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.”
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