General Manager Hao Jian waited outside the Lixi Water Pavilion. Before long, he saw Xiyue, Lady Yin’s personal maid, approaching in a hurry. Relying on Lady Yin’s favor, she held little respect for Hao Jian and asked bluntly, "Is Master Tang inside?"
Hao Jian, naturally, did not lower himself to argue with her. Still wearing a face full of smiles, he replied, "He is, but he is currently discussing matters with the Family Head. Sister Xiyue should wait here with me for a moment."
Xiyue would hear none of it. "The Old Madam has summoned Master Tang. I can afford to wait, but I fear the Old Madam cannot."
As she moved to enter, Hao Jian shifted his footing slightly to block her path. His face remained pleasant, but his voice carried a hint of a warning. "Sister Xiyue, the Old Madam surely has business with Master Tang, but that does not mean the Family Head’s business with him is any less important. You are a sensible person; in all things, one should leave oneself a bit of room to maneuver."
To his surprise, Xiyue’s anger flared at these words, and she made a move to force her way through. "Hao Jian, don't you dare use the Family Head to pressure me! No matter how great the Family Head is, she is still the Old Madam’s daughter. There is no logic in this world that says a mother should wait for her daughter."
Standing nearby, Qingwan, the head maid of the Vermilion Maple Pavilion, could not stomach this. "Sister Xiyue, what kind of attitude is that? Even the Family Head is courteous to Manager Hao, yet you—"
Hao Jian sighed softly, cutting off Qingwan’s words. "If Sister insists on forcing her way in, it is naturally inconvenient for me to stop you. After you."
Xiyue let out a cold snort and marched toward the pavilion. Qingwan looked indignant. "Manager Hao, look at her! Over these years, she’s truly started to think of herself as half a master."
Hao Jian smiled but said nothing, standing outside the archway with his hands down, waiting for Yin Zhuli to emerge.
Upon entering the Lixi Water Pavilion, Xiyue naturally witnessed the two of them leaning against each other. She understood a bit more of why Hao Jian had tried to stop her, but she immediately let out a cold cough, startling Yin Zhuli awake. "Manager Hao claimed the Family Head and Master Tang were discussing 'important matters.' So this is the sort of matter it was. Family Head, the Old Madam requests Master Tang’s presence."
Tang Yin stood up immediately. He was a man of integrity and noble character, and the current situation was indeed a breach of propriety. Hearing her sharp words, his expression turned somewhat awkward. Yin Zhuli looked up at Xiyue, her eyes darkening slightly, though a trace of a smile remained on her face. "Since it is Mother’s invitation, I won't delay Master any further."
Tang Yin nodded and followed Xiyue out of the pavilion.
Hao Jian was still waiting at the gate. First, Xiyue walked out with a look of triumph, followed by Tang Yin. Hao Jian remained warm and elegant, greeting Tang Yin respectfully before entering to see Yin Zhuli.
"Is the matter of the official silver settled?" Yin Zhuli stood beneath the peach tree, catching a handful of pink petals. Hao Jian dropped his smile now, his expression solemn. "The silversmiths are working around the clock. By the time General Qu returns to Chang'an, the two hundred thousand taels of official silver will be waiting for him at the Thousand-Acre Prosperity District by the West Gate."
Zhuli nodded. After a long silence, she asked, "Of all the industries in Prosperity City, how much is still held in Mother’s hands?"
Hao Jian reflected for a moment before answering. "Family Head, you have taken over all the ledgers over the years. However, nearly all the property deeds, land titles, and major client contracts are held by the Old Madam. Currently, all we possess is the silver on the books. Even then, the movement of large sums requires the Old Madam’s seal."
Yin Zhuli tossed the petals in her hand into the water, the corners of her lips still curved in a smile. "Indeed. That is why she can replace this 'Family Head' whenever she pleases."
Hao Jian frowned. "Is the Family Head referring to the assassination attempt at the Peach Blossom Spring last time...?"
Yin Zhuli stood facing the morning sun, the light drenching her robes. "Hao Jian, if I marry into the Shen family and become the Princess Consort Fulu, it will no longer be as easy for her to control me as before. Therefore, she now wishes to discard me as a pawn."
