After Zhu Hexing left, Yan Chao led Shen Quebai to the small study. As they walked, he explained, “This small study was the one the Master used in the past. Later, as his collection of books grew and could no longer fit, he built a larger one, and this room was left vacant. Although not frequently used, it is fully equipped with desks, chairs, and cabinets, and it is cleaned daily. Please take a look, Young Master, and if there is anything else you need, I shall have someone procure it immediately.”
They reached the door, and Yan Chao pushed it open, stepping aside to invite Shen Quebai to enter first.
Shen Quebai toured the room; it was furnished with a complete set of sandalwood furniture, and the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were of excellent quality. He was quite satisfied and said, “There is no need for large pieces. Please add a pair of rectangular sandalwood lamps, a small jade-petaled incense burner—tea or incense is fine—and a peak-shaped brush rest with any pattern. Also, a box of fine floral-patterned letter paper from the Qianjin Workshop.”
Yan Chao noted these down, opened the window to call someone, and instructed the procurement department to handle it immediately. As he turned back, he saw Shen Quebai testing the softness of the cushion on the chair, and he narrowed his eyes slightly. This “Shen the Fifth” was no ordinary person; his speech and demeanor possessed a unique elegance, and his requirements for daily implements showed specific tastes. A remote, neglected courtyard could not have raised such a piece of “gold and jade.”
Over these years, what exactly happened to him in Chaotian City?
Footsteps echoed in the corridor, and Yan Chao retracted his thoughts, turning to look.
Someone had come outside the window and said respectfully, “Commander Yan, a young lady named Hua Wu is at the gate, requesting to see you. She says she is the Young Master’s maid.”
Yan Chao said, “Let her in.”
Once she was inside, the matter of where she would stay became a concern. Hua Wu needed to serve Shen Quebai and could not be too far away, but the estate was filled with young men, and it was improper for a lady to crowd into their quarters.
Just as Yan Chao was struggling with the decision, he heard Shen Quebai say, “Hua Wu has been wild since she was young; she has slept in temples, on streets, on rooftops, and in forests. No need to coddle her too much. Just find a large courtyard with partitioned rooms and set aside a small space for her.”
Yan Chao looked at Shen Quebai upon hearing this, and the other man smiled back.
In a large mansion, courtyards varied in size. Only those with high status and great trust could reside in a private courtyard within a larger compound. While Shen Quebai spoke of not coddling her, he was, in fact, securing a prime location for his maid.
To the east of Qiongxian Garden were four small courtyards occupied by Yan Chao, Ting Yuan, and the late housekeeper, Uncle Cao. Shen Quebai was proactively placing his own people right under their noses.
Yan Chao could not discern if Shen Quebai was truly candid or genuinely calculating, but it was a clever idea, so he waved his hand in agreement.
The person outside bowed and hurried away.
Not long after, a servant led a young lady in a yellow dress inside. Yan Chao exchanged greetings with her and left the small study.
Hua Wu watched him depart from the corridor before turning into the study. She circled the desk and pointed to the red mark on Shen Quebai’s neck, saying, “Zhu Hexing pinched you again.”
“Not as hard as last time,” Shen Quebai replied.
“That’s good,” Hua Wu said. “Uncle Xuan sent a message: recently, someone has been inquiring about your childhood appearance, and it’s not just one group.”
Shen Quebai asked, “Is someone also investigating what happened twelve years ago?”
Hua Wu nodded.
Shen Quebai smiled, “If they want to investigate, let them.”
Seeing his indifference, Hua Wu did not pry further. She simply fished a letter out of her parcel, saying, “This is a letter delivered by Yu Niang from Chaotian City. It is sealed in cloud-brocade, embroidered with a branch of green peach blossoms, and scented with ‘Emerald Rain.’ It’s aimed at you; goodness knows which young lady’s heart it contains.”
“They don’t even know what I look like; how could they dare express their heart?” Shen Quebai opened the letter, releasing a scent of tea. The paper was half-covered in ink the handwriting was ethereal, elegant, like clouds and mist.
[“Upon seeing your calligraphy, I see your heart. At the start of summer in May, seeing your three characters is like a crane in the rain, a dragon among the clouds. What I see is surprise; what falls into my eyes is joy, and my soul has been tethered ever since. Now I write this letter; you see my script, and you see my heart. If you find favor with me, I hope for your reply.”]
The signature was unsigned, bearing only a peony seal.
Shen Quebai stroked the paper, as if seeing the wolf-hair brush dancing across it.
“So…” Hua Wu raised an eyebrow, “This isn’t a heart fluttering for you, but for your handwriting?”
She knew Shen Quebai possessed a marvelous hand, but this was the first time she had seen someone send a letter so directly. Had it been anyone else, Shen Quebai would have ignored it, but coincidentally, this person possessed excellent calligraphy and a delicate heart, striking exactly what Shen Quebai found interesting.
