Ruyi wasn’t as good at writing as Ping An, but she practiced just as seriously. Probably because the characters for ‘Ruyi’ were harder to write.

Ruyi asked, “Uncle Chen, why is my name harder to write?”

Chen Changsheng thought for a moment and said, “Maybe because Ruyi is a little harder than Ping An.”

“Uncle Chen didn’t say why it’s hard.”

“I already did.”

Chen Changsheng smiled but didn’t explain further.

Ruyi felt confused. She thought Uncle Chen clearly hadn’t explained but insisted he had. She couldn’t figure it out, so she gave up thinking and focused peacefully on writing.

Ping An’s name had simpler characters, so he learned it during the morning.

“I know how now.”

Ping An spoke, looking at Chen Changsheng before him as if hoping Chen Changsheng would say something.

“Ping An is very clever.”

Chen Changsheng smiled. “But writing isn’t really this easy normally.”

Ping An blinked, beginning to understand.

Chen Changsheng said, “Come here.”

He led them to the table.

Ruyi and Ping An watched him spread paper on the table.

Chen Changsheng lifted his hand, his sleeve sliding back. He dipped the brush in ink and wrote the characters ‘Ping An’ and ‘Ruyi’ on the paper.

Ruyi and Ping An stared in surprise.

Ruyi blurted out, “Uncle Chen’s writing is much prettier!”

“Want to try?” Chen Changsheng asked.

Ruyi smacked her lips. “Mother said paper is expensive.”

“It’s alright. I have plenty,” Chen Changsheng said.

Ruyi wanted to try. She reached out her hand but then drew it back, shaking her head.

“Why put your hand down?” Chen Changsheng asked.

Ruyi replied, “Mother told me not to take others’ things for free. I don’t have anything to trade with Uncle Chen.”

Chen Changsheng paused, then shook his head. “No need to trade.”

Ruyi still shook her head. She picked up a tree branch from the ground and smiled. “This works just fine.”

Ping An stood nearby, whispering, “Elder Sister, why can’t we?”

Ruyi patted his head. “Ping An, you’re still young, so you don’t understand.”

Ping An nodded. He only knew that whatever his elder sister said was right.

Chen Changsheng sighed inwardly, thinking, How can a girl be this sensible?

He didn’t insist. He sat beside them, watching the siblings practice writing their names on the ground with the branch.

At noon, Wang Sanniang returned to cook some food for the children – steamed cakes made of wheat bran mixed with chaff.

“Brother Chen, you’re teaching them to write?” Wang Sanniang paused in slight surprise.

“Teaching them their names,” Chen Changsheng replied with a smile.

Wang Sanniang looked at the names written on the ground and paused again.

She murmured softly, “They wrote so well.”

“Mostly because they found it interesting,” Chen Changsheng said.

Wang Sanniang sighed. “I, their mother, never learned letters. Their father left us early. I’m only just seeing their names written now.”

Her eyes grew slightly red, but she didn’t shed a single tear.

“Thank you so much, Brother Chen.”

Chen Changsheng said, “Just a small thing. You’re too kind, Wang Sanniang.”

Wang Sanniang breathed deeply, calming herself, then asked, “Ruyi and Ping An haven’t caused you trouble, have they?”

“They’ve both been good.”

“That’s good.”

Wang Sanniang relaxed. She then took two wheat bran cakes from her robe. “Freshly steamed. Please don’t mind the poor fare, Brother Chen.”

Chen Changsheng shook his head. “Save them for the children. Your household doesn’t have much grain to spare; keep what you have.”

Wang Sanniang shook her head firmly, determined to push the cakes into his hands.

Chen Changsheng had no choice but to accept them.

He took a bite and tasted it.

The wheat bran cake tasted rough and dry, almost hard to swallow. But for Chen Changsheng, food was just food.

He looked toward the two children in the yard. They held their bran cakes, eating contentedly.

Chen Changsheng suddenly didn’t think the cake tasted so bad anymore.

Actually, that wasn’t right.

It was actually good food.

Wang Sanniang only stayed briefly to drop off food for Yan Huanglou nearby, then left.

Chen Changsheng stayed in the yard reading his book. The two children practiced their writing beside him.

Days like this felt peaceful.

…

“Knock, knock.”

A knocking sound came at the door.

Thinking Yan Huanglou had returned, Chen Changsheng went to open it.

He was surprised to see the person standing outside.

Behind the man stood an elderly eunuch with a delicate, almost unreadable face. His martial skill was high, though his qi and blood felt strange – clearly someone raised in the imperial palace.

Seeing these two, Chen Changsheng said, “We’ll talk outside. There are children inside.”

Yan Ruchu paused, glanced at Ruyi and Ping An in the yard, then nodded.

Chen Changsheng stepped out, closing the door behind him. He walked a few steps away and asked, “Did that scholar tell you I was here?”

Yan Ruchu immediately knelt. “Ruchu pays respects to Mr. Chen.”

The old eunuch behind him knelt too. He didn’t know this man’s identity, but if the Young Master treated him with such reverence, he must follow suit.

Chen Changsheng glanced at them. “Stand up and speak.” 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Yan Ruchu rose. “Meeting you in the Imperial Palace back then felt like a dream. So many years have passed… yet you haven’t changed at all…”

Chen Changsheng waved his hand. “Let’s not mention the past. Just tell me why you sought me out.”

Yan Ruchu paused.

He sensed a coldness from Mr. Chen and wondered why.

Seeing him silent, Chen Changsheng said, “If it’s nothing, I’ll return to my reading.”

“Mr. Chen…”

Yan Ruchu spoke finally. “I sought you, Sir, first to pay respects, and secondly… secondly to ask…”

“About Xian Yue.”

Chen Changsheng said, “That scholar should be able to divine it, no?”

Yan Ruchu opened his mouth but shook his head. “Master Zhu could do nothing. He said Xian Yue was veiled by Heavenly Secrets…”

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng paused inwardly.

Perhaps it was because I interacted with her back then… That explains it.

Chen Changsheng thought, then recalled something. “I can divine it for you.”

“But first, some matters need addressing.”

Yan Ruchu said, “Please speak freely, Mr. Chen.”

“A friend of mine often runs a Tea Stall in Qingshan City. He told me Government Soldiers often take tea without paying. Many were soldiers from your camp.”

Yan Ruchu’s heart skipped a beat. He started to speak, but Chen Changsheng continued.

“I also heard about a street vendor selling Baked Pancakes. A soldier took his goods without paying. The vendor chased him for the money but got beaten. He reported it to the officials, but they did nothing. That night, the pancake vendor was beaten to death.”

“Though you lead eighty thousand troops pledged to righteousness… I see none of it.”

Chill ran down Yan Ruchu’s spine. His face darkened. He turned sharply to his attendant. “Is this true?”

The old eunuch trembled and knelt. “Young Master… this old servant became careless…”