She had heard people say the Su family of the north city was immensely wealthy, but she never truly understood the extent of it. Today, upon entering the residence, Qin Jiuye understood instantly.
Roof tiles met the sky, and corridors and walls rose like mountain ridges. Every ten steps brought a veranda, every hundred a pavilion; the winding paths seemed as if they would never end.
Qin Jiuye thought to herself: forget being given a whole room—if they just gave her a tiny corner of this land, she could live out her life in perfect contentment.
The purple-clad maid leading the way moved with light, swift steps. Qin Jiuye felt the surrounding garden scenery flash by like a blur until she finally came to a dizzying halt before a quiet little courtyard.
Peering through the narrow moon gate, this courtyard seemed far too plain compared to the many vistas they had just passed. Grey-brick walls enclosed a single room in the center, and even the surrounding greenery was pitifully sparse.
*Perhaps it’s a temporary room cleared out specifically for the consultations?* Qin Jiuye wondered.
As the thought crossed her mind, the purple-clad maid spoke.
"My name is Xin Yu, a maid from the Old Madam’s courtyard. This consultation is a matter of the inner court, and from this moment on, I am in charge. The masters of this house prefer peace and quiet; this is the first time we have invited so many people into the residence with such fanfare, so there will inevitably be many rules. I will state these rules only once. Please listen carefully and commit them to heart. If the rules are broken, do not blame the Su family for being harsh."
The consultation hadn't even begun, and they were already laying down the law?
Though she had long expected that a hundred gold taels wouldn't be easy to earn, Qin Jiuye’s palms began to sweat. Many around her started to tremble as well—whether out of wounded pride or the fear that their ears wouldn't be sharp enough to catch every rule.
It was a delicate state of mind: seeking wealth amidst danger and pursuing fame through peril. Only those standing within it could truly empathize.
One had to realize that among the old men standing beside her, some owned pharmacies all over the city, while others came from generations of medical families. Aside from those with ulterior motives, the rest—even those who came with a sincere heart to heal—likely didn't truly lack a hundred gold taels. They were mostly here to burnish their reputations or, more importantly, to establish a relationship with the Su family to secure long-term benefits in the medicinal ingredient trade.
In contrast, she was merely a village doctor. She had no reputation to lose and no grand ambitions to pursue. If she were lucky enough to obtain the money, she would be overjoyed; if she failed, she would simply return to her original life and keep working hard.
At this thought, Qin Jiuye’s heart finally settled. She wiped the sweat from her palms and listened intently.
"The one you are to treat is the unwed Second Miss of our residence. The Miss is kind-hearted and appreciates the hardship you have endured traveling from afar. Any physician who crosses the threshold of the Su residence will receive five taels of silver. Those who enter the inner room for the consultation and can speak of the condition or match the symptoms will receive an additional ten taels. At the end of the consultation, those who can identify the specific illness and its cause will receive another twenty taels. Finally, for the one who provides a prescription and is willing to remain in the residence until the illness is cured, the reward is one hundred gold taels."
So, while it was called a consultation, it was far more than that. And that "remaining in the residence" sounded ominous—did it mean one couldn't leave if the cure failed?
The crowd fell into a brief silence as everyone began their own calculations.
After a moment, someone began looking for an exit strategy. "This 'until the illness is cured'—what is the standard for that? If the Miss is naturally frail, what counts as a recovery?"
The beautiful maid in purple remained polite in expression, but her words were quite blunt. "If the gentleman has concerns, he may leave now."
This was clearly a trap for the willing; those who entered did so of their own volition. Even if a dispute arose later where the physician might have been in the right, they could not blame the Su residence.
Seeing that no one else had questions, Xin Yu announced the rules in a clear voice.
"If there are no objections to the fees, then here are the rules for the consultation. First, the Miss dislikes the scent of strangers. You may not enter the inner chamber. You must inquire about the symptoms through three layers of gauze curtains. Those capable of suspended thread pulse-taking may attempt it, but no one is permitted to stay in the room for longer than the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn."
If many had been eager to try just moments ago, nine out of ten now felt a sudden surge of trepidation. The remaining one was likely locked in a struggle of indecision.
Qin Jiuye was that one.
The so-called "suspended thread pulse-taking" was largely a myth. Many in the underworld used it as a trick to swindle people, and many had been fooled, but few had ever truly seen it. Whether someone could actually discern a pulse through the vibration of a single silk thread was something a physician could not easily believe without seeing it with their own eyes.
But if one could not perform the thread pulse-taking and could not see the patient’s form or complexion, then half of the "Four Diagnostic Methods"—looking, listening, asking, and touching—were lost. The possibility of accurately judging the illness plummeted.
"Second, the Miss is young and has lived in the residence for many years, rarely going out. Her temperament is quite simple. If there is anything inappropriate in your questioning, the Miss will not answer."
In other words: don't ask what shouldn't be asked. This wasn't hard to understand, but strictly following it was absurd. It was the height of "concealing the illness and avoiding the doctor." If even the patient was unwilling to cooperate, what could a healer do?
