Xia Liu returned to Guangzhou Prefecture. The Mid-Autumn Festival had long passed.

“Hey, Xia Liu, come over here.”

Just as he was about to enter and report, Zhang Menghuai stopped him halfway.

“Why are you just back now? Were you delayed on the road? How is Young Master Gu doing?”

Xia Liu looked sternly at his old superior, pursed his lips, and said nothing.

“Fine, I won’t ask then.”

But Zhang Menghuai still grabbed him and whispered, “That letter last time — was it Young Master Gu who wrote it to our lord?”

Xia Liu shook off his hand. “If you want to know, just ask the lord directly.”

“Heh, showing you some respect.” Zhang Menghuai cursed under his breath, then said, “I’m just a subordinate concerned about our lord’s friendships. You know his reputation — these years he hasn’t had a single close friend. Suddenly this Young Master Gu appears, I’m just showing some care. What’s wrong with that?”

“Then you should ask the lord yourself.”

Xia Liu walked right inside.

Zhang Menghuai was helpless. After all, Xia Liu had been chosen for being tight-lipped — like a screw shell.

A little later, when Xia Liu came out again, his face revealed nothing. He carried a small bundle, eating as he walked.

“Where’s that from? Did the lord reward you?” Zhang Menghuai was surprised.

Pei Xuan was always generous to his subordinates, never stingy with rewards, but what Young Master Gu sent was different.

Last time, Xia Liu had sneaked the last few red dates and was severely punished by the lord at the training grounds.

Xia Liu replied, “No, Young Master Gu prepared it for me.”

“It’s mooncakes Young Master Gu made himself. They taste pretty good. Lord, if you want some, ask him — he still has plenty.”

Then Xia Liu quickly left, afraid someone would snatch it.

Zhang Menghuai scratched his head. “Why run? You think I’d be jealous of a bite of mooncake? Underestimating me.”

Next moment, he slipped inside: “Lord, has Young Master Gu sent us mooncakes? We missed the Mid-Autumn Festival. Could you spare a few for me?”

Pei Xuan was reading a letter, didn’t even look up: “Are you blaming me for being cold?”

“Subordinate wouldn’t dare.”

Zhang Menghuai grinned: “The mission’s not finished, no one can go home yet. Everyone understands that well.”

“That’s right, I want to taste mooncakes made by Young Master Gu himself — see how they differ from the ones sold outside.”

Pei Xuan paused.

“He had already prepared a share for you all. Take the big package out and share it.”

“Alright, Young Master Gu really knows how to take care of people, even prepared a share for us. I must bring him some local specialties in return.”

Zhang Menghuai lugged the heavy mooncakes around, chatting and stalling, refusing to leave.

Pei Xuan frowned. “What else do you want?”

“Well, Young Master Gu also gave a separate gift package.”

Zhang Menghuai gave a thumbs up: “The detox pills Young Master Gu gave last time worked great. The brothers were grateful but there wasn’t enough to go around. Wonder what’s inside this time…”

He glanced slyly at the small bundle, winking.

Pei Xuan’s expression darkened.

If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t dare ask after seeing his cold face. But Zhang Menghuai was thick-skinned — like steel and tough as a rolling pin — and stubbornly wouldn’t leave.

“Lord, why is Young Master Gu so thoughtful? He must know Guangzhou is full of toxins. This is just perfect for us. Please see if there’s any for us this time.”

Pei Xuan glanced at him but didn’t refuse.

Coming to Guangzhou Prefecture, a place rife with miasma and hot summers, many brothers suffered from the change in climate.

Men who could ride horses in the north for days without complaint were reduced to weakness by vomiting and diarrhea.

Pei Xuan saw this and felt guilty.

Because of this, he tolerated Zhang Menghuai’s antics.

Unfortunately, this time Zhang Menghuai was bound to be disappointed.

Opening the small bundle revealed a wooden box. Inside the box was a cloth, and beneath it, only a jade seal.

Pei Xuan took the jade seal, rubbing it in his hand.

“How is it just a jade seal?” Zhang Menghuai said, clearly disappointed.

Pei Xuan’s eyes darkened.

Zhang Menghuai quickly corrected himself: “Ah, Young Master Gu is thinking of you, Lord. Look how fine this jade seal is. In a small place like Lingchuan County, Young Master Gu must have put a lot of effort into getting it.”

Sure enough, hearing that, Pei Xuan’s expression softened.

His gaze fell on the letter, and he sighed faintly.

