Once past Sanmu Pass, the surrounding scenery changed drastically.
Though the undulating Gobi desert still stretched into the distance, the further they ventured into the heartland, the more lush the vegetation became. The ground beneath them was no longer hard, parched gravel, but soft soil mingled with fine sand. The air was thick with an intoxicating scent—the fragrance that only fresh trees and flowers could emit.
Though no soldiers were visible on the surface, traces of military deployment were everywhere. Xiao Nanhui’s heart sank as she observed; it seemed Xiao Zhun was right—the battle for Bijiang would likely be a grueling one.
The present Yanxi had been assimilated by the Nanqiang people. The Nanqiang did not care for building cities; instead, they divided their territory by nomadic regions. Within each region were independent fortified villages, each ruled by a clan matriarch. They grew powerful by relying on ancestral clan ties; their external structure was loose and widespread, but their internal unity was absolute, making them incredibly difficult to conquer or dismantle.
This was a fortress built of human hearts, more solid than any wall of bronze or iron.
The person who had attempted to assassinate Prince Kang sounded like a Nanqiang local and likely hailed from one of those villages. But which village it was, and what role the Bai clan played in all of this, remained a mystery.
The procession finally slowed its pace as the sky turned completely dark. Xiao Nanhui estimated it was now around the hour of the Pig.
The sentries grew more frequent, with towering watchtowers appearing one after another. She didn't dare look up too closely, only using the light from the torches of the riders beside her to scan the immediate surroundings, memorizing the route in her heart.
They seemed to have entered a mountain hollow, though there were no high mountains in the Gobi; this place was more like a massive sandstone formation, and the gates of the Sun Estate stood at its base.
The man named Sun was, after all, a native of Lingxi. Even though he had thrown himself into the embrace of Bijiang and the Nanqiang, he fundamentally could not stomach living in low-slung rammed-earth houses, let alone crude huts built of poplar wood. This residence largely maintained the style of a Lingxi courtyard, though it had been ambitiously constructed in the fashion of a palatial retreat, every corner reeking of the owner’s arrogant taste.
The lead rider reined in his mount, dismounting to count the women and the goods in the caravan.
After the slaughter they had just witnessed, the entire bridal procession was deathly silent. Having cried all their tears, the women’s faces were now masks of numbness. Coupled with nearly a full day of arduous travel, everyone radiated an indescribable exhaustion. The riders didn't even need to act menacing to herd these twenty-odd people around like a flock of sheep.
"You lot, follow him over there."
One of the riders suddenly spoke, pointing toward another direction. Xiao Nanhui glanced at the Sun Estate gates, which were within arm's reach; she could not bear to be shut out now.
"Hurry up! Don't dawdle!"
The crowd moved slowly. Xiao Nanhui, trailing at the very back, kept looking back at Tian Weier on the camel's back. Suddenly, as if making a desperate resolution, she turned and rushed forward.
"Miss! I cannot leave you alone!"
Tian Weier looked down stiffly and saw a sallow-faced maidservant clutching the hem of her skirt, refusing to let go. She looked somewhat familiar.
The rider sharing the mount with her looked down in disgust and kicked out.
The maid didn't dodge, taking the full force of the kick. She stumbled back a few steps but managed to grab hold of the camel's tail.
The camel let out a bray and spun in a circle, bucking both the rider and Tian Weier off its back.
Xiao Nanhui sighed inwardly and gritted her teeth, stepping forward to let Tian Weier land on her, acting as a human cushion. Seizing the chance, she grabbed the girl's hand and shouted, "Miss, have you forgotten? If your falling sickness flares up and there’s no one who knows how to prepare your medicine, how will your body endure it?"
Tian Weier stared in stunned silence, unaware she had suddenly developed a chronic ailment of "falling sickness." Not far away, Wu Xiaoliu closed his eyes, looking as though he were about to faint from sheer stress.
Xiao Nanhui didn't dare look at the expressions of those around her. She tightened her grip on Tian Weier’s hand, looking into her eyes as she spoke each word deliberately: "Miss, Xiaoliu and I are from the Tian household. In life we are your people, in death we are your ghosts. Please, keep us by your side to care for you."
The young mistress of the Tian family, who had been moved about like a puppet since the wedding began, finally regained her spirit.
No matter how foolish she was, she had to know that the Sun family was no sanctuary; the display of brutality at Sanmu Pass was proof enough. Although the two people before her didn't look particularly capable, they were at least from her own home, weren't they? If she waited until she was trapped deep within the Sun Estate to seek a way out, she truly would be beyond help.
"Isn't this the one who was throwing a fit earlier? Looks like a troublemaker. Only a short while and she's starting something again. Why don't we just slaughter her along with that fat younger brother of hers?"
"Exactly. Look at how fat he is; he’s probably just a waste of rations."
The riders’ malicious laughter drifted over. Xiao Nanhui could almost feel the killing intent approaching from behind.
"Officers."
