As Ren Xiaohan leaped onto Xuanyu Shoal, steadying the swaying bamboo hat on his head, he found the man in white sitting serenely upon a crag. The man was staring intently at a fishing rod propped over the water, lost in thought.
Ren Xiaohan dropped the soaking-wet woman onto the ground like a sack of grain. He then lifted the hem of his own robe, fussing over several new rents in the fabric with a look of great annoyance.
Hearing the commotion, Ding Miao finally turned his head. A single glance was enough to understand the source of the other man’s frustration. As he gently adjusted his fishing rod, he offered a word of consolation.
"The Dense-Scale Patterned Blade in Jiang Xin’er’s hand is over six inches longer than a standard saber. Its usage is closer to a civilian heavy glaive—a style of two-handed saber refined by the Huo family from military techniques. Its movements are majestic and vigorous, fierce and heavy, with a surging follow-through. It is unlike the Li family’s saber style, which carves a path with sheer sharpness. It is indeed a natural counter to your style. It does you no harm to gain more experience against it."
Only then did Ren Xiaohan stop fiddling with his hem. He reached out a foot and gave the person on the ground a kick.
The unconscious female assassin finally groaned and stirred. The moment she looked up and recognized the man before her, her drenched body began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Greetings... Master."
Ding Miao sighed, propping his temple with his hand as if exhausted.
"Did I not tell you to be careful? It would be one thing if you failed to end the matter quickly, but you actually lingered right under their noses, drawing all this trouble. Could it be you did this intentionally, hoping to use this chance to find a new master?"
Xin Yu’s expression shifted. she hurriedly defended herself. "Master, please see clearly! As soon as I completed the mission, I immediately sought an opportunity to escape. Who could have known that someone from Qiu Er’s side would suddenly appear? I heard that these past few days, Qiu Er and that Liang Shian have been boating and drinking every night. Liang Shian is from the capital and saw me once at the Lu Manor. Qiu Er must have pried something out of him, which is why he set an ambush tonight to catch me red-handed."
"Liang Shian..." The scholar in white rolled the name over his tongue as if hearing it for the first time. After a long moment, he closed his eyes softly. "So that is how it is. Then do you know why this Young Master Liang came to Jiugao City in the first place?"
"Since last year, the flooding of the Huan River has worsened, and rice prices in the Jiaozhou area have skyrocketed. As an Agricultural Supervisor, Liang Shian naturally came to inspect the rice markets. Qiu Er likely only wanted to curry favor with a guest from the capital, and thus drew him close. My involvement was a mere accident, a stroke of undeserved calamity."
Ding Miao still did not look at the woman on the ground. His voice grew even softer and slower.
"A stroke of undeserved calamity indeed. You understand the rice prices and the duties of an Agricultural Supervisor so meticulously, yet you did not know that Liang Shian’s presence in the city was because someone invited him days ago under the pretext of admiring orchids? And that this person was none other than the Second Young Master of the Qiu family, who watched you from across the water tonight?"
Xin Yu fell into a brief silence, but she was well-prepared; her face remained a mask of fearful reverence.
"This servant... this servant truly did not know..."
The night wind blew across the shoal stones slick with lake water, slightly bending the fishing line submerged in the depths.
The round-faced swordsman sat on the crag with his legs dangling, plucking at a loose thread on his sleeve while intermittently whistling a repetitive tune.
From the pitch-black woods by the shore, the occasional eerie cry of an owl hunting in the night rang out.
After a long while, the man in white finally opened his eyes.
His gaze did not focus on the assassin’s face; it fell vaguely upon her silhouette, as if he were contemplating a faceless piece of stationery.
"The wind is a bit strong tonight; my head aches quite a bit. If you have something to say, do not make me wait too long."
Xin Yu’s fingers tightened, digging deep into the cracks of the rough, hard stone.
She considered herself a master of the treacherous ways of the underworld. If anyone else had asked, she would have clung to her story, certain they were merely bluffing to trick her into the truth.
But facing the man before her, her task was not to protect a lie, but to seize the chance to confess. She had witnessed the fate of the last traitor.
Even if she did not speak now, he had a hundred ways to make her open her mouth.
At this thought, she immediately adopted a look of utter terror, her voice trembling with just the right amount of fear.
