By the time Qin Jiuye hurried back to the Su residence, the sky had already darkened.
After coming and going several times, she had stepped through the main gate—the one she wasn't allowed to enter during consultations—more than once. Yet, she still disliked using it, choosing instead to enter through a small side door.
This path led directly to Su Lin’s study, allowing her to avoid anyone from the inner courtyard.
She knew she was subconsciously evading something—perhaps the haggard and resentful Madam Su, or the overly emotional Su Muzhi who needed "quiet recuperation," or even the Su family’s "new head," Su Muhe.
The tangled mess between her and the Su family was something that couldn't be settled in a short time.
Crossing the courtyard with swift steps, Qin Jiuye returned to the study.
The lamps had not yet been lit. Li Qiao, Qiu Ling, Lu Zican, and Gao Quan were still standing around the large purple elm desk, looking like a game of chess frozen mid-play. They were exactly as she had left them.
Seeing her return, none of the four spoke for a moment. The room was filled with people simply staring at one another.
What was with this eerie atmosphere? It was even more unsettling than the Su residence on the night of the birthday banquet.
The sweat from Qin Jiuye’s long run cooled against her skin, making her movements feel involuntarily sluggish. She paused before untying a jar from her waist and giving it a light shake.
"I’ve brought the item."
Qiu Ling finally nodded and spoke first. "Thank you for your trouble."
"Think nothing of it," Qin Jiuye replied. She glanced at the other three, but ultimately didn't care to probe their thoughts. She turned to close the door behind her, moved a screen to block the draft from the door's gap, and then unhooked half of the curtain from the partition to cover the window.
Lu Zican, clearly traumatized by previous events involving blocked doors and windows, stood up immediately.
"It’s almost dark. Why are you blocking the windows?"
Qin Jiuye didn't look back, her hands busy securing the curtain. "This thing is sensitive to light and wind. We must be careful. I’ll trouble everyone to gather closer around the table."
The group approached with hesitant expressions. They watched as the woman took a bulbous brush-washer from the side, wiped away the ink stains, and placed it on the desk. Then, she carefully opened the jar she had brought.
The jar was about the size of a cricket cage. If one listened closely, there was the sound of sloshing water. Qin Jiuye checked the opening and then poured the contents into the brush-washer.
After a splash of water, the liquid in the vessel gradually settled. The light was dim, and everyone held their breath as they stared. In the clear water, a tiny, emerald-green insect was swimming. Its six slender legs paddled nervously as it assessed its new surroundings.
After a while, the insect sank to the bottom and became completely still.
Lu Zican watched with his mouth slightly open for a moment before he couldn't help but whisper, "Miss Qin, is this the 'treasure' that's afraid of the wind? It looks like nothing more than a damselfly nymph. What can we learn from this?"
Qin Jiuye reached out, signaling Lu Zican to hand her the vermilion porcelain bottle they had studied repeatedly. She took the bottle, rubbed it in her hands for a moment, and then dropped it into the water.
The group startled. Lu Zican blurted out, "What are you doing?"
Qin Jiuye glanced at him, signaling for him to stay calm.
"There is only a tiny residue left in this bottle. Even an experienced physician would find it difficult to identify. But we can seek help from other sources." She gestured for them to watch the insect. "This is the larva of the Fucao Damselfly. It prefers to stay submerged and is extremely sensitive to refined herbs and poisons. If it detects them, it will flee. I have some suspicions about the ingredients in this secret formula, so I need this little creature to help me make a preliminary judgment."
The vermilion bottle bubbled as it sank to the bottom. Ripples spread across the surface and then smoothed out.
Though they still had doubts, everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the little green speck at the bottom of the vessel.
The time it took to drink a cup of tea passed. The emerald insect continued to wave its tiny legs leisurely, resting quietly at the bottom without any intention of moving.
Qin Jiuye slowly stepped back, a complex emotion surfacing on her face.
Seeing this, Gao Quan asked, "The insect hasn't moved at all. What does that mean?"
Qin Jiuye said solemnly, "It means this formula is not made from herbs or poisons."
Qiu Ling frowned upon hearing this. "If it is medicine, but not made of herbs or poison, then what could it be?"
"Alchemical minerals, or..."
