(For Chapter 1-163, go to (https://chrysanthemumgarden.com/novel-tl/awbtv/))
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Before Chu Yunsheng could even sort out the jealous tangle in his heart, the old steward had already arrived outside, leading someone in.
"Good evening, Mr. Yu."
The old troupe master, having heard that something had happened inside the Yu residence, had rushed over in a panic. Now, standing before Yu Jingzhi, his expression was full of fear and nervousness; he didn't dare lift his head, only bowed deeply and spoke with utmost respect.
A step behind him, Bai Chu followed quietly. His voice, clear and resonant like a phoenix's call, was indeed pleasing to the ear. Yet when he drew near, he lowered his head deeply, hiding his face completely.
(TN: The phoenix's call (凤) symbolizes grace, beauty, and refinement, especially connected to female or artistic qualities.)
Yu Jingzhi gave Bai Chu a brief glance and replied casually, but didn't pursue the matter of their arrival. Instead, he turned and had one of the servants bring out the eight-immortal table from the kitchen to the veranda, then fetched a stool for himself, filled a bowl with Tangyuan, and sat down with Chu Yunsheng on either side of the table.
(TN: Eight-Immortal Table is a traditional square wooden table in Chinese furniture, named after the Eight Immortals from Daoist legend — not because it's decorated with them, but because: It has eight seats (two per side) — enough for the Eight Immortals, and it symbolizes equality and togetherness, since everyone sits facing each other with equal distance.)
Steam curled softly under the veranda, carrying the light, sweet scent of Tangyuan.
Yu Jingzhi stirred the bowl with a porcelain spoon. When the fear and unease on the old troupe master's face had nearly reached the point of breaking, Yu finally smiled faintly and spoke:
"It was just a performance — nothing more than a small mishap. There's no need to apologize. I've seen my share of blood on festival nights. Burning a decorative lantern by accident hardly counts for much."
At these words, the old troupe master was overjoyed and said repeatedly, "Thank you, Mr. Yu! Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Yu…"
But as soon as he recalled Yu Jingzhi's earlier words — the part about seeing blood — his heart seized with fresh terror. Quickly, he nudged Bai Chu with his elbow, signaling him with a look.
Bai Chu trembled all over. Knowing he couldn't avoid it, he bowed deeply, his gesture that of a lady's courtesy, and spoke in a soft voice:
"Please, Mr. Yu, understand — the mistake on stage today was entirely my fault. No one else in the Fengxiang Troupe should bear the blame. Mr. Yu's great generosity in forgiving me… Bai Chu will remember it as a life-saving grace…"
Before Bai Chu could finish, the old troupe master hurriedly took over, smiling nervously:
"Mr. Yu, the earlier performance was ruined, but now that it's late and quiet, Bai Chu wishes to repay your kindness by singing for you once more."
At that, Yu Jingzhi wasn't surprised. When the old steward had said that the troupe master was bringing the qingyi (female-role actor) to apologize, Yu had already guessed what they were planning — which was why he had spoken at length at the start, trying to cut off the troupe master's excuses before they began.
He hadn't expected, however, that even so, the man would cling stubbornly to the idea.
Yu Jingzhi was lost in thought and looked up at Chu Yunsheng — only to see that Young Master Chu had already started eating the Tangyuan rather unceremoniously, showing no extra expression at all.
Yu Jingzhi wondered for a moment whether Chu Yunsheng hadn't understood what had just been said, and was about to speak when Chu Yunsheng swallowed a dumpling and said calmly,
"Can you sing 'Sifan'?"
(TN: "思凡" (Sifan) is a famous aria from traditional Chinese opera, most notably performed in Peking Opera (京剧). The title literally means "Longing for the Mortal World" or "Yearning for the Secular Life." It tells the story of a young Buddhist nun who, after spending years in the quiet confinement of a temple, begins to feel restless and curious about life beyond the monastery walls. One spring day, surrounded by blooming flowers and signs of life, she starts to question her vows of purity and isolation. As she sings, she reveals her deep yearning for love, human connection, and freedom — emotions that clash with her religious obligations. The aria is performed by a qingyi (青衣) role, the refined, tragic female lead of Peking Opera, requiring both technical precision and emotional subtlety.)
The corridor fell silent.
