At the Pei Residence, Pei Qingyan sat there, scrutinizing the Yama Lord before him, his emotionless expression concealing the ache in his teeth.

He would have preferred Lu Xingzhou to simply hire any old man or woman on the road than to face the Yama Lord proposing marriage. He didn’t know that the other party felt even more reluctant.

Logically, as the Grand Chancellor of Daqian, facing the leader of the Demonic Dao showing up at his door, he should draw his sword and furiously exclaim, “Does Your Excellency truly believe there is no one worthy in my Daqian?” Instead, what he had to say now seemed to be, “How much betrothal gift will you offer?”

No matter how cunning Pei Qingyan was, he was momentarily lost for words.

Yuan Muyu sat there quietly, not speaking first. She simply held a teacup in one hand, using the lid to brush away the tea foam with the other. The gentle clinking of the lid against the rim of the cup created the only melody in the hall.

Pei Qingyan suddenly wondered how she drank tea with a mask on.

After a long time, Pei Qingyan cleared his throat twice, breaking the strange atmosphere. “Has the Yama Lord ever considered… taking off the mask and proposing as an ordinary person? It might be more appropriate than as the Yama Lord.”

Yuan Muyu said indifferently, “Aren’t families like yours, who have held official positions for generations, especially attentive to the other party’s status and reputation?”

Pei Qingyan thought to himself, *We do value the other party’s status, but we certainly don’t want anything to do with the status of the Demonic Dao. The Yama Lord’s personal visit brings considerable face, but the political consequences are severe.*

He sighed. “The Yama Lord jests. The Pei family isn’t that shallow… Well, it might not even be good for Xingzhou. The Yama Lord should know this… Is there another reason why you insist on using your identity as the Yama Lord?”

Yuan Muyu remained silent. In truth, there was no other reason; she simply didn’t like to show her true face to outsiders. After all, the Yama Luodian was a secretive organization. How could she brazenly show her true face to the Grand Chancellor and the Head of the Zhenmo Si?

Should she claim to be an ordinary girl and not reveal her identity as the Yama Lord? She had already said she was Lu Xingzhou’s elder, and those shrewd officials would surely know that such an existence could only be the Yama Lord… It would be like showing her cards.

Moreover, her appearance, which was strikingly similar to Ye Tinglan’s, was not convenient to display before Pei Qingyan and Sheng Qingfeng. Pei Chuyun had never seen what the Guoshi looked like; she might mistake her for a little sister. But Pei Qingyan was different.

“Since Chancellor Pei doesn’t mind, let’s consider the earlier words about the Yama Lord visiting Chancellor Pei as mere nonsense,” Yuan Muyu said calmly. “I won’t take off the mask. Chancellor Pei can simply consider me Lu Xingzhou’s elder sister coming to discuss matters. As for the rumors that may have leaked, I trust Chancellor Pei can easily resolve them.”

Pei Qingyan let out a long breath. As long as she was willing to adopt an ordinary identity, it would be simple. Resolving those rumors was as easy as eating for Pei Qingyan; he could simply say it was a prank.

Suddenly, Pei Qingyan’s mood lightened considerably, and a smile appeared on his face. He raised his teacup. “Your siblings are truly exceptional. You have built such a vast enterprise from nothing, and Lu Xingzhou, though young, is already a viscount, without relying on his family’s influence in the slightest.”

Yuan Muyu was silent for another moment before slowly saying, “I didn’t build it from nothing… at least, I had Lu Xingzhou.”

Pei Qingyan: “…”

He naturally had some information… He thought to himself, *If you had spoken like this earlier, Lu Xingzhou might still be in the Yama Luodian now.*

Pei Qingyan knew that idle chat was not suitable, so it was better to get straight to the point. He quickly said, “May I ask if Your Excellency brought Xingzhou’s Bazi (birth characters)?”

Yuan Muyu replied, “I came in a hurry and didn’t bring them. Please forgive me, Chancellor Pei. Perhaps I could borrow the materials from your residence, and I’ll write one now… If there are any other formal invitations or rituals required, please advise me, Chancellor Pei, and I will do them all at once.”

Pei Qingyan naturally had no objections. “Everything else is unnecessary; a simple exchange of Bazi will suffice.”

