RBBPM: Chapter 6,7 and 8

 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟔: GATHERING

At the start, Xia Chu took the brother and sister back to the Hou Mansion. She ordered a separate courtyard to be prepared for Su Qianle and arranged for two maids to serve them. She instructed the maids to wear veils when interacting with Su Qianle and to cleanse themselves with cicada leaves when entering or leaving the courtyard. After some thought, she also stationed two more servants outside Su Qianle’s courtyard for added precaution.

After settling Su Qianle in, Xia Chu brought Su Qian'an to the Hou Mansion’s medicine warehouse to gather herbs. Moving along the rows, she collected Codonopsis, Atractylodes, Yam, and Poria Cocos. When she reached for Angelica, she realized she couldn’t reach it.

"Help me get that" Xia Chu said, pointing upward.

Su Qian'an easily retrieved it.

Watching him, Xia Chu thought to herself, It’s really convenient to be tall.

From then on, she simply called out the names of the herbs, and Su Qian'an fetched them. Once they were done, Xia Chu brought him to the kitchen.

There, she found the cook and requested three small stoves. She divided the medicinal ingredients they had gathered into three groups: nourishing yin, replenishing yang, and stabilizing asthma. Then, from inside her robe, she pulled out turtle essence, elk glue, and schisandra, adding them to the corresponding groups.

She carefully poured each mixture into the three stoves and began boiling them over low heat, watching over them herself. The maids offered to help, but she waved them off.

"I'll do it myself," she said firmly.

After a while, a small servant outside the house came to deliver a message, saying that Marquis Xia had learned she had returned and was calling her to the study.

Su Qian'an, already touched after meeting her in person, hurriedly said, "Young master, go ahead. How long could it take? I'll keep watch here."

Xia Chu shook her head and instructed the little servant, "Tell my father I have something going on right now. I'll see him later."

The little servant sighed and retreated.

Xia Chu glanced at Su Qian'an, his eyes were filled with emotions, and pulled over a small bench for him to sit on.

Tsk, it's really tiring to keep talking while looking up...

"There are three ingredients in this medicine that are extremely precious. Once they're boiled down, they can’t be bought with money. So I should watch over it myself."

"You can’t buy it with money... How much would it cost then?" Su Qian'an asked.

Xia Chu gave a meaningful smile, then leaned in and whispered, "Ten thousand gold, and still hard to find."

"Ten thousand... hard to find?" Su Qian'an muttered, nearly falling off the bench in shock.

Xia Chu kicked him lightly. "I’m not asking you to pay for it. Besides, you don’t have that kind of money. Why act so bitter and tragic?"

Su Qian'an snapped out of it. "I’m just... not sure how to repay this great kindness."

Xia Chu stopped teasing him and picked up a pu fan, gently fanning the small fire. After a moment, she asked, "Qian'an, if you could open a shop, what would you want to sell?"

"Huh?" Su Qian'an scratched his head, thought seriously for a moment, then replied, "Knives."

Xia Chu smiled softly. She knew he was not only good with knives, but exceptionally so.

"Okay. Then I’ll open a weapon shop for you."

"Huh? Young master, I can’t do business! Just let me follow you," Su Qian'an said with a troubled expression.

"You won’t have to run it. It’s just a façade anyway. Tomorrow, we’ll find a storefront on the street—one with two floors. The first floor will be your armory, and on the second, I’ll sell something else."

"Young master, can’t I just follow you?"

"You can for now. But after the new year, I have to go to Hanyang to enter the military camp. It won’t be convenient to bring you along." She patted him on the shoulder. "When I return, you can follow me again."

Su Qian'an saw she had made up her mind and simply nodded.

About an hour later, Xia Chu checked the decoctions one by one, then ordered the maid to bring three small bowls. She poured each potion separately into the bowls, labeled them, and handed them to Su Qian'an.

"Take these to Qianle and have her drink them in order." After a brief pause, she pulled a bottle of nectar from her robe and placed it on the tray. "She can drink this after she finishes the medicine. Go ahead—I’ll call for you when I get back to the house."

