Jiugao was an ancient city, surrounded by historical sites both within and without its walls. The pond in the backyard of the Prefectural Residence was hardly a famous landmark, but anyone who had seen it once was guaranteed never to forget it for the rest of their lives.
An image of shimmering green ripples flashed through Qin Jiuya’s mind. Back when she had been brought to the residence for questioning regarding Kan Renshou’s case, Fan Tong had interrogated her right in front of that green pond. It had left a deep impression, yet as Cao Jin spoke, his face grew paler and paler, as if he feared that green water even more than she did.
"On the night of the fifteenth, the old scoundrel Fan went to the Red Pheasant Quarter as usual. I stayed behind to manage the ledgers until nightfall. I was about to leave when I heard a commotion in the backyard. When I approached, I realized the sound was coming from the pond. At that time, the waters outside Jiugao were rising, so I didn't think much of it at first. Who would have guessed that when I lit a torch to look closer, I would find a golden chest, half a man’s height, sitting in the pond? The noise was coming from inside that chest."
He called him "the old scoundrel Fan" with righteous indignation, but Qin Jiuya had no heart to savor the insult. Her heart sank bit by bit as he told his tale.
Water, a massive chest, and a living thing inside. Every detail reminded her of the pleasure boat where she and Xu Qiuchi had once been trapped. Although Cao Jin had not finished, she could already guess the rest. What she had experienced on that boat was likely what had been unfolding within the Prefectural Residence these past few days.
"The old scoundrel Fan’s interrogation methods are vicious. At first, I thought it was some poor soul who had been forgotten in the pond halfway through a questioning, so I took it upon myself to haul the chest out. But it wasn't like that at all. The chest was impossibly heavy, plated in gold and engraved with patterns I couldn't understand. How could Fan let such a thing go? He rushed back that very night, insisting the chest was his. He chased us aside and went to inspect it himself. In the end, he cut his hand, and... he let the person inside out. No, not a person. It could hardly be called a human..."
As Cao Jin reached this point, he recalled some horrific image and began to tremble violently.
The others in the courtyard had more or less witnessed such scenes themselves, so they didn't need a vivid description. They only wanted the key information.
"And then?" Gao Quan asked coldly. "How many were injured? How many died?"
Cao Jin rubbed his hands uneasily, trying to organize his chaotic memories. "There were nineteen people on duty in the residence that night. Seven or eight were bitten. That monster was incredibly difficult to deal with; it took until the middle of the night for everyone to work together to kill it. The old scoundrel Fan intended to suppress the matter, so he didn't even call for a physician. Three days later, I never saw those who had been bitten again. Making a few people disappear from the residence isn't hard for him. I thought the matter was settled, but no one expected..."
"It was Fan Tong, wasn't it?" Qin Jiuya suddenly interjected.
Cao Jin froze. "How did you know, Miss? At first, no one thought anything of it. After all, the old scoundrel has always been like that—turning day into night, carousing every evening. Everyone just thought he seemed more energetic than before, assuming he had taken some secret golden elixir. Then, one night, while he was reveling with a group of dancers, a servant happened to scrape his hand. He actually... he bit through the man's throat!"
At this point, Cao Jin instinctively covered his own neck. His face turned a sickly green with terror, and his speech became rambling and blurred.
"The way that old scoundrel looks now is exactly like the old Madam Su back then! The talk of vengeful ghosts seeking lives is truly not without reason! It’s a curse, a retribution! Didn't they say there was something strange about the Su family's burial? I think that chest was a gold and silver coffin used to seal a vengeful ghost. The moment it was opened, the resentment rushed out and turned everyone into evil spirits! Today it’s the old scoundrel Fan; will it be my turn tomorrow?"
Cao Jin was scared out of his wits, wailing as he lunged toward the people around him. Gao Quan and the others didn't want him touching them, so he simply spun in circles on the ground by himself. Qin Jiuya found the sight incredibly irritating.
"If it truly were an evil spirit, the first person it would take is the one making all the noise," she said.
As soon as she spoke, he fell silent.