She stopped abruptly.
A faint buzzing sound echoed in the room. A small black speck spiraled closer, eventually circling and landing on the rim of the brush-washer.
Qin Jiuye picked up a nearby candlestick, lit it, and brought it close to the table.
The green insect in the vessel darted beneath the porcelain bottle to hide, but the black speck on the rim did not move.
It was a fly.
It was excitedly rubbing its legs together near the water's surface, occasionally vibrating its wings and extending its legs to test the water.
Qin Jiuye stared at the fly and spoke with some difficulty.
"Or, it is something from a living being. Like bone... or blood."
***
When the back door of Tingfeng Hall was knocked upon, Tang Shenyan, who had been doing business all day, was in the backyard rinsing his mouth with cold tea to clear his throat. He was preparing to count the day's earnings, enjoy the moon and the breeze, and then get an early night's sleep.
However, all of this was shattered by the thick-skinned medicine hall owner.
Tang Shenyan seemingly hadn't expected that after only a few days of peace, Qin Jiuye would force her way back in with people in tow. He immediately pulled a long face, insisting she pay for the night's lamp oil.
Qin Jiuye naturally ignored him, entering the courtyard with practiced ease. Li Qiao followed behind her as they headed straight for the main hall where the divine statues were enshrined.
Tang Shenyan hiked up his robes and chased after them, shouting accusations at the top of his lungs.
"Qin Jiuye! You have the nerve to come back?! Yesterday you stole my Dalu Brew, wailed like a ghost in the middle of the night with your Jinbao, and then vomited all over my ceramic planter the next morning! And my Lotus-scented Orchid—I worked so hard to grow six leaves on it, and you, you drunkard, trampled it into a pulp the moment I looked away! Give me back my orchid! Give me back my life's work!"
Qin Jiuye stopped in the main hall and turned to look down at the flailing shopkeeper as he ascended the steps. Her presence was as steady as the statues in the hall.
"That Dalu Brew was brought by Xu Qiuchi. Since when did it become yours? And didn't that Lotus-scented Orchid have twelve leaves when it was dug up from Mount Xizhu? You simply didn't know how to care for it. You took an orchid that was growing perfectly fine in the mountains and locked it up at home. I saw it suffering and merely helped it find a quick release. Why must you blame me?"
Tang Shenyan couldn't win the argument, so he simply pulled out an account book.
"Since you're being so unreasonable, I'll have to settle our old debts. You brought your father and two able-bodied men to sponge off me in my courtyard. You ate three whole jars of pickled melons and vegetables, and not a single one of the taro roots I stored for winter is left. Aside from the food expenses, I have to factor in the wear and tear on the bedding. Also, things have gone missing from my yard for no reason—for instance, my golden toad is still nowhere to be found..."
Tang Shenyan droned on about the accounts. Qin Jiuye had intended to let him vent, but at the last sentence, she couldn't help but glance at the youth beside her. She suddenly interrupted.
"If it weren't for urgent business, I wouldn't want to come back and listen to your accounting either."
Tang Shenyan’s voice faltered, his expression remaining sour. "Isn't the case already closed? What urgent business could there be? My most urgent business right now is earning back the money I lost."
"There are naturally things more urgent than money." As the last light of dusk vanished from the eaves, Qin Jiuye’s voice dropped lower. "Such as your life."
As her words landed, the entire hall fell into an oppressive silence.
Tang Shenyan didn't speak. His expression turned solemn, though it was unclear if he was truly shaken by her terrifying tone. After a long while, he spoke slowly.
"Do you think Old Tang was born yesterday? Don't try your theatrics on me."
Qin Jiuye ignored his mood and went straight to the point. "Let me ask you: was that assassin with the Ciyi Needles that night truly only looking for information Kang Renshou might have left behind? When you organized the records room afterward, did you find anything else that had been disturbed?"
Tang Shenyan paused, his eyelids drooping in irritation. "Don't you know how many years Tingfeng Hall has been in business? The records room is piled high with documents. How could I possibly confirm every single thing she touched? You think this is like your pathetic, dirt-poor medicine hall where you'd notice if a single blade of grass went missing?"
His attitude was dismissive, but Qin Jiuye was persistent.
