Perhaps in response to the new Protector lifting the curfew, many underground businesses in Jiugao City began to stir in the shadows. Word had it that even Tingfeng Hall, which had been sealed for several days, had suddenly reopened.
Of course, it was a clandestine reopening.
The Hall Master, Tang Shenyan, had set up a "small kitchen" near the dog hole in the back wall of Tingfeng Hall. Under the guise of "selling off old tea," he began brewing tea soup and quietly conducting a few transactions. The prices were significantly discounted compared to before—practically giving the information away for free.
The business of buying and selling information was inherently secretive, and many of the martial artists who frequented Tingfeng Hall were regulars who understood the unspoken rules. In just over half a day, over a hundred people had cycled in and out of Shouqi Street. Once they left the mouth of the alley, they merged into the deep, crisscrossing veins of Jiugao City, vanishing into the invisible rivers and seas of the martial world.
That very night, the Su family in the north of the city was hit by thieves.
As the saying goes, a tall tree attracts the wind, and this was especially true for a wealthy household like the Sus. Furthermore, before the recent curfew, the city had been plagued by notorious bandits. Now that the curfew had ended, it was hardly surprising that those thieves would look to resume their trade by targeting the Su family.
What was absurd, however, was that the Su family was struck by three different waves of thieves in a single night. It was said that the head of the household, Su Lin, happened to be out of town inspecting accounts. The women of the house were so terrified they remained bolted behind doors until dawn, while the servants and maids kept watch in the courtyard all night. As soon as the sun rose, they went to report the crimes to the authorities.
The more harrowing the night had been for the Su Manor, the more bustling the tea houses in the southern city became the following day.
What did the poor love to hear most to pass the time? The misfortunes of the rich, of course. Not only did they listen, but they also gossiped incessantly, analyzing which powerful deity the Su family had offended to suffer such repeated bouts of bad luck—first the illness, and now the robberies.
One had to remember that with two consecutive murders recently occurring in the city, the authorities were already fuming over their inability to catch the culprit. What money-crazed petty thief would dare commit a crime now, right under their noses? Did they not understand the logic that one might have the life to steal the silver, but not the life to spend it?
Consequently, some began to speculate that this matter was not as simple as a few taels of silver. The Su family was hiding something they shouldn't have, and they had been marked by the people of the martial world.
As for what that "something" was...
Qin Jiuye knew exactly what it was.
Because she was the one who had leaked the information.
Over the years, she had heard countless stories from Tang Shenyan. When it came time to spin a tale of her own, she would have been at a loss without some source material. Fortunately, Tingfeng Hall was full of idle people with plenty of opinions. After a night of collective brainstorming and refinement, they had finally settled on this "grand play" to cast upon the Su family.
Not long ago, the back street of the Fengnian Rice Shop had first suffered a plague of rats and then a fire. The authorities had dispatched several medical clinics and pharmacies to clean and disinfect the area. Cartloads of broken rice bags were hauled away, a commotion that lasted an entire day. But who knew that the "cleaning" was a ruse and the "transfer" was the reality? Rumor had it that the elusive Baoshen Pavilion had actually been hidden in the back alley of Sitiaozi Street. Who knew if those carts were really carrying rat-infested grain or something from within Baoshen Pavilion? A total of six pharmacies had gone to Sitiaozi Street that day, and among them, the one with the most resources to pull off such a feat was naturally the Su family. Experts in the martial world had already deduced that the chest which had caused such a stir in Baoshen Pavilion had fallen into the Su family's hands. As for the treasures inside, they naturally followed the chest into Su Lin's pockets. And why did Su Lin want the contents of that chest? Well, just look at the Second Miss of the Su family—the one who was so ill she needed a physician brought into the manor, only for the matter to be dropped entirely. It was all perfectly clear...
The hour of the Ox had just passed, and the sky remained pitch black.
At this moment, beside the central courtyard of Tingfeng Hall, a woman who had not slept all night was pacing back and forth while clutching a duck.
Tang Shenyan was huddled behind a stone table, clicking away at an abacus. Li Qiao stood by the window, chopping firewood. On the bluestone slabs near the woodpile, the remaining ducks lay huddled together, unusually quiet.
Time passed so slowly, so agonizingly, like a drop of dew hanging from the tip of a leaf—about to fall, yet not falling—leaving one in a state of restless apprehension.