As a Mid-Autumn gift, to avoid misunderstanding by the boy, he had specially instructed not to send anything too expensive, holding back the pearls and coral.

Even the letters sent over only said two words: “Do not miss.”

Such coldness—surely Gu Qingyan would understand his feelings and, over time, grow distant from him.

But who would have expected…

He even sent handmade mooncakes.

The boy’s pure-hearted gesture left Pei Xuan at a loss, yet he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

He rubbed the jade seal between his fingertips; its coolness gave him no comfort, and his heart felt troubled.

“Wait, something’s off about this jade seal.”

Zhang Menghuai leaned over to look: “Sir, why are there characters on both sides of the seal?”

Pei Xuan frowned and examined it closely.

On one side: “Great mercy and compassion.”

On the other side: “Peaceful and successful.”

Zhang Menghuai frowned, “Why is this seal so strange? The words on each side are completely different, totally unrelated.”

“Mind your own business,” Pei Xuan said coldly.

Seeing there was no antidote pill, Zhang Menghuai grabbed the mooncakes and headed out, leaving Pei Xuan deep in thought.

While handing out mooncakes, Zhang Menghuai kept boosting Gu Qingyan’s presence.

“This is from our lord’s good friend, Gu Qingyan, the young master personally made these mooncakes. You all try some—once you taste them, you’ll remember his kindness. Later, gather some pearls and gems to send to the young master for the New Year.”

A group of brothers laughed and joked while eating the mooncakes, shouting, “We don’t have as many as you do—you should send more!”

“Of course I have to! Last time, the lord forbade me from sending any, or else I would have sent a whole box.”

Suddenly, a voice rang out: “What’s all this noise and commotion?”

The place instantly quieted.

Zhang Menghuai looked toward the newcomer with an awkward smile: “Just handing out some mooncakes, nothing special.”

“The Mid-Autumn Festival is over; where did these mooncakes come from?” the newcomer raised an eyebrow and asked.

Zhang Menghuai shrugged, “None of your business where they came from. I eat them whenever I want.”

Then he bit into one, savoring it.

The newcomer wasn’t angry but spoke kindly, “Since everyone here has to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival alone in Guangzhou Prefecture, that’s on me. If you love mooncakes, I’ll send someone to buy more—Zhang, you can have as many as you want.”

Zhang Menghuai snorted, barely able to swallow his mouthful, “No thanks. Eating Lord Shangguan’s mooncakes—I’m afraid I’d get worms in my stomach.”

Then he urged those around, “Let’s go, what are you all hanging around for? Get moving and handle your tasks. If you don’t finish properly, someone will report you.”

Everyone dispersed quickly.

Shangguan Ling’s expression remained unchanged as he said quietly, “Zhang, why haven’t I seen Xia Liu these past few days?”

“He has his own duties. What, do I need your permission to order my subordinate around? If that’s the case, do you have an official transfer order?” Zhang Menghuai’s words were laced with sarcasm.

Shangguan Ling glanced at him, “Zhang, no need to act on impulse. We’re supposed to be on the same side here in Guangzhou Prefecture.”

“Who said I’m on your side?” Zhang Menghuai turned and walked away.

Shangguan Ling frowned tightly. After several months, this group still held him at arm’s length, making integration difficult.

He sighed and turned to request an audience with Pei Xuan.

Pei Xuan put away his letter before inviting him in.

“Lord Pei, the unrest among the people in Guangzhou Prefecture has mostly been settled. It will take at most another month to handle the aftermath, then we can return to the capital to report.”

Pei Xuan nodded slightly. “Leave the aftermath to Lord Shangguan.”

Shangguan Ling smiled in agreement but then noticed the bag of mooncakes in the room.

“I just saw Zhang distributing mooncakes. They look good. I wonder where they were purchased.”

Pei Xuan replied coldly, “Go ask him yourself.”

Shangguan Ling smiled, “Zhang has always hated me. Every time he sees me, he turns around and walks off without saying a word.”

“Then you should reflect on yourself,” Pei Xuan said mercilessly.

Shangguan Ling’s smile stiffened.

He sighed deeply, “Your admonishment is well taken.”

Knowing there was no need to continue the conversation, Shangguan Ling was about to leave when his gaze landed on something.

He frowned, looking at the jade seal in Pei Xuan’s hand.

Because of the seal’s uniqueness, only four characters—“Great mercy and compassion”—could be seen clearly, along with a small visible portion showing two birds flying.

