With the move imminent, the adoptive mother and Ying Xiaoman led Zhi as they went door to door bidding farewell to their neighbors. They received many sighs and tears, along with baskets full of red eggs and fine cloth to congratulate them on their relocation.
Aunt Yang brought ten eggs she had saved to the Ying family's door. "Moving is a good thing. I can see your Xiaoman is capable. Zhi living with you means the little girl will have great fortune after her great misfortune."
The adoptive mother accepted the eggs with thanks, saying, "We still need to take Zhi to pay respects at Sister Xu's grave. After we move, it'll be more inconvenient to visit the cemetery outside the city."
Louze Garden on the outskirts of the city was indeed a remote place.
Many outsiders came to the capital to make a living, and many died alone in the city without relatives or support. Louze Garden was originally an unclaimed wasteland outside the city. The government had enclosed ten qing of land where commoners with no hometown to return to could be buried in eight-chi plots.
"That place is full of yin energy," Aunt Yang said with a shudder. "Last time when we took the coffin for burial, the neighbors took Zhi along. She vomited terribly, and I felt quite unwell too. I heard you suffered from dizziness when you returned, Sister Ying? You must have offended some malevolent spirits. It's better to have a male with strong yang energy accompany you."
Everyone in Copper Gong Alley knew that the head of the Yang household was bedridden with a serious illness. Aunt Yang said, "If not, let my boy go with you. Though he's a bit young..." At thirteen, the skinny youth wasn't even as tall as Ying Xiaoman.
Ying Xiaoman called from the main room that it wasn't necessary.
"It's a bumpy journey of dozens of li outside the city. Young Yang vomited violently last time too. Mother's health isn't good; we don't want her to be affected by evil spirits and suffer dizziness again when she returns. I'll take Zhi myself."
At this, both the adoptive mother and Aunt Yang hurriedly exclaimed that it was inappropriate: "We were all worried about Zhi being kidnapped and sold when we took her. It's even more unsafe for a fresh-faced young woman like you to go to such a desolate place with a little girl! You must have an adult accompany you."
The tightly shut window of the west room opened halfway.
Seventh Young Master sat by the window, half his body visible through the open lattice. "I can go with them."
The adoptive mother immediately said, "No!"
Aunt Yang happily said, "That's perfect!"
Speaking simultaneously, Aunt Yang paused in confusion, wondering, "He's your own relative who came to stay, and a strong young man. He's perfect for the job. Why not?"
Unable to voice her reasons for refusal, the adoptive mother glanced at Ying Xiaoman, hoping her daughter would find an excuse to decline. Ying Xiaoman poked her head out from the main room and said loudly, "That's fine. Let's do that."
The adoptive mother: "..."
A second statement came from the west room, "It's easier to see the King of Hell than to deal with minor demons. If we encounter any trouble at Louze Garden, I can lend a hand."
His reasoning was sound, and the adoptive mother finally nodded in agreement.
*
They left through the South Gate early in the morning. The road was bumpy and rugged. Zhi vomited twice, her little face pale as she leaned weakly against Ying Xiaoman.
When they finally reached their destination, they indeed encountered trouble. The guard at Louze Garden said he was busy and told them to wait outside.
Apparently, some dignitaries from the capital had come to inspect the funeral arrangements at Louze Garden that morning, and a long line of commoners was waiting to enter.
The weather was getting warmer in mid-spring. Zhi had suffered some heatstroke on the journey and vomited up the water she had just drunk. The adoptive mother hurriedly looked for some shade.
Louze Garden was in a desolate area with no trees nearby for shade, but inside the garden gates, a row of shade canopies had been set up. They were empty now, but when the adoptive mother inquired, she was promptly sent away.
According to the guard, those were specifically for the visiting dignitaries to rest in. Common folk had no need for shade.
Ying Xiaoman pressed her lips together. She took off her bamboo hat and used it to shield Zhi's pale little face.
Her beautiful features were now exposed to the sunlight, like a dazzling jade among pebbles. The surrounding chatter and complaints suddenly fell silent as all eyes turned towards her.
After a moment, voices began to exclaim in admiration, "What a striking young lady!"
Ying Xiaoman was used to being stared at. When she sold and cleaned fish in the market, even more people would gather around to watch, but it never interfered with her business.
She gently patted Zhi's back, her dark eyes thoughtfully fixed on the tightly closed wooden gates of Louze Garden.
