Luck?
What the hell is that supposed to be?
Even if you don’t offend it, it’s never done you any good.
Master Zhou let out a laugh.
This fool is getting sentimental now? Mourning the season, feeling melancholy?
That’s not right—
Didn’t she kill someone in broad daylight or stab them in the back?
Must still be too young…
One thing after another, and she’s finally starting to crack.
“It all depends on human effort. This really is a small matter—you shouldn’t overthink it…” Master Zhou comforted her with a hint of elder-like authority.
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at him.
“This is not a small matter,” she said. “It’s just like when you were framed by Secretariat Editor Liu back then, uncle.”
Master Zhou immediately understood the analogy, and his expression grew serious.
What?
That incident?
“That time, the one who offended ‘luck’ was Secretariat Editor Liu, so we came out unscathed,” Cheng Jiao-niang continued. “But this time, the one who’s offended ‘luck’… is me.”
“Jiao Jiao, I’m having a bit of trouble following you. Just a few deserters—how could that involve court politics? Besides, isn’t Minister Chen on your side? Aren’t you overthinking this?” Master Zhou said, frowning.
“I hope I’m just overthinking it too,” Cheng Jiao-niang said. “But the things we hope for are usually the ones that never happen.”
“So—so, you’re saying that because of court politics, someone deliberately investigated the people at your Tai Ping Residence and found out they were deserters?” Master Zhou said, throwing up his hands. “This—this… now don’t get mad at me for saying this—”
He looked at Cheng Jiao-niang, clearly hesitating.
“Jiao Jiao, aren’t you giving Tai Ping Residence a bit too much credit…?”
“Which is why I said I offended ‘luck’,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied. “At first, it probably was just a minor issue—maybe even ending up with Liu Kui was pure coincidence. But later…”
Master Zhou frowned.
Later…
“Later it was reported to the Ministry of War, and someone saw the words ‘deserters’ and thought, maybe it could be used…” he murmured, following her train of thought. “So much in court politics comes down to timing—just like my own case back then… small matters, but in officialdom, there’s no such thing as a small matter. Even a gutter can capsize a boat…”
At this point, he looked at Cheng Jiao-niang, his expression complicated.
“If that’s really how it is, then… that’s incredibly unlucky, isn’t it?”
All this because of one anonymous letter.
A letter that, at any other time, would’ve been ignored, tossed aside, sold off with waste paper, turned into wine money for low-ranking clerks at roadside inns.
That—becoming wine money—was usually the greatest accomplishment of an anonymous tip-off.
But now, that supposed accomplishment was about to be overturned.
This one letter was about to spark a new round of factional struggle at court.
And no matter which side won, the losing side would either end up dead—or exiled a thousand miles away.
All because of one anonymous letter?
The more one thought about it, the more unbelievable it seemed.
“That’s right, this time really is unlucky,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, then shook her head. “But perhaps not entirely. After all, the fact that they’re deserters is true. If that weren’t the case, then no matter how bad the luck was, nothing would’ve come of it.”
Master Zhou shook his head with a wry smile.
“Even now, you’re still trying to console yourself,” he said.
“Without rules, there can be no order,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied. Then she bowed once more. “Thank you, Uncle, but from here on, there’s no need for you to get involved.”
Master Zhou looked at her, his expression shifting subtly for a moment.
“Jiao Jiao, honestly, this matter really isn’t that serious—at least not for people like us,” he said.
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at him.
“Look—capturing deserters is just that, capturing deserters. It’s not aimed at Tai Ping Residence specifically. With Minister Chen involved, Tai Ping Residence will surely be fine. If your suspicions are right, and this really is a move to expose the chaos within the Northwestern Army—deserters running loose, even wandering freely in the capital—then it’s a pretext to launch a full investigation into military affairs out west, and to uproot Wang Butang’s entire faction. That’s all court politics. People like us—” he gave a faint smile, “we’re barely on their radar. Even if things backfire and Wang Butang’s people counterattack, Tai Ping Residence will likely be brushed off with a ‘case closed’ and nothing more. After all, you didn’t know their origins. You only lent a helping hand, took them in casually. Besides, you’ve got miraculous healing skills and the protection of Master Minghai from Puxiu Temple. You’ll be fine.” Master Zhou lowered his voice.
“So—let’s just leave it at that.”