Shangguan Ling’s expression shifted slightly.

Pei Xuan furrowed his brows and clenched the entire jade seal into his palm.

“Sir, have you found the Prince Huai’s jade seal?” Shangguan Ling asked eagerly.

Pei Xuan’s frown deepened. “You mean this one?”

“Exactly.”

Ignoring protocol, Shangguan Ling stepped forward a few paces. “It’s not the real Prince Huai’s seal, but rather the pair seal the prince gave to his wife, Lady Gu.”

“Please take a look, this jade seal has inscriptions on both sides. One side reads ‘Great Compassion,’” Shangguan Ling explained. “Though Prince Huai practiced the Dao, his wife was a Buddhist. The prince, doting on her, went against his beliefs and had ‘Great Compassion’ engraved, hoping the gods and Buddhas would protect her throughout her life.”

“If I’m not mistaken, the other side should be engraved with the phrase ‘Peace and Success.’”

“That’s not a sentence, but derived from the phrase ‘one color lifelong, love achieves its goal.’ Legend says the princess loved this seal very much and had these words carved to symbolize the deep and lasting bond between husband and wife.”

“It’s said Prince Huai and his wife were harmonious and deeply affectionate, but sadly their marriage was short-lived; the princess died young, and they were only married for three years.”

Pei Xuan lowered his gaze to the seal, emotions swirling in his eyes.

Prince Huai’s paired seal? How did it end up in Gu Qingyan’s hands? Did Gu Qingyan even know what it was, and why did he send it to him?

“How can you be certain this is Prince Huai’s paired seal?” Pei Xuan asked sternly.

Shangguan Ling hurriedly replied, “Prince Huai’s paired seal is very famous. Many have tried to imitate it over the generations, but I once read in an ancient book that when the princess died, she was holding the paired seal, which fell to the ground and broke the magpie bridge engraving into two pieces.”

“You only need to check the magpie bridge on the seal—if there’s a crack, then it’s genuine.”

Pei Xuan frowned and carefully examined the seal.

After a long moment, he exhaled and spoke lightly, “It’s just a replica.”

Luckily it’s a fake; if Gu Qingyan had recklessly given away the real seal, it could have brought deadly trouble.

That boy had terrible luck—attacked by bandits on the road, then ambushed in Lingchuan County, barely escaped, even earned merit, but was still harassed by the Imperial City Office.

Though Xia Liu helped him out, Pei Xuan wasn’t sure if that complicated relationship might cause more trouble instead.

“No way!”

Shangguan Ling refused to believe it and tried to snatch the seal, but Pei Xuan’s gaze froze him in place.

Pei Xuan coldly stopped him and placed the seal on the table.

Shangguan Ling eagerly leaned in for a closer look but was disappointed.

The paired seal was indeed a paired seal, but the magpie bridge was perfectly intact with no cracks—definitely not the one left by Prince Huai.

“At first, by the style and characters, I thought it was genuine. What a pity.”

Shangguan Ling couldn’t hide his disappointment. “If it were the real paired seal, we could use it to find Prince Huai’s tomb and obtain the true jade seal in one go.”

Pei Xuan took the seal back. “Prince Huai’s jade seal is just a legend, not to be trusted.”

Shangguan Ling was about to say more, but Pei Xuan had already dismissed him.

Frowning, Shangguan Ling muttered as he left, “How could it be fake? It looks exactly like the record, but there’s clearly no crack.”

He could only convince himself that the forger was extremely skilled to make such a realistic copy.

Indeed, if it wasn’t convincing, who would give it to Pei Xuan?

But who had sent it, and what was their intent?

Shangguan Ling wanted to investigate but thought better of it, considering Zhang Menghuai and the others’ attitude—it wasn’t worth earning their dislike over a jade seal.

Inside the room, Pei Xuan stared at the jade seal, lost in thought.

The seal was fake, and he felt relieved.

But then his brow furrowed tighter, distracted: why had Gu Qingyan sent him this replica?

Prince Huai’s paired seal symbolized the deep love between the prince and his wife, and rumor had it the prince married a male husband.

Pei Xuan’s heart skipped a beat—was this child confessing love?

His cheeks flamed bright red, ears burning as well, lost in thought.

What should he do now?

“Ah-choo! Ah-choo! Ah-choo!”

Gu Qingyan sneezed repeatedly, startling Mama Liu, who quickly turned and brought out a big bowl of ginger soup.

