What was that sound?
Qin Jiuye’s eyelids lifted, her eyes darting quickly. She saw the servant standing closest to Su Muzhi clutching his waist, hurriedly stuffing something into a pouch hanging from his belt.
She barely caught a glimpse of its tail end. It was a short bronze handle, polished to a dull shine, with a waxed cord tied to the top. The servant had been so preoccupied with shoving her head down earlier that he hadn't noticed the object nearly slipping out.
If it were a common item, the servant wouldn't look so panicked. Moreover, the sound it made through the cloth bag was faint; had she not been so close and found the sound familiar, she might not have noticed it at all.
Qin Jiuye closed her eyes to concentrate. In a flash of insight, she finally remembered.
It was the sound of a bell.
The same bell she had heard in the Su residence not long ago.
On the day of the birthday banquet, she had heard someone ring a bell inside that secret room. At first, she thought it was merely a common tool used by wealthy families to summon or alert servants. Later, when she associated it with ghost stories, she hadn't truly believed them. But upon reflection, there was indeed something strange about it—she hadn't seen anyone else in the Su residence use a bell anywhere else.
Thinking back even further, she remembered: when the Su family was seeking medical consultations, an itinerant doctor had his Eight Trigrams bronze bell confiscated for no apparent reason. At the time, she had simply chalked it up to the Su family’s excessive rules and strict inspections, dismissing it after a brief moment of tension.
Even earlier than that, the murder on Sangma Street was also connected to this. Hadn't the night watchman been attacked precisely while he was ringing his *zheng* bell to announce the hour?
The bell. The key to everything was the bell.
The pieces that hadn't fit before suddenly clicked into place. Qin Jiuye’s breathing grew ragged.
The night watchman wasn't attacked because the creature in the darkness hated the sound of the bell. On the contrary, it was exceptionally sensitive to the sound, drawn toward it.
The two sides on the deck were still at a standstill. In a corner where no one was looking, the small, tightly bound figure suddenly exerted a burst of savage strength and lunged to the side.
Qin Jiuye slammed into the servant next to her. Already unsettled, the man was knocked to the floor. He instinctively tried to push himself up, but the woman scrambled up again and rammed her head into his waist.
*Clang.*
Something tumbled out of his pouch and rolled across the uneven deck.
The round-mouthed bronze bell rolled along, chiming and clattering until it came to a stop in front of Magistrate Fan’s mismatched boots.
Silence fell over the deck for a moment. Su Muzhi, who had been cold and unyielding, suddenly turned pale.
"What are you standing there for? Seize her!"
The fallen servant was the first to react. He scrambled to his feet and lunged forward to pin Qin Jiuye down, followed by several other domestic servants who swarmed her.
In truth, even if they hadn't done so, Qin Jiuye no longer had the strength to struggle. But no matter how roughly they pulled at her, her gaze remained fixed on the bronze bell.
*Even if she’s been caught doing something wrong, shouldn't the wisest choice be to kneel and beg for mercy? This woman looks so frail, yet she just acted with such madness. Has she lost her mind from the shock?*
The onlookers had various thoughts, their attention fixed on the strange woman. No one noticed Magistrate Fan, standing on the deck nearby, patting the fat on his waist before leaning down with some effort to pick up the bell.
The servant who had lost the bell looked at Magistrate Fan tremulously. Before Su Muzhi could shout a command to stop him, Fan Tong gave the bell a casual shake.
Another series of chimes rang out, sounding no different from an ordinary bell.
"This bell..."
Before Fan Tong could finish his sentence, a thunderous *boom* erupted from the deck beneath his feet, nearly vibrating him right off his soles.
The sudden upheaval startled him. Shouting in alarm, he scrambled to steady himself and prepared to call his guards to protect him, only to find that the bailiffs he had brought were all standing frozen, holding their breath, wishing they could be ten miles away.
At the same time, the servants and sailors beside Su Muzhi instinctively retreated half a step. Even the previously overbearing Su Muzhi stood with a white face, unable to speak.