Su Qian'an nodded, took the medicine, and headed toward Su Qianle’s courtyard.

Xia Chu let out a breath of relief, straightened her clothes, adjusted her collar, and walked toward the study in Marquis Xia’s Wuyuan.

The little servant at the study door opened it as she arrived and announced, "Marquis, the young master is here."

Xia Chu entered and saw Marquis Xia writing, so she stepped over and stood beside him to help grind the ink.

"The character ‘father’ is truly vigorous and forceful—three points into the wood. The brush flows like a dragon, elegant as clouds and water..."

"Alright, that’s sweet enough," Marquis Xia said with a smile. It was clear he was in good spirits.

"I heard you brought back two people?"

"Yes. A brother and sister. The older brother is named Su Qian'an, the younger sister is Su Qianle."

"Are they clean?"

"No relatives, no connections. Just poor folks. The girl has a lung... sickness." Xia Chu hesitated, then softened the wording. Tuberculosis sounded too frightening—best not to alarm the household.

"I’ve treated her and prescribed medicine. I assigned two maids and two young servants to care for her. But since lung disease is contagious, I told them not to disturb others in the house."

Marquis Xia nodded. "Mr. Bai said in his letter that your medical skills were impressive."

"Impressive? Try unbeatable. He’s hardly a match for me now," Xia Chu replied proudly.

Marquis Xia rubbed her head and scolded gently, "Arrogant girl."

Xia Chu pouted, pretending to be aggrieved.

"Alright, alright. My Yunyi’s medical skills are unmatched," he said, coaxing her with a chuckle.

"Hmph." Xia Chu turned her head, smug again.

"How are you planning to place the siblings?"

"Qianle needs at least a year or two to recover. As for Qian'an, I’m planning to help him open a weapons shop tomorrow."

"The Hou Mansion can’t afford to support one more person?"

"It’s not really about opening a shop. I have something else I want him to do."

"What is it? Can’t your father help you?"

"Oh, Father—relax. Let me handle it. You’ll see soon enough."

"So mysterious, huh? My little Yunyi’s all grown up and full of secrets now," Marquis Xia said with exaggerated grief.

Xia Chu pursed her lips and changed the subject. "Dad, I’m hungry. I was busy with the decoctions when I got back—I haven’t eaten yet."

Sure enough, Marquis Xia dropped the topic and called for dinner to be prepared.

Xia Chu stopped the little maid. "Prepare two dinners for the new courtyard too—one hearty, one light."

The maid nodded and left. Then Xia Chu suddenly remembered the timing and chased after her.

"Wait—deliver the dinners to that courtyard in half an hour," she called out.

The maid acknowledged the correction and left again.

When Xia Chu turned around, she caught Marquis Xia watching her with a wounded expression.

"You’re so thoughtful with outsiders, but with your own father—nothing."

Xia Chu tugged on the corners of her lips into a smile, then quickly hugged him. "How could I not care? I brought back a whole bunch of tonics from Bai Ruofei's mountain. You know how valuable his medicine is. It’s all for you—really. Let’s eat. I’m starving."

After dinner, Xia Chu chatted with Marquis Xia for a while. She shared some amusing stories from her time on the mountain and gave him some of the tonics she’d brought. She also lit some soothing incense made from blue feather cherry blossoms to help him relax, then quietly slipped out of the room.

When she returned to her room, Xia Chu called for the little maid to summon Su Qian'an. Then she instructed another maid to clean out the side room next door and bring in fresh bedding. After giving her orders, she sat down inside, waiting quietly. Before long, there was a knock at the door—Su Qian'an had arrived.

"Come in."

"Young Master." Su Qian'an raised his hand in salute when he saw her.

Xia Chu gestured for him to sit down, but he remained standing stiffly, clearly uneasy.

"Sit down!" she snapped, slapping the table.

The sudden outburst startled Su Qian'an so much that his legs gave out, and he sat down obediently on the stool.

Ever since meeting Xia Chu, Su Qian'an had always seen Xia Chu as a gentle and refined nobleman, kind, patient, and meticulous. This was the first time he’d heard her raise her voice.

Xia Chu looked at him and sighed.

