All good things must come to an end

Meanwhile, on the way to the west corridor, Lin Xiaohong followed Ping'er with light steps.

She had long heard from her mother that Second Master Yun was no longer the same as before, and that even Prince Xin valued him, so she couldn't help but feel a bit curious.

She remembered seeing Jia Yun a few times from afar before. He was a handsome and well-mannered young man, unlike the other men in the mansion who were frivolous. She couldn't help but feel a strange feeling in her heart.

But the closer she got to the small courtyard, the more hesitant Lin Xiaohong became.

The courtyard gate was right in front of her, but she suddenly grabbed Ping'er's sleeve and dared not go in any further, her voice barely audible: "Sister Ping'er, I... I still won't go in..."

Ping'er turned around and saw that Xiao Hong's pretty face was flushed red, and she immediately understood.

This girl originally had some ulterior motives, but did she become shy when she reached the door? Or did she suddenly realize that Jia Yun was no longer someone to be trifled with, and that she, a mere maid, could not possibly climb up to him?

"Why did you suddenly change your mind?" Ping'er asked gently instead of mocking her.

Xiao Hong bit her lip, her voice growing even lower: "I...I suddenly remembered that there's still something I haven't finished doing in Master Bao's room..."

Having said that, she turned and ran—the water-red figure quickly disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

Ping'er watched her hastily departing figure and gently shook her head.

The maids in this mansion are all ambitious, and their little heads are always full of fantasies.

But how many of them actually get what they want?

She straightened her clothes and knocked on Jia Yun's door alone.

It is also said that Xiao Hong ran all the way until she turned the corner before stopping.

She didn't know why she suddenly felt timid, but she suddenly realized that a man who had won the prince's favor was worlds apart from her.

Xiao Hong raised her hand to touch her burning cheeks, feeling empty inside, as if she had missed something, or perhaps she had managed to escape something.

Meanwhile, the other servants of Rongguo Mansion were constantly on the move due to the holidays.

The servants carried ladders to hang large red lanterns, the maids were busy wiping the windows and changing the curtains, the old women washed the utensils, and the men slaughtered livestock... The air was filled with the earthy smell of sweeping dust, the smell of soap from washing, and the faint aroma of food and the smell of gunpowder.

The entire household was bustling with noise, yet the laughter and chatter created a festive atmosphere. This wealthy and powerful family was unusually lively at the end of the year.

Unlike previous years, the small courtyard under the west corridor, which has always been overlooked, has been included in the list of recipients of the allowance.

This was naturally because Grandmother Jia, Jia Zheng, and others had spoken up.

Although Grandmother Jia still harbored a sour feeling towards Jia Yun, and although Madam Xing and others couldn't help but grumble about it in private, the situation was beyond their control.

The visit of that eunuch Li clearly told everyone that Jia Yun was someone whom Prince Xin held dear.

Regardless of the extent of this "relationship," the mere fact that a palace eunuch personally came to "support" them was enough to force the Jia family to re-examine and adjust their attitude towards this widow and orphan.

Offering a share is the most basic and foolproof way to show goodwill and win someone over.

From then on, Jia Yun and his mother were able to receive a monthly allowance of money and rice from the public funds, which, while not generous, was enough to ensure their basic living and even leave a slight surplus.

For Madam Bu, this was a complete upheaval. Holding the heavy allowance, she was both overjoyed and tearful, feeling that her hard times were finally coming to an end.

Jia Yun understood in his heart where this "grace" came from, but he accepted it calmly. It was what he and his mother deserved, and it was also the foundation he had earned through his own abilities.

Having decided to focus on preparing for the exam and no longer work at the Iron Threshold Temple, Jia Yun had no choice but to spend an afternoon visiting the Sanqing Temple on the back mountain to bid farewell to the Zhou family father and daughter.

The slanting sunlight of the twelfth lunar month shone into the small courtyard, giving the dilapidated Taoist temple a touch of warmth.

Jia Yun told Old Man Zhou about his decision to stop practicing martial arts and focus on preparing for the exam. After speaking, he lifted the hem of his robe and respectfully kowtowed three times to Old Man Zhou.

These three kowtows were sincere.

