May Fifth, the secret code for the rendezvous

At once, a wave of resentment swept through the group of women, some even blaming those who had just clung to Chu Yu, especially the Miao girl. It was one thing for her to entangle herself, but she even reproached Fang Pin a few times. The mutual accusations soon escalated, and it seemed they were about to order the servants to join in a brawl.

The bridge became a scene of utter chaos, until suddenly Sun Min’s commanding voice rang out, “Do you have any sense of decorum left? Are you hoping the Prince will cast you aside?”

The quarrelers immediately fell silent. Fang Pin then turned her ire toward Sun Min. “I was personally appointed by the Chancellor himself; do you think I can be dismissed as easily as the rest of you?”

Sun Min’s face darkened, but she ignored Fang Pin’s words. Beside her, Shi Yufeng could not bear it any longer and pointed at Fang Pin, “Don’t think that just because you’re a secondary consort, even if the Emperor himself decreed you as a Princess, do you think His Highness wouldn’t dare dismiss you?”

Fang Pin was so furious her chest heaved, refusing to back down from Shi Yufeng for a while. Suddenly, she covered her face and began to sob, “You’re all bullying me! None of you respect me at all. I’m going to tell the Chancellor!” With that, she stormed off, her maids hurrying after her.

Lingran watched as her maids tried to support her, only to be shaken off. Clearly, this secondary consort had quite a temper. But she knew that today Chu Liuxiang was not at home—the Young Master of Red Gauze was in charge, and certainly would not stand up for her.

Shi Yufeng grew anxious and quickly pulled at Sun Min. “What should we do? If the Chancellor gets angry, we’ll be in real trouble!”

But Sun Min showed the calm of a seasoned leader, standing quietly. “What’s there to fear? When has the Chancellor ever truly cared about the affairs of the Myriad Phenomena Garden? He still needs to show face to the Prince.”

Yan Sici, standing nearby, sneered, “If you’re afraid, why act so bold? Who do you think you are, anyway? Not even your own family cares about you!”

“You insufferable shrew, I’ve had enough!” Shi Yufeng, humiliated in front of so many people—especially with the jab about her family refusing to support her—could stand it no longer. Laughter broke out at the side, and, gritting her teeth, she lunged forward, hand raised to slap Yan Sici.

But Yan Sici was prepared. She leaned back, and as Shi Yufeng approached, stuck out a foot and tripped her hard. Shi Yufeng, a large woman and completely unprepared for this move, tumbled backward.

A thought flashed through Lingran’s mind: Now there’ll really be trouble!

But just as the commotion broke out ahead, a shadow darted forward, and Shi Yufeng, rather than hitting the ground, was caught and steadied at a slant by the boy who had been blocking the bridge.

The Prince’s residence truly hid dragons and crouching tigers— even a child had such skill! Lingran thought Liu Yongcheng and Peng Lun sending her, a weak woman, in as an undercover agent was laughable. One misstep and she’d lose her head—how could she hope to gather intelligence?

Shi Yufeng was helped up by several maids and immediately began to wail, pounding her chest in anguish.

Yan Sici smoothed her hair and turned to Sun Min, “Third Sister, you saw it clearly—she came at me first, and tripped herself. Xiao Ye’er supported her—she never even fell, yet started screaming like a banshee!”

Sun Min’s expression was stern, her tone harsh. “You’re always making a scene. No wonder the Prince can’t be bothered to come home. Think—how many days has he spent at the Myriad Phenomena Garden this past month?”

Rebuked, Shi Yufeng’s cries subsided. The boy, as though quite used to such scenes, composedly bowed to the ladies and chased after Chu Yu in the direction she’d gone.

The woman who resembled Lin Daiyu sighed faintly, not sparing a glance at the others, and strolled alone toward the riverbank.

Lingran always felt she was different from the other women.

The Liang sisters, too, clearly wished to avoid the fray. After a brief word with the others, they linked arms and wandered off by the lake.

It was dull work being a maid trailing behind one’s mistress, unable to speak freely with others. Following behind the sisters, Lingran grew bored and let her mind wander.

Her chief concern, naturally, was her future. A few days ago, bored out of her mind at Lanzeshanfang, she’d noticed so many flowers blooming and falling in the Chancellor’s residence and thought it a pity. She’d even considered using her knowledge of modern cosmetics to make things like face masks or lip gloss to sell—surely there would be great demand. But she only knew a little about how to make such things, and had planned to first learn about the local pigments and powders, to grasp what level Ming dynasty people had reached, before attempting any experiments. But now, with the suspicion that Chu Liuxiang might also be a time traveler, she dared not act rashly—she had to keep herself hidden.

Every step in the Chancellor’s household was fraught with danger, and the Prince’s residence seemed just as perilous. What should she do?

After much thought, she decided her best course was to find a chance to escape—if she ran, she’d have to get far from the capital, and perhaps she could then use her modern knowledge to make a fortune.

She didn’t know how long had passed before someone at the front announced that the Prince had already left the Buddha Hall. The Liang sisters, dispirited, led their maids there to make their offerings, instructing the maids to burn paper in the courtyard while they went inside to pay respects to the ancestral tablets with the other ladies.

With their mistresses gone, many of the maids gathered into little groups, whispering among themselves.

Lingran had hoped to chat more with Yanyan, but was interrupted when Wu Yunxian came over and crouched beside her. Ever since the incident with Mohan, Lingran had felt there was more to this girl than met the eye, so she forced a polite, insincere smile, not wishing to become too close.

“Beyond the cuckoo’s lament, the blood cries of the nightingale,” Wu Yunxian softly recited, the eight words nearly making Lingran jump out of her skin.

She stared wide-eyed at Wu Yunxian, who was still grinning foolishly, as innocent as ever—yet hadn’t she claimed she was illiterate? How could she recite poetry?

The verse was so familiar! It whirled in Lingran’s mind before she suddenly realized it was the code phrase Peng Lun had given her for making contact.

Wu Yunxian was an undercover agent too! And what of Mohan? So she wasn’t the only one chosen, or perhaps none of them were ever real “thousand-gold maidens” at all.

Wu Yunxian gazed at her steadily, as if waiting for her to complete the next line.

Lingran thought: Since I don’t know you, but you know me, why should I answer? So she put on a surprised face and said, “Oh, you know poetry?”

A look of astonishment appeared on Wu Yunxian’s simple, honest face.

Lingran felt a small triumph—as if she’d managed to baffle her for once. She smiled and said, “Scenery beneath the city, years in the mountains, moods by the sea. Sister Wu, how are you feeling these days?”

“Come visit the Moon Pavilion tomorrow, and let’s chat with the other sisters,” Wu Yunxian invited, seeming casual.

Lingran hummed noncommittally, but thought to herself: if the Liang sisters are willing to take me outside the city tomorrow, I’ll find a way to escape and not return. “Tomorrow isn’t certain—my mistresses might go to a temple or a shrine. I don’t know if I’ll be needed to accompany them.”

Wu Yunxian nodded, “That’s fine. If you’re busy, I’ll have the Twelfth Lady send an invitation another day. I’m sure the Sixth and Seventh Ladies are easy to talk to.”

Lingran smiled faintly in assent.

With Chu Yu absent, none of the ladies had much enthusiasm left. After going through the motions, they all returned home.

Lingran went back to Spring Ze Hall. It wasn’t her turn to serve that night, and the Liang sisters hadn’t said which maids would accompany them the next day, so she returned to her room with Yanyan and another girl to rest, planning to rise early to try her luck.