Chapter 4

Cold seasons passed into warm ones.

Spring Mountain House became the most popular restaurant in the capital.

After all, the people serving tea and water there weren’t ordinary maids and waiters.

A lucky visitor might even meet a courtesan who had once been the toast of the city.

I also hired teachers to train the girls in music and singing.

Beautiful voices and elegant melodies nourished the spirit.

But however lovely the girls were, customers could admire them only from a distance. No touching.

The proprietor—me—handled security herself.

Spring Mountain House brought me a great deal of silver.

It was also where all sorts of news reached me.

Whenever any of my staff heard something about Song Shan, they made sure to listen.

I deliberately befriended the powerful officials who visited us too.

Little by little, I learned how Song Shan had come to be convicted and executed.

Seeing me stare into space, Song Shan set down his book.

He lifted a ruler and tapped my hand lightly. “Slacking off again!”

I had brought this on myself.

I had asked him to teach me to read.

During our two hours together each day, he spent most of the time reading while I copied books.

My fingers ached from all that copying. Holding a brush was more tiring than fighting.

“You must have copied enough books to fill hundreds of chests to become top scholar,” I grumbled.

“No. I never forget anything I read.”

I shot him a look of hatred.

But strict teachers produced good pupils.

I could now understand every ledger and contract connected with Spring Mountain House.

My handwriting was still ugly, but I could write whatever I wanted.

At the moment, there was a name on my paper.

Han Chong.

I slid it onto Song Shan’s desk.

Han Chong?

Song Shan said he had started as a palace guard but risen through the ranks very quickly.

Quickly was an understatement.

I told Song Shan that he was already commander of the Imperial Guard.

Shortly after Song Shan’s death, he had married a princess and become an imperial son-in-law.

When Song Shan was charged with treason, he repeatedly petitioned to explain himself, but the emperor refused to see him.

I had coaxed several palace eunuchs who came to eat at Spring Mountain House into drinking too much. Only then had the truth come out.

It wasn’t that the emperor refused to see him.

The commander of the Imperial Guard had blocked every message intended for the throne.

He was the reason Song Shan never even had a chance to defend himself.

Whether he was the schemer behind it or someone else’s weapon, he had to be removed.

What I didn’t expect was for Han Chong to turn up at Spring Mountain House the very next day.

Song Shan was probably still planning how to deal with him.

Meanwhile, I was watching this villain savor his success three years in the future.

He sat in our finest private dining area and ordered me to serve his tea in person.