After dinner, Tang Huang and Aunt Yao were settled.

Tang Shen called Yao San to his study and asked, “When do you plan to head north?”

Yao San replied, “I should have gone already, but since my mother and Miss Ah Huang are coming, it got delayed. I’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

Tang Shen said, “There’s no need to rush. Since Aunt Yao has arrived, you can stay with her for a couple of days first.”

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Yao San smiled wryly: “Please don’t tease me. You’re probably even more anxious than I am. It’s fine, I’ll leave early tomorrow morning.”

Tang Shen smiled.

Just as Yao San was about to leave, he noticed a book spread open on Tang Shen’s desk. He asked curiously, “Oh, Little Boss, have you been practicing… drawing talismans recently?”

“Talismans?”

Yao San said, “Yes, what else could that book on your desk be? Isn’t it about talismans?”

Tang Shen followed Yao San’s gaze, his expression changed slightly. He calmly put the book away and said with a smile, “Well, I’ve read a few Taoist books and learned a little. Alright, you should go now and spend more time with Aunt Yao.”

“Yes.”

After Yao San left, Tang Shen reopened the “talismans” book and looked at it quietly.

If Yao San were fortunate enough to travel to the future and attend nine years of compulsory education, he would recognize that the book was filled not with Taoist talismans, but with Chinese Pinyin!

Tang Shen placed the Chinese Pinyin book into a secret compartment behind the bookshelf, blew out the candle, and left the study.

Tang Huang and Aunt Yao had just arrived in Shengjing and were full of curiosity about the bustling capital. Since Tang Shen had to go to work every day, he didn’t have time to show them around, so he left this task to Feng Bi.

After being a junior chamberlain for half a month, Tang Shen finally began to truly record the Emperor’s daily life.

On this day of the morning court, he no longer arrived at the left side of the throne with Li Shu but went alone to the right side of the throne. As if rehearsed countless times, Tang Shen joined the officials in the audience greeting the Emperor, then sat down and began taking notes.

After the court session, he went with Li Shu to the Emperor’s study. While the Emperor read books and documents, they didn’t rest but reviewed and polished the records made earlier in the day, ensuring accuracy.

By the end of the day, although he hadn’t written much, Tang Shen felt tense throughout, his back damp with sweat.

From start to finish, Zhao Fu hadn’t glanced at him, as if he had completely forgotten that he had personally appointed this tanhua in Zichen Hall.

At night, Zhao Fu went to the Immortal Ascension Platform, and Tang Shen and Li Shu waited outside.

This Li daren, according to other chamberlains, wasn’t known for having a good temper, but he wasn’t particularly difficult to get along with either. However, as Tang Shen learned beside him, he was always polite. Tang Shen knew this was because he came from a prestigious background and had “backing.” Even the zhuangyuan, Yao Shan, who was on equal footing with Li Shu as a fifth-rank Chamberlain, hadn’t received such treatment.

As they waited outside the Immortal Ascension Platform, it was expected they would have to wait another hour for the Emperor to come out.

Li Shu smiled and asked, “On your first real day on the job, how does it feel, Tang daren?”

Tang Shen feigned distress: “It seemed easy enough watching from the sidelines, but now that I’m actually doing it, it’s a thousand difficulties and hardships. Not to mention, the speed of the Emperor’s and officials’ conversations is too fast for me to keep up with. I can’t afford to make a single mistake in my notes.”

Li Shu nodded and said, “You’re right. Even if you don’t manage to record everything, later we can check each other’s records to fill in the gaps. But if you make a mistake, that could be fatal.”

The two spoke softly as the sky gradually darkened.

After a while, a man in a deep red official robe hurriedly walked along the palace path. Under the setting sun, the man wore an official hat and had a face like a jade crown and eyes like peach blossoms. Both Li Shu and Tang Shen instinctively looked at him. The man quickly turned his gaze towards them with sharp eyes.

Li Shu recognized him and inwardly groaned, why is it him!

He then quickly lowered his head and stopped looking.

Tang Shen, however, glanced a few more times. The young official noticed Tang Shen still watching him and smirked. After a moment, he withdrew his gaze, approached the Immortal Ascension Platform, and whispered a few words to the young Taoist who was guarding the palace door. The Taoist immediately pushed the door open and, after a short while, the young official entered.

When the door closed, Li Shu sighed in relief and said softly, “Finally, we’ve sent away this calamity.”

Tang Shen asked, “Who was that?”

Li Shu looked around, knowing there was no one else present, and lowered his voice even more, “That was Su Wenyun, the Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He’s not someone to be trifled with. If you can avoid him in the future, do so. Although he is only a fourth-rank official, he oversees all officials who have committed offenses. And the Emperor favors him greatly. Only a few, like the prime ministers from the Palace Secretariat and the Marshal of the Western Expedition Li Jingde, the Minister of Revenue Wang Zifeng, and Su Wenyun, have access to the Immortal Ascension Platform.”

Tang Shen’s eyes dilated.

Su Wenyun!

[August 7, 24th Year of Kaiping: The emperor summoned Su Wenyun, the Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. The emperor said, “Last night I had a terrifying dream. I saw the common people wailing in prison, with blood and tears on the bars.” Su Wenyun replied, “Your Majesty is benevolent; I am still insufficient.” The emperor said, “The grief of the world makes me grieve. Does Su Wenyun grieve my grief? We must reward the common people and benefit the people. I grant a general amnesty!” That day, the Emperor granted amnesty to criminals.]

Su Wenyun managed all convicted officials, so two years ago, Zhong Taisheng was under his jurisdiction!

As he pondered this, the hall door opened again, and Su Wenyun emerged.

Tang Shen kept his eyes down and did not look at him this time. He saw the deep red figure leave the Immortal Ascension Platform, and as he passed by Tang Shen and Li Shu, it seemed he paused for a moment. But perhaps it was an illusion, as he continued forward and left with strides.

After that, for the next few days, Tang Shen did not see any other officials coming in and out of the Immortal Ascension Platform.

Tang Shen’s work as a junior chamberlain became smoother and more proficient. In contrast, Yao Shan was not as capable. As a chamberlain, Yao Shan’s main task was to record the emperor’s daily activities, with the junior chamberlains handling the primary recording, while the chamberlain’s role was to supplement and oversee. However, Yao Shan, having been in the military for many years, was slower at writing than Tang Shen and sometimes fell behind in recording the emperor’s words.

Thus, November arrived.

At the beginning of November, Tang Shen returned home and saw Yao San waiting for him in a fur coat. Upon seeing Tang Shen, Yao San immediately walked over and said, “Little Boss, things over there are different from what we initially thought. It couldn’t be explained clearly in letters, so I had to come back. I heard that Shopkeeper Lu has already selected the address for the Xixia Tower and has bought the restaurant, but I’ve run into a problem here.” At this point, Yao San showed a look of embarrassment, “First, I want Shopkeeper Lu to accompany me; it would be more convenient with him there. Second… I want to ask you privately to come with me.”

Tang Shen frowned, “Privately come with you?”

Yao San smiled wryly, “Doing business with the Liao people is much harder than I imagined. I can’t make many decisions on my own. Only you have the decisiveness and can grasp the situation. That place is not safe, so I want you to disguise yourself as a servant and follow me and Shopkeeper Lu. That way, you’ll be better protected.”

Tang Shen thought for a moment, “How much have you negotiated so far?”

“Thirty percent.”

This was far below Tang Shen’s expectations.

Yao San said, “Thirty percent is because there are many things I dare not finalize. If you go, it will be ninety percent!”

Tang Shen thought carefully and said, “Alright, I’ll take a break in three days and request a few more days off to go with you!”

The next day, at the government office, Tang Shen reported his request for leave to his superior Li Shu. Li Shu didn’t ask any questions and directly approved the leave. Leaving the Secretariat, Tang Shen sighed, “It really is convenient to have people in the court. Having connections is just so nice!”

A few days later, as Tang Shen was preparing to leave Shengjing, he realized he hadn’t visited his two backers for half a month. 

Acting on impulse, after leaving the office, Tang Shen immediately took some local specialties from Gusu Prefecture to the Fu Residence. Fu Wei was painting when Tang Shen arrived. Seeing him, Fu Wei said, “Jing Ze is here. Come, evaluate this masterpiece of mine.”

Tang Shen: “…”

“Sir, the description ‘masterpiece’ is meant to be praised by others, not used for self-praise!”

After delivering the gifts and catching up with Fu Wei, Tang Shen then went to the Minister Residence with another gift box.

Unfortunately, Wang Zhen was not there; he had gone to the palace to see the emperor and would not return for a short while.

Tang Shen considered and said, “I’ll wait for Senior Brother.”

The steward replied, “Very well.”

By the time the moon was high and the stars were dense, after a long day, Tang Shen finally couldn’t resist and fell asleep in the chair. In his drowsy state, he felt an itch on his nose, and instinctively swatted at it. He heard a crisp sound. Tang Shen instantly woke up, opened his eyes, and saw Wang Zhen slightly bent over, looking at him in surprise.

The two of them stared at each other for a long while. After a moment, Wang Zhen spoke first, with a hint of hurt and disbelief in his voice, “Little Junior Brother, you…”

Tang Shen was dumbfounded.

He had been sleeping in the chair and felt an itch on his nose, so he instinctively swatted at it. But now, seeing the position, it seemed Wang Zhen had lowered his head to look at him, and his hair had brushed against Tang Shen’s nose, causing the itch, and Tang Shen’s swat…

He had slapped Wang Zhen’s face!

Oh no, he came to deliver gifts and ended up slapping Wang Zhen. Will he still be able to give the gift?

No, could this slap have driven away his most significant backer?

