Shortly after the skiff’s bow turned from the northeast toward the southwest, Qin Jiuye sensed something was wrong.
The wind had gradually shifted from a crosswind to a headwind. A faint scent of smoke began to drift from upwind—the direction of Jiugao City.
As the hull finally emerged from the shroud of rain and mist surrounding Qionghu Island, the four people on board instinctively straightened up, their gazes fixed toward the western shore.
In the dawn light, a haze of grayish-black smoke swirled over Jiugao City. At first glance, one might have mistaken it for dark clouds that had yet to dissipate after the rain, but anyone with a modicum of experience knew at once that it was the ash left behind by a great fire.
“Is... is the city ablaze?”
Huang Guzi, being well-traveled and observant, was the first to mutter.
Even as he spoke, his mind was racing with caution. His movements with the oar instinctively slowed. He dealt in the shadows and the unorthodox; when faced with an unknown trouble, the rule was to steer clear. Having already earned a handsome sum of gold and silver, and believing that caution was the key to a long life, he was even less inclined to dock at a crowded, conspicuous pier. His words were a probe, but the man in the green robe frowned immediately upon hearing them and urged him in a low voice.
“Do not delay. Dock at once.”
Huang Guzi had no choice but to feign diligence, continuing to row while his eyes darted restlessly toward the gray shoreline in the distance.
“The mist is thick on the lake and the waves are high; I’m not sure if we can make it. The closest point would be Baishakou...”
“Did we not agree on Lishui Pier?” Qin Jiuye, who had been silent until now, saw through his hesitation. “Baishakou is still some distance from there. The water route is the most convenient; a detour on land will waste too much time.”
Huang Guzi opened his mouth to argue further, but Qin Jiuye cut him off.
“We go to Baishakou. There is a stretch of shallow mudflats behind the reed marshes. We can cross it on foot. If we move quickly, we can reach the vicinity of the pier in the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.”
Huang Guzi glanced at the thin woman. He didn't move until the man who had paid the silver nodded. Only then did he give a shout and put his back into rowing.
As they left the center of the lake, the mist seemed to thin. The small skiff wobbled through the morning light and into Baishakou like a fish entering a pond.
Baishakou—the White Sand Estuary—was named for sand as white as snow. Tamarisk trees had taken root here, growing into a grove of varying heights and densities. During the day, it was a bright, shimmering expanse, but at night, it was nearly impossible to find one's bearings.
The sky was overcast, and the sun had not yet fully risen. Qi Gu looked at the dark thickets rising from the water. After a moment of hesitation, she cupped her hands toward Qin Jiuye and Qiu Ling.
“I must head north. Now that we are out of danger, and seeing as you two have urgent matters to attend to, perhaps it is best if we part ways here...”
Qin Jiuye glanced at her and returned the gesture, saying nothing more.
In the world of martial arts and rivers, meetings and partings were always fleeting. Moreover, her heart was currently frayed by the long journey; she only wanted to follow Qiu Ling and confirm what had happened in the city. She could not afford to delay for even a moment.
She jumped off the skiff, wading through the water to leave, when Qi Gu suddenly called out to her.
“Wait!”
Qin Jiuye turned back to see Qi Gu jumping down from the boat. Before she could react, something was shoved into her hand.
“Keep this safe. Consider it the boat fare for taking me off the island, including Lord Duanyu’s share. You brought me to Qionghu Island, and I helped you once while we were there. We each got what we needed, so let’s call it even.”
The woman’s accounting was a mix of boldness and shrewdness, very much in the style of Huang Guzi. Qin Jiuye felt a bit amused as she looked down. The light was still dim, and she could only vaguely make out a slender object about two inches long. It had a hole at one end with a leather strap threaded through it, and the sides were carved with ancient, rune-like characters. It looked quite old.
Noticing her gaze, Qi Gu quickly explained.
“It’s a whistle made of eagle bone. My family is of some standing in the Quzhou area. If Shopkeeper Qin ever passes through Wuren on your way north, take this to any checkpoint and blow it. Someone will naturally receive you.”
Qin Jiuye nodded with a smile, assuming the other woman was merely putting on airs in addition to her shrewdness. She didn't take the words to heart.
Feeling the weight of the whistle in her hand, Qin Jiuye thought for a moment before speaking.
“You should stop selling those Suxin Pills.”
Her words were cryptic, but Qi Gu seemed to understand instantly. She laughed, her eyes bright.
“Thank you for the warning, Shopkeeper Qin. I have some self-awareness. Practicing medicine was never my forte. If my masters found out I was wandering the world under the name of Daoshu Pavilion, they would surely throw me into a furnace as an offering. Better to do what I truly love. If I can put my many experiences to paper, I might yet make a name for myself in the future.”