Tian Weier finally spoke. Her voice was somewhat weak, but it was clear and pleasant, naturally evoking a sense of pity. The term "officers" was particularly well-received by the riders. They were men who dealt in shady business and hated being looked down upon most of all; though the title was an exaggeration, it sounded exceptionally sweet to their ears.
"Officers, I have been frail since childhood. These two servants have always followed me. I cannot say they are clever, but they are absolutely loyal and dutiful. For my sake, please allow them to accompany me."
Xiao Nanhui watched Tian Weier’s delicate act and realized that the easiest skill to master in this world was lying. Under the tutelage of her and Wu Xiaoliu, Tian Weier’s aptitude in this area had improved by leaps and bounds.
The riders turned their questioning gazes toward the leader with the aquiline nose.
"Kesang, you decide."
The leader named Kesang remained noncommittal. He walked slowly toward the three of them, first looking at Tian Weier, then suddenly reaching out to squeeze Xiao Nanhui’s throat.
"Woman, I remember your face. Do not play tricks. This is Bijiang; there is more than one way to die here besides losing your head."
Xiao Nanhui was choked until she couldn't breathe. She fought to suppress her instinct to strike back until he finally released her.
Gasping for air, she heard the man give his orders.
"Let the two of them follow."
****** ****** ******
The night was deep, and a superficial silence reigned within the Sun Estate. Yet, if one listened closely, one could hear faint sounds mingled in that silence—sounds that stirred a creeping unease.
Tian Weier’s face turned pale instantly. Xiao Nanhui sighed inwardly.
It was the sound of women’s suppressed sobbing, accompanied by the thud of heavy objects hitting the floor and the sound of blunt impacts. It was muffled and indistinct, yet it rivaled the wailing of ghosts in hell.
The mammy who had been leading the way stopped abruptly and turned around, revealing an expressionless face.
"The Master took several Nanqiang beauties for company today. He is currently teaching them to taste tea and paint; he has no time to summon you for service."
Tian Weier let out a sigh of relief she didn't even try to hide. Seeing this, the mammy’s lips curled into a cold sneer.
"But no matter what, Miss Tian is a new bride who has just entered our Sun family. The proper etiquette must be observed. Since the Master is indisposed to complete the ceremony today, you shall wait in your wedding finery. If the Master has instructions, I will send someone for you at any time."
Having said that, without waiting for Tian Weier’s reaction, she cast a gaze as sharp as a knife upon Xiao Nanhui and Wu Xiaoliu.
"You two need to learn the rules from me, lest you embarrass your mistress later."
Wu Xiaoliu’s calves began to tremble. Xiao Nanhui nudged him aside and stepped closer to the mammy, speaking in a thick, rustic Suyan dialect with a timid air: "We shall follow whatever the Mammy arranges. It’s just..."
"Just what?"
Xiao Nanhui stuck her fingers into her hair and scratched vigorously. A few suspicious black specks tumbled out.
"...Water in the eastern city is too precious. My brother and I haven't bathed in half a month, and we’re itching terribly. But if Mammy doesn't mind, we are willing to learn the rules first!"
The mammy predictably recoiled three steps, disgust written all over her face.
"Filthy things! Get to the stables in the back courtyard and wash yourselves clean before entering this courtyard! If you offend the Master’s eyes later, I’ll have your hides!"
Xiao Nanhui bowed and scraped in agreement. The mammy didn't dare linger, fearing she might catch lice or fleas, and beat a hasty retreat.
The large courtyard fell silent once more, and those faint, ghostly sobs drifted into their ears again.
The day’s terrors finally caught up with her; Tian Weier could endure no more. Her eyes rolled back, and she fainted dead away.
****** ****** ******
After half an hour of effort, Xiao Nanhui finally got the Tian mistress settled. Looking out the window, she saw there was barely an hour left before dawn.
She had no desire to sleep. Using the cover of night, she scouted every part of the Sun Estate she could reach before carefully returning to Tian Weier’s courtyard.
There were no lights in Tian Weier’s room; the surroundings were pitch black.
In the darkness, a pudgy silhouette sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, looking exactly as he had when she left half an hour ago.
"Wu Xiaoliu."
The figure turned slowly, revealing a resentful, fat face.
"Hey, what’s with that look? Is that the attitude you should have toward your savior?"
Wu Xiaoliu looked as if he had just been released from a paralysis spell. He spat angrily, "Bah! If you hadn't dragged me into this fire pit, would you even need to save me? If I’d known this was coming, I’d rather have been gutted by you back then than come here to live in fear! I have no parents anyway, no ties in this world. If I die, at least it’ll be a clean end..."
A sweet, fragrant scent of pastry drifted into his nostrils, cutting off his vent of anger. His heart, which had been ready to give up on life, was now drowned by a surge of saliva. His round belly let out a loud, long rumble.
Xiao Nanhui raised an eyebrow, unsurprised. She handed over the half-piece of warm, milky pastry.
