A faint haze of smoke lingered over Lixin Lake after the fireworks ended, making the moonlight seem a bit dimmer. The silhouettes of the flower boats and painted pleasure barges on the water grew blurred and indistinct.
Along the shore of Lixin Lake, in a secluded spot where sound and shadow were sparse, several figures emerged from three or four different directions. They moved swiftly, slipping into an old, dilapidated pier that had fallen into disrepair.
Tonight, everyone had flocked to the lake to join the festivities. Only a few small, unattended boats were moored at the pier. Aside from the swaying shadows of the vessels and the rhythmic lapping of the water, the surroundings were pitch-black and silent.
In the darkness, there was only a single, faint point of light.
It was a wind lantern hanging from a mast. Perhaps a careless boatman had forgotten it, and it burned on stubbornly with what little oil remained, though it looked as if it would flicker out at any moment.
Suddenly, a hand holding a piece of oilcloth approached the lantern.
The cloth was draped over and then lifted from the lantern, causing the dim light to flicker in a series of long and short pulses.
The shadows that had slipped into the pier noticed immediately. They converged quickly, assembling beneath the wind lantern.
The young Commander lowered the oilcloth and looked at the group of junior officers who were pulling down their face masks in the light.
"You've all worked hard. My apologies; I was delayed by private matters and only just managed to get here."
He did not say much, but the men clearly understood, their expressions knowing.
Their Commander was truly pitiable. Even if he was constantly constrained in official circles and his past with the Black Moon was frequently brought up in the military camps, he had always been a man of his word who never backed down for anyone or anything. Yet, when it came to his own family affairs, he could never find his backbone. He always looked as if he were in the wrong, enduring mistreatment. If that Second Young Master continued to cause such trouble, no man, no matter how strong-hearted, could endure it.
The group remained tactfully silent.
However, even if they didn't ask, he had to speak.
After a moment of deliberation, Qiu Ling said, "Regarding Xu Qiuchi... I've already sent Gao Quan to follow him. We will soon know if he had a hand in tonight's events."
Judging by his tone, the Second Young Master must have given the Commander quite a hard time tonight. Zheng Peiyu couldn't bear it any longer and spoke up impulsively.
"If you ask me, it would be better to leave the Second Young Master to us..."
Before he could finish, Zhou Li pinched the flesh on his arm, forcing the rest of the sentence back down his throat.
Seeing this, Lu Zican quickly pulled a paper-wrapped bundle from his person.
"Has the Commander had dinner? I brought a few extra roasted cakes..."
The tea in his stomach had long since gone cold, weighing heavily on his spirits. Qiu Ling paused, then took the offered cake.
"You all should eat something as well. There is still work to be done tonight."
Hearing this, the others pulled out their own dry rations.
They had rushed here from the city without stopping. Finally having a moment of respite, they tore off pieces of their cakes and stuffed them into their mouths, reporting quickly while they devoured their food.
"The lead on the water transport line broke off at the south of the city. The opposition is extremely cunning. We didn't dare follow too closely for fear of alerting them, only tracking them to the vicinity of Sizhi Street. We haven't pinpointed their hideout yet. Zhang Min and I refused to give up and staked it out for a day and a night. Finally, there was movement today."
Zhang Min nodded and took over.
"We followed them all the way from the city center; there should be no mistake. If we can catch a live one tonight, we'll make her spit out everything she knows."
"Old Zhang, don't get ahead of yourself. We haven't caught her yet. And even if we do, I hear the people from the First Villa are practically soaked in poison—tough as nails and unafraid of death. With our methods, we might not actually be able to handle that Compassionate Garment Needle."
"What's there to fear? Don't we have Lord Fan? If we hand this task to him, he'll be more than happy to take it."
Qiu Ling's movements slowed as he ate the cake. He asked in a low voice, "When you came over, you weren't spotted by his people, were you?"
Lu Zican patted his chest, clearly prepared.
"Rest assured, Commander. After your instructions, I told everyone to be careful. Lord Fan's subordinates are indeed troublesome, tailing us stealthily from the city. We used the crowds to shake them off just now and left Gao Quan to deal with them."