Soon, brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were brought. Yuan Muyu spread them on the table and pondered for a moment. If there was anyone in the world most suitable for this task, it was probably Yuan Muyu herself. Because everyone in the world took Huo Shang’s birthday as Lu Xingzhou’s, but Yuan Muyu knew that Lu Xingzhou celebrated a different birthday. Even Shen Tang and the others didn’t know this.

He wasn’t Huo Shang, Yuan Muyu knew. But Yuan Muyu suddenly felt like laughing at herself, because she had never even asked him what his real name was. Since her name was Yuan Muyu, then his was naturally Lu Xingzhou; nothing else mattered.

But now, regarding his past, besides knowing one more birthday, it seemed she didn’t know much more than others. Perhaps many people already knew his real name, but she still didn’t. How ridiculous, ten years of companionship seemed to have been skipped entirely.

“Uh… Yama Lord Your Excellency?” Pei Qingyan’s voice startled the dazed Yuan Muyu. Yuan Muyu came back to herself and slowly wrote down Lu Xingzhou’s own birthday.

He would use Huo Shang’s identity to deal with the Huo family, but he would absolutely not be willing to use someone else’s birthday, someone else’s identity, to marry the girl he admired. Yuan Muyu knew this very well.

But as she wrote, for some reason, something cold welled up from her eyes, sliding down inside her mask, and her hand holding the brush trembled slightly. Beforehand, she could easily tell herself that if she did it, so what? But actually doing it, her heart felt so heavy, as if countless knives were cutting through it.

To let me broadcast the only special thing I know, making it no longer special. Then… to personally give it to someone else. It wasn’t like being cut by a knife; every stroke was like being slowly tortured.

“Uh…” Pei Qingyan said, “This doesn’t seem to be Young Master Huo Qi’s birthday?”

“Of course not,” Yuan Muyu heard herself say. “This is Lu Xingzhou’s birthday.” In others’ ears, it sounded as if she was saying this was the time Huo Shang had narrowly escaped death and become Lu Xingzhou. But Pei Qingyan, looking at the Bazi, narrowed his eyes, knowing it was not.

This Bazi included not only the month and day but also the year… Lu Xingzhou’s true age was older than Huo Shang’s; it was not some “date after rebirth.” Of course, he would absolutely not leak this information, instead covering it up. “Hmm, that is as it should be.”

Yuan Muyu wrote two copies directly, then turned and handed one to him. “What about your daughter’s?”

Pei Qingyan handed over Pei Chuyun’s Bazi, and looking at Yuan Muyu’s eyes, his heart actually trembled. The eyes beneath the mask held a withered, ashen quality.

“Father, Father…” Pei Chuyun burst in like a gust of wind. “I heard Yama…” The words caught in her throat. Pei Chuyun stared blankly at the Yama Lord, who was exchanging posts with her father… that flat, flat appearance. She hadn’t even changed her clothes… Who else could it be but that flat-chested girl? No, you’re an impostor, right? But looking at Lu Xingzhou beside her, who showed no reaction, Pei Chuyun knew this was definitely not an impostor.

Pei Chuyun forgot everything she wanted to say, her mind a blank. So she was the Yama Lord… Then everything made sense. No wonder, where did such a strange girl come from? Pei Chuyun instinctively looked down at her hands… Did I just make the Yama Lord vomit blood with one hand?

“As for betrothal gifts and such, we don’t understand the customs of your noble families, so we will follow your household’s rules. Whatever amount you state, we will have it delivered to your residence.” Yuan Muyu left these words and turned to leave, passing Pei Chuyun. As she walked past Pei Chuyun, she said indifferently, “Little sister, I await your tea offering.” Without waiting for a reply, she left directly, not even glancing at Lu Xingzhou beside Pei Chuyun.

A’nuo’s eyes darted around, observing everyone’s expressions, completely satisfied with the gossip she had enjoyed. She trotted out after them. “Sister Yu, wait for me!”

Pei Qingyan looked meaningfully at Lu Xingzhou, who was beside his daughter. “Chuyun, don’t go out anymore; stay home.”

“…Oh.” Pei Chuyun was still bewildered, but she obediently complied.

“As for Xingzhou…” Pei Qingyan said calmly, “Are you sure about using that birthday? Have you discussed it with your elder sister?”

