As soon as the manager shouted, a thug rushed over, bent Gu Yunxi's arms back, and pinned her to the ground.

"My lord, the rules of the capital have yet to be familiar to me. I hazard to ask you what my offense is, so I can know the reason for the penalty!"

The thug clamped her neck, rubbing Gu Yunxi's soft cheek against the rough blue bricks. She struggled for an answer.

"How dare you question me? Speak the truth. Where did you get this flute? Did you steal it?"

With the jade flute in his hand, the manager walked around the table to Gu Yunxi, panting with rage. Keeping his head up, he was nothing but an arrogant smug.

Gu Yunxi was about to explode.

Although it was found in her baggage, she had not stolen anything and should never plead guilty to false charges.

Using her quick wits, she set up her mind and fabricated.

"It's mine. My past mother left it to me. I didn't steal it."

"Humph!"

The manager gave a snort of disbelief, his chin up high.

"How dare you make up this nonsense? I can tell from your clothes that you came from a poor family who in no way can afford this. Tell me now. Where did you steal the flute?"

"I'm telling you the truth. I never stole anything."

Gu Yunxi struggled to free her arms.

Her Kungfu had long exceeded what it used to be. It was simple for her to take down a thug.

But she had just arrived and couldn't show her abilities at will. So, she had to play weak and put on a pitiful look to beg the manager.

"My lord, show mercy. Please let me go. I didn't steal anything..."

The manager took no words of hers to his mind. He raised the flute with a vicious expression.

"Lying brat, it seems you won't tell the truth unless we take the rough way..."

"Let her go."

The feminine voice flowed like gurgling water from the depths of the corridor.

Then, the sonorous steps approached Gu Yunxi fast like galloping wind.

The moment the immaculate silk boots embroidered with gold clouds entered her vision, Gu Yunxi startled in a stun.

Those were Ming Lan's boots...

It was not entirely surprising. The sly man once schemed to take charge of the Youzhu Garden from Leng Qingtang.

Now she came back as another person. She would meet him sooner or later.

It was unexpected that the day would come so soon.

When the thug let go of Gu Yunxi, he stepped aside obediently and took no more actions.

"Raise your head!"

The feminine voice sounded sharper than usual for it was mixed with a shred of inexplicable excitement.

Gu Yunxi was confused. She didn't expect the first acquaintance she met to be him after she reached the Garden.

After all, the opposites had dealt with each other many times in the past. Now what worried Gu Yunxi most was any wrong behaviors that would arouse Lan's suspicion.

"Look up."

He urged her as if he could not wait any longer.

Kneeling on the ground, Gu Yunxi composed herself and straightened her back.

Slowly, she raised her head to meet his eyes.

As before, Ming Lan wore a white robe with crane and python. His black gauze hat shone in the sunshine. His yellowish face was not powdered. He did not draw his brows or even rouge his lips.

If one had to look for any difference, it must have been his face. The once delicate features were now covered in fatigue. The missing of glamor, arrogance, and extravagance surprised Gu Yunxi.

In Ming Lan's eyes, the girl had delicate features. Though not exquisite, they were still elegant. Her face was not rich in expressions, yet the indifference that did not match her age added charms to her.

The brilliant light in Ming Lan's eyes dimmed immediately. His plain face was full of indescribable disappointment.

The manager on the side sniffed the strange air. He pointed a finger at Gu Yunxi and shouted.

"Blind peasant! This is the Master of the Western Depot. How dare you look directly at him? I'll have you killed for this."

As he spoke, he raised his hand.

"I'm sorry!"

Gu Yunxi shivered and hurriedly bowed her head.

"Enough!"

Seeing Ming Lan's frown and stare, the manager stopped and turned to present the jade flute with both hands. Flattering, he eagerly asked for credit.

"Master, we found this in the girl's baggage. With some interrogation, we'll pry the truth out of her. Once we know where she stole this, it might be related to the dummy case in the Palace."