"The authorities have been posting arrest warrants everywhere these past few days. Though I believe I acted with caution, even the best plans have flaws. Qiu Er’s elder brother is Qiu Ling, the Protector in charge of the Su Manor case. It must be because of this that..."
However, before she could finish, the man in white interrupted her coldly.
"The reason you could pull the thread of Liang Shian is because you were exposed while working as a maid in the Su Manor. Only then did Qiu Er suspect the Lu Manor, where a similar incident occurred, and subsequently tracked down Liang Shian."
The moonlight remained soft and quiet, but the night flowing between the lake and mountains turned chillingly cold in an instant.
Xin Yu’s carefully crafted expression shattered like a cracked mask, revealing the shock and dread she could no longer hide.
She never imagined that the man before her could see through everything in just three questions. She prostrated herself, her peripheral vision darting toward the man in the bamboo hat who had been staring blankly nearby.
"Master, please appease your anger! When I previously infiltrated Tingfeng Hall to escape, I did indeed have dealings with that Second Young Master Qiu, but that was forced by circumstances! He was very interested in the secret formula and intended to recruit me. I played along to facilitate our meeting under the cover of the Sword-Sharpening Ceremony to report this to you. I am willing to perform a ruse for you, Master. You can use me to pass information to the Qiu family, while I secretly inform you of their movements. Is this not killing two birds with one stone?"
She poured this all out in one breath, her voice wavering at the end. The man before her paused intentionally before sighing with an ambiguous tone.
"Having drifted through several wealthy households, your little head has indeed become quite flexible. Next time, you should find a job as an accountant; do not always insist on being a maid in the inner courts."
These words were by no means a compliment; they were a sign that he already suspected her of orchestrating this entire drama for her own benefit.
Xin Yu’s mind raced, and she put on the act of being forced to reveal the ultimate truth.
"My loyalty to Master is as clear as heaven and earth. My current predicament is all because someone has been ruining things from the shadows. In the Su Manor case, a medicine hall owner surnamed Qin was involved. She was the one who first spread rumors in the city, forcing the Su family into a panic and making them move. This person even followed us onto the boat and drew the authorities there. That is why things have turned out this way."
Ding Miao’s wandering eyes suddenly snapped toward her.
"Qin Jiuye?"
Hearing those three words, Xin Yu looked up quickly, her eyes filled with an unshielded desire for survival.
"It is that Qin Jiuye! I had just reached a tentative deal with Xu Qiuchi and did not want further complications. Thus, I hesitated when I struck on the boat, giving her the opportunity—"
"You should be grateful for your hesitation," Ding Miao interrupted, his voice flat and devoid of emotion, yet bone-chilling. "Is your mouth even worthy of mentioning her name? Even if she were momentarily confused and committed some trivial errors, it is not your place to shout and demand accountability here."
*Why is it that when Qin Jiuye is mentioned, everything becomes a 'trivial error'?*
If that woman hadn't interfered, Xu Qiuchi would only have needed to collude with the Grand Boat Official to secretly siphon some goods. Even if the capital noticed, it would have been easy to gloss over. She could have played both sides and pocketed a profit. But now, not only had her efforts come to nothing, she had even entangled herself.
Xin Yu clenched her teeth, her heart filled with unquenchable hatred.
But she dared not show a shred of it. She knew the man before her was nowhere near as good-tempered as he appeared.
"Xin Yu knows her mistake. I ask for Master’s punishment."
"Why are you still the same as when you first left the Villa?" Ding Miao sighed again, his demeanor returning to normal, though his voice held an unmasked regret. "I told you long ago. I am different from the Villa Master; I do not mete out punishments. Since there is a rift in our cooperation, we should not force ourselves. I will have Xiaohan send you back to the Villa."
It was a casual, light statement, but to Xin Yu’s ears, it sounded like the whisper of a demon.
Her eyes widened in horror, as if he had just said he was going to skin her alive and pull out her bones.
"No... No! I won't go back! I absolutely will not go back!"
"Xiaohan."
Ding Miao called out softly. The round-faced swordsman blinked his dull eyes and slowly lifted his blade.
Xin Yu did not look up, but she could hear the faint sound of the blade rubbing against fabric and feel the cold glint of moonlight reflecting off the steel.