Lu Xingzhou replied, “No need for discussion. My elder sister understands me.”

“Do you know what this means?”

“It means some things I don’t need to hide for too long anymore. Chancellor Pei, please help me cover it up for a while longer.”

Pei Qingyan narrowed his eyes. “Then, this old man shall wait.”

Lu Xingzhou left the Pei residence and looked around; Yuan Muyu and A’nuo were no longer there, having gone to the Sheng residence.

Sheng Qingfeng sat in the main seat, looking at the visiting Yuan Muyu and A’nuo, his face even grimmer than Pei Qingyan’s. While Pei Qingyan was the Grand Chancellor, the responsibility of apprehending thieves and subduing demons was not his… that responsibility belonged to Sheng Qingfeng. The “demons” that the Zhenmo Si subdued, in addition to true demons, mainly referred to Demonic Dao followers, such as the representative Yama Luodian.

He and the Yama Lord were truly opposing figures, representing soldiers and bandits. Daqian had not only a list of heroes but also a wanted list, and the number one most wanted person was standing openly before him, proposing marriage for her younger brother to his daughter. He felt like he’d been put through the wringer.

“Head Sheng needn’t wear such an expression. At least, I am not declaring the Yama Lord’s visit here at the Sheng Residence as I did at the Pei Residence,” Yuan Muyu said calmly. “Now, I am merely an ordinary woman who has come to arrange a marriage for her younger brother, wearing a mask out of boredom. When it comes to self-deception and fooling the public, you officials are more adept than I am, after all.”

Sheng Qingfeng: “…Is the young lady here to discuss marriage, or to argue?”

“Pretty much. For me, discussing this marriage makes me want to argue, though not with you,” Yuan Muyu said. “Besides, whether or not this marriage is discussed, I think it’s almost settled. This morning, your daughter was openly kissing a man at the Dan Academy; many people saw it.”

Sheng Qingfeng felt he had lost face completely before the wanted criminal, and his mind was already simulating the door-bar staff techniques he would use that night.

Yuan Muyu took out the other Bazi she had just written and handed it to the frowning Sheng Furen (Madame Sheng). Her tone was much gentler than it had been with Sheng Qingfeng. “Xingzhou lost his mother very early… I see that among the several families involved, only you, Madame, are a mother. I hope you will take good care of Xingzhou from now on.”

Sheng Furen was somewhat surprised by her attitude, and her tone softened. “Of course.” She paused, seemingly unsure how to converse with this Yama Lord, so she simply pulled A’nuo closer. “Little one, it’s been so long, and you haven’t even greeted me.”

A’nuo sweetly called out, “Grandma.”

Sheng Furen was overjoyed, her face crinkling into a smile like a chrysanthemum. “Good, good, good.”

The atmosphere softened considerably. Sheng Qingfeng then handed over Sheng Yuanyao’s Bazi. “As for betrothal gifts and boring rituals like sending wild geese, we are simpler and not as complex as the Pei residence. However, the detailed matters to discuss are not as trivial as a few words. Yama… um, young lady, how long will you be in the capital?”

Yuan Muyu slowly said, “I will stay until this matter is concluded.”

Sheng Qingfeng couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you neglecting your many important affairs?”

Yuan Muyu smiled. “Nothing is as important as this.”

Sheng Qingfeng stroked his beard and pondered. “This is my first time speaking with the young lady… To be honest, I really want to discuss some matters in depth. I wonder if the young lady would grant me this small courtesy?”

Yuan Muyu was silent for a moment. “I originally didn’t want to. But since we are to be in-laws, this courtesy must be given.”

Sheng Qingfeng was genuinely surprised by Yuan Muyu’s attitude, and his tone became even gentler. “Then… now, or shall we arrange another time?”

“Another time,” Yuan Muyu said. “I have a very urgent place to go right now.”

“That is…”

“Guoguan.”

A cup of tea later, at Guoguan. Ye Tinglan sat cross-legged on the stargazing platform, watching Yuan Muyu slowly ascend the steps. The sisters, one veiled and one masked, gazed at each other for a full ten breaths before Ye Tinglan sighed. “Fuyao, your body…”

Yuan Muyu suddenly interrupted, “Miss Ye Zhuoyu… at this moment, you should call me elder sister.”

Ye Tinglan’s face turned various shades of colors.