Hao Jian calculated accounts every day; he naturally understood the stakes involved. "Family Head, forgive my bluntness. While becoming the Princess Consort could elevate the reputation and status of Prosperity City, the price is ultimately too high. Why bother fighting for such a hollow title?"
Yin Zhuli laughed loudly and patted his shoulder. "Because I intend to do something... something Mother certainly won't, and won't dare to, agree to. I am determined to have that hollow title."
Hao Jian thought of the scene he had witnessed under the peach tree. He wanted to ask, but ultimately changed the subject. "But Family Head, I worry the Old Madam will never surrender those contracts. Without them in our hands, she still has the final say in everything."
Yin Zhuli removed two jade rings from her index fingers and held them in her palm. "My dear General Manager, no matter how important a contract is, it is a dead thing. Only people are living. All these years, Mother has looked after the dead things, but she handed all the living ones to me." She slowly spread her fingers, the faint scent of peach blossoms seemingly lingering on her fingertips. "Tell me, of these two rings, which one is real?"
Hao Jian had some knowledge of jewelry and gems. He examined them closely in the sunlight before saying, "The two rings are virtually identical; both are top-quality jade."
Yin Zhuli picked up the one on the right and held it before his eyes. "I say this one is real. Am I right?"
A glint flashed in Hao Jian’s eyes, and he smiled softly. "If the Family Head says it is real, then it is naturally real." As the words left his mouth, his heart jolted as he suddenly understood. "Does the Family Head mean...?"
Yin Zhuli looked at him steadily and gave a slight nod. "Find the best forgers in the martial world. Create a set of identical property deeds, land titles, the Old Madam’s seal, and all the important contracts. They must be indistinguishable from the originals."
Hao Jian pondered for a moment. "We have samples in the shops. I will see to it immediately."
He hurried away from the Lixi Water Pavilion. Yin Zhuli gripped the short flute at her waist. This flute was a gift Tang Yin had prepared for his beloved disciple. It was treated with an unknown secret technique; it looked like jade but was blood-red in color and incredibly hard. It had eight finger holes and a hidden mechanism inside that could eject a short blade—sharp enough to sever a hair and capable of wounding enemies invisibly.
When she was six years old, Tang Yin had given it to her. It was said to be a pair with his own weapon: one named "Steps to the Azure Vault," and the other "Guide to the Yellow Springs."
She gripped the flute, her eyes deep and unreadable.
***
In the first ten days of the fourth month, it was Lady Yin’s birthday.
Prosperity City was known as the national merchant of the Great Ying Kingdom, and the Old Madam, Yin Mengyuan, was a First-Rank Lady of Ennoblement personally titled by the Ancestral Emperor. General Manager Hao had begun sending out invitations half a year in advance. Now, the Yin residence was filled with distinguished guests, arriving like clouds.
For the Old Madam’s birthday, the young Prince Shen naturally had to come and offer his congratulations. He wore a pale apricot silk robe with wide sleeves and a narrow waist, which further accentuated his noble and exquisite beauty. The early spring weather still held a chill; he kept his hands tucked in his sleeves, his face like jade and his lips like cinnabar, exuding a touch of pitiable fragility.
Yin Zhuli took his hand and led him directly to his seat. Seeing their intimate posture, how could those around them not know who he was? However, most of the guests were from merchant families; it wasn't easy for them to see a member of the royal family. Thus, whispers followed them all the way. Some secretly praised his looks, some mocked his frailty, and those with a penchant for male beauty harbored filthy thoughts, their hearts itching with desire as they fantasized about him.
Of course, on the surface, none dared to show even a hint of their thoughts. Though the Ninth Prince’s body was weak, if he lost his temper, he was capable of poking a hole in the sky. Ever since he received his title and was freed from the supervision of Consort Dowager He, he had joined forces with the Head of the Yin family, becoming a major pest in Chang'an.
One day, the former Prefect of Chang'an, Wang Cheng, had spotted him through a curtain at the Guangling Pavilion. Mistaking him for a beauty of the establishment, the drunken official had written a playful, flirtatious verse: *Spring comes to the world as flowers show their hue / Willow waists sway gently, flower hearts softly part / As dew drops when the peony opens.*
Prince Shen had walked up to him gracefully, elegantly lifted his hem, raised a long leg, and—while the man was off guard—delivered a kick straight to the "red center." Since then, regardless of whether the peony opened or not, Master Wang’s "dew" would never drop again.
