“The family genealogy?”
First Master Cheng looked a little surprised. But for a provincial official in charge of supervising the military, government, and civil affairs, checking the family genealogy wasn’t out of line—just a bit unusual.
“I need to verify something,” Assistant Commissioner Cao added with a smile, seemingly aware that his request was a bit odd. He then lowered his voice slightly, “Mainly… to check on Second Master’s side.”
As he spoke, he gave First Master Cheng a meaningful look.
First Master Cheng was instantly delighted.
Checking on Second Master? Could it be that Second Master’s official career might be moving forward?
Well… although promotions and transfers usually didn’t require consulting the genealogy—résumés and records were already complete and sufficient…
Still, nothing in this world is ever set in stone. If they want to check, let them check.
First Master Cheng happily had the family genealogy brought over and respectfully handed it to Assistant Commissioner Cao.
But Assistant Commissioner Cao didn’t open it. Instead, he respectfully passed it to the man seated beside him.
The man who hadn’t spoken a word since the beginning, and whom no one had introduced.
To be seated here—and in a position higher than Master Cao—it was clear he wasn’t just an attendant…
But then, who was he?
First Master Cheng looked at him with a hint of surprise.
Still, no one offered an introduction.
Assistant Commissioner Cao simply stared intently at his teacup, as if a flower had bloomed inside it.
“Second Master—how many children does he have?” the man suddenly asked.
“Two,” First Master Cheng answered instinctively.
“Two?” The man repeated, pointing to the family genealogy. “Then why are there three listed here?”
Three?!
First Master Cheng was momentarily stunned, then quickly stood up to take a look.
Sure enough, under Second Master’s name, there were three children recorded.
Looking at the characters written there, First Master Cheng felt a twinge of emotion.
Back then, Father had been so fond of Second Master’s child that he gave the baby a name even before she was born, and had her added to the family record early on.
If they’d found out later—or earlier—that she was mentally impaired, the name would never have made it into the genealogy.
“Yes, three—three indeed,” he said with a smile. “The eldest has poor health and has been raised outside the home.”
As for what exactly was wrong with her—there weren’t many in Jiang-zhou who didn’t already know. He had no reason to hide it, nor the desire to explain further.
The man didn’t press further either. He glanced again at the genealogy, then placed it on the table.
“First Master Cheng, do carry on with your work. We’ll take our leave now,” Assistant Commissioner Cao said at once with a pleasant smile.
I’m not busy at all… First Master Cheng looked utterly baffled.
“Ah—my lord…” He hurried to keep them, but Assistant Commissioner Cao had already stood up, gesturing for the other man to go ahead before following behind him.
First Master Cheng had no choice but to escort them out.
“Master Cao, what was that all about?” He pulled back slightly and quietly asked Cao in a low voice.
“Nothing, nothing, just taking a look—mainly concerning Second Master,” Assistant Commissioner Cao replied, glancing at the man walking ahead. After a pause, he lowered his voice further, “Running an errand for someone in the capital.”
He left it at that, and First Master Cheng understood.
Running an errand for someone in the capital—that meant someone in the capital was inquiring about Second Master Cheng.
But who in the capital would suddenly think of asking about Second Master Cheng?
Not long after Assistant Commissioner Cao had left, Second Master Cheng sent someone back.
“The messenger said they’re investigating my examination dossier, and there’s something wrong with it,” the servant relayed Second Master’s words.
When Second Master Cheng sat the imperial exams, his examination dossier had already been submitted. Only the Ministry of Revenue had access to those.
With so many dossiers, why would anyone suddenly look into Second Master Cheng’s?
Aside from a promotion, there really was no other reason!
First Master Cheng was overjoyed at first—then quickly alarmed.
Examination dossiers were always checked with the utmost scrutiny. Many candidates had lost their eligibility because of discrepancies, leading to tragic consequences.
“What’s wrong with Second Master’s dossier?” he asked urgently.
“They said it’s incomplete and needs to be re-verified,” the servant replied.
First Master Cheng suddenly understood—it matched with Assistant Commissioner Cao’s visit. So that’s what it had been about.
“Alright, alright, I understand,” he said, no longer able to sit still. “I’ll head to the provincial office myself. We can’t let a problem with the dossier ruin his future.”
This sudden development caused great anxiety throughout the Cheng household for several days. First Master Cheng pulled every string he could—asking around, calling in favors, even spending money—but no information could be found.
Everyone kept saying it was nothing, just a routine inquiry.
No matter how hard they pressed, no further details came. The two Masters of the Cheng family could only wait in nervous suspense—but whether good or bad, no result ever arrived.
It was as if the whole incident had never happened at all.
Some people were asking about the Cheng family; others were asking about the Zhou family.
“Chun Ling, why are you asking about all this?”
In Desheng Pavilion, a busboy asked while cracking sunflower seeds.
It was hard to inquire about someone in the capital—because the city was so vast. But it was also easy—because of all the loose tongues, especially in places like restaurants, teahouses, and brothels.
“I follow Lady Zhu around a lot. It’s always good to know a bit more,” Chun Ling said. “Be a good brother—tell me, won’t you?”
“Go ask your mistress—she knows better than any of us,” another young server laughed.
“Little things like this shouldn’t bother my mistress. I want to learn for myself,” Chun Ling said seriously.
“Chun Ling is so thoughtful,” the busboys praised her with a grin.
“Lady Zhu treats me so well. I want to be better too—to be more helpful to her. At the very least, not be a burden,” Chun Ling said softly, head lowered, a bit shy.
“Alright, alright,” the busboys said, putting away their teasing smiles. “Let me tell you about the prominent noble families in the capital. We’ll start with the imperial relatives.”
Chun Ling nodded.
