Grape Wine & "What I Want..."

"Once we open our doors, we're packed. Whether you want this year's new brew or a hundred-year vintage, if you need it, you'll find it here at Zhao's Wine Shop."

Seeing his confident manner, Zhou Yao found herself intrigued. "Oh? Is that so?"

"Of course!" He laughed heartily. "I've been fortunate to earn the patronage of the lords, and they've entrusted me with full charge of this shop. Why, even some of the medicinal wines sent to the palace in past years came from my hands."

"In that case, give me a tael of each to sample." Zhou Yao produced a gold ingot from her sleeve and handed it to the shopkeeper.

He pocketed it in a flash and grinned. "Right away!"

With practiced speed, the shopkeeper strode behind the counter, unsealed a jar of wine, and set a bowl before Zhou Yao in no time at all.

Zhou Yao eyed the unwieldy serving, doubt creeping into her voice. "This... are you certain this is a tael? It hasn't even been weighed."

The shopkeeper waved a hand, his smile fading into a serious look. "No need. If it's even a hair short, I'll not only take no money—I'll give you the whole jar behind me for free."

"Really?" she asked, curious.

She lifted the bowl. Cracks and chips marked its rim, and the glaze had long since faded beyond recognition of any original pattern—much like the shop itself, which appeared utterly unremarkable from the outside. Taking a sip, she found that even the shabby vessel couldn't diminish the clear, fragrant wine within, nor the steady stream of customers it drew.

"I swear it. I've sold wine my whole life and never once shorted a customer. If you don't believe me, miss, I can weigh it for you right now."

She waved him off. "No need. I believe you."

Over the following stretch, Zhou Yao sampled the rest of the varieties, while the shopkeeper attended to a steady flow of customers—each one singing the wine's praises.

Only when the crowd thinned to a few tables did Zhou Yao present the deed she'd received from Chen Wenhua to the shopkeeper.

"I'm the new owner of this shop. From today onward, this establishment is under my management. I imagine Chen Wenhua's people already informed you."

The shopkeeper's hand, which had been wiping the counter, slowly stilled. He froze in place. "Oh my... so you're the new owner! My apologies, my apologies. How could I have taken your money just now?"

He moved to return the gold ingot, but Zhou Yao refused. "No need. Consider it yours."

"The wine is excellent, but there's still one thing missing." Zhou Yao smiled at the bewildered shopkeeper. "One more variety."

"Missing a variety?" He shook his head, his tone absolute. "Impossible. Every kind of wine in all of Chang'an is here."

"And what if I told you the one I want isn't found anywhere in Chang'an? What would you say then?" Zhou Yao picked up the worn wine bowl from the counter. "And things like this, old as they are, ought to be replaced."

"You mean..." The shopkeeper still didn't follow.

"Add grape wine." Her fingers tapped lightly on the counter twice. "I'll supply the grapes, and you bring the brewing skill. How about it?"

"Grape wine? I've never heard of such a thing!" The shopkeeper seemed taken aback, but Zhou Yao paid it little mind.

*Never heard of it?* she mused. Of course—grapes were tributes meant solely for her father the emperor; commoners rarely ever saw them.

"After noon, break through that back wall and have masons build a moon gate to connect Golden Curtain Terrace with the wine shop. From now on, I'll set aside a space for you to brew and produce there."

Zhou Yao noticed that ever since the shopkeeper learned the deed was in her hands, he wore an air of distraction, whether consciously or not.

Putting herself in his shoes, she understood his worry that his authority and monthly earnings might be whittled away.

"The shop remains under your management, just as it was under the Zhao family. But from now on, the grape wine you make will be exclusively for Golden Curtain Terrace." Seeing the complicated look on his face, she continued, "Your skill is genuinely impressive. I don't bury talent. If this succeeds, your pay will be doubled."

With his concerns laid bare, the shopkeeper offered no further resistance and accepted with a cheerful bow. "Thank you, benefactor!"

"Deliver the shop's ledgers to Golden Curtain Terrace by tomorrow. Carry on."

After stepping out, Zhou Yao didn't rest. She headed straight to the black market in search of fruit vendors selling grapes. If she remembered correctly, she'd seen some when she first returned to Chang'an.