The good news was that the infected had likely not yet flowed into the city. The bad news was that there was a lethal patient inside the Prefectural Residence—Fan Tong himself, the man who held the reins of power.
A treasure box containing a secret, a pricked finger, a foul disease snaking its way into a human body... all of this reminded Qin Jiuya of the past she had discussed with Gongzi Yan. Back then, Ding Miao had used human nature to lure Gongzi Yan into the abyss. Now, so many years later, the method was still effective. She even felt that the fall of the Prefectural Residence was no accident, but something Ding Miao had planned from the start—just as he had once pulled down Sun Yan, the Shadow Envoy of the Number One Villa, and then moved in when he was vulnerable.
"The Prefectural Residence is guarded year-round. It’s not even easy for a person to slip in, let alone a massive chest appearing out of thin air. Could it be that Clerk Cao is enduring humiliation for a greater cause and intentionally made up this story to mislead us?"
Perhaps because the tale was too bizarre, Duan Xiaozhou couldn't help but voice his doubts. Cao Jin immediately looked like a pitiable man who couldn't clear his name.
"Every word I said is the truth! Right now, that residence is a demon’s den. I barely managed to escape. As for that chest, I... I don't know how it got there!"
Vague memories collided in her mind, and Qin Jiuya instinctively asked, "I once heard a rumor that the pond inside the residence is connected to the city's moat. Is that true?"
"How did you know, Miss?" Cao Jin was surprised, but quickly added, "The Prefectural Residence was originally built using the city's Yue Embankment. During construction, a secret passage was left leading to the moat. It was originally intended for monitoring the rainwater and river channels, but it fell into disrepair and no one mentions it anymore."
Her years of drinking tea at the Hall of Listening Winds hadn't been in vain. Qin Jiuya silently thanked Old Tang in her heart before looking at the young officers around her.
"Do you remember the ships the Duhu intercepted at various points outside the city on the final day of the Sword Appreciation Assembly?"
Zheng Peiyu slapped his thigh and immediately responded. "Of course I remember! We ran all over the city and its outskirts until we were like exhausted dogs. We intercepted seven ships in total. That Ding Miao is truly insidious; every ship was different. If we hadn't sought help from the Office of Water Management, I'm afraid a great disaster would have occurred."
So, this was the truth behind the "eighth ship" Qiu Ling had mentioned.
"It wasn't just seven ships; there was one we missed," Qin Jiuya mused, slowly voicing her deduction. "And the reason we missed it was perhaps because it wasn't a ship floating on the surface, but a sunken one."
Using ships as a gambit was not the first time Ding Miao had played this hand.
Back then, when he secretly transported the patients from the Four-Tail Alleys out of the city, he had used the large ships of the Fangwai Monastery as cover, using the illusion of a "ship within a ship" to evade the search by Qiu Ling and his men. Thinking back now, that had been a nested trap. The monastery's smuggling was only the first layer; Liang Shi'an escorting wine out of the city to lure away the government pursuit was the second. None of these had escaped Qiu Ling's eyes. Everyone had moved quickly and cooperated well, eventually solving them one by one. But no one had expected that Ding Miao had planned a final layer.
This third layer was the "Crossing the Sea under Camouflage" tactic. He knew from the start that a moving ship was a large target and would eventually be noticed and seized by Qiu Ling. So, he simply sank one of the ships into the moat, not seeking a quick victory, but waiting for the right moment. With the continuous rain last month, various parts outside Jiugao began to flood, and the moat water rose accordingly. The ship resting at the bottom of the river, along with the chest inside, finally found its moment. It eventually flowed into the city with the current, becoming the beginning of the current catastrophe.
Thinking to this point, Qin Jiuya took a turn and asked the most critical question of the night.
"You said Fan Tong has been staying behind closed doors. Why was he willing to come out tonight? And why didn't you follow him, but were left behind in the residence instead?"
Hearing this, Cao Jin regained his spirit, holding up two fingers and waving them about as he complained.
