Chapter Seven
With no retreat left, it was time for a fight to the death.
Liu Heipi wiped his face and pointed at Cui Lanyin. "I haven’t mentioned this to Master Zhao yet—this is the Second Young Lady of the Wu’an Marquis’s household, Lady Cui..."
"So what?" the white-robed man interrupted impatiently.
Liu Heipi was stunned. He glanced over—Master Zhao had barely lifted an eyelid before closing them again.
In contrast, Lady Cui seemed uneasy, her earlier boldness fading.
These two must be too young and reckless to understand the stakes. Unable to contain himself, Liu Heipi jumped to his feet. "Master Zhao, you must be new to the jianghu and haven’t tasted the bitterness of official power. Marquis Cui is a Military Commissioner in the Five Military Commissions, a high-ranking official of the third grade. With just a flick of his hand, he could wipe out the likes of us."
He smirked maliciously. "If Marquis Cui were to learn that Master Zhao and the Second Young Lady shared tea in the same room, what do you think he’d do? A word from him, and every yamen in Great Ying would be on your trail. There’d be no place left for you to hide!"
"You vile snake!" Sangzhi’s face flushed red with anger. If today’s events were to spread, not only would her mistress be affected, but even the marriages of the eldest and second young masters, as well as the unmarried members of the second branch, would suffer.
Cui Lanyin studied Liu Heipi as he spun his web of threats. Judging by his words and actions, he had lured Master Zhao here intending to use her as leverage in negotiations.
What a pity...
"Sangzhi, stay calm," Cui Lanyin said softly.
Like Liu Heipi earlier, the white-robed man was surprised by her composure. Then he remembered—she had appeared here in plain clothes because this tea shop was hers. Who would have thought a delicate noblewoman could possess such nerve?
Just then, Zhang Gui arrived with a server, carrying tea and snacks.
The white-robed man immediately dismissed everything else, carefully selecting a piece of rice cake for a small plate. Testing the tea to ensure it wasn’t too hot, he called softly, "Master, the tea and snacks are here."
Only then did Master Zhao open his eyes. He took the teacup, sipped, then picked up the rice cake, nibbling at it without much enthusiasm.
Though awake, he still seemed utterly disinterested, as if nothing in the world could capture his attention.
"Didn’t we just make red bean pastries? Why weren’t they served?" Cui Lanyin asked Zhang Gui.
Her unshaken demeanor made Zhang Gui think she had a backup plan, easing his own fear. He bowed. "They’ve just reached the right texture. I’ll fetch them now." He hurried back to the kitchen.
Meeting the white-robed man’s curious gaze again, Cui Lanyin smiled. "The red bean pastries are our shop’s newest specialty—not too sweet, perfect with tea."
The white-robed man clasped his hands in thanks. "My gratitude."
Liu Heipi looked back and forth between them, baffled.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs—Geng Dayou arrived with a steaming plate of pastries, Zhang Gui trailing behind empty-handed. He whispered to Cui Lanyin, "Dayou noticed something amiss and came in on his own."
It no longer mattered. Cui Lanyin waved for him to stand aside.
Following her lead, Geng Dayou placed the pastries down and retreated behind her.
Master Zhao had already picked up one of the delicate pastries. The golden-brown crust crumbled at the touch, revealing a rich, grainy red bean filling. After one bite, his pace quickened—clearly, these suited his taste far better than the rice cakes.
After several pieces, he tapped the table once with three fingers.
The white-robed man understood. Turning to Cui Lanyin, he said, "This matter won’t involve bystanders. You have nothing to fear."
Cui Lanyin dipped her head slightly. "I trust you both." She couldn’t help wondering—what did three fingers and a single tap signify?
Still smiling, the white-robed man struck without warning. Silver streaks flashed from his hand, and before Cui Lanyin and her servants could react, Liu Heipi was pinned to the wall by five small throwing knives.
The blades pinned his hat, sleeves, and boots in place. A fraction off, and they would have pierced his skull, arms, or feet.
Liu Heipi’s face drained of color. Noticing the blades in his sleeves were turned inward, he realized the one above his head must be the same. Clamping down on his tongue, he forced himself still.
At death’s door, he finally understood—he couldn’t afford mutual destruction. He’d be crushed long before then.
"L-Lord Bai... let’s talk this through. I made a mistake—it won’t happen again. From now on, we’ll follow Master Zhao’s rules. One misstep, and you needn’t spare me..." He was quick to grovel when cornered.
Having recovered from their initial shock, Cui Lanyin and her maids now felt nothing but satisfaction. How the tables had turned—Liu Heipi had shattered a teacup to threaten them earlier, only to end up pinned to the wall begging for mercy. Karma worked swiftly.
"Liu Heipi, you think you’re fit to waste our master’s time?" the white-robed man sneered. "We’ll spare you the mess in someone else’s shop. Now scram!"
Liu Heipi couldn’t believe it. "Lord Bai... I can go?"
"What, you want me to treat you to a meal to calm your nerves?"
