Because of the harsh words exchanged earlier, Qin Jiuye had no desire to share a room with Teng Hu for the time being. Instead, she wandered out to an open space outside the shipyard to check on the medicinal herbs she had set out to dry.
When she had parted ways with Wang Po, the old woman had asked her to bring the Qingwu Blade over when she had a chance so the new scabbard could be crafted to a perfect fit. Qin Jiuye had turned back to find Li Qiao, only to discover the room empty. Inquiries with those nearby yielded no clues; no one had seen him. After a moment’s thought, she decided this was for the best—it would be a surprise for him once the deed was done.
She wasn't usually the type for such gestures, but for some reason, she was in the mood today. She told herself it was merely a way to repay the favor of the sugar cakes he had brought her that morning. As she mulled over how to borrow the blade later without revealing her "secret," she continued sorting through her herbs, glancing into the distance from time to time. Yet, strangely, the youth was nowhere to be seen.
First, he was vanishing at night, and now he was missing during the day. He had brushed her off with sugar cakes this morning, and she had only let it slide out of a momentary softness of heart, not because she hadn't noticed something was amiss.
Regardless, she intended to demand a clear explanation the moment he returned.
As the sky gradually darkened, it wasn't just Li Qiao who was missing; Qiu Ling had also failed to return to the shipyard.
When Lu Zican had brought Wang Po back alone earlier, Qin Jiuye knew he must have been delayed by other matters and hadn't pressed for details. But reflecting on it now, though Qiu Ling had come and gone from the shipyard every day, he had never been away for this long.
Besides, wouldn't he want to return to investigate the secret within the Qingwu Blade? What could be so important that they were all vanishing? Could it be...
The image of the two men—one with a blade, one with a sword—clashing in the small wooden hut suddenly flashed before her eyes. Qin Jiuye bolted upright as if her seat had turned into a bed of thorns. She couldn't sit still a moment longer. She hurriedly gathered her sorted herbs, carried them back into the shipyard, and strode toward the exit. She hadn't gone far when she saw Duan Xiaozhou rushing toward her from the direction of the river.
"Miss Qin, someone was looking for you just now."
In the blink of an eye, Duan Xiaozhou reached her, panting for breath. Qin Jiuye was still a bit dazed.
"Looking for me?"
Duan Xiaozhou caught his breath and pointed toward Xiuting Pier.
"It was a fishing boat entering the pier. They said they passed Dingweng Village on their way. The Daixiao River rose a few days ago and flooded several nearby villages. Half of your pharmacy was buried, and the villagers are helping to clear it out."
Qin Jiuye’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately pressed, "And the people? Is everyone alright?"
"Your apprentice should be fine. It was he who sent word, asking you to return and decide what to do."
Qin Jiuye breathed a small sigh of relief, but her expression remained worried. She made a move toward the pier. "Where is the messenger? I’ll go ask..."
Duan Xiaozhou shook his head. "The man already left with the boat. He just passed on a verbal message; I heard it from the people at the pier." Realizing he had been a bit too frantic, he quickly tried to compensate. "Don't worry too much. I’ll find someone to go check for you right away. Perhaps the worst of it is already over..."
Song Tuo’s words echoed in her mind. It didn't look like the rain would stop anytime soon. If the water could soak the stone mountains until they crumbled, a small landslide today could mean the entire village would be buried tomorrow.
Having grown up in the mountains of Suiqing, she was all too familiar with such disasters. Sometimes, when villages communicated with each other, verbal messages were more reliable than letters. Few villagers were literate; writing a letter required finding someone to scribe it, and by the time it was sent and delivered, much time would be lost. Word of mouth among acquaintances was often faster.
Only Jin Bao knew she was at the shipyard. It was only natural that he would find someone to bring word in an emergency. Perhaps the situation had started days ago, and the news had only just reached her.
But the timing of this news...
Qin Jiuye looked at the sky for a long while before withdrawing her gaze. "Has the Commander returned?"
"Not yet. I reckon today..." Duan Xiaozhou realized something mid-sentence and looked at her nervously. "But the Commander specifically instructed before he left that you are not to go out alone."
In truth, Duan Xiaozhou didn't need to say it. Qin Jiuye could see that Qiu Ling’s deployments these past few days could be summarized in four words: *keep a low profile.*
In short, he wanted her to stay with people like Li Qiao, who might be in danger, and minimize movement. All necessary errands were left to people like Lu Zican, who didn't fear exposure. This move was intended to guard against the secret investigations of the First Manor under Heaven and to hide the progress of the secret formula's pursuit, preventing interference from ill-intentioned parties or panic among the ignorant.
