Chen Liqin, in his crimson official robes, hurried through Xiaoyingzhou, pulling Chen Ji along. They passed the Incense Hall, Incense Islet, Lotus Wind Pavilion, Jianshan Tower, and Little Flying Rainbow without stopping, as if a wolf were chasing them. He paid no mind to the stares of the servants and maids until they returned from Zhuozhengyuan to Qinzhengyuan, where he finally let out a long sigh of relief.

Upon reaching the Ginkgo Courtyard, Chen Ji pulled free from his grasp and bowed, saying, “Lord Chen, we’ve arrived at my residence.” Chen Liqin stood his ground, pondering how to speak. However, with maids and servants passing by, he never found an opportunity. Chen Ji tentatively asked, “If there’s nothing else, may I go back?”

Once the surrounding servants had left, Chen Liqin suddenly lowered his voice and said, “Go find Grand Secretary Hu and ask him to transfer you to the border army… If you don’t want to go to that harsh place, Taiyuan Prefecture and Xianyang Prefecture are also good options. The *paomo* in Xianyang is delicious, and the *youpomian* in Taiyuan is also very tasty; both are worth trying. Officials transferred out of the capital usually get promoted by one or two ranks. Grand Secretary Hu is your teacher Wang Daosheng’s teacher, so if you try to leverage this connection, he won’t treat you unfairly. I’ll prepare some gifts for you; go tomorrow… no, go today!”

Chen Ji asked casually, “Why are you suddenly driving me away, Lord Chen?”

Chen Liqin said in a deep voice, “Don’t get involved in the affairs of the First and Second Households anymore! Too many people have already been caught up in it! And don’t think you’re so great just because you’re a cultivation official. There are six Grand Cultivation Officials living right here in Qinzhengyuan and Zhuozhengyuan, and their cultivation realms are far beyond yours! This is the capital, this is the Chen family, the Dragon Vein is here, all the power in the world converges here—cultivation officials cannot overturn the heavens!”

Chen Ji shook his head, “I don’t understand what you’re saying, Lord Chen.”

Chen Liqin urgently said, “Isn’t it better to be mediocre? Live your own life well, be a moderately ranked official, and just do your job conscientiously for your salary and for the common people. That immense power may seem glamorous, but it’s poison; it’s not something our Third Household can contend for!”

Chen Ji remained silent.

Seeing him in thought, Chen Liqin’s tone softened, “I’ll get you some silver later. Don’t come back to the Chen family tonight.”

Chen Ji was startled, “Where should I go?”

Chen Liqin thought for a moment, “Go to the Eight Great Hutongs. Visiting brothels is fine, or going to a Qingyin theater to listen to plays is also an option. If all else fails, I hear the gambling houses are very lively at night.”

Chen Ji was astonished. What kind of father encouraged his child to frequent gambling houses and brothels? He mused, “Lord Chen wants me to deliberately tarnish my reputation and hide my abilities?”

Chen Liqin said earnestly, “I know you have grand ambitions in your youth, but you don’t need to hide your abilities for long. Just wait until the dust settles with the First and Second Households. Three years, just three more years.”

Chen Ji sighed softly, “Lord Chen, I can’t wait that long.”

Chen Liqin paced back and forth anxiously, “You’re still young; you don’t understand the dangers involved. Chen Lizun may seem to protect you everywhere, but that’s just a way to win people over. This morning’s commotion was nothing more than an attempt to drive a wedge between us, father and son of the Third Household. Their schemes are relentless; this isn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last.”

Chen Ji casually asked, “How can I believe what you say, Lord Chen?”

Chen Liqin paced back and forth in front of the Ginkgo Courtyard. After a moment of thought, he said, “If my guess is correct, once your mother… once your principal mother finds a marriage match for you from a humble family, they will surely jump out again and find you a truly illustrious marriage, offering ample betrothal gifts, so you remember their ‘kindness.’ Let me think… the Qi family. They will certainly use you to form a marriage alliance with the Qi family. Qi Zhenzhuo’s sister is of marriageable age, and for them to marry a legitimate daughter to you, a concubine’s son, you’ll only be able to feel gratitude.”

Chen Ji was puzzled, “Are you so certain, Lord Chen?”

Chen Liqin said with conviction, “Absolutely certain!”

Chen Ji then asked, “But how could the Qi family marry their legitimate daughter to me, a concubine’s son?”