The old troupe master froze, somewhat unable to figure out the identity of the young man eating supper with Mr. Yu, and Bai Chu also looked up in surprise.
Only Yu Jingzhi smiled, the corners of his lips curving slightly as he gestured with his hand.
"The troupe master came here in such a hurry — you must not have had dinner yet. Xile, go prepare something to eat."
The servant, whose name together with Ping'an formed the phrase "Ping'an Xile" (Peace and Joy), answered softly and soon brought out some snacks and food, leading the old troupe master to a stone table in the courtyard.
The stone table was several zhang away from the veranda — close enough to see what was happening there, but too far to hear any conversation.
(TN: 丈 is a traditional Chinese unit of length. i.e., roughly 10 to 20 meters away, depending on how many "几" (a few) refers to)
From that distance, it looked like a few words were exchanged, and then Bai Chu stepped back two paces. With a sweep of his sleeves, he really did begin to sing "Sifan."
The old troupe master was utterly bewildered — was this really just about singing opera? Were they truly only having him perform a play?
He felt so uneasy that even the food in his mouth had lost its taste. He tried hard not to let his eyes wander toward the veranda, but his worry and puzzlement only grew stronger.
When the old steward came over, the troupe master finally couldn't hold back and whispered,
"Uncle Fu, Mr. Yu and that gentleman over there…"
"The gentleman is Mr. Chu," the steward replied.
The old steward, Uncle Fu, spoke as he sat down on the stone bench.
Uncle Fu was one of the old retainers from the former Yu household. Back when calamity struck the Yu family, he had stayed to the very end to look after his masters. But he still had children and family to care for, and life to continue; after repeated persuasion from Master Yu and Madam Yu, he had no choice but to leave. Who could have known that shortly after he left, disaster would befall the Yu family completely.
When Yu Jingzhi returned from the North, it was Uncle Fu who took him in for a few days, told him everything that had happened in Haicheng, and even helped him escape from a pursuer—almost getting himself implicated in the process.
Yu Jingzhi had received a modern education since childhood and never believed in rigid hierarchies or distinctions between nobles and commoners. He didn't think that a servant's loyalty was something to be taken for granted. He remembered Uncle Fu's kindness. Later, after establishing himself in Haicheng, Yu Jingzhi brought Uncle Fu and his family under his protection and looked after them.
Although Uncle Fu was getting on in years, he didn't yet feel ready to retire in leisure, and so he took the initiative to serve Yu Jingzhi again, managing the household affairs.
Though he held the title of steward and servant, to Yu Jingzhi, Uncle Fu was more like half a family member. So when Uncle Fu spoke, he didn't always have to humble himself too much.
"Stop trying to be clever — you're only making things worse!"
Uncle Fu snapped at the old troupe master.
Haicheng wasn't exactly big nor small, and the two men had met a few times before. Hearing the sharp tone, the old troupe master was startled and said in a low voice, "Isn't Mr. Yu… fond of men…"
Before he could finish, he realized he had spoken out of turn and quickly shut his mouth.
But Uncle Fu didn't seem to mind. He merely shook his head and said, "The master has a kind heart—he would never trouble others. Even if he likes someone, would he ever resort to forcing anyone? Don't bring those filthy stories from your opera troupe into this house. The master dislikes that sort of thing."
"I—I truly didn't know what Mr. Yu disapproved of. Then this…" The old troupe master glanced nervously toward the veranda.
"Don't worry. I already told you—sir isn't the kind to make things hard for people. It's you lot who are making a fuss over nothing," said Uncle Fu. "Eat your food. That Mr. Chu isn't unreasonable—if he said he came to listen to the opera, then he really just came to listen."
Uncle Fu's guess was spot on—Chu Yunsheng really had come just to listen to the opera.
But, of course, "listening to the opera" also served nicely as an excuse.
If he hadn't run into them, Chu Yunsheng would have treated the so-called main characters of the original story with polite indifference—never crossing paths, never interfering. But since they had happened to meet, and he happened to have something to ask, "listening to the opera" was as good a pretext as any to send others away.
When one act finished, Chu Yunsheng suddenly asked, "Do you like Mr. Yu?"
The question startled Bai Chu so much that he nearly jumped, and Yu Jingzhi almost choked on a glutinous rice ball.
