Chapter 29: The Young Lady's Method

Mo Zheng led the horse through a series of winding turns until they arrived at a bustling street. Then, following Yang Luo's directions to "find Fourth Alley," they reached the entrance. Yang Luo dismounted and walked straight inside, appearing to know exactly where she was going.

However, as Mo Zheng followed behind, he felt as though Yang Luo actually had no idea where she was headed, because she kept looking left and right within the alley, occasionally sniffing the air as if searching for a scent.

"You..." Mo Zheng couldn't help but open his mouth to ask.

But Yang Luo stopped in front of a doorway. As if she had discovered something, she waved him off, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.

"Auntie Yang, Auntie Yang!" she called out loudly.

Hearing this, Mo Zheng's eyebrows twitched slightly; Yang Luo was using a capital accent.

He pursed his lips slightly, thinking to himself that she was right—this young lady was indeed quite formidable.

Footsteps sounded from within. A moment later, someone peered through the crack of the door. Yang Luo lowered her stature slightly so the person inside could see her more clearly.

"Auntie Yang, my mother sent me to collect the embroidery patterns. You've finished them, haven't you?" Yang Luo continued.

Perhaps because of her capital accent and the fact that she was a young girl, the person behind the door opened it.

It was a maidservant of about sixteen or seventeen, looking puzzled. "Miss, you must have the wrong place. There is no Auntie Yang here."

Yang Luo widened her eyes. "Is this not the home of Lady Yang, the flower seller?" As she spoke, she peered past the maid into the house. Mo Zheng followed her gaze and saw that while the courtyard was not large, a heavy fragrance of medicinal herbs wafted out from the open door...

The sound of a woman coughing drifted from inside, accompanied by a weak inquiry: "Biyun, who is it?"

The maid, Biyun, turned back. "Miss, it's someone looking for Lady Yang the flower seller. They've come to the wrong door." She then looked at Yang Luo again. "We are not Lady Yang's family."

Yang Luo looked both surprised and bewildered. "The wrong door? Then whose lady are you?"

Biyun answered instinctively, "Our surname is Liu..." but she quickly stopped herself, looking at Yang Luo warily.

Yang Luo didn't look at her, but at the doorframe. "Liu? Not Yang? They said it was in the third alley of Changle Street..."

Biyun realized the mistake and said hurriedly, "Miss, this is Fourth Alley."

Pale with shock, Yang Luo apologized profusely and retreated hastily, then barked at the guard behind her, "How did you lead the way?"

Mo Zheng lowered his head and argued softly, "Miss, you said 'Fourth Alley' at the beginning."

Yang Luo grew even angrier and stamped her foot. "I never said that! You led us the wrong way!" With that, she strode away.

The guard hurriedly followed with his head bowed.

The maid at the door smiled helplessly. Behind her, a young woman emerged from the house, accompanied by coughing. "Biyun, what happened..."

Biyun turned back quickly. "Miss, go back inside and lie down. Someone came to the wrong door, but they've already left. Your illness cannot be exposed to the wind."

As the door closed, the voices of the mistress and maid gradually faded away.

Yang Luo stopped at the entrance of the alley and looked back.

"A-Sheng," she whispered, "remember this house?"

Mo Zheng nodded.

Yang Luo looked at him, pulled a piece of paper from her sleeve, and handed it over. "Find a way to get this from her house and bring it to me."

Mo Zheng didn't take it. He raised an eyebrow. "Miss, you're being a bit too polite. Is that what you call 'getting' it?"

That was called stealing!

Yang Luo forced a smile and whispered, "Listen to my explanation. If we don't take it, this thing will be gone anyway."

*What thing?* Mo Zheng wondered curiously. He took the paper and unfolded it, seeing a sketch of an invitation. It contained praise for the far-reaching reputation of the Zhiyong Academy founded by the Liu clan of Fuzhou, and his eyes finally landed on a specific pattern.