Finally, a faint sound echoed against the base of the wall. The ducks on the bluestone slabs were startled; they scrambled to their feet and waddled away, tails wagging.
Qin Jiuye loosened her grip, and the duck in her arms jumped into the courtyard pond with a series of loud quacks.
A moment later, a disoriented Du Laogou poked his head out from the dog hole by the wall. He held up half a tattered lotus leaf that had once wrapped a roasted chicken, shivering for a moment before announcing in a hushed voice:
"The turtle... the turtle has emerged from its hole!"
***
It had rained all day yesterday, and the temperature had dropped significantly. In the early hours of the morning, a thick fog rose over Jiugao City.
The eternal lamps at the street corners became blurred orbs of light in the mist, casting ghostly shadows on everything around them. In such weather, even the most rigorous patrols would find it difficult to monitor every corner.
The streets remained empty after the lifting of the curfew. With the recent unrest, no one dared to wander the streets at this hour except for lonely ghosts and wandering spirits.
Suddenly, a voice trembling with a hint of excitement rang out through the fog.
"How about it? The date and hour I calculated by observing the celestial omens were spot on, weren't they?"
Qin Jiuye clamped her hand over Du Laogou's mouth, signaling him to be silent. She then tightened the black cloth tied around her head, her eyes darting around as she listened intently to the surroundings.
Thanks to that dog hole in the wall, they had already left Shouqi Street and were now on the road leading to Baosu Wharf.
The surrounding fog provided excellent cover. Du Laogou, familiar with every hidden path in the city, led the way. Li Qiao followed closely behind; if he sensed anything unusual, he would stop and signal her and Du Laogou to remain still until it was safe to proceed. With the three of them working together like this, the journey had been unexpectedly smooth.
In the past, Qin Jiuye had always found people who insisted on consulting the stars before going out to do business utterly baffling. But after everything that had happened tonight, she suddenly felt that "divine assistance" might actually exist.
It was just that the first half of her life had not been favored by the heavens; that invisible, intangible Old Man in the Sky had never once stood on her side.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Jiuye continued to calculate the timing in her heart.
First, they used the "martial world connections" Old Tang had amassed over the years to spread the fabricated story, luring those difficult martial artists to probe the Su Manor's defenses. Then, they sent out Du Laogou—the "little fish" accustomed to darting through every nook and cranny of the streets—to keep watch. Once the Su family lost their composure and made a move, it would be time for them to "thread the needle."
Rumors would eventually die down, but it would take time and a price. Judging from the previous incident where an assassin entered Tingfeng Hall, she bet that the Su family would not risk waiting any longer. Passive response was not a solution; they would surely find a way to secretly transfer the item they had been hiding—the item that could bring trouble or even death to the entire household—and wait for the heat to die down before finding an opportunity to deal with it.
Qin Jiuye, of course, would not let the Su family reach that stage comfortably.
Luring the "Su family turtle" out of its hole was indeed good, but it was not the most important act of tonight's play.
Even if the Su family panicked and showed a weakness, she was not so arrogant as to think she could grasp their handle with her strength alone. Even if a big fish took the bait, it wouldn't just wait to die; it would struggle desperately. She might not only fail to catch the fish but could even be dragged into the water and drowned by it.
But what she couldn't do, others might.
With her previous experiences entering and leaving Tingfeng Hall, she had been able to calculate the rotation times of the guards at the alley entrance in advance. Her departure from the hall tonight was not just to escape, but to allow Qiu Ling's men to discover her "escape" at the appropriate time, prompting them to lead a pursuit and investigate.
That was right. The highlight of tonight was not the turtle emerging, but "borrowing a blade to kill."
If the Su family was to be brought to justice, they had to be caught in the act, and it had to be handled by the people from the Protectorate.
As for what crime they would be charged with and what justice would be served, perhaps the full truth would only be known once they survived all of this.
She had originally thought the Su family's involvement in the murders and harboring the killer was the extent of their villainy. However, the Su Manor's birthday banquet had made her realize one thing: Kan Renshou's death might not have been the beginning of it all, but rather a sacrifice for an even more terrifying crime. She had a vague feeling that everything was inextricably linked to that eye in the secret room. The medical consultation, the murders, and the banquet—there had to be a connection between the three.