Tang Shen first checked Wang Zhen’s face, which was fair and handsome, with no visible slap marks. But no one said a slap would always leave a mark. Tang Shen was frightened and quickly stood up, repeatedly saying, “Senior Brother, I was just asleep and didn’t know what happened. Did I do something wrong?”

Wang Zhen also said nothing, just quietly watching Tang Shen.

Tang Shen, feeling uneasy under his gaze, shifted his eyes and picked up the gift box on the table. “My sister came from Gusu a while ago and brought some Gusu-style pastries. I brought some for you to try.”

Wang Zhen continued to look at him without speaking.

Tang Shen: “…”

Senior Brother, please, just say something!

Finally, under Tang Shen’s imploring gaze, Wang Zhen spoke: “It’s been awhile, little Junior Brother. Seeing you asleep, I didn’t want to disturb you, so I tried to be gentle. Unexpectedly, you woke up and slapped my hand, as if you didn’t want to be close to me…”

Wang Zhen said this with a hurt expression, as though Tang Shen had broken his heart.

Tang Shen, feeling regretful, said: “Senior Brother, I was asleep at that time and didn’t know anything. Please don’t take it to heart. I didn’t mean to slap your hand away or avoid you; I was just asleep, and…”

His voice stopped abruptly as Tang Shen widened his eyes: “Slapped your hand away?”

Wang Zhen struggled to suppress his laughter: “Yes, when I saw you asleep, I gently brushed your cheek with my hair to be close to you.”

For a moment, Tang Shen didn’t register the meaning of “be close to you.” He stared at Wang Zhen, his mouth slowly opening but no words coming out.

Seeing his reaction, Wang Zhen couldn’t hold back his laughter any longer.

Wang Zhen had known from the start that Tang Shen misunderstood, but Tang Shen’s reaction was so amusing that he intentionally let the misunderstanding continue.

Tang Shen slowly closed his mouth, then abruptly threw the gift box back onto the table and turned to leave.

Wang Zhen’s expression tightened, and he grabbed Tang Shen’s wrist.

“Little Junior Brother.”

Anyone who was being teased would be upset, and Tang Shen was no exception. Angrily, he said: “Senior Brother, the gift is delivered, and I should take my leave.” He tried to walk away again.

But Wang Zhen firmly held onto his wrist.

Tang Shen looked up at him: “Wang Zifeng!”

Wang Zhen’s clear eyes remained fixed on Tang Shen. As Tang Shen met his gaze, his anger began to subside, and he realized his earlier attitude might have been too harsh. Regret and frustration welled up inside him, and he thought, forget it, I still need him now, and was about to apologize. However, Wang Zhen spoke in a soothing voice, saying words that were deeply stirring.

“Is Jing Ze angry today, because I teased you and made you anxious?”

“Or is Jing Ze angry at yourself for feeling anger but being unable to express it, having to endure everything and still be considerate of me?”

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“Or maybe,” Wang Zhen gently pulled Tang Shen closer, letting go of his wrist and looking down at him, speaking in a tempting voice, word by word, “Or maybe you’re even angry that you have to be anxious, that you are in such a position and feel helpless.”

Tang Shen’s eyes widened, unable to respond to the questions.

Seeing Tang Shen’s expression, Wang Zhen should have found it very interesting, but at that moment, he felt no amusement at all. Instead, he felt a hint of displeasure and an undeniable pang of sadness. After a long sigh, he looked up at the steward outside the flower hall and said, “Prepare dinner, and set an extra pair of chopsticks.”

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Tang Shen and Li Shu stood behind the coiled dragon white jade pillar to the left of the dragon throne, both bowing in salute. By then, Zhao Fu had already walked past them. All Tang Shen could see was a small corner of bright yellow robes, which made his eyelids twitch. After a moment, he heard Zhao Fu say softly, “You may rise.”

“Thanking Your Majesty.”

Li Shu sat down and began preparing to record, while Tang Shen stood behind him.

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In the silent and cold Zichen Hall, the morning court had quietly begun.

The entire power center of the Song Dynasty stood behind that small coiled dragon white jade pillar. A minister stepped forward to report on recent border conflicts. Zhao Fu listened and then said, “We will discuss this further.” Li Shu recorded this in the “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life.” Ministers took turns stepping forward to report recent events, but there were no major issues in the court.

An hour later, the morning court session ended. Facing the throne, the officials first saluted to send Zhao Fu off. Once Zhao Fu left, they departed from the two side doors of the Zichen Hall. By this time, Tang Shen, Li Shu, and the other official responsible for recording the emperor’s daily activities had already followed Zhao Fu out of the hall.

From the start of the morning court, the Chamberlain and the two Junior Chamberlain responsible for recording the emperor’s daily activities had been by Zhao Fu’s side. Except when he went to the restroom, they did not leave him even for a moment. It wasn’t until evening, when Zhao Fu went to the Immortal Ascension Platform to practice cultivation, that the three of them were stopped at the door, with only two young Taoist attendants allowed to enter.

Tang Shen gave Li Shu a curious glance, but Li Shu kept his eyes on the ground and said nothing.

Tang Shen sighed inwardly.

After all, an emperor is still an emperor!

In theory, the Chamberlain and Junior Chamberlains should follow the emperor from dawn to dusk, from morning court until the emperor retired to the inner palace at night. However, Zhao Fu never allowed them to follow him while he practiced cultivation, which was against protocol, but no one dared to object.

Still, he was considered a rule-abiding emperor.

It was said that during the previous dynasty, there was an emperor who wielded absolute power. One day, he suddenly demanded to see the “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life.” The civil and military officials all jointly advised, “Your Majesty, you must not!” But the emperor refused to listen. No matter how much they tried to persuade him, he wouldn’t budge. The ministers, unable to argue with this powerful emperor, had no choice but to let him see the records. However, by the time the emperor received the records, much of it had been altered.

In later generations, this incident was recorded in history books, leading many historians to consider the “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life” from that emperor’s reign as unreliable.

Zhao Fu, however, was different. He simply didn’t allow them to follow him and had never interfered with the records. Nevertheless, he was meticulous in his daily affairs. He might not be a wise ruler of his era, but he was a competent and unproblematic emperor.

When the emperor finished his cultivation and had his evening meal, he entered the inner palace. Only then did Tang Shen and the other two officials leave, taking advantage of what was left of the time to exit the palace before it was locked.

This was Tang Shen’s first day on the job. The next day, he didn’t need to enter the palace and instead spent his time reading at the office.

Days passed like this, and soon seven days had gone by.

Tang Shen was still learning under Li Shu and hadn’t really started working on his own when he received his long awaited arrivals.

That day, Tang Shen had a day off. Early in the morning, he and Yao San went to the canal dock in the western part of Shengjing. They stood on the dock, gazing out at the vast river. After waiting for half an hour, a passenger boat appeared on the horizon. The boat docked, and the passengers disembarked one by one. When Aunt Yao and Tang Huang emerged from the cabin, Yao San immediately recognized his mother and excitedly shouted, “Mother! Mother! I’m over here!”

Aunt Yao saw her son and her eyes reddened with joy.

Standing next to Aunt Yao was, of course, Tang Huang. But when Tang Shen saw the graceful young lady, he was stunned. It wasn’t until Tang Huang and Aunt Yao approached that he snapped out of it and called out, “Tang Huang?”

Under the azure blue sky, the slender young girl was dressed in a lotus pink gown with auspicious cloud patterns and wore a white fox fur coat. She was delicate and elegant, standing by the flowing river, with a gentleness unique to the Jiangnan region that surpassed the girls of Shengjing.

In just two short years, Tang Shen hadn’t expected his little sister to grow up so beautifully!

But then he remembered that Tang Huang was already twelve years old. Twelve was the age of graduating from elementary school in modern times, but here, in another three years, she would be of marriageable age.

Still, Tang Shen felt that something was a bit off.

Noticing Tang Shen looking at her clothes, Tang Huang lowered her head and softly explained, “Aunt Yao said that Shengjing is colder than Gusu, so she told me to bring more clothes. But it doesn’t seem that cold now.” She was explaining why she was wearing a fur coat.

Tang Shen looked at his sister and, after a moment, his eyes lit up with understanding. He smiled and said, “You’ve gained weight, haven’t you?”

Tang Huang immediately raised her head, glaring at him, “I have not!”

Tang Shen laughed heartily, “You’re speaking so softly that you can barely catch your breath. If it’s not because you’re too fat to breathe properly, then what is it? Oh, but now you’re speaking louder!”

Tang Huang snapped, “Stupid brother, can’t you say something nice for once?”

“Sincere advice is often unpleasant to hear. I’m just looking out for you.” Tang Shen’s expression was earnest.

Tang Huang was speechless.

My brother’s brain hasn’t gotten any better after two years!

After this little commotion, the group burst into laughter and then boarded the carriage back to the Tanhua Residence.

Sitting in the carriage, Tang Huang breathed a sigh of relief.

At the beginning of last year, when Tang Shen had just left, Tang Huang missed her brother and longed to go to Shengjing every day. But as the days passed, her feelings gradually changed. People told her that Tang Shen had ranked second in the xiangshi and was now a distinguished juren. They also told her that Tang Shen had achieved the third spot in the top rank of the imperial exams and was a true official now.

Tang Shen’s approach to raising Tang Huang was somewhat hands-off. He never confined the women of the family within the house like other families, restricting their outings. Tang Huang had a dedicated tutor and frequently went out with other noble young ladies from Gusu. Some people told her that Tang Shen had become an important official and that, even as his sister, she would have to be more cautious in her behavior and couldn’t afford to lose her manners.

So, before coming to Shengjing, she had mixed feelings. When she boarded the boat, she even felt a bit scared.

But after seeing Tang Shen, Tang Huang felt reassured: My brother is still the same annoying brother who only knows how to tease me.