"What are you doing!" Old Man Zhou dropped his spear and rushed to help him up.

Finally, Jia Yun took out a small piece of silver weighing about two taels from his pocket and presented it to Old Man Zhou with both hands.

"Master, this is a small token of my appreciation. We agreed on 500 coins a month, but I haven't been able to pay, which I'm truly ashamed of. Please accept this; any extra is my way of showing my respect and gratitude for your careful guidance over the past few days."

Jia Yun was now wealthy. This was because Prince Xin had indeed kept his promise, raising the payment to three coins per character. After copying the more than five thousand characters of the *Tao Te Ching*, Jia Yun now had fifteen taels of silver in his possession.

Old Man Zhou looked at the silver coin, then at Jia Yun kneeling on the ground, but did not immediately take it.

After a long while, he stroked his beard and sighed, "That little monkey knows how to get things done. Get up."

He reached out again to help Jia Yun up, then took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and laughed, "Alright, since it's your filial piety, I'll accept it. I've never seen anyone train their muscles and bones to this extent in just over twenty days. Now, three or five ordinary men can't even get close to you. Your foundation... is truly impressive."

Before he could finish speaking, a loud "bang" came from the side.

Zhou Yingluo threw down the firewood she was holding, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, and rushed forward: "You're leaving already? Then... then who will practice martial arts with me from now on?"

The girl feigned coquettishness, but bit her red lips tightly, her fingers twisting so hard they almost tore the hem of her clothes.

Zhou Wanyan, the elder sister, silently picked up the firewood, her gaze towards Jia Yun knowing. She had long seen that this young man was no ordinary person, and the small Taoist temple could not keep him.

Seeing his youngest daughter's expression, and then looking at Jia Yun, Old Man Zhou immediately laughed and patted Jia Yun's shoulder with his large, fan-like hand: "Alright, stop putting on this life-or-death act! We're master and disciple, it's fate. Since you want to take the imperial examinations, that's the right path, and your master supports you. However, skills become rusty if you don't practice them for a day. How about this..."

"Remember my name—Zhou Kui. My four good-for-nothing sons, the eldest Zhou Jian and the second Zhou Xuan, work at the Weiyuan Escort Agency in Shenjing, while the third Zhou Huan and the fourth Zhou Zhong practice medicine in Tianjin. If you want to get some exercise after you enter the city, just go find them. You can't let the foundation I laid for you go to waste!"

After finishing speaking, Old Man Zhou glanced at the pear blossom spear in his hand: "I have taught you the power of Bajiquan and the agility of the pear blossom spear. How well you can master it in the future depends entirely on your own destiny."

Jia Yun bowed again: "Disciple will remember Master's arrangements! Thank you, Master!"

After bidding farewell to everyone, Jia Yun turned and walked out of the slightly mottled wooden door of the Sanqing Temple.

He had only taken a few steps down the stone steps in front of the door when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him, accompanied by a clear and urgent call:

"Yun-ge'er!"

Jia Yun turned around and saw Zhou Yingluo chasing after him to the steps. She stood gracefully a few steps away, her cheeks flushed with rouge and her chest rising and falling slightly, her bright eyes looking at him with her lips slightly parted.

She opened her mouth, but all her words ultimately boiled down to one sentence: "You...you better do well on the exam, don't...don't embarrass my dad!"

Seeing her like this, Jia Yun nodded solemnly: "Yes, don't worry, Junior Sister, I will do my best."

Zhou Yingluo bit her lower lip, gave a strong "hmm," and then stopped talking, just looking at him like that.

Jia Yun smiled and waved at her, then turned and stepped onto the mountain path. His worn blue robe fluttered in the north wind, and he never looked back.

Zhou Yingluo stood there, watching that slender yet upright figure disappear around the corner of the mountain path. Only when the cold wind made her shiver did she silently turn around and slowly walk back into the courtyard.

In the courtyard, on the familiar clay stove, the old medicine for my father to regulate his bones was being simmered. The medicine pot made a muffled "gurgling" sound, and white steam carrying a bitter medicinal aroma kept rising.

She squatted by the stove, her hands supporting her chin, staring blankly at the leaping flames and the bubbling medicine. Her heart, like the jar of medicine, was churning with indescribable feelings.