OTFSC Chapter 18

Sorry for the late release 🙏🏻 My phone broke and needs to be repaired. Truly sorry 🙏🏻🙏🏻😢

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“Young Miss, it’s Young Master Qin.”

Only Qin Chen came.

After he walked in and greeted everyone with a smile, he immediately noticed the storybook she had hidden away. The cover, faintly visible, seemed to have something written on it…

He tilted his head, curious to see more clearly.

Gu Zhizhuo leaned back slightly, using her back to completely block the storybook.

Qin Chen: ?

Gu Zhizhuo glared at him and asked, “Young Master can’t come out?”

Qin Chen rubbed his nose: “Yes.”

Gu Zhizhuo drooped her head listlessly.

Qin Chen said, “On the first day of the fifth month, Young Master will go to Taiqing Temple outside the city. That…’” He mouthed the words ‘the Emperor,’ “He promised. Young Master said, if Young Miss is free…”

“Okay!” Gu Zhizhuo brightened up again.

After replying, she asked, “Young Master Qin, do you know anywhere nearby where one can repair a bow?”

She used to only remember which rouge shop had the truest color, which embroidery workshop had the newest and most beautiful patterns, and which pastry shop made the tastiest pastries; everything else, she never paid attention to.

“Repair a bow… is it this one?” Qin Chen pointed to the black cloth bundle by Gu Zhizhuo’s side and volunteered, “Whatever’s broken, I can fix it!”

“You can?”

Qin Chen puffed out his chest and replied confidently, “Of course!”

He added, “I’m quite skilled at it. If you went to a blacksmith’s, you definitely wouldn’t find anyone capable of repairing bows. Bows and arrows are weapons of the state—ordinary shops wouldn’t dare take on such work. I learned this back in the Eastern Palace from a tutor.” When he said ‘Eastern Palace,’ he only mouthed the words.

That made sense.

Gu Zhizhuo picked up the bow bag and unwrapped it, revealing an unremarkable black bow inside. She said, “The string is broken.”

“Also, it seems it’s not correctly adjusted.”

Huh?

Qin Chen glanced at it and couldn’t look away.

He reached out and took it, weighing it in his palm. First, he praised, “good bow.” After carefully testing the string, he said, “The bow stave is crooked. The string is secondary. It can be fixed.”

“Eldest Young Miss Gu, is this for your own use?”

“Yes.”

“How’s your arm strength?”

Gu Zhizhuo: “……”

In her previous life, she had trained hard, and for the following years, she had always used a Yishi bow[mfn]一石弓 (yī shí gōng) = one-stone bow. Maybe it’s the type of heavy bow.[/mfn].

But now, after being pampered for so many years, with her delicate arms and legs, she probably wouldn’t even be able to fully draw a five-dou bow[mfn]斗 (dǒu) is a traditional Chinese volume measure. 1 dou equals 10 liters. So, maybe this bow is the type of mid-heavy bow[/mfn].

Suddenly, she felt so disappointed in herself! She straightened her posture and said seriously, “I’m practicing.”

Qin Chen studied the delicate, fair, and soft hands resting on her lap—hands without a single callus or scar. He looked at her face, then at her hands, and wisely chose not to say a single word.

Qin Chen patted his chest and promised, “Eldest Young Miss Gu, it’ll be ready in a moment. I guarantee it’ll feel smooth to use! You just go ahead and read your storybook in the meantime.”

“Actually, I don’t really like reading storybooks!”

Gu Zhizhuo emphasized this point.

Regardless of what she said, Qin Chen kept smiling and nodding, making a point of not being the least bit annoying.

 

Qin Chen always carried spare bowstrings with him. He’d simply tell Shopkeeper Su what tools he needed, and he would keep his head down as he worked.

Quietly, Gu Zhizhuo slipped the storybook to Qiongfang from behind, gesturing for her to put it away, then attentively watched him adjust the bow stave and replaced the string.

His movements were remarkably efficient, and within just half an hour, the bow was repaired.

Qin Chen handed the black bow back and said confidently, “Give it a try!”

Gu Zhizhuo tried pulling the string and easily drew it to full draw. She curved her lips in satisfaction.

Great, let’s start by practicing with this one first!

“Eldest Young Miss Gu,” seeing her smile, Qin Chen leaned closer and, with a cheeky expression, said, “About that bloody disaster you mentioned last time… could you please calculate it for me again?”