"Third, only one person may enter the room at a time. A conclusion must be given immediately after the consultation ends. Only after one person finishes may the next enter. Those waiting outside are not permitted to speak to one another."
"The above are the rules set by the Su residence for this consultation. If anyone disagrees with these rules, you may take your five taels of silver and leave now. As long as you do not speak of today’s events to outsiders in the future, the Su family will treat you with courtesy and will not make things difficult for you."
Having finished, Xin Yu took a lit incense stick from a nearby maid and set it by the courtyard gate.
"Those are all the rules. You have the time it takes for one incense stick to burn to consider. Whoever is willing to enter the inner court for the consultation, step forward to receive a waist token, and then follow me inside."
Incense ash fell as time ticked away.
Finally, the first figure stepped out.
"Qin Jiuye of Guoran Clinic is willing to try."
As she spoke, Qin Jiuye felt countless probing gazes land on her back.
Those gazes were evaluating whether her move was a sign of confidence or mere overestimation of her own abilities. But the scrutiny yielded no results, for no one knew this wild girl who had appeared out of nowhere, nor had they ever heard of "Guoran Clinic."
But with a bird leading the way, followers soon stepped forward one by one.
Many regained their confidence through Qin Jiuye, feeling that even if they performed poorly today, there was at least someone beneath them to serve as a foil. It wouldn't look too bad when word got out later.
As for Qin Jiuye herself, once she stepped out, she felt a sense of relief. She was no longer hesitant or overthinking.
Soon, the group of those staying for the consultation was complete—exactly seven people. The rest followed the steward to collect their silver and leave.
The front of the Su residence had been so lively this morning, yet when it came time for the real test, only seven were willing to enter the inner court. Those in the know understood it was just a consultation; those who didn't might have thought it was a life-or-death ordeal.
The purple-clad maid leading them moved her embroidered shoes and began to walk away. Qin Jiuye checked her medicine box one last time and followed at the end of the line, heading toward that barren inner courtyard.
****** ****** ******
In the back street of the Harvest Abundance Rice Shop, within the dim interior of the storefront, Old Chen was curled up among a pile of tattered hemp sacks, dozing as usual.
Beside him, on a wooden stump covered in a layer of rice husks, stood a length of low-quality incense. The incense had nearly burned to its end, and a piece of ash fell, landing right on Old Chen’s toe.
The weather had been getting hotter lately, so he had taken off his shoes and socks, resting his bare feet on the stump. Scalded by the ash, he jolted awake instantly.
From the other side of several wooden partitions, the noisy chatter of the rice shop drifted in faintly. Old Chen sat blankly staring at the room full of sacks for a while, then stood up to check the sky outside. He picked up an oil lamp from the corner, locked the door, and left the shop.
At a certain spot at the end of Four-Sons Street, there was a coal shop that had been closed for business. The stone slabs in front of the door were covered in moss, having been untouched since the rainy season.
In present-day Xiangliang, private trade in charcoal was no longer permitted, except by the government. However, a trend of alchemy had once risen within the martial world of the Longshu region. Alchemical furnaces required high-quality charcoal to produce good pills, and a single "Auspicious Charcoal" stick could sell for over ten taels of silver. Consequently, many profit-seekers in the city's dark alleys had opened these coal shops, displaying other goods as a front while waiting for major clients. In their spare time, they sold cheap coal scraps to families who lived a bit more extravagantly.
Old Chen’s sockless feet, tucked into cloth shoes, stopped before this hidden coal shop. He looked left and right, nimbly avoided the moss before the door, lifted the door plank, and stepped inside.
The coal shop greeted him with a draft of cool, damp air. It felt less like a shop of less than a hundred feet and more like a dark mountain cave.
There were piles of coal scraps covered in oilcloth scattered about, coated in a layer of moldy dust from long neglect. Old Chen expertly struck a fire starter to light his oil lamp. He held the lamp up to look around, dragged out a rosewood chair with a broken cross-brace from the corner, tinkered with it until it was fixed, and carefully placed it back in its original spot.
Then, with his hands behind his back, he circled the room once before finally pulling aside a tattered cloth curtain on the wall, revealing a pitch-black tunnel.
A small draft blew through the room, seemingly brushing against something on the rafters.
Old Chen’s movements suddenly stopped.
Having spent so much time in dim places, he possessed not only exceptional vision but also incredibly sharp ears. Even in a half-dreaming state, he could hear if a mouse had entered the rice shop next door.
Naturally, he could also hear other things.
His eyes darted around, and he quickly turned his head.
Between the old rafters, only half a piece of faded talisman paper fluttered in the wind.
At this hour, even thieves hadn't come out to play. Even for a master thief, their footsteps couldn't possibly be lighter than a piece of paper in the wind, could they?
It must be because those few martial artists who died at the street corner the other day were just too close, leaving him feeling uneasy since then.
Taking a breath, Old Chen took down a fox mask hanging behind the curtain and expertly fastened it over his head. He then raised his oil lamp and headed deep into the tunnel.
The moment the flickering light and shadow vanished into the edge of the darkness, a shadow finally appeared on that old rafter. The shadow silently bypassed the talisman paper and landed on the ground, as light as a speck of dust.