But Duan Xiaozhou’s words also reminded her: some time had passed since the Sword Appreciation Assembly. She had been buried in her research at the shipyard, feeling as though the world around her was calm. Now that she thought about it, perhaps she had been working behind closed doors for too long, completely unaware of how the world outside might have changed.
Her mind made up, Qin Jiuye continued, "I remember he went out with General Lu earlier. Why did only General Lu return?"
Duan Xiaozhou choked up, instinctively scratching his head. "The Commander... ran into some business. He couldn't make it back immediately, but he didn't want to delay the important matters, so he told General Lu to bring the person back first." He stole a glance at her expression and added quickly, "Perhaps tonight, or at the latest, tomorrow morning, he should be back."
Duan Xiaozhou didn't reveal much, but Qin Jiuye had already read between the lines.
Right now, the affairs at the shipyard were Qiu Ling’s top priority. Zheng Peiyu and the others were holding the fort in the city, and all the cases were in their final stages; there shouldn't be any trouble there. As for the Qiu Estate, Xu Qiuchi was looking after it, and Xu Qiuchi had just been here to look at the scabbard. Given his personality, if anything had happened to the Qiu family, he wouldn't be able to sit still. As for the martial world, Kunxu seemed to have been quiet, with no messages arriving.
That left only one possibility: someone from the capital had arrived.
Perhaps it was someone from the General of the South’s estate, or some official. Qiu Ling held a commission and was a man of the military; if someone higher up gave an order, he wouldn't be able to extricate himself. As for Li Qiao, based on what she saw last night, he might not show up until midnight.
She wasn't an impatient person, but she couldn't keep waiting for two people whose return was uncertain.
Looking toward the Xiuting Pier where the shadows of ships flickered in the distance, Qin Jiuye thought for a moment and said, "The path from here back to Dingweng Village can be partially traveled by water. We can take the Huan River for a stretch before entering the Daixiao River; it’s a short walk once we land. These past few days, I’ve seen many official cargo ships carrying silt and bamboo. If you’re worried, I can disguise myself and follow an official boat. It shouldn't be a problem."
Duan Xiaozhou saw the look in her eyes and knew she had made her decision.
Her plan sounded much safer, but one could never be too careful. He still felt uneasy and spoke hesitantly. "Miss Qin, you are brave and resourceful, but in extraordinary times, you must be doubly cautious. Even if you must go, you absolutely cannot travel alone..."
Before he could finish, a figure flickered in the distance. Qin Jiuye caught it out of the corner of her eye and immediately called out loudly.
"Who said I’m going alone? I have Brother Teng Hu with me. You can rest easy."
In the distance, Teng Hu’s figure stiffened. After a long pause, he turned around, his expression resentful and his face long, as if he were still nursing a grudge over her previous words.
Qin Jiuye acted as if she didn't see his twisted grimace and shamelessly dragged him over.
"Brother Teng and I still have some pharmacological questions to resolve. It’s the perfect time to continue our discussion on the road. Brother Teng Hu is a diligent and studious man; we hit it off from the start. He even said before that if he had the chance, he would definitely visit my pharmacy. Such hospitality is hard to refuse..."
Duan Xiaozhou blinked, falling into a confused silence.
It wasn't as if he hadn't heard the cursing coming from that pharmacy over the past few days. He wondered if the way these medical practitioners expressed themselves was simply different from normal people, or if he had missed something significant.
Teng Hu raised his arm to violently shake off the woman, but to his surprise, he couldn't budge her.
"...Of course, this all depends on Brother Teng Hu’s wishes." Qin Jiuye finished in one breath, then patted the arm that was still struggling against her, adding earnestly, "The Wild Fragrance Seeds we collected at Qingyang Market are still at my pharmacy. If Brother Teng Hu misses this chance, I’ll just have to use them myself."
The arm beneath her hand went still. After a long moment, she heard his dry voice.
"When do we leave?"
Qin Jiuye rubbed her hands together. "Right now."
"Change your clothes." He wrenched his hand free, walked a few steps, then turned back to threaten her in a low voice, "If I don't see those Wild Fragrance Seeds, I’ll gouge out your eyeballs and pickle them in a jar."