When the four of them returned to the Tanhua Residence, Tang Shen learned what had happened in Gusu during his two years away.

Yao San said, “I told the young master about this last year when I first came to Gusu. Sigh, it’s really a case of kicking someone when they’re down. As soon as the little boss left Gusu last year, a few restaurants and cosmetics shops took an interest in our business. They couldn’t find any faults with our Zhenbao Pavilion or Xixia Tower, so they started targeting Tang’s Logistics, falsely accusing our workers of theft. It wasn’t until the news of the little boss becoming a disciple of a daru reached Gusu that these people suddenly stopped beating their drums and disappeared overnight.”

Tang Shen was surprised: “You even know the phrase ‘to lay down one’s banner and stop beating drums’?”

Yao San’s face turned red: “Little Boss, after everything I said, is that all you heard?”

Tang Shen smiled and asked, “Brother Yao, have you ever thought about studying?”

Yao San quickly waved his hand: “No, no, I just want to assist the little boss. That’s enough for me.”

Tang Shen wrote letters back to Gusu every month to keep in touch with his extended family. Sometimes, he would ask Wang Zhen to send things to Jiangnan using the Wang clan’s boats. However, many things couldn’t be clearly explained in letters.

Tang Huang spoke animatedly: “I heard that after you passed the exam and became a yayuan, our home became very lively. The wealthy merchants of Gusu who have interests in Xixia Tower and Zhenbao, as well as some acquaintances and strangers, all came to visit us. Even the newly appointed governor of Gusu came.” After a pause, Tang Huang added, “But he had wanted to visit you long before, and just used the excuse of you becoming a yayuan.”

Tang Shen glanced at Tang Huang, surprised that she knew the new Gusu governor visited their home not just because he had passed the exam but because of his connections with Fu Wei and Wang Zhen.

Tang Huang continued: “After the xiangshi, your uncle held a banquet for you in Gusu, lasting for seven days and nights! When it was heard that you had become the tanhua, it became even more extraordinary. Our relatives from all over Gusu came and held a ten-day and night banquet. The entire Gusu was invited. It’s a pity you didn’t go back. Eldest Aunt says you should find time to return for a special ancestral worship ceremony.”

Tang Shen thought to himself that it wasn’t the first time they had held a special ancestral worship ceremony for him, but he only said, “I understand.”

Tang Huang remembered something else and looked at Tang Shen with a peculiar expression, winking at him: “By the way, brother, do you remember what happened when we left Zhao Family Village?”

Tang Shen was puzzled: “Something happened when we left Zhao Family Village?” He thought for a moment, “What happened?”

“Think harder.”

“Did we forget to repay a debt or did someone owe us money?”

“…”

“Can’t you recall the village head promising us something if you were to pass the imperial examinations?”

Tang Shen suddenly realized: “Ah? That thing?”

Aunt Yao laughed: “Zhao Family Village no longer exists. After you became a juren, it was renamed Tang Family Village!”

Tang Shen was both amused and exasperated.

He hadn’t expected that a joke from back then would become true.

However, behind the renaming of Zhao Family Village to Tang Family Village, there were some interesting incidents. The village head had casually said that if Tang Shen passed the imperial examination, he would change the village name to Tang Family Village. But becoming a juren wasn’t easy. Tang Shen’s eldest cousin, Tang Yun, the eldest son of Tang juren, still hadn’t become a xiucai!

The village head never expected that just over a year later, Tang Shen would indeed pass and return with the title of tanhua.

The village head was suddenly in a difficult position.

Renaming wasn’t a simple matter; it had to be reported to the Gusu government. Moreover, once the village name was changed, many family genealogies would need to be updated. In the future, they would no longer be “someone from Zhao Family Village,” but “someone from Tang Family Village.” The village head hesitated, and his hesitation lasted until after the New Year, when news of Tang Shen gaining the title of tanhua traveled back.

At that point, it was the villagers who urged the village head to make the name change. The village head, pleased, went ahead and changed it.

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No matter how troublesome it was, could anything be more important than having a first rank, third-place scholar who came from their Tang Family Village?

Listening to Tang Huang and Aunt Yao talk about what had happened at home over the past two years, Tang Shen’s heart gradually warmed. After two years in Shengjing, he was experiencing the warmth of home for the first time, as if he had returned to the days spent in Gusu.

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Wang Zhen stood up and directly tied the jade and sachet to his belt.

Seeing his action, Tang Shen was slightly stunned but said nothing.

Tang Shen really didn’t know what customs the ancients had for birthdays. He thought for a moment and figured they should at least eat longevity noodles. But in his hometown, they ate noodles at noon and had a banquet at night. After hesitating for a while, Tang Shen asked, “Senior Brother, have you eaten noodles?”

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Wang Zhen naturally knew what Tang Shen was thinking and told the steward, “Serve two bowls of noodles.”

The steward relayed the orders, “Serve two bowls of longevity noodles.”

Tang Shen was completely confused.

It was Wang Zhen’s birthday; eating longevity noodles by himself was fine, but why did he prepare a portion for Tang Shen too? But Tang Shen didn’t have time to refuse because the servant had already received the steward’s order and rushed to the kitchen. Before long, the servant brought two bowls of noodles to the garden.

Tang Shen stared at the noodles on the table, speechless.

“Little Junior Brother, don’t you like noodles?”

Tang Shen: “That’s not the case.” 

Wang Zhen’s face grew serious: “Then it must be the kitchen’s fault for not making them to your taste.”

“No!”

“Then eat.”

Tang Shen helplessly picked up his chopsticks and started eating the noodles. After eating three or four bites, he noticed that Wang Zhen had only taken one bite and then put down his chopsticks, not eating any more. Tang Shen asked curiously, “Senior Brother, why aren’t you eating?”

Wang Zhen looked surprised and said as if it were obvious, “We just had dinner not long ago; I’m not hungry at all, so I’m naturally not eating.”

Tang Shen: “…”

You’re too full, but does that mean I’m not too full?

Tang Shen, speechless, also threw down his chopsticks, no longer eating the troublesome noodles, and inwardly cursed Wang Zifeng a lot. But when Wang Zifeng called out “Jing Ze,” Tang Shen immediately responded obediently with an “Ai.” After replying, Tang Shen wanted to give himself a slap: How embarrassing! Wang Zifeng, today I have to flatter you, but in the future, when I no longer need to, just wait and see!

After chatting for a while longer, Tang Shen took his leave and returned home. Wang Zhen personally escorted him to the gate of the Minister Residence.

Watching Tang Shen’s departing figure, Wang Zifeng held a folding fan in his right hand and lightly tapped it against the palm of his left hand. After a while, he lifted the fan and pointed at Tang Shen’s back, saying, “Do you think he was cursing me in his heart just now?”

The steward looked around, thinking that there was no one else around; the young master must be talking to him.

The steward thought: Whether or not he cursed you, don’t you already have a sense of it yourself!

The steward lowered his eyes and said, “I don’t know.”

Wang Zhen’s beautiful face showed a faint smile, but his tone was very serious: “But I find his way of secretly criticizing me inside quite amusing. I can’t help but want to tease him. What should I do about that?”

The steward: “…”

Wang Zhen wasn’t really expecting an answer from the steward. He gently stroked the exquisite white jade at his waist, sighed deeply, and turned back to enter the gate of the Minister Residence.

On the seventh day of the tenth month, it was the emperor’s grand birthday.

As a low-ranking official of the seventh rank, Tang Shen was not qualified to participate in the sacrificial ceremony at the Temple of Heaven. However, during the time when civil and military officials and members of the imperial family were offering ancestral sacrifices, he still had to kneel and sit in the courtyard of the Hanlin Academy, a dozen or so miles away, to remotely experience the “majestic heavenly power.” It wasn’t until the afternoon, when the long sacrificial ceremony finally ended, that the civil and military officials entered the palace for a banquet, and the sixth- and seventh-rank minor officials were given a holiday to enjoy some leisure at home.

On the emperor’s birthday, a general amnesty was declared throughout the country.

Three days later, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Tang Shen put on his brand-new sixth-rank official robe and went to the Palace Secretariat.

During the previous dynasty, the positions of Chamberlain and Junior Chamberlain belonged to the “Department of the Interior” (TN: In historical Chinese government structures, it was a government body responsible for administrative affairs and internal management). In this dynasty, the founding emperor abolished the Department of the Interior and established the Palace Secretariat. Most of the officials in the Palace Secretariat held other posts concurrently; for example, Wang Zhen was also the Minister of Revenue in the Ministry of Revenue under the Department of State Affairs, and he was also a cabinet minister in the Palace Secretariat, known as Wang xianggong. For those officials in the Palace Secretariat without other posts, only two kinds remained.

One was the position of a prime minister, and the other was the position of imperial historians, like Tang Shen and Yao Shan.

One either held a first-rank office with authority over the entire court, or was a close attendant to the emperor, responsible for recording the emperor’s daily life.

When Tang Shen arrived at the Palace Secretariat, Yao Shan had already arrived earlier. Upon seeing Tang Shen, Yao Shan said, “Jing Ze, I didn’t expect we’d meet again so soon. The Palace Secretariat is not like the Hanlin Academy; from now on, we’ll have to look out for each other.”

Tang Shen naturally responded, “Let’s encourage each other, Brother Wen Ji!”

After exchanging pleasantries, two officials wearing fifth-rank official robes entered through the door. Tang Shen saluted them, and they exchanged equal courtesy with Yao Shan. One of them said, “This must be Yao Wenji daren, and this must be Tang Jingze daren. My name is Li Shu, and I am also a fifth-rank Chamberlain like Yao daren. This is Zhang Si daren, another Chamberlain.”

