Chapter 5: Imperial-Gift Persian

Lin Xihe pricked up her ears: That voice… sounded awfully familiar.

From the opposite courtyard, a servant replied, “Second Young Master, it came from behind the inner chamber.”

The man then called toward that direction several times: “Emerald Phoenix, Emerald Phoenix—”

Lin Xihe instantly connected the dots—wasn’t that her cheap husband-to-be from their arranged marriage?

Emerald Phoenix?

Good heavens! So he already had a woman?

The mental image struck her with such force that Lin Xihe inwardly cursed him repeatedly as a “rotten scoundrel.”

In the Wen family courtyard, two servants raised their lanterns high. Under the hazy light, Wen Zhixu stood on the zigzag bridge in thin garments, leaning over to peer into the pond.

Splash—a fish suddenly flicked its tail, shattering the reflected light on the water’s surface.

Lin Xihe held her breath as well, her hands gripping the rockery’s edge tightly, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on Wen Zhixu.

“Emerald Phoenix,” Wen Zhixu called softly.

Dark shadows loomed at the bottom of the pond, as if concealing something ominous. A terrible thought emerged: Had his meticulously cared-for songbird fallen victim to a wild cat, struggling before plunging into the water?

A sudden sense of being watched inexplicably washed over Wen Zhixu. He abruptly looked up—

His gaze pierced through the night, leaping directly toward the rockery behind the Lin residence.

Lin Xihe instantly froze solid.

In the prolonged silence, the feeling of being caught red-handed grew wildly.

Before her brain could even react, a meow had already escaped her throat: “Meow…”

Sure enough, Wen Zhixu glanced toward the rockery. So it was just a wild cat.

He scoffed, “Shoo, go caterwaul somewhere else.”

Lin Xihe thought: You’re the one caterwauling! Roaming the courtyard shouting a woman’s name in the middle of the night like a lost soul.

Wen Ba suggested, “Second Young Master, tomorrow I’ll gather some manggcao and mix it with the fish fry—”

Wen Zhixu frowned, “For what? To poison the wild cats?”

Seeing Wen Ba nod, Wen Zhixu immediately snatched the lantern and rapped the back of his head with the handle, scolding, “How dare you!”

Wen Ba grimaced, not daring to cry out in pain.

“Peng Guinian once wrote: ‘My heart rejects thee not, for all beings share one breath.’ Do you understand its profound meaning?”

Wen Ba was utterly confused, but understood one thing clearly: he had angered the Second Young Master.

Wen Zhixu’s expression softened slightly, “Tomorrow, bring Mo Hu here. Let him stay for a few days to scare away the wild cats.”

Standing on the other side, Wen Qi carefully observed his master’s expression and hurriedly responded, “Yes.”

Wen Ba’s pupils shook with disbelief—this was the Second Young Master’s brilliant plan to drive away wild cats?!

Tap—a falling fruit hit Lin Xihe’s back. Afraid Wen Zhixu might notice, she instinctively ducked her head into a rockery crevice without thinking.

Fortunately, Wen Zhixu didn’t linger. His sleeves brushed over dew-tipped grass blades, carrying away a wisp of night’s chill. The white-clad figure gradually faded into the distance.

Confirming Wen Zhixu was gone, Lin Xihe let out a long sigh of relief. The furry little creature in her arms wriggled slightly. She looked down and chuckled softly, “Good, keep sleeping. I’ll buy you a new cage when day breaks.”

This gave her an excuse to leave the residence and wander around.

The newcomer curled into a ball and fell into a deep, comfortable sleep.

“Young Lady, please come down quickly.” Qingwu had been waiting below the rockery for some time.

“Coming!” Lin Xihe called back, but her body abruptly stilled—she was firmly stuck in the rockery crevice, unable to move.

Oh no, her head was stuck.

On her first day of transmigration, she was alive, but about to face social death in ancient society.

The Lin residence instantly descended into chaos.

The Lin family, who had long since retired for the night, were hastily awakened by servants. In moments, the rockery was surrounded by a crowd of disheveled ancient figures with messy hair and loose attire.

Lin Zhaoheng pushed through the crowd, squeezing to the front, and cried out, “Don’t be afraid, He’er! Your father is here to save you!”