Gu Zhizhuo set the bow aside and signaled Qiongfang to fetch a pulse pillow, then said, “Give me your hand.”

Qin Chen hesitated, “I’m not sick.”

“It’s the Taisu Pulse[mfn]太素脉 (tài sù mài). This is a concept from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) or ancient divination texts. The Taisu Pulse is considered a pulse used to assess overall fate or fortune, not just illness.[/mfn],” Gu Zhizhuo explained. “The Taisu Pulse bases its theory of life on lightness and clarity over heaviness and turbidity. From it, one can discern fortune and misfortune, foretelling calamities and blessings.”

There was no compass[mfn]罗盘 (luópán) = compass (used in feng shui or divination, not just navigation)[/mfn] at hand, nor any counting rods[mfn]算筹 (suànchóu) = small sticks used in traditional Chinese calculation or divination (like for fortune-telling)[/mfn].

Besides the compass, her specialty was the Taisu pulse.

Oh, I see! Qin Chen happily extended his hand.

At first glance, the diagnostic method of the Taisu Pulse looked no different from a physician taking a pulse. Gu Zhizhuo placed three fingers on his wrist and lowered her gaze, examining it carefully.

Huh, this is…

Gu Zhizhuo looked up and carefully examined his facial features and asked for his Eight Characters[mfn]八字 (Bazi) = Eight Characters. 八字 comes from your birth year, month, day, and hour, expressed as 4 pillars × 2 characters = 8 characters.[/mfn], then had him switch hands and took his pulse again, analyzing it meticulously. After a while, she withdrew her fingers and made a quick calculation.

Having switched from left to right hand, and with so much time spent calculating, even the usually bold Qin Chen began to feel a little uneasy.

He asked cautiously, “Can it be resolved?”

“I need to think…”

Gu Zhizhuo’s fingers curled slightly, her fingertips tapping softly on the table. Each tap seemed to strike directly at Qin Chen’s heart, making it pound.

“Young Master Qin.” Gu Zhizhuo leaned back in her chair, beckoning him with a curl of her fingers, and asked with a subtle expression, “Let me ask you—what do you plan to do in a little while?”

Qin Chen answered her question, “I’m thinking of going to Xilai Pavilion ahead to buy some pastries and bring them back for Aunt[mfn]姨娘 (yí niáng) in historical China referred to a concubine or a secondary wife of a man, often in wealthy or noble families. In this context, Aunt is his mother-concubine.[/mfn] to try.”

After returning to the Capital, he hadn’t gone back to the manor yet.

Finally, things had settled down. The Young Master gave him a few days off to visit his Aunt, so he thought he’d bring her some pastries from Xilai Pavilion.

“Then go ahead.”

“Huh?”

Gu Zhizhuo said, “Xilai Pavilion starts baking at a quarter past noon. If you don’t go soon, you won’t get any. We’ll talk about the rest later.”

Ah!

He really didn’t know what time Xilai Pavilion started baking.

“Eldest Young Miss Gu, wait for me! I’ll be back soon! I’ll bring something delicious for you.”

He suddenly stood up and dashed off in a rush.

Xilai Pavilion was an old, established shop in the Capital, already famous back in the previous dynasty. It was located at the end of Zhuque Street.

Qin Chen still clearly remembered the day he left the Capital—his Aunt had cried inconsolably and stuffed all the private savings she had accumulated over the years into his hands. He had promised her that he would take good care of himself and that once he returned to the capital, he would buy her some of Xilai Pavilion’s Hongyan pastries.

He hurried as fast as he could. By the time he arrived, a long line had already formed in front of Xilai Pavilion. Qin Chen glanced at the end of the queue and quickly moved to take his place.

The Hongyan pastries from Xilai Pavilion were famous far and wide. Only one batch was baked each day, and it always sold out the moment the oven was opened.

Qin Chen patiently stood in line. He had arrived neither too early nor too late, and after only a short while, he heard a shout from a shop assistant: “The oven’s open!”

A rich, mouthwatering aroma spread through the entire street.

Qin Chen slowly moved forward with the queue. The line moved very slowly, and when it was finally his turn, he handed over a small silver bead and received two bundles of Hongyan pastries wrapped in oiled paper.

From behind, someone shouted, “Shopkeeper, give me one as well!”

“All gone, all gone. Today’s batch is sold out.”

The shopkeeper waved his hands repeatedly, smiling warmly and politely. “Sir, please come again tomorrow.”

