When Shen Tingjiao woke, he was in a peasant’s home. He stared at the simple, unfamiliar bed for a long time before his senses returned. Just as he was about to rise, he saw Yin Zhuli walking in from outside, carrying a bowl of ginger soup. "Here, drink it while it’s hot."
Seeing her brought Shen Tingjiao a great deal of peace. He didn’t ask where they were, simply taking the bowl and drinking it down in one go. Yin Zhuli felt his forehead; seeing that he had no fever, she finally relaxed.
Once he finished the soup, Yin Zhuli thanked the homeowners, and the two of them set off on horseback back to the city. It was nearly the Hour of the Rooster, yet Yin Zhuli did not dare gallop for fear he might vomit again.
After the horse had traveled for a while, they came upon an orchard by the roadside. Oranges hung among the green leaves like small lanterns, a delightful sight. Chief Yin’s hands began to itch for mischief again. "Sit tight; this Chief is going to pluck a few oranges."
To this, the young prince had only one suggestion: "Pick the high ones! Those are the biggest!"
Chief Yin needed no such reminder. She leaped lightly into the tree, spotting five of the largest, brightest oranges. Because she was riding, she wore a narrow-sleeved robe, and the oranges were quite large; there was truly nowhere to put them. But the Chief had her ways—she stuffed two into the front of her robe against her chest and carried the other three in her hands.
She leaped back onto the horse, and the young prince even knew enough to keep watch for her. As the horse meandered forward, Chief Yin stuffed the two in her hands into the prince’s arms for him to hold, then peeled one and handed it to him. "We must hurry. Any later and the city gates will close."
Shen Tingjiao popped a segment into his mouth. At first, it felt cold, but the orange was juicy and sweet, and soon he found it quite refreshing. He said indistinctly, "Then let’s go faster."
Chief Yin took the reins, pulled him into her embrace, and gave the horse a light squeeze with her legs. The horse understood, stopped nibbling the grass, and broke into a brisk trot.
Shen Tingjiao peeled a segment and, finding an opening, fed it into Yin Zhuli’s mouth. "The flavor is good, try some."
Yin Zhuli took the fruit with her mouth, and her lips inadvertently brushed his fingers. His fingertips were slightly cool, like touching chilled jade. Shen Tingjiao thought nothing of it, continuing to peel and feed her, looking quite proud of himself. "Well? Does it taste good?"
Chief Yin’s voice was muffled. "It’s alright."
They traveled this way until they reached the walls of Chang'an, but the gates had already been barred. Chief Yin helped the young prince down and began to roll up her sleeves. "I’ll carry you in."
Chang'an was the imperial capital, and its walls were built high and sturdy, but this wasn't the first time Yin Zhuli had brought him over this way, so the young prince wasn't worried. Yin Zhuli patted her horse and gave her usual instruction: "Head back on your own at dawn!"
The horse was clever and affectionately licked her hand. Yin Zhuli wasn't stingy; she took the two oranges from the prince’s hands and fed them to the horse. Then, she hoisted Shen Tingjiao onto her back. She had scaled this wall countless times and knew the path by heart. With a light tap of her toes, she leaped up, using the wall for leverage, and a moment later, they were standing atop the ramparts.
Shen Tingjiao clung tightly to her neck. His hand happened to brush against her back, and he felt something hard and uneven. "Were you beaten as well?"
Yin Zhuli didn't care. "I heal fast. Ke Tingfeng is a hateful man, but his medicine is excellent."
Shen Tingjiao felt a twinge of guilt. "Does it still hurt?"
Yin Zhuli signaled for him to hold on tight. "It stopped hurting long ago, otherwise how could I carry you?"
Shen Tingjiao fell silent. She gathered her breath and leaped gracefully from the wall, landing without alerting anyone. Shen Tingjiao climbed down from her back. "You don't need to see me off. I can return to the manor myself."
Yin Zhuli patted his shoulder. "This Chief might as well see the Buddha all the way to the West. I wouldn't want you getting harassed again."
The young prince’s face flushed red, but miraculously, he didn't argue. Chief Yin walked side-by-side with him toward the Prince of Fulu’s Manor, whispering instructions: "Don't go into the palace tomorrow morning. I'll come by and accompany you to see Consort Dowager He. After all, the King himself decreed our marriage. If we go together, she won't likely beat you in front of me."