Qin Jiuye instinctively touched her eyes. She wanted to say that Zhu Fuxue had also taken a fancy to her eyes; she wondered if all the ruthless figures in the martial world loved eyeballs, or if hers were truly that exceptional. By the time she turned around, he was already far away.
Beside her, Duan Xiaozhou’s face looked even worse. After a long while, he looked at her with a bitter expression.
"Miss Qin, are you serious? We have an old saying in the army: if you travel with an enemy, you might be better off alone."
That was true.
But right now, her greatest enemy wasn't Teng Hu, but the First Manor under Heaven. The more she wanted to keep a low profile, the more careful she had to be in choosing her companions. Bringing an old poison master of the martial world was far more useful than bringing a young official with little experience.
But she obviously couldn't say that to his face. Duan Xiaozhou was young and hot-blooded; he might not grasp the subtlety. She could only comfort him with a half-joking, half-serious tone.
"Don't worry. Brother Teng is very picky, and he values his title as the White Ghost Umbrella more than his life. He wouldn't deign to strike at a nameless village girl like me."
To her surprise, Duan Xiaozhou proved to be stubborn, possessing a heart that refused to yield. He struggled to speak. "Is it absolutely necessary for you to go in person, Miss Qin? Though manpower is tight, I am willing to go for you. Or do you not trust me? I am certainly more reliable than that Teng Hu..."
"How could I not trust you? It’s just..." Her long-winded persuasion faltered on the tip of her tongue. She changed her tone and asked instead, "Do you know? When I was a child, my home village was raided by bandits. Later, the government sent troops to wipe them out, and it’s been peaceful ever since. But the elders in the village still hang bows and spears by their gates to this day. Do you know why?"
"Perhaps as a memorial or a warning?"
Qin Jiuye shook her head gently.
Deep in her heart, the blackened walls of the back street of Four-Stripe Alley, the charred beams, and the old camphor tree billowing black smoke had not disappeared. They never would.
"Because only those who have lost everything understand that some things must be defended by one's own hand." Qin Jiuye patted Duan Xiaozhou’s shoulder. Her voice seemed to carry a hint of a smile, yet it was deeper than ever before. "Water and fire are merciless. My new home is already gone; I cannot lose my old nest no matter what."
***
On the Red Cloud Beach, inside the Tide-Watching Pavilion, Qiu Ling sat in the downwind position. His hands were braced on his knees as he stared intently at the celadon tea cup with gold tracery before him.
Seeing this, the attendant waiting nearby signaled to a servant behind him. The servant bowed and stepped forward, removing the cooled tea cup from in front of Qiu Ling and replacing it with warmed utensils and freshly poured tea.
This was already the fifth cup of tea served since he had sat down.
Initially, he had indicated that such gestures were unnecessary, but the attendant refused to be "negligent," silently changing the tea in his cup.
The fragrance of the tea filled the pavilion. His travels had made him thirsty, yet he had no desire to drink. Though his body was in the pavilion, his heart remained at the shipyard by the Huan River.
The shipyard was hidden and heavily guarded; outsiders could not easily find or enter it. It should be the safest place in all of Jiugao. His only worry was that youth. Years of battlefield experience allowed him to scent the growing danger radiating from the boy day by day. Thus, every time he left, he instructed his subordinates to remain vigilant. If something were to happen, subduing one person with preparation shouldn't be difficult.
Yet, why was his heart so uneasy? It was as if an invisible hand were pressing him down, preventing him from rising. He felt that if he yielded to this force and stopped resisting, something he would regret would surely happen.
Setting down the tea cup, Qiu Ling looked toward the distant sky.
The weather had been like this for days. Having grown used to the daily gloom, it was impossible to tell if a storm was truly imminent.
"The Supervisor seems to be occupied with important matters. Perhaps we should talk another day..."
The moment he spoke, the attendant appeared before him like a shadow, his voice still perfectly respectful.
"The Supervisor said that if the Commander leaves now, he will have no choice but to go to the shipyard at Xiuting Pier to find his man. When that happens, things will no longer be up to the Commander."
The other man knew everything about the shipyard; naturally, Qiu Ling’s private actions could not be hidden.
The attendant’s intention was to keep him there, but in the next moment, the young Commander stood up. After performing a salute, he requested his leave.
"In that case, I shall await the Supervisor at Xiuting Pier..."
Before he could finish, movement finally came from the distant beach. A moment later, Zhou Yaxian walked into the pavilion, drenched by the wind and rain. He handed his oil-paper umbrella to the attendant and stepped aside to wash his hands.