After several fruitless laps, she stopped to think carefully.

This was a reminder: if she wanted to brew grape wine, relying on the trickle of grapes shipped from the Western Regions to Chang'an would never be enough.

If she planted grape seeds directly in Chang'an and brewed once they bore fruit, she wouldn't just solve the shortage—she'd open up an entirely new stream of profit.

However she looked at it, it was a fantastic deal!

"Miss, miss." Someone called out softly from nearby. "Over here! Come over here!"

Zhou Yao turned toward the voice—but saw no one. Before she could look elsewhere, a hand tapped her shoulder from behind.

"Hey! I'm right here!" It was a woman dressed in the typical style of a Western Regions trader, her deep brown robe unable to hide her lively, outgoing nature.

"I saw you just now—looking to buy something? Perfume, powders, glass ornaments, guava, gold and jade—I've got it all. Buy from me, and I'll give you a discount! I've traveled far and wide; I know everyone in this area." She thumped her chest in confident assurance.

Zhou Yao liked girls who made their own way in the world, and she was happy enough to throw a little business their way.

"Fine. But I need fresh grapes in bulk. Can you bring them from the Western Regions to Chang'an?"

"Fresh grapes?" The woman frowned, troubled. "In bulk?" She shook her head. "I only have a cart's worth. Any more than that would be difficult. Most would spoil in transit—and with large shipments of fruit, you can barely even get through the city gates."

Hearing this, Zhou Yao's hopes deflated. It seemed her plan for grape wine was dead before it even started.

"But I do have raisins and grape seeds." The woman unhooked several pouches from her belt and drew out a pale green one. "I left in a hurry today, so I only brought a bit—take a look."

She pressed the seeds into Zhou Yao's palm. "These are the finest quality seeds. Apart from what's reserved for the palace, this is all that's left."

Zhou Yao examined the plump seeds. Sure enough, they were top-grade—no swindling there.

"Good. I'll take all the seeds you have, plus those fresh grapes. Have them delivered to Golden Curtain Terrace." Zhou Yao slipped the seeds into her sleeve and took out a pouch. "Count it up—how much gold? I'll pay a third as deposit now, and the rest once the goods arrive at Golden Curtain Terrace."

"So you're from Golden Curtain Terrace! My apologies! My name is Feng Ling." She clasped her hands and gave a bow in the Central Plains style. "Golden Curtain Terrace has made quite a name for itself in Chang'an lately. Word has it the glassware replicated there rivals that of the Western Regions. Would I be able to take a look?"

"You flatter me—that's just what people say. Compared to true Western Regions craftsmanship, it doesn't hold a candle."

"Since fate has brought us together, I'll waive the cost of these seeds. The rest comes to fifty taels."

Zhou Yao counted the gold in her pouch, then after a moment's thought, unfastened the double-linked lotus pendant from her belt and handed it to Feng Ling. "Miss Feng, take this. When you come to Golden Curtain Terrace, the staff there will exchange it for coin."

Feng Ling took the jade, examining it this way and that. "Now that's generous—this pendant must be worth a thousand taels of gold! Aren't you afraid I'll just run off with it?"

Her comment drew a laugh from Zhou Yao. "Not at all. Come to Golden Curtain Terrace tomorrow."

"Deal!" Feng Ling tossed the pendant in the air and caught it neatly. "You're a straightforward one. If you run into any trouble growing those grapes, come find me—I'll teach you."

By the time Zhou Yao returned to Golden Curtain Terrace, the moon gate connecting the wine shop had taken its initial shape, with final details left to the masons. As she headed to the front hall to check on the latest glass orders, Su'er—still shaken from the day before—found her.

Head bowed, Su'er dropped to her knees the moment she saw Zhou Yao, timidly confessing, "Benefactor, it's all my fault. I brought so much trouble to you and Golden Curtain Terrace, and had the soldiers surround the place." Chewing her lip, she went on, "Today I've come to take my leave. I can't keep dragging you and everyone else down."