Her body curled into a ball, her spine arching like a venomous snake preparing for a desperate counterattack.
She refused to give up, deciding to place her final bet.
"I discovered something else!"
The man in white tapped his goosefoot staff, and Ren Xiaohan stopped.
Xin Yu took a deep breath and spoke rapidly.
"Previously, when I infiltrated Tingfeng Hall because of the Kang Renshou matter, I found something while searching through their records."
As she spoke, she hurriedly fumbled for an object and tremblingly held it out.
It was a palm-sized piece of thin paper stained with ink, no different from the Xuan paper used in studies to blot ink. Amidst the ink stains, one could vaguely discern several intersecting circular marks.
Ding Miao narrowed his eyes, using the moonlight to carefully identify the blurred imprints.
"This is..."
Xin Yu licked her lips and said quickly, "It is the mark of Chuanliu Courtyard. That tea hall owner is very cautious and intentionally left the accounting room in a mess. There was a felt mat at the very bottom, with a space the size of an inkstone left empty in the middle, completely free of dust. I sensed something was wrong and used paper to take a rubbing. Sure enough, I found the clue. It must have been left behind when the other party was sealing a secret letter. I suspect Tingfeng Hall has obtained far more information than we imagined. Master’s deployments in the city may have already been detected by the people of Chuanliu Courtyard."
Speaking of Chuanliu Courtyard, it had only established itself in the martial world five or six years ago. It was known for its secretive and elusive nature, making it a subject of much curiosity—especially as a strange outlier in a martial world dominated by the Number One Villa under Heaven. If such an entity chose to intervene in current affairs, it clearly wasn't just to watch the show.
Seeing the scholar in white fall into silence, Xin Yu couldn't help but breathe a secret sigh of relief. She thought she had bet correctly this time and immediately declared her loyalty.
"If Master does not cast me aside, Xin Yu is willing to continue investigating this matter. I will surely drag out the person behind Chuanliu Courtyard and eliminate the threat once and for all."
She had worked for this man for a year or two. He seemed gentle, but in truth, he was the most cold-blooded of all. However, he was a man of principle; as long as she could prove her worth, she could trade that value for a chance at life.
Yet, after a long silence, what she received was a laugh.
It was a laugh devoid of emotion—polite and distant at first, but bone-chilling the longer it lasted.
"I have fought him for five years. In those five years, I watched him fall from a top martial master to a blind cripple who needs help just to sit or lie down, yet I still haven't been able to eliminate him. What makes you think you can say such things?"
The laughter stopped abruptly. She saw the hem of his plain kudzu-cloth robe stop before her.
The new garment was untainted by dust, as white as frost and snow under the moonlight.
"A few drops of ink on paper still leave room for writing and use. But once a person reaches the point of being unscrupulous, they can no longer be used. If you hadn't harbored selfish motives and wandered about tonight, I wouldn't have known so many people were tailing me. In a way, I should thank you."
Her fingers, clenched in anxiety, dug deep into the soil. Xin Yu snapped her head up, her voice full of disbelief.
"You... you knew all along that those people were lying in wait for me to appear? You intentionally sat on the shore and watched from the sidelines just to see who I would draw out?"
Ding Miao did not speak. He quietly reeled in his fishing rod, letting the woman on the ground transition from shock to madness.
"Liar! You liar! You promised me... you clearly promised me back then..."
"I am a man of my word. I promised to give you freedom once the task was done. Now that you have botched the job, I needn't bother, but since you are so fixated on it, what harm is there in granting it to you?"
Ding Miao turned to Ren Xiaohan.
"If you didn't have your fill just now, spar with her a bit more. Then, clean up when you're finished."
Ren Xiaohan’s dull eyes slowly turned toward Xin Yu. After a moment of thought, he reached a troubled conclusion.
"Studying saber techniques is already annoying enough. Now I have to study needle techniques too..."
Before he could finish, the woman on the ground suddenly lunged, a handful of silver needles appearing in her hand.
The tips of the needles shimmered like fine rain in the moonlight, silently piercing the night, aimed straight for the white-clad scholar’s eyes.
The "rain" fell so fast it was enough to drench a person before they even noticed.
However, a sudden wind rose on the peaceful lakeshore.