Let’s just leave it at that.
These were people she’d met by chance, for only a short time.
And truthfully, they had committed crimes.
Unlucky or not, by law, they could be held accountable.
Ban Qin, kneeling by the doorway, lowered her head at this moment.
Her hands, resting on her knees, clenched tightly, and her body trembled slightly, beyond her control.
“Thank you, Uncle,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, bowing once again.
In just half a day, Master Zhou, who had stepped back into the household, no longer wore the relaxed and casual expression he had when leaving.
His brows were furrowed, his face tense, and he walked quickly with heavy steps.
Madam Zhou and Zhou Liu-lang were both waiting anxiously in the main hall.
Seeing him return, they hurried to greet him.
Zhou Liu-lang, however, glanced behind Master Zhou—and a flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes.
“What happened? What does she want? Is she trying to force a marriage?” Madam Zhou asked anxiously.
“Force a marriage, my foot!” Master Zhou snapped impatiently.
“Then why did she come to you? Did she regret it again and want to marry into our family? I’m telling you, you absolutely cannot agree—” Madam Zhou said, her eyes already welling up.
“Look at the timing! What kind of things are you even thinking about? Marriage—do you think that’s some earth-shattering matter? You’re really taking it that seriously?” Master Zhou finally exploded, letting out all his frustration.
Madam Zhou was startled by the outburst, and the tears that had welled up quickly receded. She stared at him, dumbfounded.
“What do you mean, ‘look at the timing’?” she asked.
Master Zhou shot her a glare, flung his sleeve, and turned to sit down with a huff.
“Father, what happened?” Zhou Liu-lang asked.
“Nothing,” Master Zhou waved his hand with a hint of impatience. “Stop asking. Just pack your things and prepare to leave in the next few days.”
Zhou Liu-lang looked at him, his expression grave.
Something had definitely happened.
People are often like this—
When nothing’s wrong, they say something is.
But the more serious things get, the more they insist it’s nothing.
The carriage moved slowly, and the interior was silent.
It wasn’t just because only Ban Qin had come along, with the other cheerful, talkative maid absent.
The atmosphere inside the carriage was heavy.
Ban Qin had many things she wanted to say, but in the end, all that reached her lips was a single sentence:
“Miss, don’t be sad,” she said.
“I’m not sad,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied. “Didn’t I say it before? The world is harsh. I’m just a little angry, that’s all.”
At that moment, the three members of the Dong family sitting in Immortal’s Abode were also furious.
“I want to see your master,” Master Dong said, staring at Manager Wu. “You know exactly who I mean.”
Manager Wu smiled politely.
“It’s just that our master isn’t here right now. I’ll be sure to inform her,” he said in a mild tone.
“No need for you to pass on the message. I want to see her in person—I have a few words to say,” Master Dong insisted.
But Manager Wu still smiled pleasantly as he firmly declined.
“What now? Something goes wrong and she hides away?” Lady Dong finally couldn’t hold back. “Let me tell you this—Brother Xu and the others are not all alone in the capital. If you think you can just throw them under the bus as scapegoats, it won’t be that easy!”
“I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you are talking about,” Manager Wu replied.
“If you don’t understand, then bring someone who does!” Lady Dong said angrily. “I want to say it to her face.”
“Stop shouting,” Master Dong scolded in a low voice. “Speak properly if you have something to say.”
“Exactly, no use yelling,” Xiang Qi added quietly from behind. “Talk properly.”
“I want to talk properly—but no one will talk to me!” Lady Dong cried, so angry she was nearly in tears.
Manager Wu cleared his throat lightly.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I still have a business to run here. Perhaps it’s best if you all head back for now…” he said.
“Business? What business? With things already in this state, what business is left to do? Our people have been arrested, and your mistress is hiding away without so much as a word—what kind of business are you even pretending to run? She probably already ran off!” Lady Dong cried.
“You must be joking,” Manager Wu replied.
“Joking? Who’s joking with you? If I wanted to joke, I’d joke with your mistress—not with you!” Lady Dong shouted.
Just as the words left her mouth, a girl’s voice rang out from outside the door:
“And what kind of joke would you want to make with me?”
Everyone in the courtyard turned toward the sound—
At some point, a young lady had appeared at the doorway, now standing there with a grim expression, looking straight at them.