“No rush—one at a time, brothers. I can remember it all,” she said.
No rush. Calm and steady. She needed to ask the right questions without letting others notice what she really wanted to know.
She wasn’t in a hurry—she was still young, and she had time.
Compared to Chun Ling—who had to ask cautiously, full of worries and fears—the Wang family’s methods of gathering information were much more direct.
“The Zhou family? Well, there’s not much to say really—people from Shan-zhou, rich, and the head of the household holds the title of Commandant of Guide,” the man said casually, weighing the coins in his hand.
Unfazed, Steward Gu took out another string of coins and tossed it to the man.
“…Well, now that you mention it, there is a bit more to say,” the man immediately changed his tune with a grin, carefully putting away the two strings of coins. “The Zhou family isn’t so ordinary.”
“What’s so special about them? Officers of that rank are a dime a dozen in the capital,” one of the attendants couldn’t help but interject. “And it’s been years—they haven’t moved up the ladder. They’re still living off their old roots in Shan-zhou. How are they anything special?”
“That was before,” the man chuckled proudly, as if sharing an insider secret with a bunch of clueless country bumpkins.
These naive out-of-towners—well, at least they had money.
“Now the Zhou family’s luck has turned,” the man said with a sly smile, lowering his voice slightly.
Their luck has turned?
Steward Gu frowned slightly. So that’s why they were able to attend the lantern festival on Heavenly Street?
“There is an immortal in their family,” the man whispered mysteriously.
Steward Gu was stunned.
A moment later, a commotion erupted inside the teahouse.
“I wasn’t lying! I wasn’t lying!”
The man, pinned down by several attendants, shouted loudly.
“Don’t hit my face!”
His face wasn’t hit—but someone spat right into it.
“Giving you money doesn’t mean we’re fools. It means we wanted things done easily. Don’t take advantage of that and start spouting nonsense!” Steward Gu said with a cold sneer. “‘An immortal’? Why don’t you just say their whole household descended from the heavens?”
“I swear I’m not lying!” the man cried. “Master Zhou’s family has a miraculous lady doctor—she’s a disciple of True Master Li! She can bring the dead back to life! She saved the old patriarch of Chancellor Chen’s family, who was almost dead! She also healed Tong Neihan, and cured the crippled young master of the Qin family from the Princess’s household—it’s so miraculous, everyone in the capital knows!”
Steward Gu and his companions looked stunned.
What?
A miracle-working lady doctor?
A disciple of True Master Li?
And those names she had supposedly healed…
Chancellor Chen, Tong Neihan, the Princess’s household!
Even though they were from out of town, they could still recognize titles like Chancellor, Neihan, and Princess.
Unbelievable!
“No wonder the Zhou family was able to go to Heavenly Street,” Steward Gu nodded and said.
To have cured any one of those families would have easily earned them a spot at the lantern festival on Heavenly Street—let alone all three at once.
So the Zhou family had a miracle doctor under their roof?
No doubt about it—their luck had truly turned.
“Yes, yes! I wasn’t lying!” the man shouted. “Let me up, quickly!”
Steward Gu looked down at him but didn’t signal for the others to let go—instead, he gestured for them to press down even harder.
The man howled in pain immediately.
“You weren’t lying?” Steward Gu sneered. “Didn’t you say this was exclusive inside information? But isn’t it something everyone in the capital already knows?”
The man let out miserable cries under the pressure, but could only accept his bad luck.
“That doesn’t count! That doesn’t count!” he shouted. “That was a bonus! I really do have exclusive news!”
“Then say it—before you die!” Steward Gu said coldly.
“The Zhou family—not only are they about to get a promotion, but they’re about to strike it rich too!” the man blurted out.
“Nonsense!” Steward Gu spat again. “With a miracle doctor in the house, of course they’re going to make money!”
“No, no—it’s not the miracle doctor,” the man quickly said. “The doctor doesn’t bring in much money. The fortune’s from something else.”
The miracle doctor doesn’t bring in money?
Steward Gu frowned.
“Do you know the Tai Ping Residence?” The man hurriedly spoke, afraid of being scolded again and not given a chance to speak.
Of course, they knew.
Since arriving, Wang Shi’qi, who was so poor he couldn’t even afford an inn, had found himself at ease. But because the courtesans in the brothel wouldn’t let him in, he ended up trying several well-known restaurants and teahouses in the capital, including Tai Ping Residence, and even tasted the famous Tai Ping Tofu.
Thinking of this Tai Ping Tofu, Steward Gu couldn’t help but nod in approval—it was indeed quite good.
If it weren’t impossible to carry and keep fresh over a long journey, he definitely would have brought some back for the master and madam.
“Do you know about the Immortal’s Abode?” the man continued.
Of course they knew. The Passing Immortal—a dish enjoyed especially in winter—was something they could bring back. Now even the street-side footmen’s stalls had it, happily selling it. It was said to have originated from the Passing Immortal. So simple, it could be tried at home too.
“I know…” the man was about to ask more but was cut off when Steward Gu stomped on him again, causing him to cry out and stop speaking.
“Enough nonsense. Get straight to the point,” Steward Gu said sternly.
“Both these shops belong to the Zhou family,” the man shouted.
What?
Both belong to the Zhou family?!
“Master Zhou.”
The door opened, and seeing Master Zhou sitting calmly inside, Cheng Si-lang hesitated in his steps. But looking at Manager Wu and the maid beside him, both with their heads bowed, he gritted his teeth and stepped inside.
“This is my sister’s shop. This ledger—you don’t think it looks right, do you?” he said, his voice trembling.
Judging by his timid manner—and since they shared the surname Cheng—he certainly couldn’t be much better. Truly laughable.
Master Zhou, holding his teacup, didn’t even bother to glance at him.