"In the future, there’s no need to be so stiff when you're with me. I don’t care for formalities, and I don’t see you as a mere servant. As long as you follow me sincerely, I won’t treat you unfairly."

Su Qian'an was about to kneel again upon hearing this, but Xia Chu gave him a sharp glare that froze him in place.

He scratched his head and smiled sheepishly.

"My loyalty lies entirely with you, Young Master. I will never leave your side."

"Good. I’ve had the room next door cleaned for you. After all, Qianle is a girl—it’s not appropriate for you to live together. I’ve already given her prescription to the housemaids, and they’ll deliver it on time. You don’t need to worry."

"Thank you, Young Master."

"Take this," Xia Chu said, handing him a token engraved with the character Xia. "This is a token of the Hou Mansion. If you ever need anything, you can use this to give orders."

"This..." Su Qian'an hesitated, unsure if he should accept it.

"I'm giving it to you because I trust you. It'll make things easier for you moving forward."

"Yes. I will not let you down."

"Tomorrow, go to the accounting office and withdraw some silver. I’ll take you shopping."

"Huh? How much?"

Truthfully, Xia Chu didn’t have a clear concept of money. She hadn’t needed to deal with it in her past life, so she thought it over briefly.

"Withdraw a hundred taels. Don’t take banknotes—bring loose silver. That should be enough for now. If we end up buying anything big or renting a storefront, they can send the bill directly to the Hou Mansion."

"Understood."

"Alright then, go get some rest. When I wake up tomorrow, you can visit your sister. I plan to sleep in till noon. After eating with the old man, I’ll come find you."

Su Qian'an bowed and took his leave.

Xia Chu lay down in bed, feeling the exhaustion of the day finally hit her. She had wanted to plan out the next steps, but the moment her head hit the pillow, she drifted off to sleep...

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 7 : RENTING A SHOP

Xia Chu slept straight through until noon. When the maid heard movement in the room, she knocked softly and entered to help her wash and dress.

Xia Chu glanced at the girl carrying the water and recalled her name.

"Your name is Moxiang?"

"Yes, this servant is Moxiang."

"Has Marquis Xia eaten yet?"

"Not yet. Master wouldn't let us wake you—he said to just wait."

"Go tell Master Hou that I’ll be there shortly."

Moxiang nodded and left.

After getting dressed and finishing her morning routine, Xia Chu made her way to find Marquis Xia for lunch.

As soon as he saw her, Marquis Xia reached out and rubbed her head.

"Lazy girl."

"I was exhausted yesterday—don’t I deserve a little extra sleep?"

"Alright, alright. Come eat." Marquis Xia wasn't annoyed and doted on her, picking vegetables for her bowl.

"By the way, what happened with the Qinglou (courtesan house) ?" Xia Chu asked while chewing a piece of beef.

"Your father always takes your words seriously. The day after you mentioned it, I had Li Xinlan purchase the largest establishment in the capital."

"Wow, that must've cost a fortune."

"It did. We took the whole property—and the girls, too."

"So it’s already ours now?"

"Of course. It's right in the city center. When you’re free, you should go take a look. I told Li Xinlan to follow your instructions when it comes to future purchases."

"Thanks, Dad." Xia Chu got up and served him a bowl of chicken soup. "How much silver did it cost?"

"You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll cover it."

"Well, I’ll earn it back sooner or later."

"You really plan to make the Qinglou your business?"

"I’m not relying on the Qinglou—I have other plans." Xia Chu gave a sly smile and blinked mischievously.

"Secrets again, huh?"

Xia Chu chuckled and placed a chicken drumstick into his bowl.

"There must be a lot of connections tied up in that building, right?"

"You’re sharp."

"A location that good, with so many people involved—it couldn’t have been easy to take over."

Marquis Xia nodded approvingly. "I did have to pull some strings."

"Tell me who. I need to keep track. In the future, if I tug on their braids or owe them a favour, I would want to know."

Marquis Xia laughed heartily. "You’re a crafty one."

The meal went smoothly, and after some more light conversation, Xia Chu said her goodbyes—she still had matters to attend to that afternoon.

