◎Lady Bai◎

Before marrying Zhou Tan, Qu You had often imagined that with such a peculiar set of circumstances, she should traverse the towering mountains and diverse landscapes of Da Yin, experiencing its culture and people firsthand.

However, at the time, she was overwhelmed by matters within the Qu family estate and had no opportunity to do so.

When she first married him, she truly considered leaving Zhou Tan to his struggles in Bianjing while she embarked on her own journey, returning only when he began leading reforms after being recalled to court. After all, Zhou Tan’s early years were well-documented, and she found little interest in them.

But accompanying him through this ordeal, Qu You came to understand the hidden machinations beneath the brief lines of history. A seemingly simple case could involve countless individuals and events. Zhou Tan had survived the death of Gu Zhiyan to stand alone in court; even during his exile to the western frontier, he became the emperor’s most trusted man. His choices and struggles shaped him into a gentleman of unwavering integrity, and his image increasingly resembled the figure from her dreams.

Qu You studied his serene yet aloof face and realized she could no longer bear to leave him.

She admired his spirit of selflessness for the greater good and revered his willingness to be a bridge for others, even at great personal cost. Zhou Tan lived a solitary life, and if her presence as a guiding light could warm him even slightly, it would be enough.

Now, if he chose to head west, it would fulfill her earlier wish to explore the empire. How could she refuse?

“Forgetting to mention it earlier, I asked the question you entrusted me with,” she said, realizing her thoughts had wandered and quickly bringing herself back to the moment. “Chief Minister Gao said he became Crown Prince Song’s teacher when the latter was six years old. Loyalty to the sovereign outweighs self-preservation—I believe... he has already given you your answer.”

After she agreed, Zhou Tan had been watching her face. Hearing these words, he wasn’t surprised but sighed deeply. “I knew as much, yet I still had to ask. The risk of my actions lies in the future of Chief Minister Gao. From what I see now, he is entirely devoted to supporting the Crown Prince, disregarding even his own safety.”

Someone nearby lightly tapped the railing, signaling that her visiting time was up. Qu You stood, removing the thick cloak she wore—it was clearly designed for winter—and handed it to Zhou Tan.

“The autumn chill can be harsh; take care of yourself,” Qu You said apologetically. “I wanted to bring you some warm bedding and heaters, but there wasn’t enough time. Perhaps next time... In any case, knowing you have everything under control reassures me.”

She had always placed blind confidence in him. From their initial exchange on Jinghua Mountain, she often said things like, “You’ll definitely succeed,” “Everything will work out,” and “I believe in you.”

This wasn’t indifference—on the contrary, her unwavering trust gave him an ethereal sense that whatever he aimed to achieve seemed simple, almost effortless, as though she could foresee the outcome without hesitation.

Even if she couldn’t see the end, she would forever trust him.

The feeling of being trusted and respected intoxicated him, making him feel weightless.

Zhou Tan glanced at the lantern she had handed him that morning and pressed his lips together. “Don’t worry. The Golden Hairpin Pavilion is sensitive ground; don’t come again. Guard the Western Garden closely. Do you remember how to enter the hidden chamber in Songfeng Pavilion?”

Qu You nodded. Zhou Tan took her hand, gently rubbing her palm, his voice barely audible. “I’ve left something important in the bottom shelf of the curio cabinet—a sandalwood box. Retrieve it and give it to Chaoci and Disheng. They will tell you everything about me... I’ve already arranged for someone to secretly protect the Qu estate. If anything happens, they’ll inform you. While I’m gone, be careful.”

Her finger felt cool. Looking down, Qu You saw that Zhou Tan had slipped the white jade thumb ring he always wore onto her finger.

He didn’t look up. In the dim autumn light of the prison, his expression was shadowed and unreadable. Finally, he sighed heavily. “Go.”

________________________________________

After returning home, Qu You steadied herself and went directly to Bei Street to find Ai Disheng. She cautiously inquired about the sandalwood box. Ai Disheng was still bewildered by Zhou Tan’s sudden arrest by the Golden Hairpin Guard, but upon hearing about the box, he seemed to understand something and let out a heavy sigh.