Ming Lan took over the jade flute and inspected it. Then he handed it to Gu Yunxi.

"Take it."

"Master..."

The manager was shocked.

Gu Yunxi grasped the flute without saying a word. It was also at this moment that her glimpse fell on Ming Lan's gloved left hand. She drew a cold breath at the sight of the empty last two fingers.

Did something happen to Ming Lan?

Ming Lan turned to the manager and said.

"An ordinary flute has at least seven holes to play a decent tune. Her flute is small and only has three. It's clearly a plaything."

"But Master..."

The manager looked tense and hesitated to speak more, but Ming Lan interrupted him.

"The case had been handed over to the Eastern Depot. Why bother ourselves with it? Our job is to train the damsels."

The Eastern Depot...

Gu Yunxi heard clearly from the side. Her lowered eyelashes quivered as endless memories flooded into her mind. Many vivid scenes were invoked by the three words.

By the table, Ming Lan read Gu Yunxi's household register and nodded to himself.

"Well, Tu Muxue... House Tu in Dongling is known as jade craftsmen. Hence, it's not uncommon to have such an ingenious thing."

His cold gaze returned to Gu Yunxi and lingered for a while. A frown touched his brows as his heart fell to the bottom.

Maybe it was an illusion. After all, she sounded much like her...

Smiling, he told her.

"You may rise. I'll have them accommodate you. From tomorrow on, you will learn the rules and etiquette with Madam Du. Take it seriously."

"Yes."

Gu Yunxi was relieved when she saw with the corner of her eye that his skirt disappeared. With her head lowered, she collected her baggage and followed a servant to the inner residence under the manager's glare.

...

Gu Yunxi was first introduced to Madam Du in the front residence hall, a woman in her thirties.

Her hair was styled in a crescent bun, in which the ornaments dangled as she walked. Wearing a gorgeous gown, the lady was still in her prime.

Looking at her, Gu Yunxi thought of Nanny Gu.

Since out of the prison of the Court of Judicial Review, she had heard that Nanny Gu had been imprisoned in the Western Depot. Now with the new Madam Du, she knew that Nanny Gu might have been doomed. Thus, she was overwhelmed with sorrow.

The room assigned to Gu Yunxi by the Garden was not too large but still delicate.

It was furnished with a sandalwood desk, a cabinet, a screen, a dressing table, and so on. A guqin was set in the southern corner beside a chess table.

There were two varved pear-wood canopy beds set on the east and west sides of the room. A small restroom was in the north for cleaning and bathing.

When they entered, there was a girl sitting at the table in the guest area. In a rose-red gown with flowers, she was charming with enchanting eyes.

Seeing Gu Yunxi in plain clothing, she frowned and looked impatient.

The servant explained to Gu Yunxi that the girl who lived with her was Sun Shengsheng, the daughter of Sun Min, Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. They were to look after each other during their future time in the Garden.

Hearing that Gu Yunxi came from a family of jade craftsmen, Sun Shengsheng's pretty face immediately showed more contempt.

Her provocative glace was not unlike that of Gu Yunjin, who used to share the room with Gu Yunxi.

The snobbishness was not uncommon and brought no surprise to Gu Yunxi. She did not want to be fussy about it.

In the past, she had been the timidest girl in the Garden. It was Master Leng who had cultivated her into a confident lady shining with brilliance.

However, she had now leant to forbear with her experiences. She concealed her talents and bided her time.

After the servant left, Gu Yunxi sat silently on her bed and unpacked her things speechlessly.

Sun Shengsheng found Yunxi boring. She only chattered for a while before she started to play guqin alone. In the end, she left the room as well.

Gu Yunxi was the only one in the room.

She immediately shut the door, jumped onto the bed, and pulled down the curtain. In the private space, she took out the jade flute and examined it carefully.

The appearance of the flute was not unusual. Indeed, it had only three holes and no decent tunes would come out of it. To use it as an accompaniment to other instruments though was not impossible.