She made her way to Su Qianle’s courtyard. At the entrance, a young maid stepped forward and fumigated her with cicada leaves. Xia Chu paused, feeling something was missing.

"Have someone make a plaque to hang here," she said. "From now on, this place will be called Suyuan."

The maid nodded and withdrew.

Xia Chu entered the courtyard, walked to Su Qianle’s room, and knocked on the door.

Su Qian'an opened it, stunned for a moment before quickly bowing.

Xia Chu waved him off.

Su Qian'an brought out a stool and poured her a cup of tea. "Young Master can call me, why come in person?"

"It’s alright. I wanted to check on Qianle myself."

Xia Chu walked over to the bedside and sat down. She took Su Qianle’s pulse again and asked detailed questions about her condition since taking the medicine. Then she reminded her to rest more and move less.

Recalling that Su Qianle had been literate in her previous life, Xia Chu asked what kinds of books she enjoyed and instructed the maids to find some for her to read and help pass the time.

Su Qianle was overwhelmed. The contrast from yesterday to today was so stark, it felt like she was still dreaming.

Xia Chu stopped talking when she noticed the girl in a daze. She gently tucked the quilt around her and quietly led Su Qian'an out of the room.

The two stood at the gate of the courtyard smoking cicada leaves.

Su Qian'an asked her, "How does the young master know that my sister is literate?"

Xia Chu raised her eyebrows, "You two are of good character, your sister talks extraordinarily, and although you practice martial arts, you are not rude. The two of you must have had a good family background since childhood, maybe your family was well-off, so you are so down-to-earth."

"Young Master..." A layer of sadness brewed in Su Qian'an's eyes.

"You don't have to tell me, you just need to know. From now on, you are my people, and I will protect you."

Su Qian'an felt that in Xia Chu's body, a strong and powerful momentum burst out in an instant. People had to be convinced; they had to surrender.

Su Qian'an suddenly felt very satisfied.

Yes, very satisfied.

Being able to follow her, Su Qian'an was very satisfied.

"Let's go, I'll take you shopping."

"Yes." Su Qian'an strode to follow.

It was almost the end of the year, and the streets of the capital were bustling. Shoulder to shoulder, the river was endless. The shops on both sides were also lined up, with jewellery, spices, taverns, pawnshops, inns, and teahouses...

There were also all kinds of vendors stationed in front of the shops on both sides, and they were eating and drinking to their heart's content...

Xia Chu stopped in front of a dessert shop and asked Su Qian'an, "Qianle likes that nectar?"

"She loved it, saying she had never drunk something so good."

Xia Chu nodded and entered the dessert shop. She weighed some candied fruit and let Su Qian'an hold it in his hand.

Out of the dessert shop, Su Qian'an asked her, "The young master likes to eat this?"

Xia Chu walked and looked around at the shops.

"This is for Qianle. Although the nectar is good, it is not easy to obtain. I don't have much left, so let her eat this candied fruit after taking the medicine."

Su Qian'an's mouth was hot.

"Young Master is too considerate."

The two continued to stroll, and Xia Chu suddenly saw a three-story shop on the corner of the street in front on the right. At that moment, she was happy in her heart and went to the shop. Standing at the door, Xia Chu asked, "Will you bargain?"

"Yes."

Xia Chu nodded, stood on tiptoe approvingly, and patted him on the shoulder. Su Qian'an wanted to laugh but held back. She followed Xia Chu into the shop, which was a decoration shop that sold weapon accessories.

Xia Chu walked around the store and turned around, asking him, "What color do you like?"

"Black."

Xia Chu picked a black knife spike and compared it with the knife on Su Qian'an's waist.

"That's it."

The shopkeeper hurriedly got up and came over to praise the business: "The young master has good eyesight, this is the best knife spike in the store. Look at the jade beads in the middle, it's mutton fat jade..."

Xia Chu raised her hand to interrupt his chatter.

"How much?"

"Ten taels."

Xia Chu signaled Su Qian'an to give money, and Su Qian'an understood with peace of mind. He said, "Can it be cheaper?"