"There are these two people who appeared at the residence gates about half a month ago. One of them, a scholar named An, claimed to be some sort of occultist who could cure the plague and resolve the trauma of ghosts and gods. He wanted to share the Prefect's burdens and offer plans. At that time, the old scoundrel Fan had already invited every famous pharmacy manager in the city, but the situation was worsening day by day. Seeing that the scholar could speak with much authority, he was deceived. He went from being half-doubting to following every word, and even I was pushed aside. Every day, he hides in his room with that scholar, acting all mysterious, and dispatches carriages and boats in and out. I don't know what terrible thing they're plotting. All the banknotes and gold ingots the old scoundrel Fan has amassed over the years are hidden under the floor tiles in the backyard. Only I, the one in charge of the accounts, know this. I discovered he’s been secretly taking quite a bit behind people's backs these past few days. He might have already planned his escape."
A scholar named An... just like the situation Song Tuo had encountered. Although she had suspected it before, hearing Cao Jin's personal account confirmed the fact that Ding Miao was indeed inside the Prefectural Residence. However... something still felt off.
"You said you were marginalized and neglected. How then did you manage to stay in the residence every day and overhear so many details?"
Gao Quan’s question was brief, and Cao Jin’s voice stopped abruptly. His eyes darted uncontrollably before he said decisively, "Only because the old scoundrel Fan still needed me to help him organize his gold and silver did he keep me in the residence. This was all gathered from my eavesdropping and peeking. As for the rest, I truly don't know anything else!"
His answer was indeed watertight, but his expression had already betrayed him. In the eyes of these young officers who had interrogated countless cases and were used to seeing bandits, he was no different from a plucked chicken.
Gao Quan glanced at Cao Jin and said nonchalantly, "This is the Su Residence. It’s probably inconvenient for Clerk Cao to stay here."
"That’s true. I didn't consider it thoroughly before; Clerk Cao has suffered. I'll have some wound medicine packed for you to take back and apply. Just treat tonight's events as a dream and don't take them to heart."
As Qin Jiuya spoke, she gave a look. The silent youth beside her understood instantly and stepped forward, making a move to hoist Cao Jin up.
"I’m very fast on my feet. I should be able to return the Clerk to his original owner before Prefect Fan returns to the residence."
"I remember! I remember now!" The cold-sweat-drenched Clerk Cao cried out, his "memory" instantly restored. "Mr. An, it was Mr. An! He said that if we want to succeed, relying only on the people in the residence wouldn't be enough. He has some helpers of his own. He only needed me to smooth things over and lead them into the city, and after that, I was to turn a blind eye. The old scoundrel Fan trusts him deeply. I... I was forced by their combined intimidation and had no choice but to comply..."
Cao Jin’s voice grew lower and lower until it was almost inaudible.
No wonder he had been unwilling to reveal the whole truth. He was hoping to push all the blame onto others and completely clear himself. He likely received no small amount of benefits from Ding Miao's hands when he did those things. And over the past years, how many other crimes had he committed as Fan Tong's accomplice? His hands were likely already filthy.
The situation in the city was not optimistic. Qin Jiuya could guess as much without Cao Jin or Fan Tong personally coming forward to explain. However, as for the specific extent, this minor clerk cowering in the residence couldn't provide more information.
The surrounding silence was far more terrifying than the interrogation just now. Cao Jin only thought that these people had already joined forces with the Su family, and the Su family still held a grudge against the Prefectural Residence for their previous betrayal and attempt to drive them to ruin. He wailed piteously, "I was foolish back then! My eyes were blinded by that old scoundrel Fan, which is why I assisted him in his villainy. Now I have come to my senses and regret it deeply. As long as... as long as you don't send me back to the residence, I am willing to serve you like an ox or a horse, to work myself to the bone, to follow you in life and death..."
Just by looking at the expression on Cao Jin’s face, Qin Jiuya knew how eerie and terrifying it must be inside the residence now. However, after years of being a sycophant and flaunting his power, he had turned his back and started calling him "the old scoundrel Fan" so quickly. Cao Jin’s defection was too fast; such a person could not be fully trusted even if they surrendered.
