As the first month of the lunar year began, the plum blossoms of Que City started to bloom one after another in the courtyards of various manors.
The wealthy families within the Imperial City favored peonies, but those who held true power preferred the plum. This was likely because the plum blossom possessed an inherent elegance and a precious rarity, blooming as it did in defiance of the bitter cold.
Plums had been companions to courtyards since ancient times, and by now, hundreds of varieties had been cultivated. Among them, the rarest was the "Water-Reflecting Multi-Tiered Plum." A single branch bearing three buds of this variety could fetch a hundred gold taels on the official market. Scholars and poets yearned for it, praising its color as red as blood, its stamens as fine as silk, and its shape like a series of towering pavilions. When a single branch bloomed, the entire city was filled with its fragrance.
In all of Chizhou, the place with the most Water-Reflecting Multi-Tiered Plums was Que City, and within Que City, it was the Prince Xuanyuan’s Manor. Unfortunately, the manor’s walls were far too high for ordinary people to catch even a glimpse. Aside from the Prince’s manor, the only place a commoner might behold the splendor of these plums was at Little Plum Manor on Danling Street.
Little Plum Manor sounded like a place where women might purchase rouge and powder, but it was actually the largest gold and silver exchange in Tiancheng. It not only handled the banknotes and currency of shops across various provinces but also managed the distribution of salaries for officials ranked below six hundred dan. It was, for all intents and purposes, a semi-official establishment.
The name "Little Plum Manor" was ancient, its origins lost to time, much like the priceless Water-Reflecting Multi-Tiered Plum tree in its courtyard. Though there was only one tree, it was large and its blossoms were lush and full. Every January, visitors drawn by its reputation would crowd the threshold, and the manor's business would become hectically busy.
It was said that when Tiancheng was established as the capital, a minister had objected to an office responsible for distributing official salaries bearing such a "frivolous" name. He petitioned the Emperor for a new name, only to be dismissed by a single word from the Great General Who Guards the North, Mei Zixu. The Mei family had served in the military for generations and was famous for its upright and disciplined character. Mei Zixu remarked that the word "Mei" represented an innate integrity that would not bend for the winter—exactly the kind of character the Imperial Treasury should uphold. Emperor Suiyuan readily agreed, and the name Little Plum Manor was preserved.
Of course, these were the sorts of elegant anecdotes that scholars loved to discuss; coarse soldiers and commoners knew nothing of them.
As a low-ranking official from a military background who struggled to save every penny, Xiao Nanhui’s visits to Little Plum Manor were always hurried affairs, focused solely on confirming the amount of her newly deposited salary. She had no mind for anything else.
To her, the fat shopkeeper standing behind the ebony counter at this moment was far more important than the tree in the courtyard that did nothing but bloom.
"What did you say?"
Unable to believe the figure she had just heard, Xiao Nanhui stared with wide eyes.
The fat shopkeeper glanced at her, seemingly accustomed to those whose eyes lit up at the sight of wealth. He smiled and gave his jade-beaded abacus a flick, pushing it toward her.
"In Master Xiao’s account, the new funds recorded this month amount to three thousand taels. The entry was made just yesterday. Adding your previous savings, the total is three thousand seven hundred eighty-four taels and nine mace of silver, and exactly one hundred taels of gold."
Xiao Nanhui stared at the jade beads on the abacus, feeling as though she had suddenly forgotten how to count.
"Is... is there a mistake? Although I was promoted a few months ago, my salary shouldn't be this much..."
"To answer the Master, this silver was allocated directly by the Right Supervisor of the Palace Treasury. It has nothing to do with your official salary."
"The Palace Treasury?" She was filled with confusion. "Isn't the Palace Treasury only responsible for the internal affairs of the Imperial Palace? Why would they give me so much money?"
"Ah, the person overseeing this matter is Master Shan of the Emperor's personal staff. He left a specific note, saying..."
As the shopkeeper spoke, he squinted his aged eyes, searching through the dense annotations of the ledger for that line of small characters. Xiao Nanhui couldn't help but squint along with him.
