Yummy Yummy Yummy

After seeing off Uncle Chu, Shen Shaoguang took out the books Lord Lin had sent her again. Old memories surged in her mind, and tears fell onto the yellowed pages, spreading in blotches.

Perhaps because she had inherited both the body and memories, and endured the suffering in the palace prison in her stead, Shen Shaoguang had never been able to fully separate herself from the original A Qi. In those half-asleep moments at dawn, she sometimes felt like Zhuangzi dreaming of being a butterfly—unsure whether she was truly A Qi, the disgraced official's daughter from the Tang Dynasty, or Shen Shaoguang from the 21st century.

Shen Shaoguang sighed softly.

"Knock! Knock!"

Wiping her face, Shen Shaoguang looked up to see Yu San.

"Hmm?" She was surprised. After working all noon, why wasn't he resting now?

Yu San sat down on the stool opposite her, glanced at the box of books in front of her, hesitated, and then asked, "Are you the daughter of the late Vice Minister of Rites, Shen?"

Shen Shaoguang nodded, raising an eyebrow at him.

"My former master was Li Xu, the fourth son of Prince Wu."

Shen Shaoguang froze, not expecting such a connection.

"Last winter, when Lord Li and Lord Lin spoke of old times, you seemed unsettled then. I didn't think much of it at the time. But when Mr. Chu came and you called him 'Uncle,' I guessed." Yu San explained.

Shen Shaoguang nodded.

"The fourth young master was slightly older than you. When Prince Wu fell from grace, he wasn't yet sixteen. He should have been exiled, but because of your family's case, there was much public debate in court. In the end, the late emperor showed mercy and simply stripped him and the fifth young master of their titles, reducing them to commoners." Given his delicate constitution... he likely wouldn't have survived exile. So, in a way, the Shen family saved his life.

"Though commoners, they were initially under court supervision—though some of Prince Wu's old allies still looked after them. Over time, the oversight loosened. After the current emperor ascended the throne, we moved and changed locations—he didn't want to keep relying on old favors."

Yu San recalled his handsome peach-blossom eyes narrowing with a self-deprecating smile. "Every time they saw him, they'd talk about the old days in the princely household, about clearing his name, urging him to strive harder... As if I could take the imperial exams?" Back then, Yu San had sympathized deeply. But now, he couldn't help thinking that if it were the young mistress, she probably wouldn't have let herself drift aimlessly like the fourth young master. She'd likely be buying ships and starting a shipping business by now.

Pulling his thoughts back, Yu San said to Shen Shaoguang, "He was very grateful to Vice Minister Shen."

Shen Shaoguang smiled faintly. Gratitude—what did it matter? It meant nothing to her father, and even less to her.

What puzzled Shen Shaoguang was how Yu San, despite his young age, knew these details so well. He must have been very close to this fourth young master. So why had he been sold? Was there some other incident? Remembering his earlier mention of trading for a fish banquet, Shen Shaoguang hesitated but finally asked, "Was this fourth young master truly as... down-and-out as you described?"

Yu San understood her meaning. After a long silence, he said, "He didn't trade me for a fish banquet." Instead—he had given Yu San away directly.

Seeing his expression, Shen Shaoguang didn't press further.

As Shen Shaoguang tidied the books, Yu San helped. When they finished, Yu San finally asked, "Because of Prince Wu, your family was destroyed. Do you resent them?"

Lord Lin had asked a similar question—one about whether she resented her father, the other about Prince Wu. Shen Shaoguang's answer was the same for both.

Yu San seemed to exhale in relief.Shen Shaoguang patted his sleeve and smiled, "Even if I resent Prince Wu, it has nothing to do with you."

Yu San glared at her, picked up the box, and asked, "Where should I put this?"

"Place it with Lord Lin's screen."

At the mention of "Lord Lin," Yu San opened his mouth as if to ask her something but ultimately remained silent, carrying the box away directly.

When Lin Yan returned from the Capital Prefecture Office, the gatekeeper informed him that a certain Chu Xiansheng had arrived and had been invited by Steward Zhou to wait in the outer study with tea.

Earlier that morning, Lin Yan had sent a name card to this "Xiliu Xiansheng" (Master West Willow). Since he was staying at Li Xiang's residence, the card had been delivered to the Li household. Lin Yan had intended to inquire about the past affairs of Lord Shen and Prince Wu under the pretense of scholarly discussion, never expecting the man to come in person.

The key to Lord Shen's case ultimately lay with Prince Wu, but the records of Prince Wu's rebellion—a major case involving imperial clan treason—were truly inaccessible. Chu Xiansheng had once served as Vice Minister of Justice and likely knew the details of this case well. The only concern was whether his past connections with Prince Wu had been too deep, requiring him to recuse himself during the trial.

Lin Yan quickened his pace toward the outer study.

"Apologies for keeping you waiting, Chu Xiansheng. I returned late," Lin Yan said, clasping his hands in salute.

Observing the exceedingly respectful Lin Yan, Chu Di smiled. "Twice now, I've met the young lord, and both times you've been so courteous. I truly don’t deserve such deference."

Chu Di imagined that if Shen Wu (Lord Shen) hadn’t met misfortune, by this time, he might have been helping A Qi evaluate potential marriage candidates. Even if this young man were even more deferential, he would still scrutinize him thoroughly—perhaps even investigate his background down to the last detail...

Seeing the master return, Steward Zhou bowed and withdrew. A maid served tea before quietly exiting as well.

Lin Yan and Chu Di sat facing each other.

Lin Yan got straight to the point: "I wish to consult you about certain past events, Xiansheng."

Chu Di smiled. "Please speak freely, young lord."

"Regarding the case of Lord Shen, who once resided in this residence over a decade ago, and his alleged involvement in treason—do you recall it?" Lin Yan's expression was solemn.