Qiu Ling nodded and continued his instructions.
"Remember, tonight you have simply received a tip to pursue the fugitive known as Xin Yu. Privately, we don't yet know if Fan Tong has his own agenda. Publicly, this case is considered closed by the authorities. We can only investigate in secret. If we are to use the men from the Prefectural Governor’s manor, we must have a legitimate reason. Our thorough search of the Huan River pier a few days ago already alerted the Water Bureau. Today, Zican's deployment of men to intercept someone at the clothing shop was already improper. If there is a third time, it will be hard to say if we won't be targeted. It will be difficult to act in the future."
The junior officers nodded one after another. Zheng Peiyu stuffed the last piece of cake into his mouth and brushed the crumbs from his hands with a troubled expression.
"That said, Old Lu and I searched the nearby flower boats just now but found no sign of them. I fear we might be a step too late and they've already moved, perhaps taking a fast boat toward the center of the lake."
Zhang Min also looked worried.
"Where would we even begin to look? We don't have enough manpower, and there are too many eyes and ears tonight."
Duan Xiaozhou immediately stepped forward to volunteer.
"Vice-General Gao prepared several fast boats earlier; they're in the reed marshes near the pier. I'm a good oarsman. If I take some men to give chase now, we should still make it..."
Qiu Ling shook his head slightly, signaling them to stay calm.
"Don't panic. The fact that the Compassionate Garment Needle appeared tonight might very well be a lure. We cannot let ourselves be rattled, nor can we be led by the nose. We must look at the whole picture and remain vigilant at all times."
Du Shaoheng, standing to the side, caught his meaning instantly.
"Does the Commander mean that the water transport line and the capture of the Compassionate Garment Needle might lead to the same end?"
Qiu Ling nodded and then lowered his voice to reveal his full deduction.
"The incident at the Su Manor was sudden, and our actions were swift. The Su family's water transport routes were cut off abruptly. If I'm not mistaken, a portion of the goods being smuggled by the person behind Su Lin must have failed to be shipped out on time. They should currently be stranded somewhere in or just outside Jiugao City. Xin Yu's actions tonight might be related to this. We only need to find a way to locate those goods, and we will naturally know what the opposition is planning."
Qiu Ling paused. Seeing this, Zhang Min couldn't help but ask.
"Why is the Commander so certain they will take the water route? What if they are using a feint to lead us to the water while they slip away by land? There are only a few official roads near Jiugao that can accommodate carriages. We could ask the General for help and secretly deploy some brothers from the camp to keep watch. It's better to be safe."
The night wind died down for a moment before picking up again. The young Commander fell into a brief silence.
He had not shared his conversation with Zhou Yaxian at the teahouse with these young men. As a leader, there were certain responsibilities and burdens he had to bear alone. Beyond that, he needed to make his choices with extreme caution, for he had to protect those who chose to follow him. He could not allow his own stubbornness to lead them down a path of no return.
Beside the flickering wind lantern, a newly spun spider web trembled in the night breeze. The small spider seeking its prey crouched at the center of the web, waiting for the moment the gossamer threads beneath its feet were touched.
However, if it encountered a cunning and powerful prey, it might still come up empty. But regardless, as long as the web did not break, there was still a chance.
The last of the turbulence in his heart settled. When Qiu Ling spoke again, his voice had regained its usual steady and efficient tone.
"Taking the land route is not impossible; in fact, the necessary travel permits and official documents would be easier to obtain. However, the fact that the person sought out Su Lin in the first place to use the water route suggests that water transport was their best method and choice. To choose the water route over the more flexible and hidden land route means the goods are either bulky or extremely heavy. Such cargo would be too conspicuous to move out of the city by carriage or manpower. Even trying to hide it among other goods would be difficult. That is why they must use ships."
Zhang Min realized the truth, his gaze turning toward the seemingly endless lake behind them.
"In that case, is it possible the things we're looking for are right here on Lixin Lake?"
Duan Xiaozhou was still preoccupied with the boats, pacing anxiously.
"The lake is different from other places. If they sense any movement and dump the goods into the water to destroy the evidence, what then?"