Wu Xiaoliu’s pride made one last struggle.
"Who... who wants to eat something you stole!"
Xiao Nanhui said nothing. She placed the pastry on the stone table, found a spot to sit, and slowly pulled a large bundle of steamed buns and sweet potatoes wrapped in coarse cloth from her robe, followed by a teapot filled with water.
"Oh? It seems your mind is made up. You’ve chosen the path of starving to death."
Wu Xiaoliu’s eyes couldn't leave the pastry. Finally, his fat hand reached out.
"Eat. Even if you’re going to die, go with a full stomach. Otherwise, you might become a hungry ghost and be reincarnated as a pig in your next life."
Wu Xiaoliu’s cheeks were stuffed full of pastry. Perhaps thinking of his recent hardships, tears welled in his eyes, but his mouth remained stubborn. "You’ve never been reincarnated," he mumbled. "How would you know?"
"I haven't been reincarnated, but I have been hungry."
Xiao Nanhui spoke nonchalantly while stuffing a bun into her mouth. Wu Xiaoliu realized then that this woman could eat even more than he could; she had already polished off three buns in a short time.
"The feeling of hunger is truly unbearable. Sometimes you think dying might be easier. But I was too small then; even if I wanted to die, I didn't know how. So, I just endured the days one by one."
Wu Xiaoliu ate too fast and let out a hiccup. "What does that have to do with being a pig?"
Xiao Nanhui grabbed the teapot and poured him a cup of cold tea. "Don't you know? If a person has an obsession before they die, they carry it into the next life. If you die hungry, in your next life all you’ll think about is getting full, forgetting everything else. The Buddha sees this and thinks, 'Well, that’s easy then,' and tosses you straight into the Animal Realm."
Wu Xiaoliu finished his water and looked at the woman beside him with suspicion. "You talk as if you know it all, but seeing how tall and strong you are—with the strength of a tigress—you don't look like someone who’s ever gone hungry."
Xiao Nanhui suppressed the urge to react to his insults, a vein throbbing at her temple. "And seeing how plump and moist you are, you look even less like someone who’s gone hungry."
Wu Xiaoliu looked serious. "This is just bloating; I’ve been like this since I was a kid. Back then, we counted every grain of millet we ate. Once, I stole some and put husks back in to make up the volume. I was caught and beaten so badly I nearly kicked the bucket."
Was he trying to compete with her in misery? Xiao Nanhui gave a cold laugh.
"Your family actually had millet? My house didn't even have a rice jar. In my memory, my rice jars were the horse troughs used by the merchants who came into town. When I was desperate with hunger, I had to fight the animals for food. Sometimes the merchants were rich and put oats in the troughs; I’d be happy for days. Looking back, it’s both funny and pathetic."
Wu Xiaoliu stared at her blankly for a moment, then gritted his teeth.
"You win."
The courtyard fell silent again, save for the sound of chewing.
After a long while, Xiao Nanhui finally finished eating. She lay back on the stone table, looking up at the pale light of dawn, and suddenly asked.
"Wu Xiaoliu, are you a true native of Suyan?"
Wu Xiaoliu hummed a response, which served as a confirmation.
"Let me ask you, have you ever heard of any assassin organizations in this area, or any bizarre murders?"
"How bizarre?"
Xiao Nanhui tried to organize her thoughts. "The people in this organization... they all look the same. Well, not exactly the same, but as if they’ve all been disfigured. And they use flying wires to kill."
This time, Wu Xiaoliu fell silent.
She waited for a while without a response. Turning her head, she saw the fat man had already slumped onto the stone table and was snoring loudly.
She really must have been muddled by the atmosphere of Yanxi to think she could get information about the martial world from a domestic servant.
After lying there for a bit, she stood up and walked toward the room.
There was still some time before sunrise. She decided to borrow the Tian mistress’s soft couch to rest and gather her strength.
Hearing the footsteps enter the room and the door creak shut, Wu Xiaoliu’s snoring stopped.
He opened his eyes, sat up from the stone table, and wiped the pastry crumbs from his mouth. His face was a mask of struggle and confusion.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 三目关 | Sanmu Pass | Literally "Three-Eyed Pass." |
| 碧疆 | Bijiang | The "Green Frontier" or "Jade Border" region. |
| 南羌 | Nanqiang | Southern Qiang; a nomadic ethnic group. |
| 岩西 | Yanxi | A city/region in the story. |
| 孙府 | Sun Estate | The residence of the Sun family. |
| 岭西 | Lingxi | A region, likely the protagonist's home area. |
| 亥时 | Hour of the Pig | 9:00 PM – 11:00 PM. |
| 克桑 | Kesang | A leader among the riders/guards. |
| 宿岩 | Suyan | A local dialect or sub-region. |
| 飞线 | Flying wires | A specialized weapon used by assassins. |
| 畜生道 | Animal Realm | One of the six realms of rebirth in Buddhist cosmology. |
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