"This is Dragon Nest Golden Osmanthus. I hear it’s being sold for two taels of gold. Since you’re waiting anyway, why not have a taste?"
Qiu Ling knew he wouldn't be able to leave anytime soon. He could only slow his pace and salute.
"Since our last meeting, I thought the Supervisor would not come again."
"The floods in Jiaozhou are worsening. The General has sent people downstream for disaster relief. I didn't come to Jiugao just to see you." Zhou Yaxian wiped the water from his hands and walked to the stone table to pour himself a cup of tea. "I told you before: if you insist on walking this path to the end, you must walk it alone."
Silence reigned in the Tide-Watching Pavilion for a moment before the young Commander replied.
"I have kept the Supervisor’s words in my heart. During the investigation, I have not disturbed the Prefect’s manor, nor have I involved the General. As for Zican and the others, I have already explained the risks to them..."
However, he was interrupted before he could finish.
"If that is so, then why did you have Yu Cheng help you secretly pull case files? You asked her on a whim, and she helped you on a whim. If something goes wrong, can you protect her?"
He had tried his best to avoid officials, choosing to handle secret reports within the martial world, yet he had still been discovered.
After a moment of silence, Qiu Ling spoke slowly. "She is not just an Admonishment Envoy of the Jinshi Bureau; she is also a disciple of Kunxu. Her every word and action are watched over by Kunxu. Even if Master is getting older and has become somewhat lax..." Qiu Ling paused, then continued in a low voice, "...the Supervisor will surely protect her."
His words were somewhat suggestive, containing a hidden guess and an accusation. As a Supervisor, Zhou Yaxian was sharp enough to hear the underlying meaning, but he did not deny the "accusation." He only sighed softly.
"Do you realize that if I could notice this, it means your movements are not entirely secret? It is very likely that others in the capital are also aware."
Qiu Ling looked up, his voice becoming more urgent. "This matter does not only concern the Black Moon; it also involves old cases from the capital and the Prince of Xiaoning’s estate. Whether for public or private reasons, the General should be informed of the Prince of Xiaoning’s affairs. Otherwise, if history repeats itself and the General remains unaware, it would be my dereliction of duty."
"What would knowing change? Whether it was the 'Xiaoling' of the past or the 'Xiaoning' of today, the affairs of the Imperial Family are not for outsiders to meddle in." Zhou Yaxian looked over, his voice growing stern. "When a child of the family makes a mistake, they might be beaten or scolded, but they will live. But if an outsider crouches by the wall every day waiting to watch the drama, they must be prepared to face the master’s wrath."
Qiu Ling understood what Zhou Yaxian was saying. In the past, he would have known to back down, but today he did not want to.
"I did not send word directly to the General regarding this discovery. If the Supervisor truly wishes to remain a bystander, he only needs to turn a blind eye. Why come in person to lay everything bare?"
"A fine 'turn a blind eye' indeed." Zhou Yaxian suddenly stood up from the stone table and walked step by step toward the bowing young Commander. "But what can I do? A man like me, even with one eye closed, will not miss anyone’s little tricks. If sand gets in my eye, I must rub it out, or I will find no peace."
The man hadn't said anything particularly harsh, yet it felt as if a dark cloud were pressing down, making it hard to breathe.
Not all sharp blades were forged on the battlefield; the slaughter and trials experienced within the halls of power were no less than those on the front lines.
The two remained in a stalemate, neither speaking.
Just as Qiu Ling thought the conversation would yield no result, the other man finally stepped back.
"Seven days ago, they changed ships here to head north. Perhaps to deal with the current situation, they split into five ships and left the pier one by one, taking different water routes. The four that entered Yuzhou are already under control; the General has sent people to secretly monitor them. Even if they are loaches in muddy water, they won't be able to stir up any waves."
Qiu Ling was stunned. It took him a moment to react, then he asked urgently, "What about the remaining one? Since the Supervisor has found the target, why not move to stop them? This person is extremely cunning, skilled in dark arts and manipulating hearts. He operates in the shadows of the city, making his tracks hard to find. The Seven-Union Sacrificial Wine used in their rituals is problematic; they likely intend to use the Emperor’s sacrifice to Heaven and Earth to make their move. Liang Bozhong might also be involved..." He finished in one breath before realizing his words were out of line. He quickly bowed in supplication. "I implore the Supervisor to lend his aid and wipe out the villains once and for all."