The "wind" seemed to come out of nowhere, moving in the opposite direction of the "rain." As it swept past, the transparent air was compressed into ripples. The silver rain was cut down to the ground, but the assassin who "sowed the rain" let her lips curl into a smirk.
The round-faced swordsman was too arrogant, too confident that his blade would never miss.
Yet this time, he had missed one.
The Mercy Garment Needle’s most expert killing technique was not a chaotic flurry, but the final needle thrown. It was a "Mother-and-Son" needle; the tails were hooked together. If the mother needle was struck down, the son needle would automatically detach, using the momentum to burrow into the enemy’s vital points, delivering a fatal blow when they were most relaxed.
Right now, that needle was lodged directly in the center of Ren Xiaohan’s right eye.
But he showed no reaction, as if the needle were stuck in someone else.
The triumphant smile froze on Xin Yu’s lips.
She had never seen such terrifying eyes in her life. It was as if he could perceive no pain at all; no matter what happened, he would not waver in the slightest.
Despite having spent years in the martial world and seen many storms, witnessing this scene made her shudder with an indescribable dread.
What could be more terrifying than an opponent who knew no pain and felt no fear?
After a moment, Ren Xiaohan blinked. Finally noticing the object on his eyeball, he reached up, felt the needle, pulled it out, and tossed it aside.
"If you struggle like this, I’ll have to hack you to death. But hacking you to death makes a lot of blood, and cleaning up is a hassle."
A suppressed whimper escaped Xin Yu’s throat. She wanted to say something more, but in the next instant, her voice dissolved into the sound of a blade slicing through flesh and bone.
The sharp blade entered through her lower jaw and exited through her tongue, coming to rest against her upper palate. She became like a fish pierced through the mouth by a hook; no matter how her body thrashed, she could not escape the blade impaling her.
The swaying white robe in her vision gradually blurred, merging with the bright moonlight of the night.
"For someone like you, obtaining freedom while alive is truly a bit difficult," Ding Miao’s voice was peaceful, as if he were counseling a naive child. "But it is different once you are dead. The most fair thing in this world is death. The only destination for eternal freedom and peace is death. Since you cannot see through this, I will help you."
The sound of heavy objects hitting the water echoed intermittently along the dark lakeshore, interspersed with bursts of strange whistling, sounding like a water ghost crying in the night.
Ren Xiaohan tossed the last part of the woman’s body into the lake and stared sluggishly at the disturbed water.
The fishing line had snapped, swaying on the surface like a severed strand of spider silk. It was unclear if the fisherman had pulled it taut until it broke or if the "night wind" from just now had snapped it.
After the age of fourteen, there was no saber technique he couldn't master within three days, no blade he couldn't wield with one hand. Only the "heat" of killing was something he couldn't master; he made a mess of the scene every time.
Ren Xiaohan lowered his head, picking at his fingernails with his worn, blunt fingers over and over again.
"Xiaohan didn't mean to scare away Master’s fish..."
"No matter. I hear there aren't many fish in this Lixin Lake anyway." Ding Miao put away the line and rod, then looked at the dark bloodstains spreading across the water. "Besides those few, did you encounter anyone else tonight?"
Ren Xiaohan held up five stubby fingers, counting them one by one as he muttered.
"The Green Blade, the one in red, the one in black armor, and the bunch of scraps behind him... there shouldn't be anyone else."
Ding Miao fell silent upon hearing this.
If the Mercy Garment Needle hadn't mentioned Chuanliu Courtyard, tonight might have ended here.
But if that person had already followed them to Jiugao City, everything would be different.
He knew that person just as that person knew him. He had been stirring the mud by the shores of Lixin Lake tonight, while that person remained hidden and dormant. If he wasn't occupied with other important matters, then he had already seen through the plan of "crossing the sea under camouflage" and had focused his attention on Jiugao City.
"Has any report come from Liang Shian?"
Ren Xiaohan shook his head.
"Not yet. But he said before that once he stepped into Jiugao, contact would be difficult. Don't worry, Master, maybe there will be news tomorrow."
Ding Miao’s brow twitched slightly, his deduction growing more certain. He thought for a moment and gave a soft command.
"We must speed up our movements. Tomorrow, you will go into the city personally. Enter through the city gates and pay close attention to the matters I previously entrusted to you. The last batch of goods in the city should also be moved out using this opportunity."