Min Shi arrived at the Listening Lotus Pavilion with her two children, only to be stopped at the door by the manor guards.

Her face turned stern: “How dare you block even me?”

The guard lowered his gaze, maintaining a respectful expression: “The master has given orders—no one is allowed inside.”

“Be gentle! Mind her neck!” Lin Zhaoheng’s shouts came from within the courtyard.

Hearing this, Min Shi felt a surge of resentment: “Why is he allowed inside?”

The guard at the door replied quietly, “Second Madam, the master is the young lady’s biological father.”

“Then I am her…” Min Shi trailed off and closed her mouth. What was her status? A concubine—how could she have the face to act as her mother?

At this thought, a cold smile curled her lips. The first wife had been the legitimate one, but alas, she had long been schemed out of the Lin Manor’s gates.

“Mother! Lin Xihe has lured my father away!” Lin Zhirou stirred trouble.

“Shut your mouth,” Min Shi snapped, her expression truly grim. She had burned incense and prayed day and night, hoping for Lin Xihe’s early demise, yet the girl’s fate proved stubbornly resilient.

If she had known earlier, she might as well have begged the Buddha to keep Lin Xihe a fool for life!

Lin Pinyan, drowsy and bored, perked up at the commotion and ordered his servant, “Quick, fetch ink and brush—I must sketch this for Second Brother. Haha, his future wife…”

“I am the one who will be Zhixu’s wife!” Lin Zhirou stamped her feet repeatedly, the green stone slabs thudding under her stomps.

Min Shi felt an inexplicable headache—were these troublemakers not making things chaotic enough?

.

The matron placed a cloth under Lin Xihe’s chin while Qingwu tried to pull her head free.

“Hiss…” Lin Xihe clenched her teeth, a fine sweat beading on her forehead. She had lost all face.

She hadn’t traveled to ancient times to enjoy life—she was here to suffer! And it was all that Wen scoundrel’s fault!

“Master, it’s stuck too tight—we truly can’t pull it out,” the crowd reported helplessly.

In his panic, Lin Zhaoheng abandoned all reason: “Quick, fetch a hammer! Smash this wretched stone!”

But the steward interjected, “Master, the hammers in our manor may not suffice. The Wen Country Duke Manor has larger ones.”

“Then go borrow one at once!”

Lin Xihe closed her eyes, and Wen Zhixu’s mocking face flooded her mind. Her legs had long gone weak, but her mouth remained defiant: “Absolutely not! No borrowing allowed!”

Suddenly, she recalled a news story she had once seen: a mischievous child got his head stuck in a child’s toilet and had to carry the toilet to the fire station for help. Back then, she had laughed until she slapped her thighs. Now, it seemed karma had come full circle—heaven spares no one.

What a fitting instant retribution!

Tree shadows swayed, and the night breeze carried a pungent smell of scorching.

In the distance, flames erupted from one wing of the estate, thick smoke entwined with fiery tongues tearing through the night.

“A fire…?” She stared blankly at the blaze, feeling as if she had stumbled onto the wrong movie set.

This was no script for an ancient harem struggle—it was a full-blown apocalyptic disaster film!

.

“Fire! Fire!”

“Notify the firefighting soldiers at once!”

“Protect the Second Young Master!”

Wen Zhixu had intended to return to his study to rescue his calligraphy and paintings, but two loyal servants flanked him, lifting him without a word and evacuating. Mo Hu barked lowly as he led the way, and the master-servant trio hurried along until they stepped into the Hidden Spring Pavilion’s gate, finally steadying themselves.

“Second Young Master, are you all right?” Wen Ba asked, still shaken.

Wen Zhixu spoke with a cool tone, “If you had run any slower, the fire would have likely put itself out.”

“…”

The source of the fire was the outer chamber of Wen Zhixu’s bathhouse. The servants reacted swiftly, grabbing the leftover bathwater to control the blaze immediately.

However, the wooden structures were densely connected, and flames leaped to a corner of the main hall, charring the beams. The steward and servants, arriving one after another, worked together to extinguish the fire.

Wen Zhixu frowned deeply, gazing at the lingering smoke as he tried to step closer for a clearer look. But as soon as he lifted his foot, Mo Hu tugged at the hem of his outer robe, whimpering and insistently pulling him toward the depths of the courtyard.