With a "snap," Xia Chu's hand that was holding her cheeks on the counter fell down.

"This little brother, you see that this workmanship is fine, and this jade bead alone is also worth..."

"Give money." Xia Chu was too lazy to listen to the shopkeeper's grinding and chirping nonsense, and glared at Su Qian'an and ordered.

Su Qian'an was stunned while giving the money, thinking in his heart, didn’t you ask me if I would bargain at the door of the store?

Xia Chu looked at the shopkeeper carefully packing the knife spike and asked casually, "Is there anything else on the second floor?"

"No, the second floor is a warehouse."

"What about the third floor?"

"The third floor is too small, and I live there by myself"

"Why don’t you hire a guy to be the shopkeeper, and there is no need for you to be busy with the front and back?"

"The young master looks like he came from a rich and noble family. Business is not good these days, and I can't make a lot of money. I'm alone, and I can still make ends meet."

Xia Chu nodded, "In that case, do you want to sell this shop?"

"This can’t be helped, this is a family business handed down from the ancestors, and it can’t be lost in the hands of a young master" The shopkeeper was embarrassed.

It's a pity for Xia Chu, she liked the layout, and the location was good. After thinking for a while, she said, "I can’t buy it, but I can always rent it, right?"

"Rent?"

"Yes, rent. You see it this way. I rent all three floors, and you give me all the things you have here. Including you, if you want to stay, you can also be here. Keep selling these things, and I'll give you the starting money."

"Really?" The shopkeeper calculated, doesn’t this mean that he has earned rent for nothing?

"Naturally."

"Can I stay?"

"Eat and live." Xia Chu said with a smile.

"What about the rent?"

"Su Qian'an? Why are you stunned, bargain." Xia Chu pushed Su Qian'an in front of the shopkeeper, walked to the staircase, and asked, "Can I go up and take a look?"

"Naturally, naturally. Young master, you are free."

Xia Chu went up to the second floor, looked at it, and probably imagined the layout and modification in her heart, and went up to the top floor again.

The top floor is indeed a little smaller, but the view is excellent, and when the time comes, the middle of the surrounding walls is hollowed out, then the windows are drawn with curtains, and it is also good to drink tea and enjoy the scenery. Xia Chu was thinking when she heard Su Qian'an call her downstairs.

"Young Master, let's go."

Xia Chu went downstairs. Su Qian'an walked up to her, winked, and said, "Young master, this person’s asking a price that is too high, should we go look elsewhere?"

Xia Chu smiled and cooperated, "Okay, let’s take a look. It’s really too small to do anything, and it’s troublesome to retrofit it back."

The shopkeeper saw her take two steps and was anxious. Originally, he saw that this young master was rich and wanted to make a fortune, but when he saw that people didn't want it, he quickly lowered his price.

"Don’t be a child, isn’t it okay to pay the price I said?"

Xia Chu and Su Qian'an looked at each other and smiled, and Su Qian'an leaned in and whispered, "Young master, I didn’t bring so much cash."

Xia Chu nodded and said to the shopkeeper, "Then make a contract according to the price he said, and you can write a note of silver coins, and I will sign it, and you can go to the account office of Marquis Xia to get the money."

“It turned out to be someone from Marquis Xia’s mansion. This humble one will give you a written note.” The shopkeeper took the written contract and the note of silver to Xia Chu, and respectfully handed over the pen and ink.

Xia Chu took the promissory note and waved it with a big stroke, then took the other contract to Su Qian'an, motioning for him to sign it.

After signing the note, the shopkeeper asked with a smile, “What is the future residence of this humble one?”

“You live here first, and when the second and third floors are renovated, you will be given a room in the Marquis Xia Mansion, and then you can move there.”

“Yes, do you think this shop name needs to be changed?”

Xia Chu pointed at Su Qian'an and said, “Look there. Can you see the little brother over there, ask him what he wants.”

“Yes, yes.” The shopkeeper handed over the knife spike he had sold to Xia Chu.

“The two nobles, please go safely.”

Xia Chu took the brocade box and smiled at Su Qian'an: “Let’s go, little brother.”