The round-faced swordsman stopped picking his nails, clearly disliking this sudden errand.
"Master promised to take me to the island. Why are you breaking your word?"
"If I take you to the island, we must see the Villa Master. Do you like seeing the Villa Master?"
Ren Xiaohan stopped talking. His neck and shoulders slumped, and even the bamboo hat on his head slid down.
Ding Miao reached out and straightened the hat.
"We are not far from the finish line, so we must be even more careful not to trip. Don't you agree?"
The round-faced swordsman still didn't speak, sulking to himself.
Ding Miao was neither hurried nor annoyed. He quickly tied the hemp rope under the hat into a knot, shortening it.
"Your candy is finished. You can buy some for yourself when you go into the city."
Ren Xiaohan finally looked up, his eyes shining with terrifying brightness, clearly persuaded.
"Master says to be careful, so I will be careful." As he spoke, he turned to look at the now-calm lake surface, his voice tinged with worry. "Master has too many enemies. Even with the whole Villa at your disposal, it's still worrying."
"They are but seeds planted in the past. Now that the rain has fallen, they cannot wait to sprout. But they are buried in the earth, each with their own selfish motives, unable to unite closely. Not only can they not threaten us, but they can be used to our advantage."
Ding Miao suddenly stopped, his gaze fixed on the other’s face.
The round-faced swordsman realized something. He wiped under his nose and looked down to see a hand full of blood.
"You've been poisoned."
Ren Xiaohan stared blankly for a moment, then belatedly picked up the slender poison needle from the ground.
Ding Miao shook his head and took a small, snow-white porcelain bottle from his sleeve, handing it over.
"Two pills."
Ren Xiaohan took the bottle, poured out two pills, and popped them into his mouth. After smacking his lips, he suddenly asked, "Xiaohan has a question for Master."
"Speak."
"What does soil taste like?"
The air was silent for a moment. After a long while, the man in white spoke.
"Not a very good taste."
Ren Xiaohan still looked somewhat confused. As he wiped his nosebleed, he murmured to himself, "Since it doesn't taste good, why do they follow behind others, fighting and scrambling to eat it?"
***
When Jiang Xin’er arrived at the boathouse by the pier as agreed, the small structure was venting firewood smoke.
The night was deep, yet the old couple in the boathouse were still busy.
Freshly caught shrimp were blanched in boiling water, served pink and tender in a bowl alongside a steaming bowl of fine noodles—the most sumptuous late-night meal for the water-folk of Jiugao.
Jiang Xin’er lingered at a distance for a moment before confirming that the figure she saw through the smoke was the person she was looking for.
Xu Qiuchi sat cross-legged under a dim oil lamp. His wide sleeves were rolled up, but finding them still in the way, he had simply removed his outer robe and sat there in his inner garments. He used a crude stool as a small table, his head buried in a chipped sea-bowl as he "battled" with two taels of fine noodles.
Jiang Xin’er instinctively looked around to ensure no acquaintances were nearby before stepping forward.
The man eating noodles looked up at the sound, a few bits of green onion still clinging to the corner of his mouth.
"Xin’er is here? Have a seat."
Jiang Xin’er’s expression was somewhat strained. She clearly didn't want to sit. After a moment of hesitation, she said sullenly, "Did Young Master not book the most expensive banquet on the flower boat tonight? How are you still hungry enough to look like this?"
Xu Qiuchi sucked the last strand of noodle into his mouth and sighed, shaking his head.
"Don't mention it. Before I could even pick up my chopsticks, I was hauled away."
Jiang Xin’er’s eyes flickered. "Was it the Protector who came for you?"
"My dear elder brother truly has a grudge against me. Aside from forcing a pot of tea and a belly full of anger down my throat, he wouldn't even grant me a single peanut."
As Xu Qiuchi spoke, he waved to the boatman busy at the stove.
The boatman responded and briskly brought over two more bowls, instantly filling the small stool.
One portion of shrimp, one portion of fine noodles. Exactly the same as what he had eaten.
Xu Qiuchi picked out the ginger slices from the shrimp one by one, then stood up to add two spoonfuls of vinegar and one spoonful of chili oil to the noodle bowl. Finally, he picked up the chopsticks and handed them to her.
"Eat quickly. These noodles must be eaten while hot."
