There’s no harm in you meeting him...”

Xia Chu held her forehead, rubbed her temples, and said gently, trying to keep her tone calm, “Father, please don’t have these thoughts.”

Marquis Xia looked a little displeased. He genuinely thought Xu Wenlan was excellent. How could she judge him without even meeting him?

Xia Chu walked behind him, wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned her head on his back, and said playfully, “I don’t want to think about such things right now. I just want to spend many, many more years with you.”

Marquis Xia’s heart melted. He patted her hand and said, “Alright, whatever you want.”

The maid outside knocked and delivered the hangover soup. Xia Chu went to take it and brought it to her father.

Marquis Xia frowned and said bitterly, “I didn’t drink that much.”

Xia Chu didn’t listen. She held out the bowl again.

Marquis Xia had no choice but to accept and drink it.

Xia Chu smiled, set the empty bowl aside, and chatted with him for a while. When he began to look tired, she helped him back to rest.

As she was leaving, Marquis Xia told her to rest early—he would take her to a sacrificial ceremony tomorrow.

Xia Chu couldn’t bring herself to refuse, so she agreed.

But at that time, she didn’t know—because of this one promise, from the third to the ninth day of the New Year, she would be dragged around by Marquis Xia to various sacrifices.

One day inviting gods, another welcoming Buddhas, and even celebrating the Jade Emperor’s birthday...

Every day, she was completely disoriented, unsure of who she was, where she was, or what she was doing.

It wasn’t until the afternoon of the ninth day of the first month, when they returned home, that Marquis Xia finally told her: the round of sacrificial offerings was finally complete.

She let out a long sigh of relief.

Back in her room, she threw herself into her blanket, but couldn’t fall asleep at all.

CHAPTER 25: The First Transaction

When Xia Chu woke up the next day, she stretched comfortably, feeling as if she were finally alive again.

While helping her freshen up, Mo Xiang informed her that the Ninth Princess had come by twice in the past few days but had left without seeing her, leaving behind a letter. Su Qian’an had also come looking for her several times, appearing as if he had something urgent to say.

Xia Chu waved Mo Xiang off and opened the letter from the Ninth Princess.

The letter had three sentences in total: two complaints and one final line asking the Young Master to go to the lantern market together during the Lantern Festival. Xia Chu thought about it for a while and wrote a reply. Either way, they’d be shopping, so they might as well go together. She agreed to the appointment.

She handed the letter to Mo Xiang and asked her to send it out, then went to Wuyuan to find Marquis Xia.

Seeing her looking refreshed, Marquis Xia smiled and said, “You look good today.”

Xia Chu pursed her lips and said, “Other fathers pamper their children with all kinds of care before they leave. Only our family is different—endless torment and torture. You must really not want me to come back.”

Marquis Xia glared at her, “Watch your mouth. Sacrifices are a serious matter—how can you speak so frivolously?” After speaking, he realised he had indeed tired her out over the past few days, and his tone softened. “It’s only a few days a year. Don’t complain.”

“I want to eat something good today.”

This sentence was truly heartfelt. Over the days of the sacrifice, she had only eaten vegetarian food—clear soup and plain water. For someone forced to eat meat every day, it had been maddening.

“Alright, I’ve told the kitchen. They’ve made all your favourite dishes. Let’s go eat.”

Xia Chu followed Marquis Xia to the hall. Lunch was already served, and sure enough, it was a table full of meat dishes. Her eyes lit up, and she pulled Marquis Xia to sit down and began feasting.

After the meal, Xia Chu patted her stomach and slouched in the chair, thoroughly satisfied.

Marquis Xia couldn’t help laughing at her greedy expression and only got up to go to the study after feeling reassured.

Xia Chu followed him to the study and brewed a pot of oolong tea. After drinking two cups, she told Marquis Xia she was leaving and went to Su Courtyard.

She had been so busy these past few days that she hadn’t even been able to take care of Su Qian’an, let alone visit Su Courtyard.

Su Qianle was delighted to see her. After the beginning of spring, she was able to get out of bed and move around.

Xia Chu noticed the unfinished embroidered handkerchief on the table and asked, “Didn’t I tell you to rest more? Embroidery strains the spirit. Don’t embroider until your health has fully recovered.”

Su Qianle’s gaze lingered on the handkerchief, then she nodded.

Seeing her still downcast, Xia Chu gently reassured her, “If you slow down your recovery just for embroidery, it’s not worth it. Once you’re well, you can do whatever you want.”

Su Qianle’s eyes lit up, and a smile tugged at her lips as she nodded.

Xia Chu chatted with her for a while, then took her leave and returned to Yunqi Courtyard.

As usual, she practiced flying needles in the courtyard. After sunset, she rested a while, then had dinner with Marquis Xia and took him for a walk in the garden. It wasn’t until Mo Xiang came to report that Su Qian’an had returned and was looking for her that Xia Chu dismissed Marquis Xia and hurried back.

