Lin Xuan Qi stood up and paced around, pretending to be thinking of a poem.

He had one in mind that he thought would be great for Liu Shi Shi.

Liu Shi Shi took a sip from her teacup, tapping her finger on the table with every step he took.

She was waiting with much anticipation for him.

After a few moments, Lin Xuan Qi stopped his pacing around, looked out to the scenery, and cleared his throat.

Finally, he began reciting one of the poems by Na Lan Xing De.

"Had life remained like the first embrace,

"No autumn winds would mar its grace.

"A faithful heart so soon estranged,

"They call it fate that a heart has changed.

"At Lishan's height, by midnight rain,

"Her tears fell soft yet voiced no pain.

"O faithless lord in robes so bright,

"We dreamed of wings that shared one flight."

Liu Shi Shi was captivated as soon as she heard the first line.

She started to mumble the first line to herself repeatedly.

"Had life remained like the first embrace...."

Her thoughts began to fall into her memories of her first encounters with all the important people she had met on her travels.

When she started to recall how she met Lin Xuan Qi, she glanced over at him, thinking about how he had surprised her so many times.

"I have got to write it down."

When Liu Shi Shi finished her reminiscence, she quickly stood up and walked over to the table that had paper and a brush on it.

She wrote down the full poem, marveled at it, and she was eager to share it with her friends.

And of course, she would gladly remind them that she was the first one to hear it and it was because of her deal with Lin Xuan Qi that he came up with the poem.

It was her turn to pace around impatiently as she waited for the others to return to the mansion.

If Lee He Song was back, she would go to the brothel and announce to the world the new poem from Lin Xuan Qi.

Her eyes opened wide when she heard the wooden gates of the mansion being pushed open.

She gave out a sigh when she saw that it was Xue Cong and Zhi Yong.

Lin Xuan Qi, on the other hand, was glad that Xue Cong and Zhi Yong returned safely.

"Were you able to get what I wanted?" he asked when they entered the main hall.

Xue Cong saw that Lin Xuan Qi and Liu Shi Shi were apart from each other, and she couldn't help herself but feel a sense of relief.

However, she snapped out of it quickly.

Who am I to think about who Master Lin should be close with? she thought silently in her mind.

"I got the clam shells and lard you've requested," Xue Cong replied and glanced over at Zhi Yong, who was holding two packages wrapped with layers of oil paper.

"Master Lin, where?" Zhi Yong asked about where to put the clam shells and lard.

Lin Xuan Qi then gave out his instructions to them.

"Xue Cong, cook the lard to extract it into oil.

"As for Zhi Yong, put the clam shells into the burning firewood.

"Take them out after one incense time and pound them into powder."

Xue Cong and Zhi Yong didn't know what he was up to, but they obliged without questions asked.

They went to the kitchen and got to work.

Liu Shi Shi was intrigued, but going to spread his new poem was more attractive to her.

"Master Lin," Yue Jie, Yue Xin, and Lee He Song also came back.

They greeted him and showed him the crop stalks they've gotten.

"Great, I need you to burn them into ashes first.

"Then, collect the ashes and put them into water.

"And after that, filter the water through a cloth for a few times."

Yue Jie and Yue Xin nodded, and they proceeded to the kitchen to carry out his instructions.

Liu Shi Shi, seeing that the others were back, bid Lin Xuan Qi farewell and left with the paper she had written the poem down on with her.

Lin Xuan Qi then glanced over at Lee He Song.

Lee He Song looked to be glad.

He had time to check if Yue Jie and Yue Xin were coping well.

And to his relief, they were more than comfortable with the mansion and Lin Xuan Qi.

This also made Lee He Song more appreciative of Lin Xuan Qi.

Able to be attentive to others.

An attribute that was rare for any young masters.

Lin Xuan Qi was like an angel compared to those young masters whom he had to try very hard to stop himself from murdering.

It took around two incense times when Xue Cong, Zhi Yong, Yue Jie, and Yue Xin were done with what they were tasked with.

"Zhi Yong, bring everything to my lab," Lin Xuan Qi said, and he headed for the lab.

After Zhi Yong brought the three ingredients over, Lin Xuan Qi stirred and put the carbonized clam shell powder into the water with the crop stalk ashes.

There was nothing more he could do as he needed to let the water rest for one night.

Zhi Yong stood and watched silently when Lin Xuan Qi got busy.

He was even more impressed with Lin Xuan Qi now.

...

In the dimly lit building, a familiar face entered.

It was Liu Shi Shi in her young master disguise again.

She sat down at her usual seat in front of the stage.

There was a young master reciting Lin Xuan Qi's previous poem.

The spectators, however, weren't too interested as they've heard it hundreds or thousands of times.

When the young master was done, there wasn't much applause or response from the others in the audience seats.

The young master on the stage could only give out an awkward smile, bowed at everyone, and got off the stage while mumbling about how it might have been different if Lin Xuan Qi came up with more poems.

But what was he thinking.

How could anyone come up with more than one poem like that masterpiece.

After the young master walked past the young mistress, she stood up and held the piece of paper in her hands.

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