Qin Jiuya gave a look, and Li Qiao understood instantly. Before Cao Jin could react, the burlap sack was pulled back over him.
"Clerk Cao, it’s late. I’ll take you to rest."
With that, he hoisted the man up without a word and disappeared into the night, just as he had arrived.
Cao Jin’s whimpering faded into the distance, and the expressions of everyone in the courtyard turned somber.
Duan Xiaozhou’s brow was furrowed, and even the baby fat on his cheeks seemed to have diminished. He had come tonight with hope, only to be struck by a blow in an instant.
"What should we do? Ding Miao is hiding in the shadows and won't come out, yet he’s stirring up trouble in the city. The secret recipe is so terrifying. If he throws the blood of the infected into the wells and rivers, won't we have nowhere to run and all fall victim?"
Qin Jiuya’s thoughts were also a mess, but hearing his words, she immediately offered comfort. "Brother Du, do not lose heart. This matter is not entirely without room for maneuver, and we are not without a chance to strike back. During my trip south to Juchao, I learned a bit more about this thing. If the power of the secret recipe were truly that immense, Ding Miao wouldn't need to personally enter Jiugao to pull this off. He wouldn't have given up on the capital just because the Prince Xiaoning Residence was exposed. He could have simply scuttled a ship and dumped the tainted wine, and the entire downstream would have been affected."
Duan Xiaozhou listened intently and couldn't help but say hesitantly, "But I heard that some sects in the martial world have already fallen victim because of the Great Lu Brew at the Sword Appreciation Assembly. Doesn't that prove Ding Miao's method is effective?"
"We physicians have a saying: to talk about toxicity without considering the dosage is nonsense. The plot of the Sword Appreciation Assembly was hidden within the Great Lu Brew, and the focus of the Emperor's Great Sacrifice was also within a cup of wine. If Ding Miao wants to repeat the trick, he will surely look for a similar opportunity to strike. What we need to do now is to stay calm and wait for the right moment. We must not let ourselves be thrown into chaos."
As she finished speaking, Gao Quan immediately nodded. "Correct. This matter was first noticed by the city's night watchmen. Lord Lin found Tao San, who was on duty that night. He said it was at least half a month ago. Half a month is a long time, and many things can change. Right now, what the situation is like inside the residence is no longer the most important thing. Determining the extent of the situation in the city is the top priority."
"This must be done in secret. We must avoid the eyes and ears of the residence and Ding Miao, and also consider the talk of the town. Different families have different perceptions of the plague. If the news is leaked prematurely and used by those with ulterior motives to spread exaggerated rumors, it will only cause panic. Once the situation spirals out of control, it will be harder than climbing to heaven to fix it."
Du Shaoheng nodded and added, "Miss Qin, rest assured. We have basically figured out the situation in the city over these past few days. The Duhu is providing support outside the city, and Lord Song has trained personnel on his side. If Fan Tong truly wants to grease his feet and slip away, we certainly won't let him get three miles. It’s just that he’s currently hunkered down in the city as the Prefect of Longshu, which makes things tricky. If we clash with the government soldiers, I'm afraid they'll seize the opportunity to frame us with a crime."
Upon returning to Jiugao, Qin Jiuya’s primary task was naturally to investigate the situation of the secret recipe in the city. Thus, she hadn't initially paid much attention to the situation outside. Now, hearing him mention Song Tuo, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck her mind, and she remembered something.
"I heard the Duhu mention before that Ding Miao once privately contacted Lord Song under the guise of an academy procurer. Do you know the specific details?"
Du Shaoheng was stunned for a moment, but after a brief recollection, he said, "At that time, he called himself An. He said he was traveling to collect raw materials for compiling and printing classic texts, wanting to privately buy some Golden Thread Rain Bamboo near the Xiuting Pier. He used that as a cover to moor near the pier and took the opportunity to swap the goods on the Su family's cargo ships, privately circulating them with the Prince Xiaoning Residence in the capital."
The Xiuting Pier in the north of the city, Golden Thread Rain Bamboo... how could she not have thought of it?