Su Qian'an smiled helplessly; he began to slowly get used to Xia Chu’s temperament, and he was no longer so restrained.

Chapter 8: The Deceased

Out of the shop, Xia Chu handed a brocade box to Su Qian'an. When Xia Chu saw him, she said, “For you.”

“For me?”

“The colours you picked and the tassels you would use. If not for you, then who else?”

“Thank you, young master.” Su Qian'an’s hand holding the box tightened.

“You can make decisions for the shop— whether you want to change the knife or continue to sell this. It is up to you. The goods are ready-made, and in the future, you just need to be a hands-off shopkeeper and take care of the people on the second floor.”

“I am not changing it. Anyway, when the young master comes back, I still have to follow the young master.”

“Jin Ge Iron Horse, swallowing thousands of miles like a tiger.” Xia Chu stopped, looked at Su Qian'an and asked, “Qian'an, don’t you want to join the army in the future and make contributions?”

“I don’t want to, I just want to follow the young master.” Su Qian'an emphasised again.

Xia Chu held her forehead and thought in her heart, How did Su Qian'an become a famous general in her past life?

That’s enough, let’s talk about it later.

Xia Chu pointed to the lively crowd in front of her and said, “Let’s go and watch the juggling.”

When they walked over, Xia Chu couldn’t help but be a little dumbfounded.

The people on the inner and outer floors surrounded the water. She looked at Su Qian'an’s height: when she went there to watch, in her previous life, she was a head taller than everyone else. But now, at this station, she was a head shorter than everyone around her.

“Young master, shall I carry you?”

Xia Chu snorted and turned to leave. Su Qian'an hurriedly followed.

Losing interest in playing, and seeing the sun was about to set, Xia Chu took Su Qian'an directly to drink at Weizhai.

This Yinwei Zhai is a century-old restaurant, which was called Delicious Zhai more than ten years ago.

It is said that when the current emperor was a prince before he ascended the throne, he loved to come here for dinner.

Once, the current emperor went there and drank too much with Xu Wanjun, the current household minister, and when it came to the name of the store, he felt it was not elegant enough. He asked for pen and ink, and muttered to himself, “I can’t drink enough, and the taste is especially long.” Then he wrote this new name.

As if the store acquired a treasure, a plaque was made and hung in front of it. After the emperor ascended the throne, the restaurant became a regular gathering place for high-ranking officials and nobles to feast and dine.

In her previous life, Xiao Yanjun often brought Xia Chu here to socialise with court ministers and would share the stories about the place. Thinking of Xiao Yanjun’s face — so flawless it reminded her of jade — her expression suddenly turned gloomy.

Entering the door, Xiao Er greeted them with a smile.

“Two guest officers, did you make a reservation?”

“Marquis Xia Mansion.”

“It turned out to be a noble person from Marquis Xia Mansion, and I’ve left a room for you in the Spring Breeze. Please come in.”

After entering the private room and sitting down, Xiao Er stood aside and asked respectfully, “What would you like to eat? Our Zhaizi has simmered beef tendon meat, Wu Yue soup, stewed soft-shelled turtle, cannon lamb, vinegar boiled goose...”

Xia Chu raised her hand to interrupt.

“West Lake vinegar fish, Dongpo meat, Longjing shrimp, butterfly floating in the sea, rock sugar Xianglian, and rice crab soup. Another altar of blue bridge, wind and moon.”

Xiao Er’s face was full of surprise. “Noble son often comes here?”

Xia Chu didn’t answer, but ordered, “Go down, bring a pair of pen, ink, paper, and an inkstone.”

“Yes”, Xiao Er bowed his head and retreated, still muttering in his heart: No, if I see such a nobleman, I wouldn't forget him.

Su Qian'an stood to the side, watching the contemplative Xia Chu.

He had never truly observed her before. Now, as she rested her cheek on her left hand, he noticed her features in detail: her eyebrows flowed gently into her sideburns, framing a pair of bright, apricot-shaped eyes. Her thick, slightly curled lashes cast faint shadows on her fair skin, and beneath the bridge of her nose, her soft red lips were slightly parted, strikingly beautiful.