“All gone? How could it already be sold out?!”

“There’s only the Pine Nut & Lily Pastry and the Duck Fat Pastry left. Would you like some, sir?”

A chorus of frustrated voices rose, and even the people in line complained bitterly.

Qin Chen paused and grinned broadly, feeling incredibly lucky to have managed to buy the last two bundles.

He would give one to Eldest Young Miss Gu, then embellish the story, telling her how hard it had been to stand in line and how difficult it was to buy them, just to make sure she would be satisfied.

With Eldest Young Miss Gu satisfied, she would be even more attentive to the Young Master’s illness.

Qin Chen carried the pastries happily, walking across the street. Halfway there, still in the middle of the road, he suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves from the far end of the street—fast and urgent, sounding like three or five horses.

Qin Chen quickly stepped aside to avoid them.

When the late emperor was still alive, there had been strict laws forbidding riding horses at full speed in the capital. He had been away with the Young Master for six years—how had even this rule changed?

He frowned, too lazy to think about it any further.

He dodged quickly, but the others weren’t as agile. When the townsfolk saw the galloping horses, they immediately panicked, screaming as they scattered to both sides. A little girl lost her footing, was bumped by someone, and fell in the middle of the road.

Ah. Qin Chen sighed. He covered three steps in just two[mfn]三步并作两步 (sān bù bìng zuò liǎng bù) is a Chinese idiom. Literal meaning: Take three steps as if they were two steps. Figurative meaning: To move very quickly / rush forward rapidly. Often used in describing someone hurrying, running, or acting efficiently.[/mfn], rushed forward, pulled her up, and shielded her behind him.

A black horse with its hooves pounding through the snow nearly brushed past him. The gust from its hooves tousled his black hair and smeared dust across his face.

Still shaken from the fright, Qin Chen released the little girl: “Where are your parents?”

A woman in a blue cloth dress rushed out from the crowd and pulled her into her arms. The little girl burst into tears, letting out a loud ‘waa.’

“Thank you, young master! Thank you, young master!” The woman thanked him over and over, then hurried away with the little girl.

Phew!

The sound of reins being pulled rang out one after another as several horses came to a halt.

There were five of them, each holding a riding whip and dressed in luxurious brocade. At a glance, they were unmistakably the spoiled young masters of powerful, high-ranking families. The common people of the Capital knew how to read the situation—seeing they couldn’t be provoked, they swallowed their anger and kept their distance.

What bad luck!

Qin Chen cursed inwardly, then cupped his hands and called out, “Fifth Brother.”

He was the concubine-born son of the Earl of Jing’an, ranked third among the sons in the household. The one who had nearly knocked down the little girl was the youngest son of his legal mother—Qin Luo.

Qin Luo sat atop his horse with a careless expression, looking down at Qin Chen as he sized him up. After a moment’s hesitation, he finally remembered who he was.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Third Brother. What a coincidence—you’ve returned to the capital?”

“Oh, right.” He slapped the horse’s head, making it shake its neck uncomfortably. “That person has returned to the Capital, and here you are, shamelessly tagging along like a little lapdog.”

After saying it, he was the first to burst out laughing.

Pointing his riding whip at Qin Chen, he joked with his companions, “You guys have no idea—my Third Brother used to be so proud and ambitious.”

Qin Chen said expressionlessly, “Fifth Brother, I still have some errands to attend to. I’ll take my leave for now.”

“Errands?” Qin Luo glanced down at the oiled paper bundles in Qin Chen’s hands, assuming his errand was simply to buy pastries. Arrogantly, he said, “That trivial errand of yours—you’re not treating it like it’s some great treasure, are you?”

“Come here. Kneel down and be a footstool for this young master. This young master will talk to Eldest Brother and find a way to get you out of this sooner, so you don’t overstep and bring shame to our Earl’s Manor.”

Just a couple of days ago, he had overheard Eldest Brother and the aides discussing ways to get Qin Chen reassigned. Eldest Brother said that Young Master Chen had now aligned himself with the Duke of Zhenguo’s Manor. Though it looked impressive on the surface, it likely made the Emperor even less tolerant. If the Emperor decided to act, their Earl’s Manor would also be implicated, since Qin Chen was Young Master Chen’s man.

What a troublemaker!

He was already sixteen and still had no assignment—surely it was because Qin Chen had implicated him!