In the cramped, narrow kitchen of Tingfeng Hall, the haze from steaming and frying had yet to dissipate, leaving a lingering scent of burnt firewood in the air.
The youth crouched before the hearth, his hem tucked into his waistband. He skillfully pulled out several roasted sweet potatoes while clearing the ashes from the furnace. From behind, he looked no different from any hardworking lad in an ordinary household.
Qiu Ling stood a short distance behind him, watching in silence until the figure by the hearth stood up. Without turning around, the youth suddenly spoke.
"Did you find the boat the Su family used to dispose of the body?"
Qiu Ling remained silent, clearly having no intention of answering such an abrupt question.
"It seems you haven't." Li Qiao’s voice carried a note of understanding as he continued, still without looking back. "Not just the boat—I imagine you have no leads on the person who rowed it that night either. Am I correct?"
Qiu Ling finally spoke, his voice cold. "If you know something, speak plainly. There is no need for such theatrics."
The youth turned to face the proud, imperious Duhu. His eyes held a suppressed flicker of loathing.
If it weren't for the fact that as long as this case remained unsolved, Qin Jiuye would continue to linger around this man as his assistant, he truly saw no reason to share any of this.
But he was well-practiced in patience and pretense. When he spoke again, his voice was so submissive that no fault could be found. "The Duhu misunderstands. I merely wished to remind you of something."
"What is it?"
"I have clashed with that woman, Xin Yu, several times. She once used a diving suit to escape via the waterways. She understands the water; such a person knows the currents and knows that a whole corpse thrown into the river will soon bloat and float to the surface. She would not have handled Kang Renshou’s body so recklessly."
Furthermore, the person who had abandoned the body had rowed with such clumsy, raw movements. They were likely not someone who had lived long in a place like Jiugao, which was crisscrossed with waterways.
That person, like himself, was someone who did not understand the water.
Qiu Ling paused, evidently not entirely convinced by Li Qiao’s words. "I have no way to verify the details of your encounters with her. How am I to know if what you say is true? Even if it is as you say, what is your purpose in bringing this to me today?"
The last sweet potato did not escape the youth’s notice; he plucked it from the ashes. With his back to Qiu Ling, a cold smirk played on Li Qiao’s lips.
"Since the Duhu only trusts himself and no one else, and clearly has no desire to discuss the case with an outsider like me, why do you remain here? Do you truly intend to lend a hand?"
Hearing this, Qiu Ling reached back and lowered the grease-stained cotton curtain over the doorway, then took a step forward.
"You have followed the clues of this case time and again, and now you tell me all this. Is it truly just because you want to 'lend a hand'?"
Li Qiao slowly turned around. He picked up the sweet potatoes one by one, arranging them neatly on a ceramic plate he had prepared. His hands were steady, as if he couldn't feel the scorching heat. The ash from the skins stained his hands, leaving them blackened.
"Has my sister not also put her heart and soul into following this case? She even stayed at your manor last night. What more could the Duhu possibly be dissatisfied with, that you must demand an explanation from me?"
Qiu Ling’s gaze fixed on the youth’s hands. He wasn't looking at the black ash, but rather through it, observing the hard calluses on the palms and the webs of the thumbs—just as he was trying to look through the youth’s disguise to see his true nature.
"You are not like her."
The curve of Li Qiao’s lips deepened. He slowly set down the items in his hands, as if finally finding some interest in this sudden conversation.
"Oh? How so?"
"You are a selfish person. I knew that from the first moment I saw you."
The disguise seemed to flake away like hearth ash. Li Qiao’s voice took on a tone of indifference.
"Then the Duhu has surely misjudged my sister’s character. she understands the way of survival in this world better than anyone; the path she cultivates is one of self-preservation. A man like the Duhu, who always thinks of saving the world, is not of our kind."
Faint laughter drifted in from the courtyard not far away. It was impossible to tell what the guests were chatting about.
Qiu Ling paused for a moment, his tone becoming even more certain. "If she were merely scraping by for survival, she would have left completely after the incident at the docks was over."
Li Qiao snorted, clearly disagreeing. "She is willing to work for you because of the silver."
"If she only had eyes for silver, with her medical skill, why would Guoran Clinic be so obscure? She understands the principle that 'caution keeps the ship of ten thousand years afloat.' She is not a person driven by greed."
