A Beginning

"Lingguang, long time no see." After reaching Mount Rong, He Lingchuan had asked Elder Dao to send someone with a letter to the Dunyu branch of Songyang Mansion—addressed directly to Lingguang! Reunited after such a long separation, the medicine ape was so excited it could not even form human words, doing nothing but chattering as it thumped his shoulder. When He Lingchuan fell into the river, it thought its master-jinxing talent had flared up yet again, and it had grieved in misery for a very long time. Now, more than half a year later, its master had miraculously reappeared and even arranged to meet by the battlefield of the Han River. Lingguang had arrived full of doubt, but now it was utterly overjoyed! Of course, its current strength felt like nothing more than an itch to He Lingchuan. The monkey felt a bit lighter than before, so He Lingchuan fished several candies out of his robes and handed them over. "A reunion gift. These are flaky puff candies from Beijia." Then he pointed to the squirrel on his other shoulder. "This is your new companion." The squirrel cast a disdainful look at it. Who would want such an undignified companion? It simply hopped onto Qiu Hu and didn't spare the monkey another glance. He Lingchuan led the group up the bank. Once Lingguang had calmed down slightly, He Lingchuan patted its back. "All right, that's enough. Tell me, did you tell a single soul that I've returned to the Yuan Kingdom?" Lingguang's eyes shone as it shook its head vigorously. "No! I burned the letter and came straight to find you." "Splendid." He Lingchuan smiled. "Now tell me, how are my old subordinates and businesses doing?" Lingguang asked him, "Are you going back to Dunyu to take a look?" "Where is my father?" "He should be in the Yuan capital right now," Lingguang said. "If you'd come back a month earlier, you probably would have caught him in Dunyu." "Now isn't too late either." Facing the gentle spring breeze blowing into his face, He Lingchuan murmured, "I'm heading to the Yuan capital as well." Dong Rui rubbed his hands together. "The candied fruit there is delicious." He had been there once and had never forgotten the taste. Yes, that was the time he had been hired to snipe General Ke Jihai. He Lingchuan, however, said, "You and Daniang aren't coming." He had deliberated for a long time before making this decision. "Huh? What?" Dong Rui was astonished. "We're not going?" "The ghost ape is too conspicuous. I'm afraid someone will recognize it." The ghost ape had once ambushed Ke Jihai and He Chunhua; it was not suitable to show its face anywhere near the Yuan capital. He Lingchuan then pointed at Zhu Daniang. "And Daniang isn't suited to appear anywhere at all." Even if Zhu Daniang wore a disguise, appearing in public always carried the risk of blowing her cover. His journey into the Yuan Kingdom was already perilous enough; he couldn't afford to pile on extra risk factors. All things considered, it was best for these two grand figures to keep out of sight. Zhu Daniang had no objections. She had never cared much for human cities anyway. Dong Rui's face fell. "If you weren't going to take us, why didn't you say so sooner? In that case, I'm off!" "Where are you going?" "What's it to you?" Dong Rui scoffed. "The world is vast—where can't I go?" "The world may be vast, but there's no place in it for you." He Lingchuan hooked an arm around his neck. "Just think about your glorious achievements!" Dong Rui squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth. "I pale in comparison to you!" The chief culprit was obviously He Lingchuan, wasn't he? Dong Rui was an accomplice at best. "Come on, why draw lines between us over that?" He Lingchuan said with a beaming smile. "You and Daniang head south first. Once I finish my business, I'll catch up with you. Oh, and take Lingguang with you!" "Screech!" Lingguang scratched its ears and cheeks in distress. They had barely reunited, so why was he leaving it behind again? "I've thought it through along the way: some matters have to be settled by myself." He Lingchuan patted the monkey's head. "You can just eat, drink, and enjoy yourselves as you travel south. In three to five months at most, we'll definitely meet up. Hey, I've always been a man of my word. When have I ever broken a promise to you?" Actually... never. Lingguang made a bitter face. Once He Lingchuan finally placated the monkey, Zhu Daniang asked him, "Where do we meet?" She was not human and did not possess such sentimental attachments. "You go on ahead and wait for me at the southern port of Baisha Bay." He Lingchuan beckoned Zhu Daniang over to the water's edge and murmured, "Keep an eye on Dong Rui. Don't let him slip away." Dong Rui knew far too many of his secrets; there was no way he could let him loose. The three of them were grasshoppers tied to the same string. Zhu Daniang hummed in acknowledgment. "Understood. He won't leave my sight." He Lingchuan knew she was as good as her word and would follow through on whatever she promised, so he pushed his luck: "You have eyeball spiders too, right? Give me a few." "Take them." Zhu Daniang was far more generous than her younger sister, producing four eyeball spiders for him right away. *** *The peach blossoms blush, steeped in overnight rain; the willows green, veiled in morning mist.* April and May in Shihuan City were the most splendid time of the year. In the courtyard of the He family's new residence in Shihuan City stood a century-old peach tree. It was in the peak of its bloom, rolling like a heavy pink cloud over the walls. Such radiant, breathtaking beauty could only truly be appreciated in person. The rain had just stopped when Madam Ying stepped into the garden. The moment she frowned at the fallen petals on the ground, a servant hurried over to sweep them away. He Chunhua had entered the capital to receive enfeoffment and rewards, and the entire family had accompanied him. Everyone knew they would not be returning to Xiazhou. Among the rewards granted by the Yuan Kingdom was this estate spanning twenty-five mu, along with two farming manors in the suburbs of Shihuan City. Upon arriving in the capital, the He family had no need to purchase a new residence. This was an old mansion with a century of history. The previous owner had neglected its upkeep, and after being confiscated, it had sat vacant for quite a long time, so it had inevitably fallen into disrepair. Some wooden fixtures were rotted through, the weeds in the garden grew taller than a man, and moss had crept almost to the top of the walls. Even so, Madam Ying was quite pleased with its layout. For the past several days, she had been directing craftsmen and servants to repair the furnishings and tidy the garden, so busy her feet barely touched the ground. An old mansion was nothing to fear. So long as the layout and bones were sound, Madam Ying was confident she could restore it into an enduring family estate. She had brought back many decorations from Xiazhou and was placing them into the new home one by one. Most of the servants from Dunyu had been dismissed; only a few clever and loyal ones had followed them here. With a fresh household to establish, extra hands were needed everywhere. Now Housekeeper Wu approached to report that a new batch of forty servants had arrived, requesting the lady of the house to make her selection. Madam Ying waved a hand. "You choose. Keep only twenty." Housekeeper Wu was a veteran servant He Chunhua had brought along from Blackwater City, having served the He family for over a decade, and Madam Ying trusted him completely. "Twenty? Wouldn't that be too few?" Even including these twenty new recruits, an estate of twenty-five mu would have only fifty servants in total. That was hardly enough labor. "The master said we've only just arrived in Shihuan, the situation outside is dire, and the royal court is advocating frugality from top to bottom. It wouldn't be proper for us to be overly extravagant." Madam Ying paused to think, then asked, "What about the furniture?" "The new furniture arrives this afternoon—that will be the second batch," Housekeeper Wu asked for instructions. "How would you like it arranged?" "Send a set to Yue'er's quarters. As for Chuan'er's courtyard..." Madam Ying hesitated for a long while before adding, "Send... send a set there as well." "The side halls and courtyard wings are still lacking pieces." Housekeeper Wu sought confirmation from her. "Madam, the roads to the south are blocked. The next batch won't arrive for two months at the earliest."