Chen Liqin explained, “As long as they agree, they’ll adopt you into the First Household before your marriage, making you a ‘nominal legitimate son,’ and the future Chen family fortune will be entrusted to you. How could the Qi family disagree? It’s a hugely profitable deal!”

At this moment, a young servant jogged over, “Master, the carriage is ready. You’ll be late for your morning duties.” Chen Liqin glanced at the servant, then whispered to Chen Ji, “Whether it’s true or not, we’ll wait and see.”

Chen Ji stood at the doorway, watching Chen Liqin’s departing crimson figure disappear, then turned and pushed open the door.

Inside, Xiaoman was holding a small black cat, listening intently. Seeing Chen Ji suddenly push open the door, she flustered, “Young Master, please hold it. I’ll go fetch some hot water for you to wash your face.”

Chen Ji didn’t take the cat, just smiled and said, “If you were eavesdropping, you were eavesdropping. No need to be so flustered.”

Xiaoman relaxed, “From what Master said, a lot happened at the morning council? They didn’t make things difficult for you, did they?”

Chen Ji sat on the stone stool under the ginkgo tree, tapping his fingers on the stone table, and answered evasively, “I might know who has been trying to buy information about me from you.”

Xiaoman’s eyes widened, “Who?!”

Chen Ji calmly said, “The Chen family’s First Household. They’ve truly put a lot of effort into choosing an heir for adoption.”

Xiaoman suddenly understood, “No wonder! No wonder they always found people in the Chen manor to pass on messages. No wonder, after I watched Xiaoyingzhou for so long, the information was taken the moment I looked away. It must be someone very familiar with Xiaoyingzhou.” At this point, she carefully probed, “Young Master, are you really going to get married? If you get married, what about the Princess?”

Chen Ji smiled and said, “I’ll refuse all of them, but before I refuse, I need to see if Lord Chen’s guess is correct.”

Xiaoman was astonished, “Refuse? Young Master, ‘parental command and matchmaker’s words’—how can you refuse that? When the time comes, you won’t even need to agree; the Chen manor will naturally arrange your marriage. On the wedding day, you just honestly enter the bridal chamber with the bride. It won’t matter who the bride is.”

Chen Ji was silent for a long time. *Then, before the wedding, I’ll rescue the Princess and go to the Jing Dynasty. As for whether the Chen and Qi families would lose face after he ran off, that was not his concern.*

At this moment, Xiaoman suddenly sighed softly. Chen Ji looked at her, “What’s wrong?”

Xiaoman worried, “Although I don’t know the Princess… if even the Chen manor is so complicated, how dangerous must the palace be? What will become of her?”

Jingyang Palace.

The morning bells from the Bell and Drum Tower echoed from the north, sweeping over the crimson palace walls and golden glazed tiles, settling into the desolate imperial confines. The stout Xuansu stood by the back hall door, shouting sharply, “Everyone, get up for morning lessons!” She abruptly pushed open the vermilion-lacquered gate, allowing the cold wind to pour into the hall. The Daoist nuns crawled out of their quilts, skillfully tying up their hair and donning their robes, then filed out silently.

When Baili got off the communal bunk, she moved around the nearby chamber pot and quietly dressed herself. She turned to see Zhu Lingyun wearing her Daoist robe crookedly, trying to coil her hair above her head with both hands, but struggling to do so. Zhu Lingyun pleaded, “Sister, help me.” Baili stepped forward, gently coiling Zhu Lingyun’s hair while softly saying, “You must quickly learn to live on your own, to dress yourself, to do your hair, to sweep and mop the floor, to study the Daoist scriptures… They are waiting for us to make mistakes.”

Zhu Lingyun’s eyes were red, “Sister, I can’t stand this place anymore. Who can save us?”

Baili whispered, “No one will come to save us… There, it’s done.” She scrutinized her sister’s face, wiping away her tears. “Don’t cry. The more you cry, the happier they’ll be.”

At this moment, Princess Yongchun, with disheveled hair and her robe open, started to walk out. Baili paused, then gently pulled Princess Yongchun, tied her robe properly, and gathered her hair with a wooden hairpin. As soon as she finished, Princess Yongchun pushed her away and ran out, her shoes clattering, “Brother Zhuoyuan! I’m going to find Brother Zhuoyuan!”

Zhu Lingyun supported Baili, who stumbled backward, “Sister, why are you helping her? She’s just a madwoman.”