"Ah, found it." The shopkeeper’s short, thick finger tapped a spot on the ledger where the writing was as fine as a mosquito's wing. "It says that His Majesty previously damaged a jade hairpin belonging to Master Xiao. The Palace Treasury, following palace regulations, has provided this silver as compensation."
A jade hairpin? Her jade hairpin?
Setting aside the fact that she had worn that pin for years and it was inevitably covered in cracks and chips from being knocked about, even in terms of carving and quality, it was worth ten taels of silver at most. How could they have allocated three thousand taels for it?
Just what kind of people were working in the palace these days? If they weren't out of their minds, they were certainly blind.
"Ahem." She cleared her throat, intentionally leaning closer and lowering her voice. "Thank you, shopkeeper. I wonder... if the money in this account was calculated incorrectly, will it be taken back?"
The fat shopkeeper maintained his smile, but his voice also dropped. "To answer Master Xiao, in my thirty-odd years of service, I have never heard of such a thing."
Xiao Nanhui let out a long breath of relief. Suddenly feeling a bit lost, she took the wooden tally used for claiming salary from the counter and hurried out the door.
Lifting the thick cotton curtain, the north wind blew against her face, carrying the scent of roasted chestnuts and hot sugar cakes. It didn't seem quite so biting anymore.
She had been back in Que City for several days, and her life seemed to have returned to its original track.
The sunlight, the smells, the streets, and the surging faces upon them were all familiar to her, yet something was clearly different.
Squeezing the wooden tally in her palm, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Did this count as being unlucky in love but lucky in her career?
As she replayed the shopkeeper's words in her mind, she suddenly realized something: if she accepted this silver, did it mean she could no longer ask for the hairpin back from the Emperor?
What should she do?
By all rights, she wasn't a greedy person, but... it really was a lot of silver.
Xiao Nanhui was tormented by this sense of contradiction, her face clouded with worry, unsure if this turn of events was a blessing or a curse.
"Why did you just come out? You were in there for so long."
Her thoughts were interrupted. Looking up at the sound, she saw Wu Xiaoliu sitting by the roadside. His left hand held two salted duck legs, and his right hand held a stack of sesame oil pancakes, the oil paper still radiating heat.
Not far away, Bolao was napping against the shaft of the carriage, looking as though he wouldn't wake even if the sky fell.
Today was not only the day for distributing salaries but also the day for collecting grain rations. She had urged Bolao early this morning to drive the carriage to the Sinong Granary. The granary was located in the south of the city, where the alleys were narrow and crowded. On distribution days every month, the carriages sent by various households to collect rice and cloth would block the alley entrances completely. Sometimes, when the carriages were jammed together and unable to move, the drivers would strike up conversations with those nearby.
Xiao Nanhui usually avoided such things whenever possible, always trying to be the first to claim her rations when the granary opened, then sending the carriage back to the manor before returning to her room for a nap.
But today was a special case; she likely wouldn't be able to go back for a while.
"Where are the mushrooms I told you to buy?"
Wu Xiaoliu pulled a paper parcel made of green and colored paper from behind him, his eyes dodging hers slightly. "Here, aren't they right here?"
Xiao Nanhui picked up the parcel and shook it, her gaze then falling on the duck legs and the stack of pancakes. The veins on her forehead throbbed. "I told you to buy fresh mushrooms, and you try to fool me with this cheap stuff?"
Wu Xiaoliu knew he was in the wrong, but he still tried one last defense. "It's the middle of winter, where am I supposed to buy fresh mushrooms? Even if there were some, they’d be outrageously expensive. Better to buy something substantial..."
While he was still talking, Xiao Nanhui stepped forward, grabbed the stack of pancakes, and tossed them into the carriage.
The carriage jolted. Bolao sat up with a start, but upon seeing Xiao Nanhui’s face, he rolled his eyes and flopped back down.
Xiao Nanhui grabbed his large head and shook him awake. "Hey, stop sleeping! Get up and work!"
