The maid looked at him and gave a slight smile.
“Indeed.” Han Yuanchao pondered briefly. “I understand now.”
He didn’t stop his horse or turn back, nor did he say anything further. Instead, he continued asking about the customs of the capital, and the maid also said no more. They went on, talking and laughing as they moved forward.
When they saw a tavern not far ahead, Han Yuanchao reined in his horse and waved to call over one of his attendants.
“You know how to ask, don’t you?” he inquired.
The attendant had been following along the whole time and had naturally overheard the conversation between the maid and Han Yuanchao. With this reminder, he immediately understood and nodded with a cheerful grin.
“Excuse me, is there a place called Drunken Phoenix Pavilion around here?” the attendant asked as he glanced at the sign outside, his expression revealing confusion. His accent was unmistakably thick.
It wasn’t yet mealtime, so there weren’t many people around. The attendants stood casually by the counter, and upon hearing the question, they all started laughing.
“Out-of-towners, you know about Drunken Phoenix Pavilion?” they laughed.
“Yes, yes! Three years ago, my master passed through here and had a meal at this place, it left such an impression. This time, we’re back and I specifically came looking for it,” the attendant laughed.
Three years ago, during the year of the grand exams, it was not uncommon to encounter scholars hoping to succeed.
“Out-of-towners, good memory. This is Druken Phoenix Pavilion.”
“But now it’s changed its name to ‘Immortal’s Abode’.”
“Once you’ve eaten here, you’ll never forget it.”
The attendants laughed and chatted casually, without any suspicion. Before long, the attendant had managed to get the information he needed. As more people began to enter the tavern, the attendant took the opportunity to slip away unnoticed and quickly returned to Han Yuanchao and the maid.
“It’s not far, just over at Song Village,” the attendant whispered, pointing with his hand. “It’s the one with a big locust tree in front, right at the village entrance.”
Han Yuanchao and the maid both looked over. Not far off, a village was scattered across the winter fields, clearly visible.
Li Dashao was not his real name, but rather a nickname he earned after learning to cook.
“Are you here to see the cattle pen?” an old, emaciated woman with bleary eyes asked, “Not to look at land?”
Han Yuanchao was a bit confused by the question, but the maid stepped forward, smiling brightly.
“No, we’re not here to buy land. We heard you were sick, so my master came to see if there’s anything he can help with,” she said loudly.
The old woman, with dim eyes and partial deafness, didn’t hear clearly.
“That land is good land! You should pay more!” she shouted back, also speaking loudly.
The woman in the house heard the voice and came out, her eyes red, clearly having just been crying.
“Mother, are they here?” she asked. She first saw the maid, then noticed Han Yuanchao, looking quite surprised. “Young Master, what brings you here?”
Indeed, following Young Master Han would save her some explanation. The maid glanced at Han Yuanchao, her mind considering the situation carefully. However, was Miss helping because of a sense of justice? If so, why didn’t she offer help when we were outside the tavern?
This thought flashed through her mind as Han Yuanchao greeted the woman.
Before anyone could speak, a hoarse and weak voice came from inside the house.
“Don’t sell the land, that’s your dowry land. When I die, if you don’t remarry, how will our family survive?”
The woman’s tears immediately flowed again, and she hurriedly wiped them away.
Han Yuanchao nodded.
“Don’t worry, we’re not here to buy land,” he said.
The old woman sitting at the door heard this time.
“What?” she shouted, glaring and staring hard at them. “Not buying land? Then what are you here for?”
The maid turned to look at her, then smiled and pursed her lips.
“We’re here to help,” she said loudly.
By the time Han Yuanchao returned to the inn, it was already afternoon. His two companions were anxiously waiting, and when they saw him walk in, they both let out a sigh of relief.
“If you really got abducted, how are we going to explain it to your parents?” they joked.
Han Yuanchao laughed heartily, sitting down and drinking a cup of hot tea to warm himself.
“There was no ambush on the road,” he said with a smile, swirling his teacup. “I spoke with the woman and the man. The little maid gave them a bag of money and hired a doctor. The man isn’t seriously ill, just in a bad mood. But after a bit of counseling, I don’t think there will be any lasting problems.”
His companions nodded in relief.
“However,” Han Yuanchao changed the subject, looking at the two of them with a slight smile. “It seems that Immortal’s Abode has some connection with Liu Zhang, Liu Yuzhuo from the Imperial Archives.”