“Mo Hu, stop fooling around,” he chided lightly, yet his footsteps followed his beloved dog.

The dog led its master to the wall marking the boundary between the two estates and suddenly halted, lifting its head to bark fiercely toward the other side. No matter how Wen Zhixu tried to soothe it, Mo Hu continued its frantic barking.

On the other side of the wall, the Lin residence was more chaotic than usual.

Wen Zhixu followed the noise and looked toward the neighboring eyesore of a rockery, where something seemed amiss. He quickly retreated to the stone table by the bridge, leaped onto it, and raised his gaze.

High up on the rockery, a small opening came into view—and there, tightly wedged inside, was a human head.

Below, a maid raised a lantern, its candlelight instantly illuminating a pair of dark, intense eyes.

Their gazes sliced across the top of the wall.

When Lin Xihe was surrounded by her family’s servants, she could still feign composure, imagining herself as a monkey on display at the zoo, clocking in for work and forcing a professional smile for the visitors.

But Wen Zhixu was different—the moment he glanced in her direction, a faint smile tugged at his lips. Lin Xihe instantly felt as if she had clocked out from monkey mountain only to be dragged straight to the execution ground—transforming from a government-employed little monkey into a prisoner facing public humiliation.

“What are you looking at…” Lin Xihe was on the verge of tears.

“The sledgehammer is here!” The steward panted, hauling an astonishingly heavy hammer. Using it to break open the rockery was sheer overkill.

Lin Xihe’s face flushed hot with embarrassment. Stiffening her neck, she desperately tried to catch a glimpse of the hammer from the corner of her eye.

Just then, Wen Zhixu casually remarked, “Miss Lin, you must be extremely careful. One strike from that hammer, and I fear your brains will splatter everywhere.”

No sooner had he spoken than Lin Xihe’s knees buckled, her center of gravity plummeting. Qingwu, steeling herself, seized the moment to yank her mistress’s head backward.

She was saved.

The Lin estate erupted into commotion once more.

Wen Zhixu nimbly hopped down from the stone table and said to Mo Hu, “See? Her brains are intact. I’m her savior, aren’t I?”

Mo Hu looked up blankly, its doggy eyes filled with pure foolishness.

Wen Zhixu flicked its forehead with his finger. “Silly dog, say something.”

Mo Hu: “Woof!”

.

Lin Xihe was helped back to her room.

Qingwu held a jar of ointment, cautiously advising, “Miss, this medicine needs to be applied to your face.”

In an era with limited medical resources, this was the most effective ointment for cleaning wounds.

Lin Xihe studied her blackened face in the bronze mirror and sighed inwardly, resigning herself to treating it as a seaweed mud mask.

An old woman brought a used birdcage, and Lin Xihe gently placed the sparrow inside. The bird turned its neck, inspecting its new territory.

“A temporary villa—looks like rosewood. Are you satisfied?” Lin Xihe earnestly sought its opinion.

The sparrow, playing along, let out a “caw,” though its voice was hoarse and grating.

Thus began a cross-species conversation.

“Is ancient times fun?”

“Fun… caw.”

“You can talk? You’re not a crow?” Lin Xihe’s face, smeared with medicinal paste, pressed close to the birdcage. For a moment, it was hard to tell whether her complexion was darker or the bird’s feathers blacker.

“Gah.”

“Never mind, I’ll accept it even if you really are a crow.”

“After transmigrating here, my father turned out to be a high official who treats me quite well. But I just can’t seem to adjust completely.”

Lin Xihe’s fingers traced the birdcage as she found her confidant: “What about you? Who’s your father?”

“Wen… gah gah.”

“What?” Lin Xihe leaned her ear closer.

The caged bird clamped its beak shut, unwilling to speak further. Talking like humans was too exhausting for birds.

“I should give you a fashionable foreign name.” Lin Xihe examined the small, jet-black creature. “You’re so dark, I’ll call you Black.”

“Gah?” It tilted its head, the cry full of confusion.

“Hmm? Don’t like how it sounds?” Lin Xihe blinked. “This is the most fashionable name in my world!”

The bird flapped its wings, sending several downy feathers flying out of the cage. Lin Xihe dodged sideways, avoiding its protest.