The last sweet potato was neatly placed. Li Qiao withdrew his ash-stained hands and slowly wiped them on a cloth.
Perhaps the other man hadn't realized it himself, but this Lord of Severed Jade, the jade-wearing Duhu of the General of the South, who usually appeared indifferent to all people and things, had actually been paying her such close attention in secret—even going so far as to analyze the core of her character.
But what did such attention matter? He was the one who lived with her.
He disliked the certainty in Qiu Ling’s tone, as if the man were the one who understood her best.
"Since the Duhu can say such things, you must also know that this case is a quagmire. Once you step in, it is hard to pull out. That being so, why drag her into it? Does the 'love for the people' the Duhu speaks of not include lowly people like us? Or do you simply intend to use her and then leave her to fend for herself?"
Li Qiao spoke with his usual lukewarm tone, but his words grew increasingly sharp. The young Duhu, who usually prided himself on his calm and self-restraint, could not help but show a flash of anger upon hearing such blatant provocation.
"I should return those words to you. What exactly do you want from her?" Qiu Ling stepped closer, his voice heavy with pressure. "Why was an assassin from the World’s Greatest Manor found dead in the dark alley outside Baoshen Pavilion? How did the fire in the Four Streets start? These cases aren't in my hands, but that doesn't mean I won't take a sudden interest in investigating them thoroughly. Do not let me catch your tail. If there is a next time, I will not stay my hand."
The air fell silent, so quiet that the rising and falling laughter from the courtyard seemed to disturb the surrounding haze.
A piece of greasy firewood ash fell from the hearth, instantly shattering into a small black smudge on the ground.
"Duhu, do not forget what I told you in your manor."
The youth finally spoke. The smile had not left his face, but the sweeter it became, the more chilling the killing intent radiating from him grew.
"You are not alone. You have the Qiu Estate behind you, the Commandant within it, and a troublesome younger brother by the Commandant’s side. I do not need to act personally; I have plenty of ways to deal with you."
As Li Qiao’s words landed, Qiu Ling’s gaze pierced through like a red-hot arrowhead.
The boy was a natural-born assassin. Only an assassin could find an opponent’s weakness so quickly and then stab it without mercy. For a moment, he almost wanted to draw the longsword at his waist and pierce that loathsome, smiling face. But then, his powerful will and self-control pulled him back from the edge of his emotions.
Li Qiao’s counterattack only proved one thing: he, too, had been struck in a painful spot. At this very moment, Li Qiao’s weakness was Qin Jiuye.
"Assistant Qin is a very capable person. A person like her cannot tolerate sand in her eyes."
Having said his piece, Qiu Ling turned and walked away quickly.
The cotton curtain over the door was violently lifted and then dropped. The tattered cotton batting swayed in the wind, and the old door hinges let out a long, drawn-out creak.
Li Qiao stared at the sweet potatoes on the ceramic plate, his thoughts racing.
The "next time" Qiu Ling mentioned corresponded to a "last time." But did that "last time" refer only to the palm strike he had delivered in the manor that day, or did it refer to much earlier—the night he had escaped Baoshen Pavilion covered in blood and was pursued by the troops Qiu Ling led?
Regardless of which it was, Qiu Ling was warning him.
Warning him that the day his tracks would be exposed and he would be abandoned by everyone would eventually come.
He had encountered such warnings before, but he had never truly taken them to heart. He never stayed in one place for long, and he had no so-called "people" to lose. He was going to leave anyway; if anyone pursued him, he would simply kill them all.
But this time, things seemed different.
What if she found out first? What if she refused to give him shelter or refine the antidote for him anymore? What if she preferred to stand on Qiu Ling’s side, choosing to be irreconcilable with someone like him?
His fingers tightened unconsciously, and the scalding sweet potato instantly turned into a clump of mush in his palm.
A fire burned in the depths of his heart. He didn't understand where this fire came from, and he could find no way to extinguish it.
After a long while, he finally opened his fingers and slowly cleaned the mashed potato from his palm.
In truth, he had only ever intended to stay at Guoran Clinic for three months, had he not? As for the antidote... he should have obtained it long ago. If the day truly came when all cards were on the table, it would just be a matter of "killing the hen to get the eggs." He would always find a way to leave this place.