“Mother, I really didn’t catch a cold, it’s just—Ah-choo!”

Mama Liu urged, “Drink it quickly. The weather’s turning cold these days. I told you to wear more clothes, but you wouldn’t listen.”

“Brother, you must wear this cloak today. See, it’s made of rabbit fur, it fits you perfectly,” Gu Wangqing said as she pulled out a thick cloak.

Gu Qingyan was helpless. “It’s just the beginning of winter; it’s not that cold yet.”

“How’s it not cold? I think Lingchuan County is much colder than Qingzhou Prefecture,” Mama Liu disagreed.

Gu Shuyan added, “It really is cold. There’s frost outside already. Uncle says since we’re in the mountains, it’s colder there than in the county seat, and the snow in winter is thicker too.”

Under the family’s persuasion, Gu Qingyan had no choice but to put on the thick rabbit fur cloak.

When they stepped out, Mama Liu worried again. “It’s so cold now, going back and forth tires you. Why not just stay in the county town? That way, I can take care of you.”

“No, I like living at home,” Gu Qingyan explained. “Besides, the county school has a long holiday during the New Year; it’ll be a month until then.”

“If it snows, then just stay there and don’t risk traveling through snow. I’ve already prepared thick quilts for you,” Mama Liu reminded him.

Gu Qingyan agreed to everything before leaving.

After the Imperial City Office left, Lingchuan County returned to calm. Without bandits, the people lived more peacefully.

Gu Qingyan rubbed his hands, feeling the morning chill—really, it was quite cold early in the day.

He held the warming stove close, silently hoping the holidays would come soon. Otherwise, living alone in the city, he worried about his mother and sister, and they worried about him. But they didn’t want to move in with him.

Just as he was thinking this, the ox cart jolted, and from the roadside came a desperate voice.

“Young master, please… save me…”

Gu Qingyan stopped the ox cart. “Sounds like someone’s calling for help.”

The black ox instinctively mooed toward the roadside.

Gu Qingyan looked over and was startled.

Early in the morning, a young woman lay by the roadside, wearing only a thin shirt. Her hair was messy, and her face was pale from the cold.

“Are you alright?”

He hurried over to check.

The woman was trembling all over, repeatedly pleading, “Please, young master, save my life.”

“Alright, get on the cart,” Gu Qingyan said. “Can you walk by yourself?”

She was stunned, not expecting it to go so smoothly.

She struggled to stand but staggered and fell back down, tears in her eyes. “My legs are numb from the cold.”

“Numb? That’s okay, I have a way.”

Gu Qingyan called out toward the ox cart, “Third Aunt, Sixth Aunt, Seventh Grandma, come help!”

In a flurry, three stout farmwomen came out of the carriage. Seeing the scene, one exclaimed, “Oh my, how did a young girl end up lying here?”

“Poor thing, only wearing so little in winter. Did something bad happen?”

“Don’t be afraid, get on the cart to warm up. In Lingchuan County, we have a kind magistrate who wouldn’t let any citizen starve or freeze.”

Gu Qingyan held the stove and said, “Thank you, Aunts. Luckily, you’re here, or I wouldn’t know what to do.”

“Don’t mention it. Thanks to young master Yan’s kindness, we get to ride free, no more walking back and forth, much easier.”

Gu Qingyan went to the county school every day and often met people from his village on the road.

Since the cart was empty anyway, he let them ride together, but usually, men refused, saying they were too heavy and would tire out the ox.

Young women also didn’t usually get on, afraid it would be looked down upon.

Only elder women were pushed on the cart by their families to save effort.

Third Aunt even took off her coat and covered the young woman. “Don’t be afraid, young lady. We’ll be in town soon.”

Gu Qingyan jumped back onto the cart and gently patted the ox’s rump. “Let’s go faster.”

The black ox lowered its head and started moving faster.

Inside the carriage, the three women surrounded the young lady and questioned her one after another.

Gu Qingyan listened and sighed at how hard life was nowadays—especially for women. To think some cruel parents would sell their daughters into brothels—such people didn’t deserve to be human.

The girl had run out in the middle of the night without even a coat. If he hadn’t met her, she might have really frozen to death in the wild.

So pitiful, truly pitiful.

Several times the young woman tried to pull back the curtain and speak to Gu Qingyan outside, but the women stopped her.

Third Aunt held her hand, pitying her. “Your hands are so cold. We need to rub some medicine on them later or they’ll be frostbitten.”

The young woman could only be grateful.