Zhang Si said, “Today, I will accompany His Majesty. The two Junior Chamberlains have already been selected. Tomorrow, Li daren will accompany His Majesty, so Tang daren, you’ll have to enter the palace.”

Tang Shen asked, “Zhang daren, will I be recording the emperor’s daily life tomorrow?” He looked worried. “To be honest, I have just entered the Palace Secretariat, and I’m completely in the dark. I’m afraid I might make a fool of myself tomorrow. It’s a small matter if I embarrass myself, but it’s a big deal if I disturb the emperor. What should I do tomorrow?”

Tang Shen was sixteen this year, and his face showed a deeply concerned expression. His brows were tightly furrowed, and his hands were clenched as if he was genuinely frightened.

The two fifth-rank Chamberlains exchanged a glance and smiled, thinking that as the rumors suggested, he was indeed just a child. Li Shu said, “You needn’t worry. Tomorrow, I will lead you, and you won’t be the only Junior Chamberlain there. You can stand behind me and watch how I record the emperor’s daily life. I will stand on the left side of the emperor, and the other Junior Chamberlain will stand on the right. Since both you and Yao daren are new here and unfamiliar with the duties, today you should go and read the ‘Daily Records’ from the Kaiping period of this dynasty. Read as much as you can. Once you finish reading them all, you will naturally know what to do.”

Yao Shan and Tang Shen exchanged a glance, both smiling wryly. “Understood.”

They hadn’t expected that even after leaving the Hanlin Academy, they would still have to read books!

Tang Shen and Yao Shan each took a thick volume of the “Daily Records” and began reading. They read until the sun set and the emperor had finished his immortal cultivation and returned to the inner palace. Only then could the Chamberlains and Junior Chamberlains end their day’s work.

Tang Shen returned home and washed his face with cold water. The icy water jolted him awake.

As Tang Shen regained his composure, his eyes sharpened, and he quickly took a blank booklet from the bookshelf in his study. He immediately ground the ink and used a fine-tipped goat-hair brush to rapidly write on the paper: “On the fourth day of the eighth month of the 24th year of Kaiping, a star as large as a peach fell in the southeast. That night, Chief Astronomer Li Xiaoren entered the palace…”

As he closed his eyes, lines of text instantly appeared in his mind, and Tang Shen continued to write: “On the seventh day of the eighth month of the 24th year of Kaiping, the emperor summoned Deputy Minister of Justice Su Wenyun. The emperor said, ‘Last night, I had a terrifying dream, where I saw the people suffering in prison, crying tears of blood at the bars.’ Deputy Minister Su replied, ‘Your Majesty is merciful, and I am not worthy.’ The emperor said, ‘I grieve with the people, and you grieve for me, do you not? We should reward the people and bless the citizens. Today, I grant amnesty to all under heaven!’ That day, the Emperor granted amnesty to all criminals.”

Tang Shen wrote line after line of text on the blank rice paper at a rapid pace.

Eidetic memory!

Even Tang Shen hadn’t expected that he would one day use this special ability in this way.

Today, when Tang Shen went to the archives of the Secretariat to select books, he specifically chose the “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life” from the 24th to the 26th year of Kaiping. He spent the entire day reading, but only finished a little over a year’s worth of books, leaving more than a year’s worth unread.

After writing down content he thought might be relevant, Tang Shen let out a long sigh of relief and collapsed into his chair. He picked up the makeshift “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life” that he had written and carefully examined it.

Tang Shen had written down a variety of things, including a few words Zhao Fu had occasionally said and dialogues during Zhao Fu’s summoning of ministers. He recorded anything that might be related to the Songqing Party. However, these…

“Aren’t nearly enough!”

Tang Shen slammed the book heavily on the desk, his eyes bloodshot. “The emperor granted amnesty to the whole nation, so it’s impossible that Zhong Taisheng was released. Amnesty only pardons minor criminals; all serious and capital offenders are not pardoned. Did Zhao Fu grant amnesty to criminals simply because of a nightmare, or was he planning something?”

Tang Shen pondered deeply, “After the night of the meteor shower, this was the only time he mentioned the prisoners in the prison. What have I missed?”

Tang Shen quickly flipped through the book, but no matter how he looked, he couldn’t find any clues.

It felt as if a great weight was pressing down on his shoulders, making it hard to breathe. He knew that Zhong Taisheng’s death was most likely connected to Zhao Fu, and he also knew that the palace coup twenty-seven years ago was related to Zhao Fu. But all these things were like a web of secrets, entwining him. Even with his eyes wide open, he couldn’t see through it.

“I just don’t know enough yet,” Tang Shen concluded.

Make bold assumptions, but carefully verify them. There was no other way!

Tang Shen blew out the candle in the study, quietly hid the book in a secret compartment behind the bookshelf, and went to bed.

The next day, at chou shi (1-3 a.m.), before the sky was even bright, Tang Shen donned his official robe and headed to the office of the Palace Secretariat.

Li Shu, seeing Tang Shen arriving early, nodded approvingly. After another official responsible for the “Records of the Emperor’s Daily Life” arrived, Li Shu glanced at him, said nothing, and led both Tang Shen and the official into the imperial palace. Under the dark night sky, with stars scattered across the heavens, the three low-ranking officials walked briskly through the palace without raising their heads.

The imperial palace was silent, the buildings shrouded in darkness, like a man-eating beast quietly lying in wait.

The three arrived at the Zichen Hall, where only eunuchs and palace maids were kneeling on the ground, cleaning. Li Shu instructed the two of them, “Silence.” Naturally, they kept their mouths shut, and he led them behind the imperial throne.

Tang Shen had only been to Zichen Hall on the day of the dianshi, when he stood in the center of the hall and was personally awarded the title of tanhua by Zhao Fu.

Li Shu exchanged a look with the other official, who had more experience and quietly walked to the right. Tang Shen followed Li Shu to the left. They bypassed the throne and arrived at the side of a Taibai stone platform. There, hidden behind a five-person-wide coiled dragon white jade pillar, was a small desk and chair.

The desk was narrow and small, and the chair was nothing more than a stool made of three wooden boards.

Tang Shen stared at it in surprise for quite a while. He never would have imagined that there were people hiding behind the pillars next to the imperial throne when he was awarded the title of tanhua.

Li Shu said, “Stand behind me, and use the pillar to hide yourself.”

Tang Shen replied, “Understood.”

Li Shu sat down and gently ground the ink.

After a while, the palace maids and eunuchs responsible for cleaning the Zichen Hall filed out. Another group of eunuchs entered through a side door. After they entered, the last one closed the hall doors. Two more quarters of an hour passed, and then a sharp voice rang out from outside the door, as if someone was shouting at the top of their lungs: “Officials, enter the hall!”

“Officials, enter the hall!”

“Officials, enter the hall…”

The voice echoed layer by layer, resounding throughout the imperial palace.

After the voice faded, Tang Shen strained his ears and heard the sound of footsteps approaching. The eunuchs who had already entered the Zichen Hall lowered their heads and moved to the side doors. With a creak, it took four of them to open one of the doors. In total, eight eunuchs opened both side doors completely. The next moment, civil and military officials in robes of various ranks entered the hall in order.

Tang Shen and Li Shu stood to the left of the throne, which was to the right of the officials.

Civil officials stood on the left, and military officials on the right. In front of Tang Shen was a group of military officials. Tang Shen looked up and saw Wang Zhen standing among the civil officials on the left side. He was wearing a red official robe, holding a long jade tablet, and standing in the third position among the civil officials. The two people in front of him were both dressed in first-rank official robes. Several people beside him were also wearing first-rank robes.

In this group of officials, the ones standing at the end were wearing fourth-rank robes.

The Song Dynasty valued civil officials highly, and since the time of the first emperor, the practice of kneeling had been abolished. What was commonly referred to as “kneeling” was actually “sitting on one’s knees.” Even during the early morning court session, officials did not have to kneel before the emperor; they could stand in the hall and look up at him.

Inside the grand hall, the golden bricks on the floor emitted a chilling aura.

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The officials stood holding their jade tablets, waiting for a quarter of an hour, until the chief eunuch Ji Fu raised his voice and called out, “Officials, present yourselves!”

Li Shu immediately stood up, and Tang Shen imitated him, bowing with the officials in the hall. Dozens of voices shouted in unison, their sound echoing through the Zichen Hall, reaching the heavens.

“Greetings to Your Majesty!”

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If reading books and writing articles were considered leisurely, then indeed, it would be pretty relaxing, as these are the two main things Hanlin scholars do every day. But doing it day and night, month after month, year after year—who could stand it? Yao Shan and Wang Xiao were fine; they had been reading and writing for decades and were used to it. But Tang Shen’s head was spinning!

They had to write essays every day!

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Opening his eyes, he had to start thinking about how many essays he had to write today. Eating meals, he still had to think about how many more he had left to write that day. At night, before going to bed, he was thinking about how many essays he had to write tomorrow.

Tang Shen was suffering too!

The Emperor’s birthday was an even bigger deal. The birthday of Emperor Zhao Fu of the Song Dynasty was on the seventh day of the tenth lunar month. By the beginning of September, the Hanlin Academy was already busy writing blessing texts for him. Yao Shan was led by Grand Secretary Yang to organize the various affairs of the Emperor over the past year. After a thorough examination, they still had to record everything in detail. Wang Xiao and Tang Shen were assigned to write articles, focusing solely on blessing texts.

No matter how beautifully these articles were written, the Emperor would only read a few, and the rest would be burned, under the noble name of offering prayers to heaven.

The person responsible for selecting which articles would be presented to the Emperor was the Hanlin Academy Scholar, Second-Rank Grand Secretary Yang.

This Grand Secretary Yang had quite a history with Tang Shen.