Nearby, Lu Zican sensed the danger. His twin blades cleared their sheaths in an instant as he watched the floorboards warily.
Every eye was fixed on the wooden plank beneath Magistrate Fan’s feet.
Fan Tong didn't dare move. Even rolling his eyes felt difficult.
"What happened? What... what is going on?!"
As if in response, another massive impact hit the plank beneath him. The heavy wood was struck so hard that one corner flipped up. The mountainously stable Magistrate Fan was now like a pea dropped onto a plate, bouncing pitifully into the air before crashing back down.
If the crowd had merely been wary before, now everyone felt a creeping sense of dread.
It was the fear of the unknown.
What kind of thing was locked beneath those boards to possess such terrifying strength? Had a wild beast from the mountains truly wandered into Jiugao City and been hidden in the hull by the Su family?
No one spoke. The only sounds were the crackling of torches and the river water lapping against the ship. No one expected that at the end of this dark night, in the final moment before dawn, they would witness one of Jiugao City's great horrors.
The pounding started again, but this time it didn't stop. Blow after blow struck, shaking the entire ship from side to side.
The people on deck dropped into low stances, gripping their weapons tightly.
Finally, the wood could take no more. With the sound of splintering timber, a withered, greenish hand punched through the deck, reaching out from the shards of wood.
It was a human hand.
Everyone seemed to exhale in relief, but then they collectively gasped.
If it wasn't a beast, whose hand could possess such horrifying strength? Had some martial arts master from a rogue sect succumbed to internal mania? Or had Su Lin taken the wrong medicine...
In the next heartbeat, the several-inch-thick wooden deck was completely smashed open. A head with sparse silver hair, bound by iron chains, slowly emerged from the hole.
Magistrate Fan, who had been dazed by the vibrations, happened to recover at that exact moment. Rubbing his backside as he prepared to stand, he looked up and saw the ashen face of Secretary Cao Jin, who was pointing tremulously behind him. Belatedly turning his head, Fan Tong found himself staring directly into the face emerging from the hole.
He froze, unable to process what he was seeing, until the owner of that head began to gnash its teeth and lunged at him with a hiss.
Terror dilated in Fan Tong’s pupils. Had the iron chains not snapped taut around the "monster’s" neck at the last second, he would have been tackled to the floor and torn to shreds.
A belated scream echoed across the Huan River in the early morning air.
Magistrate Fan, who had presided over Jiugao City for over a decade without a single mishap, fainted for the first time in the line of duty. Seeing this, Cao Jin rushed forward, grabbed his legs, and dragged him aside. Meanwhile, Lu Zican and his men swarmed forward. Four or five young officers joined the fray, finally managing to restrain the "monster" held by five heavy chains.
Though the person’s silver hair was disheveled, they were dressed in fine silk embroidered with gold thread, making the sight even more grotesque. The "monster" seemed unable to speak, emitting only hoarse hisses throughout the struggle. When it finally lifted its head, everyone present froze.
Qin Jiuye stared at that aged, ashen face, finally understanding the true reason why the Su residence had recruited so many skilled doctors while imposing such bizarre rules.
The person bound by chains had white hair and clouded eyes. Within the wide-open mouth, blackened gums were visible. The skin on the exposed wrists and ankles was wrinkled, yet the veins bulged like those of a blacksmith who hammered iron daily. It was a terrifying sight.
The real patient in the Su residence wasn't Su Muhe, but Su Lin’s mother—Old Madam Su, who had just celebrated her eightieth birthday a few days ago.
On the day of the banquet, the guest of honor had worn a veil not to ward off some plague, but because she was already unrecognizable, her appearance unfit to be seen. On the day of the consultations, the doctors were forbidden from feeling the pulse through layers of gauze because Su Muhe wasn't sick at all; even ten consultations wouldn't have resulted in a valid prescription. To use an unmarried daughter of the Su family as a decoy, only the Master of the house or the matriarch who controlled the inner chambers could have given the order. Su Muzhi clearly held more sway in the family, so the bitter task naturally fell to Su Muhe. As for whether the injury on Su Muhe’s hand was related to this, and how much the second Miss Su had participated or known...