Bolao, exasperated, protected his topknot, which was as round and smooth as a precious pearl. "You tyrant of a master, Xiao Nanhui! I think I’d be better off finding work as a porter by the Nu River than suffering your abuse!"
Xiao Nanhui ignored him entirely, forcing the reins into his hands and slapping the horse's rump.
"Take this carriage of things back to the manor. Remember to have Uncle Chen check everything before putting it in the granary. Don't leave it outside to collect dust."
The sound of the wheels and Bolao’s grumbling faded into the distance. Xiao Nanhui turned and slapped the half-eaten duck leg out of the fat man's hand, then tossed him a handkerchief.
"Wipe the grease off your hands. I went to a lot of trouble to find a set of clean clothes that fits you. If you get them dirty again, you can go out naked."
"Oh." Wu Xiaoliu wiped his hands sheepishly, his eyelids flickering toward the duck leg on the ground. "Who exactly are we going to see in a bit?"
"Your future God of Wealth."
****** ****** ******
The walk from Little Plum Manor to Yanfu Street took about half an hour; walking quickly could save a few minutes.
However, since New Year's Eve had only recently passed, the streets and alleys were still immersed in a festive atmosphere. The flow of people strolling about was much denser than usual. By the time Xiao Nanhui arrived at Wangchen Pavilion with Wu Xiaoliu, the sky had already turned dark.
The lights were just being lit inside Wangchen Pavilion. The colorful lanterns and neon silks hung for the first month decorated the overhanging balconies facing the street in a dazzling display. Beauties wrapped in thick fox furs leaned against the railings, their eyes like silk and their laughter bright. They chatted behind giant embroidered balls made of silk while casting sultry glances at the people in the street.
Wu Xiaoliu had clearly not expected to see such a scene. He suddenly lost his nerve, hanging his head and hiding behind Xiao Nanhui, refusing to show his face. But his physique was truly difficult to hide; his two awkward, fat hands were exposed, twisting about like two possessed lotus roots.
Xiao Nanhui didn't have the heart to worry about him, her eyes searching left and right for Yao Yi.
She should have been faster. Now that it was almost time for customers to arrive, it would likely be a struggle to get a few words in with that black-hearted miser.
Grabbing a familiar-looking servant in the shop, she asked in a low voice, "Excuse me, is Manager Yao..."
Before she could finish, she noticed the servant's eyes darting behind her.
Xiao Nanhui turned her head and saw Yao Yi leaning against the doorframe at some point, staring with a cold sneer at the twisting figure behind her.
Seeing that he seemed to have a moment of leisure, she hurried to pull him aside and explain her purpose.
"In short, you're always short-handed here anyway. Just take him in as a general laborer. If you find him capable, perhaps he can be your apprentice in the future," she summarized after explaining the background.
Yao Yi’s cheeks bulged slightly as he clenched his teeth, ruining the "amiable businessman" look he usually took such pride in.
"Xiao Nanhui, let me ask you: why are we friends?"
She blinked, saying with total confidence, "Because we share the same interests and temperament."
Yao Yi squeezed his eyes shut tightly and continued, "Old Man Qiu, who keeps the books for Wangchen Pavilion, shares my interests even more. Why aren't I friends with him instead of you?"
She thought hard for a moment. "Because I'm more humorous than him?"
"Humorous, my foot!" Yao Yi’s voice was sharp and thin, loud enough to pierce the window paper of the entire street. "Look at the people in this building who dare to show their faces before me. Which one isn't attractive and fair-skinned? Even the servant who carries the chamber pots has to be presentable! Where did you find this short winter melon to shove into my place? Do you think I'm running a melon patch?!"
Xiao Nanhui was stunned by these words. After a moment, she asked incredulously, "Don't tell me... the reason you're willing to be my friend is because of my looks?"
Yao Yi pushed her face aside and walked straight toward Wu Xiaoliu, hands on his hips and eyes squinting.