Bai Chu quickly said, "Mr. Chu, you mustn't say such things—Bai Chu has absolutely no such intention!"
Just a moment ago, when the opera ended, Bai Chu had seen the two men under the veranda with calm, upright expressions, clearly without any hidden meaning. He had begun to relax—only for Chu Yunsheng's sudden question to send his heart racing again.
As he spoke, he carefully glanced toward Yu Jingzhi, terrified that the man might take offense and shoot him on the spot—but from the corner of his eye, he caught Yu Jingzhi giving Mr. Chu a look that was half smile, half not.
Setting down his porcelain spoon, Chu Yunsheng looked at Bai Chu and said, "If you truly had no such intentions, then why, after Mr. Yu said he wouldn't pursue the matter, did you still go along with what the old troupe master said?"
Bai Chu's expression froze, the color draining from his face. "I... I really didn't—"
"If you don't like Mr. Yu, then what is it?" Chu Yunsheng ignored Bai Chu's pale face and pressed on.
Yu Jingzhi might not have known, but Chu Yunsheng had already formed some guesses about Bai Chu's temperament. The moment they met, he sensed something off in Bai Chu's attitude.
Seeing this, the gentle expression on Yu Jingzhi's face also faded. His voice turned cool as he said, "I, Yu, consider myself a reasonable man—but when it comes to ill intentions, reason no longer applies."
His tone was calm, yet carried undeniable pressure.
Bai Chu had never agreed with what Li Lingbi had asked him to do. He didn't believe a mere plot of land could mean much to the famous Mr. Yu. Under such pressure, he didn't try to argue. After stammering for a while, he finally said, "Do you two gentlemen know the Xuan family's young master, Xuan Qinghe? I have a friend named Li Lingbi who wants to start a factory business with him. But Young Master Xuan thinks he's just an actor, without any proper standing, and refuses to agree. Yet, unable to get rid of him, he set a condition—Li Lingbi must first help him secure a piece of land…"
At that, Yu Jingzhi immediately understood. "Ah, so it's that piece of land. Then, your coming here with the old troupe master's suggestion, 'accidentally' knocking over the lantern, and coming to me to apologize—was all for this?"
He let out a faint, amused sigh. "I suppose your friend must have heard the rumors about my fondness for men and came up with this little plan. No matter how you look at it, this does you no good at all—you're quite the fool to go along with it."
This little actor, he thought, didn't look like the clever sort.
Yu Jingzhi mentally pinned that label on Bai Chu.
He was a bit curious how Chu Yunsheng had seen through the scheme so quickly, but didn't ask. He simply listened as Chu Yunsheng continued, "This Li Lingbi you mentioned—don't you think there's something different about him lately, compared to before?"
Bai Chu froze, frowning as he thought for a moment before saying, "Li Lingbi wasn't much different from anyone else in the troupe before—and he wasn't any different toward me either. But some time ago, he suddenly started seeking me out—bringing me clothes and food, standing up for me, and spending time with me often. He used to wake up early every day to practice his voice, and his singing was excellent—he was hardworking and dedicated. But lately, he's lost interest in all that. He slacks off, sneaks out, and socializes with people outside…"
Normally, Bai Chu wouldn't have thought much of it. But as he recalled each detail now, one by one, he suddenly realized how strange Li Lingbi's behavior had been. His voice grew quieter and quieter, as unease and fearful speculation rose in his chest.
Chu Yunsheng said, "You can keep an eye on him and the people around him in your daily life. See if you notice anything unusual. If you do, you can come to Mr. Yu for a reward."
Yu Jingzhi glanced at Chu Yunsheng and added, "You can go to Zhou's Pastry Shop near your troupe and buy half a jin of walnut crisps. If you're sincere about doing this, not only will you be rewarded with money—getting yourself a place on the stage of Haicheng Grand Theater won't be a problem either."
Bai Chu was stunned.
He more or less understood what Chu Yunsheng and Yu Jingzhi meant—they wanted him to act as an informant, to watch Li Lingbi or the people around him.
If this had been before tonight, he would have refused without hesitation; he would never have betrayed a friend. But Chu Yunsheng's words just now had already planted seeds of doubt in his heart—so much so that he couldn't bring himself to speak.