Back when Tang Shen took the xiangshi, his first essay in the eight-legged essay format was excellent but lacked brilliance, leaving him no chance of becoming second place (yayuan). However, Grand Secretary Yang saw Tang Shen’s answers to the five questions on the Book of Changes in the second session. Grand Secretary Yang was deeply impressed and almost wanted to award Tang Shen the top spot. But considering that Tang Shen’s first session paper was indeed not as good as others, and in the interest of fairness, Grand Secretary Yang gave Tang Shen the second place.

After joining the Hanlin Academy, Tang Shen didn’t have the chance to meet these Grand Secretaries. The highest-ranking officials he usually encountered were of the fifth rank.

Knowing that Grand Secretary Yang would personally visit the next day, Tang Shen went home and thought deeply. He took out the Book of Changes and carefully read through it again.

After being at the Hanlin Academy for so long, Tang Shen had already discovered that, besides himself, no one else knew that Grand Scholar Yang liked the Book of Changes!

“Wang Zifeng, oh Wang Zifeng!”

Tang Shen called his senior brother’s name, feeling both amused and helpless.

Three months ago, Tang Shen had moved to the Tanhua Residence, which was indeed close to the Minister Residence, only separated by two alleys. That evening, after reading the Book of Changes, Tang Shen thought for a moment, then picked up the book and went to the Minister Residence. The gatekeeper, upon seeing Tang Shen, immediately respectfully invited him in. This time, Wang Zhen was at home, so Tang Shen didn’t go to the flower hall but directly to the study.

Wang Zhen was lying on a rocking chair, leisurely reading a book by candlelight.

When Tang Shen arrived, he called out, “Senior Brother Zi Feng.”

Wang Zhen peeked out from behind the book, looking surprised, “What brings my little junior brother here today?”

Tang Shen lied with a straight face, “I came across something I didn’t understand while reading and thought it was still early, so I came to ask you for clarification.”

Wang Zhen stared at him, put down the book, and smiled, “Are you really here for clarification?”

Tang Shen thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth this time, “I missed you, Senior Brother.”

Wang Zhen’s smile grew even brighter, and he reached out his hand, “What book is it?”

Tang Shen thought to himself, “When I lied, you didn’t believe me, and now that I’m telling the truth, you still don’t believe me! Wang Zifeng, you’re too smart for your own good, aren’t you?”

Tang Shen’s visit to the Minister Residence was indeed a sudden thought. As Wang Zhen said, ever since Tang Shen took up his position at the Hanlin Academy, the two senior brothers had less contact and spent less time together. Tang Shen was just a seventh-rank minor official and had no opportunities to interact with Wang Zhen in official circles. At most, they might run into each other after work.

Today, Tang Shen remembered Wang Zhen’s reminder that Grand Secretary Yang liked the Book of Changes, and for some reason, he felt the urge to visit Wang Zhen.

Of course, Wang Zhen wouldn’t believe that “I missed you,” but when Tang Shen handed him the Book of Changes, Wang Zhen was slightly stunned. After a moment, he said, “Is the Hanlin Academy writing blessing texts for the Emperor recently?”

Tang Shen was momentarily confused about how Wang Zhen knew, but seeing the Book of Changes, he was startled. Just from a book, Wang Zifeng can think of so much? Isn’t he a bit of a demon!

Tang Shen thought for a moment and didn’t hide anything, “Yes.” After all, if Wang Zhen wanted to know, he would find out soon enough.

Wang Zhen paused for a long time before saying, “So, my little junior brother really did miss me, huh?”

Tang Shen looked up at him, bewildered. In the flickering candlelight, Wang Zhen quietly smiled, with an uncharacteristic hint of warmth and softness.

At that moment, for the first time, Tang Shen felt that he had truly connected with Wang Zifeng and become friends.

Holding a copy of the Book of Changes, the two chatted all night, talking until dawn.

The next day, Tang Shen arrived at the Hanlin Academy, and sure enough, Grand Secretary Yang came at noon.

Yang Qi sat at the head of the room, surveying the officials inside. He slowly said, “Colleagues, in a few days, it will be the Emperor’s birthday. The Hanlin Academy has been busy for a month, and it’s time for results. Every year, I select three articles to present to the Emperor, and this year is no exception. Each of you has prepared an article, correct?”

Everyone responded in unison, “We have prepared.”

Yang Qi nodded in satisfaction, “Then bring them up.”

The officers descended from the high platform and collected the articles from each official. Tang Shen handed in his article, and after collecting all the articles, Grand Secretary Yang left without saying a word.

Yao Shan was not responsible for writing articles, so among the three newly appointed first-rank jinshi officials, only Wang Xiao and Tang Shen had to write.

Wang Xiao sighed to Tang Shen, “I wonder what the outcome will be, Jing Ze, are you confident?”

Tang Shen replied, “I’ve always believed that we can only plan, but success is up to the heavens.”

Wang Xiao nodded, “Indeed, we just need to do our part well.”

The next day, Grand Secretary Yang didn’t announce which three articles he sent to the Emperor. But on the fourth day of October, Tang Shen suddenly received an imperial decree. A fifth-rank official from the Ministry of Appointments arrived at the Hanlin Academy with a smile and read the decree in front of everyone: “To Tang Shen, Compiler of the Hanlin Academy. The Emperor, by the grace of Heaven, acknowledges your modesty, diligence, and excellence in writing. You are hereby promoted to the sixth rank of Junior Chamberlain to the Emperor, effective on the tenth day of this month. This is the Emperor’s decree. Twenty-seventh year of the Kaiping reign, tenth month.”

Everyone in the room was shocked. Tang Shen lowered his head, maintaining a calm expression, but the hand holding the decree was trembling slightly, revealing his inner turmoil.

At the same time, another decree arrived at the Hanlin Academy, but it was delivered to the adjacent hall. Yao Shan received the decree with both hands, unable to hide his joy as he was promoted to the fifth-rank position of Chamberlain to the Emperor.

The Junior Chamberlain to the Emperor and the Chamberlain are known as the “Imperial Historians,” responsible for recording all the Emperor’s affairs, compiling the “Daily Records of the Emperor.” They document the Emperor’s conversations with ministers, the ministers’ memorials, and the Emperor’s occasional remarks—all recorded by the Imperial Historians.

This dynasty has three Chamberlains and twelve Junior Chamberlains to the Emperor. Most of the time, there must be two Chamberlains or Junior Chamberlains present with the Emperor.

At least one Chamberlain is replaced each year, and the top scholar of each imperial examination is guaranteed to serve as a Chamberlain—it’s just a matter of when. When this top scholar is promoted to Chamberlain, his departure from the Emperor’s side marks the beginning of his rise to prominence. As for the Junior Chamberlain, they have more flexibility and are not strictly assigned.

Everyone knew that Yao Shan would be promoted to Chamberlain, but no one expected Tang Shen to be promoted alongside him!

The officials of the Hanlin Academy flocked to congratulate him. Wang Xiao looked dejected and was silent for a long time. But he still cupped his hands towards Tang Shen and said, “Jing Ze, congratulations, congratulations.”

Tang Shen looked at him deeply and replied, “Thank you, Dai Yue (Wang Xiao’s courtesy name).”

Wang Xiao felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words to say.

Tang Shen had quite a network in the Hanlin Academy. For one, he was young, and most of the officials in the Hanlin Academy were older, so they treated him like their own grandson, doting on him. Additionally, he had strong backing!

Tang Shen was a student of Fu Wei, which everyone knew. Although Fu Wei never visited the Hanlin Academy, he was nominally its head. Moreover, Tang Shen had a good relationship with Wang Zhen. The Ministry of Revenue is responsible for selecting and refurbishing the residences for the zhuangyuan, bangyan, and tanhua in the imperial examinations. The residences for the zhuangyuan and bangyan are both located in the west of the city, while only the tanhua’s residence is in the east, close to the Minister Residence.

People often say that Wang Xiao and Wang Zifeng are distant relatives. However, they are indeed only distant relatives, with no close connection. After Wang Xiao came to Shengjing, he visited Wang Zhen a few times. Although Wang Zhen was friendly, their relationship was merely cordial.

Wang Zhen and Tang Shen are the real fellow disciples.

No matter how dissatisfied Wang Xiao is, he can only curse, “Those damned connections!”

However, he doesn’t know that Tang Shen’s promotion to the Junior Chamberlain was actually unrelated to Wang Zhen. The one who promoted Tang Shen was truly the Emperor Zhao Fu of Kaiping.

Among the three articles Yang Qi recommended, one was naturally written by Tang Shen. Since Tang Shen began his article with, “The dragon flying in the sky, positioned in heavenly virtue. The dragon seen in the field, the world is civilized,” which are lines from the Book of Changes: Qian Hexagram, Grand Secretary Yang was very pleased and recalled the five essays Tang Shen had written for the xiangshi.

“Well, although I couldn’t make you the top scholar back then, I suppose this makes up for it and settles an old worry!”

Starting with a flattering tone to please Grand Secretary Yang, Tang Shen went on to quote extensively from classical texts. He cited Taoist classics like the “Tao Te Ching,” “Zhuangzi,” and “Huainanzi,” extravagantly praising Emperor Zhao Fu’s achievements over the past twenty-seven years. He then lauded Zhao Fu as a sage-like ruler with magnificent prose, to the point of almost declaring, “Your Majesty, you are truly a celestial being.”

Tang Shen wrote this article on the night he had a deep conversation with Wang Zhen. He felt he must have been delirious to produce such a masterful piece of flattery. It might have been his drowsiness that led him to write such an article. If asked to write something like it again, he probably couldn’t manage it—he just didn’t have that thick of a skin!