She kowtowed. "Thank you for taking me in. Only now do I truly understand the debt we sisters from Qingyun Terrace owe you. It's just a pity I have no way to repay—"

"The ground's cold—stop talking like that. None of it matters." Zhou Yao cut her off and helped her to her feet. "You rendered great service yesterday. Go to Cui Wei and register for your reward."

"I've had your household registration documents prepared and sent to your room. Tell Cui Wei whatever you fancy, and she'll give you some money to buy clothes and jewelry. And if you'd like, you can blend incense with the other sisters here—I've heard you have a gift for it." Zhou Yao gave her a warm smile. "Let me see it sometime?"

Su'er's eyes welled up, and for a long moment she couldn't speak.

"There, there—don't cry, or you'll ruin your makeup." Zhou Yao took out a handkerchief and dabbed at Su'er's tears.

"Thank you, benefactor. I swear I'll devote myself to helping you achieve your goals!" She moved to kowtow again, but Zhou Yao stopped her.

"Enough, enough. Freshen up and claim your reward. I'll give you two days off to buy whatever you like." Zhou Yao smoothed Su'er's disheveled hair. "Go on, now."

"My lady! My lady, something terrible's happened!" Cui Wei came running up, breathless. "Nine Kilns... something's happened at Nine Kilns!"

"Calm down. Tell me slowly."

"I went to Nine Kilns this morning as you instructed. They were all resting as you'd ordered, but when I came back through the rear grove—the workers at Nine Kilns, they were all dead... the ground... the ground was littered with bodies!"

Cui Wei looked unwell, clearly shaken—unaccustomed to seeing corpses.

"Su'er, you're off today. Why don't you take Cui Wei along, stroll the streets, and clear your head?"

Su'er agreed at once and led the frightened Cui Wei to the back courtyard, leaving Zhou Yao alone.

*All dead?* she thought. Who would dare make such a commotion in broad daylight?

By the time she arrived at Nine Kilns, the bodies Cui Wei described had vanished—even the bloodstains wiped clean. Zhou Yao checked the surrounding rooms thoroughly, and only when she was certain the place was empty did she sit on the lacquered bench in the courtyard.

Clean work like this smelled of Qi Yanhan's methods. But she couldn't fathom why he'd move against his own contracted servants. The disrespect those workers had shown her had only happened yesterday; word couldn't have reached the Qi Manor that fast. And with Nine Kilns already shorthanded, now wasn't the opportune moment—though a little later, and he'd have saved her the trouble.

The only thing Zhou Yao truly minded was that she'd have to find new workers for Nine Kilns. Anyone without experience in porcelain would have to be trained from scratch—a wearisome prospect.

Zhou Yao was about to leave when a pebble skittered across the ground behind her. She turned toward the sound, but before she could make anything out, a flurry of footsteps receded into the distance.

She gave chase, hurling a shard of porcelain at the fleeing figure. It merely grazed his calf.

"Stop!" Seeing his back, Zhou Yao had a suspicion as to who he was—likely a straggler who'd escaped the massacre at Nine Kilns.

But a single shout wouldn't make a runner stop.

"If you stop now, you just might keep your life. Keep running..." She looked again, but he'd already limped away on his wounded leg, disappearing somewhere out of sight.

————————

Per the original plan, delivery was slated for mid-October. But with manpower now critically short, Zhou Yao had no choice but to suspend new glass orders at Golden Curtain Terrace.

Following the Western Regions trader's instructions, she planted the grape seeds in Golden Curtain Terrace's courtyard, leaving the watering and fertilizing to those living there.

Day after day, Zhou Yao resumed her repetitive routine—mixing clay, firing glassware.

After about fifteen days of curing, she opened the kiln and removed the finished pieces one by one. These were sorted, screened, and divided according to the quantities on the order list before they were considered complete.

This time, she'd also made a few extra strings of glass beads and glass cups, all packed into the wooden crates destined for Golden Curtain Terrace. The beads could be sold at a slight discount to loyal customers.

To maximize profit, Zhou Yao sorted the beads by color and imposed limits on both time and quantity. To collect the full spectrum, one would have to visit Golden Curtain Terrace for six months straight. As long as she could keep the glass flowing, the gold would follow in endless streams.

The glass cups were prepared in advance for the future sale of grape wine and summer beverages at Golden Curtain Terrace.