Finally arriving in the city, Gu Qingyan drove straight to the government office.

“Brother Dashan, I met a young lady halfway here. Her parents are cruel, trying to sell her into a pit of fire. She ran away in the middle of the night, nearly frozen stiff. Can the government take her in?”

Gu Dashan immediately replied, “Of course. The county magistrate set up the Mercy Home especially to shelter the homeless.”

The young woman felt uneasy.

Third Aunt and the others had already pulled her down from the cart, one after another saying, “Don’t worry, young lady, the officials will take good care of you.”

“You’re safe now. Go live a good life.”

“At least you’re whole and sound. Follow the magistrate’s advice; there’s still a way out.”

Turning, Gu Qingyan had already driven the cart far away.

The young woman hurried to catch up a few steps, calling out, “Young master, benefactor, what is your name? I will surely repay your lifesaving kindness.”

Gu Qingyan waved his hand, “It’s nothing, just a small favor. No need to thank me.”

The woman wanted to follow him, but the women grabbed her, saying, “Don’t run off. It’s so cold, don’t freeze yourself. Come inside quickly.”

They forcefully pulled her in.

Turning back outside, Third Aunt commented, “That girl’s pitiful, sure, but don’t go clinging onto our Yan brother.”

“Exactly, Yan brother is kind-hearted and helped out of goodwill. Helping is one thing, but don’t expect more.”

“Hmph, it’s because Yan brother is handsome. If I were young and met someone like that, whether he saved me or not, I’d want to marry him.”

“Bah, you old lecher.”

Gu Qingyan was unaware of their gossip. Having rescued someone early in the morning, he felt like a great person, shining with righteousness.

He arrived just in time at the county school and rushed into the classroom.

“I’m not late, am I?”

“Almost,” Zhang Cheng said with a smile, patting his shoulder. “Brother Gu, I have something to ask for your help with.”

Gu Qingyan laughed, “Do we still need to say ‘ask’ between us?”

Zhang Cheng lowered his voice, “I have a distant cousin whose parents were killed by bandits. He’s had a rough life all these years.”

“Now that the bandits have been defeated and my cousin’s parents avenged, he’s eager to thank you.”

“My cousin is stubborn, but my father asked me to request that you meet him once. Let him fulfill his wish so he can live a peaceful life from now on.”

Hearing this, Gu Qingyan said, “In the end, it was Magistrate Hong who avenged them, so thank him rather than me.”

“I told him that too, but the boy said he’s already kowtowed to the magistrate. The only one left is you.”

Gu Qingyan sighed and nodded, “It’s no trouble. I’ll go.”

Zhang Cheng stood and bowed. “Thank you, Brother Gu.”

“Brother Zhang, you’re too polite.” Gu Qingyan smiled and returned the bow.

Just then, another classmate reminded them, “Hurry back, Instructor Ma is here.”

The two immediately returned to their seats, exchanging a glance and trying not to laugh.

When school ended, Zhang Cheng was indeed waiting for Gu Qingyan to walk out together.

“I told him to wait outside. Let’s go, that stubborn kid might be out there freezing.”

Gu Qingyan quickened his pace.

Just as they reached the door, before Gu Qingyan saw Zhang Cheng’s cousin, he spotted a thin figure.

It was the same woman from the morning, still wearing the thin clothes, her lips purple from the cold.

Seeing him come out, she called out repeatedly, “Young master, I finally found you.”

Zhang Cheng stopped and grabbed Gu Qingyan, asking, “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know either.”

Gu Qingyan looked puzzled. “Why are you here? Didn’t the government arrange a place for you?”

The woman shook her head, looking quite pitiful. “No, Magistrate Hong arranged a good place, but I just wanted to personally thank you. I heard you study at the county school, so I came especially to express my gratitude.”

“You’re too polite. Like I said, it was nothing. No need to thank me.”

Gu Qingyan was speechless.

He thought, on such a cold day, why wouldn’t she stay at the Mercy Home instead of coming out here to freeze? She was just asking for trouble.

But thinking about how difficult her situation must be, he said earnestly, “You’ve already thanked me. Now go back quickly, it’s too cold outside.”

“Young master, I—”

“Gu Gongzi!”

A deafening voice cut off the woman’s hesitant words.

A small, skinny child rushed out, pushing the woman aside and kneeling down, repeatedly kowtowing.

“Gu Gongzi, you avenged my parents’ deaths. Your kindness is like being born again. Please accept my bow.”