Time was short, and it seemed he had matters to attend to. He didn’t elaborate further, only instructing her to keep the estate secure and not to take the box out unless absolutely necessary. When the time was right, he would send someone to retrieve it.

Whatever was inside must be crucial. Concerned about its safety, Qu You hadn’t dared to bring it out.

For the next four or five days, she heard nothing about Zhou Tan.

The Golden Hairpin Guard served directly under the emperor, and with the case still unclear, no information could be gleaned. Gao Yunyue visited twice, relaying messages from Chief Minister Gao. He assured her that Zhou Tan hadn’t been tortured in the Golden Hairpin Pavilion but warned that the investigation was proceeding slowly and advised her to wait patiently.

Qu Cheng likely couldn’t bring himself to visit personally, but he sent his wife, Yin Xiangru, along with their younger siblings to check on her. Qu You feigned illness, placing a warm towel on her forehead to avoid suspicion.

“Big Sister, don’t worry. Father told me that those who took Brother-in-Law are the emperor’s most impartial men. If he isn’t guilty, he won’t be wrongfully accused,” Qu Xiangwen earnestly reassured her. “Brother-in-Law… although his reputation is poor among the common folk, he’s shown me some favor in the academy because of you. He treats you so well—he must be a good person and wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Qu You, sipping porridge with Yin Xiangru’s help, was somewhat surprised but didn’t show it.

Chunshen Academy, though a gathering place for scholars, was also stratified. The elder masters were shrewd and avoided offending anyone, even if they disliked them. Favor from powerful figures undoubtedly made life easier.

Men like Gao Ze and Zhou Tan, infamous in Chunshen Academy, wouldn’t personally intervene. That Qu Xiangwen deduced this showed he was clever despite his outward rigidity. It seemed he wasn’t entirely ignorant of worldly affairs.

Zhou Tan had quietly supported Qu Xiangwen and arranged for secret protection of the Qu estate, yet he never sought credit for it.

Such was his consistent style.

After Qu Cheng resumed his post, Qu Jiaxi’s marriage was nearly finalized. She was betrothed to a younger son of a prominent family in Jiangnan. The patriarch had ties with Qu Cheng, and the young man, along with his elder brother, would soon travel to the capital for the imperial exams. It was a fine match.

Qu You casually inquired, and Qu Jiaxi shyly hesitated, deferring to her parents’ decision. Qu You teased her a bit before asking about Qu Jiayu. Qu Jiayu, however, dismissed the topic. “I’m not in a hurry. I want to stay with Father and Mother a little longer.”

Yin Xiangru explained, “A female teacher has arrived at Chunshen Academy and opened a school for women. Thanks to your brother-in-law’s influence, Jiayu has also started attending. She reads more now and has strong opinions. She’s still young, so there’s no harm in delaying marriage a bit longer.”

Qu You smiled faintly, remembering she was pretending to be ill, and forced herself to appear weaker. “When my sisters marry, I’ll make sure to provide generous dowries.”

“My child, focus on recovering first,” Yin Xiangru said, tears welling up. “You were frail as a child. Even after changing your name following the master’s advice, you only improved slightly. Why are you falling ill again now…?”

After exchanging pleasantries, Qu You instructed Nurse Yun to see them off. Once their figures disappeared behind the flower-latticed windows, she exhaled in relief and rose to drink tea. Though she claimed illness, it was unavoidable to meet with her maternal family. Refusing to see them would only raise suspicions.

Yin Xiangru stayed the entire afternoon. As evening fell and Nurse Yun returned after seeing them out, Qu You looked at her curiously. Nurse Yun whispered, “Lady Ren has arrived.”

Everyone knew of Zhou Tan’s enmity with Du Gaojun. After severing ties with Zhou Tan, Ren Shiming had grown close to Fu Qingnian’s faction and even shared drinks with Du Gaojun. It seemed unlikely that he would suddenly kill Du Gaojun.

Either his previous alliances were a facade, and he acted on Zhou Tan’s behalf, or Zhou Tan killed Du Gaojun and framed Ren Shiming to cover his tracks.

This was likely the prevailing belief both inside and outside the court.

That the Ren family would seek her out for an explanation was expected.

Qu You sighed and asked, “How many have come?”