All banquets must come to an end. Thinking of it that way, the situation was no different.
Li Qiao stared at the plate of blackened roasted sweet potatoes. It took a long time for the furrow in his brow to smooth over and for his usual expression to return. He picked up the ceramic plate from the stove and walked toward the courtyard.
****** ****** ******
Qiu Ling had only been back at the table for a few moments when Li Qiao returned with the plate of roasted sweet potatoes. The two sat down one after the other, their expressions normal, showing no sign of what had transpired.
Qin Jiuye observed them for a while, her heart itching with curiosity, but she eventually gave up. She picked up a warm sweet potato, peeled it, and began to eat.
Seeing this, Jin Bao joined in. The ash from the skin left a ring of "whiskers" around his mouth, making him look as ridiculous as if he had eaten a piece of charcoal. Du Laogou, who was already eighty percent drunk, pointed at the boy’s face and began to giggle. Between laughs, he hummed and mumbled something that sounded like "Brother Charcoal-Seller."
Jin Bao, who always prided himself on being a "Medicine Lad," felt he was a cut above a "Charcoal-Seller." His face fell, and he wiped his mouth, turning his head away.
Qin Jiuye was about to tease him when Xu Qiuchi suddenly spoke up.
"We were just discussing the origins of our names, and everyone was so lively. Why is Mister Du so silent? What is your real name? Surely you weren't born 'Old Dog'?"
Du Laogou’s gaze was already unfocused. Qin Jiuye felt that if he shook his head, she might actually hear the sound of mush sloshing around inside.
"My surname is Du... my given name is... is..." His head sank lower and lower as he spoke, as if he were about to fall into a dead sleep. Then, he suddenly jerked awake and snapped his head up. "I clearly called him 'Charcoal-Seller' just now! Who are you?"
Tang Shenyan shook his head and smiled at Xu Qiuchi with a cupped-hand salute.
"Second Young Master, please spare him. He’s drunk out of his mind; he’s likely even more muddled than usual."
Xu Qiuchi didn't say anything, but Du Laogou stood up unsteadily. He clearly couldn't handle his liquor; his steps were wobbly and his feet tripped over each other. Yet, his mouth refused to quit, and his next words shocked everyone present.
"I drank my fill today... truly, I have no way to repay you. Who wants to see the *Huaxu Ji*? I have the complete manuscript right here! For free..."
*Huaxu Ji*—the number one erotic novel in Jiugao.
It was the very book Xu Qiuchi had shoved into Qin Jiuye’s hands when they first met, and the same book that had been publicly searched from her person at the Su family’s gate.
They say that when drinking together, you don't fear someone passing out; you fear them not passing out and having a bad drunk personality.
Qin Jiuye cursed with a laugh and grabbed a sweet potato, trying to stuff it into his mouth. "How many jars have you had? You've started talking nonsense."
Du Laogou bit the sweet potato and pushed her hand away, still managing to speak slurred words.
"I am perfectly sober! Is Shopkeeper Qin so ignorant that she doesn't even know of *Huaxu Ji*? I am not boasting when I say that book truly contains half a lifetime of my skill. From the choice of words to the staging of the scenes, I poured my heart and soul into it. Every chapter is full of twists and turns that make the heart itch. You be the judge—the story of the Golden Peacock King under the Buddha Mother seeking a mortal woman to repay a debt, only for the woman to treat him like a common chicken... have you ever heard the like? I took a unique path with that 'broken mirror joined again' story. It’s hateful how much silver that Shopkeeper Feng of the bookstore took from me back then, and now she won't even spit out half of it..."
Du Laogou continued to ramble, but a shadow slowly rose beside him.
"You said... you wrote that book?"
Du Laogou closed his eyes and nodded, still swaying his head.
In the next instant, Qin Jiuye lunged out of the shadows like a starving tiger.
"It was you! It was you all along!" She grabbed his collar in grief and indignation, shaking him back and forth. "You’re the one who made me lose face in public and nearly lose my silver! You lecher! Of all things to write, you chose erotic novels to make money? Where is your conscience?! Was it eaten by a dog or a chicken?"
Qin Jiuye shook him until she was out of breath. Looking up, she saw Xu Qiuchi smiling enigmatically, seemingly enjoying the show.