"No matter how skilled, they are but commoners of the martial world. Do not lose sight of the big picture for something small. You want me to move against the Prince of Xiaoning’s people—do you have concrete evidence? You say the wine on that ship is problematic—have you verified it yourself? You say Liang Bozhong intends to use his position as the Grand Zongbo to bring this wine into the palace and harm the officials or even the Emperor during the Great Sacrifice—do you have proof?"
Faced with Zhou Yaxian’s string of questions, Qiu Ling could not answer.
This was why he couldn't report the matter directly and could only investigate privately.
Even though he had tracked the enemy’s movements, he was still far from catching them red-handed.
Zhou Yaxian clearly understood everything, which was why he chose to wait.
"Even if everything is as you say, and that Seven-Union Sacrificial Wine is prepared for the Emperor’s sacrifice, they wouldn't be so foolish as to mix everything into the wine during transport. They will surely mix the real with the fake to evade inspection. Or perhaps they will wait until the last moment, after the palace has conducted its checks, to make their move. If you act prematurely, you will only alert the enemy."
"I was inconsiderate. But..."
Before he could finish, Zhou Yaxian abruptly changed the subject. "When you appeared at the Sword Appreciation Assembly, did Di Mo speak with you privately?"
Zhou Yaxian had never been to Qionghu Island, nor had he ever been part of the martial world, yet every event he mentioned was startlingly accurate, as if he had been there in person. If he wished, everything was held within that thin palm, unable to hide or escape.
"He did indeed speak with me privately, mentioning some old affairs of the Black Moon. Finally..." Qiu Ling paused, but ultimately spoke the truth, "...finally, he even mentioned handing the First Manor under Heaven over to me."
He did not explicitly state Di Mo’s former identity, but that didn't stop the listener from deducing Di Mo’s intentions. Given the man before him and his experience in court, he likely knew of Di Mo’s past with the Black Moon.
However, he never expected Zhou Yaxian to laugh upon hearing this.
"Very good. It seems the First Manor under Heaven is destined to be yours." Zhou Yaxian looked at the young Commander, staring into his eyes as he spoke word by word. "But it cannot be given to you by him. You must seize it for yourself."
***
On the flooded riverbank, a youth was walking against the current toward the massive shipyard hidden in the mist.
His surroundings were damp and miserable. He was so soaked he could practically be wrung out, yet deep within his body, he felt an unbearable thirst. It was a sensation that no amount of water could quench. Since it first flared up three days ago, it had returned at intervals, urging him to do something. During the day, it was manageable, but once the sun vanished, it grew more intense. Today, it had begun to flare up even in the daylight.
He didn't dare stay where there were people. He could only run miles into the wilderness, cutting his own flesh to lick the blood that flowed out, only to find himself thirstier than before. The wounds healed in an instant, but the healed flesh felt a painful itch radiating from the bone, as if something were about to pierce through his skin. This cycle repeated, driving him closer to madness.
The green light of desire flickered in the darkness. Jackals, drawn by the scent of blood, lunged from the tall grass. He felt a primal, savage impulse burst forth, and his mind went blank. By the time he regained consciousness, he was kneeling in the shallows, clutching the carcass of a beast, his hands and mouth covered in blood.
The sky had already darkened. Because of the continuous rain, there was no sunset in the west, yet he found himself unable to look directly at the light behind the clouds. He could only keep his head down, watching his own shadow.
He finally began to understand the words Prince Yan had spoken to him in the secret room of the Treasure Mirage Pavilion.
Compared to this, the Clear Wind Powder was nothing.
Compared to the constant, clear pain of the Clear Wind Powder’s withdrawal, this soul-detaching seizure was far more terrifying. He seemed to briefly lose control of his body, as if something horrific had taken advantage of the void to occupy him, using his body to hunt and commit atrocities to fill a hunger that could never be satisfied.
He thought he should confess everything to her. But another fear gripped his heart, making him hesitate until today.
After an unknown amount of time, he finally returned to the shipyard like a wandering ghost. He was struggling with his final decision when he looked up and realized the lamp in the inner room on the second floor was dark. Not only that, but when he entered the empty room, he found that her medicine chest—which she never left behind—was gone.
Li Qiao stopped abruptly, then turned and strode back out.
Near the shipyard, several workers were gutting fish. The fresh catch was being sliced open, their entrails and blood mixing with the water and flowing into a nearby ditch. A faint fishy scent lingered in the air.
A young soldier hurried past, helping to lift a wooden basin of fish. When he stood up, he suddenly realized someone was standing behind him.
