With her goal achieved, Shi Buyu pushed the scroll toward Yan Shian and said, “Although this is a transaction, I still appreciate you being willing to join forces with me. A small token of thanks—please accept it.”

Yan Shian did not refuse. He genuinely wanted this information.

“I don’t believe for a moment that the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage would betray the nation. It’s just that I’m in no position to help much now. I’ve done what I could to protect the women of the household and spare them some suffering.”

Shi Buyu was a little surprised. She hadn’t expected this. Everything that followed had been a matter of exchange, but what he did before that—that had come from a place of genuine sincerity.

“I’m the kind of person who, when facing evil, can be even more ruthless. But when I meet someone decent, I treat them better than they treated me.” Shi Buyu stood up and offered a slight bow. “I’m glad my ally is you, Young Master Yan. Farewell.”

Yan Shian walked her to the door and watched as she and her companion followed the steward out.

The young woman had a tall, slender figure. She didn’t walk with the delicate mincing steps of a lady, nor did she lower her gaze with shyness. She walked naturally, confidently, exuding a kind of aloof freedom—an aura he had never seen in a woman before. Looking back now, he realized she actually had striking, vivid features.

From behind a screen, a bearded man stepped forward. “Young Master, do you trust her?”

“I hope the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s household can survive this disaster.” Yan Shian strolled out of the room, looked up at the faintly red sky, and said, “On a national level, the Shi family has always lived up to the title of Loyalty and Courage granted by the Grand Ancestor. They shouldn’t fall prey to petty schemes. On a personal level, Shi Lie grew up with my father as his study companion. My mother said he had my father’s complete trust. If there ever comes a day when I must reveal my true identity and seek help, he’s the only one I can think of. Shi Buyu’s identity is most likely real. Since she dared come asking me to help rescue someone, she must have other plans in place. If her abilities fall short and the plan fails, it still won’t trace back to me.”

“Young Master is thorough and leaves no loose ends.”

Yan Shian pointed at the scroll on the table. “Take a look.”

The man responded, and when he saw what was written, he couldn’t hide his shock. He immediately understood why the young master had agreed so readily. Recruiting someone like this would be greatly advantageous.

“I’m curious about her background.”

“You’ll find out eventually.”

Yan Shian found himself thinking about Shi Buyu’s large, expressive almond eyes. Even with the Marquis’s household facing execution, her eyes held no panic or urgency. Even her steps were calm. Though she had come to seek his help, her demeanor had never been beneath his. And yet, if she truly didn’t care, why would she risk danger to save someone?

“Still, we need to confirm a few things. Luo Bo, pick a few unfamiliar names from this list and investigate. See if what she wrote is accurate.”

“Yes, sir.”

---

Outside the gates, Shi Buyu looked up at the clouds from earlier. Though they had begun to scatter, their shape was still visible, showing that she hadn’t been inside for very long.

“Agugu, was that the Sky-Net back there?”

“Wings wouldn’t have helped you escape,” the older woman said with a smile. The young lady had always avoided the hardship of martial training—still couldn’t even complete a full form—but her instinct for danger was innate.

“Not surprising,” Shi Buyu said as she walked down the steps. “Saying that kind of thing at someone’s front door… Agugu, I’m hungry.”

The older woman had already scouted out some eateries earlier. There were several nearby.

Shi Buyu chose the busiest one and took a window seat on the second floor.

The Dayout court was relatively liberal—women going out for leisure was nothing unusual. There were already two tables upstairs with women at them, dressed exquisitely. Compared to them, Shi Buyu’s plain gray clothing drew little attention.

Leaning on the windowsill with her chin resting in her hand, Shi Buyu looked down at the bustling street. “So lively.”

The woman ordered food and tea, replying as she poured, “Curfew doesn’t begin until midnight. It’s still early.”

Shi Buyu was about to speak when she was interrupted by someone at the next table slamming their hand down. “The Marquis of Loyalty and Courage, my ass! Loyalty and courage, my foot! He’s off to Danba now! How can Shi Lie live up to the title the Grand Ancestor gave his family?”

Shi Buyu sipped her tea and quietly listened.

“He may have gotten away clean, but now the entire Shi household—over a hundred people—will be executed.”

“I just don’t get it. What did Danba offer him that was so worth it?”

“He was already a marquis here in Dayout! Is he going to be made king over there?”

“Even if he is, with his whole family nearly wiped out, it’s not worth it!”

“If you ask me, there’s nothing hard to understand. That calamity star fell on his house for a reason! Doesn’t this just prove it?”

“She really is a disaster—destroyed her own family and did nothing good for Dayout!”

“I used to think the whole calamity star thing was just superstition. Now I believe it. The Shi family was loyal for decades, but right after she came along, they’re suddenly traitors?”

“If the Marquis had listened back then and burned that disaster star early on, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”

“Exactly!”

“……”

The woman refilled her cup and said softly, “There’s no shortage of petty gossips anywhere.”

Shi Buyu, however, smiled gently. “Such a great title—I’d better live up to it.”

Amidst the idle gossip, Shi Buyu ate three bowls of rice. Honestly, the food at this place really was excellent.

When they left, she gave a glance toward the gossipers and memorized their faces. A calamity star brings disaster to people—like them.

One of the drinkers, in the middle of a buzz, suddenly shivered. He looked around, puzzled. In this summer heat, why did it suddenly feel so cold?

The mistress and servant found an inn nearby to stay the night, and the next day they arrived at the Yan residence at the appointed time.

They were greeted once again by Yan Ze, who explained, “The young master went to the academy early. His mentor holds high expectations and doesn’t allow absences for anything short of emergencies. But rest assured, he’s made the arrangements—nothing will be delayed.”

Shi Buyu raised an eyebrow slightly. She was a bit curious about Yan Shian.

Ever since the white-bearded man took her in, he had used historical figures as bedtime stories, dynasty after dynasty. When he ran out of history, he dug into the current officials of Dayout. The scroll she gave Yan Shian was just something she’d made out of boredom, back when she hadn’t expected to return to the capital this way. The old man had never once mentioned Yan Shian before.

It wasn’t until the Marquis of Loyalty and Courage’s household was in trouble, and she was preparing to return, that he pointed her in this direction. He didn’t need to say more—she already understood the road ahead.

Though she had only stayed with the Shi family until she was three, they had always treated her well. No matter what the outside world said—whether calling her a calamity star or urging the family to give her up—the Shi family had always protected her. Even when she was rumored to be a demon and they could no longer shield her, they faked her death and sent her away. And even then, they found the best place for her.

She had a sharp memory. She remembered her mother’s tears when she left, her father’s reluctant grip on her tiny hand, and her grandfather’s earnest entrustment to the white-bearded man. These moments had remained her link to the Shi family over the years. Every time she was about to forget them, she would dig out that memory to remind herself.

They hadn’t seen each other in years, but the kindness they had shown her was a debt she was more than willing to repay.

What she didn’t expect was that when she asked the white-bearded man about this Yan Shian, he refused to say anything—only asking her, “If I told you what kind of person he is, would you do as I say?”

Shi Buyu, ever the rebel, replied without hesitation, “Nope.”

And so, she knew all about the court officials but knew almost nothing about her own potential ally. Now she had learned a bit: his teacher had high hopes—so he was on the path of the imperial exams? If he really did become a jinshi, someone of his background would be the first of his kind in history. When the time came to reveal his true identity, wouldn’t those old scholars crying over Dayout’s fate be driven to tears?

Imagining that scene, Shi Buyu burst into laughter.