11 Meeting

Lin Yun tidied herself up before heading to the main hall to meet Lin Qitang's cousin. She was unsure if the visitor’s intentions were good or ill, but a single meeting would reveal the truth.

Ruyi was a girl with a keen eye for beauty; her aesthetic sense was so refined that even Nanny Yuan praised her choices. For Lin Yun, she had selected a short, upright-collared jacket with a front-opening, adorned with four-circle floral patterns and fish-belly-shaped sleeves with slits at the waist. Paired with this was a side-pleated horse-face skirt in peach-colored intertwined lotus damask, consisting of ten panels that swayed elegantly with every step.

The emergency training Nanny Yuan had provided over the past two days proved effective. With her neck straight, shoulders level, chin slightly tucked, and waist and hips steady, Lin Yun entered the main hall looking, at least in Lu Xuanhe’s eyes, very much like a young lady of a noble house.

It was said that Lin Yun resembled the Old Madam of the Marquis of Ningyuan in her youth. If true, the Old Madam had changed drastically over the years; Lin Yun was fair-skinned and flower-like, while the Old Madam had become so stern that only severity remained.

Lu Xuanhe was on leave today. He had been kept awake all night by Xie Yuanheng’s words. Xie was a man who never spoke without cause; he must have discovered some clues to suggest that the baby-swapping affair held hidden secrets. Unable to figure it out by pondering alone, he decided to meet this Second Miss Lin in person to sound her out. Unfortunately, neither Lin Qitang nor Lin Yun looked like their mother, or he might have glimpsed the truth of the swap just by looking at their faces.

"Greetings, Magistrate Lu," Lin Yun said, curtsying. As she lifted her head and caught sight of Lu Xuanhe, she broke into a smile. The magistrate was a handsome man, with "peach blossom" eyes that curved upwards at the corners, a high bridge of the nose, and thin lips—possessing an air of roguish charm and a touch of untamed arrogance. Lin Yun mused to herself, *He doesn't look like a man who follows the rules. Is he really a Junior Minister of the Grand Court of Revision?*

Lu Xuanhe waved his hand, gesturing for her to sit. "No need for such formalities. I am Qitang's cousin and a relative by marriage to the Lin family. You may call me Cousin, just as she does."

*So familiar?* He was unexpectedly amiable. Hoping to cultivate a good relationship with an official from the Grand Court of Revision, Lin Yun immediately climbed the social ladder and called out, "Cousin Lu." Lu Xuanhe was quite satisfied; now that the address was established, extracting information would be easier.

And so, the two, each harboring their own secrets, began to chat with fraternal warmth.

"You have suffered greatly on Qitang's behalf. With the heads of the Marquis of Ningyuan's household away, I should have come to see you as soon as you arrived in the Imperial City. However, the Grand Court of Revision has been occupied with a major case. Only now, on my day off, have I come to visit."

It was as if she had been handed a pillow just as she grew drowsy. Hearing the mention of a "major case," Lin Yun tightened her grip on her hand, her eyes widening in a feigned display of shock. "I fell ill as soon as I reached the Imperial City and haven't stepped outside. Is it a very serious case? Have the culprits been caught? They aren't still in the city, are they? I’m safe staying put in the Marquis’s estate, right?"

Given the discernment Lu Xuanhe had honed at the Grand Court of Revision, if he had looked closely, he would have spotted the exaggeration in her performance. But social boundaries existed, and she was not his suspect; he merely glanced at her and sighed inwardly, thinking this young lady was quite timid to be so easily frightened. He even felt a pang of regret for bringing up the case; he could have simply blamed it on busy official business.

Unaccustomed to dealing with young women, he felt a bit awkward and tried to explain, "The case involves officials and does not concern you. The culprit has already fled the city. Although not yet apprehended, a warrant has been issued, and they won't remain at large for long. Furthermore, the Marquis's estate is heavily guarded; you will be fine. If you are afraid, just have a few more maids keep watch at night."