Two spoons of vinegar, one spoon of chili.
That was her habit for eating noodles.
And although she had been given the surname Jiang, she never ate ginger.
In ordinary households, it was the servant’s duty to remember the master’s preferences, but with him, everything was reversed. Having been with him every day, she seemed to have grown accustomed to it.
Jiang Xin’er stared at the bowl of noodles, trying to remind herself to maintain the final boundary.
However, she didn't move, and the Young Master holding the chopsticks didn't move either.
Knowing him, if she didn't take the chopsticks, he might hold them up all night.
With a sigh, Jiang Xin’er took the chopsticks and reluctantly sat down across from him.
Thinking of her botched mission, she couldn't find the appetite for the noodles. She poked at them a few times before putting the chopsticks down, sitting there with her head bowed, staring at the bowl for a full seven or eight minutes.
Finally, the man gave in and took the initiative to ask.
"Tell me, how did things go?"
Jiang Xin’er finally reacted. She put down her chopsticks and stood up to bow.
"I staked out the shore as planned. After detecting movement, I gave chase. Unexpectedly, Li Qiao appeared halfway, followed by a master swordsman who intercepted us. Although I exchanged blows with him, I failed to capture him. The Mercy Garment Needle was taken by him; I fear she is doomed. I have failed in my duty; I ask for Young Master’s punishment."
This report essentially declared their "total defeat" for the night. But Xu Qiuchi only nodded, seemingly unconcerned. He followed her words and asked, "How was the skill of that swordsman?"
The image of the swordsman in the bamboo hat flashed before Jiang Xin’er’s eyes, her tone carrying unmasked worry.
"His martial attainment is far above the Mercy Garment Needle’s, perhaps not inferior to mine. He is very likely the accomplice who helped her dispose of the bodies. I deduce that his purposeful arrival tonight means he was acting on prior orders. The mastermind must be nearby. If Young Master permits, I can investigate the information of those who boarded the flower boats tonight. I will surely find some clues."
Xu Qiuchi did not reply immediately. He stared at the cooling noodle soup for a long time before slowly speaking.
"The Mercy Garment Needle is an expert in concealing her tracks. How could it be such a coincidence that Li Qiao found her? After all, you’ve been staking her out for days. I don't believe anyone else has that kind of patience."
Jiang Xin’er looked up, then recalled something and sighed involuntarily.
"It must have been Miss Qin. She recognized Xin Yu first, which is why she had Li Qiao pursue her." At this point, her frustration resurfaced. "It is strange. Miss Qin and the Mercy Garment Needle should have only met a few times. Logically, she shouldn't have been able to recognize her..."
"Perhaps she and the Mercy Garment Needle had a close confrontation at a time we don't know about, and the situation was quite perilous, leaving an indelible impression on our Shopkeeper Qin. After all, she is most vengeful." Xu Qiuchi paused, his voice carrying a hint of a smile. "But since when did you start calling her 'Miss Qin'?"
*Eh? Hadn't she always called her Miss Qin?*
Jiang Xin’er froze, then spoke with some helplessness. "Did Young Master hear a single word I said? Tonight’s events must have alerted the mastermind. Miss Qin might also be in danger. And yesterday by the lake was the same; Li Qiao has clearly been targeted. I don't think the Luosha Sect will let this go..."
She continued her nagging without pause. Xu Qiuchi listened quietly, not interrupting.
How shrewd was that Shopkeeper Qin? When he invited her onto the boat tonight, she must have already guessed his purpose. Judging by her reaction, she likely already knew something of the background of those around her.
The River God had manifested, the tide had receded, and the truth lay exposed on the shore for any passerby to see.
Only that dog still didn't know it was about to be abandoned by its master. It was still wagging its tail furiously, charging at the prey the moment the master gave the command, hoping only to perform well and stay a few days longer.
But how was that possible?
A vicious dog is a vicious dog. No matter how capable, it will eventually cause a catastrophic disaster. No master would keep such a dog by their side, especially after seeing through its true nature.
Xu Qiuchi glanced at the anxious look on Jiang Xin’er’s face and finally spoke.
"You needn't worry. Those two might be parting ways very soon."
Jiang Xin’er’s voice cut off. Her mind didn't turn as fast as his, but she understood something now and murmured, "Could it be... Miss Qin already knows?"