"You heard what I just said. I, Yao Yi, am famously sharp-tongued and mean. I'm not the soft-hearted type who will lose face just because someone says a few nice words. If you have any self-awareness, you'll find a living elsewhere as soon as possible. Don't waste my time."
Wu Xiaoliu lifted his tiny, bean-like eyes to steal a glance at Yao Yi, then quickly lowered his head again.
"I actually think that precisely because I don't look like I belong with someone like Manager Yao, there's a possibility for us to work together, isn't there?"
Yao Yi snorted coldly. "Work together? Don't tell me you're going to add some 'different color' to my brothel. A pickled vegetable stump like you isn't even heavy enough to press down my jars of pickles."
Wu Xiaoliu touched his thick, fleshy face, then looked at Xiao Nanhui’s expectant gaze. The cowardice he felt upon entering suddenly faded quite a bit.
"Though I am from Suyan, I lived near Wancheng when I was young. It's a hub for trade from all directions, so I can speak a bit of many dialects. I won't be negligent with guests from any region. In my years in Suyan, I’ve moved through a dozen different masters; I’ve seen a bit of every trade. Furthermore, if there are things Manager Yao finds inconvenient to do himself, you can leave them to me. My appearance allows me to be clearly distinguished from Manager Yao. If there’s any unpleasantness in the future, Manager Yao can remain untainted."
When these words came out, not only Yao Yi but even Xiao Nanhui was surprised.
She glanced at Yao Yi, knowing that this "abacus-brain" liked clever people just as much as he liked beautiful ones.
Sure enough, the other man's expression softened slightly.
"That mouth of yours is certainly a mouth fit for begging."
Hearing this, Xiao Nanhui knew there was a chance. She struck while the iron was hot. "Take him in first. We can discuss the wages later. If he doesn't work out, it won't be too late to make other plans."
"Go to the back courtyard yourself and find Old Man Qiu. Tell him I sent you. I’ll come find you later. Until then, don't go poking your nose into things. Everyone here is very busy; no one has time to chatter with you."
Before Wu Xiaoliu could react, Xiao Nanhui had already pressed his fat head down into a deep bow. "Hurry and thank Manager Yao!"
Wu Xiaoliu gave a dazed salute and was led away by a clever young servant. Before leaving, he looked back at Xiao Nanhui every three steps, as if performing a tragic play of "a son leaving home while his mother worries."
Xiao Nanhui could only make a series of faces, hinting that they would have plenty of chances to meet in the future, before the fat man finally disappeared into the distance.
Having sent Wu Xiaoliu off, she watched Yao Yi’s expression while offering more words of gratitude, patting her chest and promising that she would definitely make up for the missing mushrooms another day.
Seeing that she still had no intention of leaving, Yao Yi sensed something else was afoot.
"I’ve taken in your short winter melon. Why are you still hanging around? Afraid I’ll turn around and stew him? Or is it..."
"Well..." Her expression suddenly became a bit bashful. Seeing this, Yao Yi snorted and turned to leave, but she quickly grabbed him and stammered, "That place where you keep your books... can... can you let me take a look?"
As mentioned before, the high-end nature of Wangchen Pavilion’s business was inseparable from Yao Yi’s love for collecting books and paintings. Yao Yi held many connections like Wu Xing, and over the years, aside from those given to distinguished guests or displayed at banquets, many were piled in a room that looked like a warehouse. It was considered one of Wangchen Pavilion’s major assets.
Looking at books and scrolls shouldn't have been a big deal. But she had a prior record of getting that map of the ancient manor wet during the Hozhou trip. Opening her mouth now felt like stepping right on a nail.
As expected, Yao Yi’s expression began to shift unpredictably. Just when she thought she would return empty-handed, he actually relented.
"Fine, fine. If I don't let you this once, I'm afraid you'll pester me every day from now on." A ring of gold keys set with gemstones was shoved into Xiao Nanhui’s hand, showcasing its owner's "wealthy and grand" aesthetic. "Here are the keys. You've been there before. I want that place to look exactly the same when you come out as it did when you went in. Can you do that?"