In short, with good news coming, Tang Shen was promoted to the Junior Chamberlain, becoming close to the Emperor. To celebrate he invited colleagues and a few familiar jinshi to Qianli Tower for a celebratory meal.

That night, when he returned home, Yao San, upon learning the good news, said, “Little Boss, you have double happiness!”

Tang Shen was surprised, “Double happiness? What other good news is there?”

Yao San replied, “This should have been done a long time ago. Six months ago, when Little Boss achieved the rank of tanhua, Miss Ah Huang was supposed to come from Gusu to reunite with you. Unfortunately, my mother suddenly fell ill with a cold and was bedridden, so she couldn’t board the ship. Miss Ah Huang was unwilling to leave my mother alone in Gusu and stayed to care for her. This care lasted for half a year. Last month, my mother’s health improved, and a few days ago, they boarded the ship, so they should arrive in Shengjing within half a month!”

Tang Shen imagined a young girl in hemp clothes, angrily saying, “Tang Shen, you are not allowed to spend money recklessly,” and felt warmth in his heart. “Alright, then we will wait for them to arrive!”

On the sixth of October, Fu Wei caught a cold, and after leaving the office, Tang Shen went to visit him at Fu Residence. An hour later, Wang Zhen also arrived.

The two of them talked with Fu Wei for a while, and after Fu Wei fell asleep, the two left.

After leaving Fu Residence, Tang Shen suddenly asked, “Senior Brother, do you have any good wine and food at home today?”

Wang Zhen looked at Tang Shen in surprise, then smiled and said, “When has my little junior brother ever come over without seeing good wine and food?”

Tang Shen nodded, “Then I’ll go home to change out of this official robe and come find you.”

Wang Zhen gazed at Tang Shen but said nothing, only smiled.

At night, Tang Shen indeed changed into a green robe and went to the Minister Residence.

The large Minister Residence was quiet and deserted. Wang Zhen had set up a table of dishes in the courtyard, with the sound of water from the pond beneath. Under the moonlight, several koi fish were playing in the water. Because Wang Zhen rarely spoke during meals, Tang Shen also remained silent. After finishing the meal, the steward cleared the table and brought out a pot of tea.

They looked at the moon and savored the tea.

Tang Shen took something from his sleeve and gently placed it on the stone table, making a crisp sound.

Wang Zhen looked down and was slightly taken aback. He then looked up and said, “Little Junior Brother?”

Tang Shen said, “A gentleman of noble character is refined like cut and polished jade, like carved and honed stone. Senior Brother, you are noble and pure, and I have always known that. This piece of jade was something I had someone find in Gusu. It took two months to find a piece of translucent white jade, which I thought would best complement your white brocade robes. I know you come from the Wang clan of Langya and have seen countless beautiful jades, so this piece may not be of much value. This is just a token of my heartfelt congratulations for your twenty-sixth birthday.”

Under the clear moonlight, there was something star-like and brilliant in Wang Zhen’s clear eyes.

After a long time, Wang Zhen picked up the jade and asked, “How did you know today is my birthday?”

Tang Shen was momentarily stunned, “Last year, Mr. Fu mentioned it. He said he had been busy recently and forgot that the day before yesterday was your birthday. Mr. Fu said that on the eighth of October. So isn’t your birthday the sixth of October?”

Wang Zhen stroked the jade and said, “Yes. However, the seventh of October is the Emperor’s birthday, and all the officials in the court are busy with that. Even I often forget that the sixth of October is my birthday.”

Tang Shen, unaware of such details, said without thinking, “Then I’ll remember it for you.”

Wang Zhen suddenly looked up at Tang Shen.

Tang Shen said, “…Senior Brother?” Did he offend him? Did he not flatter him well enough?

Wang Zhen looked at him for a while, then smiled quietly. His hand moved down and touched a sachet tied beneath the jade. The sachet was made of deep blue silk, and Wang Zhen sniffed it. The fragrance was elegant and somewhat familiar. “Is this the scent of peony?”

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Tang Shen explained, “It’s a blend of sweetgrass and peony. The Book of Songs: Qin Wei says, ‘The Qin and the Wei, they are both fine. The scholar and the girl, they both hold sweetgrass. The girl says, “Look at that,” and the scholar says, “Yes, let’s go and see.” It’s outside the Wei, truly sweet and joyous. The scholar and the girl, they play and exchange peony.’ I thought your name came from ‘Qin Wei,’ wasn’t it?”

Wang Zhen looked at Tang Shen and smiled, “Yes.”

AN: Little Tang Lang: After traveling to ancient times, the first thing I learned was how to flatter people! Senior Brother, did I not do it well enough?

Old Neighbor Wang [smiles]: Perfect! 

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Essential oils are not considered a rarity in Shengjing. 

Customers who can afford essential oils could buy them at high prices from distant places like Gusu or Jinling, even if they were not available in Shengjing. Now that Autumn Hall is about to start selling essential oils, within just half a month, all the wealthy households in Shengjing were aware of it.

They’ve used essential oils before, so the fact that Autumn Hall is selling them now is just for novelty and entertainment. It hasn’t created the same buzz as the advertising campaigns in Gusu or Jinling did.

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Shopkeeper Xing ordered the staff at Autumn Hall to vigorously promote the essential oils, but it hasn’t had much effect.

Three days before the Qixi Festival, Tang Shen came to meet with Shopkeeper Xing at Qianli Tower after leaving his duties at the Hanlin Academy. This once imposing shopkeeper now seemed rather dejected. Upon seeing Tang Shen, he sighed and said, “Tang gongzi, to be honest, I’ve heard about the scenes of selling the Golden Wisp and scented soap at your Zhenbao Pavilion in Gusu and the Jinxiu Pavilion in Jinling—it truly drew massive crowds. However, although Jiangnan is wealthy, it still can’t compare to Shengjing. Please don’t be offended; what I’m saying is the truth. The ladies and misses in Shengjing have seen all sorts of luxury items—luminous pearls from the West, three-zhang coral from Japan. I’m afraid our sales of the Golden Wisp won’t compare to those in Jiangnan.”

Hearing this, Tang Shen had already guessed as much, but he was still a bit surprised: “Are the wealthy families in Shengjing really so knowledgeable?”

“Indeed.”

Tang Shen consoled him, “You can only blame it on the wide experience of the people in Shengjing; how could that be your fault, Shopkeeper Xing?”

Shopkeeper Xing felt much better after this reassurance, and his fondness for Tang Shen grew.

Tang Shen then asked, “Have you made the items I asked for half a month ago?”

Shopkeeper Xing replied, “Such jade and jewelry items are no trouble for Autumn Hall. As per your request, we made a hundred of them, and this morning, Shopkeeper Lu already took them to the workshop on the outskirts of the city. If I may ask, Tang gongzi, what do you plan to do with these?”

Tang Shen smiled slightly, “Didn’t you say that the ladies and misses of Shengjing are knowledgeable and have seen everything? Since they’re already familiar with the Golden Wisp, we’ll give them something new. In three days, you’ll see.”

Three days later, on Qixi Festival.

The Qixi Festival, also known as Qiqiao Festival, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Initially, it was a day for worshiping the Weaving Maid (Zhinü) on her birthday, with young girls praying for dexterous skills. Later, with the love story of the Cowherd and the Weaving Maid, this festival gradually became a day for young women to pray for a good marriage.

That evening, several luxurious carriages stopped in front of Autumn Hall.

The ladies and misses from wealthy families generally rarely appear in public during the day, but as night approached, several of them coincidentally arrived at Autumn Hall. After dismounting from their carriages, the three women exchanged glances and immediately recognized each other.

“Madam Lin, Madam Zhao.”

“Madam Ma, Madam Zhao.”

“Madam Lin, Madam Ma.”

The three women curtsied slightly, a formal greeting, and then entered Autumn Hall together.

The first floor of Autumn Hall featured affordable jewelry, hairpins, rouge, powder, and original soap. Original soap was sold on this floor. As soon as the three wives from official families entered the shop, a clerk greeted them and respectfully led them to the second floor.

Upon reaching the second floor, they saw a beautifully arranged display at the corner of the stairs and paused in unison. One of the women covered her mouth and laughed, “I’ve heard that in Jiangnan, soap is used by commoners for washing clothes and hands. Only scented soap is used by wealthy families for handwashing. I started using scented soap to wash my hands a year ago, and it does indeed clean well, leaving my hands smooth.”

Another woman said, “I also started using scented soap a year and a half ago for handwashing—it’s quite effective.”

The last woman smiled and said, “Well, I can’t compare to you two elder sisters; I only started using scented soap half a year ago. But that Golden Wisp is truly impressive. After using it for a year, my hands have become much fairer. Clerk, I heard that Autumn Hall is also selling scented soap and the Golden Wisp starting today. Where can we see the Golden Wisp? Please show it to me and my two elder sisters.”

The clerk felt a pang of distress, thinking that he had to deal with three demanding figures.

Shengjing, the capital of the Song Dynasty, has a saying that if a signboard falls, it would hit ten people—eight of whom would be officials, and one would be a retired official. These three women were old acquaintances, and their husbands were all officials, the lowest being a fifth-rank official, while Madam Ma’s husband was a fourth-rank high official! Their husbands were rivals in court with opposing political views, and every time these three women met, they would engage in veiled sarcasm and compete with each other.

And now, just as Autumn Hall was about to sell the Golden Wisp, these three showed up together!

The clerk was inwardly distressed but put on a smile and said, “Please, madams, follow me.”

The three women quickly passed through the second floor, where scented soap and various jewelry pieces were displayed, and rounded a yellow rosewood hundred-treasure cabinet filled with various antiques. Behind a double-sided Gusu embroidery screen depicting a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, there was yet another small treasure cabinet—a hidden gem!