Yang Luo hadn't said what it was, but Mo Zheng recognized it.

It was the Imperial Seal of the Emperor.

This was an imperial invitation, which was equivalent to an imperial decree.

Mo Zheng looked up at Yang Luo.

He understood now. She intended to steal someone's invitation to impersonate them and apply to be a princess's study companion.

Good heavens, was the young lady striving for excellence, or was she simply losing her mind?

...

...

Yang Luo stared at the brush, ink, and paper laid out on the table.

The voice of her cousin, Yang Hui, seemed to ring in her ears.

"Look, look, this is the invitation the Emperor gave me back when I applied to be a study companion."

Back then, she had greatly admired and envied Yang Hui for being a princess's companion, being able to study at the National Academy and enter the imperial palace.

Yang Hui had been more than happy to enjoy that envy, detailing how she had passed the exam, what she had written, and sharing various anecdotes from that time.

"So many people came to take the exam."

"But besides talent and learning, it also depends on one's luck."

"There was a young lady from Fuzhou whose luck was quite poor. She fell ill from the change in climate upon arriving in the capital, which delayed her exam. Even worse, her invitation was gnawed to pieces by a rat."

"She was terrified. Even after she recovered, she didn't dare go home and nearly starved to death hiding in the capital."

"When her family finally found her, they didn't know the truth and thought she had been robbed, kidnapped, or killed. They caused a scene at the National Academy, which alerted His Majesty. Only then was the truth discovered."

"His Majesty even personally examined her scholarship. Her learning was truly excellent, and His Majesty intended to let her be a princess's companion and study at the National Academy, but..."

Yang Hui giggled, with a hint of schadenfreude.

"The Empress wouldn't allow it. She said the girl's horoscope was bad and brought bad luck."

Compared to Miss Liu, Yang Hui's luck had been good; she had secured the imperial invitation before the rats could get to it.

The candlelight flickered. Mo Zheng tapped the table, breaking Yang Luo's reverie.

Yang Luo looked at Mo Zheng's hand; a paper invitation was pressed beneath his fingers.

She reached out, took it, and opened it. Compared to the crude sketch she had drawn from her hazy memory, the real imperial invitation was magnificent and grand.

The dragon pattern was embossed upon it.

"As you suggested, I scattered some paper scraps near the rat hole," Mo Zheng said. "However, those scraps are worlds apart from this invitation. If they notice the difference, there's nothing I can do."

Yang Luo smiled.

Although the hunter boy had looked quite strange when he heard he was being asked to steal—as if she had gone mad—he had still set out at dusk and returned before the curfew, successfully "retrieving" the invitation.

"You've guessed what this is, haven't you?" Yang Luo asked.

The hunter boy could read, likely taught by the old hunter, and she had already told him she intended to apply for the position of the princess's study companion at the National Academy.

Mo Zheng raised an eyebrow. "The qualification for the exam, I assume. Given by the Emperor." He pointed at the invitation. "I saw the bright yellow dragon pattern."

This time, it was Yang Luo's gaze that turned strange. "Then you are quite bold."

Knowing what it was, and yet still daring to actually steal it.

No wonder he could be a bandit leader in Yunling, defying the authorities and seizing cities and government offices...

Was this innate rebelliousness and audacity?

Mo Zheng snorted. "Miss, I am eating your food now, so naturally, I will follow your lead. But if things go wrong, you'll have to handle it yourself; I'll be busy saving my own life."

Yang Luo burst into laughter. She picked up the invitation and looked at the dragon pattern, her smile turning complex. "Don't worry. It's just an invitation. Even if we are caught, it won't be a big deal."

Mo Zheng raised his eyebrows again. Impersonating an identity for an exam, and even stealing an item that was an imperial gift—and she claimed it wouldn't be a big deal? This young lady was even more formidable than he had imagined.

Just what kind of secrets was she hiding?

(End of Chapter)