Chapter Ten

Zhi Hao was fully dedicated to his studies. At least that's what he told himself. In truth, he spent much of his time trying to figure out if his nighttime visitor was flesh and blood or a fox spirit sent to steal his life force. The question was driving him crazy, making him question his own sanity.

Ling Xin felt like a true flesh and blood woman to him, one who set his body on fire. And yet, no daughter destined for the Feast of Fertility would do the things she did.

She must be a vixen. And yet the very idea was ridiculous.

Either way, Master Gao had tripled his efforts to be sure Zhi Hao was ready for the exam. It would have been hard for him to manage the tasks set before him even if he hadn't spent the night dreaming of the fox woman.

Never before had he experienced anything so magical. He knew it was nothing more than physical arousal, and yet he already knew so much more about her now, things that attracted him even more than her body. She was daring and smart. At the beginning, they'd spent a great deal of time debating philosophies and he'd found her mind as agile as his own. That was rare in a man, and unheard of in a woman. And therein lay the question.

Could any woman be so perfect?

He had to know, and so he set about devising a way to meet the lady during the day. Normally, a wealthy daughter was kept away from all young men until it was time for her to wed. Unfortunately, Ling Xin was destined for the emperor, so he would not be able to meet her in the normal course of events.

But he still had a plan. It only needed Master Gao to agree to help him during tomorrow's Chingming festival.

"Master Gao, wouldn't it be smart for me to speak with someone who has passed the imperial exam? Just to get his advice."

His teacher looked up from where he'd been filling his pipe. "I have taken the exam. Why would you—"

"Of course, you understand a great deal. But what about Earl Song? Does he not live next door? Did you not teach his two sons?"

"Of course I did, but those lazy dullards didn't pass. They didn't apply themselves, and their father blames me. He is a fool!" And with that, Master Gao went back to his pipe, sucking on it with hard, angry breaths.

"I see. I see," Zhi Hao continued as if thinking deeply. "You know, I hear the ladies talking in the garden next door."

"You should not listen to all that silly chattering."

"But I hear that a cousin has come to visit. A woman named Li Fei."

Master Gao grunted. "So? You need to stop thinking of women."

"I was thinking of her younger brothers. Will they not need to be taught by someone?"

"I told you. Earl Song has no faith in me. I failed his sons. He thinks I will fail his nephews." He stood up and headed for the back garden. Zhi Hao had to catch him before he left completely.

"But if you flatter him," he pressed. "If you take me to learn from him—"

"Then he will believe me even more inept." The tone was mournful now rather than angry.

"Or he will recognize your intelligence. After all, flattery is always useful when used judiciously. And he knows a great deal about the emperor."

Master Gao turned to him. "Why do I need to know about the emperor?"

Wasn't that obvious? "To know what he wants in his officials. So that I can say it in my examination essays."

For all that Master Gao was irritable, he was no fool. He paused in the doorway as he puffed on his pipe.

"You make a compelling argument." Master Gao drew himself to his full height. "But you took much too long to think of it. I have been waiting for you to suggest such a thing." He folded his arms across his chest. "Now tell me how we can best achieve this feat?"

"Perhaps a dinner request?"

Master Gao snorted. "I cannot ask an earl to invite us to dinner. Think, boy!"

Zhi Hao was thinking. Indeed, he'd been chewing on this for the better part of the morning.

"Tomorrow is the Chingming Festival," he said. "I must honor my ancestors and give them a bounty so that I may pass the imperial exam, yes?"

"You can make your bows in the courtyard where you practice your exercises."

Zhi Hao nodded. "I could, but perhaps there is someone important that you should honor? Perhaps at the Song shrine?"

His master frowned. "Why would I honor…" His voice trailed away as he considered the possibility. "It would be an act of contrition for failing to teach his lazy sons. I could clean the family tomb." He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zhi Hao. "We could scrub the dirt away and leave an offering. And if the earl finds the work acceptable, then we can give him our bows and he will be grateful."

"That's a great idea. You truly are a master," he said.

Sadly, the man was too smart to be fooled. "I am not as stupid as you think. And this could go very badly. But if you wish to take the chance of angering the earl, then we will attempt it."

Zhi Hao frowned. "Why would cleaning his tombs anger the Song patriarch?"

The man rolled his eyes. "Chingming is a holiday for a man to honor his ancestors. Do you think Earl Song has others do his duty for him?"

Zhi Hao didn't know. He knew very little about his neighbor. That was the whole point of this exercise: to learn more about the entire family.

"You know him best, Master Gao."

The man puffed more on his pipe before answering. "He will know that we are begging for favor."

"Everyone wants a favor, but we will earn it."

His master considered this. Eventually, he nodded. "We will clean most of the tomb, but not all. That will leave him a way to do his duty."

That was wise and Zhi Hao said so. He was grateful that Master Gao was keen on his plan, even though they both knew Zhi Hao would do all the cleaning.

It didn't matter. On this holiday, all families honored their ancestors. The entire household, including the women, would be there, showing their devotion. Indeed, if the Song daughter was vying to become empress, then she would likely be on her knees showing complete devotion.

All he needed to do was watch from the side. Then he would be able to tell if she was the woman who haunted his nights or a fox phantom.

That was his plan. But he needed to be clearheaded. So tonight, he would hoard his chi. He would not see her on the wall, though his body craved another rendezvous. He could not risk giving more of his life force to a spirit.

Not until he met the Song daughter for real and knew the truth of her.