The youth was naturally fairer than most, but today, whether from the rain or something else, he looked exceptionally pale. He looked like a young actor who had been devoured by the River God and had now returned as a vengeful spirit, inexplicably eerie.
Duan Xiaozhou felt unsettled by that gaze and spoke first. "If you have time to wander about, Master Li, why not help out? No one in this shipyard gets a free meal."
Li Qiao ignored the sarcasm. His gaze uncontrollably swept over the gutted fish carcasses, and he instinctively licked his lips. When he spoke, his voice was raspy.
"Where is she?"
He didn't say who "she" was, but everyone in the shipyard seemed to assume "she" could only be Shopkeeper Qin.
Duan Xiaozhou glanced at him, not wanting to say much. He replied briefly, "Miss Qin had business and went out."
"Went out?" Li Qiao took a step forward, an irrepressible anxiety in his voice. "To do what? When did she leave? Where is Qiu Ling? Did he go with her..."
Duan Xiaozhou dropped the wooden basin with a *clatter* and crossed his arms, looking at the youth.
He didn't like the other’s questioning tone, and he liked his attitude toward the Commander even less.
"She’s been gone a while. Dingweng Village is flooded, and Miss Qin was anxious to go home and see. My Commander hasn't returned yet, and I actually have to report to you? If Miss Qin hadn't told me to tell you before she left, I wouldn't be so polite..."
His meaning was clear, but the youth seemed not to hear, taking another step closer. The terrifying aura radiating from him was noticed even by the workers a few paces away, who quickly stood up and left.
"Qiu Ling isn't here. Shouldn't you have waited for him to return and decide? Why did you let her go out alone?"
Duan Xiaozhou blinked. He suddenly noticed that the youth’s eyes seemed to have turned a terrifying pitch-black, though he clearly remembered them being a light hazel.
His right hand instinctively moved to the sword at his waist, his gaze shifting to the twilight fading behind the youth.
"Master Teng Hu went with her. Besides, such a big thing happened at her home; it’s only natural for her to go back and check..."
The youth took a deep breath, seemingly trying to suppress something.
"By the time the news reached here, the house would have been flooded long ago. You could have withheld the news for a while and waited for Qiu Ling to return before deciding."
"I will report to the Commander when he returns. Besides, Miss Qin wouldn't act recklessly. She said sneaking onto an official boat at the pier wouldn't attract attention. With roads flooded everywhere, the water route is actually faster..." Duan Xiaozhou paused, then muttered, "Is there something wrong with taking the water route?"
Wrong. Everything was wrong.
If one wanted to stay away from the eyes and ears of the First Manor under Heaven, one had to stay away from the water.
Beneath every quiet surface of the rivers and seas that connected the martial world lay Di Mo’s shadow. That shadow was like swaying water weeds, like the tentacles of a monster, waiting to pull people under when they were off guard, stealing their souls in silence.
His expression was so grim that even Duan Xiaozhou’s heart began to pound.
"Miss Qin is a clever person. If there were truly something wrong, she would never put herself in danger."
"The fact that nothing seems wrong is exactly what is most wrong."
He was all too familiar with this feeling. Low-profile, meticulous, silent—a killing intent emerging from the shadows. And once, he had been a part of it.
Li Qiao remained silent, his hands clenched so tightly at his sides that they almost bled.
Duan Xiaozhou could no longer bear the unusual pressure of this silence. He turned to head toward the tree where his horse was tied.
"I’ll go after her now and catch the next boat. I don't know if I can make it before dark..."
He was mid-sentence when he felt a blur before his eyes. In the next instant, the youth had leaped past him, mounting the horse before he could react. Ignoring Duan Xiaozhou’s shouts, Li Qiao spurred the horse hard.
The horse let out a neigh, rearing its front hooves high before charging through the scattered shadows of the sunset, galloping toward the west.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
丁翁村 | Dingweng Village | Qin Jiuye's home village.
七合鬯 | Seven-Union Sacrificial Wine | A ritual wine mentioned as part of a plot involving the Emperor.
野馥子 | Wild Fragrance Seeds | A rare medicinal/poisonous herb.
大宗伯卿 | Grand Zongbo | A high-ranking official title, often related to the Ministry of Rites.
金石司 | Jinshi Bureau | Bureau of Metals and Stones; an official department.
安谏使 | Admonishment Envoy | An official title within the Jinshi Bureau.
息迹静处 | Keep a low profile | Literally "hiding tracks and staying in a quiet place."
