News arrived from the Temple: Zhang Zhuyi had indeed made a last-minute decision to attend the grand banquet at Xixi Tower. With the "Red Wen and Emerald Zhang" both present, the wealthy scions of the capital were sent into a frenzy. A single "Haoqiu" invitation had been bid up to three hundred thousand—the highest price in history—and even then, there were no sellers to be found.
Since things had come to this, I had no choice but to join the fray. First, it was for Wen Gan’s safety; it was best if I could watch over her personally. Second, it was to investigate Zhang Zhuyi and see what kind of strange object that "Demon Zither" mentioned in the note truly was. Lastly, I could observe Wen Qi to see if she was making any unusual moves.
After eavesdropping on Zhang Zhuyi for three days, reading the reports submitted by the Yingzhao Temple operatives every night, I realized she didn't wear the bracelet every day. It didn't always match her attire, so in most cases, it remained tucked away in her jewelry box. What I heard was usually just the mundane routine of her private quarters. On the one or two occasions she was outside her room, she was either in Chancellor Zhang’s sickroom, the dining hall, the kitchen, or the garden. Her conversations with others were sparse and strictly formal, yet one person caught my attention: that duplicitous sycophant, Wu Ziming!
Logically, an "inaccessible flower" like Zhang Zhuyi should have disdained conversation with such a man. The reality, however, was quite the opposite. Every time they met, they would chat about world affairs, history, and classical anecdotes. Wu Ziming made no effort to hide his desire and admiration behind his respectful tone, yet Miss Zhang didn't seem offended in the least. Though her attitude remained cool, she showed no sign of rejection. I found it utterly baffling. Even I looked down on such a mediocre man; could it be that Miss Zhang, despite her icy and mature exterior, was actually a naive, sheltered young lady with poor judgment and no experience?
With my authority as Commander of the Ninth, the Temple could only spare three people to be stationed inside Xixi Tower. Zhu Yixin wanted to join the fun, and as it happened, the three agents already embedded there were two women and one man. It was the perfect opportunity to bring Qiao Songlin along; the three of us would disguise ourselves as servants. Meanwhile, Lu Kaifeng, Lu Lingfeng, Xuesu, and Kongxia would be stationed outside the tower, ready to support us at a moment's notice.
Fortunately, Xixi Tower had always maintained high standards for the appearance of its staff, so we weren't made to look as hideous as the unrecognizable portraits Lu Lingfeng drew. Zhu Yixin and I remained beauties of the "delicate girl-next-door" variety, while Fourth Brother Qiao’s luck was heaven-defying—even in disguise, he was nearly as handsome as his original self.
Zhu Yixin poked Qiao Songlin’s face, clicking her tongue in admiration. She gave a roguish grin. "The original owner of this identity was a bit of a playboy. You can't keep that wooden face of yours all the time."
Fourth Brother slowly blinked. Suddenly, his eyes curved and his lips hooked into a wicked, charming smile. The shock sent Zhu Yixin leaping three feet into the air, only to land back down with her face flushed bright red.
The identity Zhu Yixin assumed was named Lanyue, mine was Lingyao, and Qiao Songlin’s was Xinhong. To ensure a seamless transition, we moved into Xixi Tower the night before the banquet began. We dutifully listened to the head stewardess, Mama Yang, give her ten-thousandth pre-event training session. As soon as "Xinhong" appeared, five or six "birds and butterflies" swarmed him—some grabbing his arms, some hugging his waist, and more than a few reaching out to pinch his face. This time, Zhu Yixin couldn't bring herself to laugh. Fortunately, the fierce Mama Yang let out a timely lion's roar, and the crowd instantly fell silent, falling into well-trained rows.
As I listened to the lecture with my head bowed, silently memorizing the key points, I couldn't help but sigh: no matter the profession, being a servant is truly difficult. I decided I should be more considerate toward Muyu and Rocheng when I returned.
We spent half the night cleaning and arranging the venue. After less than two hours of sleep, we were whipped awake by Mama Yang. I scrambled up from the communal bunk to find that eighty or ninety percent of the others had already finished grooming and tidying their bedding. I was a bit slow and nearly got caught by the Mama, so I had to sprint out while pulling on my shoes. Zhu Yixin, however, was quite nimble. Not only was she dressed up colorfully, but she had also managed to cozy up to the supervisor, Mama Yang. She was smiling as she supported the old woman, her tongue sweet as honey as she chatted away.
I ground my teeth in frustration. While I was busy adjusting tables and chairs, changing flower arrangements, and blowing invisible specks of dust off the utensils, I shot daggers at her with my eyes. But "Miss Lanyue" wasn't bothered at all. She had already learned to "borrow the tiger's terror," using Mama Yang’s authority as her own. From time to time, she would even come over and swat my backside, urging me to move faster.