With that, she cupped her hands to Qin Jiuye, patted the wine vessel on her back, and strode along the lakeshore with the carefree air of a true wanderer.
On the other side, Qiu Ling had finished settling the fare, but Huang Guzi was still lingering by the shore. Qin Jiuye snapped back to reality, glanced up, and understood the boatman’s intent. She pulled Qiu Ling aside and said loudly.
“Supervisor, is Adjutant Lu already waiting for us outside the city?”
The moment she stepped onto the shore, she reverted to his formal title, no longer calling him 'San-lang.' It was as if everything that had happened on that island was a dream, and now that the dream was ending, everything had to return to its original place.
Qiu Ling was silent for a moment. Upon hearing the title, Huang Guzi immediately pushed his boat away from the shore.
Seeing that he could no longer bask in the glow of his wealthy patron, Huang Guzi’s face was a mask of disappointment and resentment. His small eyes darted toward Qi Gu on the shore, and he tried one last time to drum up business.
“The mudflats are treacherous and hard to walk on. Where is the lady going? Do you need a horse? My friend is nearby; one call and he’ll be here...”
“No need.” Qi Gu seemed to remember something, and her refusal was exceptionally firm. “No matter how hard it rains, my head hasn't filled with water yet. Why would I ride a horse? Especially if I have to pay for it...”
She grumbled as she waded away. Qin Jiuye watched her from afar, thinking that the woman was just as stingy as herself, which sparked a sense of kinship.
But the world was vast. She did not know if they would ever meet again after this parting.
She gripped the whistle tightly and tucked it away close to her body. Just as she finished, a sharp sound erupted from behind her. She turned to see a signal flare rising in the distance, leaving a thin trail of smoke in the sky.
She looked at Qiu Ling. His expression was grave. Without a word, they both fell into a heavy silence and resumed their journey.
The wind by Lixin Lake had not died down even though the rain had stopped. Clouds shifted rapidly over the ruffled surface of the lake, churning the water and sky into a chaotic blur.
The swollen lake waters spilled onto the shallows. The morning light danced among the tangled roots and branches, shattered by the two shadows passing through before mending itself again. Soaked boots stepped into calf-deep water, kicking up silt. The monotonous sound of splashing echoed through the low thickets; to someone who hadn't slept all night, it was a hypnotic, exhausting sound.
But for Qin Jiuye, the longer the road stretched, the more her heart hammered with trepidation.
She didn't know what had happened in the city. Reason told her that Jiugao was a large city; even if something had happened, it didn't necessarily involve her. Yet, for some reason, in this silent morning where no one spoke, her heart could not find peace.
Finally, the thickets ended, and the view opened up. The signal smoke was clearly visible now, appearing to be some distance from Lishui Pier.
Lu Zican, a true martial artist, detected them from hundreds of paces away. He galloped toward them, flipped off his horse, and waded through the mudflats to meet them.
All three of them bore the exhaustion of an entire night, but the emotions in their eyes were as turbulent as the clouds overhead.
After a long pause, Lu Zican slowly performed a salute. Though his movements had been hurried, his voice was heavy and slow when he finally spoke.
“Last night, two fires broke out in the south of the city in succession. Based on the location, one of them was near the alleyway we were investigating when we followed the Compassionate Clothes Needle. Your subordinate is incompetent; I was a step too late and failed to intercept them in the city. I ask the Supervisor for punishment.”
The south of the city? Hadn't Sitiaozi Street just suffered a fire recently? Was this the work of Chuanliu Academy again?
Qin Jiuye’s heart did not calm down upon stopping; instead, it raced even more frantically. She looked down and began picking mud and grass from her hem, trying to hide her agitation.
Qiu Ling’s brow was also furrowed. Clearly, he found the situation in the city troublesome. A fire in the city was a major event. Since the gates were closed at night, the time before sunrise should have been the best opportunity to act. Catching a turtle in a jar was always better than searching for a needle in the ocean. However, by now the gates were open; the culprits might have already fled.
“Weren't there men stationed in the south? How could such a large commotion happen without a single shadow being caught?”
“Our manpower was limited. When the trouble started in the south, Gao Quan and I followed your previous orders and first blockaded the Nanlü and Donghe Gates to cut off their retreat. But we discovered afterward that the enemy likely never intended to flee from the southeast. They did the opposite—they headed straight for the north of the city and escaped through the waterways just as the gates were opening, during the most crowded time. The timing was too perfect. It makes one suspect that word was leaked from our side. But those responsible for this line of investigation are all our own men; I truly do not wish to suspect them...”
Lu Zican’s voice trailed off, as if he didn't know how to continue. But in the next heartbeat, the young Supervisor finished his sentence.
“There is no need to suspect our own people.”
