It turned out that this young lady was surnamed Zhong and was also a physician. Today, the servants from the Sun Residence had summoned her to the mansion to treat a patient. She hadn’t thought much of it at first and simply followed along. Halfway there, however, she grew frightened—the path they took wound through remote lanes devoid of other travelers. So Miss Zhong stayed sharp and detoured to her fiancé’s little eatery midway through.
Miss Zhong hadn’t even finished her story when the torchlight drew closer once more. This time, the newcomers approached from the east rather than the west.
“Young Master! Fi-finally… we found you!” Xichan shouted, gasping for breath.
The carriage halted at the mouth of the alley, and Nangong Yunshang was helped down from it.
“Tao Chuyi, you ran off again. When we get back, this palace will lay down some family rules for you.”
Nangong Yunshang charged forward fiercely, her exquisitely beautiful face showing not a trace of gentleness.
Tao Chuyi scrambled forward on her hands and knees and hugged her leg. “Your Highness the Princess! I was wrong!”
Nangong Yunshang tried to shake her off with a kick but couldn’t. Her expression grew even darker. “We’ll settle the accounts when we get back.”
The group returned to the Princess Mansion, bringing the still-dazed Miss Zhong along with them.
“You’re Her Highness the Princess? And he’s the Prince Consort?”
Miss Zhong remained stunned for a long moment before she finally reacted.
Nangong Yunshang took the seat of honor, pointedly not offering one to Tao Chuyi.
“Miss Zhong, did you notice anything suspicious at the Sun Residence?”
Only then did Miss Zhong continue her unfinished tale. She had gone to her fiancé’s eatery intending to use it as an excuse to linger, but he failed to pick up on her hints, claiming he had matters to attend to and couldn’t accompany her to the Sun Residence. With no other choice, she had continued on with the servants.
As they neared the gates of the Sun Residence, Miss Zhong’s unease mounted. She couldn’t say why, but her legs felt as heavy as lead, refusing to carry her through that threshold. Trusting her instincts, she made up an excuse and, the moment the servants looked away, bolted.
Nangong Yunshang listened in silence for a moment before asking, “Miss Zhong, are you aware of any banquets at the Sun Residence in recent days?”
Miss Zhong thought for a bit, then exclaimed in realization, “This humble girl has heard that Young Master Sun’s birthday banquet is tomorrow—no, today, starting in the afternoon.”
Young Master Sun’s birthday banquet would draw guests to the residence to offer congratulations—the perfect chance to slip in.
After consulting with Temple Minister Tao, Nangong Yunshang arranged two teams. One would draw Councilor Sun’s attention and buy time; the other would infiltrate the rear courtyard to investigate. The overt team, led by Temple Chief Minister Chu of the Dali Temple, would attend the birthday celebration. The covert team, with Miss Zhong pretending to provide medical services, would coordinate from inside to usher in the Dali Temple Guards for a search.
Miss Zhong was a righteous soul. Though frightened, she agreed to play her part, determined to prevent more girls from falling victim.
“By the way, Miss Zhong, you should break things off with that fiancé of yours.”
Nangong Yunshang found it amusing. “What’s the point of keeping him?”
Tao Chuyi chimed in from the side, “Keep him for New Year’s!”
The others ducked their heads to stifle their laughter. Even the nervous Miss Zhong cracked a smile.
“The Princess and Prince Consort are right. Once this is over, this humble girl will definitely call off the engagement.”
After dismissing the others, Nangong Yunshang’s smile faded. Her gaze swept toward the person beside her, appraising them meaningfully.
Tao Chuyi belatedly realized what was coming. She retreated behind the desk and squatted down.
“Come out.”
Nangong Yunshang’s voice was ice-cold, sending a shiver straight through Tao Chuyi’s heart.
“N-No, I won’t.”
Tao Chuyi was utterly resolute. She wouldn’t come out—if she did, she’d be thrown out the door.