"Think carefully. Also, Tingfeng Hall truly only handles information and messages, right? You don't help people pass physical objects?"
Tang Shenyan nodded, finding Qin Jiuye’s unusual behavior strange. "Of course. This place is only so big. Aside from some ink and brushes that don't take up space, what else could I hold?"
Qin Jiuye paused, then voiced her doubt. "I just feel that since Kang Renshou is dead, if Xinyu were smart, she wouldn't have needed to personally come and destroy the messages. The 'Swallow’s Return' network already makes it difficult to track a seller's identity. By acting so rashly, she risked alerting the authorities, which was actually a poor move."
Before Tang Shenyan could respond, Li Qiao suddenly spoke up. "As you said, Sister, Qiu Ling was pursuing her closely at the time, and you suddenly appeared in the Protectorate General's courtyard after the banquet. It wouldn't be strange for Xinyu to act cautiously upon hearing such news."
Qin Jiuye glanced at the youth. Old doubts remained, and new ones were rising.
She hadn't ruled out the possibility that Xinyu appeared that night because Li Qiao was also at Tingfeng Hall. Later, on the Su family’s cargo ship, Xinyu’s words during their confrontation had been loaded with hidden meaning. She suspected that Li Qiao and Xinyu might know each other, and that this connection had led to her being caught in the crossfire, nearly losing her life.
But all of this was merely speculation, and now was not the right time to bring it into the open.
After a momentary pause, Qin Jiuye withdrew her gaze and spoke calmly. "I just suspect that the person behind Kang Renshou’s mission to silence the Su family might have sent messages through Tingfeng Hall more than once. Or perhaps Tingfeng Hall has information they want but haven't obtained, and that information is the key we've missed. Also, that courtyard Su Lin mentioned might..."
Qin Jiuye stopped mid-sentence as she realized something. Tang Shenyan’s ears perked up.
"What courtyard?"
Qin Jiuye gave him an unfriendly look. "You want a piece of this case now? Weren't you desperate to stay far away before?"
Tang Shenyan immediately shook his head. "No, no. I was just asking."
"It’s not about whether you want to. I fear that when the time comes, you won't be able to hide even if you want to." Qin Jiuye sighed and chose her words carefully. "Actually, I saw Su Lin in the dungeon. He said..."
Just as Qin Jiuye was about to continue, Li Qiao gently tugged at her sleeve, gesturing toward the stone platform beneath the divine statue.
This platform was likely used for offerings in the past, but it had long been abandoned and was now covered in Tang Shenyan’s junk. He had found it unsightly and thrown a tattered cloth over it to hide the mess.
Qin Jiuye froze, then reacted quickly, grabbing Tang Shenyan and pulling him back five paces.
As soon as she reached safety, Li Qiao walked straight to the platform. He grabbed a corner of the cloth and yanked it hard. The cloth and the miscellaneous junk atop it crashed to the floor, kicking up a cloud of dust that had accumulated for ages.
Tang Shenyan sneezed three times. He raised a finger to point an angry accusation, but in the next moment, he spotted a pair of eyes gleaming in the gap beneath the stone platform. He let out a terrified shriek and fell onto his backside, scuttling back several paces before stopping. He sat there with his mouth agape, pointing forward, unable to speak.
Qin Jiuye waved away the dust in the air and squinted to see.
The eerie eyes beneath the platform blinked, and a figure wriggled out, revealing itself to be Du Laogou.
Tang Shenyan finally found his voice, though cold sweat still clung to his forehead and his voice trembled from the shock.
"When did you get in? What are you doing hiding there?"
Du Laogou gave a sheepish laugh, still trying to play dumb. "What do you mean 'get in'? I never left. I felt we didn't quite finish our fun last night, and seeing as the weather is nice today, I wanted to enjoy the moon and breeze with Brother Tang..."
With a loud *smack*, Du Laogou’s voice cut off.
Before Qin Jiuye could act, Tang Shenyan’s shoe had already flown through the air, hitting Du Laogou square in the face.
"Enjoy the moon and breeze? Then why hide under a stone table? It’s not even fully dark and you’re here playing ghost. Are you trying to scare me to death so you can take over Tingfeng Hall?"