Xia Chu’s right hand rested on the table. Her index finger tapped rhythmically, making a faint clicking sound. As if sensing his gaze, she looked up at him.

Su Qian'an, caught off guard, turned away quickly. If the young mistress grows in another two years, he thought, this face will be even more breathtaking.

A knock came at the door.

Xiao Er entered with pen, ink, paper, and an inkstone. Su Qian'an laid out the rice paper and handed the brush to Xia Chu. She held it thoughtfully for a moment, then began to write:

"To the men of the Xuan Zhewei Guard, and to Lord Wei Hou—may this reach both civil and military ranks."

She added a seal to the letter, waited for the ink to dry, then folded it and handed it to Su Qian'an.

“Go secretly to the kitchen of the Prime Minister’s Mansion,” she said. “Find a servant named Li Qiang. Give him this letter. Once he reads it, bring him here.”

Su Qian'an took the letter, tucked it carefully into his robe, and left.

Xia Chu sighed, stood up, and walked slowly to the window. Outside, night had fallen. Darkness wrapped the world in silence.

She exhaled heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose, her thoughts drifting to the man she was about to meet—one of the few true friends from her past life. He had also been one of Xiao Yanjun’s most trusted men and, more importantly, his sharpest strategist.

Stoic and elegant, he moved gracefully through both court and street. Skilled in gathering intelligence, he played a vital role in many of Xiao Yanjun’s decisions.

Xia Chu had shared a close bond with him. Their temperaments were alike, and they trusted each other deeply. News from the martial world and secrets from the palace often became topics for wine-soaked conversation and laughter between them.

She recalled one night in particular— he was in a foul mood after a banquet at the Prime Minister’s Mansion, had dragged her up to the rooftop to drink beneath the stars, silent and brooding...

Xia Chu noticed that he was in a bad mood, so she found a topic to distract him.

"Why would such a handsome young man with a delicate heart be willing to hide in the shadows doing work for Xiao Yanjun?" she asked.

At the time, he had been drinking a pot of Blue Bridge Fengyue. He was probably drunk—his usual cheer had faded, replaced by a trace of bitterness in his eyes. 

Then he laughed at himself and said, "What’s wrong with hiding in the dark? Back then, I disguised myself as a slave named Li Qiang—fetching water and chopping wood in the kitchen of the Prime Minister's Mansion—just hoping for a chance to poison Du Hanfei every day..."

That night, Xia Chu learned his true identity. She learned of his hatred and of his enemies.

"Young Master," Su Qian'an's voice sounded from outside the door.

"Come in," Xia Chu replied, pulling herself out of her memories.

When she turned around, she saw Su Qian'an open the door, leading in a small man dressed in a plain gray cloth shirt.

"Let’s begin. Have Xiao Er bring in the food."

Su Qian'an bowed slightly and left.

The man stared intently at Xia Chu, and she looked back at him. His disguised face was thoroughly ordinary—the kind that would disappear in any crowd. Xia Chu couldn’t help but feel a sense of dissonance. The humble, forgettable man in front of her didn’t match at all with the refined gentleman she remembered—the one who once debated literature with her and sharpened his wit alongside hers.

There was another knock. Xia Chu made a soft sound of acknowledgement, and Xiao Er entered with the food. After placing the last jar of wine on the table, he bowed with Su Qian'an and left quietly.

Xia Chu sat down, pouring two cups of wine. She pushed one across the table to him and held the other in her own hand. Gazing into the wine, she said softly, "Zuo, this is your favourite—Blue Bridge Fengyue. Brewed with red yeast rice from your hometown."

The man, now addressed as "Zuo," trembled slightly. Though he tried to restrain himself, he couldn’t hide the fear in his eyes. It was very cold in there, yet sweat clung to his skin.

He looked at the wine—it was indeed from his hometown. He looked at the dishes on the table—every one of them was food he used to love. He hadn’t tasted any of them in nine years.

The familiarity unsettled him. He was afraid—not of Xia Chu, but of what she knew.

He didn’t know what would happen next.
He didn’t know whether he would have to kill the boy sitting across from him.