As for Xinhong, he didn't have to lift a finger for the indoor chores. With his outstanding looks, he was assigned to stand at the tower entrance to welcome the distinguished guests. I thought bitterly to myself: forget "different people, different fates"—even in the same line of work, if you don't know how to find loopholes and pull strings, the difference in treatment is like heaven and earth!
Finally, after lunch, the first wave of guests hurried in. As expected, they were from minor families of low standing. It was very likely that several of them had pooled their money to buy a single Haoqiu invitation, meaning each person could only stay for half a day. Naturally, they had to make every second count. They arrived early, but there were no "fish" swimming in the pond yet, so there was nothing to catch. They could only size each other up and exchange sour remarks. Many already had old grudges, while others managed to spark new ones right then and there.
This was a rare moment of leisure for me. I watched with great interest, but I also noticed that despite being a fellow maid, almost no one came to speak to "Lingyao." I guessed that the original owner of this identity probably had some personality issues. Generally speaking, such roles were filled by assassins or killers planted by the Temple; possessing extraordinary skills, they tended to be eccentric and uncommunicative.
Close to dinner, the kitchen ran short on hands, and I was temporarily called in to help. At the very least, I was only scolded a few times for being clumsy, and I didn't break any plates or bowls. At that moment, I deeply realized how well Lord Wei treated me. If one of us had to "wash her hands to make soup," it would certainly be her and not me. She could never bear to let me do it! I comforted myself with such thoughts while enduring the scolding of the head chef, haphazardly stuffing melons—which I had peeled so thickly that barely any flesh remained—onto the platters.
By the time I followed a line of a dozen submissive maids back into the hall, carrying tea and snacks, the place was bustling with activity. I saw many familiar faces. As luck would have it, the person I was assigned to serve tea to was none other than Li Zizhuo.
He looked listless, watching the famous beauties in the hall with zero interest, clicking his tongue and sighing impatiently. His servant tried to cheer him up, saying, "Young Master should be more cheerful. She’s just a woman kept in an outer residence by the demons; you haven't even seen her face. She might be an eyesore! Why pine for her so?"
This brat surnamed Li was actually lusting after me, Su Zhenzhen! Before my temper could flare, Li Zizhuo snapped at him, "What do you know? I only need to see a woman's silhouette to know if she's a beauty or a hag. That girl’s posture was noble and enchanting; her face can only be more stunning. Her personality is sharp and spicy—how can these common weeds even be mentioned in the same breath?"
I decided I absolutely had to teach this shameless creature a lesson. I cast an illusion, striking him in the abdomen. If I didn't make him miss the grand feast and suffer through five hours of diarrhea tonight, my name wasn't Su!
Wen Qi and Wen Gan arrived neither early nor late, bringing along two younger sisters around sixteen or seventeen. Hua Moli arrived at almost the same time, dressed magnificently. As expected, Sister Gan came with Yin Shuhong. Little Yin was smiling as she held a portable ink brush and a small board with specialized drawing paper, her hand never stopping as she sketched the scenes in the hall. I suddenly understood—she was gathering material for her authors! With such extraordinary creativity and dedication, it was no wonder the Yin family had become the number one booksellers in the country.
"Miss Lanyue" stopped wandering around and came to stand with me, eyeing her former patron, Wen Qi. Fifth Sister was one of the people who knew me best in the world. Sure enough, as soon as we saw her, Zhu Yixin commented, "She does look very much like you. But her thoughts run deeper; she isn't naturally carefree. It’s more like she’s forcing a smile. It reminds me of the time right after you returned to the mountain from the capital, yet there's something unnatural about it—it's not as simple as just being troubled by love."
Chancellor Wen had recently gained the Emperor's favor due to his fervent pro-war stance, and his prestige was unmatched. The unwed ladies of the Wen family were quickly surrounded by suitors. At this moment, Wen Qi displayed a sort of helpless shyness, turning everyone away. She found a quiet corner for herself, lowering her eyes and resting her chin on her hand as she brooded. Zhu Yixin gave me a look, signaling for me to go strike up a conversation. If I didn't go, she would. I picked up a plate of pastries I remembered Wen Qi liked and a cup of Jade Dew tea, then walked gracefully toward her.
Wen Qi instinctively thought it was another dandy. She frowned slightly as she looked up, but seeing it was only a maid of the tower, her expression relaxed. Though she still looked sorrowful, she politely and warmly allowed me to set the items down. Seeing her favorite pearl purple-rice cakes, she pursed her lips and indeed picked one up to taste.