Xiao Nanhui nodded like a chick pecking grain, her eyes overflowing with gratitude. She was just short of pulling out a dagger to swear a blood oath on the spot. "Brother Yao, your actions have deeply moved me. It must be the mushrooms I've fed you all these years that finally touched your heart of stone..."
Before the woman could say anything more nauseating, Yao Yi pushed her away.
"I'm busy. Don't bother me anymore."
Xiao Nanhui didn't mind his poor attitude at all. Humming a little tune and jingling the keys, she swaggered toward the back courtyard of Wangchen Pavilion.
When one is buried in work, time always slips away.
When Xiao Nanhui entered the library and began flipping through the books, it was just time to light the lamps. By the time she stood up to add more lamp oil, the moon was already hanging above the treetops outside the window.
She looked from the desk to the small side table, and finally ended up lying flat on the floor. She had flipped through almost every album and ancient text, yet she felt increasingly lost regarding the truth she sought.
Following the key information provided by Wu Xiaoliu about "Puhuna," she searched through various local gazetteers and records of strange tales, but she only found one name—Wumin.
The origins of Master Wumin were mysterious. Rumor had it that the first recorded encounter with him was over a hundred years ago. He had appeared alone on the surface of the Boyu Sea in the Southern Border, treading upon a giant sea beast and arriving gracefully amidst the spray.
"Puhuna" first appeared in the scriptures he had written. Today, monks who studied Buddhism translated it according to its original meaning as "Faces of All Living Beings."
However, most of the records concerning the "Faces of All Living Beings" in the scriptures were related to Buddhist teachings and seemed obscure and difficult to understand, having nothing to do with the assassins she had encountered. After flipping back and forth, checking various references, and exhausting herself, she found that she hadn't gained much.
Sighing, she didn't want to spend the whole night here, so she began to reorganize the scrolls and books scattered all over the floor.
Inadvertently, her gaze fell on several volumes of casual reading scattered to the side. These were some anecdotes and folk tales Yao Yi had collected in his spare time. They weren't helpful for the answer she sought, so she had tossed them aside earlier.
The one on top was brightly colored, with four characters traced on its silk cover: *South Pavilion Notes*.
But what caught her eye most was the name of the author: Xumizi.
The Zither Saint Xumizi was a native of the Ailao ancient settlement in the Green Border. He had traveled the four seas, leaving behind many compositions. He lived a wandering life with no fixed abode, but he had a particular fondness for isolated pavilions in the mountains, leading the world to call him Master Nanting.
She recalled her time in the Green Border; it seemed a few children had mentioned this Xumizi to her. Feeling a bit frustrated and thinking she might as well change her mood, she picked up the ancient volume and began to read.
After flipping through a few chapters, she suddenly saw a short entry titled "The Sound of Deification," which read:
*I once heard that Wei could recite at five, compose poetry at seven, and by nine, his zither playing had the sound of an echo in an empty valley, such that no palace musician could match him. Today, I saw Wei at the Shangsi Festival banquet, playing a piece titled "Presenting Shoes at Yi Bridge." The clarity of the sound and the loftiness of the realm were beyond the mortal world, forming a style of its own. Having heard it today, I am ashamed to be called the Zither Saint. Thus, I broke my finger and left the banquet, vowing never to speak of the zither or lute again.*
Xiao Nanhui threw the book aside in a huff.
She had thought those three brats were just spreading rumors, but she hadn't expected it to actually be written this way.
Then, she suddenly realized something: no matter how much she tried to deny it, the place where the Emperor stood was a height she could not see clearly even when gazing from afar.
And such a person had, for some reason, suddenly appeared in her world, and she knew not when he would depart.
A cold wind blew through the gap in the window frame, and the low-quality lamp oil purchased by the stingy manager flickered out again.
This time, Xiao Nanhui did not refill the oil. Instead, by the light of the moon, she silently restored the mess on the floor to its original state in the darkness.
Yet, once the order of things has been broken, can they ever be easily restored?
***
**Glossary**