The gates didn't look very sturdy. One kick should be enough to knock them down...
Suddenly, her vision darkened. Seventh Young Master had taken off his hat to shade her and went to speak with the guard.
The guard had been standing by the gate with his chest puffed out and hands behind his back. He looked Seventh Young Master up and down, taking in his blue cloth robe, and opened his mouth to berate him.
Seventh Young Master exchanged a few words with him, and the guard's expression gradually changed. His proud posture unconsciously hunched, his back bent forward, and his face broke into a smile.
Seventh Young Master raised his hand to point at the shade canopies inside, and the guard's expression became troubled. They exchanged a few more words, and the guard's face twisted as if he'd eaten a bitter melon. He voluntarily pushed open the small gate, indicating that the waiting commoners could enter.
Seventh Young Master returned and said, "It's settled. We can take Zhi to rest in the shade canopy."
Ying Xiaoman carried Zhi inside.
This time, not only was there no obstruction, but the guard also kept saying things like "consideration for the weak" and "just doing my duty" as he eagerly ushered them into the canopy. The waiting commoners poured in behind them.
It was much cooler under the shade canopy. Everyone helped to carefully wipe Zhi's forehead and the back of her hands with water several times, and finally, the little girl was able to keep some water down.
With that worry eased, Ying Xiaoman could no longer contain her curiosity. She tilted her hat up slightly and turned to Seventh Young Master, her eyes fixed intently on him.
Seventh Young Master smiled at her gaze and voluntarily explained.
"The gate guard said some dignitaries from the Court of Judicial Review were coming to inspect today and told me to back off. I asked him which officials from the Court were coming – was it the Chief Judge or a Detailed Discussion Official? The guard's confidence immediately dropped by seventy percent. Then I told him I was a Censorate official coming to Louze Garden in disguise today, and that I was here to inspect the Court of Judicial Review."
Ying Xiaoman understood and whispered, "You're so daring. Pretending to be an official to fool people?"
Seventh Young Master leaned casually on the armrest of the cool chair: "Clerks are not government officials and are easy to fool. Say a few phrases of official jargon, recite some regulations about managing Louze Garden for him to hear, and he'll believe it."
"Louze Garden was originally a place of government charity for the people. Setting up private canopies to please high officials while blocking commoners outside the garden already violates the Louze Garden regulations. He was already feeling guilty. He may look imposing on the surface, but he's a coward at heart."
"You people from the capital really know a lot," Ying Xiaoman sincerely praised.
Seventh Young Master turned to her with a smile.
His smile was like the spring breeze in March, his eyes like willow branches in that breeze, intentionally or unintentionally swaying towards where the flowers bloomed most vibrantly:
"Actually, not many people in the capital know these things."
Ying Xiaoman pressed her lips together to suppress a laugh, raising her hand to pat him, "You're boasting about yourself."
Truth be told, in her heart, Seventh Young Master was well-versed in legal codes, knew the secrets of noble houses, understood the workings of the black market, and could trick the Louze Garden officials with just a few words. He seemed knowledgeable in all aspects, a truly qualified "snake" of the capital.
As they were talking, a commotion arose from ahead, with dozens of footsteps approaching the pavilion simultaneously.
An official wearing a bright red robe walked at the front, with two officials in green robes holding umbrellas on either side to shade him from the sun. But the red-robed official took large strides, leading the way directly towards the pavilion.
Seventh Young Master let out a soft exclamation, "It's him who came from the Court of Judicial Review today." He turned to ask, "Do you still want to sit here?"
Ying Xiaoman didn't want to sit with officials, so she pulled her bamboo hat down to cover her eyebrows and eyes, revealing only her small, fair chin. She stood up, picking up her bamboo basket, "Let's go to Aunt Yang's grave."
As she walked out of the pavilion holding Zhi's small hand, the red-robed official striding towards them came face to face with her. The sunlight illuminated his young and handsome face.
He had broad shoulders, sword-like eyebrows, and bright eyes. Beneath his perfunctory smile lay hints of impatience as he repeatedly opened and closed a folding fan in his hand.
When he'd had enough of playing with it, he raised the fan handle, casually stopping the green-robed officials behind him, "Why use umbrellas in spring? Calm down, you two, and find your own place to rest. This official will rest in the pavilion for a while."
Ying Xiaoman's footsteps faltered. Her gaze, hidden beneath the bamboo hat, fell on the hand that kept opening and closing the folding fan.
The movement looked familiar!