In retrospect, she had learned much with the masked man in the stone room about music in the last year. He gave the flute to her, so it must be of use.

Gu Yunxi held the flute up-straight near her lips and tried to play. An empty sound poured out, like a night breeze, deep and gentle.

Inadvertently, Gu Yunxi pressed her ring finger on the third hole at the end. Instantly, a white light shot out from the tube. It penetrated the satin curtain like a thread of mercury and then disappeared.

Gu Yunxi was shocked. It turned out that the jade flute was a unique hidden weapon.

She had no time to ponder longer. Flinging the curtain open, she got out of the bed and looked in the direction of the silver light.

Before long, she found a shining silver needle on the carved bedpost of Sun Shengsheng's canopy bed.

The end of the sharp needle was purple and green. Gu Yunxi knew it had been simmered in poison.

She patted her chest and felt relieved. Thank goodness that arrogant Sun Shengsheng was not here. It would be troublesome if she accidentally hurt her...

Gu Yunxi went on the bed again and studied the flute. Finally, she found the spring-loading mechanism that contained the poisonous needle at the bottom of the flute.

After repeated attempts, the silver needle could no longer fit into the gadget, so Gu Yunxi had to hide it carefully.

Holding the jade flute in her hands, she wondered how many silver needles were contained in it.

The flute should be the masked man's self-defense weapon. However, why had he not informed her in advance and hidden it in her baggage secretly? He almost made her taken down as a thief.

It was thanks to Ming Lan that she was out of danger. But his expression was strange when he saw her, unlike the face of a domineering and high-profile person like him.

Gu Yunxi tossed around on the bed, and her emotions were whirling.

In the year while she was trapped in the stone room, many things had happened in the capital beyond her awareness.

Also, why did the manager of the Garden explode in a rage when he saw this flute? What case was he referring to?

Gu Yunxi knew that in order to answer all the questions, she had to go to a place in person in addition to inquiring other damsels...

——

On the first day in the Garden, Madam Du did not put Gu Yunxi to the training immediately but asked her to look around and adjust herself.

When teaching her the rules of the Garden, Madam Du specifically mentioned Ming Lan.

She said that the Garden was under the direct command of the Western Depot. Master Ming often visited the Garden, and Gu Yunxi must be respectful in his presence.

If the day came when he wanted to teach her something personally, it meant that she was to be sent to the Palace for the Emperor. It was a blessing even, and she must not refute the Master's intention.

The night sky was bleak, where the cold crescent moon hung alone.

The night watchman's drum sounded three times, announcing the arrival of midnight.

Gu Yunxi carried the jade flute and slipped out of the room.

She decided to go to the Eastern Depot tonight to extract some information.

She hoped to see him in the Southern Residence. Even if they could not reunite, to peek at him from the distance would suffice. At least her heart that had been worrying for him could finally receive a hint of solace.

Now Gu Yunxi was good at levitation. Despite that she was not in black, she was confident to take risks.

The shocking improvement of her Kungfu was thanks to the repeated harsh punishments of internal strength under the palm of the masked man.

Later, she gradually learned that beneath the lower abdomen was the point called Dantian.

When energy traveled through the point for the first few times, the pain was unbearable. But later, her body would be more vigorous. She advanced in Kungfu as well as dexterity. It was as if she had been reborn.

It turned out that the masked man had been passing on a part of his internal strength to her, regardless of whether she accepted it or not.

Gu Yunxi walked down the steps and looked alertly around the courtyard.

When she was about to levitate onto the roof, a spooky voice came from behind, as astonishing as the breaking glacier in February. It brought with it a freezing coldness that was impossible to disperse.

"Up from the bed in the middle of the night, where are you going?"

In vain, Gu Yunxi's heart went up and down, pounding helplessly. She felt as if her feet had been rooted, and she could not move at all.

Faintly, she sensed the sharp sight from behind squeezing her body tightly...