Xu Qiuchi gave a non-committal hum, his thoughts already turning elsewhere.
"Have you considered why the Mercy Garment Needle, who had been lingering nearby for days, chose to act tonight of all nights?"
"Tonight the lake was crowded and chaotic. If she wanted to move something, it was the best time."
"Crowded and chaotic, indeed. But perhaps it wasn't to hide from prying eyes, but to draw the snake out of its hole. Or perhaps that swordsman and the person behind him appeared not just for the Mercy Garment Needle, but to find someone else?"
Jiang Xin’er was stunned, then recalled the events of the night.
When she and Li Qiao were pursuing the Mercy Garment Needle, the fourth person had suddenly appeared. But after appearing, he didn't directly snatch the woman away; instead, he fought with Li Qiao for a moment. At first, she thought Li Qiao had struck first, but looking back, that didn't quite make sense.
"Is the 'someone else' Young Master refers to Li Qiao? But if that's the case, wouldn't the most likely people to pursue Li Qiao be from the Number One Villa under Heaven?"
"You see? Thinking of it this way, tonight wasn't a total loss, was it?"
Jiang Xin’er nodded, her gloom vanishing as her tone turned light.
"If that is the case, tonight’s outcome isn't final. Tomorrow’s Blade-Sharpening Ceremony on Qionghu Island will be the deciding round. If that person is from the Number One Villa, they will surely appear tomorrow. Perhaps there will be another move. If we go and investigate, we will surely gain something. However, the situation on the island tomorrow will be even more complex than tonight. Young Master should find a foolproof plan and prepare early..."
She poured out her reasoned thoughts in one breath, looking eager to win back the next round. The man across from her watched it all, almost unable to bear interrupting. He waited until she finished her last word before speaking calmly.
"You needn't worry about any of that, Xin’er. Manager Liu is already preparing for tomorrow’s trip to the island. You just help me keep an eye on Liang Shian."
He didn't finish his sentence, but Jiang Xin’er realized something. After a long silence, she asked, "Is Young Master going to the island with Manager Liu tomorrow?"
Xu Qiuchi nodded, keeping his tone as level as possible.
"Tonight was too noisy; it wasn't suitable for her to appear. It’s good for her to avoid it. Many people will be on Qionghu Island tomorrow, and she has some old matters to handle. These past few days I’ve asked her to help keep Liang Shian steady, and her patience has long since run out. If I mention it again, she might just tear me apart..."
However, before he could finish, he was interrupted by the woman’s urgent voice.
"Young Master and Manager Liu have followed him for so many days, yet still have nothing? In my view, that Liang Shian is nothing but a useless glutton. Tomorrow’s trip to the island is exceptionally dangerous. Young Master’s refusal to take me—is it because of some other arrangements you don't want me to know, or do you feel that because I failed today, I am no longer worthy of trust?"
She was used to responding with caution and rarely stared at him directly. But now, in her haste, she forgot those rules. She looked at him with utter earnestness, her stubborn eyes shining with emotion under the ambiguous light of the oil lamp. His own face, which was gradually changing color, was reflected in them, and something was becoming impossible to hide.
Xu Qiuchi suddenly lifted the empty sea-bowl before him and took a sip of non-existent soup, finally masking his uncontrollable expression. When he set the bowl down again, his face had returned to normal.
"If Xin’er wants to go to the island tomorrow, you cannot stay by my side. Instead, you should stay by my elder brother’s side."
Jiang Xin’er froze. Memories, like mud at the bottom of a lake, were stirred up. In the turbidity, she finally remembered something.
In the year she was fourteen, when she first entered the valley to receive the Qingfeng Powder, the name written on the wooden plaque in her hand was not the man before her. It was the name of the scholar-turned-Kunxu-disciple, Lord Duanyu.
She still remembered sitting with the plaque, kneeling in the twilight, waiting in agony.
Her heart had gone from nervous anticipation to the abyss of fear, finally settling into a dead silence as the sun set.
The sunset was the deadline. If she hadn't received a response from her master by the time the twilight was swallowed by night, she would be sent back to the Villa, becoming a discarded blade.
And a blade discarded on its first day out of the Villa would never have a future.
She had sat there, almost seeing her fate.