Su Qian’an sighed in relief upon seeing her.

Entering the room, Xia Chu looked at his serious face and couldn’t help asking, “What’s wrong? You’ve been looking for me so urgently.”

Su Qian’an took a deep breath and replied, “I couldn’t hand over Bingwen’s report to you these past few days, and I didn’t feel comfortable giving it to Mo Xiang.”

Xia Chu raised her eyebrows, motioning for him to continue.

“Bingwen says there’s a big deal.”

“Oh?” Xia Chu took the report and began reading.

“The buyer is King Mo!” Su Qian’an had just finished speaking when Xia Chu turned the page. Xiao Mubai, the King of Mo, wanted to buy news related to Bai Ruofei and he is willing to give half of his palace industry and a token.

It was indeed a big deal. But why was Xiao Mubai looking for Bai Ruofei?

Damn, was Bai Ruofei really worth that much...?

“Can we sell him?” Su Qian’an looked at Xia Chu, who was deep in thought.

After reading the report, Xia Chu casually burned it and said, “Let’s go talk to Bingwen.”

On the way, Su Qian’an informed her that Bingwen had recently bought four maids and four younger maids, who now lived in the south guest room.

The two of them landed lightly in front of Bingwen’s room.

Su Qian’an knocked gently and called for him.

Bingwen opened the door and, seeing Xia Chu with Su Qian’an, invited them in. He then went out to dismiss the maids, telling them not to attend to him anymore, and returned with a pot of tea.

As he poured tea for Xia Chu, Bingwen asked, “Did the Young Master come after reading the proposal?”

“Yes. King Mo’s deal can’t be done.”

Bingwen wasn’t surprised and said, “Well, Bai Ruofei is a legendary figure. He’s been missing for more than forty years. Not only were we not born then—our fathers probably hadn’t even been born.”

Xia Chu was a bit surprised. She knew Bai Ruofei wasn’t young, since he was once her mother’s master, but she hadn’t realised he was that old. She had lived with him for thirteen years and hadn’t noticed at all. With his looks and aura, in the Beijing marketplace, he would have been considered tall, handsome, and the kind of gentleman who made women swoon...

Bingwen saw her lost in thought and comforted, “It’s normal that the King Mo deal didn’t work out. Don’t be upset, Master.”

“I’m not upset,” Xia Chu said to herself. Why would she be? It wasn’t about whether the King of Mo’s deal went through. She was just really curious—how old was Bai Ruofei exactly? Had he made himself some kind of elixir...

“That’s good, then. Should we pick another deal?” Bingwen asked, relieved by her light tone.

“Let’s sell the whereabouts of the disaster relief silver in Jiangcheng.”

“Where?” Bingwen asked.

Last summer, there had been a flood in Jiangcheng, and the emperor had allocated two million taels of silver for relief. Xu Wanjun, head of the Ministry of Revenue, had passed the silver to Zhu Chenlin, Governor of Jiangzhou. Zhu Chenlin had then entrusted it to Lu Mingxi, prefect of Jiangcheng.

Instead of taking the official route, Lu Mingxi had gone north via the river, privately transporting the silver. He colluded with pirates and embezzled the government funds. Lu Lu, magistrate of Anlu County, reported him. The emperor was furious. Lu Mingxi was arrested and escorted to the capital for trial at Dali Temple.

The case dragged on for six months. Lu Mingxi refused to confess, and the silver was never found. Zhu Chenlin was fined for negligence, and the emperor, losing patience, sentenced Lu Mingxi to be beheaded after the spring equinox. That wasn’t far off.

“Lu Mingxi’s been detained for ages. Who would still buy this intel?” Xia Chu was puzzled.

“The buyer is Qiu Zhiting, branch master of the Anfeng Escort Bureau in Jiangzhou. He offered five hundred thousand taels and the bureau’s seal.”

Xia Chu nodded and thought for a moment. “There’s an abandoned Guanyin Temple a hundred li north of the capital. The land was bought cheaply by Zhu Chenlin. He disguised private soldiers as farmers and stationed them around it.”

“The silver is under the Guanyin Temple?” Bingwen swallowed nervously.

“Exactly.”

“Then I’ll contact Qiu Zhiting tomorrow,” Bingwen said.

“Tell him we’ll sell the information, but warn him: he won’t be able to save Lu Mingxi. At best, it’ll change his sentence to exile.”

“That’s good. At least the whole household won’t be executed.”

“But tell me, Yinzhi, why would the Anfeng Escort Bureau help Lu Mingxi?” Xia Chu asked, tapping the table with her index finger.

“It must be some close connection,” Bingwen guessed, though he really didn’t know. He’d never heard about it when he was in the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Xia Chu smiled. “Because those so-called pirates are people from the Anfeng Escort Bureau.”