If there were many, they couldn’t be allowed into the estate. But if few, it would be appropriate to meet them. Ren Shiming was implicated because of Zhou Tan. If she barred the Ren family from entering and caused a scene, it would damage Zhou Tan’s reputation.

To her surprise, Nurse Yun replied, “Only Lady Bai, Ren Shiming’s mother, has come.”

She added, “Lady Bai is one of our clan members. Your late mother-in-law was the eldest daughter of the main branch, while Lady Bai is a concubine-born cousin from the seventh house. She benefited from your mother-in-law’s kindness, so Master Ren calls her Aunt.”

Nurse Yun, once a maid accompanying Zhou Tan’s late mother, still referred to her as “young miss.” Her words suggested that the late matriarch had some connection with Lady Ren.

“If that’s the case...” Qu You suddenly grew suspicious. “After our family’s troubles, why didn’t Husband seek refuge with the main household and instead came to Bianjing?”

“There’s an old story involved,” Nurse Yun wrung her fingers nervously. “With Lady Ren waiting outside, I can’t say more now. Another time, I’ll explain in detail... For now, what should we do? Shall we receive Lady Ren?”

Qu You thought for a moment. “We should see her. Invite her in courteously. As for the accompanying maids and servants, they needn’t enter Xinji Hall. Have Hexing and Shuiyue take them for tea and ensure they don’t wander. Release them only when Lady Ren departs.”

Nurse Yun hurried off to carry out the instructions. Qu You draped a cloak over herself and tied a ribbon around her forehead. She wore no makeup, and her recent lack of sleep made her genuinely appear unwell.

After tidying herself briefly, she headed to Xinji Hall, where Nurse Yun had already returned, escorting an elegant lady holding prayer beads.

Qu You quickly rose and greeted her politely: “Greetings, Aunt. It has been remiss of us juniors not to visit after the wedding.”

Lady Ren wasn’t a talkative person and didn’t bother with pleasantries. After glancing at Qu You, she didn’t sit but simply remarked in a flat tone: “I dare not accept such courtesy from the wife of a high-ranking official.”

Hearing this, Qu You inwardly sighed.

Lady Ren’s temperament was similar to Ren Shiming’s—cold and curt, seemingly obstinate and unable to see things from another perspective. Zhou Tan’s struggles in court were no secret; he had deliberately distanced himself from others. The younger generation like Ren Shiming and Zhou Yang couldn’t understand why, and while Lord Ren’s stance was unclear, if Lady Ren had been more amiable, she might have sympathized and shown understanding.

But they were distant relatives. Having benefited from Zhou Tan for years, it was understandable that she couldn’t adjust her feelings immediately. After all, not everyone shared Qu You’s intense curiosity about Zhou Tan.

While Qu You pondered these thoughts, Lady Ren was also observing her.

After Zhou Tan’s assassination attempt, Ren Pingsheng hadn’t publicly visited, but privately inquired about his condition. However, Nurse Yun had been extremely cautious at the time, guarding the Zhou estate like an impenetrable fortress, releasing no information.

Later, when Zhou Tan was granted marriage by the Emperor and Consort Zhao, Qu You had prepared the dowry on his behalf. At the time, the Ren household had just saved Ren Pingsheng, and their dowry was meager. She had expected the daughter of the Qu family to cause a fuss, but to her surprise, Qu You married quietly without any drama.

Qu You appeared beautiful, with bright eyes and a gentle demeanor. Rumor had it that she was talented, and as the daughter of a respected Qingliu official, it made sense that she wouldn’t get along with Zhou Tan.

It was said that since their marriage, Zhou Tan rarely returned home, spending most of his time at the Ministry of Justice. Later, rumors linked him to courtesans, and Qu You was reportedly forced to beat the drum of justice, creating quite the scandal across Bianjing.

Yet Lady Ren couldn’t help but feel that the woman before her didn’t seem like someone who would submit to coercion.

Qu You feigned a cough, and Nurse Yun helped her sit. She poured tea for Lady Ren, saying politely: “What kind of talk is this, Aunt? Regardless, you are still a relative of the Zhou family.”