After a long moment, Bai Chu finally lowered his head and said softly, "Bai Chu understands."
The outcome was exactly as Chu Yunsheng had expected. Bai Chu and Li Lingbi weren't close enough for deep loyalty, and with Li Lingbi's clumsy scheme tonight, a rift had already formed between them. Li Lingbi himself also had too many inconsistencies—enough to make Bai Chu suspicious.
Chu Yunsheng looked at Bai Chu and said at last, "True friendship lies in sincerity, not in favors or rewards. If you find yourself confined to one small corner of the world and can't find a kindred spirit, then perhaps it's time to step outside. The world is vast."
With that, he had nothing more to say.
Yu Jingzhi raised his hand slightly, and Uncle Fu brought over the old troupe leader. After a round of fearful apologies, the man finally led Bai Chu away.
When everyone had left and the two of them were walking back to the courtyard side by side, Yu Jingzhi finally asked, "You're suspicious of that Li Lingbi?"
Chu Yunsheng nodded.
He knew that neither Yu Jingzhi nor Bai Chu had any concept of things like "transmigration into a book." His suspicion wasn't that Li Lingbi had been replaced by another soul—only that, in times like these, when someone suddenly changes overnight and starts mingling everywhere and making connections, most people's first thought would be that the person has become a spy.
Bai Chu's frightened reaction earlier, and Yu Jingzhi's question now, both proved that much.
And in fact, while Li Lingbi and his four lovers couldn't exactly be called spies, "traitors to the country" wouldn't be wrong either.
In all the worlds he had lived through, Chu Yunsheng had never condemned a main character or acted preemptively based on what they might do in the future. But this world was different. Even if Li Lingbi hadn't done anything yet, the political stances of his four lovers were already clear.
The Xuan family, for instance, had forged ties with foreign powers to expand their trading and pharmaceutical businesses, handing over their ancestral formulas and selling large quantities of medicine cheaply to Westerners in the Northeast war zone—only to sell the same medicine back to their own people at high prices.
The mastermind behind that scheme was Xuan Qinghe, which was why the Xuan family had already chosen him as the next family head and held him in high regard.
Gu Qishu was a middle-school teacher whose father was a high-ranking official. Like his father, he was a pro- Eastern intellectual educated in Dongyang, who frequently published articles criticizing the vernacular literature movement. Du Qi, needless to say, was the young master of the Tianming Society, with an intelligence network at his command—he cared nothing for nation or loyalty, selling secrets to whoever paid more, and had even assassinated several progressives.
(TN: "东洋 (Dongyang)" refers to Japan)
As for Gao Lan, the warlord from Ganbei Province in southern Haicheng, he might have been the least objectionable of the four—but he'd still risen from banditry, with his share of pillaging and slaughter. He hated the foreigners, the old government, and the warlords' infighting, yet he was just as complicit in all of it.
Chu Yunsheng wouldn't judge him too soon—but he couldn't forget how, in the original storyline, Gao Lan had decided to abandon Haicheng, seizing the chaos to profit and scheming against Yu Jingzhi.
All four of these men, whether in the original plot or in this world, still enjoyed fairly good reputations. Yet when it came to their hearts and deeds, they were far inferior to the infamous Yu Jingzhi—the man said to be so terrifying he could stop children from crying at night. It only went to show how strange a thing reputation could be.
Chu Yunsheng didn't intend to harm Li Lingbi—only to redirect the chaos he was bound to cause. After all, Xuan Qinghe and his circle already wielded considerable power and held dubious loyalties. If they were to gain access to the advanced medicines or weapons that Li Lingbi would one day create, that would be a disaster.
In a time of chaos, there is no mercy —one person's strength could never change much. Chu Yunsheng had no desire to let anything else add to the turmoil.
"I know Xuan Qinghe."
Drawing on the memories and social ties of his original body, Chu Yunsheng wove a plausible story: "He's the kind who never makes a move without seeing the prize first. Empty promises from Li Lingbi won't fool him. Besides, the Xuan family already has the shadow of Russia behind it."
When he finished, he saw Yu Jingzhi lower his gaze in thought, saying nothing for a while.
Chu Yunsheng knew that with Yu Jingzhi's mind, he would think deeply about it—but Chu Yunsheng didn't elaborate further. He wanted Yu Jingzhi to start keeping an eye on these so-called "minor characters," to plant a seed of caution early on.