In front of the treasure cabinet stood a high shelf, upon which was placed a small glass bottle of a translucent, pale yellow liquid. A large luminous pearl was luxuriously set in one corner of the shelf, its glow reflecting off the glass bottle, creating an exquisite sight. Even the three women, well accustomed to luxury, were stunned by this opulent display.

Then they looked up at the treasure cabinet.

Each compartment of the treasure cabinet held a small translucent bottle, each containing some liquid. These bottles were only one-fifth the size of the bottle on the luminous pearl shelf, but they were crafted so delicately that just the bottles alone were captivating. Most of the liquid in these small bottles was yellow, though some were so pale that they were almost colorless.

Madam Ma, with her extensive knowledge, immediately said, “The one on the high shelf is the Golden Wisp; that I know. But the dozens of small bottles on this shelf—could they also be the Golden Wisp?”

The clerk smiled and said, “Madam, you are perceptive. Indeed, the bottles on the treasure cabinet also contain the Golden Wisp, but it has been personally adjusted by our owner with slight modifications. The Golden Wisp sold at Autumn Hall in Shengjing is not available in Jinling or Gusu! Our Shengjing Golden Wisp comes in three grades: low, high, and premium.” The clerk then explained the three grades of Golden Wisp and added, “Jiangnan only sells the low and high grades, but the limited Golden Wisp is exclusive to Shengjing!”

The three ladies showed their admiration as they listened, nodding repeatedly.

The shop assistant, seeing their reaction, continued, “But what’s truly remarkable is what’s on the Hundred Treasure Shelf. The premium Golden Wisp oil is made from a blend of various flower petals, each creating a different scent. Here at Autumn Hall, we’ve made some improvements. The small bottles of Golden Wisp oil behind me each contain a single floral scent, all high grade. But these Golden Wisp oils can be mixed and matched by you!”

Madam Ma was surprised, “Are you saying that we can create our own premium Golden Wisp?”

The shop assistant nodded repeatedly, “Exactly! Different floral scents mixed together will create different aromas. How could distinguished guests like the three of you use the same fragrance as others?”

These words hit the three ladies’ hearts, and their eyes brightened. Fifteen minutes later, they left Autumn Hall with many small porcelain bottles, each looking pleased.

Having sold over a hundred bottles of small Golden Wisp oil, the shop assistant was extremely proud. After seeing the three VIPs out, he became curious, “How did the shopkeeper know that these ladies would buy all the small bottles of Golden Wisp oil with every scent available?”

Indeed, this was a new idea that Tang Shen had come up with in Shengjing: DIY essential oils!

Tang Shen’s method of making essential oils was simpler and didn’t match the quality of those in the modern world, but it also required fewer precautions. Mixing different essential oils might result in unpleasant scents at worst, but it wouldn’t cause major issues. The glazed bottles were exceptionally precious and were only used to hold samples displayed in the shop. The essential oils the ladies bought were all in white porcelain bottles.

Uniqueness is an irresistible temptation for the wealthy in Shengjing.

They’ve seen all the good things in the world, so no matter how precious, even if you market Golden Wisp as diamonds, they can afford to buy it and won’t care. But if you say they can mix and create a Golden Wisp that’s uniquely theirs, they’re sure to be tempted. Tang Shen even imagined that within half a year, it would become a trend in Shengjing for women to compete in mixing their Golden Wisp oils in their boudoirs!

Tang Shen shared his idea with Shopkeeper Xing, who praised it as brilliant and then came up with another clever strategy. Ordinary shop assistants couldn’t speak in such a persuasive and enchanting way—these were words taught by Shopkeeper Xing himself! He flattered the ladies of Shengjing while belittling the ladies of Jiangnan, emphasizing that this Golden Wisp was unique to the entire Song Dynasty and only available in Shengjing. How could the ladies not be moved?

This marketing strategy was indeed very effective, and when Tang Shen heard about it later, he was momentarily stunned and then found it both funny and exasperating: “So, the tactic of pitting one region against another and regional discrimination has existed since ancient times and still works like a charm!” After thinking about it, he added to himself, “How shameless!”

Anyway, the ladies of Jiangnan didn’t know about this, so Tang Shen could only plan to start selling premium Golden Wisp with DIY options in Jinling and Gusu next year.

Soap, scented soap, and Golden Wisp were also selling well in Shengjing, and both Tang Shen and the Jing Prince Residence were making a fortune.

By August, the weather had cooled, and the jinshi from Tang Shen’s batch had gradually established themselves in Shengjing. The top three in the first rank were all serving at the Hanlin Academy, and Tang Shen was already familiar with Yao Shan and Wang Xiao. As for the jinshi in the second rank, half of them were not assigned to posts outside the capital and stayed in the capital. At the end of August, Wang Xiao took the lead and organized a gathering of fellow jinshi at Qianli Tower.

The moon was high in the sky, and the lanterns had just been lit.

In an elegant room on the second floor of Qianli Tower, more than twenty newly appointed jinshi raised their goblets.

Wang Xiao smiled and said, “Colleagues, let’s toast to each other tonight, and we won’t leave until we’re drunk!”

Everyone replied in unison, “Cheers to Wang daren, no one leaves until we’re drunk!”

The group was divided into two tables, eating, drinking, and composing poetry—a romantic scene worthy of talented scholars and beautiful stories.

However, as they drank more, the scholars all turned into drunks, unable to recite poetry anymore, and instead, they started rambling. Some complained about their overly strict supervisors who gave them too much work every day. Others cried about their low salaries, lamenting how they could barely support a family of eight. They had thought that becoming a jinshi would make them superior, but to live as a clean official, they had to eat gruel and suffer!

Everyone had their own troubles, but since Tang Shen was the youngest, he was urged to drink the least and didn’t get very drunk. Soon, he found Mei Shengze, who was sitting at the other table. Mei Shengze, who also had a decent alcohol tolerance, was only slightly tipsy. When he saw Tang Shen, his eyes reddened, and he hugged Tang Shen, crying, “Jing Ze, I’m suffering!”

Tang Shen had never seen Mei Shengze like this before. He wanted to laugh but had to hold it in, pretending to be concerned as he asked, “Brother Sheng Ze, what’s wrong?”

Mei Shengze cried, “After the imperial examination, I was assigned to the Ministry of Works. Did you know about this?”

Tang Shen teased, “Of course I knew. Aren’t you an Assistant Director in the Water Department of the Ministry of Works? This Assistant Director position was a fifth-rank official position in the previous dynasty. Although it’s sixth-rank now, Mei daren, you’re from the second-rank jinshi, and now you’re a sixth-rank official, so you’re higher ranked than me. I should call you senior.”

Mei Shengze pointed at Tang Shen, “You, you, you…”

“What about me?”

Mei Shengze wiped his tears, “You’re too much, Tang Jingze! I’m not going to talk to you. I’m suffering! I’m just a frail scholar who spent ten years studying hard to serve the emperor. What’s the point of assigning me to the Ministry of Works? Recently, our Water Department has been overseeing the renovation of the Taiye Pool, and I’m as blind as a bat, clueless, and totally ignorant. Yet, the Director insists on taking me to the palace every day to inspect the Taiye Pool. As a lowly sixth-rank official, I’m terrified every time I enter the palace, trembling with fear. In my eyes, Taiye Pool is just a big pond. What do I know about it?”

Tang Shen thought for a moment and then said, “Would you rather, like me, stay in the Hanlin Academy every day, compiling the Four Books, writing until your wrist aches, living a monotonous life with no end in sight?”

Mei Shengze’s eyes lit up, “Yes!”

Tang Shen: “…”

Tang Shen: “You must be kidding me!”

Mei Shengze looked bewildered.

Mei Shengze envied Tang Shen’s opportunity to compile the Four Books, seeing it as a great task that could be recorded in history and immortalized for centuries. But to Tang Shen, compared to sitting indoors copying and writing books, he’d rather go inspect Taiye Pool in person! More importantly…

Tang Shen’s eyes darkened.

More importantly, entering the imperial palace every day!

Mei Shengze trembled with fear because he couldn’t avoid bumping into important figures, and occasionally, he even ran into the emperor. But what an opportunity this was! Tang Shen sighed inwardly. If you don’t want such a good opportunity, give it to me! I’m still worried I won’t have a chance to show my face in front of the emperor!

In September, after a year of work, the Hanlin Academy finally completed the revision of the Doctrine of the Mean, and Grand Secretary Li personally placed it in the library.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but they didn’t get to rest for long before a new task was assigned.

Writing blessing texts for the emperor’s birthday!

The Hanlin scholars immediately groaned in distress.

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People always think the Hanlin Academy is a leisurely office, probably because whenever someone visits the academy, they see these officials, from second-rank grand secretaries to seventh-rank compilers, either reading or on their way to read.

“They’re so idle that they have nothing to do but read; how can it not be leisurely?”

Seventh-rank Hanlin Academy compiler Tang Shen would spit in your face, “I scoff at that!”

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Tang Shen and Yao San had just entered Qianli Tower when Shopkeeper Xing came forward with a smile and said, “Greetings to the newly appointed tanhua.”

Tang Shen smiled and replied, “Shopkeeper Xing, why are you behaving like those people who come to my house every day to give gifts?”

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“Tang gongzi, you’re extraordinary now. At just sixteen years old, you’ve become a tanhua. Your future is limitless. How could I neglect you? Please don’t tease me,” Shopkeeper Xing said politely. But when he saw that Tang Shen wasn’t arrogant or conceited, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Behind Shopkeeper Xing was the Jing Prince Manor. Tang Shen was set to collaborate with the Jing Prince’s household. Even if Tang Shen had become the zhuangyuan, he wouldn’t dare to show any disrespect before the Jing Prince Residence. However, the person who frequently interacted with Tang Shen wasn’t the Jing Prince or the heir, but him, the shopkeeper! Seeing that Tang Shen was still the same, Shopkeeper Xing felt reassured, thinking that their future cooperation would likely remain unchanged.

