[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful":3,"chapter-even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-70":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Even a Gentleman Must Be Careful",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2268690,4429,"Chapter 70: Seventy-One: Beauty Emerging from the Bath (Combined, Happy Valentine","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-70",70,"\u003Cp>Seventy-One: Beauty Emerging from the Bath (Combined, Happy Valentine’s Day!)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hope I haven’t disturbed your honor hosting distinguished guests.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“County Magistrate, you’re joking— you are the distinguished guest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Passing along a quiet stone-paved path through the woods, then walking twenty or thirty steps down a corridor, one could see the abbot’s chamber, designed with elegant, Zen-like grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young novice with a gleaming bald head led the way, bringing Ouyang Rong to this place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The novice’s hair was still as it had always been— thick, simple, and earnest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong had first visited Liu Ashan’s home upon arriving at the temple, to see Aqing and Liu’s mother, before coming to see Master Shandao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along the corridor, the two chatted and laughed as they walked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiufa was naturally sociable— still a playful child, yet long confined to the temple, he seized every chance to pester Ouyang Rong with questions, mostly about the Dragon Boat Festival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong answered casually, but he’d already forgotten which dragon boat team won in the end; he’d merely ascended the podium on the final day to hand out prizes and then returned to his duties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the abbot’s chamber door, faint voices could be heard from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alongside Master Shandao’s familiar tone was another voice— a woman’s, cool and melodious, like that of a poised elder lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong and Xiufa halted together, exchanged glances, stepped off the corridor, and waited by a stone table and bench in the flower garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiufa apologized on behalf of his master; Ouyang Rong shook his head, offering no reproach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze fell on the pale white wall outside the chamber, where a folded crimson oil-paper umbrella leaned against it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the voices inside ceased; the door opened, and Master Shandao respectfully escorted out a young lady in peach-colored ruqun, her face veiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind her followed a cute, plump-faced little maid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After stepping out, the maid promptly picked up the umbrella leaning against the wall, hugged it to her chest, and hurried after the lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao seemed to notice Ouyang Rong and Xiufa waiting in the garden; he did not accompany them further, pausing with a graceful bow, palms together:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lady, rest assured— should any further information arise, I will send a monk to your residence at once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I am deeply in your debt, Master. This matter is of great importance to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The peach-robed lady gave a slight nod, raised one slender palm in return, her tone tinged with quiet disappointment, yet she spoke no further, swiftly departing with her plump-faced maid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A spring breeze stirred through the treetops, lifting the veil’s white gauze; Ouyang Rong caught only a glimpse of a delicate chin and a slash of vermilion lips— the former like a freshly peeled spring bamboo shoot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao watched the guest depart, then turned, his face apologetic:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“County Magistrate, I apologize for keeping you waiting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter. You seem quite busy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, I’m just a laboring soul. I don’t know who spread my modest reputation, but every day, travelers and devotees from all directions come calling. As a monk, I can’t put on airs— I must handle everything myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-robed old monk, with flowing white beard and an ethereal aura, sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t laugh, County Magistrate— most of the devotees who come… bring me matters I simply don’t understand. But the Dharma is boundless, the Buddha is compassionate. I may be dull, but the Buddha is not— I simply guide these karmically connected souls toward the boundless Dharma.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So you’re just lying, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong mentally scoffed, yet his face wore full agreement:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly the same— the county office gets a pile of trivial cases every day. For example, the wife of the neighboring Squire Wang has been unable to conceive, and she comes privately weeping to me, begging the magistrate to investigate thoroughly…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frowned indignantly: “Tell me— what am I supposed to do about that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao pondered, then offered warmly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next time she comes to report, County Magistrate, you might recommend she visit our Donglin Temple to pray for a child. Our Child-Bearing Guanyin is renowned throughout Jiangzhou.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong waved his hand:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need. Later, my subordinates told me Squire Wang died of illness while traveling last year. What’s she trying to conceive? Is she just playing a trick on me? I had Liu Liang drag her out and give her ten symbolic lashes before sending her away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed: “Even among the masses, there are troublemakers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...” Master Shandao and Xiufa both froze, staring at the young magistrate’s broodingly handsome face, speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>County Magistrate, are you sure this isn’t a wrongful case?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master and disciple fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young magistrate shook his head, dropping the subject, then asked curiously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, did that girl come to you for one of these trivial matters too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao, sensing it wasn’t a private or sensitive matter, paused thoughtfully:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not entirely sure, but it was equally baffling. This lady came seeking an ancient poem— she didn’t say where she heard of it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She claims Tao Qian served as county magistrate here for eighty-one days, and upon resigning, left behind a reclusive poem, which he gifted to the then-abbot of Donglin Temple. She’s here asking if we still have the original manuscript.