Thinking back to the cause and effect of her public humiliation, another surge of anger hit her.
"And you! We were strangers meeting by chance—why did you have to shove that book at me? You said it wasn't intentional, but I don't believe you!"
Xu Qiuchi was about to say something, but the dizzy, cross-eyed Du Laogou let out a roar and broke free from Qin Jiuye’s grip.
The sourness in his stomach surged up along with his stubborn temper. Du Laogou let out a wine-scented burp and shouted with a thick tongue.
"So what if I wrote it? I’m earning my living with my own skills. If you’re so capable, you write one!"
Qin Jiuye’s temper flared, and she was about to retort when she saw Tang Shenyan giving her a frantic look, his eyes constantly darting toward Qiu Ling.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she instantly sobered up.
She blamed herself for letting her emotions get the better of her. She had spent too much time with commoners like Old Tang and had grown too loose-tongued, forgetting that there were officials present today.
Selling erotic books was not a stable trade; the lion’s share of the profit likely went to the book dealers, otherwise Du Laogou wouldn't still be sleeping under bridge arches. But this was, after all, a shady business. The crime could be large or small. If this Lord of Severed Jade truly decided to pursue it, a muddled man like Du Laogou wouldn't even be able to defend himself. He might escape the death penalty, but he wouldn't escape suffering.
If the old Qin Jiuye wouldn't have cared about the life or death of a wandering swindler, she had now lived under the same roof as him for some time. They had experienced much together, and Du Laogou had even helped with the matter of the Su family’s cargo ship. Though she was angry about what had happened before, it would be wrong to show no mercy now.
She quickly weighed the stakes, her hand pinching the drunkard’s flesh as she coaxed him in a soft voice.
"I know you're capable. The sweet potatoes are getting cold; eat your potato first."
Just as Qin Jiuye managed to settle Du Laogou with the potato, Xu Qiuchi’s voice rang out unhurriedly.
"So, Mister is the brilliant brush behind *Huaxu Ji*. Lately, that book has been highly sought after by the young ladies and matrons of the city. It has quite distressed the nannies who teach them propriety."
*Sought after by the young ladies and matrons of the city? How would you, a grown man, know that?* Qin Jiuye’s gaze shifted between Xu Qiuchi and Du Laogou. She suddenly felt there was something inexplicable between these two. Could there be more to the story of the five ships that day that she didn't know...
"Of course!" Du Laogou had swallowed a mouthful of potato, and his voice rang out like a cracked bronze gong. "My books are not like those of those old fogeys. The ones throwing silver at me are the prestigious noble ladies of this city. Every copy is a limited edition; if you miss it, you won't be able to buy it even for ten times the price. For instance, the story of the eleven indescribable nights between a street singer and the Second Young Master of the Qiu family..."
The waist fan in the silk-clad young master’s hand paused. The rest of the table fell abruptly silent. But the drunkard had reached the peak of his pride, his expression growing excited.
"And the legendary tale of the female demon and the Master of the World’s Greatest Manor—a love-hate struggle where their union changes the face of the martial world and their parting leaves flowers blooming in two places. Riding a host of heroes by night, what joy..."
In the corner, Li Qiao blinked and picked up a cup of tea that had long since gone cold.
"And then there is the *Secret History of Seeking Qiu*, which tells of how the female bandit leader of Qingming Fortress captured the Lord of Severed Jade and called the wind and rain between the bedcurtains..."
The young Duhu, who had been sitting upright at the table, instantly clenched his fists. The cups, plates, and bowls before him trembled in response.
On the other side, Lu Zican could no longer eat his clams. He watched the scene with his mouth agape, while Tang Shenyan and Qin Sanyou froze with crab legs in their hands.
Xu Qiuchi began to fan himself unhurriedly again, but the face hidden behind the fan was clearly snickering. His upright brother’s face was now so dark it looked as though one could dip a brush in it for ink.
After a long while, Tang Shenyan finally came to his senses. Ignoring his own drunken dizziness, he lunged forward and covered Du Laogou’s incessant mouth.
*This isn't a mouse inviting a cat to dinner; this is the mouse becoming the side dish!* He truly feared that a certain someone would draw his sword on the spot and skewer this lying book peddler, turning his Tingfeng Hall into an execution ground.