Tang Shenyan’s anger was unprecedented. Where was the man who had been calling Du Laogou a kindred spirit? He patted his rear and stood up, immediately issuing an eviction notice. "I have a business to run! I can't keep wasting my days with you lot! If you don't leave now, don't blame me for—"
Before he could finish his threat, Du Laogou lunged forward and grabbed Tang Shenyan’s shoeless leg.
"I beg you, Brother Tang, don't kick me out! Just let me stay for a few more days! I... I’ve run into some villains, and I feel my life is in danger. That’s why I came to Brother Tang for refuge. I don't dare walk the streets alone, and I was afraid you’d find out, so I’ve been hiding here without food or water for a whole day..." Du Laogou spoke piteously, and fearing further suspicion, he quickly pointed to the youth. "Every word I say is true! Young Master Li can testify for me!"
Qin Jiuye and Tang Shenyan instantly turned their gaze to Li Qiao. Seeing this, Li Qiao remained composed. He paused deliberately before saying indifferently, "Something like that."
"What do you mean 'something like that'?" Qin Jiuye felt the situation was becoming increasingly suspicious. She pressed him, "What exactly happened? What villains? Why haven't I heard you mention this?"
Du Laogou, anxious to prove himself, was about to speak when he felt a sudden chill. He turned and met the youth’s gaze. His throat tightened, and he instantly lost his nerve.
Li Qiao withdrew his gaze and fell into a brief, tight-lipped silence.
He could let her toil all night in that man Qiu’s estate, as long as it was what she wanted to do.
But he didn't want her to come into contact with the person he had met that night. That person wasn't just a murderer who dismembered bodies; he was a ferryman traveling between the dangerous world of the *jianghu* and the ordinary world. Once one stepped onto that ferry, it was nearly impossible to escape the erosion of the *jianghu* waters.
He knew the taste of those waters all too well and didn't want her to touch even a drop.
However, he knew her temperament. If he said nothing now, she had the patience and the means to find out for herself later.
Li Qiao finally looked at Qin Jiuye. "These past few days, you kept saying you were busy with the case, Sister. I didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble."
With a few words, he had shifted the responsibility onto her, yet in a way that left her unable to find fault. Qin Jiuye took the loss and stepped back.
"I have been a bit neglectful of you lately. You can tell me now."
The youth’s expression finally softened. After a moment of thought, he recounted the night he met Du Laogou. Naturally, he omitted many details—he didn't mention why he was in the western streets in the middle of the night, nor did he mention why he hadn't pursued the person on the boat.
Fortunately, Qin Jiuye’s mind was elsewhere. She didn't press him on the finer details, instead grabbing Du Laogou and asking, "You didn't see clearly the first time, but surely you did this time? What kind of person was it? Man or woman? What did they look like? Old or young? Was it truly not Xinyu or someone from the Su residence?"
Du Laogou clutched his head, looking pained. "It was a young man! As for the rest... I can't say for sure. He just looked like an ordinary person!"
Qin Jiuye refused to give up. She rummaged through the stone platform, pulled out a scrap of ink-stained paper and a piece of charcoal, and thrust them in front of him. She pointed eagerly at the blank space.
"Don't you usually tell fortunes and read faces? You must have some skill in drawing portraits. If you can't describe him, then draw him!"
Du Laogou took the charcoal in a daze. After a long while, he began to sketch on the scrap of paper with trembling fingers.
Though he held charcoal, his strokes had some semblance of form. However, perhaps because years of soaking in wine had ravaged his body, his wrist shook uncontrollably. By the time he finished, sweat was beading on his brow.
Li Qiao watched coldly from the side until the charcoal was set down.
Qin Jiuye impatiently grabbed the paper. She saw a wobbly outline that barely resembled a face. At first glance, it looked a bit like Old Guo the blacksmith from the end of Dingweng Village. At second glance, it looked like Cao Jin, the sycophantic clerk next to Fan Tong. At third glance, it looked like the *jianghu* wanderers who frequented the alley behind Tingfeng Hall.
In short, it looked like everyone and no one at the same time.
Qin Jiuye’s brow furrowed deeply, and her voice rose. "What is this? Can't you be serious? Use the same effort you put into writing those erotic books!"