A few days earlier, Zhou Yao had asked Su'er to fill in for Cui Wei. Now, nearly half of Golden Curtain Terrace's guards had been reassigned to Nine Kilns.

"Su'er, post some notices over the next few days. Golden Curtain Terrace and Nine Kilns are hiring—three strings of coins per person per month, room and board included. Also, take some people to the slave market and buy a few servants." Zhou Yao frowned over the mountain of affairs at both establishments, feeling stretched thin.

"Golden Curtain Terrace—the sisters and I can manage it all. Rest easy. The grape seeds you had us plant have already sprouted, and Miss Xun's fresh grapes have arrived. When would you like to go and taste them, my lady?"

Su'er reported everything, but at the word 'taste,' Zhou Yao shook her head. "These grapes aren't for eating directly."

She didn't explain her plan, simply loading ornately wrapped wooden boxes onto the cart. "These are orders Golden Curtain Terrace already accepted. I've logged them all. Tomorrow morning, have the guards deliver them to the lords' residences one by one."

"Delivery duty is entirely voluntary. Whoever manages to deliver a glass bowl intact to a lord's home gets a reward according to merit—one tael of gold per bowl. If one breaks, there's no reward and no penalty, and no need to compensate. Spread the word after noon."

Su'er held a tray of glass bracelets and curtsied, asking, "My lady, with rewards this generous, could some of the sisters from Qingyun Terrace join in if they'd like?"

"If they want to, they're welcome to—but mind your safety, and bring extra hands." Zhou Yao thought for a moment, then reminded Su'er, "Now that you're part of Golden Curtain Terrace, there's no need to mention Qingyun Terrace anymore."

"Yes..." Su'er bowed her head.

After delegating the tasks, Zhou Yao hurried back to Golden Curtain Terrace. The front hall was crammed with customers streaming in to buy glassware. Word must have gotten around somehow—today's crowd was two or three times larger than usual.

Though they could still manage, with Nine Kilns short-staffed, Zhou Yao closed the order book early and sent the customers home.

The display pieces that had sat on the table the day before had been shattered by a junior member of the Zhao family. All that remained at Golden Curtain Terrace now were the golden curtains woven from gold and mulberry silk, and the thin panes of glass by the windows.

The generous rewards soon converted into the final payments on outstanding orders. Within days, chests of gold were carried into Golden Curtain Terrace by the servants.

Zhou Yao distributed a small portion of gold flakes to the delivery boys and maids, allocated five taels for Su'er to purchase help, and sent a proportionate share to Qi Yanhan's residence. Only then did she have leisure to attend to the ledgers.

To her surprise, quite a sum had accumulated in her absence. Her sense of security rested almost entirely on what the literati called 'worldly possessions.'

At present, her only monthly expense of note was repairs for Beagle's mischief; the servants' upkeep was modest.

Zhou Yao went to the storeroom, where the sweet fragrance of grapes greeted her at the door. She took in the seven large crates of grapes and called in several people to haul them to the well.

Everyone spent hours washing the grapes clean, then let the crystal droplets on each surface dry in the sun.

Passing through the newly built moon gate, Zhou Yao went straight to Zhao's Wine Shop to borrow a few earthenware jars for brewing.

Zhao's Wine Shop also sold fruit wines, so the equipment and steps for making them were readily available. Zhou Yao borrowed the tools and asked the shopkeeper for the method, then followed suit to make her own grape wine.

First, she removed any rotten or split grapes, then placed the intact ones into the jars. Using a heavy wooden stick, she repeatedly crushed and mashed them. That done, she sealed the jars and had servants store them in the cool cellar to prevent spoilage.

For the next seven days, Zhou Yao descended into the cellar at the same hour each day, unsealing the lids and pressing the floating grape skins back down, adding honey each time.

Once the grapes had fully fermented, she strained the juice through fine gauze, pressed the solids thoroughly, and re-sealed the jars. The method stated that after settling for twenty-one days, the wine would be ready to open.

All told, seven more days went into the wine. Before Zhou Yao could straighten her back, wipe the sweat from her brow, and catch her breath, a new servant came running up in a panic.