Qin Jiuye’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, but her musings were interrupted by Su Muzhi’s scream.
"Grandmother is just sick! Let her go! She’s just a patient..."
The deck fell silent. Everyone looked at Old Madam Su’s clouded, hollow eyes and instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons.
Incredible strength, claws and teeth that could easily tear a person apart, and a savage aggression no different from a wild beast... if all patients in the world were like this, who would ever want to be a doctor?
Lu Zican and the others gave a collective shout, finally dragging Old Madam Su out of the hidden compartment in the stern. Something flashed on one of those vein-bulging hands.
"Wait. Her hand."
Qiu Ling suddenly spoke. He strode to Old Madam Su and leaned down, grabbing her left hand.
Old Madam Su struggled violently, but Qiu Ling’s hand was like an iron vice, unmoving. He forced her thumb open to inspect it closely.
On the ashen thumb sat a jade ring of exquisite quality. It was as lustrous as mutton-fat jade, with a honey-like hue and a heavy, archaic polish. On one side, a slightly raised orchid was carved into the surface.
The orchid had four petals, their edges slightly curled.
Lu Zican had clearly noticed it too. Remembering something, he spoke in realization.
"That pattern... that pattern matches the mark on Kang Renshou’s neck!"
Qin Jiuye squinted, but she couldn't see the ring clearly. However, hearing Lu Zican’s description, she understood instantly.
That day at the riverbank, there had been a strangely shaped red mark on Kang Renshou’s neck. They hadn't known what caused it, even wondering if it was some kind of sect mark. Now they understood: it was the thumb ring Old Madam Su wore, pressed into Kang Renshou’s flesh when she strangled him.
The chained Old Madam Su continued to struggle with all her might. Qiu Ling finally released her hand and turned, walking step by step toward the distraught Su Muzhi.
"Miss Su, I have reason to suspect that Old Madam Su is connected to the two murders currently under investigation in the city. She must be taken away for questioning, and the entire Su household is suspected of being accomplices. If you have any questions or grievances, you may visit the Magistrate’s office at any time to appeal to Magistrate Fan."
Had the sentence not ended with "Magistrate Fan," it would have sounded righteous and impartial, consistent with the young Protector’s usual style. But he had specifically mentioned Fan Tong. Magistrate Fan was currently "wandering the Great Void"; when he woke up, there was no telling who he would vent his anger on. And everyone in Jiugao City knew that crying for justice before Magistrate Fan was worse than finding a quiet spot to die in resentment.
It turned out the Lord of Severed Jade was capable of sarcasm; his biting remarks were no less sharp than Magistrate Fan’s own. Qin Jiuye felt like laughing, but then the gag was yanked from her mouth.
"Shopkeeper Qin won't board the wrong ship again, will she? If your eyesight is poor, you should light a lamp when you go out in the future. Don't try to save a few coins on lamp oil."
Qin Jiuye looked up, meeting Qiu Ling’s calm eyes.
Those eyes were so clear, like a lake beneath a high-altitude snow mountain, where one could see straight to the bottom. They could tolerate no dust, and naturally, they had no room for her unseemly schemes.
Qin Jiuye quickly averted her gaze, licked her dry lips, and replied with practiced tact.
"Naturally, there won't be a next time."
Qiu Ling didn't press her further, but he didn't leave immediately either. He crouched behind her and began untying the hemp ropes. He didn't use the formidable sword at his waist; instead, he used his fingers to slowly pull apart the knots that had been tightened into hard lumps. Qin Jiuye was momentarily stunned, but she noticed Lu Zican nearby, frantically stealing glances in their direction while he worked, a strange expression on his face.
"Did Shopkeeper Qin come here alone today?"
As the ropes around her wrists loosened, Qiu Ling’s voice sounded right beside her.
Qin Jiuye’s fingertips twitched. She cursed inwardly: she knew he wouldn't be so kind as to personally untie her without a reason. So this was what he was after.
