Yin Yin followed Ling Long in a daze as they walked back to Yinyue Pavilion.

Jia Qing was sitting at the desk reading, while Sang Ze pestered him non-stop at the side. Remarkably, he managed to maintain a calm, unmoved expression.

“Master, you’re back!” Sang Ze spotted Yin Yin entering and rushed toward the door.

Yin Yin glanced around the room and asked, “Where’s Qianqian?”

“She went out just now and hasn’t come back yet.” Jia Qing’s voice came from behind a stack of books.

Ling Long couldn’t help but frown. Prince Luo had instructed them not to reveal anything to Du Qianqian for the time being, regardless of whether she truly was his daughter. But now that Du Qianqian had learned the truth about her identity, what would she do?

Just as he was thinking that, Du Qianqian walked in through the door.

When she saw Yin Yin and Ling Long, she paused instinctively for a moment, then walked forward as if nothing had happened. “Eldest Miss, Young Master Lin, you’ve returned.”

Ling Long looked at her, his eyes shifting slightly. “Miss Du, you heard our conversation with Jia Renyi earlier, didn’t you?”

Du Qianqian’s face instantly turned pale and her breathing even seemed a little unstable.

Seeing that she said nothing, Ling Long continued, “Things have reached this point. Come back to the capital with me.”

“Back to the capital?” Du Qianqian’s eyes widened in surprise, as if she had heard something unbelievable.

Yin Yin glanced at her and her lips curled inwardly. Oh please, cut the act. Is it really that shocking? You just got upgraded from a bumpkin to a rich heiress. Shouldn’t you be too happy to even breathe right now?

Sure enough, Du Qianqian quickly wiped the surprised expression from her face. Looking at Ling Long, she seemed a bit lost. “I’ll follow Young Master Lin’s arrangements in everything.”

She had already made up her mind. With her current status and background, going against Yin Yin would be like throwing an egg at a rock. But if she wrapped herself in the golden veneer of being the princess of Prince Luo Manor, everything would change.

She cast a glance at Yin Yin, her gaze carrying a hint of ambition and determination.

The corner of Yin Yin’s mouth twitched. What are you so smug about? At most, you’re just a nouveau riche who got hit by a pie falling from the sky. You think that puts you on the same level as me, a local tycoon?

She had just finished silently looking down on Du Qianqian when she suddenly remembered— wasn’t she also just another overnight millionaire?

────ρя

This translation is by Pocketrobbin at S h a n g h a i f a n t a s y . c o m

With everything resolved, there was no reason for them to stay in Qingmang Mountain any longer. Just as Yin Yin followed Ling Long and was about to step out of Yinyue Pavilion, she was stopped by Jia Qing’s voice behind her.

“Miss Yin.”

Yin Yin turned around in confusion. “What is it?”

“You’re just leaving after I helped you?”

Yin Yin: “……”

What’s that supposed to mean?

Her mouth twitched. First of all, she didn’t recall him helping us much. Second, even if he did help, why was he coming to her for payback? Shouldn’t he be going to Ling Long?

She rubbed her face and looked at Jia Qing. “Does Divine Physician Jia want to treat us to a meal?”

“I’m looking for seven star grass.” Jia Qing said, completely ignoring her question.

Yin Yin stared at him. “Why would you think I’d have that?”

“It grows on Qingmang Mountain. I’d like you to come with me to gather some.”

Yin Yin: “……”

She clearly didn’t want to go, but Jia Qing remained unfazed. “Just treat it as paying me back.”

Why me?! Why always me?! Ah!!!  ヽ(ｏ`皿′ｏ)

Yin Yin looked at Ling Long in frustration.

Ling Long glanced at Jia Qing thoughtfully, then looked calmly back at Yin Yin. “I’ll leave it to you then, Yinyin.”

Yin Yin: “……”

Damn it!

For the next two days, Ling Long and Du Qianqian stayed at Jia Qing’s residence, while Yin Yin was dragged out of bed by him at the crack of dawn each day. Like a little slave, she carried a small basket and followed him up the mountain.

Naturally, Yin Yin didn’t recognize any herbs. Despite reading plenty of medical texts, she was purely a theorist— nothing like Shennong^[1]a legendary figure in Chinese medicine and agriculture, revered as the Deity of Medicine and the Father of Chinese Herbal Medicine. He is credited with identifying and testing hundreds of … Continue reading who tasted every herb himself.

So her only role was to carry the basket. Jia Qing tossed things in, and she carried them. In short, she was the porter.

Every time she thought of that, Yin Yin wanted to throw all the herbs in the basket right into Jia Qing’s face.

Why, as the esteemed young lady of Yin Manor, had she ended up doing manual labor for someone else?

Was it just because she had the fate of a supporting character?

Even more infuriating, Du Qianqian was now comfortably racking up favor points with Ling Long!

This was simply……

Geez!

That was all Yin Yin could scream inwardly.

“Miss Yin, are you feeling unwell?” Jia Qing, walking ahead, suddenly turned around and looked at her.

Yin Yin shook her head. “No.”

Just a little despair, that’s all.

“Oh. Then let’s check up ahead. That area has a high chance of growing seven star grass.”

Yin Yin looked up at the sky speechlessly.

She had heard that same sentence no less than ten times in the past two days. But forget the seven star grass, she hadn’t even seen a seven-spotted ladybug.

Pushing through a dense patch of grass, Yin Yin suddenly felt a sharp sting on her leg.

“Hiss.” She drew in a breath with a soft wince. It felt like something had pricked her ankle.