Qiu Ling patted his shoulder, once again soothing his subordinate's agitation.
"If their intent was to destroy everything and leave no trace, they should have handled it as soon as the Su family ran into trouble. To risk acting now means they are either setting a trap or the items are so important they cannot be easily discarded. In any case, we will know once we investigate."
Lu Zican nodded and looked around, lowering his voice.
"Did everyone understand? Chasing the Compassionate Garment Needle is only one part of it; uncovering the movements of the person behind the scenes is the priority. To be safe, we'll split up. If you notice anything unusual, report to the Commander immediately."
The men were eager for action. They tied the cloths they had used to cover their faces around their heads, dressing as ordinary boatmen. They were all wearing common cotton tunics and short trousers today; having spent much time in the marketplaces, they lacked any air of official authority at first glance. Once they blended into the crowd, they would be no different from the boatmen running businesses everywhere.
Qiu Ling nodded and gave a few more low-voiced instructions. When he looked up again, he saw that the bearded Lu Zican was still standing there, looking hesitant.
Qiu Ling frowned slightly and asked directly, "What's wrong with you lately? You're always hesitating."
Lu Zican stole a glance at his nearby colleagues before finally speaking with uncertainty.
"Old Gao actually mentioned one more thing. For some reason, Miss Qin seems to be on the Second Young Master's flower boat..."
Qiu Ling's expression froze. He asked briefly, "Where is she?"
"I don't know. When Gao Quan wanted to turn back, he spotted the Compassionate Garment Needle nearby and couldn't look after Miss Qin."
After answering, Lu Zican immediately peeked at his Commander's face.
The wind lantern swayed, the light flickering. Just as he thought he might see a flicker of some unusual emotion on that habitually cold and self-contained face, the man turned away.
"There will certainly be trouble here tonight. Tell the men in the shadows to keep a close watch."
Lu Zican was somewhat unsatisfied. He stroked his upturned beard and muttered in a voice like a buzzing mosquito, "Does the Commander mean watch the boats, or watch Miss Qin..."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the surroundings went silent. The junior officers who had just walked a short distance away seemed to stop in their tracks, ears perked to hear their Commander's answer.
Finally, the young Commander spoke again, his voice devoid of any ripples.
"If you see her, just look after her for me."
Lu Zican's sharp little eyes became even more animated. Before he could utter a teasing remark, he was yanked away by the returning Du Shaoheng.
"What are you lingering for, Brother Lu? To work."
The junior officers dispersed with a bit of rowdy energy. The bearded Vice-General still looked back reluctantly until he disappeared into the dark night.
Qiu Ling paused where he stood and surveyed the pier hidden in the darkness once more.
For some reason, he felt that tonight was not as silent as it appeared at first glance.
Perhaps what broke the silence was not a sound, but a scent. A faint, elusive scent that was out of place with the fishy smell of the lake water permeating the air. It carried a hint of spice and coolness, dispelling some of the stifling heat of the summer night wind.
The young Commander took one last look at the dark corners. Certain there was no further movement, he turned and followed his subordinates, departing in a hurry.
Not long after he left, another stealthy shadow emerged from behind a fishing boat in the distance. A pair of bright, clear eyes darted around, surveying the area.
"It" was patient enough to wait until those figures had completely vanished into the night before creeping out from its hiding place and heading toward a battered sampan tucked under the pier's walkway.
It was a small, thin woman. She seemed to want to emulate those martial arts assassins who come and go without a trace, but unfortunately, she lacked the technique. She moved across the ground on all fours, looking from a distance like a giant toad spirit. Every step carried a heavy sense of enduring humiliation and biding one's time.
Having finally reached the water's edge, Qin Jiuye glanced at her own sneaky reflection in the water and a question suddenly arose from the bottom of her heart.
What exactly was she doing?
They had agreed on the fireworks as the timeframe. Since she had already chased him to the shore, she should have met up with Qiu Ling openly just now. Why was she hiding to the side, waiting for him to leave? There shouldn't be a second person in Jiugao City who possessed half a jade pendant from Lord Duanyu, and that pendant was currently at her waist. Why was she still moving like a thief under his very nose?