Qiu Ling’s voice was weary but firm, an answer given without hesitation or struggle.
But only he knew that the reason he could be so decisive was that he had already scrutinized everything before coming to Jiugao. Since he had chosen to face life and death with these men, he would not doubt their loyalty.
Lu Zican felt a wave of relief, the tightness in his chest easing slightly. He quickly asked, “Then where did the problem lie?”
Qiu Ling pondered for a moment before slowly speaking.
“Perhaps the problem lay with me.”
Once all other possibilities were eliminated, the most improbable one was often the truth.
He prided himself on his rigor. Whether it was investigating the Huan River shipping or traveling between the city and Lixin Lake, he was confident his deployments were airtight. He was always cautious toward the outside world, never lowering his guard even against the persistent Master Fan.
But he had overlooked one thing.
Since his return to the city, his dear younger brother had been monitoring his movements, both openly and in the shadows. Though he had always known this, his desire to avoid conflict had kept him from dealing with family matters. Considering the other was family, he hadn't intervened much, thinking that if he let him play around for a while, the boy would eventually give up.
After their falling out on the pleasure boat, even though he knew the reason behind Xu Qiuchi’s involvement in the secret formula, he didn't think his brother would immediately collude with the masterminds. In terms of caution and suspicion, the seemingly lazy second young master of the Qiu family was no inferior to his elder brother. That was why they had been able to oppose each other for so long.
However, he hadn't taken the further step of trying to speak candidly with him. The problem arose from their mutual suspicion and refusal to yield.
Since Xu Qiuchi had been secretly tracking his movements, if someone had approached Xu Qiuchi under false pretenses, they could have indirectly tracked Qiu Ling as well. Such surveillance was far more hidden than trying to probe him directly. No matter how vigilant he was, it would have been hard to detect. The enemy in the shadows was an expert at timing; they had remained hidden to avoid startling the prey, only striking at the most critical moment using the information they had gathered. By the time Lu Zican and the others reacted, it was naturally too late.
Even if his men had failed, such a massive event in the city should have made it difficult for any boat to leave, especially since the city’s defenses had been tightened twofold to capture the Compassionate Clothes Needle. If they could still escape under such conditions, the power behind them might be even greater than he imagined—a force they could not stop even if they tried.
“I was so focused on the case that I ignored the details around me, allowing the enemy to find a loophole. I am indeed to blame.” Qiu Ling spoke of his mistake without evasion. After a pause, he continued, “But such a move will inevitably leave traces. We can track them later. For now, we must focus on the big picture to avoid being led by the nose again. You said there were two fires. Where was the other one?”
Qiu Ling’s question was simple, but the usually talkative, bearded adjutant fell into a brief silence.
Even when he was asking for punishment just now, Lu Zican hadn't shown any sign of avoidance. Yet, at this question, his head bowed for some reason. His beard trembled slightly, his face clouded with struggle.
“What exactly happened?”
Qiu Ling’s voice rang out again, carrying an undeniable pressure.
Lu Zican shot a quick glance toward Qin Jiuye. The woman was looking down, wringing the water from her skirt and picking off grass and mud. Sensing his gaze, she looked up.
Lu Zican couldn't bear to meet those eyes. He hastily looked away and whispered.
“It was Tingfeng Hall on Shouqi Street, in the south of the city.”
The moment the words left his mouth, the sound of wringing fabric stopped.
Qiu Ling clearly noticed it too. But he forced himself not to look at her immediately. After a short pause, he asked, word by word, “When did it happen? Give me the details.”
“Around the third mark of the Tiger hour (approx. 4:30 AM). The night watchman was near Wu-liao Bridge when he saw smoke rising to the south. At first, he thought it was the fire at Sitiaozi Street, but looking closer, he realized it was near Shouqi Street. He rushed over and found that the paper lantern that usually hung at the back door of Tingfeng Hall had been taken down for some reason. His first thought was negligence, but when he went in to check, he found a body. He ran stumbling through two streets until he ran into Old Zheng and the others. Before leaving the city, I went to Tingfeng Hall myself and confirmed that the deceased is indeed the proprietor, Tang Shenyan. I left Old Zheng to continue examining the scene. I believe this murder is tied to the martial world and may be connected to the other fire, so I didn't dare delay in reporting to the Supervisor.”
The wind died down completely. The riverbank was deathly silent in the early morning light. Occasionally, a faint splashing sound came from the half-submerged roots and deadwood in the distance, like a small fish trapped in a puddle by the receding tide, flipping over in its final struggle.
It was a long time before Qiu Ling broke the silence.
“How did you determine it was murder? And how did you conclude it was the work of the martial world?”
Lu Zican sighed inwardly again.