Shen Tingjiao gave a soft response. "Mm."
When Chief Yin returned home, she went as usual to pay her respects to Lady Yin. Lady Yin was never one for smiles and was strict to the point of harshness. The moment Zhuli entered the room, she tucked away her mischievous grin and adopted the mature air of the Head of the Yin Family. She knelt respectfully on the golden brick floor, took a cup of ginseng tea from a maid, and held it high above her head. "Mother."
Lady Yin sat at the head of the room, leaning on a pure gold cane topped with a crane’s head. After a long silence, she finally took the tea. "Why are you back so late?"
Yin Zhuli offered a forced smile. "Someone was causing trouble at Guangling Pavilion today, someone with quite a background. I was delayed for a while."
To her surprise, Lady Yin did not launch into her usual long lecture. She took a sip of tea and said, "Regarding your marriage to the young Prince Shen—though the date is still some time away, you should begin your preparations."
It had been a long time since she had received such concern. Yin Zhuli was somewhat flattered. "Rest easy, Mother. I understand."
Lady Yin nodded slightly and signaled to a maid, who took the tea and helped her rise. "You may go."
Leaving Lady Yin’s Dexin Garden, Yin Zhuli let out a long breath and skipped toward Tang Yin’s Guilai Abode. She was far less cautious around Tang Yin than she was with Lady Yin. She had been beaten by him countless times while learning literature and martial arts since childhood, yet she remained cheeky and prone to acting like a spoiled child around him.
There wasn't a single lamp lit in Guilai Abode. She walked to the second-floor corridor overlooking the waterside pavilion and saw Tang Yin, dressed in green robes, leaning against the railing. The moonlight draped over his shoulders. He gripped the vermilion railing with both hands, gazing at the green lotuses swaying in the lake, seemingly unaware of her approach.
Zhuli crept up behind him and suddenly struck at his Zhangtai acupoint. Tang Yin snapped back to reality, a silver flash appearing in his hand, only to vanish the moment he saw her.
"You're becoming more and more disrespectful." He had already caught Yin Zhuli’s wrist, pinning her pulse point. Yin Zhuli was utterly dejected. "Master, your disciple has a question."
She looked solemn. Tang Yin coughed once, putting on his masterly air. "Speak."
Yin Zhuli looked defeated. "Master, did you hold back some secrets when you were teaching me?!"
Tang Yin sighed deeply twice and said with equal solemnity, "Chief Yin, I have a request."
Yin Zhuli quickly coughed as well, adopting the posture of the Head of Fugui City. "Speak freely."
Tang Yin released her hand, his expression sincere. "In the future, if anyone asks about Chief Yin’s lineage, please, for the love of all, do not mention you studied under Tang Yin. Though the world is wide, we are bound to meet again in the martial world. I cannot afford to lose that much face. I beg of you."
Yin Zhuli, however, beamed with joy. "From now on, the first thing I'll say to anyone is, 'Ahem, my master is the Soft-Touch Tang Yin...'"
Having said her piece, she skipped into the main room of Guilai Abode. Dinner was already laid out on the table. Tang Yin shook his head helplessly and followed her.
"Master, the fabric shop released a new 'Rosy Cloud Brocade' today. I had them make a set for you. I drew the embroidery pattern myself; you must wear it." She shoveled food into her mouth, throwing all the etiquette Lady Yin had taught her to the wind. Tang Yin helped her to some side dishes, and she cleared the plates like a whirlwind, refusing nothing. Over the years, she had grown up exactly as they hoped. Before outsiders, she had shed her naivety, guarding against deception, framing, and various forms of assassination.
Only here, before him and Mengyuan, did she still act with the innocent silliness of her youth.
Tang Yin took a cup of wine from a maid and handed it to her, his voice tinged with mild reproach. "Eat slower."
Yin Zhuli was indeed choking. She took the wine and gulped it down, finally catching her breath. "I have to check the accounts later. Today is the day the fabric shop settles its books. Hao Jian is still calculating; I need to head over soon."
Tang Yin placed a piece of Buddha’s Hand Golden Roll in her bowl and habitually wiped a stray bit of food from the corner of her mouth. "If you choke to death, you won't have to check any accounts."