Teng Hu’s words were still in her ears, and the image of the vast Sea Cloud Bamboo turned to scorched earth was vivid in her mind. Qin Jiuya couldn't help but gasp.
"Mooring at Xiuting Pier and taking the opportunity to swap the goods on the Su family's ships is true, but besides that, those Golden Thread Rain Bamboo might not have been just an excuse."
Every year after the Grain Rain, a south wind rises in Jiugao, turning into a north wind after winter begins. The Xiuting Pier was built at the bend of the Huan River in the north of the city, which was exactly the upwind position of Jiugao in winter. The flowering of bamboo is often related to abnormal weather. Longshu had just experienced an entire year of drought before the current flood, causing rice prices to soar. And when winter officially arrived this year, the rain would eventually stop, and Jiugao would be caught in the north wind.
The overwhelming flood, the blooming bamboo flowers, the isolated city without help... everything was so familiar.
The nightmare from twenty-two years ago seemed to be returning, and no one could say for sure which day would be the start of this dream.
Qin Jiuya’s voice grew lower and lower. The night deepened unknowingly. After the lamps were extinguished, the vast Su Residence was pitch black, everything submerged in a silent, oppressive atmosphere.
***
"Clerk... Clerk Cao is gone..."
With a loud crash, the runner who came to report was slapped to the ground, instantly spitting out a mouthful of bloody foam.
Fan Tong’s face, swollen with rage, was a mix of blue and red. His eyes, bloodshot and bulging, looked exceptionally terrifying. The vitality filling his body had turned into a violent aura. Even after delivering a slap, his anger was not appeased. He proceeded to overturn countless stone stands and chairs. A falling wooden rack landed on a golden pillar, cracking it.
Shadows loomed over the entire Prefectural Residence, making the sky here look darker than the longest night.
Fan Tong looked around at the figures who were as silent as cicadas in winter, his voice sounding sinister.
"The courtyard where Cao Jin’s wife and children live was personally arranged by me back then. Since he dares to betray me today, he must have some resolve. He won't need to return to that courtyard ever again."
The Prefect of Longshu was indeed mediocre, but how could a completely mediocre person occupy such a lucrative position for so many years? If it weren't for his ruthless methods behind the scenes, he would have been pushed out long ago. For as long as he had sat in this position, he had held the lives and secrets of many in his grasp. If he himself could not live well, others would have to be buried with him.
Everyone present was speechless. Silent fear continued to spread in the darkness, except for the scholar in green and the young attendant beside him, who remained calm and composed, eyes closed as if the situation before them had nothing to do with them.
Finally, Fan Tong’s gaze shifted to the scholar. After lingering for a while, he spoke again.
"I followed your words and split my forces to raid them. Not only did I fail to catch even a tail of that Qiu Ling—I didn't even see a ghost—but I also let them catch me in a trap. In my opinion, why doesn't Mr. An sacrifice himself to the tiger and enter the fray? If I hand you over to them, wouldn't that be a perfect solution for both sides? I could break this deadlock without losing a single soldier."
Ding Miao finally opened his eyes, as if just returning from a spiritual journey. After a long pause, he said calmly, "Lord Fan has indeed worked hard in this city these past few days. But I wonder if you have heard any news from outside the city?"
Fan Tong paused, a flash of suspicion crossing his face. He clearly hadn't reacted in time, and after a while, he said with self-perceived cleverness, "Prince Xiaoning was bold and brought it upon himself. It was the Su family who helped him transport things, and it was that Little Fortune Tavern that sold the wine. Even if they investigate, they won't find anything on me..."
"But the Qiu family doesn't think so, and that Protector Qiu won't let it go." Ding Miao leaned closer, lightly sniffing the faint scent of blood on the man. "And doesn't Lord Fan understand yet? How could the mere case of the Seven-Union Wine alarm Prince Yu'an to investigate personally? Naturally, they are using it as a pretext. When they enter the city, it will be the day of your end. Every single thing you have done will be listed in the indictment, word for word. Every drop of profit you have squeezed out over the years will be confiscated into the national treasury. Your kin will be executed or turned into forced laborers, one by one. You are already in the game and cannot escape no matter what. The only person you can rely on is me."