Du Laogou, stung by the harsh criticism, felt his pride wounded. His stubborn streak flared up.
"What do you know? In this world, ugly people are all ugly in their own way, and there are very few truly beautiful people. The rest are just ordinary. Ordinary people, like you and me—if you look at them long enough, they all look the same. Besides, the man was wearing a bamboo hat. It’s not because my skill is lacking! I charge thirty or forty wen for a portrait out there..."
Qin Jiuye leaned her head on her hand and laughed out of sheer frustration.
After being led around for so long, this was perhaps their closest encounter with the mastermind, their best chance to uncover the truth and seize a lead. And yet, that chance was resting on a muddled, drunken charlatan. It was enough to make one laugh and sigh at the same time.
Du Laogou was still throwing a tantrum, breathless and unreasonable. Qin Jiuye irritably crumpled the portrait into a ball and threw it aside.
"What are you doing, Shopkeeper Qin?" Tang Shenyan, who had been looking grim, finally spoke up. "It was one thing to be concerned when we were locked up, but now that it's over, why are you still chasing this? This isn't something small people like us should interfere with. What good does it do you to keep digging? What good does it do a *jianghu* fortune teller like him?"
"Whether it does me any good is one thing, but for him..." Qin Jiuye looked at Du Laogou’s bewildered face. She paused, then spoke heartlessly. "For him, it’s a matter of staying alive. I’m warning you out of kindness: people in the *jianghu* have ears and eyes far beyond ordinary men. You followed him that night and watched from the shadows; he might not have been entirely unaware. If he realizes later that he killed the wrong person, he’ll track you down sooner or later. Just because he hasn't killed you today doesn't mean he won't tomorrow. You don't even know who wants to kill you. Hiding blindly won't lead to a good end."
As she finished, Du Laogou sat frozen as if struck by lightning, his eyes vacant and unresponsive.
Qin Jiuye shook her head and turned to Tang Shenyan. "The same goes for you, Shopkeeper Tang. As they say, caution keeps the ship afloat. I came today first to confirm the events of that day, and second to warn you. Until that person is brought to justice, this matter isn't truly over."
Whether her words had hit home or not, Tang Shenyan, who had been questioning her moments ago, now had nothing to say.
Beside him, Du Laogou seemed to suddenly feel he had found a "brother in misery." He struggled to pull himself together and offered some comfort. "I think Brother Tang’s mindset is very steady. Usually, those who patronize Tingfeng Hall are all brothers carrying swords and blades. After all these years in business, how could Brother Tang not have the skill to awe the masses and command the heroes?"
Tang Shenyan, however, dropped his usual friendly banter with Du Laogou. He exposed the truth without mercy. "There’s no need to gild my broken shack with your words, Brother Du. You’re doing everything you can to stay here, but if someone really comes, I won't last half a quarter-hour. You’ll just have someone to be buried with."
His scheme exposed, Du Laogou looked embarrassed but wasn't willing to let it go. He continued to pester Tang Shenyan with his chatter.
Seeing this, Qin Jiuye didn't want to stay any longer. She looked at the sky and walked toward the door.
Li Qiao immediately followed. Just as he caught up to her, she turned to him.
"If it’s too late, stay here for the night and return to Guoran Residence tomorrow. Don't follow me. I want to be alone for a while."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
福草豆娘 | Fucao Damselfly | A specific type of damselfly used for testing substances.
水虿 | Water nymph / Larva | The aquatic larval stage of a dragonfly or damselfly.
笔洗 | Brush-washer | A vessel used to clean calligraphy brushes.
紫榆 | Purple Elm | A type of wood used for high-quality furniture.
听风堂 | Tingfeng Hall | Tang Shenyan's information-brokering business.
大庐酿 | Dalu Brew | A type of wine mentioned in the text.
荷香兰 | Lotus-scented Orchid | A specific type of orchid Tang Shenyan was growing.
燕回头 | Swallow's Return | Likely an organization or a specific information network.
丁翁村 | Dingweng Village | A location mentioned in the text.
掾史 | Clerk / Subordinate official | A minor government official title.
金蟾 | Golden Toad | A decorative or symbolic item belonging to Tang Shenyan.