Liu Heipi started shaking his head but froze, remembering the blade at his scalp. Forcing a smile, he said, "No, no—it’s just... I can’t move yet."
"I won’t dirty my hands. Call your men to remove the knives."
Liu Heipi hastily shouted for a subordinate to pull the blades free. Not daring to be careless, he personally gathered them and offered them to the white-robed man.
The man still didn’t take them. Liu Heipi stood frozen, not daring to breathe.
His underling had sharper instincts—tearing off a large piece of cloth, he wiped the knives clean, then asked Zhang Gui for a fresh cloth to polish them again before presenting them respectfully.
Only then did the white-robed man accept them. Satisfied, he waved dismissively. "Stop loitering."
Liu Heipi finally dared to leave, his men trailing behind. Just as they reached the stairs, the white-robed man added lazily, "We’ll send you a gift later. Wait for it."
Liu Heipi shuddered, nearly tumbling down the steps.
"You might ask around up north what happens to those who try bargaining with our master," the white-robed man said coldly. "If I let you go, I can drag you back anytime. Hide at the ends of the earth—it won’t matter. And if you dare spread word of this? Go ahead. Try."
Liu Heipi spun around in panic. "Lord Bai, I swear I won’t!"
"Remember—this tea shop is under our protection now."
Liu Heipi nodded frantically. "I’ll stay far away from here!"
The white-robed man shooed him off like a fly. Liu Heipi fled as if pardoned from execution, bolting downstairs and shouting for his men to run.
Zhang Gui and Sangzhi exchanged uneasy glances, their hearts still racing. Was it really over just like that?
Liu Heipi was slippery—after scheming so hard, would he really give up? Though the white-robed man’s words hinted at further measures to keep him in line... what if he still dared?
Cui Lanyin paid them no mind, silently noting that three taps of the fingers meant "deal with it." She lowered her head and approached the table, curtsying gracefully. "Greetings, Uncle."
The man in white and Zhang Gui were momentarily stunned, but Bailin suddenly recalled Qinglin mentioning a Miss Cui who had come to pay her respects. Now it all made sense.
Sangzhi covered her mouth in surprise—Master Zhao was Prince Wei? The imperial surname was Zhao, so there was no mistake.
After a light tap sounded, Cui Lanyin quickly spoke up. "To inform Uncle, I will close the shop tomorrow."
This Miss Cui had understood the prince's intention without needing further explanation—another surprise for Bailin.
But there were many things he hadn’t anticipated. Soon, he found himself glancing back and forth like a country bumpkin visiting the city.
Over there, Prince Wei gave a faint "Hmm" before lifting his gaze to ask, "Are you in dire need of silver?"
"Ah?" Cui Lanyin’s almond-shaped eyes widened slightly, giving her a somewhat naive expression. She had assumed Prince Wei would never deign to speak to someone as ordinary as her.
But how should she respond? Last time, she had already admitted to seeking his favor—there was nothing left to hide now. Steeling herself, she blurted out, "Very much so!"
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Prince Wei’s gaze still fixed on her, as if waiting for her to continue.
Meeting his calm eyes, Cui Lanyin had a sudden intuition—if she kept holding back, she would never set foot in Prince Wei’s residence again.
Fine. If her dignity was already lost, there was no point clinging to pride.
She pressed her lips together and went on, "My parents aren’t good at managing household affairs. When we moved here from the north, most of my grandmother’s savings and my mother’s dowry were spent. Over the years, expenses have outpaced income… We’re not starving, but there’s nothing left to spare.
I… I couldn’t bear to see my younger brothers delay their marriages because they couldn’t afford betrothal gifts, so I decided to open a shop—"
Prince Wei tapped his fingers twice in quick succession, pulling Cui Lanyin from her thoughts. He tossed out a single word—"Wait"—before leaving the private room with a distant look in his eyes.
The man in white took a moment to react before fishing out a small token from his robe—carved with a white qilin, neither wood nor metal—and handed it to Zhang Gui. "Even if Liu Heipi wouldn’t dare cause trouble, it’s best to be prepared. If anything happens, send someone with this token to the general store by the riverbank outside Zhengyang Gate. They’ll handle it. You needn’t worry."
Considering Prince Wei’s unusual favor, Bailin added, "There’s no need to close the teahouse. No fool would dare bother you now."
"Many thanks, Lord Bai." Cui Lanyin curtsied, then added after a thought, "The kitchen should still have some red bean pastries. If Uncle doesn’t mind, we can pack some for the road."
Noticing the empty plate on the table, the man in white nodded. "Then I’ll trouble you, Miss." He then added, "You may call me Bailin."
Qinglin, Bailin… were there others? Cui Lanyin nodded in agreement, though she wouldn’t actually presume to address Prince Wei’s trusted aides so casually.
Without needing further instruction, Zhang Gui went to the kitchen and packed the remaining red bean pastries for Bailin. Cui Lanyin respectfully saw the two men out of the teahouse.