Having sat in the position of Prefect of Longshu for thirteen years, Fan Tong had not never thought of this day coming. It was just that now that the day of execution was truly arriving, he was still unprepared—or rather, he could never be prepared.
Fan Tong’s gaze retreated. Even if his body had become stronger because of that strange disease, it couldn't change the fact that he was rotten to the core.
"Since the gentleman has entered my service, you should also understand the principle of mutual dependence. We are in the same boat. When the matter is successful in the future, there will be no lack of benefits for you. Cao Jin is a dead man; his position will be yours. I also have some connections in the capital. You and I only need to get through this current hurdle. Why worry about not having a day to rise again?"
Ding Miao’s gaze swept over Fan Tong’s face. The way the man lowered his voice, using both threats and enticements, was foolish enough to be laughable, yet also exceptionally hideous and repulsive. Even a favored son of heaven like Sun Yan could be pulled down from his pedestal and trampled underfoot by him. This decaying, ugly shell before him, along with the corrupt and filthy soul within, was not even worthy of a moment’s attention.
But he didn't show any of it. He only lowered his eyelids, his voice sounding reassuring and convincing when he spoke.
"The turbid air of heaven and earth is surging; sooner or later, there will be a great disaster. The Emperor, with his true dragon body, naturally does not fear the intrusion of evil spirits. It’s just a pity for the people below..."
The other party suddenly shifted the topic to the survival of the world, but the worry in his tone didn't seem fake. Fan Tong only thought he was acting profound and hurriedly said, "In the gentleman's opinion, how can one stay safe and remain invincible in this great disaster?"
"Lord Fan only needs to distribute some of the karmic retribution that was meant for your own family to others, and you will naturally find liberation."
After saying this, he leaned into Fan Tong’s ear and whispered. The latter’s expression changed accordingly, but his eyes seemed to clear, as if he had glimpsed a ray of dawn.
Two wolves whispered, unknown where they would extend their fangs and claws next. The group of underlings standing tremblingly behind them fell into despair during this long wait. After everything that had happened tonight, they had realized that this Lord Fan had completely fallen into madness and would sooner or later plunge into the abyss. And that Mr. An might help Fan Tong escape, but how could he care about them, the pawns? In the end, no matter what happened to the Prefect, the ones who would suffer were still the people working below. Cao Jin was a prime example.
Several figures who had been standing in the corner had unknowingly moved forward a few steps. Finally, someone, with the mindset of a desperate gamble, rushed forward and instantly put a knife to Fan Tong’s neck.
"Let... let me out. As long as you let me out, I won't say anything..."
The cold blade trembled on the Prefect’s neck. The fear of the person holding the knife even surpassed the fear of the person under it. Jiugao was a peaceful place. In the years he had been on duty, he hadn't even killed anyone. Right now, he didn't really want to see blood. He only held Fan Tong and moved toward the door.
But he could only take those three steps. After three steps, the long knife in his hand, along with the hand holding it, was severed. The splashing blood sprayed all over Fan Tong’s face. The round-faced young attendant, who had been silent all along, appeared before him at some point, his blade already sheathed. The severed limb and the broken knife lay scattered on the ground like sliced lotus roots or radishes. A delayed scream pierced the night sky.
Ding Miao listened quietly until the sound grew weak and died out. Then he walked over, pulled Fan Tong up, and comforted him in a low voice.
"Jiugao is full of danger now, and Lord Fan is surrounded by enemies. You must be careful at all times. After all, not everyone can be like me, setting aside past grudges and only wishing to share your burdens."
The smell of blood spread through the air, like an invisible hand strangling everyone’s throat. Countless terrified gazes turned to the blood-stained Prefect, whose bloodshot eyes rolled and quickly locked onto the neck of the runner with the severed hand on the ground.
