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Looking into the girl’s guarded eyes, Pei Du suddenly felt a wave of irritation.
The very night Old Madam had sent Xie Zhi to the Snow-Viewing Pavilion, he had already heard the news from Changming. Needless to say, he knew it was Old Madam’s doing—she had deliberately let it slip.
He neither confirmed nor denied it. He didn’t understand why his grandmother was so invested in such matters.
Yet today, as he passed by the Snow-Viewing Pavilion, some inexplicable impulse made him pause. He followed Pei Hong inside.
Just to check whether the ancient books were intact, nothing to do with her—so he told himself.
At that moment, a young servant suddenly rushed in. After greeting Pei Du, he hurried over to Pei Hong, who was searching among the shelves, and whispered anxiously in his ear:
“Bad news, Fifth Young Master—the courtesan Yao Liniang at Fragrant Garden is threatening to kill herself!”
“What?!” Pei Hong froze, then quickly put the book down and strode off.
As he passed Pei Du, he cupped his hands in haste. “Third Brother, I just remembered something urgent I must deal with, so I’ll be leaving first.”
Then, as though recalling something, he turned to Xie Zhi: “Little girl, please find that scroll for me and deliver it to Ninghui Garden for my mother.”
With that, his robe fluttered out of sight.
Xie Zhi didn’t know why Pei Du hadn’t left yet, but since this gave her the chance to keep some distance from him, her heart naturally felt lighter.
Back when she first fell into misfortune, she had indeed harbored some thought of clinging to him. But after what had happened, that thought was gone completely.
…
At last, with the help of a young page, she found the scroll of The Classic of Navigation that Pei Hong wanted. Yet the boy, only ten years old, accidentally tore the outer cover while pulling it out.
Terrified, the boy turned pale. “This is a precious antique! If Clerk Tong finds out, he’ll kill me!”
Xie Zhi glanced at the damaged cover, instinctively turning her head—but Pei Du had already left without her noticing.
She comforted the boy softly: “This book is old, its pages fragile. It isn’t all your fault.”
With a sigh, she gathered the book and torn page together, instructed the boy on what to say, and after registering it at the desk downstairs, she left the Snow-Viewing Pavilion.
Ninghui Garden lay on the western side of the Pei estate, with Xingbo Lake between it and the Pavilion.
It was dinner time, the summer heat beginning to fade. Many maids and servants were strolling along the lakeshore. This was the liveliest hour of summer.
On the water, willows swayed, flower petals drifted, and lotus blossoms spread wide. Light boats carried young ladies of the household, laughing and playing as they admired the scenery.
Carrying the scroll, Xie Zhi followed the river toward Ninghui Garden. Halfway there, a sharp voice called out:
“Lichun, stop right there!”
It was Princess Yuyang!
Xie Zhi froze, a bad feeling rising in her chest.
Turning, she saw the princess leading a crowd of maids and matrons, blocking the path behind her.
“Greetings, Your Highness.”
“And where are you going?”
Yuyang’s eyes swept over her, landing on the scroll in her hands.
Xie Zhi quickly explained that she was now working at the Snow-Viewing Pavilion, and that Pei Hong had asked her to deliver the book to Ninghui Garden. She only hoped the princess would not make things difficult.
To her surprise, Yuyang only gave her a long look and said coolly:
“Oh. Then go on.”
Xie Zhi bowed in relief and turned to leave, thinking: Her Highness must be in a good mood today.
But the next moment, footsteps rushed up behind her. A burly matron snatched the scroll right out of her hands.
“What are you doing?!” Xie Zhi cried.
The woman glared, then handed the scroll to Princess Yuyang.
Yuyang unrolled it and sneered. “The Classic of Navigation. Such a rare antique—and you’ve even damaged the cover. You really aren’t suited for this job.”
With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the scroll and its cover page straight into Xingbo Lake!
“Oh my. Third Aunt is the strictest of all. You’ve ruined such a priceless book—you’d better think carefully how you’ll explain this.”
Smiling, she walked away with her attendants.
Xie Zhi stared helplessly as the scroll rippled on the surface twice before sinking out of sight. Her voice trembled with suppressed anger.
“I’ve long heard that Your Highness is learned and gentle in temper. I’ve never committed any great sin—why must you always torment me?”
Yuyang stopped mid-step, turned back, and leaned close to whisper:
“Don’t you know what you’ve done?”
Xie Zhi shook her head, bewildered. “This servant truly does not.”
“Half a year ago, that night—you were brought into the estate by Qi Songqing, wasn’t it?”
The words startled Xie Zhi.
Indeed, half a year ago, on New Year’s Eve, when she first entered the capital with Pei Du, he had gone to the palace for duty and could not return. By chance, they encountered Old Madam’s nephew Qi Songqing’s family, newly arrived from Huaizhou to pay respects. Pei Du had asked them to bring her into the estate first.
But she was a stranger there and never wandered. She simply waited in the tea room for five or six hours, until Pei Du returned late that night.
Back then, she thought Pei Du had bought her for that kind of service. Though afraid, compared to the brothel it was a mercy.
Yet to her surprise, when he returned, he sent her straight to Chunhui Garden instead.
Her connection with Qi Songqing had been nothing more than that brief escort. She had no wish to ever see him again—just the thought of him disgusted her.
So why did it sound so ambiguous in Yuyang’s mouth?
Could it be… she thought Xie Zhi liked Qi Songqing?
Startled, Xie Zhi hurried to explain, but Yuyang cut her off, gritting her teeth:
“Jintang told me everything! She saw you on the street that day, shamelessly seducing him!”
“And that name ‘Lichun’—he gave it to you, didn’t he?!”
Xie Zhi was utterly baffled. Who is Jintang? How could she have “seduced” Qi Songqing when she had been riding in a carriage? And the name “Lichun”—hadn’t Pei Du casually given it? What did it have to do with Qi Songqing?
She was about to protest when Yuyang dismissed her coldly:
“Just wait. In a few days, when Grandmother goes to Cien Temple, I’ll have you married off to a groom from my courtyard. You’ll serve me for the rest of your life—that way I can finally rest easy.”
With that, Yuyang left.
Xie Zhi’s heart sank to the bottom.
This woman was utterly unreasonable! But as a slave, she had no power to resist.
She had to think of a countermeasure.
But first, she needed to solve the immediate problem.
Glancing at the calm surface of the lake, she drew a scroll from her bosom.
It was The Classic of Navigation—without its cover.