“How about Bu Bu as a nickname? Will that do, Mr. Black?”

“Gah!” I’m female, female!

.

The fire at Wen Zhixu’s residence had alarmed Wen Hongyuan. The old master decreed that the entire household should immediately arrange for his relocation. Wen Zhixu found himself unsettled by all the commotion. Though the Wen estate had numerous courtyards, his grandfather insisted he move into his own compound.

Staying under grandfather’s watchful eye – how was that any different from being thrown into the Ministry of Justice prison?

Wen Zhixu sighed to the heavens: “I’d rather move to mother’s place for some peace.”

Since his father and eldest brother had passed away one after another, and his mother had moved out of the Wen estate overwhelmed by grief, Hidden Spring Pavilion had remained exactly as she left it.

“Very well. The residence needs repairs after the fire, so you may stay there temporarily.” Wen Hongyuan’s tone softened. “Your mother… how has she been lately?”

“I’ll visit her tomorrow.”

“That’s fine.”

He slept fitfully through the night, Wen Zhixu falling into a bizarre and fantastical dream. The dream was crowded with people of different skin tones – black, white, and yellow all mixed together.

A figure resembling a Black Impermanence approached him, baring huge white teeth while jabbering at him in some unfamiliar language.

“Tsk tsk tsk… Bu—La—Ke, learned it yet?” A clear young girl’s voice pierced through the dream.

Wen Zhixu’s eyes snapped open, meeting a pair of distinct black-and-white eyes in the darkness.

His heart jolted, and he grabbed the jade pillow beside him, swinging it toward the figure.

Wen Ba, who had only recently begun his service, encountered his master’s strike but bit his lower lip, not daring to cry out in pain.

“Second Young Master, Wen Qi said you rise at mao hour.”

Wen Zhixu once again felt the urge to send this boy away from the estate. He had only closed his eyes at yin hour – how could he possibly rise at mao hour?

Throwing on his morning robe, he stepped into the courtyard with a dark expression.

The courtyard was lush with plants and trees, and among every cluster of flowers and shadow of trees floated the memory of his mother trimming plants in days past.

He lingered in the remembered scene, where spring grass spread around his feet like a green carpet extending all the way to the courtyard wall.

Hidden Spring Pavilion’s flowing water was drawn from mountain springs. Several plump koi fish swayed their tails in the pond while Mo Hu lay beside the zigzag bridge, extending a paw to play with the fish.

Suddenly, Mo Hu retracted his paw, ears alert and perked up—

“Just call it Bu Bu!”

“Miss, I want to learn too. Don’t you know Persian?”

“This is called English.” The girl’s voice was clearer than a mountain spring. “Ah, never mind, if you say it’s Persian then it’s Persian. Anyway, you don’t need to take the CET-4. Come, repeat after me—Black~”

“Bla-ck.”

“Very good, black means dark.”

“I’ve remembered, it’s the same color as the herbal medicine on your face. Let me apply the medicine for you. This medicinal paste needs to be applied three times a day, for half an incense stick’s time each session. It must be applied continuously for seven days to take effect.”

“Use less of it, or I’ll soon look like an African.”

“A-fri-can… person?”

“Yes, their complexion rivals black charcoal, with snow-white teeth.”

The conversation between the Lin Manor’s mistress and servant clearly drifted over. Wen Zhixu recalled the absurd dream from last night—the “green-faced, fanged demon” that appeared in his dream eerily matched the girl’s description.

From beyond the courtyard wall came the girl’s soft gasp: “Hiss… it hurts so much.”

That little face stuck between the rocks once again floated through his mind. After her head was pulled out by the maid, she must have scraped her neck and cheeks.

He remembered the jar of Jinchuang Yuzhi Powder in his medicine case. It was made from pearl powder blended with several mild herbs, particularly suitable for a young lady’s delicate skin.

“Wen Qi,” he turned and instructed, “go fetch the Jinchuang Yuzhi Powder and deliver it to the Lin Manor.”

Wen Qi was momentarily stunned upon hearing this—that was Imperial-Gift medicine!

“Don’t say it came from me.”

“…” Wen Qi was momentarily speechless.

In this entire Shengjing City, aside from the Wen Country Duke Manor, which household could possibly use imperial palace medicine?