The runner instantly felt something. A terrified moan escaped from between his teeth. He clutched his severed limb and struggled to crawl away, but before he could run a few steps, he was grabbed and dragged into the depths of the courtroom behind the wide-open doors.
Screams and sounds of struggle came intermittently from behind the door. The courtyard, which had been crowded just now, was instantly empty. No one wanted to hear that eerie sound, and no one wanted to be the next victim. Only the scholar and his attendant remained. When everything fell silent, they both left, strolling under the moonlight as if the entire Prefectural Residence had already become their stage for amusement.
Ren Xiaohan stared at the pool of blood on the ground and scratched his head in some annoyance.
Ding Miao clearly knew what he was troubled about and immediately comforted him. "It’s not your fault, so there’s no need to clean it up."
In any case, the city would soon welcome a bloody baptism. This bit of pain and blood would soon be ignored by everyone.
"That... that person who ran away. The gentleman had him help with many things before. Will he betray the gentleman?"
"Are you talking about Cao Jin?" Ding Miao paused slightly, as if searching for that worldly and vulgar face in his mind. "He is not someone who will sit and wait for death; he will take action sooner or later. He knows those things because I intentionally let him know. If he can muddle through, we’ll act as if nothing happened. If he spills everything, then we can go with the flow and do the opposite."
Ren Xiaohan nodded, and his hand, which had been picking at the cloth bag at his waist, finally stopped.
That bag had been empty for a long time. After trying the texture of those rice crusts, any malt candy or dried fruit had become boring.
He smacked his lips and was a bit dazed. When he looked up, he found a bamboo tube before him, containing some yellowish liquid.
"Try it. I bought it from someone else. It might be a bit cold."
The round-faced swordsman didn't doubt him. He took it and drank it all in one gulp, then frowned. "What is this?"
Ding Miao smiled at his expression and spoke slowly. "The Soup of Returning Spring. How is it? Does it taste good?"
Ren Xiaohan smacked his lips and said honestly, "It doesn't taste good. It’s like overnight dishwater."
Ding Miao burst out laughing. This was the first time in recent days he had shown such a hearty expression, as if he hadn't been affected by tonight's failure at all.
After a long time, he finally stopped laughing. Something flickered deep in his eyes, disappearing when one tried to investigate.
"Do you want to see her?"
Ren Xiaohan’s somewhat dull eyes blinked three times in excitement. His hand involuntarily tightened around the empty bag at his waist. "Can I see her now?"
"There’s going to be a big commotion in this city soon. She likes commotions the most; she will naturally come."
"Where there’s a commotion, there are people. But doesn't the gentleman dislike crowded places?"
"I just dislike trouble." Ding Miao pointed to the pool of blood on the ground and said suggestively, "Tell me, is it more troublesome to clean up many people or a few people?"
Ren Xiaohan was stunned and quickly gave an answer. "Many people."
Although those people were sometimes very slow to fight back and his sword was fast enough, swinging a sword to kill people was inherently a laborious task.
"Not just you and me; everyone in the world is like this. They choose to sacrifice the few to avoid greater trouble." Ding Miao’s voice sounded again, as if talking to himself, and then he posed a second question. "But what if there is someone you know among the few?"
Ren Xiaohan’s eyes widened, and his voice carried a sense of disbelief. The image of the woman chewing on rice crusts flashed before his eyes. After some deep thought, his expression gradually cleared, and then he said word for word, "Then... pick her out first."
Ding Miao smiled.
"Well said. Then we’ll pick her out first, and then do what we need to do."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 玥堤 | Yue Embankment | A specific embankment in Jiugao City. |
| 都水台 | Office of Water Management | A government office responsible for waterways. |
| 金丝雨竹 | Golden Thread Rain Bamboo | A specific type of bamboo mentioned in the plot. |
| 海云竹 | Sea Cloud Bamboo | Another type of bamboo, possibly related to a past disaster. |
| 壬小寒 | Ren Xiaohan | Ding Miao's round-faced young attendant and swordsman. |
| 回春汤 | Soup of Returning Spring | A medicinal soup, likely related to the "Hall of Returning Spring." |