Just as she was about to crouch down and check, Jia Qing’s excited voice rang out from ahead. “It’s seven star grass! Finally found it!”

Yin Yin immediately scrambled forward.

Jia Qing was carefully holding a stalk of the herb. It had seven jagged leaves, each intricately veined, the lines converging into a shape faintly resembling a five-pointed star.

Is this the legendary seven star grass that can cure all poisons?

OMG, this is amazing! I’ve finally found you!

I’m crying tears of joy.  (Ｔ▽Ｔ)

Yin Yin followed Jia Qing back to Yinyue Pavilion, both of them beaming with joy. At last, she was liberated from the hellish torment of being enslaved!

The diligent and brave working people had finally become their own masters!

Down with the landlords and their cheap debts!

As soon as Jia Qing found the seven star grass, he rushed to the alchemy room to begin refining it. Yin Yin, too, couldn’t wait. She grabbed Ling Long and headed straight back to Shigu Town that very day.

Only, had she known what sort of misfortune awaited her next, she would have insisted on staying in Yinyue Pavilion for another year.

The moment they descended the mountain, they sensed something off about the atmosphere in Shigu Town.

Though the ghost incident had already been resolved, the streets were eerily quiet. Or rather, unnervingly so.

The sky hadn’t even turned dark yet. There was no reason for things to be like this.

Most disturbing of all was the strange sense of oppression that hung over the town. Even the breeze that blew past carried a subtle, chilling air of death.

They didn’t dwell on it too much and simply headed toward Xue’er’s house, planning to stay there for the night.

Just as they turned a corner, they saw the road ahead blocked by a tall, lean figure.

It was a man, dressed in black robes and boots. Even the long sword at his waist shimmered with an eerie luster like that of a black pearl. His jet-black hair danced gracefully in the wind, and just from the view of his back, Yin Yin felt her heart stir with curiosity.

That posture, he absolutely had to be a stunningly handsome man!

She could barely contain herself and wanted to circle around to get a look at his face.

The moment her right toe so much as twitched, Ling Long shot her a glance and curved his lips in a faint smile.

Yin Yin’s heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys all trembled one by one in that instant. She then returned a pure and innocent smile to Ling Long.

“You really want to see, don’t you?” Ling Long’s voice carried a hint of amusement, yet it poured cold water over Yin Yin’s previously boiling wolfish excitement.

“Nope!” Yin Yin replied with firm decisiveness, not a shred of hesitation.

“Do you know who that is?”

“Not interested!”

“That’s Mo Lingya.”

The name Mo Lingya sent the remaining half of Yin Yin’s wolf blood cold.

Handsome men were precious, but life was even more so.

“Come with me.” Mo Lingya’s voice drifted over on the wind, as cold as the glaciers atop Changbai Mountain that hadn’t melted in ten thousand years.

“I won’t.” Another voice responded from ahead. It was Gu Chenyan. Yin Yin edged closer to the wall and, sure enough, spotted Gu Chenyan standing in the bitter wind, facing off against Mo Lingya.

“You know I’m not asking for your opinion.” Unless Yin Yin was hearing things, Mo Lingya’s voice sounded even colder than before.

She instinctively pulled her outer robe tighter around herself.

Gu Chenyan let out a mocking laugh. “Of course. Since when have you ever asked for anyone’s opinion?”

Mo Lingya’s brow twitched ever so slightly. “Why did you run from the wedding?”

“Because I don’t want to marry you.”

“Don’t want to?” Mo Lingya gave a cold laugh. “Then what do you want? To keep making those useless fragrances no one wants? Weren’t the sneers you endured at the Fragrance Banquet enough? I truly don’t understand why you’re so stubborn about something so pointless.”

Gu Chenyan laughed wildly, but there was a hint of sorrow behind it. “Of course you don’t understand. You’ll never understand!”

Mo Lingya’s expression grew even darker. “Come with me. I can give you everything.”

Gu Chenyan laughed harder, but tears welled at the corners of her eyes. “And what exactly can you give me? Money? Power? Too bad, I’ve never wanted those things.”

“Then what do you want?”

“Respect.”

Mo Lingya looked slightly stunned. Gu Chenyan met his eyes and gave him a mocking smile. “Mo Lingya, you’ve only ever liked me as a woman. You never once tried to know me as a person. Yes, in your eyes, the fragrances I make are worthless junk, but every single one of them was crafted through my painstaking effort and care. Even if no one else appreciates them, they’re still my hard work.”

Mo Lingya stared at Gu Chenyan in silence. She wiped away her tears and continued, “I have dreams too. I want to become a respected perfumer like the masters. But you, everything I’ve done is a joke to you, isn’t it? Do you even realize that the way you look at me always feels like you’re staring at a fool?”

Mo Lingya’s brows furrowed as he finally spoke up in his own defense, “I didn’t.”

“You did!” Gu Chenyan’s emotions flared.

Mo Lingya’s brows creased even more tightly, clearly unwilling to argue further. “Just come back with me.”

“I won’t!”

His hand gripped the sword at his waist.

Suddenly, Yin Yin saw a flash of white light before her eyes, and something cold pressed against her neck.

Mo Lingya’s voice rang out by her ear, “If you don’t come with me, I’ll kill her.”

……

Wait a second! This isn’t right!!!

What does your lover’s quarrel have to do with me?! I was just passing by, a totally innocent bystander!

Yin Yin glanced sideways at the icy blade at her throat and managed to force out a friendly smile toward Mo Lingya. “Hi, Leon, have you seen 《Léon: The Professional》?”