I softened my voice and asked, "Miss has a furrowed brow; it must be that this servant’s service is lacking. Do these suit your palate? If you need anything, please call for me at any time."
She seemed physically frail and felt a tightness in her chest. Taking a sip of the tea I offered, she said, "I wish to go outside."
I accompanied her out of the vast, boisterous building, leading her to the side facing the Dan River and the East Mountain. There was no time to retrieve the cloak she had left in her room, so I took a thick velvet blanket provided for the nobles and wrapped it around her shoulders. As dusk fell, the lamps inside the tower—which would stay lit all night—began to flicker to life. Their glow illuminated her melancholy, beautiful face and cast her slender, tall silhouette upon the ground. The Dan River was wide, and the ice was not yet thick; one could faintly hear the gurgling of water flowing beneath the frozen surface. Further east lay the Liangyue of the East Mountain, within the royal hunting grounds. Even in the bitter winter, it felt desolate. The faint glow of the night lilies that Wei Qingming and I had seen while lying on the hillside in the summer breeze had long since withered away.
My heart was full of sweet, tender memories, but when I turned my head, I saw that Wen Qi’s collar was already wet with tears. A tiny spark of guilt rose from the depths of my heart, but it vanished in an instant. I hadn't stolen any love that belonged to another... I could only say that she had appeared in her life at the wrong time.
Still, I felt a sense of pity and couldn't bear it. I pulled out a handkerchief and was about to respectfully offer it to her when Wen Qi suddenly leaned toward me. It was as if she wanted to lean on my shoulder, or perhaps simply embrace me entirely. Instinctively, I shifted my weight and nimbly dodged. She stared at me blankly for a moment, seemingly realizing she had lost her composure and acted improperly. She stepped back and then took my handkerchief to wipe her tears.
I hesitated for a moment, then smiled. "Though I am but a lowly servant, if Miss has something on her mind, you might as well tell me. Once the banquet ends in three days, Miss and I will never meet again. You can treat me like a cat or a dog to vent your feelings to."
Wen Qi shook her head with a faint smile. "It’s nothing specific. I was just thinking that a human life is only a century or two, yet the most vital moments often last only a month or two, or even just a day or two. In a haze of confusion, they are missed."
I deliberately pointed back toward the brilliantly lit tower and teased, "Is that not so? For many people, that place represents the vital opportunity they absolutely cannot afford to miss." Then, I comforted her warmly, "Miss is of noble birth and in the prime of your youth. Your fated one will surely appear. Those you missed perhaps weren't worth such self-inflicted sorrow and lamentation."
Only then did she let out a soft smile. She turned to ask my name and added politely, "You are young, yet your mind is broad and perceptive. I am inferior to you."
I smiled and returned the compliment. Hearing a sudden roar of excitement from inside the tower, Wen Qi tightened the velvet blanket around her and laughed. "The courtyard is still quite cold; let us head back. Lingyao, would you be willing to accompany me for a while over these next few days?"
"What is Miss saying? It would be my honor."
Back inside, Chaoyun—whom I hadn't seen in years—rushed over, her face full of anxiety. She only relaxed when she saw Wen Qi, pouting as she scolded, "If Miss was going out for air, you should have told me! At the very least, you should have taken a fur coat!"
Wen Qi smiled as she let me remove the blanket from her shoulders. "The hosts were very thorough; I didn't freeze."
My attention shifted entirely to the commotion in the hall. Zhang Zhuyi had arrived.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 好逑帖 | Haoqiu Invitation | A high-priced invitation to the banquet; "Haoqiu" refers to a "good match" or "fair maiden" from the Classic of Poetry. |
| 熙熙楼 | Xixi Tower | The venue of the grand banquet. |
| 妖琴 | Demon Zither | A mysterious object mentioned in a note related to Zhang Zhuyi. |
| 吴子明 | Wu Ziming | A duplicitous scholar/sycophant hanging around the Zhang family. |
| 兰月 | Lanyue | Zhu Yixin's undercover alias. |
| 凌瑶 | Lingyao | Su Zhenzhen's undercover alias. |
| 信鸿 | Xinhong | Qiao Songlin's undercover alias. |
| 杨嬷嬷 | Mama Yang | The strict head stewardess/supervisor at Xixi Tower. |
| 黎子濯 | Li Zizhuo | A lecherous noble who previously encountered Su Zhenzhen. |
| 珍珠紫米糕 | Pearl purple-rice cakes | Wen Qi's favorite snack. |
| 玉露茶 | Jade Dew tea | A type of high-quality tea. |
| 丹河 | Dan River | A river near Xixi Tower. |
| 良岳 | Liangyue | A specific area/feature within the East Mountain royal grounds. |
| 朝云 | Chaoyun | Wen Qi's personal maid. |
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