As expected, Shen Quebai said, “Grind the ink.”
Hua Wu began to grind the ink, worrying, “Sending this letter back to Chaotian City and waiting for a reply will take half a month.”
Shen Quebai shook his head, “No need to send it to Chaotian City. Send it to the Chengfeng Pavilion, register it under the name of the Zuiyunji, and pin a purple peony onto the tag.”
The Chengfeng Pavilion was a message station; one could store letters there for the recipient to pick up. However, pinning it to the pavilion in Xuandu didn’t guarantee the recipient would receive it quickly. Hua Wu felt it was less reliable than sending it directly to Chaotian City.
Seeing her confusion, Shen Quebai explained, “This paper is last year’s ‘Cloud Crane’ stationery from the Qianjin Workshop. There were only three sets: one with my brother, one with the Sixth Prince, and the third—when I asked the old man at the workshop for it, he said he had given it to a friend in Xuandu. This is not my brother’s writing, and I have seen the Sixth Prince’s Linjiang Calligraphy; this is not his either.”
Hua Wu asked, “But what if the person who got this stationery gave it to someone else?”
Shen Quebai said, “Even if he is not from Xuandu, he has connections here.”
Hua Wu finished grinding the ink and handed him the brush, saying, “Actually, just asking the Qianjin Workshop would reveal who he is, right?”
“Since he did not sign his name, he does not wish to have any serious entanglement with me. Having seen his calligraphy, I have seen his heart; there is no need to know his name.” Shen Quebai pondered for a moment, then wrote a single character with a few extra strokes and handed the letter to Hua Wu, “A thousand-mile fate tied by a single letter.”
Anyone who could use that stationery was either wealthy or noble. Now that Shen Quebai was entangled with Zhu Hexing, given the Prince’s status and modus operandi, Hua Wu felt this might be a calamitous fate.
“Young Master.”
Just then, a young boy darted into the outer room, freezing when he saw Shen Quebai’s face. Shen Quebai didn’t mind the discourtesy and smiled gently. The boy snapped out of it, blushing, and hid behind the window frame, saying, “Young Marquis Meng is hosting a banquet at the Xiangsi Terrace and sent a post inviting you to join them for some fun.”
Xiangsi Terrace, Xuandu’s premier gambling den, where one could bet money, or bet their life.
Young Marquis Meng: the spoiled little brat raised by the maternal family of the Empress of the Middle Palace, the Marquis of Ning’an estate—one of the contenders for the throne, the Second Prince’s cousin.
Shen Quebai set down the brush, musing, “Is this an invitation to a ‘Hongmen Banquet’ (a trap), or just a monkey show?”
Hua Wu tucked the letter away for him, saying, “I heard this Young Marquis Meng has always been pampered and is a famous little tyrant in Xuandu. If you go like this, who knows if those rascals will try to humiliate you?”
“There is no way to predict that; I will handle things as they come.” Shen Quebai stood up and stretched, “You don’t need to follow me. After you pin the letter at the Chengfeng Pavilion, you can stroll over to the Qianjin Workshop. I heard they have some summer silk dresses; you would look beautiful in them.”
Hua Wu wanted to buy them, but she had concerns, “If a little maid like me wears a dress from the Qianjin Workshop, and someone with ill intentions sees it, who knows how they will speculate about you, a discarded son of the Marquis? You even wore plain clothes the day you returned.”
“It doesn’t matter. If anything, we can just say it was a reward from the Prince.” Shen Quebai suddenly remembered something, “By the way, when others marry, the husband’s family gives rewards to the bride’s maids. The Prince hasn’t given you yours yet; remember to remind me to ask him for it when I get back tonight.”
“Got it.” Hua Wu said, “Then I’ll go deliver the letter now.”
Shen Quebai waved, waiting for Hua Wu to leave before heading to the master bedroom to change his clothes.
As Hua Wu left Qiongxian Garden, she felt numerous gazes spying on her from the shadows. She pretended to notice nothing, striding toward the estate exit.
Once outside the gate, Hua Wu put on a veil hat.
With the white silk covering her face, she suddenly paused, glancing extremely quickly at a street corner not far to the right. Then, she tied the strings nonchalantly and walked away.
A moment later, the person hiding at the corner stuck out half their body and silently followed the direction Hua Wu had taken.
At the same time, two shadow guards popped their heads out from the top of the wall.
“Are we going to handle this?”
“No need… right? Didn’t the Master say? As long as the Young Master doesn’t go to brothels to listen to songs, or bring shame to our estate, let them do whatever they want, even if they go to the moat to pee.”
With that, the two looked at each other and retreated in unison.