If he had come from the direction of Listening Wind Hall, he surely knew only Tang Shenyan was left there. Why ask what he already knew? The question was a probe. Du Laogou was of no concern; he must be targeting Li Qiao.
Li Qiao, always Li Qiao. That man certainly had self-awareness, vanishing at the perfect time every single time.
Qin Jiuye feigned stretching her wrists, her mind already made up. When she looked up, her face wore a perfectly calibrated expression of confusion.
"Are there other shopkeepers on this ship? Those people are truly disloyal, standing by while I was trapped in such a dire situation. I was outnumbered and fell into this state. Fortunately, I’ve been longing for your arrival like one longs for the stars and the moon. Your intervention, Protector, was truly like a hot knife through butter..."
Qiu Ling’s movements stopped, and he slowly stood up. With a sharp *shing*, Qin Jiuye only saw his sword sliding back into its scabbard. She felt the weight on her back vanish as the remaining ropes fell to the deck in several pieces.
The speed of his strike was matched only by his lack of desire to hear her oily flattery.
Qin Jiuye rubbed her nose and stood up, determined to play dumb to the end. She knew the young Protector had more important matters to attend to.
Nearby, Fan Tong’s subordinates were too busy to care about anything else. They shouted orders at the sailors to turn the ship and head for the shore, desperate to get their Magistrate away from this terrifying scene. Cao Jin, ever the loyal lapdog, had already fetched a massive iron cage from the official vessel and moved it onto the deck, signaling Lu Zican to finish the job quickly. Considering Old Madam Su’s current state was too gruesome to be seen at the docks—and the risk of her escaping was too high—Lu Zican decided to accept the "kindness" and locked her in the cage, covering it tightly with a tarpaulin.
The bottom of the cage was rusted and reeked of filth and death. It had likely held many death-row convicts, or perhaps even earlier, it had been a cage for capturing beasts. No matter how a beast might have ruled the mountains, once inside, it would inevitably end up at the mercy of others.
Su Muzhi watched blankly, as if suddenly waking from a spell, before falling into a state of frenzy. She seemed completely unable to accept what was happening. Her piercing screams were the only sound on the river.
"She is my biological grandmother, the Old Madam of the Su family! What right do you have to treat her like this? She’s just sick, don't you understand? Get away, all of you, get away..."
The woman who had been arrogant and impenetrable just moments ago was shattered. Though her voice was filled with rage, it trembled uncontrollably.
Su Muzhi understood. From this moment on, the Su family’s destiny had veered onto a different path, one that no one could ever reverse.
Yet, watching this scene, Qin Jiuye found it hard to feel truly satisfied.
Though she knew Su Muzhi’s breakdown wasn't just about her grandmother being taken away, but also the despair of sensing the Su family’s impending doom, she couldn't help but think of her own grandfather. If one day, someone were to take Qin Sanyou away in such a brutal manner, what would she look like?
Often, weakness is a relative circumstance. If one has never experienced it, they often cannot understand the pain and helplessness of those within it. Stripped of their moral facade, those in high positions often look down on the weak, seeing them as cowardly, troublesome, prone to error, and undignified. They attribute everything to the weak's own failings, forgetting that these are circumstances any ordinary person might face—and that they themselves might one day walk the same path.
Qin Jiuye understood: Su Muzhi was like this, and the Su family was like this. Their blatant contempt and crushing of her hadn't been without cause.
She only wondered if, at this moment, they were finally able to understand.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
八卦铜铃 | Eight Trigrams Bronze Bell | A ritual bell used in Taoist practices, often associated with warding off or controlling spirits.
钲铃 | Zheng Bell | A type of handbell used by night watchmen in ancient China.
都水台 | Directorate of Waterways | The government office responsible for managing rivers, canals, and shipping.
断玉君 | Lord of Severed Jade | A nickname for Qiu Ling, implying a sharp, uncompromising nature.
玉扳指 | Jade Thumb Ring | A thick ring worn on the thumb, originally used by archers to protect the skin from the bowstring.
神游太虚 | Wandering the Great Void | A literary way to describe someone who has fainted or whose mind is completely blank.