If the killer had already fled the city under the cover of night, why would Su Lin hold a banquet to paint a picture of peace and then send assassins to strike her down the moment he sensed her intentions? If the killer was still within the Su Manor, then that person must be so closely related to Su Lin that the latter would go to any lengths to cover it up, refusing to yield even a single step until the very end.
Assuming the banquet was a blatant cover-up intended to announce to everyone that the Su family was peaceful and innocent, then the true culprit was likely one of the people who had appeared at the banquet that day. Qin Jiuye already had a suspect in mind, but she felt her deduction was somewhat absurd; she could only be at peace once she saw the concrete evidence with her own eyes.
She could only take a gamble. She gambled that everyone in this world, whether rich or poor, harbored secrets and weaknesses. If she could risk her life for Old Qin and the others, how far would Su Lin go to protect his own secrets?
*An ant shaking a tree—overestimating its strength. A spark starting a prairie fire—not to be underestimated.*
Tingfeng Hall might not make Su Lin feel a threat significant enough to "take a desperate risk," but those frenzied martial artists could. She might not be able to catch Su Lin red-handed, but Qiu Ling could.
This was why Qiu Ling was so important in this grand play.
If the Qiu family truly intended to collude with the Su family in secret, turning a blind eye to everything before, then making a scene now would at least force Qiu Ling to have some reservations. If the Qiu family already intended to draw a line between themselves and the Su family but lacked the opportunity, she would create that opportunity for him and hand the blade of severance directly into Qiu Ling's hand.
To ensure everything went without a hitch, she had even left Tang Shenyan at Tingfeng Hall to "point the way" for the Protector and his men at the critical moment.
Of course, considering what they might face tonight, Tang Shenyan had been unwilling to come out regardless.
Tang Shenyan looked like an honest scholar, but deep down, he was quite cunning. How could he not see that the danger tonight was no less than the encounter with the assassins at Tingfeng Hall? If something went wrong, the "blade" of the Protector would not be borrowed; it would fall upon their own necks. If Qin Jiuye and the others were caught before they found a trace of the Su family "transferring evidence," not only would Su Lin succeed, but she and everyone at Tingfeng Hall would surely be charged with fleeing to escape punishment—an even greater crime. After that, clearing their names would be even more difficult.
Qin Jiuye sighed softly, her breath vanishing into the fog.
She realized that starting from Baoshen Pavilion, every step she took was more perilous than the last. In the past, to run Guoran Residence, she had repeatedly warned herself to maintain the boundary between herself and the martial world. Even if she earned some silver from those people, she would never set foot into the martial world herself. But now, she clearly felt that once-distinct boundary was slowly becoming blurred.
This was not a good omen.
But now she had no way back. She could only fight to escape her current predicament before making further plans.
Thinking of this, she quickened her pace, following closely behind the youth.
After turning through three or four more streets, they would be able to reach Baosu Wharf undetected...
In the next moment, Li Qiao's figure ahead of her came to a sudden halt. He then lightly raised his right hand.
Qin Jiuye understood immediately. She quickly led Du Laogou to duck into a narrow alley beside them.
Before long, the sound of carriage wheels rolling came from the street behind them. Qin Jiuye carefully poked her head out and saw a somewhat familiar carriage slowly driving out. In the blink of an eye, it reached the mouth of the alley and stopped—with pinpoint accuracy—right in front of the narrow alley where they were hiding.
The hair on Qin Jiuye's neck stood on end. She looked up and, sure enough, saw that haunting face of Qiu Chi peeking out from behind the carriage curtain, smiling with smug satisfaction.
"Shopkeeper Qin, would you like a ride?"
They say petty spirits are hard to shake, but this Second Young Master of the Qiu family was truly persistent. He was far more difficult to deal with than his elder brother.
"The Second Young Master's carriage is too precious; I cannot afford the ride."
After Qin Jiuye finished speaking, she pulled Li Qiao and Du Laogou along and continued walking forward without looking back.
To her surprise, the carriage slowed down to keep pace with her. The person inside leaned against the window, fanning himself as he continued.
"Shopkeeper Qin's plan to lure the snake out of its hole is truly marvelous; I admire it greatly. I just wonder, now that the snake is out, will you be able to catch it in time? And on your way there, will you encounter some unfortunate incident and find yourself trapped?"
What "unfortunate incident" could she possibly encounter? Her most unfortunate incident was meeting him.
Seeing that she didn't speak, the person in the carriage talked to himself again.
"Since Shopkeeper Qin has made up her mind, I shall not force the matter."