"Princess, there's trouble at the front hall!" The servant pointed urgently. "This morning, a group came causing a ruckus at the door. The staff didn't think much of it at first—figured they were beggars and sent them off."

"But then—they started shouting that the glassware you sold them wasn't what was promised!" He gestured. "They've been making a scene for a good while now. Miss Cui Wei thought she could handle it on her own and didn't want to bother you, but... they just wouldn't let it go."

"They're still at the door right now, demanding we call the authorities and have them settle the matter."

"They came in force, my lady. If this drags on, our business will be ruined!" The servant's face was creased with worry—no sign of deception.

Zhou Yao lowered her gaze in thought. Golden Curtain Terrace was riding high lately, and it was certainly had no shortage of jealous eyes. But she had never sought to make enemies.

Only a few days ago, she'd personally inspected every piece of glass before it went into the crates. There was no way the quality was genuinely flawed. So who was targeting her this time?

Truth or falsehood—a single inspection would reveal all.

She suddenly remembered that every glass bowl that passed through her hands bore a small mark on its base, unique to Golden Curtain Terrace. If they'd just show the bowl, she could examine it carefully and prove her innocence!

"Let's go—front hall." Zhou Yao washed her hands, dried them carelessly on her robes, and followed the servant out.

Even before she reached them, she could hear the accuser wailing: "Golden Curtain Terrace is a heartless shop! High prices are one thing, long waits are another—but now even the first batch of glass bowls is this shoddy? If the prices keep climbing and the quality keeps dropping, what are we supposed to do?!"

"This kind of swindling shop ought to be shut down!" The man at the head raised his fist to the onlookers. "Golden Curtain Terrace should give us back our hard-earned money!"

As Zhou Yao drew closer, she could easily read the hesitation on the crowd's faces.

Murmurs rippled through them. One man countered, "My master bought glassware here just days ago. I saw how pleased he was—the quality was excellent! Crystal clear, dazzling with light. What exactly is the problem?"

"That's easy for you to say! What glass isn't crystal clear?" The troublemaker scoffed disdainfully. "And anyway, you're just a servant! Standing that far away, how would you know anything about the quality?"

"Well..."

His rebuttal silenced even those willing to speak up for fairness—as if deliberately orchestrated.

Zhou Yao quickly grasped the situation and stepped forward, raising her voice. "Young master, since you claim the glass bowls from Golden Curtain Terrace are defective, it's only right that I handle this matter personally."

"Every glass bowl is made by my hand, so the quality is for me to determine." Her calm, unhurried demeanor seemed to nettle the man.

"Hah! A woman like you, making glass bowls? Do you take me for a three-year-old?" He turned his head with a huff. "Get your shopkeeper out here to talk to me directly—otherwise, hmph, there's nothing to discuss!"

His haughty bearing suggested he was certain they couldn't produce evidence and that compensation was all but guaranteed.

"I am the owner of Golden Curtain Terrace. Speak with me directly." Zhou Yao fixed her gaze on him. "It seems the earlier incident with the Zhao family taught you nothing. That's my fault—I was too soft-hearted."

"The owner of Golden Curtain Terrace is a woman!"

"You claim my glass bowls are defective—so why is it that in all this time, I haven't seen a single one of these so-called 'shoddy pieces'?" She pressed on. "If you truly believe the quality is faulty, produce it on the spot. Once I confirm it's indeed from Golden Curtain Terrace, I'll compensate you tenfold."

"Then you'd have all the evidence you need to take me to court."

The moment Zhou Yao finished, the troublemaker produced the shattered fragments of a glass bowl. From a distance, judging by appearance alone, it did look like one of hers.

For a heartbeat, Zhou Yao's confidence wavered...

"Well?" The man smirked, his gaze provocative. "Take a look. Is this your Golden Curtain Terrace glassware or not?" His brows arched. "Selling shoddy glass on the street—that's outright fraud! I don't need your two coppers. What I want is for Golden Curtain Terrace to be shut down!"

Zhou Yao nodded, accepting his outrageous demand. She trusted not only her staff but also her own craftsmanship.

"Since everyone is here, let you all be my witness." She signalled to a maid, who immediately understood and fetched a spare glass bowl from the storeroom.