Yin Zhuli tilted her head up to let him wipe it, then downed another cup of wine. She rose and ordered the maids to clear the table before rushing off to the accounting office.
Once the maids had taken the things away, Tang Yin, who was not used to being served, was left alone in Guilai Abode. He flicked his sleeve to extinguish the candles, and the moonlight outside seemed to grow even brighter and more ethereal.
In the accounting office, thirty-six head managers stood in two rows. Only after Yin Zhuli waved her hand did they sit at their respective low tables, waiting for the Chief to audit the books. Yin Zhuli checked accounts with incredible speed, reading ten lines at a glance with a photographic memory; only for massive transactions did she need to use an abacus. The head manager, Hao Jian, sat beside her, respectfully answering her questions and occasionally verifying the data she called out.
His fingers flew across the abacus like a swimming dragon, possessing a strange beauty. Yin Zhuli valued him highly; only the thick calluses on his hands knew how many abacuses he had worn down and how many accounts he had calculated.
The two of them picked out every error and fraudulent entry. By the time they finished, the moon was high in the sky, and the night was deep and silent. She dismissed Hao Jian and walked toward the waterside pavilion, sighing as she went. "Martial arts, martial arts... can I just not practice today..."
Tang Yin stood with his hands behind his back at the training grounds of the pavilion, his green robes bathed in moonlight, looking solitary and cold. The pavilion was where various ledgers and books were kept, so few people came here. Tang Yin liked the scenery, so he had turned it into a training ground.
Yin Zhuli consciously removed her outer robe, leaving only her white short undergarment. Today she was still practicing grappling. This set of "Spirit-Seizing Hands," paired with the "Seeking the Moon in Dreams" footwork, was truly seamless, moving like a dragon through the air. Tang Yin watched silently for a while before suddenly attacking. Yin Zhuli did not panic, immediately shifting her stance to meet him.
Master and disciple sparred frequently. She was very familiar with his moves. Her footwork complemented her palm strikes, and she used her grappling techniques to neutralize his offensive from time to time, handling it without much strain.
Seeing she still had strength to spare, Tang Yin’s moves became much faster, hiding many variations within them. Yin Zhuli began to struggle; she lacked actual combat experience. In the midst of her frantic defense, Tang Yin struck a palm toward her chest. Yin Zhuli was unharmed, but his expression suddenly changed.
"You..." A flicker of anger crossed his face, but he fell into an embarrassed silence for a long moment before saying, "That’s enough for today. Go to sleep."
Yin Zhuli was only too happy to comply, hurriedly grabbing her outer robe. "Master, you should rest early too."
Tang Yin nodded. As Yin Zhuli was about to leave the pavilion, she looked back and saw him standing by the water. His silhouette under the moon looked even more slender and upright. Sensing she hadn't left yet, Tang Yin said deeply, "If you're not tired, we can continue."
Yin Zhuli stuck out her tongue and ran off as fast as she could.
As she ran, she wondered—why did Master’s face suddenly change like that?
The mystery was only solved when she returned to Red Maple Pavilion. As she was bathing, her maid Qingwan unfastened her short undergarment, and two large, round oranges rolled out from her chest.
Qingwan stared at the oranges for a long time before whispering, "Chief... actually, your... they aren't small. Why did you need to use these?"
Chief Yin felt her vision go dark and tumbled headfirst into the bathtub.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 酉时 | Hour of the Rooster | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM. |
| 德馨园 | Dexin Garden | "Garden of Virtuous Fragrance," Lady Yin's residence. |
| 归来居 | Guilai Abode | "Abode of Return," Tang Yin's residence. |
| 绕指柔 | Soft-Touch | Literally "softness that wraps around the finger," Tang Yin's martial title/style. |
| 烟霞云锦 | Rosy Cloud Brocade | A type of high-quality silk fabric. |
| 佛手金卷 | Buddha’s Hand Golden Rolls | A Chinese dish, likely a type of spring roll or dim sum. |
| 擒神手 | Spirit-Seizing Hands | Yin Zhuli's grappling technique. |
| 梦里寻月 | Seeking the Moon in Dreams | Yin Zhuli's light-body/footwork technique. |
| 丹枫阁 | Red Maple Pavilion | Yin Zhuli's personal residence. |
| 清婉 | Qingwan | Yin Zhuli's maid. |
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