*As long as you know.*
Qin Jiuye cursed inwardly, her feet barely touching the ground as she turned toward the east. But after several turns, the carriage did not leave; it continued to follow her at a leisurely pace.
Finally, she could take no more. She turned back in anger.
"Why are you still following us?"
The person in the carriage let out a laugh of feigned surprise.
"Why am I following you? We just happen to be going the same way. Baosu Wharf isn't owned by your family, is it? If Shopkeeper Qin can go there, why can't I?"
The man even knew about the Baosu Wharf where the Su family operated their ships; he had definitely come prepared.
Qin Jiuye lowered her head in silence, still thinking of how to escape. Beside her, Li Qiao had already gripped his scabbard. He looked up, his eyes meeting those of the woman in red driving the carriage. In an instant, the air was thick with the tremor of clashing killing intent.
Du Laogou let out a violent sneeze, the sound echoing for a long time on the stone street.
Xu Qiuchi still looked quite interested, waving his waist fan even more briskly.
"I have yet to see this young Master Li's skills. If Shopkeeper Qin doesn't mind, I can have Xin'er spar with him right here. However, once a fight starts, the commotion won't be small, and it won't end in just a moment or two..."
Qin Jiuye's footsteps finally stopped. She understood in her heart that this man intended to be a rogue to the very end.
The Su family's rush to the wharf at this time meant they had made thorough preparations. Forget being a step late—even at the final moment, they might miss their chance and all their efforts would be in vain.
But tonight's matter could only succeed; it could not fail. The real trouble hadn't even started yet; how could she lose the initiative now?
"Get in."
Qin Jiuye shoved Du Laogou into the carriage and climbed up herself. One way or another, she had actually become somewhat accustomed to the various rules of riding in this carriage.
Rather than struggling against him, it was better to go with the flow. Whether it was the previous banquet or this current action, she didn't believe Xu Qiuchi was just meddling or sincerely trying to make things difficult for her. This Second Young Master of the Qiu family was far more shrewd than he appeared. Right now, they just happened to be standing on the same side. she should be glad that they were allies rather than enemies at this moment.
Su Lin was indeed difficult to deal with. But she truly didn't believe that with the survival skills she had honed over the years, combined with a despicable villain like Xu Qiuchi, they couldn't pin down a target standing right in the open.
Having thought this through, she turned her head, only to see the youth still standing by the street. she couldn't help but urge him in a low voice.
"Get in quickly, don't delay any further."
Li Qiao glanced at Jiang Xin'er, who sat at the front of the carriage with a haughty expression, and suddenly asked:
"Is Sister afraid I will lose?"
Qin Jiuye was stumped by the question.
When had she ever considered that? Winning or losing—was now the time for children to be pulling hair and stepping on toes?
Before she could think of an answer, Jiang Xin'er, sitting at the front of the carriage, spoke up rudely.
"Of course you will lose."
Seeing the two about to fall into a new round of conflict, Qin Jiuye broke into a cold sweat of anxiety. The youth looked at her and finally resumed his usual obedient manner. Ignoring Jiang Xin'er's expression, he leaped up and sat down right beside her.
Jiang Xin'er gave a cold snort, keeping her eyes fixed forward the entire time. She flicked the reins, and the carriage wheels rolled rapidly, heading deep into the fog.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
九皋城 | Jiugao City | The main setting of the story.
听风堂 | Tingfeng Hall | Literally "Listening Wind Hall," an information brokerage.
唐慎言 | Tang Shenyan | The Hall Master of Tingfeng Hall.
守器街 | Shouqi Street | The street where Tingfeng Hall is located.
苏凛 | Su Lin | The head of the wealthy Su family.
宝蜃楼 | Baoshen Pavilion | Literally "Treasure Mirage Pavilion," a mysterious location or organization.
丰年米店 | Fengnian Rice Shop | "Abundant Harvest" Rice Shop.
四条子街 | Sitiaozi Street | A street in Jiugao City.
杜老狗 | Du Old Dog / Du Laogou | A street-smart informant and associate of Qin Jiuye.
宝粟码头 | Baosu Wharf | "Precious Grain" Wharf, controlled by the Su family.
许秋迟 | Xu Qiuchi | The Second Young Master of the Qiu family (using the surname Xu).
姜辛儿 | Jiang Xin'er | Xu Qiuchi's driver and guard.