A splash came from the distant shore. She didn't know if Lu Zican and the others had returned or if it was some passing martial artist. Qin Jiuye jumped in fright and instinctively crouched down again.
It was said that those who practiced martial arts had exceptionally keen senses, sometimes able to distinguish minute movements from dozens of feet away. Although she was anxious and had things on her mind, she didn't dare risk acting now and could only observe from the shadows.
Soon, the last sound from the shore faded. Qiu Ling, Lu Zican, and the others were completely gone. Qin Jiuye realized she had utterly lost her chance to "be an upright person."
She hadn't been able to hear the full conversation between Qiu Ling and the junior officers just now, only guessing that he was deploying them for a mission, which likely had to do with the Compassionate Garment Needle who had appeared on the pleasure barge. Seeing how Lu Zican and the others had hurried off, it meant the Compassionate Garment Needle had not yet been caught, and the youth who went to chase her likely hadn't found success either. That was why he hadn't returned to find her even after the fireworks ended...
But what did any of this have to do with her?
Before today, she might have protected him at every turn and worried about his safety constantly, just as she had at the Baoshen Pavilion. But now that she knew his identity, those worries seemed redundant and laughable in an instant. Perhaps he and Xin Yu had a personal grudge, and it was possible they would be entangled for a while longer. Perhaps Xin Yu was no match for him at all and had already been captured and taken somewhere for questioning. Perhaps all of this tonight was simply a part of his life in the martial world; what he did, where he went, and when he returned were things he never needed her to know.
Indeed, she was just a pharmacy shopkeeper with more heart than strength. she knew no martial arts and couldn't run fast. Being alert enough to detect the Compassionate Garment Needle's trail was already an over-performance. As for the rest of the scenes involving blades and swords, there was really no part for her to play.
She was the redundant and meddlesome one, unable to see her own situation clearly or find her proper place. She shouldn't be crawling through these mosquito-infested, sweltering, and damp reed marshes by the lake right now. She should be back at Guoran Pavilion, taking a nice bath and then going to sleep.
Thinking of this, Qin Jiuye irritably lifted the hem of her somewhat cumbersome skirt and took a few heavy steps toward the shore, but then she slowly stopped.
But, after all, she was the one who told him to chase the person.
Even if he was once a member of the First Villa, he was currently working at her Guoran Pavilion. As his shopkeeper, she naturally had to look after him. He was good at accounting, but sometimes he was reckless with money. What if he was cheated by some black-hearted merchant at the East City market and spent too much on that bit of sulfur, then came back to ask her for an advance? She couldn't pay for such a muddled account. Fortunately, the weather was good tonight. She had eaten a bit too much of that roasted goose earlier, and a little activity wouldn't hurt.
And... she didn't need to take her own pulse to know that her heart was beating very fast.
With her heart racing like this, it was impossible to fall asleep.
Qin Jiuye reached out to touch the paper-wrapped bundle of sulfur in her robes. In a flash, she found countless reasons for her current behavior. She took a deep breath, turned back to the water, and pulled her battered sampan out from its hiding place.
From what she had observed, Lu Zican and the others had mostly headed north toward the crowded area of pleasure boats. In contrast, the south was quiet and deserted. She recognized that area; it was in the direction of Mingde Avenue.
Logically, a crowded place should be better for hiding one's tracks, but for some reason, she had felt a strong intuition ever since she left the flower boat.
From her previous encounters with the Compassionate Garment Needle, she had noticed the woman preferred to act and escape near water. Although there were many flower boats and pleasure barges on the lake tonight, if she were discovered by a master like Li Qiao, even the Compassionate Garment Needle would find it hard to maneuver. If she wanted to get away, she would likely repeat her old trick and escape via the water, just as she had from the Su family's cargo ship.
After some deliberation, Qin Jiuye made up her mind. She rowed the sampan toward the pitch-black southern waters of the lake.
The Lixin Lake, which had been a brilliant emerald blue during the day, was now as dark as ink. The water parted silently at the bow and closed quietly at the stern, as if nothing passing through could leave a trace.