The two companions immediately widened their eyes, sucking in a sharp breath. They were all adults, and with just that one sentence, they understood the gravity of the situation.
“Yuanchao!” they said, sitting up straight, their expressions instantly becoming serious. “This is indeed troubling!”
Han Yuanchao continued to swirl his teacup, his expression calm.
“Yuanchao, who is it that wants to use you as a pawn?” one of his companions asked.
“Whoever it is, this matter ends here. No matter who comes or what they say, Yuanchao, you’ve already drawn your sword to help when you saw injustice. That’s enough. From here on, focus on your studies and prepare for the exams. Everything else has nothing to do with you,” said the other companion.
“In this capital city, in the court, the waters are too deep for us to explore,” the first companion added, with a hint of concern. “I thought it would just be an interesting tale, but I didn’t expect… Turns out, the romantic stories and snowy nights only exist in books.”
At this point, a loud sound came from the window, startling the two companions so much that they almost jumped up. It turned out that the wind had picked up.
Han Yuanchao, however, laughed heartily, shaking off the earlier seriousness. His expression turned cheerful as he got up to close the window.
“Don’t overthink it. Maybe it’s just a simple matter of helping when seeing injustice,” he said. “Otherwise, why would she remind me that Immortal’s Abode is connected to Secretariat Editor Liu?”
“There’s no such thing as something so simple in this world,” his companions shook their heads.
Han Yuanchao coughed heavily. His companions looked over, and saw him pointing at himself.
“My helping that woman was just because I saw injustice. Even if I had known about Secretariat Editor Liu’s involvement at the time, I would still have stepped forward to speak up. Isn’t that a simple matter?” he said with a smile.
His words made the two companions laugh again.
“Yuanchao, how many people like you are there?” his companions said, laughing and shaking their heads.
“Perhaps the master of this maid is one of them,” Han Yuanchao said with a smile.
His companions shook their heads, giving a wry smile.
“Anyway, Yuanchao, this matter ends here. If anyone else comes seeking you, make sure to refuse,” they said seriously.
Han Yuanchao smiled but did not speak. He looked out the window; the north wind was rising, and two mischievous young attendants threw firecrackers into the snow, causing a cloud of snow to explode into the air. He couldn’t help but laugh, reached out to close the window, and shut out the distant and nearby sounds of crackling firecrackers.
At the Prince Xiu Manor, the mourning rituals had already been removed, but due to the customs of observing filial piety, no festive decorations were put up. As a result, the New Year atmosphere was not as vibrant as in other households.
The Duke of Jin’an bowed respectfully to Princess Consort Xiu.
“Good, both His Majesty and the Empress Dowager have been urging you to return,” Princess Consort Xiu said with a touch of relief. “After the New Year, you should head back.”
The Duke of Jin’an hesitated, showing some reluctance.
“Mother, I’d still like to stay with Father a bit longer,” he said. “At least until half a year has passed…”
“What are you saying?” Princess Consort Xiu interrupted him, her brows slightly furrowed. “Half a year, plus the travel time—if you stay away from the capital for a year, the Empress Dowager and His Majesty might grow distant from you.”
The Duke of Jin’an lowered his head in silence.
“Now that you are older, don’t act impulsively. You’ve been granted the title of Duke of Jin’an, but you haven’t been assigned a fief yet,” Princess Consort Xiu said earnestly. “You must not lose the Emperor’s favor.”
The Duke of Jin’an bowed respectfully and responded, “Yes.”
“The First Prince and the Second Prince are still young. It’s a rare opportunity for you to remain in the palace, receiving the same education as the princes, sharing their routines. The bond you build with them will be deep in the future. Others would envy such a chance but wouldn’t have it,” Princess Consort Xiu continued.
The Duke of Jin’an prostrated himself again and replied, “Thank you for your guidance, Mother.” He raised his head, showing a mix of gratitude and affection.
Princess Consort Xiu nodded.
“Moreover, the hereditary duke title for your younger brother must also be settled,” she said, with both relief and a touch of melancholy. “No matter what, your younger brother’s duke title cannot compare to your princely rank. For both propriety and protocol, it wouldn’t be appropriate for both of you to remain in the manor.”
The Duke of Jin’an looked at Princess Consort Xiu, then lowered his head.
“Understood,” he said. “I will depart for the capital immediately.”