Lu Xuanhe had only disclosed information that was publicly known, but for a commoner without connections, such details were hard to come by—let alone for Lin Yun, who dared not inquire openly. This was highly useful information. She resolved to strengthen her bond with this "Cousin Lu," but knew better than to ask too much at once lest she raise suspicion. She took a sip of tea to calm her nerves: "That is a relief. I will have two maids keep watch tonight. Please, Cousin Lu, do not apologize for coming late. You are busy; I am already grateful that you came to see me."

The tea served today was Yangxian tea. Lin Yun had heard Lady Li praise it three times—twice she had been poisoned by it, and once she had smashed the tea set at Lady Li. She had never actually tasted it. Now, taking a sip, she found it truly fresh and mellow, leaving a lingering fragrance. Lin Yun held no prejudice against the tea that had killed her twice; after all, the fault lay with the person, not the tea.

Seeing that Lin Yun was no longer anxious, Lu Xuanhe seized the opportunity to steer the conversation toward his real concern: "How have you been these past years, Cousin? If you knew of your true lineage, why didn't you return sooner?"

Just as Lu Xuanhe was indifferent to the public information he had shared, the old story of her background was something Lin Yun had recited many times. She stated it skillfully: "I didn't return sooner because, while the birth bond is sacred, the bond of upbringing is just as deep."

She explained how Nanny Pan had rescued her during the chaos in Yangcheng, their flight to Jicheng, and the support of the Xu family. The original owner of this body had memories of her life before seven, and the Xu family had been kind to her. After her foster father died during a flood and her foster mother fell ill, she had served by her bedside for two years before the truth was revealed on her deathbed. Only then did she take the token and come to the Imperial City.

Lu Xuanhe listened, feeling that this "cheap cousin" of his was truly down on her luck. Everyone had their own selfish motives, but only Lin Yun had paid the price. Her foster mother had clung to her as a life-saving straw, only revealing the truth at the very end. Two years ago, Lin Yun would have been thirteen; caring for a sick person while the family was destitute was no light burden.

"Your foster parents withheld the truth—do you resent them?" Lu Xuanhe asked with a sigh.

Lin Yun shook her head. "I do not know."

Lu Xuanhe took this as a sign of her inherent kindness, interpreting her "I do not know" as the internal conflict of a person too gentle to hold a grudge. Lin Yun, however, was being entirely literal; she was not the original owner and lacked those specific memories.

The two continued to talk at cross-purposes, leaving Lu Xuanhe feeling increasingly sympathetic toward her. "There are no elders in your home at the moment. If you have any trouble, come find me."

He had heard that the Empress Dowager had sent people to the estate twice, leading to Lady Li being punished with scripture-copying and a purge of the servants. It was clear the household was in turmoil. Whether or not she was his true cousin, she had suffered greatly, and he felt a duty to look after her.

Lin Yun feigned hesitation before "reluctantly" agreeing, seizing the chance to ask, "Should I go to the Grand Court of Revision to find you? I fear I might disturb your work."

Lu Xuanhe, having made the promise, realized he might not always be reachable. "I am often away from the office while the case is ongoing. Send word to the Lu residence instead. Once my current affairs conclude, I will let you know, and you may seek me out at the court."

Lin Yun expressed her deepest gratitude, and they parted, both satisfied with the information they had gained, neither realizing the other’s true motives.

As Lu Xuanhe left, his gentle expression vanished, replaced by the sharp, decisive demeanor of a magistrate. He was sympathetic, but his mind remained analytical. Why had Nanny Pan, a servant under Lady Song’s authority, been the one to accompany his aunt to Yangcheng? If the baby had been swapped, that choice was a glaring inconsistency that should have raised suspicion.

After he left, Lin Yun suppressed her joy. This meeting had been immensely valuable. The "affair" he mentioned was likely the case involving Master Pei. Through Lu Xuanhe, she would know when that matter was resolved. She picked up a book from the desk and began to read with feigned interest.

Shi Er, standing behind her, was astonished to see her Second Miss reading the *Admonitions for Women*—a book she had shown great disdain for only yesterday. *Could it be,* the maid wondered with a start, *that she has fallen for Magistrate Lu and intends to become a virtuous wife? This won't do! My master, Xie, is a flowering iron tree—if the Second Miss goes off to be with Magistrate Lu, what will become of him?*