When the maid returned, Zhou Yao held the bowl up, showing the unique mark on its base to the crowd. "Every piece of glass that leaves Golden Curtain Terrace—regardless of size or price—bears this little dog emblem in one form or another."

"Feel free to pass this around and inspect it. Unless you deliberately smash it, everyday use won't cause any problems."

She was about to have the maid bring the bowl into the crowd when the accuser retorted.

"So you say these bowls are from Golden Curtain Terrace—but how do you prove that what you sold me is the same quality as the one in your hand?" He pressed on. "What if you show off fine pieces while selling your practice rejects on the side? Blending good and bad—quite the scheme. I'm impressed." He clasped his hands in mock respect. "I've never seen such shameless behavior."

The man's persistence was starting to get under Zhou Yao's skin, but losing her temper wasn't the way to solve this. Blazing anger would only fuel the fire.

Cui Wei hurried out at the commotion, frowning as she whispered, "He's clearly here to cause trouble. Why not just have the authorities throw him out?"

Zhou Yao motioned for her to hold off. "We can chase him away today, but tomorrow, customers could just as easily choose not to buy our glass."

"You keep insisting this glass is from Golden Curtain Terrace—do you have the receipt issued when you placed your order?" Zhou Yao was deliberately probing, watching his reaction.

"Of course I do! Without a receipt, how would I have gotten the glass?" He said it with conviction, but Zhou Yao and Cui Wei immediately sensed something off. They exchanged a glance, all the more certain the bowl was not from Golden Curtain Terrace.

Cui Wei spoke up first. "Everyone may not know this, but Golden Curtain Terrace's glassware is expensive. While we do take pre-orders, we've never issued receipts. When a piece is ready, it's delivered directly to the customer's residence by our staff."

"If you still insist our quality is poor, then let me see those fragments." Zhou Yao stepped down from the terrace, walking directly up to the troublemaker.

"Why should I trust you?! You're clearly trying to destroy the evidence and then claim I'm the liar."

Zhou Yao saw reason wasn't getting through and was considering her next move when, in a flash, someone darted forward and snatched the fragments from his hand. Before she could even see who it was, the man stood before her, bowing.

"Ninth Princess."

Zhou Yao looked at his face—it was Duyun.

If Duyun was here, then Qi Yanhan was likely nearby... She still hadn't apologized properly to him since their last parting.

"You—! Snatching things in broad daylight!" The man's face flushed with outrage. "If that's not guilt, what is?"

Before he could get another word out, a silver blade pressed against his throat.

"N-now, good sir, let's talk this out—let's talk this out..." His muscles went rigid with fear, though his feet began inching sideways, desperate to put distance between himself and the gleaming steel.

"Say another word, and I'll slit your throat right here." Duyun threatened him. Seeing the scene, some in the crowd began to edge away. "Everyone, hold on!" Duyun called out. "Since things have escalated to this point, let's settle it here before anyone leaves."

Once Duyun and the other guards had the situation under control, a palanquin that had been lingering nearby was set down by its bearers. A man-borne palanquin was proof enough of high status, and all eyes in the crowd turned toward it. After a pause, Qi Yanhan stepped down unhurriedly.

"Duyun."

Qi Yanhan cast a lazy glance over the scene, his eyes carrying nothing but detached indifference. His hands rested one atop the other before his chest, his refined bearing making onlookers pause. When his gaze finally settled on the troublemaker, the man visibly trembled.

"Kill him." The words came out uninflected, as casual as remarking on the weather.

Duyun acknowledged the order and raised his blade—but Zhou Yao intercepted. "Wait!"

"Let's stick to the matter at hand. Young Master Qi, why the rush to silence him?" Zhou Yao shot a dissatisfied look at Qi Yanhan. But to her surprise, the man who'd seemed every inch a merciless executioner was now staring at her with tears glistening in his eyes.

"Princess..." Qi Yanhan's voice softened as he inclined his head toward her. "If the princess pleads for him, how could I refuse?" From the moment Zhou Yao spoke to him, his gaze hadn't left her face—as if she were the only thing in the world worth looking at.