When Shen Tingyao learned of this, he gave his brother a harsh scolding. However, since Wang Cheng was at fault first, the matter eventually came to nothing.
Once the guests were seated, Lady Yin emerged, supported by Xiyue. She wasn't actually that old, but the heavy burdens of her mind and her lack of interest in grooming over the years had caused her to age severely. She exchanged pleasantries with the crowd. This group of people had long ago cultivated "hearts with seven apertures"; though Yin Zhuli was ostensibly the one in charge, everyone knew that this woman was the true master of the Yin family.
Naturally, a round of flattery ensued.
Halfway through the banquet, General Manager Hao found an excuse to invite Tang Yin away. Xiyue brought out a bowl of longevity noodles for Lady Yin. Yin Zhuli was sitting close to her mother. As Xiyue approached, Yin Zhuli stood up, and the entire bowl of noodles spilled onto her shoulder. The crowd fell into a flurry of confusion. Just as Lady Yin was about to speak, Yin Zhuli brushed the steaming fabric of her shoulder, her voice cold but carrying the natural majesty of a family head.
"Drag her down. One hundred strokes of the cane!"
Relying on Lady Yin’s presence, Xiyue didn't respect her at all. "It was clearly the Family Head who bumped into me. How can you blame this servant?"
Yin Zhuli looked up at her, her voice slow and heavy. "So, you do know you are a servant."
She glanced left and right, and family guards immediately came forward to drag Xiyue away. Xiyue showed no fear, looking only at Lady Yin. "Old Madam!"
Lady Yin coughed lightly. "Family Head, today is my birthday. Spare this servant, lest we make a laughingstock of ourselves before our distinguished guests."
Xiyue knew Lady Yin would protect her, and her eyes held a trace of cold mockery as she looked at Yin Zhuli. Yin Zhuli remained calm, her words neither humble nor arrogant. "Mother, it is because I have been lax in managing the household that we have become a laughingstock. Drag her down and beat her severely."
Xiyue cried out to Lady Yin for help. Lady Yin stared fixedly at Yin Zhuli, the fake smile vanishing from her face. "Release her."
Yin Zhuli met her gaze with a faint smile but did not respond. Lady Yin barked, "Yin Qi!"
Yin Qi emerged from the crowd. "Old Madam."
Lady Yin shouted, "Release her!"
Yin Qi’s expression was flat, devoid of emotion. "Old Madam, according to the Yin family rules, the Family Head has the power to decide all internal and external affairs. Now that a servant has committed a fault, the Family Head has the right to punish her."
Lady Yin struck her cane against the floor several times. The guards had already dragged Xiyue a good distance away. Seeing that Lady Yin was powerless, Xiyue began to plead desperately with Yun Tianyi, Hong Ye, and the others. They had followed Yin Zhuli for some time and understood her mind perfectly; none of them were willing to speak up now.
Seeing how thin human loyalty was, Xiyue’s heart filled with poisonous resentment. "Yin Zhuli, why bother making such a fuss over a pretext? In the end, you just hate me for ruining things between you and—"
Before she could finish, Yin Zhuli stopped wiping the broth from her clothes. A smile curled onto her lips—wicked, glamorous, and demonic.
"Beat her to death," she uttered softly.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 惜月 | Xiyue | Lady Yin's personal maid. |
| 清婉 | Qingwan | Yin Zhuli's head maid. |
| 千顷富贵坊 | Thousand-Acre Prosperity District | A district in Chang'an. |
| 碧落阶 | Steps to the Azure Vault | Tang Yin's weapon (a flute). |
| 黄泉引 | Guide to the Yellow Springs | Yin Zhuli's weapon (a red flute). |
| 王澄 | Wang Cheng | Former Prefect of Chang'an. |
| 广陵阁 | Guangling Pavilion | A high-end establishment/brothel. |
| 殷启 | Yin Qi | A guard/subordinate of the Yin family. |
