“This is one of my younger brothers, but his background isn’t very good, and Mrs. Harris doesn’t think much of him. Last year, he passed the county-level exam.” Emily Grant handed the poetry to Charles Grant, while she continued flipping through the Tiger Demon Bone-Training Fist Manual.

“小宁, take ten silver ingots from my private stash and give them to William Grant. He’s preparing for the imperial exams, and with just that little monthly allowance, I’m afraid it won’t be enough.”

“Miss, why are you giving him money? If Mrs. Harris finds out, it probably won’t be good.” Little Nancy pursed her lips, looking reluctant.

“Just go quietly, won’t you?” Emily Grant waved her hand.

“All right.” Little Nancy turned to leave.

“Wait.”

“Master Jing, do you have any instructions?” Seeing that it was Charles Grant speaking, Little Nancy immediately became respectful.

“Uncle Yun, ride quickly to my house and bring me a hundred sheets of Songzhuxuan snow paper, as well as that purple inkstone, the pure fox-hair brush, and the musk ink.” Charles Grant said.

“Understood.” The middle-aged man called Uncle Baker had no doubts about Charles Grant’s orders. After responding, he strode out of the martial arts training ground, mounted a jet-black, dragon-like steed, and galloped away.

About the time it takes to eat a meal later, this Uncle Baker returned, carrying brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on horseback.

“Take these and deliver them to him. By the way, what’s your brother’s name?” Charles Grant gestured.

“His name is William Grant.” Emily Grant looked at Charles Grant and suddenly smiled: “It’s said that the young Marquis is courteous to scholars and eager to help others. Today, I’ve finally seen it for myself. These scholar’s tools are all precious items, each worth at least several hundred taels—equivalent to the property of a middle-class family in Yujing City.”

“It’s nothing.” Charles Grant smiled.

……

In the small courtyard at the northwest corner of the Marquis’s residence, William Grant was still reading. Just then, Little Nancy and several maids entered, carrying brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, placing them on the table as they said, “William Grant, you’re in luck. Today, Miss was with the young Marquis, and he admired your poetry, so he specially ordered me to bring you these scholar’s tools. They’re all rare treasures worth a fortune. Also, Miss told me to give you ten silver ingots.”

“Hm? Sending me scholar’s tools?”

William Grant looked up at the items on the table. “Go back and tell the young Marquis that I cannot accept rewards without merit. As for Xuejiao’s ten silver ingots, you can take them back too. If you want to give silver, it should be at least a hundred ingots. My poem is worth ten gold per character, at the very least.”

“Hmph!” Upon hearing William Grant’s words, Little Nancy’s face turned slightly green. She immediately packed up the items and left. As she walked out, a faint voice could be heard: “Truly doesn’t know what’s good for him!”

“He really thinks he’s a young master now.”

“Just a sour, stinky scholar. When he gets a bit older, Mrs. Harris will deal with him sooner or later.”

William Grant heard their comments and sneered inwardly, letting out a long breath. “It’s getting harder and harder to stay in this Marquis’s residence. Forget it, before the exams, I won’t stoop to the level of these petty women. I’d better go stay at Xishan’s Autumn Moon Temple for a while, and keep vigil at my mother’s grave.”

On the training ground.

“Refusing a reward without merit? Xuejiao, your brother certainly has a strong character.” Charles Grant saw that William Grant hadn’t accepted the gifts, but didn’t mind, only smiled slightly and suddenly changed the subject.

“By the way, in a few days it might snow heavily. The heir of Prince Cheng, Princess Yongchun, and a few others we’re close with are planning to go fox hunting in Xishan. I heard there’s been a fox disturbance there lately—a white fox even slipped into the city and ran into the imperial garden, giving Consort Yuan quite a scare. Later, even the imperial guards couldn’t catch it, and finally, they had to call in a Daoist priest from Yujingguan’s Fangxiandao. Only then did the white fox stop appearing.”

“Going to Xishan to hunt foxes? Of course I want to go.”

Emily Grant smiled.

Chapter Four: Red Gold Coins

“Snow paper from Songzhuxuan? That’s made through dozens of processes—one hundred sheets cost at least twenty taels of silver, which is half my yearly allowance. The purple stone inkstone is also top quality, with a fine, smooth texture and a gentle warmth—even in winter, ink won’t freeze on it. Musk ink is made from top-grade pine soot mixed with gold leaf and musk, hammered together. It writes smoothly, the characters look lively, and it has a refreshing fragrance. The brush is also excellent—pure fox hair. This set of scholar’s tools is worth at least several hundred taels. This young Marquis Charles Grant is truly generous. I’ve heard he’s courteous to scholars and eager to help others, often aiding poor students, and has a great reputation in Yujing City. But I think his ambitions are not small…”

William Grant carried a bundle on his back, walking on the road to Xishan outside Yujing City.

He was preparing for the imperial exams and was tired of being mistreated in the Marquis’s residence, so he decided to stay in Xishan for a while and keep vigil at his mother’s grave.

William Grant’s mother’s grave was in Xishan, standing alone. Because of her status, after her death she could not be interred in the ancestral shrine of the Hong family.

Xishan is a large mountain outside Yujing City, nearly a hundred li in circumference. Though not particularly majestic, it is densely forested, with complex terrain and many peaks, flowing springs and waterfalls, and rocky woods.

The mountains are home to many foxes, badgers, wolves, and other wild beasts. Every winter, some nobles and aristocrats come to hunt.

As he walked, William Grant thought about how the young Marquis Charles Grant had sent him those scholar’s tools yesterday, pondering it in his heart.