Li Qiao looked at the darkness ahead, then back at this inconspicuous coal shop, seemingly weighing whether to continue following.
Even though he had calculated it carefully before, he was still slightly surprised to confirm that the secret entrance to the Baoshen Pavilion was so close to the main street.
During the chaos that day, he had judged that the Baoshen Pavilion had at least three entrances and exits this year.
One was the buyer's entrance connected to the first-floor wooden walkway; one was the section of the roof that had collapsed that day; and the last was the secret passage used by the auctioneer when he evacuated.
There were likely government officials guarding the area near Qiongwei Alley, making it hard to say if one would draw attention. Only the secret passage that no one knew about was the best choice for returning to the pavilion.
On the day of the Qingyang Fair, from the moment he entered the Baoshen Pavilion from the alley, he had counted every step, noted every turn, and kept track of every stair he descended. But at that time, he was only preparing for an escape. He hadn't expected that during the subsequent struggle, he would accidentally discover that this place, while not connected to Four-Sons Street, was actually not far from it.
Four-Sons Street was usually a mix of all sorts of people, making it an excellent place to hide from prying eyes. If someone wanted to hide an exit of a Baoshen Pavilion secret passage here, it was a brilliant choice.
After returning to Guoran Clinic that night, he had simply reconstructed the basic structure and entrances of the Baoshen Pavilion and carefully recalled the chaotic fight that had occurred around the stone platform.
Though the wooden beams in the pavilion were decayed, they were certainly not so weak as to snap easily. Yet, at that time, beams and pillars in many corners had collapsed. He had caught a fleeting glimpse of the slash marks on the wooden railings—every strike was fierce and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. Despite the surrounding mess, if one looked closely at the hidden corners, one could still see many splatters of black blood.
At first, he had also wondered if this struggle was merely a play staged by the buyers and sellers in collusion. But recalling those details now, he could deduce that such a possibility was slim.
Then he thought back to the stone island in the center of the ink pool.
It was on that stone island that Yuan Shuqing’s copper chest had become an empty one.
According to Qin Jiuye, the same stone island was used every year. But was it truly the same one?
The buyers who went up to inspect the goods were by no means ordinary people. If it were truly an empty chest, it would have been difficult to avoid being exposed on the spot. However, everyone’s attention was on the contents of the chest. If someone had tampered with the stone island, or even the chest itself, how many could have noticed? Even if they realized it later and wanted to settle the score, the stone island would have been removed and the chest would have left the Baoshen Pavilion, making it nearly impossible to prove anything.
In this martial world, if you want to possess something completely and securely, just getting your hands on it isn't enough; you must also make everyone else give up on it.
Handing the chest to someone else in full view of everyone, and then, after the crowd dispersed and the dust settled, quietly transferring the contents—no one would suspect that the item which had "disappeared" in public might still be hidden somewhere in the Baoshen Pavilion.
This "crossing the fields in the dark" strategy should have gone perfectly.
If that Teng Hu hadn't insisted on an on-site inspection, and if the government officials hadn't suddenly burst in.
Undoubtedly, what happened in the Baoshen Pavilion was a scheme set up by someone. But the scheme was ultimately broken, and the one who set it was likely very anxious. Once the rumors died down a bit, they would have to make a move.
There were very few people who could directly tamper with that stone island, and he estimated there was only one person who could retreat unscathed after the deed was done: the auctioneer who stood on the platform that day.
Or rather, the nominal master of the Baoshen Pavilion.
Li Qiao just hadn't expected that this person would be a scruffy old man selling rice bran in the back street of a rice shop.
Perhaps on ordinary days, he truly was just a rice merchant, but on the day of the Qingyang Fair each year, he had another identity. Even if such an assistant's background were investigated, they wouldn't be completely exposed at the first instance.
From the choice of location to the choice of people, every step followed the principle of "hiding."
The true master behind the Baoshen Pavilion was a clever person, but also a clever person who didn't want to be discovered.
However, there is no wall in the world that does not leak wind. After hiding for so many years, it was time to see the light and catch some air.
Li Qiao listened quietly for a moment, confirming the receding footsteps ahead, and then silently merged into the darkness.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
心俞 | Xin Yu | Name of a maid in the Su residence; also an acupuncture point name.
悬丝诊脉 | Suspended thread pulse-taking | A legendary medical technique where a physician diagnoses a patient by holding a thread attached to the patient's wrist.
望闻问切 | Four Diagnostic Methods | The four basic methods of diagnosis in TCM: Looking, Listening/Smelling, Asking, and Touching (pulse).
四条子街 | Four-Sons Street | A street name in the city.
暗度陈仓 | Crossing the fields in the dark | A Chinese idiom/stratagem meaning to feign one thing while secretly doing another.
唱卖官 | Auctioneer | The official in charge of calling out bids at the Baoshen Pavilion.
元漱清 | Yuan Shuqing | A character name mentioned in the context of the auction.
滕狐 | Teng Hu | A character name mentioned in the context of the auction.