When she boarded the flower boat tonight, she had worried that the playboy Xu Qiuchi might play some trick. After much thought, she had repaired her scarred old sampan and hidden it nearby, just in case. But who would have thought that while the Second Young Master Qiu didn't cause her trouble, she would become so restless that she'd come looking for trouble herself?
The sampan, barely held together by a single wooden plank for balance, creaked in the water as if it might fall apart at any moment. Qin Jiuye didn't know how much longer the boat could last, or how much longer she could last.
She whispered to herself: *Just a little further. Once I pass that dead tree ahead, I'll turn back.*
But after passing the dead tree, she still didn't stop. So she whispered again: *Just a little bit further. When I reach the next dead tree, I absolutely must turn back.*
But she still didn't stop.
This repeated she knew not how many times. Finally, her hands, trembling from the effort of rowing, dropped, and the battered sampan slowly came to a halt in the middle of the lake.
Jiugao was already becoming sweltering even before the height of summer. Even with a cool night breeze, it couldn't withstand the heat of someone's exertion.
Qin Jiuye looked up and wiped the sweat dripping from her brow, her anxiety growing more pronounced.
She wondered if her judgment had been wrong. Under the moonlight, the surface of the lake before her showed no sign of a single person. Only the dead branches sticking out of the water swayed like ghosts with the ripples.
Searching left and right and finding nothing, yet not daring to shout at the top of her lungs, Qin Jiuye felt her helplessness was no better than Jin Bao's when he encountered Dou Wuniang.
A wind blew from the shore, carrying the faint, blurred cries of an owl, sounding like a little ghost hiding in the wind, mocking her for being meddlesome and asking for trouble.
With a self-deprecating curl of her lips, Qin Jiuye turned the boat around to return to the shore. At that moment, the sampan beneath her tilted. The broken plank she had worked so hard to tie back on fell apart, sinking into the lake along with the hemp rope.
The sampan, which had already lost a piece to the Cloud-Chaser blade, lost its balance and spun in the water. Qin Jiuye stumbled half a step before stabilizing herself. She crouched down, waiting for the boat to stop. Unexpectedly, the hull hit a submerged dead log. She stumbled again, her body swaying as she narrowly kept her footing, but the gold hairpin that had been wobbling in her hair all night couldn't hold on. With a *plop*, it fell into the water.
Qin Jiuye turned frantically to grab it, but only managed to scoop up a handful of lake water.
That hairpin felt quite heavy; could it be made of pure gold? How much would such a hairpin sell for on the market? Surely Xu Qiuchi wouldn't hold the cost of one hairpin against her? Or perhaps he would use this to blackmail her into doing something unspeakable...
Countless thoughts flashed through Qin Jiuye's mind. She was about to stand up in panic when she suddenly froze.
The ripples on the water settled. The haze in the air seemed to have been dispersed by the wind. The moonlight appeared exceptionally bright at this moment, reflecting a shimmering expanse on the lake.
And within those swaying shadows of light, she saw the reflection of a dead tree nearby. Something seemed to be fluttering in the wind on its branches. Simultaneously, Xu Qiuchi's voice suddenly echoed in her mind: *It will grant that person a gift they cannot refuse, a chance to look at themselves in the mirror...*
As if possessed, Qin Jiuye slowly raised her head and looked into the depths of the night.
A "granting" comes from above, something one cannot refuse.
Granting a favor is a grant; granting death is also a grant.
Right now, that "Gift of the River God" was hanging somewhere in the dark night, quietly beckoning to her.
It was as fragile as a gossamer thread in the wind, so thin it was almost invisible, yet it bound her tightly to somewhere in the darkness. She had to seize the final moment to make a choice: to grasp it firmly in her hand before it broke, or to let it go with the wind.
However, with a single thought, the answer had already been reflected on the water's surface in an instant, more inescapable than the moonlight.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Jiuye carefully rowed the nearly-collapsed sampan closer to the dead tree. By the moonlight, she looked closely and saw a small, inconspicuous dark patch hanging among the dead branches. If one didn't look carefully, they would think it was just a small slice of the night that had been cut away.