“I won’t beat around the bush,” Lady Ren didn’t touch the tea. “My husband finds it difficult to meet you, so I’ve come instead. I don’t want to claim kinship with you. I only ask one thing—is my son being implicated in murder part of Zhou Da’s arrangement?”

“Absolutely not,” Qu You denied firmly, earnestly adding, “Though I know little about the matter, my husband wouldn’t frame his own cousin for murder. Please don’t worry, Aunt. Let’s wait for more news.”

“Do you think he’s incapable of such a thing?” Lady Ren snorted, flicking her sleeve angrily. “He abandoned his own younger brother—what more can you expect from a cousin? His mother was a remarkable woman, full of spirit and loyalty. How could she give birth to such a son, disgracing the Bai family!”

In truth, Lady Ren knew the rumors of discord between Qu You and Zhou Tan and likely knew little more than she did. But now, with Ren Shiming implicated in a murder charge, there was little she could do except vent her frustrations here.

“I haven’t contacted our main family for years, yet I managed to borrow money to save someone. And what did he do? Not only did he show no heart or concern at the time, but now he’s fighting to the death, even using his own cousins! If anything happens to Ming’er, I… I won’t care about his mother’s past kindness—I’ll demand answers from this unfilial son!”

Lady Ren was a blustering, confused woman, overwhelmed by worry. Coming here was likely just to vent her anger.

Qu You held back Nurse Yun’s trembling hand, knowing this wasn’t the right time to explain things to Lady Ren. With Ren Shiming still in the Golden Hairpin Pavilion, her anxiety had nowhere else to go but here.

Let her rant for now. By staying humble, when the time came to explain later, it would make her feel guiltier.

Though Qu You felt indignant on Zhou Tan’s behalf, she couldn’t say much. She bowed her head and endured Lady Ren’s cold accusations. Finally, she coughed a few times, indicating her discomfort, and Lady Ren glared at her before storming out in a huff.

Long after Lady Ren left, Nurse Yun was still wiping her tears with her sleeve, muttering: “When Master first came to Bianjing, he received much care from Lord Ren and Lady Ren, treating them like his own parents. To hear Lady Ren speak so harshly now—it breaks my heart. Sigh, we were once a close family. How did it come to this? Now Master is caught up in life-and-death matters, and Second Master hasn’t shown up either…”

Nurse Yun’s words reminded Qu You of Zhou Yang. “Have you heard anything about Second Master recently, Nurse?”

“After Master’s incident, he naturally needed to be informed. But Uncle De asked around among Second Master’s old friends in the Linwei camp, and no one has seen him for some time. He isn’t in the barracks either—no one knows where he’s gone.” Nurse Yun replied.

“Enough, enough. What’s the use of talking about this now? Oh, you wanted to ask about Master’s maternal family earlier. Let me tell you about it now.”

________________________________________

Zhou Tan leaned against his armrest, idly staring at the small window of the prison cell. A beam of light streamed through, illuminating the chaotic swirl of dust particles in the air.

He didn’t know how long he had been staring. The morning breeze was slightly chilly, and he instinctively tightened the cloak around him. A faint scent of apricot blossoms wafted over, making him feel comforted.

Qu You had planted many apricot trees in the garden—some from seeds, others transplanted mature trees. She must have loved apricots dearly, as even her honey powder and incense carried their fragrance, leaving a unique, unmistakable scent on her clothes.

Zhou Tan closed his eyes and chuckled softly.

Suddenly, soft rustling sounds came from beyond the bars. Someone wearing soft-soled shoes stepped through the weeds of the prison, approaching step by step.

The sound was light, likely not from a man.

Zhou Tan turned in surprise to see a figure in a large bamboo hat standing at the door. The guide glanced around, opened the door, and let the visitor in. The person nodded slightly, remaining silent throughout.

“The prisoners in the cells three spaces away are being interrogated.”

The guide spoke in a low voice, and the visitor waved her hand, signaling him to leave.

Once the guide was gone, the visitor gently lifted the white veil covering the front of her bamboo hat.

Zhou Tan remained seated, not even lowering the teacup in his hand. He glanced up coldly, his tone indifferent.

“Consort Zhao… your audacity truly knows no bounds.”