He respectfully led Tang Shen to a private room on the fourth floor. As soon as Tang Shen entered, he saw Zhao Qiong already waiting inside.

Zhao Qiong said, “Jing Ze, today we must celebrate your success as tanhua! Here’s a bottle of Monkey Wine that Qianli Pavilion has treasured for years. Let’s drink until we’re drunk!”

Tang Shen cupped his hands and said, “Thank you, Heir.”

The two laughed heartily and chatted over drinks.

After they finished their meal, Shopkeeper Xing personally entered the private room, cleaned the table, and served a pot of steaming Longjing tea.

Tang Shen and Zhao Qiong sipped tea and discussed business.

Tang Shen said, “Heir, as you may know, I’m from Gusu, and the soap business in Gusu is managed by my uncle’s family. In Jinling, it’s handled by the richest family, the Zhengs. Our cooperation with the Zheng family is such that our Tang family workshop produces the soap and other items, which are then shipped directly to Jinling via the Grand Canal.”

Zhao Qiong pondered for a moment and said, “From Gusu to Jinling, the journey isn’t far, and the costs are low. Jing Ze, you should know that Shengjing is different from Jinling—it’s much farther from Gusu!”

Tang Shen nodded, “Yes, the Heir is right, I’m well aware of that. That’s why I’ve had Yao San keep an eye on the workshops in the outskirts of Shengjing since the beginning of the year. Last month, he managed to acquire one. It was originally a distillery, and the workers haven’t been replaced. With some guidance, they can easily transition to soap production.”

Zhao Qiong’s eyes lit up as he understood. “So, you’re planning to set up a soap workshop directly in Shengjing?”

“Exactly.”

Zhao Qiong smiled slightly. “Smart. Jing Ze, try this Mingqian Longjing. It’s an imperial tribute tea, not something ordinary people get to taste.”

Tang Shen didn’t really understand tea, but he had spent a year learning from Liang Song and another year under Wang Zhen’s tutelage. Imitating Wang Zhen’s tea-drinking manner, he gently lifted the tea lid, wafted away the steam, and took a sip.

Tang Shen praised, “It leaves a lingering fragrance in the mouth and is truly unforgettable!”

After Tang Shen left, Zhao Qiong called Shopkeeper Xing in, and the master and servant talked for a while.

The next day, Shopkeeper Xing followed Yao San to the soap workshop in the outskirts of Shengjing, confirming the specific output and delivery times.

Back when Tang Shen refused to set up a soap workshop outside Jinling, he feared that the distance from the imperial court would make it difficult for the Tang family to control, leading to potential losses if the local Zheng family took advantage of them. But now, in the unfathomable Shengjing, Tang Shen chose to establish a workshop directly.

First, he was no longer a mere juren. He relied not only on the Tang family but also on himself, being about to settle in Shengjing as the tanhua, a disciple of Fu Wei, and with Wang Zhen as his senior brother. If anyone dared to seize the workshop, Wang Zhen might not act, but Fu Wei certainly wouldn’t stand by.

Second, Tang Shen’s business partner was the Jing Prince Residence. Anyone who wanted to interfere with the Jing Prince’s business would have to think twice. The only risk Tang Shen had to guard against was from the Jing Prince himself.

“There’s no business without risk!” Tang Shen sighed.

Soap wasn’t a novelty among Shengjing’s wealthy families, but its real customer base was the common folk.

The people of Shengjing had heard of soap, a product from Jiangnan similar to lye. However, it wasn’t until Autumn Hall started selling soap that the citizens realized, “This is far better than lye!”

Tang Shen only conducted business in Gusu, Jinling, and Shengjing.

Each of these three places were wealthier than the last!

By late May, the first batch of soap from the workshop was sold out in half a day.

When Tang Shen took up his post at the Hanlin Academy that evening, he visited Fu Wei at the Fu Residence. As Fu Qin led him to the study, he said, “Tang daren, I heard that the soap sold at Autumn Hall is from your family? It’s really excellent. Yesterday, my mother bought a piece and today she told me it’s gentler on the hands than lye and smells better too.”

Tang Shen smiled, “Your mother bought some too?”

Fu Qin replied, “My mother is the laundry woman here at the residence. Tang daren once gave Mr. Fu a few pieces of soap, but it wasn’t enough. Now that there’s soap for sale in Shengjing, the residence has switched entirely to using it.”

Tang Shen immediately said, “How can the items Mr. Fu uses be bought? I’ll have Feng Bi send a basket of soap each month. Make sure the household takes as much as they need; there’ll be plenty.”

Fu Qin had only mentioned it in passing and hadn’t expected Tang Shen to be so thoughtful. Though it was a small matter, he gratefully said, “Thank you, Tang daren!”

As the capital of the Song Dynasty, Shengjing had a culture that combined the simplicity and robustness of the north with an open and inclusive spirit. People quickly accepted soap, and within a few days, the banks of the mighty Shengjing Canal were filled with women washing clothes with soap!

The workers in the workshop were new to soap making, so Tang Shen temporarily had them produce only original soap, not touching scented soap or essential oils.

In June, the iron tools for essential oil production were brought to the workshop. The workers gathered around the large, dark, iron contraption in amazement as Yao San explained the essential oil production process. As an official of the Hanlin Academy, although it was allowed for officials to engage in commerce in this dynasty, Tang Shen still chose to remain behind the scenes, leaving these matters to Yao San.

Making essential oils is a bit more challenging than making soap. To produce high-quality essential oils, one needs more skill and practice.

Now is the season when all the flowers are in bloom. Back in the spring, Tang Shen had already instructed the workshop staff to collect flower petals. Dried petals are used to make essential oils, but the purity won’t be as high, and the scent won’t be as strong. These oils are considered low-grade and are sold at a lower price. However, come June, with fresh petals from lotus, jasmine, peony, carnation, and other flowers, the essential oils made are high-grade and can be sold at a higher price.

Above these, there are also mixed essential oils made from various flowers.

At the fourth-floor private room in Qianli Tower:

Shopkeeper Xing first sniffed the low-grade essential oil made from dried petals and commented, “Rich and fragrant!”

Then he smelled the essential oil made from fresh petals and remarked, “Fresh and pure!”

Tang Shen took out the mixed essential oil and said, “This is what I call the limited Golden Wisp.”

Shopkeeper Xing immediately took the essential oil with great care. He opened the small lid and gently sniffed it, his expression changing slightly. Then, he closed his eyes and carefully smelled it several more times. Finally, he opened his eyes and gave Tang Shen a wry smile, saying, “Tang gongzi, you truly trouble me. Although Autumn Hall usually only sells jewelry, I am also the shopkeeper of Qianli Tower. While I wouldn’t say my sense of smell is extraordinarily keen, it’s still better than the average person’s. I can tell that your low-grade Golden Wisp, although fragrant, is somewhat inferior to the high-grade one—the difference is there. But as for this limited Golden Wisp, yes, it is a mixture of various floral scents. Perhaps I am dull and lacking in sophistication, but I feel that the mixture doesn’t seem that remarkable, and is there really such a significant difference between it and the high-grade one? Personally, I prefer the lotus-scented Golden Wisp, which is elegant and pleasing!”

Tang Shen smiled and said, “I never claimed that the limited Golden Wisp was better than the high-grade one.”

Shopkeeper Xing looked puzzled and asked, “Then what is this about?”

“Shopkeeper Xing, what is the most expensive dish in your Qianli Tower?”

“Naturally, it’s bear paw and abalone!”

“What makes it expensive?”

“The rarity of the ingredients.”

Tang Shen said, “But I’ve heard that there are two bear paw dishes at Qianli Tower—one is indeed very expensive, while the other is not the priciest. There’s even a vegetarian dish that is more expensive than the latter.”

Shopkeeper Xing replied, “I didn’t expect Tang gongzi to know so much about Qianli Tower. That’s right, we do have a vegetarian dish called ‘East Flowing Green Water.’ It’s made with the first drop of dew collected at dawn, just as the morning sun rises, paired with the season’s freshest eight types of vegetables. They are first blanched, then simmered over low heat, and finally stir-fried. When plated, the dew is released from a small hole into a glass tile below, with the vegetables on top. We only serve eight plates per day, and when they’re gone, they’re gone.” Shopkeeper Xing’s expression turned proud.

Tang Shen asked, “So, it’s basically a stir-fried vegetable dish?”

Shopkeeper Xing hesitated, “Ah, but your words…”

He found himself unable to refute!

Tang Shen continued, “Eight kinds of vegetables, prepared in such a way, can be more expensive than a bear paw. Shopkeeper Xing, who says that something being tasty or something smelling good necessarily makes it more expensive? What people in this world pursue is never the thing itself! The Golden Wisp was never intended to be sold to the common folk. If I were to tell you that this limited Golden Wisp was made from the freshest petals picked every morning, wouldn’t you say it’s precious?”

Shopkeeper Xing replied, “Of course, but Tang gongzi, isn’t that deceitful?”

“I’m just making an analogy. However, the limited Golden Wisp does require more effort to produce than the high-grade version. How to blend these scents without making them unpleasant—just the process of matching these combinations is enough to make one’s head spin. The formula itself is an art!”

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As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Shen suddenly paused, and in the next moment, his eyes lit up. “Shopkeeper Xing, when the Autumn Hall begins selling scented soap and the Golden Wisp during the Qixi Festival, I hope you can do something for me—something I haven’t done before in Gusu or Jinling.”

Shopkeeper Xing immediately straightened up and said, “Please instruct me!”

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