She squinted and looked again, still uncertain. She quickly grabbed a dead branch and, leaning halfway out of the boat, carefully hooked the object toward her.
The light, coarse fabric fell into her hand. She finally saw it clearly.
It was half a sleeve, its edge cut into a straight line by something sharp. When she rubbed it gently, it left a trace of dark red on her palm.
Qin Jiuye's palm instinctively broke into a sweat.
As a stingy shopkeeper, she recognized the clothes she had mended, even if they were cut into pieces.
In the two-plus months he had worked at Guoran Pavilion, let alone damaging his clothes, even the ones he wore were rarely stained. He was very fond of cleanliness, and she was a miser who daily threatened him and Jin Bao that if anyone damaged their clothes, the repair costs would be deducted from their wages.
A thousand thoughts rolled past, finally leaving only one piece of information.
Like this shredded sleeve, something must have happened to him.
Qin Jiuye felt her mouth go dry, her hands and legs turning weak.
The sleeve was here, but where was the person?
She instinctively looked toward the seemingly endless lake behind her. Dead trees still protruded from the water here, proving that the water shouldn't be too deep. With his martial arts skills, surely he knew how to swim?
She found her own guess absurd, yet she could think of no other possibility.
Qin Jiuye's heart began to pound. She turned back to the lake again, trying to find a clue or two, but all she could see were the dead logs floating haphazardly.
The sound of her heartbeat echoed within her. Qin Jiuye forced herself to be still.
When she was young, she often accompanied Qin Sanyou to catch fish at the river mouth. The ripples under the scorching sun were so bright they made one's eyes ache. Her movements weren't agile, but she had the best focus, always able to lie downwind and distinguish the minute sound of a fish slipping out of a rock crevice and disturbing the water weeds.
Qin Sanyou had praised her for having a talent for catching fish, and she had been very proud of it. But after growing up, she had no time to catch fish with him, and no one praised her anymore.
Qin Jiuye bent down, pressing herself close to the silent water. Then she closed her eyes and slowed her breathing.
Be still, calm the mind. As long as she was completely still, she believed she could do it.
The night owl was still crying on the shore, the martial artists on the distant flower boats were laughing and shouting, and even the wind had its own unique sound.
The night was far noisier than she had imagined.
*Blub, blub.*
It was the sound of bubbles rising to the surface, appearing as if a fish were breathing as it rose and sank.
But in this cold water of Lixin Lake, hadn't there always been no fish?
Qin Jiuye snapped her eyes open. In a few quick motions, she kicked off her shoes and tucked her skirt into her waistband. Then she took three steps back, took a deep breath, and leaped directly from the battered sampan into the water.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 游丝 | Gossamer | Literally "wandering silk," refers to spider silk or a very fine thread/clue. |
| 璃心湖 | Lixin Lake | The setting of the chapter. |
| 邱陵 | Qiu Ling | The Commander/Protector-General. |
| 郑沛余 | Zheng Peiyu | One of Qiu Ling's junior officers. |
| 周力 | Zhou Li | One of Qiu Ling's junior officers. |
| 陆子参 | Lu Zican | A bearded Vice-General/officer under Qiu Ling. |
| 张闵 | Zhang Min | One of Qiu Ling's junior officers. |
| 段小洲 | Duan Xiaozhou | One of Qiu Ling's junior officers, noted as a good oarsman. |
| 杜少衡 | Du Shaoheng | One of Qiu Ling's junior officers. |
| 慈衣针 | Compassionate Garment Needle | The alias/title of the assassin Xin Yu. |
| 果然居 | Guoran Pavilion | Qin Jiuye's pharmacy/shop. |
| 铭德大道 | Mingde Avenue | A location in Jiugao City. |
| 追云 | Cloud-Chaser | Likely the name of a blade or technique mentioned previously. |
| 秦三友 | Qin Sanyou | Likely Qin Jiuye's father or a relative from her past. |
| 窦五娘 | Dou Wuniang | A character mentioned in a comparison (likely from a story or local lore). |
| 金宝 | Jin Bao | Qin Jiuye's assistant/employee at the pharmacy. |