Baili shook her head, “It’s nothing.”

Xuansu leaned against the door, sneering, “You can’t even take care of yourself, yet you want to help others? Help yourself first.”

Baili stopped at the doorway and calmly asked, “We haven’t offended you. Why do you make things difficult for us everywhere?”

Xuansu scoffed, “I’m not making things difficult for you; I’m teaching you the palace rules. You feel uncomfortable sleeping next to the chamber pot? Who didn’t sleep there when they first arrived? Who didn’t sweep and mop when they first came? Who didn’t have a prominent status before coming here? This is the Eastern Six Palaces; if we don’t temper your dispositions, you might commit grave mistakes in the future!”

Baili took Zhu Lingyun’s hand and walked out, ignoring her.

When they arrived at the main hall of Jingyang Palace, Xuanzhen was seated cross-legged on a prayer mat, her demeanor ethereal and detached, like a revered master of the Dao. Prayer mats were laid out in the hall. Princess Yongchun, surprisingly, was also seated cross-legged on a mat, waiting for the morning lesson.

Once everyone was seated, Daoist Master Xuanzhen waved her whisk with her right hand and struck the bell chime with her left. After striking it 108 times, she declared loudly, “The Dao that can be told is not the eternal Dao…” Everyone recited along until the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), when they stopped. Xuanzhen, without looking at anyone, calmly rose and led the group in performing the kowtow ceremony (three bows and nine prostrations) to the Three Pure Ones, then departed for her private side hall.

At this moment, four young eunuchs entered, carrying eight vermilion-lacquered food boxes. They placed the boxes in the hall and immediately turned to leave, as if afraid to stay an extra moment. Xuansu took one food box to Xuanzhen’s private quarters. When she returned, she led the other Daoist nuns back to the ear-room of the back hall, where they sat around three tables to eat.

Baili and Zhu Lingyun also wanted to sit, but the other nuns wouldn’t give them a place. Baili saw an empty spot by a table and was about to sit down, but Xuansu gave the other nuns a look, and they immediately shifted their bodies to block the empty space. Baili searched around the tables for a long time, eventually standing to the side, no longer wasting time. Zhu Lingyun angrily stepped forward to argue, but Baili pulled her back, whispering, “Just bear it. Endure this, and it will be over.”

Xuansu took a bite of steamed bun and said with a smile, “Princess Baili is indeed older than Princess Lingyun, more mature and steady. Don’t worry, you won’t starve. After we finish eating, there will naturally be a bite for you.”

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the nuns dispersed, leaving only Baili, Zhu Lingyun, and Princess Yongchun. On the tables were only leftovers; every steamed bun had been deliberately eaten halfway, with not a single whole one to be found. Zhu Lingyun said indignantly, “I’m not eating!”

Baili was silent for a long time, then stepped forward, picked up a half-eaten bun, and carefully broke off the part where someone had bitten it. She handed the small piece of bun to Zhu Lingyun, gently saying, “I used to not believe there was evil in this world without reason, but now, I do. But we must live on. As long as we’re alive, there might still be hope.”

Zhu Lingyun paused, about to reach out, but Princess Yongchun snatched the bun and stuffed it into her mouth. She made to hit Princess Yongchun, “You madwoman!” Baili quickly pulled her back, “I’ll break off another piece for you.”

Zhu Lingyun angrily said, “Sister, why are you helping her?”

Baili picked up another bun from the table, stained with vegetable soup, and carefully broke off the edges. “It’s not about helping or not helping—they are all pitiable people.”

Princess Yongchun, giggling foolishly, pointed at Baili and said, “Hehehehe, Bodhisattva! Living Bodhisattva! Bodhisattva, will you help me find Brother Zhuoyuan?”

Baili shook her head, “I’m sorry, I can’t help you.”

Princess Yongchun ate her bun and turned to leave, “Then you’re not a Bodhisattva.”

Zhu Lingyun wiped her tears with the back of her hand, “Sister, how much longer do we have to endure? Can you find a way to reach the Empress Dowager? She’s one of our Liu family members; she’ll definitely help me. Then I’ll take you to Cining Palace with me. Even if we can never leave the palace for the rest of our lives, it’s better than staying here.”

Baili casually picked up a half-eaten bun and took a bite. Leaning against the doorframe of the ear-room, she looked up at the sky. “The Empress Dowager probably can’t even protect herself… Just bear it a little longer. We still have decades more to endure.”