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong replied offhandedly: “Seeking ancient texts? Interesting girl. Do you have the poem in your archives?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao smiled wryly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“County Magistrate, this happened hundreds of years ago— just one poem. Though Donglin Temple is ancient, we’re no imperial archive. With so many dynastic changes over the centuries, how could any detailed record survive…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old monk paused, then added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still, Tao Qian is a local figure. If he truly gifted a poem, successive abbots would have preserved it. My master once told me our temple once had a library, specifically for storing the original writings of famous figures connected to our temple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong smiled: “Then just look for it— you might earn a nice donation from the grateful lady.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao sighed and shook his head: “Of course we couldn’t find it— that’s why we had to send her away.” He asked: “Do you remember the Lotus Pagoda I mentioned earlier?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong blinked: “I recall… wasn’t that the predecessor to your Merit Pagoda?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Precisely. Originally built with imperial patronage during the Southern Dynasties, the library storing the original writings of famous figures was housed inside that pagoda. Alas, it was all reduced to ashes in a great fire— and the rebuilt Merit Pagoda too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao’s expression turned mournful: “Heh, this lady was generous indeed— what a pity. The reclusive poem she seeks was likely among those lost.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Donglin Temple abbot had surprisingly high emotional intelligence— he chatted casually but never mentioned the lady’s name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong naturally asked no further; he’d lost interest halfway through. This was merely small talk before getting to the real matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the unseen peach-robed lady’s demeanor had left a strong impression— he was naturally curious why such a composed figure had departed in disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that’s truly unfortunate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll have Xiufa and the others search again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong nodded, uninterested in asking more. Master Shandao led him into the abbot’s chamber. He entered, sat by the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiufa had been listening curiously behind them; now, after serving tea, he prepared to leave. Before stepping out, the novice suddenly remembered something and turned back:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, Master, what was the name of the ancient poem the lady sought? I’ll ask the scripture hall brothers to check.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The novice hastily corrected his term, imitating his master’s phrasing. Previously, he’d privately asked why some female devotees were called “female patrons” while others were called “female bodhisattvas.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His master had given him a knowing look, saying: “When you understand the mystery, you’ll be ready to receive guests in my stead.” Xiufa straightened, realizing this concealed profound Buddhist wisdom— only by comprehending it could he become a master like his teacher…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the chamber, Master Shandao smiled at his eager, adaptable disciple, then replied casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The poem… was called ‘Returning Home.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, odd name, Master.” Xiufa muttered, nodded, and withdrew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Master Shandao watched Xiufa leave, then turned to resume chatting with Ouyang Rong— but as he turned, his expression froze:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? County Magistrate, how did tea spill on you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-nothing. This tea is too delicious— I got a bit shaky.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ouyang Rong set down his cup, covered his mouth as he coughed, his eyes involuntarily drifting toward the direction where the peach-robed lady had vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had indeed shaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not from the tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From hearing those five characters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dead Chinese textbook started attacking him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why do I still remember this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Ming Street, Su Fu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morning. A quiet courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence shattered— maids bustled in and out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind a floral bird screen in the west pavilion, mist slowly rose, filling the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soap, hot water tubs, clean towels, thin silk robes— all passed swiftly between the nimble maids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young lady was bathing at dawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the courtyard gate, a plump-faced maid in pale yellow attire approached, carrying a full wooden tray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On it lay bottles, jars, herbs, ointments, hot broth, and pills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Caishou carried the tray through the narrow alley between two inner courtyards, entered the yard, passed the busy maids, and pushed open the door into the steam-filled west pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Miss Xie, Madam sent me to apply your medicine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The plump-faced maid spoke brightly, waited— but the lady behind the screen gave no reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Caishou set down the medicine tray, crept quietly closer, peering past the floral screen with her small head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether from the sight behind the screen or the steam’s warmth, her round cheeks flushed crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the screen, a pale, graceful figure had not fully submerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several maids, their eyes occasionally darting, gently wiped her skin with warm, damp towels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her back wounds had not fully healed— she could not bathe— but after days of rest, her skin was surely sticky and uncomfortable. Her fever from the past nights had passed; she was now alert enough to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the maids had heated water to clean her gently and apply medicine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the