He knew his Supervisor’s rigor in solving cases, but asking these questions in front of Qin Jiuye made him feel like an executioner performing the 'death by a thousand cuts.' Every word he spoke was like carving a piece of flesh from her.
But he had to speak.
“The intruder likely entered from the roof. The smoke was caused by paper being burned and then extinguished by the rain. There were signs that the place had been ransacked. Furthermore... if the Supervisor saw the state of Proprietor Tang’s body, you would know my judgment was not without cause.”
Qin Jiuye finally moved.
She rubbed her damp fingers together and took a step forward. Her eyes were fixed on Lu Zican. She licked her lips before asking cautiously.
“Are... are you sure you have it right? Old Tang was a man who feared death; he’s been careful in business all these years. Tingfeng Hall has been open for six or seven years and never meddled in the affairs of the martial world. Why would they kill him? Could there be a mistake...”
Lu Zican found himself unable to speak.
But he didn't actually need to say anything, just as the woman didn't actually need his answer.
The hem of the dress she had just wrung was covered in wrinkles, but she didn't even have the strength to smooth them out. She just stood there, staring blankly.
The young Supervisor stood half a step away from her. It was a distance where he could easily take her hand, let her lean on his shoulder, and whisper words of comfort. Yet he couldn't even move a finger.
It turned out that comforting someone with gentle words was far harder than drawing a sword to slay an enemy.
His hands clenched slowly inside his sleeves. When Qiu Ling spoke again, his voice was almost devoid of emotion.
“If it were merely to silence him, they would have acted discreetly. To destroy evidence, they wouldn't have let the rain extinguish the fire and let the smoke escape. Killing was just the result; perhaps interrogation was the point.”
Lu Zican nodded repeatedly.
He was familiar with this tone. The calmer the Supervisor appeared, the more it meant he was fully invested in the matter. Thus, Lu Zican didn't dare slacken and continued his report.
“Exactly. The fire at the other location in the south was quite large last night; the magistrate’s men were all drawn away to fight the fire and evacuate the citizens. Fearing we might miss something or that further changes might occur, Zheng Peiyu and I entered Tingfeng Hall first. After a preliminary search, we found this...”
As Lu Zican spoke, he carefully took something from his robe and held it out.
For some reason, Qin Jiuye instinctively looked away.
Her heart began to race for no reason, as if she had a premonition that she was about to see something she shouldn't.
But she couldn't control her eyes. A moment later, she lifted her eyelids and glanced at Lu Zican’s hand. Her gaze froze there.
It wasn't anything bloody or terrifying. It was just a paper flower.
A paper lotus folded from jute paper. Eight petals, each distinct. Even though half of it was charred by fire and it bore the marks of being soaked in water, one could still see its original exquisite craftsmanship.
The last time she had seen such a paper flower, a young boy had folded it for her with his own hands.
The faint morning light shone brighter and brighter upon the charred paper lotus in Lu Zican’s hand.
“...This object is a killing token circulating in the dark markets of the World’s Number One Villa. The name written upon it is indeed that of Proprietor Tang.”
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
九皋城 | Jiugao City | The main city setting.
琼壶岛 | Qionghu Island | The island the characters just left.
黄姑子 | Huang Guzi | The boatman.
白沙口 | Baishakou | White Sand Estuary/Opening.
黎水码头 | Lishui Pier | A pier in Jiugao City.
七姑 | Qi Gu | The woman traveling with them.
断玉君 | Lord Duanyu | A title/alias for Qiu Ling.
武仁 | Wuren | A geographical location.
素心丸 | Suxin Pills | "Pure Heart" Pills, a type of medicine.
道枢阁 | Daoshu Pavilion | A sect or organization related to medicine/alchemy.
陆子参 | Lu Zican | Qiu Ling's subordinate, an Adjutant.
督护 | Supervisor | Qiu Ling's official title (Duhu).
璃心湖 | Lixin Lake | The lake surrounding the city and island.
四条子街 | Sitiaozi Street | "Four-Stripes Street," a location in the city.
川流院 | Chuanliu Academy | An organization/location mentioned as a possible culprit.
南闾门 | Nanlü Gate | South Gate of the city.
东阖门 | Donghe Gate | East Gate of the city.
慈衣针 | Compassionate Clothes Needle | Ciyi Zhen, a person or group they were tracking.
守器街 | Shouqi Street | "Tool-Keeping Street," location of Tingfeng Hall.
听风堂 | Tingfeng Hall | "Listening to the Wind" Hall, Old Tang's shop.
唐慎言 | Tang Shenyan | Old Tang, the proprietor of Tingfeng Hall.
天下第一庄 | World's Number One Villa | A powerful and mysterious organization in the martial world.
Enjoying the story? Rate this novel:
Secret Recipe | Chapter 172 | A Paper Flower | Novela.app | Novela.app
