Shaking his head, Buxiu thought he might be overthinking things.
He had seen countless women by his master's side. Ji Bozhai always played his part well, and there had been times in the past when even Buxiu had been fooled. Perhaps this time, his master’s acting had just improved.
That had to be it.
Nodding to himself, Buxiu regained his composure and began instructing the servants to tidy up the side rooms in the main courtyard.
The master had returned unexpectedly, and the manor was completely unprepared. Seeing the young lady head straight for the master’s quarters, the servants were all uncertain about her status, gathering in the backyard to whisper among themselves. Some even started placing bets on how long she would last in the manor.
Granny Xun arrived just then, casting a glance at the silver they had wagered before speaking calmly, "The one in the master’s quarters doesn’t follow the usual rules. No need to wake her in the morning, and don’t bother teaching her etiquette. But be careful—don’t let her near the study."
This only deepened their confusion. Not having to learn the rules meant she was favored, yet being barred from the study suggested she wasn’t truly considered one of them.
Just how important was this girl to the master?
That night, the servants of the main residence all pondered this question.
Mingyi slept soundly and woke the next day to find Ji Bozhai gone, but a fragrant midday meal awaited her on the table.
Her eyes lit up, but she still took the time to wash up, apply her makeup, and tidy herself before sitting down to eat.
"The master went to the inner courtyard early this morning and instructed this old servant to see what you might need so we can fetch it today," Granny Xun said, ladling her a bowl of bird’s nest porridge.
Mingyi inhaled the aroma, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled. "How thoughtful of him. He knows bird’s nest is good for the skin."
After a few bites, she added, "I don’t really need anything, but since I’ve got nothing better to do, why don’t you show me around the area, Granny?"
The neighborhood was filled with high-ranking households, and the streets were frequented by secluded noblewomen, making it quite safe.
Granny Xun nodded, selecting a few quiet and obedient maids for her and arranging a carriage.
In any other household, someone like Mingyi—without status or title—would be treated no better than a servant. But then again, this was precisely why Ji Bozhai had such a good reputation. He was never stingy with women; as long as he fancied them, he treated them with the same respect as a proper wife.
It was hard not to be utterly devoted to a man like that.
Mingyi marveled at his skill before finishing her meal in satisfaction. After resting for a while, she changed and went out.
The weather was lovely, and the streets bustled with young ladies and noblewomen, their intricate skirts and dazzling jewelry a feast for the eyes.
Mingyi casually chose a shop and had just settled into the tearoom, waiting for the shopkeeper to bring out fabrics, when she overheard voices from the neighboring room:
"Your Lord Zhao is truly unlucky. Right after the festival, he’s been hit with one murder case after another—and all under Da Si’s nose."
Mingyi froze. She elegantly lifted her sleeve to sip her tea, then subtly shifted closer to the paper-thin wall.
"Ah, when he came back yesterday to pack, he said he’d be staying in the Hall of Judgment for a month. I knew things were bad," another woman sighed. "Even though Da Si didn’t punish him for the last case, he was clearly displeased. And now this happens..."
"That was Da Si’s own younger brother. Even after that incident three years ago, Da Si couldn’t bring himself to touch him. Now that he’s died so suddenly, if the case isn’t solved, the consequences will be dire."
"What incident?"
"You don’t know? Three years ago—the Meng Shi affair."Meng Shi's death was far from honorable. Though the official story told to the public was that she died of illness, all the noblewomen knew she had been hastily executed after Da Si discovered her transgression.
Lady Zhao realized belatedly, "You mean Meng Shi and that prince..."
"Hush, that's all in the past. It's not something to discuss now," the other woman whispered. "I just think—if Da Si could tolerate such a scandal back then without punishing the prince, he certainly won't let him die so mysteriously this time."
Lady Zhao grew even more troubled, sighing repeatedly.
Mingyi, however, pricked up her ears.
Had Qi Bai and Meng Shi really been involved? But Ji Bozhai had claimed she was falsely accused, and that the entire Meng Family had suffered unjustly—wasn’t that why he sought revenge?
Had Ji Bozhai been deceived?
She blinked in confusion.
"Enough of this talk. This year's Six Cities Tournament left us out of the top three again, so we’ll have to send tributes to the other cities. Best to buy what we can now before the markets run dry," the neighboring table changed the subject.
Mingyi pressed her lips together.
This year, Sunspire City hadn’t made the top three either.
In previous years, Sunspire City had been on the receiving end of tributes. Now, they would have to offer goods to others—she wondered how her old acquaintances must feel about that.
The Azure Cloud Realm had low productivity and little trade between cities, so the Six Cities Tournament determined the Upper Three Cities and the Lower Three Cities each year. The Lower Three had to send vast amounts of grain, livestock, and fine silks to the Upper Three—so much that it strained their people’s livelihoods. Thus, every city fought desperately to win.
Star Yearn City was used to losing. But for Sunspire City, this was the first defeat.
"Miss, here are the fine fabrics you wanted to see," a shop assistant entered with a tray, smiling as he greeted her.
Mingyi snapped out of her thoughts and gestured for her maid to bring them over.
Unexpectedly, the assistant was overly eager—he shoved a piece of snow-white brocade directly into her hands. "This is the last bolt left. If you want it, you’ll need to decide now."
Tucked inside the soft fabric was a slip of paper.
Mingyi raised a brow, deftly concealing the note in her palm before scowling at the brocade. "You call this quality? If this is the best your shop has to offer, you clearly don’t want my business."
She stood and stormed out, ignoring the assistant’s frantic apologies.
Granny Xun, accustomed to her temper, wasn’t surprised and simply helped her into the carriage to visit another shop.
Once the curtain fell, Mingyi glanced at the note in her hand.
She had expected familiar handwriting—after all, in this vast Star Yearn City, she only knew one person. But as she unfolded the crumpled paper, the script was strange and unsettling.
"Honorable Ming, long time no see. I’ve missed you dearly. Now that we’ve reunited, I hope you’ll grace me with your presence at Hua Biezhi."
Her pupils constricted. She tore the note to shreds, then couldn’t resist lifting the carriage curtain to glance back at the fabric shop.
The assistant stood at the entrance, offering her a salute—one used in Sunspire City.
"..." She yanked the curtain shut, her expression icy.
Someone had betrayed her.
Only a handful of people knew she was here, and she had considered them comrades through hardship—she thought it was foolproof. Yet now, she’d stumbled into a trap.
Even as a ruined woman, they still refused to let her go.The air was thick with hostility. Mingyi clenched her fist, about to use her Essence Power to crush the scraps of paper into pulp, when she suddenly sensed a stronger surge of Essence Power probing her from outside. Immediately, a sharp voice barked, "Who's in the carriage!"
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