white, jade-like figure of Xie Shigui ignore her, Caishou wasn’t annoyed— she was used to it— and turned to fetch the medicine tray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ling’s face looked weak; she lowered her gaze. Her black hair, like a stream of silk, hung straight down. Two round, pale shoulders emerged from the damp darkness, like luminous jade plates rising from the night sky— even more pitifully lovely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially with her vacant stare fixed on the floor, and the vivid red scars across her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She appeared even more fragile, timid, and delicate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One longed to cradle her in one’s arms, to cherish her fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The round-faced little maid carrying the medicine thought that if she were a man, she would have been unable to hold back at this sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Shou blinked her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she knew that Xie Xiao Niangzi’s current delicate, pitiful appearance was merely an illusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within this frail body lay a fiercely stubborn spirit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In these past few days, Cai Shou had seen it all: after being whipped into that state, Xie Xiao Niangzi had refused help, walked back to Su Fu alone, and returned to this courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In every subsequent dressing, she had remained completely silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this injury had brought some changes after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Shou noticed that Xie Xiao Niangzi had been staring into space often these days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes she hugged her quilts and gazed at the white clouds outside the window; sometimes she bit her chopsticks and stared at the half-full bowl of rice; sometimes she let her hair hang loose, tilted her head, and stared at Cai Shou—making Cai Shou feel a little frightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, since the injury, Xie Xiao Niangzi had grown far quieter, speaking sparingly, and radiating an inexplicable change.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Shou had quietly asked her mistress, but the mistress had merely kept reading without looking up, saying it was a good thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Shou stepped forward softly and smiled gently:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie Xiao Niangzi, it’s time for the medicine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Shigui, seated sideways on the stool with legs tucked, did not look up; beneath her dripping black wet hair, she gave only a faint, whisper-like “mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two maids who had been cleaning stepped aside to fetch clean towels to dry her hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Shou knelt and placed the medicine tray on the stool, eyes wide, carefully mixing the herbs, muttering under her small lips:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s stick with the new formula your senior brother sent—last time’s wound ointment didn’t work well; it gave Xiao Niangzi a fever all night. This new one’s truly miraculous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, first fumigate the wounds with atractylodes and mugwort smoke, then apply this strange ointment. After you dress, drink some tonic soup—it’s bitter, but hey, look, I brought a piece of rock sugar; just hold it afterward and you’ll…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman who had been staring blankly with lowered eyes suddenly lifted her head and asked: “Where is my senior brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sugar pinched between Cai Shou’s fingers nearly dropped into the brown medicine broth; she gaped, stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two stared at each other, eyes wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ling’s pale pink lips, drained of color, opened again: “Didn’t you just mention him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Shou snapped back to herself and nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, this is the healing formula he sent… Where is he? I… I don’t know. Probably busy with county office matters—he’s the County Magistrate, and wasn’t it just said they’re digging a new canal? These officials always have so much work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if only now realizing she’d misheard, Xie Ling’s eyes seemed to cloud over with a faint mist, their luster dimming slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gave a slight nod, shifted her pink hips slightly, and turned her snow-white back toward the round-faced maid—implicitly granting permission to apply the medicine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little maid didn’t think twice and bent down to carefully rub the ointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But like the two maids who had cleaned her earlier, when applying medicine to certain long, deep whip marks, her eyes kept wandering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmm, if only the whip had landed a little more to the side—then maybe now, while applying medicine, she could sneak a feel… Cai Shou’s little mind wandered, mostly because the view was truly spectacular.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ling had no idea that this round-faced maid was up to no good, daydreaming about nonsense; now, distracted by the maid’s inattention, the wound was occasionally pressed too hard, sending waves of stinging pain through her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Ling bit her lower lip, watching a few strands of black hair slide over her forehead, motionless and silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The western wing room fell quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a maid’s voice suddenly rang out from the courtyard:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xiao Niangzi, someone’s here to see you—he says he’s your senior brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Shou, mid-application, suddenly saw a flash of white before her eyes—the wound she had been focusing on vanished as if teleported.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The space before her was empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She widened her eyes and turned to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman with wet hair draped over her shoulders snatched a towel, tilted her head to dry it, and reached for her clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cai Shou and the other maids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The round-faced little maid gasped and chased after her, waving one small hand frantically:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, wait—that’s dirty clothing, you can’t wear that!”\u003C\u002Fp>",2569,"2026-06-19T21:28:25.445Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","d654ce4d0c3ace40b85d4ecb6da642adf575d503d32cc2230c21584417826743","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-71","even-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-chapter-69",864,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Feven-a-gentleman-must-be-careful-cover.jpg"]