"Stop talking! You’ll regret this when you sober up tomorrow..."
But a drunkard’s strength is surprisingly great, or perhaps the wine had brought his hidden sorrows to the surface and he had to vent. No matter how Tang Shenyan tried to cover his mouth, he couldn't stop him.
"You won't let me speak? I will speak!" Du Laogou, with his messy hair, looked both tragic and ridiculous despite his talk of erotic novels. "I didn't write these things at first! Wasn't I forced into it? I wrote history, ancient classics, words to awaken the world—but even if I lost money, no one would spare them a glance. I couldn't even earn back the cost of paper and ink. After I switched to these erotic stories, a single book sells for a string of cash and still can't meet the demand. I have to eat! I have to live! I didn't become a beggar; I earned this silver with my own two hands. What is there that I cannot say?!"
The more Du Laogou spoke, the more aggrieved he became. His voice carried a sob, making him look as pitiful as he was laughable.
The lively atmosphere from moments ago vanished instantly. Qin Sanyou and the others remained silent, lowering their heads to drain the remaining wine in their bowls before pouring another.
As Du Laogou’s voice trailed off, the young Duhu, who had been enduring in silence, let out a cold snort. He clearly found the explanation laughable.
"Does making a living necessitate writing such filthy passages and peddling erotic books? You have healthy limbs and are a grown man; you could find work at any dock and survive. Do not use your livelihood as an excuse for being unwilling to work hard while craving petty profits."
As soon as these words were spoken, the courtyard fell into an even deeper silence.
Who didn't know that Du Laogou was speaking in a drunken stupor? But there was truth in that stupor, and someone had taken that truth and refuted it with righteous indignation.
Qin Jiuye stood by and listened. At first, she had worried the Duhu would execute the man on the spot. Seeing that he only offered a verbal rebuke, she should have felt relieved. Yet, for some reason, she felt those few sentences were more painful than a beating. In particular, the words "petty profits" felt like needles stabbing her heart.
If what Du Laogou did was craving petty profits, then she was nothing more than a creature scrambling in the dirt like a fly or a dog.
She was only two or three steps away from him, but in this moment, she felt the distance stretch infinitely—longer than the broken road she traveled between Jiugao City and Dingweng Village.
On the other side, Du Laogou seemed to feel the same. His face, which had been flushed with wine, suddenly slumped. He looked like a man who had been questioned and found no answer.
What was there to say? Truly, nothing.
Just as she couldn't make the Su family understand, she and the Qiu family were the same case. It was only because they had grown closer recently—even sitting down to eat in the same courtyard—that she had been given the illusion that they truly lived in the same world.
"Brother is drunk. Why don't I take you back first?" Xu Qiuchi stood up and pulled the young Duhu to his feet. He nodded toward Qin Jiuye. "Thank you all for the hospitality today. We shall gather again another day."
Having said that, he led the man away without further word. Lu Zican stood up a moment later, rubbed his hands awkwardly, and hurriedly took his leave as well.
After a long while, Tang Shenyan stood up unsteadily and called for Jin Bao to help clean up the mess. Old Qin had already walked over to the courtyard well with his hands behind his back, watching the ducks, lost in thought.
When the banquet began, no one had imagined that such a fine meal would end this way.
Qin Jiuye stood in place for a moment in silence. Feeling a sense of stifling oppression, she waved her hand and walked toward the gate.
"I’ll go see them off."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
花墟集 | Huaxu Ji | "Collection of the Flower Ruins," the title of the erotic novel written by Du Laogou.
寻邱秘史 | Xun Qiu Mi Shi | "Secret History of Seeking Qiu," a scandalous story title mentioned by Du Laogou.
断玉君 | Duan Yu Jun | "Lord of Severed Jade," Qiu Ling's moniker/title.
参佐 | Canzuo | Assistant or Aide (Qin Jiuye's current official role).
果然居 | Guoran Ju | Guoran Clinic/Residence, Qin Jiuye's home and place of business.
涓滴微利 | Juandi weili | Petty profits; literally "trickling gains."
蝇营狗苟 | Yingying gougou | Scrambling like flies and dogs; living a base, opportunistic, or shameless life.
