Chapter Fourteen: The Benefactor

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Meng Zhenyue watched as her elder brother so quickly changed his attitude toward Zhao Xianzhi in this lifetime, and her heart was filled with deep emotion. In the previous life, her brother died in front of her, meeting a cruel end—an underhanded scheme orchestrated by Wu Ju that targeted Zhao Xianzhi but ended up injuring her brother instead. Reflecting on it now, she was certain Zhao Xianzhi had to have been involved behind the scenes. Seeing her living brother genuinely worried about her, her eyes blurred with tears.

“No!” Meng Zhenyue turned away, sounding childishly indignant. “Brother, you’re looking down on me!”

Meng Huaichuan looked at her with some puzzlement. His youngest sister was usually the most composed, only smiling more freely in front of family. What made her act so childish now? Could it be that she had suffered too many slights in the Marquis’s residence and was now throwing a tantrum upon seeing him?

Before he could say anything, Meng Zhenyue had already regained her composure and lowered her voice to share with her brother the suspicions about their father’s identity. Seeing the stunned expression on his face, she spoke decisively:

“Brother, we must not act rashly in this matter. Trust me—if we cooperate both inside and outside, it will be much easier.”

Then she whispered further, carefully explaining certain details and urging Meng Huaichuan to pay close attention to the movements of the old Madame Hou.

Gradually, Meng Huaichuan’s thoughts cleared under his sister’s words. He understood the gravity of the situation and nodded with a more serious expression.

“Above all, prioritize yourself first,” he said earnestly.

He assumed his sister had simply noticed some subtle clues after returning home and did not question how she knew so much.

The two siblings were not talkative, and soon after, they parted ways.

Following Zhao Xianzhi’s arrangements, Meng Huaichuan remained in the capital for the time being and temporarily went to Zhao’s Jade Court.

Meanwhile, Meng Zhenyue returned to the Moonlight Court. After dinner, she pushed aside all emotions and picked up her brush, recalling the popular stories from her previous life to begin compiling a manuscript.

“Miss, so much has happened today; you should rest early,” Manzhi said, holding a small booklet as she entered with concern. “Everything in the Jade Court has been cataloged and stored properly.”

Manzhi had accompanied Miss since childhood and had developed many skills herself. Yet she had never witnessed such schemes firsthand; today’s events had truly sent chills down her spine.

Cloud Mist, who was examining the items delivered by Madame Hou, also spoke up, “Miss, we never lacked silver before, and now we have even more. Why not rest earlier?”

Hearing this, Meng Zhenyue looked up at Cloud Mist.

Cloud Mist understood her meaning and replied on her own, “Very well, I understand, Miss says the more silver, the better, and earning it oneself is best.”

“Of course, I must rest,” Meng Zhenyue smiled faintly and then sent the two maids away to avoid distraction.

Exchanging a glance, Manzhi and Cloud Mist sensed Miss’s mood was not as troubled as before and felt relieved to leave.

With no one outside the beaded curtain, Meng Zhenyue glanced at the booklet again and flipped through it.

Zhao Xianzhi’s gesture was far from sincere compensation—there was surely a hidden plot.

After a while with no clue emerging, she set it aside and refocused on her writing.

Mentioning silver and the manuscript, Meng Zhenyue couldn’t help but recall the super-rich patron from her previous life.

She thought of him because the stories he commissioned were sensational—and he truly had immense wealth.

Her mind then involuntarily pictured his rakish demeanor, but she quickly stopped herself and concentrated on her work.

One intriguing idea after another, one vivid character after another, blossomed on the paper in her elegant handwriting. Meng Zhenyue became completely absorbed, forgetting the day’s opposition against Zhao Xianzhi and the many difficulties ahead.

The warm yellow light cast a gentle glow on her face, softening her expression completely, erasing the cold ruthlessness she had shown earlier.

Unaware, dawn’s first light was breaking.

Satisfied, Meng Zhenyue gently closed the half-filled manuscript and planned to rest briefly before finding an excuse to leave the residence after the morning greetings.

Just as she went to pay respects to Madame Hou, the latter said Meng Zhenyue should begin learning proper etiquette that afternoon, and also wanted to see her needlework.

Meng Zhenyue used the excuse of going to the shop to select silk threads and request permission to leave the residence. Madame Hou thought she simply wanted to see the capital’s bustling streets and let her go.

Meanwhile, Zhao Zhizhi, who had been pestering Meng Zhenyue to go out yesterday, excused himself quickly after the greeting and returned to his quarters.

Meng Zhenyue frowned slightly at this behavior. Could Zhao Xianzhi be scheming behind the scenes again?

Having lived many years in the Marquis’s residence, Zhao Xianzhi’s influence was formidable. She needed to establish her own network of informants quickly to avoid being so passive.

With this thought, Meng Zhenyue returned to the Moonlight Court, changed into male attire, and led a lively group out of the residence.

Madame Hou’s maids who followed her repeatedly tried to persuade her but were ignored.

Even after disembarking from the carriage, Meng Zhenyue, citing a promise to copy books in Xiaozhou and have the shopkeeper send them back, warned them not to come too close and had them follow at a distance.

She left Cloud Mist and another maid on the street to choose silk thread.

Feigning interest, she asked where the largest bookshop was and then headed in that direction.

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“Once back at the residence, be sure to tell madam the truth. Prepare to be punished!” The maid shot a fierce glare at the unruly young lady before stepping aside.

Meng Zhenyue had already walked a good distance and did not hear the muttering.

Having grown up in the countryside, though she had learned etiquette and decorum in her former life, she still felt more natural behaving as if she were still in the countryside.

Sudden change would be too strange and invite trouble.

Soon, Meng Zhenyue arrived at a large, well-established shop called “Fateful Bookstore.”

She entered alone, coughed softly into her fist, and handed the manuscript to the shopkeeper.

“Shopkeeper, this is the book I copied. Please help me send it to the Fateful Bookstore in Xiaozhou.”

The shopkeeper scrutinized her attire before taking the manuscript and flipping through it. He immediately realized the author wanted to conceal their identity.

But the pen name—“Monkey of the Mountains, My Bottom’s the Reddest”… uh… must be someone else’s selling it.

Meng Zhenyue saw him turn several pages without a hint of distraction. Eventually, he took silver from the counter.

“This is two taels. If it sells well, the price will go up.”

Meng Zhenyue had expected this price; when she first arrived in the capital last life, she had received even less.

That was fine. When the shopkeeper begged her for the next volume, she wouldn’t hesitate to demand a higher price.

She weighed the silver in her palm with mild dissatisfaction, glanced around the shop, and considered what price would make the shopkeeper wince, then turned and left.

The shopkeeper, secretly delighted at acquiring a good manuscript for a low price, wiped imaginary sweat from his brow when he saw Meng Zhenyue’s scrutinizing gaze, suddenly feeling as if the entire shop was doomed.

Just outside the door, Meng Zhenyue walked quickly and suddenly bumped into a strikingly dressed man.

“Ouch,” she hissed, rubbing the sore spot and looking up to see a man extravagantly dressed.

He wore a brocade robe embroidered with blue clouds edged in red, a gold crown set with rubies, his jet-black hair braided and swept high, with the ends cascading like a waterfall, fluttering in the breeze.

Under thick, sharply angled eyebrows were a pair of narrow, enticing phoenix eyes; his thin lips shone with natural redness.

It was none other than—

Her previous life’s great patron, Xiao Jichen!

She had not expected to meet him so soon this lifetime, and under such circumstances.

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