When they finally reached the courtyard and were about to go their separate ways, Yu Jingzhi said, "Many outsiders have already arrived in Haicheng before the New Year, and even more will come after. This matter may be connected to that. You don't need to interfere—I'll have people watch over it."
"Get some rest early."
Since the groundwork had already been laid, Chu Yunsheng didn't say more. But he did take note of Yu Jingzhi's remark about the influx of people into Haicheng—it made him think of the foreigner, Pitt, who had come today with Du Tianming, and of Du's attitude toward him.
Once the Lantern Festival passed, the New Year was considered over.
Yu Jingzhi had been away from Haicheng for quite some time, and there was much to handle. He spent only a week at home recuperating before returning to his routine of leaving early and returning late, barely seen at all. Still, whenever he had a free moment, he would come back to the mansion to share a meal with Chu Yunsheng.
When Chu Yunsheng asked about his injuries, he found that Yu Jingzhi's wounds were healing far faster than normal. According to Yu Jingzhi, it was the result of his martial training. In fact, if Yu Jingzhi hadn't mentioned it, Chu Yunsheng might have forgotten that Yu Jingzhi supposedly practiced a rather mysterious art—one said to let him fight a hundred men at once. Chu Yunsheng found the idea intriguing, but since their relationship was not yet open or trusting enough, he didn't ask further.
While Yu Jingzhi was constantly occupied, Chu Yunsheng was quite at leisure. His days were spent reading newspapers, studying, and tinkering with his own research.
And so, more than half a month passed in calm idleness at the Yu residence—until Yu Jingzhi finally brought news that the factory and the laboratory Chu Yunsheng had requested were both roughly completed. Only then did Chu Yunsheng at last have work to do.
This pharmaceutical factory wasn't newly built as Chu Yunsheng had imagined—it was clearly a renovation of an old one. On the surface, its defenses seemed ordinary and lax, but in truth, it was heavily guarded and highly confidential.
The development of penicillin—or any other medicine—was not something that could be accomplished overnight, so Chu Yunsheng simply decided to move in and live at the factory.
At Yu Jingzhi's request, while burying himself in laboratory work, Chu Yunsheng also prepared a few kinds of traditional Chinese patent medicines, so that the factory would appear to be running legitimately. These medicines, however, were very different from the many products of the era. When they first entered the market, they made little impression, but as time went on, their remarkable effects gradually became evident.
When Yu Jingzhi came by, he said, "This really is a fine medicine. It's not like those so-called secret prescriptions that harm people. Just yesterday, some foreigners came asking to purchase a batch."
The medical standards of this period were not exactly primitive, but still could not compare with what would exist in the future. Even traditional Chinese medicines, if properly developed and applied, could have significant impact—so Chu Yunsheng wasn't surprised by the news.
Eating the meal Yu Jingzhi brought, Chu Yunsheng asked casually, "Do you want to sell it?"
Yu Jingzhi, dressed in his military uniform—noble and sharp—lightly waved his white gloved fingers and said, "No, not sell. Exchange. Use some of the less important medicines to trade for laboratory equipment or firearms and ammunition. Of course, the former is more important. Whether for your research or otherwise, we're severely short of precision instruments. They can't be made domestically, and the foreigners tightly control their trade, so we can't buy them. For now, this counts as a breakthrough."
Two months after that conversation, a secret shipment of equipment arrived at the factory. Though all outdated models, at least they worked.
Along with the equipment came one of Yu Jingzhi's friends—Dr. Chao Shimin, a biologist and pharmacologist who had returned from Deyizhi.
(TN: "Deyizhi" (德意志) - more formal, historical, equivalent to "Germany / German Empire.")
Dr. Chao Shimin knew nothing about the secret laboratory and was only in charge of the visible operations of the factory. Even so, his presence greatly eased Chu Yunsheng's burden, allowing him to focus his full attention on the experiments. What he aimed to develop wasn't just penicillin. Many antibiotics and other drugs that would be commonplace in the future were, under the current technological and environmental limitations, far from easy to produce.
Time passed.
One day at the end of July, Chu Yunsheng walked out of the laboratory and said to Yu Jingzhi, who was waiting outside, "It's done."