At the entrance of Lord of Flowing Radiance's main chamber hung six strings of pearls of varying sizes, which clattered noisily when he brushed past them.
Mingyi thought her ears must be playing tricks on her—she actually mistook the sound of those pearls for Ji Bozhai explaining that he hadn't touched anyone else.
What a joke. Since when would he bother explaining such things? Staying at Flower Full Tower for half a month wasn't about spending money to perform rites for the dead—how could he possibly have done nothing?
So she simply smiled and said, "Take care, my lord."
Ji Bozhai, thinking he'd made himself clear, exhaled slightly in relief. But after walking some distance, a pang of regret struck him.
Had his explanation made her too smug? He shouldn't have said such things in the first place.
Yet after a few more steps, he reconsidered—perhaps clarity was better. Mingyi had something of a cleanliness obsession. If she thought him unclean, she might never let him near her again. That would be a true loss.
But walking further still, he scoffed at himself. She was just a little dancing girl—since when did she have the right to such airs? If he wanted closeness, could she really refuse?
Buxiu, trailing behind, watched as his usually composed and unflappable master paced the corridor with three pauses per step, his expression alternating between furrowed brows and faint smiles.
"..." This was far from normal.
Glancing back, Ming Guniang in the chamber appeared much more composed—standing at the threshold, watching his departure with gentle eyes.
Yet Mingyi's mind was elsewhere. She could tolerate touching things others had touched, but never something she'd touched that had then been touched by others. So Ji Bozhai was officially off her list—perhaps she'd just drug him with knockout drops in the future.
Right now, men weren't her priority. The unfinished mission took precedence.
After the manor's misfortune, repair funds soon arrived from the inner court. Granny Xun began organizing masons, allowing Mingyi to follow her near the study.
It had to be said—Ji Bozhai lived up to his reputation as Star Yearn City's most promising Fighter. His study overflowed with cultivation crystals and related texts, materials only elite Fighters could comprehend.
Thanks to the Prince Ping incident, Granny Xun's wariness toward Mingyi had lessened. No longer shadowing her every move, she allowed Mingyi to roam the manor freely. Seizing the chance during a bathroom break, Mingyi found two Star Yearn City-exclusive cultivation manuals in Ji Bozhai's study.
The thick manuals couldn't be smuggled out unnoticed, so she had to read them on the spot.
After rapidly flipping through dozens of pages, a stone suddenly struck a nearby window.
Startled, Mingyi carefully replaced the manual before approaching to crack open the window.
"Beware of Situ Ling," whispered Twenty-Seven outside, his dark face glistening with sweat. "Young in years, but knows too much."
If memory served, Twenty-Seven was under Buxiu's constant surveillance. Risking exposure just to deliver this warning?
Before Mingyi could question further, Twenty-Seven vanished.
She didn't linger either, hiking up her skirts to sprint back near the outhouse before slowing to an exaggerated, swaying gait.
Granny Xun stood outside Cyan Tile Courtyard, staring absently at the gray tiles. Mingyi sidled up, following her gaze with feigned innocence. "Are there treasures hidden here?"
Slightly startled, Granny Xun lowered her head. "The master cares little for wealth—what treasures could remain? Besides, what could this dilapidated courtyard possibly conceal?"
True enough. The courtyard appeared untouched by renovations, a relic of bygone days.Perhaps Granny Xun had been worrying earlier about how unsightly leaving that area was, but the cost of repairs would be too high.
Mingyi nodded and didn’t press further, only saying, “The manor is chaotic and busy today. May I go out to see Zhang Tai?”
“Aren’t you supposed to mope around the house for a few days?” Granny Xun asked, puzzled.
“What’s the use of moping inside? I need to be seen outside,” she replied with a smile. “Besides, Zhang Tai and I are both kindred spirits in misfortune—perfect for sharing our woes together.”
That made sense. After some thought, Granny Xun had a horse brought for her. “Since you’ve fallen out of favor, this old servant can’t very well accompany you. Only a lowly maid will guide you later—I hope you won’t take offense.”
“No problem.” Mingyi followed the maid through a maze of twists and turns to the stables, took the horse, donned a bamboo hat, and set off alone.
As she passed through Erjiu Street, Mingyi noticed several beast-drawn carriages transporting large crates out of the city. She paused to wait and overheard the chatter nearby.
“Prince Ping has passed, and though Da Si is clearly heartbroken, he’s exiled the prince’s wives and children. What sense does that make?”
“If you could understand, wouldn’t you be Da Si yourself?”
Exiled? Mingyi clicked her tongue. This Da Si of Star Yearn City was truly ruthless. These were his sister-in-law and nephews—how could he exile them all before his brother’s body was even cold?
“I’ve heard others say Prince Ping committed many vile deeds in the past, but Da Si overlooked them out of familial duty. Now that the prince is gone, his family is bound to suffer his wrath.”
“What vile deeds? Don’t be vague—explain properly.”
“What else? Consorting with that Meng Shi, and who knows how many lives he took just to please her.”
It was all hearsay, and Mingyi didn’t take it seriously. Still, she pitied Prince Ping’s wives—exile was a cruel fate, and who knew if they’d survive the journey.
But she was hardly in a position to save anyone. Once the procession of carriages had passed, she continued on her way to find Zhang Tai.
The moment she stepped inside, Mingyi sensed someone else was in the room besides Zhang Tai.
Frowning, she glanced toward the tall pearwood cabinet.
“You’re here?” Zhang Tai hurried over, deliberately blocking her line of sight, and gave her a guilty smile.
Understanding dawned on Mingyi—whoever was hiding there wasn’t an assassin but someone she knew.
So she cut to the chase: “Aren’t you going to introduce your guest?”
Zhang Tai, in the middle of pouring tea, startled so badly her hand jerked. She looked up at Mingyi in shock. “H-how did you know?”
Tea spilled across the table. Mingyi gave it a regretful glance before tilting her chin toward the cabinet.
After a hesitant pause, Zhang Tai slowly walked over and opened the cabinet door.
Inside, a woman huddled with a three-year-old child in her arms, her hand clamped over the child’s mouth. When the door opened, she flinched and shrank back, accidentally pressing down on the child’s hand. The little one let out a muffled wail.
“Ah, come out first.” Zhang Tai, herself pregnant, couldn’t bear to see the child cry and quickly helped the woman out.
Trembling, the woman kept her head down, not daring to look at Mingyi. “I’ll leave soon, right away. I won’t cause you any trouble.”Zhang Tai glanced at Mingyi's expression and, noticing she showed no signs of wariness or resistance, straightforwardly introduced, "This is my cousin, Zhang Liu, Prince Ping's concubine."
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