His unblinking attention grew uncomfortable after a while, and Zhou Yao turned away. He paused for a beat, then picked up a fragment from the broken bowl and compared it with the display piece. In a single glance, he saw the difference.

"Your Highness." Qi Yanhan turned to her with a smile. "Do you see the difference between these two pieces?"

Zhou Yao took the broken shard, holding it in her palm for a moment before clenching her fist. It fractured instantly, fissures spiderwebbing outward.

"Too thin." She examined it closely. "And the pattern... completely unlike Golden Curtain Terrace's glassware." She'd been unable to get a look at the fragments before, but with Qi Yanhan and Duyun's help, things had suddenly turned in her favor.

She went through the remaining pieces carefully, making sure nothing was missing, and confirmed none bore the Golden Curtain Terrace dog emblem.

"Since we've established this man came to cause trouble deliberately, has Your Highness decided... how to deal with him?" A smile lingered at the corner of Qi Yanhan's mouth, his tone carrying a touch of indulgence as he watched her.

"Send him and the evidence to the authorities." Zhou Yao brushed the nonexistent dust from her hands. As she turned back toward Golden Curtain Terrace, she glanced over her shoulder at Qi Yanhan.

Perhaps because her gaze lingered too long, he looked up to meet it.

"If Your Highness is reluctant to part with me, I'd be more than happy to keep you company. Perhaps, with me... you'll find the answers you seek." The familiar smile settled on his lips again, never quite reaching his eyes.

"Fine. Since you offered, I'll ask."

Qi Yanhan answered with a smile.

"Was Nine Kilns your doing?" Zhou Yao looked at him seriously.

"Yes." Qi Yanhan toyed absently with his jade thumb ring. "The servants sent to Nine Kilns were troublesome. Disloyal servants aren't worth keeping around."

"If you didn't like them, why not just sell them off instead of taking so many lives?" A frown creased Zhou Yao's brow as she regarded him, puzzled.

"What does Your Highness think?" he countered, the smile still on his lips, showing not a flicker of concern for those dead servants.

"You..."

"I did it simply to set my mind at ease." Qi Yanhan looked into the distance, his voice low. "If killing them eases your troubles, then it was their honor."

"There's been a string of incidents at Golden Curtain Terrace lately. Is that connected to you?"

"If I said no, would Your Highness believe me?"

"I'd believe you if you were telling the truth."

Qi Yanhan smiled. "Your Highness is teasing me." The smile carried a rare trace of bitterness. "After all, as you yourself said, we're nothing but strangers to each other. What trust or scheming could there be between us?"

"If we were truly strangers, Golden Curtain Terrace wouldn't be known throughout every household in Chang'an. Your Highness wouldn't have been sent as envoy to the Western Regions, and we wouldn't have been betrothed by the king..."

"Everything now is but fate drawing us together. When will Your Highness come to see that?" His voice grew more impassioned, his eyes reddening before he knew it.

"Your Highness..." Qi Yanhan sighed and murmured something too low for Zhou Yao to catch. "Never mind..." Lowering his gaze, he spoke plainly. "These troubles of late stem from the merchant guild in Chang'an, dissatisfied with you doing business as a woman."

"Since ancient times, women have been bound by the creed: 'obey your father at home, obey your husband once married, obey your son after he dies.'" He laughed softly. "A woman opening a shop to earn money and snapping up all their porcelain business—Your Highness is the very first."

"So they've deliberately targeted Golden Curtain Terrace. Today's glass incident is almost certainly the guild's doing."

"I'm afraid such incidents will only multiply from here. I only wished to warn Your Highness to be on your guard in the future." Concern threaded through his words. "Rumor-mongering to ruin a rival's trade is the guild's standard tactic. If Your Highness is ever in trouble, you may come to Qi Manor and seek my help at any time."

"As long as you're willing, I'll always stand behind you."

It wasn't until Qi Yanhan had departed in his palanquin and been gone for some time that Zhou Yao finally processed what he'd said.

*Was Qi Yanhan saying that just so he could get a bigger cut?* *Two bugs on the same rope—rise together, fall together. That's what this is, right?* If so, giving him a slightly larger share next time wouldn't hurt.