"Shen Wu was my closest friend. How could I forget? But—why does the young lord inquire about this case? Is it mere curiosity from living in his former home? I’ve heard that the young lord once worked tirelessly to rescue Lord Cui. Do you sympathize with Shen Wu and wish to understand the details?" Chu Di fixed his gaze on Lin Yan.

"Neither. It is for the sake of a friend."

"A friend? Male or female?" Chu Di raised an eyebrow.

Lin Yan met Chu Di's gaze. This Chu Xiansheng was sharp-eyed—it seemed he had already recognized A Qi and perhaps even discerned Lin Yan's feelings for her. Truly, Xiliu Xiansheng lived up to his reputation. Moreover, his willingness to visit was surely for her sake as well.

Lin Yan's expression softened slightly. "Please wait a moment, Xiansheng."

He stepped out and instructed Liu Chang to fetch a case of documents from the inner study. Shortly after, it was brought in. Lin Yan placed the case before Chu Di. "These are the records of Lord Shen's case."

Chu Di's expression relaxed slightly. At least the young man had put in some effort.

"Xiansheng must have come from Shen Ji Tavern?"

Chu Di didn’t mince words: "How did the young lord learn that the young mistress of Shen Ji is Shen Rangzhi’s daughter? Surely she didn’t tell you herself?"

"I was at Anfu Gate when she left the palace. I reviewed her travel permit."

Chu Di: "..." I wasn’t wrong about you! Hah, reviewing travel permits...

Lin Yan himself felt somewhat sheepish. Pressing his lips together, he saluted again. "I must ask for your assistance, Xiansheng."

Chu Di studied Lin Yan’s slightly embarrassed yet utterly earnest expression, along with that forceful bow, and suddenly found this young lord rather interesting—not as cold and stern as he appeared.Chu Di lowered his head and picked up the case file to read. The earlier relaxed expression faded from his face, replaced by sorrow between his brows.

"At that time, someone secretly accused Prince Wu of rebellion. The late emperor bypassed the three judicial departments and directly dispatched Imperial Guards to search Prince Wu's residence, detaining everyone in the household. The trial wasn't conducted by the Ministry of Justice or the Court of Judicial Review, but we had our own sources of information. It's true Prince Wu's residence contained items that violated regulations, but frankly speaking, which princely household doesn't possess such items from the palace? We initially speculated that Prince Wu would merely face reprimands and salary deductions, never expecting His Majesty would demand execution."

"I used some personal connections to investigate further. It was said that the Great Virtue Pure and Subtle Supporting Origin Perfected Person by the late emperor's side observed the stars at night and detected signs of rebellion in the celestial patterns. Through further calculations, he determined these rebellious signs pointed to Prince Wu."

"Most court officials at the time advised against it, with some like Shen Wu even kneeling before the throne to remonstrate passionately. But the late emperor was resolute in his decision..." The court was in chaos then. The emperor revered Taoist Priests, consumed Alchemical Pills, and became increasingly erratic in temperament. While there were still upright officials, many took advantage of the confusion to flatter or even harbor ill intentions. Had the late emperor not died from pill poisoning, the country might have already fallen into ruin by now.

Though Lin Yan entered officialdom late and initially held minor positions, he had experienced the late emperor's reign and knew of its turmoil.

"In the later stages of Prince Wu's case, the Ministry of Justice did become involved. But because of my connections with Prince Wu, I was suspended early to avoid conflicts of interest. As for what motives that Taoist Priest had, whether others were behind him, or if more people were involved—these hidden intricacies remain unknown." Chu Di patted the case file in his hand. "Even this document, I'm seeing for the first time."

Though careful examination might reveal some clues, this was ultimately just the "case file of rebellion involvement," with many vague points. With so little evidence and the passage of time—witnesses either dead or scattered—and the current emperor still suppressing the matter, finding conclusive evidence to overturn the verdict would be extremely difficult.

Lin Yan nodded. "Thank you, Chu Xiansheng, for sharing these details about the past."

"Young Master Lin comes from an aristocratic family and already wears the crimson robe. If Shen Wu's case cannot be overturned, what are your plans?" Chu Di remembered the purpose of his visit.

"A Qi will always be A Qi."

Chu Di was momentarily speechless, then laughed. After a pause, he said, "Young Master Lin is a thoughtful person."

"I only worry Young Lady Shen has too many concerns."

Chu Di nodded. She did have many concerns and was quite stubborn—Lin Yan would have his work cut out for him.

After all these years, Chu Di had grown indifferent to many things. Even if the case were overturned, the three members of the Shen family wouldn't come back to life. As long as A Qi lived well, that would suffice. Though Lord Lin appeared somewhat aloof, he was reliable and sincere. Chu Di now felt it wasn't a bad thing for A Qi to continue running her small tavern here. Ah, young people...

The evening drum sounded outside. Chu Di stood up. "Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Lin. Meeting you today and hearing your words has brought me much comfort."

Lin Yan hurriedly bowed. "Yan is grateful for your guidance."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Chu Di prepared to leave. Lin Yan hesitated, then said, "Xiansheng, Yan has one more question—"

Chu Di turned his head. "Please speak, Lord Lin."

"I still don't know Young Lady Shen's given name."

Chu Di's footsteps faltered. You blockhead! Shouldn't you be asking A Qi that yourself? What a waste of that intelligent and handsome face!"I forgot to inform Lord Lin that the young lady said she is carefree while Lord Lin is serious, so their temperaments are incompatible."

Lin Yan: "...Thank you for letting me know."

Author's note: Regarding Tang Dynasty women not having names on their official documents—this is just my personal setting since I couldn't find any historical records.

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Lord Lin: I just wanted to take a shortcut... Seems I'll have to rely on my looks after all.