Then a carriage had stopped. A woman in green sitting at the front jumped down and walked toward her. Hearing the movement, she looked up and saw only a swaying fan behind the half-drawn curtain.
The woman in green walked between her and the green-clad man in the straw raincoat and bamboo hat. Her words were brief.
"The Second Young Master says the First Young Master is busy and cannot come. He has come to collect the person in his stead."
The man in the raincoat still had a smile on his face. His eyes rolled toward the embroidered curtain of the carriage, then toward the woman in green with her hands tucked in her sleeves. After a moment of scrutiny, he finally nodded, handed over the wooden box, and let her leave just as the last ray of sunlight vanished from the horizon.
She had climbed into the carriage in a daze, pulled back the curtain, and met the owner of that waist fan—met those phoenix eyes that looked at her with a smile.
"Come to my side."
She had hesitated for a moment before stiffly moving closer.
He had beckoned, and she had gone to his side. She had stayed there for eight years.
In eight years, she had long forgotten how their fate began, and forgotten how she had obtained everything she now possessed.
Staring at the bowl of still-steaming noodles, a certain stubbornness vanished from Jiang Xin’er’s face, replaced by a trepidation and unease from the depths of her distant memory.
She had craved this peace and warmth for too long, forgetting that this was not something she could enjoy with a clear conscience.
She fell into a long silence. After an unknown amount of time, Xu Qiuchi’s voice rang out again, as if questioning her, or perhaps himself.
"If I hadn't invited Qin Jiuye onto the boat tonight, Li Qiao wouldn't have had the chance to intervene. Today’s events might not have turned out this way. In the end, it was my willful behavior and selfish heart that ruined things. Compared to my brother, who is meticulous in everything, my way of doing things always brings many variables and troubles. I am simply that kind of person. Following me, does Xin’er often find it absurd and exhausting? Do you ever regret your decision back then?"
Jiang Xin’er finally snapped out of her memories and instinctively asked, "Why does Young Master say such things?"
Xu Qiuchi looked over. His eyes, usually full of smiles, were now flat, appearing distant and strange.
"Though my brother is heartless toward me, he is far more reliable in his work and treats his subordinates well. If you wish to go back to him, now is an opportunity."
The woman gritted her teeth and bowed her head, leaving only the top of her stubborn head visible.
"If Young Master finds me in the way, you can send me back to the Villa. I will have no complaints."
The lamp in the boathouse flickered. A breeze rose over the Lixin Lake, which had been calm all night, and even the half-moon in the water began to ripple.
After a long time, Jiang Xin’er finally heard that familiar teasing voice again in the lamplit room.
"If you ask me, our Shopkeeper Qin is the one in high demand. Otherwise, that man surnamed Li wouldn't be clinging to her. You should find an excuse to go to her place and scout things out. Just say..."
Xu Qiuchi’s voice trailed off, seemingly struggling to find a "fictitious" excuse. In the next moment, he heard Jiang Xin’er speak.
"...Actually, it needn't be so troublesome. Doesn't Young Master keep one himself?"
She rarely joked. As soon as the words left her mouth, she froze. Xu Qiuchi also looked at her with surprise.
Their eyes met, and they both laughed in unison.
Even if they did not possess that thing called freedom, at least they still had each other.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
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悬鱼矶 | Xuanyu Shoal | A rocky outcrop or shoal by the lake where the interrogation takes place.
密鳞纹刀 | Dense-Scale Patterned Blade | Jiang Xin'er's specific weapon, a long two-handed saber.
农监 | Agricultural Supervisor | Liang Shian's official title.
川流院 | Chuanliu Courtyard | A mysterious and relatively new martial arts organization.
子母针 | Mother-and-Son Needle | A specialized projectile where a smaller needle is hidden within or attached to a larger one.
藜杖 | Goosefoot Staff | A traditional staff made from the woody stem of the goosefoot plant, often used by scholars or recluses.
断玉君 | Lord Duanyu | The title of Xu Qiuchi's elder brother (Qiu Ling). Literally "Jade-Breaker."
琼壶岛 | Qionghu Island | The location for the upcoming martial arts ceremony.
开锋大典 | Blade-Sharpening Ceremony | A major event/ceremony involving the unveiling or sharpening of a significant weapon.