Nangong Yunshang’s tone chilled another degree. “Get over here. This palace will say it once more: come kneel inside the room now, or I’ll drag you back and make you kneel outside.”
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Tao Chuyi appeared before her. Without needing to be told, she had already knelt obediently.
Nangong Yunshang raised an eyebrow. That was awfully quick.
“Will you run off again?”
Tao Chuyi put on her most innocent face. “No more running.”
Not at night, anyway—daytime would do.
Nangong Yunshang shot her a glance and deployed her ultimate trump card.
“Do it again, and no dinner tonight.”
Tao Chuyi wilted on the spot. That was too cruel—how could anyone go without food? She’d starve to death.
Satisfied that the brat had been sufficiently scared, Nangong Yunshang retired to the couch for a rest, leaving the troublesome child to kneel and reflect on her misdeeds.
The next afternoon—or rather, that very afternoon—the birthday banquet at the Sun Residence proceeded as planned, thronged with guests and bustling with activity.
Temple Chief Minister Chu arrived with gifts as per the plan to join the feast. Miss Zhong, entering through the back gate, offered profuse apologies for failing to show up the night before.
The gatekeeper went in to report for quite some time before returning—and astonishingly, he let her in without issue.
Dali Temple Guards stood watch at the front and rear gates, while two more scaled the walls, poised to enter at a moment’s notice.
“When do you think Miss Zhong will signal?”
The bearded guard told the younger one to hold his horses. “Just wait. Lord Tao’s orders: if no word from Miss Zhong in half a shichen, we force our way in.”
“Force our way in—how?”
The bearded guard tsked. “You’ve been here how long and still don’t know what ‘forcing’ means?”
The young guard blinked in confusion. “I didn’t ask you.”
“You didn’t ask me—who did?”
At that, they both fell silent and whipped around together. There was Tao Chuyi, grinning ear to ear as she perched on the wall’s edge, waving at them cheerfully.
“Me, I did!”
Tao Chuyi sidled closer to the two guards. “You still haven’t answered.”
The guards exchanged uneasy glances. They knew nothing else, only that running into this little ancestor spelled trouble.
“Young Master, please go back. If Lord Tao finds out, we’re done for.”
The young guard looked miserable, as if someone owed him two hundred taels of silver.
Tao Chuyi patted her own shoulder. “Chuyi, good job—no problem.”
“You’re fine—we’re the ones with problems!” the bearded guard hissed in a strangled whisper.
But the little ancestor paid no mind, observing the garden with intense focus.
The front courtyard rang with music, strings, and pipes, along with operatic singing. The aromas of fine wine and delicacies wafted intermittently to the back.
At that moment, Miss Zhong released the signal. Tao Chuyi vaulted into the yard ahead of the guards, tumbling twice across the ground for cover.
“Young Master, wait!”
The two guards followed suit, dropping in after her and chasing—but they couldn’t catch up.
Tao Chuyi dashed to a large building and poked a hole in the window paper, peering inside with one eye. There, four people: a young man on the bed leering at Miss Zhong, who kept her head down while taking his pulse. Two servants loomed behind her.
“Young Master, we’ll search. Stay here and don’t move a muscle.”
Unclear if she heard, the two guards exchanged a look and headed to the rear garden to search for Miss An.
Tao Chuyi grew tired of standing and squatted; tiring of that, she lay flat.
Suddenly, a crash echoed from inside the room. Tao Chuyi sprang up and looked in. The servants had pinned Miss Zhong to the couch, muffling her struggles as she cried out.
Young Master Sun giggled idiotically, lunging to tear at Miss Zhong’s clothes with all his might. The louder she screamed, the more excited he became.
One servant slapped Miss Zhong to silence her. Young Master Sun’s laughter filled the room, eerie and terrifying.
Tao Chuyi’s eyes widened in shock, at a loss. Her hands gripped the windowsill tighter and tighter, crushing off a corner of the brick.
One of the servants grew alert inside. He handed Miss Zhong off to the other and crept slowly toward the window.
“Who’s out there?”
